They made their way to the doctor. Mikeal sat in the back with his father, tightly holding his hand while practicing breathing exercises. He kept reminding himself that everything would be okay and not to think about the past.

Geno could barely keep his eyes open. He rested, feeling worn out, lightly coughing. He didn't mind his son squeezing the life out of his hand as long as it helped keep Mikeal calm.

Nicholas stayed quiet the whole time, not even playing music. He felt a silent atmosphere would benefit Mikeal best.

When they reached the doctor's office, Nicholas parked the car and helped Geno out of the vehicle. Mikeal quickly got out to help Nicholas. Geno was jolted awake from the sudden movements, realizing they reached their destination. I want to sleep. Geno thought as they walked into the building.

Once they entered, Nicholas signed them in. Before they left the house, Nicholas set up an appointment for Geno online. Luckily enough, the doctor's office wasn't packed. After signing in, they were handed paperwork to sign and went to take a seat.  

Mikeal took the clipboard and pen from Nicholas and shakily started filling out the paperwork. He imagined they were not at a doctor's office and solely focused on the papers.

Geno laid back in the seat, resting his eyes again while Nicholas watched Mikeal complete the paperwork. He bit his lip, wanting to say something; even though the father was not feeling well, shouldn't he fill out information about himself? Nicholas began wondering how long Mikeal had been doing things like this—he even effortlessly signed his father's name.

When Mikeal finished, he handed the clipboard and pen to Nicholas, "C-can you give this back to the front desk?"

Nicholas nodded, grabbed the items, and returned them to the front desk. Once they finished everything, they waited for someone to call them.

They waited slightly over twenty minutes when someone called, "Mr. Hart."

When they entered through the door, the nurse took Geno's weight and blood pressure and sent them to a room. Mikeal sat on one of the chairs, looking around while shaking his leg. He tried hard not to remember what happened with his mother because this is how everything began.

Before she passed out in front of him and was dispatched to the hospital, his mother used to go to the doctor a lot. In the beginning, they would tell her that nothing was wrong when she felt unwell until she ended up passing out in front of Mikeal. And what followed led to him losing almost everything. He did not want to lose his father.

"Mikeal," Nicholas sat on the chair next to him, trying to catch Mikeal's attention, "would you like to get some fresh air?"

Mikeal shook his head, glancing at his father lying on the bed in the room, "I am fine. I swear." It was a lie. He was not okay, but he was trying to be. Things are different; they are not the same.

"Would you feel better holding onto someone? You could hold my wrist." Nicholas continued. Mikeal's body language showed he was far from okay. His legs kept shaking, and Nicholas could see his trembling hands. Even his voice sounded slightly shaken.

Mikeal grabbed Nicholas's wrist without a word. They sat like that while they waited—Mikeal holding Nicholas's wrist, Nicholas staring at the wall, and Geno dozing off. That is the scene the doctor entered.

The doctor closed the door behind him and stood before Nicholas first since the patient seemed knocked out, "Hi, I am Dr. Tucker. How are you today?" he shook Nicholas's free hand.

"I am well, Dr. Tucker."

Dr. Tucker glanced at the nervous boy and swallowed down wanting to speak to Mikeal too, and instead, he continued talking with Nicholas, "Since the patient is dozing off, can I ask what the problem is?"

"Since the middle of the night, my dad has been throwing up. He broke out in a fever, which calmed down for a few hours but came back. He also started coughing a few hours ago." Mikeal answered in a robotic tone. He grew so used to answering and doing everything for his father that his mouth automatically began responding.

"Was there anything else you noticed—maybe a runny nose, chest pains, or a sore throat?" Dr. Tucker asked, walking towards the sleeping Geno.

Mikeal shook his head, "No, sir."

Dr. Tucker nodded, glancing at the chart he held with a slight frown. He set the chart aside and moderately shook Geno awake, "Mr. Hart?"

Geno instantly woke up, blinking away his blurred vision. He glanced over, seeing the doctor. He forgot that he was at the doctor's office. "Can you sit up, Mr. Hart?" Dr. Tucker asked.

Slightly nodding, Geno slowly sat up, stopping himself from rubbing the sleepiness away from his eyes. "I'm going to check your ears, nose, and throat." Dr. Tucker told him.

His throat held no redness, swelling, or irritation—he had tiny drainage in his ears and a somewhat stuffed nose. Dr. Tucker checked his temperature, showing a slight fever. He might have a moderate common cold. But that is not what worried the doctor—Geno's body weight and appearance did.

His body weight was too low for his height—his cheeks were slightly sunken, his muscle mass was low, and his skin and hair lay dry. And Dr. Tucker kept noticing how Geno couldn't stop closing his eyes like he hadn't slept in years.

"Mr. Hart, can I know your eating and sleeping habits?"

"They are fine." Geno quickly answered, while his son simultaneously said, "he barely eats and sleeps most of the day away."

Geno peered at his son, feeling betrayed, while his son stared back at him, not backing down. And even though Nicholas stayed quiet the whole time, trying to blend into the background, he felt surprised by Mikeal's response.

"I see," Dr. Tucker grabbed the chart, writing down words as he continued, "Mr. Hart, you have a slight cold and are malnourished. It is best to take some over-the-counter cold medicine to relieve the symptoms. And now, for the malnourish part, I am writing down some vitamins that will be best to take and some meal plans to help bring your weight back up.

"Not only do I want you to take these vitamins and meal plan, I want you to start some small exercises and build your way up. If this continues, you will grow too weak to do anything. I also recommend seeing a therapist. Please try to follow through with these plans, Mr. Hart."

Geno's lips thinned, feeling a headache coming on. He didn't want to do any of those things, but he could already see his son pushing for it. He could try to follow through with it, but a therapist was permanently off the table.

Two years ago, he tried seeing one, which did nothing to help. Geno was rigid, but he still felt nothing from those sessions. It only led him down a deeper rabbit hole.

Is it too late to rewind time and not agree to go to the doctor? Geno painly thought.

"I will make sure my dad will follow through, doctor!" Mikeal felt renewed. He will not let his father parish; he will not lose his father.

"We will make sure." Nicholas finally spoke, inserting himself into the equation. He knew he was crossing many lines, but Nicholas did not want his student tackling everything alone. Mikeal is only a child, and after seeing how Mikeal cares for everything, Nicholas worries about his future. "Thank you for everything, Dr. Tucker."

"You're welcome, and is there anything else today?" Dr. Tucker asked.

Everyone shook their head. "Okay, thank you for coming, and have a good day." Dr. Tucker shook everyone's hand before leaving with the door left open.

It was silent for a few seconds before Geno got off the bed and spoke, "Let's get the paperwork; I am ready to go home."

Mikeal finally let Nicholas go, not realizing he held onto his wrist the whole time, which helped with being there. "Dad, are you mad at me?" Mikeal asked as they walked out of the room.

"Mikeal," Geno glanced at his son, swallowing everything he wanted to say when he noticed his son's sad expression, "let's talk at home, okay?"

"Okay."

When they returned home, the sun began to set. They walked inside, with Nicholas still following them. Once they entered, they sat in the living room to speak.

"Thank you, Mr. Raven, for your help." Geno thanked Nicholas.

"No need to thank me; I didn't mind helping out."

"Mr. Raven, can I know what you mean by 'we' at the doctor's office?" Mikeal asked.

Nicholas shifted nervously, wondering how to start this, "I want to help. I know you have been helping your father for a long time, Mikeal, but you are still a child. I can see that it is taking a toll on you. As your teacher, I cannot help but worry about where all this would lead you. So I want to help alleviate the burden of doing everything on your own.

"Mr. Hart, if you do not mind me becoming consistent in your life and helping, I would like to throw myself into the ring."

Mikeal bit his lip, wanting to argue. He didn't mind attending to his father and everything, but deep down, he knew he was mentally starting to break. Still, he felt the urge to argue and push everyone away; he couldn't understand why he felt possessive over his father.

He looked toward his father and saw his father looking back at him, "Mikeal, is this okay with you?"

Geno did not have a response because he knew he didn't have the best wishes in his heart for himself. He knew Mikeal did. So, he could only ask for his son's opinion and would follow through with whatever he chose.

Mikeal wanted to say no. The burn and desire laid bare in his heart and throat. He clenched his fist, taking a deep breath at his selfishness. He knew what he and his father needed, but he wanted to keep his father to himself. After his mother passed, Mikeal didn't realize how possessive he became over his only living parent.

"I," Mikeal swallowed down every pessimistic word, "it should be fine. Thank you, Mr. Raven, for your help." Mikeal felt like drowning.

"Since Mikeal agrees, I do, too," Geno responded.

"Great. I promise not to let you two down." Nicholas reassured.

I know, but I cannot promise to stop my bitterness from making a show. Mikeal thought.