Punishing Beth
by Barbara
copyright 2001

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Keith stacked the last of the dishes into the dishwasher, closed the door and pushed the button. With a last glance around the now straightened room, he pushed the straight-backed kitchen chair back to its proper place with a heavy sigh. What he really wanted was to sit back in a chair, kick his feet up, and relax. But that was not to be this night. There was still Beth to deal with and his annoyance rose to the surface again.

Being annoyed was one of the few things Keith Adams did not handle well. In fact, Beth’s penchant for being able to annoy him was the only thing he could think of in recent years that truly rattled him. He ran his fingers through his dark hair and rubbed his forehead. He was tired.

He walked through the silent, now darkened house, toward the oak staircase in their living room, his footsteps echoing on the hardwood floors. As he passed through the dining room, he stopped before the arrangement of family photos that sat atop the buffet. His parents wedding picture, he and his brothers as kids, Beth as a little girl, their honeymoon photo and the one taken at Crescent Hill last winter. He picked up the picture from Crescent Hill. They had gone skiing with friends and their friend Katy had asked a passer-by to take a group photo of them. He was certain that no one had surmised the true reason behind the pouting, sullen expression of Beth Adams. He knew the reason, as did Beth, and the picture was displayed at Keith’s request as her reminder.

Keith stared at the photo. Although it was winter, he was tanned from a week on the ski slopes. Beth however, looked as pale as the snow-covered mountains behind them. The memories of that day came flooding back. The picture was taken on Saturday, the day before they were to leave for home. Beth hadn’t wanted to go on the trip and made it clear that she would not, under any circumstances, even try to have a good time. They had only been married for a short time and Keith was at a loss at how to deal with her behavior. Had they been home, he would have taken her across his knee and spanked her into behaving. Or at least he kept promising himself that he would have. But they were not at home and he did not want to risk embarrassing them both. So for three days Beth had bratted and pouted and Keith had silently vented.

On Friday morning, Keith had awakened to find the bed next to him empty. At first he had decided that Beth had gone to visit one of the other couples; but as they all came down to meet for breakfast, Beth was not among them. Also missing was another of the group that was a friend of a friend that no one knew well, John Martin. Keith sat through breakfast enduring the taunts of the others about Beth "running off" with John. But he was becoming increasingly worried and when she had not returned by the end of breakfast.  Even the others were beginning to sound less humorous and genuinely concerned. A check of all the public areas of the small resort hotel did not locate her and by noon, hotel security had been notified, as well as the local sheriff’s office. The group quickly discovered that missing persons in a ski resort area were taken very seriously.

Keith had spent the entire time in an increasing state of panic. Beth was volatile and unpredictable but she would never just take off for this long without letting him know. Something terrible had happened he was convinced. He paced incessantly around the lobby, hounding the resort workers who had begun a systematic search for the missing couple. The hotel staff, as well as the other guests, did not fail to notice the handsome young man, and within a short time small groups had gathered offering to help or simply praying for their safe return.

At 3:00 pm, as he was climbing into the back of a 4 wheel drive search vehicle; a Crescent Hill search patrol appeared, lights flashing. Keith ran to the vehicle, unable to stem the uncontrollable fear that gripped him. As he reached the car, the doors opened and an officer helped Beth from the car. She was wrapped in a blanket, her face red and tear-streaked. John Martin appeared behind her, similarly draped in blankets.

"Beth, oh my God, Beth," was all Keith could say as he ran to his wife.

He stood there holding her tightly against his chest, his face buried into her wet hair. He could feel her shiver against him and he pulled the blankets more tightly around her.

"What happened? Where have you been?" he glared at the man standing behind her, "What the hell did you do to my wife?"

Beth stared up at her husband. "Keith, please, it wasn’t his fault. It was," she stammered, "my fault entirely. He probably saved my life."

Keith ran his fingers through his hair, unable to comprehend what he was hearing.

The sheriffs began to hustle them all inside the hotel lobby. "Let’s go, folks. Let’s get these kids inside and get them warm and dry," one of the officers said.

Keith refused to let go of Beth, wrapping his arms tightly around her. His relief at finding her safe and sound was slowly being replaced by his need to know what happened but he struggled to remain quiet while the officers talked to both Beth and John.

Slowly Beth began to tell the story. Having awakened early she had decided to go down to the lobby and had found John Martin there. Still bored with the trip, she had voiced her desire to go to the bigger resort where she could shop. It had snowed heavily during the night and the roads down the mountain were still being cleared. One of the hotel people, overhearing her conversation, had told them that the only way to get to the other hotel would be to rent a snow mobile or cross country skis.

As she sat talking with John, the idea of shopping became more and more appealing and she had decided to rent a snow mobile and go before the others woke up. John had attempted to dissuade her but without success. As she signed the credit card receipt, and took possession of the snow mobile, Martin had appeared behind her.

"Have you ever driven one of these?" he asked.

"Of course," Beth had lied. "I’m not stupid."

"I didn’t think you were, but thought I might catch a ride with you. I’m kind of bored myself."

Beth hesitated briefly, wondering what Keith would say but finally decided that Keith would probably be happy that she had someone with her. So she agreed to let him come. They had probably driven 10 miles from the hotel when suddenly the calmness of the morning ended and heavy winds came from the north. Blowing snow covered the road completely. With no sense of direction, Beth had taken them the wrong way. Within another fifteen minutes they were hopelessly lost. 

John had taken over the vehicle then, but had no more idea than she of where they were. Neither he nor Beth had appropriately dressed for this brutal weather and John could see that Beth was beginning to panic. They could no longer see the resort and nothing ahead gave any clue to the route they should take. Finally, spotting several areas that were more densely wooded, John headed toward them figuring that they had to be away from the skiing area and probably toward a resort. The distance to the trees however was deceiving and it took them a long time to get to them. Once into the forested area, the blowing snow and wind lessened. He pulled the snow mobile under a group of trees and tried to think.

Beth seemed to be on the verge of tears, although her stubbornness belied that. John swore at himself for not being able to get them out of there. He knew that they couldn’t last very long dressed as they were. He removed the ski jacket he wore and handed it to Beth.

"No," she said emphatically. "I’m not taking your coat. Are you nuts? You’ll freeze to death."

John didn’t tell her that he feared that they both would soon.

"Maybe you should stay here and I’ll try to get help?" he started.

"Stay here? Alone? No, I’m going with you."

"Ok," John said tersely, "but only if you wear my jacket." His jacket was down filled and much warmer than the fashionable coat she had worn.

Beth hadn’t wanted to take it but she was so cold and John’s insistence wore her down. Even with the additional coat, it didn’t seem to ease the bitter cold that seemed to penetrate her entire body. She thought of Keith and wondered if she would ever see him again. She wondered if he knew how much she loved him.

They drove until the power died on the snowmobile and then got out and began to walk. It was probably only 15 or 20 minutes later that the searchers located them; but it had seemed like an eternity.

Keith listened and watched his wife as she spoke. Occasionally, she sobbed or wiped a tear from her face, which was still red and raw from the cold. Both she and John had adamantly refused to go to the hospital. But as they sat in the warm offices of the hotel, they were both feeling the pain of exposure.

Keith rose and crossed over to John Martin and stuck out his hand to shake his. "I am sorry I jumped all over you. I can never tell you how grateful I am to you."

Beth stood up and looked at both of them, a small smile on her face. "My heroes," she said softly. She hugged John and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you," she said softly.

Keith wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulders and led her back toward their room. In the lobby, a cheer went up when they appeared, from their friends as well as other hotel guests who were happy that they had been found safely.

Inside their room, Keith lit the fireplace. "Come here," he said.

Beth walked slowly toward him, her fingers and feet stinging from the cold. Slowly Keith removed his wife’s soaked clothing. He pulled a blanket from the bed and wrapped her in it and sat down on the sofa in their room, pulling her onto his lap.

They sat there for hours, Beth wrapped like a baby on his lap, Keith gently rocking her, stroking her hair, holding her tightly. The only time he got up was to admit room service. He ordered her to drink the hot chocolate he had brought up. They watched the sun set over the mountains.

Finally, in a voice choked with emotion, Keith said, "I thought you were dead. I didn’t know how I was going to live without you."

Beth pulled herself away to look at her husbands face. She ran her fingers down his face and across his forehead. "Oh, Keith, honey, I am so sorry. Please, please forgive me. I love you. I was so scared. I thought we were going to die."

"I do forgive you. Of course I do. But you acted totally irresponsibly." His voice was low. "You deliberately disobeyed. You were being a brat. And it almost cost you your life. I can’t, I won’t, allow you to do that. I want to explain this to you so that you understand and there will be no surprises. When we get home tomorrow, you are going to get the hardest punishment you have had, or will ever have, I hope. I am going to blister your bottom so that sitting will be a distant memory for you. I am going to use my hand, the hairbrush, the paddle, and a strap. Whatever it takes. You are going to know the corner intimately before I am finished." Keith wasn’t sure, himself, where all this was coming from but Beth surprised him by remaining still and quiet on his lap.

"Keith, no," she began, but he silenced her with his finger to her lips. She stopped.

"Don’t even start, Beth. I am telling you exactly how it is going to be. You are going to bare your bottom and stand in the corner and think about how stupid this was. And then I am going to place you across my lap and warm your backside with my hand. You will be very tender by the time we get to the hairbrush and the paddle. After a nice long session with those, you’ll be back in the corner just long enough to cool down a little and then I’m going to bend you over the chair and tan your butt with the strap until you won’t even be able to think about sleeping on your bottom. I don’t want to do this but you have given me no choice. You are going to remember this for a long, long time."

Beth was quiet and Keith knew that she was thinking about the lecture she had received. He stood up and pulled her to her feet.

"Ok," he said, "hot bath for you and then bed, while you can still sleep comfortably."

Beth had looked at him but did not argue.

The picture he was looking at was taken on Sunday just before they left Crescent Mountain. By late Sunday afternoon, the realization that her discipline lay just hours ahead had begun to weigh heavily on Beth and she tried to start a number of conversations meant to dissuade him. Just before the group photo, Keith had given his last warning, "Continue this discussion and we will forego the hand spanking tonight and go right to the paddle."

Keith replaced the photo on the buffet and slowly climbed the stairs to the master bedroom. If Beth was obeying, he would find her, bare bottom up across their bed waiting for him. He sincerely hoped she was obeying. Although she had been spanked plenty of times since their ski trip, most were reminder spankings, and even the few punishments were no where near the punishment she had endured the night they returned from the trip. He didn’t want to have to punish her like that again.

His thoughts strayed once again to that night. When they returned home that night, Beth was quiet and somber. She had said little during the flight home. Keith had let her be, realizing that she was probably fearful. Although he had occasionally resorted to spanking during their marriage, they had been brief and meant to get her attention. This time he meant to punish.

They emptied their luggage, listened to phone messages and sorted through the mail. It was nearly 10 pm when Keith suggested they go upstairs. The look Beth gave him nearly tore his heart apart but he forced himself to be firm. "Let’s go, Beth, it’s time."

Keith went to the closet and removed a gym bag. He pulled out the hairbrush they had discovered in an old antique store, a paddle Keith had purchased when traveling, and a leather strop he had ordered from a magazine. He placed them on the bed. Beth stood there silently.

"Keith, please." Her voice was small. "You know I’m really sorry. I’ll never do anything so stupid again."

Keith smiled at her softly. Even the thought of this punishment had changed her demeanor. Hardly the same girl, he thought.

"I know you’re sorry and all I can tell you is that you are going to be a lot sorrier soon. However, you are going to get spanked, not killed, and you will survive. Ok? How about you shower and change into something like a nightshirt or t-shirt?" he said.

Beth willingly fled into the bathroom and took as long as she dared to shower. She would have done anything to postpone what was going to happen.

Finally, Keith’s patience was wearing thin. "Let’s go, Beth, now."

Beth came out of the bathroom, looking for all the world, like a pitiful little girl. She wore a soft white cotton gown. Without make up she looked extremely young.

Keith sat on the bed and motioned her to him. When she reached his side, he put his left hand on her right arm and gently pulled her down across his knees, lifting her body with his knees and right hand. Her left arm was now behind his body and he pushed her forward to lift her bottom higher, and pulled her legs up onto the bed.

"Comfortable?" he asked.

"No," she said.

"Sorry."

He pushed the nightgown up over her panty-clad bottom and began to slowly take them down. Her hand flew back.

"No, Keith, no, please, you can’t do this." Beth shifted miserably on his lap, trying to wiggle away from his hand, which now rested on her bottom cheeks.

"Beth, stop. I can and I intend to. And you are going to lie there like a good little girl and take this spanking because you deserve it. Do you understand? You are not going to be finished until you literally cannot sit. Do I sound mean? I want you to understand that I will not let you risk your life. Ever. Now be still."

To Be Continued...