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Chapter 27

As the three teens walked slowly into Josh's room... it seemed like they'd lost their nerve...they were all bunched up like a pack of toddlers pretending to be a train. To make the situation worse, Harm wasn't saying anything. He just stood there with his hand in the air, the offending packet scrunched in his tight grip.

"Uh oh." Mac said from her view from the doorway. Her eyes were wide and questioning but she left the interrogation up to Harm.

"Sit...all of you." he said pointing to the bed. Chloe hung back a bit but was hurried along with a pop to her rear end.

"He means you too Chloe."

"Ow! I know...I was going!" she said with just enough sass to get her another smack.

"Ok, ok."

"Right...who owns these?" The three looked up at the ceiling...down at the floor...out the window...anywhere but at Harm or Mac's faces or at each other. "Josh...this IS your room."

"Yes it is." Josh said. She didn't do it because they were being watched...very carefully...but Josh could feel Mattie mentally prodding him. He sighed. Now or never. "Ok Harm they're mine. I'm sorry." Harm's eyes widened in surprise...this just didn't add up. He'd never seen Josh smoke, not even when they'd become acquainted again, when he was living on the street.

"Did you smoke them?"

"Um...why would he HAVE cigarettes if he wasn't going to smoke them Harm?" Mattie asked with a roll of her eyes. Harm narrowed his own eyes in her direction. He was more interested in the big picture than in her smart mouth just at this moment...but they would revisit that at a later date.

"Have you smoked them Mattie?" She blinked rapidly.

"No." Ok it wasn't really a lie, she justified to herself. She hadn't smoked those that were still in the packet obviously.

"Chloe?" He asked. Chloe wasn't really sure what she was supposed to say here...it was too soon to own up. Josh was supposed to be really close to a spanking before she used her get out of jail free card...otherwise it was useless.

"I saw Josh smoking ok?" she blurted out like it had been tortured out of her. Josh turned to her in shock.

"You little stooge!" he yelled.

"That's enough!" Harm yelled. "You girls...out...go to your room."

"But.." Chloe started...

"Chloe go." Harm said.

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Mac watched as the girls looked at each other and scurried into their room. She stood outside the rapidly closed door and listened. Raised voices. Something was going on here. She was about to open the door when the phone downstairs rang. Reluctantly, she left Chloe and Mattie and went downstairs to answer the phone.

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Harm sat next to Josh on the bed. "I don't believe you." he said with a shake of his head.

"It was me honest." Josh said, his voice thick with emotion. Harm frowned. He still didn't believe him...might just have to see how far he'd take this lie.

"Ok then...pants down." he said. Josh's face was a picture of terror and it was all Harm could do not to laugh. These kids thought they were so good...none of them could act their way out of a paper bag. He still didn't have a clue what this was about but he was certain something was happening. Only one way to find out...direct action. "Now!"

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"I think we better go say something." Mattie said.

"What if it's not the time yet?"

"Um...of course it is you idiot...you told Harm you saw him smoking...that was a bit of a deviation from the script."

"We didn't HAVE a script."

"We kind of did!"

"No we didn't! Mattie you might have had one inside your head but I'm not a mind reader!" Mattie sat on the bed. "I thought the whole point was for me to tell when Josh was about to get spanked."

"I guess you're right." she had to admit finally. "I just thought it would be easier. I didn't think Harm would kick us out."

"We better go tell now."

"I guess. You might have your get out of free card but I don't." Mattie grumbled as they headed for the door.

"Sucks to be you." Mattie said with a grin as she gave the older girl a friendly shove.

"You are such a brat..how come you're the only one who isn't gonna get spanked?"

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"I won't tell you again." Harm said. "Take your jeans down now." Josh looked at Harm's face and gulped. He was deadly serious and he was waiting. Ever so slowly, he undid the button on his pants and dropped them and closed his eyes while Harm arranged him across his knees.

"I'm gonna give you one more chance to tell the truth." Harm said with his hand raised high. Josh clenched his cheeks in anticipation not sure whether he should will the door to open or not. "Last chance...tell the truth.."

"Harm it was...me"

"Ok Josh you give me no choice." He took hold of the band on the wriggling teen's boxer shorts and prepared to lower them. The cool air suddenly creeping onto Josh's nether regions panicked him.

"Noooo!" she squealed.

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"Uh oh." Mattie said. Mattie grabbed the door handle and retched it open. Both girls stood I the doorway with their mouths ajar. Thankfully Harm had balked and Josh's boxers were still intact.

"STOP!" Chloe yelled. "It was me!...Nice camo boxers by the way..." she grinned. She had nothing to worry about...she had the get out of jail free card...

Mattie was looking...satisfied. So Josh had actually been about to get it...and on the bare ass by the look of it...and he was gonna take it. She smiled at him and he sort of smiled back, while he did his best to pull up his jeans with one hand.

"Harm can I get up now?" he asked.

"For now." Harm helped him to stand and then took Chloe's arm.

"Start talking."

"Um well see I... they're my cigarettes and I um...I hid them in Josh's drawer for a joke."

"Uhhuh...and you smoke these cigarettes."

"Yep. Just put them in the old mouth and light them up." she said "Like to blow smoke rings too."

"Really." Harm said. She was lying too. What in the hell was going on around here?

"Yes really." Chloe said.

"Everybody sit back on the bed." Harm said. "I don't believe any of this and I want the truth. NOW!"

"You had to say you blew smoke rings didn't you Chloe." Mattie said shaking her head. "You are SUCH a drama queen." Chloe stuck her tongue out.

"At least I didn't just stand there and say nothing...Even Josh tried to say SOMETHING and he was over Harm's lap with his God awful underwear showing..." Josh smiled at Chloe's back handed compliment. Harm was saying nothing and just taking the argument in. He'd learned more in the last thirty seconds than he'd been able to figure out all day.

"What's wrong with my underwear...?" Josh asked.

"One step better than Batman." Chloe answered. Mattie giggled. She couldn't help herself.

"HEY!" Harm yelled. "Everyone's in trouble here! Focus!"

"Not me." Chloe said with a smile. "I have a get out of jail free card." Harm rubbed his hand through his hair.

"Honey that may have covered you for one of the lies."

"WHAT?" Chloe yelled. "That's not fair!...See! I thought you said I was safe?"

"I thought you would be...sorry." Mattie said with a wince. "But I didn't tell you to deviate from the original plan."

"Ok, YOU." he said to Mattie. "You seem to be in charge of 'THE PLAN'. Start talking."

"Me?"

"Yes Mattie. I want you to start talking. Start at the beginning and don't stop until I know what on earth is going on." Mattie looked at the other two who both shrugged. Harm was really pissed. Not much point trying to get of trouble now, it was just gonna make it worse.

"Ok...it was kind of a test..." Mattie explained from beginning to end exactly how this had all started. Harm's eyes widened and narrowed at different parts but mostly, he said nothing.

"Well for the record? You were wrong." he said finally. "Josh WAS going to get spanked for smoking." Josh blew out a relieved breath.

"Now he's gonna get spanked for lying, as are the rest of you." Harm bit out. He didn't like being played at all and especially not by his own kids.

"Aww come on Harm.." Chloe said. "No one got hurt. And what about my get out of jail free card." Mac had been quietly listening from the doorway. She could see what the kids had been doing and she could see Harm needed a minute...

"You know Harm I think we should talk and the kids should wait for you in their rooms." he nodded. As the girls got up to leave together, he stopped Mattie.

"You wait in our room." he said quietly. "You both need to reflect on your own." She rolled her eyes but went anyway. Harm shook his head at Josh who smiled nervously and then left closing the door behind him.

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Mac stepped into his waiting arms and he held her tight, resting his chin lightly on her head.

"Penny for them." she said. He sighed deeply.

"They were testing me."

"Well yeah...they're teenagers Harm...it's in the job description."

"No...I mean they were specifically testing me. They still thought I was favouring Josh."

"Ahhh. Well I guess then they have their answer now don't they?"

"Yeah they do." he said.

"Don't over think it Flyboy...it is what it is." He nodded and drew her into a deep kiss.

"Have I told you today how much I love you?"
"No...I don't think you have. You may have showed me... in other ways..."

"Ok, time to deal with the brats." he said finally.

"You want me to take one of them..."

"Yes!" he said with a smile. "But I think under these circumstances I don't want anyone to be able to say they weren't all treated with the same hand...pardon the pun." Mac giggled.

"Then I guess I'll go work on dinner." He kissed her again briefly and then headed into Josh room.

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Josh jumped when the door opened and Harm stepped in.

"You're really gonna...you know...spank me?"

"Oh yeah."Harm sat beside him on the bed. "You don't think you deserve a spanking?"

"I don't want one."

"That's pretty much the point. A moot point."

"You don't care what I think?"

"Yeah I do..." Harm took Josh's arm and helped him to stand while he was talking and stood him between his legs. "When you make the decision to lie...you're making the decision that you want a spanking." With that, he tipped the teen over his knee, this time though he let him keep his jeans on.

"OW!" Josh yelped as Harm's hand came down hard on the back of his jeans. "That hurt!" Ignoring the obvious statement, Harm brought his hand down several more times in the one spot. Josh rocked from side to side to try and avoid the sting. Harm moved places but didn't stop.

"Harm stop!" Josh whined. His bottom had really started hurt. Unfortunately for him the spanking didn't stop. If anything it stepped up and became harder and faster. He sucked in a breath and held it as he tried not to cry, but it was almost impossible as his rear end burned. Finally he couldn't take it anymore and he started to cry. Harm stopped immediately and stood the boy up and pulled him in to hug.

"Shh." he soothed. Josh was a little uncomfortable at first he sobbed quietly while standing awkwardly in Harm's arms, but after a while he sunk in and leaned his head against the warm shoulder.

"I'm sorry I lied Harm." he said.

"I know." Harm said. "You're forgiven."

Harm left to go deal with the girls and Josh flopped onto his tummy on the bed. His butt hurt and he was sleepy, but kind of at peace and strangely happy.

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Chloe wasn't so happy. What good was a get out of jail free card if it only got you like off one little tiny thing. When Harm opened the door she was read for him...

"This is so not fair."

"How so?" Harm asked. You had to give it to the kid, she had stamina...and she really liked the sound of her own voice.

"I only went along with this cos I didn't think I would get in trouble."

"I know...but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be in trouble. That was meant for a trivial thing. None of this was trivial. You risked getting someone else in trouble on purpose and you lied...more than once."

"I was never going to let Josh take the fall."

"Chlo...you told me you saw him smoke."

"That was more like poetic license."

"It was a lie."

"But.."

"But nothing. Because you had a freebie happening you can keep up your pants." Chloe blew out a frustrated breath. There was just no negotiating with man.

"Come on." Harm said. Chloe stood and reluctantly dragged herself over to Harm's side.

"You could be totally damaging my inner self you know." she grumbled.

"It's not your INNER self that I'm gonna be burning." He tugged her arm and she tumbled over his knee and clutched at his jeans to steady herself.

"Ow! Ow ow!" Harm waisted no time in heating her upturned bottom with sharp rapid fire spanks. He smacked her bottom over and over as she wriggled and squirmed in an effort to avoid the stinging smacks.

"Please Harm it hurts...ouch!" she yelped. Harm raised his arm and brought it down really hard on the underside of each cheek and then stopped.

"Yeow!" she screeched as the burn in each cheek multiplied with the final smacks. As Harm helped her stand she sniffled and rubbed her sore bottom. She flung her arms around Harm's neck and sobbed into his shirt.

"Shhh. It's ok now." he crooned. "It's all over."

"I'm... sorry... I lied." she said with hitched breaths. Harm set her away a little and kissed her forehead.

"I forgive you honey." he said.

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Mattie was already crying quietly. She was in big trouble and it was all her own fault. She didn't know what had been wrong with her lately. Except, she'd been jealous...and she really did think Harm was playing favourites. Well this had proved her wrong that was for sure, but now she'd outted her smoking habit and she lied and tried to get other people in trouble...she was toast.

"Hey Harm." she said as the door creaked open. Harm smiled and came to sit on the bed next to her and took her hand.

"What on earth has gotten into you lately?" he asked. She shrugged.

"Could I plead insanity?"

"Hmmm. Nope." Harm said. "You can tell me what's been going on in your head though." Mattie's eyes filled with tears and her lip wobbled.

"I...I guess I was jealous. I wanted to see for myself if you were playing favourites."

"And?"

"I was wrong." she sniffled.

"Uhhuh."

"Ok then...could we say lesson learned and move on?"

"No." Harm said and he was no longer smiling. "Do you have anymore cigarettes?"

"No."

"Good. It finishes now. If you're really struggling with it you need to tell me and we'll get you some help."

"Ok." Harm was pleased that Mattie was wearing sweats...it would make it easier in one way to do what he was going to do.

"Mattie your whole attitude has been unacceptable lately before this even happened and I'm not putting up with it another day... the smart ass quips constantly and the sniping at everyone. No...more. Josh is as welcome here as you and Chloe...treat him that way."

"I do..." Mattie said suddenly bursting into tears.

"No you haven't. You've been tolerating him and that's not fair. He shouldn't have to go along with some scheme to get him in trouble to prove anything to you. You're not the boss."

"I know." she sobbed.

"Good. It's so unnecessary Mattie. I adore you.. and no matter how many kids we end up having..nothing will change that." He held his arms out and Mattie fell into them. After a brief but warm hug Harm turned her and settled her over his knee. Mattie gasped as her sweats were yanked down to her knees.

"Nooo." she yelled. She held her breath, hoping to hell that it was just her sweats Harm pulled down. It was...but as fire burst across her bottom with the first smack, she found her panties offered very little protection.

"OW!" Her hand shot back to protect her smarting rear but it was immediately captured, leaving her open to the next flurry of spanks that set her backside burning. "Please Harm..." she pleaded.

Harm did his best to ignore Mattie's tears while he thoroughly spanked her. She had had this coming for a while and it was time he put a stop to her acting out. Finally after a few more smacks to the lower part of her bottom he stopped and pulled her into his arms. By now Mattie was sobbing desperately. She clutched her burning cheeks and tried to rub out the sting but it didn't help. Harm had never spanked her that hard before.

"Come on Mattie, it's over now." The distraught girl gave up trying to sooth her backside and clung onto Harm's T-shirt and buried her face. She absorbed Harm's gentle comfort and slowly her sobs turned to slow hitched breaths. After a long time she lifted her head.

"You ok?" he asked. She nodded and sniffed.

"I'm sorry Harm." she said. "I'll be nicer to Josh...I like him really."

"I know."

"Can I go back to my room now?"

"Yeah...go commiserate with Chloe.." he laughed. "You can swap stories about how mean I am."

Mattie turned.

"You're not mean Harm." she said with a sad smile. "You're a good Dad."

"Go on...get outta here." Harm smiled. Never had four words made him happier.

TBC