Patricia Rockwell - Essie Cobb 04 - Ghosted by Patricia Rockwell Read Free Book Online Page A

press when you leave and want to turn the answering part on.  One you press when you want to hear the messages people leave.”
    Ned continued in this vein, explaining and re-explaining the answering machine and helping Essie practice the various features until he eventually felt as if she had mastered all of its working parts.
    “You’re a pro, Grandma!” he said , brushing a lock of wayward blond hair from his forehead.  “Anyone would think you’ve been using answering machines all your life!”
    “That would be hard, as no one knew what an answering machine was for most of my life!” she said with a chuckle that the young man shared.
    As they were laughing, the rest of the group re-entered from the bedroom.
    “Grandma’s a whiz at the answering machine !” announced Ned to his mother who was carrying a large cardboard box.  Pru followed her, also with several smaller boxes.  The two younger boys, Bo and Dugan, trailed behind carrying loaded sacks and additional boxes.  Neither of them looked terribly enthusiastic and Essie felt sorry for the two youngsters whom she thought should be out doing what teenagers do on a beautiful fall Saturday afternoon.  Oh , she mused, maybe that would be sleeping .
    “Good!” replied Claudia, placing the boxes before Essie’s feet.  Pru and the boys added their boxes to the pile.
    “What’s all that?” asked Essie.
    “Th is is all from the back of your closet, Mom,” said Claudia.  “We’ve been sorting through this while you and Ned were busy on the phone.  Bo, you and Dugan hold open those sacks and we’ll put charity items in this one and throw-outs in the other.  Ned, you help too.”
    Claudia and Pru ripped open the first box and began pulling out items.  This box contained old Christmas decorations.
    “Oh, my!” said Essie.  “Those are decorations we used to put on our tree when you girls were children.  I remember that one.” She pointed to a paper star covered with glitter.
    “Mom,” said Pru, “you don’t set up a Christmas tree anymore. You don’t have room enough.  Plus, Happy Haven has that big, beautiful tree they do every year in the lobby.  Do you really need to keep old tree decorations?”
    “I guess not,” replied Essie, somewhat forlorn.
    “It would be different, Mom,” noted Claudia, “if you used these decorations, but it’s obvious that you haven’t even opened this box in all the years since you’ve been at Happy Haven.”
    “Yes, Mom,” added Pru . “Look!  The box is covered with dust!”
    “You’re right,” agreed Essie.
    “Toss them?” asked Claudia, holding up several of the sparkly items in both hands like an auctioneer.
    “All right,” said Essie, resigned.  “Toss them.  I guess you can’t give them to charity?”
    “Mom,” said Claudia, “these are things that have meaning only to our family.  It doesn’t make sense to donate these things.  We’ll donate some items, but that’s what we need to decide now.”
    “Yes, Mom,” added Pru, “we need you to help us decide which items to toss and which to donate.”
    With Essie finally on board with the sisters’ procedure for cleaning out her closet, the girls moved quickly.  The pile of ten or so boxes from the back of Essie’s closet was quickly unloaded and the items inside separated into bags for either charity or trash.  The trash pile was soon the largest.  As the center of Essie’s living room was piled high with shiny black bags, Claudia directed the boys to start transferring the bags outside to either the van or the Happy Haven dumpster, which they did.
    Next , the sisters started bringing in hanging items of clothes from the back of Essie’s closet.
    “My goodness, Mom!” cried Pru as she entered, her arms filled with trousers, shirts, and dresses on hangers.  “I’ve never seen most of these clothes.”
    “This is a beautiful dress!” exclaimed Claudia, setting down her pile on a nearby armchair, and lifting one