Laurie was late. What is more, she had forgotten to bring the cranberry, her contribution to the festivities. She hoped and prayed that Mama Tobin wouldn’t mind, otherwise after thanksgiving she would be in a lot of trouble.

Trouble was, Mama Tobin seemed to mind an awful lot.

Mama was her late husband’s mother and despite being his widow she was still very much under Mama Tobin’s wing. Having no family of her own, it had definite advantages, but there was always the down side.

For one thing she could only see men the family approved of and had to get permission for every date. At 28, this was a trifle awkward.

Then there were what Mama Tobin called the consequences.

Today she was late because she had been on a short holiday with Michael, her new boss. She would have loved to have spent thanksgiving with him, but he had his own family and besides, then she would have to explain to Mama Tobin how she had come to know a man the family hadn’t met yet.

As she pulled into the drive she could see that the rest of the family had arrived.

“Darn,” she wailed. It was the strongest cursing Mama Tobin would allow.

Laurie felt like a teenager as she crept into the hall on what she knew was a hopeless mission. Somehow she had to sneak in, sit down and hope against all possible hope that somehow Mama Tobin would believe she had been there all the time.

Somehow her optimism wasn’t up to it, but maybe Mama Tobin would just scowl at her and take her aside later for a scolding.

“Laurie you’re late,” Mama Tobin’s voice froze Laurie to the spot.

“Eh yes… I…eh…” Laurie wracked her desperate brains for a good lie. She settled on “I broke down. Darn that car.””

“Is that so,” Mama Tobin said crossing her arms. “Where is the cranberry?”

“I…” Laurie grimaced and worked her mouth hopelessly. To stall she said, “Maybe it’s in the car.”

“No, it’s not,” Mama Tobin pursed her lips.

She was not a big woman, but over the years had acquired some matronly curves. When she smiled she looked like the perfect mother, but today she had her war face on.

Laurie cowered before her trying to make her small five feet and two inch body diminish still further. Her hands slipped behind to grasp the prominent bulge of her bottom encased in her best pencil skirt. She dipped her head so that her straight brown-bobbed hair closed over her face like curtains. She pensively sucked a corner of it into her mouth.

“Don’t you want to know how I know the cranberry is not in the car?” Mama Tobin leaned back so that she seemed to be glaring at Laurie from a great height.

Laurie grinned sheepishly, she really didn’t.

“A nice man called Michael called to say you had left it back at his apartment and was that going to be a problem.”

“Oh.” Laurie’s mouth formed a perfect O.

“You know what I’m thinking?” Mama Tobin said in a tone that suggested distant thunder.

Laurie pulled a face and eschewing the hair, began to chew on her lower lip. “Maybe you’re thinking that I’m not too big to have my bottom spanked,” she said with a sick grin, “and that maybe after Thanksgiving you and me are gonna have words.”

“It is going to have words,” Mama Tobin said quietly. “No, you are only half right. I’m thinking since you let everyone down, I am going to spank you in front of everyone on your bare bottom before dinner. Then you going to eat yours standing up at the mantle.”

Laurie’s jaw dropped and she hoped, no prayed, that Mama Tobin was joking.

“After dinner I am going to have Papa Joe or Eddie take you to the woodshed out back and tan your precious behind with a strop until you can’t sit down until Christmas. Then you’ll serve corner time while everybody else has a party.”

“Nooo, Mama… please I’m sorry, I’ll be good,” Laurie wailed, but Mama Tobin was already hauling her into the front from a spit from where the family were gathering.

“Oh please, please, please…” Laurie wailed as she went over Mama Tobin’s knee.

The back of her skirt was untucked and in a moment it was shucked down to her knees; quickly followed by her white cotton panties.

Across the room the conversation died and the twins giggled. Little monsters, Laurie thought as a tear sprang to her eye. Then from somewhere Mama Tobin produced a hairbrush and landed a heavy swat across Laurie’s bare bottom.

“Ooh,” she yelped, but that was only the opener.

The spanking lasted for a very long four or five minutes and Mama put every bit of herself into the rapid swats. “Think yourself lucky I have dinner to serve,” she growled.

Red faced and very red-bottomed Laurie sniffed back a tear and very gratefully went to face the wall next to the mantelpiece. Grateful because not only had the spanking stopped, but there was no way she could look anyone in the eye.

After a while the dinner was served and the conversation returned to normal. Earlier Laurie had been ravenous, but now she just picked at the food until Mama Tobin scolded her. Then she forced some down, the turkey just cardboard in her mouth.

“Eddie will you do the honours after dinner, with our Laurie I mean,” Mama said in a loud voice.

Laurie went lightheaded, please say yes, she prayed. Her handsome brother-in-law may hit harder than Papa Joe, and longer on account he wouldn’t keep stopping for a wheeze, but there were at least other compensations.

“My pleasure, Mama, I’ll get to it while you folks start desert.”

It was a small relief for Laurie and she heaved a sigh. Oh well I guess I deserve it, she thought ruefully.

Ends.