Chores are done. I had no excuse now, I had to knock on Linda’s door. Although I knew it had to be done, I stood staring at the door for several minutes, unable to bring my hand up. Sam walked by, saw my struggle, and before I could stop her knocked on the door. I gave her an ‘I’ll pay you back later look,” at the same time, I heard Linda call out. “Come in.”
Linda was sitting at her desk, watching me as I entered. “Have a seat, please.” I carefully sat as directed. I was sure I was about to get another spanking. And after this morning, I didn’t think I could handle any more attention to my bottom. Linda must have seen the fear in my eyes or maybe my shaking hands gave it away because before I knew it she was around the desk scooping me up in a hug.
“Come with me.” She grabbed something off her desk and pulled me to the sofa. To my surprise, instead of directing me over her lap, she sat me next to her. We sat cuddled on the sofa until I calmed down. “Oh, little girl.” “I’m sorry I worried you so. When I said chat I actually meant chat.” She gave me a few more minutes to absorb this new information. “Are you feeling better?” I nodded, and she continued, “Let’s talk.”
She went on to inform me of her new plan to help me be more responsible. She handed me a rock about four by two inches with the words, ‘MY RESPONSIBILITY’ written across its length. Then proceeded to explain, “This rock is to stay with you and not in your purse, wherever you go for the next two weeks.” Seeing my confusion, she continued, “if you go somewhere it goes too. If you’re doing chores, it is by your side.” “Now to ensure this happens, I will be calling you periodically and when I do you are to immediately send back a time stamped photo of the two of you.”
“Linda, I can’t carry a rock to school.”
“Yes you can and you will.” Linda said as a matter of fact. “Understand, if you loss it we start over. If you fail to send back a photo we start over and If I see you without it we start over.”….”lastly, each time you have to start over, that evening before bed you will receive a spanking.”
I sat feeling about as stunned as I could be, Linda was actually going to make me carry around a rock. I moved the rock from one hand to another, testing the weight and size. I wasn’t allowed to put it in my purse, and it wouldn’t fit in my pocket, so I’d have to hold the darn thing. “Linda, please don’t make me do this.” I pleaded even though I knew she would never change her mind.
“That’s it for now. You may work on homework if you have it; if not, study.” I got up and headed for the door when I remembered ‘my responsibility.’ I quickly hurried over to the desk, picked up the rock, and raced out the door. ‘This was going to be a long two weeks.’I thought.
How can I focus on my studies with this rock weighing me down? Once in my room, I placed ‘my responsibility.’ in front of me on the desk and sat down to read. I wanted to give up several times after my gaze left the page and fell on the rock. I forced myself to focus.
I kept that focus for several days. Then on Wednesday, I woke up late and took a quick shower before running out the door. I was sitting at my desk in class when I realized my error. My heart pounded, and I barely heard the professor’s voice as I stared at my phone, knowing any minute, a text would pop up. ‘My Responsibility’ was at home, so I would have to confess and take my punishment. I wished for Linda to be distracted and forget but no sooner had I made that wish when the dreaded text popped up.
“Picture, please.”
My fingers shook as I typed, “I’m sorry, Linda. It’s in my room.” I just had to carry the stupid rock for two lousy weeks.
“Expect a bedtime chat.”
”yes, ma’am.”
I went straight to my room when I got home. I needed to get used to the weight of ‘my responsibility’ and remember to keep it with me at all times. I held it in my right hand, then moved the rock from one to the other. After a few minutes, I gave up and took the stone downstairs to check the board. Although I couldn’t stop my bedtime chat from happening, I hoped for some brownie points by getting my homework and chores done.
My mind was too occupied to keep up with the conversation, so after dinner, I retreated to my room. Linda came in a little while later, paddle in hand. “Ok, Antonia, please explain what happened today.”
“um, I overslept, but I wasn’t late for class.” I hurried to explain. “So after I showered and dressed, I just ran out the door.” when I looked up at Linda, I knew she expected me to continue. “So now I have to start my two weeks from the beginning, and, well, you’re gonna spank me.”
“Ok, grab your rock and get up.” I did as directed, and while I stood in the middle of the room, Linda took the chair I was sitting on and spun it around. She sat and beckoned me over. Once in front of her, she unfastened my pants and then slid them along with my panties down. I now stood helpless in front of her, naked from the waist down, holding a rock.
She wasted no time helping me over her lap, and with her hand resting on my butt, she began to lecture. “You are an adult, and adults have responsibilities.” Linda’s hand all too quickly lifted, and as she spoke, she brought it down. “What are your responsibilities?”
“Going to school,” swat, “keeping track of my things,” swat, “ouch, chores.” swat.
Swat, swat, “Yes, please tell me why losing your things is a big deal.” swat.
“Because someone can steal your credit cards.” Swat, swat. Of course, she’d bring that up again. The reason my parents insisted I live here is that I kept leaving my purse places. Their final straw was when someone found my wallet and charged several thousand dollars. “Ouchie,” she brought her hand down harder and faster.
“Very good, and what are you supposed to have with you at all times?” her pace never faltered.
“My responsibility rock. Owe, I promise ouch, I’ll carry it.” I wanted to jump up and run as far away as possible, but I was pinned and couldn’t move. She stopped but only long enough to retrieve the wooden paddle. “Nooo, please, Linda, I’ll be good.”
“Hush now, little girl.” she rubbed the paddle over my sore cheeks, then, without warning, peppered each cheek. My butt was on fire, and I thought I would never sit again when she finally slowed her pace. Although her pace slowed, she ended with a few stern warning shots on my tender sit spots. “Pay attention, “ swat, “to your,” swat, swat, “belongings,” swat, swat, swat, “I don’t want to have to do this again.”
I lay draped over Linda’s lap for what seemed like an eternity, my face drenched from tears. The first thing I saw when my eyes focused was the ‘my responsibility’ rock. I groaned as I grabbed it and awkwardly tried to lift myself off Linda’s lap. Luckily she was able to help me up. I attempted pulling my pants up, but it was too hard using only one hand. Shaking her head, she reached over and tugged them up before pulling me onto her lap.
I curled up and allowed myself to be comforted. It felt good having Linda’s strong arms around me; strangely, I felt secure in her embrace. She spoke softly and let me stay put until I was ready to move. When I was ready, she again helped me up and, before leaving, said, “if you need to study, you can stay up. If not, I think you should get some rest.”
“Yes, ma’am.” even though it was still early, bed sounded like a good idea. I was exhausted, plus I had studied earlier.
I was doing well carrying ‘my responsibility’ with me everywhere. It was either in my hand or sitting on the desk, or the seat next to me on the bus. But then the unthinkable happened. I was on the bus headed home from school when I spotted Sam waiting at the bus stop. I was so excited to catch up with my friend I left ‘my responsibility’ on the seat. Then as soon as the bus pulled away, I realized my error and tried to chase it down to no avail.
I immediately called for an Uber, which took ages to arrive. Not thinking, we both jumped into the backseat. The bus managed to get four stops away before we were able to intercept it, and just as the bus driver was closing the door, I was able to stop him. I felt ecstatic until I realized we were now forty-five minutes late. Not only did I almost lose my rock, but I made Sam and me late while on restriction.
As the car pulled up in front of the house, my stomach ached. Although I didn’t want to, I knew I’d have to explain that us being late was all my fault. I forgot ‘my responsibility’ on the bus, and we chased it down.
I softly knocked on Linda’s door and only entered after hearing, “Come in.”
Linda was sitting at her desk and looked up when we entered. “I supposed you girls are here to explain your tardiness?”
“Yes, ma’am, it was all my fault. Sam was only trying to help me. You see, I, um, well, when I got off the bus, I left” I held up the rock “on the seat. I noticed right away, but the bus was pulling away.”I should have told Sam to go home and tell you, but it all happened so fast.” I told her about the bus chase, and when I was done, I couldn’t read Linda’s expression.
“Ok, ladies, I need a few minutes. Put your things away and check the board. We will talk later.”
“Yes, ma’am.” We said in unison as we left the office.
An hour later, with dinner almost ready, Linda called Sam and me to the office. Together we walked up to the desk and saw the paddle sitting in plain sight. Neither of us could take our eyes off the wicked piece of wood. “Ladies, eyes up, please.” we reluctantly did as told. “I understand it was not your intention to be late. But still, you were, so I’ve decided ten each with the paddle should do nicely.” we didn’t share her enthusiasm.
“Dinner’s almost ready, so let’s finish here so we can eat. Pants down, hands-on desk, come on, move.” we both scrambled to obey. Without delay, Linda brought the paddle down hard five times on my butt, then Sam’s, then back to mine. When number six landed, I almost jumped out of my skin; seven was no better. I howled for number eight and cried with the last two. A moment later, Sam was receiving the same treatment.
After our clothes were straightened and I followed Sam out of the office, Linda stopped me. “Antonia, we’ll be chatting later, don’t forget.” I had forgotten, or maybe I blocked it out, hoping she had forgotten.
Strangely I felt lucky because that evening, Linda left the paddle in her office. In total, I carried ‘my responsibility’ for a total of seven weeks. What can I say? I’m a slow learner. Although I’m not required to carry it anymore, the rock now sits in my room next to my computer as a reminder.
Patti's Stories 