by Frank Limadere
Kimberley Kennedy left her younger brother's bedroom, after having tucked the young man in for the night, and felt pretty good about herself.
The beautiful eighteen-year-old's parents had gone away for the weekend and left her in charge of the house and her two younger sisters and one younger brother. Now things had settled down Kimberley was going to pop some corn and settle down on the couch with a romantic comedy, maybe something with Sandra Bullock.
The blonde teenager was searching the pantry for the bag of microwave popcorn she had hidden there earlier in the week, and thinking to herself that if one of her siblings had taken it there would be a hot bottom before the weekend was out.
Her back was turned as her sixteen-year-old sister, Chelsea, breezed into the kitchen dressed for a night out, and said a quick, "Hi Kim. Bye Kim."
The older girl turned, and barked, "Freeze!"
Cursing under her breath, Chelsea stopped and faced her sister.
"Where exactly do you think you're going?" Kimberley asked.
"Out," Chelsea said, defiantly.
Kimberley's azure eyes flashed at her sister's tone, and she said, "That's not an answer, Chelsea, and you know it. Out where?"
"A party."
Kimberley kept her temper, what she really wanted to do was shake her sister for her surly behavior, but that would not get her anywhere when Chelsea was in a stubborn mood.
"Whose party?" Kimberley probed.
The younger girl started to look uncomfortable, and replied, "Cameron's."
"Cameron? Cameron Worth?"
Chelsea nodded.
"How do you know Worthless? He's my age and why did he invite you to a party?"
Chelsea said nothing.
"I'm waiting, young lady."
"Kim, do you have to be such a pain about this?" Chelsea complained.
"You're going to get a pain somewhere soon, if you don't dial down the attitude, miss," Kimberley told her sister sternly.
"Kim, Natalie is waiting for me!" Chelsea whined.
"Natalie Stevens!" Kimberley exclaimed. "I should have guessed. Let me see the invitation."
"We're not six years old!" Chelsea retorted.
Kimberley felt her palm itch, but asked, "How did he invite you, then?"
"Facebook."
"What? Let me see!" Kimberley took a firm grip on Chelsea's wrist, and dragged her over to the family computer.
"Log on," she ordered her sister.
With a put upon sigh, Chelsea logged onto Cameron Worth's Facebook page. Kimberley looked at the computer screen and her eyes got wider the longer she looked. "Chel', he has over a thousand friends here!"
"Yeah, he's pretty cool."
"No, he's not. What if they all turn up? You're not going."
"Kim!" Chelsea protested.
"No way, Chel'. Mum left me in charge. This thing could turn into a riot."
Chelsea glared at her sister and decided to play her trump card. "Mum said I could go."
Kimberley looked at her sister and smiled. "Mum said you could go to a party held by an eighteen-year-old boy, who sent his invites out via Facebook? This is the same mother who raised both of us?"
"Yes," Chelsea said firmly.
Kimberley produced a smart phone and clicked it on. "You won't mind if I call her then, just to check."
The colour drained from Chelsea's face.
"It's ringing," Kimberley informed her sister and then showed her the phone so she could see that it was indeed dialling MUM.
"I lied," Chelsea said frantically. "Mum didn't say I could go."
Kimberley cut the call before it could connect.
"What am I going to do about Nat?" Chelsea asked miserably. "She'll be waiting."
"I can fix that," Kimberley said calmly, picking up the cordless phone from its cradle and dialing the Stevens' number.
"Oh God!" Chelsea moaned, her face turning red. "She's going to think I'm the biggest dork out."
"Hi, Mrs Stevens. It's Kimberley Kennedy."
Chelsea watched and listened.
"Oh you were expecting me? Yes, Mum and Dad are away, so I'm looking after the twins and Chelsea."
There was a brief silence as Kimberley listened to Violet Stevens.
"So, Natalie won't be going either? Chelsea will be relieved to hear that. Cameron always was a bit foolish, imagine sending an open invitation over Facebook. I'm sure if you call me on Monday we can probably fit Natalie in. Thanks Mrs Stevens. Have a nice night."
"All sorted." Kimberley smiled at her sister.
Chelsea did not say anything, but pouted.
"You have a choice to make, Chelsea Meaghan," the eighteen-year-old told her younger sibling.
"What?" Chelsea sulked.
"You can take that sulky look off your face, go upstairs, change into your pj's and join me on the couch for some popcorn and a fluffy rom-com, or you can go over my lap and have an early bedtime with a hot bottom to keep you company. Your decision, Chelsea."
Chelsea's shoulders dropped and she sighed. As she ascended the stairs to her bedroom, she called over her shoulder, "Can we at least watch something fairly current? Maybe with Katherine Heigl or Ryan Reynolds in it."
Kimberley was singing softly along with her iPod as she approached her place of employment, Clarkstown's most unique establishment - the Spank Shop - run by Andrea Mahony, or Aunty Andrea as many of her clients and Kimberley often knew her.
There was a small line of people waiting outside as Kimberley crossed the road. The song she was singing died on her lips as she caught sight of the crowd at the door.
Kimberley turned her iPod off and put it in her bag, then checked her watch to see if she had not somehow arrived late. No, it was still well before nine. The shop did not open until nine, and she knew for a fact that their first scheduled client was not due until nine-fifteen.
The girl had intended to use the time to get everything ready for the days work, lay a fire in reception, get herself a cup of tea and see if Andrea wanted any refreshment before a day of smacked bottoms. What was going on?
Kimberley was assailed by a number of people waiting, mostly angry parents. She tried to placate them as best she could, unlocked the door, ushered everyone in, and politely asked them to wait while she checked with Andrea.
The disciplinarian was dressed and seated in her favourite chair by the fire, a steaming mug of coffee was in her hand. "Good morning, Kimmy. What is the racket outside?"
"We've got customers, ma'am," Kimberley replied nervously.
"What?" Andrea asked, one sculpted eyebrow raising. "It's not like you to book people in before we're due to start business."
"I didn't, Aunty. Your first scheduled appointment is not until nine-fifteen. These people were waiting when I got here. They're mostly parents with over eighteens."
Andrea's expression was obviously puzzled. "Give me time to finish my coffee, Kim, and we'll see if we can't satisfy some new customers."
"Yes, ma'am. I'll need a few minutes to get details anyway. They're nearly all new to the shop."
By ten o'clock that morning Kimberley was completely over Mondays. She had barely had time to breathe with all the clients that were streaming in and out of the shop. The really odd thing was that they were almost all eighteen, nineteen and early twenties, and a lot of them were first timers.
The receptionist had been kept busy updating her spreadsheets and databases. She had not had time for a cup of tea. She was concerned that the stress was affecting her hair, she had not been able to brush it, and it felt flat and lifeless. Kimberley hated things affecting her routine and this morning was doing that, she had had to juggle appointments, move regulars and alter other scheduled appointments.
She had even called her mother and obtained her agreement to come in and help. The way it was going she would have to see if Chelsea could fill in on reception, while she helped Andrea and her mother out with the spankings.
The phone rang and Kimberley snatched it up, it was from Andrea's parlour, trying to put a smile in her voice she answered, "Yes, ma'am?"
"Do you have any corners free, Kim?"
Kimberley looked around at the glowing bottoms decorating reception, and started to answer. "No... wait... Mr Sims has just come to collect his two, so I'll have two free soon."
"Lovely, I'll send Kaylah and Stacey out."
The prickly local shopkeeper, Mr Sims, marched his girls out of the shop, and two brown haired young women emerged from the parlour. They were best friends, but looked almost alike enough to pass for sisters. Both were wearing the aprons, which preserved modesty, but left the bottom bare and allowed easy access. The two girls were still crying hard as they limped out of the parlour.
Kimberley ordered the girls to corners, and instructed them to place their hands on their head. Ordinarily, the teenage receptionist really appreciated the sight of freshly roasted bottoms in reception, but this morning she was too stressed to care that much.
A critical eye told her that Kaylah had probably received the tawse, while Stacy's bottom bore the marks of a paddle or one of Andrea's horrible rectangular paddle-shaped hairbrushes.
The girl was just about to go back to her increasingly complicated Excel schedule for the day and the rest of the week, when the bell over the door rang cheerfully, and petite blonde policewoman, Tania Wheeler, entered.
Kimberley looked up and said with the first real hint of enthusiasm all morning, "Hi Tania! How are you?"
The young officer offered a smile, and replied, "I'm okay, honey. Can I see Andrea, please?"
Kimberley's eyes scanned the room, and she said, "We're kinda busy."
"It's important, Kim."
Kimberley sighed. "Okay, I'll see what I can do," she said and picked up the phone.
"Miss Andrea, Tan... Constable Wheeler is here. She wants to see you... no she didn't say what about, but it's important. Okay, I can put the kettle on, yes, ma'am."
Kimberley turned to Tania and said, "You can go through... what happened to your eye?" as the policewoman turned and Kimberley caught sight of a very impressive black eye and deeply bruised cheekbone.
Tania winced. "That's kind of what I need to talk to Andrea about, Kim."
As Tania disappeared into the parlour, Violet Stevens entered the shop with a glum looking daughter in tow. "Hi, Mrs Stevens," Kimberley greeted the pair. "Miss Andrea is with someone at present, but won't be long, can I offer you some coffee while you wait, ma'am?"
"That would be heavenly, dear." Violet Stevens smiled.
Just as Kimberley was about to make the coffee Andrea rang from the parlour. "Yes, ma'am?"
"Can you come in here with the appointment book, Kim? What's happened to the coffee?"
"Ummm... I'm really busy, Miss Andrea. I'll get the coffee, but I can't leave reception for long."
"Is there anyone you can ask to keep an eye on it?"
"Well... not... wait, Mrs Stevens, could I ask you to please keep an eye on reception? I need to see Miss Andrea briefly."
Violet Stevens chuckled. "I'd be delighted, darling. Do I get a discount on the smacking?"
Kimberley seemed a little nonplussed, until Violet reassured her. "Only kidding, dear."
Kimberley quickly put on and made some coffee; she took a cup out to Violet Stevens in reception and carried two more into Andrea and Tania.
Tania was extremely grateful. "I've been dying for one of these, Kim. Thanks."
Andrea accepted her own drink with a graceful incline of her head, and after taking a sip explained, "Tania has shed some light on the extraordinary happenings of this morning, Kimberley. We have not, as I have theorized on more than one occasion, fallen through a wormhole in time and space to an alternate reality."
Andrea's playfulness earned a smile from Tania over the rim of her cup, and a giggle from Kimberley.
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