The Dude Ranch-chapter 8
By SamPast and Huggedlots
Copyright (c) 1999, All rights reserved

Walking back into the living room, Heather began to thank Lisa and Charlie, and saw Charlie's stern face. "Well, Heather, I agree, you and I should talk. Let's go back to your cabin so we can have some privacy."

"Sure, Charlie," Heather replied casually, but she was nervous looking at his face wondering what he planned to say to her.

Charlie kissed Lisa and said, "I'm hoping this won't take too much longer; I'm really exhausted. But don't wait up for me."

Lisa frowned. "Remember, Charlie, she's practically a kid herself. Be easy on her."

"She is a kid, that's what I keep reminding myself. But about being easy on her, I don't know. I think she's had too much of that, already. See you soon." And Charlie followed Heather back to her cabin.

Heather feeling nervous, went to the cooler and started to offer Charlie a beer. One look at Charlie's face, though, and Heather knew that that was a very bad idea.

"Do you really think you need a beer, young lady?" Charlie asked.

"Young lady?" Heather asked. "Who are you calling, young lady?"

"Well, have you been acting like a responsible adult? Have you been taking care of your daughter? Have you been saying things to her that could potentially damage her for the REST OF HER LIFE?" Charlie yelled at Heather, who now had tears running down her face.

"I, I, I guess not," she answered solemnly.

"Well, do you even understand what your daughter said to you tonight?" Charlie inquired.

"Yes, I think I do. She needs me more, but I don't know how to be a parent," Heather said.

Charlie sighed, and tried to calm down. "There is NO book that children come with, Heather, and I know it is hard for you being a single parent, but ALL children need structure and guidance to grow up right, and each and every one of them deserves to know that they are loved and cared for ALL the time, not just when you don't have a date."

"That's not fair!" Heather cried.

"NO?" Charlie asked. "Then tell me, when was the last time you tucked your daughter into bed, the last meal you had with her? Does she have ANY rules? You let her walk all over you, and children really don't want that. It scares them. Can you at least see that?"

"Okay, Okay, stop yelling at me! I screwed up, big time. I feel lousy. I know I need to win her trust and love. I try to give her everything she wants, and to let her do what she wants," Heather admitted.

"Well, is it working? Does your daughter feel loved, or wanted?" Charlie asked rhetorically.

But Heather answered anyway. "Nooooo, she doesn't."

"Heather, children need discipline, kind, fair, loving, and consistent. They need to know that there are consequences to their actions, that some one will stop them from hurting themselves. Your daughter DOESN'T know that. She is yearning for a family life. I know you can't give her everything she needs. You can't get your ex to be a dad, but you can be a great mom, if you want to be. You have to want it first."

Heather burst into sobs, and sank down on the couch. "Nobody has ever talked to me the way you just did. Nobody in MY life has ever cared, so I guess I don't know how to do it. I am a total screw up, and oh god I wish somebody would take ME in hand."

An idea was forming in Charlie's head but he wasn't sure what to do about it. "Young Lady, look at me!" he commanded. Heather just continued to sob. "RIGHT NOW!" Charlie yelled.

Startled Heather looked up at him. "First of all, you need to forgive yourself, and get a clean start with your daughter," he said.

"I can't forgive myself, Charlie, I can't. I don't deserve that beautiful little girl. I wish I could clean the slate, but I can't," Heather whined.

"Don't whine. I think Maggie just needs you to start changing and being the Mom she needs you to be. First of all, young lady, the drinking is going to stop, right now, is that clear?"

"Yes Sir," Heather sobbed. Charlie smiled, hearing her say that to him, and knew he had to be stern with her.

"Secondly, you are going to curtail your evenings out. Clear?" "Yes Sir."

"You will be where you should be for the remainder of this vacation, at least while I can keep tabs on you. IS THAT CLEAR?" "Yes Sir."

"All right, young lady, what do disobedient young ladies need to feel cleansed and better about themselves?" Charlie inquired.

Heather looked up at Charlie and couldn't believe he was serious. Looking at his stern face, though, convinced her otherwise. They stared at one another for a moment. Charlie was giving her the opportunity to either ask for what he thinks she really needed, or to tell him to get out. He saw the struggle going on watching the emotions on her face.

"Charlie?" she said shyly. "Yes, Heather," he answered calmly.

"I have never been spanked in my whole life!" she exclaimed.

"Well," Charlie asked, "do you feel you deserve one?" "Yes Sir."

"Then tell me, what do you need and deserve?" "I deserve a spanking, Sir." "Heather, you are an adult, not a child. Are you sure you are willing to accept this from me?" he asked.

"Charlie, I appreciate everything you have done for Maggie and me, and I think, even though I know this is going to hurt, that it is going to help me have a clean slate, and to start over with Maggie. Please, Charlie?" Heather begged.

"Okay, young lady, come here," Charlie stated.

Heather took a deep breath and walked over to Charlie. He told her to unsnap her jeans, and to pull them down. She stood rooted to the spot until he said, "RIGHT NOW, YOUNG LADY!"

She spurred into action, knowing that now was NOT the time to be disobedient. Charlie did not take down her panties, but pulled her over his knee. He started to swat her bottom, with hard, steady even swats, lecturing at the same time. Heather started squirming almost immediately, yelling ouch occasionally, but seemed to be taking it fairly well.

"Okay, young lady, I think you need some rules yourself, is that clear?" "OUCHHH, yes, sir."

First of all, you WILL be at breakfast with your daughter, SWAT!" "OUCHHH, yes sir!"

"Secondly, you will take her to camp, and be there ON TIME to get her, correct?" "OHHH, OUCHHHH, yes sir."

Charlie thought it time to up the ante a little, and put his fingers inside the waist of her panties, and pulled them down. Heather didn't even protest. Now Charlie's hand was connecting with her bare pink bottom, and he turned it up a notch. Heather's cries of pain were a bit louder as she promised anything and everything Charlie was asking of her.

"You are NEVER, EVER to tell that little girl you wished she were never born. UNDERSTAND?" With this he really spanked her hard and furiously.

"I won't, I promise, I do, please?" Heather begged. "Please what?" "OUCHHHH!" Heather was kicking and sobbing, but Charlie wanted to make sure his point was well taken.

"Now, you will NOT have another drink while we are here, is THAT clear?" Heather was shocked, and didn't answer fast enough and got another barrage of very hard swats.

"At all, sir?"

"NONE, young lady. You are going to show your daughter you are fine without it, clear?" Charlie looked at the table next to him, and saw a hairbrush. "Maybe this will make the point clearer."

Heather had no idea what he was talking about. But at the first swat with the hairbrush, she yelped and tried to get off his lap. Charlie held her down easily, and continued with the hairbrush.

"Heather, I want your answer, and I want it now!" Ten quick swats landed on her already punished bottom.

"Okay, okay, I promise, no drinking, none," she cried.

"Okay, if you do, you will be back here over my knee, is that clear?" Charlie asked sternly.

"Yes Sir, perfectly clear."

Heather's bottom was a crimson hue, and Charlie knew she would be sleeping on her stomach tonight. He decided to finish up his lecture and the spanking. "If you need help on parenting, you will ask for it, okay?" "Yes Sir."

"Alright then," Charlie ended her spanking with 10 more hard swats with the brush. By this time, Heather was limp over his knee and Charlie knew she had had enough. He gently stood her up, and pulled up her panties. Heather was beyond caring about her modesty, and threw herself into Charlie's arms.

"I am sooo sorry, Charlie, really I am," Heather sobbed.

"Shushhhhhh, it is over and you are forgiven." Charlie cradled her as he would one of the girls, and realized she was so much a little girl in need herself. He let her sob herself out, and then told her, "Okay, now, you are going straight to bed, is that clear?" "Yes Sir."

"And, I will expect you up and waiting for Maggie at 7 am. You will help her dress, give her lots of hugs, and we will all go to breakfast. Okay?" "Yes Sir."

Heather smiled at Charlie through her tears. "Thank you, for being here, for all you have done for both of us. I really do appreciate you, even if I may not sit down again for days."

Heather giggled through her tears, as she rubbed her very, very sore bottom. "Charlie?"

"Yes, Heather."

"Umm, did you mean what you said about Maggie now being a part of your family?" she asked.

"Yes, Heather, I did." Charlie smiled at her, waiting for her next question. "Well, umm, then does that mean that I am included too?" Heather inquired shyly.

"Yes, dear, you are. Now, scoot off to bed, and we will all see you tomorrow. And, I want you to think about what we've talked about tonight, and know that tomorrow is a whole new day, and an opportunity for you to make changes for you and your daughter. We will talk more, okay?" Charlie finished.

Heather whispered, "Talk?"

Charlie laughed, and said, "Yes, unless you disobey your rules, young lady!" Charlie gave Heather a mock stern look.

"Ohhh no, not me. Once was enough," Heather said.

Charlie kissed the top of her head, gave her a hug and headed to the door.

"See you in the morning, Heather," he said.

"Yeah, the morning," she responded, "bright-eyed and bushy-tailed."

EPILOGUE

Heather was there in the morning and did help Maggie get dressed. And the best part was that Maggie let her. Lisa was amazed at how different Heather's attitude was. Charlie had told her what had happened and she was surprised. Not that Charlie had spanked Heather, because she herself had felt that Heather needed a good spanking, but surprised that Heather had allowed it. And apparently, it had done her a world of good.

The next week and a half went quickly, not without a few problems. Charlie had to spank all three girls a few more times, but he didn't have to spank Heather again. She had really tried to turn her life around. She stopped drinking cold turkey, and found that she didn't even miss it.

The day the Clementes were leaving, Heather ran over to them with great news. She had gotten a job at the stables, and she and Maggie would be spending the rest of the summer at the ranch. Together.

Lisa and Charlie were so happy for them. They exchanged addresses and phone numbers and promised to keep in touch. Charlie even offered to help Heather find a job if she decided she wanted a change of scenery. She knew it was time to move out of her mother's house, but she was going to wait until she got her high school equivalency diploma.

It was almost impossible for Charlie to tear the twins away from Maggie. But after all, the car was packed up, and it was time to leave. Even Charlie had a tear in his eye as he said good-bye to Heather and Maggie. Finally, the girls let go, waved good-bye and they drove off.

The Clementes hoped Heather took Charlie up on his offer and moved closer to where they lived. They really had bonded and had become part of the family. Lisa and Charlie knew deep down that they had not seen the last of those two special young women.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE END!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

to previous part

to next series: Change of Scenery