Ready or Not (Aggie's Inheritance) (47 page)

“
Aggie, this has to stop. I may be forced to issue a citation regarding the inappropriate use of resources if you don
’
t find a way to keep that child away from the telephone.
”
He tried to keep his voice pleasant, but William knew that if the dispatcher mentioned it to the sheriff, he
’
d be in trouble.

“
William, I don
’
t know what you want from me. Where was the phone when you got here?
”
Aggie tried not to get upset. After all, he was just doing his job.

“
Well, it appears to be back on the set, but the call was made, and we have to respond to
every
call.
”

“
If it was on the set when Luke went upstairs, and it was on the set when you got here, then there is no way that the baby could possibly have called.
He can
’
t reach it!
”

William was thoughtful. At last, he suggested that she keep the handset with her at all times. Someone was calling, and that had to stop.
“
Listen, Aggie, if some of the other guys get called out, they won
’
t be as patient.
”
He glanced around him at the mess in the kitchen, the unmade beds, and her mattress lying in the middle of the living room.
“
You might want to clean up a bit in here too. Not everyone has seen this room clean like I have.
”

Aggie
’
s face fell. She started to reply, but William continued.
“
Look, I know it
’
s hard, and you really are doing a good job. The children seem healthy and happy, and at least you haven
’
t had accidents or anything. I just think you
’
re in over your head with this and could use some help.
”

Weary, Aggie promised to try to do better. As she filled the kitchen sink with hot soapy water and loaded it with dishes, she told him about the work upstairs and invited him to see the progress. However, William refused, as if repulsed by the idea, and drove away.
“
I wonder what about me is so repugnant,
”
she mused as she wiped the counter.
“
It
’
s not like inheriting children is contagious or anything.
”

Aggie Says:
TINA, COME HITHER!

Tina says:
You rang?

Aggie says:
He did it again.

Tina says:
Who did what and to whom? My, that
’
s an impressive sentence.

Aggie says:
Ian. He called the sheriff again. William showed up very upset. He told me to clean the house up too.

Tina says:
Ick. Tell him to mind his own business. Who does thi
s
creep think he is?

Aggie says:
Oh, I think he
’
s actually being kind
--
or trying to be. I just don
’
t know where I am supposed to put things when there is nowhere to PUT IT.

Aggie says:
We moved Vannie into her room and Laird
’
s is almost done.

Tina says:
WOOHOO!!! What birthday comes next?? Are you forgetting someone?

Aggie says:
Let me look. Vannie said she put them all on the calendar for me. Next is Laird. Ian isn
’
t until September.

Tina says:
So what are you doing for Laird
’
s birthday.

Aggie says:
I have no clue.

Tina says:
Boy you are a wealth of information today aren
’
t you?

Aggie says:
I am, aren
’
t I? Did I tell you Kenzie and Ellie get their room next? They wanted pink and purple. Original aren
’
t they?

Tina says:
It
’
ll make it easy to keep clean. Just let them have their fun.

Aggie says:
I know. I just pictured dream bedrooms for everyone and somehow pink and purple doesn
’
t seem very dreamy to me. It sounds like an explosion in a cotton candy machine.

Tina says:
ROFLOL

Aggie says:
I just have to figure out pictures and things.
Furniture. What do I do for furniture?

Tina says:
Is there room to cut bunks apart into two beds?

Aggie says:
Ummm I think there would be room for two twin beds with the window between them, a bed table between the beds and the walls, and a small dresser on the wall by the door.

Tina says:
They need a shelf, though. For their books, and special things.

Aggie says:
What about between the beds?

Tina says:
I saw a bookshelf in a catalog the other day. It had a peaked roof like a dollhouse. It was really cute!

Aggie says:
OOOH!! I wonder if Luke could make that.

Tina says:
I bet he could. He
’
s done a lot around there so why not a simple shelf with a slanted roof! :)

Aggie says:
True! I
’
ll have to ask! Meanwhile, I
’
ll do a Google search and see what I can find. Maybe I can order it.

Tina says:
So, what about the twins
’
room… and Tavish and Ian… what are you doing in their rooms?

Aggie says:
Oh, boy I
’
m so excited about the twins
’
rooms! Laird i
s
making these headboards out of fence pickets. Luke showed him ho
w
to sand and paint them. I think he
’
s going to do footboards out of th
e
pickets too. I asked Luke to add shelves to the footboards so that they
’
d each have their own space within the room.

Tina says:
Ok… so what are you doing with the colors?

Aggie says:
Luke painted the room a light but bright sunny yellow and Vannie has been pounding a soaked rag with white paint all over it so it looks like sunshine through clouds. Then we
’
re going to paint flowers growing up from the bottom. Big fat kindergarten retro type flowers are what I have in mind. Then, I bought bright pink, yellow, purple, green, blue, orange… etc plaid bedspreads and curtains. I saw the curtains and stuff first, and it gave us the idea for the room.

Tina says:
OOH! I love this! And the boys?

Aggie says:
No clue. Tavish doesn
’
t care and Ian doesn
’
t talk. I have to decide and I don
’
t know. I was never a boy and didn
’
t have brothers. The only reason Laird is getting a nautical look is because of the bed he wants with those big ropes.

Tina says:
Baseball? Trains? Books? Travel? Jungle?

Aggie says:
JUNGLE!!

Tina says:
Just picture curtains and bedspreads with tigers on them, or just tiger skin looking fabric!

Aggie says:
I like the tigers in the green leaves look. Oh, I can
’
t wait to tell Tavish. I
’
ll buy a safari hat to hang over the door. Oooh! And a big stuffed tiger for Ian!

Tina says:
Well, it sounds like you figured that out easy enough!

Aggie says:
Thanks to you! That covers everyone, doesn
’
t it?

Tina says:
Except for you. What are you doing for your room?

Aggie says:
I have no clue. Maybe you can look when you get here and tell me what you think?

Tina says:
You should have done yours first.

Aggie says:
What would that teach the children when I tell them
“
you need put others first?
”

Tina says:
That
’
s true. Oh, dear. Chinese is here. I have to go.

Aggie says:
Ok, I need to get some sleep anyway.

Tina says:
Poofs!

Aggie says:
Poofs to you too!

Dents & Accidents

Tuesday, June 25
^th

Aggie dropped the plate as the sound of breaking glass added percussion to the hymn she
’
d been singing. She scrubbed the dishes and sang
“
Whiter than Snow
”
at the top of her lungs as she worked, but the crash followed by tinkling came at just the wrong place. It seemed a bit incongruous to sing,
“
I see Thy blood flow,
”
at the precise moment a window gave up its life for one child
’
s pursuit of sling-shot excellence. Oh, Aggie knew what caused it, who was responsible, and her
“
give me patience, Lord
”
hymn was on her lips before she stepped into the broken glass at her feet.