Part 1 began here.
By Calyopius
At 34 Abigail Martin was just 14 years older than her stepdaughter, but her husband entrusted her with everything. It was a satisfying feeling, but not as satisfying as knowing for certain she was right. She hugged her bible to her heart and felt a warm glow.
Jenifer Martin was feeling a warm glow too, only hers was centred on her bare bottom, which had been placed in the corner of Abigail’s parlour. A familiar and dread location on many occasions, as most regular visitors to the Martin house could attest. Her humility, printed on both her bottom and the bright blush on her face was her just reward for offending the Lord. On this occasion, having been spanked soundly only once, she would have to wait another hour for another correction; a sanction that was enhanced by a large bar of soap wedged between her teeth so that she had to constantly swallow down foaming bitterness.
Abigail felt smug, surely such righteous correction would guide them one step nearer heaven.
“Whoever spares the rod hates her child for if you strike her, she will not die,” Abigail said, paraphrasing her favourite proverb.
On hearing mention of a rod Jenifer would have gulped but the soap bar discouraged that. She spluttered anyway as some pungent foam found her throat.
“It is not your first slip Jenny,” Abigail reminded her stepdaughter, “I think you shall scrub the floor of the church later, with your skirts suitably pinned up behind of course.”
Jenifer nearly cursed again.
The knock at the door startled them both.
***
Avery Hamilton drove up to the church as if in enemy territory; church was a sore subject for her, very sore. She felt a knot in her stomach as she looked ahead to the white clapboard building with broken shingles and squat bell tower. As with everywhere else in Sparksville the approach up the back street was lined with vacant plots and houses that had seen better days and she was put in mind of a great crocodile’s mouth, with the road leading into its throat. It had many broken teeth, but she still feared its bite.
The preacher was tall and lean; stooped over all in black he looked like a crow. Avery judged him to be approaching 60, but he looked older and worn out. He was just standing out front muttering to himself.
“Pastor Martin?” Avery said as she got out of the car.
He looked up and for a second his face showed confusion. Then he smiled benignly and nodded as he said, “I am he.”
“I want to talk to you about… the community and perhaps some business,” Avery ventured.
“Ah,” he wagged his finger dismissively, “Then if it is church business, then you need to talk to Abigail, my wife.”
“And she is empowered to talk about…” Avery could not read this man, but then men where always a challenge for her.
“Anything, everything, I do the Lord’s work… you’ll find her at the house, I think she is correcting Jenifer again, that girl is such a trial.” The preacher waved her away.
Avery was relieved not to have to enter the church and felt lighter with every step from it.
The house was a little better preserved than the others nearby, but still it had seen better days. Avery knocked.
***
Abigail was pleased to see a stranger at the door, a fresh witness for her righteousness and an opportunity to significantly increase Jenifer’s humiliation and therefore improve her soul.
“Abigail Martin? Your husband said you handled church business,” Avery said, “I am Avery Hamilton.”
“Glad to meet you Miss Hamilton, do come in,” Abigail said.
Avery saw the girl and her predicament at once and refused to react, “I see you are busy, family discipline never seems to end does it?”
Abigail had hoped for more shock or surprise, “Indeed not, my stepdaughter Jenifer has a wicked mouth and must be chastised.”
“Young people today are far too liberal with their F-bombs and SOB’s,” Avery outwardly agreed.
“Their what?” the preacher’s wife frowned.
“Their cursing,” Avery smiled, wondering if they we replaying a game or if she were dealing with a true innocent.
“Oh yes, so true,” Abigail said, “I mean, what the heck is wrong with them?”
Avery laughed, the woman actually had a sense of humour.
“Can I offer you some tea?”
“Oh how delightful, thank you,” Avery smiled, showing her teeth.
As the woman went to fetch the offered fare, Avery took time to consider with whom she was dealing. Jenifer was perhaps 20 and very pretty from this angle. Her bottom was shown off to good advantage, red as it was. The punished curves had encountered a hairbrush at some point in the last hour, Avery judged; her dark black-brown hair was worn conservatively and the girl had a Mediterranean look.
Abigail on the other hand was small town cute, mousey-haired and frumpy. She had strong eyebrows though and was perhaps more handsome than beautiful.
When Abigail returned with the tea and Avery smiled pleasantly and considered both her offer and her approach.
“What brings you to Sparksville Miss Hamilton?” the innocent question had an edge to it.
“It is usually Ms Hamilton, but you can call me Avery,” Avery said.
“How very modern,” Abigail said, “You can call me Mrs Martin.”
Avery nodded with wry smiled, and thought, so that I show you want to play it. “May I ask…?” she glanced at Jenifer.
“Oh she said a bad word,” Abigail said indignantly, bristling with self-righteous indignation.
“And she is what 20? How completely unforeseeable,” Avery mocked.
Abigail did not miss the small jibe and narrowed her eyes. “You didn’t say why you were here.”
Avery put the tea cup down and leaned forward, “I am a businesswoman, Mrs Martin, I am looking to invest in Sparksville and I was rather hoping for your support.”
“What kind of support?” the suspicion grew.
Jenifer shifted awkwardly, her hips rolling to emphasise her bare bottom.
“This must be very embarrassing for your daughter, perhaps we could talk in private?” Avery suggested.
“Jenny knows that shaming after a good spanking is a necessary part of the punishment,” Abigail said, “isn’t that so jenny?”
“Yes Ma’am,” Jenifer said with forced enthusiasm.
Avery shrugged. “People don’t like change, even small changes and good changes,” she took up the teacup again, “A word from you in the right ear might ease fears; perhaps a positive mention from the pulpit.”
“I see and… if what you are doing is so good why does it matter?”
It was a good question, Avery knew, and the truth would sound arrogant. The truth being that when she wanted something done, she wanted it done; and she did not like being questioned. Not to mention that delay cost money. “I like everyone to be happy and onside.” She took a sip, “The church for instance could use an injection of funds, and we would be happy to pay you a consultancy fee to smooth the integration.”
“A bribe you mean?” Abigail said sharply.
Avery opened her mouth to speak but Abigail said, “I think you know where the door is Muzz Hamilton, this town is no place for your uppity ways.”
That word again, Avery thought icily, but she conceded with a nod and stood to go, “Goodbye Mrs Martin, Jenifer.”
***
A few days later back at the motel Avery scanned the reports on the Martin family and their church. Taking a sip of coffee she turned another page and considered a trip to the diner for breakfast. She glanced at the horrid congealed mess that Daly had provided and then at Daly now standing in the corner. Avery let her gaze linger in the woman’s well spanked bare bottom and wondered if she had been a little harsh. After all she had been somewhat cranky since her run in with Abigail Martin.
“Have you at least done everything else I asked you to do?” Avery said to Daly.
“Ummm, most of it Ma’am,” Daly proffered nervously.
“’Most of it’ is a barely an acceptable answer just now,” Avery warned her, “You have until noon.”
“Yes Ma’am,” Daly said.
It had taken some doing for Avery’s people back east to look into the Martin’s and their background. It had not been easy to gain access to filed accounts and tax returns for instance. However, the church accounts were particularly interesting as were payments to Bet-Well Sports, made on behalf of the church as well as from Abigail’s personal account.
Although John Martin looked every bit the pious preacher and they found nothing at all on Jenifer, Abigail Martin, nee Steinem, had a criminal record related to fraud and gambling in her late teens and early 20s. John Martin had been her prison visitor back in the day.
“My, my, falling back into old habits and using the church kitty too,” Avery smiled and hugged the reports as she sat back in the motel room’s easy chair. “You can go back to work Daly.”
“Yes Ma’am,” Daly dropped to an efficient squat and seizing her panties and pants in one go hauled them back up.
***
Avery’s appearance at the door of the Martin’s house was clearly a surprise to Jenifer, who had not seen many people defy her stepmother.
“Ms Hamilton… H-how lovely to see you again,” Jenifer blushed as they both remembered Avery’s earlier visit. “My father isn’t here he is at a church conference.”
“Actually I knew that and thank you Jenny, I can call you Jenny can’t I?” Avery said.
Jenifer nodded and then shrugged indifferently. “How can I help you Ms Hamilton?”
“It is your stepmother I am here to see.”
“I really don’t think…” Jenifer shook her head, in warning more than impoliteness.
“Tell me, the bad word you used the other day; the one that got your stepmother so… agitated?”
“Lots of things make stepmother agitated; I haven’t worn a skirt that didn’t cover my knees for years.” Jenifer stood half behind the door like a shield.
“Perhaps if I piss her off again she will take it out on you?”
“No need to use vulgar words Ms Hamilton, stepmother is right about that,” Jenifer flushed, “The other day I dropped a plate in the kitchen and I said, ‘oh h…’”
An involuntary laugh escaped Avery, “Sorry,” she said quickly, “But seriously, you said ‘Hell,’ that was it?”
Jenifer blushed again and hopped from one foot to the other. Said out loud it did now seem extreme.
“Listen Jenny, do you have any errands to run? I really do need to speak to Abigail and it would go better for everyone if I had a private word with her,” Avery willed the woman to take the hint.
Jenifer looked back over her shoulder and then down as if thinking. She nodded, “we need a few things from the store,” she decided.
“Good day Ms Hamilton,” Jenifer said as she pushed passed leaving the door ajar.
Avery found Abigail poring over some papers on the kitchen table. There were bank statements and church spreadsheets among them.
“Let me help you with that Miss Steinem,” Avery said and dropped the file she was carrying onto the table.
Abigail jumped to her feet and gaped. “You, what are you doing here?” It had sunk in that Avery had used her maiden name and she was on double guard.
“I wanted to share these files with you, I understand the authorities are thinking of starting an investigation,” Avery lied, “I hoped I could help.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about; get out of my house…”
“Bet-Well Sports are owed quite a lot of money by you, or at least the by the church. Does your husband know?”
Abigail closed her eyes and muttered a prayer and then sank back on to the kitchen chair. “No, no he doesn’t,” she said, “If you tell him he will be devastated and then he will forgive me…” she sounded ashamed of that.
“Like he did before?”
Abigail nodded, dejection haunting her face.
“Will he forgive you if the church is bankrupted… if you lose this house?”
Abigail shrugged and Avery could now see tears pooled in her eyes.
“My offer still stands,” Avery said, “I can pay off the debt and arrange for the church to be reimbursed as an error at bank for every penny you gambled with. It won’t completely get you off the hook as it wouldn’t stand up to scrutiny. But your husband and other church elders would be… convinced I suspect.”
“So you will help me lie,” Abigail said with scorn.
“I will do what I say and in addition I will arrange significant donations to your church from several medium sized donors, but enough to help turn your church around. I leave it to you to decide what you wish to tell your husband.” Avery sat down in the kitchen chair nearby.
“And this investigation,” Abigail sneered.
“It is at an early stage,” Abigail lied again, “If there is no debt and no obvious irregularities when the books are balanced… and they will balance. Then there are bigger fish to fry, and greater evils.”
Abigail looked bitter and knew that accepting would be the easy option and she would go free.
“If I accept, I will pray not to fall again, but we both know I will,” Abigail was close to tears again, “So I think…”
“I have two conditions,” Abigail said.
Here it comes, Abigail thought, she batted the next words away before hearing them.
“First, you resign as treasurer. Jenifer will take that role and I will recruit a genuinely god-fearing man with accountancy skills to assist her on a pro-bono basis.”
Abigail sat up and dried her eyes, she hadn’t seen that coming.
“Also, you will accept a bare bottom spanking from me, here and now,” Avery said in a tone of certain death.
Abigail gaped and rounded on her, but she was too astounded to speak.
“Come, come, you are not against the spanking of a grown woman, are you Abigail?”
Abigail stood up and took up her bible to hug as she did a slow turn of the room. She noticed a ray of light through the kitchen window. A bird sang somewhere and she saw a squirrel across the yard. She might have prayed but that just felt like hypocrisy just then. “I lose by this, don’t I? I lose and the church wins,” she said. “What of your request for church support for your schemes?”
“I have made my offer and my conditions,” Avery said.
Abigail put down her bible and sat. Then taking a deep breath she said, “I accept.”
“Jenifer is out on an errand, I don’t think she will be back,” Avery said.
“It doesn’t matter does it? I deserve to be spanked and quite a bit more… by rights I should confess my sins and receive a good whipping before the entire congregation.” Abigail adopted a pious demeanour again.
“I know a Japanese woman who can whip a girl’s bottom and only her bottom for a 100 strokes or more. You have never seen a richer red set against otherwise unmarked skin and these Japanese girls often have very small bottoms.”
“I know you mock me,” Abigail said.
“No I really do know a Japanese woman who can do that,” Abigail said.
Abigail stood and took a deep breath with the demeanour of a martyr. “How do you propose…?”
“You can take your dress off I think, I noticed a clothing brush by the door,” Avery got into character.
“There is a bath brush hanging on the back of the door there,” Abigail said, “You will find it much more effective.”
Avery gave a slight bow and went to find it.
When she got back Abigail had stripped to her underwear and was stooping to slide her panties down. Divested of her conservative armour she was an attractive woman and Avery stood to admire her for a moment.
“This… this is very…” Abigail stood facing a woman who she had only met once before guarding her front with her hands, she was trembling, “It has been a very long time coming… I am a wicked woman… I was in gaol you know… I should…”
“I know,” Avery said, seeing what the preacher’s wife was thinking, “But that would be a waste and it would be selfish, self-indulgent even.”
Hope touched Abigail’s eyes, as if she was being shown her true path and that she was just not avoiding responsibility.
Avery had considered putting her in the corner first, but that wasn’t what she needed just then. “Come here,” she said and dragged a kitchen chair from the wall. Sitting on it she led Abigail forward and across her lap.
“Oh,” was all the woman found to say.
Avery cupped her bare bottom with her hand. “Do you like spanking Jenifer?” she asked.
“Yes,” Abigail whispered.
“Do you think you are too hard on her?”
“Hmmm,” Abigail responded to the touch on her bottom; then she nodded vigorously, and whispered, “Yes.”
“By rights I should spank you in front of the congregation, but that won’t serve our purpose just now,” Avery firmly patted the preacher’s wife’s bare bottom with the flat of the brush, “Is this just?”
“Yes,” Abigail squeaked.
“When were you last spanked like this?”
Abigail hated the wait and shook her head… “Mom didn’t believe in it,” she said in s trained voice.
“This is your first ever spanking?” Avery was incredulous.
“I was wicked though, very wicked, I…”
The first spank sang a song of pain right in the centre of Abigail’s proffered curves. Like an orchestra warming up the preacher’s wife inhaled tunefully in surprise. The percussion was a little loud, but entirely satisfying.
Low and slow, Avery decided, and watched as red circle developed in the middle of Abigail’s bottom. Then she spanked again, a little lower and somewhat sharper.
The preacher’s wife sang again, a little higher, another inhale as between spanks she resorted to rapid breathing. An action repeated for the next three or four slow swats.
Avery waited until Abigail’s bare bottom was entirely red and her breathing was rough but constant. The preacher’s wife was taking it very well for her first ever spanking but the music was definitely not to her liking; she decided to dance anyway.
This strange businesswoman from out of town decided to up the tempo. Instead of some eight spanks over a minute she delivered a rapid cascade of dozens over half that time. Abigail well and truly joined the chorus even as she thrashed about trying to escape.
“Jesus fucking H Christ,” she yelled angrily.
“There is our little jailbird,” Avery hissed.
“No, no… please,” Abigail wailed, “I am not her, I’m not.”
The spanking went classic for a while. Steady swats with the brush and hard, while Abigail yelled at each contact. Avery knew how it would go; ever more challenged breathing slowly descending into tears while her bottom discovered a whole new range of reds and purples. This was a long enough time for Avery, but for Abigail, so long that she knew that this was her life now and there was nothing else.
There was still the bristle side and that would come, but for a moment Avery gave the woman a reprieve. “Is this just?” she intoned from seemingly on high, she loved such dramas.
“Yes, yes,” Abigail sobbed.
“The other day you made Jenifer scrub the church floor for forgetting her hecks?” Avery said.
“Yes,” Abigail sniffed, “I was too hard on her, much too hard.”
“Later today, much later and all night probably, and dressed as you now, you will scrub the floor of the church with a toothbrush, is that understood?”
“Yes Ma’am,” Abigail sniffed, but she nodded in vigorous acceptance.
The spanking resumed classic style for another 10 minute or so.
***
Jenifer had no idea why Avery Hamilton thought she would have a better go around with her stepmother this time, but had decided to keep well out of the way. If there was to be any meeting of minds, then her absence would reduce the chance that she would cramp anyone’s style. On the other hand if things went too far south she would not be there as an objection which to vent any disappointment. However, they had over an hour now, so it was safe to assume that Avery had left by now.
Her walk back took her through the old childhood neighbourhood, and she saw it afresh for the first time in perhaps years. The house where a school friend Polly had lived, where she had had many a meal and had played records, was now nothing but gaping doors and windows. The roof had collapsed into a V pointing into Hades. She stopped and scoured her mind for what had happened to Polly, and she could not remember.
There were other houses like hers, most gone completely or in a state of disrepair, with an aging parent or two clinging on while girlhood friends had long since moved on.
The kindergarten too was boarded up and the swing park adjacent was now rusty and over grown with trees and shrubs. What way of life was Abigail protecting, she wondered?
She was surprised to see Avery’s car was still there. Interesting Jenifer thought, what could they be plotting? She smiled at the idea that Abigail might embrace change and it only just dawned on her that it was something she needed.
Jenifer climbed the short set of steps two at a time and opened the screen door. She was about to go in when she heard an all too familiar sound. “Oh my Lord,” she scarce dare breath. Through the glass of the door she could see into the kitchen. Abigail was across the knee of Avery Hamilton, her bottom bare and in the middle of getting a very sound bare bottom spanking.
For a very long second she considered indignantly leaping to the rescue. Abigail was wailing and begging loudly enough to confirm extreme distress, but her words held Jenifer.
“I’m sorry, so sorry, please I won’t do it again,” her stepmother bawled.
She could not hear Avery’s words, but they were calm and maternal, Jenifer knew that tone well. Abigail on the other hand was twisting and bucking like an errant teen and her bottom was just about as sore and red and as any Jenifer had ever seen.
Jenifer took a deep breath. Schadenfreude was a temptation of the Devil and for a moment she entertained the fantasy of telling everyone she knew what had happened. She was certain too that Abigail would be mortified by an intervention; she would never live it down.
Jenifer smiled and like a thief she slipped away.
***
Jenifer returned much later to find Abigail on her knees in prayer.
“Are you alright?” Jenifer asked.
Despite it being obvious that she had been crying, Abigail smiled and said, “I am, but I am being tested by the Lord.”
“As are we all,” Jenifer intoned out of habit.
Abigail’s smile was patronising and dismissive. “You are late, have you eaten?”
The question made Jenifer’s bottom tighten. “I saw Ms Hamilton was still here so I ate at the diner,” she explained.
“A strong woman, but I will leave it to you to judge her, and judge her well for I am not sure I yet trust her,” Abigail sounded wan.
“Sure, but why…?”
“After speaking to your father on the phone, we have decided that you should take over as treasurer for the church, you are old enough now,” Abigail said as she closed her eyes and began another silent prayer.
“I don’t think…” Jenifer protested.
“All will be well, you will have help; now you should go to bed,” her stepmother reassured her.
I prayed for change, Jenifer thought and did as she was told.
Later still Abigail went to the church in nothing but her dressing gown. The lights were all on and she could only pray that no one would come to investigate. She expected to see Avery but instead it was the girl from the motel, Daly Webster.
“What are you…?”
“Doing here, in church at night?” Daly anticipated the question and rolled her eyes, “Not my idea. Avery sent me. I have a bucket of hot soapy water and a couple of packs of toothbrushes.”
Abigail blushed and began to back away. “I want you to go… I…”
“Suits me lady, but Avery said I was to…” Daly looked off sideways and then said, “Bear witness. It sounds like a tough gig for both of us, but mines not to reason why.”
“You know?” Abigail began to hyperventilate.
“Oh sure, the whole town knows,” Daly shrugged.
“What? Really?”
“No, of course not, and if anyone finds out I won’t sit down for a week or more,” Daly grimaced.
“Oh,” Abigail relaxed a little, “You are one of her…”
“Conquests,” Daly supplied.
“Is there anyone she hasn’t spanked din this town?” Abigail sighed.
Daly shrugged, “Give her time.”
Abigail sagged in dejection and eyed the bucket. “What do I have to do?”
Daly shrugged, “Whatever you usually make Jenny do, only with a toothbrush.”
Abigail dropped her dressing gown so that she stood naked and collected the bucket. Then getting on her knees she dipped the toothbrush into water and began to scrub.
“Avery did a number on your ass, didn’t she?” Daly whistled.
Oh this was intolerable, Abigail thought.
Part 4 The Actress can be found here.
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