Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (64 page)

“I’ll
make
you
a
deal,”
Aggie
said.
“You
pick
out
a
few
things
for
each
boy
and
I’ll
go
look
for
the
twins
and
Kenzie.
I
doubt
there’ll
be
anything
in
here
that
Vannie
would
like,
but
maybe
Ellie…”

An
hour
later,
the
shopping
cart
was
full
to
overflowing
and
still
they
had
nothing
for
Vannie
or
Ellie.
Luke
maneuvered
through
traffic
to
the
hobby
store,
but
they
found
more
bare
shelves
than
stocked
ones.
“I’ll
call
Mom.
Maybe
there
is
a
better
place,”
Luke
offered.

“Or
maybe
it’s
four
days
before
Christmas
and
stores
are
getting
depleted.”
She
stared
at
her
phone,
hesitating.
“It’s
almost
dinner.
William
can’t
be
expected
to
cook
for
them
too.
I’ve
got
to
go
home.”

“I
could
see
if
Mom—”

“She’s
got
her
hands
full
with
your
sisters
and
their
kids.
I’ll
figure
something
out.
I
have
to.”

Luke
drove
toward
home
and
then
pulled
into
a
gas
station.
“Need
to
fill
up.
Why
don’t
you
go
get
us
some
coffee?”

By
the
time
she
returned,
he
looked
more
chipper.
“William
said
that
he
can
con
Shay
into
delivering
pizza.
He
is
back
on
the
clock
in
an
hour
and
a
half.
Let’s
stop
at
one
more
store
and
then
go
for
a
walk
around
Lake
Danube
before
we
go
home.”

~*~*~*~

Stars
twinkled
overhead
as
Aggie
and
Luke
walked
hand
in
hand
along
the
shore
of
the
lake.
On
the
other
side,
Christmas
lights
twinkled
on
houses
and
reflected
in
the
water.
It
seemed
almost
magical.
“I
should
bring
the
kids
to
see
this.”

“We
should.”

Aggie
looked
up
at
him,
smiling.
“That’s
right.
We
should.
I
have
to
get
used
to
the
idea
that
I’m
not
in
this
alone
anymore.”

“You
never
were,”
he
reminded
her.
“Even
in
Rockland
you
had
church
family,
your
parents,
friends,
Jesus.
You’ve
never
been
alone.”

“It
felt
alone—still
does
more
of
the
time
than
I’d
like
to
admit.”

He
didn’t
respond
for
some
time,
making
Aggie
wonder
if
she’d
hurt
him
with
her
honesty.
Before
she
could
ask,
he
stopped
and
pulled
her
into
a
gentle
hug.
“I
forget
that a lot
happens
that
I
never
see—never
know
about.
The
girls
say
a
lot
of
that
happens
even
though
they’ve
been
married
for
years.
They’re
home
with
the
kids
and
it
can
still
be
overwhelming.”

“True…”

“Call
me
home,
Mibs.
Even
now,
if
you
need
someone
for
support
or
to
back
you
up
with
the
kids—whatever.
Call
me
home.
If
I
can
possibly
do
it,
I’ll
come.”