Ch 10 Home

Sarah placed the lunch tray down on the bedside table. She had been checking on the newest ex con every hour and he'd been sleeping soundly since his arrival home early this morning.

"Time for lunch Mark," she said loudly as she placed her hand on his arm. McCormick opened his eyes and glanced around.

"Sarah? Did you say something?" he asked as he rubbed his eyes. She smiled to herself and shook her head. This one was sweet, she would have to watch herself.

"Sit up, it's time for lunch," she answered in a businesslike tone. Mark did as he was told and glanced around, eyeing the tray.

"Is that for me?" he asked in disbelief.

"Of course, who else would it be for?"

"You didn't have to bring it all the way up here. I could've come down to eat."

"First you have to prove you're going to eat, then we can talk about you coming downstairs," she answered. "Your pills are on the tray, I'm going to watch you take one of each."

Mark coughed, "you're kidding, right?"

"No, judge Hardcastle picked them up from the pharmacy and told me to make sure you took them."

Mark took the medicine as instructed, an antibiotic and a pain pill, then turned to pick up the sandwich, "this is great Sarah, thanks." She watched him quietly. Despite the banter, he only ate half a sandwich.

"You have to drink it all too, doctors orders," she reminded him as she pointed to the 2 large glasses of juice beside the tray.

"I'll do it," he answered and slowly finished first one and then the other of the drinks.

"That's better, but I'd be happier if you'd eaten a whole sandwich," she told him.

"Don't tell the judge, I'll do better next time," Mark whispered and lay back down. He struggled to get the pillow positioned again under his left arm. Sarah leaned over him to help pull it into place, then pulled the covers up so his shoulders were covered.

"Thanks Sarah," he whispered and drifted back to sleep. Sarah smiled and picked up the tray as she left the room.

H&M

"Guess what I figured out?" Hardcastle said to Sarah later that day.

"What?"

"McCormick hasn't been sleeping in the gardener's trailer."

She narrowed her eyes, "why in the world not?"

"Not sure yet, he spent one night in back of the truck."

"The truck? That couldn't possibly be comfortable your honor… why would he do that?"

"I don't know for sure, but I'm gonna find out," Hardcastle answered.

H&M

Mark opened his eyes and glanced around the neat room. He was in a guest room in the main house. A real bed felt nice. He glanced at the clock, 4:30 pm, then he got up slowly and located his clothes on a nearby chair and got dressed. He felt much better than he had at lunch. It was time to go down and talk to the judge and try to deflect as much blame from himself as he could. Hardcastle would probably make him leave, but maybe he could convince him not to send him back to prison.

H&M

Milt Hardcastle stared at the pile of mail on his desk. He was trying to concentrate on something other than the ex con currently occupying his guest room. He wasn't having much luck. He looked up at the knock on the door and saw his current project in the doorway.

"Feeling better?" Hardcastle asked, trying to keep his voice businesslike, despite the sudden warmth he felt at seeing McCormick standing up and looking almost normal.

"Yeah, thanks for letting me sleep and getting the medicine."

"Ah, that was nothing, you don't need to thank me for that."

"Well, most people wouldn't do half that for me..."

"You ready to tell me what's goin on?" Hardcastle asked, standing up. The man's color had changed and he started toward him.

"What do you mean?" Mark asked. He could feel himself weakening, and walked unsteadily down the 2 steps into the den, where the judge grabbed his good arm and steered him towards the couch.

"Sit" Hardcastle barked, "you should know better than to be standing around in your condition."

"Didn't know if I'd be welcome to sit," Mark told him when the dizziness stopped.

The judge shook his head, "just be straight with me, where have you been sleeping besides the truck? And why?"

"You're kidding! That's what you want to know? Judge I acted like J.J.'s accomplice, I need you to know that I wasn't. I haven't done anything to break our agreement, so please don't send me back to prison."

"McCormick, you rescued us, how can you possibly think I'd want to send you back to prison?"

"I'm a repeat offender judge, I could get sent back for anything, even just pretending to be on J.J.s side."

"Well, it's not gonna happen now. But I wanna know about your sleeping arrangements… now."

"Supper's ready your honor," Sarah announced from the door of the den. She paused to listen to the explanation.

"Okay, I couldn't sleep in the trailer because it just… made me remember being in prison. So I searched around in the garage and found a sleeping bag and slept on the ground the first few nights. Then, when it rained I slept in back of the truck." He paused, "well, they do call it the bed of the truck, don't they?" he smiled and shrugged.

The judge was smiling on the inside, but spoke in an even tone. "Let me get this straight. You felt like you could take one of my belongings without permission, and enter a vehicle of mine without permission, because the sleeping arrangements I gave you weren't up to your personal standards?"

McCormick swallowed, this was bad. "It wasn't like that at all judge."

"What was it like then?" Hardcastle's tone was gruff, to hide the fact that he was looking forward to what he was sure would be an entertaining explanation.

"Well, I figured since you were letting me use the sheets and blanket, which I didn't need, that you'd be willing to let me use the sleeping bag, which I did need," McCormick explained.

Sarah finally smiled, but inside she was laughing. She had to admit, this ex con was getting to her.

"You figured that, did you?" Hardcastle answered. He kept his face stern, but inside he was very amused. As he looked into the kids eyes though, he realized that what he saw there was fear. The kid honestly believed he might send him back to prison. In his topsy turvy world, people got sent to prison for saving others. It was then that he realized that unlike any of the other ex cons he had tried to work with, he had the power of life and death over this one. McCormick truly didn't want to go back to prison. He truly did intend to keep his word and that would make him an unbeatable Tonto.

"Well, I guess you figured right. I still don't see what's so wrong about the gardener's trailer, but when you're feeling better, we'll move you into the Gatehouse."

Mark's eyes widened, this was unbelievable, "thanks judge."

"If you two are done, supper's ready," Sarah repeated. They made their way to the dining room, and Sarah watched as the judge followed McCormick, staying close enough to catch him if the unsteadiness got any worse. But, he made it to the table, and Sarah was relieved that he seemed to be more alert after he sat down.

"You need to eat more than half a sandwich," Hardcastle lectured.

Sarah paused then, to consider both her behavior and the judges. She hadn't seen him display this much emotion in the past 10 years. This ex con had really gotten to him, and he'd gotten to her as well. She had to admit it. She wondered when she might admit it to him.

"Sarah wasn't supposed to tell," Mark answered as he filled his plate, "anyway, I'm starved."

"That's what you said at lunch," Sarah answered, "now let's see you prove it."

Mark shook his head, feeling like he was in some sort of corny movie. The judge and Sarah didn't talk very nice, but they sure were taking care of him. And now that he was going to be in the Gatehouse, maybe it would start to feel a bit like home.

"Ya still got that $20? The Lakers are playing tonight, since you slept all day, maybe we could watch it," Hardcastle asked as he dug into his meal.

"I'd like that judge...Hey, what're you doing?" Mark asked Sarah loudly as she removed his plate and began to cut up the meat."

"I don't need anybody doing that," Mark yelled.

"Shut up McCormick and let her do it, will ya? Or we'll never hear the end of it."

"All done, don't know why you have to make such a fuss," Sarah said as she placed the plate back in front of Mark. "All you have to do now is eat."

Mark's jaw dropped as he looked at the meat, cut into bite sized pieces. If this was what home was like, it would definitely take some getting used to.

"Thanks Sarah," he mumbled after a long pause.

"Your welcome."

The End