| Chapter Twenty-One Going Home |
Both Wendy and Ricky knew that it was going to be a long ride back to Barrington Hall. Wendy sat in the front seat as Mark drove, and Kevin sat in the back with Ricky. Wendy caught a glance of Kevin�s face as they got into the car. She could tell he was going to punish Ricky. When she closed the door, she glanced over at Mark, he didn�t look angry at all. Maybe Francine was right; maybe he wasn�t going to spank her. Ricky sat as close to the door as he could because he didn�t want to sit next to Kevin, but He tried to not make it seem as though that was what he was doing. As they headed down the road, Ricky made a couple of quick glances at Kevin to see if he could tell just how angry Kevin was. The veins were bulging from the side of Kevin�s neck and suddenly Ricky wished he hadn�t gone so easily. Finally, Kevin broke the silence "We need to talk, young man," he scolded. Ricky said nothing. "Richard, did you hear me?" he asked again but Ricky chose to stay silent. Unhappy with Ricky�s response, Kevin reached over and pulled Ricky toward him. Ricky�s eyes widened, and he struggled to free himself. Wendy turned and leaned around the seat. �Ricky! stop!� she cried. Mark looked in his rearview mirror, then reached over and touched Wendy�s arm. �Turn around.� �Stop them!� she cried. Wendy turned her attention to Ricky and Kevin again. �Ricky, stop it this instant!� Kevin yelled. Ricky kept slapping at Kevin, and paying no attention to his orders to stop. �That�s it, boy!� Kevin grabbed Ricky by the shirt and yanked him across his knee. "Noooo, Kevin nooo," Ricky cried. Kevin clutched Ricky tightly around the waist, and started smacking the seat of his pants. Ricky gritted his teeth, and grabbed onto the handle of the door. �Ahhhhhh Owwww, Stop, owwwww stop, please stop,� Ricky yelled, but Kevin kept smacking his behind. "You hold still!!!" Kevin scolded, as he delivered three swift swats to Ricky�s rear. "Daddy, stop him!" Wendy cried as she grabbed her dads arm. "Be quiet, young lady! And turn yourself around," Mark scolded as he continued to drive. "I will not tolerate this kind of behavior from you, boy. You will not run away from me again, do you understand? I will blister your bottom every time, so get it out of that head of yours, and stay where you know you belong.� Ricky said nothing as he continued to lie over Kevin�s knee in the back of the moving car. When Ricky still didn�t answer, Kevin clutched tighter to Ricky�s waist and started smacking him harder. Wendy sat in the front seat and continued to look out the window, as she listened to the awful sounds of Ricky�s spanking. Her heart broke as he yelped with each applied swat. Her bottom began to sting as if it were her own bottom under Kevin�s hand. With tears in her eyes, she glanced at her father. She hoped that Francine was right about not getting spanked for her part in this run away scheme. Kevin finally released Ricky and seated him upright again. Ricky was not crying aloud, but he was in enough pain to bring on hiccups and sobs. �I want an answer from you, boy!� Kevin yelled. Ricky knew that if he didn�t answer, Kevin would pull him across his knee for another round. �I understand.� he whispered. Kevin placed the seatbelt around Ricky. �Don�t speak another word until we get back to the school!� Ricky looked up toward the front of the car. All he could see was the top of Wendy�s head. He could tell she was crying. Ricky felt bad for making her cry. After a few minutes, Ricky swiped the sleeve of his shirt across his tear stained face, and then went back to staring out of the car window. He didn�t say a word all the way back to Barrington Hall. As they entered the parking lot, panic was beginning to set with Ricky, but Wendy couldn't help but feel a little excited to see her friends again. Ricky searched the parking lot for Mr. Parker�s car. When he spied it, his biggest fear came over him. He knew he would have to face Mr. Parker, and his strap When they exited the car, Mark clutched Wendy by the arm and turned her around to face him. "I want you to go to your room, and we will talk later," he said. �But, Daddy!� Mark turned her around and gave her a quick smack. �Go!� Wendy never looked back, as she ran for the school. Kevin held Ricky by the upper arm and led him into the school. As they entered, everything around him seemed a little blurry . The noise of children down the hall sounded a little strange too. The noise sounded muffled. Ricky looked to his left and then to his right. His dad was on one side and Mark was on the other. As he looked straight ahead and saw Mr. Parker�s door, Ricky suddenly felt sick. The walls around him began to spin, then his knees gave, and he fell to the floor. He covered his face with his hands, and wept. "Get up, Richard!" Kevin shouted as he looked down at Ricky. Ricky looked up at his dad but as he opened his mouth, no words would come. "Get your ass up off of that floor!" Kevin yelled, as he started to pull on Ricky�s arm. "Kevin, stop," Mark yelled as he stepped in and pulled Kevin�s hand from the boys arm. Just then Mr. Parker came from his office to see what all the fuss was about. He looked at Kevin and Mark, then down at the boy almost lying on the floor. "What in the hell is going on out here?" he asked. "Sir, I'm just trying to" Kevin tried to speak, but he was quickly cut off. "I don�t know what you were trying to do, but obviously it isn�t working. I will take care of Ricky, and you can go.� Kevin knew Mr. Parker meant him, and not Mark. He turned and headed down the hall. Mark followed close behind. Ricky watched as the two men walked away and left him alone in the hall with Mr. Parker. He slowly looked up at the man towering over him, and shivered in fear. The stern look he was used to seeing on that face wasn't there this time. Mr. Parker scrunched down to his level and looked into Ricky�s eyes. "Are you afraid, son?" he asked. Ricky nodded. "Well don't be. I am not going to spank or whip you. You have my word on that. I do think we need to talk though. Do you think you feel like taking a walk with me, and maybe talk a little? huh?," he asked in a soft and very kind caring voice as he reached out and wiped Ricky cheeks. Not sure what Mr. Parker was up to exactly, Ricky replied "I um, I'm real dizzy, and I don�t know if I can stand." "Lets see if we can't make it to the front stoop where you can get some fresh air," Mr. Parker suggested, as he helped Ricky to his feet. Ricky leaned on him as they made their way to the front door. "Mr. Parker?� "Yes Richard.� "Are you going to take the strap to me again for runnin away?" he asked. "You know, Richard, the job I do is a tough one, and I don't always like it. Keeping track of so many children�s lives, and keeping so many adults in check as well, is very difficult. One part of my job that comes naturally is how to read people; how to know when one of my children isn�t just being naughty, but when he is in real trouble with his emotions. I have been watching you for a bit now, but when you ran away I knew you were in trouble. I won't punish a child when he asks for help. That is what you did when you ran away. Talk to me so I can help you.� Ricky stared at Mr. Parker for a couple minutes before speaking. "I don't like Kevin!� Mr. Parker watched Ricky with intrigue as he spilled his guts. Ricky told him how his real father had been mean to him and how his stepfather had hit him, and lied about what had happened so Ricky would be taken away. Ricky told how he really didn't like men or trust them too much, and how he missed his mother and couldn't understand why she had left him. At the end of their conversation, Ricky was in tears and sobbing into Mr. Parker�s arms. All the anger and resentment was escaping, and Ricky didn't know how to deal with it. Mr. Parker sat with Ricky until the tears and cries subsided. "Feeling better now?" he asked. "Yes," Ricky whispered as he sat up and wiped his tears. "Sometimes it just feels so good to get all of that out of the way doesn't it, Richard?� "Yes sir, I do feel a little better. Ricky stopped speaking and looked at the ground. Mr. Parker could tell something was still bothering Ricky. "What is it, Ricky?" Mr. Parker asked. "I still have to face Kevin. He spanked me in the car, but I know he is gonna whip me for runnin, and I'm scared." "Richard, I want you to go wait in my office. Stay there until I come back. There is something I need to do, but you won't have to worry about Kevin.� "Thanks, Mr. Parker," Ricky said smiling as he disappeared into Mr. Parker�s office. Wendy paced back and forth worrying about what was happening to Ricky when she heard her door open. She quickly turned to see her father enter the room and close the door behind him. Suddenly her fear went from Ricky�s bottom to her own. Suddenly feeling like a naughty four year old, she quickly covered the seat of her skirt. Mark had clasped her by the arm before she knew it. "I don't think so," Mark scolded as he seated himself on her bed and pulled her over his lap. "Daddy nooo no no no I didn't run away," she cried as she felt Mark�s hand smacking her skirt-covered bottom, over and over. The spanks weren�t hard, nor did they sting, but as Mark continued, she cried in between spanks, �I didn�t run away!� �I know you didn't run away,' he replied as he paused in his lesson. "I know you were worried about Ricky and wanted to get him to come back. If you had run away, you would be feeling the belt on your bare behind. I love you and this spanking is for scaring me to death.� Suddenly, Wendy began to get warm all over. She felt embarrassed, and she began to cry. "I'm sorryyyy Daddyyyyyy," she cried, as Mark landed eight more spanks to her covered bottom. When the smacks stopped, Mark flipped her back up onto her feet, stood up and wrapped his arms around her. Wendy buried her face into his stomach and continued to cry. "Walking into town in the middle of the night and riding in the back of some old truck.....I was so scared and worried. Don't ever do that to me again, young lady!" he scolded. "I promise," she cried. Ricky sat patiently in Mr. Parker�s office and waited. He wanted to believe Mr. Parker when he said that he had nothing to worry about, but Ricky was still worried. He knew he would have to deal with Kevin before bedtime. As the minutes passed, Ricky drifted off to sleep while sitting in the overstuffed leather chair. "Ricky?" he heard a voice calling from far away. "Ricky," the voice sounded a little closer this time. Finally Ricky woke up to see Mr. Parker and Patricia standing in the room with him. "Can you wake up please? We need to talk about some things," Mr. Parker said, as he took a seat behind his desk. Patricia sat in the chair next to Ricky, as he sat up to listen to what they had to say. "I want to thank you for sharing with me what you went through with your father, and your step father. I know how hard that was for you to do. I know what a lot of the children here think of me, but it's my job to do what is right for the children in this institution whether they like it or not. Richard, I think it was a mistake to put you in the care of a man, so I am switching you to Patricia. You will be moving to a different room tonight. That is unless you would rather stay in the care of Kevin?� "No I don't want to do that," he replied. He looked at Patricia and smiled. He knew his life was about to get a whole lot easier. "Very well then. I do want you to know once a child is assigned a parent we usually never make this kind of adjustment, but after I spoke with Kevin and Patricia, we decided that it was in your best interest. You will be sharing a room with Sam. "But Sam is six!� Ricky muttered in amazement. "Yes Sam is six. Sam also has no roommate, and he is Patricia's only boy. I know you will be the best big brother you know how to be. Be thankful that I am doing this for you and don't complain, Richard," Mr. Parker scolded. "No, sir. I'm sorry. I really am thankful, just surprised.� "I am giving you a second chance. You behave yourself and don't let me down, understand?" "Yes, sir,� Ricky replied as he walked toward the door. Ricky and Patricia left together, and as they walked down the hall he looked up at her, and smiled. A few of the boys helped Ricky move into his new room. Six-year-old Sam sat on his bed, and watched as Ricky moved his things about the room and made up his bed. He wasn�t quite sure what to think of his new roommate. When David carried in some extra blankets, Ricky handed him a slip of paper. �Can you please get this to Wendy, somehow? I have to know she is ok.� �I just talked to Jessica a couple minutes ago. Wendy is fine, but I will see that she gets your note,� he replied as he headed for the door. �Thanks for helping me move my stuff,� Ricky said. David turned and looked at Ricky. �Take my advice little brother, don�t underestimate Patricia or she might surprise you.� Ricky smiled. �I will remember that.� When David left, Ricky turned and stared at Sam. He wasn�t much to look at, Ricky thought, but if I have to be his big brother, I might as well start right now. Ricky walked over and sat down on the edge of Sam�s bed. �Did you brush your teeth?� Sam nodded. �Wash your hands and face and go to the bathroom?� Sam nodded. �Well it�s after eight, and it�s time for you to go to sleep. Sam stared at Ricky for a second. �You heard me, Sam! It�s time for bed.� Not wanting to mess with Ricky, Sam rolled backwards onto his pillow and Ricky pulled back the covers. Sam tossed his legs under, and Ricky covered him up. �Night, little Sam.� Sam snuggled under the covers and smiled. Ricky sat on his bed and looked around the room. He then looked at the little boy who lay in the bed across from his. Ricky tossed the box off of his bed, crawled in and snuggled in. He couldn�t believe he has escaped punishment from Mr. Parker. Life was certainly starting to look up. |
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