Shutes and Ladders, A Shelly Brooks Story, F/F (Part 2)

[chardt]

“Do you have those crusts ready, Susan?” asked Eloise Hutton, as she opened a jar of her preserved apple wedges.

“Yes, mom, they're ready, but do you really think we’ll need this many pies?” said Susan Brooks.

“They aren’t all for us, silly. Shelly always want’s some to take back to school with her and some are for the church bizarre.” They were working in the spacious kitchen of Eloise’s two story colonial in the orchard dominated section of New England country side. “And speaking of my granddaughter, shouldn’t she be here by now?”

Susan grabbed a kitchen towel and wiped some flower from her face. “She was a little late getting on the road, some kind of problem with the clothes dryer, but she should be here any minute,” she said.

“And how are her studies going? Is she still making the dean’s list?”

“Yes, mom, she’s doing great. She’s in the top five percent of her class.”

“She certainly has buckled down these last few years. Honestly, I was worried about her when she was in high school. She was getting pretty big for her britches and you and Bill being so permissive with her didn’t help.”

“Oh, mother, I was never permissive with her. Just because I didn’t wail her backside with a man’s belt for every misstep doesn’t mean I let her run wild. She spent plenty of time on restrictions. Anyway, she’s never been a bad girl; she’s just a little rash and strong willed.”

Eloise gave her daughter a sideways glance. “Huh, I can’t imagine who she got that from and she could have done with a little wailing. I probably never told you, but she even got a little sassy with me a few times when she stayed over.”

Susan rolled her eyes. “And you didn’t spank her?”

“I’m her grandma; it’s my job to stuff her with cookies and pie. Spanking her when she needs it is your duty.”

“Yes, mom, I’ll try to remember that.” Boy, if she only knew.

“And for the record, I wasn’t that much of a Tarter. It was because you were so stubborn and willful that you got spanked as much as you did. I hardly ever had to spank Patricia.”

“Oh I remember, little miss goodie two shoes.”

“She was a well behaved and sweetly dispositioned child. When she did get spanked it was usually because of some trouble that you led her into. I swear I think you did it sometimes just so I would have to spank her.”

The remark got a throaty chuckle from Susan. “It was pretty funny the way she’d jump up after and hop around the room like she was doing a rain dance.”

“Susan Colleen, I have half a mind to put you over my knee right now for taking pleasure in your sister’s misfortune. You know how I feel about that kind of behavior. And don’t think I can’t still do it!”

“Okay, mom, I’m sorry, but honestly, it was years ago, decades even.”

“Well, it always broke my heart to spank Pattie especially when I knew darn well you were the ring leader.”

“Yes, I know she’s your favorite, mother, but I got spanked on those occasions too in case you’ve forgotten.”

“I never played favorites with you girls, but she was certainly easier to rear up than you were. Honestly Susan, you were a constant challenge, always so willful and Shelly takes after you in that way.”

“A strong will isn’t always a bad thing, mom. I will concede that it takes a lot of managing though.”

Eloise Hutton was about to respond when the doorbell rang. “That should be your prodigal daughter now,” she said going to answer the bell. She pulled the door open to reveal Shelly holding her suitcase.

“Hi Grandma,” Shelly said stepping into the house. She set down her suitcase and accepted a hug from her grandma.

Eloise released her grandchild and stepped back to look her up and down. “I just can’t get over what a beautiful young woman you’ve become. I swear you could be a model.”

“And why should that surprise you, grandma. I was always adorable.”

“And so modest too. I was just telling your mom she should have spanked you a few times just to keep your ego in check.” She punctuated the remark with a firm smack on Shelly’s denim clad fanny making her squeak.

“I know I was a pain sometimes, grandma; even with you and I’m sorry,” Shelly said, rubbing her freshly stung cheek, “but for the record I have had a few spankings.” Susan Brooks came into the room just as she said it and Shelly registered the surprise on her mother’s face and her grandma’s as well.

“I don’t mean a few love pats when you were a toddler, dear.”

Shelly chuckled. “No, I wasn’t a toddler.”

“Well, slap and tickle games with boyfriends don’t count either I’m afraid.”

“Grandma, I’m shocked!” Where’d that come from? Does she know? Does it show or something?

“Well, I wasn’t always a grandma. I know what kind of games young people get up to when they’re in love and feeling frisky.”

“That’s not what I meant anyway.”

Eloise turned to her own daughter. “Susan, I was under the impression that you never put a hand to this child. Is she pulling my leg?”

Susan gave Shelly an exasperated look. “You opened this little topic for discussion, Shelly; if you want to explain it to your grandma, go ahead.”

“Well, I’m all ears,” said Eloise.

Shelly looked uncomfortable but she forged ahead. Deep down she’d wanted her grandma to know for a long time. “Well, it’s just that I always hated being grounded. I mean I know I deserved it, but it caused so many bad feelings between mom and me, then a few years ago she was yelling at me for something and I just asked her why she never spanked me like you did with her. We had a long talk about it and one thing led to another and well, mom spanked me.”

“A real spanking, like I gave her?”

“She got her bare seat introduced to the back of my hairbrush,” said Susan. “It was her choice to take the spanking and I warned her if she went through with it, it would be done to your standards.”

Eloise turned her attention back to Shelly. “And what did you think of that, granddaughter?”

“Well, I was embarrassed and it really hurt and I cried like a little girl, but when it was over it was over and I felt better and I think mom did too.”

“And this wasn’t just an isolated incident?” asked Eloise.

“Well, it doesn’t happen often, but she’s been to the woodshed with me a few times over the last three years,” said Susan.

“And you don’t think you’re too old for that?” asked Eloise.

“It’s just till I move out on my own,” said Shelly. “Anyway, mom only spanks me when I really deserve it. She always lets me tell my side if I don’t think I do.”

“She even managed to talk me out of it once or twice,” said Susan.

“Well, I must say, you have a very mature attitude about this, Shelly. I don’t recall your mother ever being so understanding when I had to discipline her.”

“Maybe not at the time, mom, but with twenty plus years to reflect on it I am glad you kept a firm hand with me and I’ve told Shelly so more than once.”

“She really has, grandma,” Shelly added.

“And strangely, she’s never said it to me.”

Susan Brooks rolled her eyes and then went to her mother and hugged her. “Thank you for being strict with me, mom. I know I needed it.”

“Your very welcome, Susan. Now, Shelly, why don’t you go put your things away and join us in the kitchen. We’ve still got plenty of work to get dinner ready.”

“Okay, grandma. I’ll be back in a jiffy.”

As Shelly headed off to the guest room Susan and Eloise returned to the kitchen. “So what does Bill think of you spanking his little princess?” Eloise asked. “I’d imagine he’s horrified.”

“He doesn’t know and don’t you go telling him. The spankings are strictly between me and Shelly. Sort of our little mom, daughter tradition.”

“I’m not surprised. I told him on your wedding day that he might need to turn you over his knee once in a while. He just laughed like I was making a joke.”

“Mother, you didn’t!”

“I did and I meant it. I’ll bet there are still times you deserve it.”

“Well, I’ll admit there might have been a few times when I was a young bride, but honestly, mom, I’m and old married woman now with two grown kids. I don’t do anything risqué enough to merit a spanking.”

“I have to say I’m not all that surprised Shelly volunteered for a shellacking. I think she’s always had a certain fascination with that particular punishment.”

Well that’s an interesting statement. Did she see something in my little girl that I missed? “What makes you say that, mom?”

“Oh even when she was as young as five or six I can remember her asking me about times that I spanked you, you know, why I did it, what I spanked you with, was it on the bare bottom, did you cry? She seemed to want all the gory details. She’d hang on every word too.”

“Well when I discussed it with her she said she’d heard me and you talking about it the whole time she was growing up and she seemed to have it in her head that she was being excluded from some wonderful family tradition or something. She said it always sounded like it was some kind of bonding experience between us.”

“And how does she feel about it now that she’s had her bare seat warmed up with a hairbrush a few times?”

“Well, she’s no hero about it when it’s time to take her panties down and face the music, but she’s never seriously argued about a spanking she knows she deserves. She always grits her teeth and takes her medicine.”

“And how do you feel about taking that big grown girl over your knee?”

“It’s never easy for me to do it, mom, but even with all of the fireworks involved with a sound spanking I’d still have to say it’s easier on the both of us than those groundings were. That was always hell on both of us.”

Eloise laughed. “That’s why you and Pattie got spanked instead of grounded. I never saw any sense in punishing myself when you girls were in trouble.”

They were distracted by the sound of Shelly coming back down the stairs. “That’s Shelly,” said Susan, “Now for heaven’s sake, let’s see if we can find a more pleasant topic than spanking.”

“I love your house, grandma,” Shelly said entering the kitchen. “It always smells like a bakery in here.”

“Grab an apron, granddaughter and jump in. There’s plenty of work for everyone.”

“What do you need me to do?”

“Since you’re such a big strong girl you can start mashing those potatoes.”

“Will do,” Shelly said grabbing the potato masher. “So, what’s for dinner?”

“There’s a honey glazed ham in the top oven. The bottom one’s full of pies.”

“And several more pies waiting I see. Are we going to eat all of these?”

“Some are for the church,” said Eloise, “and I assumed you’d want to take some back to college with you.”

“Well, of course I do. Cheyenne actually reminded me as I was leaving.”

“And how are you two getting along?” Susan asked. “Still bickering?”

Well, mom, I put her over my knee and spanked her butt fire engine red a few hours ago. Now that would be a conversation starter. “Better actually,” said Shelly. “It’s been a struggle, but she’s starting to come around. Her own room is still a disaster, but she’s not leaving messes all over the house anymore and she’s mostly getting her chores done on time.”

“I’m glad you’re getting along better,” said Susan.

“She’s not so bad once you get to know her. Just a little scatter brained,” said Shelly.

“Well, I’m glad you worked things out,” said Eloise. “There’s nothing worse than having to live with someone you can’t get along with.”

“No argument there,” said Shelly. “So, will we be enjoying your famous biscuits with our ham tonight?”

“They’re going into the oven as soon as that first batch of pies is done,” said Eloise.

“Have I mentioned how much I love coming here, grandma?”

“Well, I love having you, granddaughter.”



Shelly woke to the smell of bacon frying. She rubbed her eyes and glanced at the clock on the bedside table. 7:10 it read. Looking across at the other twin bed in the guest room she saw that her mother was already up. It didn’t surprise her. Her mother was always an early riser as was her grandma. Personally, she liked to sleep in, especially when she was on holiday. Mom must be downstairs helping grandma with breakfast, she thought.

She crawled out of bed, stretched, stepped into her slippers and made her way to the bathroom. Once she’d brushed her teeth and combed out her hair she considered getting dressed before going downstairs, but decided against it. Plenty of time for that after breakfast, she thought. It’s not like I have a busy day planed and my jammies are so comfortable.

She was wearing her favorite pair, the powder blue ones with the lambs jumping over the little fences. They had been special to her ever since she wore them to her first ever spanking across her mom’s sturdy lap three years earlier.

When she entered the kitchen she saw her mother setting the table and her grandma busy at the stove. “Good morning,” she said.

Her mother looked up from the place setting she was arranging. “Well, good morning, sleepy head. I was about to go wake you up for breakfast.”

“The sound of my tummy rumbling woke me. It must have been the smell of that bacon cooking. What else are we having?”

“Eggs and biscuits and pancakes and there’s maple syrup and honey and fresh apple butter,” said Eloise. “Sit down and I’ll start bringing it to the table. I already poured you some coffee and orange juice.”

“Grandma, you’re going to make me so fat!”

“Oh, as athletic as you are I don’t think you have to worry about that yet,” said Eloise.

“Well, I think I’ll have to take it easy,” said Susan. “Shelly might have inherited your fast metabolism, but I didn’t.”

“Oh, you’re just big boned like you dad. Are you still swimming?” said Eloise.

“Yes, mom, three times a week and I try to get some tennis in on the weekends.”

“It’s been a while since we played. How’s you game holding up?”

“I still can’t beat her,” said Shelly pulling out her chair.

“I suspect she’s been letting me win these last few years,” said Susan.

“I have not!” said Shelly. “When you serve that ball it’s just a blur.”

Susan Brooks gave her daughter a frown as she seated herself at the table. “You could have at least gotten dressed, Shelly,” she said.

“Oh, leave her be, Susan,” said Eloise as she scooped scrambled eggs onto Shelly’s plate. “She’s on vacation here. Besides, those pajamas are adorable. It reminds me of when she was little and she’d stay overnight with me.”

“They’re warm and comfy too,” said Shelly as she helped herself to some bacon.

“Well you’re not going to wear them all day I hope,” said Susan pouring syrup on a short stack of pancakes.

“No, I thought I’d go for a run a little later.”

“That’s a good idea,” said Eloise. “Work up an appetite for dinner. I’m making meatloaf.”

Shelly bit her lower lip at the mention of her grandma’s dinner plans. “Actually, I was wondering if you guys would mind if I missed dinner tonight.”

“Oh Shelly,” said Susan, “you just got here. Are you seriously planning to go running off somewhere already?”

“I’m sorry, mom, it’s just that Scott is playing in New York today and I’d kind of like to watch it at that sports bar down by the highway exit.”

“There’s a TV here, Shelly. You don’t need to go down to that road house to watch the game.”

“It isn’t a road house, mom, it’s a sports bar. It’s part of a national chain for heaven’s sake.”

“I’m not sure how that makes it any better,” said Susan.

“Well, I’m pretty sure Patrick Swayze isn’t in there beating people up with a pool cue.”

“I still don’t see why you can’t watch it here. You’re grandma is making meatloaf because it’s your favorite.”

“Oh, Susan,” said Eloise, “she wants to watch the game with other young people and its fine with me. We can make meatloaf tomorrow. You and I can eat the leftovers from last night. There’s still plenty.”

“I still don’t like the idea of you running off to some bar.”

“It’s really more of a restaurant, Susan. I watch football there with Mr. Jackson sometime. People bring their kids there. It’ll be fine.”

“Well, I hope you aren’t planning to be there until all hours,” said Susan.

“The game starts at 4:00, I’ll probably be back by 7:30. We’ll still have plenty of time to hang out.”

“I guess it’s all right if your grandma doesn’t mind,” said Susan, “but don’t you be all night down there and please go easy on the drinking. Remember, you’ll be driving back here after dark.”

“I doubt if I’ll have more than a beer or two, mom and I’ll eat there too. I’ll be fine.”

“Okay, sweetheart, have fun cheering for Scott, but do be careful,” said Susan.

“I will, mom, and speaking of Mr. Jackson, is that why you died your hair, grandma?” When she arrived the previous day, she noticed that her grandma’s once gray hair was again the shade of auburn that she had seen in old pictures of her.

“I was beginning to wonder if you even noticed it,” said Eloise. “I suppose it was partly for him and partly for me. After all, my grandkids are grown. I didn’t feel like I had to be gray haired old granny anymore.”

“I’m still having trouble getting used to the idea of my mother having a boyfriend,” said Susan.

“Oh, Susan, your father, God rest is soul, has been gone for fifteen years now. Surely you don’t begrudge me some company.”

“I don’t mom, it’s just that he seems awfully vigorous for a man of sixty-seven.”

“I like that he’s vigorous and for your information I’m still capable of some vigor myself, young lady.”

“I know, that’s what worries me. The two of you act like teenagers sometimes.”

“I think you look great, grandma,” said Shelly.

“Thank you, Shelly, I feel great.”

“Well, mom, if Shelly is going to go running I guess you and I can go to the flea market and see what kind of bargains we can find,” said Susan.

“That sounds like a plan,” said Eloise, “right after you help me with these breakfast dishes.”

“Maybe granddaughter can help too,” said Susan.

Eloise frowned. “Susan, she’s on vacation here. I want her to relax and have a good time. Not do chores.”

Shelly grinned at her mother. “Yeah, mom, I’m on vacation. You can’t expect me to work.”

“I hope you’re glad you have a grandma that spoils you so much.”

“I am,” said Shelly. “Thank you for spoiling me so much, grandma.”

“It’s my pleasure, dear.”




Susan Brooks sat on the couch with her mother looking at old photo albums. It had been a very pleasant and relaxing day. They’d spent most of the morning at the flea market where they each made several purchases and had a light lunch at a local café followed by a long walk through the orchards. Following her run, Shelly departed for the sports bar at three leaving them to eat a dinner of leftovers. Now they were having a good time drinking wine and reminiscing over the family photos.

“Goodness, it’s 7:30. Shouldn’t Shelly be back,” said Eloise, glancing at the mantel clock.

As if on cue, Susan Brooks’ cell phone began to chirp. “That’s her ring tone,” said Susan, “Hopefully, she’s calling to say she’s on her way back.”

She flipped the phone open and put it to her ear. “Yes dear, are you on your way home?”

There was a long pause as she listened. “Oh, for the love of heaven, Shelly; was anyone hurt?”

Another long pause. “The police, are you under arrest? Well, thank god for small mercies.”

She frowned at her mother and shook her head as Shelly continued to talk. “No, you stay right there until I come get you. I’ll be there in about twenty minutes.” She closed the phone.

“What is it, Susan, what’s happened?” asked Eloise.

“Oh, you’re going to love this,” said Susan.

“Somehow I doubt it, but go ahead.”

“Well, it seems Shelly ran into some other people there who were big fans. She sat with them and they were drinking beer in pitchers and eating wings, she’s not sure how many beers she had, three or four she thinks. Anyway the team lost. Apparently, Scott had a particularly bad night, some interceptions and a bad fumble or something.”

“But there was some kind of trouble?” asked Eloise.

“I’m getting to that part,” said Susan. “It seems there was another group there who were New York fans. They were drinking pretty hard and they kept trash talking Scott and the team. Shelly felt compelled to defend him and the others jumped in. The language got pretty salty and the manager told them to cool it a few times, but it kept flaring up again. Finally, some of the men got into a shoving match and some mugs were broken. That’s when the manager called the police and had the lot of them thrown out.”

“But she’s not under arrest?”

“No, the manager didn’t want to press charges, he just wanted them out. The problem is that Shelly says the cops are still hanging around the parking lot. She thinks they’re just waiting for the people that got thrown out to go to their cars so they can test them for DUI. You don’t have to be driving you know. If you even get into the car they can cite you.”

“And she’s had that much to drink?”

“She doesn’t think so, but she’s afraid to find out. I’m going to go down there and get her before anything else happens. Can you drive my car back if I drive Shelly’s?”

“Oh, I’m sorry dear, but I’m not allowed to drive after dark anymore. My eyes you know.”

“I forgot. Do you think her car will be okay if we leave it there over night?”

“It should be. The sports bar shares the parking area with the motel and gas station and that waffle place that never closes. There are always lots of cars and trucks there.”

“Okay, mom, you stay here and keep the home fires burning while I go fetch my wayward child.”

“I can’t believe Shelly would get mixed up in such a thing,” said Eloise.

“You see her through a grandma’s eyes. She may be a grown girl now, but she can still be rash and impulsive. I’ve had to go rescue her more than once.”

“Huh, I can’t imagine what that’s like.”

“Oh, touché, mother.”

“Are you sure you’re in the right frame of mind to be hitting the road? You’ve had some wine yourself and you’re obviously upset. Maybe you should take a few minutes to cool off.”

“I’ve only had one glass, mom and I’ll be fine by the time I get there. The longer I wait the more chances she’ll have to get into more trouble.”

“All right, dear, drive careful. I’ll keep the porch light on for you.”

“Thanks, I’ll be back in about forty minutes, I hope.” She grabbed her coat and purse and dashed out the door.

To Be Continued.

[Often123]

This is another good one, chardt. Now we have some more background on Shelly and her family, and helps explain how she bacame a spanko. I also liked how you led into her tendencies as a switch. Oh boy, wait until Susan picks her up and takes her back to Eloise's home!