Remembrance
Chapter Nine
James caught up on reading my notes then let me know I was missing the story I told him about a time that my father spanked me and I thought my heart would break. Okay maybe I have avoided it for more than one reason since I always felt better when Dad and I agreed on things, of course I was only five.
I was standing at the back door on a Friday evening waiting for the rest of our clan to arrive for the Friday fish fry. That was when I noticed that the triplets were out back running around the perimeter of our fence; every few minutes they would drop their shorts and show their behinds. Now the triplets were our neighbors on the south side of our house; three wild boys that we didn't get along with often times but what they were doing seemed like fun. So I checked around behind me and a few feet into the laundry room and didn't see a parent so I strutted outside to show my stuff. As soon as they saw me I pulled down the back of my shorts and panties to reveal my tan behind. They all laughed as I stuck my tongue out at them before I headed back to the house with a smile that soon turned to a frown. My Dad was striding toward me with an angry look on his handsome features.
"Dad, I…."
"Jessica Marie Winchester, what do you think you are doing? Little girls don't pull their shorts down for boys to see them," he insisted as he grabbed my arm.
"Dad, I…"
"You know better," he said as he half dragged me inside.
"Cassandra," he bellowed. He never called my mom by her name.
We met Mom as she headed toward us carrying Mags who had peas on her face since Mom was feeding her so she could be put to bed before everyone arrived.
"Yes, Dean," she said with a question in her voice.
"Your daughter was outside mooning the neighbors."
Okay Mom tried not to smile.
"Jessica, why would you do that?" she managed to ask with a straight face.
"I don't know they did it first," was my weak defense since I still wasn't sure how serious my crime was.
"A very bad excuse young lady," Dad said and Mom agreed with a totally serious face now.
The only sound that could be heard was Mags as she chewed on her spoon and reached for Dad who was looking at her with a smile.
"Dada da badada."
Even Gabe was quiet as he hung on Mom's leg looking up at Dad. None of this was a good sign for me.
Dad was quiet as he took me to the spanking room officially called the Discipline Place, I guess giving it a politically correct name was suppose to make me feel better but at five the room may as well have been a torture chamber because either way the result was pain for the accused. He chose a medium sized switch ( a tree branch) from the stack in the corner, all neatly arranged of course.
"Do you understand why you are receiving a spanking?"
I shook my head so he put down the switch, sat down in the chair, then pulled me into his lap. That was when the tears came; I didn't want a spanking but Dad shook his head to show me that the tears weren't going to help me this time. Well I may have had a habit of crying to get away with things at some point.
"Sweet Cakes, I hate to do this but you need a way to remember that little girls shouldn't do what you did."
"Why?"
"It is just not proper for a girl or even a guy to behave that way. I will call the neighbor's about the triplets when we are done here."
"No Daddy no, they will be angry and think I told on them," I said with a pout as I crossed my arms over my chest.
"Well I will tell them the part where you got in trouble too, so don't worry."
Dad raised an eyebrow at me when I pulled my stubborn look on him and I lost points for it. He had me lean over so he could give me two good swats, that stung like crazy. I didn't cry but I hated the feeling and I wasn't really happy with Dad either. He hugged me when he was done then picked me up to put me in his lap as he sat down again.
"I love you Sweet Cakes and I always well," he said as I snuggled close to his chest.
"I'm sorry Daddy, I do want to be a sweet little girl……but…it is hard to be good sometimes," I said as he looked down at me and kissed my nose.
What I learned: Being a girl involves special responsibilities.
Our house has always been a virtual anti-supernatural fortress. There were talismans, amulets, salt rings and every kind of incantation and prayer spoken over our house constantly to keep the Demon away from the Winchester family. This incident happened because my Mom wanted us to have a more normal life for a day in our lives but it didn't turn out to be such a great plan.
Dad came home from a hunt with bruises on his arms and scratches on his face as well as a limp which meant he had hurt his leg again. When I saw him walk in the door and go straight into Mom's arms I was relieved that he made it home but concerned over his injuries. I was hidden behind the door but when I peeked out he looked right at me with a grin.
"Dean you should soak in the tub I will get it ready for you," Mom said as she went to do just that.
I headed to my room not wanting to see my Dad in that shape. When he came to look for me a few minutes later there was a dark figure in front of me as I was sliding up the wall. I knew I was supposed to stare the thing down which was what I was doing when Dad came in the room.
"LEAVE HER ALONE," Dad yelled.
I just keep staring and I felt less terrified with Dad there, then the door slammed and we were both inside. I could hear Mom as she knocked for a moment then everything was silent as the Demon stared at Dad and I dropped to the floor landing on my bottom.
Then it was gone just before Mom knocked on the door again and we opened it to see her holding a salt gun.
That was when Dad noticed that the salt rings had been disturbed; also that I wasn't wearing my amulet.
"Jessica, what is wrong with this picture?" he asked pointing at the ring then my neck.
Mom bit her lip as she explained.
"It's kind of my fault Dean, I let them have a slumber party last night with the cousins plus neighbors. The kids that don't know any better may have disturbed some things," she said.
He walked out of the room.
"Will you get things back the way they should be in your room please," she said to me as she patted my shoulder.
I knew she wasn't in any hurry to face Dad and I felt sorry for her; she just wanted us to have some fun. I was twelve and I had been all for it.
The next morning my parents seemed to be as lovey dovey as ever which was good because that is the way I liked them. Mom told me later that day that Dad hadn't been angry but he just wanted us all to be safe.
What I learned: Our family is special so being normal isn't really an option we can choose.
TBC
