The Good 'Ole Days
Days later Braden was not happy about the call he was heading to. They had been dispatched to the high school for a head injury. "Where are we supposed to go?" Braden asked.
"They said to the front office, someone will meet us at the front and take us," Chris said. "You only graduated a couple of years ago didn't you? This could be interesting."
Braden was afraid of just that very thing.
"He's in here," Mrs. Yancey directed when they arrived. "Braden is that you?"
"Yes ma'am it's me," Braden said falling in line behind her.
"Well look at you," she said smiling proudly.
They walked in to see Mr. Ward the principal sitting in his chair holding a rag to his head.
"What happened sir?" Chris asked.
"Kid got angry and threw a beaker at me, hit me right here," he said indicating the oozing wound on his forehead. "I'm fine really."
"Well we will take a look and see what we need to do," Chris said taking the towel.
Braden smiled and placed his fingers on Mr. Ward's wrist to check his heart rate. Mentally counting he heard Mr. Ward call his name. "Mr. Winchester is that you?"
"Yes sir, it is," Braden said pulling out the blood pressure cuff.
"Imagine that, this must be the first time you haven't been down here for a disciplinary reason," Mr. Ward said smiling.
"Oh really, I would love to hear all about it," Chris said smiling.
"No you wouldn't," Braden said writing down his findings.
"Sure I would, Braden take a look at the wound and let me know your thoughts," the senior paramedic said.
"Braden was a frequent flier that's for sure. He had quite the bag of tricks," Mr. Ward began.
It was agreed that four stitches were needed and with the principal's permission Braden got the job. "I'm warning you this isn't typical care we usually send you to the hospital for stitches," Braden said.
"Except you are doing a fine job and I have no intention in spending my day in the ER," the man said as Braden prepared the area for the work to be done.
By the time Braden was placing the first stitch he had to ask Mr. Ward to stop moving as his laughter was causing the man to jiggle up and down.
"Wait a minute he did what with the frog?" Chris asked.
"Right in the poor girl's purse, she had to get a new one since she could never get the formaldehyde smell out of it. The water balloons in the toilets had everyone up in arms and his teachers just never knew what to expect from him; kick me signs, pictures of scantily clad women on the maps."
"That was not me," Braden defended.
"Sure," the men said laughing.
"He had his own dedicated desk in my in-school suspension room, you just never knew what he was up to. I remember telling him to head to class and for whatever reason he saluted me except one finger in particular somewhere in the middle of his hand was what stuck out in my mind. Let me tell you his father was not happy about that one."
"I bet not."
"Or the time I caught him and his friends racing on scooters down the hallway or when they threw mashed potatoes on the cafeteria walls and declared their art project. Oh I could go on for days," Mr. Ward chuckled.
"But you won't because I'm done," Braden said tying off his last stitch.
"You pack up and I'm going to visit your memorial desk," Chris said as Mr. Ward got up to lead the way.
Braden was less than happy about his exploits being shared and was even less happy with Chris's suggestion that they stop by Dean's garage on the way back to the center. "Haven't you tortured me enough already today. I mean we have to go back in a week to remove the stitches so you can learn more what else could you want?" Braden asked.
"I just want to see what your dad is working on, relax man," Chris said still wiping tears from his eyes as he continued to laugh well after their departure from the school.
Chris turned into the lot at Classic Winchester and hopped out surveying the property for the extraordinary cars that Dean restored and worked on. "Whoa a '77 Mustang," Chris said his eyes excited.
"Yeah great," Braden answered unenthusiastically.
"Problem?"
"No, no problem."
Eddie came out to see what was going on and was happy to see the men. "Hey guys how are you doing? Hey Chris come on in and check out what Dean is working on, Braden you too."
Braden smiled and nodded but hung back staying by the ambulance. "You've been avoiding me," Dean said startling his son.
"No, just been busy," Braden lied. "How are the ribs?"
"Sore but I can manage; I was going crazy at home. Mom wants to know when you'll be by for dinner again."
"I wasn't feeling well last Sunday and I'm not sure what the schedule is for this weekend yet," Braden explained.
"I see," Dean said his arms folded and his eyes hard. "I would really like to talk to you."
"I'm sure Sam filled you in on everything."
"He did, have you heard from Joey?"
"Not yet she was pretty pissed."
"As am I."
"Then what's to talk about, the rugaru is dead and you're not, the good guys won another battle."
"I think you know there is more to it than that, you went off all half cocked again and it may not have gone so well."
"But it did, it's fine. Joey is as good as two or three hunters."
"But Sam wanted to be there, you couldn't have waited another twenty-four hours for one more person to watch your back?"
"No, my rage was intent on killing that thing that very night. Plus how would I ever forgive myself if he had killed someone during those twenty-four hours. Joey knew he had to be close to murder. All I could think of was you in the hospital and I couldn't contain my anger, it was eating me up inside."
"Yeah and he could've eaten you up literally, you saw what it could do more than once and you still don't get it."
"I got it just fine Dad."
"No you are nowhere near getting it son, I'm sure if you hadn't been injured you would have been out there even sooner."
"Perhaps," Braden admitted as his radio crackled that they were needed at a domestic abuse case down the street. "That's us Dad, I have to go."
"This conversation isn't over," Dean promised watching his boy climb up into the driver's seat as Chris came jogging out.
Dean was frustrated with Braden and could see he was going to have to force the issue. The boy just couldn't seem to understand what he was up against. He knew it was eating Braden up as Morgan had called very concerned earlier in the week Dean thought remembering the conversation.
"Dean you have to talk to him, I don't know what's going on. I don't know if its guilt, fear, anger, hatred or what, but he has become withdrawn and has drank everything with alcohol in the house and is upset I won't buy more. He won't talk to me, I don't think he is sleeping well and he certainly isn't sleeping with me and that is very out of character," she explained her voice full of anguish.
Dean shut her off having no desire to hear about their sex life, but it all did concern him and what Braden displayed today only confirmed his concern.
Braden had stepped out behind the building where he worked and was halfway through a cigarette when Joey dropped in scaring the hell out of him.
"Since when do you smoke?" she asked.
"I don't," Braden answered finishing with a long drag.
"I see, another lie, shocking."
"Look I'm sorry I lied to you, I wasn't myself the whole ordeal was pretty traumatic and I wasn't thinking straight. I didn't set out to lie to you it just happened."
"It just happened, hmm seemed pretty well thought out to me. It would seem that you have somewhat spiraled out of control the last few weeks, drinking, smoking avoiding your family, Morgan included. What is up with all that?" Joey asked.
"Just working through my demons, I'll be fine. But I do want to ask for your forgiveness, I am sorry. Joey you are one of the most important people, um friends in my life and have been since I first met you. I don't want our relationship to be hurt by my stupidity."
"Nice apology and I do accept it, but the damage is done Braden. I'm not sure if I can have the same faith in you as I did before."
"I understand and hopefully one day I can earn it back."
"Well a step in that direction would be to talk to your dad. You two need to hash it out, get it all out in the open. He is very worried about you and needs to know you are working through this."
"I disappointed him again, made him angry with me, just like when I was a kid," Braden said looking at the ground.
"Yeah and what happened when you were a kid?" Joey asked.
Braden shrugged his shoulders and looked into the distance, "we talked, he disciplined…"
"And you solved your problems. Look I don't think he is going to ground you, take away your car or allowance and I think you are pretty safe from that belt with your name on it so man up take his words to heart and put it behind you," Joey advised.
"You're right and I will as soon as I can," Braden said as Chris's head popped out the back door.
"Let's go Brade, we have a stabbing victim to attend to," Braden's partner shouted.
"Gotta go, thanks Joey."
"Talk to him Braden," Joey yelled out.
"I will I promise," Braden responded.
