Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (85 page)

“No!
That’s
not
even
what
I
was
talking
about.
I
was
talking
about
coming
up
here.
I
just
thought
Mommy
was
trying
to
punish
me
or
something
for
being
too
bossy
and
stuff,
but
I
think
she
was
trying
to
save
me
from
feeling
bad
now.
I
used
to
get
a
kind
of
satisfaction
out
of
telling
Grandma
Millie
that
one
of
the
kids
did
something
wrong
and
see
them
get
in
trouble
because
of
it.
This
is
just
icky
though.”

“Well,
if
you
decide
it’s
too
much,
you
tell
me.
If
I’d
known
that
Allie
didn’t
allow
it…”

“Mommy
didn’t
allow
tattling.
You
asked
me
to
report.
I
think
it’s
different.”

~*~*~*~

“What
do
you
think
she
meant?”
Aggie’s
hands
cupped
her
coffee,
savoring
the
warmth
as
she
inhaled
the
comforting
aroma.

“I
think
she
meant
that
tattling
is
telling
with
an
attitude—either
a
desire
to
feel
superior
or
to
make
someone
else
pay
for
something.
Reporting
is
simply
relaying
facts
that
might
ultimately
help
the
person
being
reported.”

His
words
made
sense;
she
could
see
the
difference
clearly,
but
Aggie
wasn’t
certain.
“I
just
wish
I
knew.
I
wish
there
was
a
flow
chart
for
parents.
“If
the
kid
does
this,
answer
this
question
and
follow
until
you
reach
the
final
answer.”

Luke
reached
for
the
gifts
they’d
brought
and
pushed
hers
across
the
island.
“Mom’ll
be
back
soon.
We
can
talk
to
her.
Better
open
that.”

The
box
was
long
and
slim,
almost
like
a
jeweler’s
necklace
box.
Aggie
pulled
off
the
bow
and
stuck
it
to
the
top
of
her
head
as
she
unwrapped
the
paper.
“Do
you
think
we’re
overreacting?”

“No.
I
thought
he
looked
penitent
that
day,
but
I
think
I’ve
seen
signs
of
that
same
arrogance
I
saw
when
he
handed
me
the
paper
with
shortness
erased
and
brevity
inserted.
It’s
not
right.”

She
lifted
the
lid
and
smiled
at
the
carved
wood
nestled
in
cotton.
“It’s
perfect.”

“I
thought
we’d
be
needing
a
name
change,
so
while
I
helped
Chad
with
something,
I
did
that.”

Without
hesitation
or
even
a
jacket,
she
hurried
outside
to
lay
the
piece
over
the
names
on
her
plaque.
Milliken-Stuart
now
read
Sullivan-Stuart.
Luke
handed
her
the
box
as
he
stepped
onto
the
porch
after
her.
“You
didn’t
get
it
all.”

Under
one
layer
of
cotton,
another
small
piece
lay.
“I
thought
we’d
put
it
there
at
the
bottom.
There’s
just
enough
room
there
and
it
seemed
like
it’d
look
more
balanced
if
there
was
more
than
one
raised
portion.”