get food on the table. We’ll be back in a few minutes. ”
From where she sat, Aggie couldn’t hear what Tina said to Vannie, but she watched the girl’s face change from troubled to nearly beaming. Squabbles started in the kitchen, but Aggie put an immediate stop to them. “ Ok, Ellie, come get Ian and put him in his chair. Laird, peel the eggs, Tavish, rinse the grapes, Kenzie, put plates on the island, and Cari and Lorna, go sit down. When Vannie entered again, Aggie forced herself to send her to help. “ I need you to go pour the juice and make plates for Cari and Lorna. Oh, and tell Laird to cut up grapes and feed them and bites of muffin to Ian. ”
Vannie agreed happily, entering the kitchen with that confidence and sense of purpose that only comes from knowing you’re appreciated and needed. Tina shook her head. “ How do you do it? I would never have thought of asking her to do more after she was just taking on too much responsibility. ”
“ It’s something Libby said the other day. She said that we tend to overcompensate when children react poorly to a situation and that create s new problems. ”
“ Wasn’t she talking about kids manipulating you after getting in trouble? ” Tina stood, hands on hips, and frowned. “ I think that medication is affecting your thinking. ”
“ Well, I just thought it applied the other way too. We can make a kid feel unneeded just because they don’t have to take on responsibilities that aren’t theirs to assume. ”
“ Well, it was obviously the right thing to do, but I know I wouldn’t have done it --” Her eyes caught movement on the street, and she smiled. “ The world’s steadiest handyman and his gem of a mother have arrived. Is he going to finish your closet today? I swear, he’s taking more time on that one room than it took him to do the rest of the bedrooms. ”
“ He’s building the taj-ma-closet in there. ”
“ You’ve got the room for it, and once this work is done, just think about how cool it’ll be shopping to fill it with new clothes. ”
Aggie shook her head. “ You know I can’t afford to do that. I will start buying more, though. I can’t wait to wear something remotely attractive again. ”
Before she could continue, Luke knocked softly on the screen, and then opened the door for his mother. “ Good morning. How’s the invalid? ”
As she stepped in the door, carrying a large pot of soup, Libby rolled her eyes and jerked her head toward Luke. “ Ignore my Luke. He likes to tease. ”
“ I learned from the best, mother mine. Oh, I forgot the bread. ” With that, he disappeared outside and away from the onslaught of joking sure to commence.
“ There are two casseroles in that box behind your seat. Don’t forget them! ”
It seemed that Libby’s spiritual gift of service was out in full force, making Aggie feel like a princess. When he returned from his third trip to the truck, he dumped a pillow and blanket on one of the chairs and helped Aggie to the other while he and Libby worked to make the couch as comfortable as possible. As they worked, he talked almost non-stop and without the usual pauses. “ Mom always said that a couch is only as comfortable as the quilt that covers it when you’re sick. ”
“ But I’m not sick… ” Aggie couldn’t resist reminding him.
“ Well, it’s the same thing. You need to be as comfortable as possible so you’ll stay put and let that ankle heal. ”
A protest erupted before she could stop and consider how ungracious it might sound. “ I’m not that injured. It was just a little wrench. Look! The thing is hardly swollen. The doctor just wants to be a little cautious since I sprained it a few months ago. ”
Libby gestured for Luke to help Aggie back to the couch. “ That’s well and good, but he still said to rest it, didn’t he? ”
“ He said I could probably handle crutches just fine --”
“ In this house, with all the stairs getting inside, upstairs,
From where she sat, Aggie couldn’t hear what Tina said to Vannie, but she watched the girl’s face change from troubled to nearly beaming. Squabbles started in the kitchen, but Aggie put an immediate stop to them. “ Ok, Ellie, come get Ian and put him in his chair. Laird, peel the eggs, Tavish, rinse the grapes, Kenzie, put plates on the island, and Cari and Lorna, go sit down. When Vannie entered again, Aggie forced herself to send her to help. “ I need you to go pour the juice and make plates for Cari and Lorna. Oh, and tell Laird to cut up grapes and feed them and bites of muffin to Ian. ”
Vannie agreed happily, entering the kitchen with that confidence and sense of purpose that only comes from knowing you’re appreciated and needed. Tina shook her head. “ How do you do it? I would never have thought of asking her to do more after she was just taking on too much responsibility. ”
“ It’s something Libby said the other day. She said that we tend to overcompensate when children react poorly to a situation and that create s new problems. ”
“ Wasn’t she talking about kids manipulating you after getting in trouble? ” Tina stood, hands on hips, and frowned. “ I think that medication is affecting your thinking. ”
“ Well, I just thought it applied the other way too. We can make a kid feel unneeded just because they don’t have to take on responsibilities that aren’t theirs to assume. ”
“ Well, it was obviously the right thing to do, but I know I wouldn’t have done it --” Her eyes caught movement on the street, and she smiled. “ The world’s steadiest handyman and his gem of a mother have arrived. Is he going to finish your closet today? I swear, he’s taking more time on that one room than it took him to do the rest of the bedrooms. ”
“ He’s building the taj-ma-closet in there. ”
“ You’ve got the room for it, and once this work is done, just think about how cool it’ll be shopping to fill it with new clothes. ”
Aggie shook her head. “ You know I can’t afford to do that. I will start buying more, though. I can’t wait to wear something remotely attractive again. ”
Before she could continue, Luke knocked softly on the screen, and then opened the door for his mother. “ Good morning. How’s the invalid? ”
As she stepped in the door, carrying a large pot of soup, Libby rolled her eyes and jerked her head toward Luke. “ Ignore my Luke. He likes to tease. ”
“ I learned from the best, mother mine. Oh, I forgot the bread. ” With that, he disappeared outside and away from the onslaught of joking sure to commence.
“ There are two casseroles in that box behind your seat. Don’t forget them! ”
It seemed that Libby’s spiritual gift of service was out in full force, making Aggie feel like a princess. When he returned from his third trip to the truck, he dumped a pillow and blanket on one of the chairs and helped Aggie to the other while he and Libby worked to make the couch as comfortable as possible. As they worked, he talked almost non-stop and without the usual pauses. “ Mom always said that a couch is only as comfortable as the quilt that covers it when you’re sick. ”
“ But I’m not sick… ” Aggie couldn’t resist reminding him.
“ Well, it’s the same thing. You need to be as comfortable as possible so you’ll stay put and let that ankle heal. ”
A protest erupted before she could stop and consider how ungracious it might sound. “ I’m not that injured. It was just a little wrench. Look! The thing is hardly swollen. The doctor just wants to be a little cautious since I sprained it a few months ago. ”
Libby gestured for Luke to help Aggie back to the couch. “ That’s well and good, but he still said to rest it, didn’t he? ”
“ He said I could probably handle crutches just fine --”
“ In this house, with all the stairs getting inside, upstairs,
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