Adventures in Babysitting Part Two

"I think you should stay for our talk," Ben said right before they walked into the house.

"As long as I don't have to stay for the tanning, it was hard enough the first time," Adam said giving his father a small smile.

"I understand."

"Pa, Hoss was just following along. He didn't know what Little Joe and Jax had planned."

"Did you use your belt?"

"No sir, I used Jax's brush."

"We'll see what he has to say before I use my belt for the whole time."

The second they walked in the house, Ben called his three errant children downstairs.

Hoss immediately sat on the settee looking down, while Jax and Joe decided to butter their father up by giving him a huge hug. Ben tried not to smile. He loved his children and he missed them something fierce when he was gone. He walked over and pulled his twelve year old into a hug. Hoss smiled and returned it before sitting back down.

"Ok you two go sit on the settee with Hoss."

The twins followed his directions and gave Hoss a small smile when they sat down.

"I want to hear it from your mouths what happened the other day. Eric, why don't you start?"

"Yes sir. Um, we were on our way to school and Jax and Little Joe didn't want to go. I told them no a few times but they kept on me. Finally they suggested that we go out to the pasture and I said yes. I kinda wanted to show you what I could do when you got back."

"Are you allowed in the pasture without me?"

"No sir," Hoss said looking down again.

"Why?"

"It's too dangerous."

"Joseph, what happened next?"

"I was bored just sitting there so I suggested that we ride a calf, you know like one of those rodeo guys we saw last month."

"Was that a good idea?" Ben asked calmly.

"I guess not," Joe said trying hard not to smile.

"Try again."

"No sir, it wasn't a good idea," Joe said knowing that was what his father would want to hear.

"Did you ride a calf?"

"No," Joe said unable to hide his disappointment.

"Anything else?" Ben asked his youngest son.

"That's about it," the six year old said.

"Joseph," Adam said in a warning tone.

"Oh yeah, Jax and I bet a week's worth of chores on who would stay on the calf the longest."

Ben took a deep breath and said,

"Are you allowed to bet?"

"No sir," it was now Joe's turn to hang his head. He knew the last time his Pa caught him and Jax betting, he doubled their chores for a month and restricted them to the yard for a week. It was a lifetime.

"Jacqueline, what's your take on all of this?"

"Well," Jax had been thinking about what to say the entire time she was waiting for her turn and everything that came to mind would get them in more trouble. So she said,

"I decided to ride the calf first, because honestly I knew we'd get caught by Hoss and I wanted my turn. I didn't know Adam was coming because if I did and if I knew how hard he spanked, I wouldn't have done it," Jax pouted.

"That's not fair!" Joe said. "I can't believe you would do that to me."

"Well it's not my fault you can't think ahead. I knew the second Hoss gave you that second calf it'd be over."

Ben decided to stop the argument before it got any worse.

"Jacqueline, you shouldn't have got on the calf in the first place and the fact that you knew your brother wasn't going to get his turn means you should have more punishment."

"But," Jax started but stopped thinking that what her father said was true. Joe didn't get to have any fun while she did. It also wasn't fair that she took her turn first, they should've done it together.

"But what?" Ben asked.

"Nothing," Jax said joining her brothers by hanging her head in defeat.

"What should we do about this?"

"Pa, Adam already spanked us really really hard. So you shouldn't spank us," Jax said quickly.

"Was it fair to Adam for you to break the rules?" Ben asked.

"No sir," was heard from all three voices.

"But he punished us for breaking the rules. I won't be fair if we get two spankings," Joe tried.

"And it wasn't fair that Adam had to spank you."

"Why, his bottom didn't hurt," Joe pouted.

"Does Adam like when you cry?" Ben asked knowing that his children didn't understand how hard it was to dole out a tanning.

"No, so he shouldn't have made us cry then. He didn't have to spank us," Jax pouted.

"You put yourself in danger, so he didn't have a choice."

"Adam, tell Pa it isn't fair," Jax said.

"Can't sis. You have to think about your safety."

"But you spanked us," Joe said.

"What if we promise never to ride a calf again?" Jax tried. Adam's spanking had hurt, but her Pa's were always much worse.

"Jax, you didn't only ride a calf. What else did you do wrong?" Ben asked.

"Skipping school," Jax asked with a question in her voice.

"Yes, are you allowed to skip school?"

"No sir," was heard again by the three voices.

"Hoss, what happened the last time you skipped school?"

"We got a tanning," Hoss whispered.

"How old are you son?"

"Twelve."

"As Jax and Little Joe's older brother what should you have done?"

"Made them go to school. Pa, I promise if I thought Jax was going to ride a calf and put herself in danger I would have said no the third time."

"Son, there are so many things that can go wrong when you are not where you are supposed to be. We talked about that the last time you skipped school."

"I know, but sometimes playing with Jax and Joe is more fun than school. I don't like school."

"We talked about that the last time too."

"I know and I'm sorry," Hoss said earnestly.

"What did I promise if you skipped school again?"

"A bare bottom belt tanning," Hoss whispered. He could only hope that his father started with his hand, but he had a feeling that he was getting the belt the entire time.

"But it was our idea," Jax said.

"What did I promise you and Little Joe?" Ben asked.

Jax and Joe's eyes doubled in size.

"Jacqueline," Ben warned.

"The brush," Jax said quietly. They had never gotten the brush before and they sure as heck didn't want it now.

"Pa, we're really sorry. Hoss shouldn't get the belt on his bare butt because, we conned him. And because Adam already spanked us we shouldn't get the brush" Joe said.

Ben sighed. He knew those two could talk their brother into trouble easily. So he decided he was going to start off with the hand spanking.

"Doesn't matter Joseph, when I promise a punishment I always follow through," Ben said.

Jax looked at Hoss and saw he had tears running down his sweet face and said,

"Sorry Hoss."

Hoss just nodded his head.

"Go out to the barn son," Ben said with a heavy heart.

"Yes sir," Hoss said getting up and walking out the door. His tears were from shame more than the fact he was getting a bare bottom belt tanning.

"Jacqueline, go get your brush, put it on the coffee table, and find a corner. Joseph, head on over to a corner now."

"Yes sir," Jax said getting up grudgingly and walking up the stairs.

Ben decided early on that Hoss was going to be punished first. Jax and Joe needed to realize that their choices had consequences for others.

Adam followed his father out of the house and said,

"Pa."

"Why don't you go help Charlie in the north pasture?"

"Thanks Pa," Adam smiled brightly and rode off.

Ben walked into the barn and saw his son sitting on a bale of hay waiting.

"You know what to do," Ben said. He watched his son's hand go up to the button of his jeans shaking slightly as Ben he took off his belt, he added, "I decided to just give you six at the end."

Hoss almost smiled in relief, even though a hand spanking hurt like the dickens the belt was so much worse.

The second Hoss was over his father's knee, Ben asked,

"What am I tanning you?"

"I skipped school with the twins putting all of us in danger and I went into the south pasture so I could wrangle cattle," Hoss said with tears in his voice, he hated disappointing his father.

Ben's hard hand reached its target and soon after Hoss was wiggling trying to dodge the swats. Shortly the burning pain had him yelping and crying came quickly behind it. Ben heard the crying and tilted him forward to attack his sit spots. That had Hoss sobbing hard. Ben picked up his belt and tilted his son back so he could send four searing swats to the fleshy part of his butt, then changed position so he could get the sit spots once again. Hoss was sobbing uncontrollably at that point. Ben started rubbing his hand up and down his son's spine, when Hoss was sniffling he helped him get off his knee and Hoss pulled up his pants with a grimace.

Ben pulled his son onto his lap and hugged him tightly.

"You ok?"

"I'm really sorry about the twins."

"They're getting older so they need to take responsibility for what they do wrong," Ben wanted to see his son smile so he asked, "How many cows did you wrangle?"

"Ten," Hoss said with a smile.

"I still think you're a little young, but I promise to introduce you slowly. Sound fair?"

Hoss just gave his father a huge hug.

"Up to your room and that's where you're going to be for a couple of days," Ben said.

"Pa, can I stay out here while you spank the twins?"

"Sure, stand in the corner to wait."

"Yes sir."

Ben walked back into the house and decided that Joe would go first tonight.

"Alright Joseph, let's go," Ben said.

Joe walked over his little lip began to quiver. The only thing he could hope was that he would get to keep his pants on.

Ben lifted him up and put him across his knee. He started spanking dropping swat after swat that had Joe crying within seconds. After what felt like a lifetime to Joe his father tilted him forward and landed four swats on each sit spot. Ben sighed before saying,

"Four, Little Joe."

"No Papa, please…" Joe sobbed.

Ben tilted him forward and land one swat on each butt cheek before tilting him forward and giving him one on each sit spot. The second he was finished Ben held his sobbing baby boy to his chest. After a few minutes Joe stopped crying and asked,

"Can I go to my room?"

"After I spank Jax," Ben said, "Head back over to your corner. Jax."

Jax walked over, tears pouring down her chubby cheeks.

"Papa, I'm sorry."

"I know, but it still doesn't absolve you from your sins. Petticoats."

Jax knew better than to argue and took her petticoats off. Ben lifted her up and placed her over his knees. For the third time of the night his hand fell onto one of his children's bottom. He was tired and hated this more than anything and he had to tan three of them tonight. The only thing he was thankful for was that Adam hadn't gotten in trouble then he would have to do this for the fourth time.

Finally it was time to use the brush.

"Five Jax," Ben decided to give her one more for riding the bull.

"No…please…it's…not…fair…ow!" Jax said stopping quickly when the brush fell for the first time.

Like Joe and Hoss, Ben hurried through the last part of the spanking. He was happy that it was time to hold his baby girl. Jax grabbed onto his shirt and sobbed hard. Ben rocked her like he rocked Joe rubbing her back and telling her she was ok. Finally, Jax stopped crying.

"Ok baby girl, get your petticoats on and go back into the corner."

"Yes sir," Jax said tears welling in her eyes again.

"Only for a few more minutes. I want to get Hoss and tell you the rest of your punishment."

"More?" Jax said.

"Yes Jax, more."

"More spanking?" Joe asked from his corner.

"No your bottom is safe, unless you decide not to follow your restriction."

"We're…"

"Jax, we'll talk about when I get Hoss."

A few minutes later, Ben and Hoss walked into the house. Hoss' face was stained by tears. Ben walked over to his desk and sat down.

"Come on over Jax and Little Joe."

The twins walked over hand in hand.

"The three of you are restricted for six weeks. For the next two days, you are in your room and tonight before bed you're going to write Miss Jones an apology letter for skipping school."

"But Pa, she'll take recess away," Jax said in absolute horror.

"Consequences for your actions Jacqueline."

"Yes sir," Jax pouted

"Finally you will have extra chores during your six weeks of restriction and an early bedtime."

"But Pa," the twins whined.

"Consequences," Ben said again. "Hopefully we won't be here again anytime soon."

"Yes sir," the three said.

"Go on up to your rooms. Five minutes of talking then I want you all to take a nap."

"Pa, I'm too old for a nap," Hoss complained.

"Nap Eric."

"Yes sir."

The second they were upstairs," Jax said,

"Are you mad at us Hoss?"

"I should be, but I could've said no."

"Doubt it, we always win you over," Joe said flashing his million dollar smile.

"Not anymore little brother, not anymore."

"Famous last words, because now we have to prove you wrong," Jax laughed before running into her room, Joe was sprinting right behind her.

The End for real this time.