When they got home, Nicky didn't make a move. When Frank looked at her, she asked, "May I get out of the vehicle, sir?"

Frank groaned in his head and said, "Yes, sweetheart. And you can go stand in a corner in your room."

"May I ask a question, sir?"

"Go ahead."

"I don't have a room here."

"Your mom's old room. That's where you sleep when you stay over. So it's your room."

Nicky nodded, rubbed her eyes and walked away. Frank stayed there for a moment longer and heard one of his security staff say, "Are you alright there, sir?"

"Do you have grandkids or kids Michael?"

"Both sir."

"Have you ever had to discipline a grandkid?"

"No sir, probably should have a couple of times but didn't do it."

"Then you're a luckier man than me."

"Good luck, sir."

Frank smiled his patented grim smile.

Walking into the house, he spotted his father looking up the stairs, deliberating something and asked, "You alright there, pop?"

"I think so. Nicky just sprinted past. Do you know what's going on?"

"Yes, I sent her up to her room."

"Sent her? What on earth for?"

"She has earned a spanking, pop."

"Are you out of your mind? That child is hurting and you're going to make her more miserable?"

"The situation with her parents is awful but are we going to allow her to grow into an awful person because of that?"

"She's such a sweet child."

"That's not how her teacher would describe her behaviour recently."

"That bad?"

"Worse."

"Do you have to spank her?"

"You know I hate and dread it, pop. Please don't make it harder than it is. But it is my duty and I will fulfill it."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Get some of her favourite ice cream from that bodega down the street and play the good cop here."

"What? Since when do kids in trouble get ice cream treats?"

"Since they're my grandkid."

"Are you sure you're willing to be the lone bad cop here. Shouldn't we put on a united front or something?"

"No pop, you comforting and spoiling her is the only way that I will be able to get through this ordeal."

"Alright then." Henry patted Frank's shoulder in support.

Frank entered Erin's old room and some of Erin's memorable spankings floated to his mind. He had been raised with tough love and he had dished out more than his fair share to his four kids. They might complain a little about it sometimes but they appreciate it now and he sincerely believed that it helped turn them into the wonderful people they were. But would he reach that point with Nicky? He shook his head. He couldn't go down that road right now. He had a job to do.

Hearing the quiet sobs from the corner broke his heart. He sat on the bed and called out to Nicky softly. She turned, looked at him and shook her head no. He said gently, "Come here, sweetheart."

"I don't want to be near you. I don't trust you."

"Nicky, I already told you that you earned a spanking for your behaviour at school and that's what I'm going to deliver right now."

"But it will hurt."

"Won't be much of a punishment otherwise."

"Couldn't you ground me?"

"And take away the quality comfort time you can have with your family? I don't think that's a good idea."

"I would much rather miss out on that than be hit."

"I'm going to spank you, not hit you. And I'm sure you would but as the adult it is myjob to know what you need and act accordingly."

"I need my grandfather to hit me till I cry?"

"You need to be punished for your behavior so that you learn to be better and give the circumstances you need a quick but impactful punishment."

"Can I talk to Dad?"

Frank wasn't sure if Jack would pick up and he didn't want Nicky to be burdened with that disappointment too so he regretfully decided that he was going to have to step up as the bad guy.

"Not right now. You can talk to him when he calls at night."

"But I want to talk to him now!"

"No, right now you're going to talk to me. We're going to discuss what happened at school, how you'll do better next time and I'll give you your spanking. Then you can do something fun, with me or pop, okay?"

"Can I just go to bed? I'm tired."

"After the discussion and punishment."

When Nicky was quiet for a moment, Frank asked, "A penny for your thoughts?"

"Just realising that there isn't a single person who can or will save me from this. I'm scared."

"You don't need to be saved from me, child. I won't ever hurt you."

"You already did."

Frank coughed to hide the overflow of emotions in his throat. He decided that he needed to move things along so that he could let Pop come in and make her happy again.

"Come here Nicky." She obeyed. "Look up." She did.

Her look of fear and sadness masked as indifference really bothered Frank. He immediately decided not to go with what he would have given Erin in this scenario but to limit it to a thorough hand spanking over her pants.

He asked, "Why did you act up at school?"

"I just spoke my mind, I'm sorry."

"I understand you're overwhelmed but that doesn't mean you're allowed to act up."

"I promise I won't express my feelings again. Could you please not spank me?"

"You can and must express your feelings Nicky, just not by lashing out. You can talk to any of us calmly and we'll hear it out."

"Hmm? What do you say about that?"

"I don't see the point. I think keeping my feelings to myself will be safer if everytime I mess up, this is going to happen."

"Sweetheart, if you bottle up your feelings, you will lose control more often and then be in trouble more often."

"I think I can manage." Frank sighed, this wasn't going how he wanted it to but he realised that he wasn't going to be bale to get his point across with an impending spanking so he decided to move on.

He surprised himself by saying "You are going to get forty with my hand on your pants. Come lie on my lap." He wouldn't have normally put a number to a hand spanking, continuing till he felt the kid had learnt their lesson but he couldn't keep up his stern fatherly routines as a grandfather. But Nicky looked at him with so much betrayal, hurt and fear in her eyes that he felt like a monster.

He guided Nicky across his lap and she started sobbing again. He used all his marine training to remain impassive and gave her the forty swats she had earned. When he went to rub her back she choked out, "Please don't. May I get up?"

"Yes." He moved his hand to help but she took a step back.

"Ready for your hug and cuddle now?" The post spanking comfort was as much for him as for her. When she rubbed her eyes and shook her head no, he wished he could turn back time. With his kids he would have said something about not being able to hear their heads rattle and insist they speak up but he couldn't bring himself to do that with Nicky.

He believed that he had got all the experience one needs with sulking kids with Jamie but like everything else, when it happens with a grandkid it's so much harder.

He asked, "So what would you like to do now? Want a snack?"

"May I lie down and nap for a bit?" The over-excited kid who hated nap time and insisted on her grandfather reading to her the whole time if she was to lie down and close her eyes asking for a nap was a little unsettling but he could see how the day had worn her out.

"Sure thing, pumpkin. What would you like me to read to you?"

"I'm really tired, I'd like to just go to sleep, please, if that's okay."

"Of course. Sleep well. You can come down when you're ready."

Frank really hoped that the nap would run a miracle and his bubbly grandchild would come and snuggle with him in an hour.