Transitions

They walked along the beach hand in hand.  This vacation was the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.  They had been together for years but he worked in a profession that had him away from home every other month. Their kids saw their dad as a part time visitor in their home because their mom took care of everything.  They looked to her for all their needs and over the course of time she became the controlling partner in their marriage.  It worked and when David came home he didn’t have to do a thing.  He became like one of the kids, except for the sex part.  Six months of the year they were like bunnies but for the other six months she had her “friend”.  Eventually, their sex life dwindled too. 

That all changed last year when he suffered a heart attack and decided that life was too short to continue living that way. While he was recuperating, he and Monica really talked for the first time in years.  They had never talked about anything in depth – there was never enough time. For the first time, he realized that although his job provided a good living for his family what they had really needed was his presence in their lives.  He hoped it wasn’t too late for his marriage because it was too late for the kids.  The kids were not kids anymore, at 20 and 24 they were grown.  Marla had graduated from college and moved to Seattle with her new husband.  Jason, the brain of the family, was doing an accelerated college program and was in school but for a couple of weeks each year.  Once he graduated he would be off on an undersea exploration vessel that specialized in Marine Biology. 

If anything good could be said about having a heart attack, his timing was perfect.  For the first time, Monica would have been all alone in the house during his month long absences.  She had really suffered from Empty Nest Syndrome once Marla was gone. His attack occurred on the rig.  He was flown to a hospital and once stabilized, transferred back to the states and sent home to recuperate.  Monica once again assumed the caretaker role she knew so well. She was in her element.

This worked well for the first two months because David needed her care and he was used to letting Monica take charge.  That's when he decided to take an early retirement from his position.  At first Monica was thrilled.

Then, little by little, David started making decisions.  Monica, who had always been the decision maker, did not take to this new “David” very well.  They disagreed and argued like they never had before.  Their time together had always been so limited that by the time they would start to get on each other’s nerves it was time for him to depart for another stint.  This cycle was forever broken and they had to come to a new arrangement. 

David decided they needed to get out of their usual routine and take an extended vacation.  He suggested they go spend some time at the beach cottage.  He had inherited this cottage from his family and they always spend summers there, whether he was with them or not.  They were all beach rats and she thought it was a great idea.

It was on one of their walks that Monica brought up how she felt about David taking over things that had always been left to her. She told him she felt hurt and asked if he thought she hadn’t done a good job.  He explained that she had been more than competent and had raised two wonderful children and now it was time for her to “retire” too. He told her he had been thinking about this for some time and that he should take on some of the responsibility he had ceded to her years back.  He thought this would help their marriage.

“What’s wrong with our marriage” she asked.

“We live more like siblings than husband and wife.  At least when I used to come home before we had a sex life; the last couple of years it seems like we had sex the first day home and then right before I left again. Now, it is non-existent”

“You’ve just suffered a heart attack”

“Don’t use that as an excuse.  You know very well the doctor said I was fine and could go back to leading a normal life.  That was months ago. It just seems to me if I took on more of the responsibilities you would have more time for us.  Maybe you’ll see me as  “Man of the House’ instead of just another member of this household that needs to be cared for.  I am not one of the kids or one of our dogs, I am your husband and your lover, I want to act like one and be treated like one.  Does that make sense to you?”

“It makes perfect sense and together we will find a way.  This is a good start.  I promise I will try to be a better wife to you”

“Honey, you’ve been the perfect wife to me.  I am home for good now and I want the rest of our life to be different.  I want to take on more of a leadership role – have you to lean on me for a change. That’s what I’ve been trying to do. I realize it isn’t easy for you to let go.  I am sure there will be more bumps in the road ahead, but we will make it because the one thing we have going for us is that deep down we love each other. In my eyes you are still the same sexy girl that stole my heart and you still have it”.

 “Thank you and I will try, I promise.  You might have to keep reminding me and give me a nudge once in a while, though”

“I have a solution in mind” he said, giving her a wink and a sharp slap on her rump.

The rest of their time at the cottage was spent finding a way back to what they once had.  Monica shopped in the local village and bought some sexy lingerie.  David visited online adult stores and ordered a couple of toys. Their sex life had definitely improved. They were laughing with and at each other and enjoying their new togetherness.

When they returned to real life, Monica tried.  When he didn’t do it quite the way she expected, she let him know and would often try to take over.  David stayed strong.  He would firmly tell her he would handle things. There were several times when he had almost lost his patience with her and vowed dire consequences but all in all things seemed to be going fine.

One morning David awoke to lots of clanging and banging.  When he went downstairs he could see ladders up against the kitchen windows. He went outside to find out what was going on.  There was Monica standing there talking to one of the workers.

“What’s going on Monica?"  He asked. 

                                                                                                                             

“These are the guys who are going to paint the house.  Remember we talked about this.” she replied.

He spoke to the lead painter and asked him to not start anything yet.  He then asked Monica to join him in the house.

“You hired the painters,” he said in a voice calmer than he felt.

“Well, time was marching on and you hadn’t done it, so I just got a couple of bids and now you don’t have to worry about it” she answered defensively.

“We agreed I was going to have the final word on big decisions, did we not?”

“Yes, but you didn’t make the decision so I did.”

“Well, I just made a decision.  You can go out there and tell them they will not be painting our house until I have a chance to check their credentials.” he told her sternly.

“I most certainly will not.” She stomped her foot for effect as she replied.

“Either you do it, or I will and if I do it you will not like what I have to say.” he told her.

Monica did not budge.  He grabbed her arm and pulled her out the door with him. He spoke to the boss and told him that his wife had no authority to hire them and he was sorry but until he checked out their credentials they would not be painting his house.  He thanked them  and apologized for the mix up and to send a bill.  When Monica heard what he said she turned all shades of red.  He fully expected to see smoke coming out of her ears at any moment. She pulled free and stormed into the house slamming the door behind her. He decided to give her some time so he went for a walk.  Her attitude would determine his next step.  If she just let it be, he would just lecture.  However, if she was looking for a fight, he had something else in mind.

When David had made his online purchases, one of the items was a small leather, hand stitched paddle.  They had tried using it a couple of times during their sexual play but Monica was not a big fan.  He had put it away thinking that it might come in handy some day, especially because she did not like it.  Today might be the day. 

Monica wasn’t in the kitchen when he got back to the house.  He found her in the bedroom furiously cutting the legs off of a pair of his jeans.  He looked at the floor and saw several more pairs that had already been destroyed.

“I am cutting off these pants at the knee just like you cut me off at the knees out there.  I was so humiliated.  How dare you tell him I needed your authorization. You do realize he is going to charge us for the paint he’s already purchased and his time, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do realize that and I am going to take it out of your hide.”

He walked over to his nightstand, pulled out the paddle and asked her if she remembered it.  She told him she had and that she hated it.

“Exactly,” he said.  “That’s why I am going to put you across my knee and paddle your behind until you get the message that I am in charge.  Now we can do this nicely or you can make it difficult, but either way it is going to happen.”

She looked incredulous.  He reached over, pulled her over his lap and began lecturing her.  He swatted her a couple of times, then stopped, lectured, then spanked again.  She tried to get up but he told her they were not finished.  He pulled down her jeans and gave her a couple more swats with his hand.  She was really struggling now, he could see her sweet little ass turning a bright shade of pink.  But he wanted to make this memorable because he wasn’t sure he would have the resolve to do it again.  He picked up the leather paddle and really started reddening her backside.  When she stopped fighting him, he stopped spanking.  He kept her in place until she quieted.  He lifted her up and hugged her; he was surprised when she hugged him back.  He was even more surprised when she kissed him and said she was sorry. 

When she spied the paddle on the bed she asked him to get it out of her sight.  She told him she hoped she never saw it again.  He told her he hoped so too but that would be up to her.