Not Having Fun

016

He looks at me in the mirror. "Can you tell me anything about that?" 

"Mm," I look out the window, pretending I didn't hear him.

"I asked if you wanted to go to the toilet before we left," 

I start crying. He's going to spank me and then I won't get to go back to the scouts! "I'm sorry Dad!" 

"No, I asked you and you said no," 

"I'm sorry, I just didn't think and it won't happen again and-" 

"Don't worry Max, you're not in trouble," he sighs. "But you have to wear training pants tonight in case you don't make it to the toilet again," 

"No!" Chris will laugh at me if he knows I'm wearing training pants.

After a few moments of silence, he sighs again. "Alright Max, but I warn you," he turns around since we're at a red light. "If you have an accident tonight, I'll spank you," 

I whimper, scared about bedtime now. "Can- Can I stay at the scouts?" 

"You can,"  

I smile a bit. At least he isn't angry enough to make me leave the scouts.

We get home to find Mum cleaning the pee out of the carpet. 

"I'm sorry Mum!" I run over and hug her. 

"Aw Max it's alright, just listen to your Dad next time," she looks at Dad. "Can you make dinner while I clean this?" 

"Alright. Help your Mum Max,"  

I help her clean all the pee out form the carpet. "Will the telly be okay?" 

"Yes Max, it just ruined a wire. We don't cry over spilled milk. Or spilled pee..." 

 We watch a DVD at dinner because we don't have that wire anymore. I sit with Dad under the blanket because Chris picked the movie and it's scary. But Jack Sparrow is super cool, maybe the coolest person ever.  Maybe I should be a pirate when I grow up. 

It's bathtime at nine, and I get my first 'Hair washing without crying' sticker! I show Mum my new scout salute before bedtime while she puts me in my pyjamas. "I think you should wear training pants Max," 

"No! They're for babies!" 

She gives me a warning look.  

"I'm not wearing them!" 

"You know what your Dad said," she sighs. "You don't have to wear one but if you wet the bed, you'll get a spanking,"

"I won't!" I won't! Peeing behind the couch wasn't an accident, it was just opportune. Jack Sparrow says that - 'the opportune moment'.

Mum reads me a story and then Dad does too. "Do you want your night light?" 

"No!" that's for babies too. 

"Alright," Dad kisses my forehead.  "Night Max," 

"G'night Dad,"

My dreams are full of skeletons and swords. The sounds swords make are spooky. What if I turn into a skeleton? That'd be scary, and it'd lose all my hair! And when the sword crack through my ribs, that'll hurt so much. 

I wake with a start.  The darkness of my bedroom is scary, the same as in my nightmare. I takes a moment to realise that I'm safe and in my bed. But I'm not, because it's dark and I can't see anything... a skeleton could pop up and kill me with a sword any minute! 

I grab my stuffed rabbit. "We have to go get Mum and Dad... they're save us!" 

I carry him through the darkness, running as fast as I can to the stream of light peeking in under the door. Feeling braver in the night, I run downstairs. 

"Mum!" 

Mum and Dad are sitting on the couch watching another movie, it looks even scarier!  

"Max!" they pause it. 

I jump onto the couch and curl up with Mum. "I had a nightmare!" 

"Aww Max," she smooths down my hair. "It's okay, there's nothing to be scared of. I promise. That was just a movie,"  

"But it looked real!" I protest.

"That's just movie magic," she assures me.

"Movie magic?"

"Yes Max. Like how makeup makes your eyes look blue, they use movie magic to make fake things look real,"

I nod a little and relax in her arms. If she says it's fake, then it's fake. Then Dad notices something. 

"Max! Did you wet your bed?"

 I look down and to my horror, I did! I didn't even notice. 

"I-I had a nightmare!" I defend, huddling my bunny to my chest. 

"Max, we told you what would happen if you wet the bed. We gave you the option to wear a pull-up and you disobeyed," Dad explains.

"But-!" 

"No Max, come on," 

He places me over his lap, still in my wet jammies. I wriggle and clutch my bunny even closer. I don't mean to hug him too tight, but he makes me feel better and I'm scared! 

"P-Please don't hate me Dad!"  

"Oh Max," he lets me up and holds me on his knee. "I love you very much. I'm trying to help you learn from your mistake,"

He looks at Mum. "Maybe you should do this. I've been frustrated with him all day and it's led to this. I'll  go and clean his bed," he passes me over to Mum. 

Mum holds me for a minute. "Right, we need to talk,"  

"We do?" I look up at her.  

"Your Dad and I could never hate you,"

"But I'm naughty," 

 "No Max. You do some very naughty things sometimes. Those are just mistakes and your Dad and I are here to teach you not to make them again,"  

"Yes Mum..." I curl up in her arms. Still clutching my bunny, I'm placed over her lap. Her hand sits on my back. She pulls my wet jammies down my legs, making me squirm. 

"I want to keep them on!" I wail. 

 "Be quiet Max," Mum orders me. "The sooner we start, the sooner you can get cleaned up and go back to sleep," 

 She fortifies her hold on my back and then brings her hand down. 

SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP 

 I squeal and kick my legs. Mum is hitting me really hard! 

SLAP SMACK 

 "Are you going to listen next time your Father and I tell you to do something?" 

"Y-Yes Mum!" 

SMACK!  

Mum lets me up and I rub my bum.  I stamp my feet and cry. Where's my bunny?! He got dropped during my spanking. 

Mum gives my my bunny.

"I'm s-s-sorry..." I sob. 

 "Get upstairs right now. Your Dad is waiting for you in the bathroom," 

I fumble to pull my jammies up and run upstairs to the bathroom. 

 "Oh Max," Dad holds me close. "It's alright now, let's get you in the bath," 

I get washed from the waist down. Water hurts on my bum! I'll have to sleep on my side tonight. Afterwards, I don't fight when Dad puts my pull-up on. He gets me in new pyjamas - ones with footballs on. "Can I get another story?" 

I cuddle my bunny again. Dad reads me a nice story so I can forget my nightmare. But I'm uncomfortable in my bed because my bum keeps rubbing on the covers. Dad finishes the story. 

"I'm sorry I was bad today,"  

"That's alright," he kisses me on the forehead. He stripped me and set me in the tub. He puts my night light on and I don't stop him. I know Mum said the skeetons aren't real but what if they are?! They might come back...