Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (33 page)

Libby says:
Well, it is a bit sudden, but you do make a good argument about the party.

Aggie says:
Yeah. No wait, no fuss, no time to get nervous…

Aggie says:
Unfortunately, we also thought maybe it wasn’t fair to the children to preempt their day with ours.

Libby says:
And then picked another day, right?

Aggie says:
Yes.

Libby says:
I’m starting to wonder if pushing you two together was

such a great idea.

Aggie says:
Pushing?

Libby says:
You’ve had at least a dozen matchmakers doing their

part to ensure that you and Luke marry. Surely you know this.

Aggie says:
Actually, no. I’m relieved that I didn’t. I might have resisted.

Libby says:
Which is why we were careful not to be too obvious.

Libby says:
Aggie? You’re very quiet.

Aggie says:
Do you think…

Aggie says:
Never mind.  Oh,  and regarding  dates, we settled on

March 7
^th
.

Libby says:
I’d rather mind it if you please. Are you truly upset that

we tried to give you both opportunities to discover each other?

Libby says:
My, that sounds so… geographical. You know what I mean.

Aggie says:
Not upset, really. I just wondered if maybe it wasn’t quite real if it was orchestrated somehow. Then I felt stupid. Making it possible to be together to get to know each other isn’t the same as making up stuff to make it fake.

Libby says:
Oh, it’s Luke. BRB

Aggie says:
Have him tell you about my wedding idea. I really want you to be honest if you think it’s something that will offend people or not. I don’t want to do that.

Libby says:
Sorry. I didn’t see that. Let me call him. BRB again.

Aggie says:
That’s ok. I’m just here making party lists

Aggie says:
Isn’t there some other kind of “fancy” food I can feed people besides crab cakes? I don’t know how to make them and I am not paying for a caterer.

Aggie says:
And where do I get gold balloons???

Aggie says:
Oh, it’s not that hard after all. I can get a bag of 100 from a place on Amazon. That’ll work.

Aggie says:
*theme from Jeopardy plays*

Aggie says:
Maybe it was a bad idea to give the job of explaining to the guy who takes a week to say what most can in a minute.

Aggie says:
How many Lukes does it take to make my heart flutter?

Aggie says:
None! But it doesn’t take a Lucas any trouble at all!

Aggie says:
A Luke, an Aggie, and a Cari walk into a bar. What

does each one say?

Aggie says:
Answer—Luke says, “What’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?” Aggie says, “What’s a nice guy like you doing

bringing me to a place like this?” Cari says, “Ouch! That huwt!”

Aggie says:
Hey, Luke signed on! Where are you? Did you faint? Are you not speaking to me? Come baaaaaaaaaaaaaccccccckkkk!!!

Libby added Luke to the conversation:

Luke says:
Mom was reading me the conversation and cracking up so hard that I couldn’t understand her. I thought maybe I could see, but it’s not in here.

Aggie says:
I’ll copy and paste to email. I was amusing myself.

Libby says:
I love your wedding/reception idea. It’s perfect.

Aggie says:
Really? You’re not just saying that?

Libby says:
Not at all. I like that you’re taking the vows part of your day very seriously.

Libby says:
Now that I know my son is alive and that my new daughter-to-be is happy, I’m going to scoot off to bed. Goodnight!

Luke says:
Goodnight, Mom.

Libby has signed out of the conversation.

Aggie says:
Goodnight almost Mom!

Luke says:
I forgot to ask what I could do to help with this party.

Aggie says:
I don’t know what we’re doing myself. It’s crazy. Why did I agree to this?

Mibs says:
There. That’s better.

Luke says:
That is one of my favorite things to see. The first time you did that was the first time I had any hope at all.

Mibs says:
Every time you said, “Aw, Mibs,” I think I fell just a little in love with you and didn’t even know it.

Luke says:
I’ll remember to say it often.

Mibs says:
I think whenever I need to keep my thoughts to myself, I’m going to have to go upstairs with the laptop and make you stay downstairs to talk to me.

Luke says:
I’m starting to be able to “read” your writing too.

Resistance is futile.

Mibs says:
Then maybe I should say goodnight before I get myself into trouble.

Luke says:
Good night, Mibs.

Aggie says:
‘Night.

Luke says:
I love you.

Aggie says:
Love you more.

Aggie has signed out of the conversation.

Golden Mishaps

Tuesday,
December
9
^th

“Can’t
believe
that
the
Merchamps
have
a
birthday
on
the
same
day
we’re
throwing
the
kids
a
surprise
party,”
Aggie
muttered
, sliding
on
a
slick
patch
on
the
walkway
to
the
guilty
family’s
house.
“Also
can’t
believe
I
let
them
talk
me
into
a
Tuesday.
It’s
not
like
they
knew
we’d
joked
about
adding
a
wedding
to
it!”

A
row
of
snowmen
decorated
the
front
of
the
house,
hinting
at
a
contest.
Aggie
hoped
the
one
with
the
saucy
grin
and
cockeyed
hat
won.
Before
she
reached
the
door,
Ellie
and
Tavish
burst
from
the
house,
waving
at
their
friends,
and
raced
for
the
van.
Tara
Merchamp
shook
her
head
and
closed
the
door
behind
her,
shivering
against
a
blast
of
wind
that
swirled
around
the
corner
of
the
house.

“Kids
are
funny,
aren’t
they?”

Aggie,
already
turning
to
follow
her
charges,
nodded
her
agreement.
“Sorry
about
that.
I—”

“Oh,
no!
I
wasn’t
trying
to
hint
anything.
Just
a
minute
ago
they
were
complaining
that
you’d
be
here
any
minute
and
then
when
you
arrive,
they
fly
out
the
door
as
if
they
can’t
wait
to
leave.”
Tara
shrugged.
“I
just
think
kids
are
too
funny
for
words.”