Safety First...a twin story (M/f)
© 2002 by Sampast and Don A. Landhill

Our first twin story in a long time. Welcome back, Don!

(Regular Disclaimers Apply)

Robin and Jennifer sat looking at all their birthday presents.  The family had just left, and everyone was exhausted.  Two-year old Stephen had already fallen asleep on the couch and no one had bothered to move him.

"I like the earrings that Aunt Samantha got me," Robin said.  "I'm gonna wear them to school on Monday."

"Yeah, they're okay," Jenn said.  She hated that they always got matching presents, and she was glad when their aunt had given them slightly different styles of earrings.  There was no way she was going to be seen wearing the same thing as Robin anymore.

Jenn looked at the bicycle helmet that was sitting on the table in front of her, with disgust.  You would never catch her wearing that stupid thing.  She picked it up and made a face.

Robin picked hers up and put it on her head.  "I like it," she said.

"You would!" Jenn teased.  "It's ugly and it looks stupid on you."

"It does not!" Robin whined.  "I like it because it's purple.  And look, Jenn, it comes with these stickers that you can put on it anywhere you want.  And they're glow-in-the-dark."  Robin cupped her hands over the stickers to see if they would glow.

Charlie came into the room then and caught the end of their conversation.  "I told Nana and Grampsie to get you black, Jennifer.  We thought you would like that color."

Jenn looked up at her father.  "Daddy, it's not the color; it's the idea.  Wearing a helmet is for dorks or kindergarteners.  I don't need to wear one."

Charlie frowned.  "Yes, you do, Jennifer Lynn, or you may not ride your bike."

"But Daddy, none of my friends have one.  I'll be laughed at," Jenn whined.

"You won't be laughed at, Jennifer, don't be silly," Lisa said, coming into the room.  Her big belly was sticking out in front of her.  "I get laughed at," she said, smiling.

Both girls had to laugh at that.  Their mother was seven months pregnant, but she looked like she was twelve months pregnant.  Charlie smiled, and patted her tummy.  "I like it," he said.

"Daddy? Can I call Laney and go out on my bike now?" Jennifer asked.

"No, baby, it's too late.  Tomorrow's another day.  Besides, we have to clear all this stuff up.  Come on and help me," Charlie said.

"Oh okay," Jenn complained.

But the argument over the safety helmet continued the next day when Jenn wanted to go off on her bike, and didn't want to wear her shiny new helmet.

"I don't wanna wear it, Daddy," she whined.

"Jennifer, if you're going out on your bike, you need to put it on," Charlie said, offering her the helmet.

Jenn grabbed it and put it on.  She went over to the mirror in the front hall.  "It looks so stupid.  I hate it!"

"I'm sorry you don't like how it looks.  We thought you would like this color.  I'm sure once you add the stickers, it will be even 'neater'," Charlie said.

But Jennifer just rolled her eyes.  Her daddy's attempt at sounding 'cool' was not working with her.  Charlie stared at his daughter.  If this was what she was like at the age of 12, he was sure he wouldn't make it through her teen years.

"Well, Jennifer, however it looks, and to me it looks fine, it is important for you to wear it, just like you wear your seatbelt in the car.  Do you understand?"

Jenn started to cry.  "Oh, Daddy, do I hafta? My friends don't have one; they'll make fun of me," she said again.  She knew she had said that the day before, but she thought maybe if she tried again, this time her father would listen.

"I think your friends will be getting helmets soon, baby.  With the safety campaign going on, it might even become a state law soon.  But," and at this time, Charlie made sure Jennifer was looking at him and listening, "But whether they do or not, our rules are that you must wear it when you ride, all the time.  Is that clear, Jennifer Lynn?"

Jenn sighed.  There was going to be no changing her daddy's mind.  "Oh, all right," she finally said.  But mostly she said it to shut her daddy up.  She knew she wouldn't be caught dead wearing this stupid helmet in front of her friends.

"I'm taking that as a promise, Jennifer," he said sternly.

"Can I go now?" Jenn asked a little too impatiently.  "Laney and Kathy are meeting me down by the brook."

Charlie overlooked his daughter's whiney attitude.  He knew he had to pick his battles.  He sighed.  "I was going to take Stephen to the park.  Robin's coming.  Don't you want to join us?"

"No thanks, Daddy.  I really want to see my friends.  They have presents for me, and we're going to go out for lunch.  Is that okay? I really want to see them," Jenn stated.

Charlie knew it was important for Jennifer to see her friends.  After all, he did make her hang out with the family all day the previous day, to celebrate hers and Robin's twelfth birthday.

Charlie nodded.  "Okay, go and have a good time.  And be careful."

"I will, Daddy," Jenn said, giving her dad a kiss on the cheek.  She grabbed her bag, and left, glad to finally be out of the house, and away from her overprotective father.

Later, while Robin was playing with Stephen in the park, they heard sirens.  Charlie always became alarmed when he heard them in the neighborhood.  The hair on the back of his neck stood on end.

"I wonder what's going on," Robin said.

"I don't know," Charlie said, listening to see if they still heard the sirens.

A group of people came running by the playground.  Charlie watched as they ran.  One was a kid, someone Robin knew from school.  She ran over to the gate and called her over.

"What's going on?"

"Some girls got hurt while riding their bikes.  The ambulance is there now.  I heard someone say they weren't wearing helmets," Jill said.

"Really? Wow!" Robin answered and went to tell Charlie.

He was instantly worried that Jennifer was one of those girls.  "You bring Stephen home, Robin.  I'm going to go check this out."

"No, Da-Da," Stephen cried.  "No go!"  He put his arms up.

Charlie picked him up and sighed.  He really didn't want Stephen to go to a scene of an accident.  Robin, either, for that matter.  If Jennifer were hurt, it would be bad enough for him to see it.

Charlie put Stephen into Robin's arms.  "Take him home," he ordered.

"No, Daddy, we want to come too," Robin argued.  Charlie knew Robin was also worried that Jenn was there, even though neither of them said it aloud.

Charlie nodded, and motioned for them to follow.  Robin placed Stephen in his stroller and pushed him, following after Charlie.  They walked a few blocks, meeting lots of people from the neighborhood along the way.  They heard bits and pieces of people's conversations.

"Two girls..."

"Riding bikes..."

"A big truck? I heard a little sports car..."

"Careless, just rode out into the street..."

"Yeah, that's what I heard, no helmet."

"Kids these days!"

"You said it!  You never can be too careful!"

It seemed like it was taking hours to get around the block, but finally they were there.  There was a big crowd of people, two ambulances, a couple of police cars, and the yellow tape to keep people back.

Charlie rushed right to the front.  Robin tried to push Stephen to the front, too, but they couldn't get through.  Robin tried to look over people's heads, but she couldn't see anything.  She had started to cry softly, not knowing what was going on, and scared that her sister might be in one of the ambulances. 

Suddenly she saw something, actually someone and she cried in relief.  Jennifer was standing in the crowd of people, holding onto her bicycle.  Robin was relieved that Jennifer was okay.  She started yelling, "Dadddy! Daddddy!"

Charlie appeared a few minutes later, with a look of relief on his face, as well.  He had seen the two girls and neither, thank god, had been Jennifer.  They were hurt badly, but the EMT's said they would live.  But one had serious head injuries because she wasn't wearing her helmet.

"Daddy, it's not Jennifer!" Robin cried, when he was by her side again.  She put her arms around her father and hugged him really tight.

"I know, sweetie, but how did you know?" Charlie asked, hugging Robin back. 

"Cuz, LOOK!" she said loudly, pointing to the other side of the crowd.  Jennifer was with her friends and they were trying to see what was going on.  Up to now they had not spotted Robin or Charlie.

Charlie took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  Jennifer stood there, holding onto her bicycle.  Her helmet was neither on her head nor in her hand.  The ambulances could very well have been there for her - Charlie could only be thankful that they were not.

Charlie motioned for Robin to go, and she pushed baby Stephen over to where Jennifer was.  Jenn looked up and saw her brother, sister and father.  "Daddy!" she cried.  "What are you doing here?"

"We heard about an accident involving some girls riding bikes and were scared it was you.  I'm glad it wasn't."  Charlie reached out and hugged Jennifer.  She was a little embarrassed and started looking around.  "Where is your helmet, young lady?" he asked.

Jennifer looked down.  "Oh, it's um, uh," she started fidgeting and looking around.  She wished she could be anywhere but where she was right then.  "I uh, I think I dropped it, Daddy," she tried. 

Charlie knew right away that Jennifer was lying.  "Jennifer, I want the truth and I want it right now.  What did you do with your helmet?"

Jenn looked down and mumbled something.  Robin stood by, just watching the ambulance.  The crowd of people had lessened as the EMT's finished up.  Stephen had fallen asleep in his stroller.  That was the nice thing about babies.  They could do things like that.

"Jennifer, speak clearly to me.  I asked you a question and I expect an answer.  Don't get yourself in worse trouble than you already may be in," he said sharply.

"It's in the bushes next to our house, Daddy," Jennifer said quietly.  Laney and Kathy were still standing nearby wondering if Jenn was coming with them.  When they saw Jenn's dad, they had walked away.  He seemed as if he was mad about something.

Jenn looked over at her friends and waved.  "I have to get home now," she told them.  "See you later?"

"Sure, Jenn," they said.  "Bye!"

Jenn watched them hop on their bikes and pedal away.  Charlie watched them go, too.  He couldn't believe they could leave the scene of an accident riding their bikes without helmets.  Especially in this case.  He shook his head and sighed.  Charlie looked at Jennifer.  She was still staring at the ground.  He thought she knew she was in a lot of trouble.

Charlie sighed again.  He had thought maybe now that the girls were getting older, he wouldn't have to punish them as much.  Guess not!

Charlie reached for the stroller.  "Robin, take Jennifer's bike and walk it home."  Robin looked at her dad but then did as he told her.  Charlie took Jennifer's wrist with his free hand and walked her home as if she were a little girl.  Jenn was glad her friends had already ridden away.  She was mortified.

When they reached their house, Charlie let go of Jenn's wrist.  "Go get your helmet and then get up to your room.  You are in big trouble, young lady!"

Jenn ran to get the helmet.  She picked it up where she had hidden it under the bushes on the side of the house.  Charlie was waiting for her at the front door.  Jenn looked up at her dad's face.  He looked mad.  She started to cry.

"I'm sorry, Daddy.  I just couldn't face my friends wearing this stupid thing," Jenn said, referring to the helmet she was holding in her hands.

"Jennifer! Would you rather be a little embarrassed or hurt like those other two girls, or maybe even, god forbid, dead? In any case, I know which I prefer.  I gave you a clear order about wearing that helmet and you deliberately disobeyed.  You are going to be punished."  Charlie took the helmet out of Jenn's hands.  "You will do without your bicycle for the next week, young lady.  Go up to your room and get into the corner."

Jennifer wiped at the tears already coming down her face and ran up to her room.  She was standing in the corner when her father came up fifteen minutes later.  He sat on the edge of her bed.  "Come here," he ordered.

Jennifer walked over and looked at Charlie's face.  "Jennifer, do you understand why you are in trouble?"

"Yes, Daddy, because you told me to wear my helmet and I didn't, and those girls got hurt," she said carefully.  She didn't want to admit to her dad that seeing those ambulances and knowing how those girls had gotten hurt had really scared her.

"Yes. It is because there is always a chance of something like that happening that we made it a rule that you always wear your helmet.  And you knew that I was expecting you to wear it, and you tried to fool me by hiding it in the bushes.  I am not happy about this at all."
  
Jennifer looked down at the floor.  She knew what he was saying was true and that she didn't have any excuse.  She thought about saying she didn't want to look stupid, but after what happened to those girls, she knew that comment would sound so bad.  So she just nodded and said, "Yes, sir."

"Jennifer, look at me," Charlie said, lifting her chin so that she was looking into his eyes.  "I was so scared when I heard those girls had been hurt; I thought it might have been you.  I don't ever want anything like that to happen to you, so I insist that you not take foolish risks.  And also, when your mother or I give you a rule, we expect it to be followed, young lady."

Jennifer started to sob.  She was feeling terrible.  Her daddy hadn't even punished her yet.  Just his words really saddened her. 

"Now I think it is time for your spanking, Jennifer."

Jenn just nodded.  For once, she did not try to argue her way out of the spanking or whine or make excuses.  She had been really affected by what she saw by the ambulance.  "I'm really sorry, Daddy," she said simply.

"So am I, sorry have to do this, but I want to make very sure that you don't do anything like this again," he said.  He pulled her over his lap after baring her bottom.  From behind him came the hairbrush.  Jenn hadn't even seen him bring it in.

{Whack!}  {Whack!}  {Whack!}  {Whack!}  {Whack!}  {Whack!}  {Whack!} 

Jenn jumped from the first whack of the brush.  Usually her daddy started with his hand and then moved onto the hairbrush, but not this time.  "Owwwwww, Dadddddy, owwwwww!" she cried.

{Whack!}  {Whack!}  "You will not  {Whack!}  ever  {Whack!}  ride without your helmet,  {Whack!}  young lady!  {Whack!}  {Whack!} That is not  {Whack!}  open  {Whack!}  for  {Whack!}  discussion.  {Whack!} And you will not  {Whack!}  break the rules  {Whack!}  like that,  {Whack!}  again  {Whack!}  either!"  {Whack!}  {Whack!} 

"Owwwwwwww, yesssssirrrrrr, I'm sorrrry, Dadddddy!" Jenn said sobbing.

{Whack!}  {Whack!} "You had better be,  {Whack!} Jennifer.  {Whack!}  {Whack!}  I don't want  {Whack!}  {Whack!}  to have to discuss this  {Whack!}  with you  {Whack!}  again!"  {Whack!}  {Whack!}  {Whack!}  {Whack!}  

Jennifer was crying really hard.  She had taken her spanking like a big girl, without kicking or screaming or struggling to get away from the hairbrush.  Charlie put down the brush and helped her stand up.  "All right, your spanking is over, Jennifer."

Jenn put her arms around her Daddy's neck and squeezed really hard, and sobbed.  "I'm so so so so sorry, Daddy, I won't do it again, I promise."

Charlie really tried to comfort her.  He realized she was upset beyond normal.  He held her as she sobbed.  "Daddy? When I saw those girls before they put them in the ambulance? It really scared me!" she admitted.

Charlie nodded.  It wasn't just the spanking that had shaken her up; it was the scene of the accident.  "Well, it scared me, too.  Scary things happen sometimes; bad things that no one ever expected.  We can't prevent all of them, but I don't want you ever to make such things more likely.  If those girls had been wearing helmets, they might have been much less badly injured."

Jenn nodded and continued to hold onto her daddy.  It didn't matter that she had just turned 12; she needed him to hold her and comfort her.

"There, there, it's all right, Jennifer, I forgive you.  You just made a mistake," Charlie told her, hoping to calm her down.  She was really feeling sorry for herself.

"Do you still love me, Daddy? You must really hate me for doing something so stupid.  I'm stupid!" she announced.

"Oh no, Jennifer.  I love you very much.  That's why I was worried about you.  Everyone does foolish things sometimes.  I want to help you not do as many of them as you might.  And you are not stupid -- you wanted to impress your friends, andd you didn't really understand how important the helmet was.  Now I think you do."

"Yes, Daddy, I do.  I love you, Daddy," Jenn said, hugging her daddy one more time.  "I think I'm okay now."

Charlie smiled.  "You want to take a nap now?" he asked.

Jennifer nodded.  Since the beginning of time, she had always taken a nap after a spanking.  They wore her out.  Jenn pulled up her panties carefully even though it hurt when the material went across her bottom, and kicked her jeans to the floor.

Charlie tucked the covers up around her and kissed her forehead.  "I love you, baby, and I'm so very glad that you are safe," he said.  Then he tiptoed out the door.

Charlie and Lisa sat down with the girls later that night and had a long talk with them about always being careful.  Fun was fun up to a point, but safety must come first.

The end.