Subject: New Beginnings (A Maggie & Twin Story) Part 6
From: SamPast@aol.com
Date: 99-05-19 21:17:19 EDT

This is one part of a long story, with many spankings (M/f, F/f, and some M/F). It starts shortly after the end of _Change of Scenery_ and involves the same characters. It was written with a co-author, who has not made her name public.

This story contains spanking of (fictional) children . If this is not your thing, then don't read it.

This story is a work of fiction. Do not copy or distribute this story without written permission from SamPast.

This story is distributed in multiple parts. See part 1 for complete disclaimers and warnings..

Send any comments to SamPast@aol.com

The next morning, which was New Year's Eve Day, Maggie woke up not feeling very well.

"Mommmmmy! Daddddddy!" she called.

Both Heather and Bob came running into her bedroom.

"What is it?" Bob asked.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" Heather asked.

Maggie began to cry. "I don't feel very well!"

Heather sat down on the edge of Maggie's bed. She leaned over and felt Maggie's head.

"Well, it feels warm, but I can't really tell," Heather announced.

Bob said, "Let me feel." He, also, felt Maggie's head. "Well, it does feel warm, but I don't know if she has a fever or not. Where's the thermometer?"

Heather cried, "Oh, we don't have one. The last one I had broke, and I never got a new one!"

Bob gave Heather a stern look. "Honey, calm down. It's not the end of the world. I'll just get dressed and go pick one up." Then he turned to Maggie, "Honey, does anything hurt? Your tummy? Your head?"

Maggie nodded to both. "I just feel funny. Like I don't seem right. You know?"

Bob nodded. "Sounds like the flu. Heather, go get a washcloth and wet it. We'll put a cold compress on her head. If that doesn't feel good, we'll try a warm one. I'll go to the pharmacy and pick up the thermometer." He turned back to Maggie and said, "Be right back, sweetie. Just rest."

Heather followed Bob out of the room. She went to the linen closet to get a washcloth. Then she went into the bathroom to wet it. Bob had gone to the bedroom and thrown on a sweatsuit and sneakers.

He met Heather in the bathroom. He said to her, "Okay, I'm going. You and I will talk about your whining, later! Understood?"

Heather gulped. She had forgotten that she was supposed to set a good example for Maggie. "Yes, yes, sir," she answered.

Bob leaned in to kiss Heather. "Okay, honey, be right back. Do we need anything else? Do we have Children's Tylenol(tm)?"

Heather nodded. She couldn't speak; she was thinking about the "talk" they were going to have later on. Finally, she shook herself back to reality and said, "Yes, that we have. Bob, be careful driving. You never know how early people start partying for New Year's. I love you."

"Oh yeah, speaking of New Year's, I guess you should call Charlie and Lisa and tell them we won't be able to come by tonight to ring in the New Year!" Bob exclaimed.

"Yes, I'll do that. Let me get this to Maggie," Heather said.

"Okay, see you in a few! I love you!" Bob said and then headed out the door.

Heather sat with Maggie, holding the cold compress on her head. She told her mom that it felt good.

"Mommy?" Maggie asked.

"Yes, honey?" Heather answered.

"Can we still go to the courthouse today like Daddy said?" she asked in a small, quiet voice.

Heather frowned. "No, honey, I'm afraid you won't be going anywhere today. You don't feel well, and you probably have a fever. You might even have the flu."

"But Mommy, I want to go to court. I want Daddy to be my real Daddy," Maggie cried.

"Honey, Daddy is your real Daddy. All the court would do is make it legal. And we will do that. It just won't be today," Heather remarked.

Maggie continued to cry, which only made her head feel worse. "But Mommy, pleeeeeease! Please go today!" she wailed.

Heather said, "Maggie, please! You're going to make yourself sicker than you already are! Now, I'll talk to Daddy about this when he gets home and see what he says. Okay?"

"Okay, Mommy," Maggie sniffed.

Heather said, "Okay, here, you hold this on your forehead for a few minutes. I have to go call Aunt Lisa and tell her we can't come by tonight because you're sick."

"Oh, but I wanted to see Robin and Jennifer!" Maggie whined.

"Maggie! No whining!" Heather said. "Besides, you just spent the whole weekend with them. You'll see your cousins soon, when you're feeling better."

Heather had to laugh when she spoke to Lisa a few minutes later. It seemed that both the twins had woken up sick, as well. They must have all been in contact with someone who had the flu. Charlie had called the pediatrician.

"Basically, he said to let them rest, and make sure they had lots of fluids. Typical, isn't it?" Lisa pondered.

"Yeah, oh, I didn't even think to call a doctor. I don't even have a pediatrician for Maggie around here," Heather replied.

Lisa offered, "Oh, well we can hook you up to ours, if you want. Charlie's been taking the girls to Dr. Sid since they were born. We really like him, and he's very trustworthy. Let me give you his number. Keep it in a safe place, so you can call when you need to."

Lisa rattled off the phone number. Heather wrote it on a paper, and stuck it to the refrigerator with a magnet.

"Okay, thanks, Lisa. Sorry about tonight. And boy do I feel bad for you guys, having two of them at one time," Heather observed.

"And the bad part is, Charlie had to work today. Just until 6:00. But that's like, what? 9 hours from now? I'll probably want to jump off a bridge by then," Lisa laughed.

Heather laughed, too. "Oh, well take care, then. Call if you need anything, and Bob or I will come by, okay?"

"Okay, we'll talk soon, Heather," Lisa said and then hung up the phone.

Heather went back to sit with Maggie. Bob came home a little while later. He walked into Maggie's room, and smiled when he saw Heather curled up with Maggie. They were both fast asleep.

Bob went into the kitchen and read the paper while having his breakfast. Half an hour later, Heather came into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes.

"Hi, honey, hungry? I brought you an egg sandwich from the deli," Bob said, offering her the sandwich.

Heather was surprised. She thought her husband was angry with her. "Uh, thanks, honey." Heather took the sandwich and sat down to eat it with a cup of coffee that Bob poured for her.

"I should probably wake Maggie and give her something to drink. Lisa said to give her lots of fluids," Heather spoke. She then told Bob of her conversation with Lisa. Bob couldn't believe that both his nieces were sick, too.

"Mommmeeee!" Maggie cried.

Both Heather and Bob went into Maggie's room. Heather sat on the edge of the bed, and held Maggie's hand. "What is it, sweetie?" she asked.

Maggie continued to cry. "I woke up and you were gone. I got scared," Maggie replied.

Bob came over and sat down with them. "We're both here, now, baby. How do you feel?"

"I'm cold. Really cold," Maggie expressed.

Bob looked around. He asked Heather, "Where's that bathrobe we bought her for Christmas? Let's put that on her."

He felt Maggie's forehead. "I'm going to get the thermometer. Be right back, sweetie," he told Maggie.

Bob came back into the room with a paper bag from the pharmacy. He took a thermometer out of the bag. He held it up to look at it. Maggie instinctively opened her mouth to give her daddy room to put it in.

But Bob shook his head. "I'm afraid this thermometer doesn't go into your mouth, honey," he explained.

Realization came to Maggie's face. "Daddieeeeee, NO! Please, Daddy, don't!"

Bob was puzzled. Heather looked shocked. Bob looked back and forth between the two faces.

Maggie cried, "Please, Daddy, don't use that one. Grandma used to use that one. I hate it!"

Heather chuckled, "I always hated it, too, when I was little."

Bob frowned. He shot Heather a dirty look. "Well, the pharmacist said it was the most reliable for measuring children's temperature." But he looked at his new daughter's tear-stained face, and didn't want to upset her anymore. He put the rectal thermometer back in the bag and took out the oral one.

"Okay, but if it's not reliable, we'll go back to the other one. Maggie, open up," Bob said. He put the thermometer in, under her tongue. "Keep it there, we'll be right back. I need to talk to Mommy for a minute."

Bob steered Heather out of the room. "Heather, I am trying to keep my temper where you're concerned in front of our daughter, but you are not making it easy. You are the mother, here. Saying that you didn't like the rectal thermometer in front of her, was not smart. You are not her friend. You are her mother. You have to act like it!"

Heather's mouth dropped open. Bob was talking quietly but she could tell he was pissed. She didn't really understand why. Heather thought he was being too sensitive.

"But I don't like it. I never did," Heather responded.

Bob took Heather's shoulders in his hands. "That's not the point, Heather. You could have said that even though it was unpleasant, she had to do it, because it was necessary, and reliable. Honey, you have to set a good example for. . ."

Bob stopped. He didn't think Heather was getting any of what he was saying. He looked at his watch. "You know what, I'm losing my patience. I have to get back in there. You and I will continue this later when we have our "talk". We have a sick child to take care of now."

Heather watched as Bob went back into Maggie's room. She didn't know what to do. Eventually, she just followed him in. Heather watched Bob take out the thermometer and read it.

"Hmm, the temperature's higher than I had thought. 102§. Looks like you'll be in bed for a while, Magpie," Bob announced.

Maggie was too sick to notice the tension in the room. If she had been feeling well, she would have noticed that her mom and dad were not talking to or touching each other.

"Mommy?" Maggie whispered.

Heather said, "Yes, honey?"

"Did you ask Daddy?" she asked.

"Oh, no, honey, I haven't had a chance," Heather stated.

Maggie began to cry. "But Mommy, it's important!"

Bob said, "What is, sweetie?"

Maggie looked up at her mom. Heather spoke, "Maggie wants us to go to court today, even though she's sick!"

"But Mommy said it would have to wait. Please, Daddy, go today!" Maggie pleaded.

"Oh, honey, I know I said today, but you're sick. Mommy's right; it can wait a few days, `til you're feeling better," Bob said softly.

Maggie continued to cry. "No, Daddy, please, I want to start writing my new last name when I start my new school."

Bob held Maggie's hand. "Sweetie, even if we went today, it wouldn't be legal for awhile. An adoption takes time, and tons of paperwork. I'm sorry if I made it sound like it would happen in one day."

"I don't understand," Maggie said.

"I know, honey. And if I could explain it to you, I would. It's just lots of lawyer stuff, and judges, and papers to fill out. It might take a few weeks or months. We'll just have to be patient," Bob explained.

Everyone was silent for a few minutes. Then, Maggie spoke. "Daddy?"

"Yes, Magpie!"

"Could you go today to start the paperwork?" she asked.

Heather had lost her patience with this conversation. She sneered, "Maggie, we already told you that it wouldn't happen today. Now, you're sick. We're not going anywhere!"

Maggie started crying again. Bob gave Heather a "You're really cruising" look. Heather left the room.

Bob said, "Honey, both Mommy and I would have to be in court. And we can't leave you."

Maggie uttered, "I, I could st-stay here with Mrs. W-W-Warner."

Bob sighed. "I'll tell you what. I'll talk to Mommy, and I'll call Mrs. Warner and see if she can come up. In the meantime, how 'bout some breakfast? Some nice toast?"

"Okay," Maggie nodded.

Bob left the room to make Maggie her toast. He saw Heather laying on the living room couch. He told her Maggie's idea about asking Mrs. Warner to come up. She said she thought they should wait until after the New Year.

Bob said, "I think so, too. But, I feel bad. Even with you. I told you we need to be consistent with Maggie. It might give her the wrong idea if we don't at least go down to the courthouse to get some information. We can save the actual filing for another day. What do you think?"

"Okay," Heather agreed. I'll call Mrs. Warner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heather and Bob sat in the waiting room at the courthouse. They had already been there for forty-five minutes. They had been shuffled from one office to another, getting several documents to fill out, from each. Bob called Mrs. Warner once, to see how Maggie was doing.

He came back to where Heather was sitting on the bench. "Mrs. Warner said Maggie has been sleeping most of the time. So, that's good, anyway."

"Yeah, it is," Heather said absently.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Bob asked.

Heather didn't want to tell him she was worried about their talk, so she just said, "I'm tired."

Bob turned Heather to look at him. "No, that's not it. Come on, we're married, now. You can tell me," he encouraged.

"I'm just worried about all this paperwork and stuff. Courthouses make me nervous," she lied.

"Oh, honey, don't worry! It won't be too bad. I'll take care of everything. It'll be a piece of cake. You'll see!" Bob assured her.

Finally, they were brought before a preliminary judge. He started asking rapid fire questions. Heather felt as though she were on trial. They were there for about fifteen minutes. They both left totally depressed.

Neither of them realized the complications that would arise from this. When Bob told Maggie he would adopt her, he didn't realize all that he was getting himself involved in.

Since Maggie's real dad's name was listed on her birth certificate and he was not deceased, they would have to get him to sign away his rights to Maggie. This made Heather feel sad. Even though things had not worked out between her and Mark, she felt like this was a difficult thing to do.

On the other hand, she felt relieved. Mark had shown that he didn't want to be a part of Maggie's life. "Yeah, he deserves everything he's gonna get," Heather thought to herself.

But, uh-oh, what if Mark decided that now he wanted to be part of Maggie's life? What if he wouldn't sign away his rights? What if he just did it to get back at Heather?

Wait, no! What was she thinking?! Mark had his own life, now. He was remarried and had other kids. He didn't want Maggie. He wouldn't stand in her way of happiness with Bob, would he?

Heather didn't know what to think. She was all confused. Jumbled thoughts of Mark, of her acting like a baby in front of Maggie, of Bob's talk, all filled her mind. She had one huge headache.

When they got home, they thanked Mrs. Warner. Maggie had been awake for a little while and she and Mrs. Warner had worn out the checker set. Maggie was now asleep, again.

Heather told Bob she had a huge headache and went to lie down. Bob knew something was wrong, and he didn't know which one of his girls to take care of first, but decided that Maggie needed him more at the moment. He was getting pretty irritated at Heather's attitude, and confused, too. He knew they needed to talk and SOON!

Walking back into Maggie's room, he felt her forehead and realized that she was feeling warmer to him. He got a cold cloth and started to sponge her down, a little at a time, so she didn't get chilled, when suddenly Maggie woke up.

She smiled, and said, "Hi Daddy, did you get all the paperwork done?"

Bob shook his head. "No sweetheart, Mommy and I got some of it done, and now we have to wait for a few things."

"Like what, Daddy?" Maggie asked innocently.

Bob sighed. How would he explain this? "Well, sweetie, your umm, Magpie, do you know what the term biological dad means?" "No, Daddy, what is that?"

"That means the man who helped you be born, but who is not around to really be a dad to you," Bob tried. "Huh?" Maggie asked.

"Never mind, baby. I will explain the concept when you aren't sick. Anyway, your other dad needs to sign some papers before I can legally adopt you," Bob informed her.

"Oh," was all Maggie said, and then she rolled into a tight ball away from Bob. Bob started to rub her back, and could sense she was very tense, and it wasn't from the flu.

"Where is Mommy?" she asked.

"She had a big headache, sweetie, and she went to lie down," Bob explained.

From inside her ball, Maggie whispered, "I need her, Daddy, I really do."

"Okay, Magpie, I will go get her," Bob told her.

He went to the living room, and shook Heather awake. "Hon, Maggie is calling for you, sweetie. You need to go to her."

Blinking, Heather looked up into the kind and caring face of the man she loved, and quickly put her fears of the "talk" aside and got up to go to Maggie.

Bob announced, "I am going to make some juice and see if we can get her to keep drinking, hon, you go talk to her and see what's wrong.

Heather walked into Maggie's room, and saw her all curled up in a ball and wrapped her arms around her. "What's up, sweetie?"

"Ohhh Mommy!" Maggie wailed, and started to sob.

"Heyyy now, what is all this? Do you hurt?" Heather asked, concerned.

Maggie nodded and said, "Yes, I hurt everywhere, but mostly my heart."

Heather was confused. "Why baby, why your heart?"

Maggie attempted to explain to her mother what was wrong. "My bia, noo, bi, belog, ohh I can't remember the word Daddy used, but he was talking about my other daddy, and I got all upset."

Heather nodded. "Does thinking about him make you sad, hon?"

Maggie started sobbing harder and harder until Heather got really worried and called for Bob. Nothing she did seemed to calm her down. Bob came in, and tried to hold her and cradle her in his arms, but she was too far gone to listen to him.

Finally, he knew he had to startle her back and in a very stern voice said, "MARGARET ANNE, that is ENOUGH!"

Maggie immediately reacted to that tone, and started to hiccup but she was at least reachable. When she settled more, Bob asked her to drink some of the juice he brought her, but she shook her head. Worried that she was going to dehydrate herself, he told her she had to, and in a tone that she knew she had to obey or else.

"Daddy, I can't really, my tummy hurts too bad," Maggie informed him.

Bob expressed, "Magpie, the doctor says you need to drink, and drink you will."

Maggie obediently took a few sips, and within minutes, heaved it all back up over everything. Without any hesitation, Bob picked Maggie up and took her to the bathroom to clean her up, while Heather changed the sheets.

"How about a cool bath, sweetie? Maybe that will help you," Bob asked.

He ran the bath, and sat and sponged her again and again, and then sat her in his lap to dry her up. She almost instantly fell asleep in his arms, and after putting clean pajamas on her, laid her back down in her clean bed.

Taking Heather's hand, Bob led her back into the living room, leaving the door open so they could hear Maggie if she called.

"Now, Heather, can you tell me what that was all about with Maggie?" Bob asked.

"I wish I could, but I am not sure. I know she has a lot of hidden feelings about Mark, and he has let her down again and again, so I don't know exactly what is going on in her head. We are going to have to wait and discuss it with her later," explained Heather.

Sighing, Bob said, "Okay, we will have to wait on that, I guess. Now young lady, I think it is time to discuss a few things with YOU."

Looking up at Bob, Heather gulped and said, "NOW?"

"Yes now!" Bob said sternly.

"But what if Maggie wakes up and hears us?" Heather asked.

Bob replied, "For right NOW, we are going to TALK, and we may or may not "discuss" it further later tonight. We will see." "Yes Sir," she answered.

Her husband continued, "Now, Heather, is whining acceptable in this family?"

"No Sir."

"One of the things we have already talked about, is that we need to be the parents, right?" "Yes Sir."

"Were you being an appropriate role model this morning for Maggie?"

"No Sir."

"No, you certainly were not. Now, do you have anything to say for yourself?" Bob asked severely.

Looking up at Bob, Heather felt pretty defensive. "Look Bob, I know you love Maggie, and I do too, but things are NOT going to change overnight. I am trying, and you have to believe me. If you don't, then we have bigger problems then my whining."

Not at all satisfied with THAT answer, Bob looked at her sternly. "I see, so your excuse is what again? Let me see if I have this clearly. You think I am expecting too much from you? Is that it? So, you want me to treat you like a child, as well as Maggie? Is THAT what I am hearing?" Bob had to remind himself not to shout.

"No, that is NOT what you are hearing. YOU are being pig headed, and stubborn, and, and ohhhhh, arghhhhh." Heather got up and stomped into their bedroom.

Following her, Bob said, "Now THAT was mature."

Heather squealed, "I need some space, Bob, go away." Heather walked into the master bathroom, and closed the door.

Bob was angry, but tried to contain it. He walked back and forth to the kitchen a few times, checked on Maggie, and was just about to knock on the door, when he heard Heather crying in the bathroom.

Suddenly Bob realized that he had been pretty hard on Heather, that he was indeed expecting a lot out of her and she was worried about Maggie just like he was. Softly, he called through the door and asked her to open it.

"Are you still mad at me?" Heather asked in a little girl voice.

"No hon, please come to me," Bob said gently.

Heather opened the door and walked into Bob's arms. "I don't deserve you," she sobbed into his shirt.

"Heyyy, what is THIS?" he asked her, while stroking her back and bottom.

"I am a lousy mother, and a terrible wife," Heather suggested.

"Whoa, stop that, I never said that," Bob sighed.

"I know, but I am, and I have to do better, I dooo, and I, I, I will," Heather promised.

"Shhhhhhh baby, you just need to know how much I love you," Bob tried to soothe her. He had Heather wrapped securely in his arms, and was kissing her soundly when they heard Maggie wake up and start yelling for them.

Sighing, Bob realized that many a tender moment was going to be interrupted from now on, and went to Maggie.

"Daddy, I am going to be sick again. Help me! I don't wanna throw up!" Maggie cried.

Bob grabbed a towel, and held it for her while she got sick again. Poor Maggie didn't have anything left in her stomach, and mostly had the dry heaves. Just then, Heather came in with a wet cloth and sat and held it on her head, and then took her temp again. It was still hovering around 102§, and she knew that Maggie had to be feeling rotten.

"Bob, hon, I left the number of the doctor that Lisa and Charlie use on the frig. Will you call, please, and see if we should bring her in?" Heather asked.

"Sure hon," he replied.

Maggie squealed, "Nooo Mommy, I don't wanna go to the doctor, I don't!"

Heather tried to reassure her. "Hush now, sweetie, your daddy and I only want to help you get well."

"But I don't need to go to the doctor," Maggie wailed.

"You will do what you are told, young lady," Heather pronounced. Bob heard the backbone in her voice and was proud of her. A few minutes later, he came back and told her that the Doctor said that there was nothing more he could do, that it had to run its course, and she HAD to drink lots of fluids.

"But I don't wanna, Mommy, I can't!" Maggie cried.

"Well if you DON'T, then we will have to take you to the hospital, and they will have to put a needle in your arm and get the fluids in that way," Heather explained.

"Nooooooo!" Maggie wailed. "Noooooooo!"

"Shhhhh, just drink, hon. Come on, little sips." Heather gave her some more Tylenol(tm) first, and then some sips of water. Heather started to sing to her and rock her a bit, and Maggie fell back asleep.

Bob realized he had never really heard her sing like that, and was deeply touched. Laying her down again, Heather stretched her back, and realized that it was dinnertime. Walking out to the kitchen, she was amazed that Bob had the table all set for two, and salads already made.

"I know neither of us is especially hungry, so I just threw this together. Is that okay, hon?" Bob asked. He looked up at her like a little puppy.

"Okay? You are incredible, do you know that MR. Clemente?" she said.

Bob smiled. "Hmm, maybe you will have to tell me a few more times, MRS. Clemente."

Ignoring the salads, Heather walked into his waiting arms, to finish what they had started earlier.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heather laid in Bob's arms, happy and fulfilled, and knowing that she loved her new husband very, very much. Wrapped up in his arms, she couldn't ask for a better partner to share her life and her daughter with.

Bob kissed the top of Heather's head, and told her he was going to just check and see if Maggie was still asleep. Tiptoeing into her room, Bob saw that she was sound asleep, and feeling her forehead, knew that her fever had broken, and he sighed a big sigh of relief.

He went to the kitchen to get two cold drinks, and as he did, chuckled a bit to himself, as he realized that Heather had definitely THOUGHT she had snookered her way out of their "discussion".

Back in their bedroom, he handed her the drink and climbed back into bed. After she finished her juice, Bob, who had been playing with her hair, turned her head to look at him.

"Okay, young lady, I know you think you totally distracted me, and you did a great job, but I think we have some more talking to do, don't we?" he asked.

"I thought we had, Bob," Heather told him, looking up all innocent.

Smiling down at her, Bob asked, "Do you feel you have really learned your lesson about NOT whining, NOT setting a poor example for Maggie, and NOT contradicting me in front of her?"

"Welll, I think I did, hon," Heather replied.

"Well, I think you did to a certain extent too, sweetie. But, I really think you might need some reinforcement of that lesson, just so we BOTH know that it will stick," Bob uttered.

Before Heather could reply, she found herself over Bob's knees as he leaned against the backboard of their bed. Heather was already naked, so he had no need to peel any of her clothing to get to her bare bottom. Bob started slowly and softly and then built up the intensity as he went from cheek to cheek.

Lecturing as he spanked, Bob told her he would NOT accept any whining from her, that she was an adult, and that ANY further occurrences would be met with a very, very severe spanking. "Do you understand, young lady?"

"Yes Sir," Heather replied.

Slowly, as her bottom went from pink to red, and as Bob continued to lecture, Heather realized how truly Bob loved her, and how intent he was on making their marriage not only work, but also to help her become a much better wife and mother.

She had stopped listening to the lecture, and almost felt lulled by the cadence of his spanks. She realized he had stopped, and also that she hadn't cried a single tear.

"What do you have to say for yourself, young lady?" Bob asked her.

"Only one thing, sweetheart. Which is, that I love you very, very much!"

Rolling her over and then up into his arms, Bob told her, "Well, that is the whole point, isn't it?"

"Yes sweetie, I know, and I appreciate it as well. I deserved that spanking, and I wish I could say I won't ever need one again, but I can't. But thank you for loving me sooo very much," Heather admitted.

"How could I not?" Bob asked. "You ARE my heart, and you will be for the rest of my life." With that, the talking ceased, and the two went back to where they had been before, totally wrapped up in making each other totally fulfilled.