Ben closed the buttons of his coat, trying to ward off the chill that had penetrated through to his bones as he strode quickly across the pavement. Being a fan of cool, blustery fall days wasn’t something he could claim. The wind whipped at his back, making his pants hug tight to his legs, his short hair dance as though alive as it swayed with the breeze and his face feel pot marked with the bits of dust and sand flying through the air.

The weather was the least of his concerns as he rushed from the parking lot to the school. After a call from the high school principal, the third one this week, Ben had decided that a break from work and a more hands on approach here was necessary. He didn’t like conflict, actually avoided it if it was possible. To be here, speeding toward the doors as though he knew what to say, knew what to do, made him nervous. He didn’t have a clue.

Of one thing he was sure. The dream he’d had last night gave him the courage he needed. That was the only reason he was here, pushing through the main door of the high school. Eons ago, when he was a teenager, he’d attended here and the memories from those three years did nothing to spark a desire to be back. To be out of the cool wind was reason enough to continue his quest.

The dream sat at the edges of his memory, pushing him toward the administration offices. Dreams seldom visited him at night. The one he’d had last night had startled him awake and robbed him of a few good hours of rest.

His son, Trent, was a handful and that was putting it mildly. Trent was full of energy and not the right kind. Trouble maker is how he’d describe his kid. He had always had too much pent up vigor and now that he was a teenager the problems had intensified. Ben didn’t know what to do with him. Avoiding Trent seemed to be less stressful and a degree more pleasant – except for all the phone calls from the school principal.

Ben finished the walk down the hall and pulled open the door to the school reception area. ‘Mrs. Falkner’ is what the name plate on the front desk said. Behind the main counter stood a row of doors leading to different offices. He wondered where his son sat, waiting for his arrival and the dreaded discussion with the principal.

Walking up to the desk where Mrs. Falkner sat, Ben said, “Hi there. I’m here about my son, Trent.”

“Oh yes.” Mrs. Falkner took her glasses from her nose and gave Ben a piteous look.

Ben hated pity, stood a bit straighter and pulled at his tie.

Standing, Mrs. Falkner gestured with her one arm and said, “Follow me please.”

As the woman headed to the left, Ben took up the rear and followed her to the furthest office. She opened the door, announced his arrival and Ben walked through.

Turning to his right, he saw Trent sitting slouched down in a chair against the wall. Trent didn’t even acknowledge Ben’s presence. With his butt barely holding on to the edge of the chair, Trent’s baggy pants dwarfed his thin legs ending at the edge of his Converse high tops. It was obvious he hadn’t had time to do his hair this morning. His colored Mohawk lay lazily to one side, flopping down toward his left eye. The piercings were Trent’s most visible trait, from the ones on his ears, a few through his nose and even several on his lips. He looked like a hodge-podge of metal clippings.

Principal Daley stood from behind his desk and Ben stepped forward to shake the man’s outstretched hand. “I’m glad you could finally make it,” he said, irritation lacing his voice.

“Yes,” is all Ben offered before taking a seat beside his son.

Mr. Daley said, “As you know, we’ve had some situations with Trent. It’s getting to the point that something needs to be done. Did you get our other messages?”

Regrettably, he had. Ben had no desire to go through the list of his son’s less than noble conduct.

That didn’t stop Mr. Daley. “Within three short months Trent has managed to cause more property damage and broken more rules in this school than all the other students combined. If you hadn’t agreed to come today, we would have kicked him out with no more attempts at communication or mitigation. To tell you the honest truth, we’ve lost our patience.”

Ben nodded, his temperature rising and his hands sweating. If it was legal to kill your own offspring if they became a nuisance, Trent wouldn’t stand a chance. Ben pushed the volatile emotions down.

When the school had called the previous times, Ben had brushed off the principal’s concerns with assurances that his son was just high strung, took out his credit card and took care of the expenses his son caused. After assuring Mr. Daley that he’d talk with Trent, guaranteeing cooperation from his son, promising changes, the principal had backed off.

“Trent skipped the first two classes today and was selling something on the school yard.” Mr. Daley held up a brown paper bag and stared at Ben accusingly. “Did you know about your son’s entrepreneurial pursuits?”

Ben glared at his son still slouched down in his chair, chewing gum like there was no tomorrow. Trent was selling drugs? How could he have plunged so far? Hadn’t he warned Trent about the dangers? There was a tangible wall of anger flowing from his rebellious son but a reciprocal fury was building in Ben’s own chest. Letting his temper rule wouldn’t help right now. It never had. Trent was a hard case. It had been two years of head butting with his insubordinate teenager and Ben was no closer to getting through to him than when he first started. Yelling hadn’t worked, grounding him did little better and forcing him to work off his expensive pranks only fueled the hatred shining from Trent’s eyes.

Having a relationship with his sixteen-year-old, any kind of relationship, felt completely out of reach. Trent hated him, despised authority and was determined to make a nuisance of himself. Wisdom was not one of Trent’s higher qualities. If only he had a son that he could be proud of. This mess of a teenager sitting beside him only brought embarrassment. But, Ben did have an idea of how to respond.

Looking back at the principal, Ben finally said, “No, I didn’t know that.”

“I’ve already contacted the police. They’ll be here soon.”

“Good,” Ben said, keeping his voice calm and collected.

“There’ll be consequences this time,” explained Mr. Daley.

“I fully understand that.”

Trent suddenly sat up straighter. Ben could feel his son’s eyes on him now.

Trent cleared his throat. “Dad, what are you saying?”

Mr. Daley said, “Although he’s young and won’t face the full force of the law, he will be made to realize his accountability. I’ve been assured that the laws in place will bring the point across. Most likely they’ll take him into custody; he’ll be placed into a youth detention facility and made to work off the cost of his penchant for destroying property.”

Ben nodded, suddenly knowing exactly how to respond. The dream made complete sense now and the hours he lay awake praying till his alarm went were also coming into play. Although he wasn’t the best of fathers, his Heavenly Father was helping him deal with this issue. The nervousness he had before vanished as he focused on what he needed to convey.

“I’ll cooperate with whatever the law demands. I’ll see to it that Trent makes complete amends for whatever damage he’s done here at the school and I’ll let the courts deal with his new enterprising trade.” The days of covering for his son’s lack of good sense were over.

“Hey! I don’t deserve that! I’m not going to some youth jail!”

Ben turned to his son, pitying his grasp of reality, but feeling no remorse for the punishment that was about to be dished out. “You don’t deserve it?” is all Ben could think to say.

“No!” Trent looked desperate and confused.

“I don’t know what else you would deserve. It’s appears like a pretty logical progression. According to your actions, this is exactly what you’ve earned.”

Ben knew he’d been too soft, too forgiving and lenient. Love was good but tough love, at the moment, was better. Extending mercy, on Ben’s part, had only fueled Trent’s bad behavior. A different type of mercy was required and, although Ben hated to see his son suffer, this was the only way left to deal with it. If he didn’t go along with what he saw in his night vision he knew he’d lose Trent forever.

Trent stared at him dumbstruck.

Ben had never seen such a look on his son’s face before. Inside, Ben felt like smiling but he kept the urge hidden. Being strong in the face of his son’s dominating character felt liberating. Ben had tried so many things to get through to Trent over the past two years and nothing had worked. At the moment he didn’t really care if his kid liked him or not. This had nothing to do with being buddies. Parenting him was more important than being the star dad. Veering Trent into acknowledging his mistakes, perhaps diverting his head long rush into crime, was way more significant.

There was a certain degree of respect in Mr. Daley’s eyes now. “Trent will be tried according to the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The punishment will be according the court’s rulings and they will make every effort to see that he’s rehabilitated.”

“I don’t need rehabilitation!” Trent yelled. “I need space and respect!”

“You’ve lost that right,” Ben said.

Trent let out a quiet curse.

A knock at the door brought Mr. Daley’s head around. “Yes?”

The door opened and Mrs. Falkner’s face appeared. “There are two officers waiting for you. Whenever you’re ready.”

“Thank you.”

The door closed and Trent looked scared. He stood and said, “They’re not taking me!”

“Sit down, Trent,” said Mr. Daley. “Now!”

Ben didn’t bother saying anything. Trent wouldn’t listen to him anyway.

Although Trent still looked afraid, he slowly sat back down.

Mr. Daley cleared his throat and looked at Ben. “Trent will be leaving the school. Law enforcement will take over his care. We’ll have some paperwork that you’ll need to sign, releasing him.”

A string of expletives left Trent’s mouth.

Ben looked over at him. Swearing isn’t something Trent would do at home. He knew the rules of the house but obviously that didn’t stop him from doing whatever he wanted when he wasn’t home.

Ben knew Sue, his wife, would be devastated over what was happening here. He dreaded telling her about their kid’s suspension and arrest. There was no other option. Trent’s future depended on some drastic turn around. It had to happen now, before things got any further out of hand. Trent’s future depended on it.

The principal spoke again. “If and when Trent is rehabilitated and co-operational again, he is welcome to return here to continue his schooling but with strict stipulations. We will not tolerate any more belligerent behavior. Any property damage, no matter how insignificant, will be grounds for immediate dismissal. Any illegal selling of any kind will result in an abrupt termination here. Have I made myself completely clear?”

“Very,” Ben said.

“Are there any questions?”

“Yeah,” Trent said. “When can I get out of here?”

“Soon enough!” Mr. Daley said. “And I don’t think you’ll like your exit.”

That shut him up. Trent glared at the man but said no more.

For some reason, Ben loved to see his son in such a bind. Never before had Trent been made to pay for his bad behavior; not by someone other than Ben. This method was getting through to Trent. It brought a wave of relief. Ben didn’t realize how tightly wound he was concerning Trent. Not until now.

Mr. Daley stood and said, “All right. Now that we’ve reached an agreement, I’ll let the officers know that Trent’s ready to go.”

A seething sound escaped Trent’s tight lips but he didn’t say a word.

Opening the door, Mr. Daley said, “He’s ready.”

Ben could hear the officers’ footsteps as they neared the doorway. Everything moved quickly after that. Trent was too proud to beg for his help, for a change of heart, and Ben knew it wouldn’t be wise to show weakness now. With handcuffs securely fastened, the officers led Trent out of the office, through to the hall and they were gone.

Ben signed the papers necessary for his son’s release from school and left. The wind pummeled him again as he made his way to his car. Myriad emotions filled him as he drove back to work. He’d have to call Sue, let her know what happened. He’d texted her earlier, letting her know there was more trouble with Trent. She was expecting his report on how things went.

Although there was some disillusionment over his son’s choices he also felt that a weight had been lifted off his chest. Worry over his boy had taken up a good amount of time in the last two years. Knowing where Trent was and that a good dose of reality would be administered brought a rush of relief. Just maybe his boy could be turned around. In fact, Ben knew it was more than wishful thinking. The dream he’d had completely prepared him for this day’s events and Heaven was working things together for good. Of that Ben was absolutely sure.

He would have preferred an easier route for Trent, a more willing acceptance of obedience. If this was the only way for Trent then Ben was willing to walk through this with him. Inhaling a deep breath and releasing it slowly, Ben sent a prayer of thanks to his Heavenly Father. He was watching over all and Ben was grateful. This wasn’t the easiest answer to all his prayers but he believed it would be effective. God had shown the way and now all Ben had to do was keep trusting.