Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (57 page)

Indecision
tumbled
through
Luke’s
mind.
He
had
to
go.
There
was
no
doubt
about
that,
but
the
inspector
was
due
the
next
morning.
If
he
went
now,
he
might
not
be
ready.
Luke
set
down
his
tools
and
stood.
“Come
on.”

They
climbed
into
Luke’s
truck
while
Luke
called
the
inspector’s
office.
“Hello,
Mr.
Farley.
This
is
Luke
Sullivan
at
the
house
on
Cygnet.
There’s
been
a
potential
emergency
here
and
it
means
I
might
not
have
everything
ready
tomorrow
as
planned.
If
you
think
we
should
reschedule,
that’s
fine.
Just
give
me
a
call.
I
apologize
for
the
inconvenience.”

“I
thought
you
said
you
couldn’t
reschedule
that
appointment.”

“I
can’t
for
this
year.
The
inspector
goes
on
vacation
on
Friday
until
after
the
first.”

“That’ll
set
you
back
another
two
weeks!”

“Yes.”

Laird
waved
his
hand.
“Just
let
me
out
and
go
back.
I’ll
figure
out
a
way
to
calm
her
down.
I
can
call
Aunt
Tina
or—”

“No.
Thank
you,
but
I’ve
got
to
do
this.
You
know
that.”

“It’s
not
your
job
yet.
Not
really.
Even
if
it
was,
you
can’t
just
come
home
every
time
Aunt
Aggie
has
a
bad
day.”

Luke
allowed
the
truck
to
idle
at
the
corner
while
he
spoke.
His
eyes
sought
understanding
in
Laird’s
face
,
but
it
wasn’t
there.
“Listen.
Family
always
has
to
come
first.
Now,
sometimes
that
means
that
I
can’t
come
home
when
someone
needs
me
because
I’ve
got
to
provide
for
that
family.
Other
times
it
means
that
I
have
to
choose
people
over
money.
Today
,
I
need
to
choose
people.”
He
flipped
on the blinker
and
turned
the
corner.
“
Now
,
tell
me
more.
What
happened
from
the
time
you
got
up
this
morning
?
”

Laird’s
story
didn’t
seem
to
help
much.
Aggie had managed an entire house renovation, multiple injuries, and an epidemic of chicken pox. Additionally, she had endured the negativity of the sheriff’s deputy and a mo
ther-in-law as a single woman.
She could handle
a
bit
of
glass,
paper,
jelly,
and
mud.

The
house
did
look
worse
than
he’d
expected,
but
it
was
still
nothing
to
compare
to
the
days
of
wallpaper
removal
and
footprints
in
the
polyurethane.
He
assigned
jobs
to
each
child,
including
babysitting
the
three
youngest,
and
hurried
upstairs.
Aggie’s
sobs
reached
him
long
before
he
reached
the
door
to
her
room.
Luke
knocked.

“So
help
me
if
you
do
not
go
away…”

“Mibs?”

“I
mean
it.
Just
go.”

The
sounds
of
her
weeping
nearly
tore
his
heart
out.
Luke
stood
there
,
unsure
what
to
do
,
but
unwilling
to
leave.
He
pulled
out
his
phone,
his
fingers
hovering
over
the
screen
ready
to
call
her
parents
if
necessary.
No,
it
wasn’t
right.
They’d
have
these
kinds
of
problems
for
the
next
fifty
years
if
God
was
that
good
to
them.
He
couldn’t
be
calling
either
of
their
parents
for
every
little
thing.