Chapter 15

Everyone else came home in the next 2 weeks. We got right back into our routines like we'd never been gone. We were running through the shooting range when we heard a car pull up out front. The others thought it was Max and his parents cause he was the only one not back yet. Laura and I knew that it wasn't.

I was expecting her to run out to dad like she always did, but she didn't. Instead she just went back to shooting practice. I followed her example. I wondered what she was thinking, but didn't ask. Dad and Dean came around the house a few minutes later. Racheal and Caleb were with them.

Racheal joined us in practice. The others just stood and watched. When Laura had emptied her clip, dad asked what else she could shoot. Now I knew what she was up too. She wanted dad to see what we could do. She wanted to show him that we could handle ourselves on a hunt. It was her attempt at getting his attention.

I stopped and walked over to Dean. We stood there for a few minutes while dad drilled Laura and then told Caleb we were going t the garage to finish the Camero. Racheal stopped shooting and went with us. I hadn't let her into the garage since dad and Dean's last visit. She was curious to see what her car looked like now.

It didn't look like the same car. Before it was a silver color with some major dents and a few rust spots. Now it was black and almost completely restored. I just needed to do a few small wiring jobs and put the dashboard back on. Took Dean and me about 30 minutes to finish it.

I sent Racheal out to get the keys from Caleb so we could start it. While she was gone, Dean told me about hunting with dad. Dad finally decided that he was old enough to do more than research for him. Dean also said the main reason for dad's decision had something to do with a phone call he got from Bobby.

Apparently Bobby told dad about taking us hunting with him. He was trying to convince dad that he should send the boys here for training. He didn't realize he was telling dad about his own daughters. Dad didn't realize it either, until he told the story to Dean. I laughed cause I found the whole thing completely funny, so did Dean.

Racheal came back a few minutes later. Caleb, Laura, and dad came with her. I asked Laura why she'd come in too. She said dad had just finished drilling her when Racheal came out and dad wanted to look at my work. Caleb was about to hand the keys to dad, when I said don't. I said dad could look all he wanted, but I wanted Dean to start it.

Caleb looked at me kinda funny and I told him Dean was the one that taught me to work on cars, he even helped work on this one, so he should be the one to start it. Dad and Caleb looked at each other for a second. Dad just shrugged his shoulders, so Caleb gave Dean the keys. Laura, Racheal and I opened the doors while Dean got into the car to start it.

All the other kids showed up as soon as we had the doors open. They lined up on each side of the doors. We just watched them all whisper to each other and squirm around. I think they were more excited about seeing this car than Racheal was. Course she'd seen it already, she just hadn't heard it start yet.

I signaled to dean to start it up. I still love that sound. When something you've worked on a year finally comes to life, it's the best feeling in the world. He pulled out of the garage and I watched the others as their jaws dropped open. None of them could believe it was the same car.

Dean stopped when he got to where dad and Caleb where standing. He leaned out the window and was talking to them for a minute. Laura, Racheal and I were standing on the other side of the car so we couldn't hear what he was saying to them. All of a sudden he reached over and opened the passenger door. He told us to get in the car. Racheal got up front, while Laura and I got in the backseat. The door was barely closed when Dean stepped on the gas and we took off.

He really put that car through it's paces. We were screaming and laughing the whole time. It was the most fun I'd had since before mom died. We must have been driving around for about and hour before Dean said we had to get back. I wanted more than anything to just take off with my brother and hit the road, but I knew it wasn't gonna happen.

We got back just as the sun was setting. Dean parked the car on the other side of the garage. Dad and Caleb were waiting for us by the Impala when we got over to the house. Dad told Dean it was time for them to get going. He gave Laura and me a hug, told Racheal to enjoy her car, and got into the Impala. Dad walked over and said goodbye to Laura. He just looked at me and then he got into his car with Dean and we watched them drive away.