Winston - Introduction
Magnus, Freddy and Mary saw the transport ambulance coming towards them from deep within the trees surrounding the driveway. They all sat up from where they were sitting on the lower patio and made their way around to the main entrance where the ambulance would be stopping. The driver reversed the vehicle up to the ramp to the right of the staircase that led up to the front doors. Mary and the brothers held their breath as the two back swinging doors were opened and the boys saw their cousin for the first time. The gurney was pulled at from the back and what looked like a huge mass of flesh only covered by a transparent white sheet was rolled out of the ambulance. The boys knew where to look, but Mary’s eyes kept searching for the face of the morbidly obese man in front of her – all she could see was a jiggling pile of fat that barely looked human. The crew rotated the gurney and before anyone had any chance to even greet one another, Winston was rolled up the ramp and into the mansion.
Winston had never seen such a splendid place before. His eyes opened wide and his mouth dropped at the wonders inside the ancient building. There was a moment of silence as he looked around until one of the ambulance crew spoke, “Where should we drop him off?”
Magnus stepped forward and replied, “Ah, yes, please follow me. Winston – I’ll be taking you to your new bedroom.”
Mary could see a gentle smile from underneath the oxygen mask that Winston was wearing. Freddy then said, “Mary and I will go into the parlor while you get settled. Welcome home.”
They moved their separate ways: Magnus, Winston, and the ambulance crew continued on to the gold elevator where they would escort Winston into his bedroom; and Mary and Freddy took a left and walked into the parlor.
Freddy let out a loud groan as he sat himself down on the couch. He had his left hand on his big round belly as if to steady it as he sat. Mary went over to the bar to make a drink. She saw that Freddy had already sat so she asked, “Would you like me to bring you over anything?”
He replied, “Oh yes, a double whiskey – one ice cube.”
Mary smirked, “The same drink Jim usually has, huh?”
He smiled back, “Yeah – I need something to just calm my nerves.” A long pause followed. Then he continued, “I mean: Winston. You saw him. He was not in good shape.”
Mary grabbed the drinks and went over to where Freddy was sitting. She replied, “Well, he’s about the same size as Jim and Emmitt – is it even surprising?”
“Well, yes. It wasn’t his size that was surprising. I expected that. It was his skin – all the sores, and just, how the fat settled about him. It’s pretty obvious he hasn’t received proper care in a long time. I-I don’t even think he’s left his bed until coming up here.”
Mary hesitated, then said, “I suppose I would have to look closer at him to determine really any of that.”
Freddy leaned back with his drink resting on the shelf that was his hard round belly as he said, “At least he will be getting proper care here.”
Mary then sat down with her drink and she asked, “How did you guys get in touch? I heard that you didn’t even know you had a cousin until a few months ago.”
He nodded, “Yeah, we didn’t even know he existed. It’s a long story, that. But for Winston’s sake, I am glad we found him.”
Mary lifted her drink and gently shook it in a circular motion as if to say, I have all the time in the world; so Freddy continued, “I guess it all started before we were even born. It was just our father and his older brother, who was Winston’s father, living in the mansion. Our father began putting on weight when he was only 13, and his brother, who happened to be named Jiminy as well, decided he wanted nothing to do with the situation. He turned 18 later that year – abdicated the throne and moved to Scotland. Our father never heard from him again. Apparently Winston was born in Scotland and was raised by his father – until he turned 17 and then was kicked out of the house on account of his size. I’m sure Winston could say more than I could about that situation. But, from 17 on – he lived in a small apartment alone. What he told me was that it was only the last 5 years of his life where he was completely immobile. The time before that he could at least move about the apartment.
‘To answer your question about how we got in touch: Winston began to research his ancestry. His father wanted nothing to do with the Leonharts when Winston grew up, so he knew nothing about his father’s side (OUR side). His father even changed his last name when he moved – he dropped the Leon and went with Hart. It was a common enough name to make him blend in. But that meant Winston didn’t even have the right name to search while looking up his ancestry. Eventually he found the plane that his father emigrated on, checked the manifest, and saw the name Leonhart. Once he had the right name, he found so much information – even our address here. He wrote us, explaining who he was and his situation. Magnus immediately wanted him to move in with us, but Jiminy was a bit more cautious. Winston had to prove he was our cousin before Jiminy let him move in here. It was simple enough – he took a DNA test. And that was conclusive: he was a Leonhart.”
Mary had finished her drink by the time the story had ended. Freddy saw this and gulped down his whiskey, handing the empty glass to Mary and nodding his head in a single motion to subtly ask if he could get another. She smiled and took the empty glasses over to the bar to refill them. While she was mixing her drink, Magnus came through the parlor doors. He looked exhausted and was waddling over with his cane to the couches, with much difficulty. Freddy looked over and said, “Do you want help Magnus?”
He huffed and said, “No, I’m almost there.”
He slowly lowered himself onto the couch, using his cane and the arm of the couch for support. Once seated, he lifted his hands under the fat of his belly to even out the fat across his lap; lifting one side and gently placing it down, then reaching under the other side and following suit. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief from his breast pocket and then, between labored breaths said, “Mary, would you mind?” As he made a drinking gesture with his hand.
Mary was still at the bar, so she said, “Sure. Whiskey?”
Magnus nodded. Then Freddy asked, “How was Winston? I mean, what was the shape of him?”
He sighed and said, “Well, it’s not very good. He hasn’t had a proper bath or shower in years. Sure, in-home nurses came over to do basic tasks for him, but the closest he got to a shower was being wiped down with soapy rags maybe once a week. He has a lot of skin infections from not moving, or from the moisture between his rolls not being taken care of, or bed sores in general – it’s just not a good situation. The doctor is in there now, and once he is done, Winston will finally have his first real shower in over 5 years.”
Mary handed the boys their drinks and said, “Poor Winston, being neglected for so long.”
Magnus nodded, “Oh it’s quite the tragedy. Especially knowing that, if his father had stayed with the family, he would have been fine; he never would have been able to get to the point he’s gotten to.”
The three of them changed the subject and spent the rest of the afternoon in the parlor while they waited to hear from the servants that Winston had been taken care of.
It wasn’t until the sun had gone down around 8:00pm when the parlor door opened. They were expecting an update from either the doctor, or even one of the servants, so they were surprised when the door opened and Winston himself was there. He was dressed in a dark red button down shirt and black pants (which were obviously Jiminy’s clothes), and he sat in a new motorized bariatric wheelchair made specifically for him. A servant had escorted him to the parlor and held the doors open as he maneuvered his wheelchair into the room. At first, the three of them stared silently, until Mary spoke up, “Winston, it’s good to see you! Please, come in.”
The boys snapped out of it and both greeted Winston and encouraged him to come and set his wheelchair by the couches with them. He had his round, fat fingers on the control mechanism of his wheelchair and the chair sporadically moved towards the couches, while Winston muttered swears under his breath at himself while he tried unsuccessfully to steadily roll over to where Mary and the boys were sitting. Freddy saw the difficulty he was having and stood himself up to help. He walked over behind the wheelchair and pushed it into position. Winston was grateful. Once he was next to the couches, Freddy helped him find the button to lock the wheels, and for the first time in decades – he was sitting with family. Winston spoke up, “Thank you – I haven’t really figured this thing out yet. I think I’m a bit too heavy handed on the throttle.”
Magnus replied, “Oh, Emmitt had a hard time with his when he first began using it. It just takes practice.”
Winston nodded. He looked over at his cousins and Mary and his eyes welled up with tears. He put his hand on the bridge of his nose and said, “I’m so sorry, it’s just…”, the tears began to silently fall down his fat cheeks, “…I haven’t had company in a very long time. Being here is just too good to be true.”
Freddy patted Winston’s hand with his and said, “We are glad you’re here.”
Mary handed Winston a small whiskey, and with tears still streaming down his face, he thanked her and gulped it down in one go. He closed his eyes and let out a big sigh as he said, “I just feel so much better. I mean, today – for the first time in years – I got a real shower. I was seen by an expert bariatric doctor. And, I finally have company. Not to mention these beautiful surroundings!”
They smiled at him. Magnus asked, “Have you had a chance to meet Emmitt or Jiminy yet?”
He replied, “No, not yet. I was actually surprised to find out one of you was named Jiminy – same as my father. I don’t really have any good memories with him though; the man tortured me over my size, so even the name Jiminy doesn’t really sit well with me.”
Freddy said, “Well, I’m sure our Jiminy is very different from your father. After all, he’s about your size, so you wouldn’t see him using your weight against you.”
Magnus seemed surprised and asked, “Your father never got big?”
Winston replied, “No. At least, not while I was around. I started putting on weight when I was about 11 or 12. I was terrified. As you all know, of course, the weight gain was not my fault. But for some reason, he couldn’t look at me, he didn’t talk to me… and when he did, I was something to be shamed and made fun of.”
Mary said sympathetically, “I’m sorry to hear that.”
Winston smiled and continued, “I know that I didn’t really help our relationship. He was so cruel about my weight that when I was about 15, I just had this rebellious urge to stick it to him, I guess. It manifested itself as purposeful gluttony. I would waddle out of my room, shirtless, just to bother him, and grab all the food I could from the kitchen. I spent hours every day just stuffing myself in my bedroom. I don’t know why, but I felt that, by overeating the way I did, was a way to get back at him for his cruelty. It turns out it didn’t help. I made my situation worse. He kicked me out when I turned 17, and by that point I must have been around 400 pounds. I had no money, no job. I was too fat to really work - so I had to move into government housing. I had a single room. Once or twice a week, groceries were dropped off by volunteers, and occasionally I was cleaned with wipes by nurses who didn’t bother to hide the fact that they thought I was disgusting. I’m actually surprised that I have lived as long as I have given the horrible care I received.”
“Well, you will never receive horrible care again.” Magnus continued, “This is your home now, too.”
“And I am indescribably grateful.” Winston replied; the tears beginning to well up in his eyes again. He seemed to compose himself quicker this time and he asked, “Emmitt and Jiminy… they don’t come downstairs to the parlor?”
Mary stayed silent as she didn’t know them very well. She had met Emmitt once, but Jiminy was a complete stranger. She had been a guest at Leonhart Manor for over two weeks now, at the behest of Phineas (who had a panic attack and left the mansion for fear of the size of his brothers); and Mary ended up staying. She enjoyed the company of Freddy and Magnus. She even enjoyed the few times she had spent with Emmitt. But, in a sense, she was still on a hypothetical waiting list to meet Jiminy. Being who he was, not many people were allowed into Jiminy’s room; and Jiminy himself, never left his room. He was royalty. His brothers were as well, but they weren’t The King. Jiminy was. Every introduction had to include, “His Royal Highness, King, Jiminy Leonhart II.” And Jiminy himself did not like the formality. He was very reclusive on account of his long history of being a public figure. And his brothers didn’t even like to introduce him to new people given all of the complications and variables involved. After a few seconds, Magnus answered Winston’s question, “Emmitt comes down occasionally. Although, as you can imagine it takes quite a while to get him ready to come downstairs. Jiminy doesn’t leave his bed chamber. I mean, there are a few instances where he will – but only if he has to. Usually, if he has to meet with someone, he will insist on them coming up to his room.”
Winston replied, “Does that apply to me? Do you think I will have to meet him in his room?”
Magnus said, “Yes, most likely. I don’t think he will feel comfortable coming down to the parlor. It’s been quite a few years since he has.”
Winston said, “Well, I would really like to thank him in person. I know it was ultimately his decision whether I could move in with you all or not.”
Freddy said, “I’m sure we can arrange that. Considering you and he are basically the same size, I will be surprised if Jim has any opposition towards meeting you.”
Mary rolled her eyes and Freddy added, “Whereas Mary here – Jim still hasn’t agreed to meet her.”
Winston asked, “Why not?”
“It’s out of basic fear,” Freddy continued, “in his mind, why would anyone want to see him; especially a beautiful woman.”
Winston said, “Well, Mary, you don’t look bothered by my size. And I am sure I am much more terrifying looking than Jiminy.”
Magnus replied, “That is actually right. Not to be insulting, but you haven’t been taken care of properly – which of course is not your fault.”
Mary looked down to the floor. She didn’t want to imagine what the flesh looked like under the dark red shirt Winston was wearing. She had an idea of what it looked like, but she was sure her imagination was not in alignment with the reality of his body. Winston noticed the awkwardness and said to Mary, “You-you know, don’t you?”
Gently biting her bottom lip she nodded. Then she said, “I mean, I don’t know exactly. I haven’t seen it. But we were given an update.”
Magnus volunteered, “I did tell them both about your condition after I left your room. Not to be rude, but to just inform them of the circumstances.”
Winston moved his hand as if he was shooing away a fly and he said, “Oh I’m not offended; with the amount of strangers that have had to see my body over the years, I certainly don’t mind my own family seeing it and discussing it. At least with you all I’m confident you weren’t making fun of me... believe me, the comments I used to receive from the social service employees…”
He trailed off and his eyebrows furrowed with the negative memories.
Magnus spoke up, “I’m very glad you are here with us now. I can’t imagine what you went through all alone over the years.”
Winston nodded. Then Freddy said, “Well, that is the past, and now Winston is with us.”
They all nodded and expressed agreement, then Freddy continued, “Hey, why don’t we have a toast? To the reunion of family.”
He wiggled to the edge of the couch and pulled himself up by pushing off of the arm of the sofa. Then, with his hard round belly resting on his hand, he waddled over to the bar and pulled out a chilled bottle of champagne. Then Mary stood up and walked over to him – knowing that he couldn’t carry the bottle, the four glasses, and his belly, at the same time. She grabbed the four champagne flutes and they both walked back to the couches. Freddy popped the cork and then gently poured the glasses full. Mary handed a glass to Winston and Magnus, then Mary and Freddy picked theirs up. All four of them lifted their glasses in the air as Freddy said, “To Winston. Welcome to Leonhart Manor!”
Then they sipped their champagne and continued to chat into the night.
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