“That your granddaughter, ma’am?” The officer had obviously lost all patience with the situation.
“I don’t know!” the woman spat. “She has an identical twin. They are almost ‘super-identical,’ whatever that means. There isn’t a single physical identifying mark to tell them apart, and they pretend to be each other all of the time. That’s probably Lorna.”
“Miss,” the officer turned to Aggie with sympathetic eyes, “I hate to do this, but to save us all a lot of trouble, and me more paperwork than you can imagine, would you please go get the other twin. As much as I don’t want to give this woman the satisfaction, I think it’d be best.”
Aggie walked Cari around to the side of the house where a female officer talked to and comforted the other children. “I need Lorna--the little one that looks like Cari.” Aggie pointed to the child in her arms. “The other officer wants to see them both so their grandmother will feel better about going.”
She was careful with her words so as not to alarm the children. Moments later, Aggie, Cari, Lorna, and the sweating officer watched the Stuart’s Mercedes peal out of the driveway. The man swore under his breath and then sheepishly apologized.
“I oughtta take after ‘em and give ‘em a ticket! She’s got an angry foot that one.”
“And an angry tongue,” Aggie muttered to herself as she turned to send the children out back.
“Miss, I suggest you consider a restraining order. There is something very ugly about that woman. I’ve seen a lot in my years on the force, and I gotta tell you: this one is only going to get worse.” The officer shook his head, gathered the proper information that he needed for his report, and then circled the house looking for his partner.
He found her entertaining the children with her badge, uniform, nightstick, and all of the other fascinating trappings of police activity. The children were disappointed that neither officer would draw their gun from its holster and let them see it. Aggie, on the other hand, was relieved. The last thing she needed was for the children to start building guns out of household items and creating a war zone.
The officers asked a few subtle questions to gather information on the tone of the home and how the children were handling the situation. It would have to go in their report. They seemed relieved to find nothing negative in the children’s situation outside the obvious antagonism of their grandmother.
Hours later, the day’s celebration seemed like a nightmare that was mercifully over. The streamers were gone, the wrappings tossed, and the cake devoured. The children were subdued, but appeared to be happy; however, Aggie was brokenhearted. She had tried hard, perhaps too hard, to make this first birthday as the mother of her “clan,” as she had begun to call her family, something to help brighten their pain-laced days.
Tina says: Aggie?? You there yet?? How’d the party go?
Aggie says: You don’t want to know. Those poor girls.
Tina says: What happened?
Aggie says: Well…
Tina says: No wait
Tina says: The Dragon Lady showed up?
Aggie says: Be nice, she IS their grandmother.
Tina says: I’m sorry, you’re right. So what’d she do this time? Didn’t you say she used to be nice?
Aggie says: She was before I got the kids. Then everything went downhill. She is like another person. Dad says she’s always caused trouble in Allie’s marriage, but it was little things. I don’t think even Doug knew how bad it could get. It seems to be a control thing.
Tina says: She’s obsessed with overcoming her past or something. It’s so weird. Like she hasn’t had 40 years of redemption time to overcome that need.
Aggie says: I think it’s the fear of being alone. She has no faith to lean on, her husband is detached… as if that’s a shocker, and now the one person she was close to is gone, his wife is gone, and she’s lost their children. Doug just didn’t want them to be so emotionally stripped and guilted into “correct behavior.”
Tina says: I feel kind of sorry for her, but she makes me so mad!
Aggie says: The appeal was denied, and the paperwork is signed by the judge. Just waiting for my copy. Everyone told me it would take six months, but between Allie’s forethought and Mr. Moss’ staying on top of everything, it’s been great. I think he has a friend in the courthouse though.
Tina says: GOOD. You need it. Think now that it’s final, Dragon Lady will withdraw into her lair and return as the ever prim and proper Grandmother again?
Aggie says: We can only hope. After today’s demonstration I assume she’ll be ashamed of herself and resolve to keep communication open. I can’t imagine her not wanting to have a relationship with the children. They are all she has left.
Tina says: Which is why she needs to return to her “correct behavior” before she loses these children all together.
Aggie says: One can only hope and pray.
Tina says: Go sing your helpful hymns. I’ll be praying.
Aggie says: How well you know me. Nighters.
Tina says: Poof!
Chapter 5
From the Beginning
Saturday, March 23rd
Aggie’s bed lacked the comfort of previous nights. She struggled restlessly with the covers, trying to settle down for a good night’s rest. The house seemed loud with the quiet noise of nighttime. She could hear a gate slam shut across the street, and a car zoomed down the road until it melded into the other sounds of the dark. A faint snore from Tavish’s room felt somehow reassuring. The children were, as the famous Christmas poem describes, “All snug in their beds,” but Aggie wondered if they dreamt of sugarplums, or if their dreams were tormented by the loss of something precious.
She resisted the intrusion of Geraldine into her thoughts. Like the invasion of her carefully planned party, every instinct fought her presence. Relentlessly, with predictable aggressiveness, the intimidating grandmother assaulted her mind, forcing her to relive painful memories.
As the children slept, Aggie reflected on her first real encounter with Geraldine Stuart. The memories were still raw, and Aggie didn’t want to remember, but somehow she found herself reliving those first terrible days after Allie and Doug’s deaths. The more she remembered, the more vivid the images in her mind seemed to grow until eventually, she felt like the present was the past.
Friday, February 15th
Aggie trailed behind her parents up the steps to Allie’s home. She looked at the immaculate, snow-covered lawn, the valentine wreath on the beautiful oak front door, and the tall evergreens that stood like stalwart soldiers protecting the castle. Somehow, Aggie had never been to Allie’s house. They always seemed to meet at the Milliken home a few hours north of Allie’s home in Rockland. The house was immense-- and extravagantly beautiful.
“Ronald, Martha, Aggie, how thoughtful of you to come.” Geraldine Stuart was the epitome of elegance. Wearing a suit in the style of former First Lady Nancy Reagan, the woman was perfectly poised and in control of the situation. “I’ll call the children in. They are watching home movies and looking at Alanna’s scrapbooks.”
It was thoughtful of them to come? To Aggie, this sounded so morose. Was the woman trying to devote some kind of shrine to Allie and Doug? “That’s all right, Mrs. Stuart, why don’t I go see them and talk to them in there? Mom needs to rest a moment. The trip was hard, and with the loss…”
Geraldine nodded and led Aggie to the family room. The children all sat together, huddled in the middle of the room, surrounding a scrapbook and listlessly turning the pages. “Children, your Aunt Agathena is here to sit with you for a while. Now you must be very strong for her. If you give way to tears and emotion, you will bring disgrace on your parents, and I know you don’t want to do that.”
With those terrible words, Mrs. Stuart walked from the room, nearly floating to the front door to welcome yet another visitor. Aggie’s shocked face wasn’t lost on Vannie, the oldest. “Hello, Aunt Aggie. Would you like to sit down?” Aggie’s heart br
oke as the girl wiped a tear from her already red eyes.
Aggie started to take the next chair when she heard a baby’s cry. “Is that Ian? Where is he?” Aggie looked around the room but saw no evidence of the child.
“He’s up in-- in--” Vannie choked up and willed herself not to cry.
“He’s in Momma’s room.” Laird stood and led Aggie out of the room. Walking through the living room, the boy answered his grandmother’s inquiry with, “We heard Ian; he’s probably hungry. I’ll get him a bottle after I show Aunt Aggie how to find him.”
Geraldine nodded proudly at the boy and patted his back. “That is very thoughtful, Laird. You are behaving like quite a gentleman. I’m proud of you.”
Aggie noticed that Laird didn’t smile with pleasure at the compliment. The boy almost seemed bothered by it. Shrugging off a feeling that something terrible was happening, Aggie climbed the stairs. The baby’s wails grew louder as Aggie and Laird stood over the crib. “Aunt Aggie?”
“Yeah?” Aggie was distracted with the baby. Looking at Ian’s chubby little baby cheeks, and thinking about Allie never holding this sweet little bundle of baby was tearing her up. She blinked back tears for Laird’s sake, but they still continued to fall.
“I’m going to go get his bottle. Grandmother hasn’t said that you can’t cry, but I think she’d prefer not to see it. I hope you understand.” The boy didn’t wait for an answer.
Aggie felt the baby’s diaper grow warm and looked around for changing supplies. Seeing nothing in sight, she tried the bathroom and then the closet. “Eureka!” she whispered to the downy little head. “Wow! What a closet! No wonder the changing table and your little dresser and everything are in here! I had no idea that Allie lived in such a mansion.”
“It’s been in our family for three generations. We gave this house to Douglas and Alanna for a wedding gift. Do you remember?” Geraldine’s voice was sad but deliberately strong.
Aggie, startled by the sudden appearance of Mrs. Stuart tried to change the baby’s diaper, as she listened to Geraldine talk about the people who had lived in the home, and how Allie had been such a good housekeeper. It seemed that Allie had even restored the home’s woodwork all by herself before having her first child. Aggie wondered how her sister had managed to do it. Her first child was born exactly ten months and five days after her wedding day.
Aggie peeled the soggy diaper off of the now cooing baby and chucked him under the chin in the process. She found a diaper pail next to the table and dropped the five-pound, super soaked diaper inside. “Don’t forget to wipe him thoroughly, dear. Too many mothers don’t wash their babies with just a wet diaper, but I insist on it. They must be clean.”
Aggie nodded at the woman and reached for the wipe container. Allie had always been so organized. A little rack of clean clothes hung in front of her, along with the wipes, powder, rash ointment, and every other thing a mother could want for changing or dressing her baby there. As Aggie disposed of the used wipe, she reached for a fresh diaper. Before she could get the diaper under the baby, he sprayed the front of Aggie’s dress.
“Uggh! I forgot that little boys were supposed to do this!” Aggie laughed and finished fastening the diaper before grabbing a few wipes and trying to mop up her dress with one hand. “I’ll have to get Dad to go out to the car and get me my suitcase, so I can grab a change of clothes. I can’t wear this thing.” Aggie tried to be lighthearted about the whole situation, hoping that Geraldine wouldn’t think she was too flighty.
“Were you and your parents planning to stay here?” Geraldine’s tone was not one of approval, and Aggie hastened to reassure her.
“We would never presume. Mom needs the quiet that a good hotel offers anyway. She’s already overdone. We’ll stay with the children until they’re in bed, and then we’ll go. We wouldn’t dream of leaving the care of all of them to you and Mr. Stuart. We’re just here to help where we can.” She paused to gain some self-control. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Stuart. It’s just hard. Allie and I were very close. We spoke on messenger or by phone almost every day.”
“I understand, my dear. You are much more mature than I had imagined. You are in your last year of college I understand?”
Aggie picked up Ian and gestured towards the stairs while speaking. “Actually, I graduated mid-term. I had mono the fall that I was supposed to start college, so it set me behind a semester. I could have taken it easy and graduated with the rest of the kids this year, but I just wanted to finish, take a few extra classes and relax before I began teaching.”
Descending the stairs ahead of Aggie, Geraldine asked, “And what do you plan to teach?”
“History-- high school level history. I have a few offers already, but I haven’t accepted any as of yet. I am hoping that my high school will have an opening. The man who taught me is considering an early retirement.” Aggie followed as Geraldine walked into the living room and sat down.
“Here, let me hold him for a few minutes. Poor motherless boy.” Geraldine cooed and made gurgling noises at baby Ian, but he immediately began to fuss. Aggie had to give the woman credit. She jostled him and rocked him, before finally turning to Martha and asking what could be the matter.
Martha Milliken smiled through eyes filled with pain and tears and said, “I think Laird has a bottle ready for him. He says that Ian slept through his last feeding.”
Geraldine held the baby out to Aggie. “Would you mind feeding him, dear? Your dress is already dirty-- well, you should probably put a towel over your chest before you feed him. We wouldn’t want him to touch-- Do you mind?”
Aggie smiled at the baby as she took him. Laird silently brought her a burp cloth and a bottle before returning to where his siblings were sequestered. As Aggie sat between her parents on the couch and fed the baby, she watched Geraldine flawlessly control the conversation. There were no uncomfortable pauses and no awkward moments.
Ian downed the bottle in no time. Aggie laid the baby against her chest and patted his back and bottom. Moments later, the baby let out a loud burp. Aggie couldn’t help but think that an Amish mother would be proud of such a hearty belch. The baby spit up just a little, but a bib got most of it.
“I always find it amazing how uncivilized babies are when they are born. Think of the work that must be put into them to teach them proper manners. Alanna was an excellent mother. The children are so poised and well-mannered. I’ve always been so pleased that we could have her as a member of our family.” A delicate, well-timed tear was dabbed away from Geraldine’s impeccable make-up. Aggie wanted to scream. Was this woman for real?
The woman continued on another vein without a pause. “I was thankful that you weren’t here last night, Martha. With your heart condition, it wouldn’t have been good idea.” Aggie wondered if it was ever a good idea to sit around waiting for word that a loved one had died. The impulse to chuckle at herself felt overwhelming for a moment. My, she was being sarcastic tonight.
“We are also thankful that we were here when the officers came. What if it had just been that teenager that Alanna and Douglas hired? If I hadn’t come to visit and sent the girl home, those poor children could have been placed…” Geraldine’s voice lowered to a stage whisper. “In foster care.” The woman shuddered.
“When the officers told me what happened, I just didn’t believe it. I am still suspicious. How can you die from a blood transfusion? People get them to save lives. The idea is preposterous. My husband has requested a copy of the medical charts, and they’ll be reviewed by our lawyer and his medical counsel.”
“Accidents do happen. I feel badly for the nurse. It was clearly an accident. The officer that we spoke to said that the ER turned into bedlam when a six car accident, with multiple fatalities, flooded them unexpectedly. She’ll probably lose her license.” Martha’s quiet voice was so filled with pain that Aggie stood to make room for her father to comfort his wife. She wanted to hug her mother, but it was difficult while holding the baby.
; Aggie, seeing the expression on Geraldine’s face, tried to divert her attention with the first thought that came to mind. “What I don’t understand is why they were driving the van. I mean, it’s a good thing, the impact in a little car like the Jaguar might have killed them immediately.”
Geraldine’s eyes grew cold, her voice hard and icy. “I beg your pardon, but due to that woman’s negligence, there are eight children in this house who are motherless and fatherless. I have lost my only child; you have lost your eldest daughter. I cannot believe that you could be so callous, Martha Milliken.” Geraldine drew herself up, left the room to gather coffee for everyone, then turned back. “And as to the Jag, the car is being repaired. I told Douglas that it was a foolish gift when he gave it. Classic or not, an old car is an old car.”
Aggie was furious. Allie had called Aggie while she got ready for their Valentine date. Allie had not wanted to go. Kenzie seemed to be coming down with a cold, and Doug was just home from a business trip. Geraldine was a very persistent woman however, and in the end, Doug and Allie had chosen to be pleasant and go. It seemed wasteful to refuse concert tickets. “Why she doesn’t learn that we like being home with the children, I’ll never know.” Allie’s words rang through Aggie’s mind as she fought to hold her tongue.
Ron Milliken whispered something to his wife and then turned to Aggie. “I’m going to take your mother to the hotel. Would you like to come with us, or perhaps you might hire a cab?”
Aggie said she’d call a cab and bade her parents goodbye. Geraldine’s change from genteel pleasantness to almost venomous was startling. Aggie chalked it up to suppressed grief and said, when Mrs. Stuart came back into the room, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Stuart, Mom started feeling weak, so Dad had to take her to the hotel. I’ll call a cab later, but I thought you might like help putting the children to bed.”
Ready or Not (Aggie's Inheritance) Page 7
