Patrick looked earnestly at his little brother. “It’s just what it sounds like, Bro,” he replied. “If you break a rule, Steve will summon you to his room for punishment. If the infraction is minor, you might get off with just a lecture and a stern warning to not do it again. Most of the time, though, a summons means the paddle.” Alex and James were both quiet for a minute as they tried to absorb this new and horrifying piece of information, but finally Alex screwed up his courage and looked at his brother again.
“Have you ever been summoned?” he asked shyly.
Pat hesitated and looked at Jesse. “Yes,” he sighed finally. Alex and James then looked at Jesse, and Jesse nodded.
“Does it hurt?” James inquired tentatively.
“Like a son of a bitch!” Jesse replied.
“More than the switch?”
“What?” Jesse scoffed. “You mean that little tickle we gave you guys earlier? That’s nothing compared to that fucking paddle!”
“How many licks did you get?” James asked. There was a long pause.
“I got five,” Pat answered finally, lying all the way back in the grass and putting his hands under his head, “for coming in fifteen minutes late to a mandatory meeting.” James and Alex paled. They’d been nearly forty minutes late tonight. After a minute, Alex and James looked at Jesse. He leaned back, resting on his elbows, and chewing his blade of grass.
“I got ten once,” he shrugged, finally, “last year, for cursing at Matt who was the president then. I spent the day in my room crying, and I couldn’t sit for a week.”
“How many is Kevin going to get?” Alex asked. Jesse and Pat were silent for a moment.
“I don’t know,” Jesse finally replied softly.
“More than ten?” James asked tremulously.
“Yeah, Bud, more than ten.” Jesse and Pat exchanged glances again, and then Jesse added, “Last year Danny must have gotten at least twenty-five or thirty. I imagine Kevin will get about the same. They’re very alike. It was a good match.”
“Danny got licked last year?” James cried in astonishment.
“The same way? In front of everyone?” Alex demanded. Jesse and Pat smiled mysteriously, but didn’t respond.
“Oh no! That’s not fair!” James protested. “You can’t clam up now, just as we might really be getting some answers.”
“I’m sure you’ll know it all in time,” Patrick assured.
“Yeah,” Jesse smirked. “Kevin will undoubtedly tell you everything even though he’s not supposed to.”
“And when he does,” Pat continued seriously, “you will be just as obligated to keep it to yourselves as Jess and I are if you do not want to make trouble for your friend, and all his brothers.” Alex and James stared at him in amazement, and Jesse and Pat smiled again.
“Everyone finds out eventually of course,” Jesse added, “but you have to let them find out in their own time. Be there for Kevin. Be his friend as always, and make it a practice over the next several years to forget whatever he tells you about certain things. It will not be hard by that time for you to recognize what those things are . . . .”
“Spilling secrets are we?” The voice, assuming a tone of mock severity, came from behind them, and startled them all.
“No!” Jesse replied irritably as he looked up into his big brother’s grinning face.
“Oh, well that's a relief!” Sean continued his teasing tone. “Otherwise Andy and I would know it all by now.”
Andrew had come out with Sean and he smiled too. “Truly, that was a near miss!”
“Oh shut up!” Pat too responded testily, pricked by his brother’s sarcasm. “As if anybody, but you guys would be coming out here tonight.”
“You never know,” Andy cautioned more seriously as he and Sean joined the little group lounging on the grass. “You guys want to be a little more careful, where and how loud you’re talking about this stuff.”
“We didn’t even tell them anything!” Jesse protested defensively.
“All the same,” Sean advised, “Andy’s right. Just be careful.” Pat and Jesse both scowled as they were reprimanded, and Sean went on in a gentler tone. “We really didn’t come out here to pick at you,” he said.
“No that was just a bonus,” Andy teased.
“We actually came out to find out how these guys were doing,” Sean indicated Alex and James, and the two youngest fraternity members shifted uneasily.
“Yeah, that was quite a performance in there,” Andrew inserted.
“They certainly did give the two of you a run for your money,” Sean joked, smiling fondly at Pat and Jesse. “I’ll warrant you didn’t give us quite as much trouble last year.” His eyes fell on the switch and he traded amused glances with Andrew before turning to address his little brother. “Keeping the tradition up, I see,” he quipped.
Jesse flushed. “They were just asking us how much the paddle hurt,” he said to change the subject. Andrew and Sean became instantly more serious and regarded each other silently for a moment.
“Well, James old pal,” Sean said finally, “I’m very much afraid you’re going to get a chance to find out for yourself.”
“That’s what we told him,” Jesse replied quietly.
“Don’t worry, Man,” Sean soothed as the color drained from James’ face, “it won’t be that bad. Jess will go with you. It’ll be just you, him, and Steve. I don’t expect you’ll get more than ten.” This news seemed to have the opposite effect from that which Sean had intended as James hugged his knees and hid his face, and Sean looked at his little brother inquiringly.
“I told him about the time I got ten last year,” Jesse explained dismally.
“Oh, I see,” Sean replied, looking at Andrew for help. Andrew didn’t know what to say either though, and an awkward silence descended.
“How are Danny and Ryan?” Patrick asked finally, and James began to cry harder.
“They’re going to make it,” Andrew replied softly, as Sean moved in next to James, and put his arm around him.
“Hey, Bud,” he murmured, “it’s all right. They don’t blame you. Steve’s a little perturbed, but he’ll get over it.” James just cried turned his face into Sean’s shoulder, really letting go as the full weight of his predicament settled upon him. Sean tightened his arm and let him cry.
“What about Kevin?” Alex finally asked in a tiny voice. Andy and Sean traded another glance that was much more sober this time.
“He’s hanging in there,” Andy whispered, “but he’s taking one hell of a licking! There’s no doubt about that.” Alex started to cry again too now and Patrick sat up and put an arm around him.
Andy met Sean’s eyes once more, and Sean bit his lip, tightening his arm still more around James. Patrick and Jesse looked uneasily at their older brothers. They all knew there was nothing they could say to comfort Kevin’s friends. They remembered well the feeling of helplessness and shock, the feeling of guilt, the feeling that it really should have been them instead. It was a flat out sucky position to be in. Sean squeezed James’ shoulder and dropped his chin to the top of his youngest brother's head as memories and feelings from the past two years swept over him. He sighed. As bad as last year and the year before had been, this year was bound to be worse. He truthfully had never seen Steve look so mad, and Kevin had
taken at least half of the licks, in the first ten minutes, as Danny had taken in total last year.
Sean looked up to find Jesse and Patrick eyeing him apprehensively. ‘Come on, Sean, get it together!’ he chided himself. He knew he was not doing a very good job of hiding his emotions, and his fear was confirmed as Jesse mouthed. “Steve’s really pissed, isn’t he?” Sean nodded, and felt his throat tighten.
“When we came out,” Andrew recounted softly, “they still had not even begun to read The Code.” James and Alex were both crying too hard to even hear Andy’s whispered assertion let alone inquire about its significance, but J
esse and Pat both paled, and Patrick held his little brother tighter.
File Seven
The House Rules
“He who graduates the harshest school, succeeds.”
-Thucydides
As Jesse hauled James down the hill to receive his just comeuppance, Sean re-entered the common room, shutting the door as quietly as possible behind him. Andrew was standing against the wall nearby, and he glanced at his friend as Sean moved in beside him. “Are James and Alex all right?” he asked in a tone meant only for Sean’s ear.
Sean shrugged. “They will be,” he returned just as quietly. “Pat and Jesse are with them. How are Ryan and Danny?” He had hoped to find his friends already on their feet again, but he could see even from across the room that Steve was still bent over his brothers, trying to ascertain the extent of the damage.
“Word’s still out.” Andrew replied, following his gaze. “James clobbered them pretty good, I think.”
“Are you guys ok?” Steve inquired softly. Neither of his brothers had shown signs of moving, and now Steve received no answer. “Will somebody get me some icepacks please,” he requested, “and some paper towels?”
“I’m all right,” Ryan struggled to a sitting position, dabbing at his lip. His cheek was bruised and he was clearly in pain, but he seemed more irritated than anything, and Steve turned his attention to the youngest of his injured brothers.
“Let me see, Dan,” Steve coaxed as he tried to part Danny’s hands.
“Oww!” Danny sucked air through his teeth. “Fuck! It hurts!” he grimaced as Steve gently pried his hands from his face. Steve glanced at Ryan and Ryan met his eyes, swallowing hard. Danny’s whole face was covered in bruises, his lip was bleeding, his jaw was swelling; there was not a single place that didn’t look tender.
“Will somebody get me some damn ice, please?” Steve repeated his earlier request with agitation. This time several fraternity members responded as Steve’s sharpness penetrated their shock, but Sean and Andy were already returning with the desired items.
Kevin, meanwhile, stood looking down at his three brothers in horror as he tried to sort out his emotions. Part of him was appalled by what James had done, but part of him felt that both Danny and Ryan had deserved it.
Ryan was cradling his little brother’s head in his lap now as Sean squatted beside him and handed him the ice. Ryan took it silently and as gently as possible placed it against Danny’s hot, swollen jaw. “Owww! Owww! Holy shit, it hurts!” Danny struggled to sit up, but Ryan gently kept him down.
“You’re all right, Dan,” he soothed, “you’re all right. The ice will help keep the swelling down. Lie still,” he coaxed.
As he saw how much pain Danny was in, Kevin’s feelings for his brothers won out, and he dropped on his knees beside them. “I’m sorry, Danny!” he choked. “I’m so sorry!” Ryan looked at him sternly and Steve got to his feet, taking Kevin by the arm and pulling him up after him.
“Steve!” Danny became agitated, and struggled to sit up once more. “Please! I’m all right!”
“Sh . . . lie back!” Ryan directed gently once more. He too had recognized the look in their older brother’s eyes, but in this particular moment his concern for Danny overrode his empathy for Kevin.
Steve did indeed regard his youngest brother severely, and Kevin looked away as tears stung his eyes. His oldest brother’s voice, however, was patiently paternal when he spoke. “This is not your fault, Kevin,” he said gently, and Kevin put his hand to his face. “Look at me please,” Steve instructed and Kevin did so. “I do not blame you for what happened to Danny and Ryan,” he continued, “and I know they do not blame you either, but Kevin, this is precisely the kind of wild, reckless behavior we have been trying to prevent. It starts with a basic lack of respect for rules and codes of conduct like that which you have demonstrated all semester. What you did tonight, coming in late to a meeting, and bringing girls is just one example. Your fight with Danny this morning is another. You’ve had a good ass whippin coming all semester, Little Brother. Now you are going to get one, and after tonight the kind of disobedient, inconsiderate behavior you’ve been engaging in will no longer be tolerated. Is that clear?”
“But we didn’t mean . . . ,” Kevin started.
“No! No ‘buts’! There will be no excuses, tonight, Kev! It is about time that you learned to do as you’re told!” Steve looked back at Ryan, wordlessly indicating the paddle he had left lying on the floor, and with a heavy heart Ryan handed it to him. “No! No!” Danny tried a third time to get out from under his brother’s strong hands, but his attempts were fruitless. Ryan once again soothed him, forcing him to lie quiet, and keeping the ice against Danny’s face as his younger brother grimaced in frustration.
With resigned determination, Steve turned back to confront his petrified little brother. He looked grimly at him, and the blood drained from Kevin’s face. “This is long overdue, Kev,” Steve reprimanded quietly. “Let’s get it over with. Turn around, and bend over!” Kevin blanched as the soft spoken directive raised in his mind specters of his childhood that he‘d just as soon forget. He had, as a kid, received plenty of lickings at for his, at times, outlandish behavior. Well into his teenage years his father had marched him out to the woodshed and bared his bottom for the strap. Often it was because he had been back talking. His father would look at him just as Steve was looking at him now, and just as he had respected his father then, Kevin obeyed Steve now without question.
Steve shifted his grasp from Kevin’s arm to his waist as little brother yielded to his authority. He could feel Kevin shaking and he tightened his grip to steady him as he raised his t-shirt to expose the full rounded back of his jeans. Kevin clutched at Steve’s arm, and Steve gave him an answering little squeeze of support. “Come on,” he encouraged gently, tapping the paddle against Kevin’s inner thighs, “spread them.” And Kevin once again obeyed, dropping lower over Steve’s arm, and tucking his chin against his chest in an effort to hide the tears that now began to streak his face.
Steve placed the paddle against his bottom and he whimpered in anticipation as his oldest brother paused and looked up to address the freshmen. “You do not ever come in late to a meeting that has been designated as mandatory! Count aloud, Kevin!” There were some mutterings and whisperings in response to Steve’s admonishment, but as he drew back his arm silence descended once more.
WHACK! The sound of the paddle resonated in the stillness of the room. “One!” Kevin yelped. WHACK! Kevin’s face contorted and he clutched Steve’s arm tighter. “Two!” WHACK! “Ahh!” Kevin squeezed his eyes shut, and gritted his teeth. “Three!” he finally managed. WHACK! The blow landed hard on his now tender bottom and his knees buckled. “Four!” he sobbed.
“Straighten!” Steve commanded, and slowly Kevin did as he was told.
WHACK! “OWW!” he shrieked, shooting straight up and grabbing his bottom.
“Did I tell you to get up?” Steve queried.
“No,” Kevin protested brokenly, “but it hurts!”
“You will learn to take direction, Kevin! We will start over. Bend!” Tears burned Kevin’s eyes, but he did as he was told, giving his bottom a final rub as he bent once again over his brother’s arm. His eyes found Danny’s, and Danny struggled to sit up as Steve raised the paddle. This time Ryan did not stop him.
“Hang in there, Kev’bo,” he mouthed to his little brother, “just hang in there.” Kevin bit his lip and looked away, swiping at the tears that trickled down his face.
“Count, Kevin!” Steve commanded.
WHACK! There was a long pause as Kevin struggled to maintain some little bit of dignity. “One!” he sobbed finally. WHACK! “AHH . . .! TWO!” WHACK! “JESUS, OWW! THREE!”
“Watch your mouth!” Steve cautioned.
“Sorry,” Kevin choked. WHACK! “GOD!! Jesus Christ, it hurts!”
“Kev, I just now told you to watch your language!”
“I’m sorry, Steve, but it really, really hurts!”
“Regardless, Young Man, you will do as you’re told! You did not count that stroke either. Count it now, and don’t swear!”
“Yes, sir!” Kevin replied wretchedly. He clutched Steve’s arm again and his oldest brother gripped him tightly, encouraging him with another little squeeze as he raised the paddle once more.
WHACK! The sound reverberated throughout the room as the paddle thudded into Kevin’s bottom once more, and he inhaled sharply. There was a long pause as he hung his head and fought to get his breath. “Four!” he finally croaked. WHACK! The paddle fell again in the same exact spot it had hit just a moment ago and Kevin screamed. “Five! That’s five! Please Steve! Please!”
“All right, Kevin,” his brother finally relented, “you may stand up.” Kevin collapsed into sobs, his dignity forgotten as he stood slowly up. His hands went immediately to soothe his bruised and burning bottom and Steve looked sternly at him. “I said you could get up, Kevin. Did I tell you, you could rub?” Kevin looked at him dismayed. “Bend Over!” Steve’s strict command caused the juniors and seniors to begin to whisper among themselves. He was sure being hard on the kid. A couple of the freshmen began to cry and their big brothers responded, doing their best to soothe them.
“No! Please, Steve, please!” Kevin pleaded.
“Steve!” Danny was on his feet now despite Ryan’s efforts, and Ryan got to his feet too, trying to reason with his little brother.
“Stay out of it, Dan!” he whispered urgently. “You’re only going to make it worse!” Danny, however, wasn’t listening.
“No! No! Please!” Kevin clutched his bottom tighter as Steve took him roughly by the arm. His strength was no match for that of his oldest brother, however, and his heartrending sobs filled the air as he found himself forced to bend for the paddle once more. Steve took aim and raised his arm.
“Steve, no!” The desperate cry of his second youngest brother caused the fraternity president to pause and look in his direction. “Please!” Danny protested, struggling against Sean and Ryan as they restrained him.
The Fraternity Files Page 7
