Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (200 page)

“I
didn’t
mean—”
Luke
sank
to
the
corner
of
her
bed
and
played
with
the
zipper
pull
on
her
suitcase.
“I
guess
it
doesn’t
matter
what
I
meant
to
do.
I
did
that.
I’m
sorry.
”

“You
meant
to
be
superior,
Luke.
I
could
see
it
in
your
eyes
and
in
the
way
Tina
reacted
to
you.
You
liked
being
the
calm
one
who
was
too
godly
to
stoop
to
an
argument.”

Several
minutes
passed.
Aggie
packed
item
after
item,
but
Luke
seemed
unwilling
to
address
her
accusation.
“Mibs,”
he
began
at
last,
“you’re
right.
I
thought
you
were
upset
over
nothing,
so
I
decided
to
take
the
‘high
road.’
It
was
wrong.”

“I
want
to
stay
mad
at
you.”

“But
I
want
you
to
forgive
me.”

“Next
time
I
say
I
want
to
talk
about
something,
can
we
talk?”

“But
you
never
said
you
wanted
to
talk.
You
told
me
to
take
you
home
when
I
wouldn’t
argue
in
public.”

Aggie
closed
her
eyes.
“Regardless
of
how
we
each
see
this
particular
situation,
would
you
agree
to
talk
next
time?”

“Deal.
Wanna
talk
now?”

She
shook
her
head.
“Nope.
Wanna
tell
me
what
we
got
Chad?”

“Found
out
that
he
doesn’t
have
a
GPS
in
the
truck.
Got
him
one.”

“Perfect.”
Aggie
glanced
at
Luke
and
grinned.
“C
an
I
have
a
hug?
I
really
need
one.”

Wedne
sday
,
March
3
^rd

“Get
up!
It’s
almost
eight!”
Aggie
shouted
in
each
door
for
the
third
time
that
morning.
“Next
time
I
come
around,
I’m
taking
blankets
and
bringing
cold
water.”

It
didn’t
work.
She
carried
her
spray
bottle
with
her,
jerking
off
covers
and
spritzing
each
one
but
Ian
,
who
seemed
to
find
the
entire
proceeding
hysterical.
His
gleeful
screeches
were
likely
more
responsible
for
Tavish’s
appearance
than
her
attempts.
“That’s
the
last
time
I
get
caught
up
in
wedding
prep
and
forget
bedtime!”

“We
had
fun.
We
watched
the
entire
second
season
of
the
Waltons!”
Ellie
exclaimed.
“It’s
almost
like
watching
our
house.”
As
Tavish
passed
,
the
girl
called,
“Good
morning,
Tavish!”

“It
just
doesn’t
work
for
morning.”

“Granola
bars
for
breakfast.
Just
get
dressed
and
comb
your
hair.
Kenzie,
wear
short
sleeves.”

“But
I
want—”

“It
wasn’t
a
suggestion,”
Aggie
growled.
“Wear.
Short.
Sleeves.”

The
girl
sighed.
“Fine.”
A
glance
at
Aggie’s
face
prompted
her
to
amend
her
response.
“Yes,
Aunt
Aggie.”

With
Tina
fighting
the
caterers
about
soup
in
Rockland
and
Luke
supervising
the
final
touches
on
his
roof,
Aggie’s
trip
to
the
doctor
was
solo.
Solo
trips
to
places
that
were
not
child-friendly
on
days
when
the
children
were
sleep-deprived
was
asking
for
trouble,
but
Aggie
dressed
Ian
with
as
much
cheerfulness
as
she
could
muster
and
hurried
downstairs.