Carolyn had never seen someone snap into attention as quickly as Lucas did. His eyes widened as he looked at Rosa suspiciously. Frowning, he glanced at Carolyn, waiting for her answer, realizing that it wasn’t an altogether unreasonable question to ask someone who you were going to be sharing regular meals with.
Carolyn was a good actress, it was a skill she had needed to survive in Filmore, and even here in Green Valley. Somehow she managed to convey the perfect mixture of innocence and mischief in just three words. “No. Do you?”
Lucas choked on his water as his gaze ricocheted between the two of them. Rosa looked as if she was going to lose composure at any moment. As for herself, she was just having fun. She had never been one to have girlfriends, and while she realized Rosa certainly didn’t qualify, she imagined that this was just a small glimpse into what it would have been like.
Luke’s face was a mask of disapproval as he frowned at the two of them. “Rosa doesn’t.” He answered for her. “And neither do I. So, nobody in this house has any food allergies to worry about, got it?” he added sternly, looking back and forth as he addressed them both simultaneously.
“Yes, Sir.” Carolyn responded softly, attempting to look meek and chastised. She managed, but Rosa lost it, spraying Carolyn straight in the face with a mouthful of ice water as she convulsed into giggles.
“Oh, my goodness, Lucas,” Rosa snorted. “You are so damn gullible sometimes.”
It was eerie how instantly the mood in the room changed with just that one word. Lucas got quiet and serious while Rosa’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. Carolyn knew exactly what had happened. Lucas had already warned her that as bishop’s wives, they had to be held to a higher standard, and that meant no cursing whatsoever-however minimal.
Carolyn knew about and accepted the spanking aspect. She understood the rules, and she found Lucas to be a very reasonable man. What she hadn’t anticipated, however, was that instant of foreboding tension that would happen when a punishment was imminent. She was instantly on high alert. Her whole body tensed, and tears sprang to her eyes. Her breath caught in her throat. Why did she feel as if the prophet had just walked into the room and caught her doing something forbidden? She hadn’t even done anything.
Her reaction defied all logic. This wasn’t the same. Lucas wasn’t the prophet. In her head, she knew that, but her heart didn’t seem to have gotten the memo. Carolyn held her breath as she waited for him to speak. She stared at her plate, afraid to look at either one of them.
Lucas had been about to reprimand Rosa when she nudged him and pointed at Carolyn. His heart sank as he took in the instant change in her demeanor. In only a second, she had gone from relaxed and smiling to white as a ghost and shaking. Her eyes were wet with tears, and she looked close to a full-blown panic attack. She was frozen in place and staring down at her plate, refusing to look at either one of them.
He knew what happened, and he realized just as quickly that he couldn’t take it personally. She had no control over her reactions. It was her body’s natural response.
“Carolyn. Look at me.” He made sure to keep his voice steady and even. Even then she didn’t respond. Her whole body was tense, and he wondered if she was even here in the present with them, or if she was stuck in some sort of horrible flashback.
He knew then that there was no amount of talking or consoling that was going to work. Their past experiences in Filmore was something the two of them had not even discussed yet. He needed to simply act, and pray that his actions were enough to convince Carolyn that all was well.
“Rosa,” he spoke firmly addressing his wife with urgency in his eyes. She wasn’t going to like this but it was important. “Go to the corner.” He pointed to the closest available one, right there in the dining room. Her mouth opened in surprise, and then she glanced at him, and at Carolyn, and back at him, with questions in her eyes. His only response was a quick nod to assure her that everything was okay. She quickly obeyed.
With Rosa quietly in the corner, Lucas sat back and watched Carolyn. Her body was still tense, but when Rosa had left the table, her eyes had darted up to look at her quickly. When Rosa took her place in the corner, her breathing had slowed. She was watching, but still silent.
He knew what he had to do. Standing, he slowly made his way to the kitchen, stopping at the corner to whisper in Rosa’s ear his plan. Rosa looked slightly nervous at the prospect of being spanked in front of company, and especially her own high school nemesis, but her sense of compassion took over and she quickly agreed.
He was going to make this short and sweet for Carolyn’s sake, but needed to leave a sting for Rosa’s so he selected their thickest bamboo spoon, and entered the dining room, pulling Rosa’s chair out from the table and sitting in it.
When he was sure Carolyn’s eyes were on him, he called Rosa from the corner and patted his lap, helping her into position across his knees. He left her long skirt in place. It was thin enough and the spoon was thick enough—he would still get his point across easily.
Rosa’s eyes were wide with trepidation, and his heart ached for her, but due to the nature of the spanking—she would probably get off much easier this way. He looked up quickly, to make sure Carolyn was watching. Her head was still down, but her eyes were on them.
Clearing his throat, he addressed Rosa sternly. “We don’t curse in this house. Not at all.”
“Yes, Lucas. I know. I’m sorry.”
Quickly, he brought the spoon down across the most ample part of her bottom, mentally appreciating how pregnancy was already filling her out in all the right places. Rosa wiggled slightly in his lap, moaning a little with each stroke. He did only ten—evenly spaced with only moderate strength as she was more sensitive these days. With each stroke, he watched Carolyn’s reaction. She was wincing more than Rosa was, which would have been funny if the circumstances were different.
When he was finished, he helped Rosa up, hugged her, kissed her face, and told her she was forgiven.
They were both more worried about Carolyn then their own rituals in the moment. Lucas returned to his seat, and Rosa pushed in her own chair, but she didn’t sit down. Instead, she crossed over to the other side of the table where Carolyn sat and knelt down to eye level, taking Carolyn’s hands in her own and smiled.
“Hey,” she said softly, waiting for Carolyn to look her in the eyes. “I’m okay. See? Slightly sore, but forgiven and so very loved. Can you see that?” Carolyn gave a slight nod, and Rosa smiled encouragingly. “I don’t know what’s happened in your life to cause the reaction you had just then, but I know that if you ever want to talk about it, I’m willing to listen, and so is Lucas, okay?”
It was in many ways, the best and worst thing that could have happened during their first dinner together. If it hadn’t happened, if Carolyn hadn’t reacted the way she had, that would have been better, but all in all, the way they had handled it was more important, and Lucas was proud of them all.
Chapter 4
As soon as the door closed behind Carolyn, Rosa whirled on him. “Lucas! What was that about? That was intense. That poor girl nearly had a panic attack the minute the curse word left my lips.”
Eyes wide, Lucas nodded gravely. “Yes,” he hummed. “Her reaction was instant, and powerful. It definitely makes you wonder.”
“Well, I for one, have no intention of sitting around wondering. I want answers and now. I let you spank me in front of her simply for the sake of attempting to make her feel better. You owe me. Now tell me what you know.” She stood strong and stubborn in front of him, not even flinching when he began to advance on her, with that dommy look on his face.
When they were nearly toe to toe, he began to speak. “First of all, missy, I don’t like your tone or your implication that we had some sort of unspoken exchange going on. I owe you nothing, with the exception of a much harder spanking if you don’t adjust your attitude immediately. Second of all, I know nothing that I haven’t already shared with you. Carolyn
has not confided in me about Filmore up to this point, and why would she? She doesn’t know that I have been there. Judging her intense reaction to a minor situation tonight, whatever she has been through, it wasn’t pleasant, and I’d wager a bet that getting over it wasn’t an easy process. It’s probably an ongoing one. Knowing Carolyn, it’s not something she talks about easily. The truth would ruin her perfect southern belle image.”
Rosa fell silent, her mouth opening into an O of surprise. Luke saw the exact moment she realized that Carolyn’s perfect southern belle façade she put on so well, was just that—a façade. Her emotions ran the gamut, every single one clearly written across her face—surprise, anger, shock, and finally sadness.
“Lucas, if that was her reaction to someone else getting spanked… what happens when it’s her? Are you just not going to spank her? Because, that’s not fair!”
Lucas had to bite back a laugh at the look on Rosa’s face half pout, half indignant righteousness.
“Cool your jets. First of all, what you and I have works for us. If something else works better for Carolyn and I due to her past, it doesn’t concern or affect you. You and I practice domestic discipline with spanking, and that’s not going to change.”
The look on her face was telling. Despite however unfair it might feel, she didn’t want anything to change. She liked what they had, and he did too.
“Also,” Lucas continued. “Carolyn and I have already discussed it. And she already agreed. I think what happened tonight was pure gut instinct reaction. She couldn’t control it, and it doesn’t reflect how she really feels. In her heart and her mind, Carolyn trusts me, and she knows there is a difference between abuse and consensual discipline. If when the rubber meets the road, she can’t separate the two, I’ll adjust if I have to. Domestic discipline is always about help, not harm.”
“Okay, Lucas,” Rosa agreed with a slight nod. Her eyes focused in the distance, and her pursed lips told him she was thinking—and that she had more to say.
Gathering her in his arms, he waited. She melted against him, relaxing into his embrace for a moment, before pulling back just enough to look up at him and catch his eye.
“I really hope that you—no—we can help Carolyn heal. Nobody should have to carry around that kind of trauma and pain, whatever it may be. I’m just glad Myra brought the family back here and that she’s safe now.”
Carolyn stared up at the house she had spent three years in. It had been a happy home, a real refuge in a time she had needed it most. It had been full of laughter and music and good food and family, and it more than anything else represented freedom.
For the last two months, she had felt a black cloud over it—a feeling of dread she couldn’t shake. But she had to shake it for the weekend. It was time to tell her parents that she was getting married, and to whom.
She didn’t have to fake the smile as she entered the house—it was easy to make that genuine. Although eventful, her first dinner with Lucas and Rosa couldn’t have gone any better than it had in her opinion. Blessed. There was no other word to describe the way she had felt as she hugged them both and pulled out of their driveway for her parents’ home.
Her father was in the living room sitting with the paper open and the news on with the volume down. He knew why she was there—it was written all over his face.
He stood as she entered. “You have news to share, Caro?” She had already told him she was getting married, back before she knew if it were even true. “You ready to tell who it is?” He forced a smile. “Your mamas will be so happy.”
She didn’t say anything. In her mind, there was nothing to say. She loved her father, but she was angry.
“I’m glad you’ll be here, in Green Valley. It’s a good place for you.”
“Instead of back in that hellhole, you mean?” Her voice was quiet and accusing as she moved in closer, pulling her chin up in a challenge. “They won’t go with you. They are happy here.”
“It’s not up to them. They can be happy there as well. The prophet is gone. It’s time for change. This is a good thing,” he countered.
“Change is all fine and well, but it’s not easy and it’s not quick. It’s also not guaranteed.”
“It’s not your concern. You don’t have to go.”
“Neither do they.”
“They will though. I followed them when they felt it was important, and they will follow me when I feel it’s important. I’m their husband. I am the head of my home.”
It was eerie, Carolyn reflected, how one simple sentence could have entirely different connotations depending on who was the one speaking it. When Lucas said the same thing, it was comforting. When her father said it, she was filled with unease.
“A true head of the home leads with wisdom, taking care to do what is best for his whole family and not just himself.”
“I know what’s best.”
It had started off as a simple exchange and was fast turning into a battle of wills. That was not what Carolyn had come here for. She had just one gauntlet left to throw. “You better be damn sure.” Even as she emphasized the word damn she winced, thinking of the events that had taken place earlier in the evening. Luckily, she wasn’t his wife yet, and at this point, nobody saw her that way either.
“I’m sure enough. Everything will be fine. Finer still now that I know you will be safe and taken care of.”
“You have another daughter to worry about,” she reminded him.
“Maddie will be fine.”
“And if you’re wrong?” she challenged. “Are you really willing to risk her safety? Her life, even?”
“You’re being overdramatic. Let’s drop this, and go tell your mothers the news. It’s a time for celebration, not fighting.”
Carolyn knew that if this argument went any further in the moment, she wouldn’t want to stay here tonight, and that was not an option. So she agreed, leaving her final gauntlet unthrown for the moment. She didn’t tell her father what she really wanted to say, which was that he would only take Maddie to Filmore over her dead body.
“Caro!” her mother exclaimed as she entered the kitchen. Both women were in there, singing and dancing as they cleaned up after dinner. It was a sight that usually filled her heart with joy, but today all she could think was that it would never be allowed in Filmore, and how messed up it was to think that people might be told that they couldn’t sing or dance in their own home.
Both ladies stopped what they were doing and swarmed her as she entered. “Is everything okay? You didn’t tell us you were coming home this weekend!”
Heddy smacked Myra’s arm with the dishtowel she still held in her hand. “Hush, Myra! The child can come home whenever she wants! She doesn’t have to tell us; this is her home.”
Myra, rolled her eyes and cut them both with a look. “Of course she doesn’t, but she usually does. It’s unusual behavior for her not to. Child,” she spoke to Carolyn in her no-nonsense way, wiping her hands on her apron, before gathering Carolyn in for a quick hug, “what’s going on? I can tell something's up, even if your mama can’t.”
“Something is up,” Carolyn confirmed with a smile. “I have something to tell you all, something I’ve known for a while now.” She sucked in her breath before continuing. “I’m getting married.”
“Married!” Heddy exclaimed in shock. “But you… haven’t…” It was clear that she intended to say that Carolyn hadn’t been dating anyone. Her mothers all knew from day one that she had never intended to stay in Green Valley and live a plural lifestyle, which was, in part, why she had taken her time telling them. Lying to her mothers was hard. Carolyn was a straight shooter, up front and in your face, she didn’t sugar coat anything. She preferred to tell it how it was. She wasn’t a liar, although she seemed to be doing it more and more often these days.
“I… mean, have you been called into this lifestyle?” Heddy continued cautiously.
Carolyn threw her hands up in the air at her sides, palms turned up, a
s if to say, “What do you know?” “I have. He gave me a name, and I tried to ignore it, and push it out of my head for a while, and I just kept feeling this pull, so I took it to the bishop and put the decision in his hands. I fully expected him to say no, but he prayed about it for a good long while, and he agreed with me, so here I am.” So many lies, Carolyn thought to herself, biting her lip and refusing to meet her father’s gaze.
“Bishop Miller is a good man.” That was Myra. It was semi annoying how she took every opportunity presented to extol the praises of the bishop, but better the bishop than the prophet, Carolyn figured. At least when she said the bishop was a good man, it was true.
“He is,” Carolyn conceded with a smile, knowing what was coming next. “So, you’ll be happy to know, I’m marrying his son.” As soon as the words left her lips, her fingers went to her ears, plugging them against the shrill shrieks that followed as the kitchen, or at least her mothers erupted into happy chaos.
Myra and Heddy immediately linked hands and began bouncing around the kitchen shrieking happily. Carolyn could only smile as she watched. Her father, however, wore an expression that she couldn’t quite get a read on. And she knew exactly why. Young or not, the bishop was the bishop, and the bishop was the one person he wouldn’t want knowing about his plans. Not that Lucas, or Bishop Miller would be able to stop him, but they would definitely be able to throw a wrench in his timeline—or convince his wives not to follow him.
Of course, she had no plans to tell Lucas anytime soon, lest he figure out that their marriage wasn’t so much ordained by God as he thought as it was orchestrated out of desperation by herself. No, Lucas couldn’t know—but she wasn’t about to tell her father that.
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