For Keeps (Aggie's Inheritance) (74 page)

“
Why do you need to?
”
Luke dug through her drawers in search of more
plasticware
.
“
Why can’t they just enjoy each other and their own little projects? As long as they’re keeping up with their age group, what’s the point of filling their days with more work just to do it?
”

Frowning, Aggie asked,
“
What do you need all that for?
”
his question lost in her confusion as he pulled out the containers and lined them up on the counter.

“
I had an idea for helping everyone know when to use what leftovers, but the containers are different sizes.
”
He dug some more.
“
What lids go with what?
”

“
All the rectangles have the same lids, the squares, and most of the circles. I bought those when I got tired of digging for lids.
”

“
Great. I’ll label the lids. Got a Sharpie?
”

Too tired to argue, Aggie dug through the desk drawer and pulled out the requested pen.
“
I don’t even want to ask.
”

“
It’s simple. You stack by days in the cupboard.
”
He rummaged through the cabinet next to the fridge and frowned.
“
Can the crockpot and toaster go anywhere else?
”

“
There is an empty shelf on the cabinet in the island on the left. I think they’ll both fit.
”

Luke did a little rearranging and then dug through the lid drawer for a bread container that she never used.
“
This’ll hold lids.
”
He arranged the lids with Friday first and continuing from there.

“
Why not start with Wednesday? Tomorrow is Wednesday.
”

“
Well, the way I’m thinking it, you won’t want to put the day that you put the food in here, but the day you want to eat it. Most people don’t like to eat the same thing two days in a row, so I’m thinking that tomorrow you put your leftovers in ‘Friday’s’ container. Then, Friday, you come in, pull out that container, and use it in some way for lunch. When lunch is over, anything left goes to the dogs.
”

“
I see it now.
”
Aggie looked excited.
“
This really works well because there’s only two day
s’
worth of leftovers at any given time. No forgetting about them or not knowing how old they are so you leave it there forever… It’s brilliant!
”
Her eyes thanked him from across the island.

“
I’m just doing my bit to make myself
indispensable
to this family. Meanwhile, make sure you tell the dishwasher emptier that he or she has to put the days in order or it won’t work.
”

“
Days in order. Got it.
”
A yawn punctuated her agreement.

“
I’m going home. Goodnight, Mibs.
”

“
Fine then, just clean and run. See if I care.
”

Luke laughed.
“
I guess I failed.
”

“
At what?
”

His hand covered hers for a second before he strolled from the room calling,
“
Making you care, of course,
”
over his shoulder.

Aggie says:
Hey there, just wanted to say thanks again.

Mibs says:
Oops. Didn’t change this back.

Mibs says:
I didn’t know how to tell you when you’re here, but I want you to know how much it means to me that you tell me you care about me. It’s probably hard when you know I don’t yet feel the same, but it is the highlight of my day. Please don’t stop.

Vows

Thursday, October 9
^th

Before noon, all but Vannie had their work turned in, graded, and corrected. Vannie was sitting in the library, curled up on the loveseat, writing her report on the major themes of
Captain
s Courageous
. Tina arrived as Aggie was in the middle of a timed sandwich assembly and waited for her to finish before she pointed out the door and said,
“
Ok, bring ‘em in, guys, bring ‘em in. Meat in the mudroom, produce on the island, boxes on the counter. Hurry, hurry, hurry!

As the kids raced through the dining room into the living room and out the door, Tina slid the receipt and Aggie’s debit card across the island.
“
I think I may have spent too much, but I got everything on the list.
”

In an unusual move, Aggie pocketed the card and tossed the receipt without looking at it. She just didn’t want to know what the tally was anymore. Each month it seemed worse and worse, but there was no hope for it. The children had to eat. At least the repairs were done. She wouldn’t be paying Luke every week. Perhaps it’d seem less extreme without those checks accumulating with the rest of the bills each month.

In what seemed like no time, the counters, island, and the floor of the mudroom were covered with plastic bags full of groceries. The cupboards were loaded amid squeals of delight for favorite foods. Cari and Lorna dodged between everyone’s legs, peeking into bags and asking for nearly everything they found. Ian enjoyed rolling cans across the floor, until Aggie scooped him up and strapped him in his high chair with small pieces of banana fed to him between putting away bags of food.

“
Ok, ok. I can’t do this. Everyone get to the table and eat. Laird, grab those oranges and rinse them. You guys can peel them after you eat your sandwiches. I’ll put this away.
”

Lost in the mudroom deep freeze, she didn’t hear Luke come in until she felt hands close over her eyes.
“
Laird
--”
the moment her fingers found the hands, she laughed.
“
Luke.
”

“
How’d you tell?
”

“
I can feel the difference. Laird’s hands aren’t rough like yours.
”

“
How do you know how my hands feel?
”
He reached down to pick up a bag of chicken packages.

“
Well, you’re the only one around here who should have rough hands. I bet even William’s are softer. He doesn’t work with them like you do.
”

“
Somehow, that isn’t very reassuring.
”

Aggie rolled her eyes and took the chicken from him.
“
You sound like you assume I like soft hands in a man. What are you doing here?
”

“
I came to see if you were serious about seeing the house on Highway 37.
”

“
I was, but
--”

“
She is, and she’s going.
”
Tina’s voice startled both of them as she carried Ian past the room on her way to the stairs.
“
Don’t argue with me; just get out of here.
”

With an exaggerated roll of her eyes, Aggie grabbed a bag of roasts.
“
Apparently I’m going.
”

They put the meat and frozen vegetables in the deep freeze and Luke gathered the plastic bags.
“
You ready?
”

“
I’m going to change. Be right back.
”

She bumped into Tina on her way upstairs, and Luke tried to protest, but Tina stopped him.
“
Let her go.
”

“
We’re just going to take measurements on a house and maybe check out some fixtures at Home Depot. She
--”

“
She wants to look nice for you. Let her.
”

“
She does?
”
Luke’s face was a study. Doubt clouded it briefly.
“
Nah…
”

“
If she comes down with her hair out of that infernal ponytail, you’ll know I’m right. Aggie only leaves it down when she cares about how she looks.
”

“
I don’t think
--”

Cari and Lorna raced past them, and Tina broke away to follow.
“
Girls,
stop
!
”
The twins froze on the stairs. She winked at Luke.
“
I am always stunned at how well that works.
”
To the girls, she covered her lips with her finger.
“
Shh. Ian is sleeping. Let’s go read a story before your naps. Let me get my book.
”

While the little girls impatiently shuffled their feet on the steps, Tina hustled back to her room to grab her book and a pillow. She gave Luke another glance as she made her way back to the stairs.
“
There’
s room up there at the end of the hall
for two narrow bookshelves on each side of that window and a window seat. It’d be a whole lot more comfortable for me or Aggie, or anyone else for that matter, to sit on a nice cushioned seat and read while waiting for the troops to fall asleep. Just sayin’.
”

“
I’ll get right on that.
”

Luke started to follow them up the stairs to get a look at the spot Tina mentioned, but the sight of Aggie skipping down them stopped him. He watched as she paused, hugged her little girls, told them to dream happy dreams, and tossed her hair over her shoulders as she continued down the steps to meet him. A look from Tina above seemed to scream,
“
I told you so.
”

Aggie looked different
--
younger somehow
--
with her hair hanging down her back, and wearing a simple tiered skirt and sweater. Tina was right. She had changed her clothes and let down her hair, and when she reached the bottom of the stairs, he caught a faint whiff of the perfume that, in his opinion, could be renamed
“
Essence of Aggie.
”