Read Patricia Rockwell - Essie Cobb 04 - Ghosted for Free Online Page B

messages.”
    “Yes,” said Claudia.  “We leave a message for you when you’re out and about, and then when you arrive back in your apartment, you just check your answering machine and if you have any messages, you listen to them.”
    “But it has buttons,” said Essie, glancing over at the complex device that Ned had just extracted from the cardboard box. 
    “Ned will teach you how it works, Mom,” said Claudia.  “I promise ; it’s easy!”
    “Not likely,” muttered Essie as her shoulders dropped.  “Oh, all right.  Set it up, Ned.  But don’t get mad at me if I can’t get it to work.”
    “Don’t worry, Grandma,” said Ned brightly.  “This is the simplest model they make!”  He quickly started manipulating her telephone and attaching it to the new device.
    “Good!” said Claudia.  “Now, that’s settled.  Now, about the closet …”
    “No!” said Essie, crossing her arms and scowling.  “I want everything that’s in there.”
    “Really, Mom?” asked Pru.  She stood and headed into the bedroom.  Soon she returned with a large cardboard box.  Setting it on the floor, she opened it up and began removing various items.
    “What’s that?” asked Essie.
    “That’s what I’d like to know,” said Pru, continuing to remove items which included place mats, scarves, portions of old picture frames, and other unnamable items.
    “That was in my closet?” asked Essie sheepishly.
    “Yes, Mom,” said Pru.  She held up some of the strange things.  “Are these the beloved keepsakes that you must save?”
    “No,” said Essie, confused.  “Actually, I’ve never seen those things.”
    “So, can we give them away?” asked Claudia.
    “Or just throw them out?” suggested Pru cautiously, continuing to remove items from the box.
    Essie stared at the weird things that Pru produced from the box.  She thought and thought as to what they were and what importance they held.  For the life of her, she couldn’t remember when she had acquired them or when she had put them in that box. 
    “There are lots of boxes just like this one, Mom,” said Pru, staring pointedly at Essie.
    “Oh, all right!” said Essie, finally.  “As you’re all ganging up on me.  Let’s clear out my closet!”  The daughters cheered and started to move, as did the two younger boys by the door.  “But, wait!” added Essie.
    Everyone froze again.
    “I want to see every single thing before you throw it out or take it away.  Is that clear?” Essie demanded.
    “Of course, Mom,” agreed Claudia. 
    “We don’t want to throw away anything that’s important to you, Mom,” added Pru.  “We’d never do that!”
    “All right,” said Essie.  “Then you all go get the things from the closet and I’ll stay here and tell you whether or not you can dispose of them.”
    “Agreed,” said Pru. 
    “Bo!  Dugan!” called Claudia to the two boys who were slouched against the wall by Essie’s front door, “get those plastic bags and bring them over here.  You two can start loading bags into our van when they’re full.”
    The two teenagers quickly followed Claudia’s directions and moved over to the center of Essie’s living room with a pile of plastic garbage bags ready to be filled.  Pru and Claudia then headed for the bedroom with Bo and Dugan following behind.  Ned remained at the end table still connecting wires and cables from phone to answering machine and back again.
    “There you go, Grandma!” he said finally.  “A brand new answering machine!  Just for you!”
    “Oh yippee, blippee!” replied Essie with a pasted-on smile.

CHAPTER SIX
     
    “The past is a ghost, the future a dream, and all we ever have is now.”
                                              ––Bill Cosby
     
    Much later, Essie was still seated in her recliner as her relatives swooped around rearranging her belongings—and apparently—her life for her. 
    “And you