Bad Choices…a twin story (M/f)

It was their senior year. The twins were very busy. They had already sent a few early applications in for college, but there was so much to do in high school still. Jenn had had a rough start to the school year, and was trying very hard to bring her grades up. She wanted to be able to get in to all the schools where she had applied. She had also finally gotten her driver’s license, which made things easier all around. Robin was changing too. Always the easier twin to deal with, Charlie and Lisa were surprised when Robin changed friends midyear, stopped going to Art Club which was always her favorite, and instead joined the Drama Club. She had never been interested in acting, but Charlie and Lisa were always keen to let the twins try new things. Robin also joined a book club and other after school activities. She seemed to be gone from home more than she was there; Charlie and Lisa hardly ever saw her.

They hadn’t gotten any notes home from Robin’s teachers, so the Clementes had to assume things were going fine at school. Robin got to work on time, and did everything she was supposed to do. Nothing really had changed, except they hardly ever saw her. But something was not right; they just didn’t know it yet.

Jennifer didn’t realize anything was wrong either; at least not at first. She was busy with her school work, and seeing friends. She loved the freedom of being able to drive anywhere she wanted; not having to depend on Robin or her parents to take her places. She was also babysitting Melissa and Stephen a lot. Charlie and Lisa paid her, so it kept Jenn in funds and they didn't have to spend a small fortune every time they wanted to go out. They reasoned that they would have to pay for someone to sit anyway, but at least with Jenn, they could cut a deal. Plus it was good for Jennifer. She got to earn money, but still get her schoolwork done. It worked all around.

One night Jenn was sitting in bed reading, when Robin came home. It was pretty late and Lisa had already gone to bed. At first Jennifer didn’t pay much attention to Robin, but then realized her sister was making a lot of noise. “Robin, shhhh, you’ll wake everyone up.” Jenn looked at the clock and saw just how late it was. “It’s so late. What kind of stupid book club did you join anyway?”

“Nothing you’d be interested in, twerp!” Robin snapped, her speech a little slurred.

Jenn was so surprised by the way her sister was speaking to her, that her mouth dropped open and stayed there. Jenn was shocked that Robin would call her a name, and what’s worse she sounded as though she were drunk. “Robin, have you been drinking?” Jenn asked, shocked that she was talking to her sister, and not someone else.

“Oh, just a few friendly glasses, nothing for you to worry about.” Robin tried to steady herself. “I need to pee,” she announced, turning and heading for the bathroom.

Jenn stood outside the bathroom door waiting for her sister to emerge. But after a few minutes when she didn’t hear the flushing or the faucet, she decided to investigate. What she saw was Robin sitting on the floor, leaning her head back on the toilet.

“Robin, you’d better take a cold shower. Daddy’ll be home from work any minute and he’ll probably come up to say good night.”

Robin nodded. “Uh, I’ll get up in just a minute. It’s nice and cool down here.”

Jenn was now really worried; worried that Robin was drunk, but scared because she wasn’t sure what her dad would do if he saw Robin in this condition. She knew that he’d probably blow his top, and she didn’t want that for Robin, even if Jenn thought what she did was stupid.

Charlie did indeed come up a little bit later to say goodnight, but Jenn covered for Robin. She pecked his cheek and gave him a hug. “Robin’s in the shower, Daddy. I’ll tell her you said good night.”

After he left the room, Jenn whispered through the bathroom door, “You can come out now.”

Robin came out. She looked at Jenn and said, “Thanks, Jenn. And I’m sorry to be so bitchy, but I just have such a headache.”

Before Robin could say another word, Jenn got out some Tylenol and handed them to her sister with a glass of water. Robin thanked her again. Jenn watched Robin swallow the tablets. She put them away and washed out the glass. When Jenn came back into the room, she asked, “Just how much did you drink, Robin? I’ve never seen you like this.”

But Robin didn’t answer Jennifer. When Jenn looked to see why not, she saw that Robin was fast asleep on her bed, on top of the covers, just wearing her bathrobe from after her shower. Jenn went over and pulled the blankets over her sister. She then went to bed herself.

Jenn pretty much forgot about that night, dismissing it as Robin just experimenting as a ‘one time only’ thing. Things around the Clemente household were pretty routine; not much out of the ordinary. But a few weeks later, when Robin was supposedly at a Drama Club meeting, she showed up at home with telltale signs that she’d been drinking again.

Stephen and Melissa ran to hug their big sister. “HI ROBIN!” they both shouted. They started chattering nonstop at Robin. “Come play with us,” they said, squeezing and pulling on her. But all Robin said was, “Owww, not now, leave me alone!” She barely even hugged them back and it made Jennifer angry.

Not wanting to scare the little ones any more than they probably already had been by Robin’s brusqueness, Jenn announced, “Okay, last one in pjs and their teeth brushed is a rotten egg!” The two kids ran to be first and Jenn glared at Robin. “Why don’t you go upstairs and wash up too? You could REALLY do to brush your teeth!”

“You’re not MY babysitter!” Robin snarled. “Glad I wasn’t condemned to watching the brats tonight.” She tried to say it in a joking manner, but it came out all wrong, and Jenn was truly offended and sad. This was not the sister she knew and loved. She wasn’t sure what happened to ‘her’ Robin, but this person was not the same sister she knew, or thought she knew.

“Yeah, whatever. Go do what you want. I’m going to tuck in our little brother and sister,” Jenn said, turning her back on Robin and walking out of the room. At this time, Jennifer felt years older than Robin, instead of minutes younger.

By the time Jennifer went up to her room, Robin was showered and in her pajamas. She felt a little more like herself too. She asked Jenn, “Was I too far out tonight, sis?”

Jenn was shocked that Robin could even ask that. She didn’t know how to answer. “Robin, you’ve got a PROBLEM!”

“Oh come on, I’m just having a little fun,” she said flippantly. Then she doubled over and clutched her stomach with one hand and covered her mouth with the other. “Oh, God, I gotta…”

Jenn reacted quickly. She steered Robin right into the bathroom, and flipped open the toilet bowl. Just in time too. Robin barfed into the toilet, and a little bit on the floor. Thank god Jenn was there to help her, Robin thought.

Jenn heard the key in the lock downstairs. She didn’t know what to do. Should she stay here and help Robin clean up? Or go down and stall her parents from coming upstairs? Jenn looked over at Robin; she was slunk down, leaning her head back against the wall. She looked awful.

Jenn thought about cleaning up her sister’s barf, but it made her want to vomit herself. “I’ll get it, Jenn. In just a minute,” Robin said quietly. “I just need to sit here a bit.”

“Robin, if Mommy comes up here…” she let her sentence trail off, and decided to head off her parents. She quickly ran downstairs. “Hi Mommy, Hi Daddy. How was the movie?”

“It was good. We knew we’d like it,” Charlie answered, kissing Jenn’s cheek. “How were the kids?”

“They were great!” Jenn said.

Lisa said, “What time did they go to bed?”

“Usual time,” Jenn answered. “That rotten egg thing works so well,” she said, giggling.

“Is Robin home?” Lisa asked, putting down her pocketbook and hanging up her jacket in the hall closet.

“Um, yeah, she got home a little while ago,” Jenn said, unsure of herself. “She’s umm, well, she isn’t feeling well.”

“What’s wrong with her?” Charlie asked.

“Does she need a doctor?” Lisa asked, concerned.

Jenn did not know how to keep her parents from going upstairs. She hoped that Robin had gotten herself pulled together and had cleaned herself up, but she highly doubted it.

“She threw up; probably just ate something that disagreed with her. But she’s okay, Mommy. You don’t have to go up there,” Jenn said, trying to convince Lisa.

“If she’s sick, she needs her mother,” Lisa reasoned, moving Jenn gently out of the way and heading upstairs. Jenn shrugged her shoulders, and followed Lisa up to their bedroom.

By this time, Robin was holding a sponge and cleaning up. “What happened, Robin? Are you all right?” Lisa asked, concerned.

“Uh, I’m okay, Mommy. My tummy just got upset. I think the pizza had been out too long.”

“Oh, sweetie, you need to be more careful now that the weather’s getting nice,” Lisa said, grabbing a washcloth, wetting it and wiping down Robin’s face. “Lovey, you really smell. You need to take a shower!”

“I guess leaving the pizza out was a bad idea. I wasn’t thinking while I was babysitting. I’ll take a shower as soon as I get the floor mopped.”

Jennifer bit her lip. She wondered if Lisa would notice Robin’s slip. She said just then that she was babysitting, but she had told them earlier she had a Drama Club meeting.

“I’ll do that, Robin. Go take your shower,” Lisa said. Something was wrong, Lisa felt, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. She shook it off and went to get the mop. Jennifer stormed out of the room to get ready for bed. She wanted to tell her parents that Robin had been drinking, but she just couldn’t. She knew if the shoe was on the other foot, or rather if it was her, she wouldn’t want Robin squealing. Jenn just hoped her parents would figure it out soon.

After mopping up the bathroom, Lisa went to lay out Robin’s pajamas, and unmake her bed. “I hope your sister will be all right,” Lisa stated.

“Yeah,” Jenn mumbled. “G’nite Mommy.” She rolled over and pretended to be asleep so she wouldn’t have to talk anymore.

A few days later, Robin found her parents sitting in the living room. Charlie was reading the paper, Lisa a paperback. “Mommy? Daddy? Can I go to Patty’s tonight?”

“On a school night, Robin?” Lisa wondered.

“Please? I’ve got my homework done, and I promise I won’t stay too late.”

Lisa looked at Charlie. “What do you think, hon?”

“Well, she is getting a bit older,” Charlie started to say to Lisa. Robin had always been responsible, and this didn’t seem to be too horrible a request.

Lisa seemed to consider. “All right, Robin, but you’ll need to be home by 10, so you get a decent night’s sleep. After all, it is still a school night.”

Charlie nodded. “I think that’s fair.”

Robin seemed to jump on her tippy toes. She leaned down and kissed her mom and then her dad. “Oh, thank you guys, so much. 10 it is.”

“Be careful driving.”

“Of course, Daddy,” Robin said. She grabbed her pocketbook and her car keys and practically ran out the door.

Up in her room, Jennifer was pacing. She had ‘caught’ Robin drunk far too many times now to think it was just a little experimenting. She was really worried that her sister had a major problem. Jenn didn’t know if she should say anything or not. She kept thinking what if it was her; she’d kill Robin for tattling. But this was Robin…her sister…the good one…she couldn’t have a big problem like this. Maybe if it was her, she’d secretly deep down want Robin to tell, because Jenn knew Robin cared about her so much.

Finally Jenn decided that maybe she had better tell her parents. She waited until the little ones were in bed. She knew Robin was out…probably drinking again…even though she had told her parents she was going to a friend’s house. Jenn wondered if she called the friend’s house, if Robin would really be there.

Lisa wasn’t in the living room when Jennifer came downstairs. “Daddy?” she asked tentatively. It was Charlie’s only night off that week; maybe she shouldn’t be bothering him.

“Yes, baby?” he asked, looking up.

“Umm, I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Of course, sweetie, whatever you like.” Charlie folded the newspaper and set it down on the floor next to him. He indicated that Jennifer should take Lisa’s seat. She sat down on the edge of her mom’s chair and looked at her dad. She hadn’t really prepared herself for what she would say, so Jenn felt very nervous. Charlie waited for Jenn to begin talking. “What is it, baby?”

“Well um, Daddy? I know you don’t like tattling, but well, what if you knew about someone doing something really bad?”

Charlie considered her question and asked his own. “Bad enough to cause or risk serious harm?”

Jenn bit her lip but nodded her head. “Umm, yes, sir.”

“Then you need to tell me, or another responsible adult.”

“Well what if that person gets really mad at me? Or tells me I should mind my own business?” Jenn asked. She knew she was too old to pretend that this was just a ‘what-if’ kind of question.

Charlie looked straight at Jennifer and said very seriously, “The person you are telling about? Well, stopping serious harm is more important than who gets mad.”

“I guess so,” Jenn said, still unsure of how to tell her parents what’s been going on with Robin.

“What’s this about, Jenn?” Charlie asked. He had a feeling it was something very serious. Jennifer didn’t usually hedge around when it didn’t pertain to her. If she had done something wrong, she would have phrased her questions differently.

Just then the phone rang, but Charlie realized that Lisa had picked it up in the bedroom. “Jennifer?”

“Well, sir, I…” Jenn started, but never had time to finish, because just then Lisa came into the room. “Charlie…” she said very seriously.

“What is it, hon?” Charlie asked, noting something in Lisa’s voice.

“That was Mrs. Rogers on the phone. Patty’s mother.”

“Is Robin all right?” Charlie asked, becoming concerned. He started to stand up, but Lisa gently pushed him back down.

“I think you need to be seated for this.” She looked at Jenn, wondering if she should send her out of the room. But then Lisa realized Jennifer would find out anyway, and it would be better if she heard it from her parents. “Mrs. Rogers came home tonight to find twelve drunk teenagers in her living room, Robin included.”

Jennifer covered her mouth fast to keep from gasping aloud. Charlie looked shocked and said, “What? Did I hear you right?”

Lisa sighed very long and loud and just nodded her head. She was very upset. She thought back to a few nights before when Robin had gotten sick and wondered if this was what it was from. She looked at Charlie for more reaction from him.

“Well, I guess I better get over there and get her,” he said, standing up. “We’ll have to wait to talk to her when she is more herself.”

Jennifer stood up, too, and looked at her father. “Daddy, I…” but then she stopped.

Charlie put his hands on Jennifer’s shoulders and looked into her face. “Would this be related to what you wanted to talk to me about?”

Jenn nodded.

“I’ll need you to come with me, Jenn, so you can drive Robin’s car home.”

“Okay, Daddy, let me get ready.” Jenn ran to put on her shoes, and grab a light jacket. She felt a little bad for her sister…she would be in tremendous trouble. But she also felt relieved that the truth had finally come out. If Robin’s problem was real serious, it would all be over soon.

When Jenn came downstairs, she met her dad at the door. He put his arm on her shoulder and said, “Thank you, Jenn.”

“You’re welcome, Daddy. I only wish I could do more to help,” she said genuinely.

Neither said a word for a few minutes. They got into the car, buckled up, eased down the driveway and down the street. When they had turned the first corner, Jennifer broke the silence. “Daddy, I thought Robin might be in trouble, but I didn’t realize how badly. I should have told you sooner.”

“Jenn, I’m glad you are loyal to your sister, but when there is something this serious going on, I need to know.”

Jennifer looked at her lap. She hadn’t known what to do, and now she realized she had done the wrong thing. She felt bad. “Yes, sir.” After another minute she looked up and said, “Daddy? Are you mad at me?”

“No, Jennifer, you were trying to do the best you could. You didn’t lie to cover up for Robin, or anything, did you? I want to be clear on this.”

“No, sir, but Robin lied to you guys a lot. I should have spoken up when I realized what she was doing.”

Charlie nodded. “Yes, you should have. But that wasn’t an easy call for you to make, and I recognize that you were starting to tell me this evening. I hope nothing like this comes up again that you’ll have to make this kind of decision.”

“Daddy? Don’t be too hard on Robin, okay? She messed up, but it’s like her first time in a long time doing anything really bad.”

Charlie pulled up at the curb in front of the Rogers’ house. He put the car in park and turned to look at Jennifer. “I’m not an ogre, baby, but Robin is in major trouble over this, unless there is something that I can’t imagine going on. Now you go find Robin’s keys and take her car home. We’ll meet you there.”

“Okay, Daddy,” Jenn said, getting out of the car. She headed into the house a few steps in front of her dad.

Jenn went into the living room. The car keys were lying on a table, all in a row. Jenn found the ones she needed and scooped them up. She saw Robin sitting on the couch and just looked at her. “Boy are you in trouble, sis,” she whispered.

Robin glared back at Jenn and quietly said, “Shut up, Jenn.”

At this time, Charlie came into the room. He had a few private words with Mrs. Rogers. He beckoned Robin over to him. She burst into tears and said, “I’m sorry, Daddy.”

“We’ll talk about this at home. Have you apologized to Mrs. Rogers?” Charlie said sternly.

Robin nodded, but then said, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Rogers,” for what felt like the millionth time. She waved good-bye to her friends and headed out the door with Charlie. She was not looking forward to what happened next.

Charlie led Robin to the back seat of the car. “Why do I have to sit in the back?” Robin said nastily.

“Robin, arguing is not the best idea right now. I want you to sit and think. Besides it is safer back there when you are not well-coordinated.”

“Puh-lease, Daddy, I’m FINE!” she said a little too loudly.

Charlie tried to keep his cool. He would not spank in anger. He gave Robin ‘the look’ and said in very even tones, “Young lady, you are in serious trouble already. Yelling at me is only getting you in deeper. Now get in the car, buckle up, and we’ll go home.”

Robin sighed and mumbled, “Whatever,” under her breath. She got in the car, folded her arms, and frowned the whole way home. Charlie didn’t say another word. He was trying very hard not to explode.

When they pulled up in the driveway and parked, Robin got out and slammed the door. Charlie got out, too, ran after her and turned her around to face him. “Go upstairs and go to bed, Robin Elizabeth. You’re to come home directly after school tomorrow so we can talk. No clubs, no visits, straight home.”

Robin didn’t answer and walked into the house. Charlie caught up with her again and said sternly, “Did you hear me?”

In the sweetest voice Robin could muster, she said, “Yes, sir.” Then she ran upstairs. Jennifer was already in bed. She thought about talking to Robin, but realized she was too upset and angry so she feigned sleep. Robin was glad she didn’t have to talk to anyone that night. Tomorrow would be bad enough.

The next day, Charlie got home very early in order to be available when Jennifer got there. In fact, he had taken the whole afternoon and evening off. He talked with Lisa about the situation -- they were both determined to nip this problem before it got any worse.

Charlie said to Lisa, "She isn't going to want to come home for this talk -- she knows that she is in trouble, and her attitude last night was not exactly what I would like. How about I just go pick her up so we don't need to deal with the side issue of her obeying the order to come straight home?"

"That might be a very good idea -- there is no point in giving her the temptation to skip out. I think she has been yielding to temptation far too much recently."

"Also, I think we need a bit of privacy for this talk -- this is really not something I want Melissa and Stephen barging in on or overhearing. Do you think Joan could take them for the afternoon?"

"I'm sure she could, but I'll just call and check. I'll pick them up, run them over to Joan's and drop them off while you wait for Jennifer, how does that sound?"

So Charlie got in the car and was waiting at the curb when Robin came out of school. Robin came out, and saw her father waiting for her. She looked around, embarrassed to be picked up at school, hoping that no one she knew noticed her.

"Daddy? What're you doing here? I'm almost 18 years old. Picking me up at school is so babyish. Besides we only live 4 blocks away."

"Robin, under the circumstances, I didn't want you going off anywhere. We have a lot to talk about. And I think "babyish" might well describe your recent actions and reactions."

Robin sighed pointedly at that, and had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes even more pointedly as she got into the car. "Daddy? I said I'd be home right after school. Didn't you trust me?"

"Well, let's say my trust has been rather strained just lately -- I hope we can fix that. Now buckle up and let’s go home."

When they got home, the house was quiet and empty, a real rarity in the Clemente household. Robin started getting very nervous. "Daddy? Where is everyone?"

"Your mother has taken the younger children to Aunt Joan's, so we can talk without being interrupted or overheard, Robin. Come to my bedroom with me; we have a lot to discuss."

"Why, Daddy? What's the big deal?" Robin said nervously. Her parents’ bedroom was where the spanking chair was, and she definitely did not want to go there.

"What's the big deal? You've been lying to us, regularly. You've been drinking, underage I might add, and it wasn't just one time, was it? I'd call that a very big deal, young lady. Am I wrong about any of that, Robin Elizabeth Clemente?"

"I was just experimenting, Daddy. It's not really a big deal. And I didn't really lie, Daddy."

"Oh? Experimenting? What are our rules about drinking, Robin?"

"Just in the house, where you and Mommy can see,” Robin said, trying hard not to roll her eyes.

"That's right, and as to lies, well, was it really "bad pizza" that caused you to be so ill the other night?"

Robin thought back to how sick she was only a few days before. She thought about lying but then she knew she was already in big trouble; adding more lies probably wouldn’t be a good idea. Her dad had ways of finding things out, as she would soon see. Robin shook her head from side to side. “No.” Robin took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. She looked up at her dad, realizing he has ALWAYS been there for her, so she decided to take the plunge and confess to what she had done. “Oh, Daddy, I’ve been awful, can you forgive me?” she wailed, throwing herself in his arms.

Charlie was momentarily taken aback. Now here was the daughter he remembered. He thought for sure that she would hem and haw and make up more excuses. He put his arms around her and said, “Of course I can forgive you, Robin. I love you very much and nothing will ever change that.” Robin started to cry then, hearing those words. Charlie held her tight to him. Then after a few minutes when she calmed down a bit, he gently pushed her away from him and looked right into her eyes. “But, we need to discuss what has happened and why, and how it can be prevented from happening again. And, you need to be punished for what you have done.”

“Nooo, Daddy, please, I won’t do it anymore. Please don’t spank me.”

Charlie sat down on the edge of his bed then, and stood her in front of him. “Robin Elizabeth, since when have deliberate breaking of important rules, plus lies, been dealt with by ‘I just won’t do it again.’?”

Robin looked at her feet. “Never, sir.”

“Robin, I think you should know that I have spoken with most of your teachers at school,” Charlie said seriously.

Suddenly Robin’s feet were very interesting. She did not want to look up at her father, but he lifted her chin and made her look right at him. “Did you hear what I said, Robin Elizabeth?”

She nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“So you’ve been lying to Mommy and I about your school work too, haven’t you?”

Lisa came into the bedroom just in time to hear Robin’s answers. “I’m not failing all my classes,” she said.

“Just some of them, young lady?” Lisa asked.

“I can bring my grades up, Mommy,” Robin explained.

“I certainly hope so, Robin. Was drinking worth all this?” Lisa asked pointedly.

Robin wasn’t sure how to answer. She had liked drinking alcohol. She had liked how she felt after a few drinks, the parties, and the way her friends did silly things when they hung out. She didn’t much like the way she felt later on when she got sick, or the next morning, though. She had a feeling her parents wouldn’t want to hear any of this, though, so she just shook her head no.

Lisa looked at Robin and said, “We aren’t happy about what you’ve been doing, but we still love you. I want that said first.”

“Exactly right,” Charlie echoed.

Robin nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” Robin bit her lip. She wasn’t thrilled with where this conversation was headed. “I’m sorry, Mommy.” She looked at Charlie. “I’m sorry, Daddy.”

“You should be, but I’m sure you’ll do better and we will help you,” Charlie said.

Feeling very frustrated by the events of the two days, Lisa said, “How on earth did this all start, Robin Elizabeth? This is so unlike you.”

“I don’t know, Mommy.” A quick look from her dad told her that was not the answer they were expecting. “I mean, I don’t know what happened, how I got so out of control. I was just tasting at first.”

“Yes, it can sneak up on you, Robin. That’s why we have the ‘only at home’ rule,” Charlie explained.

“Patty made it seem so great,” Robin explained. “She’s so cool, and I wanted to be just like her.”

“Was she urging you to join her, Robin? Did she threaten or make you drink alcohol?” Lisa asked, concerned.

But Robin jumped up and shook her head vehemently. “No, Mommy, it wasn’t like that at all. Patty never made me drink, honest. Everyone was doing it. I only drank a few times. I just liked how I felt when I was drinking. I guess I didn’t realize what would happen.” Robin got really defensive and wanted to protect her friends. She started to cry as she spoke to her parents. “I guess I was kinda mean to Jenn, and even Stephen and Melissa, too.”

“Well, you will apologize to them, and try to make it up to them,” Charlie suggested.

“Yes, sir, I will.”

“I think, Robin, that you should avoid the people who were part of that ‘everyone’ for a while,” Lisa said.

“But Mommy, they’re my FRIENDS!”

“Calm down, young lady,” Charlie cautioned.

“Are they really your friends, Robin? Your really close friends?” Lisa asked. “I never even heard of this Patty person until a few months ago. What happened to your art club friends?”

Robin shrugged. “I dunno. I guess they stopped speaking to me when I dropped art club. I like Patty, and everyone, Mommy. They’re really cool people to hang out with.”

“But only if you’re drinking?” Charlie asked.

“Noooo, Daddy. No, it’s not like that!” Robin whined.

“Watch it, Robin. You’re already treading on very thin ice. We’re trying to have a conversation here. You’re already due a very big spanking.”

Robin frowned. She was almost 18; she did not WANT a spanking, but she didn’t say a word. She already knew what Charlie would say if she suggested it. It was his house, and his rules.

“Well, Robin, even if these are your close friends, right now you may need a different set of friends, at least for a month, while you’re grounded. That may help you change this pattern.”

“A MONTH? But Daddy, that’s forever!” Robin shouted, crossing her arms. She didn’t care that she looked like she were five instead of seventeen. A month was a very long time and her dad just HAD to come around and change it.

“No, Robin. Forever is a lot longer than that. Forever is how long you might

have been dead if you had tried to drive home last night.”

Lisa gasped and covered her mouth. She started to say something but then stopped. Maybe shocking Robin with that kind of statement would make her realize just how close she had come to doing something so dangerous.

Meanwhile Robin thought of something horrible to say to her dad in return, but just then his words sunk into her. She thought about the MADD lecture they had had in the school auditorium just months before, thought about what she had been doing, and looked at her parents. Slowly, tears began to fall down her face. “I’m sorry!” she said.

Lisa and Charlie sat down on either side of Robin on their bed. They put their arms around her and held her while she cried. “I know you are sorry, Robin,” Charlie said quietly. “This is a tough time for you as you grow up.”

Robin looked at Charlie, “I might have called you to pick me up.”

Charlie nodded and said, “Yes, you might have. I hope you would have.”

Lisa said, “I hope you would have too. We’re so very glad that nothing terrible happened to you, Robin. We would be devastated.”

Robin nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She had already learned a good lesson, but she knew her spanking was imminent.

“Now I think it’s time for your spanking, Robin. You have a very sound one, coming.”

Robin gulped. “Y-yes, s-sir,” she said. She knew her dad was going to be hard on her, but when she saw him pull his belt out from between the loops of his pants, she cried, “No, Daddy, please don’t use that.”

Charlie said, “You have earned this, Robin, and you know it.”

Lisa sat and watched her husband. Usually she left the room when one of the children was being spanked, but this time she felt she needed to stay.

“Get your pants down and your bottom bare, young lady,” Charlie said as he sat on the big, red spanking chair.

“Daddy, please, I’m practically 18,” Robin tried.

“If you aren’t too old to misbehave, then you aren’t too old to be spanked bare bottom.”

“Yes, sir,” Robin said, sighing. She pushed her pants and panties down to her ankles and lay over his lap.

Charlie started to hand spank her. Robin squirmed a little, even though she knew he had barely gotten started.

{Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!}

“Oowwwwwwwwwwwwwww!”

{Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} “You know {Smackk!!} much better {Smackk!!} than to {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} act as {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} you have, {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} young lady.” {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!}

“Oowwwwwwwwwww, yesssssssir!”

{Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} “This is just {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} a warm up. {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} We'll get {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} to your {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} REAL {Smackk!!} spanking {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} in a minute.” {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!}

Robin was NOT looking forward to the real spanking. She could already feel the heat rising in her bottom. She started to squirm, but Charlie held her still.

{Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!} {Smackk!!}

Once Charlie saw that her bottom was a nice bright pink, he said, “Stand up, Robin.”

Robin stood up, turned away from her father; a little embarrassed about being half naked in front of him, and rubbed her bottom a few times. She waited for further instructions. Charlie stood, too, and pointed. “Bend over and grab the seat of the chair, Robin. Hold on tight, please.”

“Daddy, I’m really sorry!” Robin said, getting into position.

“So am I -- I'm very sorry to have to do this.” Charlie positioned himself, brought the belt back, and started to strap Robin.

{CRACKKK!!} {CRACKKK!!} {CRACKKK!!} {CRACKKK!!} {CRACKKK!!} {CRACKKK!!}

Robin screamed. It had been a while since she had received a spanking this hard, and she forgot how much it could hurt.

{CRACKKK!!} {CRACKKK!!} “You are not {CRACKKK!!} to drink {CRACKKK!!} outside this house {CRACKKK!!} {CRACKKK!!} until we say otherwise. {CRACKKK!!} Is that clear?” {CRACKKK!!} {CRACKKK!!}

Robin was already sobbing. “Oowwwwwwwww yessssssirrrrrr!”

{CRACKKK!!} {CRACKKK!!} “You will not {CRACKKK!!} lie to us {CRACKKK!!} about where you are going {CRACKKK!!} or what you are doing {CRACKKK!!} or in fact {CRACKKK!!} about anything.” {CRACKKK!!} {CRACKKK!!}

Robin hoped her father was almost done. She screamed out in pain. She would have promised the world just then if her father would only put down that darned belt. “Oowwwwwwwwww, yesssssssssir. Please, Daddy, I'm so terribly sorrrrrrrrrrrry!” she cried.

{CRACKKK!!} {CRACKKK!!} “You will get {CRACKKK!!} your school work {CRACKKK!!} back to where it should be.” {CRACKKK!!}

“Yes, Daddy, I will,” Robin sobbed. She wouldn’t have to look at the color of her bottom; Robin could feel that it was bright red and splotchy.

Charlie was getting tired, and he saw the stripes on his daughter’s bottom. He knew she had gotten a very good, sound spanking. He finished up with a few swats to her sit spot. {CRACKKK!!} {CRACKKK!!} {CRACKKK!!} {CRACKKK!!} {CRACKKK!!} {CRACKKK!!} “All right, Robin, I think this spanking is over. Have I made my point very, very clear?”

Robin nodded her head as she stood up. She was sobbing very hard. Her modesty was gone; she just wanted that awful sting to go away.

Charlie held open his arms to her. “Come here, lovey,” he said, using her childhood nickname. Robin knew that her father had forgiven her.

Robin leaned against Charlie, not wanting to sit down at all. She wanted to rub the sting out, but was actually afraid of touching her bottom. She knew it would be very sore for a good, long while. Charlie put his arms around his daughter and held her tight to him.

Lisa came over and put her arms around Robin too. Both Charlie and Robin had forgotten she was in the room; she had been so quiet.

Robin sobbed into both of them. “I really messed up. I’m so sorry.”

Charlie nodded and put his head against hers. He said, “Robin, I love you. That’s why I had to be so strict with you -- I don't want you to hurt yourself, and drinking could hurt you terribly.”

Lisa reached for a tissue and handed it to Robin. “Thanks!” she said through her tears. Robin blew her nose and stood up straight. “You guys must really hate me.”

“No, of course we don’t,” Lisa said, reassuringly. “You messed up. You made some bad choices. But you will learn from this, just as you have learned in the past. Robin, we have faith in you.”

Robin nodded. “Thank you, Mommy. I’ll stop, really I will.” She looked at her dad. “I won’t drink again, outside the house, I mean. I probably won’t even drink inside the house either,” she said, trying for a chuckle.

Lisa escorted Robin upstairs to lie down before dinner. Jennifer magically reappeared around that time, with the little ones. No one said a word as Robin sat on a pillow at dinner.

Epilogue: Robin did drink again. She wished she hadn’t. Only a week after her grounding was up, she attended a party. She was going to just go there and see her old friends, and make up for lost time. But everyone was drinking, and it looked like so much fun. She would only have one drink. Then she decided she just couldn’t; she couldn’t let her parents down. She had been so very good for that month. But then she only did it because Patty and the others made her feel as though she was a stupid, sissy baby if she didn’t. Then Robin remembered the MADD lecture, and the spanking she had received. She stood up, looked at Patty, and said, “No, you’re the one who’s stupid.” Then she walked out of the house where the party was being held and never went back again.

The end.

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