Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2021 22:55:22 +0000 From: David Greg Denton Subject: Mark and the Priest - part 5 Mark and the Priest – Part 5 Gay, Incest, Brothers * * * * "You're being discharged tomorrow Mr. Clarke. I'm sending you home with instructions for postop care and..." "Let me stop you right there. I don't have a home. I was staying in a shelter until I was brought in here." "All the arrangements have been made. You'll have a private duty nurse who will look after you and make sure you know how to take care of yourself once you're on your own." "Doctor, I don't have the money for all that," Mark said looking truly puzzled. "It's all been taken care of by the same anonymous donor that gave you your new liver." "Who would do something like that for a total stranger?" "There are some very generous people out there, Mr. Clarke. Now if you have any further questions, you can always ask the nurse. I have to go, but you take care, okay? You have a second chance at life; don't blow it." "Thank you, Dr. Greene," Mark said and she left. Mark was able to recover in record time. He even had an apartment and a job thanks to the anonymous donor. It was time to turn his life around. He still wouldn't thank God for his survival and present circumstances, but he did plan on thanking his benefactor someday. Meanwhile, Charlie was not faring so well. As it turned out, during the time he spent in the jungle teaching, he had contracted a parasite that was affecting his ability to heal. He was not recovering as quickly as his doctor had hoped. It had been two weeks since the surgery and he was still unable to get out of bed and walk on his own. He required assistance with everything. "I don't understand, Doctor. Why isn't he getting better?" Charlie's mother asked her. "We've done some tests and believe he may have contracted Chagas disease while in South America. It appears to have damaged his heart. We're doing everything we can to make him comfortable." "How could this happen, Doctor?" "There's no way to screen for the disease in this country once the parasite had been eradicated from the body which we believe was done while he was there. I'm afraid we're going to have let nature take its course." That wasn't what his parents wanted to hear, but there was nothing they could do about it. It was in God's hands. * * * Mark came into see Dr. Greene for his follow up. She was not in the office, but he was ushered in anyway and told to have a seat. His file was on her desk and curiosity got the better of him, so he turned the file around and opened it, looking for the name of the donor. He was astonished when he read the name, Charles McMannis. He left before Dr. Greene had even gotten to the office and took a cab directly to the McMannis house. He hesitated to ring the bell. It had been a lifetime since he was there last. He wasn't sure how Charlie's mom and dad would greet him, but he had to man up and do it. He placed his finger on the button and pushed. "Yes?" said the maid when she opened the door. "Is Charlie at home?" "May I say who's calling on him?" "Mark Clarke." "Please come in, Mr. Clarke. Wait here please." She directed him to stay in the foyer, then she went into the back and a moment later Mrs. McMannis came out. "Mark. What brings you here today?" "I came to see Charlie. Is he at home?" "Yes, he is, but he's not well enough to receive visitors." "I don't understand. I've been up and around for a couple of weeks now." "Come into the living room, won't you?" She led him into the formal living room and sat down. He sat across from her. "I take it you know that he was the donor." He nodded. "As it turns out, Charlie contracted a very nasty parasite in South America that damaged his heart. If he recovers, it will be a long road." "If?" Max asked with tremendous concern. "Yes, I'm afraid so. I think he'd like to see you now that you're here, but there are some things I'd like to say to you first." Mark didn't know what was coming, but he knew Mrs. McMannis well enough to know that it wasn't going to be good. "Charlie put his life on the line for you because he still loves you. I wanted you to know that because he may choose not to tell you that. He may never be the healthy young man that he once was. We can blame it on the disease or on the surgery, but truth be told, we may never know which one is causing his debilitation. Please don't upset him with any self-recrimination. It won't do either of you any good. Have I made myself clear?" "Yes, Ma'am." Then she motioned for him to go upstairs. Mark knew the way by heart and when he got to Charlie's door, he knocked softly. "Come in." Mark opened the door to a stunned Charlie. "Hi there. Bet you didn't expect to see me, did ya?" "No I didn't. How did you get past my mother, `the Enforcer'?" "I had to be frisked, take a series of tests, and sign away my first born." Charlie chuckled and said, "That sounds about right. What brings you by? I thought you never wanted to see me again." "I think I might have been a little angry when I said those things. Forgive me?" he asked hopefully. "Of course. Come closer, please? I'm sorry I can't get up. I have the flu. It's not contagious or anything, but..." "Your mom told me the truth," Mark said as he sat down on the bed. "I wish she hadn't done that." "I'm glad she did. In fact, she read me the riot act and I deserved it. Charlie...?" "Yeah, Buddy?" "You're not only the donor but you've been paying for my apartment and you got me a job, too, didn't you?" Charlie took a long time to answer. "I just wanted to help, Mark. Please don't be mad." "I'm not mad, Speedo. I'm grateful. You saved my life and I don't know how I can ever repay you," Mark said as he took Charlie's hand in his. "You don't need to repay me, Marky. I mean, Mark. I wanted to do it. I was able to do it and I'd do it all over again, too." "You can call me Marky. It's okay. By the way, your mother says you still love me. Is that why you did it?" "I wish she hadn't said that either. That woman never knows when to keep her mouth shut." "You didn't answer the question." "Of course, I still love you." Mark got up and kissed him. When he pulled away, Charlie asked, "What was that for?" "Let's call it a `thank you'." "Are there more where that came from?" "There would be if you weren't a priest. I won't be responsible for that mortal sin." "Technically, I don't think kissing a priest is a mortal sin." "Whatever, then I'm not going to contribute to the delinquency of a priest." "That's not a thing." Mark chuckled, "You're a pain in the ass, you know that?" "And you're as stubborn as a mule. What's your point?" "Don't have one, I guess. Just like to keep you honest. Listen, I'd better be going. I'm sure your mother has been timing this visit. Can I come back?" "Sure, anytime. I'll get you a special dispensation from her holiness." "Sounds good. Thank you again. I..." "Would you stop thanking me? And I love you, Marky." "I love you too, Speedo. Take care." Mark left, walked a couple miles to a convenience store, so he had plenty of time to think, then called a cab to take him home. Mark visited Charlie every day. He took a cab to the house then walked to the convenience store to call for another. He didn't resent it. He just did it. And each day with Mark's help, Charlie walked a little further. Once Charlie was able to walk around the block, Mark decided to take him on a little field trip. "Mr. and Mrs. McMannis, I'd like to take Charlie bowling." "Mark, and I think I speak for my husband when I ask this, are you sure that's wise?" "I've given it a lot of thought. It isn't strenuous. He can walk to the line and throw the ball." "Does he even know how to play the game?" "Yes. Charlie and I have bowled many times. And you don't have to worry, we were never any good anyway." He chuckled then added, "In fact, we stunk." "Then why?" Mr. McMannis enquired, looking truly perplexed. "Because those were some of the happiest times we ever had together. I want to remind him of that. I think if he sees that he can hold a ball and throw it down the lane, he might realize that he can do anything he puts his mind to." Charlie's parents looked at one another and nodded. "He's all yours for the afternoon. Have fun." Mark drove one of the McMannis' cars to the bowling alley. He paid for one game, just to see how it would go. It took no time at all for them to realize that they had not gotten any better. In fact, they had gotten worse. So they decided that for the second game, they would make a bet to see who could break a hundred first. Of course, neither of them had managed it in the previous game, so they thought this might prove difficult. Mark reached the magic number before Charlie so he was declared the winner. Charlie tried to pry out of him what Mark had won, but he was keeping his cards close to the vest. When they arrived back home, Mark took Charlie back upstairs to his bedroom, had him undress and get into bed. He insisted that he take a nap. Charlie was a little more tired than he thought he'd be so he did as instructed. He was out before Mark even left the room. He went downstairs to give a report to the McMannises and asked if he could stay with Charlie until he woke up. They gave their consent. (to be continued in Part 6)