The Revelation

Lesson learned

I sighed, "No sir."

"So if this isn't the first time we've had this discussion, why would we need to have it again now?"

"I don't know," I said, doing little to hide my annoyance at this point.

"You don't know, or you'd rather not say?" Shane raised one eyebrow as his glare intensified.

I remained silent, knowing there is no right answer to his question.

"If the first scenario is true, then I clearly need to be much more thorough when I re-teach the lesson but if you'd simply rather not answer my question, then we have a different problem. Don't we?" Shane leaned back in his chair, folding his arms in front of him.

Again I kept my mouth shut as I cannot possibly provide him with an answer that will spare my behind from punishment.

"If you've previously been taught a lesson on how to speak respectfully to all adults, including your guardians, and you clearly understood the material covered during that lesson, then the only plausible explanation for speaking to me the way you did just moments ago would be willful disobedience. Would it not?"

I'm finding it extremely difficult not to roll my eyes right now as Shane is being awfully condescending.

"So which is it, Julie? Do you need to be taught another lesson or do you need a reminder of the consequences for speaking disrespectfully?"

I sighed as I saw Shane stand and pick his belt up off the desk. He folded it over and gripped it tightly in his right hand as he approached me. Swallowing hard, I remained silent.

"My question was not rhetorical, Julie, therefore it requires an answer," Shane continued his condescending lecture.

"I know what rhetorical means and no, you don't need to re-teach me the lesson. I get it alright, I'm not an imbecile," I said, with perhaps way too much attitude for a girl staring down the barrel of her guardian's stiff leather belt.

"So, a reminder it is then." Shane grabbed the bicep of my left arm with lightning speed and pinned me against the inside of his thigh as he raised his belt up high and whipped it down across my thighs.

I hissed in pain as Shane wasn't using a whole lot of restraint while he spanked me standing up. I tried to maneuver out of his reach but he had a death grip on my arm and one of my ankles trapped behind his leg. After striking my backside and thighs nine more times he released his hold on me with one more stinging slap of his hand to my smarting behind. Shane once again sat in his desk chair as he set his belt down.

"Since that matter is settled, we can get to the issue at hand." Shane gestured for me to stand in front of his desk so we could resume our discussion. "Now, tell me again what you and your friends were doing at the park last night."

Rubbing my behind, I huffed and said in an irritated tone, "I already told you, we were just hangin' out talking."

"Take that tone with me one more time tonight, Julie Elizabeth, and see where it lands you. Am I clear?"

Without any hesitation, I immediately responded, "Yes sir," out of instinct, habit, or self-preservation upon hearing the unmistakable authority in his voice. When Shane used that tone, I knew for certain he 100% meant what he said and I'd be a fool to test him.

"Explain to me then why my car smells like marijuana if you and your friends were just talking at the park." Shane's glare pierced right through me.

Caught completely off guard, I choked on my saliva as I stammered trying to buy myself some time.

"Oh, that." I coughed a few more times to cover up my surprise and clear my throat.

"Stop stalling and answer the question, Julie." Shane was obviously wise to my tactics.

"Sorry, my throat is just dry," I replied, as I tried to come up with a feasible answer.

Shane reached behind him and in one quick motion opened his mini fridge and grabbed a bottle of water.

Slamming it down on his desk in front of me, he barked, "Now talk!"

I took a long slow drink before replying, "That was just a stupid air freshener Suzanne put in your car as a joke."

"I didn't see any air fresheners in my car," Shane accused.

"Well, that's cuz I, uh, threw it out since it was so disgusting smelling," I said, keeping up the lie.

"Where?" Shane asked.

"Where what?" I replied, not knowing what he was getting at.

"Where did you throw it away?" Shane asked, point blank.

"I don't know, just some garbage can at the park. Why?"

"Good. Let me just grab my keys and you can show me. I'm sure it's still there. Right?" Shane stood to retrieve his keys off the dresser.

"Uh, it's probably not there anymore. I mean, they might have emptied the trash already or there's most likely too much garbage on top of it by now. We'd never be able to find it." I tried to hide the nervousness in my voice but I was doing a lousy job.

Keys now in his hand, Shane made a move towards the door.

"I'm sure we'll be able to find it since you said the park was pretty empty last night and it's still too early yet today to be crowded." Motioning to me, Shane said, "Come on let's go."

"Alright, there was no air freshener," I admitted, while keeping my head down. Digging through a disgusting, smelly garbage can at the park did not appeal to me at this moment.

Shane put his keys back down on his dresser and swatted me firmly three times when he passed me to return to his seat behind his desk.

"START TALKING!" he barked, as soon as he sat down.

"Some of the other kids we met at the park were smoking pot so I'm sure the smell was on our clothes when we got in the car to come home," I confessed, somewhat reluctantly.

"Were you or any of your friends smoking pot?" Shane asked, wrinkling his brow as he frowned.

"No sir," I stated emphatically.

Shane stared at me intently for a minute before reaching into his desk drawer to pull out...