While Dad Was Gone

Dad had been gone for almost six weeks. He was a cop and was working on a murder case out of town. The case involved a few other jurisdictions, so he was working with several different outfits on this one. When he left, he was only supposed to be "in the truck" doing surveillance and providing intelligence. After about a month, Dad called to say that the case was heating up and that he probably won't be able to call home for a while. Even though my mother, brothers or I didn't say this out loud, we all felt that meant he was no longer "in the truck". Dad had been on a few undercover cases before out of town, but this was the longest he had been out of touch with us. At the time, though none of us realized it, the stress of not knowing what was happening was taking its toll.

The week following my fathers last phone call, my brothers and I had been acting like real assholes to each other and to our mother. Mom, while out of character for her, actually let us get away with stuff we normally wouldn't have. This just had a snowball affect and we became intolerable.

Mom and her brother, Uncle Doug, are very close. My grandparents died when Mom was ten and Uncle Doug was nineteen. Uncle Doug became Mom's legal guardian. Even though he had a parental role when they were younger, they act like any normal brother and sister now. Uncle Doug actually introduced my parents to each other. Uncle Doug lives a few states away, but they talk on the telephone once a week. However, since Dad has been gone, I've heard her on the telephone with him more; almost every day since Dad last called, which was last Sunday.

The following Thursday evening, I was in my bedroom working on a term paper for English when I heard yelling from downstairs. I got up (didn't want to work on the paper anyway) and walked to my doorway. Nick, one of my two younger brothers, was coming upstairs.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Nothin'" he replied and walked past me into the bedroom Sam and he shared.

Just then, Mom came upstairs. She grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into my brother's bedroom. "Ok. I've had it with you three. This shit stops right here, right now."

"What stops?" Sam asked.

"Samuel, don't you `what' me. You know exactly what I am talking about. It ends right here and right now. Got it?"

The three of us just looked at her.

"GOT IT?"

"Yeah," I answered arrogantly.

Mom hated us to answer with "yeah". Mom glared at me. "Got it?" she asked very slowly and quietly.

I looked at her, deliberately waited a few seconds before I answered "Yes. Got it."

"Good," she said and then walked out of the room.

I looked at my younger brothers, shrugged and walked out of the room.

The next few days we did behave a little better. Mom managed to reclaim some amount of control and didn't let us get away with the same crap we had been pulling for the past few weeks. However, after just a few days, we became little assholes again and she seemed to tire of correcting us and just gave in.

When I got home from school on Monday, Mom wasn't home. The phone rang and I picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hey Chris, is your mom home?"

"Hi, Uncle Doug. No, Mom's not here," I answered.

"Your mom called me last night and left a message on the machine. You boys giving her a hard time again?" he asked.

"No," I lied.

"Really? She sounded upset. Mentioned something about you boys refusing to eat dinner together? You know she has a thing about that. She wants all of you to eat dinner together as a family."

I was beginning to get annoyed with this conversation. I didn't say anything.

"Chris?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't `yeah' me. Did you hear what I said?"

"Yeah. I heard," I answered.

"I said `don't yeah me'."

"Yes," I responded, rolling my eyes. Wondering if this is where Mom got her "don't yeah me" fetish from. Nicky looked over at me. "Who's on the phone?" he mouthed at me. "Uncle Doug" I mouthed back. He shook his head and I heard him mutter "fucking Mom... "

"Yes what?" he asked sternly.

"Yes. I heard what you said." I replied.

"And?"

"And I obviously don't have anything to say about it," I said sarcastically.

"Boy, you better watch your attitude with me," he warned.

"Yeah, or what? You'll drive here in eight hours and give me a whippin? I don't think so," I challenged.

"Christopher, I'm warning you!"

"Yeah? Oohhhhh... I'm so scared. Fuck you, Uncle Doug!" and I hung up the phone. Nicky started laughing when I did that.

"He ain't gonna like that much," Nicky laughed.

"Like I give a shit what he likes," I answered. Just then, the phone rang. "Wonder who that could be?" I picked up the phone and immediately hung it back up again. The phone rang again, and I did the same thing.

A few minutes later, it was ringing again. Nicky answered. "Hello?... Hey Uncle Doug. Chris said to tell you" and he hung up the phone.

For the next hour or so, Uncle Doug called and we hung up on him. After the phone was silent for 15 minutes straight, a little voice in my head told me that we pushed it too far. I looked at Nicky and I think he was thinking the same thing. Uncle Doug has been around our entire lives and is really cool. He lets us do things we shouldn't and then smooths them out with Mom. Mom swears he is not the same man that raised her. I genuinely respected my uncle and am not sure why I was such an ass to him.

When Mom came home around an hour later, she informed us we were eating at the table like a family. Sam started to protest, but Nicky and I obeyed her. The initial guilt hit both of us. This curbed Sam's protests and we ate dinner, in the dining room, in silence. During dinner, the phone rang again. Nicky and I exchanged glances, and then I ran for the phone.

"Hello?"

"Christopher! Put your mother on the phone NOW!"

It was Uncle Doug, and he was pissed. "Sorry, you have the wrong number," I said and hung the phone up. I heard him cussing at me as I was hanging up the phone. After I disconnected the call, I left the phone off the hook a little bit, so he couldn't call back.

After dinner, I went into Nicky and Sam's bedroom. I told Nicky about the call at dinner. While I was talking to him, Sam came in the room. He informed us that Uncle Doug had called before dinner and he answered the phone. Uncle Doug ordered him to put Mom on the phone, but when Sam told him she wasn't here, he didn't believe it. Uncle Doug lit into Sam. At that time, Sam didn't know what Nick and I had done, so when Uncle Doug accused him of lying, he got defensive. In the end, he hung up on Uncle Doug too.

Basically all three of us were in hot water with Uncle Doug. We knew he would continue to call Mom until he got in touch with her. Then we were going to be in big trouble. Mom had never whipped us before now; she could swing a mean brush, but she had never actually whipped us. Considering what we did, I figured once she found out, we would be getting our first from her.

For the next week, we continued to block Uncle Doug's calls and managed to "need" Mom every time she started to pick up the telephone, for fear that she was calling Uncle Doug. Luckily Mom was teaching a lot (Mom was an aerobics instructor) so we got home from school before she was done teaching. This enabled us to clear his messages on the answering machine before she could hear them.

Even though we knew we couldn't continue to keep Uncle Doug away from Mom forever, and that eventually we were going to busted (literally) we sure tried our best to block all contact. I'm surprised we managed to block the calls for a week. Except for when we saw Mom going for the telephone and miraculously needed her, we also continued to cop an attitude with Mom. We did eat dinner in the dining room each night, but instead of the usual conversations and jokes, the four of us ate in silence every evening. Mom became increasingly quiet and barely spoke to us. Of course, when she did, one of us would smart mouth her, so I don't blame her for not talking to us.

Friday morning, Mom told us she wasn't teaching this afternoon and to come straight home from school. She said she was tired of our attitude and we were going to have a discussion about it. Meaning, she was going to lecture and we were going to listen. We could tell she was angry, but we didn't think that she had spoken to Uncle Doug yet. If she had, she would have kicked our butts before school. I told her I couldn't come straight home from school because we had football practice. Normally we don't have practice on Fridays because our games are on Friday nights, but this week was our one "off" week of the season. She told me to go to practice, but come home after that.

Throughout the day, I kept thinking about this afternoon. I was feeling guilty and was finding it difficult to concentrate. I'm sure my American Studies test score was pretty dismal because of my lack of concentration. At lunch, I decided to call Uncle Doug and apologize. I knew Aunt Claire and he would be at work, but I figured I would leave him a message on their answering machine. I knew my parents calling card number, so before practice I used the school pay phone to make the call.

"... leave a message after the beep."  BEEP

"Um... Hi Aunt Claire, Uncle Doug. This is Chris... Ummm... Uncle Doug, I just wanted to call to apologize for the way my brothers and I have been treating you. I... um... shouldn't have said what I said and... I shouldn't have hung up on you... Ummm... I'm sorry. I'll call you again tonight when you are home."

While I felt like I sounded like an idiot on the message, I did feel a bit better. I know that if Uncle Doug was local, I would have had a sore butt by now. I wasn't sure what punishment he would give me, but I knew I would be in for one hell of a lecture tonight from him. Oh well, I'm going to get one from Mom this afternoon, what is one more?

Football practice was hell. Nothing I did was right. My attention was on what was going to happen after practice, so I was making a lot of little mistakes I don't normally make. Coach Delaney caught every one and was on my ass. It felt like he made me run about a million laps. It was hot that afternoon and he had me running in full gear. I was miserable and pissed by the time I got back into the locker room.

"Douglas!"

"Yes, Coach?" I walked up to him and answered, trying to keep my temper in check.

"I found a note from the office on my desk. Your mother called. She said to tell you she'll pick you up from practice at the side door at 5:00pm sharp."

"Ok," I nodded. "Thank you." Terrific. This meant she was still angry. I wondered what our punishment was going to be after the lecture. Knowing Mom, we'll probably get a bunch of pushups and then get grounded. The thought of Mom spanking us didn't enter my mind. The only chance at that happening was when Uncle Doug talked to her. If that had happened throughout today, I'm almost positive Mom would have pulled all three of us out of school to deal with us immediately.

It was 4:55pm now, so I went back to my locker and changed. As I was walking out, Coach Delaney stopped me. He started lecturing me about all my mistakes today. Again. "I know, Coach. I'm sorry, I'll work on it, but my mom is picking me up and I have to be outside. I have to go." I said as calmly as I possibly could. I was fuming inside, but I didn't want to be kicked off the team, so I had to endure his lecture.

"I'll walk outside with you... " Coach Delaney said and walked out with me, lecturing the entire time. Thank God it was 5:00 and I'll be getting away from him as soon as we were outside. Of course, I had another lecture to endure from my mother (I had forgotten all about Uncle Doug as this point). I wasn't sure which would be worse. At least I know Coach Delaney wasn't going to slap me, Mom might during her lecture if I didn't watch my mouth. We get outside and Mom isn't there yet. Where is she? She is never late. What a day for her to pick to be late.

For the next seventeen minutes, Coach Delaney rips into me. My attitude, my sloppy footwork, my sloppy drills. By this time, I'm beyond fuming, I'm really starting to feel rage. And, on top of that, I'm getting worried about Mom. She is never late. Never.

Finally, I see her drive up. I practically sprint for the jeep. I get in and unload on her. "Where have you been? You were supposed to be here at 5:00pm. Coach Delaney came out with me and chewed me out while I was waiting."

Mom smiled and said "Oh sorry", very nonchalantly.

I can't believe it. "Oh sorry" is all she has to say? For the next five minutes I rant and rave at her about how I was worried and how it was her fault Coach Delaney lit into me. The entire time, it appears as though she isn't even listening to me. She is just driving and finally she starts humming to herself.

"Mom? Are you even listening to me?" I demand to know.

"Huh? Yeah, Roo, I'm listening" she replies, and then continues to hum again. (Roo is a pet name she call my brothers and me. ONLY my mother calls me that, and that is because I can't make her stop.)

"Mom! I'm serious here. I was worried. You said you would be here at 5:00 and you were almost twenty minutes late. Anything could have happened---"

"Oh, come on, chill out. See? I'm fine. Besides, I was only a little late", she interrupted flippantly.

"A little late?? You call that a little late ---" I stop short. I see what she is doing. She was late on purpose to teach me a lesson. I can't tell you how many times I've said those words to her. "Mom, I can't believe you just did that to me."

She pulls the jeep over to the shoulder and turns in the seat to look at me. She reaches out, touches my chin. "It ends now. Understood?"

I nod my head slightly, her hand still on my chin. I looked at her eyes. She meant business. "Yes, ma'am," I answer quietly. "Understood."

She let go of my chin and pulls back out on the road. We rode home in silence. My anger turned into a knot of guilt in my stomach. I started thinking of how I have been acting the past few weeks. About all the times she asked me to help her get the bags out of the car (or whatever) and I blew her off. The knot tightens in my stomach. Then I remembered the last thing my father said to me "You're the man of the house when I'm gone, take care of your mother and brothers. You know I'm proud of you." The knot tightened again. Dad wouldn't be proud of me right now... I also knew Mom was really worried about Dad, and I had been acting like an asshole to her. I felt pretty low.

We walked in the front door and mom put her hand on the back of my neck. "Go look in the family room." Puzzled, I walk into the family room. Sitting on the chair was Uncle Doug.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head back "Oh shit" I thought.

"Hello, Christopher," Uncle Doug said calmly.

Christopher. Yeah, he's still mad. My ass is toast. "Uh... Hi... Uncle Doug," I answered quietly.

"Is that a proper greeting for your uncle? Didn't I teach you better manners then that?" Mom asked as she pushed me toward him.

"Sorry" I muttered quietly, and walked up to my uncle and gave him an awkward hug as he stood up to greet me. I half-expected him to grab me and start whailing on me right then and there.

"I don't feel like cooking tonight," Mom announced. "We are going to Georgios for dinner. Take a shower and be back downstairs in ten minutes. Bring your brothers down with you."

"Yes, Mom," I answered and rushed upstairs into my brother's room.

When I went in there, Nicky was laying on his bed. He looked up and asked "Holy shit, did you see Uncle Doug is downstairs?"

"Yeah... Shit! How long has he been here?" I asked.

"He was here when we got home from school," Sam answered.

"Did he say anything to you? Does Mom know?"

"I think she knows. All he said was that he'd take care of us after dinner. Hey, how was practice?" Nick asked.

"What?? Practice? It sucked." Why would he ask me that now? Uncle Doug was going to kick our butts royally and he is asking me about football practice?

"I heard Mom tell Uncle Doug she talked to your coach this afternoon before Uncle Doug got here. She said she told him she was fed up with your attitude. He told her you had been lippy to him too. Then she told him to jump down your throat all afternoon. She wanted you good and mad when she picked you up late."

"We're toast," I said, looking at the time. "I gotta take a shower. Be ready to go in a few minutes."

At dinner, Mom and Uncle Doug chatted like nothing was going on. My brothers and I were uncharacteristically quiet during dinner. Normally after practice I was starving, but today, the knot in my stomach had suppressed my entire appetite. I picked at my sub. Dinner was agonizingly slow.

We were sitting at a booth with Uncle Doug and Mom on one side, and Nick, Sam and me sitting on the other. I was sitting on the end. I was only half listening to Mom and Uncle Doug talking. In my daze, I heard Uncle Doug say my name.

"Sir?" I answered, looking up at him.

"The lady just asked you if you would like a refill," he prompted.

"Oh... No ma'am, thank you," I said. Looking up, I saw our waitress for the first time. It Kim Granger, one of the hottest girls in school. And I just called her "ma'am". Was this day ever going to end? Kim kinda smiled and giggled as she looked at me before finally walking away. Kill me now. Just kill me now.

A few minutes later, Mom touched my hand. I looked up at her. "Roo, eat something, please. I'm sure you know you are in deep trouble, but not right you aren't. Eat your dinner. Sammy, you too." I looked at Sam's plate. He ate about as much has I had - a few bites. While, Nick, on the other hand was almost done. Nothing ever gets to him.

Mom and Uncle Doug continued to talk. He proceeded to tell Mom about my cousin's dance recital, and about everything else under the sun. It was torture just sitting here, trying to calmly eat dinner knowing full well as soon as we get home, my ass is going to be the color the tomato sauce on my Meatball Parmesan sub.

"I need to wash my hands," Nicky suddenly said. "May I please be excused?"

Mom looked at Uncle Doug and raised her eyebrows at him. He gave her a look back. Sometimes they have their own language. Uncle Doug nodded and said "yes".

He looked at Sam and me. We had to let him out to leave the table. As I got up, I also asked to be excused, as did Sam. We were also granted permission. As Nicky slid out from the table, he quietly said to Uncle Doug, "Thank you, sir."

Sir? While his appetite didn't show it, Mr. Iceman was nervous. The only two men I had ever heard Nicky call "sir" was Dad and Uncle Doug, and that was only when his ass was endanger of getting busted. I never understood why he hated calling anyone "sir". Even though Dad was a cop, militarism manners were never pushed on us, unlike a lot of the other cop's kids we know. Dad and Mom corrected us on poor basic manners, but not the formal sir/ma'am thing. Uncle Doug, however, did correct us. Normally he was really cool about stuff, but if he gave you a direct order, he expected you to answer him with "yes, sir". He pushes Nick harder about it then he does Sam or me, but he also resists more then we do. Uncle Doug's correction is probably why Nick sometimes calls Dad sir. Even though Nick knows what Uncle Doug expects, he still remains quite indignant about the word "sir" and typically didn't use it on purpose.

After we got out of earshot of the table, I said to Nick, "Thank you, sir?"

"Oh, fuck you," he retorted and walked past me into the restroom.

Before I could mess with Nick anymore about it, Sam started jabbering when we got into the restroom. He was really freaking out. Sammy had just turned fourteen. Thirteen was the "magical" age where Dad started whipping our butts with a belt. Sammy had only felt the belt two or three times, so he is still afraid of it. Uncle Doug hadn't punished him in several years and the last time he just used his hand on Sam's bare butt. We were all pretty sure we earned more then just a hand spanking. Randy, Uncle Doug's son, said one time when Uncle Doug was really mad at him he made Randy cut a switch and he whipped him with that. None of us had ever felt a switch before. Randy said it hurt more then anything he had ever felt before and that the sting lasted a really long time. Sammy was freaking out thinking Uncle Doug was probably mad enough at us to switch us. I don't think I had ever seen Uncle Doug this angry before. It was making me nervous too, but Sam was freaked big time. I tried to calm him down but it wasn't working very well. Finally I looked at Nick. He was leaning against the wall by the paper towels just watching us. "Help me out here, will ya?"

Nicky rolled his eyes. "What's the big deal? Uncle Doug is gonna kick our butts. Not the first time; won't be the last."

This didn't help Sam any.

"Then, when Dad gets home, he's going to lite our asses up again."

This REALLY didn't help Sam any. Shit. Wasn't helping ME any either. I forgot all about Dad. No, Dad was not going to be a happy man when he finds out.

"And you don't care?" Sammy asked.

"What's to care? Not like I have a choice in the matter. My ass is going to get fried. So is yours. Just accept it and move on," Nick answered.

"Just like that. Accept it and move on?"

"Yup."

Both of us just looked at him. He really was right. It's not like we were going to talk our way out of this. I just didn't understand how he was so calm about it.

"Besides Sammy, you aren't the one who told Uncle Doug to fuck off. That was me. You and Nick just hung up on him. My ass is gonna fry for that one," I told Sam.

After a few seconds, Nick asked "You ready?"

Sammy nodded and took a step toward the door. Nick stopped him and said "Hey, we'll be right there with ya." Sam nodded again and then walked out of the door. Nick looked at me and before he followed Sam out, he said "I just couldn't tell him it'll be ok. We are just about to get the whipping of our lives. Then when Dad comes home, we are gonna get it again - probably worse. That scares the shit outta me, but I'll never admit that to anyone."

"Don't I know it", I thought as I followed him out also.

Mom and Uncle Doug continued to chat the entire way home. We were silent, answering only when spoken to -- answering very politely at that. Once we stepped into the house, Mom's demeanor changed.

"Family room. Now," she ordered.

We obeyed and sat on the sectional as expected. "Christopher, I understand you spoke to your uncle last week. Is that correct?"

"Yes, Mom."

"Tell me about it. Don't leave anything out."

Looking down, I noticed my shoe was untied. I started "Last week, Uncle Doug called. He wanted to talk to you, but you weren't home --"

"Look at me, Chris. Don't look down," Mom said as she tapped me on the bottom of the chin.

I hated that. It is so hard to make eye contact when you are feeling ashamed. I looked up and continued, "And, uh, Uncle Doug wanted to talk to you, but you weren't home. He asked if we were giving you trouble again, and I said no." I was having a hard time keeping eye contact. I looking down and around, but I forced myself to look back at Mom each time my gaze wandered away. "Umm... I got mad when he asked me that, and I..."

"You?" Mom prompted.

"Um... uh...I said... and then... I hung up on him."

"You said?"

"I told him to... f-off," I answered very, very quietly.

The room was stone cold silent. Finally Mom asked, "So, you told your uncle `Fuck off' and then hung up on him?"

"Yes, ma'am," I answered softly, eyes back on the floor after I answered her.

"Nicholas, your part in this?" Mom asked. I looked up to see Uncle Doug roll his eyes at Mom.

"I hung up on him when he called, and I cleared several messages on the answering machine from him so you wouldn't hear them. Umm... I left the phone off the hook a lot... "

"Did you tell him to fuck off?"

"No, ma'am."

"Did you cuss at him at all?"

"No, ma'am."

"Oh, so calling me an asshole isn't cussing at me?" Uncle Doug jumped in.

Nick looked dumbfounded. "I did? I'm sorry, I don't remember doing that."

"Are you saying that I'm lying?"

"No! No... If you said I did, I'm sure I did... I just don't remember doing it."

"You don't remember?? You don't remember saying 'Stop calling Asshole' and then hanging up?" Uncle Doug demanded.

"Umm... No," Nicky said, shaking his head.

Uncle Doug glared at him and slightly raised his right hand. "I mean, no, sir," Nicky corrected.

Mom looked at Uncle Doug. She didn't look happy, but I couldn't tell if it was at Nicky or Uncle Doug.

"You don't remember? It happened more then once." Uncle Doug asked again.

"No! I'm sorry, I don't. I remember you calling and demanding to talk to Mom and I hung up on you."

"So basically I just imagined this?" Uncle Doug asked.

"Doug!?" Mom said. She looked annoyed at Uncle Doug.

"No, Lia, he needs to answer me. Nicholas?"

"I told you, I don't remember. If you say I called you an asshole, then I'm sure I did. I just don't remember it. I'm already in trouble, I'm not going to lie now," he answered.

I shot a glance at Nicky. He was staring at Uncle Doug as if he was challenging him. I can't believe he threw that last sentence in there. If I were Uncle Doug I'd slap the crap outta him. From the look on Uncle Doug's face, I think he is contemplating that idea. Mom just rolled her eyes and looked disgusted.

"Sam, what's your part in --" Mom started.

"Upstairs. All three of you, get in your rooms," Uncle Doug interrupted.

Mom just looked at him. "Doug!!??"

Looking at Mom, "I need to talk to you. Now." Turning to us, he said "Didn't I just tell you to go to your rooms? Move!"

We quickly got up and headed for the stairs. I stopped at the bottom of the steps to tie my shoe. This blocked my brothers for a few seconds. Naturally, it was one of those times, when it took two tries to tie my shoe. I started up the stairs with Nick and Sam following me. We were almost to the top when we heard SMACK from downstairs.

"Ouch, what was that for?" Mom yelped.

"Amelia, I outta whip your ass after I whip your boys!" Uncle Doug said.

We froze on the stairs. I'm sure Uncle Doug thought we were already in our rooms before he smacked Mom.

"Ow... " she said again. "What did I do?"

"Oh, give me a break Amelia! You are letting them run wild and you know it. I know Dan isn't here and that you are worried about him, but you still need to act like their mother. What the hell are you thinking?"

"Doug, I haven't heard from him in almost two weeks. Two fucking weeks!! He's not just doing surveillance any more. I don't care what he says. I'm not completely stupid, you know. He promised me he wouldn't go undercover again. He PROMISED me. Two weeks and he hasn't called. If he was still doing surveillance, couldn't he have called so say "Hey babe, can't talk now, just wanted to let you know I'm still ok"? Would that be so hard? Not if he was in the van like he is supposed to be. He tells me how boring it gets just waiting, so he could have called. But, does he? No... That means he's undercover and can't. What if something happened to him? What am I going to do?"

"Lia, Lia, calm down. Nothing's happened. They would have contacted you if anything happened. You know that, baby." I couldn't understand what he said next. Then I heard Uncle Doug say, "What are you going to do? You need to act like a mother, that is what you are going to do. You have a responsibility to your boys."

Then for the next minute, the conversation got quieter again. I could hear them talking but I couldn't hear it clear enough to understand them. I don't know why, but we stood on the stairs like statues listening.

Finally I heard Mom say, "Oh yeah, like I would know that. If I knew Mom and Dad were going to die when I was ten I would have taken notes." Yeah, Mom gets sarcastic when she is mad. "Doug... Come on, Doug. I didn't mean it like that. It's just that I can't remember ME getting in trouble with them, let alone how they treated you. I just remember getting in trouble with you as a teenager."

"Amelia, I treated you like Dad and Mom treated me. I was nineteen when they died, you think I wanted to play father to a ten year old? I'm your brother, not your father. Besides, I didn't know how to raise a little girl. For the first couple years, I let you do whatever you wanted. That was a big mistake. I didn't even know it until one of my girlfriends pointed out all the shit you were pulling. So I thought about how Dad and Mom raised me and enforced the same rules on you."

"I'm sorry... I know, I know... " Mom sighed.

"You know? No, baby, I don't think you do," Uncle Doug said a bit more gentle. "You think I liked punishing you? The first time you came home drunk, instead of laughing with you about it and sharing stories like a brother would, I had to act like a father and kick your butt for it. I hated that. You think I enjoyed making my little sister call me "sir"? It wasn't some power trip I got off on. You were just so damn... haughty. You needed to be knocked off your high horse. Forcing you to be respectful was the only thing I could think of. And, Amelia, Nicky is just as haughty as you were."

I looked down the steps at Nicky. He looked like he had just been slapped.

"Deal with that kid is like being in a time warp dealing with you at fifteen. Jeez, that kid is carbon copy of you. Same haughty attitude... God, he's just like you. Maybe that is why I'm harder on him then I am Chris and Sam. But those two aren't as hard headed. Lia, you better get control of that kid now, or you never will. I'm telling you now, I am not going to put up with him. I didn't let you get away with it, I sure as hell ain't gonna let your kid. One more smart ass comment out of him and I will slap the shit out him, then I'll beat his ass. Just like I did to you."

Nicky looked at me, said "Excuse me," as he walked slowly by me and into his bedroom. Sammy walked up the steps to me.

"Is he ok?" Sam asked.

"Dunno. Just leave him alone. Want to come in my room?" I asked. Nicky retreats into himself when he is upset. That part is ok, but he is nasty as hell to anyone around him when he is like that.

"Yeah... Wait, no, Uncle Doug said to go to our rooms, don't want to add to this by disobeying because Nicky is going to act like an asshole to me. I'll take my chances with Nicky fists before adding to Uncle Doug's punishment."

Mom and Uncle Doug must have walked away because we couldn't hear them any longer. Sam and I went into our bedrooms to wait. Fifteen minutes later, we were called back to the family room. Just as we sat down, the phone rang and Mom ran for it. Uncle Doug followed her into the kitchen.

While we were sitting there waiting, Nicky asked, "Is Doug right, am I haughty?"

"I don't know. What does haughty mean?" Sam asked.

"Arrogant, you know, better then everyone else," Nicky answered.

Sam looked at me first, then back to Nick. "Definitely."

Nick looked hurt. He looked at me. "You think so too?"

"Sorry bro, yeah. You can be."

I expected him to argue with us. He had a look on his face that I didn't recognize. It was a cross between hurt, angry and determined. He didn't say anything more, so neither did I. About a minute later Mom and Uncle Doug walked back into the family room.

"Your uncle and I have decided that he is going to spank you three for your behavior these past few weeks. I realize that most of this attitude is stemming from your father being gone and you not knowing where he is or what is happening. However that is no excuse for your behavior. I should have stopped this behavior when it first started, but I thought you were old enough to act like men, so I didn't. I was wrong. Now, you are going to get punished for it. In addition to the spanking, you are grounded. You will also do seven sets of pushups every day the first week you are grounded, and then four sets every day after that."

"Yes, ma'am", we answered. Pushup, I half-expected this. At least it's not pushups and situps.

Being the oldest, by a whole eleven months, meant I had more pushups to do. It was also a given that I would be grounded longer as well. I was sixteen, therefore I had 60 pushups per set. Nicky was fifteen, so he had 50 pushups, and Sam, fourteen, had 40 pushups. After a few days, I am going to be sore a hell.

"Christopher, you are grounded for six weeks. After the fourth week, you may drop to two sets of pushups. Nicholas, you are grounded for four weeks. Samuel you are grounded for 24 days."

"Yes, ma'am," we answered again.

Mom looked at Uncle Doug. "Doug?"

"First of all, I am not pleased with your behavior toward your mother since your father has been gone... "

Uncle Doug lectured us for about five minutes. He was really mad at us for what we did to him, but he was more angry for how we treated Mom. At the end of his lecture, I felt as small as an ant.

He ended the lecture with, "Nicholas and Samuel, go to your room. Christopher, basement."

He wasn't going to punish us together? That was different. We looked at each other and didn't move.

"Sir? Aren't you going to punish us together?" Nicky asked.

Uncle Doug angrily looked at my mom. "Do you see what I mean, Lia?" Looking at Nicky he asked "What did I just tell you to do?"

"Go to my room, sir," Nicky answered quietly.

"What part of that didn't you understand? Isn't that clear enough?"

"Yes, sir. It's just... " Shaking his head, he said "Yes, sir."

"Good, now move!" he barked at us.

Sam and Nicky ran upstairs and I ran toward the basement steps. Once downstairs, I didn't know what to do. Dad always sent us to their bedroom and we were expected to be sitting on the cedar chest at the foot of their bed when he came in.

I had just sat down in the chair by the pool table when I heard Uncle Doug coming down the stairs. I stood up and turned toward him.

"Uncle Doug, Nicky didn't mean to question you upstairs," I said.

Uncle Doug was taken back. I don't think he expected me to say this. "What do you mean?"

"Well, if all of us are in trouble at the same time, Dad always whips us together. I know you are not Dad, but it's what we are used to. Plus when we went to the bathroom at Georgio's, Sam kinda started freaking out. He's afraid you are going take a switch to us. We tried to calm him down. The last thing Nicky said to him was that we'd be together, so when you told them to go upstairs and me to come downstairs..."

"Ok," Uncle Doug answered nodding his head. "What do you think? You think I'm going to switch you? Do you think you deserve to be switched?"

"I don't know, probably," I answered.

"What would you do if I told you to go cut a switch?"

"Uncle Doug, I'm in so much trouble right now I would wear a dress in public if you told me to. If you want me to cut a switch, then I'll cut one. Umm... But, first you'd have to tell me what a switch is."

"You don't know what a switch is?"

"No, sir."

"You've never been whipped with a switch?"

"No, sir."

"Your brothers either?"

"No, sir, I don't believe so."

"What does Dan whip you with?"

"A belt mostly. One time he used a broken lawn mower belt on me, but that was because it was brand new and I ran it over with the other mover and cut it in half."

Uncle Doug unbuckles his belt and pulls its out. I swallowed hard watching him. A wave of fear runs through me. It has been about four years since Uncle Doug has punished me physically. Uncle Doug is 6'4". He's tall and lean; and strong. Last time he put me over his knee and I remember my butt hurt for a long time afterwards. He's going to use a belt this time. Another fear wave runs through me and I can feel my butt start tingling.

He folded his belt in half and then looked at me. I expected him start whipping immediately, but instead he started lecturing me again. Mom apparently told him that I had told her to "shut up" last week. He slapped me in the face for that. Hard. Really hard. My face was hot and my eyes were still watering when he said "Ok, lets get this over with."

"What do you want me to do, sir?" I asked softly, looking around, face stinging.

Uncle Doug pointed to the pool table. I walked over to it, unzipped my jeans, and put my hands on the rail and bent over.

"Bare."

I reached back and pulled down my jeans and underwear. I had a feeling he was going to do this bare, but I certainly wasn't going to volunteer it up front.

"Don't put your hands back and don't move."

"Yes, sir."

I felt him move my shirt so it was positioned halfway up my back. He put one hand on my lower back and then reached back with the belt with the other. CRACK!

It felt like an explosion on my ass. I involuntarily jumped up a little. Uncle Doug pushed down with his hand still on my back. "Don't move, I said."

"Yes, sir. Sorry, that was harder then I expected."

CRACK! The second one was just as hard.

CRACK! CRACK! I feel my hands grabbing the railings as tight as I can.

CRACK! CRACK!

"Mmmph..." I tightened my lips to try to keep it in. The sting in my face from where he slapped me is long forgotten. All I can feel is my butt heating up.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

I start moving my legs back and forth. I try to stay in one spot, but it's not easy. Uncle Doug is whipping me slow and steady. I can feel each lick. Dad whips all over, from the top all the way down to where your ass meets your legs. It feels like Uncle Doug is whipping me in the same spot -- the middle part of my ass. Somewhere in my mind, I think I'll have to ask Randy if this is what he does to him too. Counting the number of licks is the only thing that is keeping me focused.

CRACK! CRACK!

"Aaarrgh... Owwwwwww"

"Boy, when CRACK your father is CRACK gone CRACK, you are CRACK supposed to be CRACK the man CRACK of the house CRACK"

"Yes, sir!"

"You are CRACK too old CRACK to be acting CRACK like a CRACK three CRACK year CRACK old."

"Yes, sirrrrrr..." I sob.

"You better CRACK never CRACK disrespect your mother CRACK again."

"I won't, I won't!"

Uncle Doug pauses. I'm a mess by this time. I had counted thirty five, but I am not sure if that is accurate. It sure felt like he had whipped me more then just thirty five times. Tears are running down my face and I can't stop them. While I am trying to take deep breaths to control the pain, nothing is helping. I tense up my entire body, but the focus of my brain is on the pain in my butt.

I felt Uncle Doug shake me with his hand on my back. Still bent over, I turn my head to look at him.

"Do you hear what I am saying, boy?"

"Y-ye-yes, sir"

"I don't care where I live, if I hear you are pulling this crap again, I will give you a whipping like you have never felt before."

"Yes, sir."

"And this is for hanging up on me and telling me to fuck off", he announced. A new birage of licks reined down on my ass. This time they were rapid fire and all over my butt.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

The licks were coming so fast, I couldn't tell the licks apart. All I felt was the re-ignited fire in my ass. There was no way to count how many times he whipped me.

The pain was horrible. Uncle Doug stopped, but it took me a few minutes to register that it was over. I remained bent over the pool table, trying to get my breathing and crying under control. 

"Stand up. Pull your pants up. Turn around."

With great effort, I obeyed him. However, he didn't say to zip and button my jeans, so I didn't. Pulling them up felt like sandpaper, fastening them was not going to happen.

"Christopher, I don't ever want to do that to you again. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, sir," I answered. I didn't want him to do that to me again either.

"Ever."

"Yes, sir."

"Your aunt called before your mom picked you up. She said there was a message on the answering machine from you apologizing. Why didn't you say anything about this before I punished you?"

"I don't know. I didn't think it would have mattered. I mean, I screwed up and I knew I was going to get busted whether or not I apologized. Which, by the way, I am sorry, Uncle Doug. I don't know why I disrespected you like that. It'll never happen again."

"Good to hear that. If it does, I will really bust your ass."

"Yes, sir." Yeah, as if this was nothing. My ass is going to ache for days.

"Go to your room, send Nicky down."

"Yes, sir."

As I started walking up the steps, Uncle Doug asked me, "Hey, does your Dad whip Nick and Sam with a belt, too?"

"Yes, but Sammy just started getting it that way. He's only been whipped with the belt a couple times."

"Ok. Send Nick down. Tell Sam not to worry, I'm not going to switch him. Nicky's ass could still be endanger, if he runs his mouth."

I nodded and went upstairs to my brother's room. They were both laying on their beds. Max and Billy, our dogs, were laying with Sam. Nicky and Sam looked up as I walked in. "Nick, your turn. Sam, Uncle Doug said to tell you he won't switch you. Nick, don't back talk him or he will switch you." Nick nodded, jumped up, and ran downstairs to the basement.

"Dude, you look like shit. Your eyes are all blood shot and your face is red. We could hear him whipping you up here. How bad was it?" Sam asked.

"Probably the worst whipping I ever got," I answered.

"Let me see," he said.

Turning around, I slowly peeled my jeans and underwear down to just below my butt.

"Damn," he exclaimed. "Your butt is almost purple in some spots."

"I'm gonna go lay down," said to him as I gingerly pulled my pants back up.

Sammy nodded and hugged Max as he laid back down. When I went into my room, I peeled down my pants again. This time, all the way off. I looked at my butt in the mirror. Sammy was right, there were a few spots that were starting to look purple. This was one whipping that I knew I would feel for several days.

Before I laid down, I did my first set of 60 pushups for the day. This was going to be a long six weeks.

I was almost done with my set when I heard Nick's whipping start. It didn't sound any different, so I figured he managed to keep his mouth shut and just get the belt. I found out later, Uncle Doug's "haughty" comment really got to Nick hard. Funny how one comment like that can change someone's entire outlook on something. I think that had more affect on him then the whipping did. Nicky's attitude changed. He still could be an arrogant asshole when he wanted to, but it wasn't his demeanor any more. Him and Dad no longer bucked heads constantly and his attitude toward the word 'sir' was gone too. Well, at least for men that he respected.

As I lay on my bed, rubbing my ass, I knew I still had to face my father when he gets home. While I wanted my father to come home soon, I hoped it was after I could sit down again without pain.