NB: Cradle Time-chapter 8 (F/ff, M/f)
Copyright © 2000

by SamPast and Huggedlots
 

It was New Year's Eve Day, and the twins were already over at Heather and Bob's getting ready for the big celebration. Charlie and Lisa had gone out to get stuff for the party and have some time to themselves. They were going to come back later on to help set up. Bob had to go into his office for a few hours, and Heather was running around the house like a chicken without a head. The girls kept getting underfoot so she sent them out to play in the backyard.

The girls were sitting in the clubhouse when Heather came out and said, "Girls, come on, we need to go to the store for a bit."

Maggie looked at Robin and Jennifer. Then she called down to Heather. "Awww, Mommy, we don't wanna go. Do we hafta?"

Heather looked up. "Margaret Anne, come down here and have a conversation with me."

Maggie heard her full name and came down right away. "Yes, Mommy?"

"That's better," Heather said. "Now, I have to go to the store to get some things. I need you girls to come with me."

"We don't wanna go, Mommy," Maggie whined. "We're playing. Please, can't we stay here?"

"Alone? I don't think so. And stop whining, Maggs, you sound like you're three years old."

"I'm sorry, Mommy. Please, let us stay here. We'll be good," Maggie pleaded. "You won't be gone that long, will you?"

Heather stood there deciding what to do. She knew that letting two nine-year-olds and a ten-year-old stay home alone for an hour would not be so bad, if it weren't the three of them.

Then Jennifer spoke up. "Aunt Heather, why do you need to go to the store? I thought my mom and dad were doing that."

"Well, Jenn, they're going to a different store. I need stuff from the grocery store. And I just tried to call them. They must have left already."

"Can't Uncle Bob pick it up on his way home?" Robin asked.

But Heather shook her head. "No, sweetie, he'll be home too late. Now come on, girls, we won't be gone too long. I promise you the treehouse will still be here when you get back."

The girls looked at each other. They knew it would still be there but they did not want to go anywhere with Heather. She looked like a beached whale. Her due date was in a month and she was huge. They were embarrassed.

"I know, Mommy, maybe Anita can keep an eye on us. Like you said, you'll only be gone for like an hour. We'll just play out here, and she can watch us from her window."

Heather thought about that idea. She actually liked it. The thought of going to the supermarket on New Year's Eve Day was bad enough, but dragging three whiny kids along with her, was not her idea of fun. Maybe her neighbor wouldn't mind doing her this favor.

"Okay, it can't hurt to ask. I'll be right back."

Heather went next door. The three girls looked at each other and crossed their fingers behind their back. She came back a few minutes later and said, "Okay, girls, you're in luck. Anita said she'd keep an eye on you."

The girls cheered. Then Heather said, "But I don't want any trouble from you. Tonight is New Year's Eve and you don't want to be celebrating it with sore behinds."

"MOMMY!" Maggie said.

"Well, keep that in mind. You three stay in the yard. I don't want you in the house, playing. Stay where Anita can see you, okay?"

"Yes, Mommy." "Yes, Aunt Heather." "Bye, Aunt Heather, don't worry about us, we'll be fine," Jenn said. "Oh, Aunt Heather?"

"Yes, Jennifer?"

"Can we go in to use the bathroom?"

Everyone giggled.

"Of course, sweetie. But then come right back out." Heather turned to Maggie. "If you hear the phone, let the machine get it, or take down the entire message, okay, baby?"

 
"Yes, Mommy. Go already. Or the store is going to be out of whatever you need."

Heather just looked at Maggie. "Don't be a wiseacre. I'll be back in an hour or so. Be good, girls!"

Walking away, Heather had a nagging feeling that she was not doing the right thing. She knew she should hurry back. She didn't think Bob would be too happy that she had left the girls home alone. Heather wanted to make sure she got home before he did.

For a while, the girls played out back, but then they got bored. "I wish we could go in and watch some television," Maggie said.

"But we can't, Maggs. Your mommy said no," Robin pointed out.

 
Jennifer sighed. It was just like Robin to point something like that out. "Well, I'm going in. I need to use the bathroom," Jenn said.

Maggie said, "Yeah, me too."

"Me three," said Robin. All three laughed.

"Well, then it's a good thing my house has three bathrooms. I get the downstairs!" Maggie yelled, running for the house.

The three girls came out about the same time. They looked at each other. They knew they had to go back out. Suddenly, the phone rang. Maggie picked it up. "Hello?" she said.

The voice on the other end asked for Heather to which Maggie replied that she couldn't come to the phone at that time. She knew better than to say her mom wasn't home.

"Oh, is this Maggie? Hi, sweetie, this is Mrs. Wines."

"Oh, hi Mrs. Wines." Mrs. Wines was a friend of Heather's. She was older, and did not have any children. She was almost like a substitute mother to Heather, and a substitute grandmother to Maggie.

Maggie learned that Mrs. Wines would not be able to bake a cake for that evening as planned. She told Maggie to apologize to Heather for her. Maggie told Mrs. Wines that she would give her mother the message and hung up the phone.

"Oh, man! My mom is going to be so disappointed," Maggie said, sighing.

"Why? What's the big deal?" Jenn asked.

Maggie looked at her cousin. "Mrs. Wines only bakes the bestest cakes in the world. She said she'd bring a bakery cake, but it won't be the same."

"Oh," said Robin. She looked around. "We'd probably better get back outside. That lady will be looking for us."

Jennifer just stared at her sister. Was it really possible that they were identical twins? "Chill out, sis!" Jenn said. She walked over and switched on the t.v.

"I know!" Maggie called out. Both twins turned to stare at their cousin. Oh no, thought Robin, what now?

"I have a great idea. Oh, I hope we have everything," Maggie said, starting to run around the kitchen.

The girls just watched Maggie. Finally, Jenn said, "Maggs, what are you doing?"

Maggie looked up then. She had her head buried in a drawer. "I know it's in here somewhere. Mrs. Wines was here last week and gave my mother a recipe. It was for one of her cakes. Probably the one she was supposed to make tonight. If I can find the recipe, and we have all the ingredients, we can make the cake! It'll be perfect!"

Jennifer did not have the heart to point out to Maggie that they didn't know the first thing about baking a cake. She went over and helped her cousin search the drawer until they found the recipe.

Robin just shook her head. She definitely did not want to be a spoil sport, but she knew they were going to be in so much trouble. "I don't know about this, guys!" she started to say.

Both Maggie and Jenn turned to Robin and said, "Don't. Don't even say it. Just keep it to yourself, Robin."

So she did. Robin shut right up. She looked out the window, however, and over at the neighbor's. Anita was nowhere near her window. What would Heather think of that?

The girls found the recipe and started searching for the different ingredients. "Okay, we have them all, but this one," said Jennifer. "Baking powder. Do you know if you have that, Maggs?"

"Yeah, I know we do. It's all over the house. In the fridge, the closet, everywhere."

Maggie pulled a box out of the cabinet and set it on the table. "There."

Jenn smiled. "Okay, now we have to measure all these things into the bowl and mix it. Robin, are you going to help or not?"

"Yea, I'm in," Robin said. She came over, rolled up her sleeves, and started to help mix the ingredients.

The girls mixed all the ingredients into the bowl. Robin was trying to clean up a bit as they went along. As she was putting the Arm and Hammer box back in the cabinet, she said, "Hey, Maggs?"

Maggie looked up from the bowl she was mixing. "Yeah, Robin, what is it?"

"This says baking soda, not baking powder. Do you think that matters?"

Jenn looked at Robin and frowned. Robin said, "Well, the recipe said baking powder."

"Well, I don't think it matters, Robin," Jenn said. She and Maggie continued to mix. Jenn whispered to Maggie, "Let's not tell her that we used vinegar instead of oil, either."

Maggie began to giggle. Just then the mix in the bowl started to bubble over the top. "Hey, what's going on?" Maggie shouted.

"I don't know. Is that supposed to happen, Maggs? I've never baked a cake before," Jenn said.

Maggie reached for the electric mixer. "Here, let's use this now, it'll stop the bubbling, and mix it up good." She turned on the mixer and put it into the bowl. All of a sudden, cake mix flew everywhere all over the room.

Jennifer reached for the switch to stop the mixer. "Oh, my god!" she yelled. The telephone rang then and the three girls froze. They looked around the kitchen. There was cake mix atop of everything: over the counter tops, on the side of the stove and refrigerator, even on the ceiling.

The telephone continued to ring. Maggie stood transfixed. She knew she was in deep, deep trouble. Finally, Robin grabbed the phone and said hello. It was Anita next door.

"Maggie? Is that you? Where are you, girls?" her shrill voice asked.

Robin handed the phone to Maggie, and whispered, "It's Anita from next door."

Maggie wiped the tears out of her eyes and took the phone from her cousin. "Hello? Oh, hi Anita. No, everything's fine now. Um, uh, my cousin, Jennifer, had a stomach ache, so we brought her inside. She's all right now. She's resting on the sofa. No, no, you don't have to come over. My mom should be back any minute."

Robin just looked at Jenn. Jennifer was proud of Maggie's quick thinking. She didn't even think she could lie that easily.

Outside, Heather pulled up to the house. She had bought a few more groceries than she had planned. She would have to get the girls to come out and help her carry them into the house. As she grabbed her purse off the seat next to her, Heather heard a car door slam. She looked up. Oh, no, Bob was home! Darnit! What was he doing back so early?

She got out of the car and met him on the driveway. "Hi, hon!" he said, giving Heather a big hug and a kiss. "Where've you been? Where are the girls?" he asked.

Heather looked down at the ground. She felt like a naughty school girl. She looked up and Bob was staring at her. She popped the trunk and very nonchalantly said, "Oh, I went to the market. The girls are out back, in the clubhouse."

Bob put his hand on Heather's shoulder and turned her around. "Alone? You left Maggie and the twins home alone?" he asked.

"Um, yeah," she answered, "but don't worry I asked Anita next door to keep an eye on them. Do me a favor and go around back and ask them to help me carry in these groceries." Heather paused. "I bought a few more things than I had figured."

 
Bob looked at the bags of groceries and said, "Yes, I see that." He put his hands on his hips. "Heather, we are going to *talk* about this, later," Bob told her calmly.

Heather looked up at her husband. He didn't actually mean what she thought he meant? She was almost nine months pregnant, for crying out loud. She just looked at him.

"I'll go out back and get them. Don't try to carry too much, please," Bob said as he turned to go up the walk.

He went out back and did not see the girls. Bob sighed. "Figures!" he thought to himself. Suddenly he heard his name. He turned to see their neighbor, Anita, coming towards him.

"Oh, Bob! I'm so glad you're here. I was supposed to be watching the girls from my window, but the phone rang and it was my daughter with an emergency. I was only on for about fifteen minutes, but when I looked back out they were gone. I called here and Maggie said her cousin, Jenn, wasn't feeling well. She said I shouldn't come over, but I felt that I had to," Anita rushed on.

"Okay, Anita, calm down. You and I will go in together and see what the trouble is!" Bob said, trying to pacify the older woman.
Heather opened the front door just as Bob opened the back door. Everyone froze when they entered the kitchen and saw the big mess.

 

Maggie was just about to turn off the oven, seeing as how the cake mix that they were going to put in there, was now covered atop all the surfaces of the kitchen. There was no need to continue to preheat the oven.

"Maggie, freeze!" Bob shouted. Maggie jumped at hearing her daddy's voice. Uh oh. She was in really big trouble. "Don't you touch that oven!"

"Uh, Daddy, I was just, I was, well, I was turning it off," Maggie tried.

Bob came into the room then and walked over to the oven. He turned down the heat and turned the knob to off. He grabbed Maggie and smacked her hand twice, hard. "You are too young to touch the oven, EVER!"

"Yes, Daddy," Maggie cried, rubbing her hand.

Bob surveyed the damages and put his hands on his hips. He was boiling mad. He took a deep breath and said calmly, "Now, suppose one of you tell us what is going on in here. What on earth happened to this kitchen?"

Jenn, Maggie and Robin all started to talk at once. None of them were saying the same things, and none of them were making any sense. Finally, Bob said, "Enough!"

Anita and Heather just stood in the alcove of the kitchen. They were too stunned to speak. Heather knew this was probably the reason for that nagging feeling she had had on her way out earlier. And Anita felt guilty for not watching the girls more closely. It seemed like an eternity that nobody moved.

Bob turned to Jennifer then and said, "How are you feeling, Jennifer?"

She was too shocked to answer. So Bob helped her. He went over and smacked her rear end. "Do you have a stomach ache, young lady?"

Jennifer didn't answer. She wanted to say, "I do now," but thought better of it. One more smack to her bottom and the words, "the truth, Jenn," made her shake her head no.
"I see," Bob said. He turned to Maggie. "So you lied to Anita when she called, Margaret Anne?"

"UH, yes, sir," Maggie answered quickly.

Bob took in a deep breath. "Okay, come over here and apologize to Anita for lying to her, so that she can go home now. She's had enough stress because of you for one day."

Maggie walked over to Anita slowly. Bob added, "And tell her what's going to happen to you, Margaret Anne."

Starting to cry a little, Maggie said, "Anita, I'm sorry we didn't stay out back like we were supposed to. And I'm sorry I lied to you when you called before. I didn't want you to come over and see the mess we had made."

"Well, Maggie, I hope you learned something today," Anita said slowly.

Maggie just nodded. She looked at her daddy and Bob nodded his head.  "My daddy's going to spank me for what I did, and wash my mouth out with soap for lying to you," she said quietly. Then she burst into tears and ran over to the couch and cried into it.

Jennifer and Robin were still rooted in their spots. They knew no amount of talking or trying to explain was going to come close to repairing the damage they had done. They just waited to be told what to do. They knew they were in big time trouble. What a way to end the year…out with a bang! Or a spanking!

Bob sat down on the edge of the couch. He washed his face with his hands. He just looked at his nieces and his daughter and sighed. "I want to hear the whole story, but I think I'm too angry right now. I want the three of you to go upstairs and find separate corners to stand in until I calm down and can talk to you."

"But, Uncle Bob, we were only trying to," Jenn began, but Bob silenced her.

"Not now, Jenn. I told you. Go upstairs. Find separate corners, separate rooms even, and stand there and think about what you're going to tell me. I suggest you try the truth. And it had better be sincere. GO!"

The girls did not need a push to get moving. They got up and ran out of the room. Bob just looked at Heather. She was still standing in the doorway of the kitchen. She could not believe the mess in there. She knew she was in deep trouble with her husband, as well.

Bob turned to her and said, "I think we're going to have to call in a cleaning crew to clean up this mess. I can't do it alone. The girls can't do it, and you certainly can't do it." He went to the phone book and started leafing through the C-section.

Heather didn't know what to say. She waited until he had put down the phone and then she started to speak. But Bob cut her off. "We're in luck. They're sending a crew right over. I told them it was an emergency." He sighed then, again. "You know, if we weren't having 40 people over tonight…" but then he stopped. Even Bob did not know how to complete his sentence.

"I'd better get the things out of the car," Heather said timidly.

"No, I'll get them," Bob told her. "I don't want you lifting heavy things. Besides, it will give me something to think about, besides this," he said, waving his hands around.

When all the groceries were brought in, and put away, Heather followed Bob into the den. She collapsed on the couch and he came and sat down beside her. She looked into his eyes and started to cry. Bob leaned over and put his arm around his lovely, young wife and squeezed tight.

"You know it could have been so much worse," he said, quietly.

Heather just nodded. She didn't trust herself to speak.

"What were you thinking, Heather?" Bob asked. "Leaving our daughter, and the twins home alone?"

"They were supposed to stay outside. Anita was supposed to keep an eye on them," Heather said.

"Anita? Anita is our elderly neighbor, Heather. YOU were supposed to be watching them. And you can't really expect them to watch themselves, do you? You know how much trouble those three get into when we're sitting here!" Bob said, throwing his hands up in desperation. "I don't think you were really thinking, honey."

Heather nodded. "I'm sorry, Bob. You're right. I wasn't thinking. I was just thinking of getting the things I needed at the market. And I wasn't going to be gone that long. But then when I got there, I saw other stuff, and I figured the girls were in good hands." Heather paused and looked to gauge her husband's reaction. "I really blew it, didn't I?"

Bob laughed then, for the first time. He nodded. "Yes, hon, you really did."

"What are you going to do?" Heather asked, timidly. She rubbed her belly when she asked.

Bob just looked at her. "I'm going to call them down, get the story and tan their behinds. That's what I'm going to do!"

"And what about me?" Heather asked. She wouldn't be surprised if Bob found some way to blister her bottom, pregnancy or no pregnancy. And she knew she deserved it.

Bob looked at her and smiled. "Oh, Heather, don't you know I'm writing all these things down in my little black book? So help you, after that baby is born!" Bob said.

Heather wasn't sure if he was kidding or not, until he cracked a smile. She smacked him playfully and said, "Oh, hon, I thought you were serious!" she said.

"Well, you'll just have to wait a bit and find out, now, won't you?" Bob said playfully. He kissed her hard on the mouth then and said, "You know, I love you!"

"I love you, too," Heather said.

They kissed passionately for a few minutes. Then the doorbell rang. It was the cleaning crew. "Wow, that was fast," Bob said.
Bob and Heather changed tactics and decided to go upstairs to question the girls. The cleaning crew was working hard in the kitchen. Bob asked if they would do the living room too while they were there.

Heather found Robin in her bedroom and Jenn in the guest room. Maggie was standing in the corner in her own room. Bob gathered all three girls in their bedroom. They sat on the bed while he stood facing them. Heather sat in the dressing chair off to the side.

"Okay, now talk," he said. "One at a time."

The twins turned to stare at Maggie. She looked at them and Jenn squeezed her hand. She looked up at Bob. "Well, Daddy, we, uh, we were playing out back, and we all had to use the bathroom, and then the phone rang."

Heather looked over then. "I didn't see any phone messages, Maggs," she said.

"Oh, uh, I didn't write it down, Mommy," Maggie said. Heather frowned. Maggie continued, "I know, Mommy, just listen. You see, it was Mrs. Wines. She called to say she wouldn't be able to bake a cake for tonight after all. Mommy, I knew you'd be disappointed, so we, um, me, Robin and Jennifer, decided to bake one ourselves."

She stopped there, to let that sink in. Then when her daddy looked at her to continue, Maggie did. "Well, we found the recipe that Mrs. Wines had left here and we got all the ingredients and we mixed them, and then everything just blew up. We're not sure why."

Bob sat down then. He sighed again. This was about the fortieth time in an hour that he had done that. He just looked at his daughter and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Daddy," Maggie said quietly. She looked at Heather. "I'm sorry, Mommy."

Robin and Jenn just sat there. They didn't know what to say. They had nothing to add, either.

Bob said, "Just what kind of a cake is this, Heather? An explosive cake?"

"Bob, be serious," Heather said. She turned to the girls and said,

 

"Didn't I specifically tell you to stay outside? Didn't I tell you not to get into any trouble?" All three girls nodded their heads. Robin started to cry, and so did Maggie.

"It was my fault, Aunt Heather. I had to use the bathroom. So we all came in, and then the phone rang," Jenn said.

"Yeah and making the cake was my idea, Mommy, Daddy. The twins just went along with me. Even Robin told me that we were gonna get in trouble, but I didn't listen to her," Maggie explained.

"You never listen to her," Bob said, smiling. Maggie looked at her daddy and smiled.

"Well, I don't know why the cake blew up, Maggs, but I do know that all three of you are in very big trouble. Especially you, Margaret Anne," Bob said.

"Yes, Daddy."

"Are you sure you followed the recipe correctly, girls?" Heather asked. She was still puzzled as to why the cake mix exploded.
Jennifer and Maggie looked at Robin. She spoke up. "Well, we used baking soda instead of baking powder. Would that make a big difference?"

Bob laughed and said, "Only if you mixed it with vinegar or something, yeah, then it would make a volcano." He chuckled. "I did that in sixth grade, for a science fair project. Hmmm, but I know there's no call for vinegar in a cake mix."

Maggie looked at Jennifer. Jenn said, "You mean, you can't use vinegar instead of oil?"

Bob, Heather and Robin all turned to Maggie and Jennifer and stared. Robin was the first one to speak up. "Is that what you did?" she asked. Then she smacked her hand to her head. "OH, Brother! Even I know those things are not the same."

Heather and Bob looked at the girls and then at each other and laughed. What else could they do? The damage was done. Maggie looked up at her daddy and was surprised to see him laughing.

"Aren't you mad, Daddy?" she asked.

"Well, Maggs," Bob began, the smile fading from his face. "I am disappointed that you would directly defy your mother and go inside when she specifically told you to stay outside. And I'm also upset that you would turn on the oven, when you know that is not permitted."

"Yes, Daddy. I was just trying to surprise Mommy," Maggie said, the tears beginning to fall down her face.

Heather spoke up then. She came over and squeezed next to Maggie on the bed. Robin and Jenn moved over. "I know, sweetie, that you were doing what you thought was a nice thing. But Maggs, you could have burned down the house. The three of you could really have gotten hurt."

Maggie continued to cry. She looked up at Heather. "I'm sorry, Mommy."

Heather looked at her husband. She wished he could forego the punishment this time. She knew Maggie had learned a big lesson already. Bob shook his head. He knew what Heather was thinking. He nodded in the direction of the twins and Heather stood up. She reached for Robin's and Jenn's hands and took them out of the room.

She brought them into the guest room and sat them down on the bed. "Well, girls?" she asked.

"We're sorry, Aunt Heather," Jenn said.

"You directly defied me, girls, and you know it. I told all three of you to stay outside." Heather frowned.

"Yes, ma'am," Robin said. Jenn just nodded.

Heather said, "Well, I can spank you now, or you can wait for your mommy and daddy to come. What will it be?"

Jennifer thought about how their parents would react and she was frightened. She knew Aunt Heather was angry, but she didn't seem too mad. Robin was thinking the same thing. Their mother would really give it to them good. They might still anyway.

"Well?" Heather asked.

Robin looked at Jenn and she nodded. "We'll take the spanking now, Auntie," Robin said.

"Very well. You can be first, Robin. Jennifer, turn around and put your nose in that corner," she said, pointing. Jenn walked over. Her daddy would never keep them in the same room. But hey, everyone was different.

Heather told Robin to lean over the side of the bed. There was no way she could put Robin over her huge lap. Heather reached down and picked up her slipper. She started to smack Robin's bottom with it.

Robin jumped. She had never been hit with a slipper before. It really hurt. The hard rubber smacked against her bottom over and over again. Jenn covered her ears in the corner. Between the sounds of the smacks and her sister's crying, she didn't think she could stand it. She knew, though, that Maggie's spanking next door was probably a lot worse.

Finally, Heather let Robin up. She pulled up Robin's panties and pants and gave her a big hug. Robin clung to her aunt. "I'm sorry, Auntie," she said.

"I know, sweetie. I hope we don't have to do that again anytime soon," Heather said.

Robin shook her head. "No, ma'am. I'm going to listen to you from now on." She wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve.

"Okay, good. Now get yourself into that corner," Heather said, pointing to the opposite corner than Jenn was in. "Jennifer, your turn."

Jenn came over to the bed then. She looked down at Heather, who was sitting in the desk chair. "I'm sorry, Aunt Heather, that we defied you."

Heather nodded. She leaned over and pulled down Jennifer's pants and panties. She pushed Jenn forward so that she was bending over the bed. She raised her right hand and brought the slipper down again and again on Jenn's backside. Jennifer called out, "OW!" She couldn't believe how much a bedroom slipper could hurt.

Meanwhile, next door, in the master bedroom, Maggie stood facing her daddy. "Okay, young lady, tell me why I'm going to punish you," Bob said sternly.

Maggie took a deep breath. She hated this part, but knew better than to question whether or not she had to answer. "I, I didn't listen to Mommy."

"And?" Bob said. "Go on, Maggie."

"I went inside when I was supposed to stay outside. I turned on the oven and made a big mess in the kitchen." Maggie paused and looked at Bob, who nodded. "And I lied to Anita about why we were inside. I wanted to bake the cake and make Mommy proud. I'm sorry, Daddy," Maggie cried, leaning into Bob.

Bob held his daughter tight. It killed him to have to punish her right now. He knew what she needed now was the love and reassurance that she was still special to him. He knew that her mother's pregnancy had been very difficult and he knew, too, that she tried extra hard to please them.

He pushed Maggie back, ever so gently. "Listen to me, baby. I know that you thought you were doing a nice thing, by baking the cake to surprise Mommy. But sweetie, I don't think you were really thinking, were you?"

Maggie looked down at the rug. Bob lifted her chin with his hand and said, "Maggie, listen." He pushed the hair out of his daughter's eyes. "You know better than to directly defy something that either Mommy or I tell you to do. You came inside when you were specifically told to stay outdoors. And you also know better than to use the oven without our say so or supervision. I'm afraid I'm going to have to be very strict about that."

"Yes, Daddy," Maggie said, glumly.

"Further, you lied to Anita when she called to ask if everything was all right. You told her your cousin had a stomach-ache, when you knew full well that that was not the truth. Didn't you?" Bob asked.

"Yes, sir."

"And to top things off, you made a big mess in the kitchen. Too big a mess for you to clean up or even for Mommy or I to do. We had to call someone in to clean it, which you will help pay for, with the loss of your allowance for a month. Is that understood, Margaret Anne?"

Maggie just nodded.

"Very well, then, I think it's time," Bob said, leaning over to position Maggie across his lap. Once in place, he reached down and pulled down her pants and panties. Maggie tried to be brave. She knew she had earned this spanking.

While Bob spanked, he lectured her. "Maggie, you {spank!} know much better {spank!} than to do {spank!} what you did. {spank!} {spank!} I don't ever {spank!} want you to do anything {spank!} like this again. {spank!} {spank!} Do you understand {spank!} me?"

"OW! Yes, Dadddddy!" Maggie cried. Her bottom was on fire, and her daddy was only using his hand. He alternated cheeks as he spanked.

"The next time {spank!} {spank!} your mother or I {spank!} tell you to do something, {spank!} {spank!} you are to listen {spank!} and do as you are told. {spank!} {spank!} And, don't you ever, {spank!} and I mean, ever, {spank!} {spank!} touch that stove again, {spank!} without permission. {spank!} {spank!} Is that clear, {spank!} young lady?" {spank!} {spank!} {spank!} {spank!}

"Yes, Daddy," Maggie said quietly. She was crying so hard, she could barely speak. Bob knew that was a sign that she was truly repentant.

He lifted her up and pulled her close to him. He sat her on her knees, on his lap. She sobbed over his shoulder and he rubbed her back and bottom and whispered soothing words to her.

"There, there, baby, it's all over now. I'm sorry I had to be so tough on you," Bob said.

"No, Daddy, I'm sorry I was so naughty. I'm sorry you had to punish me on New Year's Eve," Maggie cried.

Bob chuckled. "That's right, sweetie, it's New Year's Eve. I almost forgot." He continued to soothe Maggie until she calmed down.

When she did, he pulled her away from his chest and looked into her face. "So, my baby, do you have any New Year's Resolutions that you'd like to share with me?"

Maggie nodded. "Yes, Daddy. I'm gonna try to be better behaved in the new year."

"OH, I hope so, sweetie. I really do hope so," Bob said. He rocked her for a long time.

A bit later, Charlie and Lisa arrived with the party decorations. The house was spotless; you'd never know what had happened there to look at it. When they came in, the house was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.

Charlie turned to Lisa and said, "Uh oh, you know what this means, don't you?"

Lisa shook her head. "They're outside?" she tried.

"Or they're all in big trouble," Charlie said. And he was right.
Charlie and Lisa were shocked and disappointed to hear what the trio had been up to. But he was glad that they had been punished already.

Later, when Dick Clark started the countdown, the ball dropped, the clock struck midnight, all the adults cheered, and couples kissed, three little girls tiptoed to the stairwell and looked down. They had been sent to bed hours ago, but they wouldn't miss out on this moment for all the spankings in the world.

Happy New Year!

 

 

to be continued...

 

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