If You Could See What I See: Missing Scene.
(This takes place between when an injured Mark is found and the ending pool side segment.)
"Hey Judge." Marked smiled, somewhat weakly at his friend, as Milton Hardcastle walked into the small hospital room. "Doc says I can leave today." His grin grew wider, causing the judge to smile too.
"Are you sure you're ready kiddo? You still look a little pale. Maybe I should talk to the doctor just to make sure it's a good idea." Hardcastle turned to the door.
"Come on judge. One more day in this place and I'll nuts." Mark whined.
"More like drive the hospital staff nuts." Milt mumbled.
"Huh?" Mark pushed himself up a bit in the bed, wincing at the pull from his recent bullet wound.
"Nothing….Just thinking that you won't be driving for a while. Maybe we should take your car in for a tune up or something while you're recuperating."
"That's okay. I'll take care of it later. It'll give me something to stay busy with since I won't be able to do the hedges or mow the back 40 for a few months." Mark stated, thinking he might get a bit of a rise out of the older man.
"Yeah, you're right. I guess I'll have to get someone to come in and take care of that....and the pool too." The older man said thoughtfully.
Marks eyebrows flew up into his tousled hair. Maybe his being injured had affected the judge more than he thought. Millie said that the judge had been worried. But Mark had told her, 'Who...that old goat? Nah, he just wants to make sure his slave labor is still able to slave that's all.' Of course Mark was just joking. It was the same old argument he threw out there to get the judges mind off of a stressful case or to just get the old man riled up. It was a sure fire way to get the old heart pumping with out the strain of gorilla ball. "Maybe Millie knows someone who can help out." Mark said softly. He couldn't help but wonder what his injuries might do to his position on the estate. Would the judge still need his Tonto? Would Hardcase replace him? Mark knew that he wasn't the first person to fill the role of sidekick to the judge's Lone Ranger, but he had lasted the longest...but, would this last episode be enough for the judge to rethink their partnership? "Judge, I think I can still manage the pool...I can do it one handed." Mark offered. But Milt, still in thought, waved off the offer. "I'm going to talk to the doctor. I'll be back in a few minutes." The older man stated before leaving the room. Mark sat in his bed looking a bit lost as the door closed.
H&M H&M H&M
The Chevrolet purred as it made its way down the winding drive that lead to the estate. The whole trip made in silence as both men sat in thought. Mark, worrying about not being needed and having to prove himself all over again to the judge, and Milton, going over the instructions from the doctor regarding prescriptions, cleaning of the wound, and the dos and don'ts for his young charges recovery.
"You just stay in the truck and I'll come around and help you out." The judge stated as he pulled up in front of the house.
"Judge I can...." Mark was silenced by the stern look and the finger pointed at him. The judge opened the passenger door and Mark practically pouted. "You gonna carry me to the gatehouse too?"
"No smartass, I'm going to help you into the main house. Millie would have a fit if you weren't close enough for her to see too....and I would never hear the end of it from Sarah."
Mark looked pleased. "You told Sarah?"
"Of course I told Sarah. She's family. Family should know about this type of thing." The judge watched the smile spread across Marks face. The kid was practically glowing. And the older man had to admit that it looked darn good on the kid.
"I smell cookies." Mark commented as the judge helped the still weak man up the front steps. "Chocolate chip cookies." As if on cue, Marks stomach gurgled loudly. He looked sheepishly at the judge who was now staring at him. "Sorry. Guess I'm a little hungry for some real food. I'm tired of Cream of this and Cream of that."
"Too bad kiddo, Millie's making cream of chocolate chip cookies. She said something about you sipping it through a straw." The older man laughed at the green tint that made its way across Marks features. "Come on let's get you inside and off of your feet. You're not looking so good there."
As they walked into the entry way, Millie came out of the kitchen wiping off her hands. "Mark! How are you feeling?" Then before he had a chance to answer, she turned her attention to the judge. "Why don't you help Mark out to the patio. He looks like he could use a bit of sun and something to eat. I'll fix up a snack while you get him settled." Before either man could answer, she was hustling back to the kitchen.
Mark beamed at the judge. "She's good. I told you she was good didn't I? Yep, she's worth every penny." Mark continued to praise Millie as the judge lead him to the poolside patio. "Just think if she wasn't here, you'd be the one bringing me my snack."
"You wouldn't be getting a snack...and you wouldn't be lounging by the pool like some overgrown heat seeking lizard either." Milton teased in his gruff way as he sat down next to his friend. He noticed Mark wincing in the bright sun. "Too bright for you?"
The young man shrugged a bit. "I guess I've gotten used to being inside." Before Mark could question the older man's actions, Milton was off and running. He came back shortly with Marks favorite hat and sunglasses. "Thanks...but you didn't have to do that."
The judge waved him off.
Mark shifted a bit trying to get comfortable. If he had to be honest, he was a bit tired from the trip home and the short walk to the patio...but he would never admit that to the judge. Even though it wasn't said aloud, Milt noticed.
"Rest up kiddo. As soon as you're strong enough you're going to have a long list of chores to catch up on." Judge said with a slight smirk at Marks shocked expression.
Mark peeked over his sun glasses at the judge. "But....I thought that you said that you were going to have someone to come in and take care of things."
"Oh I am, but you're going to have to work to pay for them. I've got it all figured up....and you'll have to work about 4 months to pay off the crew that will be coming in for the next few weeks." Again he grinned at Marks imitation of a gold fish.
"Crew?....What do you mean crew? I meant one person judge....You only have one person doing it now, so you should only hire one person.....and I can tell you right now that I'm not paying for a crew."
"The best thing is they don't speak English. So I don't have to listen to them complain like I have to listen to you complain." The judge added as Millie walked out onto the patio with a plate warm hot cookies and a pitcher of milk.
"Do you know how to say Donkey in Spanish?"
"Alright boys…." Millie intervened, before turning to Mark. "Let me look at the dressing and see if it needs to be changed.
"It's ok Millie. They just changed it before I left the hospital."
"That may be so Mark, but you've been moving around a quite a bit. I just want to make sure it hasn't started bleeding and that the dressings are still clean."
Mark looked to the judge for help, but gave in at his nod. "Ok....but you don't have a weak stomach do you?"
"I can assure you that I've seen much worse. Now let me help you off with your shirt." She carefully slipped the cotton shirt off of his shoulder, as only one arm was actually through a sleeve and the other was underneath, safely ensconced in a sling. Millie checked the bandages with ease and nodded approvingly at what she found. "Don't worry Mark." She whispered in his ear. "He only hired one man and he did get a good deal on the quote. Manny is a friend of mine and he owed me a few favors."
"So he is a crazy old donkey." Mark grinned at the judge, as he palmed a cookie from the plate. Millie arched a brow at him as he took a healthy bite.
Looking back at the milk and cookies, Millie said, "Oh, I forgot the glasses. I'll be right back." Then pointing to McCormick. "You behave."
"Yes ma'am." Mark said, taking another bite of his cookie and smirking at the judge. When Millie was out of earshot, he said to the judge. "Whole crew huh?"
"Well, maybe it was just one guy." Milt said, reaching for a sweet treat. He had to admit, he would have hired Millie for her cooking alone.
Then becoming serious. "You know judge, I'm really sorry I got hurt."
"Where's that coming from? You didn't ask them to shoot you." Milt said around a mouth full of gooey goodness.
Mark focused on the half eaten cookie he was holding. His mind was going over the events of the night as it had everyday since the shooting. I was so sure that he had missed something that had resulted in being shot. "Yeah, but I could've tried a little harder I think….maybe paid a little more attention….I feel like I messed up."
"No kiddo, I'm the one who messed up. I should have never sent you into that kind of situation with out any kind of back up. I should have taken Millie a little more seriously." Milt finally admitted what had been silently gnawing at him since the kid had gone missing. It felt good to have it out in the open.
"Well, if you won't let it be might fault, then I can hardly let it be your fault….so what do we do now?" Mark asked, his eyes no longer on the cookie, but taking in the judges expression, unconsciously trying to read the older man.
Sensing the insecurity in the younger man, the judge's fatherly instinct came out in full force. He fought to rein it back as much as possible, not wanting the younger man to get the wrong impression. "Well, the way I see it, we only have one choice. We take a few weeks off while you get better. Then we hit 'em hard and heavy. They'll never know what hit 'em." The judge grinned from ear to ear. At the dopey grin on the kids face, Milt figured he had said the right thing. He wanted to let the kid know that he trusted him no matter what, without getting all sappy about it. "You did good Mark."
"Thanks judge….that means a lot." Mark blushed, at the unexpected compliment. "So, what are you going to do while I'm….soaking up the sun like an overgrown lizard?" He grinned, the McCormick smile was back.
"Going through case files…and I guess playing Tonto. Someone's got to do the leg work while you're laid up."
Mark grinned, as did Millie who had been trying to give the two men some space. Seeing that the male bonding session was over she came out of the house with the glasses. "Now, who wants milk?" Both men raised their cookie filled hands as their mouths were too full to answer.
The End.