Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (198 page)

He
muttered
something—she
could
have
sworn
it
was
something
about
“half-truths”—and
held
his
hand
out
for
the
keys.
“I
told
Tina
I’d
bring
you
home.”

“Fine.
Y
ou’ll
do
what
she
asks
,
but
not
what
I
do.
Gee.
That
makes
me
feel
good.”
Aggie
dumped
the
keys
in
his
hand,
her
stomach
churning
with
the
misery
of
the
morning.
What
should
have
been
a
great
time
out
together
was
nothing
but
a
miserable
experience.

“I’m
not
going
to
argue
it,”
he
said
as
he
started
the
truck.

“You
said
not
in
public,
but
you
meant
not
at
all.”

“No,
I
meant
not
in
public,
but
now
I
am
adding
that
I’m
not
going
to
argue.
I
don’t
know
what’s
wrong
,
but
arguing
about
it
while
driving
is
a
great
way
to
get
us
killed.
Not
going
to
do
that.”

“Fine
with
me.”

Several minutes later, she stared at the phone in her hand, wondering if she’d ever said goodbye.
A sinking feeling hit the pit of her stomach as she realized not only had she not said goodbye, but Tina had likely heard their exchange.
“Great.”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing.”

Aggie says:
Mom?

Milliken says:
Yes?

Aggie says
: I’m really upset.

Milliken says
: About what?

Aggie says:
Luke and I had an argument.

Milliken says:
It doesn’t sound resolved.

Aggie says:
It’s not.

Milliken says:
Then why are you talking to me instead of to Luke?

Aggie says:
I don’t want to talk to Luke.

Milliken says:
Why?

Aggie says:
He’s being all superior about this. He won’t dignify my frustration with an argument.

Milliken says:
I thought you said you had one.

Aggie says:
Well, we would have if he wouldn’t have ignored me!

Milliken says:
Did you read that?

Aggie says:
Read what?

Milliken says:
What you just wrote. You want an argument? That’s what you just said.

Aggie says:
I want him to talk about a few things that are bothering me.

Aggie says:
He just totally ignored the fact that I am bothered by this whole gift idea.

Milliken says:
Don’t talk to me about it until you and he are ok. I’m not getting in the middle of your arguments and before you say anything else, I bet you anything Libby would say the same thing—to both of you.

Aggie says:
Ok. Talk to you later.

Milliken says:
Aggie, don’t shut me out because you don’t like what I said.

Aggie says:
You just told me not to talk to you about it, Mom. What am I supposed to do?

Milliken says:
Is that all you want to talk about? You don’t have any fun stories to share about the children or want to tell me that you got a license or that a crazy gift arrived from someone that makes no sense…

Aggie says:
I have the license, although today makes me wonder what I’m getting into. The kids are fine and Ian says Lunkle Luke now. Thankfully, we have no obnoxious gifts from people, but I’ve got three that I hope work for others.

Aggie says:
I’ve gotta go, Mom. I love you. Sorry.

Murphy Strikes Again

Saturday,
February
28
^th

“…lead
me
on,
let
me
stand,”
a
sniffle
broke
the
flow
of
the
words.
“I
am
tired,
I
am
weak,
I
am
worn.”

The
song
had
been
little
comfort,
but
Aggie
had
sung
it
all
day
in
snatches.
The
children,
clearly
unsettled
at
her
uncharacteristic
silence,
avoided
her
whenever
possible.
Never
had
she
felt
so
alone;
it
seemed
almost
unbearable.

A
suitcase—the
very
one
she’d
lived
out
of
at
Allie’s
for
all
those
weeks—lay
open
on
the
bed
as
she
chose
what
clothes
to
bring
the
next
week.
Tears
splashed
on
her
cheeks
as
she
put
in
the
leggings,
thermals,
petticoats,
and
heavy
skirts
that
Libby
had
purchased
and
chosen
from
Aggie’s
closet.
The
sight
of
one
skirt
sent
her
digging
through
the
shelves
for
a
sweater
she
rarely
wore.

Clothes
were
spread
throughout
the
enormous
closet
,
but
it
was
still
really
half-empty.
Not
for
long.
A
new
pang
struck
her
heart.
There
was
something
wonderful
and
terrifying
about
knowing
that
she
was
at
odds
with
the
man
she
was
going
to
marry,
but
there
was
no
doubt
that
they
would
marry.