Ready or Not (Aggie's Inheritance) (16 page)

Descending the stairs ahead of Aggie, Geraldine asked,
“
And what do you plan to teach?
”

“
History
--
high school level history. I have a few offers already, but I haven
’
t accepted any as of yet. I am hoping that my high school will have an opening. The man who taught me is considering an early retirement.
”
Aggie followed as Geraldine walked into the living room and sat down.

“
Here, let me hold him for a few minutes. Poor motherless boy.
”
Geraldine cooed and made gurgling noises at baby Ian, but he immediately began to fuss. Aggie had to give the woman credit. She jostled him and rocked him, before finally turning to Martha and asking what could be the matter.

Martha Milliken smiled through eyes filled with pain and tears and said,
“
I think Laird has a bottle ready for him. He says that Ian slept through his last feeding.
”

Geraldine held the baby out to Aggie.
“
Would you mind feeding him, dear? Your dress is already dirty
--
well, you should probably put a towel over your chest before you feed him. We wouldn
’
t want him to touch
--
Do you mind?
”

Aggie smiled at the baby as she took him. Laird silently brought her a burp cloth and a bottle before returning to where his siblings were sequestered. As Aggie sat between her parents on the couch and fed the baby, she watched Geraldine flawlessly control the conversation. There were no uncomfortable pauses and no awkward moments.

Ian downed the bottle in no time. Aggie laid the baby against her chest and patted his back and bottom. Moments later, the baby let out a loud burp. Aggie couldn
’
t help but think that an Amish mother would be proud of such a hearty belch. The baby spit up just a little, but a bib got most of it.

“
I always find it amazing how uncivilized babies are when they are born. Think of the work that must be put into them to teach them proper manners. Alanna was an excellent mother. The children are so poised and well-mannered. I
’
ve always been so pleased that we could have her as a member of our family.
”
A delicate, well-timed tear was dabbed away from Geraldine
’
s impeccable make-up. Aggie wanted to scream. Was this woman for real?

The woman continued on another vein without a pause.
“
I was thankful that you weren
’
t here last night, Martha. With your heart condition, it wouldn
’
t have been good idea.
”
Aggie wondered if it was
ever
a good idea to sit around waiting for word that a loved one had died. The impulse to chuckle at herself felt overwhelming for a moment. My, she was being sarcastic tonight.

“
We are also thankful that we were here when the officers came. What if it had just been that teenager that Alanna and Douglas hired? If I hadn
’
t come to visit and sent the girl home, those poor children could have been placed…
”
Geraldine
’
s voice lowered to a stage whisper.
“
In foster care.
”
The woman shuddered.

“
When the officers told me what happened, I just didn
’
t believe it. I am still suspicious. How can you die from a blood transfusion? People get them to
save
lives. The idea is preposterous. My husband has requested a copy of the medical charts, and they
’
ll be reviewed by our lawyer and his medical counsel.
”

“
Accidents do happen. I feel badly for the nurse. It was clearly an accident. The officer that we spoke to said that the ER turned into bedlam when a six car accident, with multiple fatalities, flooded them unexpectedly. She
’
ll probably lose her license.
”
Martha
’
s quiet voice was so filled with pain that Aggie stood to make room for her father to comfort his wife. She wanted to hug her mother, but it was difficult while holding the baby.

Aggie, seeing the expression on Geraldine
’
s face, tried to divert her attention with the first thought that came to mind.
“
What I don
’
t understand is why they were driving the van. I mean, it
’
s a good thing, the impact in a little car like the Jaguar might have killed them immediately.
”

Geraldine
’
s eyes grew cold, her voice hard and icy.
“
I beg your pardon, but due to that woman
’
s negligence, there are eight children in this house who are motherless and fatherless. I have lost my only child; you have lost your eldest daughter. I cannot believe that you could be so callous, Martha Milliken.
”
Geraldine drew herself up, left the room to gather coffee for everyone, then turned back.
“
And as to the Jag, the car is being repaired. I told Douglas that it was a foolish gift when he gave it. Classic or not, an old car is an old car.
”

Aggie was furious. Allie had called Aggie while she got ready for their Valentine date. Allie had not wanted to go. Kenzie seemed to be coming down with a cold, and Doug was just home from a business trip. Geraldine was a very persistent woman however, and in the end, Doug and Allie had chosen to be pleasant and go. It seemed wasteful to refuse concert tickets.
“
Why she doesn
’
t learn that we like being home with the children, I
’
ll never know.
”
Allie
’
s words rang through Aggie
’
s mind as she fought to hold her tongue.

Ron Milliken whispered something to his wife and then turned to Aggie.
“
I
’
m going to take your mother to the hotel. Would you like to come with us, or perhaps you might hire a cab?
”

Aggie said she
’
d call a cab and bade her parents goodbye. Geraldine
’
s change from genteel pleasantness to almost venomous was startling. Aggie chalked it up to suppressed grief and said, when Mrs. Stuart came back into the room,
“
I
’
m sorry, Mrs. Stuart, Mom started feeling weak, so Dad had to take her to the hotel. I
’
ll call a cab later, but I thought you might like help putting the children to bed.
”

“
Why, thank you. Your mother
’
s health is so delicate, isn
’
t it? Perhaps she should not have attempted the trip.
”
Geraldine sipped her coffee and set a cup for Aggie on the coffee table.

“
Yes, we
’
re very cautious of her health, but at a time like this, she would have worried about the children and the arrangements and everything if she would have stayed home.
”

Geraldine gave an enigmatic smile and sipped her coffee. Aggie realized that, while Mr. Stuart was sitting in the room throughout her parent
’
s visit, she hadn
’
t heard him speak or be spoken to.
“
Mr. Stuart, would you like a cup of coffee? You are welcome to mine; I can
’
t drink and hold little Mr. Squirmy here.
”

Douglas Stuart shook his head as he flipped through papers in a briefcase on his lap.
“
Thank you, Aggie, but I am fine. Do you need Vanora to come in and take him? I am sure she would be happy to.
”
The man smiled as he started to rise to get the girl.

“
No, thank you. I have only seen Ian once. I
’
m enjoying him.
”
Aggie laughed at the baby
’
s antics.

“
Aggie, I am thinking that if it
’
s convenient for you, I would like to invite you to stay here tonight. With my sleeping pills, I don
’
t know if I
’
ll hear the baby should he awake. I think Vanora had to get up with him several times last night. He is,
”
her voice lowered with affected discretion,
“
unused to drinking from bottles.
”

“
Well, Allie nursed him exclusively I presume. She did the others.
”
Poor baby, no wonder he
’
d been so hungry. It was obvious that he had been refusing the bottle most of last night.

“
Would you mind holding him, Mrs. Stuart? I think that he might still be hungry. He seems to be seeking something, but I
’
m afraid my plumbing won
’
t help him. The works aren
’
t turned on yet.
”
Aggie tried to joke as she handed the baby to his grandmother, but she realized, too late, that she
’
d only managed to offend the proper woman. Talking about bodily functions, even something as natural as feeding a baby, was probably a huge social faux pas.

Aggie carefully read the instructions on the little baggie box and the can of formula. Hoping she was getting the water warm enough and the formula shook up well, Aggie mixed her first bottle. She had no idea that this would be the first of many. Shaking vigorously, she squirted the mixture on her wrist. It was warm but didn
’
t hurt. She hoped that was the goal. One sniff killed the fleeting notion of taste testing it. The
“
milk
”
smelled vile.
“
How do babies drink this stuff?
”

Monday, February 18
^th