Part one
I should have known I’d get busted as soon as I stepped outside. Why do I always listen to Sam? She said it’ll only take a few minutes, run around the corner to Gabby’s house, grab your purse, and run back. She won’t even notice you’re gone. Ugh, whatever, Sam, I thought as the pain in my throbbing ear increased. It felt like Linda was using pliers instead of her fingers as she dragged me back up the stairs and thru the front door.
No sooner had we entered the house when she let go of my ear and began swatting my bottom. I tried to escape, but her left-hand squeezed my upper arm in a vice-like grip. “Hold still!” she snapped.
“Linda, please! Stop,” my hand reached back on its own accord.
Although my hand stopped the next swat from landing, it didn’t stop my punishment. “Corner now!” She pointed to the worst possible corner of the house—the one smack dab in the center of everything. Our sitting room, a place we entertained company, and the one with enormous windows. Anyone walking by could see right in; I hoped we’d have no visitors today.
With no other choice, I slowly made my way across the room. I walked with my shoulders slumped and my head down right past my friends Sam and Charity. I heard Sam whisper, “sorry, Toni.”
Sam’s whispers are notoriously loud, and immediately, Linda’s voice rings, “Hush in there, ladies. Unless you’d like to join your friend in the corner.?” I could picture the stern look on Linda’s face. It was probably the same look she gave us last night when we came home drunk and two hours after our curfew. In our drunken state, we were more concerned with having a good time, not the consequences of our actions. “You two stay here; we’ll, be talking about last night’s shenanigans.”
The three of us are on probation; living here is part of our agreement. The other is we had to agree to have Linda as our guardian. Follow the rules she sets for us and accept all punishments she deems fit. We all are obligated to follow Linda’s rules as a group, but when it comes to individually. Some rules are tweaked to suit our individual needs; for instance, Charity has trouble making it to class on time, Sam doesn’t care much to study, and I, well, I lose things.
So earlier, when the three of us were anxiously waiting for Linda to arrive, I remembered my purse. I panicked, “OMG, I’m DEAD MEAT!” the others stared at me. “My purse, it’s at Gabby’s.” I buried my head behind both hands.
Charity scrunched her face sympathetically.
Sam thought for a minute before chiming in with her bright ideas. “You could call Gabby. Ask her to run it over.” she quickly nixed that idea, “hmm, never mind. She’s probably in bed. She drank more than us; I can’t imagine she would even answer the phone.” she looked over at the wall clock, “we’re early. Linda said nine o’clock; you still have twenty minutes. It will only take a few minutes, yadda yadda yadda.”
While in the corner, I replayed that conversation and just wanted to kick myself. I know not to leave the house before an impending punishment. Why did I even listen to Sam? Before I could dwell too much, I heard the sound of Linda’s heels as she walked across hardwood floors. Then I jumped when she spoke, “Antonia, come here, please.” I hurried over and sat between Sam and Charity. I’m not sure who of the three was more nervous; I think it was me, but I saw Charity’s leg bobbing up and down, and Sam couldn’t help but anxiously wipe her hands on her jeans.
Linda was good at letting the tension build; she sat quietly for what felt like ages. It was long enough to startle us all by simply clearing her throat. “Ladies, I would like an explanation for why the three of you decided to come home drunk two hours after curfew last night.” when we all remained silent, she added, “nothing? Ok, Antonia, explain your actions this morning?”
I answered in barely a whisper, “I forgot my purse and thought I could..” my voice trailed off as I looked up and saw the storm brewing behind Linda’s eyes.
“Young lady, when is it ok to leave the house once a rule was broken?” I saw a stern Guardian standing with her hands firmly planted on her hips. The image caused my stomach to turn and my hands to shake.
”I, um, thought, um, Oh, Linda, I’m so sorry. I screwed up.” at first, I tried to explain, but the futility of my situation became obvious even to me, and I gave up.
“Well, thank you for the apology. However, you all know the rules and the consequences of breaking the rules.” Linda made a point to look at each of her charges before continuing. “Of course, you are each on restriction. For the next two weeks, if you’re not at school or work, I want you here. You are to check the board daily.” Linda assigned us chores and listed them on a large chalkboard in the kitchen. I had a feeling we were in for a busy two weeks.
Before we could even think of protesting, she added, “the next two weeks will start and end the same way. Charity, put that straight-back chair over in the middle of the room, then find a corner. Samantha, you know where the paddle is; bring it here, then find a corner.” if Sam was getting the paddle already, I dreaded Linda’s following words. “Antonia, I’m sure you know what I want you to retrieve. My favorite Cane is in my office on the mantle.”
My feet felt like they had cinder blocks tied to my shoes. And although it was hard to get them to move, I knew not to stall, so I shuffled down the hall toward her office. As my hand slowly turned the doorknob, I silently prayed the Cane was missing. Unfortunately, the mantle seemed to glow once inside as the sun shined through the window, highlighting the bamboo strip. I took a deep breath before reaching up; then, with the Cane in my hand, I hurried back to Linda.
I saw quivering bare bottoms in two corners of the room and a severe guardian waiting for me. She gestured me over and placed the Cane on the floor. Her hands reached to unbutton my jeans before she lowered them along with my panties. All the while, I kept my hands at my side, not daring to interfere. When she guided me over her lap, I went without fuss. One of many lessons I learned the hard way. The swats touched down immediately, one right after the other. I tried hard to keep still, but the force was harder than any previous warmup and threw me off guard. I struggled, and my legs earned a reddened hue.
Once Linda felt I was warmed up, she had me switch places with Charity. Of course, she wasted no time giving her the same treatment before moving on to Sam. After priming our butts, Linda had us lean over the sofa with our red bottoms up. She began the next round with my poor bottom, but instead of a hand, she used the heavy wooden paddle. Ten on each cheek, then to Charity, and on to Sam, She went down the line five times; each round felt harder than the previous.
“Back to the corner.” The three of us wobbling across the room with our pants down and bottoms a bright red must have been a sight. Oh, I wanted to rub away the sting but didn’t dare.
I dreaded her calling my name again; I was already so sore, and the worst was yet to come. I stood as still as possible, hoping Linda changed her mind about using the Cane. My mind must have drifted off because, by the tone of Linda’s voice, I knew she had been calling me for a while. “Antonia, Come here now!”
I rushed over as soon as her voice registered. “sorry.” she pointed to the seat of the straight-back chair. I grabbed hold tightly of each side, and once again, my bottom was up and on full display. When my cheeks began to tense involuntarily, I tried to relax. Linda tapped the bamboo strip across both cheeks right before lifting it. The swoosh sound it made on its return was the last thing I heard before the pain took all thoughts from my brain. I didn’t know how often she brought that evil stick down on my tender bottom until much later.
I stayed bent over with my hands gripping the chair for several minutes after Linda finished with me. When I finally realized she had finished, I pried my fingers loose and wobbled once again to the corner. “Charity, come here.” I sniffled in the corner, cringing every time I heard the swish then my friend cried out. I knew the pain and the dread of anticipation. Again my mind must have drifted because I next heard, “Samantha, come here.”
Spankings over, for now, Linda directed, “ok ladies’, pants up.” after we carefully pulled scratchy material over tender, bruised bottoms, we all looked up to find Linda standing with open arms. We huddled together, crying and apologizing, wanting forgiveness. “It’s alright, my good girls. in a few minutes, you’ll have two free hours to relax or nap.” “After lunch, please check the board for today’s chores.” I silently groaned, thinking of all the busy work Linda was ready to assign.
Two hours later, we all met in the kitchen for lunch. As Linda set plates on the table, the three of us stared down at the hard wooden chairs and then at each other. Left with no alternative, I held my breath and eased myself down, and I swear I could feel where each stoke of the Cane landed. As the other two followed, I knew their moans, and there was no exaggeration. Once the pain settled, we enjoyed a lovely but quiet lunch.
“Antonia, Your purse is in my office. After your chores are complete come to my office for a chat.”
I managed to squeak out a small “yes, ma’am.” I was barely holding back tears.
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