Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (26 page)

“Right!
Anyway,
we
thought
we’d
do
a
surprise
party
for
them
and
we
figured
out
how
to
pull
it
off
without
them
suspecting
or
anything;
we
even
want
to
get
them
to
help!”

Aggie
turned
to
stare
at
her,
the
spatula
stuck
in
the
frying
pan.
“You’re
going
to
do
what?”

“That’ll
mel
t
again—
Aunt
Aggie?”

“Wha—Oh.”

“See,
what
thought
we’d
do,”
Vannie
continued,
“was
tell
them
we’re
planning
a
party
for
you
and
Luke.
That
way
we
can
invite
people,
make
plans,
and
even
buy
stuff
and
they
won’t
suspect.
They’ll
just
think
it’s
for
your
party!”

“Wait,
I’m
not
supposed
to
know
about
this
party
that
we’re
having
for
Luke
and
me?”

“Right!
Well,
and
we
thought
we’d
tell
them
that
you
think
the
party
is
really
for
them.”

Aggie
chopped
the
meat
swiftly
as
she
thought.
“Isn’t
that
a
bit
convoluted?
That’s
really
a
lot
of
lying,
Vannie.”

“Mommy
always
said
that
in
the
Stuart
house,
it’s
not
a
lie
when
it
comes
to
surprises
or
gifts
because
it’s
understood
that
those
might
not
be
true.”

“How
can
it
not
be
a
lie
and
not
be
true?”

The
girl
giggled.
“That’s
what
I
asked.
She
said
that
for
a
lie
to
be
a
lie
that
is
wrong,
the
other
person
isn’t
supposed
to
know
it
might
not
be
true.
This
isn’t
a
lie,
it’s
a
surprise.
Or
that’s
what
M
ommy
said.”
Vannie’s
planned
sniff
for
effect
was
unnecessary.
She
choked
at
the
best
place,
making
her
feel
like
a
cheat
even
though
she
was
truly
upset.

“I
suppose.
Well,
if
Luke
doesn’t
mind
all
the
double
secrets
and
such,
then
I
suppose…”
She
dug
in
the
drawer
for
her
favorite
strainer.
“
What
about
Cari
and
Lorna?”

“We’ll
tell
them
it’s
your
party
too.
They’ll
probably
be
extra
good
in
the
days
before
hand
and
if
they
talk
freely,
it
won’t
rui
n
things
for
Ellie
and
Tavish.”

“
Just
what
do
I
have
to
do?”

“Make
a
list
of
people
we
should
invite?”

Aggie
sighed.
“Remind
me
to
thank
the
Lord
that
none
of
you
were
born
Christmas
week.”

~*~*~*~

It
was
a
dark
and
stormy
night
.
The
living
room
lights
flickered
as
the
power
hovered
between
steady
and
blackout.
Aggie
pulled
her
power
cord
from
the
laptop,
reached
for
the
surge
protector
at
the
side
of
the
couch,
jerked
the
plug
from
the
wall,
and
plunged
the
entire
room
into
perfect
darkness.
There,
at
least
the
TV
won’t
be
ruined
if
we
get
hit.