Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (169 page)

“
I
think
he
thought
we
wanted
a
little
privacy.”

“Did
you?”

She
shook
her
head.
Aggie
wanted
nothing
more
than
his
arm
around
her
and
a
chance
to
weep
with
physical
as
well
as
emotional
support.
Her
thoughts
from
the
previous
year
were
absolutely
true.
Valentine’s
Day
was
ruined
forever.

“He
should
have
come,”
Vannie
managed
to
force
the
words
from
somewhere.

“I
should
have
asked.
He
was
being
thoughtful
and
I
wanted
him
to
read
my
mind.
I
hate
it
when
I
do
stupid
girlie
stuff
like
that.”

“But—”

“No,
Vannie.
We’re
not
going
to
blame
people
for
a
lousy
day.
This
is
just
a
horrible
day
and
I’m
not
going
to
pretend
it’s
anything
else.”

Aggie
pulled
the
stake
and
urn
from
a
tote
bag
and
asked
Tavish
for
the
hammer
as
she
stuffed
the
bag
in
her
pocket
.
She
cleared
the
snow
from
in
front
of
the
double
headstone
and
drove
the
stake
into
the
ground.
The
force
required
to
make
it
work
was
nearly
cathartic
in
its
intensity.
Once
firmly
driven
into
the
ground,
Aggie
added
the
urn
to
the
stake
and
unscrewed
the
lid.
“You
can
put
your
notes
and
pictures
in
here
if
you
like.”

A
few
small
notes
and
a
couple
of
colored
pictures
were
added
to
the
urn
before
Aggie
found
the
strength
to
pull
hers
from
her
pocket.
Vannie
touched
her
sleeve.
“Can
I
read
it?”

Though
awkward,
Aggie
nodded.
“If
you
like.”

A
few
sentences
into
the
letter,
Vannie
stopped.
“Can
I
read
it
to
the
others?”

Aggie
didn’t
think
she’d
get
through
a
reading
of
it,
but
she
nodded
anyway.
“It’s
up
to
you.”

Without
hesitation,
Vannie
gathered
the
others
around
her
and
said,
“Listen
to
Aunt
Aggie’s
note.
I
think
you
should
hear
it.”

Doug
and
Allie,

It’s
been
a
year—the
most
horrifying,
agonizing,
stretching
and
growing
year
of
my
life.
It
has
also
been
the
best.
I
hate
that
you’re
not
here
to
talk
to.
I
hate
that
your
children
don’t
see
you.
It
kills
me
that
your
son
will
only
know
you
as
a
picture
and
I
get
the
privilege
of
being
his
mommy.

I
also
feel
guilty
because
I
love
my
life
now.
I
have
purpose
and
you
gave
that
to
me.
Your
death
gave
me
a
different
kind
of
life.
Because
of
it,
I
met
the
man
I’m
going
to
marry.
I
wouldn’t
have
otherwise.