Watching

Watching...a “Lexie” story (FM/fff)

chapter six

The summer was almost over. I hated to see it end, but in a way I was glad, because I was going to be starting a regular school and living with Uncle Sam, I mean, Daddy, full time. I was still getting used to calling him Daddy. I was almost never at Sunrise Children’s Home anymore. I still went for camp some days, but most days I didn’t.

I was over at Uncle Steve’s house a lot. My piano lessons were going pretty good. I could play ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’ and ‘Three Blind Mice’ with one hand. And I was learning to use my other hand. Daddy always clapped when I practiced. He made sure I practiced every day.

I was excited. Today I was going to Uncle Steve’s for a piano lesson and then afterward Jenny and me were going swimming. They had a big pool in the backyard. It had a deep end and a shallow end. I was a pretty good swimmer and loved to play in the water.

Then I was gonna sleep over. Daddy had to go out of town overnight and there was no one to watch me. He didn’t want to send me back to SCH. I hadn’t slept there in a month and he was afraid I’d get the wrong idea. And we were between babysitters.

Daddy had tried to find the perfect babysitter to watch me after camp until he got home from work, but it just wasn’t working out. First there was Stacy. She was 14. She was late all the time, and then one day she didn’t show up. Daddy was so mad, and that was the end of her.

Next I had Marie. She was 16. She was really cool. She would braid my hair and paint my nails. She also loved to talk on the phone. With boys. She was always talking about boys or to boys. I guess she didn’t watch me so good and when Daddy came home one night, he found her on the phone and me with my feet in the lake with the ducks. I gotta spanking and Marie was gone.

Then I had Rachelle. She was older. Daddy had had it with teenagers, he said. Rachelle was old, like maybe 25. She had a car, which was cool, cuz she could take me places. It was good, too, cuz she would take me to Uncle Steve’s house for my piano lessons and pick me up, also. I really liked her. She was really nice.

But after a few weeks with Rachelle, Daddy told me he had to let her go. I asked what that meant and Daddy said she couldn’t be my babysitter anymore. When I asked why, he told me that he had seen some of our stuff in her car. She was stealing. I’m only 6, and even I know that that is really bad. So that’s why I don’t gots a babysitter right now.

But I didn’t care, cuz I was having fun with Jenny and Lissa. I was spending lots and lots of time over there. And unfortunately over Uncle Steve’s lap. I don’t know why I always got into trouble; I just did. And with Jenny and Lissa around, there always seemed to be trouble. I think Uncle Steve spanked me as many times in a few weeks as Uncle Sam, I mean Daddy, spanked me in a few months.

Gabriella hugged me tight when I got to the house. She was Jenny and Lissa’s babysitter. She watched them during the day when Uncle Steve was giving piano lessons. She was really nice. Gabriella was old, maybe the same age as Marie. She had reddish brown hair and always wore long earrings. She had an accent. She told me once that she was from South America. I knew where that was because Uncle Steve showed me on a map.

“Hi, sweetie, you all set for your piano lesson?” she asked.

“Uh, huh, I been practicing,” I told her. “Where’s Jenny?”

Gabriella pointed out back. “She’s sittin’ on the deck, sweetie.”

I ran out there. I took off my shorts and t-shirt and smiled. “Hi, Jenny, look! I got my bathing suit on already!”

“Hi, Lexie,” Jenny said sadly. “I’m not gonna be able to swim with you today.”

“Why come?” I asked.

“I’m being punished,” she told me.

“What’d you do?” I asked.

“Daddy catched me playing with his computer, and I gotted in big trouble.”

“Did ya getta spankin?” I asked.

When she nodded, I went over to her and hugged her tight. “I’m sorry, Jenny.” I knew how much it must have hurt. Uncle Steve spanked HARD.

I walked over to the pool and sat and dipped my feet in. “Can you do this?” I asked.

“No, I’m not even supposed to be near the pool.”

Gabriella came out then and said, “Lexie, Mr. Steve is runnin’ late. He say you could take a swim before your lesson if you want.”

I looked at Jenny. She said, “Go ahead. One of us might as well have fun.”

“How long you punished for?” I asked.

“Just today. I can go in again tomorrow.”

“Good,” I said. “I’ll still be here.”

We both smiled. I jumped in and swam a bit, but it was no fun by myself.

“Lexie, I have to go in the house for a minute. Please come to the steps,” Gabriella said.

“WHY?” I said loudly.

She put her hands on her hips and she said, “Because I said so. And because Lexie, you know you can’t be in the pool without someone watchin’ you.”

I said, “So? Jenny’s watching me!”

Gabriella came to the edge of the pool. “Don’t get smart with me, young lady. You know that a grownup has to be watchin’ you. Now I’m goin’ to count to three.” She paused. I turned from her and doggy paddled away.

“Lexie! One!” She had started counting.

I still didn’t come. “Two!” she called out. Jenny watched me in awe. “Lexie, I was goin’ in to get you girls some cookies, but forget it!” Gabriella said.

I immediately swam to the steps. She grabbed me and stood me up and swatted my behind hard. It really hurt on my wet bottom.

“Owww!” I said.

“Next time you come the first time I call you!” she said in her broken Spanish accent.

I nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” I sat on the steps until Gabriella reappeared with a tray. On it were two glasses of milk and a plate of cookies. I grabbed a cookie, went over to the pool and jumped onto a float. I lay on the float and munched my cookie.

“Lexie! Come on out and have your snack!” Gabriella requested.

“Why? I can eat here.”

“No, now come out!”

“Why?” I asked loudly.

“Do I have to count again?”

I looked at her. Again she folded her arms across her chest. “Do I hafta?” I asked miserably.

“Yes, you do. Now let’s go!”

I swam to the steps again and got out. And again felt a loud smack on my wet bottom. “Hey, quit that!” I snapped.

“Lexie, you got two warnin’s already. Do not give me a hard time, or you will be sorry.”

I sat down at the table and ate my snack. Jenny and I dunked our cookies in the milk and made cookie soup. It was fun. As soon as my glass was empty and all the cookies were gone, I ran back over to the pool.

Gabriella was inside. I looked into the screen door and then over at Jenny. She shook her head. I knew it meant that I should wait for Gabriella to come back out. I didn’t want to risk breaking the rules so I waited.

When she came out, she said, “Lexie, you need to rest a while afore you go back in.”

“But whyyyyy? I wanna swim some more before my lesson!” I whined.

“You just ate. You need to rest. You can dip your feet in.”

“Oh, fine!” I said. I walked to the furthest end of the pool, sat down, and dipped my feet in. Gabriella watched me.

“Come back a ways, Lexie.”

“I don’t wanna. I wanna sit here.”

“Excuse me? What did you say?” Gabriella asked. She started walking toward me, picking up a towel that was lying on a chair. “I think someone has had enough pool for one day.”

“No!” I said. “I wanna swim!”

Gabriella got close to me and handed me the towel. I stood up and threw it into the pool. Then I folded my arms and pouted. Gabriella shouted, “Lexie!” She turned me around and swatted my behind again about three times. “I cannot believe you just did that, little girl! No more pool for you today!”

I smiled, suddenly getting an idea. I looked at the towel. “I’ll get it!” I said, jumping into the deep end.

“Lexie!” she screamed.

I swam to the towel and took my time swimming back to the steps. I knew I couldn’t swim anymore today so I wanted to get as much in as I could. When I got to the steps, Gabriella pulled me out. I looked up at her face. She looked very angry. She took the towel that I held out and draped it over a lounge chair.

“You are in a lot of trouble, Lexie,” she warned me. She sat on the lounge chair, bent me over her lap and smacked me about a half dozen times. It hurt so much, especially because my bottom was wet.

I cried out, “NOOOOO! STOPPP! I’m sorrrrry!”

Gabriella let me up. “I don’t think you are sorry. But you will be after Mr. Steve gets through with you. Now get into the house and put some clothes on. You’re goin’ to have your lesson soon!” she said, smacking me on the bottom to get me moving.

I walked to the screen door, looking back once. Gabriella stood there with her hands on her hips, pointing. I went in and got changed.

When I came downstairs, Jenny was in the den watching TV. She said being by the pool only made her sad. I didn’t know if Gabriella had told Uncle Steve on me or not, and I was nervous.

A few minutes later, he called me in for my piano lesson. If he knew anything about what had happened in the pool, he didn’t say anything. It was a good lesson. I learned all the notes on my left hand and learned how to put them together. Uncle Steve was teaching me ‘The Dreidel Song’ and ‘Jingle Bells’. After a bit more practice, I’d be ready when December came.

After my lesson, Lissa came home from a friend’s house and the four of us had dinner. Uncle Steve never said a word about the pool. I thought that was strange, but I didn’t bring it up and neither did Jenny.

We watched a movie after dinner. Uncle Steve made popcorn. Daddy called from his hotel and I got to say good night to him. I was missing him something awful. He asked how my day was and I said ‘fine’. I knew I should have told him about getting into trouble with Gabriella, but for some reason, I didn’t.

Later on, after we had washed up and brushed our teeth, Uncle Steve tucked us in. I was sleeping in Jenny’s room. She had an extra twin bed in there. It was neat. Uncle Steve tucked her in first. Then it was my turn.

“Did you have a good day, Lexie?” he asked me.

I nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“I’m sorry Jenny couldn’t swim with you today. Did you have fun anyway?”

“I only got to swim for a few minutes, Uncle Steve.”

“How come?”

First I shrugged my shoulders. Uncle Steve leaned down and kissed my cheek and pulled the sheet up over me. The fan was on so it was a little chilly. I bit my lip. I was feeling nervous.

“Uncle Steve? I don’t wanna fib to you,” I said, remembering what had happened the first day I met him and had told him a lie.

“About what?” he asked.

“I only went swimming for a few minutes cuz I gotted in trouble with Gabriella.” I paused. “Didn’t she tell you?”

Uncle Steve shook his head. “No. Why don’t ‘you’ tell me?”

Oh man. If only I had kept my mouth shut. I didn’t understand why Gabriella hadn’t told him. Grownups ALWAYS tattled on us kids. Maybe she was waiting to see if I told on myself. I hated when they tested us like that.

“I didn’t listen to her,” I told him. “So she said I couldn’t swim no more.”

“She told you something and you didn’t do it?” he asked.

I nodded and so he nodded too. Then I told him the whole story.

“She only swatted me a few times,” I told him. “It didn’t really hurt.” It had, but I was trying to shrug it off. Not sure why.

“I see,” Uncle Steve said. I hated when they said that. It was never a good sign.

“Lexie, you know you are supposed to listen to any grownup who is watching you, don’t you?”

“Uh, yes, sir,” I whispered. I looked over at Jenny but it was dark, and I couldn’t tell if she was asleep yet or not.

“And you know you’re supposed to do what they tell you, don’t you?”

I nodded. Then I realized Uncle Steve probably couldn’t see that in the dark of the room so I said, “Yes, sir.”

“Then why didn’t you listen to Gabriella?”

Ooh, he had me there. Why hadn’t I listened to Gabriella? I didn’t know she would swat me, but I must have known I’d get into trouble with Uncle Steve. I guessed I hadn’t been thinking very clearly.

“Umm, I don’t know, sir,” I finally said.

“Well, maybe you shouldn’t be allowed to go into the pool for a few days. Maybe that will help you remember to do things when you're told.”

“Nooo, I’ll listen,” I told him.

“No, Lexie, no pool for two days. At least tomorrow since you’re going home after that.”

“But, Uncle Steve, that’s not fair!” I said a little too loudly.

Uncle Steve shushed me. It got really quiet in the room. I could hear Jenny breathing. She was asleep.

“Lexie, is it fair that you didn’t listen to Gabriella?”

“No, sir, but,” I stopped. I couldn’t think of a ‘but’. I didn’t want to be grounded from the pool. Suddenly a spanking seemed better than that.

“No buts, Lexie, no pool.”

I couldn’t believe I was going to say this but then the words came right out of my mouth. “Uncle Steve? Couldn’t you just spank me? I wanna go swimming.”

“No, Lexie.”

“Why come?” I asked, frustrated.

“Because sometimes a spanking isn’t the answer.”

I didn’t know what he meant by that, but I was very unhappy. I had looked forward to going swimming with Jenny today and then she couldn’t go. Now tomorrow she’d be able to and I wouldn’t. It just wasn’t fair.

I turned over and faced the wall. I started to cry. Uncle Steve rubbed my back and said, “I think you need to get to sleep. It’s late.”

I nodded. I was sad and a little mad at him. He leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Good night, sweetie.”

I didn’t answer him. He got up and started for the door. “Uncle Steve?” I whispered.

“Yes, Lexie?” he asked, coming back to my bed.

“Please can I go swimming tomorrow?”

He sighed. “What did I say, Lexie?”

“You said no, sir,” I stated.

“Then what does that mean?”

I sighed really loud. “It means no swimming.”

“That’s right. Now go to sleep,” he said, kissing my cheek again. Then he left my room. I was real tired and must have fallen right to sleep. But when I woke the next day I remembered and I was very sad.

I was quiet at breakfast. Uncle Steve knew why, but Lissa and Jenny didn’t. Gabriella didn’t know either. She just served us all pancakes and smiled. She smiled a lot. And I hadn’t listened to her. I wondered again what I had been thinking.

I think a lot. Then I do things without thinking. That’s why I was constantly in trouble. If only I could think all the time, and be good all the time, my life would be different: my bottom anyway, less sore. Oh well!

After breakfast, Uncle Steve went to his office and shut the door. He had a full day of students. I wandered out on the deck and looked out at the pool. I had put my bathing suit on. I’m not sure why I did that. I guess I figured I’d be cooler with it on, than a pair of shorts.

Lissa and Jenny came out then, in their bathing suits. “We’re gonna go swimming as soon as Gabriella finishes cleaning up the breakfast dishes,” Lissa told me.

“Yeah, she said it would give us time to digest our breakfast, whatever that means,” Jenny stated.

Lissa laughed. She sat on a lounge chair and looked at me. “Why’re you so quiet today, Lexie?”

“I dunno,” I said, quietly. Suddenly I missed Daddy so much. I wished I were with him right then. Then again it was the middle of the week in the daytime, and he’d be at work. Maybe I wished I were at SCH then. At least there was no pool there, so if I couldn’t go swimming, it wouldn’t matter. Plus, I hadn’t seen Jamie or Andie in a while.

“You miss your daddy?” Jenny asked. I just nodded.

I looked at Lissa. She was older than I was, and really smart. Maybe she could help me with the problem I seemed to have in my head.

“Lissa?”

“Yes?”

“I kinda got a dilemma,” I told her.

“Yeah? What about?” she asked.

“What’s a dilemma?” Jenny asked. She wasn’t used to the big words I used.

“It’s a problem,” Lissa told her.

“Oh,” she said. She probably wanted to know why I didn’t just say I had a ‘problem’ in the first place.

“So what’s the matter, Lexie?” Lissa asked. I looked over at her. She had gotten up and gone over to the pool. She sat at the edge and dipped her feet in. She swished them around, making little circles. I watched her do that for a while. “Well?” she asked.

“I gotta listen to your daddy, don’t I?” I asked her.

“Of course you do, Lexie. He’s practically your real uncle. Besides you’re staying with us, and he’s taking care of you. Why?”

“That’s what I thought,” I said, more to myself. I had started thinking in my head that maybe I didn’t have to listen to what Uncle Steve told me; that maybe I could just do whatever I wanted, and tell my daddy when he got home that I had gotten into trouble with Gabriella. I sighed.

“What, Lexie? What’d my daddy tell you?” Lissa asked. She was very concerned. It was nice.

I walked over to her and sat down next to her. I put my littlest toe into the water. It wasn’t warm, but it wasn’t cold either. It felt good and I wanted to go in so badly.

Jenny came over then and joined us. She stuck both her feet in and stared at the sliding glass doors, almost wishing Gabriella would appear. “I wish she wasn’t taking so long!”

Lissa nodded. “Yeah, but we’re not allowed in without a grown-up watching us, Jenny.”

I wanted to cry. I wasn’t allowed in at all. I shouldn’t even have been down here by the pool. I definitely shouldn’t have been in my bathing suit.

I wiped at a single tear that fell out of my eye. Lissa saw it. “Lexie, what’s the matter?”

“I not allowed to go swimming today. Your daddy said so.”

“How come?” Lissa asked.

I told her the story of the day before. She just looked at me. Jenny nodded. “I wondered if Gabriella told on you,” Jenny said.

“She didn’t,” I said. “I told him.”

“What are you, crazy?” Jenny asked.

“Probably,” I said. Then I asked, “How come Gabriella didn’t tell your daddy on me?”

“Oh, she’s all talk,” Lissa said. “She probably just said what she did to scare you. Besides she wouldn’t want Daddy to know that she couldn’t handle you.”

“Oh,” was all I said. I looked at the water again. “It looks so nice today.”

“Yeah,” Jenny said. “Like yesterday when I couldn’t go in. It was terrible just sitting out here.”

Lissa smiled. “Hey, I know!”

“What?” both Jenny and me said.

“What if you accidentally fell in?” Lissa suggested.

“Fall in?” I asked.

“Yeah, you know, an accident.”

“But your daddy said I couldn’t go to the pool at all. I probably shouldn’t even be out here.”

“It’s a nice, sunny day and you were out here keeping us company,” she said. Jenny just smiled.

Lissa started to stand up then. She put her hand on my shoulder for support and pushed herself up. She pushed a little too hard and I fell right into the pool. I was knocked in off balance, so it took me a minute to right myself.

“Lissa!” Jenny shouted.

Lissa laughed and then jumped into the pool. “I’ll save you, Lexie!” Lissa said, giggling.

I was splashing around when Lissa came up behind me and hugged me. “Gee, I’m so sorry you fell in, Lexie. Let me help you to the edge.”

I got to the side, and Jenny put her arm out to help me up. I got a wicked idea then, and pulled her in with me. She fell in, yelled, and laughed. We splashed around for a bit. Then feeling a little guilty, I swam to the steps and climbed out of the pool.

I grabbed the nearest towel and put it around me. I knew I shouldn’t have been in the pool just then. But Lissa pushed me in; it wasn’t my fault. Even if I had liked her idea when she suggested it, I hadn’t acted on it. She had. Uncle Steve would just have to understand.

“We better get out, Jenny. We’re not supposed to be in here without someone watching us,” Lissa said.

Jenny moaned but followed her sister out of the pool. We all lay on lounge chairs waiting for Gabriella. It was a good hour before she finally came outside. We were almost all dry by then. She would never know we had been in the pool already.

I looked at Gabriella. Had Uncle Steve told her I wasn’t allowed in the pool? I didn’t know. Jenny and Lissa went in immediately after their babysitter came out. I walked to the edge and just looked in. It looked so nice. I wanted to just dive in so badly. But something tugged at me. I guess I knew it wasn’t right.

Gabriella watched the girls. She watched me too. Finally I sat down by the edge and just dipped my feet in. She didn’t say anything. I hoped if Uncle Steve looked out the window, I wouldn’t be in trouble for just doing this. I swished my feet around.

After a while, Gabriella told Jenny and Lissa to get out because she had to go make lunch. They listened. Lissa went inside the house, but Jenny came and sat down next to me, putting her feet in. We talked for a while.

What happened next was something that neither of us planned. I guess you could say that I might have been thinking parts of it in my head, but not planning on actually doing anything.

I had cupped my hand into the pool and splashed some water onto Jenny. She thought it was funny and did it back to me. Before we knew it, we were soaked. I bopped Jenny pretty hard, pretending to be silly, but pushed her hard enough to fall right into the pool.

She looked up at me surprised. “I’ll save you!” I shouted, jumping into the pool.

She figured out what I was trying to do and started holding her hands up in the air. “Help me, Lexie! Help! I’m drowning!” she screamed, flopping around the water like she couldn’t swim.

I grabbed onto her and started pulling her to the edge. “Hurry, Lexie, I can’t swim!” she yelled, flopping her hands again.

I had to laugh. We were in the shallow end and I knew Jenny could swim like a fish. It was so funny. I was holding onto Jenny and splashing all around.

“I’ll SAVE you, Jenny!” I yelled.

Soon both of us were screaming and splashing and swimming. Before we knew it, we heard people running and yelling. The next few minutes went so fast; I didn’t know where to look first.

Before I knew what was happening, I felt big hands on me pulling me out of the water. I looked up right into Uncle Steve’s face. He didn’t look angry. In fact, he looked scared.

Gabriella had pulled Jenny out and put her down on the ground near the steps of the pool. She had a towel around her in a flash and was looking over her body and asking her if she were okay. Jenny just nodded. Lissa was standing in the doorway of the sliding glass doors, watching us.

“Are you all right, Lexie?” Uncle Steve asked me.

It took a minute for everything that had just happened to register. When it did, I realized he was scared and worried about Jenny and me. He must have thought that we really were in trouble. I started feeling awful.

I started to cry as I nodded. “Uh, yes, sir.”

As soon as they realized we were all right, we were sent in to change into dry clothes. After putting on a t-shirt and a pair of shorts, Jenny and me met up with Lissa in Uncle Steve’s office. He said he wanted to talk to all three of us.

We sat on the couch. Uncle Steve pulled up his desk chair and sat facing us. “I want you to start with what I witnessed, Lexie, and tell me everything.”

So I did. The truth. And I didn’t leave one single thing out. I felt a little bad getting Lissa into trouble, but I knew better than to lie to Uncle Steve.

When I finished, Uncle Steve said, “I see. That’s quite a lot in one afternoon, Lexie.”

“Uh, yes, sir, but kids make mistakes, right?”

“Yes, they do.”

“And accidents happen,” I said.

“Yes, accidents do happen. But these were not accidents, not true ones, were they?”

He had me there. “No, sir.” I sighed. I knew I was in very big trouble. Not just with Uncle Steve, but with Daddy when he found out about yesterday and today. I wondered if he would even let me come over here anymore.

“Very convenient that you had your bathing suit on, Lexie, after I specifically told you no pool today,” Uncle Steve commented, eyebrows raised.

“Uh, yes, sir, it was hot out,” I said.

“Made it easier to move around in the pool when you got pushed in, too.”

I didn’t say anything. I knew he was pretty upset with me.

“And for you, young lady!” Uncle Steve said, turning toward Lissa. “You knew much better than what you did today. You pushed Lexie in when she had just told you she couldn’t go in. And...You broke the rule about going in the pool unsupervised. That was very dangerous!”

“Yes, Daddy,” Lissa said, sadly. She knew what she had done was wrong. But at the time, it had seemed like so much fun. And it seemed to have solved all our problems, then, too.

Then Uncle Steve turned back toward Jenny and me. “And you two girls scared Gabriella and me half to death. We heard screaming and the words, “help” and “I can’t swim!” and when we looked out there, we saw you both with your hands up in the air. We thought you were both drowning. You shouldn’t have been in the water at all!”

Jenny and me were speechless. Uncle Steve had to wipe at a tear that was falling out of his eye. I felt horrible, and one look at Jenny told me she felt terrible too.

“I’m sorry, Daddy,” Jenny cried. “We didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Well, you did,” her daddy said.

I looked up at Uncle Steve. “Are you real mad at us?”

He sighed. “No, Lexie, I’m not angry. I’m frustrated. Do you know what that means?”

All three of us nodded. Then he continued, “I try so hard to keep you girls safe. That’s why there are rules. They are not there just to make your lives miserable. A swimming pool is a very dangerous place, especially for a young child. That’s why I insist that a grownup be watching you at all times. Someone could get hurt, or drown, for real.”

I looked at Lissa and then at Jenny. They were both staring at their daddy. We all said we were sorry again.

“I’m afraid ‘sorry’ is not enough, girls. You’re all going to be punished. Plus, there will be no more pool for any of you for a week.”

“A week? But Dadddy!” Lissa whined.

“Do you want to try for two weeks, Melissa?”

“N-n-no, sir.”

“I didn’t think so.”

“It’s not their faults, Uncle Steve, it’s mine. You don’t gotta punish them. I’m the bad one. You must really hate me,” I said. I threw myself facedown into the couch and just cried.

“Lexie? Look up at me,” Uncle Steve said gently.

I turned and saw Uncle Steve looking down at me. “Lexie, you are not bad. We’ve talked about this, haven’t we?” When I nodded, he continued. “And I don’t hate you, not at all. I love you.”

“But how can you? I keep doing bad things.”

“That happens to kids sometimes. It’s a part of growing up.”

“So you’re not mad at me?”

“No, I’m not mad. Sometimes children have to make mistakes to learn how to do things the right way. What you and Jenny did today was very wrong, and you both will be punished. I am disappointed in your behavior, Lexie, but I’m not mad at you. And you are not a bad girl. Okay?”

I knew I was still going to get a spanking, but Uncle Steve’s words made me feel a little better. I nodded.

“Jenny, Lexie, into the corner with both of you while I speak to Lissa.”

We went into separate corners. Suddenly I felt like I had been here before. Oh, wait, I had. Many times. But it had been the first time I came to this house that all three of us were in trouble together.

I cried as I stared at the corner and listened to Lissa’s spanking. I didn’t wanna listen but they were right behind me. I could hear the smacks and the whacks and Lissa crying. I snuck a peek at Jenny and she had her hands over her ears. She was sobbing, too.

“All right, Lissa, your spanking is over,” I heard Uncle Steve say. Finally. It had sounded like it had gone on for a million years.

I turned around and saw Uncle Steve cuddling Lissa on his lap. Her shorts had already been pulled up and he was rubbing her back as she sobbed on his chest.

“I’m really sorry, Daddy,” Lisa said.

“I know, my little bear, it’s all over now. I know you won’t do anything like this again, will you?”

“No, sir.”

“Good. Now I’m going to be talking with Jenny and Lexie for a while. Please go up to your room and stay on your bed until I come for you. Okay?”

“Yes, sir,” Lissa said, standing up. Uncle Steve stood too and hugged her again tight. He wiped at her tears and kissed her cheek. “Good girl.”

I quickly turned back to the corner. I didn’t want Uncle Steve scolding me for not doing what he said.

Then I heard, “Jenny, Lexie, come here.”

We both walked back over to Uncle Steve. He pointed to the couch and we sat.

“Do you girls remember the story I read to you a few weeks ago about the boy who cried wolf?”

We both nodded. It had been a silly story, but Uncle Steve had read it to us for a reason. That day he had caught Jenny lying to him about something. He even went to the library just to get that book.

“Tell me what happened.”

Jenny spoke up first. “The boy was supposed to be watching the sheep, but he got bored, so he cried, ‘Wolf! Wolf!’ and all the townspeople came running.”

“Yeah, and they got mad and said not to do that anymore, but he kept on doing it,” I added.

“That’s right. And what ended up happening?” Uncle Steve asked us.

I looked at Jenny but she nodded at me, so I said, “The wolf came and ate all the sheep.”

“Why?” Uncle Steve asked.

“Cuz when the boy yelled ‘Wolf’ no one believed him,” Jenny said.

“That’s right,” Uncle Steve said. “So tell me girls, if you pretend to drown too many times, what would happen if you were really drowning?”

Jenny started to cry. “You wouldn’t believe us, Daddy,” she sobbed.

“And we’d die,” I added.

“Well, I hope not, but yes, that’s exactly what could happen, Lexie. Girls, you must not pretend that something is wrong when it’s not, because then if it really is wrong, no one will believe you.”

I remembered back to something my daddy had said a few weeks before. He said people had to trust you. If you lied to them, they wouldn’t be able to. I guessed this was sort of the same thing. I nodded at Uncle Steve when he asked if we understood.

“And also, girls, I said this to Lissa, and I will repeat it for you. YOU MAY NOT GO INTO THE POOL WITHOUT A GROWN-UP WATCHING YOU. Is that understood?”

We both nodded and said, “Yes, sir.”

“Okay, Lexie, go back to your corner, please,” Uncle Steve said, pointing.

Great, now it was “my” corner. Wonderful. While I listened to Uncle Steve scolding and spanking Jenny, I thought about hanging a sign that said, ‘Lexie’s Corner’. I almost giggled at the idea.

But I didn’t. I couldn’t. My friend was bare-bottom over her daddy’s lap and it was all my fault.

“You {Smack!} will not {Smack!} go {Smack!} into the pool {Smack!} without someone {Smack!} watching you again. {Smack!} And you scared {Smack!} Daddy half to death. {Smack!} I thought {Smack!} you were really {Smack!} in trouble. {Smack!} This can never {Smack!} happen again. {Smack!} Is that understood, {Smack!} Jennifer?” {Smack!}

“Owwwww, yessssss, Dadddddddy, I promissssse!”

{Smack!} {Smack!} {Smack!} {Smack!} {Smack!} “Okay, baby, it’s over,” I heard Uncle Steve say. I took a peek and saw him pulling up her panties and shorts and pulling her into his lap. She cried on his shoulder and he rubbed her back and bottom.

“I love you so much, Jenny. I don’t ever want anything to happen to you.”

“Yes, Daddy, I love you, too. And again, I’m sorrrrrry!”

“I know, baby, I know.”

I stared at the wall again as I listened to Uncle Steve reassure Jenny. I knew my turn was next. I was feeling pretty guilty about getting everyone in trouble. I knew the spanking would help with the guilt but I was not looking forward to it. I knew it would hurt. And it wouldn’t even be over when Uncle Steve said, because then I still had to tell Daddy.

“Okay, go on!” I heard Uncle Steve say. “Lexie, come here!”

I walked over to Uncle Steve. Jenny had left the room. It was just the two of us now. He pointed to the couch and I got up there and faced him.

“Being grounded from the pool isn't much of a punishment if you put your bathing suit on and play right there, is it, young lady?”

“Umm, no, sir, but it was hot, and I didn’t mean to actually get in.”

“But you did go in. Twice, as a matter of fact. And both times without someone watching you. Didn’t you?”

“Uh, yes, sir.”

“Next time I tell you no pool, I mean, no pool. You stay away from it all together. Is that understood?”

“Yes, sir,” I said.

“Come here,” Uncle Steve said, pointing to his side.

I got off the couch and went to stand next to him. He reached down and pushed my shorts and panties down to my ankles. Then he pulled me over his lap. I didn’t fight him, but I was not happy. Uncle Steve raised his hand and started to spank my poor little bottom.

{Smack! Smack!} ”When I say {Smack! Smack!} you are grounded {Smack! Smack!} from the pool, {Smack! Smack!} I mean it, young lady. {Smack! Smack!} If you had stayed {Smack! Smack!} away, then none {Smack! Smack!} of the rest {Smack! Smack!} of what happened {Smack! Smack!} would have happened.” {Smack! Smack!}

“Owwww, yessssir, I’m sorrrrry!” I knew it; I knew the whole day had been my fault.

“Even when {Smack! Smack!} you are allowed {Smack! Smack!} in the pool, {Smack! Smack!} you will follow {Smack! Smack!} all rules, {Smack! Smack!} Lexie. They {Smack! Smack!} are there {Smack! Smack!} to keep you safe.” {Smack! Smack!}

“Yes, sir, I will, I promise! I’m sorrrrrry! I’m sorry I got Lissa and Jenny into trouble,” I sobbed.

Uncle Steve raised his hand but then lowered it. He pulled me into his lap and said, “Oh, Lexie, you didn’t get them into trouble. They got themselves into trouble.”

“But I,” I started to say, but Uncle Steve interrupted me.

“No, Lexie, they knew the rules, and they broke them. It’s true that you shouldn’t have been down there, but you did not get them into trouble. All right?”

“Yes, sir.” I looked up at Uncle Steve. “Is my spanking over?”

“Almost,” he said, putting me back over his lap. He raised his hand again and delivered about a dozen more smacks. Then he lifted me up. “Okay, now it’s over.”

I held on tight to Uncle Steve’s neck and buried my face into his shoulder and cried. “I’m sorry, Uncle Steve. I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you. And that I worried and scared you.”

“I know, sweetie, it’s all over now. It’s okay,” he said, reassuring me.

He pulled me into a sitting position in his lap and kissed my cheek. “You’re forgiven, Lexie, it’s all over now.”

I nodded and let him hold me and reassure me. But I knew it wasn’t over yet. I knew I still had to tell Daddy. He would be upset and disappointed, and my bottom would be on fire all over again.

Uncle Steve placed me on the floor and pulled my shorts and panties up. “Okay, Lexie, why don’t you go lay down for a bit? When you get up, we’ll all have a late lunch, and you girls can play until your daddy comes for you.”

I nodded. “Okay, Uncle Steve,” I said a little sadly.

“Is everything all right, Lexie? Your punishment is over and you’ve been forgiven, sweetie.”

“I know,” I said. I tried to put on a happy smile.

Uncle Steve smiled, leaned over and kissed me again. “I love you, Lexie.”

I smiled for real then. “I love you, too, Uncle Steve.”

I did as he said, and after lunch when Uncle Steve went back to his students, Lissa, Jenny, and I stayed inside and watched movies and played.

In the late afternoon, I sat in the living room reading a book. Daddy would be picking me up soon and I was so worried. Uncle Steve had spanked me and forgiven me already, but soon things would start all over with Daddy. I remembered what he said about being in trouble with him if I got into trouble anywhere else. I was scared to tell him I had gotten into trouble again.

It seemed every time I was here, I was in trouble. Surely Daddy wouldn’t let me come over ever again. And he might decide I wasn’t worth taking care of. Then maybe he would stop the adoption. Oh, why couldn’t I just be a good girl!

I heard a car door. I ran to the window. It was Daddy! Part of me wanted to rush outside and up into his arms and have him hold me and tell me he loved me and never let me go. But I was too afraid. Scared, cuz I had to tell him about being in trouble. And then he’d spank me again. I didn’t want that.

So instead of meeting him at the door, I went to hide. I heard Gabriella greet Daddy. Then Uncle Steve met him in the living room. I could hear their voices from my hiding spot.

“Where’s Lexie?” I heard Daddy ask.

Uncle Steve said, “I’m not sure. I thought she was down here. The girls got into a bit of trouble this morning. But they’ve all been punished and had a good afternoon.”

Daddy sighed. “I’m sorry Lexie gave you a hard time, Steve. What happened?”

I crouched down trying to get lower to the floor. I didn’t know if Uncle Steve would tell Daddy or not. I kinda hoped he would so I wouldn’t have to. But in a way, I kinda wanted to tell him myself. I didn’t know what to do.

“Lexie, get out from behind there!” I heard Gabriella yell. Oh, foiled again!

I started to cry. I didn’t want to get out. Daddy and Uncle Steve came over. Uncle Steve pulled away the curtain and saw me crouching there. I looked up and Daddy was staring down at me.

“Hi, baby,” he said, smiling.

“Hi, Daddy,” I said, wiping at my tears.

“You going to come out from behind there?” he asked.

I shook my head no. Uncle Steve patted Daddy’s arm and then gently pushed Gabriella out of the room. It was just the two of us.

“Why not, Lexie?”

“I’m scared, Daddy,” I said honestly.

Daddy got down on the floor and crept as close to me as he could get. “Why don’t you come sit with me and tell me what you’re scared of?”

“I can’t. You’ll be mad,” I said.

“No, I won’t be mad. Now come here,” he said, patting his lap.

I thought about it. I knew eventually I would have to come out from behind the curtain. A six-year-old kid couldn’t live behind the sofa forever. Quietly, I crawled over to Daddy and climbed into his lap. He hugged me tight.

“Whatever it is, baby, you don’t need to be scared. I won’t be mad, I promise.”

“You will be mad, and you won’t love me anymore!” I cried.

“Oh, Lexie, no, that will never happen. I will always love you,” Daddy said. Then he added just for me, “Forever and ever.”

“Even if I did something wrong on purpose?” I asked in amazement.

“Even then.”

“Even if I lied to you and was bad all the time?”

Daddy laughed. “Oh, Lexie, you’re not bad. And you could never do naughty things ALL the time.” He paused. “At least I hope not.”

I smiled then. I couldn’t help it. Even I couldn’t imagine myself being that bad.

“Lexie, Daddy loves you and no matter what you tell me about something you did, nothing could ever change that. Okay?”

I nodded. Then the events of the past two days came jumbling out of my mouth, mixed with tears and sobs. Daddy had to ask me to repeat a few things a couple of times, but for the most part he understood what I was saying. He held me tight, just sitting there on the floor, next to the sofa, and said soothing things to me until the whole story was out.

“I’m so sorry, Daddy,” I sobbed.

“I know you are, baby,” he said, rocking me. “I’m not angry with you.”

“B-b-but you’re disappointed?” I asked.

“I’m always disappointed when you don’t behave yourself. But it sounds like Uncle Steve punished you pretty well.”

“He did. It hurt a lot, and none of us can go swimming for a week, Daddy.”

“Do you understand why he did that, Alexis?”

“Yes, sir, cuz we pretended we were hurt when we weren’t, and what we did was dangerous, and he wants to keep us safe,” I said.

“That’s right, baby. Grown-ups make rules to keep children safe. And when you break the rules, you get punished. It helps you learn for next time.”

“Yes, Daddy, that’s what Uncle Steve said.”

“Then it must be right, huh?”

I nodded. “Yes, sir.” After a pause, I looked up into Daddy’s face. “Are you gonna punish me again when we get home?”

“No, baby, I’m not.”

I was shocked. You could have knocked me over with a feather at that point. “You’re not? How come?”

“Lexie, I know I told you that if you got in trouble with someone else, you could expect to be punished again by me, but this time, I think Uncle Steve punished you enough.” He paused, and then continued. “You were so scared to tell me what happened. I don’t want you to EVER be scared to tell me anything. All right?”

“Yes, Daddy. But Daddy, how come you’re not gonna spank me?”

“Because, Lexie, sometimes a spanking isn’t the answer.”

It was the same thing as Uncle Steve had said the night before. I looked up into Daddy’s eyes and just saw a lot of love there.

“I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you, too, Lexie.”

The end.

(This ending is dedicated to Stu. Didn’t think I could do it, did ya?)

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