Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (177 page)

“How
about
both?”

“Speaking
of
clothing,”
Aggie
said
as
she
went
to
hang
her
wet
things
over
the
shower
curtain,
“Tina
suggested
getting
me
a
couple
of
pairs
of
jeans
for
Colorado.”

“Ok…
any
reason
you
should
or
shouldn’t?”

“I
told
Vannie
that
I
wouldn’t
wear
pants
as
long
as
they
were
in
our
house.
That
if
I
was
going
to
require
them
to
stick
to
Allie’s
rules,
then
I’d
do
it
with
them.
Remember?
”

“
Ok then
,
no
jeans.
Not
a
problem.”

“Think
I’ll
be
warm
enough
on
a
hike?”

“I’ll
get
M
om
to
take
care
of
it.
How’s
that
?
She
always
wore
skirts
when
we
went
out
in
winter
and
I
don’t
remember
her
getting
cold.”
He
pointed
to
the
mantel.
“Off
topic,
but
it
is
Valentine’s
Day,
so
I
thought…”

Already
feeling
terrible
that
they
were
celebrating
his
birthday
and
she
had
no
idea
of
any
kind
of
gift,
the
little
box
on
the
mantel
just
made
her
feel
worse.
“I
wish
I’d
known—”

“C’mon,
Mibs.
I’ve
had
that
for
three
weeks
now
and
it’s
driving
me
nuts.”

“I
don’t
even
have
a
card
for
you
for
Valentine’s
Day,”
she
admitted.
“I
just
didn’t—”

“Are
you
going
to
open
it
or
not?”

Aggie
tore
the
paper
from
the
package
and
laid
it
on
the
mantel.
She
lifted
the
lid
and
smiled
at
the
little
pendant
that
hung
from
a
leather
string.
“Marbles.
You
found
my
marbles!”

“
Funny.
The
smaller
ones
are
clay
mibs
and
the
middle
is
agate—blue
lace.”

“Where—”

“Mom
found
a
gal
on
the
internet
who
makes
all
kinds
of
jewelry.
She
arranged
it
for
me.”

“It
matches
my
outfit.”

“Another
reason
I
approve
of
the
outfit
then.”

Aggie
hooked
the
necklace
and
presented
herself
for
inspection.
“What
do
you
think?
How
long
before
Ian
tries
to
eat
them?”

“It’s
going
to
end
up
hidden
in
your
sweater,
isn’t
it?”
The
exaggerated
sigh
was
nearly
as
funny
as
the
forced
ruefulness
Luke
tried
to
manufacture
on
his
face.

“Looks
like
it’ll
be
like
my
messenger
name—mibs
are
only
for
your
eyes.”

“I’ll
take
that.
Let’s
go.”

Libby says:
I’m home!

Aggie says:
Yay! Ok, we’ve got a few things I need to bug you about.

Libby says:
Bug away. I would say “bug off” for amusement’s sake, but that makes it sound like I want you to go away.

Aggie says:
Thanks for your help with my necklace, by the way. It’s perfect.

Libby says:
I tried to talk him into matching earrings, but he didn’t like any of the marbles. They didn’t match well enough and he insisted that there is only one Aggie so we couldn’t go that route.

Aggie says:
Silly man.

Libby says:
So, I am suspecting that you want birthday gift ideas.

Aggie says:
Exactly!

Libby says:
I expected this and have come prepared. Be impressed.

Aggie says:
Most impressed, of course.

Libby says:
First idea. Take him to that place in the mall where they do portraits in an hour. Get engagement pictures done so he has one for his wallet. The only picture he has of you is folded oddly and crammed in that thing. It’s not even the most flattering picture, but don’t tell him I said that.

Aggie says:
I’m afraid to ask.

Libby says:
Your birthday. Let’s just say that it’s good that restaurants usually have no flies.

Aggie says:
Ok, that’s the leader. What are the others?