Race With a Heart
Chapter 83: Tormented By Ignorance

Chapter 83: Tormented By Ignorance

Teddy himself was surprised at how much his eyesight had improved. It wasn’t as good as he was in his young years, but almost. He used glasses, of course, but the operation was a complete success and the old man was able to enjoy the beauty of this world again.

So he saw Sid’s pale, sad smile when the boy said that since he no longer needed his support, he would come home.

"Do you have to do this?" Teddy asked. "You have to go back? In fact, this room has been empty for too long. I’ve lived in an empty house too long. You’re almost grown up. Wouldn’t you like to try to live on your own? "

"I ..." Sid hesitated. Teddy knew the boy well enough to know that Sid didn’t want to be a burden to him.

"I won’t force you," he said, "but loneliness in old age is a heavy burden."

"It’s not that I don’t want to live with you. Only the father ... I’m worried about the father. He can’t take good care of himself, so he probably hasn’t eaten a hot meal in several days. There is a pile of dirty clothes in the house ... "

Teddy nodded.

"A filial duty is an important thing," he agreed. "But do you have to live with him? Maybe it is enough to visit the house two or three times a week? "

"Maybe" Sid hesitated all the time. "I need to think about it."

The truth was, as his eyesight improved, Teddy began to see not only the beauty of this world, but the green bruises on the boy’s body. He once went into his room to wake him up and he saw them on his back where his shirt had rolled up. Teddy felt his throat tighten. Is that why Martin suggested that Sid come to live with him?

The old man had planned to ask him about it, but Martin seemed to have had some problems of his own lately. He looked as though he was sleeping badly, distracted and depressed.

"You know what happened to Martin?" Teddy asked Sid.

"No," the boy admitted. "He’s been acting like this since Tuesday."

"You didn’t ask him out of curiosity?"

"No, I ... We haven’t talked much to each other lately."

"Did you quarrel?"

"Not completely."

"You know, he had the idea for you to come live with me," Teddy informed him.

"Really?"

"He said he had traveled all over the country at your age, so you also need the experience of being away from home. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought your real big brother was saying that. "

Sid glanced at his older friend who was pale, distracted and clearly worried.

Was it really Martin who came up with the idea for Sid to live with Teddy? Was it his idea to snatch him from his father’s brutal hand? Was that why Martin did not come back to this topic anymore?

Sid thought that Martin, like any adult, only talks a lot, but in fact, after expressing his sympathy and concern, he is not going to do anything. But Martin did something. At least for a few days, he gave him a break from his father’s heavy hand, which allowed him not only to rest, but also to calmly consider a few matters.

Hurt by Martin’s indifference, Sid avoided talking to him. He even avoided his company. It wasn’t difficult because the boy was busy accompanying Teddy, but even when he had more time, he preferred to avoid the company of an older friend.

Meanwhile, there was clearly something wrong in Martin’s life too. Perhaps he himself needed some help? Sid very clearly accused Martin of not knowing the dirty life, the dirty world Sid endures in. But maybe this beautiful world of Martin wasn’t so beautiful either? Martin, always so cheerful and joyful, always smiling for everyone, and even cheerful when no one was looking at him, now looked as if he was crying at night instead of sleeping. Sid knew what such a man looked like. He had seen it in the mirror far too often.

Concentrated on his own problems, Sid didn’t notice that there was someone beside him who might also need help. And he wasn’t even the complete stranger he met every day at the bus stop. It was his colleague, someone he spent many hours a day with. It was someone who showed concern for him when he discovered Sid was in trouble.

Yes, Martin acted like a good, responsible older brother who helped him quietly without asking for thanks. Sid, on the other hand, acted like a kid who doesn’t see his older brother’s efforts and resents him.

"He was fine on Monday," Sid wondered softly. "But when I saw him on Tuesday, he was just like that. Maybe it’s my fault ... "

"You told him something, didn’t you?"

"Yes, but a few days earlier. But then I didn’t treat him well. Maybe that’s why ...? "

Sid decided he would go find out. First of all, apologize. But it wasn’t that easy. He had said many bad words to Martin. Now he was ashamed of it.

There was one more significant problem. When Sid suffered because of his father, he needed help, he wanted her, but he was ashamed to ask for her, and he was even ashamed to admit he needed her. That’s why he reacted so violently. Martin, if something is bothering him, he probably won’t say anything either.

But Sid had to try. The days with Teddy had been a wonderful break from his constant fear. If he really owed it to Martin, he should pay him back.

"Martin ..." Sid walked over to his older friend who had just closed the hood of an old delivery truck. Martin looked at Sid. His eyes were red and sunken as if he was actually crying at night instead of sleeping. "Erm, I ..."

"If you need anything, tell me," smiled Martin friendly. Despite his problems, however, he had a warm heart and a warm smile for Sid. Sid decided that he was really ungrateful to Martin.

"I ... Did you tell Teddy that I should come live with him?"

"Teddy was a little bit worried about how he would do after the surgery, so I offered him you. You know, I couldn’t, and Dave has his own problems. I did it wrong? " he suddenly became concerned. "If so I’m sorry..."

"No no!" Sid assured him eagerly. "You did right. Thank you. And... sorry." Sid looked shyly away.

"For what?" Martin was surprised. "You haven’t done anything wrong."

"I told you so many unpleasant words ..."

"Come on, it’s nothing like that," Martin reassured him. "It was not that bad. Besides, you were right" he sighed.

"I didn’t behave very well after that, either," admitted Sid. "I thought you talked a lot, promised a lot, but you actually forgot about me. Dave said you were supposed to take someone else’s advice about me, but you didn’t say anything else. "

"A friend of mine said your case will probably not be easy. When I went to him, I was sure he would find a wonderful solution for you and put your father behind bars ... "

"I don’t want him to go to jail!"

"Then I figured it out. After all, it’s your father. Not having any good solution yet, I haven’t told you anything. A friend of mine is ready to meet you and see what exactly can be done for you, but you avoided me so I figured I’d give you some time. "

"So you’re not angry with me?"

"Of course not! Why would I be? Everything is fine for me. "

"But you don’t look okay. I probably shouldn’t ask, but are you having problems? Maybe I could help you with something? "

Martin’s eyes darkened for a moment. His smile grew faint. But it really only lasted a moment. Then the mechanic grinned.

"It’s nothing like that," he assured. "I’m worried about my friend. He’s in some trouble, but he won’t tell me about it, so I can’t help him. "

Sid got the impression that Martin really cared about this person, so he felt bad he couldn’t help him. Martin was a good friend and a good man. But sometimes he seemed to care too much about others and too little about himself.

"This friend is someone important, right?" he asked Martin.

"Very," he admitted.

"So maybe he doesn’t tell you about his problem because he doesn’t want to worry you?"

"I know," the mechanic sighed, "but that’s what worries me the most ..."

The moment Steve hurried out of Martin’s apartment, the boy knew something was wrong. Just like that. But he had no idea what it might have been? He was overwhelmed and could not imagine anything. All he knew was that Steve had received a text message that made him pale and instead of enjoying his newly established relationship, he left and never came back. He didn’t even make a sign of life.

The next day, Martin tried to learn something from Jack. Lambert couldn’t help him. Steve was a bit weird, he confirmed, as if his thoughts were busy, but he was working normally. They even had an advertisement scheduled. Perhaps this was so stressful for Paxton, who was totally against his involvement in such cases?

It seemed to Martin that Jack was hiding something from him. Therefore, he himself did not dare to tell him the truth and boast that Steve decided to take a step forward in their relationship. Besides, he had nothing to brag about, since his joy did not last even an hour. Steve left and disappeared as if he had fallen into the ground. Such sudden behavior did not bode well for their relationship. Well, can you even talk about a relationship here?

When Steve made a confession to him, when he proposed to change their relationship, Martin felt like a dream because the proposal was so unreal and unexpected! Even so, the boy felt that Paxton was completely honest with him, that he believed what he was saying. Steve just couldn’t lie.

But he might regret his decision afterwards. He could change his mind. But why didn’t he tell him? Why did he act so strange?

Martin was convinced that behind this puzzle was a no less mysterious text message that the driver then received. It was as if this news carried some kind of danger. But what was it?