For Keeps (Aggie's Inheritance) (67 page)

Luke grabbed the bags and carried them to the Milliken’s sedan. After stowing them in the trunk, he opened the door for Vannie with a flourish.
“
Have a wonderful time, Vannie. Make delightful memories.
”

The girl squeezed him in a bear hug.
“
I love you, Luke,
”
she whispered.

With a secretive smile on his face, he winked at Aggie and murmured into Vannie’s ear,
“
Now see what you can do to influence your aunt to feel the same way, ok?
”
He waited for her to pull her legs into the car before he pushed the door shut behind her.

Aggie, lost in the scene before her, snapped out of her reverie and hurried to climb into the car, but Luke’s voice stopped her.
“
Wait.
”
She spun in place, nearly causing Luke to slam into her.
“
Let a guy be a gentleman, wouldja?
”
He grabbed her arms to steady her.
“
Have fun, Mibs.
”

“
Why do I feel like I’m leaving for months?
”

“
I could say some sappy thing about how every second
we’re
apart seems like an hour, but I think
--”
He winced exaggeratedly as she gave him a mock head slap.
“--
you might slap me for that,
”
he finished.

“
Say goodnight, Luke. I’ll get on the messenger if I can’t sleep.
”

“
I’ll be waiting.
”

Saturday, October 11
^th

After a night of dinner at The Oak
e
s, a romantic comedy at the cinema, and late night confidences until Vannie fell asleep mid-sentence, the girls woke up ready to take on the city.
“
How about room service for breakfast?
”

Vannie giggled, bouncing on her bed.
“
Oh, that’ll be fun. Mommy always said we’d do that, but we never had a chance.
”
The words that would have sparked a sob fest just a few short months earlier brought tears but without the overwhelming grief that once accompanied them.

“
I know that if Allie said she was going to do it, she had every intention of it. Allie never made a promise that she wouldn’t keep.
”

“
Aunt Aggie?
”
Vannie’s voice was so quiet that Aggie almost didn’t hear her as she dug through the drawer for the menu.

“
Hmm?
”

“
Is it selfish that I’m glad I ge
t to spend today with just you?
”

Aggie scrambled across her bed, menu in hand, and onto Vannie’s. She wrapped her arms around the girl and squeezed.
“
Not at all. Maybe if you expected to spend every day only with me… that’d be flattering, but selfish. I’m just glad we have people who love us and are willing to help us so I can do things like this. I’d always planned to have girl nights with you when you got old enough, but with your grandmother, we had to be careful or she’d expect to do things too. You wouldn’t believe the hilarious lengths Allie and I planned to make it happen when you were old enough to be trusted not to tell.
”

“
Really?
”

“
Yep.
”
After a quick consultation with the menu, Aggie passed it to Vannie.
“
Crepes and fruit for me. What do you want?
”

“
I’ll take the same.
”
Vannie didn’t even glance at the choices.
“
Aunt Aggie?
”

“
Hmm?
”
Fumbling for the remote to watch one of those
“
fashion disaster
”
shows, Aggie wasn’t paying much attention to her niece and missed the timidity behind the forthcoming question.

“
Do you think Ellie, Kenzie, and the twins will get a chance to do things like this?
”

“
Like what?
”

Vannie’s arm swept the room.
“
Coming to the city and having dinner and a sleepover
--
stuff like this. If you marry Luke, will you still be able to do stuff like this?
”

“
Oh, Vannie. Of course, I can. This is what being a mom is, sweetie. It’s spending time with your kids because you just love being with them. Luke or whoever I married would probably do similar things with the boys
--
take them fishing, hunting,
and
camping
--
things like that.
”

Relief washed over the girl’s features.
“
I thought maybe a husband wouldn’t like it if you went away.
”

“
Not every day, no, but Luke understands my responsibilities and priorities. He would want me to take time to make special memories with each one of you.
”

“
Are you going to marry him? I thought you weren’t sure.
”

“
I’m not sure, no, but it’s hard to imagine my life without him, so…
”
Aggie shrugged.
“
Ok, let’s get this breakfast ordered. We have spa appointments, shopping to do, and obscene amounts of money to spend.
”

“
You never spend money unless you have to!
”
Vannie looked stunned.

“
Well, we are today. Go get your shower, and I’ll order breakfast.
”

Vannie grabbed her clothes and scuttled to the bathroom. Just before she shut the door, the girl peeked her head back out the door.
“
Um, Aunt Aggie?
”

“
Yeah?
”

“
Can I have Belgian waffles instead? I really don’t like crepes very much.
”

~*~*~*~

“
Tina’s here! What is she doing here?
”
Aggie pulled into the drive behind her friend’s car. She glanced at her niece.
“
So, are you ready to show everyone your new hairstyle and clothes?
”

Vannie popped the sun visor down and peeked at the mirror one last time.
“
I feel like I look so different. Do I?
”

“
Well, the hairstyle really shapes your face. You look young, but a little more mature. I don’t think we could have picked a better style, and your nails are awesome! I’m so glad you were able to grow them a little longer than usual. It really gave them something to work with.
”

Squealing children burst from the house and swarmed the car. Aggie watched as the children surrounded Vannie, all exclaiming over her
“
makeover.
”
Luke came out onto the step and set Ian on the gravel. The tiny unsteady steps of her little
“
son
”
as he stumbled across the uneven ground of the drive tugged at her heart. She hurried around the front of the car, her purse abandoned on the hood, and rushed across the short distance to scoop up the giggling baby.
“
Gaggie!
”

She snuggled the baby whispering,
“
I love you, little man.
”

Luke stepped closer, ready to welcome her home but his uncertainty was visible. Unaware of the audience watching through the dining room window, Aggie met Luke at the base of the steps and gave him a quick hug.
“
We talked about you.
”

“
Oh, you did?
”
Though he tried to feign nonchalance, Luke looked pleased.

“
You’ll have to get any details you want out of Vannie. I’m not going there.
”

As she reached the top of the steps, Luke’s quiet voice stopped her.
“
You were missed, Mibs. Not just by me
--
by everyone.
”

Aggie’s eyes narrowed.
“
What’s that supposed to mean?
”

“
It’s supposed to mean that I thought you’d want to know you are loved and missed when you aren’t around.
”
The hint of hurt in his eyes told her he’d meant to encourage rather than reprove.

“
Sorry,
I think
I’ve gotten
too
used to hearing criticism for my decisions and actions.
”

Luke jerked his head toward the house.
“
There’s a room full of people in there just waiting to tell you how much they approve of you and your decisions. Listen to them for a while, and tune out the naysayers.
”

Embarrassed both by Luke’s words and by her ungracious response, Aggie gave him a weak smile and carried Ian into the house. Libby worked in the kitchen preparing dinner, Tina was stuffing floor puzzle pieces in the appropriate box, and Ron Milliken dozed in a chair.
“
Where’s Mom?
”
Her whisper was loud enough to be heard outside, but Ron didn’t stir.

“
It became a little hectic after your dad fell asleep, so I sent her to their room with earbuds and my iPod. She requested The Beach Boys, so I found the ones we downloaded for the Surf Party last fall.
”

“
I’ll go see her.
”
Tina reached to take Ian, but the little boy clung to Aggie, burying his head in her shoulder.
“
I’ll take him with me. I missed this guy.
”