For Keeps (Aggie's Inheritance) (38 page)

His laughter rang out into the darkening twilight around them.
“
Probably, but I think I’d feel the same way.
”

“
It’s not fair for me to say that,
”
Aggie admitted.
“
He just forgets that he’s not always on duty and every difference of opinion isn’t a violation of a law.
”

“
I suspect it’s an occupational hazard. Kind of like I tend to see everyone’s house in light of what I’d do to it instead of just enjoying their hospitality.
”

“
So, should I ask your mom’s opinion? I don’t want to disregard the idea any more than I want to jump into it just because it seems like a solution to the current crisis.
”

He turned and steered her toward home.
“
Let’s go talk to Mom and Tina.
”
Several yards later, he added,
“
I don’t want to pressure you to do anything you don’t want to do. It was just the most logical idea in my mind. Corinne asked about it the other day, I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind.
”

“
She asked about me and home-schooling?
”

“
She said something about not knowing how you could handle getting them to two different schools
--
three next year
--
the lunches, the bus schedules, the different programs, the school drama coming home every day, and then, after all that, the homework.
”
Luke sounded d
rained
just thinking about it.

Aggie says:
Mom?

Martha says:
How are the polka-dotted darlings?

Aggie says:
Vannie is our next victim.

Martha says:
Oh, that poor girl. No school next week for her then, I suppose.

Aggie says:
No. Oh, and that’s why I dinged. Luke made a suggestion tonight.

Martha says
: Tell me it isn’t some romantic idea.

Aggie says
: LOL. No. He suggested that I consider home-schooling.

Martha says
: Allie always wanted to do that, but Geraldine made such a fuss when it was mentioned that they never pursued it.

Aggie says:
Really? That would make me feel a lot better.

Martha says:
What would? Doing what your sister always wanted or annoying her mother-in-law because it can’t ruin relationships any more than they already are?

Aggie says:
Both?

Martha says:
LOL. Well, I always hated how discouraged Allie became during those first weeks of school. The children’s loyalties inevitably shifted, and that bothered her.

Aggie says:
I guess that is only logical.

Martha says:
Well, I saw it when you girls were young, but I just thought it was normal. Allie didn’t think it should be normal. She considered private schools, but couldn’t find one in a reasonable distance that had the kind of
“
one room schoolhouse
”
model she was hoping for.

Aggie says:
Why that model? Seems like a lot of work for one teacher.

Martha says:
And yet, remember when you read
“
The Long Winter,
”
and you were astounded at how well educated Laura was? She taught several terms of school without ever having graduated. All from just a few years of education at home with Ma or in little one-room schools.

Aggie says:
Ok, but why couldn’t a top-notch private school in Rockland do as well?

Martha says:
Educationally speaking, sure. I think they could. But Allie thought the one room school idea helped encourage close sibling relationships by not segregating children from their siblings.

Aggie says:
I think I remember her talking about that once. Somehow, I hadn’t associated it with prairie schools or home-schooling. I just thought she thought modern schools encouraged the anti-sibling bias that seems to prevail out there.

Martha says:
I think she gave it a little too much credence. After all, you and she weren’t at odds all the time, and remember the Wainwrights? They had what, five children? I’ve never seen a closer set of siblings, even today, and they were involved in all kinds of stuff apart from each other.

Aggie says:
So you think I shouldn’t do it?

Martha says:
I think you should consider it, but no, I don’t think that it’s an automatic
“
must do
”
just because Allie liked the idea.

Aggie says:
I was kind of looking for a mom mandate.
“
Thus saith the ma
”
kind of thing.

Martha says:
We’ll support you no matter what you decide. You know that, right?

Aggie says:
Yes, but the decisions become overwhelming. I have decisions every day. What to eat, what to buy, what to finish, how to handle this discipline issue, where to shop for that thing, should they have a pet, where to order food because I ruined lunch
--
again. It’s exhausting!

Martha says
: I know, hon. I’ll talk to your dad, but since you have to be the one to do it, I don’t think he’s going to be willing to say you

should or shouldn’t. It’s hard to help with decisions that you have to do and be responsible for. We can tell you what brand of vacuum we like, but it isn’t far reaching like if you should take them on a mission
trip or put in a pool.

Aggie says:
No and no.

Martha says:
LOL. I knew you’d say that. After that bout of giardia, I didn’t think you’d ever try mission trips again.

Aggie says:
Ugh. I don’t think so.

Martha says:
Just one thing. I think you should pray about why you’re considering it. Is it because someone suggested it, because you like the idea, or because you’re feeling guilty about them starting late? Not all of those are good reasons and none are necessarily bad ones by themselves. Maybe do some research online or something. Decide on Monday when you have to let the schools know that they won’t be there quite yet.

Aggie says:
That’s a great idea. I’ll research tomorrow and Sunday and decide then. Thanks, Mom.

Martha says:
You’re welcome. I had a few questions for you, but your father is giving me that
“
get to bed or I’ll carry you there
”
look, and we both know he can’t do it but he’d try.

Aggie says:
Night, Mom.

Martha says:
G’night, Aggie. Try to get some rest. You still could come down with this thing, you know.

Like Dominoes

Sunday, September 7
^th

Trapped at home with a houseful of itchy, miserable children, Aggie spent her time starting baths for the next child in line, adding calamine lotion with a q-tip to avoid contact, and making gallons of juice. Vannie, her mouth full of pox, refused to drink anything but ice water and ate nothing but vanilla yogurt and beef broth. Tina dashed back and forth to the store bringing home anything she thought she could get the children to eat, while Tavish, Laird, and Ellie fended for themselves downstairs in the basement or out in the yard.

“
Ok, so there is a whole website for legal aid for home educators, Tina. Should I take this as a positive thing or proof that William will show up to arrest me sooner than later?
”

Tina shrugged.
“
I found this site that has everything you need to teach your children at home
--
free.
”

“
Message me that one. I gotta see this!
”

With the site pasted into the messenger, Tina clicked through several years’ worth of lessons and studied the information.
“
Well, you’d get a standard basic education, but I can’t say I’d want to teach it or learn it this way.
”

“
I found another one like it, but a different approach. It seems as if the lesson plans are free and some worksheets and things, and the rest you buy curricula from other places.
”

“
This site has a list of books they recommend you pick from if you’re considering home-schooling. I could call and see if a bookstore in Brunswick or Rockland has any in stock.
”
Tina’s hand hovered over her cell phone waiting for instructions.

“
Sure! That’d be great.
”
A new website grabbed Aggie’s attention just as Ian’s wail announced that he’d awoken and was miserable again.
“
His majesty calls.
”

By the time Aggie returned downstairs with Ian attached at her hip, Tina was going through a list of books with someone at a bookstore. She saw book after book crossed off Tina’s list, but by the time the call ended, the list still had several titles on it.
“
Ok, three stores have several books each, so I’m going to go grab ‘em. I’ll be back in a couple of hours. If you need help, call Libby.
”

“
Ok, ok. Get out of here. We still have work to do.
”

“
You’re going to do it. I don’t know why you keep convincing yourself that you haven’t made up your mind.
”

Stunned, Aggie stared at her friend.
“
What makes you say that?
”

“
Because I know you. You’d have dumped this idea immediately if you weren’t going to do it. When you are going to do something, you always take forever to plan it out and ‘research’ all the angles so you can justify your decision to yourself.
”

A protest welled up in her throat, but Aggie exhaled instead.
“
You’re right. I do do that, don’t I?
”