Such an ordinary family

The shopping Mall

Dean parked the Impala and sighed...He glanced at Castiel, in the passenger seat.
The parking was full. He grumbled.
They had decided to go all together to the shopping mall which had opened two months before, just outside of town. The kids were growing fast and they needed new clothes. Dean's clothes were more than worn-out after a thousand trips to the washing machine. Castiel didn't need anything but Dean had begged him to come along after Jo declined to tag along.
Shopping together wasn't really a family business. Sometimes, on rare occasions, they were filling the caddie together. Not that Dean didn't want to shop with Castiel or the other way around; one was simply taking advantage of the opportunity to take care of other tasks, laundry, dish-washing or cleaning the house, without the kids hopping around in the house. It had become a habit and no one had ever complained about it.
In almost two years, it was the third time they were going out to a shopping center all together. On normal occasions, Castiel was in charge of buying clothes for the children as Dean this kind of places and the crowds all in all.

This time it was a little different...
This mall was really huge and Dean was curious to visit it. Besides the kids had been a real pain in the neck and begged him to join. This time, he thought they would be pleased to have him around.
Apache watched them leave and settled at his place, with his head resting on the rim of his basket. He was free for a few hours.
Suddenly, Dean started to envy him.

www

The entrance was a pretence of a Pantheon. So kitschy! But the kids were in awe in front of the gigantic pasteboard in front of them.
« It's so ugly » Dean was staring at the fake marble columns.
It was a five-level construction and each level offered shops of all kinds, several restaurants as well as a movie theater.
A three-meter high statue of Caesar was greeting the guests at the entrance. Dean grumbled, unable to comprehend how so much money could be invested in such horrors.
« Okay, kids, if we get separated, the meeting point will be this huge... I got no word for it» he said without finishing his sentence, nodding his incomprehension.
« It's not even worth of an Italian swords-and-sandals B-movie» he added holding his nose.
« Let's stick together, so we won't lose one another. So, no window-shopping without warning the others, is that clear ? »
« Yes, Daddy» Chadwick and Jewel... and Castiel answered in unison.
« Stop fucking over me, will ya ? » Dean said to Castiel, with a mix of anger and smile in his eyes.
Jewel grabbed Castiel's hand. Chadwick walked alongside his father who casually put his hand on his shoulder. His son tried to walk away but Dean smiled as he ruffled through his hair. He eventually let his father go on, struggling for the sake of it.

They first chose to tour the ground floor ... just to have a look around and marvel at the unlimited and often outrageous imagination of each store owner to attract customers ... Shop windows were showing off, adopting the same common theme, the Ancient Rome. Jewel ran from one shop window to another, followed by Castiel, carefully watching over her.
Chadwick was pointing at trendy shops ... They went on in a noisy atmosphere, a mixture of very loud background music and endless hubbub.
They had arrived at the mall less than fifteen minutes ago and already, all Dean wanted was to turn around and run away like hell.

They eventually entered a clothes store where the whole family would find what they needed. Dean went to one side with Chadwick, to the men department while Castiel, pulled away by the arm by Jewel, found himself in the girls section.
They agreed on gathering at the fitting rooms half an hour later.
Dean and Chadwick had been waiting for almost 15 minutes when Castiel finally arrived, with a lot of stuff in his arms, Jewel tagging along.
" Finally ... It's about time!"
"Next time, I'll take care of Chad and you take care of the little one" Castiel replied, throwing the pile of clothes on a chair.
"OK, let's go" Dean searched the pile of clothes for him and Chadwick, and pulled out a faded Jean and a black turtleneck sweater.
"Here " He handed them to Castiel.
" For me ? " The latter wondered
"No, it's for the Pope " Dean sighed, raising his eyes to heaven.
" What's the occasion ? "
"Let's say you'll discuss this with the kids ..."
" I beg your pardon? " He was a bit skeptical.
"It was their idea ..."
"Their idea? But why ? " he raised an eyebrow.
"Because you always buy lots of stuff for us and you never buy anything for you," Chadwick replied selecting his clothes.
"Of course, I do" Castiel answered, lowering his voice, touched by the kids' attention.
" You're always wearing the same clothes " Chadwick insisted .
"It's not true," Castiel pouted
"Hey, what about me? " Jewel claimed, pulling his sleeve.
"What is it, my angel ? "
"Can I try mine on? "
"Come here " He took the clothes one by one and put them on his arm and grabbed Jewel with his free hand.
"Dean ... You wait here "
"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" crossing his arms on his chest and standing in front of his own pile of garments.