"The bottom line, Mary, is that you are now an extremely wealthy young woman," stated the elderly attorney who was seated across the conference room table from her.
Mary gave the attorney an incredulous stare as she struggled to get her mind around what she was hearing. "I don't understand, Mr. Tyrell. How? Why?"
"Please. Call me Benjamin, Mary. As I informed you, I am your Great Aunt Molly's attorney and trustee. You are the last remaining relative that Molly had, and, as such, you are the sole beneficiary to a trust that she had created quite some time ago. The trust includes, among other things, the large estate on Bayview Avenue that overlooks Northport Harbor, as well as a trust created to care for the property. Are you familiar with it?"
"I drive by it nearly every day. Of course I know the property. Everyone in town knows it. Honestly, I can't tell you the last time I visited the house. We weren't very close with Aunt Molly."
"Be that as it may, the property and everything else that belonged to Molly is now yours. Some of what was left to you in her will is going to have to clear probate, of course. Even with the bite Uncle Sam will take to satisfy his insatiable hunger for tax revenue, you will never have to work again."
"I...I don't know what to say. Can I really just move into the house?"
"Of course. It is there for your benefit," said Benjamin as he pulled a set of keys out of his pocket and slid them across the table to Mary. "There is a caretaker on staff that is an employee of the trust. She ensures the property and grounds are properly maintained. She is aware of the situation and is looking forward to meeting you."
Mary took a deep breath and rose from the table, reaching a hand out to Benjamin. He took her hand in his, and she nearly recoiled. His hand was cold and gave her the creeps. She hid her feelings as best she could behind a smile.
"Thank you for everything, Mr. Tyrell...I mean...Benjamin."
"Feel free to call me should you need anything, Mary."
"Thank you. I will."
Mary nodded and left his office. She walked outside into the bright sunshine and got into her car. She sat there for a few moments feeling dumbfounded. In the space of a few hours, she had gone from being a poor waitress at The Shipwreck to being a rich woman. The Shipwreck was a local diner located on Main Street, and she enjoyed her job and was not inclined to quit it just yet. It was a place where all of the locals went, and Mary enjoyed chatting and joking with the many characters that lived in the town. She decided that she would change little about her life, at least initially. The only exception was that she would move into the house that Molly had left her.
After driving home in a daze, Mary dropped onto the couch in her small living room and started to giggle. She tried to shake the feeling that she was the victim of some television show like Punk'd, picturing Ashton Kutcher bursting through the door with a smile. Instead, she booted up her laptop and searched the web for Aunt Molly and the house that she now owned.
There was little information about her Aunt, but there was quite a lot of information about the house. She discovered that it had been built in the late seventeen hundreds and had carried through the family from generation to generation. She supposed she could sell the place, but she really had little need for the money at this point. It was a far cry from her small apartment here on the south end of Main Street in Northport. In truth, the building she lived in was somewhat neglected by the landlord, and Mary looked forward to leaving it behind.
She spent a good portion of the evening reading whatever information she could find about the property. It was quite late when she finally felt tired enough to sleep. She was off from work the next day, and decided that she'd go check out what would become her new home when she awoke in the morning.
* * * * *
She pulled into the long driveway of the old house and felt a chill run up her spine. She passed it off as nothing other than a touch of childish superstition. The house, if you could call it that, was very well maintained. It was really more of a mansion than a house, comprised of fourteen rooms, not including the seven baths. The rooms were all large and well appointed; the gardens were extraordinary and expansive.
The house overlooked Northport harbor, providing spectacular views from the large, wraparound porch that faced the water. The gardens were behind the house, and provided a natural buffer from the noise and traffic of the street beyond. Entrance to the property was controlled by a large wrought iron fence and gate, requiring a person to enter a six digit code in order to gain access.
She maneuvered her car in front of the three car detached garage and turned off the engine. Stepping out of the vehicle, she looked up at the magnificent building that would be her new home. Feeling excitement building inside her, Mary forgot the momentary unease she had felt earlier and walked up to the door and entered the house. Once inside, she was greeted by the caretaker of the house, a pale, grim faced woman dressed in black. She extended her hand to Mary, who shook it and nodded.
"Good morning, Mary" said the woman with a thin smile. "My name is Janet. I've been the caretaker of the house for over thirty five years."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Mary lied. She took an immediate disliking to the woman for reasons she couldn't comprehend. "Would you care to show me around?"
"Of course, madam. I believe you'll find the house quite stunning," she said as she led Mary through the foyer and into a large living room. The room was furnished beautifully, and the focal point was a large stone fireplace on the far wall. Janet led Mary from room to room on the ground floor, and by the time they'd finished, Mary was astounded. There were seven rooms in all, not including the huge porch that ran along the back of the house. Each room was more impressive than the last. There was a massive kitchen, a formal dining room, a large, comfortable den, a library, a billiards room, and a fully appointed media room with theatre seating. There were two bathrooms that completed the lower level of the house.
"Did Aunt Molly entertain much?" Mary asked.
"No, madam. She was a bit of a loner."
"Please, Janet. Call me Mary. I'm not a madam," Mary joked.
Janet nodded without smiling. "Very well, Mary. Would you like to see the rest of the house?"
"Of course. How many bedrooms are there?"
"Seven, with an additional five baths."
"Oh, God. Do you actually have to keep all of this clean?"
"By myself? Hardly. I have a cleaning team that comes in once a week. You're aware that Molly left a trust fund to maintain the house and grounds?"
"The attorney mentioned that."
"I'll have the team work around your schedule, Mary."
