Ready or Not (Aggie's Inheritance) (54 page)

Aggie says:
Yep. Hard to imagine going out at all, much less with someone you just gave a good old-fashioned tongue lashing to!

Tina says:
Well, maybe you will get a chance to apologize Friday night. What are you going to wear?

Aggie says:
Probably just a skirt and top. I didn
’
t bring any of m
y
good clothes when I came down here, and once I got here they seemed out of place. He
’
ll just have to take me as I am.

Tina says:
Well, be sure to wash your hair and dry it just before yo
u
go. It has such a great shine when you do that.

Aggie says:
Well, I am not trying to impress him with how shiny my hair can be, but I am glad that Luke talked me into going to the salo
n
this morning.

Tina says:
Ohhhhhhhhhhh?

Aggie says:
It
’
s not as weird as it sounds, I simply mentioned how I wished I could get it cut… it was looking so raggedy… and he said that the place was open, so I should try it.

Tina says:
uh huh. I see.

Aggie says:
You know, today was a really good day when I look back on it. I got to see a deeper side of Luke, got an invitation to dinner, got to drink coffee in a café and have a hair wash, cut and style, got close to Vannie, and Luke doesn
’
t seem to think I am a complete idiot, even after missing something so obvious!

Tina says:
So, you have two men in your life. Which one do you like best?

Aggie says:
Oh, they are both very good friends. I don
’
t think either one has any real interest in me. Both are nice men though.

Tina says:
Tell me about William.

Aggie says:
Well, he
’
s very tall.

Aggie says:
He
’
s pretty good looking. Kind of a modern version of Clark Gable meets a younger Harrison Ford.

Tina says:
hee hee

Aggie says:
Cari has him wrapped around her little pinky. He loves that child. Kenzie too.

Aggie says:
He
’
s a good officer
, and
I think, a Christian. That makes it nice. He sure can make me mad, though.

Aggie says:
Have you ever seen me yell at anyone like I described?

Tina says:
Nope, but there always has to be a first time.

Tina says:
Tell me about Luke.

Aggie says:
He
’
s like the brother I always wanted. The children adore him. He knows so much about kids too.

Aggie says:
He
’
s done a great job on this house; he
’
s working on the kitchen now.

Tina says:
Did you figure out what he looks like?

Aggie says:
Hmmmmmm well…

Aggie says:
I don
’
t know! I think he
’
s about, well I think he
’
s shorte
r
than William. Maybe dad
’
s height?

Aggie says:
That
’
s probably it… He
’
s pretty average I suppose.

Tina says:
Eyes?

Aggie says:
He can almost speak with his eyes. He has this habit though.

Tina says:
oohhh???

Aggie says:
Yeah, it takes him forever to spit out what he
’
s trying to get at.

Aggie says:
Honestly at first I was so insulting because I would say
“
and…
”
hoping to encourage him when he wasn
’
t ready to talk. I just thought he was waiting for some kind of cue.

Tina says:
eeeeekkkk…. That
’
d be frustrating!

Aggie says:
Oh, it is!!!

Aggie says:
All in all, they are both nice men.

Aggie says:
Oh my, look it
’
s after midnight! Ian will be up in like five hours! I have to get some sleep!

Tina says:
Go to sleep, mama woman! And sleep well.

Aggie says:
Thanks, you too.

Tina says:
Nighters.

Aggie says:
Night!

Fireworks

Saturday, June 29
^th

“
Ok, guys, this is how it works. Laird, you scrape, Tavish you brush. For every board that you get done on each side of the house, I
’
ll give you each two dollars. It
’
s a lot of work, and it
’
s worth more, but I don
’
t expect you to do it perfectly. I just want the flakey parts scrubbed off so we can paint it again.
”

Aggie watched as Tavish started counting boards in his head.
“
What about the ones we can
’
t reach?
”

Aggie laughed at his exuberance.
“
Let
’
s work on the ones you
can
reach right now, and then we
’
ll see about the rest.
”

The boys, communicating silently with their eyes, grabbed the tools and attacked the house with gusto. While the other children played on the porch or in the yard, and Vannie read a book on the living room couch, Aggie washed the outside windows of the basement and first floor. Slowly, the
“
Shambles,
”
as she affectionately named their house, was feeling like a home. Moving to Brant
’
s Corners had created stability and added serenity to their lives. The children were happy and contented, and Aggie felt more confident in her role every day.

She
’
d often pictured her life as a single, maiden aunt, much as her mother
’
s sisters had been, living alone in a little cottage, teaching history, and spoiling her nieces and nephews. She hadn
’
t quite rejected the idea of marriage. She
’
d always hoped she
’
d find the right man, but she hadn
’
t expected it either. Aggie had simply planned her life with what she thought she could predict. Inheriting Allie
’
s children was most definitely not a part of her prescribed program, but she
’
d learned to enjoy it.

Splat!
Aggie spun in place, looking for the culprit, just in time to see Laird dash around the side of the house. Grabbing the hose, Aggie took off in hot pursuit. She thought she heard a rustle as she reached the corner. Without looking, Aggie stuck her arm around the corner of the house and squeezed the pressure nozzle. The indignant roar that followed did
not
sound like Laird.

“
What
--
”
Aggie cautiously peeked out from her hiding place, her eyes wide with shock and dismay at the sight of William standing drenched next to a huge, overgrown lilac bush.
“
I um, well
--
”
Aggie
’
s apology was cut short almost before it began. With a stream of comments about
“
that Aggievating Aggie,
“
William walked back to his car and drove away before she could follow.

Aggie clutched her sides and howled, unable to control her laughter. The picture of William standing in her yard with water dripping off of his hat brim and onto his nose was truly hilarious. From the corner of her eye, Aggie saw Luke laughing at her and realized that he
’
d witnessed the entire scene. Furthermore, Luke must have foreseen what was going to happen and just waited for it all to transpire! Without thinking twice, Aggie turned the hose on Luke and squeezed the nozzle.

A mammoth water fight ensued. To everyone
’
s surprise, Ellie was the quickest and the sneakiest. Aggie made a mental note to remember to watch her when snowball season hit! That child would be dangerous with an arsenal of snow packed missiles.

Eventually, Aggie was surrounded. She stood smugly as seven children and an unrepentant Luke lined up in front of her holding water balloons,
buckets,
and glasses of water, ready to drench her. She raised her hose and squeezed while sweeping her arm in an arc to soak everyone at once. A tiny squirt spit from the nozzle, and then there was nothing.

Shock registered on her face
--
dismay. Slowly flattening herself against the house, Aggie began pleading for a drip-free outfit. First, she tried Luke. She wheedled and cajoled before finally trying to sound like a stern employer. Luke grinned as he tossed the entire bucket of water at her. Laird followed immediately with three balloons thrown in quick succession.

Aggie
’
s tactics switched. Turning to Cari and Lorna, she tried to convince the girls to drown Luke, but failed. Cari triumphantly splattered her balloon on Aggie
’
s knee, announcing that her shot was for William. Lorna followed suit. A barrage of balloons and buckets attacked her from every side. One balloon bounced off of Aggie
’
s elbow and landed at her feet. She snatched it, and with a mischievous glint in her eye, stepped forward. The entire group dispersed in various directions, but Aggie had only one target in her sights.