Fallen Stones

by Thomas M. Malafarina

  They walked toward the back of the kitchen as Armstrong opened the rear door of the house revealing a second expansive composite deck, leading out and terracing down to the pattern concrete patio surrounding the luxurious in-ground pool. Stephanie realized, it was likely the pool had only been recently opened, probably in preparation for their visit as the water glistened with crystal-like clarity in the afternoon sunlight.

  "Can we go in the pool? Can we, Mom?" Cindy asked, knowing full well they had not come prepared for swimming. In addition, May in Schuylkill County was not quite as warm as it was fifty miles further south, and most of the time, only the most daring swimmers chose to hit the water before the end of May or early June.

  "Not today, honey," Stephanie said. "We have a lot of business to take care of first, and don't forget about our trip to the coal mine later today."

  Cindy replied with disappointment, "Yeah. You're right. I guess we can't do everything in one day. But boy oh boy does that pool look good." Stephanie knew Cindy would want to use the pool as much as possible as she not only loved recreational swimming but also expressed an interest in eventually joining the swim team at her school when she got to junior high.

  "Don't worry, Cindy," Jason said "We own this house now, so soon we will be able to swim in this pool anytime we want to."

  "What's that over there?" Jeremy asked pointing off to a feature located in the shadows just below a part of the upper deck. It circled out around the far left side of the pool.

  "Oh my gosh!" Jason exclaimed in unchecked surprise. "It’s a... well I...I believe it's called...a grotto."

  A twelve-foot high, man-made stone feature resembling a mountain stood before them. Because it was positioned under the master bedroom deck, they had not been able to see the spectacular feature from upstairs. From the top of the simulated mountain, a continuous waterfall flowed down along its surface ending in a large pool at its base. The pool was surrounded with assorted sizes of artificial stones made of some type of hard concrete-like material with a small opening at the front to allow access. Jason was reminded of the scenery he had enjoyed when the family had visited Universal Studios Islands Of Adventure in Florida before Sammy was born.

  Jason walked over to the opening in the rocks and look down into the water in amazement. Although it was disguised to create the image of a natural setting by the man-made stone, the pool itself was actually an enormous Jacuzzi hot tub with built in lights and what looked like dozens of jets. Looking closer, Jason saw there were also speakers present in some of the simulated rocks, he assumed for enjoying music while relaxing.

  It was unbelievable. Jason stood looking at the feature in amazement. "Wow. Now I'm the one who wants to get in the pool." He was already trying to figure out how he and Stephanie could find time to sneak away and be alone in the grotto. He knew it would be tough if not impossible with three kids, but he was determined to take full advantage of the pool for personal romantic purposes sometime. He had an image of Hugh Hefner's famed grotto at the Playboy mansion in California.

  "And look at this," Stephanie said pointing. Off to the right of the deck down along the side of the pool was a complete stainless steel outdoor kitchen with a gable styled roof. "This outdoor kitchen looks like it has more features than our in-door kitchen back home has." She walked over toward it. "And look. Besides the gas grill and the refrigerator, there's a regular oven, a convection oven, a microwave and... Holy cow...look at the brick pizza oven for God's sake. This is amazing!"

  Jason walked over to check out the area not really wanting to leave the grotto or the fantasy he was imagining. But as he approached the area, he was glad he had. "And look at that!" He said. "That's a full wet-bar, and it’s stocked with all kinds of goodies as well. Wow!" Along the decorative brick back wall of the bar hung a long and tall mirror with several shelves, each of which was lined with many of the couple's favorite brands of liquor.

  "I...am...just...speechless," Jason explained. Stephanie just stood shaking her head in amazement. He said, "This is all so unreal. It’s almost too good to be true." If Jason had realized just how profound that statement would turn out to be, he might have stopped himself from uttering it.

  The lawyer replied, "But true it is. And it's all yours; along with the forty acres and the outbuildings."

  "That's right,” Jason said, the realization suddenly hitting him. We haven't seen the outbuildings yet. What are they like?"

  "Let’s go take a look," Armstrong replied. "There are four of them spread around the property. Most are simply storage sheds or places to keep things that you may need when you are working out away from the house. But two of them are a bit more special. Let’s all head over to the large barn over there in the distance beyond the pool. That barn is one of the buildings I need to show you. I think you will like what you see there."

  The barn was a two-story structure completely resided with new wood, stained light brown and sealed with a thick semi-gloss finish. Jason didn't know what sort of finish it was, but he could tell by its appearance, it would be very low maintenance. When they walked through the small man-sized access door, which was part of the larger double barn door, Armstrong flipped on a light switch, illuminating the massive two-story structure with a flood of bright overhead lighting.

  They could see the heavy thick timbers, which had been the structural part of the original barn. Each of the beams had not only been refinished but where they might have been weakened from many years of exposure to the elements, had been reinforced with a combination of wooden or pre-fabricated beams and decorative black steel plates guaranteeing both the integrity while maintaining the aesthetics of the building. It was all done in a way that complimented the interior, rather than looking like a repair job or an after-thought.

  Where there was probably once a dirt floor, there was now a concrete slab covered with a similar Epoxy membrane to the one they had seen in the garage. And sitting on the floor in the distance was a top-of-the-line John Deere garden tractor with a large mowing deck as well as both a front loader and backhoe attachment sitting off to the side.

  But the truly amazing thing, which completely flabbergasted Jason, was the site of a brand new cherry-red Ford F-150 pickup truck. It was the most gorgeous vehicle Jason had ever seen, pristine and without a single scratch. Then Jason saw a large chrome snowplow sitting against the sidewall. He assumed the device could easily be mounted to the front of the truck as necessary.

  Armstrong said, "I see you noticed your new toys, Jason. Up here in the coal region, winters can get a bit rough so Mr. Washburn wanted to make sure he had everything he would need to keep the driveway clean, and he also wanted to have a powerful enough vehicle to get around in the winter weather. You will, of course, have the option of doing your own snow plowing if you would like, or I can recommend the name of a local handyman who formerly did some snow removal for Mr. Washburn. He also maintained the landscaping and other yard work as well.

  "You might want to consider hiring him, as he works cheap and can guarantee to have your snow removed in time for you to head out to work, no matter what the weather conditions might be. He can also help to free up some spare time for you during the summer months so you can join your family in the pool instead of spending your time cutting grass and weeding. The choice will be yours. If you do choose to do the work yourself, well... as you can see, you will have everything you need to get the job done, right here."

  Then the realization struck Jason exactly how much work might be involved in maintaining a property of this size. He was not one to avoid hard work, and he was young and strong. However, when he thought about it, the maintenance of such a large estate did seem a bit overwhelming. He recalled how during the past six months or so, things had been so stressful and hectic at work, that he scarcely had time to think when he finally got home at night. His present townhouse was essentially maintenance free and for that he was grateful.

  He also assumed once he accepted his promotion with its m
any new responsibilities, things might get even busier for him. He decided it might be a good idea to have someone standing by to help if needed. With the money they got from the estate as well as his pay raise, he was certain he could afford the occasional use of the handyman's services.

  Then he suddenly realized that he was not the only one whose responsibilities would increase with ownership of the property. Stephanie's would as well, perhaps even more so than his own. His goal had been for Stephanie to be able to have the time and energy to devote to her book writing. However, he knew if she were bogged down with the tasks of taking care of the kids as well as cleaning and maintaining such an enormous house, that goal might never be realized.

  "Yes," Jason replied without any further thought, "I think I might want to have that gentleman's name." Then he surprised himself by asking, "Also, do you know of anyone you can recommend who is available maybe one or two days a week or so to help Stephanie take care of the house?" He looked over and winked at Stephanie who was staring at him as if he had completely lost his mind. She had never considered the idea of hiring a cleaning lady before. It was not as if she was opposed to such an idea, but it was simply not something they could have ever considered being able to afford before. Suddenly the realization of their newfound financial status hit home with her as well, and she too understood they actually could afford what was once considered an unimaginable luxury.

  "Well...yes, in fact I do," the lawyer replied. "The handyman is a gentleman named Wilbur Franks. He is in his mid-fifties but still in very good shape and quite skilled, not only with yard work, but also with plumbing, electrical and general contracting needs. His wife, Constance had cleaned houses for a number of prominent local folks, and I am certain she would be happy to help you both out as well. I will email their contact information to this you evening. And if you would like, I can take the liberty of contacting them ahead of time on your behalf."

  "Excellent," Jason replied, suddenly catching himself off guard. He was oddly surprised at how quickly he was adapting to their new lifestyle. He almost had to laugh to himself for the way he had just said "excellent", as if hiring such domestic help was common to him; something he had done all of his life. He stifled a chuckle.

  As the group walked from the barn and back outside, Jason felt a pang of uncertainty for the first time, wondering what potential negative effects this new way of life might have on him and Stephanie, not to mention on their kids. Both Jeremy and Cindy were old enough to still remember what is was like to grow up in a household with constant financial struggles and would not be likely to be affected to any great degree, but Sammy was only seventeen months old. He would only remember this new life. He would grow up knowing nothing but affluence.

  Jason thought about some of his fellow students during his school days that he considered well off, whose parents were doctors and lawyers and other such professionals. He remembered how these kids tended to look down on those students whose parents were not in their same economic strata. Although Jason and Stephanie didn't know each other in school and were several years apart, they had discussed how they each came from lower-middle working-class backgrounds and as such were not even considered for acceptance by the elite upper class cliques.

  He made a mental note to be sure to speak to Stephanie about the subject and to try to do their best not only to keep themselves grounded, but also to not let their newfound prosperity affect their children negatively. He didn't want his sweet innocent and sensitive little Sammy to become some snobby obnoxious heartless teenager someday. Jason had no idea if they could be successful at handling such a responsibility, but he was determined to do his best.

  Stephanie interrupted Jason's train of thought as he heard her ask the lawyer, "What is that strange shaped building over there". She pointed to the hexagonal outbuilding, which she had originally spotted from the master bedroom window. Again, she felt strangely drawn to the structure.

  "Oh. That building is the spa," the lawyer said nonchalantly.

  "The spa?" Stephanie questioned, looking over at Jason quizzically.

  Jason said, "Why would this place need a spa? It has an atrium, several decks, a pool, a hot tub and a bar. It has plenty of places to chill and wind down. I would think the last thing it would need was a spa."

  "You are probably right, Jason," Armstrong replied, "but Mr. Washburn liked his privacy and even though he lived here alone, and could find plenty of places to unwind, he still wanted to have a place far from the house, almost at the edge of the woods where he could go and be totally isolated. As it turned out, that building, in its original hexagonal shape, suited his needs perfectly. In case you are thinking of asking, no I have absolutely no idea why a building built one hundred years ago would have been constructed of such an unusual and impractical shape. It remains a mystery. And even more unusual, as far as we could determine from its structure and from historical records, the original purpose for the building may have been very similar to its current purpose."

  Stephanie asked, "Do you mean to say it was originally built as a spa...by my great-grandparents?"

  "Well, yes...sort of," the lawyer tried to explain. "I'm not sure, but I don't believe they referred to such places as spas back in the early 1900's. It was, however, not all that uncommon for people of great financial means to have places where they could go during the cold months to relax in large tubs of hot water, basking in the steam next to a hot fireplace. They believed it not only served to help their physical health and well-being, but their mental health as well, which, when you come to think of it, is why we use such facilities today. Also keep in mind: back when these outbuildings were originally constructed, there was only a farmhouse. There was no atrium or swimming pool, deck or outdoor hot tub. That building would have been the only place the master of the house had to get away to relax in private."

  "Wow," Jason said. "I hadn't thought about that."

  The lawyer replied, "Well then, let’s head over to the spa. As it turns out, that was the other outbuilding I wanted to make sure you had the opportunity to see during our short visit today."

  Then Armstrong suddenly recalled how the little boy, Sammy, had reacted to the mirror in Washburn's bedroom. What if he were truly as sensitive as Stephanie had suggested? Taking the young child into the building where such unspeakable horror had occurred and one completely surrounded with mirrors, would likely have severely negative results for the boy and in turn for Washburn's plans. Even Armstrong with all of his oratory skills might not be able to talk his way out of such a situation as he had done earlier at the house. The last thing he needed was for the little brat to get all weird on him again and starting bawling and carrying on. He suspected whatever so-called sensitivity the boy possessed, which caused him to wig-out in the master bedroom earlier, would likely be off the charts in the place where Washburn had committed suicide. And he definitely couldn't allow that to happen.

  So, he offered an alternative suggestion instead. "Why don't you let the kids run around outside for a while? You know, let them get some fresh air. Children need to run around and play and work off built up energy. Maybe they could go over there in the field near the woods for a bit, while I show you and Jason the spa. I am sure it will be quite boring for them, and this way they can roam around and get used to the property. I assure you there is nothing that can hurt them out there."

  "I don't know..." Stephanie said uncertainly. "What about the swimming pool? I don't want them going near the pool." Luckily, the group was far from the pool, practically near the back of the property, but as a mother, Stephanie still was nonetheless concerned.

  Jason believed Stephanie was always a bit overprotective of the kids, and especially of Sammy, perhaps because he was the baby or perhaps because he was likely the last baby she would ever have. He also thought the lawyer was right and it might be good for the three kids to walk around a bit and have a little freedom. He asked the kids, "Jeremy? Cindy? If we let you take Sammy and play over ther
e in the field for a while, will you promise to stay over there and not go back near the house? We really need you to stay far away from the pool? Do you understand?"

  He had already determined that before they moved into the house he would have a fence installed around the pool and grotto area to make sure Sammy couldn't accidentally wander close, fall in and drown. So today was likely the only time they would have to be concerned about it.

  Stephanie looked at Jason uncertainly. He winked at her again, and she reluctantly set Sammy down and told him. "Sammy. You take Jeremy's hand, do not let go of it and do whatever he tells you to do, alright?"

  "Germie hand," Sammy said, incorrectly pronouncing Jeremy's name as he always did.

  "And Jeremy. You are the big brother, so you are in charge. We'll keep the door to that building over there open so we can here you all playing outside," Stephanie instructed. "If Sammy gets away from you, or if you see something that bothers you, even for a second, just yell to us and we will come right out. Ok?"

  "Ok, Mom," Jeremy replied. He was visibly proud of his being given some big brother responsibility. "Don't you worry, we'll be fine."

  Cindy said, "Yeah, Mom. Don't worry. I'll help watch the little stinker too."

  "Alright then," Stephanie said as the three headed off into the meadow a short distance from the spa, each holding one of Sammy's hands. Whether she liked it or not, she had to admit her kids were growing up, and there was little she could do about it. Stephanie was still a bit concerned about leaving them, but figured since the spa and barn were both between the pool and the meadow where the kids were playing, she was quite confident they were far enough from any danger. And she would be listening extra closely for any trouble.

  "Well then, let's go inside," the lawyer suggested as he took them in to show them the very place where Emerson Washburn had butchered himself. However, he would never tell the couple of the horrible event, and he was quite confident no specters would appear in the spa or any other building on this day or for that matter any day in the near future until the time was right.