Read an Excerpt
MANSFIELD
Part Four: Old Age, Decline, and Death
By Keith R. Long iUniverse, Inc.
Copyright © 2013 Keith R. Long
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4759-8655-6
Excerpt
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.
* * *
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."
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
* * *
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.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from MANSFIELD by Keith R. Long. Copyright © 2013 by Keith R. Long. Excerpted by permission of iUniverse, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
