Sonny's Ultimatum

"Well, you look a little better today," Mark observed as Hardcastle took a seat at the breakfast table. He turned away from the stove and divided up the scrambled eggs, hash browns and bacon strips between their two plates.

"I was fine yesterday too," grumbled the judge as he reached for the glass of juice Mark was placing on the table. As their hands touched, Mark noticed the temperature of his hand felt normal.

"Oh come on," Mark started sarcastically.

"What?"

"You've had a fever for the last 3 days and you know it, that's what!"

"How would you know?" was the only return grumble.

"I know everything judge."

"You do, do ya?"

"I can read you like a book." Mark shook his head and smiled as he sat down across from his friend. He would rather have this gruff response any day, than the quiet, lackluster comments he'd heard over the past few days. It was easy to tell the judge was feeling better, because he was arguing better. He'd already decided he would call Charlie Freedman, the family doctor if Milt wasn't any better this morning.

They ate in silence for a few moments, until Hardcastle broke the silence. "Thanks for stayin upstairs the past few nights" he said between bites.

"I thought you said you were fine," Mark just couldn't resist baiting him.

"I WAS fine, hotshot, but it was still nice that you stayed."

Mark paused, "you're welcome," he whispered.

"The eggs are good," Milt said as he attacked his breakfast hungrily.

"Eggs a la McCormick," Mark answered and they finished eating in silence.

As Mark placed the dishes into the sink, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it," he said quickly, wanting the judge to save his strength. He opened the door and his jaw dropped.

"Sonny? What're you doing here?" He glanced back toward the kitchen, and then exited the house to stand on the steps with his wayward father. He wasn't sure why, but he didn't want Hardcastle to know his father was here.

"What kind of a hello is that? I can stop in to see my own kid if I want," Sonny shot back.

"Yeah, okay." Mark paused, "That's nice."

"Listen Marky, have I got an offer for you," Sonny began.

"Oh no, here it comes."

"Listen, do you play poker?"

Mark stared at him, trying to figure out what he was up to. He finally smiled and shook his head, "yeah, I play poker."

"I got us into a game down in Fresno that'll run all weekend, it's…"

"Wait a minute," Mark put up his hands, "Sonny, I can't just take off with you to some poker game in Fresno."

Sonny stared at him in surprise, "It'll be okay with Hardcastle, I'm sure he wants you to get to know me better, I mean, the guy cares about you, ya know?"

Mark laughed, "what he wants is for me to stay out of trouble."

"If you ask him, I bet he'll say yes."

"I'm not gonna ask him Sonny."

"Sure you are, you wanna spend time with your old man, don't chya?"

"I do Sonny, but we'd have to leave tonight, and I can't leave right now."

"Why not?"

Mark shrugged, embarrassed to explain he didn't want to leave the judge so soon after his illness. Sonny would have a field day with that one. Instead, he said "Look, I'm sure you'll have fun. Maybe next time."

"Hey, if you don't wanna spend time with me, just say so," Sonny said angrily.

"It's not that, it's just not a good time right now."

"Offers like this don't come along every day kid."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that if you want to spend time with me, it's now or never."

Mark stood still, his emotions in turmoil. "Are you saying if I don't go with you, you won't be back?"

Sonny shrugged, "I need you down there."

"Why?" Hardcastle's voice broke into their conversation as he opened the door.

Mark shook his head and rolled his eyes. This was exactly what he didn't want.

"Because it's an invitation for two. If I don't being somebody, I don't get in," Sonny answered.

"So, you figured I'd just drop everything and go with you?" Mark asked.

"I figured you could leave the hedges until Monday," Sonny answered. "It's not exactly like you're doing anything important."

"Come in so we can talk about it," Hardcastle said and turned away from the door. His voice sounded tired and Mark followed him in quickly and stayed close until he was sitting behind his desk.

H&M

Hardcastle cleared his throat and then spoke to Sonny. "So, the facts are that you got an offer to play in this exclusive poker game, but you need to bring another player, so you came here to invite Mark. He said he couldn't go, so you told him that if he didn't, he wouldn't be seeing you again. That about sum it up?"

Sonny looked uncomfortable before he nodded.

"And this weekend trip does not involve any crimes?"

Sonny shook his head, "no crimes."

"No cons? No trouble of any kind at all?"

"That's right."

"Would you mind taking a walk around the grounds while I talk to Mark?" Milt asked.

"Sure," Sonny replied and headed toward the front door.

Mark glanced around the room, avoiding the judge's gaze for as long as he could, then their eyes met. "I woulda thought you'd jump at the chance to spend time with your dad," Milt began.

"Well, ya know, I've got a lot of things to do around here."

"We're between cases, and the hedges can wait."

"Judge, I can't just up and leave on a moment's notice, just because he shows up."

"Why the hell didn't you even ask me if you could have a few days off?"

"He can't just expect me to drop everything. You know what he said to me? It's now or never, that doesn't sound like he cares about me at all."

"He didn't say that until you told him no. Now, why did you tell him no? And I want a straight answer from you."

Mark sighed. He'd never been able to lie to the judge, and he didn't want to start now. "I didn't want to leave when you're sick."

"I'm fine! I thought we sorted that out over breakfast!" Hardcastle roared.

"This is the first day you haven't had a fever, and it's still morning. You don't know how you'll feel tonight."

"That's ridiculous McCormick!"

"No it's not."

"I got along fine for over 60 years without you ya know," Hardcastle stormed.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, and you trudged through 2 feet of snow for 2 miles in the dead of winter to get to school."

"I'm getting sick of your mouth kiddo!" Milt yelled.

"What else is new!" Mark yelled back.

"Having a little argument boys?" Sonny asked as he entered the room.

"Shut up!" Mark and Milt said together.

"It looks like this isn't such a happy home after all. What do you say Mark, are you in?"

"Sonny…." Mark exhaled and turned to Hardcastle, "judge…"

"He'll go," Hardcastle said quietly.

"Look judge, I know you're fine, okay, but it's not about you," Mark began. "It's about me. I wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything if I was away, because I'd be worried about what was happening here. You've had a fever for 3 days and I'm not sure you're better. And I know it's not life threatening or anything, but I wanna be around, especially at night. I know it's stupid, but that's the way it is. No matter what either of you say, I'm not going."

"So you'd rather stay here and babysit an old man instead of playing poker with your own father?" Sonny asked loudly.

"Be careful who you're calling old," Milt grumbled.

"Yeah," Mark answered.

"Well, you can't say I didn't try," Sonny told him. "It's your fault this time that things didn't work out between us.

"I do appreciate the offer," Mark offered.

"Now that you don't have a second person, are you still going to try to get into the game?" Milt asked.

"I can probably find someone between here and Fresno, you know me, I make friends easy."

H&M

Mark watched Sonny drive away and closed the door. "I'll start lunch," he called into the den on his way to the kitchen. When he was done he walked back into the den. The judge had moved to one of the recliners in front of the TV and switched it on. A commercial was playing, punctuated by Hardcastle's snores.

Mark smiled and shook his head. He reached for a quilt and spread it over his friend. "This is why I want to be here you old donkey," he whispered.

The End