by Allysa Hart
“Okay, but only if I get to pick the movie, and you promise we get to go to the fair tomorrow.”
Rose nodded. “Sounds good to me. I should be done by midafternoon, and we’ll head right over there, okay?”
Katie clapped her hands in delight. “Yes! Let’s get this party started.”
“I’m ordering pizza for dinner,” Keith announced when Jeff came back in carrying his duffel bag.
“Sounds good. You mind if I shower all of this construction dust off?” He’d wanted to shower at home, but the bathroom floor was already being torn up.
“Go for it. Whatever you need is in there somewhere.”
“You’re so helpful.” Jeff laughed, making his way down the hall. Shaking his head, he entered Katie’s room, where he would spend his weekend. It was awkward being in her personal space without her, but it beat living in a construction zone any day.
He threw his bag on the floor, shucked his shirt, and headed for the bathroom. A cursory search revealed a bar of soap and some shampoo, but no towel. He opened the closet door and froze. Oops, not a closet. His brow crinkled in confusion as he tried to make sense of what he saw. It appeared to be a young girl’s room. Feeling like he was somewhere he shouldn’t be, he closed the door. Racking his brain, he tried to come up with a feasible explanation, but there wasn’t one. Keith and Rose had no children of their own, and Noah was the only child in the home. Putting his hand on the doorknob, he considered taking a look around before asking any questions, but something about it felt wrong. Abandoning the thought altogether, he found a towel under the sink and took his shower.
To Katie’s dismay, the line to check in was freakishly long.
“The computers are down, and they haven’t been able to check anyone in for the last hour,” a woman behind them informed her traveling companion.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” The frustration left her brain and blurted from her mouth before she had a chance to filter the words. With a grimace at her mistake, she dropped her eyes to the suitcase in front of her, avoiding the glare boring into her soul. Rose cleared her throat to get her attention, but Katie defiantly turned her gaze in the opposite direction.
Rose moved in close, speaking quietly. “If that is how you want to play this situation, then you may go have a timeout on the sofa over there.” Her breath tickled Katie’s ear.
Katie faced the direction of said sofa but shook her head. There was no way she was going to sit away from everyone like an errant child. She would have to answer for her potty mouth, but that would happen in private.
“That was not a suggestion, little girl. You will go plant your bottom on the couch with both of your feet flat on the floor and your palms on your knees. You will pick a place on the carpet in front of you to focus on and will not move a muscle until I come and get you.” The stern directive sent a shiver down the entire length of Katie’s spine. Her heart wanted to obey, wanted to hand over control, but her brain would not let go, and she could not make herself move.
“I’m not going anywhere.” Her voice sounded wooden to her own ears, and she was taken aback by her audacity. Katie was naughty, especially deep in her Little space, but she wasn’t usually defiant. It wasn’t in her nature. She yearned to please those around her, especially Rose and Keith. Her brain and heart continued their tug of war until the final nail was hammered into her psyche.
“You may either obey and have your discreet time-out on the comfortable couch, or I will take you by the ear and we can find a bathroom for the attitude adjustment you are so desperately begging for.”
Katie’s muscles went rigid, and she shut her eyes tight. Rose did not make idle threats, ever. While the embarrassment of sitting on the couch was going to be unpleasant, the humiliation of being dragged to the bathroom and spanked was a way more serious threat. Without any acknowledgement, Katie abandoned her luggage and started off toward the couch.
“Katelyn,.” Rose snapped her fingers.
Her steps faltered, and she turned to see the stoic face of Auntie Rose.
“Take your things with you, please.” To everyone else, the request was calm and respectful, but to Katie it was a controlled demand. She swallowed past the sudden lump in her throat and shuffled over to do as instructed. Heat radiated from her cheeks as she made her way over to her time-out spot, avoiding looking at anyone. Taking the required position, she settled in. She watched out the corner of her eye as the feet of the people in line inched forward. A deep sigh escaped when the staff behind the desk began to check people in by hand. She’d be here for hours.
Sitting like this was almost as boring as being in the corner. It took way more self-control to keep still when she wanted to look around at the hotel and the people moving around her. She thought about the day so far. She wasn’t off to a stellar start, but she couldn’t help it. She wanted nothing more than to let go and find some freedom in her Little space. It had been so long. She pushed Rose hard and came up short.
A pair of black heels came into view, and she looked up to see Rose smiling.
“Good girl. We’re ready now, was that so bad?” Rose’s voice was kind and patient, and Katie’s frustration hit a peak.
“It took a long time,” she pouted.
“It did, but your behavior was completely uncalled for,” Rose finished before Katie could say another word. “Now, I want you to go upstairs, get your pajamas on, and wait for me in the corner. We need to have a chat about the proper behavior of my little girl,” she ordered, pressing a room key into Katie’s palm.
Frozen, Katie stared at the card in her hand.
“March, young lady, or I’ll discipline you right here.”
Snapping out of her trance, Katie bolted to the elevator bay. Once ensconced in the safety and solitary of the elevator, she allowed the tears of frustration to fall. Turning around, she kicked the wall, wishing she could start this whole trip over again. She shouldn’t have made such bad decisions. Now the trip was ruined, all because of her stupidity and selfishness.
The room door beeped as it unlocked, and Katie took a fortifying breath before entering. Rolling her suitcase to the first bed, she hefted it up and opened it to take out her Care Bear jammies. She wasn’t sure she felt that Little, but she hoped it would earn her some grace with her upset Auntie. She changed into the pajamas and headed for the corner farthest from the door. Her stomach tight with nerves, she had to remind herself to keep her breath even and calm so as not to hyperventilate.
Katie pressed her body into the corner and counted her breaths. She had no idea where that behavior came from, but after reflecting for what felt like all of eternity, she concluded she would not be acting like that ever again. She jumped when she heard the beep of the hotel door opening behind her. Closing her eyes, she prayed Rose had cooled off because the look on her face downstairs had been formidable and did not bode well for her bottom. “Katie, come here please.”
She turned, her gaze downcast in an attempt to hide what she knew would be red-rimmed eyes and a runny nose. As soon as she stood in between Rose’s knees, her Auntie retrieved a tissue from the nightstand and cleaned her face.
“You were a very naughty girl downstairs. Care to explain yourself?” Rose reprimanded softly.
Katie sniffled, but offered no explanation. She didn’t feel very much like a little girl, and therein lay the problem. But she couldn’t tell Rose. Talking wouldn’t help her find her Little space, but, as much as she hated to admit it, a spanking might.
“Your uncle and I have been very lax and letting you get away with things because you are a new mom and we are all trying to make it work, but that ends this weekend. We are going to figure this all out together, and you are going to toe the line, young lady. Little or not, you are our responsibility, and we love you enough to keep you on track. This weekend will be fun but no nonsense. If you need to be put in the corner, I’m going to put you there. If you need to write ‘I will obey my Auntie’ in a journal five hundred times, yo
u’re going to do it.”
Katie’s gaze stayed on her feet.
“As for this incident,” Rose continued, “little girls who say naughty things get their mouths washed out with soap.”
Having forgotten about letting the ‘F-word’ slip, she gasped in surprise. She couldn’t remember the last time they had taken her to task for cursing.
“Not soap, Auntie, please? Can’t you just spank me?”
“I have every intention of spanking you after we take care of your language problem. You are going to be one sorry little girl, do you understand me? March.” Rose pointed toward the bathroom.
“Yes, ma’am,” she whispered. Rose followed her as she dragged her feet in the direction of the bathroom. Stopping in front of the sink, Rose wet a washcloth and cleaned the tears from her face.
“This is not how I wanted to spend our evening, and I doubt it was how you wanted to, either.”
Katie fell silent again. She didn’t know what to say. She was embarrassed about her behavior throughout the day, but she felt like she was stuck between Katelyn and Katie. It had been too long since she had regressed fully, and the war in her head confused and overwhelmed her. Rose was doing all she could to help the process along, but the rest was up to her, and she was having a hell of a time letting go.
Rose laid the cloth down and unwrapped a bar of hotel soap before running it under the water. Katie gulped as the simple action magnified the scent. She would much rather have taken a spanking than deal with a soaping first.
“Open,” Rose instructed.
Katie closed her eyes before doing as she was told.
“Bite.”
Katie reared her head back. “Bite?”
“You heard me. You are going to bite down on this soap so that it stays in place for your spanking.”
“You’re going to spank me with soap in my mouth?”
“Yep, two birds with one stone should take care of your discipline thoroughly, so we can enjoy the remainder of our evening and, hopefully, the entire weekend.”
She had never had to hold the soap in her mouth while getting spanked, but with a whimper, she obeyed.
The small bar was easy to hold onto with her teeth, but it was thin, and she had to focus on not clamping down too hard. She didn’t want to be picking soap out of her teeth all night. Rose turned her to face the mirror and lowered her jammie pants and panties.
“Hold onto the sink.”
She’d barely grasped the counter when the stinging slaps began. She went up on her toes to attempt escape, but Rose continued, unfazed by the movement. Between the recent lack of spankings and the intense force packed into each blow, she would no doubt be falling asleep on her belly. Counting the swats, she tried to keep her mind focused, but when she got to fifty, she could no longer ignore the fire. She squeezed her eyes shut as tears rose to the surface. If she started crying, she wouldn’t be able to stop. It had been too long. Her breath hitched, and the inhalation caused the fumes of the soap to coat her senses. That was about all she could take. The barrage of spanks and the soap assaulting her mouth pushed her over the edge.
As soon as the sobs began, Rose stopped and took the bar out of her mouth. “You may spit, but I am far from finished, so stay put.” Rose left the bathroom, and Katie instantly felt alone. She hunched over the sink and sobbed as she spat out as much of the vile soap as she could. In a matter of seconds, Rose returned to her side and rubbed her back. “You’re okay, baby. We are almost done.” Her tone changed from strict disciplinarian to loving caretaker.
Katie shook her head. Not because she couldn’t take any more, but because she could not handle Rose leaving again—for any amount of time.
“It’s not your choice, little girl. I am going to light a fire on your sit spots for your rude and defiant behavior, and then you will spend some more time in the corner. After that, you may rinse your mouth then we will cuddle and get back to enjoying our trip.”
Katie cried through the entire lecture, wishing she could get her thoughts across, but the sobs made it impossible. Behind her, Rose took a deep breath and began fulfilling her promise. Katie recognized the sting of the spoon as it bounced back and forth on the crease where her bottom met her thighs, ensuring she would be unable to forget the discomfort for the rest of the evening. She rested her head on her forearms, using the sink to help keep her standing. Her knees shook as she danced back and forth to escape the pain. Rose’s aim stayed right where she intended it, no matter how much Katie moved. When her knees buckled, Rose changed her stance, placing herself hip to hip with Katie to grip her around the waist. The hold restricted her movement while also giving her the physical support she needed. This position was so much easier for Katie to take. The closeness calmed her and, while the spanking still hurt her bottom, it no longer hurt her heart. She leaned into Rose and submitted to the pain of her earned punishment.
Rose stopped spanking and set the spoon on the counter before pulling Katie into her arms. Her sobs stole her breath, and tears streamed down her face. Her bottom throbbed and stung, but all she could think about was getting as close to Rose as possible. She needed the love and reassurance of the stronger woman. She needed to know she was forgiven and, most of all, she needed to feel love. Moving them to the bed, Rose held her tight and sang in her ear as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Katie soaked in the love, drenching the front of Rose’s shirt with her unending tears. As her sobs subsided, Rose stepped away, putting enough distance between them to cup Katie’s face in her hands.
“I want you to go to the corner and think about how Uncle Keith and I expect you to behave, especially in public.”
Katie shook her head and clung to Rose’s shirt. “Please just a little longer. I’m not ready. Please don’t make me be alone.”
Rose’s arms tightened in response to her desperate pleas. “Okay, baby, okay. Relax. You’re not alone. I’m right here. I’m not trying to push you away, just give you time to think. I will give you cuddles for as long as you need, but this is not going to get you out of corner time, got me?”
Katie nodded, and her heart lightened at the knowledge her Auntie was attuned to what she needed. She was free just to be.
The surround sound on the television made it feel like they were watching the game right in the stadium. Jeff made a note to add built-in speakers to the growing list of fixes he was making to his house.
“The little dude sleeps through this?” Jeff asked during a commercial.
“Kid could sleep through a hurricane. He only wakes up if he’s hungry,” Keith said, muting the television when the halftime show started and a local cheerleading team took the field.
Jeff nodded and took another sip of his beer. This seemed like as good a time as any to ask Keith about the room he had found.
“Katie has a Jack and Jill bathroom,” he stated, turning on the couch to face his friend.
Keith nodded blankly.
“I was looking for a towel…” Not knowing how to phrase the question he wanted to ask, Jeff let it hang unspoken between them and waited for understanding to dawn.
Keith’s brow crinkled in confusion for a split second before his face went blank, and he winced. “Oh. Damn. You found Katie’s Little room.”
Now it was Jeff’s turn to be confused. Whatever he had been expecting, it wasn’t that. “I’m sorry, her what?”
“Her Little room.” Keith’s voice was dull and brusque, like the subject was one he didn’t want to discuss, but Jeff needed to know more.
“You’ve got me, man. I’m lost.”
Keith gave a deep sigh and glanced at the television before turning his attention back to the conversation. “Katie is a Little. It’s a lifestyle term.”
“Okayyy...” Jeff needed more.
“It’s complicated, and it’s not really my story to tell, dude. But I will say this. Being Little can act as a coping mechanism, an outlet, so to speak, just the same as you and I de-stress by having a beer and watching the g
ame, Katie might de-stress by regressing to her Littler side and coloring or playing Legos.”
Jeff could tell Keith wanted to wind up the conversation, but he was grateful when his friend offered one last piece of insight.
“She has had a tough year, a tough life, really. She needs an outlet like that. It’s a special, important piece of her life. And she will tell you about it, when she’s ready. But you’re going to wait for that to happen. I’m not going to say another word. Anyway, the second half is starting.”
Keith unmuted the television, and they watched the rest of the game in silence.
But Jeff couldn’t shake the feeling he had inadvertently figured out what Katie had been holding back, and that it was far more important than he knew, or than Keith was willing to say. He needed to do some research.
Katie woke the next morning, disoriented. They had stayed up late into the night, watching movies and feasting on junk food. The clock read eight, and she groaned. Rose was already gone.
On the nightstand, she saw a note:
Good morning, sweetheart,
You looked too peaceful to wake this morning. You can order room service for breakfast, or you can go to the café in the lobby and charge it to the room. Make sure you eat something of substance; we will be having enough sweets at the fair. I do not want you to leave the hotel. You do not know the area. There is a pool and spa, or you may visit the gym, or you can hang out and watch television. I will see you as soon as I can.
Lovies, Auntie
As she read, Katie became frustrated. Rose didn’t need to dictate what she could do. She was taking this whole Little weekend way too seriously. She got up and trudged toward the bathroom mumbling to herself, “I’m an adult, and I can take care of myself. I don’t need step-by-step directions. For God’s sake, I’m a mom.” She left the bathroom, flopped on the bed, and turned the TV on to find something to watch.
