Another lil Benley collection

BIG Angry Dad Energy

Ben had a doctor's appointment. He left and decided to swing by the house before heading to work. As he pulled into the driveway, he noticed Joey's car parked in front. Odd, Ben thought. Joey should be in class right now.

Curiosity piqued, Ben quietly entered the house. The sound of laughter and a TV blaring greeted him. He walked into the living room to find Joey sprawled out on the couch, snacks scattered around, and a video game controller in hand.

"Joey?" Ben's voice was a mix of surprise and confusion.

Joey jumped, nearly dropping the controller. "Ben, What are you doing here?"

"I pay bills in this house. What are you doing here?" Ben replied, crossing his arms. "Why aren't you at school?"

"Uh, yeah, there was some...maintenance issue," Joey stammered, avoiding eye contact.

Ben stared at him for a moment, his instincts kicking in. "Boy, don't play with me. The truth."

"I sorta dropped out of the pre-med program a month ago," Joey confessed

Ben nodded, thinking it was just a change of major. "Oh, okay. Well, what are you studying now?"

 "Um, no. I mean, I dropped out."

The room went silent, the weight of Joey's words hanging in the air. Ben couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What? Why? And why didn't you tell us?" Ben's voice rose with each question. 

Joey shrugged "I dunno. Just didn't feel like it was for me, I guess."

Ben's shock turned to frustration. "You didn't feel like it was for you? Joey, we've invested so much in your education. We're the ones paying for you to go to school. You didn't think we deserved to know?"

Joey shrugged again, his nonchalant attitude infuriating Ben. "I... I didn't know how to tell you guys."

"Didn't know how to tell us? That's your excuse? You blatantly lied to us Joey. Here I am thinking my boy is spending long nights studying his ass off to be a doctor and you're here eating chips and playing the damn game." 

Joey shrugged once more, and Ben couldn't contain his anger. "Stop shrugging your shoulders, Joey. This is important."

Joey flinched at his father's sudden outburst, realizing the gravity of the situation. Ben took a deep breath, trying to rein in his anger. He wasn't one to get upset easily, but Joey's attitude was testing his patience.

Joey looked down, his careless facade crumbling under Ben's stern gaze. "I'm sorry"

Ben felt the urge to lecture Joey, to make him understand the gravity of his actions. But he glanced at the clock and realized he didn't have the time. It was a big clinic day for him, and he needed to get going.

"Joey, get your stuff. You're coming with me," Ben said firmly, cutting off Joey's protests before they could even begin.

Joey started to protest, but Ben stood his ground. There was no room for negotiation. Joey needed to understand that his actions had consequences, and Ben wasn't going to let him off the hook so easily.

With a resigned sigh, Joey nodded and went to grab his things. As they headed out the door, Ben hoped that this experience would serve as a wake-up call for Joey, a reminder of the importance of responsibility and accountability.

As Ben drove towards the station, frustration simmered within him. He couldn't believe Joey had dropped out of school without a word, especially considering the opportunities they had given him. Ben glanced over at Joey, who sat in the passenger seat, looking out the window,.