Ready or Not (Aggie's Inheritance) (68 page)

Aggie says:
Well… besides the fact that she
’
s an
overzealous
social worker, and appears to want her talons in William (not that he seems to notice, mind you), she doesn
’
t like me.

Tina says:
What
’
s not to like!

Aggie says:
Yeah, you tell me! Hee hee

Tina says:
Well… sounds like your date with William paid off anyway. He appears to be coming around more.

Aggie says:
I think he
’
s more comfy without Luke around. Too much testosterone or something.

Tina says:
Hee hee… that
’
s for sure.

Aggie says:
Well, Luke had one day to work on things today, and it was a good thing.

Tina says:
Why?

Aggie says:
Well, it has to do with a broken window, a crawling baby, and a near Amber Alert.

Tina says:
I think it
’
s a good thing I
’
m sitting down.

Aggie says:
Got aspirin?

Tina says:
Do I need it?

Aggie says:
If you don
’
t, I do. No seriously, Ian…

Tina says:
Ian. 9-1-1. Again?

Aggie says:
No, I called this time. Ian went missing.

Tina says:
No! That
’
s my worst nightmare for you.

Aggie says:
Don
’
t I know it. We looked for two hours! Based upon Ian
’
s lack of interest in an afternoon nap, apparently he slept the whole time he was hiding.

Tina says:
Do I want to ask where?

Aggie says:
Can you say under the Jag?

Tina says:
*thud* You have to be kidding me. How did he get way out there? I
’
ve seen the pictures. It looks a long way from the house!

Aggie says:
Your guess is better than mine. By the way, that place stinks to high heaven. It took a lot of soap to get the old oil and rotted wood smell out of him. Blech.

Tina says:
Really? Amazing that an old house that has been empty for decades would have a carport that stinks and is oily. I
’
m just stunned.

Aggie says:
It
’
s a mystery
--
kind of like how he fell asleep in that filth and stench.

Tina says:
And no one bothered to check the Jag for over two hours?

Aggie says:
Um, Tina, they looked
--
the entire sheriff
’
s office. With flashlights even.

Tina says:
Are you writing this stuff down?

Aggie says:
Scrapbook?

Tina says:
I was thinking more like Reader
’
s Digest or maybe fodder for Calvin and Hobbes or something.

Aggie says:
Calvin
’
s mother flashes back to babyhood when she dreamed of the old days and then shudders?

Tina says:
Something like that.

Aggie says:
There
’
s the phone… better go... poof

Tina says:
Poofs!

Good Grief

Sunday, July 14
^th

The soothing sounds of four-part a cappella harmony drifted out the windows of the Stuart-Milliken home Sunday morning. Ellie lay curled on the couch, a bucket on the floor next to her, the victim of overindulgence on chocolate syrup over ice cream. The children had neglected to tell Aggie of Ellie
’
s weak stomach for chocolate syrup, and Ellie had managed to wheedle a second bowl out of an exhausted Aggie. The result was a long night of retching and whimpering. Motherhood was a messy job sometimes. Aggie was extremely thankful that they had ditched carpets and kept the hardwood floors.

The youngest three children chased a balloon all through the first floor, their squeals drowning out the a cappella quartet. Lost in the story of Joshua and Jericho, Aggie occasionally grumbled for them to,
“
keep it down.
”
Ellie, sipping on 7-UP, didn
’
t have the energy to read, watch a movie, or even play with her paper dolls. Instead, she lay on the couch, with her eyes closed, listening to the music.

“
Aunt Aggie?
”

“
Hmm?
”

“
Can I have a cracker? I think I
’
m better. I
’
m hungry.
”

By the time William and the rest of the children arrived after church, Ellie was hiding one of Ian
’
s toys and watching the twins search for it, Ian crawling behind as if trying to participate. Aggie made grilled cheese sandwiches and sliced a watermelon, while William heated a can of chicken noodle soup for Ellie, and everyone changed into play clothes. Seeing the wistful look on Ellie
’
s face as everyone else thundered outside for a game of tag, William swallowed his discomfort and nudged Aggie.

“
What about charades after lunch. Something to keep her interested but resting most of the time?
”

Her eyes traveled to where Ellie sat, arms laying across the back of the couch, head resting on her arms, gazing outside quite pitifully.
“
That would be great.
”

It took several tries to explain and demonstrate the concept of charades to most of the children, but once they got the hang of it, everyone got into the spirit of the game. Aggie, amused at the silly antics and elaborate acting, almost gave away her charade the moment she unfolded it. Her slip read,
“
Be a school dunce,
”
and as she read it, her face immediately contorted into an idiotic expression. Laird howled and in quick succession, tossed out idiot, fool, and finally, dunce.

“
You win.
”

Ellie had a surprising talent for the game and guessed one out of every three charades on the first try. By the time everyone acted out their third charade, she was obviously quite well and started a killer game of hide and seek by simply covering her face and counting. Aggie shrugged and stepped outside to survey the work accomplished on the house. After two more pairs of shutters, the paint on the front porch floor, and the eaves on the
“
Murphy side
”
of the house, the outside work would be done
--
well, once the screens were replaced.

Several hours later, Aggie pulled a bag of hamburger patties from the freezer. William, his hands covered in black paint, came into the living room and washed his brush in the laundry sink.
“
I have to go home, Aggie. There is a homeowners association meeting tonight, and I
’
m the ad-hock secretary, since the regular is on vacation.
”

“
Can you stay for dinner?
”

William shook his head.
“
Thanks for including me in your day today; it was really a lot of fun, and we
’
re down to reattaching the shutters and painting the porch floor. I have to start work on Tuesday, but I
’
ll be over tomorrow if you want.
”

Aggie assumed a regal air and said in her snootiest English accent,
“
Ohhh, I think that would be lovely. Do come, William, m
’
dear. It
’
ll be such fun! What?
”

Aggie giggled as William took her hand, making a courtly bow. His earnest look as he kissed the back of her hand was unsettling; she hadn
’
t intended for him to play along with her. Luke entered the room in the middle of their game but darted back outside before she could welcome him. What had seemed funny was now awkward.

William winked at Aggie before walking out the door.
“
Hey, Sullivan, we haven
’
t seen you around here much lately.
”
William
’
s voice carried across the yard as he hopped in his car and drove home
--
just as he
’
d intended. Mrs. Dyke could make of his words what she would.

The burgers were half-grilled before Aggie realized she hadn
’
t expected Luke to come by that day. She carried the lightly buttered buns to him, as he flipped the meat, and then she attempted a nonchalant inquiry.
“
Did you manage to finish up the work you had to do?
”

“
House is ready to put on the market,
”
 
Luke
’
s mouth twitched, but Aggie didn
’
t notice.

“
And the woman with the tree leaning over her house?
”

“
Tomorrow
’
s job. I knew William was here through tomorrow, so I took Friday off and spent it with Mom and Corinne.
”

“
You didn
’
t have to stay away, Luke. I mean, I know you
’
ve got your own things to do, and you need a break now and then too. But, if you needed to do something around here, you could have come.
”
She bit her lip and tried to rephrase.
“
Wait; that sounded as if I expect your life to revolve around me. I just mean that I know you have worked out a schedule, and I didn
’
t want you to feel obligated to stay away just because William was helping me outside. He only came because
--
”