Picnic and Revelation

On Sunday, the family spent the morning preparing the picnic. Ethan had invited Dakota and his family as well as Tim the mayor and his wife Clara, their children were grown up.

Amelia and Claire were preparing two pies with wild strawberries. Amelia wanted Jessie to help her, but she refused, screaming at her mother. "No! I won't!"

"She is lucky that Papa is outside!" Claire tells Amelia. "You should tell him how she yelled at you."

"Yes, but I do not think I should ask your father to spank her."

"She deserves it! I will never yell at an adult like that! Nor any of us, Pa would strip us bare to spank us! He is sweet and nice on certain things, he plays with us, makes us laugh, but he is also very strict! Respect, immediate obedience and good manners are very important to him!"

"Yes dear, I agree." Amelia answered.

"You love my father don't you? I am no longer a small child, I noticed how you look at him! He looks at you too, he seems happy when you are here! I wanted to tell you that it doesn't bother me."

Amelia had tears in her eyes! "Thank you, Claire! Yes, we talked about it last night, our feelings have both changed. You guessed right. How do you think your brothers and sister will react? And my children?"

"I don't know about your children, but Pa won't let us influence his life. He will do what he wants without leaving us the choice, as long as the woman he chooses wants us. Otherwise he would leave her. I know! It's his life, his choice. I don't think it will bother any of us. Pa is raising us to respect his choices and obey. Do you understand?"

"Claire, he has taught you well, and I see that he has your respect and support. You love him very much!"

"Yes, yet he came to pick us up only a few months ago! He saved us! He is our father and our mother, he taught us respect, obedience, love, he congratulated us, cuddled, punished us, without hesitation if we needed it. He is strict, good and fair. Aunt Amelia our father is the man for you."

Amelia was crying as Ethan entered the room.

"Is everything all right?" He asked, concerned.

"Yes Ethan, Claire is very devoted! She loves you very much!"

"I know! This is no longer admiration, it is love! Her feelings towards me are very strong! Did she show you disrespect?"

"No Ethan, on the contrary, she supports our situation, she guessed."

"So if we have her support, we are saved!" Ethan teased.

He took the two girls in his arms.

"Thank you Claire." Said the man more seriously.

"Amelia, I thought about it, I think it should be announced to the children, to our friends. I don't want to hide to take you in my arms. We are no longer fifteen!"

"You're right Ethan. I think the kids should know this first. It's Adam's reaction that I fear the most."

Ethan went out onto the porch and called all the kids inside.

"What, already?" Said Amelia.

"Why wait?" Ethan replied, smiling.

"Sit down everyone, where's Tess?"

"In the hen house, Pa." replied Joseph."

Ethan called her from the back porch.

"Tess! Come here! Didn't you hear me calling you?"

"Yes, but I was busy!" She answered as she came to him.

"Tess, busy or not, when I call you, you come immediately! Is that clear?"

Ethan spanked a little love swat on the back of his youngest daughter's dress.

"Yes Papa! Sorry! "

"Okay, I accept your apology, however, next time I will spank you for real! Is that understood? You obey and immediately come when called!"

"Yes Papa!"

"Children, Amelia and I have something important to tell you. You have the right to talk about your feelings about this., I will not be angry and you will not be punished, as long as you remain respectful! Ethan clarified.

"Ethan and I have discussed how our feelings for each other have changed ..., from friendship to ..." began Amelia.

"We are in love," said Ethan clearly. "You will see me take her in my arms, kiss her ... we wanted to tell all of you before anyone else. No one knows yet."

"Are you going to get married now?" Asked Ben.

"Not tomorrow Ben! We're not there yet." Ethan teased. "We will be dating for a while, but yes, if all goes well in a short time we will get married!" He looked at Amelia who nodded.

"No!" Said Tess.

Ethan and Amelia were surprised. "No? Why do you say that, Tess?" Asked Ethan.

"You have to marry me Papa!" Clarified Tess.

Everyone laughed, but Ethan saw that his little daughter was serious.

"Tess, come here, please." Ethan put her on his lap.

"Honey, all the little girls want to marry their Pa. What you feel is normal. But it's not possible! You are my baby, I love you! When you are old enough to get married, I will be an old man!" He teased. "You will remain my little girl forever Tess, even if Amelia is there. I already explained that my heart is growing, it will never change the love that I have for you and all my children. I promise you! Do you understand?"

"Yes Papa" said Tess.

"Are you going to be our new Pa then?" Asked Jason.

"Yes Jason, but I've been in his shoes for a while now."

"You are too harsh." Jessie told him. The child knew the man would be firm with her behavior.

"I already explained to you why I was strict, Jessie. Your Papa was too. He wouldn't let you get away with bad behavior! I was strict before I fell in love with your mother. I will be afterwards, yes, so that all of you become good people, honest and respectful. I'm not changing my mind Jessie!"

Finally, the kids were happy with the news, and after lots of hugs from the two adults for all the kids, Ethan sent them out to play.

"Adam, stay back, I want to talk to you a little bit more." Ethan requested.

"The last time you told me that, I found myself face down on your knees!" Teased Adam.

Ethan smiled. "Yes but you deserved it! Is there anything I should know?" Ethan teased in turn.

Adam smiles for his reply.

"Adam, I want to know your feelings about James" said Ethan. "He's dead but your Ma is alive. She has the right to happiness and love. Your Pa would like a man to keep you children in line, protect you and love you. Do you understand?"

Adam was crying but to Ethan's relief he threw himself into his arms! Ethan hugged him tight in his strong arms, joined by Amelia.

"I agree, Uncle Ethan!, Calling you 'Pa' is going to take a little time though."

"We're not there yet, son, you take the time you need. It's normal, I would like your brother and sister and your Ma to call me that when you are ready."

The guests arrived a little after noon. After a good picnic, the adults talked while the children were playing.

"Amelia and I are dating." Ethan suddenly announced.

"It's great Ethan!" Replied Dakota. "I'm happy for both of you, you deserve to be happy!" "

"I was afraid of your reaction to James," said Amelia.

"James is no longer with us, Amelia," said Tim. "You have the right to start your life over. He would like you to! Ethan will be a good husband! You made a very good choice!"

"Thank you my friends!" Said Ethan sincerely.

"Pa, can we go for a swim?" Asked Joseph.

"You're under restriction Joseph, remember? You're not leaving the yard."

"Yes Pa."

When the child walked away, clearly upset, Amelia pleaded his case.

"Can't you make an exception? He should get to enjoy himself today."

"No Amelia, the basis of authority is to be consistent. He knows he is being punished and why. Allowing him to leave will question all of my authority."

"He's right Amelia," said Dakota. "The punishment is there and must be respected. I will be good for a swim however."

"Children, who wants to go swimming?" Ethan asked.

Joseph left to go cry in his room.

Ethan was being hard, he knew it, but lifting the punishment would not teach the boy anything. He made his choice in disobedience.

Amelia was about to go join Joseph in his room to comfort him.

"Let him cry Amelia. He needs to let his feelings out. I believe he wants privacy right now." Ethan said.

"Claire, go get my short union suit and one of my undershirts for a swim, also get two of Ben's for Jessie and Carry."

"Is it true? I can go too?" Claire asked.

"Of course, not naked though! Get an old dress." Ethan teased.

"Amelia? Do you want to swim too?"

"No thanks" Marie, Tim and his wife Clara did not want to either.

Everyone was playing and laughing. Ethan had Tess in his arms. She clung to him like a little monkey! The children threw themselves on him and on Dakota, Carry was also delighted!

"Jessie, be careful, you are getting in too deep." Amelia ordered.

"BE QUIET! I do what I WANT!" The girl shouted back.

Everyone gaped at the way she spoke to her mother.

Having swum underwater, Ethan came up before the child. Pulling her out of the water with one arm, pointing to a tree, he ordered sternly

"Jessie! Nose against that tree and do not move!"

Amelia wrapped a towel around her daughter as she faced the tree.

"Tess, sweetheart, I need to talk to Jessie. Do you want to go where Marie is or stay in the water with Dakota?"

"I'm staying." She replied clinging to Dakota's neck.

Ethan wiped himself off and got dressed. A branch was stuck in his pants.

"Wait Ethan, I'm going to cut it."

"Amelia! You will cut absolutely nothing in my pants!" Ethan clarified teasingly.

Amelia laughed!

"But no, that's not what I meant!" She blushed to the ears!

"Jessie, put your shoes on and take off your wet shirt. Put on your brother's dry shirt." Ethan ordered.

"What are you going to do?" Amelia asked softly.

"I have witnessed her mouth twice, Amelia. That's enough! I'm going to lower her panties and give her a good spanking! Do you trust me?"

"You know I do! You're going to be their father! You decide. It was three times Ethan, she also yelled at me this morning when I was talking to Claire."

"Thank you Amelia. You see, I must put an end to this behavior! Jessie, let's go." He took the child by the hand and walked a few yards away. The thick brush hiding them from the others.

He sat down on a tree stump and placed Jessie in front of him.

"Look at me! What did I tell you this morning would happen if I could still hear of you being disrespectful?"

"You would give me a spanking," Jessie answered.

Ethan raised his voice slightly.

"I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU TALKING TO YOUR MA IN THIS WAY! IT STOPS NOW LITTLE GIRL!"

Ethan lowered the little girl's underwear to her ankles, put her face down on his knees. Then lifted her shirt and let his hand administer a firm spanking on the small exposed bare behind.

"I am sorry Uncle Ethan, ho…. "

Right, left, middle, Ethan's punishing hand fell again and again hard and clear. After eight good spanks, Ethan stopped. He replaced her underwear and sat her on his knees.

Hugging her in his arms, he said "Your Papa is no longer here Jessie. Is that why you act this way? But I'm here! I'm going to love you and raise you to become a beautiful woman. I won't give in, even if I have to punish you every day. I'm not leaving! Do you understand?"

"Yes sir!" The child snuggled tight against his chest. Ethan tightened the embrace.

"I love you! You are not leaving us like my Pa did?"

"No Jessie, I love you too! Your Pa didn't want to leave, he was killed. I won't leave. I'll be there to spank you, every time! It's a promise!

You're going to apologize to your Ma and everyone. Swimming is over for you this time. You just sit on the towel."

"Yes sir."

At the end of the day, all the guests left.

"I don't want to leave Ethan." Amelia said.

"So stay! I don't want you to leave."

"But how? You can not sleep outside every night, and what of my job?"

"We are going to find a solution! Together! You can sleep with me in my bed, it is clear now that we are in a relationship. I will be wise Amelia, there are all the children in the room! Nothing more than to hold you in my arms like tonight. I promise you. Tess will sleep with Claire, Adam will take her bed, Ben and George will sleep together, this frees up a bed for the twins. We're going to speed up the repair of the upstairs, however. I don't know how long I'll be wise!" Teased Ethan.

"Well I hope I succeed at being wise. It has been long without James." Replied Amelia blushing.