Molly's Cop

by Joannie Kay

  "Have you had a turn?" Molly asked curiously.

  "Yes. We do our winter coat drive at the police station every year. I asked the family for warm coats, and asked them to come and help sort them and pass them out. I was new on the force at the time, and the other guys were all watching to see if I would contribute in any way, so it helped me earn their respect, even though that wasn't my intention. I mostly wanted to show the kids, who were all pretty darn young yet, how lucky they were to have parents who could buy them a new coat each time they outgrew one. I wanted them to see that others weren't as fortunate, that some kids only had one parent. We take our family for granted, and I wanted them to know how blessed we truly are to have Ma and Pop."

  "That is how I feel each and every day, Michael," Molly admitted, her eyes full of tears.

  Michael leaned over and kissed Molly. "You are so beautiful," he told her. "I am going to be the envy of every man at the Christmas party next Friday night."

  "Who will be watching over the town if all the police force is partying?" Molly asked, her eyes twinkling as she teased him.

  "Don't worry; there are some officers who don't get invited. We'll see to it they are compensated." At her look, he relented. "We actually have a few officers who do not celebrate Christmas, Molly. We gave them a Chanukah party. It all works out. We work for them so they can celebrate with their families, and they do the same in return. Everyone you work with celebrates Christmas?" he asked.

  "I believe so," Molly answered. "I'm not sure that everyone will be at the party, but most will come. We normally have a great time. Mr. Bridges Senior goes out of his way to make the party as special as he can. It's fun because you get to meet all the spouses, too. I will be proud to introduce you to everyone."

  They talked until it started to get late, and then Michael drove Molly home. The lights were blazing brightly in the kitchen and when they walked inside, the room was packed with giggling girls. Michael put on his firm face, showed his badge, and growled, "I had a call about a disturbance here? Who is responsible for all this mess?"

  Bridget promptly crossed the room and offered him a cookie. Michael took it and sampled it. "I could be bribed," he admitted, grinning at his little sister. The rest of the girls giggled then, realizing it was a joke. Bridget introduced all of her friends to Michael and Molly and said they were baking cookies for a Christmas party at school the next evening, and then asked if her brother wanted to help. Michael knew he was being set up, but went along with it anyway. The girls put him in an apron, and he and Molly were given cookie sheet detail, meaning they got to wash the cookie sheets over and over again. Seamus came out to the kitchen to check in and shook his head and smiled at his son. With Michael in the house he and Mary could sneak off to bed.

  * * *

  Molly had a hectic week at work, and she rushed to finish the last letter that Mr. Bridges needed to send out so she could get home and prepare for Michael's Christmas party. She wasn't paying much attention to her driving until she saw red lights flashing right behind her. Molly felt like kicking herself as she was pulled over. A quick glance at the speedometer told her she was driving at least six miles above the speed limit! The officer approached the car cautiously. "Miss, do you know why I pulled you over?"

  "No, officer." Molly tried to appear innocent.

  "You were driving over the posted speed limit."

  "Oh, I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention to my speed. There wasn't any traffic... and I have a party to attend tonight. I'll slow down," she offered.

  "May I see your driver's license and your registration, please?"

  "Of course." Molly handed them over, and the young officer walked back to his police car and ran them. She waited, mentally saying 'goodbye' to the long soak in the bathtub she'd planned and looked forward to all afternoon! It wouldn't do to be late when Michael came to pick her up. And that is when she realized that Michael was going to be very upset with her for getting a ticket. He would surely spank her! Molly suddenly felt sick to her stomach! And, she felt sweaty, in spite of the cold.

  The officer returned and gave her a smile as he handed back her license and registration. "I'll just issue a warning this time, Miss Henderson. Please pay more attention to your driving and keep your speed down."

  "I will, Officer," she promised. "Thank you so much." Molly felt as though she escaped a serious spanking by a thread. She smiled at him and then drove the rest of the way home, keeping an eye on her speedometer and driving within the speed limits all the way. She was so relieved that Michael wouldn't have to be told about the incident. She wouldn't have been able to hide a ticket from him, but she certainly wasn't going to tattle on herself and confess to being pulled over!

  Molly hurried to get ready for the Christmas party, wanting to look perfect for Michael. She did her make-up to look special, and she put her hair up, allowing a few tendrils to hang free. Her Christmas green dress looked lovely with her hair and eyes, and Molly felt festive. Michael apologized for running a few minutes late and then explained that he'd been on a case. Molly forgave him for being late, and they went to the party, which was being held at one of the restaurants in town. They had a lovely dinner, and afterwards, Michael introduced Molly to his fellow officers. The evening was going well... until Molly realized that the young policeman talking to Michael was the same officer who'd pulled her over earlier. Her cheeks turned a guilty red when Michael looked in her direction. It didn't take any imagination at all to figure out what they were discussing. Molly's hopes for a romantic end to their evening evaporated into thin air. She already knew how Michael felt about her speeding, and he'd warned her several times what to expect. One of the wives asked her a question, and Molly had to turn her attention back to what was being said. Molly answered, and gave the woman her attention, and when Michael joined her once again she pretended as if all was well. She would simply die of mortification if anyone here knew she was in trouble with him.

  When Michael excused them for the evening, Molly wasn't a bit surprised when he drove toward his home instead of his parents' house. "Did you plan to tell me you were pulled over on your way home from work, Molly?" Michael stopped at a stoplight and turned to her to ask.

  "No," she told the truth. "I was ashamed and didn't want you to know, Michael. I've learned my lesson," she said, hoping he would believe her.

  "You may think you have learned your lesson, but I guarantee you are seriously going to remember the lesson I am going to give you."

  "No, not tonight, Michael!" The hurt in her voice was painful for him to hear. "I wanted tonight to be special," she pleaded.

  "I wanted it to be special, too. The people you met tonight are close to me. We're like a family of sorts. You should have told me that you were pulled over before I had to hear about it from Trevor. I felt like a fool because I didn't know."

  "I'm sorry, Michael. I didn't think you would find out, or I would have told you myself," she insisted. "I wasn't going that fast. Just forty-one... and there wasn't any traffic."

  "Trevor let you off with a warning because he's heard me talking about you and he didn't want to get off on a bad footing with you," he explained. "I warned him that if there is a next time he is to write the ticket."

  "There won't be a next time, Michael," she insisted as he pulled into his driveway. "Michael, please don't ruin this evening. I learned my lesson, and I promise you I already regret getting pulled over."

  "Don't start with that, young lady. It isn't me who ruined tonight. I wasn't the one who was caught speeding after several warnings. Now we'll see if we can't take measures to ensure that you truly do get the message, Molly." He got out of the car and walked around to open her car door. Molly folded her arms over her chest. "Molly, I remember another night you pulled this crap on me, and I am sure you recall how I dealt with it. Now, get out of the car, or I will lift you out and carry you inside and then I will give you a second spanking for acting like a brat."

  "You don't understand, M
ichael!" she said, looking up at him with tear-filled green eyes. "I had tonight all planned, and it didn't include your being angry with me and threatening to punish me! That is not what I want!"

  "Molly, love, I think I know where you are headed with this, and I want you with every fiber of my being, but until we are formally committed to each other, we will wait... no matter how much we want each other. I won't disrespect you."

  "I am the one asking you, Michael!" she exclaimed. Then her temper took over. "If you can't make love to me, then you can't spank me, either. I won't permit it!"

  "I'm not asking you to permit it, young lady." Michael scooped her out of the car and headed for the house, just like he'd done the other time, only he didn't toss her over his shoulder. He carried her in his arms.

  "Michael, you can't have it both ways!" Molly scolded him.

  Michael set her on her feet on the porch while he unlocked the door, then he gently urged her inside, pushing on the small of her back. Molly went inside; there was no other choice unless she made a scene, and she knew how that would end. He would simply pick her up and carry her in the house, and then spank her for putting him to the trouble.

  They went into the living room, and he helped her remove her pretty coat. He knew it was new, as was her dress and shoes. The fact that she'd wanted to look nice for his party pleased Michael, and he really hated to end the evening with a serious spanking, but Molly needed to learn he meant what he said. He'd promised her a spanking 'next' time, and she'd ignored that warning, even though he'd repeated it several times now. He couldn't and wouldn't let it pass. "You may as well step out of those shoes, Molly, so they don't go flying through the air and break something."

  "Michael, no!" she protested.

  "Telling me no isn't going to change this, little girl. You were warned what to expect if I learned you were speeding, and now you will learn I keep my promises." Michael wasn't going to waste time arguing with the pretty redhead. He took her by the wrist, sat on the sofa, and pulled her over his lap. "How fast were you driving, Molly?"

  His voice sounded so firm and uncompromising and Molly knew for a fact that she wasn't going to escape the punishment. She started crying because she was so disappointed that the evening was ruined! Why did that officer have to open his big mouth and tattle on her? It just wasn't fair! Especially when she planned to seduce Michael! "Michael, I'm sorry! Truly... It won't happen again!" She implored him to listen to her.

  He gave her bottom a sharp spank over the soft fabric of her Christmas green dress. "How fast were you driving, young lady?" he demanded.

  "Owww!" Molly squealed. "That hurt, Michael!" she complained.

  "It was supposed to hurt. Now answer my question or I'll do it again and again until you do!" He emphasized his words with another hard smack that made his hand sting.

  "Ouch! Michael!" Molly remonstrated, but quickly said, "I was driving forty-one! I was in a hurry to get home and get ready for the party," she explained.

  "And what was the speed limit, Molly?" He gave her another spank that made her yelp in pain.

  "Thirty-five," she answered, only to have him spank her hard again and yet again!

  "Try that again," he ordered sharply.

  "What? What? It was thirty-five!" she insisted.

  "Wrong. You were in a twenty-five zone, little girl; you were driving sixteen miles over the posted speed limit."

  "It wasn't a twenty-five!" She was shocked. "It wasn't, Michael! Trevor was mistaken!"

  "Where were you?" Michael asked. He listened as she told him, and then said, "Molly, it is twenty-five miles per hour there. You were driving sixteen miles over the speed limit."

  He was done talking. He raised his hand and started spanking in earnest.

  Molly felt each burning spank even though Michael didn't flip up her dress. His hand was hard, and he was determined to make her regret her behavior. Molly was kicking her legs, and her shoes flew off, just like Michael predicted they would. She cried, and begged him to stop, but he didn't, not until every last inch of her backside was burning like fire. There was no way she would feel like sitting down for a couple of days, and sleeping would be out of the question, she figured. How could she possibly go to sleep when she was in so much pain!

  "I'm going to give you sixteen more with the paddle, Molly, and you are going to count each one and promise me that you will pay more attention to the speed limit signs. You can get up, bend over, and put your hands on the coffee table, while I go and get the paddle."

  Molly wanted to protest, but arguing with Michael now would be a very bad idea. He made the paddle himself, and it was very thin. It was all sting, but he promised it wouldn't leave bruises like the belt did. He said it was important to have something for those times when the lesson needed to be serious, and apparently this was one of those times.

  Molly found it humbling to bend over and put her hands on the coffee table and wait for Michael to come back to the living room with the paddle he made. He didn't keep her waiting long, and she heard him smack the paddle against his palm as he walked over to where she stood with her hands on the table. Without ceremony he pulled up her dress and then whistled when he saw her very sexy thong. Her cheeks were completely bare, but Molly didn't want panty lines... Besides, the garment was meant to draw his attention in a good way... not for a spanking. Molly was so embarrassed and ashamed. This evening was to be special, and she'd done something guaranteed to upset Michael, something perfectly avoidable.

  "Do you remember what you are supposed to say after you count, Molly?" Michael asked, even though he was surprised that her bottom was so red already. Her skin was very sensitive, and the sixteen with the paddle would be very painful on top of the spanking she'd already had.

  Molly was too embarrassed to answer him out loud so she simply nodded. Michael swung the paddle and gave her the first smack on her right cheek. Molly cried out, and then said, "One," in a very small voice.

  "And...?" Michael prodded.

  "I will pay more attention to the speed limits." The paddle smacked again, in the very same spot! "Ow! Michael, not so hard, please!" she begged.

  "Count and say what you are supposed to say and no more complaining or begging, Molly. You are going to get the full sixteen, with more added on if you do not accept this punishment as you should. Is that understood?" Michael knew she was in pain, but the lesson was necessary, and he wasn't going to let her off the hook. Not this time. "Answer me. Do you understand?"

  "Yes, Michael. But it is so difficult. I am already in pain and it hurts... It hurts a lot!"

  "It is supposed to hurt, Molly. It is a punishment. A punishment you earned. Once we are done here I don't think you will be speeding again, will you?"

  "No, I promise I won't."

  "Then let's get this over with." Michael gave her the sixteen he promised her, and then held her close while she cried. He drove her home shortly afterwards, and she cried because he made her wear her seat belt and it effectively kept her sitting on her very sore butt the whole of the way to his parents' house. He walked her inside and Molly made a beeline for the staircase and ran upstairs to her room without another word to him.

  "Is something wrong, son?" Seamus asked in concern.

  "Molly was pulled over for speeding earlier tonight. I warned her that I would spank her if I caught her speeding again... She's mad at me. She had another end to the evening planned."

  "She'll feel better in the morning, Michael," Seamus said quietly. "Do you want a cup of tea?"

  "No, thanks. I'm going home and get some sleep. But Michael couldn't sleep and he wondered if he'd ruined things with Molly. He picked up his cell phone to call her just as it rang. He expected to be called in on a case, but instead it was Molly.

  "I'm sorry, Michael," she tearfully proclaimed. "I ruined our evening. I should have told you about the speeding myself. I did it all wrong... And, I feel stupid; I thought it was thirty-five through there. I promise I will do better. Please forgiv
e me?" she asked

  "I forgave you hours ago," he answered. "Do you forgive me for ruining your plans for tonight?" he asked.

  "I'm mad at myself, Michael; not you."

  "Will you spend tomorrow with me?" he asked.

  "I'll fix breakfast for you... Gram's waffles with raspberry sauce and whipped cream!"

  "I'll be there early."

  * * *

  Seamus did his best to give Michael some assistance, and while Michael realized what his Pop was up to, he knew that Molly was getting frustrated that they seldom had even five minutes alone. He wasn't happy either, but short of kidnapping Molly and eloping with her, there was no way to thwart his Pop.

  Christmas Eve finally arrived and Molly was thrilled to go to Midnight Mass with Michael and all of his family. It was always a magical service, and all the hymns before and during Mass made it special, especially since Molly loved to hear Michael sing. The family all said goodbye on the church steps and promised to meet at the O'Keefe house the next day.

  Molly felt the excitement and anticipation of Christmas when she woke up. The smell of cinnamon rolls baking woke her, and she dressed for the day in pretty red slacks and a sweater that was decorated for the occasion. She didn't know when Michael would be here, but she didn't want to miss a minute of the special day with him. To her surprise, he was in the kitchen, helping Mary take the rolls from the oven. Bridget was making hot chocolate and Seamus was smiling happily at everyone. They enjoyed their breakfast, and one by one all of the other family members arrived. "When can we open presents, Grandpa?" one of the little ones asked and Seamus picked him up and said, "Right now!"

  Molly laughed as the children tore at the paper and then ooohed and ahhhed over each gift. She felt loved as she opened so many gifts it was overwhelming. Michael gave her several gifts, all nice, and he loved the things she picked out for him. Finally, the last gift was given and Molly noticed the room was quiet and everyone was looking at her expectantly. Michael stood, and then got down on one knee beside her and took out a small blue box and opened it. Molly felt tears fill her eyes as she realized Michael was about to propose!