H&M ch 7 Stuck

Milt began to speak then, low and slowly. "You aren't just the hired help McCormick."

"You don't have to say anything ju…"

"You're family kiddo. Plain and simple. An I'm sorry for how I treated you."

Silence.

Mark froze, a questioning look on his face. "What?"

Milt smiled as he realized how much better he felt. Not only that he'd gotten the apology out, but that he'd finally told the kid how he felt.

"I never wanted to say it before, because I thought it would go to your head, maybe get you into trouble. That was stupid."

"I'm not hearing right… I must be sicker than I thought," Mark whispered and closed his eyes.

Milt smiled.

"There's no need to apologize judge," Mark began, hoping to get things back on more familiar ground. "I've been taking care of myself since I was 12. I shouldn't have expected you to care what happens to me, no one else does. Anyway, you were here all night. If you did owe me anything, I think you're paid up."

Throughout the speech, Mark kept his eyes closed, he looked exhausted. Milt watched the monitor readout; the temperature was 101.4 and pulse was 108.

"You just rest, you've still got a ways to go. But while you're resting, you think on this…I do care, and sooner or later I'm gonna make you believe that."

H&M

Over the next several hours Mark's temperature returned to normal and he fell into a natural sleep. Hardcastle waited close by for each new bulletin on Mark's condition, and was gratified that the improvement was steady. Each time McCormick woke up he seemed stronger.

"I'm thirsty," Mark whispered when he opened his eyes at 10 am.

Hardcastle offered some ice chips on a spoon. "You really don't have to stay," Mark said as he took the ice.

"Sure I do. I got some more things I need to tell you."

"Like what?"

"Like, the next time I start acting like an idiot, you need to tell me! Shake me if you have to, but make me understand!"

"Is that before or after you threaten to send me back to prison?" Mark answered angrily.

Hardcastle paused, then continued in a soft voice, "any time kiddo. I'm real ashamed of the way I acted. Family is supposed to take care of each other."

"Hardcase, this guilt is making you say some crazy things."

"Maybe it's not so crazy. I never expected to feel like you're family, but I do." He paused, then continued on loudly, "I didn't choose this to happen you know! We weren't supposed to be friends! I'm just as surprised as you are!"

"So now you're yelling at me during this apology?" Mark asked in an amused tone, suddenly feeling happier than he had in an incredibly long time.

The judge calmed down. "Well, it's just that you don't usually have a choice of who your family is. You're just stuck with them. And, I didn't really have a choice with you. It just happened."

"So that's what you are now? Stuck with me?"

"Yeah, I guess I am."

Mark swallowed hard. "Goes both ways ya know."

"Huh?"

"I get stuck with you too, judge. And that's a pretty good deal."

Milt leaned back in the chair and sighed contentedly, suddenly very tired.

"I already listed you as my family you know," Mark continued.

"I know," Hardcastle said softly.

"I was afraid if something bad happened, they wouldn't let you in or tell you what was going on. They can be sticklers about privacy when they want."

Milt would have answered, except that the lump in his throat made it impossible.

Suddenly, a nurse appeared on the other side of the bed. "I'm Cindy, your nurse, how are you doing?"

"Not too bad."

"How's your pain on a scale of 0 to 10, zero is no pain and 10 is the worst you can imagine?" she asked as she lifted the sheet and checked the dressing.

Mark paused, "6 I guess, an I'm cold."

Milt stood up, alarmed by the change in Mark's tone of voice. He followed as Cindy motioned him toward a metal cabinet. She removed a heated blanket and gave it to him. "I'll get him something for pain and you can put this on him," she directed. She knew that it was important to have family involved in the patient's care if they wanted to be, and she felt that the judge needed to help.

Milt took the blanket, glad for something practical to do that didn't involve speaking. He spread it over Mark and pulled it up to cover his shoulders.

Cindy returned quietly, "I just put some medicine for pain into the IV tubing, you should start feeling better soon," she told her patient.

"Thanks."

"She's gone already kiddo," Hardcastle told him, resting his arm on the side rail of the bed.

"I meant thanks for the blanket judge, feels good."

Milt paused, then answered in a gruff voice, "stop talking and get some rest."

Mark smiled and sighed as he closed his eyes.

Seconds passed and turned into a minute.

Milt shook his head and smiled, "it's about time you started doing what I say."

The End