The Prodigal Bride

by Rayanna Jamison

  Sophia took a deep breath and forced herself to focus. She was still furious, but something wasn't adding up here. Mollie had willingly followed Ben upstairs, apparently knowing full well what was going to happen. Sophia allowed Beth Anne to guide her down the hallway and back into the dining room, all but forcing her into her abandoned chair.

  Beth Anne was all business, moving quickly and forcefully as if she was afraid Sophia would take off down the hall to rescue Mollie at any moment.

  Sophia sat, attempting to make sense of all her jumbled thoughts.

  Clap!

  She must have been spacing out more than she had realized because she heard a loud clapping nose and realized that Beth Anne was now sitting across from her at the table and had obviously been trying to get her attention for some time. She shook her head and stared at her brother's newest wife blankly. There were a million thoughts going through her head at the moment, and yet she couldn't voice a single one of them.

  Beth Anne, always the thoughtful and intuitive one seemed to understand. "Sophia, you can say whatever you want, I won't be offended, and you can ask me whatever you want and I will try to answer."

  Sophia nodded, thankfully. She had tons of questions, and no idea where to start. "Do you get spanked too?" she blurted out, regretting it immediately, and wishing she had started off with something less personal.

  But Beth Anne just blushed and nodded vigorously. "I do, though, maybe not as often as Mollie. She tends to be… more impulsive, and it gets her into trouble on a regular basis, unfortunately."

  Sophia nodded in agreement. She could certainly see that that was true. "Isn't it abuse?" She had been spanked as a child, certainly, but that was discipline—and it had been few and far between. Mollie and Beth Anne were grown women that seemed to be allowing their husband, her baby brother, to hit them! She was dumbfounded at the thought, and tried to wrap her head around it as she waited for Beth Anne to answer.

  Beth Anne sighed heavily, and took Sophia's hand from across the table. "No, Sophia, it's not abuse. For one thing, Mollie and I consent to it. Think about it. Did Ben grab Mollie and drag her upstairs screaming and crying?"

  Sophia frowned, scrunching her eyebrows together in deep thought. Beth Anne certainly made a good point. All Ben had done was calmly request that Mollie join him upstairs. Mollie had followed him willingly. She hadn't looked terribly happy about it, but she hadn't protested. Sophia shook her head and motioned for Beth Anne to continue.

  "Also, I'm a little surprised that you seem so shocked by it, honestly. It's a common way of life among families around here." Beth Anne paused and the corners of her mouth twitched a bit, as if she were trying to decide how much to say. "Most of the wives in the community are spanked wives, Sophia, and it has been like that for a long time. Probably since before we were born. Probably much longer even." Beth Anne looked as if she had more to say on the topic, but she stopped there, and switched gears. "And, Ben's not hitting us, Sophia, he's spanking us, and there's a huge difference. Hitting is done out of anger, it's not controlled, and it can be anywhere. Ben would never lay a hand on me anywhere besides my bottom, and even then, it's always with love. He's not beating me for goodness sake! Ben is always careful, and kind and loving. It's discipline, not abuse, and it's to make us better, not harm us."

  Sophia's expression was sour. Although she loved her baby brother, and knew he had grown into a good man, she still wasn't a hundred percent convinced. "Discipline is for children," she insisted emphatically. "How can you consent to your husband treating you as he would a naughty child?"

  Beth Anne was silent for a few minutes, her lips pressed together tightly, and Sophia worried that she had hurt her feelings.

  "Everyone needs to have discipline, even if it's not in the physical sense of the word. And as far as him treating me like a child, well, I just don't feel that way at all. Ben and I are equal partners, and he very much respects my role in our relationship." Beth Anne paused thoughtfully before continuing. "Obviously, I can only speak for myself and not for Mollie, but truthfully, I cannot imagine mine and Ben's relationship without that aspect. I kind of like it." She ginned conspiratorially. "It makes me feel like a lady. It makes me feel feminine and sexy. I mean, maybe not in the moment when it is happening, because it hurts like hell, and I have all these emotions, and I can't wait for him to be done, but afterwards…" Beth Anne trailed off with a shy smile before continuing. "I like what spanking does for us. I like the connection it gives us, and I like the way I feel the next day. I feel feminine, protected, and cherished. I like what it does for me in other ways as well. After Ben spanks me, it almost has a therapeutic effect. I feel calmer, centered, and more productive. Sometimes I think about asking Ben to spank me just for the stress relief." Beth Anne stopped abruptly, as if she realized she was beginning to ramble a bit.

  Sophia just stared at her dumbfounded. She was still trying to wrap her mind around Beth Anne's claim about spanking being therapeutic. Sophia couldn't fathom a spanking being anything other than painful and humiliating. Yet Beth Anne spoke of it as if it was just a good workout.

  Maybe that's what Beth Anne needed, Sophia mused. She just needed a more acceptable way to get the same results. Sophia had taken weekly yoga classes for years before Robert had gotten sick, and it had given her all the same feelings Beth Anne was describing. She decided to suggest it.

  "Couldn't you just do yoga?" Sophia was enthusiastic, sure she had found a promising solution. Yoga was definitely the answer. She was honestly surprised Beth Anne hadn't thought of it. It had health benefits too, so that was an added bonus. Sophia resolved to find a local class to join as soon as possible, and to have Beth Anne and Mollie join her. She was getting more and more excited about the idea, until she saw Beth Anne's face. For the first time since they had begun talking, Beth Anne looked truly upset. In fact, she looked like she was about to cry.

  Sophia instantly began looking for a way to backpedal. "I'm sorry, that came out all wrong. All I meant was—"

  "It's fine, don't worry about it. I know how it sounds, Sophia. I guess it's one of those things you have to experience to understand." Beth Anne's face was drawn and her tone was short. "I hope someday you get a chance to really understand what I'm talking about. I have to work in the morning. Good night, Sophia."

  Beth Anne went up the stairs to her room leaving Sophia staring after her, aghast. Had Beth Anne just wished that she would someday be spanked? Sophia shook her head in disbelief.

  That would never happen.

  Chapter 6

  Even though she was utterly exhausted from days of driving, Sophia couldn't sleep, and was grateful that Ben had enough rooms in his house for the kids to have their own separate room. She was sure she would have woken them up with all the tossing and turning she was doing.

  She replayed her conversation with Beth Anne over and over in her head. Beth Anne had said a lot of families within the community practiced spanking in the same way. Suddenly, long forgotten memories prodded their way into Sophia's subconscious. How many times had her father asked one of her mothers to join him in his office, using the same look and tone Ben had used with Mollie earlier? Sophia sighed. Way too many to count, and she had never suspected a thing, never given it a second thought.

  And yet, if what Beth Anne had said was true, and deep down Sophia knew that it was, then wife spanking was just another part of living a normal polygamous lifestyle here in Green Valley. And that meant… well, Sophia didn't know what that meant exactly. What she did know was that if someone had told her this ten years ago when she was engaged to marry Hiram, things might have turned out a little differently.

  Sophia bolted out of bed and began pacing around the bedroom, as she finally gave in to a long ago memory. She had been fighting this one for years!

  She had done a good job of blocking it out over the past decade but since she had begun planning her return to Green Valley, it had been fighting its way to the surface. After today's ev
ents, she couldn't help but take a trip down memory lane.

  She sat on the edge of the bed, stroking the soft fabric of the quilt absentmindedly, and closed her eyes, suddenly transported back in time to the night before her wedding to Hiram.

  She and Hiram were walking through the park together by the lake, after having dinner with their families. Tomorrow they would be husband and wife.

  Sophia was so happy. She had gotten to know Hiram over the past month and was very contented, even proud, to be marrying such a kind and generous man. Her first impression of Hiram had been that he was too serious, and a bit stodgy for her taste. Truth be told, she had found him quite intimidating. He was eight years older than her, and at her young age that was still a sizeable gap that had added to the intimidation factor.

  She had spent the first week or so of their courtship, wondering what she had gotten herself into, and wishing that she had waited longer before going to the Bishop. But all that had changed after her first dinner at Hiram's house, with Hiram and his wife, Lucy, and their 4-year-old twins Levi and Lillian. She and Lucy had clicked immediately, and the twins had completely captured her heart as well.

  It had completely changed her view of Hiram as well. At home, Hiram had been a completely different person. Gone was the dry, humorless, hard to read man that had so intimidated her. Hiram was totally in his element at home, and Sophia had seen a much softer, and loving side to him. She had been tickled to learn he did indeed have a great sense of humor after all. He was affectionate and protective of Lucy. It was easy to see that he truly cherished her, and he was hands on with the twins, taking time to play on the floor with them, read to them, and be an active father. It had been a wonderful night, and for the first time Sophia had been able to truly picture herself as Hiram's wife, and as a part of their wonderful and loving family.

  From that night on, the majority of their time together was spent with Hiram's family. Lucy was very pregnant. Hiram didn't want to be far from her and Sophia was happy to oblige. They had gone to church as a family, and to the zoo, and spent quite a few happy afternoons at the lake near Hiram's house. Sophia had grown very close to Lucy, and to the twins, spending very little one on one time with Hiram himself.

  Occasionally, she would get another glimpse of his dry, formidable side, and begin to wonder anew if she was doing the right thing. Then she would remember something sweet he had said or done and cast her doubts aside, telling herself it was what God wanted, and He didn't make mistakes.

  No, Sophia thought wryly to herself, momentarily emerging from her reverie. No, God didn't make mistakes, but Sophia did, and evidently, she had made a huge one. She shook her head, as if to clear it, and allowed herself to become lost in her memories once more.

  "Sophia, tomorrow afternoon you will become my wife."

  Sophia smiled as they walked hand in hand along the lakeshore in the moonlight. "And you will be my husband," she said as she squeezed Hiram's hand. "I can't wait. In less than twenty-four hours I will become Mrs. Hiram Jefferson."

  She had been in a silly, romantic mood that night, as any young bride was bound to be on the eve before her wedding. Hiram, however, was all business. He had been trying to have a serious discussion with her, but Sophia had wanted nothing to do with it, much preferring to keep the mood light and frivolous. She recalled many instances that evening as they walked, where Hiram had tried to settle her down, and have a serious conversation with her.

  "Sophia," he would say, in that gruff no nonsense tone he had that she hated, sounding much more than eight years her senior.

  Every time he had said her name that way, Sophia had groaned inwardly, and gone off on some romantic tangent hoping to distract him. She wouldn't kiss him on the lips, of course, as it was tradition within the community to save that for your wedding day, but she found plenty of other ways to efficiently distract him, if only for a few moments. She would kiss his cheek, fiddle with his shirt collar or just bat her eyelashes and sigh longingly.

  Hiram would always oblige her momentarily with a reciprocated kiss, a loving touch, or a quick embrace, but then he would disentangle himself from her grasp, take her hand in his, and continue walking. They had repeated the same interaction probably about a half a dozen times when Hiram lost his patience.

  He had come to an abrupt stop at a makeshift bench built from logs near the shoreline. He sat, and motioned for Sophia to join him, but she had refused. "Sophia," his voice was firm, and slightly raised. "Please sit down. We are to be married tomorrow, and there are things we must discuss."

  Sophia, quite used to getting her way with her father and older brothers, had laughingly blown him off. "Oh Hiram, don't be silly. We have the rest of our lives to discuss serious matters. This is the eve before our wedding, and it's such a beautiful night! Let's enjoy this little bit of time we have together, just the two of us. You heard my father. I have to be getting home soon." She had grabbed his hand, and attempted to pull him from his seat on the bench.

  Hiram was of course, much stronger than she was, and had no intention of getting up until he had his say. Instead of removing his hand from her grasp, which would have been very easy to do, he closed his other hand over the top of it, so that he had her one hand in both of his. Then with one swift tug, he yanked her forward so that she fell straight over his lap. The bench was low, and she struggled to get up, as her face was only inches from the dirt shore.

  "Oomph," she cried as she fell. "Really, Hiram? What do you mean by this? It's hardly proper!"

  Smack! Hiram's hand fell loud and hard on her backside, and she jumped, scrambling to rise, to no avail. Hiram folded his legs over hers so that he had her effectively pinned across his knees.

  Sophia was still in a light and playful mood, as it still hadn't registered that Hiram was intending to well and truly spank her. So when Hiram continued his assault on her poor trapped bottom, Sophia could do nothing for a moment but lay there in shock. He was certainly thorough, keeping up an even tempo of well-placed slaps up and down each cheek in a rhythmic pattern. However, Sophia was still mainly unconcerned. Hiram was not spanking overly hard at that point. Certainly not as hard as her father, on the rare occasion that he had spanked her as a child.

  But that was precisely the point Sophia thought to herself indignantly! She was not a child—she was a grown woman about to be married, and he had no right to turn her over his knee and discipline her the way he would a wayward child. Coming out of her momentary shock, she had told Hiram as much, certain that he had just gotten frustrated with her and taken a short leave of his senses. She made up her mind to forgive him, as long as he snapped out of it and let her up post haste.

  "Hiram, that is quite enough! I am not a naughty child for you to turn over your knee whenever you have a whim to. I am a grown woman about to become your wife!"

  Instead of her words having the outcome she had intended, Hiram began to spank harder and more deliberately, the force of the next swat causing Sophia to gasp loudly and blink back tears.

  "Yes, Sophia," Hiram gritted out while giving her bottom a thorough working over. "That is exactly my point. I have been very nicely trying to discuss this with you all night. But you insisted upon being difficult and trying to distract my attention, thus forcing me to rely upon certain measures to get your attention." He punctuated each word with a sharp slap to her bottom crease. "I'm assuming I have your attention now," he asked pausing for a moment, and allowing Sophia to catch her breath.

  "Yes, Hiram," she wailed, willing to say or do anything at this point to put an end to the spanking, and the heartbreak it was causing her. "I'm listening!"

  "What I have been trying to tell you, Sophia, is that I have high expectations for my wives, rules that I expect them to follow, if you will. I am the head of my house, Sophia," he said almost haughtily. "And as such, I expect your respect and your obedience. I was hoping for time to go over our household rules with you tonight, so that you would know what is expected of you, and what to
expect from me, but you insisted upon being difficult, and wasting my time."

  He began to spank anew, peppering her bottom and thighs with sharp slaps, never striking the same place twice, until Sophia was gasping for air, and making desperate and futile attempts to escape.

  When she fell limp across his lap, then, and only then, did Hiram stop spanking. He held her in place while he continued with his lecture. "This isn't quite how I planned on having this conversation tonight, but now you've had a first-hand glimpse into the consequences you will face if you disobey my rules." He rubbed her bottom absently through her skirt, and though she was angry with him, Sophia was grateful for the relief he provided.

  "I went easy on you, Sophia—I only used my hand, and I spanked over your clothing, for propriety sake, but I will not always be so lenient. Are we understood?"

  "Perfectly," Sophia choked out. Her voice was icy through her tears, but Hiram hadn't seemed to notice. He had let her up then, and taken her immediately into his arms, whispering encouragement, and comforting her.

  She had allowed it, but she was in a fog. Her mind was racing, and she was already plotting her escape.

  Sophia looked down, and noticed that she was shaking. She hadn't allowed herself to think back on that night in years. Now that she had, she was surprised how clear the memory was, and how inconsistent it was with the idea in her head. Hiram had comforted her, he had whispered loving encouragement to her, had checked many times on the way home to be sure that she was okay. She had assured him repeatedly that she was fine. She remembered that.

  But she hadn't been okay. Her emotions and her imagination had been running wild. Any small shred of common sense she possessed had flown right out the window the moment she realized he wasn't just playing. Sophia remembered all too clearly the panic she had felt back then. She had focused only on the lecture and his cold stern tone, fearing that her first impression of him had been right all along, and worse!