Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (46 page)

“Yes,
but
we
always
put
the
new
ones
on
first,”
Vannie
explained.

“New
ones?”

“The
new
ones
we
get
each
Christmas.
Mommy
always—never
mind.
Laird,”
she
said
turning
to
her
brother,
“why
don’t
you
pull
out
Ian—I
mean
Cari
and
Lorna’s.”

“Why
not
Ian?”

“Because
he
only
has
one,”
the
girl
hissed.

“But
aren’t
we
going
to
put
the
new
ones
up—”

“She
didn’t
get
them.
That
was
Mommy’s
tradition.
Just
get
the
boxes,”
Vannie
insisted,
tears
beginning
to
choke
her.

“What
did
I
miss?”
Aggie
stared
at
the
group
waiting
for
information,
but
no
one
seemed
willing
to
speak.
“Come
on,
something
is
wrong.
What
is
it?”

“It’s
just
something
Mommy
always
did.
We’re
so
used
to
it
that
we
forgot
you
might
not
know.”
Vannie
handed
an
ornament
to
Cari.
“Here,
you
put
the
first
one
on.”

“What
don’t
I
know?”

Ellie
stepped
close
and
pulled
Aggie
close
enough
to
whisper,
“Mommy
always
bought
us
a
new
ornament
to
put
on
the
tree
every
Christmas.
We
always
did
that
first
so…”

“I’ll
be
right
back.”
Seven
faces
stared
back
at
her,
Ian
too
absorbed
in
destroying
ornament
boxes
to
care.
“Our
tradition
will
just
be
to
put
the
new
ones
on
last.
That’ll
save
your
mom’s
tradition
for
her
while
still
continuing
it.
Meanwhile,
rescue
those
boxes
or
the
ornaments
won’t
make
it
until
next
year.”

Luke
tried
to
stop
her,
but
Aggie
waved
him
off.
She
climbed
into
the
van
and
took
off
down
the
road,
unsure
where
to
go
first.
Her
fingers
punched
the
button
to
call
her
mom
and
then
she
switched
it
to
speaker.
“Mom?”

“She’s
taking
a
nap.
What’s
up?”

“Dad,
I
blew
it.
The
kids
expected
new
ornaments
for
the
tree
today
and
I
just
didn’t
know
so
there
they
were
all
waiting
and
I
had
nothing.
I
don’t
even
know
what
kind
of
ornaments
to
get
or
where
to
look.
I
am
guessing
balls
in
a
box
of
twelve
aren’t
going
to
cut
it.
I
left
without
looking.
How
did
Vannie
get
to
be
twelve
years
old
without
me
ever
going
to
their
house
for
Christmas?”

“You
did
go—
just
before
they
moved
into
the
mausoleum,
remember?
When
they
still
lived
in
the
nice
little
ranch
in
Westbury.
You know, the one they lived in while she restored the Rockland house?
”

“Vaguely.
Why
didn’t
she
invite
us
to
the
big
house?”

“Because
of
Geraldine.
The
woman
was
a
nightmare
and
away
from
there
was
safer.
”

That
felt
familiar
anyway.
Aggie
sighed.
“That
doesn’t
tell
me
about
ornaments.”

“Sorry.
Can’t
help
you
and
I
bet
Mom
can’t
either.
Well,
maybe
that’s
not
true,”
he
amended.
“I
think
we
might
have
Christmas
cards
or
pictures
here.
Want
me
to
look?”