Subject: Barbie(tm) -- A twin story (M/f belt)
From: SamPast@aol.com
Date: 99-05-09 20:55:49 EDT
This story contains spanking of a (fictional) child. If this is not your thing, then don't read it. It also contains lots of love and emotional interaction, written as well as the author could manage. If all you want is a spanking scene, with no emotions, this story may not be for you, because you won't find that here.
This story is a work of fiction. The author does not endorse or encourage the actual spanking of real children in any way. All characters are the produts of the author's imagination.
Do not copy or distribute this story without written permission from the author. Permission to keep one personal archive copy is hereby granted. Do not write other stories using these characters without permission from the author.
Send any comments to SamPast@aol.com
A week after the dog sitting fiasco, Mattel(tm) announced the winner of the nationwide search for a new Barbie(tm). Robin and Jennifer sat glued to the TV set. Jennifer was in awe of how beautiful this woman was. Robin was excited about the ad for joining the "New Barbie(tm) fan club".
To that, Jennifer said, "Oh, brother!"
Robin said, "What? It's cool. And when she comes to our town, I can go see her in person!"
Jennifer said, "Whoopee!" But she did think that would be pretty cool.
Later that week, Robin sat at the dining room table early Sunday morning filling out the entry form for the fan club.
Jennifer came into the room. "Hey, what're you doing?" she asked.
Robin said, "Go away, it isn't anything you'd be interested in."
Jennifer tried to grab the entry form, "C'mon, what is it? Let me see it!" Robin grabbed for it. "Jennifer, just give it to me."
Jennifer looked at the piece of paper. "Oh, my god, Robin, you're really joining this stupid club. It says for ages 5-12. You'll probably be the oldest member."
Robin said, "No, Debbie's joining it, too. It's cool. You're just jealous. Now give me it."
Robin grabbed it back from her sister, and continued to fill it in. Jennifer said, "Oh, so now you're corrupting Debbie, too. I always knew you two were peas in a pod. You're such a baby, Robin."
Robin had enough. She turned around and slapped Jennifer across the face. "I guess I'm not such a baby after all. Now leave me alone!"
Jennifer just stood there, with shock on her face. When it finally registered what her sister had done, she put her hand to her face, and cried out, "I can't believe you just did that. I'm telling!"
Robin said, "Go ahead, you had it coming. Now leave me alone!"
Jennifer ran crying into her parents' bedroom. Charlie and Lisa awoke with a start. Charlie sat up in bed. "Jennifer, what's the matter? What's going on?" Jennifer whined, "Robin slapped me across the face."
Lisa, trying to rub the sleep off her face, sat up and said, "WHAT?!"
Charlie got up to investigate. On the way to the dining room, he stopped in the kitchen, opened the freezer, and pulled out a frozen bag of peas. He gave it to Jennifer and told her to put it on her face. Then he walked into the dining room. Robin was putting the final information down on her "New Barbie(tm) Fan Club" entry form.
Charlie said, "Robin, what is going on in here?"
Robin whined, "Nothing, Daddy, I was trying to fill this out, and Jennifer was bugging me and teasing me. She wouldn't leave me alone!"
Charlie said, "And when your sister bothers you, the best way to deal with it, is to hit her?"
Robin continued to whine, "But Daddy, she..."
Charlie cut her off. "Let's get rid of the whining tone right now, young lady. Are you supposed to hit your sister?"
Robin shook her head no. But Charlie was not going to accept that as an answer. He repeated, "I said, are you supposed to hit your sister?"
Robin looked up from the floor and said, "No, sir."
Behind his back, Jennifer stuck her tongue out at Robin. Robin whined, "There, did you see that, Daddy? Jennifer stuck her tongue out at me. She's teasing me again!"
Charlie turned around and looked at Jennifer. He said, "I think I know two girls who woke up on the wrong sides of the beds this morning. I think what both of you need is some good old-fashioned time out!"
Robin and Jennifer stared as Charlie took two of the dining room chairs and put them in opposite corners of the room, facing the wall. He took Jennifer by the hand and sat her in one, and then took Robin by the hand, and sat her in the other. Then Charlie took down a bowl, a box of cereal, the milk, a spoon, and the Sunday paper, and sat and ate his breakfast while reading the paper. Behind him, sat two 12 year-old girls facing the wall, pouting.
About a half an hour later, Lisa came into the dining room carrying a sleepy Steven. After Jennifer had burst into the bedroom, Lisa had fallen back to sleep. It wasn't every Sunday the Clementes got to sleep in. They were lucky because almost 1 year-old Melissa was still sleeping. Lisa set up the booster seat and set Steven in it.
She kissed Charlie on the cheek, and nodded towards the twins. "What's up with them?"
Charlie glanced back at Robin and Jennifer and then turned to his wife, "They're having a bit of some good old-fashioned "time out" this morning. I think about another half an hour should do it."
Jennifer heard this and said, "But, Daddee!"
Charlie said, without even turning towards her, "I think you still have to sit there until that whine is gone, young lady!"
Jennifer dropped the now wet and melted bag of peas to the floor, crossed her arms, and continued to pout. She could not believe that she was sitting in "time-out". It was one thing that she still got spankings when she really misbehaved, but to be sitting in "time-out"; she was mortified.
Robin was thinking the same thing in her corner. Of course, she was just thankful that her father hadn't put her over his knee. She was glad she had smacked her sister, though. She had deserved it.
A little while later, Jennifer said, "Daddy, I have to go to the bathroom." Charlie turned and looked at her. "Okay, Jenn, go." He didn't want to take any chances. Jennifer had always had a bladder-control problem. Even though it was better this past year, there was always the possibility of a reoccurrence.
Charlie looked at his watch. The girls had been sitting in "time-out" almost an hour. When Jennifer came back, he called both of them into the living room for a talk.
"Okay, girls "time-out" is over, but I think for the rest of the day, you two will stay inside."
Jennifer whined, "But, Daddy, that's not fa-a-air! I didn't do an-y-thing!"
Charlie just looked at her, "You just spent an hour in "time-out" for teasing your sister, and whining, would you like to go back and sit a little more?"
Jennifer sobered up quickly. "Uh, no, sir!"
Charlie continued, "As I was saying, I think you two will stay inside today. And I expect to see you both getting along, or staying out of each other's way. Understood?" He looked from one to the other. They each nodded.
Both girls started to walk away, but Charlie pulled Robin back. "Just a minute, young lady, I think you and I still need to talk."
Robin thought to herself, "Oh, no, here it comes, the lecture, and then the spanking."
Charlie said to Robin, "Robin, you know I don't condone hitting. I don't know why you felt you had to smack your sister this morning. But I will not tolerate it, do you understand?"
Robin started to sob; she knew what was coming. "Y-yes, Daddy! I'm sorry!" Charlie pulled Robin into his lap. Robin started to cry harder. "Please don't spank me, Daddy, I'm sorr-ee!"
Charlie looked at Robin, "I'm not going to spank you, Robin. I told you I don't condone hitting, and I wouldn't hit you for hitting your sister. You know that." Robin looked at her father and nodded. She said, "Okay, Daddy, I promise I won't do it again, I'm sorry!"
Charlie said, "Good, that's what I wanted to hear. Now off you go." He put her down on the floor. Robin started to walk away again, but Charlie pulled her back a second time. "Oh, also, Robin, I think maybe no t.v. for you today. Got it?" Robin looked up at her father and said, "Yes, sir."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
A few weeks later, Robin got a postcard in the mail, advertising that the new Barbie(tm) was coming to their town. She was going to make an appearance at the music store on Merrick Avenue on Friday, November 20, right before Thanksgiving. Robin cursed to herself, "Oh! Why does it have to be on a Friday? Mommy and Daddy'll never let me go. Well, I could at least ask. There'd be no harm in that." She waited until after dinner, when her parents were sitting in their chairs in the living room, and Jennifer, thank god, was nowhere to be found.
"Mommy, Daddy, can I ask you a question?" They both looked up from what they were reading.
Lisa said, "Of course, honey, what's up?"
Robin thought to herself, "Hmm, what is the best way to do this?"
Charlie brought her back to this planet, "Robin? What is it, sweetie?"
Robin decided to just ask. "Mommy, Daddy, can I take off school next Friday to see the new Barbie(tm)? She's coming here, right to Merrick. She's going to be at the record store on Merrick Ave, downtown, Daddy, right near your store."
Robin waited. Charlie and Lisa just looked at each other. Charlie said, "No, I'm sorry, Robin, I don't think that seeing Barbie(tm) is a good reason to miss school." Robin looked crestfallen. "Please, Daddy, please!" She turned to her mother, "Please, Mommy?"
Lisa shook her head no. "I'm sorry, honey, I have to agree with your father, seeing Barbie(tm) is not a good enough reason for you to miss school."
Robin turned on her heel and ran out of the living room. She ran up to her room, threw the advertisement on the floor, laid down on her bed, and cried. She really, really wanted to go, and her parents didn't even care.
About twenty minutes later, the telephone rang. Robin got up to answer it. It was her friend, Debbie. Robin listened and then said into the phone, "You too? I know, it's just not fair. It wouldn't even have to be a whole day. They wouldn't even listen." Robin and Debbie continued to talk for awhile. They talked about how unfair parents could be and how much they really wanted to go to the music store that next Friday.
The next day at school, Robin overheard a group of seventh grade girls making plans to go see Barbie at the music store. Robin thought to herself, "Oh, they're so lucky. I wish I could go."
Then she overheard something that caught her ear, "Yeah, my mother wouldn't let me miss school, either. But I'm going anyway. I'll just sneak out of school that day, and go. It's only downtown. And I'll get back before the last bell, and be here when my mother picks me up. Want to do it with me? It'll be real fun." Robin walked away from the girls. "That's what I'll do," she said to herself, "it'll be perfect." Robin couldn't wait to call Debbie with her plans.
Every day that week, Robin and Debbie made plans. They talked on the phone incessantly, and went to each other's houses. Debbie lived right around the block. Their parents had never seen them so close.
Finally, it was Thursday night. Tomorrow was the "big day". Robin and Debbie were very excited. They had their plan all worked out. They were going to go to their own schools (Debbie went to private Catholic school, while Robin went to public junior high) and sneak out at 10:30. Then they were going to walk downtown, and meet at the pizza place on Merrick Ave.
(Robin had told Debbie many times, "Not the pizza place next to my Dad's store; the one on Merrick Ave. near the music store.") They would have an early lunch, and then head over to the music store. Barbie(tm) would not be there until 1:00, but they wanted to get there early. Then when it was over, they would sneak back to school, with no one the wiser.
The next morning, Robin got up early and got dressed and washed. When she was ready to go downstairs, Jennifer hadn't even gotten up yet. While she was downstairs fixing herself some breakfast, her mother came in.
"Good morning, sweetie, you're up early, where's your sister?" Robin replied, "Hi, Mommy, she didn't get out of bed yet."
Lisa said, "Oh, well, I'd better go wake her, then."
Meanwhile, Jennifer was in the bathroom. She had waited until Robin went downstairs before she pulled off the sheets from the bed. She was so upset. She hadn't wet the bed in months, maybe a year. She yelled to herself, "Oh, why does this happen to me? I'm 12 years old. Oh!"
Lisa knocked softly on the door. When she didn't hear an answer, she pushed it open. She saw both beds were unmade and the bathroom door was closed.
"Jennifer? Are you getting ready?"
Jennifer said, "Yes, Mommy."
Lisa could tell something was up; her daughter's voice did not sound right. "Baby, what's wrong?" There was no answer. Jennifer didn't want to answer her mother. She knew if she tried to say, "nothing", her voice would catch, and she would start to cry. Lisa went up to the bathroom door, "Jenn? Honey, what's the matter? Come on, open the door."
Jennifer sobbed, "No, I'm fine, Mommy, really."
Lisa said, "Jennifer! Open the door, now!"
Jennifer opened the bathroom door. She stood there dressed only in her pajama shirt. "Oh, Mommy," she cried, as Lisa took her into her arms, "I wet the bed."
Lisa held Jennifer as she cried. Lisa knew how sensitive Jennifer was about her bladder-control problem. She had wet the bed for many years. When she turned 11, it just stopped. Every once in awhile, though, she would have a relapse, sometimes for only one night, sometimes for a couple of nights. They never knew why or for how long it would last. Lisa knew Jennifer was afraid one day it would come back and continue to happen every night.
After crying for several minutes, Jennifer pushed herself away from her mother, "Don't tell Daddy, please!"
Lisa looked at Jennifer. She knew she was upset. But still, she said, "Now, baby, you know that your father is not going to punish you for this."
Jennifer said, "I know, but please don't. I'd be too embarrassed. I don't want Daddy to know."
Lisa said, "Jennifer, you know better than to ask me that; you know your father and I have no secrets. But I won't tell him. I think you should tell him." While Lisa and Jennifer were talking, Jennifer was getting dressed and ready for school.
As Lisa said, "I think you should tell him", Charlie put his head in the door and said, "Tell me what?"
Charlie looked at Lisa, who in turn looked at Jennifer. Then Charlie looked at Jennifer, and said, "Tell me what, baby?"
Jennifer said, "Nothing, Daddy, really, don't worry about it."
Charlie looked at Lisa again, and then back at Jennifer. He said, "Baby, why don't you trust me to decide if it's nothing to worry about? Please tell me."
Charlie pulled Jennifer into his lap. Lisa left the room. Charlie said to Jennifer, "C'mon, baby, tell me, I don't want you to ever be afraid to tell me anything, okay?"
Jennifer was sobbing at this point. She took a deep breath. "Okay," she said, "Daddy, last night, I wet the bed." Charlie had been holding her close, now he pushed her away from him slightly and looked at her eyes. She was still crying.
He said, "Oh, baby, I'm sorry." Then he pulled her close again, and held her and rocked her. She felt so safe in her daddy's arms. She was glad she had told him.
After several minutes, Jennifer got up. "I need to finish getting ready for school now, Daddy." Charlie looked at his little girl. She said, "Really, Daddy, I'm all right now."
Charlie said, "I know you are, baby." Then he kissed her on the cheek and said, "I love you, baby, I have to go to work now. See you later?" Jennifer just nodded. She was afraid she might start to cry again. Charlie went downstairs. Robin was putting her dishes in the sink. She said, "Hey, Daddy, are you leaving now?" Charlie nodded. She continued, "Can you drop me off at school?" Charlie said, "Sure, I can do that. Let's go!"
Charlie dropped Robin off at school on his way to work. Robin was very early, but she just hung out and mentally planned her day. When the bell rang, she went to her first period class. She went to her second period class, and then to her third period class. After third period, she snuck out of the building. It was already 10:35. She had no trouble sneaking out.
Then Robin walked downtown. She walked past the flagpole, and the little garden. She walked past the elementary school with the cool mouse hole that you can climb through. She walked past the building that her eye doctor worked out of.
Finally, she got to the pizza place. It was 10:55. Debbie wasn't there yet. Robin hoped Debbie made out as well as she did. The pizza place wasn't open yet, so Robin just sat outside and waited.
At 11:15, Debbie arrived. They were so excited to see each other, to be there, and to know they were supposed to be at school. The pizza place was mostly deserted. After all, it had just opened at 11:00 and it was a school day, too early for the lunch crowd. Debbie ordered a slice of Sicilian and a coke, while Robin ordered a regular slice and a sprite. They ate their pizza and talked about how cool it would be to meet Barbie(tm). They sat there for a long time after finishing. Finally, they decided to go to the music store. It was still early, but they wanted to get up close.
When they walked in the music store, they could not believe their eyes. There had to be 200 people, mostly young girls, crowded into the store. There were girls of all ages, many with their mothers; many without. Robin and Debbie could not believe it.
Then with lots of applause, out she came. There was Barbie(tm), standing there in a beautiful pink satin dress. Everyone began to applaud. Everyone started shoving pieces of paper at Barbie(tm), demanding her autograph. Robin and Debbie tried to get closer, but they couldn't. There were just too many people. At one point, Robin and Debbie thought they were almost to Barbie's(tm) table, but suddenly, about 30 girls came running from nowhere, and practically fell on top of them.
When the dust cleared, Robin looked around for Debbie, but she did not see her. "Debbie! Debbie! Where are you?" Robin looked over the tops of many heads. She looked all around the room. Finally, she looked down. There was Debbie lying motionless on the floor.
Robin ran over to her. "Oh, my god, Debbie, are you all right?" There was no reply. Robin screamed, "Oh, my god, Debbie, answer me. Help, somebody, help, my friend is hurt!"
A man came running over. "What's wrong, miss?" He looked down at Debbie. Robin replied, "My friend, I think she got stepped on. I've called her name, but she doesn't answer."
The man cursed under his breath, "I knew something like this might happen. Okay, miss, don't worry, I'll call the paramedics. You just stay with your friend." Robin stayed with Debbie. She kept calling her name, but got no answer. Robin was scared. She held Debbie's hand. Before long, Robin realized they were the only ones in the place. Because of Debbie's accident, the manager had cleared everyone out, including Barbie(tm).
When the paramedics came, they tried to revive Debbie. It seems she had just passed out with all the excitement. She also hit her head on the way down, and the paramedics were afraid she might have a concussion.
They asked Robin, "Um, miss, are her parents here?" Robin shook her head no. They tried again, "How about yours?" Robin shook her head again. "Well," they said, "we can only release her into an adult's hands. Why don't you give me her phone number, and I'll call her parents."
Robin absently gave them Debbie's number. They came back, "Nope, nobody's home. Why don't you give me your phone number?" After a few minutes, they said, "Nobody's home there, either. Do your parents work?" Robin suddenly got a pit in the bottom of her stomach. She said, "My dad works at the supermarket around the corner." She recited the number, as the paramedic wrote it down.
"Hello, Foodtown Merrick, may I help you? Just a minute, please. Charlie, you have a call on line 2." Charlie went into processing and picked up the phone. "Charlie Clemente here. Yes? What?" The voice on the other end said, "I said, sir, that your daughter, Robin, and her friend, Debbie, are here at the music store on Merrick Avenue. I'm afraid Debbie has been hurt."
Charlie could not believe his ears. He said, "And Robin, is she okay?" He couldn't fight the sharp pain in his side. The voice said, "No, she's fine, a little shocked for her friend, maybe. Debbie's going to be fine. Although, we couldn't get ahold of her parents. And we only release minor children to an adult."
Charlie was relieved that Robin was not hurt, and that Debbie was going to be fine. He said, "Yes, I understand, I'll be right there to pick them up. I'm only around the corner. Thank you." Charlie hung up the phone. He went up front and told Maureen, "I'm going to lunch." Then he walked out of the store. Maureen just gave him a funny look, and went back to work.
Charlie arrived at the music store only a few minutes later. He went in and saw some paramedics with Robin and Debbie. Debbie had an ice pack on her head. Robin was just standing there. Up close, you can tell she'd been crying.
Charlie went over to her and hugged her close to him. "Oh, thank god, you're all right. When I got that phone call, I was scared to death." Robin was glad to see her father, too. She had been so scared when she saw Debbie lying on the floor.
Finally, Charlie let go of Robin and said, "Okay, girls, let's go." The paramedics told Charlie that Debbie was fine. There was no evidence of a concussion. They had given her some tylenol for her headache, and told him all she needed was a couple of hours sleep. Charlie thanked them, and the three of them left the store.
They walked back to Foodtown's parking lot and got into Charlie's truck. Despite the way he had greeted her, Robin was scared. She knew she had done wrong and was going to be punished. Charlie drove them home in silence. He was thinking of what to say to Robin. She had really messed up, but he didn't want to go ballistic.
When they got into the house, Charlie turned to Debbie and said, "Do you have your father's number at work?" She replied, "Only his beeper number. But please don't call him, Mr. Clemente. He's going to whip me for skipping school." Charlie nodded and held out his hand. Debbie took out the number and handed it to him. Then Charlie turned to Robin and said, "Robin, I want you to go tuck Debbie in to your bed upstairs. She needs to sleep. Then come back down and we'll talk."
Robin led Debbie upstairs. She thought to herself, "Yeah, talk? right." Meanwhile, downstairs, Charlie beeped Debbie's father. Not a minute later, the telephone rang. When Charlie picked it up, he heard, "Ralph Longo here." Charlie said, "Hi, Ralph, Charlie Clemente, here. Robin's father. I have Debbie upstairs in my house. The girls decided to skip school today. It seems that Debbie got a good knock on the head, but she'll be fine." Charlie continued to fill in Debbie's father on the events of the day. Ralph said, "Well, I'd sure appreciate that, Charlie. I'll pick her up on my way home, around 5:00."
Charlie hung up the phone. Then he picked it up again and called his job. He asked to speak to his boss, Bill, but was told he was out to lunch. Then he asked to speak to the other manager, John. He said to John, "Hey, John, I have a little matter I need to attend to at home; I'll try to be back within the hour."
John replied, "Take your time, Charlie, we know where to find you if we need you." Charlie put down the receiver, opened the fridge and scrounged around for some food. He found some leftover meatloaf. He put it in the microwave and waited. While he was waiting, Robin came into the kitchen.
He said to Robin, "Debbie all tucked in?" Robin nodded, "She fell asleep already. I'm so glad she's okay."
The microwave beeped then. Charlie took out his plate of meatloaf, grabbed a couple of slices of bread, the ketchup, and a can of Pepsi. He brought all this to the dining room table.
He said to Robin, "Come, sit down and talk to me while I eat." Robin obediently followed her father into the dining room. Robin watched her father eat. She didn't know what to say. She knew she was in deep trouble, and it was only a matter of time until she got a spanking.
Charlie finished his last bite of meatloaf sandwich. He looked at Robin. He chose his words carefully when he finally spoke, "So, would you like to tell me what you were thinking today, young lady?"
Robin said, "Daddy, I know I messed up. But I only wanted to see Barbie(tm), and you and Mommy wouldn't let me go. I know what I did was stupid."
Charlie waited for her to continue. When she didn't, he said, "Robin, do you know how scared I was when I got that phone call about you and Debbie? I would have been very upset if anything had happened to you, do you know that?"
Robin nodded. She started to cry. "I'm sorry, Daddy, I didn't know this was gonna happen. I wouldn't have done it, honest."
Charlie started to get angry, "Oh, so because Debbie got hurt, you're sorry?! But if everything had gone on smooth as planned, and you got to see your precious Barbie(tm), you wouldn't have cared that you skipped school, and disobeyed us?"
Robin sobbed, "No, I didn't mean that, I mean, well, I don't know what I mean. I am sorry that I disobeyed you, Daddy!"
After she said this, she turned away. Charlie got up and went over to Robin. He put her face in his hands and turned it to meet his. He said, "I don't think you're sorry that you did it. I think you're only sorry that you had to call me when Debbie got hurt. You wouldn't be sorry if you hadn't got caught!"
Robin shook her head back and forth. "No, Daddy, that's not true!" Charlie said, "Yes, it is true, isn't it?" Robin continued to shake her head back and forth. Then Charlie said, "Well, it doesn't matter right now. What does matter is that you're going to be punished. I need to clean up in here. I want you to go use the bathroom and then wait for me in my room. Understand?"
Robin nodded and walked out of the room. Charlie sighed. Then he cleaned up his stuff. He put his dirty dishes in the dishwasher, and put the empty can in the recycling bin. Then he put the ketchup back in the refrigerator. He muttered to himself, "Guess it's now or never."
Charlie said to Robin, "I'm not going to give you a choice this time, Robin. I think what you did today calls for a very serious punishment. Now, I want you to lean over and put your hands on the edge of the bed. Now just stand there, and don't move."
Robin cried out as she heard her father pull his belt off of his pants. She was scared. He had never hit her with a belt before. She was wondering how much it would hurt, when suddenly she felt the first slap of the belt. It hurt a lot! Charlie repeatedly hit Robin with the belt. Swat! Swat! Swat! "Ow, Daddy, it hurts, please, Daddy, stop! I'm sorrrr-eeee!" Charlie continued to hit Robin 15 times with the belt. By the time he finished, Robin was a wreck. She was sobbing and clutching at her bottom; it hurt so much.
Charlie said, "Okay, now you can lay on my bed until you calm down. I'll come and check on you in a little while." Robin dragged herself onto the bed and laid down. She curled herself into the fetal position and cried.
Charlie went upstairs to check on Debbie. She was sound asleep. Then he went into the living room. He rubbed his face with his hands, as if washing without water. Suddenly, the phone rang.
Charlie picked it up. "Hello? Oh, hi, honey, how'd you know where to find me?"
Lisa's voice said, "I called the store. John told me you had gone home for lunch. I'm glad I caught you."
Charlie said, "Where are you?"
Lisa said, "I'm at the 'Mommy and Me' Thanksgiving party. Remember I told you that was today?"
Charlie said, "Oh, yeah, that's right. Well, we have trouble here." Charlie told Lisa all that had happened that afternoon.
Lisa said, "I'll come right home. You should get back to work."
Charlie said, "Okay, hon, I love you, see you later."
Charlie hung up the phone. He looked at the clock. It read 2:00. "Damn!" he muttered to himself. Charlie went in to check on Robin. She was lying on the bed crying softly. He went and sat on the edge of the bed. Robin sat up and leaned against her father.
"I really am sorry, Daddy! Honest!"
Charlie stroked his daughter's hair. "Are you? Really sorry?"
Robin nodded. He looked at her face. She really did look sorry. "Okay, honey, I believe you." He kissed her cheek. "I have to get back to work. Mommy should be home in a few minutes. I love you, honey." Robin replied, "I love you, too, Daddy!"
When Lisa got home, she put Melissa in the playpen, and put Steven down for his nap. She went to her bedroom. Robin was still laying on the bed, crying softly. Robin looked up when her mother came into the room. "Hi, Mommy, " Robin said softly.
Lisa said, "You've been a busy girl today, haven't you?" Robin nodded.
Lisa said, "I hope you promised Daddy there would be no more disappearing from school, young lady."
Robin sat up. "I won't ever do it again, Mommy, honest."
Lisa said, "I'm sure you won't. But just to be sure you won't forget this day,..." She paused. Robin's mouth dropped open as she saw the large wooden hairbrush in her mother's hand.