Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (142 page)

To
her
surprise,
the
door
opened,
and
a
young
man
wearing
slacks,
dress
shirt,
and
tie
stood
there.
“May
I
help
you?”

Aggie
suddenly
felt
very
out
of
her
element.
“Well,
I
hope
so.
I
understand
Douglas
Stuart
is
a
resident
here.”

“I’m
sure
you’ll
understand
when
I
tell
you
that
we
do
not
give
out
personal
information
like
that.
Do
you
have
an
appointment?”

“No.”

He
studied
her
suspiciously
for
a
moment
and
then
asked,
“Are
you
on
his
list
of
approved
visitors?”

“I
doubt
it.
He
is
my
children’s
grandfather—I’m
their
aunt.
My
sister—”

“Are
you
Aggie
Milliken?
”

Her
heart
sank.
Geraldine
had
probably
told
horror
stories
about
her.
“Yes.”

“Come
in,
please.
I’ll
take
you
to
Mr.
Stuart’s
room.
He’s
having
a
bad
day
today,
but
maybe
a
familiar
face
will
help.”
Her
hesitation
must
have
been
obvious,
because
the
young
man
beckoned
her
encouragingly.
“The
sheriff’s
department
called
and
told
us
you
were
coming
—and
why.
I’m
very
sorry
.”

He
led
her
up
a
grand
staircase
to
a
wide
hallway.
The
house
felt
nothing
like
the
nursing
homes
she’d
sang
in
as
a
child
at
Christmas
and
Easter.
The
furnishings,
décor,
and
even
the
air
seemed
to
wear
an
engraved
announcement
that
read,
“Expensive.”

The
young
man
knocked
on
a
door
at
the
corner
of
the
house
and
then
led
her
into
a
small
sitting
room.
“I’ll
get
Mr.
Stuart.
He’
s
always
happy
to
have
visitors,
but
it’s
usually
just
people
visiting
others
here
stopping
in
for
a
minute
out
of
courtesy.”

Aggie
allowed
her
eyes
to
roam
the
room
as
she
stood
just
inside
the
door.
Her
hands
nearly
shook
with
nervousness.
Mr.
Stuart
had
always
been
pleasant
to
her,
but
would
he
be
now?
Would
he
blame
her
for
being
shut
away
in
this
place?

Two
pictures
sat
on
the
mantel
,
one
on
each
side
of
a
vase
of
fresh
cut
flowers.
On
the
right,
a
slightly
younger
and
even
more
imposing
Geraldine
stared
back
at
her—nearly
mocking
her
with
the
merest
hint
of
a
smile.
On
the
other,
the
previous
year’s
Christmas
picture
with
Allie,
Doug,
and
the
children.

“Allie?”
Mr.
Stuart’s
voice
startled
her,
making
her
drop
her
purse.

“Mr.
Stuart!
You
look…
well.
”

“Don’t
call
me
Mr.
Stuart.
Geraldine
isn’t
here.
You
can
call
me
Douglas
when
she’s
not
around.”

“Ok…
Douglas,”
Aggie
said.
“Do
you
remember
me?
I’m
Allie’s
sister.”

“Allie’s
sister?
The
little
girl
at
the
wedding
with
bucked
teeth?
I
don’
t
think
so,
Allie.
I’m
not
easily
fooled.”