Fantasy Friday - John Takes Control

Happy Friday to you all.  I've been kinda quiet this week.  It seems like it was a very long week for me.  Nothing like some of you all are having, but enough to make me truly thrilled for it to be over.

We have a lot of people to thank for our Fantasy Friday story this week. This is our last new story in my FF line up.  This is the story so many of you helped to write the week that I told you the cupboard was bare.  All of the following people contributed.

Sunnygirl

Julie

Lillie 

Minelle

Cygnet

SNP

Ronnie

Susie

Anonymous

Michael M

Roz

Ami

I sure hope I didn't get all those links mixed up!  I thank everyone for contributing part of the story.  It is so hard for me to help with one of these.  It seems that by the time I come up with a part it's taken off in another direction all together, LOL!  I'm so grateful for these folks.  And if you would like to see just who contributed what you can go to the comments on this post.  I hope you all enjoy ...

John Takes Control

John came home in a good mood until he reached the driveway. When he hit the garage door opener what he saw made him sick. The rear end of his wife's car had a very large dent right in the middle. The car was less than three weeks old. 

He knew she would have a story to tell but it wasn't going to help.

Just one look told him she hadn't been rear ended, but had hit something while going in reverse. He'd told her time and time again to take it easy, don't go too fast, use her mirrors and be careful and time and time again she'd agreed with him.  The last accident had been six months ago and they'd just paid off the last installment of that damage. He so didn't need this amount of debt this soon.

John found Shannon in the kitchen making supper. He stood in the hallway and watched her for a long moment. He loved her so much. 
He could tell Shannon was worried; she was rushing around and murmuring quietly to herself. Normally John would hear Shannon singing to her oldies station as soon as he entered the porch door, but today the radio sat silently on the fridge top, as though it was also fretting about the day’s events.

Shannon heard the garage door open and knew John would be walking in through the kitchen seconds after spying the wrecked new car. She was sick to her stomach about what happened. Her instinct was to gloss over what actually caused the accident since John had a no tolerance rule regarding safety. 
She was still debating what to say when she sensed his presence. Hi, honey," she said as she crossed the kitchen and put her arms around him. "I'm glad you're home."



He wrapped his arms around her and whispered into her hair, "I'm glad you're home safe and sound. I wish the car could say the same thing."

Shannon blushed and buried her head in his chest. 



"It was an accident, John."



"Well, I wouldn't think you would dent the car that way on purpose," he said, taking her arms and pulling her off his chest so he could see her eyes. "The question is was it a preventable accident?"



Shannon blushed again. "Well, I went shopping and when I was backing up someone came racing down the parking lot. Everything was clear when I looked in the mirrors, but just as I was backing out this car was right there."



"Hmmm...are you hurt?"  Did she hit someone, was anyone hurt?  The thought made him feel ill.

"Not physically, but mentally I am worn out. I got into a shouting match with the creep."



"What?"



"He was a real jerk and so I gave him a piece of my mind. I am a little embarrassed because our neighbors, the Johnson’s saw the whole thing. But this guy deserved the cussing I gave him." She heard herself tell the lie and couldn’t believe it just slipped out of her mouth. 



"You cussed out someone and our neighbors witnessed this whole thing?"



"Yes, but..."



"Honey, why don't you finish getting dinner ready and I am going to get out of my suit. I need to think about all you've told me and we can talk some more in a little bit. The car is replaceable and I am glad you are OK. But, I have a few questions and I want to think on a full stomach. 



"I'm sorry about the car. I know it is an added expense."

John kissed Shannon and left the room to change.

Shannon was truly sorry about the car but she heaved a huge sigh of relief when John went to change. Should she confess to the other part of the story? No, she couldn't tell him. She had to tell him; surely the Johnson’s would tell him and it was better hearing it from her first.  He was already upset and worried.  When he knew the whole story he would be angry as well and an angry John was not to be trifled with. She flopped herself down at the table and put her head in her hands. 



The faint smell of burning meat had reached John's nose down in the bedroom. He rushed to the kitchen to find his Shannon with her head in her hands tears streaming down her cheeks. The first thing he did was turn off the oven. When he opened the oven to remove the roast, smoke billowed out. He was surprised the smoke detector wasn't going off. He made a mental note to check the batteries. 

There had to be more than she was telling him.  He turned to his wife and pulled her from her chair. 



"Why are you crying? It's just a dent, honey. I think it's probably just cosmetic. I'll take the car to the mechanic tomorrow and make sure that the car is safe to drive. If we have to, we can bang out the dent a little bit so the trunk will open and we'll get it fixed when the finances will allow. It's not the end of the world. As far as the shouting match with the man you hit, it doesn't please me that you decided to shout at a stranger whose car you had just hit, but we'll get through it just like we always have." He kissed her cheek as he rubbed her back. 



"Oh, John, I don't know what to say," she sobbed. He was being so understanding, maybe she should tell him about her impulsiveness. 

Once he had rescued what remained of the dinner, John poured himself a glass of wine and went over to where Shannon was sat on the kitchen chair. She looked up at him, eyes brimming with tears and mascara shot to hell. After settling himself in the chair, he got her to sit on his lap and put his arms around her. Eventually, the heaving in Shannon's chest slowed to gentle puffs of breathing, he stroked her face and hair and made her tell him the whole story. She could not resist his gentleness and the sorry tale of the afternoon's events came out, piece by piece.

“In addition to the grocery store I stopped at the mall.  I purchased a couple of items at Victoria’s Secret I knew you would appreciate”. As she was leaving the last shop she had bumped into Robert. This was the Robert whom she had dated years ago and had left to make his fortune in NY.  They stood talking for ages and had a coffee together. Shannon had been girlishly excited to meet him again and some part of her wondered how her life might have turned out if she hadn't dumped him. Of course, she didn't tell John this part. Shannon already sensed his mood had changed and he was no longer stroking Shannon but looking directly into her face with cold eyes.

Shannon could not stop there; she had to get the whole story out into the open. Robert had asked her if he could h have a lift back to his Mother's house. He had come back to town by train and his sister had dropped him at the Mall. His mother was ill and he needed a few things so that he could stay overnight. Shannon had said yes, straight away. The chance to spend a few more minutes with her ex had thrilled her.

Once in the car she kept on talking and looking across at him and pulled out of the parking bay without a second glance. The crunch as she hit the passing car had been sickening. Knowing she was in the wrong she had jumped out of the car and gone on the offensive, blaming the other driver for going too fast. The young man behind the wheel had looked at her in amazement.

Robert got out of the car and tried to calm Shannon down. He held her by her shoulders and that was when the Johnson's had shown up. Her neighbor's had been walking back to their own vehicle and had seen the whole thing, the crash, the ranting and the tall dark stranger getting out of Shannon's car and then embracing her.

When they told the young man that it wasn't his fault Shannon had let fly at them, shouting that it wasn't any of their business.
It had taken some time to sort things out. Robert pacified everyone and told the other driver he would pay for any damage. 
The Johnson's drove off clearly annoyed at Shannon.  Robert drove them home but didn't come into the house.  Shannon told John he would explain everything to him if he wanted him to.  Robert walked the couple of streets to his old house.

So, that was the whole story. She was sorry, desperately sorry about the car, the shouting, meeting Robert, everything. 
Shannon just wanted the whole day to end but she knew John would be angry, possible very angry, so she just sat quietly on his lap and waited.

“So, to recap," says John, his voice cold, "you met Robert and spent time with him, and hearing you telling it, you were excited by it.
You gave him a lift, you were alone in the car with a man you hadn't seen in years, a man you didn't even know any more.
Once again you reversed without looking, and caused an accident. You gave in to your rage, not thinking of the consequences, blaming someone else for your actions. Our neighbors witnessed it all, including you being hugged by a virtual stranger. You behaved irresponsibly, and dangerously, once again.”

“I need to think about this, why don’t you to go to our bedroom, and give me time to cool down and to decide what to do next."

John sighs, as Shannon slips from his lap and headed upstairs, almost running.

Upstairs she waited for John and wondered what would happen. 
What will he do? Lecture her, once again, yell at her, be cold for days or even weeks? 

And then the months spent on paying the damage, with John sighing with every payment due, while she wants to beg his forgiveness again and again and again. But John will tell her it's all forgiven and forgotten, even when she knows it isn't. He'll try so hard to convince himself and her, without succeeding, the resentment still burning in him. He doesn't want that, because he loves her, so he ignores it, while it eats away at him.   

John being cold makes her feel lonely and miserable. She almost wishes ... No, not almost: she does wish he'd just spank her, spank the annoyance away, make her feel the consequences, have her pay the price, if only that would mean he'd forgive her, that everything is over after her punishment. A spanking might really teach her a lesson and the threat of future consequences might help her to not lapse again.

John sat there for a long time thinking. He was shocked by what she had told him. He couldn't believe his sweet Shannon would behave that way, not to mention the damage control that would have to be undertaken with the neighbors. He had no idea where to start. He was beside himself with worry that she would act so dangerously, again but most of all hurt by the reason she was so distracted. He decided to speak to the Johnson’s before he dealt with Shannon. 



When Mrs. Johnson answered his call John went straight into the apology. He had just heard from Shannon what had gone on that afternoon and he wanted them to know that she was very sorry for having upset them. There was a long silence and then she heard Clara Johnson relay his message to her husband. Clara accepted his apology but asked if he would stop by because they had something to give him.

John went outside onto the front porch and saw the light in Mr. Johnson's garage as the electric door swung open. As he approached the house Mike Johnson waved him in.

"This is what you need, son, to bring that wife of yours back to her senses."

In his neighbor’s hand was long wooden paddle.



"It's called a Spencer Paddle and we've had one in the house since the day we got married. Clara's Mother gave it to us and told us to use it on each other, whenever one of us got out of line."

Mr. Johnson held the long blade so that the grip end was pointing towards John. John took a hold of the paddle and was surprised at how comfortable it felt in his hand. The grip was well worn and the wood highly polished.

"It's made of cherry wood and you'll know you have been paddled after thirty with that. "You can have it. I'll get another. Just make sure that Shannon comes round here tomorrow to show us it was used and we'll forget all about her rudeness.

Good night John and don't forget to send Shannon round here tomorrow.  We want to hear all about it and how she won't be sassing us again in the future."

Walking across the dark street John glanced up at the light in his bedroom window. Things were about to change in his marriage; in a way he wouldn't have thought possible only a few hours ago.

Shannon was impulsive and this wasn't the first time her lack of self control had been an issue but how dare the Johnson's tell him how to deal with Shannon? He liked the Johnson's and he appreciated the way they interacted, but that was their marriage and this was his: his and Shannon's. They needed to figure out their own path and not try to be anybody but who they were.

He stood quietly looking at the paddle in his hand and thought about what Mr. Johnson had said to him, but he knew in his heart he couldn't do it. If he was going to go down this path with Shannon, then he was going to do it his way. He loved her and he wanted to guide them through this ordeal with a minimum of emotional damage. Yes, he was going to scorch her behind, but it was going to be with his hand on her backside, at least this first time. 

He remembered the times as a boy when his father and his mother both had spanked him. It wasn't pleasant for any of them, but John knew it came from a place of love. The paddle was too cold and distant for him to use on Shannon, at least not the first time. He suspected he would have to use the paddle at some time in the future, but he wasn't sure how Shannon was going to respond to any of this and at least if he used his hand on her backside, he would feel like they were in it together.

He had cooled down some and thought he was ready to face Shannon. John called Shannon to come down. They needed to eat and there was no point in her skulking around upstairs. 


He was just pouring another glass of wine when she crept into the room wearing one of his shirts and some white socks. Shannon looked so small and vulnerable. Was she doing this on purpose he ruminated? He told her to sit down as he pulled a wooden spoon to stir the salad. He glanced down at the wooden spoon in his hand. He studied it for a moment or two. He looked across at his wife. Tears were slowly tracking their way down her cheeks. She'd never looked so beautiful to him. He almost softened, but the anger he felt towards Robert re-ignited. He knew what he was going to have to do, but he also realized he needed to remain calm.

“Sit over there.” John pointed at her place with the end of the spoon. She couldn’t help but notice the gesture and the spoon. She had a moment of fright. 



“Listen John, I’m really…”



“Be quiet right now, let just eat.  We’ll talk more after dinner.”

The phone rang and he picked it up. 

The conversation was obviously about her and after a while Shannon realized that it must be Robert on the other end of the line. John said very little until the end of the conversation. 



“OK – do what you want. I have enough to sort out with the damage to my car. Just stay away from this house and quit coming on to my wife. Go back to New York or wherever the hell you live!”

John slammed the phone down and turned to his

wife. 

“Don’t ever let me hear you mention that guy’s name again.”

While they were eating Shannon spied the paddle on the sideboard. “Where did you get that?” she inquired.

“Mike Johnson gave it to me to use on your behind.  By the way tomorrow we have to pay them a visit to apologize.”

“Are you going to spank me with that?” she asked, her lower lip trembling.  “I suppose I deserve it.”

John slammed his hand down on the table with such a force that Shannon jumped back in alarm. 



“Deserve it. Of course you deserve it. You flirt with some guy, you crash the car, you slag off our neighbors. You damn well better believe you deserve a punishment!”



Shannon crumpled. “I am so sorry John. I never meant all this to happen but I know I was stupid. Please don’t leave me. I was just dumb. I’m not interested in Robert. I was just flattered that he was still interested.”



“Yeah right. Bored housewife meets ex-boyfriend. They make movies about it.”



“John. Please stop that. Please just punish me. Anything. You know I love you and I just want things to be normal again.”

John looked across at his wife. He loved her so much but he had to teach her a lesson.

I think you'd better go upstairs and wait for me Shannon. It's time we had a talk about things."

Shannon gulped. She couldn't remember ever seeing John so angry. Her legs trembled and she had difficulty in climbing the stairs. She entered their room. She looked around her. She had worked so hard to make it a beautiful and restful place. The curtains were sea-green silk and draped gracefully across the windows. The carpet was thick cream wool you sank up to your ankles in. The bed was emperor sized with a silk coverlet to match the curtains. 

She sank slowly down on the end of the bed and drew up her legs clasping her hands around her knees, hugging them to her chest. The tears continued to fall and she couldn't stop shaking at the thought of that horrible wooden paddle. She couldn't imagine what it would be like being hit with such a heavy piece of wood. How could John even consider such an action! 



She glanced anxiously from time to time at the doorway. She wondered how long John would keep her waiting. This whole situation was truly awful. Surely he knew that Robert meant nothing whatsoever. It was just that sometimes John neglected to tell her just how much he loved her. He expected her to do everything he asked of her, and when she screwed up - well, look where it had ended up. 

She saw her husband's shadow appear through the doorway followed by his familiar tall, muscular figure. Her tears fell faster. He was so handsome and she loved him so very much. Right now he looked so disappointed in her. 

She noticed that he carried the wooden salad spoon in his hand, but she saw no sign of the dreaded paddle. 



He came and sat down next to her. His anger had left him. His eyes were very sad. He put the wooden spoon down behind him and took her hands in his. Her tears were falling faster now. 

"Shannon, I'm so sorry. I shouldn’t have lost my temper like that. I know you didn't mean to make me jealous. But you've got to realize that I'm only a man - a man who loves you to distraction. You can't imagine the images that were flashing through my mind."



"No John. You were right. I was enjoying a bit of flattery and I didn't realize I could be leading him on. I'm the worst kind of wife. I wouldn't blame you for despising me for my actions.  And I can't drive very well either!" Shannon looked straight into her husband's eyes as she spoke. She was still trembling, but she was determined to assure him of her love. 

She virtually threw herself across his lap, taking him by surprise and nearly knocking him backwards on to the bed. She craned her head around to look at him. 



"I trust you John. I love you and I trust you." A sob escaped her.” I promise I'll never stop loving you. I'm so sorry for my actions."

John didn't say a word. He slowly reached down and raised the shirt up to her waist. He briefly stroked her bottom before pulling down her white, lacy panties. He had to lift her slightly, but then he pulled them right down and off her feet. The socks looked a little strange, so he pulled them off too. His wife's pale pink, heart-shaped bottom wasn't going to remain pale for long, he thought.

"So, it seems that while I was downstairs thinking about spanking you for your actions today, you were up here thinking about the same thing, or I'm assuming that, from the position you've put yourself in." John rubbed her bottom slowly and then gave it a hard smack. 

"I love you honey and I know you love me, but I see us going down a road over and over that is pretty destructive to our marriage: you do something to hurt me, like spending time with an old boyfriend, we fight and rather than getting it resolved, we get cold and distant with each other and try to pretend it hasn't happened, but the wounds to our relationship are still there." He landed another solid swat to her bottom. 



"It appears tonight we have both decided to try a different way of resolving things." He landed a flurry of spanks to her backside as she bucked and struggled, finally managing to twist off his lap and onto the floor. She sat with tears in her eyes looking up at him tentatively. 



"That hurts!" She cried. 



"I know," John sighed. "I remember how much it can hurt from when I was a boy and was in the same position. With that in mind, I'm not sure I would have gone through with it, if you hadn't put yourself over my lap the way you did. Are you having second thoughts?"



"Yes," she said unsteadily, getting onto her knees to take the weight off her backside. When he shifted on the bed she leaned away from him, bumping her sore bottom on her heels before springing back up. 



"You don't need to worry, Shannon," he said with a sad smile. "I'm not going grab you and force you over my lap. I can get up and fume downstairs about everything that happened and you can sit up here feeling guilty and waiting to be forgiven just like always, or you can stand up, give me your hand and lie back over my lap and we can continue down this road. I decided downstairs that if I went through with this, I was going to express my extreme displeasure on your backside and then I wasn't going to bring it up again. I'd forgive you and we'd be done with it, tonight..." With those words, he lifted his hand and held it out to her.

“John, you and I both know this is what needs to be done. But I'm afraid, and I'm ashamed it even is necessary. Can we please talk first?"

Shannon kneeled between John's legs and put her head oh his thigh. 

"Please hear me out, before you start spanking me again."

John remained silent, as he softly stroked her head, wanting her to go on. 



"I realize what I've done wrong, and I need to be held accountable. What neither of us needs is you simmering, being angry without admitting it, punishing both of us for months to come. If spanking me will let us go forward without hurting each other any more, then please spank me.  Then we can both start with a clean slate. Do you agree? If so, would you now please give me my first spanking?"



Now Shannon got up and put herself over John's lap again, already sobbing quietly. 

And John started again, just using his hand, coloring her buttocks a bright red. When he felt his hand starting to hurt, he reached for the spoon and used that, going lower to reach her sit spot, and then her thighs. He kept spanking and when he was finished he looked at his handiwork and was shocked: he never thought himself capable of inflicting this kind of pain to his beloved wife, but he felt it was the right thing to do.  He felt justified and in charge, and he also felt that holding Shannon accountable would help keep her safe.

She continued to lay across his lap.  He rubbed her back to comfort those heaving sobs. He thought tomorrow he would take Shannon to the Johnson's to apologize, but John decided that was going to be embarrassing enough. He would not have her relate how they had dealt with it. It was a private matter between husband and wife as far as John was concerned. Shannon was a grown woman and perfectly capable of deciding how she was going to apologize to the Johnsons. John would stand next to her and support her, but he wasn't going to let the Johnson's push her into anything she didn't want to do. If they didn't like the way that she apologized or what she said, then that was going to have to be on them, as long as John was satisfied that Shannon had done her best to mend fences for her rudeness, then that would be enough.

When Shannon and John had recovered, he took her to the bathroom and washed her face and led her back to bed.  He lay down next to her when she looked at him and said she the spanking was to clear the slate but she still wanted to do more.  She told him she wanted to be responsible for paying to repair the damage.  She told him that ever since they got married she was happy to let him pick up any bills, while I remained at home.

“My old employer called me several times, asking me to do some translation work for him. I could easily do that from home, a couple of hours a day, and that should help too. This is money I need to pay, since it's damage I caused. Not you, not Robert, me. And not just to our own car, but also to that of my hapless victim.  So I'm going to return everything I bought for myself today, and I won't be buying anything new, until it's all paid off. In fact, I won't make any purchases at all, unless you agree with them.”

He gathered her in his arms for a hug.  He loved this woman and tonight was the beginning of a new chapter in their marriage.

~o0o~

A great big thank you to everyone who contributed to this story and a special thank-you to Sunny who helped me get it off comments and all arranged.  As I said that was the last new story I had - don't panic, I'll be putting up some re-runs if I don't get new ones and the re-runs are from two to three years ago so they will be new to most of you.  But I really hope some of you who have been thinking of trying a story will be willing to take the plunge and try one now.  Send any stories to elisspeaks@yahoo.com