CHAPTER 37
It was early on Christmas morning and when Jonathan and Hiram arrived back at the house after carrying out the early morning chores, they removed their boots and then grinning conspiratorially at each other they crept upstairs. Quietly going into Jonathan's bathroom they quickly shaved and showered before creeping back downstairs again.
When they were in the kitchen and able to speak normally, Hiram said, "Thanks for letting me use your bathroom, son. I was afraid that if I used ours I'd wake Jessie and that would never do."
Jonathan grinned at his Dad, "No problem."
He knew that there were three days each year that his Mom categorically refused to get up at six, one was her Birthday, one was her and Hiram's wedding anniversary and the last one was Christmas Day.
Until this year, Jonathan had always been amused at his Dad's routine of doing the early chores, then quickly showering and shaving before preparing his Mom a breakfast tray with coffee, juice, toast and honey. They would all have their usual breakfast later, but Hiram always took Jessica her first breakfast in bed. This year, Jonathan was continuing the tradition by preparing a tray for Martha. He had taken the precaution of turning off her alarm clock when he had got up, so that he was fairly sure she would still be asleep. When the trays were ready the two men climbed the stairs and went into their respective bedrooms.
Jonathan was relieved to see that Martha was still fast asleep. Putting the tray down on his bedside table, he quickly undressed and slipped into bed next to her. Putting his arms around her he whispered, "Merry Christmas, sweetheart." in her ear.
Martha just mumbled something incoherent and snuggled closer to him.
"Hey, sleepy head, don't you want to see what Santa's brought you?" Jonathan asked, brushing her hair out of her face.
Martha opened her eyes, "I'm too old for Santa Claus." She said, snuggling further under the covers and closing her eyes again.
"I guess you must have been very good this year, because there's a stocking lying on the end of our bed and it's not for me." Jonathan informed her.
Martha's eyes slowly opened again, "Stocking?"
"Yep, of course if you don't want it …"
Martha peered at the bottom of their bed, "Jonathan!" She exclaimed, sitting up.
Laughing Jonathan reached down and picked up the Christmas stocking and passed it to Martha. Putting his arm around her, he settled back to watch her unwrap her presents.
There wasn't anything of great value in the stocking but each present had been chosen carefully, there were chocolate coins, a toy frog that would swim in the bath when wound up, Martha's favorite hand cream, a small notebook and pen, a new clip for her hair, a pair of earrings with dangling Christmas trees, a couple of candy canes, a bottle of nail polish in the pale pink shade that she liked, a wooden spoon and chef's hat and other silly gifts.
"Oh, Jonathan, I love it!" Martha said as she finished unwrapping the last present. "This was so sweet of you!"
Jonathan laughed, "I'm glad you like it, honey."
"Now I feel mean, I didn't get you anything." Martha wailed.
"That's okay, I didn't expect you to."
"Next year, I'm going to make you a stocking so both of us can open presents." Martha said, hugging him.
"I've got juice, coffee and toast here. Do you want some?" Jonathan asked.
"Later. First I need to thank you properly." Martha replied, putting her presents on her bedside table and then snuggling up to Jonathan, "Unless you're too tired." She whispered provocatively, trailing her fingers across his chest.
Jonathan grinned, "Now when have I ever been too tired to make love to you, sweetheart?"
Sometime later there was a knock on their bedroom door, "Come in." called Jonathan automatically.
Martha squealed and disappeared under the covers.
Fortunately, the door only opened a crack and Hiram called out, "Breakfast will be ready in thirty minutes." before closing the door again.
Peeking under the covers, Jonathan said, "It's okay to come out now."
"Jonathan! How could you? I love Hiram dearly, but I don't want him to see me naked." Martha said, totally exasperated by Jonathan's thoughtlessness.
"Sorry, sweetheart, I guess I just answered out of habit. I didn't mean to embarrass you."
"What would you have done if Hiram had come in? Really Jonathan, we could have been in the middle of making love!"
"Honey, if we had been making love, I wouldn't even have heard him knocking. I really am sorry. How can I make it up to you?"
A wicked gleam came into Martha's eyes, "Jonathan Hiram Kent, for your thoughtless and inconsiderate behavior you should be punished severely so that it never happens again."
Jonathan wasn't really sure if Martha was teasing or not. "Err, honey, it was only a small lapse of concentration." He said, not sure what Martha was up to.
"Small lapse? Really? Turn over!"
"Martha?"
"Turn over." She repeated firmly.
Jonathan obediently turned over and lay on his stomach, he felt Martha move the covers back and then while he was wondering what she was up to he felt a stinging pain on his butt. "Oww!" he yelped. Before he could move he received a second slap. "Martha, have some mercy … it's Christmas." He moaned.
"One smack for being so inconsiderate and one smack to make sure that you don't do it again." She said.
"Have you finished?" Jonathan mumbled into his pillow.
"No, now I have to make it all better." Martha said, staring at the red marks on Jonathan's butt and feeling terrible.
Just as Jonathan began to wonder what she was up to, he felt the soft touch of her lips on his sore butt cheek as she kissed him better. Maybe being spanked wasn't so bad after all! Rolling over he captured Martha in his arms. "Now, what were you saying about making me feel better?"
Martha smiled at him as she trailed her fingers down his spine, "Would Santa Jonathan like another thank you?" she asked softly.
Twenty five minutes later they were both scrambling to get dressed so that they wouldn't be late for breakfast. As Martha quickly brushed her hair she said, "Jonathan, I'm really sorry I smacked you. It was supposed to be a joke, but when I saw that I'd hurt you I felt terrible."
Jonathan grinned, "Sweetie, I deserved it for being so stupid. Anyway, I liked your way of making me feel better."
"I shouldn't have done it. I've never hit anyone in my whole life and it was wrong of me. Jonathan, I mean it … I really am sorry I hurt you."
"Forget it." Jonathan said, giving her a swift kiss. "Although you do realize that as this is an equal partnership marriage, you've just given me permission to spank you next time you're naughty."
"What?"
"Well, honey, it's only fair." Jonathan replied innocently as he headed for the door.
"Jonathan!"
Martha chased after him, "Jonathan!"
Grinning to himself, Jonathan hurried down the stairs.
By the time Martha reached the kitchen Jonathan was hugging his Mom. Giving Jonathan a furious look, she went over to wish Hiram and then Jessica a Merry Christmas.
As they sat down at the breakfast table, Jonathan deliberately gave a small wince for Martha's benefit.
As Martha wasn't sure whether he was faking it or not, she now felt both cross and guilty.
The next time they were alone was when they were getting ready to go to the Christmas service.
"Jonathan, you didn't really mean what you said earlier … did you?"
"Honey, it's only fair. Anyway, you started it." Jonathan replied virtuously.
"You wouldn't really raise your hand to me, would you?"
"Not before you beat me, but now you've changed the rules."
"I didn't beat you! I just gave you two small smacks." Martha replied.
"Two big and painful smacks." Jonathan corrected her.
"I said I was sorry."
"Well, if I ever have to chastise you by spanking you, I'm sure I'll be sorry too." Jonathan replied heartlessly.
"Jonathan, please tell me you're joking." Martha begged.
"Let me put it this way, I'd practice being very, very good from now on if I were you!"
As he followed a worried Martha down the stairs, Jonathan grinned to himself. Teasing Martha was such fun it was positively irresistible!!
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