Ready or Not (Aggie's Inheritance) Read Online Free Page A

‘ em! We ’ re not going to be late today. Every child on their bus and on time. Get up, get up, get up! ”
    She ran downstairs and turned on the TV to find out the day ’ s forecast on the morning news. Channel after channel passed with a veritable smorgasbord of cartoon offerings. From Power Puppies to Flutterby Days , she had her choice of insipid and mind-numbing animation. “ Arrrrrrrrrggggghhhh!! I forgot ! How could I forget ? ” Sighing, she jabbed the power button on the remote and dragged herself back up the stairs calling, “ Back to bed everyone, it ’ s Saturday, and I need my beauty sleep. ”
    Laird stuck his head out the door and said, “ But, Aunt Aggie, you are beautiful enough as you are! ”
    The boy ’ s impish grin wasn ’ t lost on Aggie. “ Who said anything about physical looks, bud? I am talking about beauty of temper. Go back to sleep . ”
    Once again, she scaled Mt. Washmore to enter her room and crawled back into bed. Aggie saw Ian ’ s nearly finished bottle on her night table and sighed in relief. She hadn ’ t woken the baby up with her maniacal shouts. Sleep consumed her, but much too soon, Ian ’ s good morning coos beckoned her from his room. Almost immediately, infant giggles rang through the hallway, and she heard Vannie call, “ I ’ ll play with him, Aunt Aggie, and you sleep a bit more. Mama always… ” Aggie heard a sniff as her young niece, too old for her years, tried to stifle her tears while she deftly changed the baby ’ s diaper and descended the stairs.
    She flung an arm over her eyes to shield them from the sunlight. In books, sunlight supposedly streamed gently through the curtains, illuminating the room with a warm glow. For Aggie, the sun blasted her face like a searchlight, blinding her with its sharp glare. Torn between the desire to comfort her niece and giving the girl space to grieve, she chose the latter. Dejected, she rolled out of bed, grabbed the last of the clothes peeking from her still unpacked suitcases, and moved toward the shower. After a day like the previous one, a shower was no longer optional.
    Moments later, her “ I ’ m overwhelmed ” hymn wavered weakly from the depths of steam billowing from her half-closed bathroom door. Those who knew Aggie well could determine the state of her spirit by the songs she chose to sing. Some hymns were triumphant and cheerful; others she chose to bolster her spirits.
    “ My faith looks up to Thee… ” Aggie always sang the dear old hymn when she felt weak or fearful. Usually, by the end of the hymn, her voice rang out strong and sure. Aggie learned the habit of singing hymns as prayerful worship in the fifth grade, and years of singing had so ingrained the habit that her hymns became heartfelt prayers in times of rejoicing or distress.
    “ O , bear me safe above, a raannsoommed soouuulll. ” Yes, Aggie was now ready to greet the day.
     
    * * *
     
    Aggie dashed to answer the doorbell, arms full of laundry and dropping socks and stray towels in her wake. Doris Gantry stood at the door, laden with plastic grocery sacks. “ I noticed the fridge was looking kind of sparse in the raw materials department, so I picked up a few things while I did my shopping this morning. ”
    Forcing her lower jaw to reconnect with the upper, Aggie stepped back, calling for Tavish and Laird to come help bring the bags into the kitchen. Doris watched as Aggie struggled downstairs to the basement with her laundry burden. “ Laird, honey, you boys put the refrigerated things in the fridge. If it ’ s frozen solid, should be, or can be, put it in the freezer. ”
    Before she could return for a second load of clothes, the children filed downstairs, their arms full of dirty laundry. Doris shooed Aggie upstairs with strict instructions to stay out of her way. “ But send Vannie down in a few hours with some water and a sandwich please. I think I ’ m going to get hungry. ”
    Her protest died on her lips as the