James and Rosalind were getting dressed to attend the third charity dinner of the week. Tonight’s event was an art auction with the proceeds going to the Scherer’s family’s medical bills. Bill Scherer, a ten year old boy, was riding his bike home from school when he was hit by a hit and run driver. He survived but the medical bills were staggering and the family didn’t have any medical insurance.
James
sat on the bed watching his wife Rosalind.
She was a beautiful woman, even more so than when he first met her
thirty five years ago. She had grown into her looks and now knew how to enhance
those looks and use them to her best advantage. Back then, she was very
different than she was today. She was wound up tighter than a drum at all times
now and he hated what she had become. She was a grade A bitch, and was meanest
to those closest to her. She no longer
had any contact with their daughter Josie, and they were unable to see their
grandkids because of her treatment of their daughter-in-law Meg. Their son Jeff
told her not to contact them until she apologized. The only people she hadn’t managed to
alienate was their housekeeper, Shandy, and him. Shandy needed the work and
gave back as good as she got from Roz.
He, however, was a different story. He found himself spending less and
less time at home. He considered leaving
her but couldn’t bear the thought of life without her. Unfortunately, life with her was harder and
harder to tolerate. Wanting to give them
every chance, he decided to have a “Come to Jesus” meeting with her very soon.
Arriving
at the auction, she immediately headed toward her circle of society snobs
leaving him to traverse the event by himself.
One of the other husbands came over and offered him a drink.
“Same
old thing, isn’t it, friend.”
“Yes,
and I am getting tired of it. I feel
like a book that is taken off the shelf periodically to prove it’s still of
use.”
“I
know what you mean. I don’t understand
it, why can’t they treat us the way they treat each other.”
“They
do, don’t you notice the backstabbing that goes on at these events. It’s a bitchfest. Do you mean to tell me your wife doesn’t go
through the whole litany of who said what who and who did what to who after
each event.,” Jim said.
“Come
to think of it, you are right. They are
not even nice to each other. At least
they pretend to like each other, I don’t even receive that much the last couple
of years.”
“The
way Roz has acted lately, I don’t like her either. She acts like a spoiled brat
and I would love to just take her over my knee and spank the bejeesus out of
her. Can’t believe I blurted that but that’s the way I feel.”
“Jim,
I’ve often thought the same thing about Claire, so don’t be embarrassed.”
____________________
When
the bidding started, Roz came over to Jim to tell him on what items to bid and
not bid. One of the items on the Do Not Bid list was a romantic getaway for
two. The item included airfare and a ten
day stay at a secluded lodge in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Just
the thing, thought Jim.
When
he started bidding on the item, Roz pinched his thigh and gave him a look that
would freeze ice. He wasn’t deterred and
the bidding continued well over the retail value of the prize but Jim refused
to drop out. He watched Roz’s face –
there was that fake smile but her body was rigid. Too bad
, he thought, this is something we are
doing. When the other party finally
dropped out, Roz sneered at him and sotto voice said, “you better plan on going
alone because I’m not going.”
He
smiled at her an in the same way replied, “we’ll discuss it later.”
“Go
to hell,” was her response and she was off with her ‘friends’.
The
minute they got in the car for the drive home, she started in on him.
“How
could you go against my wishes and bid on that item. That item was supposed to go to Bill
Hutchins.”
“Did
Bill Hutchins know that because I didn’t seem him bidding past the opening
bid?”
“It
doesn’t matter, you overpaid for a trip I’m never going to take.”
“Oh,
I think maybe you will take the trip. As
I said earlier, we will discuss it at home,” and he turned on the radio to
drown out any further conversation.
Roz
stormed into the house, practically slamming the door in Jim’s face. He accosted her arm and practically dragged
her to the living room.
“SIT.”
He bellowed at her.
Roz
jumped because she wasn’t used to this kind of reaction from Jim. She started to get up and he pushed her back
down.
“I
told you to sit and if you get up again you will be sorry.”
“Don’t
you threaten me, you overgrown bully.”
“I
may be an overgrown bully but I’m your husband and we are going to have this
out, like it or not. I love you, well I
love the person you used to be. This
version, I don’t like. Now sit there and
be quiet and listen to the things I have to say.”
Jim
began by telling her he had gradually watched her change as his position and
salary increased and she entered the ‘club’ circle. He told her he didn’t
change who he was and he didn’t understand why she did. He said they may have more money and more
possessions but he was still James Townsend, son of Margery and Bill
Townsend.
“You,
on the other hand, turned into some hoity-toity bitch I don’t even know
anymore. Our only social life revolves
around your charity functions and your hoity-toity friends because everyone
else is shut out of our lives. Hell, we
don’t even get to see our kids or grandkids anymore because they can’t stand to
be around you. Don’t you see something
wrong with this picture, because I do?”
“I
don’t have to sit here and listen to this.
I’m going to bed.”
“If
you try to get up off that couch….
She
stood up and headed toward the bedroom.
He watched her go because he was so angry with her he didn’t dare follow
her until he cooled down. He fixed himself a brandy and wondered how things got
to this point. He slowly sipped the
brandy, the fiery liquid soothed him somewhat and when his emotions were back
under control, he walked to the bedroom.
Roz
was lying in bed reading.
“Has
the brandy calmed you down any?” she asked with a sneer.
“Rosalind
Elizabeth Townsend I want you to listen to what I have to say and I want you to
listen good. I will not live like this
anymore. I bid on that trip because it
may be just what we need to turn this marriage around. If we don’t come to some agreement, when we
return I will be walking out that door.”
“Don’t
threaten me.”
“I’m
not threatening you, I’m stating a fact.
If you know what is good for you, you will be packed and ready for the
trip two weeks from Saturday. If you’re
not I’m going to do something I never thought I would do.”
“And
just what might that be?” she asked him snottily.
“I’m
going to take off my belt and tan your hide, something I probably should have
done a couple of years back and we wouldn’t be in this situation.”
“You
wouldn’t dare.”
“I
wouldn’t bet on it if I were you darling.”
The
next ten days went on much like the last ten days. There were two more charity events the
following weekend; a dinner honoring
hospital volunteers on Saturday and a brunch on Sunday to benefit the school
library. Roz was being honored at the
dinner on Saturday and when Jim listened to all the praise that was being
heaped on his wife he wondered what woman they were talking about, certainly
not the one who lived with him.
The
day before they were scheduled to leave he still had not noticed any signs of
her getting ready to make the trip. He
had packed his things and left them in a duffle bag in the bedroom. Before he left for work, he wrote her a note
stating he wanted to leave by 10 the next day and placed in on the kitchen
counter right next to one of his belts.
He had a business dinner that evening and didn’t get home until around
ten. Roz was in bed asleep. He climbed
into bed and laid awake until the wee hours of the morning thinking about what
he was going to have to do in the morning.
When
he awoke, he was alone in bed. He
showered and went downstairs and found no sign of Roz. He checked the garage and her car was gone. Damn her, why does she always have to make
things so difficult. He wasn’t sure
what was going to happen now. Do I sit here and wait for her and then make
good on my threat? Do I leave and go on
the trip by myself? If I do that, what
happens when I get back, do I just pack up and leave? So many thoughts were running through his
head when he heard the garage door open.
He looked at his watch and saw that it was 9:50. Bracing himself, he stood up and opened the door.
“Are
we taking your car or mine?” she asked.
“Mine,”
he answered.
She
took a suitcase she had obviously hidden in the garage and placed it in the
trunk and then opened the car door and climbed in.
Lord, that woman
confuses the hell out of me. I never know what to expect of her.
“Well,
are you ready or not? You said 10:00,
let’s get started,” she said to him.
“Good
morning to you too, Roz. I’m ready,
wasn’t sure about you.”
He
picked up his bag, closed the door and stepped into the garage.
A
half-hour into the ride, not a word had been spoken. He decided to take the bull by the horns.
“I’m
glad you decided to come on this trip, Roz.
We need this. I don’t know how
you feel but these last couple of months, I don’t know why we are married. The only time we seem to communicate is when
you tell me what it is you expect of me.
Would you rather we separate? Is
that what you want?”
“No,”
“No,
what?” he asked.
“No,
I don’t want to separate. I’ve been thinking about the things you said. I agree.
I don’t like who I’ve become either.
I think I’m going to need your help in changing the bad habits I seem to
have taken on. I hate that Lori and I
don’t talk and I miss seeing our grandkids, and most of all, I miss us. We used to have such fun together. I can’t remember the last time we laughed
together.”
“We’ll
talk it out and figure out something.
The most important thing is that you want to change. I have a couple of ideas that might help.”
“Does
one of them include your belt on my backside?”
“Yes,
that would be one of the things I had in mind.
How do you feel about that?”
“I’m
not sure. I do know I took the threat seriously, then that little reminder on
the counter yesterday made me squirm a little.”
“I’m
glad you took it seriously because I meant it.
I would have hated to do it and I will hate if I have to, but I will
because we are worth it. So how about
being the girl I married and everything will be fine?”
“I’ll
try,” she said and reached for my hand, which was the first honest contact we
had in months.
___________________
The
first week was great. Roz was happy and
cuddly. They made love several times
throughout the days, but on the eight morning, she woke up her old bitchy self.
“What’s
wrong?” Jim asked.
“Leave
me alone.”
He
gave her space for a couple of hours. He
asked if she wanted lunch. Her response
was another snarky answer.
“Okay,
that does it,” he told her. “Give me a
reason for this latest snit,”
Her
look had “fuck you” written all over it.
He unbuckled his belt and removed it and guided her over to the couch.
He pushed her down over the back and his left hand held her in place while he
raised his right hand and brought down the belt on her backside.
“Are
you going to answer me?”
“I
will not.”
“Well
then, I guess I have no choice. When
you’re ready to give me a reason for this snotty attitude, I will stop spanking
you.”
Seven
fiery spanks later he heard her mumble. He stopped and asked if she said
something.
“I
said, I’m sorry. I was just testing
you.” He grinned to himself, she always
was a piece of work.
He
gave her three more strikes and laid down the belt. He pulled her up and nestled her to him. He was surprised when she didn’t pull away.
He ran his fingers through her hair and rubbed her back.
“I
didn’t think you would do it,” she told him.
“I’m
a man of my word. I like the way we’ve
been the last couple of days, I won’t tolerate that kind of attitude any
longer. Your backside and this belt will
become very well acquainted if you continue to act out and the next time I will
bare your bottom.
Roz
was on her best behavior the rest of the trip.
She now knew that Jim wouldn’t tolerate her bad behavior any
longer. Once she got back home, she made
inroads in her relationship with their children. Jim was so proud of her and loved having his
old wife back.
The
following week there was a scheduled charity event. Jim wasn’t taking any chances that Roz would
slip back into her bad habits. Earlier
in the week he purchased something he felt would help her remember. The night of the event he told her he was
going to give her a reminder to be a “good girl”. She was sure he was going to spank her when
he asked her to lay across his lap. Roz was waiting for that first spank, and
was surprised when Jim began caressing her behind.
“What
are you doing?”
He
showed her his purchase and she cringed.
“I don’t need this Jim. I promise
I will remember to behave.”
“I
didn’t intend to use it this evening, but I did want you to know that it’s
another tool in my arsenal to make sure you continue to be good. He continued to caress her behind and she was
beginning to think Jim wanted to fool around before they left.
“Jim,
we don’t have time for this now.”
“Oh,
honey, I know that.” He slapped her tush and stood her up. She finished getting ready and they were out
the door. On the drive, she began
feeling a strange sensation in her tush.
“Honey,
do you have the seat warmers on?”
“No,
Babe, I gave you your own personal seat warmer.
You’ll feel it for a while. He
reached into the glove box and handed her the tube of Capsicain Cream.
“It
will be handy in case of behavior emergencies,” he laughed
Roz
didn’t think it was so funny.
