Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (21 page)

However,
the
best
comments
were
spoken
by
the
youngest,
and
last.
Kenzie
waited
patiently
for
her
turn
and
then
with
a
very
pointed
look
at
Luke
said,
“I
am
thankful
that
Deputy
William
isn’t
mad
at
Aunt
Aggie
for
not
marrying
him.”

Aggie’s
attempt
not
to
laugh
lasted
less
than
a
quarter
minute.
Her
shoulders
shook,
her
hands
covered
her
face,
and
at
last,
she
erupted
in
uncontrollable
laughter.
“Only
you,
Kenzie.

Lorna’s
gratitude
was
a
little
more
subtle.
“I
am
thankful
that
Luke
didn’t
have
to
eat
all
his
yams.”

Before
the
chuckles
at
Luke’s
expense
ceased,
Cari
crossed
her
arms
and
said,
“I
think
I
is
t
hankful
that
I
didn’t
get
in
twouble
today.”

“You
think?”
Aggie’s
face
was
the
picture
of
confusion.

Two
blue
eyes
blinked
back
at
Aggie
from
across
the
table.
“Well,
did
I?
I
don’t
know
what
you
know.”

~*~*~*~

War
with
a
deck
of
cards
as
the
weapon
was
underway.
No,
they
weren’t
playing
the
game
of
War,
but
there
was
no
doubt
in
the
minds
of
the
other
principal
players;
this
was
war
and
Aggie
was
losing
badly.
The
game:
hearts.
The
players:
Luke,
Aggie,
Ron,
and
Vannie
.
While
the
skirmishes
took
place
at
the
dining
room
table,
the
aunts
,
Martha,
and
the
other
children
holed
up
in
the
family
room
and
watched
a
marathon
of
I
Love
Lucy
episodes.

Ron
and
Vannie
may
have
played
cards,
dealt
cards,
and
shuffled
cards,
but
they
weren’t
really
playing
the
game;
they
were
filler.
Luke
was
effectively
stomping
Aggie
without
mercy.
Hand
after
hand,
they
watched
Luke
pass
just
the
right
cards
to
befuddle
Aggie
—a
hilarious
sight
.
It
only
took
two
botched
runs
by
Aggie
and
two
shot
moons
by
Luke
to ensure t
hat
he
won
and
quickly.
New
score:
four
to
four.
Let
the
tiebreaker
commence.

A
wicked
gleam
,
or
as close to one as she could summon
,
glinted
in
Aggie’s
eye
.
She
pushed
back
the
chair,
hurried
into
the
family
room
where
an
episode
was
just
finishing,
and
called
for
the
others
to
follow.
Ron
entered
the
room
, shaking
his
head.
“Name
that
tune?”

“Hey,
it’s
tradition!”

“Tevya,
Fiddler
on
the
Roof!”
Luke
cried.
“Oh,
we
haven’t
started
yet?
Ok.
Just
didn’t
want
to
risk
losing
necessary
points.
”

After
years
of
practice,
Ron
had
a
peculiar
talent
of
being
able
to
start
and
stop
an
album
without
scratching
it.
He
perched
himself
next
to
the
console,
blocking
the
row
of
albums
from
view,
and
readied
the
first
song.
Aggie
dragged
the
dining
room
chairs
into
the
family
room
with
Luke’s
help
and
sat
them
in
a
long
row
in
front
of
the
couch.
Martha,
of
course,
settled
into
her
recliner
to
enjoy
the
“sho
w.”