New Beginnings: Back to the Ranch-chapter 6
bySamPast and Huggedlots
Copyright (C) 1999 All rights reserved

 

Maggie woke up to the bright morning sun, and winced when she tried to sit up. Suddenly she remembered last night, and the spanking she had gotten from her daddy. She knew she had deserved it, and in a way, it helped her feel really forgiven. Maggie knew that what she did was really wrong, and felt terrible that it had resulted in her daddy being hurt, but, even though now SHE hurt, she felt good as well.

This was her next to last day at the ranch, and she wanted to go see Pam and talk to her. She had been grounded for the last three days, and had wanted to stay near to help her daddy anyway, and she hadn't seen or talked to Pam in all that time. Pam had come by; she had heard her voice, but each time her mom had sent her away, telling her that Maggie was still grounded.

Maggie gingerly got dressed and wandered into the kitchen, where her mom was sitting having coffee.

"Morning Maggie," Heather smiled at her.

"Morning Mom. Ummm Mommy?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Am I still grounded?"

"No, baby, you have been punished, forgiven, and all is okay. What did you want to do today?" Heather asked.

"Well, I really wanted to see Pam if it is okay with you, Mommy," Maggie stated.

Heather thought this over. "Hmmm, you two sure get into trouble when you are together, young lady!"

"No, Mommy, I promise, cross my heart that I will be perfect, and follow all the rules, and everything," Maggie said in a rush.

Heather laughed, not believing it for an instant, but seeing the pleading look in her eyes, agreed for her to go to Pam's cabin. "Okay, here are the rules. There is no camp today, so you two can play together, but no matter where you go, I must know where you are, agreed?"

"Agreed, Mommy. What time should I come back?"

Heather smiled, and told her by lunchtime she needed to check in. Maggie was so excited, she quickly stuffed a bagel into her mouth and ran out the door.

When she knocked on Pam's cabin door she was so excited she was hopping from foot to foot. Pam answered it and threw herself into Maggie's arms. Pam drew her into the cabin and insisted she sit down and tell her everything that had happened. Maggie sat
quickly, and just as quickly jumped up again, realizing when she felt the sting what a lousy idea THAT had been.

Seeing her wince, Pam asked her what was up. "Did you hurt yourself or something?"

"Welllll, ummmm, I, ahhhh, ohhh geez, Pam, I got into a LOT of trouble, and my daddy spanked me last night."

"Spanked you? Wow, does he do that often?"

Maggie rubbed her still sore bottom and said, "More often than I wish he did, that's for sure. Have YOU ever been spanked, Pam?"

"Well, yes, when my daddy was around, but my mom never does. She never really notices much of anything, I guess. She is still so depressed that I kind of tiptoe around her, ya know?"

Both girls fell silent thinking of what that was like. Maggie remembered all too well how Heather was before Daddy came into their lives, and felt really bad for her friend. She knew that Uncle Charlie was out of brothers, but she wondered if Pam wanted her daddy back.

"How often do you see your dad, Pam?"

"Ohh, not too often. He travels a lot these days, and I think he likes being out of town. He and my mom are just separated, I think that's what they said, that they aren't divorced yet. I sure wish they would get back together." "I wonder if there is anything WE could do to help that along?" Maggie wondered aloud.

Pam jumped up. "How? Maggie, how could WE do that?" Maggie thought. "I don't know. But I bet if we put our heads together, we could think of something!"

Together they discussed the situation backwards and forwards, and decided that the only way they could both think might even have a chance of working is if Pam was seriously hurt or sick and then her daddy would HAVE to come. And he would HAVE to be with her mom, and then they would talk, and everything would be okay.

Pam didn't like the idea of deliberately hurting herself, so the girls tried to think of a good way to fake it.

Maggie shouted, "Okay, I got it. How about some severe nightmares? Can you scream?"

"Of course I can scream, but what will that accomplish?" Pam asked, confused.

"Well, see, here is the plan," and Maggie whispered into Pam's ear. They agreed to put it into action that night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pam's mom was actually home that night, listlessly thumbing through some magazines, not really looking at them, from what Pam could tell. Pam yawned, and told her mom goodnight, and her mom barely looked up from her magazine. Pam got undressed, put
herself to bed, and waited until she heard her mom go to bed, and her breathing get even. She counted to 100 slowly, then got up onto her knees, and said a little prayer that this plan
of theirs would work. She had gone over all the scenarios in her mind, first looking at it one way and then another and had practiced them with Maggie while she had been there earlier.
Maggie had been her, and she played her mom, and then they switched. Pam felt prepared for anything her mom threw at her.

Laying back down, closing her eyes, and screwing up her courage, she let out a blood curdling yell. She kept yelling and had worked herself up, crying and getting all sweaty by the time her mom came in. As she heard her open the door, Pam put her heart
and soul into her performance, knowing that she needed her mom to believe her.

"Pam, Pam, what is it sweetie?" Jeanette yelled.

"Mommyyyyyy!" wailed Pam, "I need daddy, I really, really do." "Why sweetie, I am here. Why do you need daddy?"

Pam just let herself go, crying, screaming, and couldn't calm down. Then she started to moan, and rock herself back and forth. Her mother was beside herself, not knowing what to do.

Pam kept moaning, "Daddy, I want my daddy."

"Honey, talk to ME. Did you have a bad dream? Did something scare you? Is that it?" Jeanette asked, frustrated. She didn't know what to do. It had been a long time since she had to mother Pam in any way.

Pam just shook her head, back and forth, crying, and moaning, and finally, almost at a whisper, "He died too, didn't he? That's why I haven't seen Daddy in a long, long time. He died, just like my little brother, and you just don't want to tell me."

With that, Pam just collapsed on her bed, curled into a fetal position, and rocked herself. Her mom was stunned. Knowing it was just a bad dream, she thought she could talk Pam through it, but nothing she said seemed to work at all. Jeanette thought quickly. "Okay, sweetie. I will call daddy and let you talk to him, I promise. I can do it tomorrow."

"Noooooo," Pam wailed, "NOOOOOOOOOOO. I need to see him, I do, I do, I DO."

"Shhhhhh, okay, okay, if I call daddy tonight, and he comes up tomorrow, Saturday, you can see for yourself that he is fine. Baby, please, I wouldn't ever lie to you about that, you have to believe me."

Pam finally looked up at her mom, and saw that for the first time in a long time, she was really looking at HER, seeing HER, and hoped, prayed, that her dad would come. Did he love her enough to come? She really wasn't sure.

Jeanette continued, "Okay, sweetie, it's late, but I will go call daddy, and ask him to come tomorrow, okay? Will you go back to sleep if I do?"

Pam cried, "Nooooo, you won't call, you won't!"

"Okay, up we go," and her mom picked her up, wrapped her in a blanket, and headed out the door. Pam put her head on her mom's shoulder, feeling really loved, and safe for the first time in a long, long, long, long time. The pay phone was right outside the family building, which was a short walk from their cabin.

Jeanette knew that calling her husband, Steve, at 1 am was NOT going to go over well, but she just couldn't help it. He would HAVE to understand. Finally a sleepy voice answered the phone. Jeanette tried to fill him in quickly about what was going on, and
asked if he would come up in the morning. It really was only a three hour drive, and if he left early enough he could be there by 10 or so, and spend the day with them. She rushed, telling him he was welcome to spend the rest of the weekend as well, and then fell silent waiting for his response.

Sleepily, Steve answered, "Sure, I will come up. Put Pam on the phone." Handing her the receiver, Jeanette felt nervous. Steve crooned at Pam, and asked how his little Princess was doing.

"Daddy? Is that really you, Daddy?"

"Yes, pumpkin, it really is. Sooo, did you have a bad dream?"

"Yes, Daddy, I did, and it was awful, and I really, really need you." With that, Pam broke into gut wrenching sobs again. Jeanette took back the phone, and Steve realized that she needed help.

"Look Jeanette, I know it's late, but I am sure I will never sleep now hearing her that way anyway. Is it okay, if I drive up now?" he asked. "I don't think that is such a hot idea. The roads around here are windy, and awfully dark. How bout you sleep for a few more hours, and then get up at dawn?" Jeanette advised.

Steve sighed. "Okay, I can do that. Let me say goodnight to Pam. Pammy? Pumpkin?"

"Yes, Daddy, I'm here," Pam said, having taken the phone back from her mom. Pam was hiccoughing into the phone.

Steve said, "Daddy will be there when you wake up. Be a good girl, and try to get some sleep, okay?"

"Yes, Daddy. Night."

Pam snuggled back into her mother's arms, and Jeanette carried her back to the cabin. Passing her room, Jeanette carried Pam into her own, and put her to bed there, and climbed in after her.

"No more bad dreams, okay? Mommy is right here, and Daddy will be here tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay, Mom." Pam was so emotionally wrung out that she was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pam slept soundly, which was more than Jeanette could say. She tossed and turned the rest of the night, keeping an eye on her daughter, wondering what on earth had brought up the kind of dream she must have had. She was nervous, and really didn't want to see Steve, but felt she had no other options. She had to do whatever her daughter needed.

Jeanette realized, with a start, that she hadn't been paying much attention to Pam, and berated herself with being so wrapped up in her own grief, that she hadn't been there for her daughter. Knowing Pam had needed her, she had still ignored her feelings of grief, and realized honestly, for the first time, that she had no clue what her little girl was really thinking or feeling. Obviously, she was feeling abandoned by her dad. Well, he would be there soon. She just didn't know how SHE felt about it.

Steve arrived shortly after seven, and Jeanette realized he must have started quite early to get there that soon. She walked out of the cabin, leaving Pam asleep, to talk to him. Seeing him getting out of the car, unshaven, tired looking, and crumpled made her heart melt. She was surprised at her own reaction to him. She had been numb for so long that feeling anything was a difference. Walking to the car, she stopped short, and said a timid hi.

"Hi, Jeanette, what the HELL is going on? Pammy sounded hysterical!" Steve shouted.

Getting defensive immediately, Jeanette told him, "Well, she was hysterical, why else would I call YOU!"

"Well, for one reason, maybe because I am her FATHER!" Steve was angry and frustrated, that Jeanette had been blocking his time with Pam, telling him that she didn't want to see him, but hearing his little girl on the phone, he had been wondering if that were true at all.

Steve went into the cabin and sat on the bed where Pam was asleep, and gently kissed her forehead. Waking instantly, she opened her eyes, and he melted, seeing the love that shone there, right before she threw herself into his arms. She began to cry again, and he rocked her, shushing her, and telling her it was okay, he was there for her. He pulled her into his lap, and Jeanette turned away, with tears in her eyes, wondering what she had done.

Walking into the kitchen, Jeanette made coffee, and brought a cup into Steve. She knew that as soon as Pam and Steve started to talk, she was going to be in big trouble.

She walked back in just as Steve was asking Pam why she hadn't answered any of his letters. Jeanette winced, but knew that this was inevitable.

"Letters, Daddy? What letters?" Pam asked.

"What letters? What do you MEAN what letters?" Steve asked.

"But, Daddy, I didn't get any letters from you, and I just thought, well I mean, I ummm," Pam hid her face in her daddy's shirt, unable to say, she felt he didn't love her.

Steve turned around and glared at Jeanette. "I think *we* have some talking to do, don't you?"

Jeanette couldn't think of a suitable reply and began to stutter. "Well, I guess so, umm maybe, ahhhhhhhhh, . . ."

Pam looked from one parent to another, not sure how things were going, but sensing a lot of tension. Kissing the top of Pam's head, he asked if she wanted to go back to sleep.

"No way, Daddy, I just want to be with you," and she held on for dear life. Steve said, "Okay. Want to tell me about your dream?" Pam lowered her eyes, and shook her head no. She really didn't want to admit that she had faked it. "I just felt, well I, I, I," Pam started shaking, and Steve told her not to worry, she didn't have to relive her dream, that he was there now, and everything was going to be okay.

They all ate breakfast, and Pam got dressed a few minutes before Maggie knocked on the door. Maggie had been frantic, wondering if their plan had worked. Letting her in, Pam introduced her dad to her new friend.

"Well, hi, Maggie, nice to meet you," Steve smiled at her.

"Wow, I am glad to meet you too, Sir. My mom and dad are taking everyone down to see the horses. Do you want to come, Pam?"

"No thanks," Pam replied, "I don't want to be away from my daddy."

Steve put his arm around his little girl. "Hey, tell you what, Pumpkin (Pam always loved it when her daddy called her by her nickname), why don't you go down, and get ready, saddle up, and I will come watch you in the arena in a little bit? I have to talk to your mom. Is that okay?"

"Okay, Daddy. But you won't leave, will you?" The fear in her eyes hurt Steve to the quick.

"No, Pumpkin, I promise. I will be here and I will see you in just a bit." Throwing her arms tight around his neck, she agreed to go, and ran to get her riding boots. Kissing her mom goodbye, she went skipping down the road with Maggie.

When she was gone, Steve turned to Jeanette, and seeing the look in his eyes, she began to get really nervous. "Okay, start explaining, and I do mean NOW. What were you THINKING, hiding my letters from her?"

Jeanette gulped. "I guess I wasn't thinking, Steve. I just was hurting, and I stuck them in a box. I didn't want to talk to you, and so I well, I guess, I, ohhh I don't know. You know I haven't been myself."

"Look, Jeanette, THAT is not an excuse. We BOTH lost our little boy, actually we ALL did. Pam is grieving, too, and we need to be together, not split apart."

Jeanette hung her head, not sure of what to say. Steve saw her uncertainty, and knew that he still loved this woman, no matter what a selfish brat she could be sometimes, and suddenly he knew exactly what he had to do to get them back on track.

"Look at me, young lady!" Steve said sternly.

Hearing that tone and those words, Jeanette's heart stood still. She was afraid to look up, knowing what she would see: a very stern, determined husband. "NOW!" came the order.

Her head instantly came up at that command. Jeanette looked into Steve's eyes. "Jeanette, do you still love me?"

She was not expecting that question, but knew that he deserved an honest answer. "Yes, I do, Steve. I have felt so lost, and alone since you left."

Steve sighed. "I didn't just leave, as you put it. I felt pushed away, and I couldn't take it anymore."

Jeanette nodded. "I know, I did that, but I didn't mean to."

"Ohh, just like you didn't mean to NOT give Pammy my letters? Or didn't mean to keep the family split and unhappy?" he asked rhetorically.

"Well, I didn't," Jeanette tried. Even to her, that sounded
weak.

"You have a LOT to answer for, young lady, don't you?" Jeanette knew exactly what THAT meant, but before she could even answer him, Steve had grabbed her hand, and was pulling her into the bedroom. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she was turned over his knee before she knew it. "Steve, what are you doing?"

"I think that would be obvious, dear. YOU are about to be one sorry young lady."

"But Steve?"

"Okay, tell me, young lady, do you deserve this?"

"Ummm, do I have to answer that?"

A resounding smack on her bottom was his answer. "Uhh, I guess so, huh?" Another smack, and she said, "Yes, I do. Yes?"

"Yes what?"

"Yes, Sir!"

"Better, much better," and with that Steve proceeded to spank and lecture his beautiful wife, until she was limp over his knee. "All right, you are forgiven, but Jeanette, it is important for you to forgive yourself. It is the only way we can have a life together."

Jeanette was crying hard, and Steve just sat there, with her draped over his lap, and let her cry it out. When he thought she was done, he pulled her over, and wrapped her in his arms. He caressed and rubbed her bottom, and told her he still loved her. He proceeded to show her just how much he had missed her, and they both fell asleep together.

Back at the stables, Pam got worried when her parents didn't show up. Bob kept trying to reassure her that they had a lot to talk about, but she finally pleaded with him to let her go back to the cabin. Seeing how upset she was, he walked her back.

Pam let herself into the cabin, after thanking Bob and hugging him goodbye. Not hearing anything, she walked into her mom's bedroom, and saw them asleep together and smiled. Quietly, she got into bed next to her dad. Opening up one eye, he cuddled her close, and told her everything was going to be ok.

"How okay, Daddy?"

Steve smiled. "Very okay, Pumpkin. We are ALL going home together tonight."

"We are?" Pam asked, surprised.

"Yes, we are."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Later that day, Pam hugged Maggie goodbye.

"Thank you so much, Maggie. Without your super idea, this never would have happened," Pam enthused.

Maggie smiled. "I'm just so glad everything worked out so well." Then very quietly she said, "Usually my plans backfire and someone winds up in trouble." Maggie looked around to make sure no one had heard her.

Pam just laughed. "Well, not this time. This time your plan was great. And no one got into trouble." Pam hugged Maggie again. "Oh, thank you so much. I can't even imagine
my life if I had never met you."

Maggie thought to herself how she had finally done something for someone else. Last summer it had been her whose life was so messed up. Then Charlie and the rest of the Clemente family had come along and changed it for the better. Maggie smiled and said,
"Oh, you're welcome, Pam. I'm so glad we met and became friends."

The girls exchanged phone numbers and addresses and promised to call and write once a week. They hugged one last time, and then Pam got into the car with her parents. Maggie ran behind the car for a bit, and waved until Pam and her family were out of sight.

Bob called Maggie over and gave her a big hug. "You're going to miss your friend, Pam, aren't you, Magpie?"

"Yes, Daddy. I'm just so glad her parents got back together. She seems so happy now," Maggie stated.

Bob smiled. "Yes, she does. I'm happy for her, too. Now, how about we go get some dinner? Remember, we're leaving first thing tomorrow. And we still have to pack."

"I know, Daddy. But I don't want to leave here. Wonderful things always seem to happen at the Dude Ranch," Maggie said dreamily.

"Well, we can come back next year. Come on now, sweetie. Mommy's waiting," Bob said.

Maggie took Bob's hand and together they walked to meet Heather for dinner.

to be continued...

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