Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2021 01:01:13 +0000 From: David Greg Denton Subject: Mark and the Priest - part 4 Mark and the Priest – Part 4 Gay, Incest, Brothers * * * * Nine years later - Charlie had been a chaplain at Sisters of Mercy Hospital for about six months. This new chaplaincy had proven an interesting assignment so far, but it was a far cry from the jungles of South America where he had spent two years previously. He had helped a lot of people with his teaching there and now he felt the staff of SoMH was finally warming up to him. He was sitting at his desk preparing a homily for Sunday when he got a call from one of the nurses in the ICU. "Hello. Father Charles here." "Hi Father. I have a patient here that I think needs someone to talk to. He's homeless and has no family. Could you come to the ICU and talk to him?" "I'll be right over." He hung up and went to see the homeless man right away. "Thanks for coming so quickly, Father. He's in the last bed. His name is Mr. Clarke." "Thanks." Charlie walked to where the old man was lying and noticed that he was sleeping. There was something familiar about him. Could it be Mark?! Nah. When Charlie looked at his chart, it was confirmed that it was indeed Mark. But he wondered how he could look like a man old enough to be his father? His only hope for survival was a liver transplant. Charlie had to talk to Mark's doctor. He went to the nurse's station and asked, "Excuse me, could you tell me who Mr. Clarke's doctor is?" "That would be Dr. Greene." She directed him to the doctor's office. He knocked and heard a "Come in." "Hello, Dr. Greene. Do you have a moment to discuss Mark Clarke? "Of course, Father, have a seat. Let me see, Mr. Clarke came in in almost total liver failure. He has a rare blood type and even though he's been placed on the transplant list, it's unlikely he'll be able to get one before it's too late. Even if one is found, he has no family, he has no job, and he's homeless. There would be no one to take care of him when he was discharged. I'm afraid it doesn't look promising." "I'd like to be tested." "I'm sorry, tested for what?" "I know that part of a healthy liver can be transplanted." "You'd be willing to give up part of your liver to a total stranger?" "He's not a stranger. He's my friend. We went to high school together." "I think that's admirable, but that doesn't change the fact that he has no family and no home to recover in." "He can stay with me." "I don't think you understand. You'll need care as well." "I'll have a place to recover and he can come with me." "What about the expense?" "I have a trust fund I've never used. I think it's about time I dipped into it." "Well, Father, I guess you've thought of all the contingencies. So I'll set up the tissue test and let you know." "Thank you, Doctor." They both stood and shook hands. Charlie turned to leave. "Just one more question, if you don't mind my asking, Father." "Go ahead, Doctor." "This is an awfully big sacrifice to make for a friend." "I owe him." "That must be one big debt," she remarked. "You have no idea." Charlie went back to the ICU to visit with Mark. "Back so soon, Father?" The nurse asked. Charlie nodded. "Is he awake?" "I believe so." "Thank you." Charlie went back to see Mark and indeed he was awake. "Hello, Mark" Mark turned his head and looked at Charlie. "What are you doing here? If you came to give me last rites, you're too early. I'm not on my last leg yet." "I can see that. Besides, I remember that you weren't too keen on God the last time I saw you." "You got that right. I still hate him." "I'm gonna let that one go. Do you want to talk at all?" "Not with you." "Well, I'm afraid I'm the chaplain on duty here at the hospital so you're stuck with me." He sat down in the chair "Just my luck." He turned away from Charlie. "I'm trying to figure out how you got to this point in just a few years." Mark turned back to face him with hatred in his eyes. "After you left, I had nothing, no one. Dad drank himself to death. I was all alone. I started drinking to ease the pain. It worked for awhile, but then I lost my job and my apartment and all I had left was drinking. That's how I got to this point." "I am so sorry. Surely there was somewhere you could have gone for help." "There wasn't." "I know it would be easy to wallow in self-pity, but the chips were stacked against you from the start. It's not your fault." "You want to know whose fault it is? Look in a mirror, Padre," he said with disdain. "You said you loved me then left me for God. You left a flesh and blood man for something that doesn't even exist. You're a fool and I'm a drunk. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to be alone!" "Marky, I just want to let you know that..." "Don't call me that. You don't get to call me that... ever! Now get out!!!" he yelled. The nurse came running and told Charlie that he'd have to leave. Charlie got up and followed her to the nurse's station. "I'm sorry, nurse. I didn't mean to upset him. Mark and I are old friends. I'm afraid we didn't part on good terms." "Well, I don't think it's a good idea to see him again until he calms down. Maybe you could try again tomorrow?" "I will, thanks and sorry again for the disruption." "No problem. He's going through a tough time, no family, no job, no home and a liver that's failing. I'm sure he could use a friend right about now." "I'll try again tomorrow." Charlie came back the next day, and the next, and the next. Still, Mark would not talk to him. He heard back from the doctor and he was a perfect match for Mark. But the doctor wanted to meet with him in person. "Thank you for coming, Father Charles. There is something I think you should know." Charlie was worried, so he asked, "What's the matter, Doctor? You said I was a perfect match?" "You are, Father. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. You're not just a perfect match but a familial match. Do you know what that means?" Charlie had no idea so he shook his head. "You and Mr. Clarke are related, most likely brothers. Did you know that you were adopted?" Though Charlie was in shock, he still managed to answer, "Yes, my parents adopted me after their daughter died. But I don't understand. How can we be brothers? I mean, we're the same age?" "My guess is that you're twins, fraternal not identical. You really didn't know you had a brother?" "No, of course not. Our upbringings couldn't have been more different," Charlie said as he shook his head trying to make sense of the news. "I'm sorry, this is all a bit of a shock. I'm going to need time to process it," Charlie said as he got up. "Completely understandable, Father," Dr. Greene replied as she stood too. "You do still intend to donate, don't you?" "Yes... yes, of course! He's my brother." "Good. I'll keep you informed as to the next steps. We'll need to do this soon, okay?" "Yes... of course." A still stunned Charlie shook the doctor's hand then as he was about to walk out of her office, he turned and said, "Please don't tell Mark that I'm his brother. I'd like to do that myself." "As you wish, Father." Charlie walked out into the hallway and that's when it hit him. He was walking into a whole new reality. One where he had a brother. A brother he had slept with, fallen in love with and who now hated him. He wasn't sure what God had planned for them in the future but he had faith that there was a plan even if he couldn't see it yet. He debated telling his parents about his newly discovered brother, but after much debate, he decided to keep it to himself for the time being. In the meantime, he arranged for everything to be done anonymously. Mark would never know that his new partial liver came from his brother Charlie. He decided to go see Mark. "I hear you got a donor match, Mark. That's good news. Of course, you'll never be able to drink alcohol again, but I'm sure you'll make the most of your second chance. I'm going to be there with you. I want to make sure you make it through okay. Then I'll leave you alone after that. You'll never have to see me again. I just have to make sure you're alright before I go. Okay then. Get a good night's sleep and I'll see you tomorrow." Charlie got up to leave when he heard Mark say, "Why?" Charlie stopped and turned around. "Why what, Mark?" "Why are you doing this?" "Doing what?" He hoped that Mark hadn't found out from the doctor somehow. "Talking to me. After the way I treated you," Mark asked. Charlie gave a little chuckle. "I deserved everything you said and if anything happens, I don't want to leave things the way they are. I'd like it if we could bury the hatchet, just preferably not in my back." That got a chuckle out of Mark. "Now there's a little of the old Mark." "Yeah well, don't expect to see him again," Mark said and turned away from Charlie effectively dismissing him. Surgery was scheduled for the next day, so Charlie visited Mark before he went up. "Everything is going to be fine, Mark. I'll be there the whole time, okay?" "Just don't pray for me. That would piss me off." "How about I don't tell you one way or the other?" "Ass." "Mule," Charlie said then prayed a silent prayer as he walked away. He had to be prepped for his part in the transplant surgery as well. The surgery lasted several hours but went very well. Both patients came through with flying colors. They were moved to recovery and once they were stable, they were moved to separate rooms. Charlie was moved to a private room where his parents were allowed to see him. His mother stayed by his side, holding his hand until he woke up. His father sat in the other chair, reading a magazine. "Thanks for coming," Charlie croaked out. "We came as soon as we got word. What have you done, Honey?" "Hopefully, I've saved a life." "Mark's." That one word held plenty of reprehension. "Yes, I did it for Mark and I'd do it again. I hurt him. I owed him." "Not your life, Dear. Surely you see that." "I saw the man I loved, and that I hurt, dying. I had to do something." "Son, we always liked Mark despite where he came from and what his circumstances were, but you could have died on that operating table." "Then I would be in heaven right now, with the Father. That wouldn't be so bad, don't you agree?" He had put them on the spot. If they disagreed, they were hypocrites. If they agreed, then it truly was in God's hands. They had no other choice but to agree. "Son," his father began, "do you have a place to stay while you recover?" "I was kind of hoping I could stay with you and Mom." He smiled his famous "Charlie smile" and they smiled too. "Of course, you can. We'll hire a private duty nurse. Don't worry, we'll take care of everything." "Thanks, Dad, you're the best." They left to let him sleep and went home to make the arrangements. (to be continued in Part 5)