A. J. and I met when my Mom married his Dad's best friend and former college room mate. He was nearly six and already so good looking that people never failed to comment on it. I was an angry eight year old only child suddenly whisked from California to Florida for the wedding. A. J. and I hit it off immediately. At the time I thought it was because we were the only two little kids in that group of elegantly dressed adults, but now I understand that it was because we were kindred spirits.
Along with a step-dad, I inherited fifteen year old David and Sarah, seventeen, vain and unbearable. I was jealous of my new Dad, suspicious of my new brother and unimpressed by my new blonde sister. She was sort of cute but couldn't hold a candle to my Mom.
The wedding was beautiful. It took place on a sunny terrace overlooking the Intercoastal waterway. Pelicans undulated lazily through the sapphire sky and the breezes swirled Mom's long hair in a sensuous dance. I only know this from photos and home video. I stood to my mother's left and slightly behind her, dressed in a new white linen suit complete with short pants and knee socks. There was a small spray of tiny yellow orchids on my left lapel and a red silk bow tie around my neck. During the entire ceremony I stood, head bowed, tears of anguish dripping steadily onto my new shoes.
When at last it was over, all I wanted was for my mother to fold me into her arms and comfort me but she was wrapped in the arms of that stranger. Eventually he let go and she did kiss and hug me but I could see that I had upset her by crying, even though she, I thought, was the only one who was aware of it. After I had been grudgingly hugged by my new family, I felt a small hand slip into mine and pull me towards a large table set with a huge white cloth and loaded with platters of tiny strange looking things. He tugged me quickly under the table and there we sat as I wiped my eyes and blew my nose on the handkerchief that he had extracted from his pocket. As ringbearer for his 'Uncle' Harry, he had seen my dishonorable performance. He patted my thigh in a gesture of comfort and I started bawling again. We stayed under there until I was calm enough to leave.
When we did, he took me to meet his folks. His dad, Drew, was enormous...six foot seven, very muscular and like my new dad, Harry, blonde and blue-eyed. Harry was several inches shorter, but still, they could have been brothers. Drew was an architect with his own company. He had designed and built my new home and his next door. I had to admit that both places were spectacular. There were pools, waterfalls and exotic plantings surrounded by terraces. At the seawalls there were elaborate docks holding two sleek looking boats.
His 'mom', Cole, was six inches shorter than Drew and obviously kept his body in terrific shape too. He was olive skinned, with warm brown eyes and long glossy black hair like my moms'. His hair was neatly braided and I remember wishing that I could brush it one day. Cole was an artist and silversmith. His passion for plants had also inspired him to design the magnificent gardens for the two homes. Two very talented men who wore matching intricate silver and turquoise rings on the same finger that my mom wore a diamond wedding band.
It was obvious that A. J. was adored by them, but his parents were strict and cautioned him about getting in the way of adults and watching his manners. They were very aware that others were watching this 'different' family raise their child. A. J. was Drew's biological father and he was fiercely protective of his diabetic kid. A. J. was dark haired and had blue eyes that perpetually twinkled. He was sturdily built and athletic from hours of swimming in the pools and the river. His nickname was 'Otter' and I came to realize how appropriate that was.
We played together all that afternoon and into the evening. A. J. and I had similar imaginations and a thirst for adventure. Under the tables again, we were knights in castles surrounded by the enemy and soldiers defending our fort against hoards of marauding Indians. The gardens became jungles filled with lions and snakes when dusk fell. The catering staff spoiled the illusion by putting out all sorts of candles. Then it became a native camp that we had been captured and dragged to. The great chiefs were to pass sentence on us and possibly boil us in the huge cauldron, which was actually the pool.
We had a lot of fun and for a while, I forgot about how depressed I had been earlier in the day. His parents kept a close eye on us and seemed greatly amused at our antics and happy that we were getting on so well. My mother watched nervously, aware that those surroundings were new to me but also pleased that I had made a friend.
Cole eventually made us take a break and had two plates of food that he had put together. Everything was pretty tasty, surprisingly. A. J. sat on Cole's knee and I was on Drew's. Small children did not take up chairs that adults might need. Drew's lap was hard on my butt as I shifted my weight. In the months to come I was often face down over that hard lap and I got to know it well. That night I only knew that he was a BIG guy that was very nice to me. When we had finished enough food, not all, we were allowed to go back to play.
Sitting at that round table on the terrace, we were both facing my dads' sailboat moored at the dock and swaying gently to the motion of the river. The same thought popped into our minds like magic. A pirate ship! Ours for the taking. It too was lit by candles and strings of lights. I took my bow tie from my pocket and placed it over my right eye for an impromptu patch. We crept on board and explored the cabins below. A. J. had been on board many times but that was a first for me. We heard voices up top and wondered if we should have asked permission to be there. A. J. seemed anxious about being caught so we decided to make a run for it. Unfortunately, a waiter with a silver tray full of champagne glasses was trying to step aboard just as we jumped over the side to the dock! Partially blinded by my tie, I collided with the poor guy who then tripped over A. J. The three of us landed with a splash while the tray and glasses crashed on the deck! Several hands reached down to pull us all out of the river and we were never in any danger of drowning. However, four of the hands that pulled us out were very dangerous. Two belonged to my dad and two belonged to Drew.
They didn't even allow our feet to touch the deck. They just put both of us over one raised knee and walloped our bottoms in front of the guests. I was so humiliated because I could see my mothers' horrified face out of the corner of my one good eye. I tried not to cry but I really felt badly about spoiling her reception.
A. J. cried right along with me howling, "I'm SORRY Daddy, I'm SORRY!"
Both men went at it for only a few minutes then picked us up and stalked up the dock towards the house. All the guests gawked at the pitiful sight and I was mortified knowing that I had to see those people on many occasions to come. I thought that I had lost as much face as possible and I supposed that I was to be banished to bed.
That was the case, but not before we were both taken to a large downstairs bathroom and stripped naked. Both our dads sat on the side of the tub and hauled us again across their knees. They laid into us again with their huge hands and even spanked in unison. I had never felt such stringing slaps before and it was worse because my skin was wet. There I was bare-assed before the eyes of the man who had taken my mother away from me. That made the spanking the untimate degradation.
A. J. wept and whimpered with each SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! I joined in and was soon yelling along with him, "PLEASE don't spank me anymore, Daddy! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" My surrender to him was complete.
That was a totally new low for me and I helplessly took my cues from the squalling kid. When he started begging and making promises to be good, I too wailed brokenly.
SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!
"Please, Daddy PLEASE! I promise I'll be a good boy for you! I'll never be bad AGAIN!" I couldn't believe that it was my own voice I heard.
"Me too, me too!" A. J. blubbered. "I'll be a VERY GOOD BOY, you'll see!"
That embarrassing display of submission seemed to please both men greatly because they stopped suddenly and pulled us onto their laps for solace. I remember actually leaning into my dads' chest and just sobbed as they lectured us on playing dangerous games. Both A. J. and I were dried off, then wrapped in large white towels.
We were still to be humbled even more. Drew and my dad took us back out through the garden to where the soaked waiter stood. We then were made to apologize and show the young man our tortured bare fannies. Our dads apologized themselves and each handed him some money for his trouble.
Still that wasn't enough.
Then we were taken to my mother and had to repeat the ritual. I'll never forget the look in her eyes. She was shamed, disappointed and furious with me for disgracing both of us in the eyes of our new family. I started crying all over again and A. J. joined in sympathy. Oh yes, it was a pathetic exhibition that I think some of the adults rather enjoyed. I noticed huge grins of David and Sarahs' faces.
Finally we were led away by Cole as we clutched awkwardly at our towels. We only managed to go a few feet before he knelt down and gathered both of us up into his welcoming arms. He took us to his house, put us in a warm bath, then to A. J.'s soft bed where we cried ourselves to sleep.
The next morning, I awoke alone in my strange new room wishing I could have stayed with my new friend, A. J.
That was my first spanking, sadly, not my last.