I have written more chapters of the story Fight and I want to share them with you.
I also fixed some errors in this version. I will rerelease the first three chapters here and the first new chapter will be chapter 4.

2. Consultation
Marc was very surprised when he found out that his appointment is the following Friday. I told him that the office had a cancellation due to some patients being sick. He wasn't too happy about his appointment being so early, but a deal is a deal.

We both walk into Johnson's Orthodontics in the center of town. They are the only orthodontists in town, so it was an obvious choice. The office is in a newly renovated building and looks inviting. Definitely a good choice for Marc. And according to other parents, the staff and doctor are also very friendly.

The receptionist introduces herself as Clara. Then she says, "It's good that you are here. We have so many cancellations. There must be a flu pandemic or something." Sounds promising to hear that they are not busy today, so they have plenty of time to check Marc's teeth. And it makes my story better because I told him that he has this early appointment because of a cancellation.

Marc is very quiet today and does not say a word as Clara leads us into a room with an X-ray machine. First she takes some pictures of him from different angles. Then it is his turn in the x-ray machine. He has to bite into a stick without moving. A part of the machine goes around his head and takes the X-ray. Of course, he is given radiation protection for the rest of his body.

Then it is time for the impressions. When Marc hears this, he moans, "Oh! This is disgusting, my friend Martin told me so." But to my surprise, he opens his mouth as soon as Clara arrives with the first impression tray for his upper jaw. I can tell by his look that this is not a good experience.

Clara continues with the lower jaw impressions and Marc has this disgusted look on his face. From what I can see, I can understand why he does not like having impressions done. When Clara is finished, she tells us that we can go straight to the treatment room and see Dr. Johnson. The doctor is expecting us because of the many cancellations.

Dr. Johnson greets us and asks Marc to sit down. She first examines Marc's teeth and makes some notes on her computer. She does this very carefully and I can tell that this is much easier for Marc than taking impressions. The doctor looks from the x-ray to Marc's teeth and back. I suspect that in her mind she is already preparing a treatment plan for him. And if she suggests braces, then Marc has no way out of our deal.

Then she says, "Marc cleans his teeth very well and his teeth are extremely healthy. He does not have a single cavity. I would be happy if all my patients were as good at brushing their teeth." I already know that he has good dental health and has been looking after his teeth since he was a little boy. What I want to know is what kind of braces he needs and how long he will need them.

Clara comes in and hands Dr. Johnson a dental model. They must be Marc's teeth. Then she says, "Two more cancellations, Meyers and Rogers. They also have the flu." Dr. Johnson is not happy to hear this news and Clara does not look happy either.

Then Dr. Johnson turns to Marc and says, "And I have some good news for you, you do not need braces. Your bite is excellent and your teeth are almost perfectly straight. I am sorry if you wanted braces, you know some kids do these days. But no braces for you."

Then she looks at me and says, "He should come back for a second consultation when his wisdom teeth come in. But I don't think we need to worry about that." When I hear this, I am confused. I have always been convinced that both of my children need braces. And now I learn that Marc has almost perfect teeth. He must have inherited them from me.

I look in Marc's direction, not knowing what to say, and then he says something surprising, "Maybe you should check my dad's teeth. I am sure he needs braces." The doctor says, "Sure, we have plenty of time this morning. Please, Mr. Turner, have a seat if you want."

I do not know why I do this, but Marc and I change places. Marc looks extremely happy and I haven't seen him so happy in a long time. I do not feel happy at all. Clara watches us from the back of the room and smiles at my son for some reason.

Dr. Johnson tells me to open my mouth. I have to open and close my mouth. It takes her a while to finish the examination. Sitting in that chair with my son watching me is not a pleasant experience. I even feel a little humiliated. But I am sure that the doctor will tell me that I do not need braces and that will hopefully make the devilish look on my son's face disappear.

The doctor tells me to follow Clara to the X-ray room. My son follows us, still happy about his little prank. As before, Clara takes photos and X-rays of me. And then I get the impressions. Having this tray in my mouth and fighting my gag reflex all the time is no fun.

We are back in the treatment room with Dr. Johnson. She tells me to sit down, "Mr. Turner, like your son, you have healthy teeth. But I have to tell you, your son is right. You should definitely consider getting braces. The way you bite, your TMJ will be giving you headaches soon. Or do you already have them?"

How does she know about my headaches? I am completely overwhelmed and can barely speak, "Sometimes". The doctor continues, "From what I can see, this will soon increase. It is good that you are here today. You should start treatment as soon as possible."

I cannot believe what the doctor says and I am shocked by what my son says, "Dad, maybe you can start today. They have a lot of cancellations." The doctor looks in my direction and says, "Your son is right. We have time for you now. We are usually very busy, but today is an exception."

I reply, "I am not prepared for this and it is a big decision to make." Again my son starts, "Dad, you told me how easy braces are these days and that you would get braces if you were in my position. So stick to your guns and do what the doctor says." I cannot believe what this bastard is saying. He can't be my son.

The truth begins to sink in and I realize that maybe he is right. I have always told him how easy it is to have modern braces. I decide to ask the doctor, "So what kind of treatment do you suggest?"

"The treatment I recommend is quite simple. Basically, you will get fixed upper and lower braces for about two years. At some point during your treatment, we will use rubber bands to correct some problems in your bite. I am sure this will eliminate your headaches and you will have straight teeth as a bonus," she tells me.

I must be a complete idiot, but I say to her, "OK, let's start the treatment today. My son has to fight not to burst out laughing. This is the worst decision of my life and it makes my son happy.

I remember this story; I'm happy to seen it continue.
Have fun writing!

NapaCaster

It's always nice to see a story being added to.

I am definitely looking forward to more chapters and will add them to TheArchive.

5. First week
Today is the day. It is my first day at work with my new braces. It took me a while to fall asleep last night. I thought a lot about my first day at work with them. Of course, no one knows I have braces because I got them on such short notice. I imagined how my colleagues would react to the fact that I have braces. And I am curious if I can stand the stares.

Another thought goes in the direction of my daughter, how was it for her on her first day at school with braces? Was she afraid of being seen with braces? Kids can be absolutely brutal and having braces can make you an easy target for a bully. And what was it like for her to wear her headgear for the first time? She does not wear it to school, but it may have even scared her to wear it in front of her mother. And I am sure that some of her friends have seen her wearing it or at least know that she wears one.

I do not have to be afraid of bullies. None of my co-workers will diss me because of my braces. I am more afraid of what they will think of me as an adult with braces. Will they think they make me look childish? Will they talk about me when I am not around?

It is entirely my fault that I am in this situation. Why did I take my son to the orthodontist? I did it because my wife wanted me to put braces on him. And now I have braces, my son is free, and my wife is mad at me. The only good thing is that the bond with my daughter has been strengthened. One of the few good things about my braces.

A little scared, I pull my car into the parking lot. One of my co-workers sees me getting out of my car and says hello. I greet him back, but he has not yet seen my braces. We walk to our office together, but we do not talk much because we have not had our usual morning coffee. As we walk, I wonder if I should tell him about my braces or just let him notice them. I decide to tell him when he asks me about my weekend, but I will not bring up my braces now.

He sees them in the office kitchen. He says, "Did you get braces?" I tell him, "I got them on Friday. They will help me with my TMJ and hopefully get rid of my frequent headaches." He says, "I heard about TMJ, an old friend of mine had it and he also got braces. And the braces worked for him. So I hope they will help you too. Do they hurt?" This sounds very supportive and I answer, "The pain has been okay so far. I hope it stays that way." He says, "I hope so too, but I am sorry I am late for my first meeting. Good luck with your treatment."

The rest of my workday is boring as usual. Some of my co-workers have noticed my braces, but they do not talk to me about them. Others are so focused on their own things that they have not even noticed them. It is a relief for me that I do not have to talk too much about my braces. It still feels weird to have them, and when I do talk about them, they are even more present in my mind. So I try not to think about them all day, but I fail.

Dinner in the cafeteria is a little difficult. I want to make sure that no food gets stuck in my braces. So I have to eat my food very carefully. And with the practice I had over the weekend, I am mostly successful. I brush my teeth in a discreet bathroom, the bathroom for the disabled. I am not embarrassed about it, because there is no handicapped person working here at the moment. So this is the perfect place to give my braces the thorough brushing they need.

On the drive home, I realize that I survived my first day at work with braces. It was easier than I thought it would be. After all, I might be able to handle my braces for the next two years. Although two years still sound like a long time.

The next few days at work are another boost to my confidence. I will be able to get through my treatment with braces. My co-workers have been very supportive. Some have shared their experiences with braces, others have told me that they admire my courage to wear braces as an adult, and one told me that she is thinking about getting braces. I also find it easier to talk about my braces. On my first day, I was too embarrassed to talk about them. But now I have gained the confidence.

And then I come home from work on Thursday evening. I am a little tired from work today and look forward to a quiet evening on the couch watching some TV. When I enter the living room, I find it in a complete mess. There are at least six open books scattered around the room.

Is my son working on a school assignment? He does not usually read, and more than one book is more than he can handle. As I approach, I realize what kind of books are in my living room. They are all on one subject and the subject is orthodontics. Why are all these books here? I already have enough orthodontics in my mouth.

I take a quick look at the books. They cover all kinds of orthodontic topics. Most books are open to pages describing fixed braces, headgear, and TMJ treatment. What is my son doing with all these books? And it has to be my son who is behind these books. It is just the two of us in the house and I am not the one reading these books.

What is he doing with those books? I am pretty sure this is his way of telling me how unhappy he is that I took him to the orthodontist. But isn't having me in braces enough revenge for him? I feel the anger rising inside me. I hear him in his room and I yell through the house, "Marc, come down right now!"

I hear the door open and he comes down the stairs. He is not alone, there is a girl with him. I wanted to call Marc at a very high volume, but I cannot because he is with a friend. Marc is in a very good mood and tells me, "This is my new girlfriend." The girl wants to shake my hand and I shake her hand, "Hello Mr. Turner, I am Tanja". I tell her, "You can call me Frank, there is no need for Mr. Turner."

Seeing him with his girlfriend calmed me down. But I have to know what all those books in my living room mean, so I ask him, "What are you doing with all those books?“ Marc replies, "We were talking about careers in class. And I think I know what I want to do for a living."

It is good that he is thinking about his career, but how does his career relate to these books in my living room? Marc continues, "I want to be an orthodontist. I find it amazing what you can do for people with misaligned teeth. And I think I have a talent for it. You know, I was the one who discovered that you need braces."

Tanja interrupts him, "Mr. Turner, uh, Frank. He is so excited about the braces. He talks about them all the time. And he already knows so much about them.“ I hadn't noticed before, but now I see that she has braces too. Fixed braces on her lower jaw and probably a device behind her upper teeth.

I feel completely defeated and all I want is a quiet evening. "Marc, please clean up the mess in the living room and take the books to your room. I am quite tired and I want to watch some TV," I order him. To my surprise, he does not argue. He and Tanja pick up the books and take them to his room.

I spent the rest of the evening on the couch watching some stupid TV show. I can barely think. Seeing all those orthodontic books really shocked me.

6. Pranks
The next two weeks are not easy for me. My son is still excited about becoming an orthodontist. He talks about it all the time and reads even more books about it. He must have read all the books on orthodontics in our library. I should be happy that he reads, but I am not. He has access to the university library at our local university. Lucky for him and unfortunate for me.

He is very interested in my orthodontic treatment and is always asking me about every detail. He wants to know everything. How the brackets feel on my teeth, how it feels to eat with them. The answers I give him are not the whole truth. I always try to hide the fact that these braces really bother me. No more fodder for his pranks on me.

If I were to be completely honest with him, I would have to tell him in detail about the downsides of my braces. I do not like the feeling when the inside of my lips rub against the braces. Clara gave me some wax to put on the parts of the braces where this rubbing irritates my gums. When I tried the wax, I did not like it at all. The feeling of the wax in the braces is worse than the rubbing. And it does not look good to have the wax on my braces. So I stopped using the wax and of course I did not tell my son.

The other thing that an honest version of me would have to talk to him about is saliva. The braces make my mouth produce so much saliva. I have to slur all the time. Doing that in public is always a challenge. It is unavoidable, but I have to do it very discreetly. I do not want other people to see so much saliva in my mouth and there is also the risk of spitting while talking. But being caught slurring in public is just as bad.

Slurring in public is something I have avoided, or at least I think I have. For obvious reasons, I cannot ask other people if I did it. It would be totally embarrassing to ask as an adult. I guess it would be embarrassing for everyone. Even for the person being asked. So I have to rely on my own judgment when it comes to this question.

There is another thing I am afraid of, and that is having a lisp. When I speak, I am always trying to detect any sign of a lisp. So far I have not been able to detect a lisp. As with slurring, I cannot ask other people. Although it is a little strange that I haven't acquired a lisp. Most other people with braces have a lisp, so I do not know why I am an exception to this rule. But I want to believe it. And if I do have a lisp, I think my son would have told me.

So these braces really complicate my life. There are so many things to worry about that I was not aware of. I think these are the reasons why my son does not want braces. He must have listened carefully to the stories of his classmates who have braces. And I was not thinking at all when I agreed to get braces. I was also willing to put my son through all this without thinking.

Marc also watches me, almost like a stalker. When I eat, he watches me to see how I handle the food. He watches me brush my teeth. He also suggests Internet videos about braces care. The videos cover a lot of braces topics, like brushing, flossing, foods to avoid with braces, or dealing with the pain.

My home is no longer a safe place for me. At any moment I can run into another one of my son's pranks. He is very creative in bullying me. I don't know how much longer I can take it. There is nothing wrong with what I did to him. I just took him to an orthodontic consultation, something most parents do with their children. But he is so angry with me.

Every time I turn on my smart TV, it opens to a video platform and shows some braces videos. So in those rare moments when I have forgotten about wearing braces, I am reminded of their existence. These videos mostly show how braces are installed on patients. Looks like he really wants to know how they are installed. And most likely, he enjoys reminding me of my own braces installation.

It is said that criminals like to return to the place where they committed their crimes. This makes them relive the feeling they had while committing the crime. Is watching these videos his way of reliving his prank? He put me in braces, why is that not enough for him? Watching these videos must be a fantastic experience for him.

It is also said that criminals like to collect trophies of their crimes. He also found a way to get those trophies. Of course, me wearing these braces is his number one trophy. But he found more.

He has a collection of dental models with braces in his room. Some orthodontists hand out the dental models they make for the treatment at the end of it. He must have found a way to get some from his friends at school who have already finished their treatment. I really hope he did not steal them. He probably just asked them for them, at least I hope so.

From time to time, my son brings his friends over. I am happy for him that he has friends. He seems to have made some new friends in the last week. And they all have something in common, they all wear braces. I really do not understand his fascination with other people's braces.

He has made it very clear to me that he does not want braces for himself. So why is he so fascinated about braces? I try to believe that this is just a boy who is very fascinated by a subject. Like some kids are completely into dinosaurs. But there are so many signs that this is not the case.

Does he really want to be an orthodontist? Or is he trying to pull a prank and make my life miserable? Why is he putting all the blame on me? After all, it was my wife who wanted him to get braces, not me. I just followed her orders and look what I got. I got these freaking braces and a son who is always mad at me.

Could it be that he is really interested in orthodontics? Is this the job he wants? Am I wrong that he is playing a joke on me? He chose a girlfriend with braces, maybe he is really fascinated by braces. Am I wrong about his motives? I really don't know. But it does not really matter, because I feel like I am being pranked, regardless of his true motives.

My daughter sent me a picture. She must have been to her orthodontist because her braces have a different color. She now wears red ligatures. Shortly after the picture comes a text message from her: "Dad, I got red ligatures and I hope you like the color.“ Remembering the promise I made to her, I write, "Nice color. I will get the same color at my next appointment."

She replies, "Thank you, Dad. You will like the color." This new connection I have found with my daughter is exciting. I want to know more about her appointment and text her, "How are you doing with the headgear? Did you meet your wearing time?" She replies, "My ortho was really happy, I did two hours more than required. I only have to wear it for two more months and then I am free."

While I am thinking about my daughter, I get a phone call. It is from my wife. And as soon as I pick it up, I hear her yelling at me, "Do you know what your daughter has done to me? Was this your idea, you bastard? How could you even think of such a thing?" I reply, "I really have no idea what you are talking about.“ I have to concentrate on staying calm, I do not want to give her an excuse to yell at me even more.

But she is on fire, "I know you are behind this. It does not matter if you deny it. It must have been your idea. But I have to tell you that it did not work. I am an adult, not a child like you. I know what adults are supposed to do, and I am not following your lead, you idiot." I have an idea of what happened at Sandrine's appointment. I am quite sure that she suggested braces for my wife. But I want to hear it from my wife.

As calmly as I can, I tell her, "You have to tell me what happened. I still have no idea what you are talking about and why you are calling me an idiot?" She is still very angry, "You know exactly what she did. She asked her orthodontist to scan me for braces. But I am an adult and I am not getting braces. They are for children, not for adults. You failed to get Marc braces and now you want me to get braces. But I have to tell you that your revenge will not work."

I know why Sandrine did it and it was not my plan. Sandrine was really disgusted by my wife's reaction to my braces. And she probably wanted to take a little revenge on my wife. It must have been a funny thing to watch, unfortunately I wasn't there. The look on my wife's face must have been priceless. As far as I know her, she did not show any emotional reaction when Sandrine suggested that she get braces. She wanted to save all her anger for that phone call with me.

The call goes on for a while and I am not allowed to talk much. She spends most of the call yelling at me and insulting me in every possible way. After a while I get tired of her insults and hang up. I think it is time to think about my relationship.

My wife wasn't always like this. She was a nice person when I met her and fell in love with her. When we got married, I was looking forward to a beautiful life with a wonderful wife. All my friends told me how jealous they were. Many guys tried to get her and I was the one who got her.

There was a warning sign, but I ignored it. Her parents are really terrible. They bossed her around her whole life. And they did not like me. They made it very clear to her and to me that they wanted another partner for her, a better one. Their dislike for me was so fundamental that they did not even attend our wedding.

It slowly changed when we had our children. We both wanted to have children, two children to be exact. So everything went according to plan. But when you have children, you have certain responsibilities. And you are not as free as a single person or a couple without children. She did not like having all these duties and she put the blame on me. When Marc was five, she started to change.

When Marc was nine, the situation had gotten worse. She insulted me almost constantly. She was even not afraid to do it in front of our children. And then we had a big fight. After that fight, I had to break up with her. There was no other way. But we are still married to this day. I guess that has to change.

And it is very clear to me that I need to file for divorce. I do not want to be her husband anymore. Not after all these insults. And our relationship is screwed up anyway, I think it could not be fixed even before I got those braces that she thinks are childish.

I will make an appointment with a lawyer tomorrow, but today I have to do something to fight my frustration. I want to go to a bar and get really drunk. I usually do not go to a bar on a weekday, but today is an exception. I need to get drunk and then I will be ready for the divorce. I should have done it a long time ago. Our relationship has been over for a long time and it is time to make it official.

8. Checkup
Today I have my first check-up at the orthodontist. It is already four weeks since I got my braces. My life at home is still miserable for me. My son is still actively teasing me. He talks about becoming an orthodontist all the time. That is also the reason why he is coming to my appointment today, he wants to know everything about braces and that is his reason for joining.

The only thing that is going well for me is my relationship with Deborah. We talk on the phone every day and have met twice. Marc does not know about her yet, but I think I will tell him and Sandrine soon. I also have an appointment with a lawyer next week. We will discuss my divorce. I can't wait to have an ex-wife.

When we arrive at Johnson Orthodontics, the waiting room is full, and I have the last appointment for the day. When we are finally called into the exam room, Marc follows me. Dr. Johnson greets me as I enter the room and I tell her, "This is my son Marc, I think you know him. He wants to..." Marc cuts me off, "I want to be an orthodontist, so I am here to learn more about my future profession. I hope you do not mind.“ Dr. Johnson says, "No problem, if it is okay with your father, then it is okay with me.“ I just nod.

"So, Mr. Turner, how have your first few weeks with braces been?" she asks me. I reply, "I think it has gone well so far. Not too much pain. The annoying part is brushing my teeth. It really takes a while to clean them." She says, "Good to hear. Sit down and let me see your progress.“ I sit down in the chair and she begins to examine my teeth.

She tells me to open and close my mouth several times. She mumbles some words to her assistant Clara that I do not understand. All of this is being closely watched by Marc. Then Dr. Johnson says to me, "I see that you have cleaned your teeth very well. Keep up that good work. I am already seeing some progress in your bite, which is also a good sign.“

Marc interrupts her, "Are you going to change anything for his treatment today? Another wire maybe?" Why can't he just stop? Dr. Johnson smiles at him, "That's what I wanted to talk about. We started with a very thin starting wire. That was a good choice, given your head start on the treatment, Mr. Turner. We will be making two changes to your treatment today. You are going to get a thicker archwire and we are going to start your rubber bands today."

"Dad, I have read a lot about these rubber bands. They can do amazing things for you. They will help reposition your upper jaw toward your lower jaw. That will help with your TMJ," my son tells me, unasked and with a big smile on his face.

I try to ignore my son's lecture, and it is good to hear that my treatment is progressing. But I am not sure I am looking forward to the changes. I ask Dr. Johnson, "Can I choose the color of my ligatures? My daughter has braces and we want to wear matching colors." I pull out my phone and show her a picture of my daughter's braces. She says, "Sure, we have the same red color in stock.”

Dr. Johnson looks at Marc, "Clara wants to leave early today, would you like to assist me?" He replies, "I would love to, thank you Doctor.“ Clara smiles in our direction and I see that she is wearing retainers today. And I absolutely do not like my son assisting Dr. Johnson. But I do not say anything because I do not know how to express it without sounding rude.

Dr. Johnson says, "I'm going to show you how to remove the wire from his lower braces, and then you can do the same with his upper braces. Marc watches closely as she removes the first wire. I have never seen him so focused. So they switch places and it is Marc's turn to remove the wire. According to Dr. Johnson, he is doing a fantastic job. Of course, he is much slower than Dr. Johnson.

It is now time for Dr. Johnson to take over. She presents me with my new archwires. She says, "Marc, I will cut the wires to the correct size and maybe you can assist me with his new ligatures. She puts the new wires in my mouth several times and adjusts them. Then she starts with the red ligatures on my lower braces. Halfway through, she tells Marc, "It's your turn. I hope you were watching me." Marc smiles all over his face.

Then he begins to add the remaining ligatures. Adding them is a more difficult task than removing them. It takes him a while and some corrections from Dr. Johnson, but in the end my lower wire is secured. She lets him insert my top wire and then takes over for the first ligatures. Then it is Marc's turn again for the remaining ligatures.

"You did a very good job. You have a talent for it," she says, while Marc keeps on smiling. Having my son put braces on me is one of the most humiliating things I have ever experienced. I don't know why Dr. Johnson did this to me. She must enjoy watching my son play with me. It is often said that dentists or orthodontists have a sadistic tendency, and this is certainly true of her.

"Mr. Turner, I have been an orthodontist for some time now and it has come to my attention that you are very unsure about your treatment. I have seen that look on your face in many patients and they all thought that their treatment was not really necessary. Can I show you something," she asks me.

I nod and then she touches a spot next to my left ear and suddenly the pain hits me out of nowhere. She could have at least warned me. Then she explains, "I just touched your so-called temporomandibular joint. The pain you felt is the stress caused by the position of your upper and lower jaw. Your body is trying to work around it and that is the cause of your TMJ. Please believe me, we need to fix this.”

I reply, "Thank you for your demonstration. But next time, please give me a warning.” She nods, "I will, but I have touched your good side. The other would have been much worse for you. So let us continue with your rubber bands, they will help you get rid of this pain."

Then she shows me a tooth model and presents me with rubber bands. She shows me which tooth to put the rubber bands on. Then she attaches them to my braces. Almost immediately I can feel them pulling on my teeth. Then she calls me to a mirror and asks me to take them out and put them back in.

Taking them out is the easy part. Putting them in is a little more difficult. It takes me a while to get the hang of it. Then she says to Marc, "I'm sure you can help your father with his rubber bands.“ She then shows him and me a pack of rubber bands. On the package is a picture of an upper and lower jaw. She uses a pen to mark the teeth where I should attach the rubber bands. I hope they will help me with my TMJ.

Great story!