For Keeps (Aggie's Inheritance) (49 page)

From the corner of her eye, Aggie saw Luke carry something out of the basement and out through the mudroom. Curious as to what he was doing, she almost missed William’s words.
“
Wait a minute. I shouldn’t be doing what?
”

“
This
--
all of it.
”
The stunned look on Aggie’s face made William hasten to elaborate.
“
Not that I don’t think you should be taking care of the children. I do. I admire you for it. I just think that enough has happened to demonstrate that it’s too much work for one person alone
--
particularly someone so young.
”

“
Happened? What are you talking about?
”
An inward groan punctuated her questions with exclamation marks. She sounded as defensive as she felt.

“
Oh, come on, Aggie. You’ve been to the clinic too many times to
count, you lost the baby
--
you know, the one with a
knack for abusing the
9-1-1 system
--
you sprained your ankle goofing off, ended up with a reaction because you were messing around in tha
t awful attic, you have a house
ful of sick kids and need Sullivan and his mom just to get through the day
--
and now this home-schooling thing.
”

“
What about it? I haven’t started yet! You can’t call me a failure for that until I actually have a chance to try it.
”
Had William known her better, he’d have stopped before he felt the full impact of her anger.

“
That’s my point, Aggie. You had plans to start today
--”

“
I had plans for a dry run. Basic things like here’s how things are going to go, let’s do our Bible time, and acquaint them with assignment sheets. I had no intention of actually giving them any assignments.
”

“
Because you’re not even ready for that. You have no curriculum, no desks
--”

“
Well, I didn’t intend to give them all desks, but that’s beside the point.
”
Aggie jerked the ponytail holder from her hair and reformed the up-do.

William glanced around the room. Aggie foolishly assumed it was another survey of her shortcomings, but she soon learned it was to ensure their privacy.
“
I’ve been thinking, Aggie.
”

“
It’s something most people do from time to time.
”
The moment she heard her sarcasm, Aggie realized how close she was to exploding.

“
You can’t do this alone. I know we said we weren’t going to worry about trying to forge a relationship or anything, but I think that was unrealistic.
”
He jumped as he heard a board clatter down in the basement.
“
As admirable as your sacrifice for these kids is, you’re just one person. You can’t do this alone, no matter how much you think you can. You need support, and the kids need more stability. I can’t imagine what a mess your finances must be in.
”
She saw his attempts at humor, but the condescension in his tone was almost unbearable.

“
You have
no clue just how insulting that was, do you?
”

“
Insulting? I’m trying to be encouraging.
”

“
Telling me how pathetic my ‘attempts’ at mothering are, assuming that you know what I ‘need,’ and telling me that I don’t know a thing about finances is ‘encouraging’?
”

“
Well, I didn’t mean it like that. I was trying to show you how much you need help.
”

“
I have help, William. I have Libby, Iris sometimes, Luke, and even you and Mrs. Dyke on occasion. I have help. If I needed it, I could call the Vaughns, and a man from a church in Brunswick offered to help anytime. I’m not unsupported here. If necessary, I can call my parents, or even hire out what I can’t do.
I have the Lord!
”

“
It’s not the same. I’ve been thinking about this and praying like crazy, and I think we should just get married.
”

For one wild moment, Aggie had the inexplicable urge to laugh. Did he not know how ridiculous he sounded?
“
William, if I thought you were serious
--”

“
I’m perfectly serious. You need the kind of help and support that a husband and father gives. It’s not something that you can hire out, either.
”
He leaned forward, oblivious to the shock and fury simmering beneath Aggie’s façade of calm.
“
The kids need some semblance of a normal life.
”
He swallowed hard as if to gain courage, and continued before she could formulate a coherent response.
“
I know you are upset with me right now. You probably feel like I’m being hard on you, but I don’t mean to be. I’m trying to show you why we should just do this. I get tomorrow and Sunday off, so I’m going to fly to Seattle for a game, but I’ll be back home Monday. We can talk about it then.
”

He stood, nodded, and left before Aggie recovered from the shock. Her lips twisted in wry disgust.
“
Oh, and you should marry me so I can save you from yourself, but don’t tell me how wonderful my brilliant idea is until I get back from a last hurrah as a single guy. Then you can fall at my feet in grateful adoration,
”
she mocked in a ridiculous sounding falsetto. The moment she heard herself, remorse filled her heart.
“
Oh, Lord. Forgive me, but that man…
”

A sound by the basement caused her to turn. Something on Luke’s face told her he’d heard her
--
possibly William too.
“
I suppose it’s too much to hope that you didn’t hear that disgusting display.
”

“
I heard.
”
He carried the scraps in his arms to the mudroom and returned, pulling his gloves off as he did.

It occurred to her that she didn’t know whose words he meant.
“
Which one, mine or William’s?
”

“
Both.
”
As he sat across from her, his arms on his knees, barely meeting her gaze, she saw concern in his face and a trace of something that almost looked like pain.

“
Do you think he’s right? Am I really blowing it with the children? Am I harming them? If I thought for even a minute
--”

“
No, Mibs, no.
”
The sincerity in Luke’s voice couldn’t be mistaken.
“
You’re doing an excellent job. Mom is always bragging on you to everyone. Corinne was saying that she’s been to the Clinic more than you have this summer, and she only has three children.
”

“
I keep thinking that I heard him wrong, but he was serious, wasn’t he?
”
A sense of shock grew in her as she realized that William truly expected her to agree to his strange proposal.
“
He really thinks that marrying me is really a solution to whatever problems he thinks I have.
”

“
I think so, yes.
”
She heard the strain in Luke’s voice and wondered at it.

“
What do you think? I can’t believe I’m even asking, but I am. Do you think marrying him would provide some kind of stability or something that apparently the kids don’t have and need?
”
Dread caused her voice to stumble and break as she choked out the question.

“
Well…
”
Luke seemed to search for words even more so than usual.
“
He is confident and responsible. Those are good things to have around when you are dealing with children.
”
By now, the pain in his voice was unmistakable.

“
I sense a ‘but’ coming in right about now.
”
She could see him struggle to answer. Luke clearly didn’t like being in the position of advisor this time
--
didn’t want to have this conversation. However, as always, she asked, and he answered.

“
No, Mibs. I don’t.
”

“
Tell me why. Not that I disagree with you or anything. I just want to make sure my reasons are rational instead of emotional. We both know that he’s not going to take no for an answer if I sound emotional.
”
She rubbed her head, dreading the oncoming headache.
“
I think I’m in shock or something. The only reason I can come up with is, ‘because I don’t want to.’ That’s not going to cut it, so tell me. Why shouldn’t I marry William?
”

“
Not wanting to is enough for me, but you’re right. Probably not for him.
”

“
So, tell me why.
”

“
Mibs,
”
Luke began gently, never taking his eyes from hers.
“
My reasons are selfish; they’re not something he’s going to accept any better.
”
Her eyes insisted he explain himself.
“
I don’t
think
you should because you don’t care for him. I don’t
want
you to because I
do
care for you.
”

Surprise flooded Aggie’s face followed by thoughtfulness and finally comprehension. All the subtle hints and not-so-subtle ones that Libby had left, and all of Luke’s personal compliments and gentle teasing swirled in her mind, but before she could find some way to respond to him, Luke stood and dug his keys out of his pockets.
“
Aggie, pray about it. Just
--
just pray. I hadn’t planned to share my heart with you yet. I thought you needed time, but…
”
He fumbled for a particular key and then shrugged.
“
Well, William spoke, you asked, and…
”
With the rest of his thoughts unspoken, Luke slipped out the door and walked to his truck. She saw him lean against it, obviously shaken
--
possibly hurting, although she wasn’t sure why. Did he think she’d actually agree to William’s crazy idea? The truck started and drove away, but Aggie didn’t hear.