"Two days of Spring Break down, three to go. How many more nights are you working this week?" Lena asked after she got home with the other kids.
"I have two more, tonight and then tomorrow night. Friday, I will be tired, but as long as I can get a nap we can all be together. What's on your agenda tomorrow?"
"Well, as you know Mariana is staying the night at Lexie's house and probably staying over there through lunch tomorrow. Brandon and Jude also want to go to their friends' houses tomorrow. I have already told both Callie and Jesus that they are not either one going anywhere like that. I was thinking since it is just those two, we might have a day here at the house. You can sleep and they can do quiet activities."
"You seriously think our two loudest babies are going to have a quiet day with you tomorrow here at our house?" Stef asked with a laugh buttoning up her shirt for work.
"Did I mention that their activities would include cleaning the entire downstairs of the house with the threat of cleaning more if they get too loud? They both know they are in trouble. Even Jesus calms down when he knows he has stepped over that line. It will be good for them to work together and it will feel good to me to just stay home. If they get done and they have been quiet, we will go out for lunch or something. If they are not quiet, they will lose more privileges until they are quiet."
"Whatever you say, wife. Regardless, work calls." Stef leaned over and gave Lena a kiss. "I love you and I will be home before your day gets started. Call me if you need me."
"I will. I love you too. Stay safe tonight."
XXXX
Callie lay quietly, but awake in her bed for a few minutes and then tried turning over. No matter what she did, she couldn't sleep. Then she started hearing the noise. To the common person, it would sound like the wind, but to an eleven year old who could not sleep, she was positive it was some kind of animal trying to get into the house. She looked over at her sister's bed again and remember she was staying at Lexi's house. Callie looked at the clock and saw that was one am. It was much too early to get up. Instead she decided to tiptoe to the bathroom thinking that it would help her go back to sleep.
After using the bathroom, Callie still felt wide awake. She remembered that her mama always gave her warm milk on nights like this when she was little. Callie reasoned she was big enough to do this herself so she quietly went down the stairs, trying to avoid the noisy steps, to get herself the drink. When she got down there, she found Lena on a stool with a mug of her own.
Lena looked up startled as Callie came into the room. "Hey Baby! What are you doing up?"
"I think I woke up because of a bear scratching at our house or maybe a dream that I had. Anyway, I woke up and remembered Mari wasn't here. I just couldn't sleep after that even when I looked out the window and saw there wasn't a bear. I thought maybe some warm milk would help."
"Hmmm, just like me. I fell asleep right after Mom left, but I just don't sleep as well when she isn't here." Lena handed Callie her mug. "Here, have mine. I will make more for me."
Callie took a big sip of the milk and felt the warmth go all the way down her throat. She sighed contently. "I like it when Mom is here at night. Mom keeps us safe."
"Yes, she does. When you were little you said that she kept the whole world safe. Her safety and the bond the two of you share are definitely some of the reasons that I love her."
"We need her." Callie agreed taking another drink. "I know that I really messed up today. I thought Mom would come and get me. After I got to Grandpa Frank's house I knew that it wasn't the right choice."
"I told Mom not to come get you. I knew you would come back on your own and it would be more effective in the long run. You know you can't just leave, right? That's why you are grounded and why you cannot go to a friend's house tomorrow. We are a family and people in a family are not allowed to just leave." Lena sat back down with her mug.
"A girl at school's dad just left her family. He left a note and sent divorce papers. That's why she is moving. Her mom wanted to be closer to her family since he isn't coming back."
Lena took a drink to give herself a moment to think. "Adults sometimes make the wrong decision also. Mom is divorced from Brandon's dad, but both are still part of Brandon's life. No matter what happens, neither of us will leave you. When you are all grown up, you might make a choice that takes you far away in distance, but we will always be connected. That's just how things are."
Callie nodded and took another sip. "I am sorry, Mama."
"Mom and I are a little sorry too, you know." Lena said over her own mug.
"For what?"
"We sometimes expect too much out of you. Jesus has a lot of extra energy right now, but it really isn't fair of us to get on to you more over our frustration with him. That's why before you got home this evening he got a spanking. He knows better than how he has been behaving even without medication."
Callie looked a little surprised. "He did? Jesus didn't say anything about that. I was mad at him, but all I wanted him to get was a time out, not that kind of trouble."
"Mom would never hurt him or any of you. It probably didn't come up because it was long done and over by the time we got home."
"I know that. She only uses her hand and it doesn't even hurt for very long. It's not like those movies you made us watch about abused children. Mom doesn't really want to hurt us. She just wants us to become good people."
"You are wise beyond your years, sweetheart. Finish your milk and we need to go back to bed. You may come to my room if you would like. I always have room for my babies."
Callie set her cup in the sink and rinsed it a little before giving Lena a hug. "I think we could both sleep a little better together."
Lena put her arms around her daughter and her own mug in the sink before walking back upstairs to go back to bed.
XXXX
"Hey Jude, have you ever thrown rocks at targets before?" Conner asked excitedly.
"No…" Jude answered with some hesitation.
"It's really fun! My brother showed me. I bet I can throw this rock and hit the first branch." Conner said as he got ready to throw. He missed by a little. "Well, I get another shot." This time he hit it exactly. "See, I have good aim. Let's see how well you can do."
Jude picked up a rock and missed the branch by several feet. "I don't think I am very good at this. My mama says not to throw rocks…"
"Awe, come on, Jude! Your mama isn't even here, besides we aren't even throwing them at people. You have to close one eye and squint the other one just a little bit. Then you have to throw the rock really hard." Conner demonstrated again hitting the branch easily.
Jude picked up another rock and rolled it over in his hand. He then basically followed Conner's instructions only he closed both eyes. He heard a little sound and opened his eyes wide. "I did it! I threw the rock and hit it!"
Conner looked at Jude funny as he had really hit the base of the tree and not the branch at all. "Well, sort of… I bet I can hit that fence post across the street." The bigger boy said as he got ready to throw and he hit is square. "Perfect! I got it! Your turn, Jude!"
Jude picked up a rock ready to throw and closed both of his eyes again. He threw the rock with all of his strength just as a police car turned onto the street. He peaked open his eyes as he heard the satisfying noise of his rock making contact. Instead of seeing his rock next to Conner's, he saw the policeman slowing down and pulling over. "Uh Oh." Jude practically whispered but as he looked around, Conner was gone.
The police officer got out of his car to approach Jude. "Young man, I believe you just threw a rock at my car, is that correct?" Jude stood there looking at the officer and didn't say anything. "May I speak with one of you parents?" Jude quickly shook his head. "Is this not your house?" Jude shook his head again. Now, Conner's mom was coming out of the house.
"Is there a problem, officer?" She asked.
"Yes, there is. This little boy just threw a rock at my car. There is no damage, but I would like to speak with his parents. Do you know where I could find them?"
"Yes, he is Jude Adams Foster he has been playing with my son today. Would you like their address?"
"That would be great, thank you, Ma'am." Conner's mom quickly wrote down Jude's address. Then she called Lena as the officer pulled out with Jude in the car to give her a heads up. Lena went quietly into her bedroom to wake her wife knowing that this is one of the situation that required them both. By the time the patrol car was pulling into their driveway, Stef was up, dressed, and livid. She sharply sent Callie and Jesus upstairs.
The officer opened Jude's door for him. "This is the house, right?" Jude nodded a little still not sure enough to speak. "Let's go then. I guess your parents are not going to be happy with you, but the sooner we get it over with the better. Have you ever been in trouble like this before?" Jude shook his head. The officer reached for the doorbell, but Lena opened the door before he could touch it.
"Come on in. My wife has been working nights, but I have already woken her." Lena directed the two into the family room.
Stef stood to greet the officer who she recognized at once. "Kevin! It is good to see you, but I am sorry it is under these conditions." She said shaking his hand.
"I should have known this one was one of yours, Stef, I didn't even think about it when I heard his last name. Do you want me to go ahead and book him for tonight?" He teased as Jude looked a little more frightened.
"No, not this one. He is my youngest." Stef got a small hold on Jude's shirt and indicated a chair for Kevin to sit down in placing him across from the two moms and Jude. "Please have a seat."
"Thanks. I guess I should get to the heart of the matter. I was patrolling a few streets down from here when I saw your son throw a rock at my car. It did not leave any damage, but I always like to make parents aware of these types of issues."
"And you are positive it was Jude?" Stef asked hoping it could have been Conner.
"I saw it leave his hand. The other boy with him took off running into the house. I have no doubt he was also throwing rocks, but he did not throw the one in question."
"Is that true, Jude?" Lena asked turning to the little boy. He looked at the ground and shrugged. "Look at me when I speak to you, please." Lena said getting his little chin in her hands and bringing it to her own. "Did you throw a rock at the police car?"
Jude's tears spilled over his cheeks, but he still didn't answer. Stef nudged him from her side. "Mama is talking to you, if you were you I would answer."
"No…" He said tentatively and quietly still not making good eye contact.
"Are you saying that Officer Brown here is a liar, Jude?" Stef asked in her no nonsense voice.
"No, ma'am. I… I was throwing the rock at the fence across the street. I didn't see the car, I promise."
"How many times I have I told you not the throw rocks?" Lena asked rhetorically. "And how did you not see a car in the path of your rock? Do you know what could have happened? What if you had broken a window in someone's house? Or hit a person? Or left a dent in the police car?"
Jude had never been the one in the place of Lena's wrath. He quickly scooted his body towards Stef for protection. Stef caught his shoulders and turned him to face her. "The first thing you are going to do is apologize to Officer Brown." Jude looked at her with pleading eyes. "Stand up and go over there please."
Jude tentatively stood up and took a few halting steps toward the officer and then glanced back at his mothers who urged him forward with their looks. "I am sorry…." Jude said quickly and almost silently. Stef cleared her throat a little. "I am sorry that I hit your car with a rock, sir." He said more clearly.
Kevin stood up and shook his hand. "I am going to leave you with your more than capable mothers. I am hoping to not see you this way ever again."
"I can assure you that you won't." Stef said also standing to shake hands with the other officer again and walking him out. "Will you be writing this incident up?" Stef asked once they got outside.
"No. Like I said, there was no damage to the car and I think that scaring him is enough without giving him a record."
"Thanks!"
By the time Stef got back in, Jude was cuddling with Lena. "Good news, Officer Brown is not doing a write up. Jude will not have a record."
At that Jude brought his head up and gave a little smile. "So, I am not in trouble, Mommy?"
Stef smiled in spite of herself. "That means you are not in trouble with the police, it does not mean you are not in trouble with us. What do you think happens to little boys who throw rocks after being told by their mamas to never do such a thing?"
"I think they only get one cookie for dessert." Jude answered surprisingly boldly.
"Only one cookie?" Lena asked eyeing him while sitting him up some. "I think it is safe to say no cookies for dessert. Try again. Think about what would happen if you were at school."
"Umm… Well, if I were at school, I would miss the rest of recess for that day. Sometimes I might even lose one more recess if it is really bad. I might have to go see you. So, maybe I can't play for a little while?" Jude said with a little less certainty.
"There will probably be some time out. I agree with you there." Stef said nodding at Jude before turning to Lena. "What do you think, Mama?"
"I think Jude needs to go upstairs to our room since Jesus is in theirs. He needs to spend some time thinking about what he has done. Then, one of us can join him in a few minutes."
XXX
Jude sat down on his moms' bed with great anxiety. He was perfectly aware that his brother was spanked the day before. He figured the same was about to happen to him for the first time. Jesus always said that the spankings were really no big deal, but Jude noticed that for several days afterward it would only take a look from Stef to make Jesus obey. Callie's arguing also lessoned for weeks after a spanking. Brandon and Mariana rarely got in this kind of trouble, but they also seemed to dread it.
A small knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. The door slightly opened and Jesus slinked in being very careful to be quiet. "Hey, Little Bro. I heard that you were in some trouble."
"Yeah, I think I am in a lot of trouble. Would Mama really let Mommy spank me?"
XXXX
"Are you sure, Lena? We haven't exactly given him a warning that this is possible. Maybe we should just do the time out thing and talk to him sternly again." Stef told her wife.
"He is the youngest of five, Stef. He knows. He also knows that he made a bad choice. Just go do it." Lena urged surprising her wife.
"I thought you were the one against physical types of punishment…. Jude is only six, he is rarely in trouble. Sure, this was bad, but he apologized and I can tell he was genuine."
"And you are the one who is for them. Yes, he might have been quite sincere, but it doesn't change the fact that he needs as much discipline as the others. This might be the only time he needs to spanking, but he needs one now."
"Fine, I will do it… Jesus and Callie have been excellent helpers this morning, right?" Stef asked and Lena nodded to agree. "Take them out of the house. I am not sure how much they know about what is going on, but I really would prefer to be alone with the little one."
"Fair enough." Lena went up the stairs and found Callie and Jesus in the girls' room talking quiet. Neither looked up when she entered the room. She mustered a smile for them before speaking. "Hey you two. How would you like to go out for lunch before we start picking the others up?"
Both kids startled some. "Oh, hey, Mama." Callie said nudging Jesus.
"Hi, Mama." He also answered shoving Callie back a little. "Is Jude really in trouble?" He asked quickly getting a glare from his sister.
"Yes, he is. It is nothing Mom can't take care of while we are out. So, I ask again Chinese, Italian, or fast food?"
The kids looked at each other only a second before answering. "Fast food!" They knew that it wasn't often that Lena would allow fast food and it did take the Jude situation off of their minds for a moment.
"Great. Get your shoes on and meet me by the front door in five."
Just as soon as Lena and the kids cleared the door way, Stef let out a big breath before opening her bedroom door to find Jude. He was noticeably shaken. "Well, I expect you sort of know what might happen next?"
"Yes." Jude answered standing up and putting his hands where they covered his bottom.
Stef sat down on the bed and motioned for Jude to sit down next to her. He cautiously removed his hands and sat down. "You know that I hate to do this to any of my kids. I love you more than you understand. Mama and I both think you know better than to throw rocks and as a result you are going to get your first spanking. Do you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am." Jude answered solemnly with his eyes filling with tears.
"Okay, then, I need to you stand up and put your hands on the bed." Jude stood, but put his hands back over his bottom. "No, sir, I said to put your hands on the bed. You will need them there to brace yourself a little more than you need them to protect yourself." Jude tentatively took his hands away. "Good boy. Now, you are going to be getting just a few swats, and I need you to be as still as possible."
