She had no idea why the stairs were calling her. She ascended. The room where Topher lived was empty, but the room where she slept emanated a blue light. She opened the doors.
"She hurts", Echo said, gesturing to the convulsing girl on the table.
Topher ushered the girl out, gently pushing her from the room. He explained what was happening to her in soft tones, giving her over to Dr. Saunders for her massage. After he wiped the new girl, he called up Dominic. The head of security was going to be pissed, but Topher understood the man's crucial role in keeping the dollhouse running. The dolls were like children. Topher was the mother. He gave them life and nurtured them tenderly. Dominic was the father, and right now it was time for Echo to have a trip over Daddy's lap.
"Echo!" Dominic caught the girl by the arm as she was coming out of the shower.
"Yes", she chirped innocently.
"Topher told me you went into the lab today without permission"
"Yes. The stairs called my name."
"You should have told them to wait for your treatment", the man said, irritated, "You know that you are not to go into that room without permission. What is rule number three?"
"Rule number three: I am not to go upstairs unless I am called by an employee"
"Are the stairs an employee?"
"I don't think so"
"What happens when you break a rule, Echo?" her eyes widened.
"I try to be my best"
"Uh uh. Don't pull that crap with me. What happens when you break a rule?"
"I'm- punished", her voice was small as she looked at the ground.
"That's right", Dominic said, spinning her around and smacking her wet bottom.
"Ow"
"What is rule number three, Echo?"
"Ouch. I am oww not to ooo go upstairs!"
"Unless…"
"Ahow unless I'm called ouch by oww oww oww by ahow an employee!"
"And if you break the rules", he increased the force behind his swats, making the girl howl, "What happens?"
"Agghhoow I"M PUNISHED! Oowww. Ow. Ahoww", Dominic wrapped up with three hard swats, and wrapped a towel around the girl as she got herself together.
"My bottom hurts", she whimpered.
"Yes. It does. When we break the rules, our bottoms hurt."
"Does your bottom hurt when you break the rules?"
"It certainly does", Adele stepped into view before Dominic could answer. He blushed and ducked his head, "Alright Echo. You may go upstairs and apologize to Topher for entering his office."
"Ok… I wasn't my best"
"No, but you will be. That's a good girl"
"My bottom hurts"
"Yes. Why don't you go tell Topher about it"
"Yes. I will. And apologize. I will go now."
"Good girl", the matron turned to her second in command who was now standing slightly at attention.
"I thought we agreed that any and all punishments of the dolls would pass through me for approval."
"This was just a little spanking, Adele, I thought…"
"What is the rule, Laurence?", he cringed. No one but his mother and Adele called him by his first name, and Addy only did it when she was angry. Her calm voice did nothing to push down the fear rising in his stomach.
"All punishments of dolls pass through you."
"What happens if you break the rules, Laurence", he looked up, wide eyed. She wouldn't. Not over something as small as spanking Echo.
"Ma'am…"
"If you don't want it to be public, I'd suggest you answer me. What happens if you break the rules, Laurence?"
"I'm punished", he murmured under his breath. Adele took a step closer to him and he felt his shoulders tense a bit.
"Do. Not. Mumble. Answer my question."
"I'm punished, ma'am."
"Follow me", she said curtly, turning on her heel and heading for her office. She closed the door behind them and turned to her head of security. Normally, she gave him a long leash, only punishing him for big mistakes, but he'd gotten a chip on his shoulder concerning Echo lately. She understood his concerns, but she could see that he was ready to defy her about the girl's future, and she couldn't have rebellion of any sort under her watch. It was tough enough to keep respect as a woman in any business, but in hers it was an absolute necessity.
"Remove your pants Mr. Dominic", hearing her call him by his last name again gave him some comfort even as he took down his pants, handing her the belt from its loops.
"You will be receiving 20 Mr. Dominic. You will count them and thank me for each of them. Is that clear"
Dominic thought about arguing, but being aware of how he must look in his underwear and suit jacket, he decided to keep a bit of his dignity. He bent over Adele's desk, barely settling into place before a stinging swat landed on his behind.
"I asked you a question Mr. Dominic", she said before he could count.
"It's clear ma'am. Count and thank you. I got it"
"That attitude will get you nothing but more force behind my blows", Adele said calmly, delivering on her promise.
"One ma'am. Thank you" Dominic said through gritted teeth.
"Two ma'am. Thank you"
"Three ma'am. Thank you"
"…Four ma'am. Thank you"
"Sss. Five ma'am. Thank you"
Laurence gritted and hissed his way through the next ten blows, trying his best not to move too much. He knew that squirming too much would make Adele begin again. He'd cried only once during her spankings before, and he didn't want to repeat it. After fifteen strokes of the belt, he felt her pull down his underwear and gently stoke his behind, rubbing out some of the sting. He hated it when she did that. The caresses just made the new belt strokes sting worse. She probably knew that, though.
"Shh- Sixteen ma'am. Thank you."
"Agh. Seventeen. Thank you ma'am."
"Agh. Eighteen. Thank you ma'am."
"Ssss…. Nineteen ma'am. Thank you"
"Agggh. Twenty. Ma'am. Thank you"
Adele ran her hands over his bottom again, checking to see if there were any spots she'd missed with the belt. She put a bracing hand on Dominic's back and rained down spanks with her hand.
"This is my house, Mr. Dominic. You just live here. When I tell you I want discipline run through me, you run it through me. Echo deserved a spanking today. You did not have to earn yourself one in the process. Going forward without my permission was impulsive and stupid, two qualities I do not desire in my head of security. Are we clear?"
Dominic bucked and 'ow'ed throughout the short spanking and nodded his head when they were done. If he spoke, he knew he would cry. Adele pulled up his pants and dismissed him from her office, sitting back at her desk.
Topher may have mothered the girls, but it was clear who the real matron of the household was. And this was mama's house.