Chapter 13

Saturday morning, we woke up together. April and May were at our bedside when our eyes opened. I glanced over my shoulder. They were grinning "It's time to meet the 'rents!" May called out gleefully.

April grinned. "Should we tell them that we woke you two up in bed together?" Laura's eyes popped open in terror.

I said, "April Sanderson, do you see her eyes?"

I could see the tears in Laura's eyes. She began to whisper, "Oh, God! I can't do this! It won't work! I was a fool to think it could!" Even louder she cried out, "Paul, let me go! I must leave! No-o!" I held her tightly in my arms.

I said gently, "Laura, calm down. It was just a bad joke, a very bad joke."

Laura was sobbing hopelessly in my arms weakly struggling to get away and run. April fell on the bed sobbing. "Mommy," she wailed. "I didn't mean it! I don't want to do anything to hurt you! I need you! I love you! Please, please, please, forgive your daughter! Please, Mom!" She was lying over me with her arms around Laura. Both of them were sobbing. May came around behind Laura and helped hold her while we all cried.

After many endless minutes, things quieted down. I said in a stern voice. "All three of you will listen to me and say nothing.

"Laura, I love you and want you with me. Do you believe that? I believe that God has brought us together and will bless our union. Do you believe that?" She nodded though the tears continued to fall. "April, I haven't spanked you since you were about four and a half. I haven't decided about today yet. Don't you remember Thursday when you had to hold Laura to keep her from bolting? Think about that and the words you used this morning." She started to speak but I held up my hand. "And May, you started it. It may have been innocent and in good fun but you also knew visiting my parents would be traumatic for Laura."

I took a deep breath. "I'm going down to start coffee while the three of you talk. You need to try to fix things. I hope and will be praying that you can.

"April, I will tell you this, your sister, too. Making fun of someone's fears is never funny and apologies take a long time to sink in because there is a trust factor that has been cruelly violated. It may be years before Laura quits waiting for one of you to drop another bomb on her fears.

"If this situation can be repaired, then Laura and I will have to talk."

May looked at me through her tears. "Daddy, why don't you call her, Mommy?"

"Because you two don't seem to want her to be Mommy." I walked out of the room closing the door behind me. I could hear fresh sobbing. I made coffee and drank three cups before Laura came down to me.

"Paul, that was hard on our daughters. You also forced me to have to comfort them when I had fears of my own."

"Laura, that's what parents do for their children."

"Paul, we need a shower. You need to tell our daughters that you love them. I have told them but they need to hear it from you, too. I've never seen such a scared pair. They wouldn't let me go. They had lost one mother and couldn't stand to lose another. They are still afraid that you will send me away."

"Laura, my love, I was never angry or unhappy with you. I don't truly understand what pain you have had or how it affected you but I do know this. You came through it. You are a wonderful, talented, intelligent woman and I love you dearly." She jumped into my arms.

I held her and chuckled. 'You know that, sooner or later, we will break a chair when you jump me that way."

"Do you want me to stop?"

"No. I just want you to know that it will happen some day. You may have to pick me up when it happens"

"Paul, it will be my honor. Now, we need to go upstairs and talk to them." They were waiting in our bedroom. We entered holding hands and both of them brightened.

April said, "Dad, I'm sorry. It was a very, very bad joke. Do you still love me?"

"I will never stop loving you, Ape. It doesn't matter what you do. I am disappointed in how you expressed your humor. The fallout could have been terrible. It was bad enough." She hung her head.

May said, "Dad, I started it. I will do my best never to poke fun at people's fears ever again. We could have lost our Mommy all over again. We might have lost you this time, too."

She took a deep breath. "I want to be punished. I need it for me. I want to know that you love me enough to punish me and in doing that forgive me."

"I want you to punish me, too, Dad." They were both sitting on the bed looking down.

I looked at Laura. "You're their mother, what do you think?"

"I am tempted to let them stew in the hurt they have. However, they need absolution from you and, though painful, they should receive it."

"I will punish you but it will be only a token. The real absolution for the heartache you caused will only be from within as you live a learned lesson." I sat down on the bed and pulled April over my knee. I gave her one hard spank. I helped her up and said, "Go, shower, dress, and get some breakfast."

I said, "May." She lay over my lap and also received a hard spank. She stood up. She was rubbing her bottom and tears were in her eyes. "Same instructions for you. Go now." She left.

Laura closed the door behind them gently and walked to me. She said, "I need a swat, too. I didn't trust your love or God's love for me enough and let my fears take me. I would have done something stupid but you held me in your arms and heart until I could think." She lay over my knees and looked back at me. "Please, Paul. I need absolution, too."

I swatted her bottom and then leaned down and kissed the red spot. She said, "I know I asked for it but that hurt! Come on. We need to shower, my love."

We warmed the water and I gently soaped and rinsed her bottom particularly where I swatted her. I touched other places and she was purring by the time we rinsed and shut off the water. I dried her very carefully and lovingly and then scrubbed the towel over my body quickly. We walked into the bedroom area together and I took her in my arms. "Always know that I love you." I kissed her taking my time and receiving a full body rub in the process as Laura gave her body to me in love. We were both panting when we ended the kiss.

She said, "I think I had better get dressed. I don't want to be late when I meet your parents. I'm still a little uncomfortable but you comfort me.

"Paul, I love you so." She gave me another of those full body hugs. I know she could feel my response pushing against her flat tummy. She leaned back smiling. "Shave, I will shave tonight." She laughed sultrily realizing the effect her words and the mind picture that they invoked were having on my body.

I pulled on boxers and my pants. I went into the bathroom to shave as she dressed and applied the little makeup she used. I came out to dress and saw her standing. She was exquisite. She was wearing a silk blouse that was open low enough to let a person know there was cleavage there. Her slacks were tight enough around her bottom to clearly indicate that it was finely shaped. The legs of the slacks were tight enough to show great legs. She was wearing medium heels. I finished dressing as I looked her over cataloging every inch. She asked, "Will I do?"

"Oh, yes, I want to ravish you until you faint with ecstasy."

"Mom, I hope somebody will feel that way about me with clothes on."

Laura said, "That will happen soon enough, April."