Adjusting Addie

by RJ Gray

  While Addie collected her thoughts, Brad collected implements. He was disappointed in her, sure, but he had learned a lot about his girl in the past twenty-four hours. He knew she was passionate, already, but he saw the combination of passion and raw fear combine into an explosive situation. He chided himself for not spanking her last night and allowing the behavior to expand into the situation they found themselves in, this morning. He needed to teach her how to not let things build up inside, to come to him and talk things out and how to, when she did get into these balls of pure emotion, ask him to help her find a constructive way to release them. Brad picked up the paddle and the strap and headed into the bedroom. Addie was standing in the corner where he had told her to be. He went to her and took her hands off of her head and turned her to face him. He tilted her head up and lowered his, kissing her soundly. He then stepped back and went and sat on the edge of the bed.

  "It doesn't always have to be a spanking, Addie. There are a lot of ways to release pent up emotions and frustration. We could go for a jog, you can journal everything out, we can hit up Jump and bounce around on the trampolines like two children. We can take Rusty for a long walk around the lake and talk things through. Sometimes, a good wrestling match can help, too. We can come up with solutions together, but you have to communicate. You cannot let things build like this! I should have spanked you last night, and I am sorry that I didn't. I recognized what was going on with you and didn't want to punish you for it. But, Addie, it isn't Whitehall who is holding a gun to your head and making you be disrespectful, rude and outright mean. Those are your decisions, and you need to take responsibility for them. Do you agree?"

  "Yes, Sir. It is unfair of me to take this out on you."

  "Come over here then and lie across my lap."

  Addie left the corner and went to where Brad sat on the edge of his king-sized bed, his feet planted firmly on the ground. She lay over his lap, her entire body flat on the bed. He lifted his knee up so she was angled to him and made quick work of finishing the warmup.

  "I have a collection of implements in a box in the bottom of my closet, Addie. Today, you are going to feel two of them. First, I am going to paddle you. This is a Johari paddle. It is from an old game. I found it at an antique store. When you are done with the paddle, you will feel what my strap feels like. You will get ten with the strap, five for putting your hand back and five for calling me a bastard." He didn't wait for her acknowledgement of his words before he raised the paddle and brought it down on her butt. Brad liked the paddle. It gave a nice deep punch without having to work hard or swing high.

  It was the first time Addie screamed, really screamed, from a swat. Brad listened to her reaction and knew that he had found the implement to use when she really crossed the line. He raised it again and again and brought it down in a quick cadence. The paddle felt different than even the spoon. It was hard, unyielding and cold. It covered a larger area, but the pain really came from the center and the end of it. Brad wasn't using a light force, either. He used firm, concentrated swats. Addie's squeals got higher and higher pitched, her promises growing bigger and her apologies more frequent. Brad was frowning as he swung the paddle; he was unhappy to be doing this again. He was a man of his word, he was consistent, and he wasn't going to back down when the need arose, but it wasn't something he was enjoying. He could think of fifty other things he would rather be doing than instructing his girlfriend in the art of discipline and accountability. Brad listened to Addie's breathing and knew when she was reaching a true point of distress. He slowed down the swats then but continued to steadily swing his arm and make impact with her butt.

  "I love you, Addie. I don't want anything to come between us. I don't want anyone to come between us, and I don't want you to sabotage our relationship with your impulsive and childish behavior. I will never allow temper tantrums or destructive behavior. Do you understand me?"

  "Yes, Sir." She was barely audible.

  "Let's finish this, Addie. Stand up."

  Addie rose off of Brad's lap and looked at him questioningly. He walked to the head of the bed and pulled the pillows to the middle of it, stacking them up.

  "Over the pillows," he said. The pillows pushed her up so that her butt was in the air and her head was flat on the bed. "I want you to count these, Addie. One, Sir, two, Sir and so on." He picked up the strap and stepped back. He swung high and hard, and the first strike had enough force to push her body forward and draw a thick red line across the fleshiest part of her butt.

  "One, Sir!"

  Brad lowered his arm so he wasn't swinging quite as high and let it fall again, with a little less force.

  "Two, Sir!"

  He raised his arm again and struck her. He let the strap do the chastising, slightly lowering the pressure with each stripe, one below the next, slightly overlapping with each blow until she got to ten. Her body was wracked with sobs, and there was a wet spot from her tears where her head rested on the bed. Brad knew he had made his point. He sat next to her on the bed and rubbed her back until her sobbing slowed down to little hiccups.

  "When the spanking has ended and you have paid for the misdeed, everything starts fresh. I won't bring it up again, I won't hold it over your head. Everything is forgiven and forgotten. I love you, Addie. Communication is the most important thing between us, and I need you to do better with letting me in and letting me know what is going on with you. Why don't you finish getting ready now so we can get this day over with? I think we will both feel better once it is all done and we can move on without the threat of Whitehall looming overhead."

  "Yes, I want to get it over with, too. I love you so much. I'm so glad I was rude to you that morning at the Y. Thank you, Brad."

  "On the plus side, your swollen eyes make it look like you've been crying for days. It will make our breakup look that much more plausible."

  "Ugh," Addie said.

  Brad laughed.

  "Let's get this over with. Shall we go break up?"

  "That better be the one and only time I ever hear you say that," Brad answered. "Let's do this thing."

  Chapter 13

  Brad and Addie got dressed and drove separate vehicles to the Y. They had their spat in the middle of the lobby. Addie got louder and louder about Brad's ex-wife. His ex-wife, whom she claimed had come back into the picture and whom Brad wanted to be with more than Addie.

  Brad was laughing hysterically inside. There was nothing that would ever make that occur, but he played along. He asked Addie to quiet down, to go somewhere and talk privately about it. She, of course, refused. Finally, he said, "That's it. I can't stand anymore of these childish outbursts and juvenile behaviors. I'm done. I'll leave your belongings in a box on my porch. Get them at your earliest convenience. It's over between us!"

  "Fine!" Addie shouted back. "Screw you!" Brad went into the men's locker room and Addie left to the parking lot. She drove home to her townhouse. She walked in, locked the door, collapsed on the couch and called Annie. This was all part of their master plan. They had done a good electronic sweep of her new phone and were confident that Whitehall could only hear Addie's side of the conversation.

  "We broke up. That bastard was seeing his ex-wife behind my back! I can't believe it! They are reconciling!" Addie said into the receiver.

  "That's the story you came up with? I like it! How was the fight? Was it juicy?"

  "He said that I have childish outbursts and juvenile behaviors!" Addie said.

  "Well, he isn't wrong," Annie said.

  "What? Are you taking his side?" Addie spat.

  "There are no sides, Addie. The entire thing is made up, remember? But, you do have some, um, childish behaviors, from time to time. Isn't that why he spanks your naughty behind?" she teased.

  "Well, he started it!" she said back, playing along with the conversation. Annie cracked up on the other end. "I have to get ready for work, and I don't know how I'll get anything accomplished today! I'm going to be an emotional mess,
and I have two visits tonight. It'll be a long day! Can you grab lunch? I have an IEP meeting for one of my teens up north, so say one, at Elephant Bar?" This was also planned out. The Elephant Bar was a good thirty-minute drive from downtown, forty-five minutes from her home. They would know how serious Whitehall was in his stalking her if he was willing to drive that far. Annie confirmed their plans.

  "Be careful, Add. I know you don't think he will do anything to you and you think he's just trying to intimidate you into writing good reports for him for the courts, but Ben and Brad think he is dangerous. Please be careful."

  "I will. See you at lunch!" she said before hanging up and heading to work. Once she got settled behind her desk, she checked her text messages. Brad was checking in on her and congratulating her on their fight. They both got a chuckle out of congratulating each other on their break up. The morning was long, and Addie kept looking at her clock. Soon, it was time to head up north. She didn't really have an IEP meeting, but she had to come up with a reason to be in that side of town, for Whitehall.

  Addie and Annie ate lunch together. Addie vented about how Brad was a two-timing jerk, and Annie told Addie about the newest investigative piece she was writing. She was investigating the newest trend—DNA testing that revealed where a person's ancestry was from. Annie asked if Addie would be interested in doing one as part of the series and she agreed, saying it sounded like fun. The girls split their favorite appetizers for lunch—chicken lettuce wraps, Parmesan crusted green beans and a coconut shrimp skewer, and they allowed an alcoholic drink each.

  "I wouldn't normally drink during the workday, but after the fight with Brad, I feel I need something!" Addie said, ordering a blueberry lemon drop. Annie agreed and ordered a drink, too. They exchanged knowing looks—Brad wasn't the reason she was drinking. After lunch, Addie returned to work and spent more time in a group text with Annie, Ben and Brad than she did working. Her anxiety was growing as the moments passed. Soon, it was time to head to the courthouse.

  The first visit went well. Thankfully, it was a quiet night in the visitation center. Addie informed Amy of everything going on, making sure she knew to be on the lookout for anything suspicious. She wanted the extra set of eyes. Whitehall showed up on time, and Addie hid out in the visitation room, breathing deeply, trying to get her heart rate to slow down. Soon, Amy was out getting Lindsey from her foster family and Addie was face to face with Whitehall.

  He smiled warmly at her. "Good evening, Addie."

  "Ms. Gabriel," she corrected.

  "Are we back to that again? I'd like to be your friend, Addie. I am very good to my friends. I think you would like to be mine. It can be very lonely when you're a woman in this world without a man." He hinted at knowing that she and Brad had broken up.

  "What makes you think I am without a man? I have a boyfriend," she countered.

  "No, ma'am, you don't. It isn't nice to lie to your friends, Addie." He tsked at her. "He left you this morning. That fool, leaving a beautiful woman like you."

  Addie's heart dropped. She knew then, he was indeed stalking her. Their plan had worked well so far. Addie tried talking herself down. She had to remain calm in order for this to work. She couldn't let the foul, evil bastard know that she knew of his crimes.

  "I don't know what you're talking about," she said as Lindsey came into the room.

  "Addie!" the little girl said, running to her side. "I have so much to tell you about! Wes sat with me at lunch today!" She happily started chatting, grabbing Addie's hand. It was painfully obvious that Lindsey was excited to see Addie and not interested in her father at all.

  "Aren't you going to say hello to your father?" Whitehall asked, looking at his daughter with disapproval.

  "Hi," she said shyly, scooting closer to Addie's side.

  "Let's go into the room and start our visit." Addie really wanted to get this visit over with. She was trying to remain as calm and focused as normal. She didn't want Lindsey to feel her anxiety, and she didn't want to give in to Whitehall's probing.

  "We have court on Monday. Are you ready to come home with me?" Whitehall asked as they headed to the room.

  Addie saw Amy's head shoot up, and she shook her head no at her when Amy reached for the security phone.

  "You know better!" Addie said, scowling at him. "We don't know what will happen at court."

  "Will you be there?" Lindsey asked, clearly afraid.

  "Of course, sweetheart. I will give a report to the judge with my recommendations, and I will sit right next to you throughout the entire hearing." She said the words to Lindsey but was looking at Whitehall. He made her so mad. Like hell was that animal going to take Lindsey home. She would kidnap Lindsey herself before she would let that happen. "What would you like to color today?" she asked, handing Lindsey the coloring book.

  "Will you color with me today?" Lindsey didn't want Addie to move even an inch away from her.

  Addie agreed. She settled into a chair next to Lindsey at the card table, and Whitehall sat across from them. Lindsey got to work on her picture, and Addie started to absently color in hers.

  "How was your day, sweetheart?" Whitehall asked Lindsey.

  "It was okay," she answered without looking up.

  "Who is this Wes kid?"

  "A boy at summer camp," she answered vaguely.

  "He sat with you at lunch? What did you have for lunch today?" he asked.

  "Peanut butter and jelly, baby carrots, an apple and some Doritos," she replied.

  "That sounds good but not as good as lettuce wraps, green beans and shrimp," he said, and Addie felt the hairs on her arms stand on edge. "That is what I had for lunch."

  "What a coincidence, Mr. Whitehall," Addie bit out. "I had the same thing for lunch."

  "That is a coincidence, isn't it, Addie?" he said.

  Addie refrained from correcting him. She was biting her lip and choosing her battles. Her first priority was Lindsey.

  "What will you say in court?" Lindsey suddenly asked, changing the subject.

  "What?" Addie asked, turning to her.

  "What will you say to the judge on Monday? Will you tell him I don't want to live with my dad? Will you tell him I want to live with my grandparents?" Lindsey asked bravely.

  "Why don't you want to live with me?" Whitehall tried to sound inquisitive, but the anger was biting at his tone.

  Addie interjected, not allowing her to answer the question. "I will, if that's what you want me to tell him," Addie responded. "I will let the judge know your feelings, and then we will also tell the judge all of the facts in the case." She looked Whitehall dead in the eyes. "All of the facts." She wanted him to know she was on to him. She knew she should stop prodding the bull, and so she quickly changed the topic. The forty remaining minutes of the visit were tense but uneventful. Whitehall stewed, Lindsey colored, and Addie prepared for what she knew was to come.

  After Lindsey was taken out to her foster parents, Whitehall broached the topic with Addie again. "She doesn't want to live with me because my wife's parents have poisoned her against me," he claimed. "I've never done anything to make her scared of me. My lawyers say I have nothing to worry about on Monday."

  "Then don't worry," Addie clipped back. She wasn't going to get in a tit for tat with this vile man.

  "It would be helpful if you were on my side."

  "I told you during our first meeting, Mr. Whitehall, that I am on the child's side and what is in the child's best interest. I observe the visitations and write my observations for the court and I meet with the child and ask what it is she wants."

  "The judge really seems interested in what you have to say," he said. "He trusts you."

  "I've been doing this for a while now. I'm honest to a fault; the judges know that. They all trust me. I have built my career on the back of my integrity. It is rare when a judge doesn't weigh my opinion heavily into their decision making for the best interest of a child," she said.

  "I was afraid of that," he muttered u
nder his breath, loud enough for Addie to hear.

  "Okay, Mr. Whitehall, time's up, you can leave!" Amy called from the desk. Addie watched him leave with trepidation. She picked up her cell phone and texted the team to let them know what had happened at the visit.

  "I don't like this," Brad texted back. "Be careful."

  "We've got her," Ben responded. "I have two plain-clothed officers at her house already. Court security is going to walk her to her car out front so there is no altercation in the parking lot. She's going to call Annie and talk to her on the way home, just in case the car is bugged. We've got this covered. We will get the bastard before he can enter the house."

  Everything went as planned from court to her house. Addie felt so much fear when she pulled into her garage that she had to take several deep breaths in and out before taking her hand off of the steering wheel and placing it on the handle of the car door. "I can do this!" she said out loud to the empty garage. She walked into her house, kicked off her heels as was her habit, and collapsed on the couch and waited. She didn't have to wait long.

  "You look comfortable," Whitehall said from behind her, covering her mouth with his hand and sticking a gun into her neck. "Scream and I will shoot you." Addie felt the cold steel of the gun pressed against her skin, smelled the distinct bitterness of Whitehall's aftershave and thought she was going to have a heart attack or wet herself or both. He was inside her home. This wasn't supposed to be happening. The police officers were supposed to stop him before he got inside. Instead of waiting for the all clear text, she was now waiting to be rescued. Screw that. I'm a damn warrior. I don't need a man to rescue me. I can get myself out of this! She gave herself a pep talk. Brad had given her several self-defense lessons over the past week. Addie hoped the police officer that was assigned to her house was all right.