Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (61 page)

Aggie says:
Mom? Help!

Milliken says:
What’s up?

Aggie says:
I got a letter from Mrs. Stuart’s lawyer.

Milliken says:
Oh, great. Now what?

Aggie says:
That’s the problem—it was just a note that said that due to the restraining order, she would not be sending Christmas presents.

Milliken says:
What? Really? Allie is rolling in her grave— cartwheels I’m guessing. Aaak.

Milliken says:
Sorry, had to do it. Giving it back to your mother, but that’s the best news I’ve had in ages.

Aggie says:
Mom! I can’t believe you said that. Wait. That’s Dad.

Aggie says:
I think it creates a bit of a problem

Milliken says:
What kind of problem?

Aggie says:
Christmas presents. I bought them each one and then toothbrush, favorite candy bar, and something silly for their stocking. You know, spray string, whoopee cushion, bubbles—stuff I usually would ban from the house.

Milliken says:
I don’t understand the problem.

Aggie says:
These kids are used to an overloaded Christmas. From the way you’ve described it, they spent all day opening presents, practically crying because they just wanted to be done. I don’t want that, obviously, but one present and three things in a mostly empty stocking is going to be just one more thing in a long line of disappointing things this year.

Milliken says:
You’ve got a point…

Aggie says:
I have four and a half… well, and a quarter days to shop. I can’t even shop online because I can’t risk it not getting here in time. I need to go to the stores and I can’t. Tina’s gone.

Milliken says:
I’ll have Dad bring me down early…

Aggie says:
No. We both know that’s not a good idea.

Milliken says:
Well, I want it to be a good idea.

Aggie says:
Gimme another one, Mom.

Milliken says:
Start calling everyone you know. Call Libby, the gal who helped when you were still in Rockland, Mrs. Dyke—anyone. Call them all. Set up times to shop with them and do it. Just spend the next three days shopping like crazy.

Aggie says:
I don’t even know what to buy!

Milliken says:
If you see it and like it, buy it. You can return stuff later if you find something better. You’re going to spend a ton of money. It’s ok. Half will probably go back so don’t panic. Go. Make those calls.

Aggie says:
Hey, Mom? I love you.

Milliken says
: You’re doing great and I love you for it.

Find
ing
people
available
to
watch
her
children
just
days
before
Christmas
was
next
to
impossible.
Iris
Landry
managed
to
offer
three
hours
on
Tuesday
night
after
dinner.
Libby
didn’t
know
when
she’d
make
it
,
but
she
assured
Aggie
that
she’d
come
and
take
over
the
moment
she
could.
Luke,
seeing
the
distress
in
her
,
locked
up
the
house
on
Cygnet
and
promised
he’d
be
at
her
disposal
until
the
day
after
Christmas.

Sunday,
December
21

William
pulled
Aggie
aside
on
Sunday
after
church.
“How
is
Tina’s
father?
She
hasn’t
called
in
a
few
days
and
I
was
wondering…”

“They
had
to
go
back
in
for
something—I
don’t
quite
know
what.
She
starts
speaking
medicalese
and
I
have
no
idea
what
it
all
means.
I
think
he’s
ok
now
though.
Or,”
she
added,
“at
least
he
will
be.”

“Bet
you
miss
having
her
around.”

“Never
more
than
now.
Luke
has
to
stop
work
on
his
house
just
so
I
can
do
Christmas
shopping.”

A
quick
shake
of
the
head
told
her
what
he’d
say
before
he
spoke.
“Waiting
until
the
last
minute
will
mess
you
up
every
time.”
Yep.
Exactly
what
she
had
expected.

“Well,
if
I
had
known
that
the
grandmotherly
leopard
would
change
her
spots
and
not
overload
the
kids
with
gifts,
I
would
have
been
more
prepared.
I
was—but
not
for
nothing
from
her.”

“That’s
good
though,
right?”

“Good
except
that
she
told
me
with
only
four
days
of
shopping
to
go
for
eight
kids.”

“Ouch.
Luke’s
getting
an
introduction
into
big
family
life
quickly,
isn’t
he?
At
least
shopping
will
give
you
guys
some
time
together.”

She
shook
her
head.
“No,
his
being
available
lets
me
go
,
but
he
can’t
exactly
accompany
me.
Someone
has
to
keep
the
kids
from
burning
down
the
house
and
calling
9-1-1
every
other
minute.”