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Rival Cousins (X/M)

Maggie Evans bit back a sigh.

"Why did I ever agree to this?" Maggie wondered. "Why did I decide to ruin my summer this way?"

When it was just one on one she enjoyed the company of her nephews, but together they were too much like their fathers. Maggie had grownup seeing her old brothers trying endlessly to one up each other and now their sons were keeping that tradition alive. A small fact she had forgotten when she agreed to host both boys for the summer holidays.

Their first day at her home set the tone for what was to come. They both just happened to be carrying their grades with them and ending up comparing them, which led to a dispute over how one university's marking system compared to the other. Day two was spent on the internet comparing the virtues of their respective universities, each trying to prove that he had done better during his freshman year than his cousin.

But grade debates could only go on for so long. Next it was who had best score on this game? On that game? On anyone of a dozen games? And when the game lists didn't overlap, which was the hardest to get a good score at - one that Quentin played or one that Barney had mastered?

Then the competition expanded as they compared other things. How many twitter followers? How many Facebook friends? If they both joined G+ on the same day then who would get the biggest circle the fastest?

That latest competition had been too much. Maggie had declared an outing day, one free of computers, phones, tweets, updates, and the rest of the electronic world. Which left one question: where to go?

The boys were too old for a fairgrounds visit or other childish play but Maggie couldn't see taking them out on pub crawl or other university style entertainment. Checking around, a friend recommended this place. Julia Hoffman had told Maggie about it, saying that the boys wouldn't be bored and it might even improve their attitude a bit. Until then, Maggie hadn't known this place existed and if she had know she would have never thought that it gave tours, but an email confirmed that they did give tours and that while she could book one for the next day they needed details on the party - names and ages at the minimum.

To her embarrassment, Maggie found herself rambling a bit in her email. After giving the boy's ages, she noted that even though they shared a last name they were cousins, not brothers, and had been born only a week apart. Then she mentioned how this outing was to get a break from their eternal one-upmanship.

The reply brought the details for their trip. When to arrive, how long it should take, that sort of thing.


Which is how they came to be touring the Easthill Reformatory for Males. Males, not boys, because even though the delinquents here dressed in old fashioned schoolboy uniforms they were all over the age 18. The idea was that by returning them to a younger mindset they would be more easily absorb the life skills lessons designed to keep them from re-offending.

Three passes were waiting for them at the gatehouse, made out in the names of Maggie Evans, Barney Collins, and Quentin Collins. Photos were taken at the gatehouse, affixed to the visitors' passes, and the three were admitted.

Barney had to admit to himself that this was good idea. He would have never thought of touring a place like this. Back in high school he had seen some 'scared straight' presentations, but those involved hardened thugs. They featured scary looking people who murdered or were otherwise batshit crazy. Coming here, seeing low risk offenders, this would be different. But while he admitted this was a good idea to himself, there was no way he would say so out loud. Not until Quentin said something first.

Looking around, Quentin wanted to say what an amazing idea this was, but wouldn't until after his cousin Barney said something. Glancing about, he couldn't help wondering what would have happened if he had been the one holding when the cops pulled them over that time. Sure, he knew what happened to Buzz, but Buzz had three arrests as a juvenile, two as an adult, and was on probation when he was caught holding those party favours. With his spotless record, Quentin knew that he wouldn't gone away like Buzz had. It would have been community service at most. Or maybe he would have ended up in this place after being diverted from the main system.


Their guide, a warder named Albert Loomis, showed them the intake room and apologised that it was empty.

"Ya see we normally try to time these tours around intakes, so ya can see a delinquent being processed in, but we can't always manage it." Loomis told them. "We control when they go, but not when they come."

"Don't the courts control both dates?" Maggie asked.

"Ya'd think so, but we have some say when they go. Mostly morning or afternoon, but sometimes administrative issues come up." Loomis told them.

"What do you mean?" Quentin asked.

"Let's say someone gets sentenced to between six and ten and half months." Loomis said. "And no, I'm not making that up. Last week we got someone who had a sentence like that. Well it's up to the guy and the officials here to say how long that is. If he keeps his nose clean and has a good attitude then he's out in six. If his attitude is a bad one, he's here for the max. Most likely it's something between the two. So maybe eight months from now someone in the office will be looking at his calendar and circling a convenience day to let the lad go. A day when we don't have a heavy workload so we can give them a proper 'don't come back here' send off."

"Ah, indeterminate sentences." Barney nodded sagely. "I'm surprised that Quentin didn't know about them."

"And the judges don't send them all here. Now if ya will just step this way I'll show you were the lads store their property."

Immediately beyond that was a shower room, complete with a hose in case the newcomer didn't want to get wet.


Then Loomis was leading them down a corridor, telling them to get ready for the high point of the first part of the tour.

"But we haven't seen where they get issued their uniforms yet." Maggie pointed out. "Did we skip a room?"

"No, that happens after the next room." Loomis said. "They undress before the shower and there's no point in dressing them until later."

"So they walk naked down this corridor?" Barney asked.

"Yes, and if there was one coming in today ye'd see that for yourself."

"Would that be right?" Quentin asked.

"It's a questions of rights all right." Loomis agreed. "The delinquents lose most of theirs when they get here."

While Loomis mentioned going to the next room, he led them passed an unmarked door. Maggie assumed that it led to a closet or maintenance corridor while neither of the boys gave it a moment's thought. Especially not after Loomis led them through the next door.

Each of them paused on the threshold, not entirely sure if they should enter, but enter they did, coming into the left hand side of the room as they tried to take in the details.

There was a large mirror on one wall, but it barely registered. There, dominating the room, where four contraptions. Weird piece of wooden furniture covered with straps and strategically placed pieces of leather.

"And these are what ya came to see." Loomis said, ignoring their puzzlement. "The spanking benches. The delinquent's legs go there, he bends there, that part supports his chest, and you can see where his arms are secured."

As Loomis pointed, their minds filled in the details and formed a mental picture. Of the nude delinquent dragged here still wet from the showers and secured there.

"Now, and this isn't meant as a slight on ya, there's a bit we always say here. We didn't used to but saying it can say up to twenty minutes of havering."

"Havering?" Barney asked.

"To haver means to hem and haw." Loomis explains. "That's when ya go 'um er um you know, well, um, er' and such without really saying anything. Ya see, so many people try to talk around the subject that we find it's easier just to answer the question before it's asked. And that answer is yes."

"And the question?" Maggie prompted.

"We get a lot of guests, male and female, somewhere between a quarter and third of those who come through here, asking if they can lay on the benches." Loomis explained. "And the answer is yes. If any of ya want to ya can position yaself on the bench."

"People asked that?" Maggie asked, wondering if she should try it. After all, when would she get the chance again?

"And the answer to the other questions is yes too."

"Which ones are those?" Barney asked.

"Ya see, some people want to dare more." Loomis explained. "So they ask if they can get on with their skirts up or jeans down. And then some say they want to try it with their bare butts showing. And some, whether they're fully dressed or not, want to try to see what the tongue protector feels like. Or to be really positioned, strapped in as it were. Some of them even make a competition of it."

Both cousins looked at each other.

"While I'm trying it." Barney said,

"And I'm trying it with my jeans down." Quentin countered.

"Well if Aunt Maggie wasn't here I'd have more than my jeans down." Barney said.

"Well she is, and I'm going to try that tongue protector thing."

"Yeah, well I'm going to strapped in." Barney countered. "Just like a convict."

"Well I'm going..."

"Ya aunt doesn't have to be here." Loomis said, interrupting Quentin.

"Huh?"

"What?"

"See that door there?" Loomis pointed. "That's a room for those who don't want to be here when someone's trying out the devices. She can wait there."

The boys looked at each other. Maggie, on the other hand, looked at the large mirror beside the door that Loomis indicated.

"I used to change your diapers and give you baths." Maggie pointed out. "But if it makes you feel better I'll leave the room so you can prove how tough you each are."

"Um, yeah." Barney said, looking at Quentin. Challenging his cousin to call it off.

"See you later then." Quentin said, meeting his cousin's stare.

Loomis opened the door for Maggie and closed it once she stepped through.

As Maggie suspected, one wall of the room was dominated by a viewing window. It gave a perfect view of the benches and if they were occupied you would have wonderful of the targets as the straps crashed down on them. Speakers were placed around the viewing area, allowing viewers to listen in to the other room. Several comfortable chairs were arranged around the viewing area and a desk with a few chairs around it stood in the corner of the room. In the other rear corner was a door, obviously the one from the corridor.

Sitting, Maggie wondered how far the boys would go before calling it off.


Quentin looked at his cousin and undid his jeans. Barney stared back and took off his shoes. Both of them dropped their jeans, Barney slightly later, but Barney took his underwear down at the same time and stepped out of his clothes.

"Well if that's all you're going to..." Barney said, turning to one of the spanking benches.

"You know it isn't." Quentin snarled, twisting his shoes off as he dropped his jockeys.

Watching them go at, Maggie wondered if they had actually measured their cocks yet. If not she was sure it was only a matter of time before they did.

"Now which of ya said you wanted the tongue protector?" Loomis asked.

"I did."

"Me."

Shaking his head, Loomis produced leather straps with rubber bits on them.

"The rubber part goes through ya teeth." Loomis told them, holding one up to show them. "Ya need to fasten this bit shut but not lock it. The lock's only for delinquents but it doesn't stay in place without fastening."

The cousins competed to see who could get his on first. Maggie thought it was tie.

"Now if ya will just get on a bench I'll strap ya in." Loomis said. "Assuming that is that neither wants to change ya mind."

Neither wanted to be the first to back out, so they both mounted machines, wincing at the unfamiliar feeling of leather at their crotches.

"Bet ya happy we switched to a padded model." Loomis mentioned. "On the old models the wood used to dig in something fierce. Okay, I'll work from the top first."

Loomis secured Barney's wrists and arms, then used a strap to bind Barney's chest to the device. Moving to the next machine he did the same to Quentin. Moving down the machine Loomis adjusted it slightly then took hold of one of Quentin's legs. Quentin tried to keep his legs together, but Loomis didn't seem to notice his resistance.

As that first leg was being secured, it dawned on Quentin that the bit didn't need to be locked on. With his arms secured there was no way that he could access it. He was as silenced as if the gag was locked firmly in place. And as Loomis moved him, Quentin wanted to speak. He didn't like how the machine had shifted or how Loomis was positioning him. Quentin's legs were apart and his butt was raised, in the perfect place for a spanking.

As Loomis moved over to Barney, Maggie heard the door open behind her. A woman said:

"Oops, I thought you said no one was being admitted."

"They aren't. They're on the tour."

Maggie turned to see the trio. A woman in her late 20s, a boy around her nephews' age, and woman dressed in a warder's uniform. A quick, if embarrassing, round of introductions later Maggie learnt that the tourists were Carolyn Stoddard, the older cousin of David (the lad accompanying her), and that the warder's last name was Winters (no first name was offered).

"Um, you see, our guide said they lay on the benches if they wanted to and it became a competition and they both started to up either other so..." Maggie explained.

"Typical boys." Carolyn laughed. "And that's where they ended up."

"I could probably top them both." David bragged as Barney was secured.

"Really?" Winters laughed. "How could you? They've already gone the maximum. Why, the only way you could top them would be to sample the strap."

"That I would." David bragged.

"Sorry to leave ya boys." Loomis said. "But there's another tour scheduled and I've got to check on it. Ya don't want anyone to walk in ya like this, do ya?"

Barney tried to answer that no one would walk in on them if Loomis freed them now.

"I'd let ya up, but it takes long minutes to do that." Loomis said, as if sensing the question. "They go on faster than they come off."

With that, he left them, going to the observation room. Shutting the door, he looked at his co-worker.

"Winters."

"Loomis."

"Um, as you can see the next group is here already." Maggie said. "Maybe it's time to move along?"

"Loomis, before you go." Winters said. "David here was asked about the bathroom situation, but he changed his mind when I told him of the lack of privacy and how a warden would have to be there with him. Would you mind taking him? I'll handle things here."

"It will mean they wait for a while longer, but why not? I know these types. If not for the bits they'd be daring each other to see who would stay longer."

"They would." Maggie agreed in a sad voice.

"Well, if you come this way." Loomis said, leading David to the corridor door.

"Is it really fair to make them wait?" Carolyn said as her cousin left. "It's not like those boys are convicts."


Winters waited until the door was shut before she answered.

"Not all of our delinquents are convicted of anything." Winters told the woman. "We have a private program where some are signed in by their families."

"Really?"

"What? Is that legal?" Maggie asked.

"Perfectly legal." Winters assured her. "Lawyers have been looking at those agreements for years and none of them have found a flaw. Here, I'll show you what they look like."

Winters led them to the desk and opened its top drawer. Producing forms and booklet, Winters began explaining.

"The length of the stay goes there and there, to ensure that there are no mistakes. If those two bits don't match up then it's the shorter of the two times that's enforced." Winters said.

"How could they not match up?" Carolyn asked.

"If you fill the paperwork on the day of admittance then they would, but let's say you took the paperwork home with you. You plan to admit the delinquent on July 1st and decide on a two week stay, so you put the 15th there. But something happens and the delinquent doesn't arrive until July 2nd. Then he'd be released on the 15th, spending just shy of two weeks here."

"Oh." Carolyn said.

"And we have different rates for different amounts of time." Winters said, opening the booklet. "There's the overnight special, the one and two week 'scared straight' programs, and the time goes up from there. This chart breaks it down. You'll notice that the per day rate keeps dropping until it hits the three month point. That's because various fixed costs have to be seen to if the delinquent is here for a day or for months."

"And parents can just sign children in?" Maggie asked in disbelief.

"No, parents and guardians can sign in those under the age 21." Winters clarified. "If the delinquent is 21 or over then he would need to sign here and initial here, here, and here."

"Who would ever sign that?" Carolyn asked in shock.

"Mainly they are well off lads whose families give them a choice. Come here and get straightened up or stop sucking on the family tit." Winter explained. "Faced with making own way in the world or coming here, many come here."

"What if they turn 21 while they are here?" Carolyn asked.

"Oh, we can't be bothered updating paperwork with every birthday." Winter replied. "As long as it's signed a day before they turn 21 it's binding."

"How do you define guardian?" Maggie asked, remembering an odd turn of phrase that Julia had used when mentioning this place.

"Well, for example, if David was staying at Carolyn's place and he was under 21 while she was over 21, she would be his guardian."

"What?" Carolyn asked in surprise.

"Full majority doesn't seat until age 21." Winters explained. "Until then, they are minors in certain legal ways and technically require a guardian."

Which answered Maggie's question. If Carolyn counted as David guardian than she certainly counted for the boys. At least for the summer.

"So if I signed something like..."

"Then David would be admitted and find his butt over a bench, just like those delinquents."

"Excuse me, but those are my nephews." Maggie corrected.

"But their recent actions have been very immature, haven't they?" Winters asked. "Challenging each other so they ended up like that. Why, I am willing to bet that if I walked into the room and offered to strap them then neither would want to be the first to back down."

"Really? What do you bet?" Maggie asked.

"If I'm right I'll want your advance permission to strap them until they signal me to stop, and if I'm wrong then I'll admit it." Winters said solemnly. "When was the last time you heard someone admit that she was wrong? No equivocations, just 'I was wrong'?"

"Um, it has been a while." Maggie admitted. "And since I'm right there's no harm in asking the boys."

"And if they say yes you can ask my cousin." Carolyn chimed in. "And if he says yes to ten then I'll even think about signing him in so he'll have time to recover."

"If he's admitted then he'll go back on and get more than ten." Maggie pointed out.

"Well I'm not driving him back to the hotel if he's whining." Carolyn countered.

"Ladies, one step at time. Let's get this over with before Loomis returns with David."

With that, she rose from the desk and walked to the room where the boys waited.


Barney was trying hard not to make a sound. He was sure that any sound he made now would be taken as a sign of weakness from the equally silent Quentin. But it was hard, being trapped there.

Then he heard the door open and relaxed, knowing that Loomis was back.

"Now I know that we aren't admitting anyone today." Winters stated in a firm voice.

At the sound of a woman's voice both Barney and Quentin jerked against their bindings.

"So I'm guessing that you're here trying to prove something. Trying to go the longest without grunting to be let off." Winters continued. "Grunt once if I'm right."

Barney grunted. After a moment's hesitation, Quentin followed him.

"Typical macho bullshit." Winters commented. "The type of thing that gets delinquents strapped to those benches. But I don't have time for this. I'm leading a new group through here in a few minutes and I need you out of the way. Grunt if you want me to speed this pissing contest up."

As they answered, Winters picked up a heavy leather strap.

"Those benches aren't for posing on, they're for use." Winters said. "So which of you are game to take it up a notch?"

Both boys grunted.

Maggie frowned. There was no way that she was going to accept that vague statement as consent.

"All right then. I'll start strapping your delinquent little bottoms and keep going until you start grunting fast and loud. One whack at a time, alternating until someone gives up. Grunt if you're up for that."

There was a delay, but a pair of grunts answered her.

Maggie relaxed, still frowning. They had both clearly agreed to those terms.

SPLAT!

Barney jerked against his bonds as pain exploded across his backside. He was too stunned to do anything but wiggle against the bench.

SPLAT!

Quentin tried to howl as the strapped landed hard. Rather than screams all he produced was a series of grunts.

SPLAT!

Barney produced a series of high pitch grunts.


"And it's over." Winters announced. "Or is it?"

She dropped her hand to touch where the strap landed on Quentin. Stroking his reddening skin, she said:

"He beat you two to one. Do you want to have a change to tie? Then calm down and give a single grunt."

Maggie could barely believe it, but Quentin did just that! He as so into the competition that he agreed to another lick from the strap. She was sure that the woman's hand her nephew's bottom had nothing to do with his decision.

SPLAT!

Quentin returned to giving rapid high pitch grunts.

Winters moved to Barney, dropping her hand to feel the imprints left by the strap. Barney wiggled slightly as she felt the warmth in his backside.

"It's tied now." Winters said. "Are you happy with that, or are you going to give a single grunt and go for the win?"

Maggie was less surprised this time. After Quentin's answer there was only one response that Barney could give and he gave it.

SPLAT!

Once more Barney's cries produced a series of high pitch grunts.

Winters rubbed Quentin's backside and asked again, but Quentin wasn't up for it. Then she asked if Barney wanted to increase his lead and Barney demurred.

"Fine then. I'll see what's keeping Loomis and have him release you." Winters said. "Unless you want to be standing naked in front of me? No? Didn't think so. First day delinquents never do."

Think about that, of being naked in front of woman that they had never seen, that they had only heard and felt, caused an unfortunate reaction in both boys.


Not that Winters noticed. She left the room, shutting the door behind her.

"Um, they are, um, their things..." Carolyn said.

"Oh, that happens all the time." Winters said, not bothering to look. "We ignore it. It's just boys being boys."

"You've won the bet." Maggie admitted.

"And I've collected my winnings off of their backsides." Winters said with a sense of satisfaction. "And when your cousin returned I'll tell him the truth. That the boys before him took five smacks and ask if he really thinks he can take double that."

"Um, I didn't say for sure." Carolyn said. "Just that I'd think about it if he was fool enough to take ten."

"If he's the headstrong sort to take a dare like that, then he'll end up here soon enough." Winters asked. "Here or a regular jail."

Carolyn seemed to think about that.


Then Loomis was back with David.

"Sorry about the wait." Loomis announced. "It's not easy to explain them enema things without showing them."

"Well those lads are ready to be taken down." Winters announced. "And I hurried them along for you."

"Did ya now?" Loomis asked. "How did ya do that?"

"I told them there was another group coming and we couldn't wait until one cried uncle first. So I offered to strap them until they called this silly contest off."

"You did?" David asked, his eyes glued to the boy's backside. He could see redness there.

"I'll let them up then."

Loomis went to the other room. This time he started at the back, freeing their legs first. After both boys had their legs free he moved up the benches.

"So do you still think you can do better than they did?" Winters asked in a bored tone.

"I can do twice as good as they did." David bragged.

"They took five." Winters said, being only technically truthful by giving their combined totals.

"Well I can take ten!" David said.

"Are you really saying that you want me to strap you on one of those benches and give you ten with the strap?" Winters asked.

"I sure am." David bragged, his voice slightly weaker as what he was volunteering for sunk in.

"Well I'll ask you again, after those boys leave. When there are fewer witnesses." Winters told him. "And I'll ask a third time, once you're strapped down but before I slid the tongue protector in. If you say that last time then I'll give you your ten with the strap."

"Um, I'll say yes all those times." David said, a bit of a shake entering his voice.

"Then I'll hang back here at the desk." Carolyn said. "There are booklets I can read here so if you are stupid enough to ask for it then I won't have to be in the room when you get it."

As they waited for the boys to dress, Maggie noticed that Carolyn was playing around with a form. She had picked up a pen from the desk and was holding it as she looked through the forms.

Then the boys were dressed and Maggie went to join them.


Barney glanced at the wall and frowned. With his eyes fixed on the spanking benches he hadn't noticed the large mirror there. The same sort of mirror he had seen in countless police dramas. When Maggie opened the door beside the mirror he knew that she had seen everything. That she had waited until they were dressed then entered the room without anyone having to tell her that they were ready.

'Then again, she saw me win.' Barney thought. 'And she's just an old woman who used to change my diapers.'

As for Quentin, he didn't seem to notice the window at all. Rubbing at his backside, he didn't look back as Loomis led them from the room.


Maggie felt that the rest of the tour was anticlimax. That for a good sense of drama they should show the spanking benches at the end of the tour, working up to them, rather than at the beginning. But that room was physically located there and if they had been following a newly admitted delinquent then they would have followed him into it.

The rest of the tour, of seeing men dressed in short pants forced to take classes and do PE in tight shorts, just didn't measure up to that first bit. Even seeing a smack or two land, it didn't compare to the minor strapping that her nephews had insisted on.

But Maggie didn't want to even think about the word compare. Barney was using every excuse to remind Quentin who lost that contest. That he had been forced to endure three licks seemed to mean less than Quentin's losing.


They were near the end of the tour before anything approached that early high point. They caught sight of a young man bawling and rubbing at his bare, dark red bottom. It was an almost meaningless sight to the boys, but it meant something important to Maggie.

"What's his problem?" Barney asked.

"Him? Oh he's a new lad. Probably the newest we have. A shame you couldn't watch his admittance, but there is it." Loomis wax philosophically.

Maggie knew why they hadn't watched his admittance. David had entered the building after them but was now clearly staying on as a delinquent.


The tour ended at the gatehouse. As they were doing some exit paperwork, Carolyn Stoddard entered the room.

She was alone, not that Maggie thought it would be otherwise.

"Hello again." Maggie said.

The two boys looked over.

"Oh, she's just someone I ran into while you two were having your little contest." Maggie explained. "She was in the group behind us."

Barney paused, putting facts together. Maggie had been in the viewing room. She had met someone from the next tour. That woman had said that they had to move along because another tour was coming.

Barney fought off a blush as he realised the woman must have seen him secured over that spanking bench, being strapped by that woman warder.

"Hi." Carolyn said with a smile. "I wondered if I'd catch up with you. I was with a smaller group but we had to have a do over for that first part."

Maggie nodded, understanding that Carolyn had watched her cousin being admitted.

Leaning close, Carolyn confided that she hadn't really had a choice. That David had gone all hysterical and there was no way she could manage him until he calmed down.

"And if a week doesn't get him settled there's always the fortnight option." Carolyn whispered.

Maggie nodded, remembering how the guide had mentioned that all boys got a "be good and don't come back" session on their last day.


The drive home was hell. Barney kept asking if Quentin could sit comfortably, what with him having a weak little girlie bum that had to be sore.


Once they were safely home and the boys were counting G circle members, Maggie took the time to go through the paperwork they had given her as she left the reformatory. It had felt thick and as she suspected there a little something extra mixed in with the receipts and her copy of wavers. An envelope holding paperwork.

Opening it she found two contracts, each filled out with all the information she had given them on her nephews. There was a discreet page listing lengths of stay and prices, which included a column labelled "both", but not listing where the stay would be or what it would involve. That was covered in the contracts.

Her mind whirling, Maggie called her friend Julia to talk. From her first words it was clear that Julia had expected Maggie to leave one or both of the boys at the reformatory.

"You should think about it." Julia urged. "It did my Roger a world of good. When a boy comes back from there he comes back ready to mind you."

"I might think about it." Maggie admitted. "If they keep this up. I'm not sure if I can last the summer with both of them going at it. It was bad enough when my brothers did; they were years older and I couldn't stop them, but to see Barney and Quentin following that same path... Maybe a month or two would do them good."

"Just read the contract carefully." Julia urged her. "If they act too defiantly at the start of their stay they might have it extended at the taxpayer's expense. You might want to build in a grace period before anyone expects to see them again. After all, you can always extend their stay if do behave."


Initially selecting a two week option, Maggie ended up paying to board Quentin there for most of the summer while Barney's mostly free stay meant he barely made it back in time to return home. In theory both boys didn't have to stay for Barney's misdeeds, but Maggie wasn't going to let one boy crow about being the winner.

Quentin returned home ready, as Julia said, to 'mind her', but Barney less so.

"Perhaps later I'll thank you for the experience there." Barney said. "When my hand fully heals."

"I still don't know how you broke it. No one at the reformatory told me anything until weeks after it happened."

"Let's just say I didn't know how to make a proper fist." Barney replied with a grin.

"What?"

"How do you think I earned all that extra time?" Barney asked, his voice serious. "Two types of men emerge from that place. Well behaved boys, like Quentin, and men who know what they like, or at least what they can endure. After a short while all the delinquents are obedient, but some of us are only obedient on the outside. This may or may not have wakened a hunger in me. If it did then perhaps I'll thank you. Until then, who knows?"

Maggie could only look at him and wonder if she had made terrible mistake with him. Or maybe Quentin was the mistake? Either way, it would take years to tell.

Goodgulf