Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (84 page)

“He
scared
me.”

“How?”

“It
was
the
way
he
shoved
me
when
he
went
past
and
how
he
almost
charged
me
when
he
wanted
me
out
of
the
room.
Honestly,”
she
ducked
her
head
and
dropped
her
voice
to
a
whisper,
“that’s
the
kind
of
thing
I
might
do
if
I
was
upset—not
Laird.
He
just
ignores
everything
and
then
if
he
can’t
take
it
anymore,
he
walks
away.
He
doesn’t…um…”

“Engage?”

“Yeah!
Engage.
It’s
just
not
his
personality.
It’s
hard
enough
to
get
him
to
get
worked
up
over
anything
in
the
first
place.
Usually
it’s
when
he
can’t
do
anything
right,
but
I
don’t
think
that’s
it
this
time.”

“What
do
you
mean?”

Vannie
sat
up,
her
hands
pulling
the
pillow
behind
her
into
her
lap
and
clutching
it
to
her
chest
as
if
for
support.
“Laird
has
always
been
really
laid
back.
You
can
make
him
do
everything
all
the
time,
push
him
hard,
or
totally
ignore
him
and
he
doesn’t
say
anything.
The
only
time
he
fights
back
if
is
you
do
all
that
and
you’re
still
not
satisfied
with
him.”

“Right…”

“Well,
this
isn’t
that.
The
way
he’s
reacting
is
different.
Laird
gets
in
your
face
and
says
that.
‘What
do
you
want
from
me?
I
can’t
do
anything
right
so
maybe
I
should
quit.’
Stuff
like
that.
This
is
sneaky.
Little
things
under
his
breath
and
nasty
looks.”
The
girl
buried
her
head
into
her
pillow
as
she
said,
“And
it’s
mostly
at
you
when
you’re
not
looking
or
can’t
hear.”

All
of
Aggie’s
hidden
fears
were
confirmed
in
that
one
half-muffled
confession.
“Thank
you
for
telling
me.
I’ve
wondered
if
I’ve
seen
things
lately,
but
then
everything
seems
fine,
and
I
allowed
myself
to
be
convinced
that
it
was
my
imagination.”
She
hesitated—unsure
if
her
next
idea
was
a
good
one
or
not,
but
Aggie
was
desperate.
“If
you
hear
or
see
anything
that
you
think
I
need
to
know,
I
want
you
to
tell
me.
You
have
to
do
it
for
Laird’s
sake.”

Vannie
dragged
herself
from
the
bed
a
little
while
later
and
started
to
leave
the
room.
At
the
door
she
hesitated.
“You
know,
I
used
to
try
so
hard
to
tattle
to
Mommy
about
everything.
I
wanted
her
to
see
how
grown
up
I
was—that
I
could
be
a
good
helper.
She
never
let
me
and
I
kind
of
grew
out
of
it—mostly.
I
don’t
think
I
like
it
anymore.
I
hope
he
just
quits.
I
feel
sick.”

“I’m
sorry.
Maybe
you
shouldn’t
worry
about
telling
me,”
Aggie
said,
doubt
creeping
into
her
voice.