My Story: The Winchester House [Completed]

42: Georgia

Luke and I stepped off the train as we were brought to a stop since a train was trying to come up a hill that we wanted to go down. The staff said that it was probably going to be an hour or so until we would start moving again. Luke stood next to me as I stood under the shade of a tree.

"Mother, what are we going to do in Georgia?" he asked. I smiled at him as I folded my hands in front of me.

"We will go visit some people and get Mrs. Winchester's money from the bank. We have to go to the bank first, and we will come back to the station when we have collected the money," I told him. He nodded as he started to look around.

~*~

Walking into the bank when arriving in Atlanta was an experience. I didn't realise that I had never entered bank on my own to get money or deposit money. I had relied on my father, then Mrs. Winchester, Luke, and then Max. I felt so naïve on the world.

"Mother, are you feeling well?" Luke asked as I froze up. I nodded as I walked to the line, and we waited in the line. I was nervous to have the interaction. I had never realised how isolated I was from the world.

When I was a child, my parents kept me at home. My mother homeschooled my siblings and me. I wasn't allowed to work since I was a lady. Then, I was able to work for Mrs. Winchester, but that was isolation where the men took care of me, and I was usually out with the guys where they could talk for me.

"Next," the banker said. I held my son's hand and walked to the window. I took a deep breath as I reached into my bag to take out Mrs. Winchester's letter to get her money from the bank.

"I'm on an errand for Mrs. Sarah Winchester," I told the man softly. Luke looked at me as the banker took the letter.

"Would you like a case?" he asked. I nodded before he walked off.

"Mother, would you like me to talk?" Luke asked me, effectively gaining my attention. I looked down at him as he gave me a smile.

"No. I have this under control," I told him as I looked back up. The banker came back and handed me the case.

"Here you go, ma'am," the banker said. I pulled the case to my side.

"Thank you." I took Luke's hand and started walking out.

"Mother, does this mean that we are getting back on the train now?" Luke asked as we walked. I shook my head as I knelt down to talk to him.

"Are you willing to keep a secret for me?" I asked. He thought about it before nodding.

"Yes."

"We are going to go visit someone, then we will return home," I told him. He nodded as I stood. "Thank you baby boy."

"Where is this person?" he asked. I kept walking forward as I gripped the case. I flagged down a taxi that helped Luke and me get in.

"About an hour from here," I said as the driver started off.

~*~

I stood in front of the mansion that I had pin pointed as Max's family home. I stared at the door as Luke squeezed my hand. We had dropped off the money at the hotel and came to the house. I walked to the front door and knocked, slightly timid.

"Hello, may I help you?" a woman asked as she opened the door and looked at Luke and me.

"I'm looking for Ms. Jameson. I need to speak with her," I told the woman. She nodded and let us in. She took us to a sitting room and left to get Ms. Jameson.

"Mother, who is Ms. Jameson?" Luke asked as he took a seat.

"Luke, please just be silent as I talk to her," I told him. He nodded as I took a seat. I played with my hands as we waited.

"Hello? May I help y'all?" a woman said as she walked in. She appeared to be about my age.

"Hello. Are you Ms. Jameson?" I asked. She nodded as she walked closer.

"Miss Abigail Jameson, and you are?" she asked.

"Samantha. You know a Max Jameson in California?" I asked.

"My brother. My mother shunned him, and I lost contact with him. Is my brother in some sort of trouble?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

"No, heavens no. I just wanted to introduce my son and myself," I said as brought Luke to me, "This is my son, Luke, and as I said, I'm Samantha. I'm your brother's wife," I told her. Her expression told me that she was trying to figure out what I had just said as I stood there silently.

"Where is Max?" she asked.

"At home. He doesn't know that I am here," I told her.

"Then why are you here?" an older lady said as she walked in. I took a step back.

"Mother!" Abigail said.

"Please explain to me why you are here, Samantha. Certainly, Max told you that I wanted nothing to do with him," Mrs. Jameson said. I nodded.

"He did. But I refused to let my husband be shunned by his family because of me," I said.

"Listen, dear, you must understand that you cannot come to a stranger's home and request something you don't know about," Mrs. Jameson said. I stood straighter as Luke stepped forward.

"My father is a respected man. It is truly a shame that you don't want to be part of his life or your grandchildren's life," Luke said. Abigail looked at her mother as she looked at Luke.

"That is very brave of you," Mrs. Jameson said. I stepped forward and took my son's shoulders.

"We will be leaving now. I am sorry to bother you," I said. I headed to the front door and shut it firmly.