The persistent buzz from her alarm clock startled Maria out of sleep. Groaning, she reluctantly turned over in a half-hearted attempt to get out of bed and head for the bathroom. "Uhhhnnnnn....." she moaned to herself until she managed to be lying flat on her back, which was when the "Uhhhhhnnnn..." abruptly changed to a "Oooooooooh!"

Maria turned back on her side and rubbed at her welted bottom. Memories from last night quickly came flooding back to her. She noticed that Michael was not in bed with her, an observation that provoked the instant realization of what was to occur this morning. Her morning spanking.

"Noooooo....," Maria moaned to herself. Michael couldn't follow through with her morning spanking today. How many had she taken with his belt last night? How vividly she recalled his anger at finding out that she had nearly lost her new job when she lost track of time during her lunch hour, and stayed out for nearly two hours. "Oh, but Michael, the traffic was terrible and I wanted to get in some fun! Isn't lunch hour supposed to be a break?" "Lunch hour is meant so you can have lunch, Maria. If you can't handle the traffic, start bringing your lunch from home. Save your shopping for the weekend." She recalled that quote so well because it was practically the only thing Michael said to her throughout the whole ordeal. He conveyed most of his displeasure through the strapping. Maria knew that he was restraining himself at that. And she felt horrible about carelessly risking her new job simply to get some shopping in. She had looked for months for a similiar position in a company like this one, and was also well aware that they needed the money more than ever.

Maria decided not to risk Michael's wrath again by being late for work, so she quickly made her way out of bed and headed for the shower. "Yeeeoooouch!" she screamed as the hot water hit her raw bottom. She knew this always happened when she showered the morning after, but she simply couldn't bear to take cold showers, or even luke-warm showers for that matter. Maria closed her eyes and let the water hit her at full-force. She didn't want this shower to end, as she knew what would follow. Maybe he would let her off this morning. After all, it had been a pretty severe strapping and her husband was not a monster. Maybe he would see how much she had suffered and take pity on her. Or maybe he was too exhausted to even remember. Noooo...that wouldn't be the case.

Maria stepped out of the shower and dried off. Placing her bathrobe around her, she cast a forlorn gaze at the vanity. There was the dreaded hairbrush. Hesitantly taking it in her hand, she sighed nervously and headed for the kitchen.

Michael was reading the paper when she entered. "Ah, I see Sleeping Beauty has emerged." He smirked and looked at the clock. "With as much regard to the time as she had yesterday afternoon."

"Michael...please. Not this morning." She looked up in his deep chesnut-colored eyes and tried to find some sympathy there. Finding it too difficult to look there, she brought her glance down to his muscular arms and large hands. Well, that didn't make her feel much better. How adept he was at making her sorry with those hands and arms. Even a simple handspanking wasn't all that simple. She hoped he would opt for the handspanking this morning though. Sometimes he did. He only had her bring out the hairbrush every morning so he could conveniently leave that option open.

"Not this morning?! Why should I show you any leniency on this particular morning, sweetheart? Have you been such a good girl lately that you don't need any reminders about behavior?"

Maria looked at her feet. Tears welled up in her eyes. "It's just that, with the st-strapping last night..."

"The strapping last night was harsh, but it was no more than you deserved. You know how I feel about this issue, Maria. It's this kind of flightly, irresponsible behavior that always ends up getting you in trouble. Perhaps if yesterday morning's spanking had been a bit more severe, you would have been more careful with your lunch hour. As it is, I will have to strengthen my morning reminder about these things to you."

Michael held out his hand. Maria winced. This meant that he would use the hairbrush right away this morning. She had been hoping that he wouldn't use it at all! Hesitantly, she extended the brush and Michael took it from her. Then he held out his hand and took her firmly by the arm. Pulling her over his knee, he held her in place with his strong left arm and pulled her bathrobe up with his right hand.

Michael looked at his wife's welted bottom. Yes, he *had* done a pretty thorough job last night. He ran his hand gently over the welts and Maria squirmed as he did so. Well, at least this would all serve as a powerful reminder to her today. Even so, he decided not to be *too* harsh with Maria this morning. He picked up the hairbrush and decided to make this quick.

And immediately he commenced with rapid-fire strokes all over her bottom. Maria let out a scream and struggled violently. Michael easily held her in place, however. Yes, he knew how much his wife was suffering, but it would also be over quickly. He wanted this morning's lesson to be short and sweet.

And short it was. As quickly as it had started, it ended and Michael was guiding his sobbing wife to his lap and holding her close a little over a minute later.

He held her close and rocked her back and forth. Maria held on tightly and buried her face into his chest. He ran his fingers through her damp hair that curled so very tightly when it was wet. He pressed his lips to her forehead. Maria wiped away her tears with the back of her hands. He reached over and gently wiped at them with a napkin from the table.

"Yes, I know it hurt, honey, but it's over now. All over. You were so good for it, too. I know it was hard to take."

Maria listened to his soothing words as they echoed through his chest. This was always her favorite part of the morning: the after-spanking affection. She sighed deeply and relaxed in the security of his arms.

"And if you behave yourself today, tomorrow morning it will just be a handspanking. I promise."

Maria gazed at the hands that would deliver this handspanking. She concentrated on his fingers and a smile came to her lips.

"And I see that someone just remembered what exceptionally well-behaved girls get after handspankings..."

Maria squirmed and smiled. Morning spankings weren't always such a bad idea...