Alright! Here's the new chapter. If it were not for the stats option, I wouldn't have known if anyone has even looked at this story. It sure seems like nobody really reads it or would have seen my request to let me know what they think. That is why, this time, I am not even gonna ask for a review.
Story turns a dark left now. And I have no idea when I will write the next chapter. I also have no idea how long the story is gonna be or if I am going to put myself through more troubles or just make my life easy, once and for all! You will find out soon as I do!
Happy reading!

Chapter 22

I have no idea how next coupla days went by. I was tired most of the time and kept sleeping or dozing off. Worst part of having Hepatitis was the absolute lack of energy. Even if I wanted to I could not provide any help to Potter and his minions.

Radar and Klinger found me as much printed material as they could. Finally, after two days, I had read two of Col. Potter's Zane Grays and Radar's collection of comics. I had run out of things to do and had all but slept out. There just wasn't one damned thing that I could do and everybody was catching up with their sleep after the latest session in the OR so no visitors either!

Finally, I picked the knife from me lunch tray and started scraping blood out of my boots. How many patients had I worked on during the last sixteen months? They were definitely more than I had worked on during my residency and the year of my fellowship I had the good luck to finish before I got drafted.

It was getting really cold around here and I needed the stove to be turned on. Or was it a heater? Whatever this thing was, it sure did not make much heat. Radar was here earlier to tell me that he was going to bed. That was a few hours back, of course. Maybe I could wake him up? Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Enter!" I said loudly. A new face again. They all looked new to me unless they had the pleasure of playing poker with me, or getting drunk with me, or were under my knife. I think except me, Margaret and Radar, everybody was new.

"Sir, your mail." He handed me a package and a letter. I decided to check the letter later. Of course it was from dad. That was a no-brainer. Package was from dad too. It had a pair of warm gloves, three pairs of winter socks and a pair of long johns and packed among all of them was a bottle of brandy. Good ol' dad. There was also a couple of books. Now it was time for the letter.

What the ...

It was not dad's writing. It had the return address saying Crabapple Cove, ME. And that was all. Something was not right. NO! Something was terribly wrong. Suddenly my heart filled with dread and fear I had not known in all this time here.

This couldn't be...

He couldn't be!

Writing on the letter was unfamiliar so I scanned at the bottom for the name of the sender. It was from Uncle Jim. Dad's best friend.

I felt my heart stop as I started reading.

Dear Ben,

How are you? I am writing you this letter because Daniel refused to. Don't worry, he is alive and well. He just left a few minutes ago. We had dinner together. I know its not my place to tell you what to do and what not to do, especially when it comes to your father. But Daniel is like a brother to me and you know that too. That gives me a right to look out for him and I hope that you understand and not take anything negatively.

This has to do with Olivia. I think your father told you about her in one of his recent letters. Olivia moved into Stuarts' a few weeks back. More like a couple of months now, I think. She and your father hit it off right away. I was happy for him, just like everybody else who has known him over his lifetime. We all know what he went through when your mother died. He stopped living his life just so he could take care of you. I remember when he met Meredith a couple of years after your mom's death. You were not ready and he did not push you about it and just stopped seeing her. You were always his first priority. You were young then, I know! But what about now? You are not young anymore. Why did you stop her from finding happiness again?

He did not tell me what you told him, really. He never mentioned what you said or did not say on the subject, about her! But the way he was reminded me of Meredith. He looked tired and lonely. His look reminded me of all those years ago, of your reaction towards Meredith and his refusal to let you down. Or not be there for you! But can't you see, you are so far away. He has been alone over half his life now. Do you really love him? And if yes, why are you being so selfish? You are not twelve anymore. And he is all alone. And lives in constant fear of your not coming back. When he received that damned telegram telling him of your death, I saw him wither. It was worse than when he lost your mom. Can't you see? The man needs a break. He needs someone now, more than ever. Back then, he had you! Now I know you two are very close and he treats you like the same little kid you were when your mother died but YOU know you are not ten anymore. Why not cut him lose? Give him a break? Has he ever asked anything of you? Please, son! Even if you don't want to, just let him try and find someone he can share life with. Just let him be happy, son. He does not deserve this. He definitely did not deserve to lose his wife. And now you are in a war. And he is scared and alone. So please, Ben! I know you. You are above this selfishness! Do for your father what he did for you. Lethim be happy this time, like he let you be happy all those years ago. Make him your first priority like he has always made you his!

But I fear I might be too late. I have seen Olivia. She has aged. So has your father. I don't know what he has told her. But I know, he is avoiding her. I have told Dan he is an idiot! I also told Dan he did not need your permission or approval. But he thinks he does. So do the decent thing. Tell him to do what he wants and tell him to just be happy. This is a request from me for a friend I have seen lose more than his share. He loves you too much. Maybe its time you loved him back.

I am sorry for being so rude and for invading in your personal life but I don't want him hurting anymore. Not from you!

I hope you are doing well and am looking forward to your safe return and our poker games and fishing trips.

You take care and get back safe and sound.

Dan needs you. And so do we. The town is waiting for its new doctor so the old one can retire.

Looking forward to seeing you again, kid!

Yours,

Lovingly,

Uncle Jim.

What was he talking about? And why was he talking about it? About dad? He was talking as if I had condemned dad to some terrible fate. And why did dad not talk to me? He had written me once after the letter in which he told me about...yeah, Olivia. And in that letter, he had been quiet about her and I figured maybe he did not want to talk about her. I would have asked but written word has a way of coming out wrong if the other person is not at the same wavelength as you. So what was the whole deal about this permission? The only explanation was that he never got my letter telling him to go and have a life and fun and happiness.

I had hated the war with a passionate vengeance. And now it was hating me right back, giving me yet another reason to be mad, angry, lousy. With no work to do, no activity to take my mind off of the whole damned business, it was just too hard, too much to deal with. And now dad was distant too. Was it just me or life really took a wrong turn last few months?

And what was I going to do about dad?

Why did everything had to go wrong at the same time?

And why everything needed urgent, priority attention?

All my life, when things went bad, I had at least someone or in case of the still, something to fall back on. But right now, I did not have dad, I did not have school, work, Trapper, BJ, or the trusted still. Life was not so easy anymore!

Why the hell was I here?

And when would it ever become easy?

PS: I am in the process. not exactly a block because I have the whole summary/outline on my computer. Its more like filling in the details and staying true with the timeline I have set/am going to set. And then, there is the slight problem of me not having a lot of free time. I am beat right now. So I am going to hit the sack. I think I might be posting a new one by the end of the week. So hang in there!