Ready or Not (Aggie's Inheritance) (34 page)

Talking her through the aisles to find milk, cereal, bread, peanut butter, jelly, and some juice, the cashier rang up the purchases of a deputy who watched the proceedings curiously. His small basket of food that would make any health-conscious person proud, was scanned, bagged, and paid for before Aggie arrived back at the counter, her last minute purchases almost spilling from her arms.

“
Thank you,
”
she gasped as the checker began to scan her items. To the officer, she hardly gave a glance but did give an effusive,
“
I am so sorry about that.
”
As she apologized, she dug through her purse looking for her debit card, and in frustration, dragged out the credit card Mr. Moss had insisted she carry.

* * *

Deputy Sheriff William Markensen watched, a frown forming, as the young woman dug through her purse for her money. Seeing her dismay at the sight of her credit card sent his mind into mental calisthenics of the conclusion variety.
“
Great
--
another dussie. The girl
’
s living on credit,
”
he thought to himself as she finally slid it across the counter. Something about her was familiar though, and not knowing what it was, he observed without attempting to disguise it.

Tessa Braun kept a running dialogue of questions and observations as she checked ID, accepted the signed slip, and wished the woman a good day. He was tempted to offer to help, but something in her demeanor held him back. This woman didn
’
t want anyone
’
s help if she could avoid it. As she pushed her way through the doors, Tessa glanced at him.
“
What
’
s someone so young doing driving that monster?
”

“
I don
’
t know, but I intend to find out.
”

“
Oh, William, she seems nice enough. You see a criminal behind every tree. Maybe she
’
s going to run a day care.
”

“
She
’
d better have her licenses in order, or I
’
ll haul her in so fast she
’
ll wish she
’
d never tried it.
”

“
You,
”
Tessa said as she reached for the next item at her counter,
“
are the most suspicious person I
’
ve ever met. I
’
ll bet you one of my pies against one of your steaks that she
’
s just a nice girl who needs a friend. No criminal record and doesn
’
t do anything to get one in the first month she
’
s here.
”

“
You
’
re on. Make that pie your caramel apple pie.
”

“
I want my steak medium rare with that seasoned salt you always use. Mushrooms on top.
”

“
Better not forget the nuts!
”
William called, laughing as he exited the store and hurried to his car. Shift was over. It was time to clock out mentally as well as physically.

* * *

The officer
’
s scrutiny wasn
’
t lost on Aggie. The more he watched, the more flustered she got until she
’
d felt ready to scream. Tossing the bags a little roughly behind the passenger seat in the van, she backed out as slowly and carefully as she could bring herself to move and drove toward home.
“
Lord, I don
’
t know what that man thinks of me, and on the one hand, I really don
’
t care. However, I didn
’
t like the look on his face, so if you could just take care of it for me, I
’
d be obliged. I have a house to renovate.
”

As she retraced her route home, Aggie
’
s voice wavered as she tried to sing something to bolster her spirits.
“
I
’
ve seen the lightning flashing…
”
By the time she turned on Last Street, her voice was stronger and more confident.
“
He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone!
”

Children raced to the porch at the sight of the van in the driveway shouting,
“
Dinner, dinner, dinner!
”

“
Well, if you want it, you
’
d better come and help me carry it in!
”

Despite the incredulity of the store clerks, Aggie, the Stuart children, and the Landrys managed to consume every scrap of chicken, three bags of the salad, two of the quarts of potato salad, and all the ice cream. As Aggie rinsed plates and cleaned up two puddles of milk, she glanced at the flowers she
’
d stuck unceremoniously in a juice pitcher, and smiled. Extravagant or not, it had been a good purchase. They took a dingy and very dirty room and made it feel like a home. Iris tried to help scrub down the kitchen, but Aggie, against her own wishes and better judgment, shooed them out the door with a generous check and heartfelt thanks for all their work.

Beds and
bunk beds
cluttered the dining and living rooms, making a quick pick-up impossible. As much as she
’
d tried to keep the beds along the perimeter of the walls, she
’
d failed. She shooed the children upstairs to choose their rooms while she finished dragging wads of packing paper from beneath every surface. Six rooms and two bathrooms were on the second floor with a seventh room and bath on the top floor. She
’
d claimed that top floor room for herself at Tina
’
s suggestion. Tina had convinced Aggie that she would need the privacy at the end of a long day. There was a little sitting room directly off of the master bedroom, so Aggie reserved that for Ian until he was old enough to sleep through the night.

All the children agreed unanimously that Vannie should take the
“
turret
”
room. Aggie insisted that Laird have his own room as well, while Tavish and Ian (once that sleeping through the night thing finally occurred) shared a room, and Kenzie and Elspeth paired up. They all begged for Cari and Lorna to have their own shared room as well, instead of putting two sets of bunk beds in Kenzie and Ellie
’
s room. It seemed so sweet and thoughtful until she saw the relief and glee on the children
’
s faces when Aggie agreed.

Everyone, including Aggie, had difficulty settling that evening; Vannie seemed distant, and the other children were excitable. After several futile attempts to engage them in anything that calmed them, Aggie sent them to bed. A chorus of groans and wails followed, but she remained firm. Once everyone had clean teeth, hands, feet, and faces, and were laying in their beds, she sat in a chair between the two rooms and led the children in singing choruses and hymns until she noticed their voices growing weaker
--
quieter. Then she told them all to be quiet and carried Ian and her chair back to the kitchen. Once Ian slept soundly in his crib at the far corner of the living room, Aggie made a cup of French Crème coffee, sat on the porch steps, and watched the stars put the world to sleep.

Sunday, June 2
^nd

Aggie had not adequately prepared for church assembly the next morning. As the children searched for their clothes and tried, with utterly futile attempts, to get ready, Aggie decided that they weren
’
t going. Disappointment filled their faces, but they changed clothes again and eventually wandered outside to do some more playing and exploring
--
all but Vannie. Before long, squeals of excitement and play were heard all around the house.

She and Vannie walked all over the house exploring, making plans, and talking. With a few well-chosen words, Aggie broke through the wall Vannie had constructed at Kenzie
’
s graduation. She appealed to the girl
’
s reason and asked for help in finding ways to keep Allie and Doug in the hearts of all of their children. After a long talk, the breach that had made Vannie so miserable and kept Aggie awake longer each night was mended and the bridge stronger than ever.

When they reached the dusty attic, it was as though they
’
d entered a neglected antique paradise. They discovered boxes of old books under one dormer window, and Tavish was called in to
“
rescue
”
them. He disappeared downstairs with one box containing several first editions of
The Rover Boys,
muttering something like,
“
They don
’
t make mindless fictional drivel like they used to.
”

Aggie and Vannie found wonderful pieces of furniture and began making plans for them. It nearly killed Aggie to watch her niece finger this piece or that saying,
“
Momma would have loved this.
”
After a while, the girl found a dainty vanity table. One leg was broken, but the mirror was intact, and when Aggie rubbed it with her t-shirt, she saw beautiful birds-eye maple under the layers of dirt and dust.

“
Oh, Vannie, it
’
s beautiful! We have to remember it
’
s up here when your room is done. This would look so pretty between those two windows on that funny shaped wall.
”

Vannie looked up startled.
“
You mean that you don
’
t want it? Can I really have it in my room?
”

Aggie smiled and assured Vannie that the vanity was hers.
“
I
’
ll see if Laird thinks he knows how to fix that leg though. I would hate to break that mirror with a bad
“
fix-it
”
job.
”