I crept in the door slowly, trying not to drawn any attention to myself. So far no one had even noticed me and a feeling of relief filled my head.

Five more steps and I was home free. Four......Three......Two.........

"Where you been?" My father asked.

I froze. "What?" I asked trying to look and sound shocked as I turned around.

"Where is Gods name have you been boy?" He asked a little louder that time.

"No where special, just hanging out." I told him.

"Hanging out." He said looking at my uncle then his eyes came back to me. "Get over here."

Oh no, here we go........ "Huh?"

"You heard me. Now if your half as smart as you think you are you'll do it."

"But why?" I asked feeling a little scared now.

"Because I said so son!"

I looked at my uncle and stepped a little closer. "What?"

He turned his watch towards me. "What time is it?"

I looked at the floor. " I know I'm late."

"Well good...........Now tell me why you're so late." He said and rested his knuckles on his thigh.

I shrugged.

He started to shake his head. "You just can't be on time can you boy?"

"I'm sorry"

He looked at his brother again. "If I had a dime for every time I heard that........."

I just stood there trying to look innocent and pathetic. "But I really am sorry Dad."

He shifted his eyes back to me and gave a long sigh. "All right ....I'll let it go this time......"

I smiled and started to walk away but he grabbed my arm and stopped me. "BUT!!" His finger came up in my face. "But........If you come home late one more time this week I'm gonna punish you......you hear me?"

"Yes sir." I groaned.

"I mean it.....one more time and that's gonna be it for you."

"All right."

"OK then."

"Can I go now?" I asked giving him a cold look.

"Sure, just as long as you and I understand each other." He said.

"I said I did." I snapped now feeling a little angry.

"Come on Rickie....he said he did." My uncle said with a smile.

"That don't mean anything." My father told him.

"Sure it does."

"Well we'll just see about that ...........especially when he comes home late again."

"He'd do no such a thing would you boy." Uncle Adam said and grabbed me playfully, yanking me so hard that I fell. "He's a good boy." He laughed. "Aren't ya??"

"Yes.....now let me up for Gods sake." I yelled.

He stood me up on my feet. "See Rickie."

"All right......you can go then."

I walked out of there and ran up the steps towards my room relieved that I did not get into trouble.

A few days later I was with my friends, and again, the time got away from us and before we realized, it was one thirty in the morning. Well one thirty for a bunch of twelve and thirteen year olds was scary. Half of us knew we would be killed on sight, and the other half just shortly after.

I, for one, ran home as fast as I could without stopping. By the time I reached my back yard I was huffing and puffing like mad.

I realized immediately that most of the downstairs lights were on so some one was up. I peeked in the window to see who.

My brother Drew and my uncle were sitting at the kitchen table looking to the left. I looked there also and saw my father standing with his back to me, phone to his ear, left hand on his hip.

"_s_h_i_t_." I said quietly. "He's gonna kill me." But it was now or never. I had to go in sometime.

When the door creaked open my father whipped his head around and gave me a look that I just can't explain. It was part scared, part happy, and part angry. He dropped the phone right where he was standing, letting it hit the floor, and darted across the floor at me, unbuckling his belt as he went.

"No Dad Don't!!" I shouted and bolted for the dinning room and ran around the table.

"This is the last time you'll walk in this house late!!" He yelled pointing his finger at me from where he stood on the opposite side of the table.

"I'm sorry. I won't come home late any more, I swear."

"Oh I know you won't especially after I whip the tar out of you." He said as we circled the table.

"Dad, come on, Just chill OK." I said.

"Don't tell me to chill! It's two o'clock in the _d_a_m_n_ morning!" He yelled as he chased me.

"It was a mistake.......I didn't mean to......we lost track of the time.......it was an accident..........I'm really sorry." I said sounding panicked and scared.

"The only thing your sorry about is the fact that your about to get your butt whipped." He said pointing with the belted hand.

It was clear that there was no talking to him, so after on last lap around the table I made a break for it, and ran threw the living room and around the corner with him behind me the whole way. I tired to run/crawl up the steps but he grabbed my leg and pulled me right back down as I kicked and tried to shake him off, but he wasn't letting go. He grabbed a hold of my arm and yanked me up into a standing position and then CRACK!! The belt landed across my sorry butt.

"OWWWLLLLLLHOWWWW!!" I shouted.

CRACK, CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK.............

I was screaming and crying and tying to get away, but he was laying it to me good. I threw my hand back at one point to try and protect myself, but only managed to get a stinging hand when the belt came down across it.

"OWl....Dad stop please!" I cried.

CRACK, CRACK, CRACK, CRACK, CRACK

"Please..........I'm sorry............I'M SORRRRRYYYYYY."

CRACK, CRACK, CRACK, CRACK, CRACK

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAA!!!"

The belting stopped finally and my arm was released, allowing me to fall to the floor in a crying heap as I frantically rubbed the seat of my pants.

My father stood there and put his belt back around his waist then he crouched down on the floor next to me. I was amazed to see that his blue eyes looked almost sympathetic now. "Do you know how worried I was son?" He asked in his thick Texas accented voice.

"Ye-es s-s-sir." I cried.

He stared at me for another minute, watching as I got up on my knees and wiped my face.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the handkerchief's he always carried and handed it out to me. "Here wipe your face." He said softly.

I took it and wiped my cheeks and nose.

"I'm sorry I had to do that, but you had it coming and you know it."

"Yes sir." I said still rubbing my burning butt.

"All right then. It's over. Give me a hug."

I leaned over and hugged him, then I went up to my room and fell across my bed.

Hope you enjoyed (As always) let me know what you think...Roland