Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (71 page)

Aggie says:
Oh, good idea. What other ideas? You said plural. I need plural.

Luke says:
Um, she said maybe go to Boho and get a gift certificate and wrap it. You could both go into the city to pick out her things and have lunch while you’re there. Vannie would love that. She also said maybe consider nail polish and a manicure set.

Aggie says:
Those’ll work. I wondered about one of those e-readers. I mean, with all the literature she’s going to be doing, she’d get most of the books free; that’d pay for the cost of the thing over the life of it, and it’d save her eyes not reading the computer all the time.

Luke says:
Those should be good. There. Vannie covered. What next?

Aggie says:
Ellie.

Aggie says:
Nope, Ian.

Luke says:
You said you had a mile-high pile!

Aggie says:
And he’s crying for them now. Gotta go.

Luke says:
Love you.

Aggie says:
Yeah.. that’s really nice to know right now. Love you too. Goodnight.

Luke
stared
at
the
screen,
wondering
what
had
bothered
him
during
the
conversation.
Eventually
it
hit
him,
his
heart
sinking
into
his
stomach.
She
hadn’t
changed
Aggie
to
Mibs.
Something
that
silly
shouldn’t
bother
him
like
it
did,
but
he
couldn’t
help
it.
It
felt
like
he’d
lost
something
he
didn’t
know
he
valued
until
it
was
gone.
Laird’s
name
stared
back
at
him
from
the
screen.
What
had
he
missed?
Something
was
still
wrong.
Very
wrong.

Books & Bootstraps

Tuesday,
December
23

Kenzie’s
math
book
was
a
mess
of
red
marks.
“You
didn’t
try,
Kenzie.
I
know
you
know
these.
This
is
all
review.”

“Here,
Kenzie.
I’ll
help
you,”
Laird
said.
“C’mere.
”

“Thanks,
Laird.
Ok,
who’s
next?”

Ellie
pushed
her
grammar
across
the
table.
“I
think
I
understand
now.”

A
shriek
from
the
kitchen
sent
Aggie
rushing
from
the
room.
“Check
the
first
three
sentences,”
she
called
out
behind
her.
“If
they’re
all
right,
correct
the
rest.
If
not,
leave
them.”

A
strange
sight
greeted
her
as
she
entered
the
kitchen.
Lorna
sat
straddling
Cari,
holding
back
the
other
girl’s
feeble
attempts
to
fight
her
off.
“Not
true!
Say
it’s
not
true!
You
are
a
liar,
Cari.
Liar!”

“Lorna!
What’s
wrong
with
you?
Get
off
her.”

“Not
until
s
he
says
it’s
not
true!”

“What’s
not
true?”

“That
you,”
the
little
girl
sniffed,
“told
Grandma
Stuart
that
you
didn’t
want
us
to
have
any
presents!”

“She
did!
I
heard
her
tell
Luke!
Grandma
isn’t
sending
presents!”

“Lorna,”
Aggie
ordered,
fighting
back
the
temptation
to
laugh,
“stand
up
right
now.”

“I—”

“Now!”

The
little
girl
gave
one
last
shove
and
stood
up,
her
fists
ready
to
attack
if
Cari
came
at
her,
but
the
younger
twin
seemed
a
bit
subdued
by
such
uncharacteristic
aggression.
“She
started
it,”
Lorna
interjected
,
as
if
it woul
d
make
any
difference.

Cari
flung
herself
at
Aggie.
“We
are
having
presents,
right?
You
went
shopping
and
everything.”

“Yes,
we’re
having
presents.”

“See.
Told
you,”
Cari
gloated
with
a
smugness
that
would
have
been
hilarious
if
the
situation
hadn’t
been
so
serious.

“But
I
heard
you!
I
heard
you
tell
Luke
that
Grandma
isn’t
sending
presents!”