Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (90 page)

Mibs says:
No. I thought maybe a kid needs a little privacy even if it doesn’t make sense.

Luke says:
Well, if she had a history of it, I’d disagree with you there, but Ellie’s usually open if you ask. Maybe she’s working on a project and isn’t pleased with it. You know how she is if things aren’t working out right.

Mibs says:
Maybe. Just after this whole thing with Laird, I think I’m a bit jumpy.

Luke says:
I can understand that.

Mibs says:
I should tell you. I dread Monday.

Luke says:
Why?

Mibs says:
I think it’s going to be telling whether Laird has really
come out of his bad attitude or if it’s just a calm before the storm.

Luke says
: I’m sure it’s fine.

Mibs says:
I should go to bed. The kids

went to bed early. Even Vannie complained about being tired. I bet

they’re all up at sunrise.

Luke says:
  Ok.  Mom  said that  she’ll  be there  Tuesday at  eight

o’clock, so you can get into town in time for the opening.

Mibs says:
Oh, good. Thanks.

Luke says:
Get something amazing.

Mibs says:
That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one without her best friend to advise you.

Luke says:
Did you hear from Tina?

Mibs says:
Yeah. She’s doing pretty well I guess. She’s taking over the finding of a place for the reception, where I go to taste test the cakes, and she’s ordering the invitations as soon as we have a place for the reception—“the venue.” I need a list.

Luke says:
Mom’s got that.

Luke says:
Wait, is there a Cinderella Bridal in Yorktown?

Mibs says:
Yeah.

Luke says:
Why don’t you drive up there Monday night. Your mom can go with you to the store to see and maybe Tina can show up for a couple of hours.

Mibs says:
Drive eight hours?

Luke says:
You’ll be glad you did once you’ve got the memories. I’ll come stay with the kids until Mom gets here on Tuesday.

Mibs says:
You are so tempting me.

Luke says:
Come on. Do it. Think of how much fun it’ll be.

Mibs says:
And the gas!

Luke says:
Take my truck… or even rent a car.

Mibs says:
I can’t rent a car! I’m not twenty-five.

Luke says:
You can too. Yeah, it costs more, but trust me. You can.

Mibs says:
Are you really trying this hard to get rid of me?

Luke says
: It’s that obvious, huh?

Mibs says:
Fine. I’ll go. But under one condition.

Luke says:
What’s that?

Mibs says:
You find me a sitter for Thursday or Friday so we can

do the big returns. I’ve got bags of stuff that has to go back!

Luke says:
Deal. See you tomorrow. You go to bed.

Mibs says:
Ok. Night.

Luke says:
Love you.

Mibs says
: What a coincidence! I was just about to inform you of the same thing.

All About a Dress

Tuesday,
January
6
^th

Aggie
shivered
in
line
as
she
waited
her
turn
to
go
into
the
massive
warehouse
of
dresses.
Her
mom,
parked
in
a
handicapped
space
only
twenty
feet
away,
sat
comfortably
ensconced
in
Aggie’s
rental
car
,
reading
a
book.
The
idea
nearly
drove
her
crazy,
but
now
wasn’t
the
time
to
think
about
it.
In
fact,
all
she
had
time
to
consider
was
how
to
keep
her
teeth
from
breaking
from
the
chattering
cold
like
a
cartoon
character.

“Here
he
comes!”
someone
from
the
front
called.
Aggie
glanced
at
the
car
as
she
punched
the
button
for
her
mother’s
phone.
Martha
nodded
from
the
passenger’s
seat
and
managed
to
meet
Aggie
in
line
before
Aggie
reached
the
door.

“Perfect
timing,
Mom.”

“Hey,
you
can’t
just
let
her
cut
in
line!”

“She
can’t
sit
in
the
cold.
Notice
the
handicapped
placard?
They’re
not
both
trying
on
dresses.”
The
man
waved
them
through
and
warned
the
protester
behind
them
that
he’d
refuse
service
if
they
started
any
trouble.

“Where’s
Tina?
What
if
she
doesn’t
make
it
in?”

“I
believe
she’s
in
there
already.
When
she
found
out
I
was
coming,
she
said
she’d
camp
out
early
this
morning
so
she
could
stockpile
dresses
as
they
brought
out
new
stuff.”

True
to
her
word,
Tina
waited
just
outside
the
dressing
room,
engulfed
in
white.
“I’ve
pretty
much
bribed
one
of
the
employees.
She
has
a
stack
back
there
for
you,
but
you’ve
gotta
be
fast.”

“What’d
you
get?”

Tina
grinned.
“If
it
had
any
kind
of
sleeve
or
strap,
was
your
size,
and
wasn’t
designed
for
aquatic
females
of
the
ocean,
it’s
there.
Let’s
go.”