Free Vacation

A Pleasant Trip

The kitchen was actually more like a cafeteria with tables and a long counter where he was able to pick and choose what he wanted.  There was pot roast, and his stomach grumbled as soon as he smelled it.  He helped himself to a generous portion along with potatoes, yams, green beans, and gravy.  There was a soda machine too, and he poured himself a glass of coke.  Sam wasn’t here, and the room was empty so he sat down at a table in the corner to eat alone.  He was halfway through his meal when the man he’d seen in the sitting room walked in.  The only reason he recognized him was by the bright blue and white sweater he was wearing with a garish snowflake pattern on it.  That was actually what he was staring at, now really seeing the man inside it.

“Hello.”  A deep voice greeted him.  He blinked and looked up to see eyes as blue as the sweater looking right at him.

“Uh, hi.”

“Are you a guest of Gabriel’s?”  The man’s voice really was ridiculously low, and it gave Dean chills to hear it.

“Yeah, I mean, technically I don’t know the guy, but I am here with friends.  Charlie Bradbury works for him.  She’s my best friend, invited me up here.”  And that was way more information than he had intended to share.  The man smiled.

“Would you mind some company?”

Dean quickly motioned towards one of the 4 extra chairs at his table.

“Please.”

The man set his tray of food down before selecting the seat to Dean’s immediate left.  He offered his hand.

“I’m Castiel.”

“Dean.”  Dean remembered something Claire had said.  “You’re the on-call doctor.”

Castiel nodded.  “I am.  I’m in sports medicine, so torn muscles and ligaments as well as fractures and deep cuts are things I am familiar with.  When my brother bought this place about 4 years ago he asked me to come work for him.  I have a practice of my own about 3 hours from here in good weather, down near Cartersville, and he wanted me to give it up and work here, but this place is only open in the winter, which is really when I see the majority of my patients anyway, so I told him no.  Instead, I take 2 weeks just after Christmas and I come up here.  My brother James, we’re twins, he is a doctor as well, but of pediatric medicine.  He stays from January until the lodge closes in the spring.”

“What happens to your clinic if you’re here?”  Dean asked, curious.

“Oh, I have partners.  They take over my clients during that time, but they really don’t see too many of mine,”  Castiel replied.  He picked up his fork and knife and began cutting into his pot roast.  Dean noted that the man had a lot more vegetables on his plate.

“That’s a pretty good setup,”  Dean noted.  Castiel nodded. 

“It really is, especially since my brother pays me almost as much as I would make in a year just for a few weeks of work.  I see about 20 fractures during my time here.  People really shouldn’t try the professional slopes just to impress their significant others.”

Dean laughed and dug back into his food.

“Yeah, I doubt I’ll be skiing while I’m here, so you won’t have to worry about me.”

“Do you not like to ski?”  Castiel asked.

“I don’t know how.  Never been.  I came for the chance to get away from work, to relax, and spend time with friends, but on my terms.  Some of them can be a bit…”  Dean waved his fork absently as he looked for the right word.