Chapter 3

Ms. Claire and Tiffany sat in their usual chair. Tiffany still had that residual sighing after a big cry. They sat there quietly for a little while and Ms. Claire hugged Tiffany and laid her little head on her chest. Tiffany started crying anew with that motion. Ms. Claire just held her little closer while she got it out. After about a half hour like this, Ms. Claire finally asked Tiffany, "What do you think is bothering you the most about what happened over this weekend?" Tiffany just shook her head and said, "I don't know?"

"Well let me ask you. How do you feel right now?"

"I don't know," she whined.

"Do you think that you're sad?"

"I guess I am."

"Are you disappointed?"

"I don't know."

"Are you angry?"

"Ms. Claire, I don't know how I feel."

Ms. Claire then lifted Tiffany's chin up so that she could look her in the face. She then said, "Tiffany, I think you feel ashamed." Tiffany wasn't sure if she wanted to admit that, but that was probably the right feeling. She just put her head back down. Ms. Claire then asked, "You want to know how I know that's what you're feeling?"

"Yes."

"Well, I did the same thing when I was around your age, but I think I was about nine."

"You did?" Now Tiffany was looking up at Ms. Claire.

Ms. Claire said, "I did. I'm not proud of it, but I got through it and you will too. Here's what happened." At that point, Ms. Claire told her what happened.

She told her that she grew up in a small town in Georgia. Everybody in the town knew each other. The general store was not very far from her house. Her older sisters had gone to the store and with some of their allowance had bought some candy, sodas, and a record. ("What's a record?" "It was the way, back then, that people were able to buy music.") Claire was upset because they didn't bring her anything. Her sisters reminded her that Momma and Papa said she couldn't have any sweets that week because she didn't do all of her chores on time earlier that week. Her parents left then to go to a meeting. Well, Claire wasn't going to be without her treats. She didn't know what got into her, but she was determined. So while her sisters were listening to their new record ("they were always oohing and aahing over some new guys with a record"), she went out to the store. She just wanted a piece of chocolate. When she got to the store, she didn't see anybody around at the register, so she picked up the candy bar that she wanted and headed back out the door. As she did, she ran into the store owner at the door. He said hello to her and asked her for the nickel for the candy bar. ("A candy bar only cost a nickel?") When she said she didn't have it, the owner questioned her on why she was leaving his store then with a candy bar in her hand that she did not intend to pay for. He went to call her parents and she said that they were not at home because they had to go to a church meeting. He said well then he would wait for them to come home. He closed the store and walked her home. She cried and pleaded with him to not tell her parents but he told her that it was better for her to learn her lesson now than to get away with it now and try it again later. When she got home, her sisters saw her walking up with the store owner and when they heard what happened they started teasing her about how much trouble she was going to get in when their parents got home. But now Claire was mad because they were happy that she was going to get into trouble. She reminded them that they were supposed to be watching her and they might actually get into trouble. She didn't have to wait long to find out what Momma and Papa thought about her adventure to the store. The store owner told them why he was there and what Claire did. Her parents gave her a look she never saw before and they told her to go inside along with her sisters. Claire looked out the front window nervously as her parents continued to talk to the man. When the store owner turned to leave, she closed the curtains really quick and sat back on the sofa. When her parents came in, they told her to go pick some switches. ("What's a switch?" "It's a thin branch on a tree that parents used to spank their kids with." "Oh my God…") Claire got the worst spanking of her life. It seemed like it would never end. Her dad spanked her with only her underwear on and she had marks all over her backside. When he was done, he told her and her sisters to come to the living room. Her parents explained to them how disappointed they were, but the more pressing issue was the embarrassment brought on the family. They worked very hard for the family to have what they did have (even if it wasn't a lot). The fact that Claire tried to steal a 5 cent piece of candy was ridiculous. They reminded her that chocolate was not a right, it was earned. They reminded her that her allowance which was earned was to be used for that stuff. He asked her recall aloud why she didn't have any money that week. When she had to admit that it was because she didn't take care of her chores like she was supposed to, she was truly ashamed. She felt so bad for having shamed her family and for not making a better choice. She was grounded for 2 weeks and had to go to the store daily to sweep the floor and put back all the stuff that had been misplaced. This was in addition to her normal chores. What made it worse? She did not get any chocolate for 2 weeks! All of this for a 5 cent candy bar. But you know what was good? Her sisters had their record taken away for a week because they were distracted by it and didn't watch Claire like they were supposed to.

By the time Ms. Claire finished telling the story, Tiffany felt so much better. She was thinking how harsh her punishment seemed. Ms. Claire informed her that whippings with switches and other things were common when she was growing up and she turned out okay. There wasn't a whole lot of talking about things like kids have it today. She loved Ms. Claire and actually appreciated her telling her story. She realized how easy Uncle Derrick had been on her compared to Ms. Claire's parents. She also thought that even great people make mistakes and they were was once kids.

When Derrick called that evening after they arrived at their destination, Tiffany told him about Ms. Claire's story. She apologized again and Derrick told her that it was already forgiven. He told her that he knows that it was a peer pressure thing and that he was certain that she learned her lesson. She told him that she did and it would never happen again. She asked if she could talk to Emily, he told her it was okay to call her. When he talked to Ms. Claire, he thanked her for kindness to Tiffany and told her that he wasn't sure how long this case was going to take.

When Tiffany talked to Emily, she told her again how sorry she was for what happened and how she wished it never happened. She told Emily how she would try to not mess up her trust in her. Emily told her that she was thankful for the apology but that it was not necessary. She reassured Tiffany that she wasn't going anywhere. Kids doing silly kid stuff would not run her off. Emily told her that she was stuck with her whether she liked it or not. Tiffany told her she liked it.

Tiffany got ready for bed and ready for another week at school. She determined that this was going to be an awesome week and nothing would happen to get her into trouble.

Meanwhile, after the team had settled into their hotel, Derrick went to Emily's room. He wanted to talk to her about what happened this weekend. They ordered room service because they were starved and as much as they wanted a beer they refrained because they were on duty. Derrick asked how she was doing. She told him that she was doing ok. She said she never thought that she would ever have to spank anyone. She guessed it was because she never really saw herself with kids although she wanted them. It was the hardest thing she ever did. To hear Tiffany cry because she was hurting her, just got to her. Even though she and Derrick never discussed it, she just knew that he spanked Tiffany. She just had a feeling about it because of how no nonsense he was at times. Derrick told her that he really had a hard time, too, at first. Especially because he knew that she had never been spanked before. What he thought about, unfortunately, was that in their line of work and having been a police officer before he knew that for some of their suspects lack of a firm hand and discipline contributed to their dysfunction. That allowed to do what he felt was necessary. He told Emily that he appreciated her for doing what SHE felt was necessary. She could have handled it however she liked as long she did, he reassured her. He told her that he knew she was trying to make sure she had consistency. But he reminded her that consistency didn't have to mean that things were done exactly as he did it but that she knew there were rules and boundaries. He told Emily that he knew she had that at her place. He hugged her and weirdly they felt that same little spark. Or did they?

Their food arrived. They ate while watching a Sunday night football game. Eventually, they were sitting on the bed watching the game. That led to Emily falling asleep while leaning up against Derrick. He looked at her and given all they had they discussed he felt a new found appreciation for Emily. She seemed so vulnerable and not so much like the tough Emily that he worked with. He thought what surprised him the most was how much he saw her being in Tiffany's life. That would mean she would have to be in his to some extent. He realized he would have to drop his shield that he kept up around his work family – at least for Emily.