by Jenny Plumb
Relieved when he moved from the spoon, she groaned when he picked up a small leather strap. It had originally been a buckle for a saddle, but when the saddle wore out Jacob had removed the metal, and shortened the strap, until it was the perfect size for swatting naughty thighs and sit spots. She just hoped he didn’t make her spread her legs today. She did not relish getting her pussy spanked on a serious discipline day. At other times… well… that might be a favorite of hers. He began bringing the leather down on her thighs and she began to wail. She couldn’t hold back anymore. No matter how many years of spankings she received, her thighs were still one of the most tender places on her body and the impact of the leather always caused her to lose her self-control.
“Jacob! Please! I swear I’ll never climb a ladder again! Goodness gracious! Love of my life! Darling! Sweetie!”
But he didn’t slow or stop the application of the leather to her thighs and the crease where her bottom met those thighs until it was all a solid shade of fire engine red.
By this point the tears were dripping off of her nose onto the carpet and her legs were shaking.
He stood her up in front of him and kissed her tear-drenched cheeks. “We are almost done, Maggie love. Ten with the paddle and we can be done.”
She began to sob. “Please Jacob, not the paddle. I couldn’t possibly take it.”
He rubbed her back. “Do you know what could have happened if you had slipped off of the roof? Do you know how high it is? How icy it is? Especially with your bone condition, I could have lost you, my love. And, I’d have never forgiven myself – or you. So yes, you can take the paddle, and you will. Be brave for me, love. You know that you need this.”
She nodded as she wept bitterly. She did need this, but it didn’t mean it wasn’t going to hurt down to her core. She placed her palms on the chair, and outstretched her bottom yet again.
He gently rubbed her back and said softly, “Count for me, Maggie love. And tell me how you’re never going to put yourself in harm’s way like that again.” With one hand on her back, he wielded the tennis racket-sized wooden paddle with the other, right into the center of her bottom.
“One! Oh sweet Jesus, I’ll never place myself in harm’s way again.”
And again.
Tears spilling onto the chair, “Two! I’ll never place myself in harm’s way again.”
And again.
And again.
And again.
Maggie kept counting.
He slightly varied the swats a little higher and a little lower, but the brunt of every swat was the center of her bottom. The edges of the paddle left raised marks with every application.
When he got to eight, her legs were shaking and she had allowed her arms to fall to the chair and cradled her head on them. Her sobs were almost undecipherable as she wailed out. “Eight! I’ll never... harm’s way... again.”
He did nine and ten at the same time one on top of the other. Maggie got the numbers out, and then he pulled her into his arms and cradled her against his chest, his tears mingling with hers. “That was a really hard session my love. I think it was as hard for me to give as it was for you to receive. But now our slate is clean and all is absolved. And I believe that you will remember this for a long time and protect the most important person in the world to me from here on out.” He laid her on the bed on her tummy and gently applied cooling gel and then massaged her whole body. He had intended for her to sit on her spanked bottom on the mat, but taking compassion on her and seeing that she needed comfort now, not more chastisement, he laid on the bed next to her, and pulled her against himself, stroking her hair, rubbing her back, and telling her that she was his.
Chapter 3
Downstairs, everyone was enraptured by flying reindeer and singing snowmen. They couldn’t hear a thing, and since the family figureheads had been gone for so long, everyone assumed they were old and had fallen asleep. Well, almost everyone. Bernie kept giggling to herself. She assumed they had “gotten jiggy with it.”
When the second movie ended, Judah took a slightly snoring little preschooler upstairs and tucked her into bed. Levi offered to refill the popcorn bowls. Bernie pulled out her phone to check Facebook, while Toni excused herself to use the restroom. Within moments she was back at the den door gesturing to Bernie with a stricken look on her face.
Bernie rushed out of the room. “What’s wrong, Toni? You look like you saw a ghost.”
“No… not a ghost, blood.”
“Blood? Are you bleeding? Are you okay?”
At that moment Maggie and Jacob came down the stairs hand in hand.
“Blood? Is everyone all right?” Jacob was on high alert.
Toni blushed crimson and pulled Bernie into the bathroom slamming the door.
She pointed at the toilet. Then it all made sense.
Bernie pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead. “It’s your period, babe. I guess with all of that tender love and care the last several months, your body finally decided to do what it needed.”
Toni looked mutually excited and terrified. “But, I thought I couldn’t get periods. I don’t even know what to do with a period. I know you wear pads, but how does a tampon really work and does it hurt? I don’t know how to get it inside. And while I didn’t have periods I didn’t have to worry about getting pregnant. No period, no pregnancy. That’s the way it works. Well, except Amelia, and she was a miracle. What am I going to do now? I can’t tell Judah, it would be mortifying, and I’m not going to make him wear a condom, but I have no idea how to get on the pill and I don’t even know if he is against it since he’s a pastor and I don’t know how this plays into his religion. And it’s not that I don’t like kids. I love Amelia, and I want more someday, but I just need time and I feel so young and—”
Bernie covered Toni’s mouth up with her hand and laughed. “Girl, you’ve been hanging around me for too long. Breathe.”
Toni took a deep breath in and let it out slowly.
“Better. Do it again.”
Toni complied and her body relaxed a little.
“First, the easy part. I’ll get you set up with pads and tampons and such. They are really easy to insert once you know how. And, we can go to the doctor together and get you on the pill or a diaphragm or something. Again, super easy. But… Sweetie, you need to tell Judah. Periods last for about a week anyways and from what you’ve told me, you guys don’t go that long without having sex. He’s going to figure it out if you don’t tell him. And then he will be hurt that you withheld the information.”
Toni’s mouth dropped. “A week? I’m going to bleed down there for a week?”
Bernie nodded. “Yup, a whole freaking miserable week. Are you having any cramps?”
Toni shook her head.
“Well, that’s lucky. If you do start to get some, just take a few ibuprofen and you’ll be all set. Have you been moody?”
Toni nodded.
“Yeah, that’s pretty common too. You’ll get used to that as well.”
Toni bit her lip and looked in the toilet again. “Umm… I guess we should go get some... period stuff?”
Bernie smiled, flushed the toilet, and pulled her upstairs to the supply closet. “Okay, here are the pads. They just stick in your underwear. You probably had these after Amelia was born, right?”
Toni nodded, looking relieved to have something semi-familiar.
“And these, are tampons. You don’t have to use them. I just find them easier and less messy, but some people don’t need them or like them.”
Toni looked at the box and then handed them back to Bernie. “I’ll just stick with pads, thanks. But, how do I keep Judah from finding out? We don’t go a single day without sex it seems.”
Bernie rubbed her back. “Well, the simplest, and right, choice would be to tell him. But, since you’re so set on keeping it to yourself, try going to bed before him ‘cause you’re tired, tell him you think you have a stomach bug – that would also explain if you’r
e tired or start getting crampy.”
Toni nodded, relieved. “A flu! That’s a perfect idea. He always has a lot of compassion if I am tired, so I am sure being sick will give me days of reprieve. And, maybe it won’t last that long.”
She took some pads from the closet to put in her and Judah’s room, and one for her panties. Frowning when she went to put it in, though, she was very perturbed that her Belle underwear had blood on them now. She put them on the bottom of the trashcan under some tissues and changed into a boring white pair.
Going back into the movie room, she was happy to see that they were just about to start the next choice. Maggie offered her a heated rice bag that smelled of lavender and vanilla. She tilted her head and Maggie patted her own lower stomach discreetly.
Toni blushed, but nodded her thanks as she took the heated bag from Maggie. It smelled divine. She placed it on her lap. It felt surprisingly soothing. Maybe she was having cramps and didn’t even realize it.
Judah looked at her smiling. “Welcome back. I think we decided on The Grinch, the Jim Carey version. That way no one’s favorite is getting chosen over anyone else’s and this was most of the crew’s second choice.”
She smiled. “I’ve never seen it, so I am game for whatever.” She snuggled into his chest as he put his arm around her to hold her close.
Then his brow furrowed as he noticed the heating pad. “Are you okay, baby? What’s the rice bag for?”
She shrugged a little trying to blow it off as “no biggie”. “I am feeling a little under the weather. Maybe that tummy bug Mia had last week?”
He felt her forehead. “You are a little warm. Maybe you should go to bed instead of watching the movie. I will come lie with you until you fall asleep.”
She shook her head pleading. “Please, Judah? I really want to watch the movie with everyone. I took a nap and everything, so that I could.”
He looked at her scrutinizingly. “All right. But if you start to drift off you’re going directly to bed, understand?”
She nodded. “Yes, sir.”
She did indeed “drift off” about half way through the movie, but Judah let her sleep on him and carried her up when the movie was over.
Bernie and Ginny offered to clean up the movie room, so Maggie could go to bed. All of the guys were having a Risk tournament that was expected to go into the wee hours of the morning.
“How is second trimester treating you, Bern? Are you still having wretched morning sickness?” Ginny asked, concerned, as she gathered up all of the trash.
“Honestly, I keep waiting for the energy surge everyone promised me to kick in, but it’s just not. I am getting ten hours of sleep most nights because Mr. Copper over there has decided that my new bedtime on weeknights is eight PM. But, it doesn’t seem to make a difference. I wake up dead tired in the morning and go to sleep like a zombie at night. I don’t know if I am puking less or just not eating. Don’t tell Levi, but last time I went to the doctor I was down several pounds. But my belly is still measuring a few weeks ahead of schedule. They wanted to move my due date up, but I told them no way because we worked hard to not have sex until after ‘I do’ and I am going to have enough relatives breathing down my neck as it is. I don’t need more hassle. The baby measures right on target.”
Ginny got a funny look on her face. “Are we sure that Mia isn’t right?”
Bernie laughed. “I had the doctor check again last week just to make sure and she said there is one sac with one baby.”
“Hmm… that’s weird. Are you having any cravings?”
Bernie nodded with a sheepish grin. “Popsicles. You know the kind in the tube that you get, like, two hundred for three bucks or whatever? I’ve been going through a box a week. At first they were the only thing I could keep down that soothed my throat, and now I just live on them. We brought a box here so I could make it through the weekend.”
Ginny giggled. “Well, I’m going to take that as a challenge then. I’ve been really into smoothies lately, so I am going to make you some super healthy smoothies and popsicles and see if they will stay down. We need some kind of way to get your little one sustenance.”
Bernie made a face. “Are you going to try to force kale on me?”
Ginny grinned evilly. “Mmm hmm, kale and spinach and flax seed and fish oil and all that other good stuff. I promise you won’t even know it’s there. I made one for Amelia last weekend and she asked for seconds. And, you know how averse she is to anything green these days.”
Bernie laughed. She did indeed. That little girl got away with way more than anyone in the house did when it came to her food choices. She thought that most nights Amelia was over here, she probably ended up with four separate desserts between all of the uncles and grandparents trying to make sure she was happy. But she was unspoiled, so no one really minded.
Yawning, Bernie pointed to the stairs. “If you’re okay with starting the dishwasher, I’m gonna hit the sack. Are we still doing breakfast for everyone in the morning?”
Ginny beamed. “Yes! I already worked it out with Daddy to turn Mama’s alarm off and black out their windows so she can sleep. And yeah, I’ve got the popcorn bowls. No problem. Sleep well!”
Ginny started the dishwasher and then climbed into her own bed.
The guys got to bed around three AM with Dan being declared the victor.
Chapter 4
The next morning Bernie and Ginny set out Belgian waffles with twenty different topping choices ranging from bacon and cheese to hot fudge and cinnamon apples, and enough scrambled eggs to feed an army. Bernie took special requests for coffees, and Ginny kept all of the bowls stocked. Maggie was shocked when she rushed downstairs at nine-thirty to see that everything was already set and all she had to do was enjoy it. The men all looked ragged, but in good spirits and the women teased them good-naturedly.
“Papa? Can we go sledding now?” Amelia asked eagerly, her sticky hands getting stuck to his flannel shirt.
With experienced skill, he caught her hands and wiped them with a damp napkin. “You’ll need to ask your uncles what the plan is, sweetie.”
She stood on her chair and yelled, “Uncle Rube! Uncle Dan! When can I go sledding?”
Judah pulled her down to sitting on her bottom.
“Ouch! Papa! That wasn’t nice! That hurt my bum!” She scowled at him, fighting his hand holding her down.
He gave her a mild look that had Toni squirming in her seat, but his tone when he spoke was very different than when he scolded her. “Amelia? I need you to focus for a minute on Papa’s voice, okay? We don’t stand on chairs and we don’t shout inside, right? We need to use our inside voices. You may speak more quietly and ask again or you may go play in your room for a bit.”
She scrunched her eyes at him, and all the adults at the table fought the urge to laugh. She looked just like her mama before a tantrum.
“I don’t like those choices. I need a new one.”
Bernie suddenly found herself in the midst of a terrible coughing fit trying to cover up her outburst of laughter.
Judah shrugged as if it made little difference to him. “Well, those are the choices. So it’s in your court, kiddo.”
She looked perplexed. “Court? Like basketball? Is that a choice? ‘Cause I don’t know how to play basketball in the snow.”
Everyone laughed at that one, and the moment seemed to be over. Amelia went back to her breakfast and everyone’s conversations continued.
Toni’s heart overflowed with warmth, though. She loved watching her strong husband interact with their daughter, even when it was in a disciplinary role. He was always so tender and gentle with her. She had been worried when Amelia joined their little family that the lines between ageplay and disciplining an actual child would be blurred. But there was always a clear difference between Judah’s interactions with her and with Amelia.
The younger Jackson brothers announced that sledding would commence after Amelia’s nap, around two, so everyone was w
elcome to do their own things until then.
Judah looked at Toni tenderly and spoke lowly. “Are you still feeling ill, baby?”
She nodded, blushing and feeling guilty for her mild fib. She did feel yucky, but it had nothing to do with germs.
“Well then, I’d like you to lie in bed and rest. You may read or watch Netflix, but I don’t want to see you again until lunchtime.”
She pouted. “I’m not that sick, Judah. I’ll be fine. And that isn’t what I’d like.”
He quirked his eyebrow. “Ahem, let me rephrase that. You are going to lie down until lunch, is that understood?”
Her tummy flipped and she nodded quickly, hoping no one else had noticed their interaction, but everyone seemed to be involved in their own discussions. Whispering, she put her head on Judah’s chest. “Yes, sir. But what about Amelia?”
Ginny had Amelia on her lap and was having an animated conversation with her about ponies. Judah nodded towards them. “Ginny already offered to keep Mia for the morning, so we could have some alone time. So, I’ll go up with you and read while you rest.”
Toni smiled. She liked time to be with him, even if they were both doing their own things.
Bernie was on the other side of the table and not smiling, not even a little. “What the fuck, Levi! I’m pregnant not a sickly Victorian woman who will faint at the mere thought of exertion. I want to sled! I haven’t been sledding in years. This is the biggest snow we’ve had at Christmas in the whole time I’ve lived down here, and I want to enjoy it.”