THE COFFEE HAS YOUR SMELL

CHAPTER 27: WE ARE FRIENDS BECAUSE OF THIS

„I'd like you to keep Erin away from all this," Mark told Alex, making this one wince.

They were alone in the ward at that moment after they finally convinced Erin to go and have dinner. Nevertheless, they managed to convince Erin only after Alex promised her to stay with Mark all the time she'd be missing and take care of him. Yet, besides helping his sister with that favor, Alex had one more reason to be alone with his friend: he wanted to make Mark talk about the night when he had the accident and if he saw the one who caused that tragedy because they couldn't find out the identity of that mysterious person. They could only find out that the accident happened with no mean intention, which was totally random. At least this was the conclusion the police got to after they realized that none of the hints related to the accident was leading them toward one of Flynn's enemies, who could have tried to kill him.

Yet, Mark kept silent about that night. He didn't do that because he tried to cover the one who involuntarily hurt him but because he didn't want to remember the accident. That's why he pretended to be asleep when he understood that Alex was about to ask him more questions about that night. Before that, he told Alex that he wanted to sleep and be alone, a wish Alex wasn't that eager to respect because he didn't leave the ward eventually. All Doyle did was to keep silent. Even so, Mark had been grateful to his friend for this.

Thus, both keeping silent, Mark had time to think. It's better to say that he had time to make a decision and that's why he asked Alex eventually to keep Erin away from him. „The reason?" Doyle asked, after a few more moments of silence.

„Just... I don't want to see her suffering," whispered Flynn. „I think she deserves more than to spend her life next to an invalid like me."

Staying with his back to Doyle at that moment, Mark didn't see his friend frowning. At the same time, he didn't understand that asking his best friend to do this made him upset. Doyle couldn't feel different when he had been against his sister's relationship with Flynn, aware that sooner or later Erin would suffer. Yet, this happened earlier than he thought. Even so, Doyle wasn't mad with Flynn, aware that he also suffered and that Mark couldn't do anything to avoid Erin's suffering. Alex was pretty sure of that, just as he was sure that if Mark was still alive, it was because he loved life and his sister. Yet, what Doyle couldn't understand was why Mark wanted to keep Erin away from him no matter what.

„Something I won't do though," Alex replied shortly after this.

Mark winced. Then, as he could, he moved in bed and carefully looked at Alex's face, which didn't reflect anything at that moment. Even so, Flynn was sure that all this was just a mask and that Alex wasn't calm. Mark was pretty sure that there was a storm in Doyle's soul because, each time Alex got to a crossroads or decided something about a thing, he looked like that: as though he was a calm beautiful sea, even with the storm in his soul.

Flynn was right in thinking this because Alex definitely decided something: not to be part of his crazy plan. At the same time, Alex intended to impede his best friend to hurt Erin more because „She really doesn't deserve that! My sister doesn't deserve to suffer more because of you!"

„I know," whispered Mark. „Yet, I have to! It's fair to do this!"

„For who?" Alex asked again, looking at his friend's eyes. „For you or her, Flynn?"

This „Flynn" had been outlined with a sure but still nervous voice, something that let Mark understand that Alex had decided to scold him. Even so, he knew that Doyle was right in doing this because, for being stupid, he ventured on that mountain road that night at full speed. Even so, Mark couldn't reproach this to himself, just as he could only accept and bear up with the consequences because „I've already been punished and forced to face reality alone."