It has rained for two days. Large puddles are forming in the streets. The occasional bird makes an appearance every now and then and drinks from them.  I love looking through the windows when it rains.There's a soothing quality to it. It soothes my nerves.  I know what is coming.  Leaving your significant others hanging while you try to find yourself appears to be unacceptable. It was only for two days.  Apparently following your heart and trying to find oneself can also be accomplished in the backyard or inside the house. And as one of the wardens so cleverly pointed out, "there's also less chance of getting lost".   They picked me up last night around two am. Ter was very quiet. No words other than "are you all right?" were spoken.

Mar, however, hugged and swatted simultaneously. Mar just got home. He is pointing to the far corner in the living room.  "Move, brat. You are staying in the corner until dinner.  I want you to think about what happened, starting two days ago. And later I expect an account of what you could have done differently."

I follow his lead and move to the pointed corner. He seems so upset. But at least he's still talking to me. Ter has hardly spoken at all. I start thinking about my beautiful lover and tears well up in my eyes. Soon the tears overflow and cascade down my face.

"Shhhh, it's okay, Sky. We will get to the bottom of this," Mar says as he hugs me from behind. His words have the adverse effect: instead of calming, they make me sob in earnest. I screwed up and still Mar is trying to comfort me.

"I want Ter, but he is so mad now. He can't stand to look at me. Soon you will have to choose between us,and you will pick him because he doesn't cause trouble."

Mar sighs deeply. "Skyler there is no doubt that what you did was irresponsible. But both Ter and I knew before we took you in exactly who you were. We both love you as you are, even though sometimes your impulsive actions must be corrected. Still you are full of life and we love you for it. But have no doubt, there'll be consequences."

*********

I hope Ter gets home soon. The brat is worried sick. He is fearful Ter won't be in the mood to forgive and try to get rid of him. I; however, know better, I saw my lover of ten years, the calmest preson I have ever known, break down and cry as we heard from our lost lover. It took me ten minutes to calm his sobbing. I have seen plenty of people cry, Sky does it often, but Ter has never cried in front of anyone. To see this strong man reduced to babbling and crying brokenly was a shock. His calm face is his protection. He is trying to come to terms with what could have happened. We both love the brat almost to desperation. He completes the circle.

Ter just unlocked the door. He moves slowly but with determination towards the kitchen."Hi Ter."

"Hi love. What are you making?"

"Don't ask. It isn't coming out the way it should."

"Wanna call for take out?"

The subtle breathing from the living room changes and a few sniffles can be heard. I look at Ter and whisper "Go to him. He is feeling a little forlorn. He thinks that you won't love him after yesterday."

"The brat is going to be the death of me."

I think Skyler heard the last remark; he started sobbing again. Ter is starting to look a little alarmed. It is one thing to correct Sky and see him in tears from a spanking, but to see him cry from emotional turmoil is quite another. In a few strides Ter is by Skyler and hugging him hard.  Sky's tears increase and he starts chanting brokenly, "I am sorry, so sorry. Don't hate me. Love me...Love me...."

I can hear Ter murmuring comforting words over Sky's tearful declarations."It's okay, sweetheart. I love you. Shhhh. Breathe, babe. Breathe."

Skyler is exhausted. He is leaning over Ter's shoulder and he seems to be nodding off. This emotional rollercoaster has taken its toll on him but we must take care of unfinished business. Punishment has to be meted out, so that our brat can move on. I brace myself for my next comment. "Skyler Mathews, get in your corner this moment."

He starts crying again. Ter is looking at me in confusion. I move closer to Ter so that Sky can't hear me."It's all right, Ter, I just want to move him along so that he can have dinner and discuss his behavior. I don't want to wait another day, it's eating him alive."

"Mar let's call for Chinese. It will be faster and there'll be more time to talk things over with Sky."

"What if we have a snack first and later after the 'talk' we call for Chinese?"

"Great idea, Mar," Ter replies as he kisses me.

I look over to where Sky is parked and notice him looking through the corner of his eyes. "Sweet, please come over."

At first he is walking slowly but then looks around and notices the absence of any possible "torture devices" and speeds up. I laugh to myself; after these couple of months he should know that both his tops have heavy hands; we don't need a hairbrush or a ruler to get our points across.

"Have a seat, Sky."

He sits slowly as if wainting for the other shoe to drop. It will. "Sky, honey, we are going to have a small snack and then we'll be talking about what happened."

He starts trembling and avoids eye contact. There's no doubt of his fear but he must take responsibility for his actions. He knows the consequences for mischief. Ter is getting juice from the refrigerator along with some grapes and some cut melon. He divides the fruit in three portions as he places it in small bowls. "Sky, please get some spoons and glasses for the juice."

Sky gets up and looks apprehensively over his shoulder. He is way too nervous. We must discuss last night soon or he will make himself sick.

"Sky, please sit down already. We are going to eat right now and then talk."

Ter just put his big foot in his mouth. Sky realized that punishment is upon him. Now we'll be watching him eat a piece of fruit every five minutes. Let the acting begin.

"Skyler finish your fruit."

Ter seems about to lose his patience. "Skyler Mathews, this is your last warning."  Ter is at his limit. And sadly, Sky hasn't recognized it.  Five minutes later, fireworks. Smack smack smack.....Ter lifts Sky from his chair and while holding him with one hand by the waistline starts spanking Skyler with the other.  Sky's face is on Ter's shoulder as he spanks, his wrists are being held behing his back.

"Ter, stop. I will be good. It hurts."

Our lover is crying out to have the spanking stop but Ter is paying him no mind.  I am considering stopping it until we can talk but this isn't anything undeserved.  I have witnessed and experienced the anguish that Ter and I went through. It's the middle of the winter. It has been raining. The woods are not a place known to Sky.  The list of things that could have gone wrong is long and it's through mere luck the brat returned unarmed.  No, I won't be stopping a few swats to Sky's deserving bottom.

"Mar, let's move this converstation to the sitting room. And don't forget the paddle."

Did I mention that Ter possesses an evil streak?  Ter and I sit down on the forest green couch that adorns our living room. Sky sits across from us with his feet up on the loveseat, his arms across his knees. Eyes down. Sky starts to cry softly. He has been crying on and off all evening. I hate it. I hate seeing him in distress.  But the possibilities freeze me to the core.  He could have been lost in the middle of that forest.  He could have di...been lost forever.  As hard as it is right now, I must put that aside and try to find out the reasons for his disobedience.

"Sky blue, why did you go into those woods? You knew of their danger, why baby?"

At the loved nickname Sky looks up and starts to answer, "I just felt like it. I wanted to experience it."

Ter and I exchange glances. A message passes between us: Sky is lying. The brat's interpretation of nature and being in its midst runs along the lines of "Nature is dirty, let someone else clean it." Besides, his idea of discovering nature is simply accomplished with access to the Discovery Channel.

"Skyler Mathews, you just earned yourself an extra spanking. I suggest you come up with the truth before digging yourself deeper." Ter cuts through my musings abruptly. Sky is looking up now, his chin is quivering and tears are leaving a trail as they slide down his face.

"I ...thought... I wanted to." He screams the last part out. Buckle up.

"Fine, Sky. Tell you what, you hold on to the reasons until you feel like sharing. Meantime, Mar and I will paddle your behind every night until we get the truth. Shall we start?"

At this point our brat is almost falling into hysterics.He is crying so hard that breathing is becoming harder. Okay, it's time for one of us to step in."Skyler, are you listening? Honey, stop crying, You can still tell us the truth and avoid getting spanked after tonight," I try telling him."Do you want to tell us?"

"Sweet, you can trust us." Ter reinforces my point.

"I am afraid...cause you...you...are going to get upset."

"You can tell Mar and me anything, you know that."

He looks up at me and starts.  "Your... your brother said Ter and youuu...don't like city slickers. He saidd...that..." He starts crying again. I am going to skin that brother of mine.  No questions.

"Sky please tell us why you are so upset."

In between sobbing and crying his heart out the truth emerges. "He said that you will dump me come spring...now I am just a boy toy, cause the winter is herreee and you bothhh need entertainment. I just wanted to show you thattt I could be like you.  I cannn get used to the outdoorrsss."

This last part was finished with a piercing cry. Both Ter and I have tears in our eyes. How could someone from my own flesh inflict such pain? My brother knew, he knew Sky is insecure. He knew our young lover possessed a kind, sensitive soul. A soul that could be wounded far too easily. I am going to kill him.Ter starts laughing. At first I feel like popping him on the jaw but then I hear what he is saying.

"Brat, you will never get rid of us. It isn't about keeping us entertained. If we want entertainment, we can always rent a movie or go out, but you, brat.. you complete the circle.  A triangle isn't complete with only two sides love, neither are we."  Well, that stopped the tears.

"You aren't going to get rid of me?"

Ter didn't respond with words. He simply dragged Sky into his lap and started rubbing his belly. "Skyler, we both claimed to love you many times, why didn't you believe us?"

"I I ...have heard that before but it kept on on changing.  People always take it back." That remark is accompanied by a sigh and a tear rolling down his left cheek.

Oh sweetheart, what have they done to you?  He is a little skittish but with good reason. No one ever stood by him. Why would that change now?  Only time will fix his fear of abandonment.  We will keep on loving and caring for him. One day he won't need to be clinging to us . He will take his first solo flight with both Ter and I simply overlooking, not guiding. Any bruises that shall emerge will be tenderly cared for.  But for now we must guide and carry out the consequences when necessary. Lessons must be learned.  It is a dangerous world out there.

"Sky, I understand your fear, but what could you have done differently?"

"...Maybe I could try and talk to you before acting?"

"Is that a question or an answer?"

"I think....it's an answer, Mar."  Impossible emerald green eyes look up. Such innocence.

"Sky blue, it does not please me having to watch what come next, but this lesson must be learned at all costs.  You didn't simply disobey, you put your life at risk."  As I say this, Ter starts unzipping Sky's jeans. He is well aware that punishment will take place fairly soon.

He starts tearing up and trying to hold on to his pants, while pleading,"Please don't spank me....it will never happen again...Pleaseeeee?!!! I will never disobey or lie about anythinggggggg..."

Ter is reaching for the paddle at the same time as he settles Sky over his lap, face down, butt in the air. Ter continues to adjust Sky's position. He puts his right leg over both of Sky's legs.  Ter starts spanking promptly. The cries start instantly. It doesn't seem to be only the pain fueling Sky's screams because he started screaming even before the first swat landed. Yes love, let out your tears.

Ter has tears in his eyes. I know he hates every moment spent causing pain to our lover. This lesson, however, must be learned. He looks down at the extremely inflamed bottom and a mask falls over his face as he continues paddling, Sky's cries of pain go unheard. He has his resolve back in place, no reprieve.

*********

I hate seeing the ones I love in pain. But to watch my sensitive, innocent young lover cry himself to sleep shatters me to the core. Sky has always been uncertain of his place in the relationship. Both Mar and I were happy when it was just the two of us; however, it changed. We both are too independent but at the same time need someone to nurture and even baby. Perhaps we have just seen too much of a hard world and require now the innocence and pure love that our Sky brings. Of one thing we are certain, we are both deeply in love with him.  I don't think Skyler realizes the depth of our feelings for him. At times it feels like it was written in the stars.  Mar and I always joked about it: "If Mar means sea and Ter is the first three letters of the word earth, well then, where is our Sky?"

He is soundly asleep between earth and sea. He is in our arms.