Colton knew he was in trouble. He knew it the second his teacher said, "I just talked to your dad. He's going to be picking you up after school. So, make sure you go in the car line at the end of the day." The problem was, he just didn't know why. He was sure he was in trouble because his teacher talked to his dad. Mr. Meyers never called his dad, unless he was calling to say Colton did something bad. Like the time he wasn't allowed to use his tablet when he got home for throwing pieces of paper at Tommy. Colton thought it was unfair because everyone else was throwing paper at him too. But he was the one that Mr. Meyers saw, so he was the one that had to sit in timeout and it was his dad that was called and told 'Colton is interrupting my class.' He also knew he was in trouble because dad was picking him up. Dad never picks him up, unless something is wrong or someone's in trouble. So a call home and ride home could only mean it was super serious. But what had he done?
Colton dragged his feet down the hallway. He was stalling as long as possible. Cecelia was already waiting in the cafeteria, probably chatting away with her friends. Cecelia was lucky. She was never in trouble.
"Colt, my friend, I think a sloth just passed you!" Miss Reese laughed. "Come on, I can see your Dad's car."
Everyone knew everyone in this stupid town. Colton couldn't get away with anything. Even his old first grade teacher remembered him. And what car his dad drove. Almost all the teachers did.
"Come on over here. Your Dad is only a few cars away. Might as well just wait with me." Miss Reese looked down at him and her smile twisted to a frown, "You alright? You look a little sad."
Colton nodded. "I think I'm in trouble."
Miss Reese nodded then and kneeled to his level. She placed a hand on his shoulder, "Why do you think that?"
Colton shrugged. "My Dad only picks us up if me or Brayden was bad."
"Well, did you do anything that might cause you to get in trouble with your dad?"
"I don't know." Colton tried not to whine. Daddy hated whining and he was already in trouble.
"Hey, calm down for me." Miss Reese's voice was calm and soft. "It'll be okay. Even if you are in trouble, your dad will forgive you, right? He loves you a lot but sometimes parents need to discipline their kids. That's how you become a good person." She smiled then and gave Colton a light squeeze, "Besides, it might not even be you. Brayden was always getting into trouble over here." She laughed again and it did make Colton feel a little better. Maybe it was his cousin.
"I need the Winchesters!" Mr. Holden yelled from the main door. He was in charge of getting the kids out the door and into the correct cars.
"Let's go." Miss Reese grabbed Colton's hand and took Cecelia's in the other as they walked out the door.
"Hiya, Sam." She grinned at him as they reached the car. The passengers side window was down and Colton stole a glance at his dad. He didn't look too mad; and he even smiled at his teacher.
"I got these two for you." Miss Reese opened the back door and helped Cecelia buckle in. "One of them is afraid he's in trouble though. I hear you only do pickups if there was a mess-up." She laughed, again.
Here it was. Dad was going to answer. Only he didn't, he just laughed with her. A weird laugh that didn't sound like his usual laugh. "Thank you for the help, Miss Reese."
Colton could feel his Dad's eyes on him; they were glaring at him through the mirror.
Dad drove over to the high school that was directly across the parking lot. Briella was waiting and jumped into the front seat.
"Where's Brayden?" Dad asked.
"He said he wanted to ride the bus." Briella said as she threw her backpack into the back seat.
"He was told to wait for me." Dad was using his 'you're in trouble voice'.
"Sorry." Briella moved her hair around and twisted it. "I didn't know."
Dad sighed and put his right hand on the center gear shifter. "I know. It's alright. Just…" He paused and put his hand back onto the wheel to turn. "Just. Text him and say I expect him to come right home."
Nobody really talked the rest of the way home. Colton just kept staring at the mirror in the center of the windshield; but he couldn't see his dad. He needed to see his face. Brayden and Briella always told him that he could tell how mad his dad or uncle was by looking at their face. But Colton never could. If daddy was yelling he was mad. If daddy was doing the weird, heavy, mean voice, he was mad. That's all he knew. But, apparently, Brayden knew more. He would tell Colton when one of their dads were mad and to get away. Colton really wished he had Brayden right now. He'd know what to do.
"Go up to your room, Colton. We need to talk about something." Dad said as they walked into the kitchen.
Colton listened right away and started to walk towards his room. If he was in trouble it was best to do what daddy said. He sat on his bed and grabbed his stuff shark. He didn't care that he was 8 years old; big kids can still have stuffed animals.
He didn't have to wait long for his dad to come upstairs. Dad opened the door and grabbed the desk chair, moving it to sit in front of Colton's bed.
"Do you know why you're here?" Dad didn't sound super mad.
"No, sir." Colton decided to be respectful. Briella told him once that it can help get him outta trouble.
"I talked to your teacher today. He let me know you've been calling your classmates a new word."
Colton was confused. He scrunched his eyebrows together and the butterflies in his belly really started flapping.
Dad continued, "Mr. Meyers told me he didn't say anything to you because he didn't think you really knew what the word meant."
Oh. That word.
"Colton." Dad waited for him to look up and into his eyes. "Do you know what I am talking about?"
The child squeezed his shark and tried to look into his dad's eyes. "I think so."
"Do you know what it means?"
Colton shook his head, no.
Dad shook his head too, "Use your words."
"No."
"Where did you hear it?"
Oh no. Is Brayden in trouble too? Colton didn't want to tell his dad his cousin taught it to him, but lying to dad was never a good idea. Dad always spanked his butt if he lied.
"Colton, answer me." Dad's mean voice was starting to come out.
Colton's belly flipped again and he tried to get the feeling away. He squeezed his shark again. Suddenly, Colton found himself face down over Dad's lap. How did he get here? Wait. "Nooo" he wailed and tried to twist himself over, but it was useless, Dad's hand was on his back and prevented him from moving.
Dad's mean voice was all the way out now. "You have until I count to three to tell me where you heard that word. If I get to 3, I'm swatting your butt until you tell me. Got me?"
Colton nodded. Then yelped as a hard hand smacked down in the center of his right butt cheek.
"I said use your words."
Colton wiggled again, but answered the way his dad wanted. "Yes, sir."
"One." Dad paused then continued, "Two."
Colton did not want his butt smacked again. It was already stinging. "It was Brayden." He blurted right before Dad said three.
"Stay here." Was all Dad said before getting up to leave the room. Colton sat up and wiggled around on the bed. At least it was soft on his stinging bottom. How could one little smack leave such a sting?
Upon seeing his dad enter the room, Colton let out a small whine. "Please no. I'll be good and never say it again."
"I know you won't say it again. Because if you do, the same exact thing is going to happen." Dad walked in front of Colton and held out the new bar of soap. "Open your mouth." His voice stern.
As much as he wanted to fight, Colton listened. He opened his mouth just big enough for dad to put the tip of the bar into his mouth. Immediately, Colton turned his head as the taste crossed his tongue. The soap falling onto his lap. Dad picked it up.
Now Dad's voice was mean and loud. "Colton. Look at me and open your mouth."
Colton tried. He really did. But it was just so gross and it wasn't fair.
"I don't even know what it means."
"I don't care. You knew it was something you weren't supposed to say. But you did anyway. I'm not playing games, Colton. Either you open your mouth and accept your punishment or you do it with a sore ass. Which is it gonna be?"
"I don't want a spanking." He was not crying, no matter what it looked like.
"Then open your mouth!" Dad yelled.
The soap was even grosser than he remembered. It was sudsy and bubbly and tasted disgusting. It had been awhile since Colton was punished this way. Now that it was happening again he remembered why he tried so hard to avoid it. Actual tears were falling now and Colton just wanted it to be over. Of course, Brayden had to enter the room as the stupid white bar was still hanging out of his mouth.
"Oh. I uh, see you're busy. I'll come back later." Brayden tried to flash his smile and leave. But his uncle stopped him.
"Hold it. Sit down next to Colton."
Brayden looked confused. "I think he'd rather some privacy."
"I think you better start listening." Dad grabbed Brayden's arm and turned him around. His other hand landed on his butt, a sharp crack sound echoed throughout the room. "And this is for riding the bus home after I told you to wait for me." Two more sharp cracks. Brayden arched his back and let out a hissing noise.
"Ow!"
"You're lucky that's all you're getting. Now sit down."
The mattress shifted with the added weighted and Colton leaned towards his cousin. Brayden was sitting on the bed with his head in his hands. Colton felt bad for him. Well, a little bad. He would probably feel more sorry for him if he wasn't currently tasting the worst thing ever on Earth. Thankfully, just as Colton was starting to think he couldn't stand the taste for another second, Dad told him he could take it out. He then said to go to the bathroom and rinse his mouth and the bar of soap, then bring it back to him. Colton listened right away. He definitely did not want to get in trouble again.
It was hard to hear over the running water, but Colton was pretty sure he heard his dad yelling at Brayden. He didn't know what he was saying, but he sounded mad.
Colton spit again and tried to get rid of the gross taste, but water just wasn't helping. He decided to do something he hardly ever did without being told - brush his teeth. It hadn't really helped and now he had a weird bubblegum flavor mixed with the yuckiness. He sighed and decided this was part of the punishment.
"Come sit back down, Colton." Dad gestured towards the bed. "Beside Brayden."
Dad's voice was sharp and strong. "Alright. Listen up. Both of you." He turned towards Colton, "If you ever call another person a 'cum dumpster', I will beat your butt before I wash your mouth out again. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, sir." Colton was definitely never using that word again. He wouldn't even think it.
"It is disgusting and totally unacceptable. And Brayden, you have been warned about watching what you say around your younger cousins. I'm not stupid and know your friends and you swear and call each other names. I don't really like it but I also don't really care. As long as nobody is around to hear it. But teaching it to an 8 year old is beyond inappropriate. It's not funny. Colton could have gotten in serious trouble."
Brayden didn't say anything, just stared at the ground.
"This better not happen again. To prove how serious I am, starting now, if one of your cousins is punished for something you directly taught them and knew it was wrong, you're getting the same punishment." He picked up the now very sudsy bar of soap and placed it in front of Brayden, who shook his head adamantly.
"Come on, Uncle Sam. I'm 12. Not some little kid." Brayden sounded kind of like a little kid. Which wasn't good. Daddy hated whining.
"You don't get to decide that. Let's go. Or you can have the same offer that I gave Colt. Either you open your mouth and accept your punishment, or you do it with a sore backside. But either way, Brayden, your mouth is getting washed out with soap."
Was Brayden crying? Maybe a little as he slowly opened his mouth. Brayden sat with his head down, not looking at anybody. He wiped away a few tears, but otherwise made no movements. Colton wasn't sure what to do. He looked at his father, who was standing with his arms crossed looking down at them.
"This better not happen again." Dad started to lecture some more. Great. "I will not have you two walking around talking like truckers. I know Dean and Gramps, and even myself at times, aren't the greatest role models. But we know when to keep it zipped. In front of teachers is at the top of the list." He didn't say anything else but took a few deep breaths. Colton wondered how long Brayden was going to have to keep it in his mouth.
"Okay, Bray, go spit it out. Throw the soap away then come back here."
Daddy leaned down then, wrapping his arms around Colton. "I hope we don't have to do this again."
"Me either." Colton smiled a little.
"Alright. Your punishment is over. Do your homework then you can play. I love you, kiddo." He turned towards the door then. Uncle Dean was standing behind him.
"What's going on?" Dean asked, his voice in that weird growly tone.
Dad answered, "Brayden thought it was a good idea to teach Colton that 'cum dumpster' is a funny thing to call your friends. His teacher called me today."
"That true?" Uncle Dean leaned up against the door, blocking Brayden's entrance as well as Colton's escape.
"I didn't think he'd actually say it!"
"Well I guess you thought wrong. Did Sammy whup you for it?" He asked.
Brayden shot a mean look to his uncle, then answered with a pout, "Yeah. And he put soap in my mouth." As if telling his dad would get him any sympathy.
Dad stuck up his hand, "Hold on. I smacked your ass because you disobeyed me and rode the bus home. That was completely separate from this whole incident."
Uncle Dean shook his head and started rolling up his sleeves, "So we can add lying to the list?"
"Wait!" Brayden took a step back, but was instantly caught by his dad's grip on his shirt collar. "I didn't mean to. Uncle Sam did smack me! That's all I meant. Please Dad. I don't want more."
"I don't really care what you want." With that, Uncle Dean spun him around and started swatting at his butt. Colton was trapped in his room, the only exit blocked by his dad and uncle. All he could do was watch. Watch Brayden try to squirm away and his uncle's hand smacking down. And listen. Listen to his cousin yells to stop, the loud crack as his uncle's hand landed, and the warning about getting more if he keeps struggling. Colton counted 7 times, then it stopped. Just as quickly as it started.
"That was a warning. Consider it a preview of what's gonna happen if this happens again. You're supposed to be his role-model. Understand?"
"Yes, sir."
"Get outa here." Uncle Dean said.
Colton and Brayden slowly started walking down the stairs, their fathers staying at the top, talking about something. Neither really looked like they wanted to sit, Brayden probably more than Colton.
"Sorry." Colton whispered to his cousin.
Brayden moved closer and put his arm on Colton's shoulder. It was comforting. "No. You don't gotta be sorry. I should be sorry. I shouldn't have taught you that. It was stupid."
"So, what'd you guys do anyway?" Briella asked, tip of her pencil in her mouth.
Brayden laughed, "Colton called someone at school a cum dumpster."
"Oh." Briella made a face like she smelled something bad. "Why?"
Brayden shrugged, "Luke said it the other day to some kid online. I thought it was funny and told Colt to say it. A little kid saying it was even more hilarious."
"Yeah. But I got in trouble." Colton pouted.
"He's got a point." Briella moved her pencil and pointed it at her brother, but she was looking at her cousin. "You should've know better, Colt. Ya gotta stop listening to Brayden. Most of his ideas are bad. And end up with you getting in trouble. What'd he do anyway?." Briella asked, curious.
"Just a little soap, right Colton?" Brayden nudged his arm, "Nothing we can't handle. Colt took it like a champ. I thought I was gonna start crying like a little bitch." Brayden laughed.
"Before or after Dad spanked you?" Briella giggled. "He was not happy I said you were in trouble upstairs."
"Yeah. He let my ass know." Brayden rolled his eyes and rubbed at his butt. "But listen, Colt. They're gonna be coming down soon. Get out some homework, yes sir for the rest of the night, and do whatever they say. By tomorrow morning, it'll be back to normal. Don't worry. I always gotcha." Brayden smiled. "Even if I do get you in trouble sometimes.
Colton smiled too. Brayden was always right.