Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (153 page)

“I
don’t
think
I’m
used
to
candles,
but
I
like
them.”

“Let’s
go
get
some
on
the
way
home.”

She
stared
at
him
as
if
he’d
lost
his
mind.
“Are
you
kidding?”

“No.
This
feels
fake
because
it’s
unfamiliar
rather
than
unreal.
Let’s
make
it
familiar
and then we’ll
enjoy
ourselves
next
time.”

“Ok…”

“What
else?”

Though
she
appeared
uncomfortable,
Aggie
seemed
to
try
to
enter
into
the
spirit
of
his
exercise.
“The
music.
We
never
have
music
playing
in
the
house.”

“That’s
because
we
have
you.”

She
flushed.
“I’m
not
exactly
Wagner.”

“Is
that
what
this
is?”

She
shook
her
head.
“N
o,
I
think
this
is
Glenn
Miller.”

“Doesn’t
sound
like
Miller.”
This
felt
better.
She
seemed
relaxed
now
and
nothing
seemed
forced.

Aggie
swallowed
and
took
a
sip
of
water.
“No,
I
mean
he
wrote
it.
“
Moonlight
Serenade.
”
Dad
loves
this
song.
It’s
just
a
different
arrangement.”

“It’s
pretty.”
He
skewered
a
shrimp
with
his
fork
and
as
he
chewed,
tried
to
think
of
what
to
do
to
regain
that
brief
moment
of
normalcy.
“Look,
someone’s
skating.”

“She’s
good.”

By
the
time
the
skater
warmed
up
and
began
jumping
and
spinning,
Aggie
was
visibly
excited.
“You
know,
we
should
bring
the
kids.
They’d
love
this.”

“Saturday?”

“No,
I
think
sometime
before
Friday
night—while
everyone
is
in
school.
It’ll
be
P.E.
and
we’ll
have
most
of
it
to
ourselves,
I
bet.”

“I
can
come
Wednesday
if
you
go
then.”

A
grin
showed
a
piece
of
lettuce
stuck
to
one
tooth,
but
Luke
said
nothing
when
he
heard
her
say,
“Then
we’ll
have
to
come
Wednesday.”

The
awkwardness
was
back
almost
instantly,
but
this
time,
Luke
knew
the
source.
“I
know
what’s
wrong.”

“You
do?
Enlighten
me.
I’m
lost.”

“We’re
trying
to
avoid
talking
about
the
kids.”

“We
are?”
She
shook
her
head.
“No,
we
just
decided
to
bring
them
skating
on
Wednesday.”

“Yes,
and
the
minute
that
was
decided,
we
both
clammed
up
as
if
we
felt
guilty.”

Her
protest
died
on
her
lips
before
the
second
syllable
escaped.
“You’re
right.
That
seems
weird.”

“We’re
acting
like
we
are
on
a
‘get
to
know
you’
date
rather
than
an
engaged
couple
who
are
out
to
enjoy
a
nice
quiet
meal.”

“So when you’re out with your fiancée, it’s ok to plan a party for your twins—a party that will have to happen within days of returning from your honeymoon?”

Luke
speared
another
shrimp
and
passed
it
across
the
table.
“Taste
it,
and
yes
it
is.
What
were
you
thinking?”

“I
don’t
know
anymore.
Right
now
I’m
too
busy
enjoying
just
being
here.”

Wednesday,
January
28
^th