"What's this Son?" asked my dad without much warmth in his voice
"its a note from my Headmaster daddy" I mumbled looking at my feet.
"Take a seat son, so we can discuss what happened yesterday. First though let me read this."
I sat at the table - not mum or Scott would meet my eyes. This wasn't looking good. I saw my dad frown as he began to read the note.
"Just as I thought, I have been over estimating your maturity. Cheating and bullying on top of yesterdays action! So what do you have to say for yourself?"
"Daddy its not fair!" I whined "Today, all the boys were making fun of another boy, but when we were caught, for some reason, when the master asked the boy who was responsible, the boy said it was me - and it wasn't!" I pleaded.
"Mmm unlikely - go on!"
"And then I had finished my Latin test early, so I was just looking around the room to kill time, and the Master started to say I was cheating. I said that I had finished but he just wouldn't let me explain!" I reasoned.
"So what did the headmaster say when you explained?" asked my dad
"Well he said that I was still responsible for causing the boy pain, it didn't matter if I had started it or not. And that by looking around at other boys papers, I was trying to check my own answers" I mumbled
"I think, young man, I agree with your headmaster! So was your caning justified?" pressed my father
"Ummm no daddy I didn't mean to be bad. It wasn't fair!"
"but you were bad weren't you son - so was your caning justified?" he demanded again
After a long pause, utterly defeated, I sighed "Yes daddy it was"
"So you agree that you have come home after been rightly punished for being a cheat and a bully?"
"Yes daddy" I mumbled
"And what of last night- what made you think you could give your brother a spanking?" demanded my mum
"He asked for it mummy!" I exclaimed, frustrated "he broke 2 plates messing around in the kitchen and was worried about being grounded. I said he should be punished - and he agreed that I should do it to stop you being involved!" I was getting frustrated now.
"Josh - you said you wouldn't say!" shouted my brother standing up suddenly
"SIT DOWN Scott!" demanded my father "Is this true Scott?"
"Yes daddy - but you said you wouldn't say anything" he whined turning to me "You promised!"
"I know Scott, I'm sorry - but the game is up" I mumbled completely beaten "they have to know" I looked across to my brother who was completely furious. I suppose I could have protected him and shouldered the blame, but I was in enough trouble
"So Scott - is this true, you were trying to deceive us by covering up your wrongdoing? You know you would get a grounding for breaking the plates after the window - I warned you to be more careful!" probed father
"Yes daddy its true - I'm sorry" mumbled Scott who looked like he was about to cry. "it was an accident!"
"That may be true, I am cross though because of the deception. I m very disappointed in both of you. I will think about what punishment you deserve for this while you are upstairs changing." Growled my father. "As for you though Joshua, I had been thinking about your behaviour over the last month. Your mummy and I are worried about how poorly you and Scott are getting along, and that maybe we were putting an unnecessary divide between you by allowing you different things"
"no daddy its not that" I stammered, fearful of what was bout to be said
"Oh I think it is" continued my father, supported my nods from mother. "Your mummy and I had already decided that you should go back and share the same bedroom again; so when you go upstairs, you'll find that your old room is locked, and that everything you need is back in Scott's!"
"Please daddy, mummy - its not fair, we both need our space!" I begged
"That's as maybe, but not at the expense of growing apart and disliking one another. I'm sick to death of you two fighting with each other" butted in mother.
"Maybe when you learn to get along again we can let you have your room back - but not until." Finished father. "So off you both go and get out of your school clothes. We will discuss the rest of your punishments when you get back down, Your mummy and I need to talk." With that Scottie and me shuffled off.
When we got upstairs Scottie was furious with me. "Why did you have to tell - I hate you!"
"I'm sorry Scottie, but they had to know. I would never had done it unless you agreed, and I didn't want them thinking I was bullying you, cause Id never do it."
"But you promised!"
"I know and I'm really sorry it didn't work out" I continued as we entered our room. Sure enough, all my stuff had been arranged around the other bed in the room. In the spare wardrobe I could see my clothes, and on my old beside cabinet I cold see my own books. It was like the last year when I had enjoyed my own space hadn't happened.
"And what's worse is your taking up all the space in my room" whined Scott "And I bet I get a grounding too! I'm going to get even with you for this!"
"Dont be like that, I'm not thrilled to be here either!" I reasoned as we began to undress. I folded my long on a hanger, and pulled off my school underpants. There was no point of trying to keep any privacy, from now on my brother and I would be in each others pockets, so there was no point of hiding. I turned to look at Scottie who was still really mad, though by now had removed all his clothes and had picked up a pair of blue shorts. As I had the same pair (mum still liked to buy in twos) I started to put them on too - I thought it might show solidarity!
"And I'm glad you got caned -look at the lines on your bottom!" scowled Scott. Sure enough some rather red lines were clearly visible all over my bottom. It still hurt badly, but my mind ad been taken of it for a bit. I pulled the navy shorts over my bottom, and elected the exact same shirt that Scottie was wearing, and pulled it on too. We then went back down stairs to face the music.
First we ate dinner in near silence. No one wanted to make any small talk Then after desert, father broke the silence by announcing what had been decided. "Joshua, we are very disappointed in you. After coming back last night and thinking that you were doing so well, today has been a series of setbacks. Deception, bullying and cheating. You haven't grown up at all really - so its no wonder that these privileges we have given you over the past few years has frustrated Scott so much. He is right there is no difference between you.
"We have been wrong in treating you different, so from now on things are going to change. And I dont think sharing a room is going to be enough!"
"um, what do you mean?" I mumbled, knowing exactly what was going to be said.
"Well until you really can be trusted young man, there is no point in treating either of you other than the little boys you are. So first, your going back into short trousers at all times!"
"Noooo!" actually I hadn't counted on this - especially school "Please daddy dont put me back in shorts, I cant face school in shorts after what happened."
"If you had been in shorts none of this bullying would have happened. They have given you ideas about yourself that aren't true. You are no better than anybody else. So you can say goodbye to the long trousers - and the underpants for that matter. Little boys should be simply dressed - and you are still a little boy in my eyes!" This was horrible news. To have to go back to school in shorts was going to be awful, I think I was about to start crying in the shame, but held on. I could see a smirk spread across Scott's face.
"And another thing" continued father "From now on you will go to bed at the same time as Scott. And you can forget PJ bottoms too" this I had expected, so just hung my head in shame. "Which brings me to both of your behaviours yesterday. I do not like being deceived, especially by little boys!" At this point Scott and I exchanged glances. This was not going to be good. "Scott, you were right about the grounding for the breakage, so you will come straight home from school and not leave this house every night for the next two weeks. Weekends will be spent doing chores for me or your mother"
"Yes daddy" murmured Scott. This wasn't so bad, I think he was expecting a month.
"But that doesn't cover the deception." Continued father. "Lets go into the living room!" My heart sank. This meant a spanking. On top of the caning. What a day. My father led the way and we both followed. He sat in his armchair and addressed us both. "Boys, you know I am going to spank you for this. Scott I realise you have been spanked, but this is for deception, not the breakage. Joshua, I know you have been caned, but this is for what you have done to Scott, and the part you played in the deception. Get yourselves ready."
Once gain, Scott and I exchanged glances; there was no point in arguing, it would only make things worse. Scott was on a sticky wicket anyway - if he argued, daddy might ground him for longer. We slowly started to remove our t shirts. As it was evening. That meant we only had to take off our shorts before we were completely naked. After folding our shirts on the other armchair, I slowly slipped off my shorts, and watched Scottie doing the same. We then both stood bare in front of our dad for our spanking, hands behind our back as we had been taught.
For joint spankings, Scottie always went first, and dad beckoned him forward and son had him over his lap bottom in the air ready for punishments. This always put my mind off my own spanking seeing Scot get his, so I watched mesmerised as my dads hand came down time and time again on to each of my brothers plump buttocks. He was squawking enough to wake the dead by the end - nose streaming, tears flowing, as he returned to my side. It was then my turn, as I was pulled over my dads lap. I thought of my own bum in the air as I had just seen Scott's, as I waited for the first spank.
My bottom then went though its second experience that day, and I cried like a baby. On top of the caning, it hurt so much. By the time I was allowed up I was in as bad a way as Scottie. We were then put close together in the corner, hands on head, close enough so that the skin of our legs and hips were touching, before we were told to get off to bed. We stood there for about an hour sniffling.