Always Been You

“You can’t believe what happened today. I got a call from Tim’s principal today” Katherine began as she emerged from the bathroom. “Apparently he has been missing classes and he hasn’t been doing his homework. I can’t tell you how embarrassing it was listening to his principal complain about him over the phone. I honestly don’t know what is happening with Tim. I know he’s a teenager and I understand that he’s going through all that teenager mood swings and attitude stuff, but honestly I’m beginning to worry about him”

“You are worrying too much” Jensen said as he yawned and stretched lazily on the bed. “He is just going through a phase. It’s normal. Everything will be fine. I went through that phase too and I turned out okay, didn’t I?

Katherine took him a deep breath as she climbed back into bed, but she sat up instead of lying down.”I know. I know he is just growing up, but honestly, I’m starting to get worried. I feel like we should do something about the way he has been acting because if we don’t, he might just get worse. You know we are supposed to go with him to school tomorrow… Or today rather, to see his principal. Oh… I hate meetings like that… But it’s going to be better because you are coming with me ”

She stopped talking when Jensen didn’t reply. “Jensen?” Katherine called. “You are coming with me to Tim’s school right?”

Jensen still didn’t reply and then Katherine smiled when she heard him breath deeply. And she knew he had fallen asleep. He must be very tired and she was sitting here rambling. She lay down and put his hand around herself. They could talk about Tim in the morning.

—————————-

“No, Deanie” Katherine said as she fixed the breakfast table. “No playing with your food, honey”

Deanie wasn’t listening. “Toast” she said as she banged her small, chubby hands on the table. Katherine sighed as she pulled the cup of milk away from Deanie’s reach.

“Tim! Breakfast!” she yelled. “Come down here”

A minute later, Tim came down the stairs, already carrying his backpack. His face grumpy.

“Good morning mom,” he said. “Then he proceeded to walk out through the back door”

“And where do you think you are going, young man?” Katherine asked as she watched him, her hands on her hips.

“School,” Tim replied.

“Without having breakfast?” Katherine asked.

“I’m not hungry,” Tim said.

“You only refuse to eat whenever you are mad about something” Katherine said. “And you should know by now that there is no way I’m letting you go to school without having breakfast, so drop that backpack and sit down. I’m the only one who has any reason to be angry by the way”

Tim rolled his eyes, but he did as he was told, although he picked at his food.

“And besides, you know your dad and I are coming to your school with you. So we are taking you to school today” Katherine said.

“Why?” Tim said, looking even more pissed. “I have my car. I can drive to school. I don’t need you bringing me to school. I’m not a little kid”

“Well, you should have thought about that before you decided to act like a child,” Katherine said. “If you want to be treated like an adult, you have to act like one. And from the look of this, it’s obvious that your dad and I have been giving you way too much freedom to do whatever you want and you are abusing the privilege.

Tim said nothing. But he rolled his eyes and focused on his food.

Jensen came down that minute too. And Deanie smiled immediately she saw him. “Hi!” she yelled, smacking her little table once again. “Dada… Ba.. Ba… Ba.” she said.

The little girl had Jensen’s dark eyes and small smiling mouth. Like most kids her age, she had chubby legs. Hers sprouted from a pair of pink shorts. The friendly sparkle to her eyes was all from Jensen.

She really was a cute kid. No one was immune to her charms and despite Katherine’s bad mood concerning the issues she was having with Tim, her expression seemed to soften as she stared at her daughter.

“Ba to you too” Jensen said to Deanie smiling as he reached out to kiss Katherine on the cheek. “Hi, honey,” he said.

“Good morning dad,” Tim said.

“Morning son,” Jensen said as he patted Tim on the shoulder. He turned to Katherine. “See you tonight honey,” he said.

“What?” Katherine said, her eyes widening “I thought we were supposed to go to Tim’s school together today.”

Jensen eyebrows came together. He looked confused and then Katherine remembered that he had slept off while she was talking to him the previous night.

“Let’s talk in the living room” she said, as she left the dining room.

“Okay” Jensen said, and followed her, but not before he grabbed a toast from the table and bit into it.