To his surprise, Bailey did not feel as terrible as he thought he would when he woke up. Apart from his nearly unquenchable thirst, a vague headache, and general grogginess, the teen felt almost normal. As he got out of the shower and dried off, he wondered if anyone was home. It was too quiet…. Maybe he could be lazy all day. Nothing sounded better, especially since he had no desire to see Charlie any time soon.

Yet, when he walked into his bedroom, he found his big brother sitting on his bed. Both boys looked at each other uncomfortably. Bailey shifted from foot to foot, wishing desperately that he had put on clothes in the bathroom instead of having only a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Look, Charlie…. I know we have a lot to discuss. Just let me get dressed an—"

"Actually, we don't."

"What?" Bailey asked, confused.

"We have very little to discuss," stated Charlie, calmly. "Your actions last night go beyond unacceptable. They were incomprehensible!" As his voice began to escalate, Charlie stood and walked over to his cowering brother. "After all we have been through…. After all the pain you, Julia, Claudia, Owen and I have had, how could you risk driving drunk?" Charlie jabbed his index finger into Bailey's chest. "How do you justify yourself?"

Dumbfounded, Bailey stared at his feet and said nothing.

Charlie walked to Bailey's closet and opened it. At first, the teen thought his brother was about to offer him clothing; however, when Charlie pulled out a black belt, Bailey felt hot, lightheaded and absurdly like laughing.

"Charlie?" he stammered.

"WHAT?" Charlie bellowed. "Are you going to try and tell me that you don't deserve punishment? How would you feel if it had been Julia or me driving drunk and risking our lives and other people's lives? You'd want to rip us apart! Well, little brother, I may not know much about parenting, but I know that Dad would have given you a good whipping! So that's what I am going to do. Now."

Charlie grabbed Bailey's left arm and pulled him toward the bed. It did not occur to the teen to disobey. He knew Charlie was right. Although his face burned and his body slightly trembled, Bailey believed his disappointed parents were watching from Heaven and he wanted to cry.

As he leaned over the edge of the bed, he felt Charlie tug the towel from around his waist and push him down on the bed.

"Please, Charlie! No!"

But his older brother said nothing. Charlie didn't know if he'd be able to follow through. He brought the belt down across the pale bottom and immediately wanted to throw up. Was that too hard? Bailey had cried out, but that was probably due to shock.

The belt fell a second time and Bailey sniffled, already crying. Charlie gritted his teeth. The third and fourth smacks landed.

Charlie's mind raced. He tried to remember how many licks his father gave him. Ten? The same as his age?

Bailey looked over his shoulder. Was Charlie done? The belt's slap and subsequent pain answered his question. He bit his lip and tried not to cry out. The belt smacked again and again and again.

"Please, Charlie! I am sorry! No more! I promise I'll never get drunk again!"

"Two more," declared Charlie, tiredly.

After the ninth whack met its pinkish target, Bailey began wiggling evasively.

The last spank was the worst. His little brother cried out and Charlie forced himself not to flee the room. Be firm but comforting, he told himself. Be like Dad.