For Keeps (Aggie's Inheritance) (30 page)

Most of her clothing fit in two categories
--
dilapidated and dressy. She flipped through piece after piece until she found a skirt that she’d forgotten she owned. It was a perfect compromise. Once the basement was done, she’d wear things like it every day. Her favorite white blouse wasn’t too wrinkled after hanging for a few days.
“
I need to rediscover the joys of ironing,
”
she muttered.

She was downstairs, the movie zipped past the thousand and one previews, plates and utensils waiting on the coffee table, and drinks on coasters before Luke returned carrying a huge brown paper bag of food.
“
You’re fast,
”
he teased, pulling a placemat from the drawer in the kitchen and grabbing a couple of serving spoons.

“
We probably won’t finish before the kids get home, but I thought we could try.
”

“
What are we watching?
”
Luke pulled out two containers.
“
Sesame Chicken or Beef Broccoli?
”
He smiled as she reached for the container closest to her.
“
That’s a pretty skirt, Mibs.
”

“
Both, of course.
”
Aggie was not about to let the topic drift to anything personal. She was still just a little jittery after his last discussion.

“
Is it new?
”

“
Is what new?
”
She dug through the bag looking for her wontons.

“
The skirt? I’ve never seen it before.
”

“
Well, I can hardly wear it painting, or I’d ruin it, wouldn’t I?
”

He shrugged.
“
So, it’s not new then.
”

“
Who cares?
”
With a wonton in each hand, she offered one to him.
“
Want one?
”

“
Sure.
”
His grin told her he was enjoying her discomfiture.
“
I know how much it’s frustrated you to have to wear the same worn things all the time. I just thought it must be nice to wear something different and wondered if it was new.
”

Aggie felt terrible.
“
Sorry. I think I’m a bit sensitive about my wardrobe these days. I keep expecting Geraldine to show up any minute and tell the world that my clothes are proof that I can’t afford to take care of these kids.
”

“
Well, Geraldine can’t show up without going to jail, so I think I wouldn’t care what she thought.
”

“
True.
”
She took a bite of broccoli and sighed.
“
Oh, this is so good.
”

“
I overheard someone last week say that Wong’s was the best beef broccoli they’d ever had, so I tried it.
”

She gave him a sidelong glance. Was he really going to let her avoid the question?
“
Luke?
”

“
Hmm?
”

“
It’s not new. Well, that is I haven’t purchased it recently. I bought it just before Allie
--”
she swallowed hard.
“
Well, I just haven’t had much chance to wear it. I think I had it on when I went van shopping. Maybe that’s why Jeff the Jerk was so insufferable.
”

“
Jeff the Jerk?
”

With her legs curled beneath her, Aggie sank into the couch cushions and allowed herself to relax.
“
Well, I had to have a new van. All I had was the little Beetle convertible I’d driven since high school
--
doesn’t really hold everyone.
”

“
I imagine not.
”

“
Well, I got out at this one place and this guy, Jeff, came up to me. He kept trying to sell me whatever they must have been pushing that week. First a Miata, then an SUV. When I told him I wanted a van for my eight kids, I think he asked if I knew what caused ‘that.’
”

“
You have to be kidding me.
”

“
Nope. Then, when he found out they weren’t my biological kids, he asked why my sister was so selfish as not to leave their van to me for the kids. It was just horrible.
”

“
Oh, Mibs, I’m so sorry.
”
He sounded angry rather than sorry.

“
It’s so common now, the kids and I make fun of it, but that was the first time I had to hear how excessively prolific I seemed to people.
”

“
You sure his name wasn’t Chuck?
”

“
Sure. Why?
”

Luke grinned.
“
There’s a guy named Chuck. I think he works for a car dealer too. Let’s just say that that sound
s
exactly like something he’d say.
”
Luke pointed to the remote.
“
So, what are we watching?
”

“
For Me and My Gal.
”

“
What’s it about?
”

“
Gene Kelly is a vaudeville
--”

Luke pretended to groan.
“
Gene Kelly and vaudeville. Let me guess. It’s a musical.
”

“
It won’t work,
mister
. You voluntarily stuck Fred Astaire in while I was gone one night.
”

With a fresh pile of fried rice on his plate, Luke leaned back in ‘his’ chair, put his feet up, and nodded.
“
A guy has to try. I’d be kicked out of the man-cave club if I didn’t at least pretend to hate musicals once in a while.
”

“
Well, that’ll last you for a week or three.
”

“
I bet William truly does despise them, doesn’t he?
”
There was an indefinably odd sound to Luke’s voice.

“
I don’t know, but if I had to bet, I’d say he couldn’t stand them. I really have a hard time imagining tough-guy William watching Gene Kelly dressed as a clown and dancing.
”

The opening music began, and Aggie sighed.
“
I have a feeling he’s the one missing out on things.
”

When war broke out in Europe, Luke reached for the remote, brushing her hand away, and paused it.
“
Thanks.
”

“
What for?
”

“
For picking one that has a little action beyond guy meets girl and singing and dancing his way into her heart.
”

“
There’s a side of you that abandons the prose, isn’t there?
”

Luke laughed.
“
Look who is talking. ‘Abandons the prose.’ Are you sure you were a history major?
”

“
Definitely. Grammar is not my forte.
”

Without any contradiction, Luke punched the pause button again and set his plate on the table. The movie continued for the next half hour in absolute silence. Gene Kelly had just stopped the convoy when the lights of the van pulled into the driveway.

“
Drat.
”
Aggie’s hand flew to her mouth.
“
Oh, that was bad.
”

“
There’s nothing evil about wanting to finish a movie, Mibs. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
”

“
It just seems rude
--
irresponsible even.
”

Luke’s response was drowned out by the shrieks and greetings of weary but hyped-up children. The movie paused while children clamored for hugs, kisses, and goodnight prayers. Luke and Libby, rookies to Lorna, Cari, and Kenzie’s unorthodox prayer style, found themselves covering their mouths, trying not to laugh.

Cari started with thanks for ice cream, swimming at the pool, and puppies before her prayers took a unique turn.
“
Thank you fow puppies. Don’t let them die fwom bad shots. Fowgive Aunt Aggie fow huwting puppies. I’s sowwy I kicked hew. She was bad, but I’s sowwy anyway.
”
She leaned close to Lorna and whispered,
“
Did I sound sowwy enough?
”

Her twin, with a glance at Aggie’s face whispered back,
“
You should say really sorry. That means it’s true.
”

The child’s face frowned, and her fingers clasped tighter as she held her hands folded in Aggie’s lap.
“
I
--
I
--”
Cari whispered to Lorna once more.
“
I bettew not say it then, cause I weally don’t feel sowwy. I just want the puppies to be ok.
”

A strangled cough nearly upset Aggie’s composure. Her eyes slid sideways at Luke as if to say,
“
Don’t you dare make me laugh, buster.
”

“
Ok, Jesus. That’s all. Goodnight. Amen.
”
Bright but sleepy eyes smiled up to Aggie, confirming to all that confession is indeed good for the soul.

With another round of hugs for anyone willing to accept them, Cari followed Tina upstairs to change into a new nightgown and brush her teeth. Lorna, next on the prayer agenda, seemed fixated on her sister’s unrepentant kick.
“
Jesus, forgive Cari. She’s not sorry, but I am. Can I be sorry for her? Thank you. Thank you, Jesus. Goodnight. Amen.
”

As if in a reality show designed to compete for most bizarre children’s prayers, Kenzie hardly let Lorna move from her spot before she dropped to her knees and began an imitation of one of the elderly men at
The Church
.
“
Oh, Jesus. Oh, my Jesus. Thank you Jesus for Jesus. You are my hard place in the rock. You are my soul’s satisfication. Thank you for your intense blessings. Forgive us our tresses and deliver us from thy kingdom forever amen.
”