Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (51 page)

“Sorry,
you
just
seemed
upset
and…”

“I’m
good.
Gotta
go.
I’ll
call
when
I
get
there.
I
don’t
know
when
I’ll
be
back.”

That
was
it.
The
door
closed
behind
her
with
Aggie
and
Luke
staring
at
it.

Tina says:
I made it. Dad is in surgery. They had to do an emergency bypass. I’m scared.

Aggie says:
We’ve been praying. How is your mom?

Tina says:
A mess. His office manager is here—you know, the one who refuses to be called anything but a “secretary.”

Aggie says:
Bombshell Babs?

Tina says:
Yep.

Tina says:
Aggie, I’m scared. He’s not saved and he’s in there with his heart in the hands of someone else who probably isn’t saved.

Aggie says:
And that man’s hands are in the hands of the One who created him.

Tina says:
Why isn’t that comforting?

Aggie says:
Because you’re scared and fear messes up everything.

Tina says:
From my internet research, I don’t think I’ll be home before New Year’s or even Valentine’s Day. You know how my dad is about illness. He takes it as a personal affront. He’ll be depressed for months and when he’s depressed, he won’t try.

Aggie says:
Well, with you there, he’ll try harder. He responds to your bullying.

Tina says:
Talk to me about something else. Anything. What are you doing about the ornaments?

Aggie says:
We’re going to make them. I drew names and they’ll each do one for another.

Tina says:
That sounds good.

Aggie says:
You should rest, Tina. Talking to me about this stuff is a certain way to kill time, but he’s going to need you alert when he

comes out of it.

Tina says:
You’re right. I’ll research kid ornament crafts and email them if I can’t sleep.

Aggie says:
Night, Tina. Praying for you. I love you.

Tina says:
I love you too.

Projects

Monday,
December
15
^th

The
children
chattered
eagerly
as
they
turned
into
Willow’s
driveway.
A
dog
stood
guard
at
the
corner
of
the
house
but
did
not
bark.
She
hoped
that
meant
that
it
was
friendly.
Her
children
poured
out
of
the
van,
some
stumbling,
others
racing
to
greet
the
dog
.
Aggie
had
to
move
fast
before
they
disappeared
into
who
knew
what
strange
places.

“Whoa!
Stop!
Line
up
and
don’t
move.”
She
greeted
Willow
with
a
reassuring
smile.
If
the
look
on
the
young
woman’s
face
was
to
be
believed,
Willow
Finley
was
ready
to
run
screaming
from
her
own
home.
“Can
you
give
them
the
boundaries?
Cans
and
can’ts
and
all
that?”

Willow
led
the
children
to
the
barn.
“You
can
come
in
and
visit
the
animals,
but
you
cannot
go
in
the
loft
if
you
can’t
touch
the
eighth
rung
without
standing
on
something.”

Tavish
immediately
reached
and
stretched
just
barely
to
the
eighth.
“Ok,
so
me
and
up
can
go
,
but
anyone
shorter
than
me
is
out.”

“Right,”
Willow
agreed
.
“Now,
out
here,”
she
began
as
she
led
the
children
to
the
yard.
“Don’t
go
in
the
chicken
yard.
Period.
I
don’t
care
if
a
chicken
hawk
eats
every
chicken
in
sight,
do
not
open
the
gate.”

Aggie
looked
sharply
at
the
twins.
“Did
you
hear
that?
What
did
she
say?”

“No
chickies.
Not
at
all,”
Lorna
echoed
wisely
,
but
a
glimmer
in
Cari’s
eye
caught
Aggie’s
attention.

“And
if
I
see
you
even
touch
the
fence,
you’ll
come
inside
and
sit
on
the
floor
with
your
hands
in
your
lap.”

“Yes,
Aunt
Aggie,”
Cari
whined.

“Other
than
that,
if
you
can’t
see
the
house,
you’ve
gone
too
far.
Turn
around.
If
you
see
water,
come
back.”