Chapter 14. Second and Third Items

The second item was a framed piece of calligraphy. Amy recognized the writing as her mother's work. It was beautifully illuminated, but (for the sake of propriety) not illustrated. The flourishes used gold (was it actually gilded?) ink, and black India ink. The plain silver frame provided a rich, modern-looking effect. This was a work of art, and not at all gaudy. Like everything else to do with these mysterious wedding presents, much thought was put into the packaging--a subtle lesson Tom and Barbara hoped the young couple would learn.

The lines of text were lettered in alternate colors, blue and red.

The shades of ink precisely matched the scarf and night gown. This gift had taken a lot of preparation!

The text read:

Actions have consequences.

Tears clear the conscience.

Reconciliation and restitution are mandatory.

Problems are best corrected early, before the consequences become catastrophic.

May you never face a consequence more severe than a sound spanking.

"I can guess what the third item is," Amy said. "I suppose Mom and Dad think they're being very funny. I think you'd better untie me now before this gets out of hand."

"What's the matter? Things have been rather interesting so far." Jeff was puzzled. Something was up--Amy's reaction to the calligraphy showed there was more here than the obvious.

"The first note was right. I don't think this game is going to be fun any more. Could you please untie me before we lose the mood entirely?"

"It's beginning to look to me like you're tied up right now for very good reason. There's not much point to being tied up, is there, without a reason to struggle?"

Amy held her wrists out. "Jeff! *Please* untie me. My arms are starting to hurt."

Jeff took her hands, but made no motion to untie the scarf. "Your Dad is some kind of computer techie, isn't he? It looks to me like they planned this situation, whatever it is, and already solved it. Why spoil their design?"

Amy was one step ahead. "If Dad is such a great designer, he probably anticipated your argument too. Maybe what he *really* wanted to prove was whether or not you would listen to his daughter when it really counts. So do you pass the test, or fail?"

Oh, my. There was much more here than sporting with one's wife in a flimsy night gown, Jeff realized. "Perhaps there's no test here at all. We're just supposed to finish opening the package. Or perhaps the test is to know when to *not* listen to you? Let's just see what they have in mind--we don't have to follow the instructions if we don't want to."

Amy was getting mad. "Well, okay. Just untie me first. You can always retie me later."

"Maybe the second scarf was intended as a gag. Let's compromise: Let's just finish out the presents as we are, and I'll leave the second scarf out of your mouth." Jeff wrestled Amy down to where the scarf was about to be placed in her mouth. Wrestling could be fun, too, but *that* was no great revelation. "You decide. Deal?"

Amy was barely keeping her temper in check. "Okay. Let's get it over with."

The third item was a small maple paddle, packaged with a ribbon and bow. Amy noticed the ribbon was tied so the paddle could be hung on a wall, rather than just left on a shelf as it had been for many years.

"See what I mean? Don't you be getting any ideas. Dad used that on us when we were little. I think I remember Mom using it on us once, when Dad was away for more than a week. That was *not* what I would call fun and games."

"Okay, so this is their reminder to act like adults. It seems a pretty strange way to make the point, but I guess it fits. Sort of a white elephant gift. We can't exactly exchange it like the three toasters, so I guess we'd better keep it. What were you so worried about?"

"I was afraid you were supposed to *use* it on me for some reason.

But I guess we can just put it in the closet like the instructions say. If we hang the plaque on the closet door, we'll see it often enough."

Jeff was relieved. "Come over here. We can read through the last note together and then we get you out of all this clothing and *really* have some fun."

Chapter 15. Caught!

Well, at least *Jeff's* intent was clear enough. Amy snuggled up beside her husband. Jeff could wrap an arm around her and still open the note. Jeff could tell that Amy's heart was still beating rapidly.

The final note read:

Now, Jeff, we come to a decision point. We are presenting you the situation, and leave it to you two to deal with as you deem appropriate. Amy promised to accomplish a certain task the week before her wedding. The task was so important that, if she did not keep that promise, she was to receive a spanking. Of course, we expected her to keep the promise--we assumed she would be highly motivated!

Unfortunately the task, important as it was, was not accomplished. (At least, as of the day before your scheduled wedding it was not. Since you're reading this note, you can be sure it was not--otherwise we would have told you to disregard this note.) It's not important that Amy disclose the nature of the task. If she wants to, fine. If not, let her keep the matter confidential. We leave the situation up to you two. Amy will need some free time to finish that task, over the next week or so. We recommend and request that Amy be kept to her bargain. That is, she may come to our house for a spanking at her earliest convenience; or you two may resolve the situation right now. Amy has only had one spanking in the last ten years or more, but you may be assured Amy has earned a very thorough spanking now.

Chapter 16. Duplicity

It was the inevitable coincidence that Barbara had disclosed her duplicity the morning of the same day that Jeff and Amy chose to open their mystery wedding presents. After three weeks, Barbara couldn't take the guilt any longer. She chose the morning for her disclosure, after Lisa was out of the house and just before Tom left for work.

Tom and Barbara were still in the kitchen. Barbara had, as a special deal, cooked Tom his favorite breakfast. She was now disclosing her reason for the special treatment.

Barbara explained to Tom the part she and Lisa had had in getting Amy caught, along with Kim and Dianne. Amy had already divulged the Nordstrom's incident to her younger sister. Lisa, ever on the alert to keep her sister on the right track, went straight to their mother and explained what her sister had done at Nordstrom's. Barbara decided to wait and see how Amy would resolve the situation.

Lisa took a more active interest. The day the girls got caught, Lisa had gone spying on them. She tipped off the shopkeeper that the three had looked suspiciously to her like shoplifters, but she wasn't quite sure.

The shopkeeper took the hint and Lisa disappeared. The girls were caught, and Lisa gave her mother an eyewitness account of the entire adventure.

When Barbara called Tom to inform him of the charge account problem, she now divulged, she was already aware that Amy was at the police station.

She, Barbara, had wanted him to have the complete picture before Amy contacted him. She had arranged to not answer the phone at home--the answering machine was turned off--to force Amy to call him, Tom, at work.

Before Tom could get too upset at this revelation, Barbara went on to explain that her conscience was bothering her ever since she had lettered that plaque for Jeff and Amy. So that was why she was explaining things.

They were now both standing, Tom with his arms around her. Tom stepped back a bit, so that the were facing each other, holding hands. Tom asked his wife, "Now that you've said all that, do you still feel guilty?"

Barbara nervously searched the floor with her eyes. "Yes, I guess I still do. I guess we know what *that* means, don't we?"

Tom needed to rush off to work, but assured her they would continue to discuss the matter during his lunch break. In any event, they would need to talk with Lisa when she got home that evening. With an appreciative kiss, Tom was out the door. It was now early March, and still raining.

Chapter 17. Fulfilling the Bargain

Jeff's arm was already around Amy's waist as they read the final note together. There was no hope of escape, and nowhere far to run anyway. Jeff exclaimed, "So that was what had you so upset! You *did* know what was coming, didn't you?"

"As soon as I saw that plaque, I knew I was being framed. Those were all my Dad's favorite sayings when we were in trouble. Except the last line. That's new."

"Did you actually agree to a spanking? What in the world was going on," Jeff asked.

"Well, sort of. It's kind of a long story that I'd rather not go into right now."

Jeff came to a snap decision. He decided to take action before Amy could deter him or get him to change his mind. A commitment was a commitment, after all, and her parents' intent was abundantly clear. With marriage vows heavy on his mind, Jeff was very much in favor of keeping and honoring commitments, no matter how difficult or painful they were to keep. Some day, he was sure, Amy would appreciate such a sentiment.

Jeff quickly lifted Amy up by the waist and set her on her feet, standing up with her. Holding her firmly by one bound wrist, he led her over to the guests' chair. No, that chair had arms. It wouldn't do. The kitchen chairs had arms too (quite unusual). He thought of bending her across the kitchen table. No, it looked like it might not be sturdy enough. Amy had plenty of spirit, and she was getting mad. It would have to be the sofa.

Jeff sat down quickly in the center of the sofa, yanking Amy down across his knees as he sat. The sofa was upholstered in brown cloth, and rather small--the size comfortable for two people, or three children. Jeff scooted forward so that he was just barely still on the sofa. With Jeff sitting on the very edge of the seat, Amy was upside-down over the carpet. So far, she was too surprised to squirm or fight, and was just beginning to protest. Amy was facing down to Jeff's left--Jeff was right-handed.

With a hand on each side of her hips, Jeff lifted his wife slightly off his lap for a moment, to place her bottom exactly in position. He had put his hands underneath her night gown, and her struggling immediately made the short, loose garment slide to her armpits. Delicious!

Jeff had never spanked anyone before. He hesitated, but just for a fraction of a second. Then he lifted his hand up and brought it down sharply, on the center of Amy's bottom.

"Hey!" Amy changed the tone of her protest.

Jeff spanked her hard and fast. He was slightly bent over to more strongly wrap one arm around her waist, pulling her solidly against his stomach.

Amy's hips were locked in place. Jeff delivered eight hard swats. Jeff was young and strong, and they *were* hard. But the blue silk was opaque, so Jeff could not tell what effect he was having on Amy's bottom.

But Amy was obviously feeling the spanking. She yelled with each swat, and tried to cover her bottom with her feet. Her hands were tied out of the

way, but Jeff found it hard to get past her feet.

Time to try another tactic. Jeff lifted Amy up again--much to her relief--and sat her on his lap. But he immediately shifted her the other direction and wrestled her back down across his lap. Amy was soon face down again, and bottom up, but this time facing to Jeff's right. This time Jeff pushed her farther over to the right, so it was mostly the tops of her thighs that covered his lap. That put her bottom back under his right hand. Jeff could now grip her legs with his left hand, and use his left arm and shoulder to keep her legs and feet out of the way. Amy could twist and turn her upper body quite a bit more in this position--and proceeded to do so--but her tied wrists kept her hands out of the way.

Jeff resumed spanking his bride. It was a bit more awkward to proceed this way, what with having to swing his hand slightly from the left, and Amy's contortions, but Jeff took his time. He slowed down and was careful to aim each spank squarely. Six solid, well-spaced swats proved devastating.

Jeff now calmly informed Amy that he would not stop spanking her until some time after she had settled down and stopped struggling. Amy immediately stopped her shouting, and lay still across his lap. Jeff asked her to get up and lay across his lap the other way. Jeff was a little surprised, but she did. Now Amy was back as originally positioned, hands and feet on the floor, head to the left. Because the couch was so low, her knees were almost touching the carpet, as were her face and shoulders.

Jeff resumed spanking her. Ten hard swats made an even two dozen spanks, and left Amy quietly crying. Jeff thought it was time he inspected the damage. Asking her to stay across his lap, Jeff used both hands to carefully pull down and then remove Amy's panties.

Yes indeed, Jeff was faced with a burning red bottom. Jeff realized, to his complete surprise, that he had rather enjoyed the spanking. Jeff let his hands roam here and there, and found that Amy was still hot in more than just her bottom. In fact, she almost immediately shuddered in orgasm. Now *that* presented some interesting possibilities!

"Amy, your parents obviously intended that I use the paddle on you. Are you ready?"

Amy jerked her head around to stare wildly up at her husband. "No, please no! You're a lot stronger than my Dad. You'd kill me with that thing!"

Jeff spoke with a smile. "Aha! I see that paddle has had quite an impact on your life. I bet even a medium-hard paddling would settle the question. It sometimes takes tears to clear the conscience, you know. I *know* you have a lot more tears than I've seen so far today."

"Jeff, I'm begging you. Please don't hit me with that paddle."

"Very well. I'll just give you a bare-bottom spanking with my hand. I won't use the paddle unless you struggle too much, or keep me from spanking you. How does that sound?"

"But you just finished spanking me!"

"I changed my mind. I did not just *finish* spanking you, I have just *started* spanking you! Lay still, now."

And so he had. Amy lay still, and Jeff spanked her. Jeff experimented a little bit, and discovered that a little bit of wrist play seemed to make the slaps more effective. Brute force was unnecessary. Amy was laying still, all right, and Jeff became unsure on his tenth swat if he was getting through or not. He broke up the rhythm with one sharp swat to the back of each thigh, right at the top.

That provoked a reaction! Amy squealed, kicked both of her legs, and twisted around to shout in a high-pitched voice, "That wasn't fair!" Jeff spanked the same place twice again, and resumed spanking her bottom. He began to try for an all-over glow, and slapped farther to the outside of each hip, up higher, down lower, and so on. After a warning to be still--added to an extra-hard swat on the middle of the back of one thigh--Amy lay quiescent throughout the ordeal. Jeff was greatly enjoying himself, even if Amy was not. Well, Amy had made the bargain, and Jeff was just keeping her to it.

The tears finally broke through. Amy was crying for real now, and politely asked Jeff to please stop. No shouts, no threats, just tears and the request to stop. Jeff did stop for a moment, and let his hands wander while his bride calmed down. Amy was too busy snuffling to protest. Jeff, as he suspected, found she remained tremendously aroused.

Jeff gave her four more of the best spanks he had available. Amy cried louder, but otherwise made no protest. "You can stand up now, so I can untie that scarf. Let's get out of the rest of this clothing."

Chapter 18. Mother and Daughter

Tom and Barbara were interviewing their youngest daughter. Was Lisa aware of how much trouble she had gotten her sister into? Yes, she had heard Kim and Dianne getting it, and assumed Amy had also gotten a spanking. She had been feeling guilty ever since.

Lisa had turned twenty-one two months previously. She was nearly as beautiful as her sister, and had the same well-curved figure. Until their teen years, she and Amy were often mistaken as twins.

Lisa, however, was more often the rebellious one. She'd always been spanked far more often than her older sister. She just kept pushing her limits until her parents were exasperated, declared her far overdue for a spanking, and spanked her. During the following week, they wondered why they had waited so long. Lisa was suddenly a nice person again!

But Lisa had not been spanked since she was fifteen, and not on the bare bottom since she was twelve. And she had *no* interest in resuming the custom now. (The handful of spankings as a teenager hadn't been much to worry about, anyway. One parent or the other had given her a good swat on the back side, standing up, just to remind her of what *could* happen if she didn't shape up. She had always taken the hint.)

Tom and Barbara explained, firmly, that Lisa would be receiving a bare- bottom spanking for her part in the episode. After what had happened to Amy and Kim and Dianne, there could be no question about it.

Lisa got mad. What about her mother's part? Hadn't she been a little sneaky herself?

Barbara replied. "Tom's going to spank me too. He's never spanked *me* before, and he's spanked you *lots* of times. That's the other reason there's no question about your getting a spanking."

Tom spoke. "Amy just got back into town with Jeff, so you don't need to bother her tonight. I'd like you to go over to Kim and Dianne's house and apologize to them. You are then to invite them over to observe your punishment. We have arranged for them to be home this evening, but have not explained why."

This matter must have been eating on her conscience for a while, for Lisa now bowed to the inevitable. She took the car, and headed for Kim's house.

Tom turned to Barbara with a grin. "Let's go upstairs. You can take your dress off while we're waiting." Tom went to fetch a chair from the kitchen, and followed his wife up the stairs.

Chapter 19. Barbara

When Tom entered their bedroom carrying a chair, Barbara was standing at the far side of the room, near the closet, having just hung up her dress. She was wearing a white camisole and white lace panties. Anticipating the evening's events, she had left her brassiere off for the occasion.

Their room was large, with a canopied four-poster bed. The walls were a light blue, a shade lighter than their house's exterior. The drapes were dark blue, as was the bed canopy and bed spread. (Tom and Barbara both liked blue.) The carpet was thick pile, in an almost-glowing royal blue. Barbara did not like the carpet quite as well as she had expected. It was soft, but there were several times it had left her with rug burns. And in the most sensitive of places, too!

Tom placed the chair near a wall, with plenty of space in front and to the sides of the chair. Tom walked over to his wife, and with an appreciative smile, removed the rest of Barbara's clothing. As he was about to lay things out on the bed, he checked himself and laid things out on the dresser instead. With the grin still in place, he commented, "I bet you're glad that paddle is out of the house, aren't you?"

"Just why do you think I waited until now to tell you?"

"Aha! So it was *not* just guilt that caused you to confess today! You waited on purpose until the paddle was unavailable! I won't be shy about using my hand, then."

Both parents, of course, knew the spanking procedure. Tom walked back over to the chair. Barbara followed. Tom sat down on the chair, and Barbara lay across his lap. This was the first time Tom had ever had a naked woman across his lap for a spanking. Tom had had seen Barbara naked in every

position they could imagine, but Tom nevertheless found this situation very provocative. "Best not to get side-tracked," Tom thought out loud, "or Lisa will be back home before you ever get your back side warmed." Barbara assured her husband that it was okay to be side-tracked. If she didn't get spanked until tomorrow, she would be willing to wait.

Tom didn't bother to reply to her offer, nor did he bother with a lecture. Tom immediately commenced with the punishment.

Smack! "Oh!" Tom set a slow and steady pace, not too hard at first. He alternated sides, and Barbara just lay there, surprisingly relaxed. Tom appreciatively watched his wife's breasts sway and shake with each swat. After that first startled exclamation, Barbara made no sound. After six fairly solid swats, Tom decided to spank *hard*. The next swat was probably twice as hard, and got an exclamation.

"Yeow!" But nothing beyond the single exclamation. Barbara was taking this surprisingly well. She was certainly determined to take her punishment. Tom *knew* she had a very sensitive bottom, and it was certainly turning bright red. She *had* to be feeling it. Aha. Tom knew his wife well, and with two more swats the musky aroma in the air told of her arousal. That realization immediately had Tom strung to a higher pitch.

But when is a spanking not a spanking, and does it count if the victim doesn't take it as punishment? Well, he would spank her until she cried, and leave it at that.

Tom's arm got tired and his hand very sore. He spanked Barbara with at least three dozen swats before she began to seriously protest. Barbara's protests achieved an effect the opposite of what she, now rather desperately, intended. His naked wife, with flailing arms, legs, and every other delicacy, merely incited Tom to greater passion. This passion translated into a determination to continue the spanking. Tom asked her to keep her hands and feet out of the way, and, to his surprise, she was able to. Three more hard, well-spaced swats, and Barbara broke into tears. She said she was sorry and would never be sneaky like that again.

Now we were getting somewhere! Whap! Whap! Tom continued spanking, hard, without comment. Barbara knew exactly what he was doing--trying to make her think it would go on forever--and she cried the louder. Tom switched to the back of her thighs, and Barbara shrieked her way through two swats to each side. Now she was begging him to stop.

Tom paused. Barbara lay across his lap, shuddering. She was extremely aroused. Whether she realized it or not (and, of course, she did) she was extremely provocative to her husband, just laying there, squirming slightly. "Are you sure you've been spanked hard enough?" She was very sure. "Did I spank you way too hard? Aren't you glad we gave away the paddle?" Well, not *way* too hard, but certainly hard enough. Yes, it was okay to not use the paddle on her poor bottom.

"Okay, you know a girl being spanked always feels she's had enough when she's only halfway through the spanking. And, you know we have recently discovered that a grown woman being spanked feels the same way. So we're not really done yet, are we?"

Barbara knew Tom as well as he knew her. There was nothing to do but wail the louder, and prepare for the remainder of the spanking.

Tom sat still for another full minute, admiring his wife and watching her squirm in anticipation. Besides, he was resting his arm. And his hand hurt. One minute was enough. No need to let her cool off completely.

Tom began spanking his wife in his most serious manner, punishing her bottom with smacks ten or fifteen seconds apart. She could tell this was going to hurt. She tried to lay still, but she bucked and cried at each swat. She also became more and more excited with each swat. With the resounding slap, she ground frantically forward into his lap. As the pain eased, she lifted her bottom--only to meet the next punishing smack. Tom matched her rhythm. In effect, Barbara was lifting her bottom to each spank, then grinding the pain out against his lap. To Tom's amazed delight, she had an orgasm laying right across his lap, after *fifteen* of his most serious swats, while bawling her eyes out!

Tom said nothing, and delivered a sixteenth right on schedule. Barbara moved not an inch; she was spent. Enough was enough. Tom let her lay there, until she stopped crying, and asked, "Can I get up now?"

Tom helped Barbara up and was going to sit her on his lap, but she leaped to her feet. (Leaping up like that, without a shred of clothing, gained her husband's undivided attention. Not that his mind was wandering to start with...) Tom asked if the spanking was adequate; Barbara, rubbing her bottom and swaying for his benefit, assured him it was.

Tom and Barbara, thankfully, had another half-hour to themselves before their daughter returned home. This aftermath was as intense as the spanking itself had been. Barbara's burning bottom gave her a dimension of sensation she had never experienced in over twenty-five years of marriage. For the moment, it seemed worth the tears. But she knew she would be mighty sorry (due to the anticipated soreness) by morning.