Mansfield: Part Four: Old Age, Decline, and Death

By Keith R. Long

As the snow falls outside his ambulance window, Steve Dobbs drives to check on his ninety-year-old grandmother, who lives in a mansion haunted by ghosts from her past. After Marsha Winthrop is found dead, Steve is bequeathed the mansion where he eventually starts a new life. But one night after his ambulance crashes in the mansions courtyard, Dobbs is found more dead than aliveand dies shortly thereafter.

Ted Mansfield, who was Marshas second husband, has hallucinated an entire fictitious lifetime for Steve and from his point of view that indirectly reveals everything Ted knows of the Winthrop family and Marshas life after their divorce.

Ted has fallen into a twisted, upside-down world driven by his bizarre dreams. As he moves from one dream to the next, ninety years of events are twisted and replayed in disguise as his subconscious mind reviews his perceptions of reality. As his nights of fitful dreams continue, Ted embarks on more intoxicating adventures as Red, a time traveler hoping for success in a strange, dystopian future.

Mansfield continues the tale of one mans journey through life as he fitfully dreams about his experiences through alternate realities in one last attempt to make sense of his life and the confusing social, political, and economic events that occurred around the world during the opening years of the twenty-first century.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Apr 23, 2013
• ISBN: 9781475986563

Keith R. Long

Keith R. Long was raised on a cattle ranch in Grass Valley, California. He earned a BA in English drama from California State University–Chico and served in the United States Marine Corps as an officer and helicopter pilot. Long currently works as a nurse at Folsom Prison in California.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Marsha Winthrop Dies

DOROTHY, AN ATTRACTIVE WOMAN IN her late fifties, carefully replaces the soup pot back on the gas stove in her home so as not to spill anything on her long sleeved, collared shirt that could probably pass for a man’s shirt if it wasn’t a light peach color. She also wears loose fitting denim pants that vaguely resemble the bell bottom disco jeans she wore during the nineteen-seventies when she was a teenager and considerably thinner.

Then, after removing a black leather doctor’s bag from the adjoining pantry, she places it on the kitchen table next to where her slender son is sitting. She wished he were stouter like his father so she could imagine how his plaid woolen shirt makes him look like a lumberjack before thinking, My son is too delicate for such things.

Taking a glass mercury thermometer from the bag, she inserts it into her son’s mouth. She hears Steve sniffling as he reluctantly holds the thermometer under his tongue while idly stirring his chicken soup.

Pulling her dark brown hair behind her ears to get it out of the way, Dorothy inventories the contents of the doctor’s bag as she waits for the thermometer to register Steve’s temperature. When Dorothy removes the thermometer from his mouth, she sees him slouch over his soup looking at the bowl like he has no appetite. As she reads the thermometer, she taps Steve’s boney shoulder with her fingertips to make him self-consciously sit up straight.

Dorothy sighs, A little warm, but you’ll be all right.

She notices he absently listens while cooling his soup by raising one spoonful after another with his long thin gentle fingers before tipping the liquid back into the bowl.

After cleaning the thermometer and replacing it in the doctor’s bag, Dorothy walks to the pantry. Returning with some expendable medical supplies, she starts restocking the bag as Steve involuntarily oversees with his inquisitive eyes.

While organizing the medical supplies, Dorothy says, A good nurse keeps everything in its place. Interrupted by the ringing of a cheap plastic phone that hangs on the wall by the kitchen doorway, she answers it as Steve returns to cooling his soup.

Listening to his mom speaking on the phone, Steve watches her twirl the extension cord with her fingers as he realizes she is volunteering him for something.

Returning, she says, Old Mrs. Winthrop didn’t make her appointment and she’s not answering her phone, so I said you’d go and check on her.

Slouching again, Steve answers, Mom, it’s snowing, and I got a cold.

Turning to the hall closet, Dorothy pulls out Steve’s big down winter coat before holding it up for him to put on. After Steve reluctantly stands and slides into his red jacket that is accented with white, light reflective stripes, Dorothy walks around him approvingly before picking up the medical bag, handing it to him, and saying, Mrs. Winthrop is ninety years old, and after we practically lived with her in that mansion for the first twenty years of your life, that makes her family.

Taking the bag, Steve answers reluctantly, I’ll go. Don’t remind me how ‘she treats me like one of her own grandchildren.’

Stopping him at the door, Dorothy looks him over before straightening his coat. She runs her hand from shoulder to shoulder across the word Rescue emblazoned in big black letters on his back while saying, Now be a good nurse like your mother and go and find out what’s the matter with Mrs. Winthrop.

OK, Mom, Steve sighs while kissing her on the cheek before opening the door.

Dorothy lovingly watches her son crunch down three inches of fresh snow under his black leather boots with each step as she shivers from the cold blast of air while slowly closing the door.

Steve reluctantly walks to his converted SUV as his closely cut black hair catches numerous snowflakes floating in the crisp air. He brushes a few of the frosty hitchhikers from his nose before opening the door and climbing into his brightly painted red and gold response vehicle.

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On the way to Mrs. Winthrop’s house, Steve drives carefully on the powdered snow and feels happy to be observing the beauty of nature while thinking, Everything is covered with a fresh dusting of undisturbed snow and wonderful, soft, puffy flakes are drifting down in the silent air. Suddenly, his attention is diverted by radio traffic coming from his emergency radio bolted to the dashboard as the police report a spin out.

Once they are finished talking about the accident, Steve reaches for his handset hanging on the radio and broadcasts, Snow Plow. Snow Plow.

A strong male voice answers, Yeah, Steve.

Momma sent me to check on Mrs. Winthrop.

Alright, I’ll meet you at the turnoff.

Thanks, dad.

Roger.

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Approaching the turnoff, Steve sees the big yellow snowplow waiting for him and honks his horn. The big truck, burdened by a bin filled with sand, belches black smoke from its exhaust stacks in reply. Once the battered and beleaguered truck begins moving, Steve watches the snow flying off of the blade and piling up alongside the road. While following along behind, he notices how the sand is flung out the back of the truck by a rotor as his father’s voice comes from the radio.

Weatherman reports it’s going to snow all night.

Roger.

Are you going to stay with Old Lady Winthrop until it stops snowing?

Slouching again while shaking his head, Steve answers, Roger. I’ll call mom. Pulling out his cell phone, Steve dials while driving. He begins speaking once Dorothy answers, Mom … I’ll probably be spending the night at the mansion with Mrs. Winthrop OK.

You be careful and take care of yourself.

Nodding, he answers, Yes, Mom, before hanging up. While attempting to put the phone away, his wheels hit a slippery section of the road, and Steve drops the phone during his struggle to regain control of his truck.

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Steve watches the tire chains on all eight rear wheels of his dad’s truck beat the road into submission for several miles. When the snowplow rumbles to a stop, just past the driveway of the Winthrop mansion, Steve stops his ambulance, gets out, and meets his father halfway between the vehicles.

Bob who feels even more bulky and awkward than usual because he is all bundled up in his extreme cold weather gear sees his son’s questioning expression and quickly apologizes, I’d take you all the way son—.

Pulling on his gloves, Steve interrupts by asking obliquely for help, With my four-wheel-drive chained up, I can go anywhere.

Bob enthusiastically lurches toward the SUV and offers, Good, I’ll help you.

After Steve opens the back doors of his truck and removes a set of tire chains, he kneels down next to one wheel with his father. While laying the chain out in front of the tire, Steve listens to his father complain.

Why don’t they save everybody a lot of trouble and put her in an old folks home?

Steve says defensively, I don’t mind looking in on Marsha as long as she can still take care of herself.

While moving to another wheel with quick muscular movements, Bob grumbles, Why would anyone want to live in a haunted house anyway?

That’s where her memories are. Those ghosts are all that’s left of her family.

I suppose we’ll all end up living with our own ghosts.

Laughing, they move to another wheel with well-practiced movements that made them both feel like they were a pit crew at the stock car races.

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Once Bob returns to grinding on the pavement with the blade of his behemoth, Steve starts down the long driveway to the Winthrop mansion. Steve navigates down the middle of the open winding white ribbon between the trees while thinking, With the trees frosted and a blanket of fresh white powder covering everything in sight, this scene is even more beautiful than what I saw in town. Steve admires the wonders of nature as the chained tires vibrate the truck while pawing through the snow covering the road.

Approaching the ancient mansion complete with garrets and a steeply sloped slate tiled roof with cast iron fleur-d-lis all along ridge line, Steve notices the wall around the Winthrop estate is topped with snow and all of the roughhewn edges and corners of the wall have tufts of snow piled up on them.

Unfortunately, he doesn’t see that the wrought-iron gate is closed as all of the iron bars and the ornate W decorating the center are dusted with snow. So Steve is unable see the danger and drives towards the opening in the wall obstructed by the camouflaged gate.

Suddenly, he is surprised when he feels the vehicle being mauled by the wrought-iron bars as the truck bashes its way through. In shock, he watches the gate being pulled from its hinges as iron pieces are thrown in all directions.

He sees the large ornate W bending over the hood of the SUV as a flying piece of metal penetrates the windshield and hits him in the side of his head. In extreme pain, he holds his hands to his face as the ambulance comes to a stop.

Noticing some smoke floating in the cab, he thinks there is a fire, so he leaps out of his truck and rolls in the snow. After noticing some blood on his hand, he smells the air and realizes that the smoke is from the airbags, so he crawls back to his truck and grabs his medical bag. Unfortunately, he can’t find his phone, and the emergency radio won’t transmit.

After slipping out of the truck and falling into the snow still clutching his bag, he crawls through the snow towards the front door of the Winthrop mansion. After noticing the cold, blank, and dead looking plate glass windows staring back at him, he thinks, How frightening the house looks. It’s the perfect set for a horror movie.

After struggling for a few minutes, Steve takes a break from crawling right next to the fountain surrounded by a small frozen pond in the front yard and bandages his head with the supplies from the medical bag. Suddenly, he sees the fountain in all its summer glory. The water gurgles as Koi carp swim in and around some water plants in the pond, and a young Mr. Winthrop in his World War II uniform is looking down at Steve.

Mr. Winthrop asks, Can I help you?

Amazed, Steve thinks, This isn’t possible. Grabbing his bag, Steve continues toward the house leaving the snow covered fountain behind him.

Stopping at the foot of the stairs to rest, he sees his mother, in her twenties wearing her white nursing uniform, starting up the stairs. He watches her lead him by the hand when he was six years old as Mr. and Mrs. Winthrop, in their sixties, walk out the front doors dressed in very fashionable clothing. The two groups pass as Steve remembers the Winthrop’s were going out and Dorothy is looking after their elderly parents.

While wiping his face with a handful of snow, he returns from the flashback and sees the wizened and white haired Old Lady Winthrop watching him from the partially-opened front doors. He imagines she is holding on to the bronzed door handle with her shriveled fingers to keep from falling over.

Steve struggles up the steps on all fours and in through the antique oak doors before collapsing in front of the stone fireplace. Mrs. Winthrop eventually totters to him, straightens her ancient knitted shawl, and asks, Are you all right?

Let me catch my breath, and then I’ll make a fire.

As he lies on the planked wooden floor that is partially covered between the chairs by an ornately decorated wool rug, he notices the lights are out and immediately understands why there wasn’t an answer when Mrs. Winthrop was called. The snow has brought all the lines down. I’m stuck here until someone comes for me.

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Recovering, Steve places kindling in the fireplace before using a match to start the fire. Instantly, he feels better with the fire. As he kneels before the fireplace adding more wood, he notices Mrs. Winthrop sitting behind him in her high-backed chair watching with dark eyes that look out at him from a withered face. Resting near the fire, he enjoys its warmth and listens to Mrs. Winthrop’s raspy voice talking about her dead ancestors.

As she prattles on about the familiar family stories, he watches her bony finger pointing out the pictures on the mantel. Steve notices the light from the fireplace is flickering across the pictures. The people seem to be moving around inside the photos.

After climbing up into a chair opposite Mrs. Winthrop, he uses supplies from his medical bag to fix the bandage on his head. Once finished, Steve notices Mrs. Winthrop is silently watching him with a proud grandmotherly smile on her face.

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Suddenly, waking with a start, Steve sees the fire is dying out. Finding the ratty chair opposite him empty, he kneels down to put more wood on the fire. Returning to his dusty chair, he finds Mrs. Winthrop in her usual place observing him and talking about the good old days.

On nights like these, my parents-in-law would sit and play cards at that table by the mirror.

Looking to the ornate table, Steve sees Marsha’s parents-in-law like they were when he was six. Elderly but dignified the married couple, still deeply in love, play cards in the flickering light of the fire. In their reflection, the two at the age of twenty, when they were first married, play cards dressed in their elaborate nineteenth-century clothing.

Pulling his eyes away, he thinks, This isn’t happening. Looking back, the vision is gone, and Mrs. Winthrop’s chair is empty.

Feeling like he is falling asleep again, he is eleven and sitting in the same chair as Winthrop grandchildren play in the room. A girl named Teresa wearing a private girl’s school uniform comes to him and says, I learned a new song. Do you want to hear me play it on the piano?

After walking to a shiny black grand piano, Steve admires her as she plays a beautiful piece of music. Suddenly, Dorothy enters the room with Mrs. Winthrop both dressed in black, and Steve remembers that they are going to the funeral of Mrs. Winthrop’s father-in-law.

In a flash, Steve is alone at the neglected and out of tune piano playing the same melody as Teresa. He stands, and, while returning to his chair by the fire, he notices Old Mrs. Winthrop watching him. Suddenly, the fire flares up, and he can see Teresa at the little table where her great grandparents played cards. Transformed into a teenager, he looks at Teresa in the way he remembered when he was frequently sent to sit with Mrs. Winthrop to keep her company.

A teenaged Teresa with long silky black hair looks towards him with a smile on her perfect lips holding a deck of cards in her hands. After walking to the table, they play a game until he sees his reflection in the mirror with a bandage on his head.

Mrs. Winthrop watches him approvingly from her chair by the fire as Steve makes his way painfully back to the hearth to build up the fire. Once the new light floods out from the fireplace, he is all alone in a dusty room.

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In the morning, Bob pushes his way through the tall oak doors of Winthrop mansion and brings a flood of morning light into the room. Rushing to Steve, whom he finds sleeping in the chair, Bob speaks while taking Steve’s face in his weathered hands.

Are you alive, son?

Focusing his eyes, Steve answers, Barely, I had a terrible night.

There is a funny smell coming from upstairs.

After watching his father bolt out of the room, Steve struggles to stay awake while waiting for his dad.

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Steve wakes up again when he is pulled up out of the chair by his anxious father who states, She’s dead.

Steve wants to say something, but his father interrupts, Looks like she’s been dead for a week.

Steve attempts to point at the chair by the fireplace, but Bob pulls Steve’s arm over his broad muscular shoulders, places his stout arm around Steve’s waist, and practically carries Steve out the front doors as Steve staggers along trying to keep up.

A few moments later as Bob is lifting him up into the cab of the snowplow, Steve notices Mrs. Winthrop sadly watching him from between the creaking front doors like it is their last farewell.

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After the rough drive back to town, Steve feels relieved when they finally stop in front of his mother’s house. Attempting to climb down from the cab, he becomes dizzy, so he waits for his father to come around and help him.

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Answering the front door, Dorothy sees Steve is injured and stands back in shock so Steve and her husband can come in. Pointing up the stairs, she says, Put him in bed!

Dorothy watches Bob help Steve up the stairs as she evaluates the seriousness of Steve’s wounds before stepping into the pantry to get some medical supplies. She catches up with the two men as Bob is placing his son carefully on the bed while saying, There he is.

Looking at her son’s bandaged head, she asks, What happened?

Crashed his truck through Old Lady Winthrop’s big iron gate.

Irritated by Bob’s interference, she hints that Bob should leave them alone by suggesting, Some hot soup is on the stove, before quickly removing the bandage while wondering how badly her son is injured.

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Returning with a bowl of soup, Bob quietly watches Dorothy applying a new bandage to Steve’s head.

Over her shoulder, Dorothy asks, Did you bandage his wound?

He’s your son.

Quickly countering, Dorothy replies, If he were my son, he wouldn’t have crashed the ambulance in the first place.

Steve starts to laugh but winces in pain when Dorothy continues wrapping the new bandage tightly around his head.

Bob idly comments, If he were my son, he’d have picked a manly profession.

Answering for his mother, Steve says, You didn’t say that last month when I delivered a baby in the back of the ambulance.

Winking at Steve, Dorothy continues bandaging the wound.

Bob eats his soup for a moment before saying, I have to admit that was pretty cool. Too much blood and guts for me. Bob’s cell phone rings, interrupting their conversation. After Bob hangs up, he says, Got to finish plowing the driveway, so they can remove Marsha Winthrop’s body.

Once Bob disappears and the roar of the snow plow’s diesel engine fades away, Steve speaks quietly to his mom, Why does he treat me like that?

Pulling the covers back, Dorothy answers firmly, He still thinks you’re his little boy even though you’re thirty-five. After waiting for a moment, she asks, You didn’t know Marsha was dead?

Steve mutters, Strange things happened last night.

What do you mean? Dorothy begins carefully removing Steve’s clothing.

Hallucinations.

What about, dear?

Mrs. Winthrop was there, and she told me the same old stories about her family.

I think you were asleep and dreamed it.

Mom, it was real. I had flashbacks, and I was playing the piano with Teresa. Excitedly Steve adds, I saw both papa Winthrop and Grandfather Winthrop.

Sounds like you hit your head pretty hard. I’ll make an appointment to get you to a specialist.

OK, Momma.

After finishing the chore of putting Steve to bed, she tucks the blankets around her son and thinks, It’s not so unusual for people to see things at Winthrop mansion. On the other hand, Steve could be injured more seriously than just the cut I can see on his scalp.

CHAPTER 2

Winthrop Mansion Bequeathed

A WEEK LATER, STEVE IS sitting in Dorothy’s house at the kitchen table finishing his soup. Shifting his black jacket and loosening his tie, Steve makes a nervous glance at his mother while listening to her reassure a Winthrop over the phone that, The Dobbs family will not be late for Marsha’s funeral.

Steve thinks, Mother looks very nice in her black dress.

Interrupting, Bob enters without his jacket and tie and says, Back seat of the car is all cleaned out now.

Making a wry face at Bob’s wrinkled shirt, Dorothy asks, Where is your coat and tie?

I’ll put it on when I get there. Now come on, or we’ll be late.

Dorothy watches Steve slowly stand before she follows the men outside worrying that her son may fall and hurt himself.

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In the parking lot at the church, Dorothy visits with several of the somber but elegantly dressed Winthrop family members that she hasn’t seen for years. Steve fumbles with Bob’s tie until Teresa arrives. Then Steve’s attention is captivated by her, and he admires how she has matured into a voluptuous woman from the skinny girl who went off to college.

Giving up on his tie in frustration, Bob mutters, To hell with the tie. Let’s go inside. It’s cold standing out here in this monkey suit.

Dad, I’m going to sit with Teresa.

Bob looks around, sees Teresa breezing past in her black gown, and whispers, Good call, before making one last pull on his stubbornly crooked tie while holding out his hand to a Winthrop and saying, Hello, sir.

Steve matches his pace with Teresa’s graceful strides and respectfully enters the church shoulder to shoulder with her.

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After the mourners have moved to the graveyard and just before they are to lower the coffin, Steve stands in the crowd around the grave focusing his attention on Teresa while thinking, The speeches were a blur. All I remember was how Teresa looked, moved, and spoke.

Glancing over to Steve, Teresa catches him staring at her, and she mouths the words, stop it. Steve smiles and looks at the coffin for about two seconds before his eyes involuntarily return to examining the supple lines of Teresa’s face.

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With the crowd drifting away from the grave, an immaculately dressed Winthrop lawyer saunters over to Steve and says, Excuse me?

Yes.

Terence nervously combs his graying hair with his fingers and decides to be informal and extremely friendly before saying, My name is Terence, and I want you to come along and hear the reading of Marsha’s Will.

Why me?

Terence looks around suspiciously with his sharp green eyes before tugging nervously at the silk lapels of his tailored jacket while whispering, You’ll find one part very interesting.

As Steve follows the shorter man toward his black limousine, Steve shrugs his shoulders when Teresa mouths with her delicate lips, Where are you going?

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Steve quickly notices his mother and father are in on the conspiracy as they glance knowingly at him when he climbs into in the lawyer’s shiny black limousine. After leaving the cemetery, Steve and Terence ride quietly to the Winthrop mansion together.

Passing through the mansion’s gateway, Steve tries not to remember his accident while noticing that all the pieces of the wrought-iron gate are gone, and the front yard is neat and tidy.

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Terence patiently allows for Steve to walk slowly into the house and take a seat before he sits at the head of the dining room table. Once all the senior members of the Winthrop family are present, Terence explains the procedure for reading the Last Will and Testament of Marsha Winthrop.

Steve suddenly finds it hard to stay awake, so he leans against the back of the chair and sleeps as the lawyer drones on.

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When Steve wakes up, he listens unconcerned while realizing Mrs. Winthrop is not leaving much of anything to anyone. The instructions are rather bitter. She seems to be saying, "I gave you everything you wanted throughout your lives and every one of you forsake me and left me to die all alone, so to heck with you." Steve realizes. It’s justice. They deserve it. They are nothing but cold hearted stuffed shirts.

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Eventually, Terence addresses his voice toward Steve, The Mansion and the stock in the Winthrop Industries. The lawyer stops reading and adds some information not in the will, Originally intended to be a dowry for Teresa’s wedding; however, as Teresa did not marry before Mrs. Winthrop died. Returning to reading the document, he continues in his monotone, A sizeable amount is to be given to Steve. Terence adds to his personal narrative, Not only was Steve the most likely person to marry Teresa, the lawyer stops to wink at some of the Winthrops, and, consequently, would have received the inheritance anyway, but also Steve was one of the few persons who cared for and looked after Mrs. Winthrop at the end of her life.

Steve shakes his head to make sure he is awake and, with his head throbbing in pain, looks carefully at the lawyer who is smiling back at him. Immediately, the shocked and disbelieving comments confirm that Steve has inherited the Winthrop fortune.

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As the Winthrops leave the room at the end of the formalities, Steve hears them muttering and sees their irritated looks.

Terence runs his hand down his silk tie and explains, Mrs. Winthrop hoped you’d maintain the mansion and use it for the good of the community. She had a strong sense of legacy and entrusts the perpetuation of the Winthrop name to you.

Steve sits for a while thinking and gathering his strength. When he finds his mother waiting outside for him, he instantly notices she is smiling at him like the Cheshire cat.

Mom, were you and Marsha conspiring all this time to turn me into a Winthrop?

No dear. She wanted you to have something.

Did you hear? I got the mansion, stocks, and I’m supposed to take care of her legacy. What kind of nonsense did you put in her head, Momma?

Laughing, Dorothy can barely say, I didn’t do anything. I swear.

Shyly looking over to Teresa who is trying to say goodbye to all the Winthrops, Steve notices they are all uncharacteristically angry with her, and he feels sad. Teresa knows that they are thinking. "If you had gotten married before the old woman died, all the money would’ve stayed in the family."

After the last Winthrop leaves, Steve apologizes to Teresa, I’m so sorry. In the will–

–I know what it says. What do you think Dorothy and I were talking about all this time?

You’re not mad at me?

It’s not your fault. Mrs. Winthrop told me several times I should get married. You know me. I’m not going to roll over and marry someone just to get the money.

I feel guilty.

Moving closer to him, Teresa says with a musical tone, You can feel guilty, guilty, guilty all you want, but it’s not my fault. Now give me a kiss you silly boy.

Steve knows she means on the cheek, but he turns his head while clutching her with his arms and kisses her tenderly on the lips.

Pulling gently away, Teresa takes a deep breath before saying, Oh. You’re fresh. Then smiling while walking away, Teresa hopes to find someone from the Winthrop family who will still talk to her.

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Some weeks after the reading of the will, Dorothy and Bob are eating their breakfast while waiting impatiently for Steve to join them. When Steve finally arrives looking like all the color is drained out of his face, Bob is nearly finished eating but remains at the table anyway as Steve settles into his chair looking unappetizingly at his food.

Speaking nervously, Dorothy says, Well, I’ll leave you two alone. I’m going to clean the kitchen.

Realizing something is going on, Steve asks, What’s she up to?

We think you’re recovered enough to go back to work.

I still feel a little tired sometimes.

Let’s go and work on your truck.

Making one last attempt to eat, Steve chews a little before dropping his fork on the plate and saying, I’m done.

After they walk outside to Bob’s ancient, rusty, and rambling wreck of a pickup truck that is purposely hidden from the street beside the house, Bob forces the passenger door open. When a pile of junk falls out, Bob is entirely unconcerned and scoops up even more stuff from the passenger seat before dropping it into the bed while saying, Hop in.

Climbing in the driver’s side, Bob slams the door twice before it will stay shut. Getting comfortable behind the wheel, he turns the engine over several times before it starts, and the transmission whines even louder than ever as Bob drives them to his shop.

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Arriving at Bob’s shop, Steve looks over the old gas station that his grandfather, Edward, converted into an auto shop before handing it down to, his son, Bob.

Bob parks the truck as Steve reminisces how Edward was one of the original members of The Gang that was formed in Ludlow’s boarding house when Edward was at the university with Ted Mansfield who became Marsha’s second husband.

As Steve gets out of the truck, he notices there were no improvements to the building since the last time he visited his father at his garage years ago, and, under the lazily hand painted words Auto Repair Shop, he sees two bays with a little office on the end of the building. In one bay, several of Bob’s friends are sitting in their falling apart chairs talking. In the other bay, stands his response vehicle with the oversized snowplow parked next to the building.

As they approach Bob’s friends, Steve listens to them talking.

Look. Here is the new Winthrop.

Another old man wearing a fur lied cap that has the ear flaps tied up with a leather strap across the top adds, He’s the one who owns the Winthrop mansion now.

Bob’s best friend, Earl, chimes in while placing his thumbs under the straps of his bib overhauls, Spent the night with a dead woman. Eh.

Walking into the bay, Bob says, No worse then what you do with your wife every night. Eh, Earl!

The whole group laughs while mirthfully rolling in their creaky chairs.

Tossing his keys to Earl, Bob says, Now go fetch those brand new tires I ordered.

Grudgingly, Earl stands and walks out of the bay surrounded by muffled laughter. As Earl nonchalantly starts the pickup truck and drives away, Bob’s friends watch the truck wiggle and jiggle down the street with its fenders barely hanging on.

Once Earl is gone, Bob forcefully announces, Let’s finish this up.

They move as though he has signaled an attack, and the men swarm over to the SUV before lowering it down off of its jacks. Bob gives Steve a rag and some cleaning spray as the men slowly push the vehicle out of the bay like the event is the launching of a ship.

Looking over his father’s masterpiece, Steve notices the bent and crumpled bumper is replaced with a brush crash rig complete with a huge winch. The hood and front fenders were from a junk yard, and even though they are not dented and amazingly from the same make and model of vehicle, they are blue and clash with the red color of the SUV.

Good job, dad. It looks nice. That’s quite a monster grille.

Yep. Only the best for my son, it’s guaranteed to win any argument with fences, trees, or anything else.

Come on, dad. I’ve never been in an accident before.

Consider it insurance. Now, let’s wash the truck and get it ready for service.

Using the cleaner, Steve wipes off some greasy hand prints while watching his father drag out a camera and take some pictures of his friends standing next to the part of the truck that each one worked on most.

Once Steve is finished, he takes the camera from his father and says, Get over there. You don’t think you’re going to get away without being in a few.

Bob jumps in with his friends, and they strike up goofy poses like a ragged barbershop quartet. After Steve takes several pictures, the phone in the dingy little office rings interrupting their fun. Bob answers and, after listening, he says to Steve, It’s OK to go home now?

Coming out of his office, Bob tosses Steve the keys and suggests, Let’s give the truck a test drive.

Climbing into the driver’s seat, Steve starts the engine and listens to it run. After adjusting his seat, Steve notices Bob is waiting for him to do something, so he asks, Where do you want to go?

Back home.

Tentatively putting the truck in gear, Steve feels relieved when his SUV glides forwards. As he drives, he notices all of Bob’s friends returning to their comfortable chairs and favorite conversations.

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Approaching his parent’s house, Steve sees his luggage on the porch. Looking over, he sees Bob trying very hard to conceal his happiness, so Steve asks, Is this some kind of subtle hint, dad?

Settling back into his seat, Bob answers, It’s years past the time for you to move out. Unfortunately, your mom misses you when you are gone for more than two hours.

Steve incredulously answers, Suddenly, things have changed?

Son, you’re landed gentry now. Spread your wings and fly.

After stopping the SUV in front of the house, Steve walks to the porch while looking at his luggage.

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Once they’ve finished loading Steve’s suitcases into the truck, Steve brushes off his hands before saying, I’ll go inside to say goodbye to momma.

No. You go and hop in the truck. When we come out, you pretend to be happy while waving and driving off.

Sure, whatever you say.

After Bob walks inside, Steve waits in his response vehicle while imagining that his dad is giving his mother a pep talk and drying her teary eyes.

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A few minutes later, Steve notices the front door slowly opening. Upon seeing Dorothy come out with a hanky to her face supported by Bob, Steve plasters a happy-son-is-leaving-home-to-take-on-the-big-bad-world smile on his face before waving like a fool to his mother until he sees her shaking her hanky towards him.

Steve quickly drives his SUV down the street while waving out the window, and, for as long as he watches his mother in his rear view mirrors, she stands crying on the porch.

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After a short drive, Steve swings his response vehicle around the fountain of the Winthrop mansion before stopping with the truck’s back doors near the front steps of the house. After climbing out of his SUV, he carries two suitcases up the steps before placing them inside the front door.

While setting the suitcases down, he notices the place is freshened up and made more livable since he was there last during the reading of the will. Then after walking out, he returns with some more bags and finds several elderly Winthrops observing him. He notices that some stand while others sit next to the fireplace that has the beginnings of a fire crackling away in it.

After looking at them, he wonders for a moment if they are real or imaginary. They must be visiting for a reason. Deciding to go back outside and retrieve some more of his suitcases, he thinks, I hope they are gone when I return.

After lifting a box in his arms, he climbs up the front stairs only to see Teresa in some old clothes passing him. Quickly stopping and glancing back, Steve sees Teresa pulling the last two suitcases out of the SUV.

Expectantly looking at him, she says, Well go ahead.

Feeling confused, Steve wonders, I should jump back into my truck and escape from these ghosts?

Passing him in the entryway, she says, Let me show you to your room.

Room … I have a room?

Yes, great grandparent’s old room.

Amazed and following along carrying his box, Steve suddenly realizes he isn’t getting the best bedroom, Not Mrs. Winthrop’s grand bedroom?

Answering without missing a beat, Teresa exclaims, No. That’s my room.

Steve almost falls over after realizing that Teresa is staying in the house with him.

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After unpacking his clothing, he slowly returns to the drawing room fully expecting that Teresa and the elderly Winthrops have vanished into thin air. Unfortunately, he sees that there are even more aged Winthrops sitting in the drawing room and standing around the fire. Steve senses they are uncomfortable, but they don’t say anything except a civil hello when he approaches them.

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Once Teresa comes into the room she removes a pair of gloves like she is finished doing some cleaning or repairing something before motioning toward the card table under the mirror. As they settle into their chairs, she reaches for an ornate box against the wall and picks out a well-worn deck of cards. Holding the cards up, Teresa notices him shrugging his shoulders in reply.

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Playing cards, Steve fearfully glances up at the mirror and sees Mr. and Mrs. Winthrop sitting at the table in the reflection, and he turns his head away in shock. A moment later, he sees that only he and Teresa are reflected in the mirror.

Dealing the cards, Teresa speaks softly so as not to offend the elderly Winthrops, Since Mrs. Winthrop’s death all of the money supporting the elderly Winthrops is stopped. They have also lost their various … situations … and have gravitated here.

Steve thinks for a moment before asking, Does that mean your allowance is gone also.

Yes. I’m penniless without it, Leaning forward, Teresa coyly adds, I am entirely at your mercy.

Smiling and feeling gloriously happy, Steve suggests, You can have anything you want just so long as you stay here with me and help me look after all these Winthrops.

Are you going to turn me into a nurse?

Looking around the room, Steve whispers, Only if you are trying to turn this mansion into a hospital.

They play cards as Steve feels both happy and uneasy with the realization that Teresa is not only living with him but also behaving towards him in such a coy manner.

A short while later, Steve watches as a few of the elderly Winthrops approach the table and one of them asks, Dinner time?

Looking at his watch, Steve comments, So early?

Teresa laughingly answers, No silly. We must start making dinner now.

Oh. You’re a chef.

Wrinkling her nose at Steve, Teresa confesses, Normally, I wouldn’t cook anything, but times have changed.

After following the group into the kitchen, Steve notices that everyone imitates Teresa’s example by washing their hands and donning aprons. Steve tries to do the same, but she sits him down in a chair.

Teresa playfully says, You’ll be safe and out of the way here.

Becoming the senior chef, she begins by removing food from the refrigerator and handing each entrée to a Winthrop who is specialized in preparing it.

Realizing they have routines, Steve thinks, How long have these Winthrops been here?

Steve watches as the salad is tossed together in one corner by a small group, the vegetables are cleaned by a person who hands them to another who chops them up on the counter, and the third Winthrop in the vegetable assembly line starts steaming them on the stove. After hearing a certain amount of bickering about the seasoning, he watches Teresa intercede, so the chicken can make its way into the oven.

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Once the food is ready, the plates are made up and carried out in relays to the grand dining room except for two plates that Teresa holds back. As the kitchen empties out, she takes the plates to the card table under the mirror. Happily following her, Steve realizes she is up to something special.

They eat together quietly as Steve makes occasional glances up at the mirror never knowing exactly what he might see in it.

Eventually, Teresa breaks the silence, I’m penniless.

I believed you the first time. Steve lovingly says while looking at her with his wise and knowing facial expression.

Answering like it is a joke, Teresa playfully says, I’m going to live off of you.

Why don’t you just live with me?

While making a face of mock horror, Teresa asks, You mean. Live in sin.

I can’t even find your room. How can we live in sin?

Smiling slyly, Teresa suggests, Perhaps, in time, you can learn to find your way around better.

Feeling shocked and self-conscious, he sees Mrs. Winthrop looking down at him from the mirror smiling pleasantly.

Teresa interrupts Steve’s thoughts by saying, "I don’t want you to give me any