From the last chapter:
I hope that he does it and that it works because I want my old Mike back, but until that happens I will have a protective shield up for both myself and Mr. Mike. Just got off the phone with Marty, who is also suffering because Mr. Mike does not want to be anywhere near Mike, also I told Marty that I feel like Mr. Mike is more of a dad than my real dad was to me. So I guess its son protecting dad. But let's get back to Mr. Mike and Marty, or should I say the sudden stop of dating between Marty and Mr. Mike.
Mr. Mike's POV:
I really began to enjoy Marty's company and companionship. The problem was his son, Mike. In the back of my mind were those comments that Mike made concerning my guide dog as well as his actions towards Mark.
After acting like a grown-up and explaining to the school why I was on extended leave after my baby brother's death by Mike. He than did a complete 180 degree turn stating very coldly that he wished that something would happen to my guide dog. Soon after that something did happened to my guide dog when he was shot by a pellet gun leaving him unable to work anymore due to being partial blinded in one eye. After having guide dogs for over 30 years I now felt lost without traveling with one.
One day while I was having lunch with Marty I asked him if he thought that Mark would like to move in and help me out. Mark would help me with shopping by driving the car I won in a raffle that was insured and just sitting in the garage. Marty thought that Mark would enjoy this since he liked to work to earn his own money.
After we finished eating lunch, I asked Marty to please join me in my office. We started down the hall with the tapping of my white cane as we walked (oh how I hate to use my white cane). After Marty was seated in the office, I decided to be blunt and to the point with Marty. "I really enjoy being around you Marty, but I am afraid of Mike after my guide dog was shot in the eye following his comment that he wished something would happen to the dog, therefore I suggest that we stop seeing each other", I stated with a frown on my face.
Even though I could not see his face, I hoped and trusted that Marty understood where I was coming from. There was silence for a few minutes and then he asked for my sister's phone number. He said he thought that both Mike and he needed family therapy, as well as Mike receiving private counseling with my sister Marie. We talked some more than he had to head back to his class.
I was just not feeling all that well physically after our talk (I have been having gall bladder attacks), so I sent a note to Mark asking if he was available to drive me home. Since Mark was on Advanced Study (class credits that could be transferred to a college) he had no problems getting excused.
The two of us went home and once we arrived Mark called my doctor who asked him to take me to the University of Maryland Hospital and to meet a Dr. Park there. Mark kidded me saying," Mr. Mike, you are like a little kid when it comes to being ill"
My response was to tell him that I never liked to be ill. He than shocked me by asking if was ok for him to call me dad. This coming out of the blue shocked me, but at the same time made me very proud that he would even consider me to be a father figure.
We arrived at the hospital and Mark told the admitting nurse to page Dr. Park as he was expecting us. When the doctor arrived and examined me he stated that I would have to stay overnight, and that he would remove my gall bladder the next morning. He explained he would be using four small cuts instead of one large one. Dr. Park, then turned to Mark and said, " If you want to stay overnight with your dad it's ok by me, and you will be able to take him home around noon tomorrow."
I know I had a big smile on my face when he said that and I hoped Mark did also after Dr. Park had called him my son. I did ask him if he had a date with Mike or any other plans to go ahead and enjoy himself. He told me Mike was going to have to start from scratch with him. He further stated that Mike was supposed to see a counselor about his temper. He felt that this was necessary before they started to get serious again.
The next thing I remember was being given a shot for the pain, and waking up after the surgery to Mark calling me dad, and that made me feel better even though I felt like shit. After being discharged we headed back to our condo and our beds especially since I do not think that Mark slept too well in the chair in my room while at the hospital.
In II-11 and II-12 we have Marty's POV, Mike and Marie's POV as the school year ends. Part III-1 will start again in late July or early August once football practice starts.