Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (208 page)

The
email
popped
up
and
Aggie
turned
away
from
the
others,
lying
on
her
stomach
across
her
bed,
reading.
Her
feet
kicked
the
air
absently,
as
each
line
filled
her
mind
and
heart.
Once
finished,
she
scrolled
up
and
read
again.

To:
[email protected]

From:
[email protected]

Subject:
My
Dear
Mibs,

I
just
read
your
“how
do
I
love
thee,
let
me
count
the
ways”
messages
and
was
inspired?
c
ompelled?
a
nxious?
t
o
open
my
heart
in
a
similar
fashion.

I
love
your
smile.
It
reaches
from
somewhere
within
you
and
radiates
until
it
touches
everyone
in
sight.
I
think
it
is
what
first
touched
my
heart.

I
love
your
grit.
No,
it
doesn’t
sound
very
romantic,
but
it
is
a
beautiful
thing
to
see
you
pick
up,
time
after
time,
and
keep
going
when
I
know
you
want
to
quit—even
if
just
for
a
while.

I
love
how
much
you
enjoy
life.
You
make
it
an
adventure
and
take
everyone
you
know
along
for
the
ride.
I
will
never
be
able
to
merely
exist.
That
is
marvelous.

I
love
that
you
accept
all
of
me.
I’m
slow
to
say
what
I
think
and
feel,
and
you
never
make
me
feel
awkward
about
that.
I
don’t
have
your
education,
but
never
have
you
made
me
feel
intellectually
inadequate.

I
love
that
already
you
think
of
me
as
“your”
Luke.
I
can
almost
hear
you
at
ninety,
rocking
away
in
your
chair,
toothless
and
silly
saying,
“My
Luke…”

Most
of
all,
though,
I
love
how
your
love
of
the
Lord
shows
through
every
song
that
overflows
your
spirit
in
praise
to
Him.
Your
smile
may
have
first
touched
my
heart,
but
your
songs
first
drew
me
to
you.

We
have
a
lifetime
together
starting
in
just
a
few
hours.
I
am
sure
it
will
be
as
beautiful
as
you
are.

I
do
love
you
dearly,

Luke

“I
need
Kleenex!”

Tina
threw
the
box
onto
the
bed
and
ordered,
“Do
not
cry,
Agathena
Grace
Milliken!
Do.
Not.
Cry.
We
don’t
have
time
for
reconstruction
on
your
face!”

“But
it’s
so
beautiful.”

“Close
it.
”

Aggie
glared
at
the
women
who
dared
order
such
a
thing,
but
Tina’s
hand
snapped
the lid
shut
before
she
could
stop
it.
“I
can’t
believe—”

“We
can’t
afford
it.
You
can
read
it
again
later.
I
always
knew
that
man
was
a
sap.”

A
giggle
escaped.
“Isn’t
it
great?”

“Get
her
in
that
dress
before
we
have
a
mess
on
our
hands.”

Vannie
arrived
just
in
time
to
help
protect
the
skirt
from
getting
wrinkled.
While
they
zipped
and
hooked
her
up,
the
photographer
stepped
outside
the
door
and
beckoned
someone.
Martha
stepped
in
the
room
seconds
later.