The Train

Ethan was delighted with the private compartment, consisting of two benches facing each other with three bunk beds above each was new from the train company, and a good idea!

At mealtimes, either a lady passed by with a cart full of different foodstuffs, or they went to the car equipped with tables, different menus were available.

On the fourth day, the three little children were playing on the floor between the benches, when George pushed Tess who rocked back!

Fortunately, Ethan was behind and he was able to catch her.

"Come here George." said Ethan, pointing to the ground right in front of him. The little boy stepped forward, looking at his feet.

"Do you think pushing your little sister is good behavior George?"

"No sir".

"She's small, you could have hurt her a lot! I want you to apologize and give her a kiss, then come back here."

"I'm sorry Tess," he said obediently and kissed her on the head. Then returned to his uncle.

"If I see such behavior again, I will spank you! You hear me?"

He spoke softly but his voice was firm, which instantly made the little boy cry.

"Yes sir, I'm sorry!" Sobbed the child

"Apology accepted, but I'm going to put you to bed for a nap and you're going to think about your behavior, it will be your punishment".

Ethan grabbed the child, hugging him for a while, he knew the child should be held, before placing him on the bed with a little love pat on the back.

A few days later, on the eighth day, they had supper in the dining car. Everyone enjoyed the meal and the time while they were out of their compartment.

"How big is your house, Uncle Ethan?" Asked Ben.

"It's small you know, my cabin looks a bit like your apartment, except that I have a separate bedroom where we will put the beds,

I will look for a farm to purchase as soon as we are settled."

"What about your job, Uncle Ethan?" Asked Claire.

"I was a bounty hunter, I caught the bad guys to drive them to jail," he said. "It's no longer possible now, I can't leave days and leave you children alone."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I have an idea, but I don't want to talk about it yet and I don't want you to worry. That's my job, Joseph. Everything will be fine, I promise you!"

"Yes, Uncle Ethan."

"Is everything okay, George?" Ethan asked the silent child.

"Are you still mad at me, Uncle Ethan?"

"No George, I punished you, it's over, I already told you. Ethan grabbed the child for a hug.

"I love you my uncle Ethan!" George said spontaneously.

"I love you too George, I love each of my children!" He answered.

There were only two days left on this train, when another incident occurred, requiring Ethan's severity.

That day, Joseph woke up irritable, Ethan had to take him back and reprimand him several times, until lunchtime when everything changed.

Tess got up from Claire's lap and walked over to her uncle with her arms in the air for him to carry her."

"Come on honey, do you want a hug?" He said, taking the baby in his arms.

The waitress arrived with the dishes but Joseph's order was wrong.

"Idiot!" He shouted. "This is not what I ordered! Aren't you able to bring a steak?"

"Joseph apologize! Right away!" Ethan growled, his voice deep. Joseph had never seen his uncle so angry,not even when he had spanked him.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," said Joseph.

"Go wait for me in the compartment!" He ordered, the man knew he had to calm down before punishing the child. Joseph rose obedient to his uncle.

Ethan gave the baby to Claire.

"You can start lunch without us," he told the group.

Ethan had to be severe with the boy, it was not the first time that Joseph was warned of his disrespect for him and adults in general. He had to stop this behavior once and for all! Besides he would rarely have the necessary privacy on this trip.

Ethan entered the compartment, closed the door behind him and lowered the curtains.

"Uncle Ethan, I beg your pardon, I will be respectful! I promise you!"

"How many times have you made that promise to me, little boy?"

"This time, it's true!"

"Let me make sure! I will not accept such behavior from my children Joseph! Come here," Ethan tells him, sitting on the seat.

Once standing right in front of him, Ethan reached out and unhooked the child's jeans, pulling him to his ankles, as well as his underwear.

"Uncle Ethan, no! ... Please, I'll be good!"

"Look at me Joseph! I hope this time, the shame you feel at the moment, will be a reminder to behave! It was unacceptable! If I see such disrespect again, it will not be my hand that you feel on your behind, but my belt! am i clear?"

"Yes sir!"

Ethan positioned the child as he wanted, exposing his target as high as possible, and lowered his hand again and again. He controlled his strength, he knew it, he didn't want to hurt the child. Ethan wanted his message and emotion spread across his palm was impressive, he knew that just having the boy's pants down had done most of the work.

"I apologize ..., ah ... sorry, ... sir!"

Ethan had distributed a dozen firm slaps right, left, middle when he felt Joseph's little body spread over his thighs, he decided it was time to finish. He raised his knee, after two more pats on the top of his thighs, he stopped, straightening Joseph and pulling up his clothes.

The boy was an emotional mess, Ethan sat him on his lap and wrapped his muscular arms around him, hugging him tightly until he calmed down.

"I'm sorry sir, I will be respectful!"

"I accept your apology and I forgive you, as always, after being punished, I will raise you to become an honest, good and respectful young man, Joseph, if I have to give you a spanking every day, to be respectful, that's what I will do. I promise you! I want you to sincerely apologize to the waitress."

"Yes sir, I will be good!"

"I hope Joseph, let's go eat."

"I can eat?"

"Of course!, The lack of meal will never be a punishment for you, except the dessert, maybe, I have another mode of discipline much more effective, blow your nose so that we can go to eat."

"I apologize again for my lack of respect, Madam, I will not do it again, I promise you!" Joseph squirmed in his chair, bottom prickling as if he were sitting on a cactus!

"Okay, young man, I changed your plate, it was enough to ask politely! However, I hope your Pa gave you a good spanking!"

"Yes ma'am, I punished him severely, I assure you," replied Ethan.

The waitress nodded and walked away. Joseph felt a weight on his stomach.

Throughout the meal he remained silent.

"Is something is bothering you, Joseph?" asked Ethan, "Is it your punishment?"

"No Uncle Ethan, I deserved it!"

"So what is bothering you?"

"There is nothing, sir."

Back in the compartment, the day passed slowly. Ethan played some games to keep the children patient. Tess laughed with all her might when he scolded her doll for peeing on him! He then played with Ben and George fighting with the soldiers.

Joseph was still sad and silent, something was wrong. Had the spanking been too harsh? Ethan wondered. No, he didn't spank too hard, he was sure.

Bedtime came, finally a quiet moment for Ethan!

He changed Tess's diaper and laid the three little ones down, hugging them and giving kisses, telling them how much he loved them.

"Claire, would you please read a story for them? Joseph, come into the hall," said Ethan calmly.

"Tell me what's wrong, I can see that you are disturbed. We can talk about your punishment if you want." said Ethan softly but firmly.

"You already know me well. It is nothing to do with your spanking me, I deserved it, I told you. The lady thought you were our father, and you said nothing."

"I see. You blame me for not having denied it?"

"No, that's not it ..., you are ... how do I say it? You are so much like a Pa to us Uncle Ethan! You are better than the true Pa in fact! in a few weeks, you gave us love, happiness and security. Our true parents have never brought us all that you have done in such a short time! I don't know how to express myself, you don't understand what our life was like!

Our father didn't take care of us, he drank constantly. Mama, I loved her, of course, but she was overwhelmed all the time even before she got sick. Then you come and manage everything so easily, like a real parent." He finishes, crying now.

Ethan approaches, taking Joseph in his arms, hugging him so that he could cry against his shirtfront.

"Oh my son, you are mistaken, I understand what you say, that the lady thinks that I am your Pa stirred up many feelings in you. If your mother had kindly joined me, I would have taken care of you a long time ago. I am your guardian now, I am like your father, that's right." Ethan tells the child.

"Papa or Pa" is only a common name Joseph. Whether a child be adopted, a nephew, or found some other way, the "Pa" will be the man who will take care of the children. Do you want to take care of this title? Is that what you're trying to ask me? Do you want to call me "Pa or Papa" to clarify things with people? Your father died, over three years ago, he wouldn't mind you calling another man by that name." Joseph nodded into his shirtfront.

"You have been so good to us, and I am disrespectful, mean and rude! I'm sorry to be a disappointment"….

"Oh, Joseph, stop! I never said that! You're a wonderful child! You make mistakes, it's normal. I had a lot of spankings from your grandfather when I was a child, I assure you. But he allowed me to become the good and honest man that I am today! I can be disappointed by your actions and punish you, but never be disappointed in you! I'm positive you will never disappoint me!"

"I would be proud if you wanted to call me Pa or Papa, just wait until I can clarify it for the others too, okay?

"Do you feel better?" Ethan tightened his grip again.

"Yes, thank you ..." Pa "... he said as if he was trying it.

"Go to bed son! Good night, I love you." Ethan tells him, gently opening the compartment door.

"Claire, go to bed too, it's late".

"Yes uncle Ethan, good night, I love you."

"Good night Claire, I love you too".

Ethan thought, looking at the black window of the train, all the feelings in Joseph's heart. "Why didn't you tell me Lucy? One more baby would have changed nothing. You knew me, why don't you call me if you couldn't manage? Were you ashamed? i would have been there! I will be a father now for your children, I promise you!"

Ethan secured Tess with his body and fell asleep, the last evening, tomorrow afternoon this part of the train trip will end.

Ethan was woken up in the night by little blows on his shirt.

"Tess?" He said softly "What is it darling?"

The baby was standing on their bunk, she was naked, her diaper at knee level, she had obviously tried to remove it alone.

"I see." He got up quietly, changed Tess with a clean diaper.

"I'm proud of you for waking me up like you did if you have a problem" he whispered in her ear. He lay the child down, he felt her nestle against his chest. Wrapping his arms around her to make her feel safe, he told her how much he loved her. Kissing Tess on her head, they went back to sleep.

After breakfast, back in their cabin, Ethan told the other children about his discussion with Joseph.

"I am proud of all of you. Today at two o'clock the journey aboard this train will end. It was long, and apart from a few minor incidents, you all behaved fairly well.

I would like to talk to you ;

I take care of you, I hug you, I scold you where you have been punished for several weeks now. Joseph was disturbed yesterday by the waitress who called me "your Pa", he asked me to be able to use this term.

I give you all, my children, permission to call me Pa or Papa. You don't have to, it's if you want, I'm sure your parents would be happy if you did. In my heart, I stopped being your uncle to become your father, as soon as I arrived in St Louis. I also think Tess can say "Papa" more easily than "Uncle Ethan", which is difficult. Do you have questions? "

"When are we going to get there, Pa? Ben said naturally. Which made everyone laugh!"

"After eating Ben," Ethan replied. "So, once in Denver ... Where's Denver? Claire? Joseph? Do you know?"

"In Colorado," Claire replied immediately.

"Very good, Claire. Yes, you are corect. We will get off this train in Denver. Then, we will take a second train for a shorter time, rest assured it is only three days." Ethan reassures the children seeing their disappointed faces. "Then when we have arrived in Sacramento, I will buy a wagon and we will only have three more days of travel before arriving in Paradise."

"That is California!" Said Joseph,. "You told us Pa."

"Yes my son," said Ethan with a wink at a delighted Joseph.

"I'm glad you came! You already know that ... Pa," said Claire, trying it out.

"What about you George? What do you want to call me?" Ethan asks.

"I never had a Pa I remember. Joseph said he was mean and he was drinking. You will never be like that if you become our Pa, will you?" asked George.

"He was mean? How's that Joseph?" Ethan asked.

"Not physically mean, but he didn't care about us, nonexistent, I told you Pa."

"Well no, George, I will never be mean. I will always be the way I am now. Stern, if you need it, yes, but good and fair. It's a promise! But if you want to think about it more, you can." Ethan reassures the boy.

"No, I trust you, ... Pa!" George answers.

All the children throw themselves into their Pa's arms for a hug!