Ben and Zach climbed out of the swimming pool and barely wiped the excess water from their glistening bodies.
"_s_h_i_t_, its hot!" Ben complained.
Zach mopped absently at his hair toweling it off. "I know. Lets get something to drink and sit on the front porch. It will be cooler."
Both brats had been in the pool for about two hours and had decided to take a break from the aquatic fun before they shriveled away. Benji went to the front porch while Zach went to dry off enough not to track water all through the house and gather something to drink. Minutes later, Zach pushed the screen door open with his butt, letting it slam behind him when he returned with two beers in hand.
"Where do you want to eat tonight?" Ben asked, accepting a beer and twisting off the cap. It was Zach and Nelsons turn to pick the restaurant and movie for their Friday night outing.
"I don't know. Maybe Logan's?" Zach answered.
Both couples enjoyed Logan's. The brats were especially fond of being able to pitch discarded peanut shells to the floor. Besides that, the food was good.
"That sounds good to me."
While the boys relaxed in the rockers on the front porch, Zach looked up to see his little next door neighbor headed their way holding a squirming puppy. He started to smile, and waved to the little girl who smiled back.
"Hi, Josie," Zach said when she was close enough to hear. "What have you got there?"
"One of our puppies," she said, firmly holding a struggling ball of fur.
"He's a cutie. How many do you have left?"
"Just this one, and I'm KEEPING him."
Zach wasn't sure about that. The only way Josie would be keeping the puppy would be if something had changed since he last talked to Josie's mother.
"I thought you were giving them all away," Zach said.
"I don't want to. This one is MINE! I'm not letting her give him away," the six year old said with determination.
Ben admired the puppy and held out a hand, "Can I hold him?"
"Sure," Josie said, handing over the puppy.
Benji took the puppy from Josies outstretched hands and it nuzzled and chewed at his fingers playfully. He situated himself on the porch floor and put the puppy between his legs, running his fingers over the floor to attract its attention.
"He likes you," Josie said, quickly adding, "but, you cant have him."
"I think she's right, Benji," Zach agreed. "I mean, that he likes you."
Zach looked up again when he caught some movement out of the corner of his eye and saw Josie's mother coming across the yard. He raised a hand in greeting as she strode over.
"Josie, what are you doing over here? You need to bring the puppy back home," she said, hands on her hips. "Hi, Zach."
"Hi, Susan."
Susan watched Ben playing with the puppy and the puppy responding to his attention. "It looks like you've hit it off with the last of the litter. Are you looking for a puppy by any chance?"
"NO!" Josie cried.
"Josie, don't start. We have to find a home for him," she said. Ignoring her daughter's protests, she asked again, "So, would you be interested?"
"I'd love to have him," Ben said.
Zach looked at his friend, a smile playing on his lips. If Ben brought that puppy home, Vic would have a stroke. "Are you going to keep him?" Zach asked him. "Vic would be thrilled."
Ben looked at Zach as if to ask "are you crazy" and responded, "Im not so sure hed be thrilled. I'd better check with him to see what he thinks." Zach's grin grew and Ben shook his head, flicking his eyes away from Zach. "I'll let you know," he said to Susan. "Hes really sweet."
"I hope you can get him. It's the last one and I'm ready to have my house back. One dog is quite enough."
Josie jumped on the porch and grabbed her puppy, mumbling all the way out of the yard about how he was hers and no one was going to take her puppy.
"See you later, Zach," Susan said over her shoulder as she followed an angry and possessive Josie back to her own yard.
They watched the neighbors depart and Zach asked, "Why didn't you just get the puppy? I'm sure Vic would understand if you really wanted it."
Ben found his way back to the porch chair looking at Zach as his friend started laughing hard. "You taunting son of a bitch."
"What?" he said, smiling innocently.
"Kiss my ass, Zach." Ben drained the last of his beer and got up leaving a wet butt print on the wooden rocker. "Im going to get my clothes changed and get out of here."
Zach waited on the porch for Benji to change and come back. He looked up when he heard the screen door swing open.
"Thanks for the beer and fun. See you tonight," Ben said while heading to his car.
Zach followed Ben and leaned down into the open window. "Hey, you should ask tonight about the puppy at dinner if you really want it. Maybe Vic won't say 'no' so quickly if you have an audience."
Ben couldn't tell if Zach was making the suggestion so he could watch the drama that night, or if he really thought it would help. "I don't know. I might," Ben replied.
"You want it, don't you?"
"I'd like to have it. It's cute and I don't have a pet." Ben started the car while they talked.
"Youve got Vic," Zach said with a chuckle. "Hes a beast."
"Quit slamming on my lover," Ben said with a smile.
"Ask tonight. I'll pitch in and try to help you convince him," Zach offered, although he was pretty sure it would take some tall convincing.
"I'll think about it. See you later," Ben said and pulled from the driveway.
As Zach suggested, the couples met at Logan's for dinner later that night. They went early enough that it wasn't too crowded, even for a Friday night.
They were at a booth and Zach sat across from Ben. He peeled off the end of his straw wrapper and blew through the straw to shoot the paper across the table at his friend, hitting Ben squarely in the face. Benji's head jerked back, blinking at the flying object.
"JERK!" Ben snapped.
Nelson quickly reprimanded his brat, "Zachary. Behave."
Zach grinned at Ben, undeterred. Ben glared at him and managed not to retort beyond the name-calling. Zach and Nelson couldn't see Vic's hand on his leg, which had given a gentle warning squeeze when the paper flew across the table.
Before things could escalate, the waitress came by and the couples placed their orders. She had barely walked away when Zach spoke up. "Ben, did you ask Vic about the puppy?" he asked, determined to bring up the subject.
"No," Ben answered tersely and shot a look across the table at Zach.
He had decided not to bring it up at dinner in case Vic said "no", which he fully anticipated. He didn't want to make a scene and ruin their evening. If it got out of hand, he wanted to be in the privacy of their home and not in front of their friends. He expected it would be an uphill battle to win.
"What puppy?" Vic asked, still rubbing Ben's leg under the table.
"It's nothing. I'll tell you about it later," Ben answered, determined to put an end to the subject.
"He wants the puppy our next door neighbor is giving away," Zach continued as though Ben never said a word. Zach was in one of his mischievous moods and was determined to keep the subject alive. "You wouldn't care if he had it, would you, Vic?" Zach asked.
"Drop it, Zach," Ben warned.
"I don't know..." Vic began.
Zach plowed stubbornly along, "He's a cutie, Vic. He really seemed to take to Benji, too. Didn't he, Ben?"
"I DONT want to talk about it here! Can we just drop it?" Ben said.
"Why?" he asked Ben. Without giving him a chance to respond, Zach directed another question at Vic. "Do you want to see the puppy, Vic?"
Nelson saw Ben's color changing and recognized a potentially ugly scene. Since his partner wasnt changing the subject despite Bens requests, he stepped in quickly to end the discussion. "Zachary, Ben said he didn't want to talk about it. Now leave it alone, understand?"
"We're JUST talking about a puppy. What difference does it make?" Zach asked.
"It can be the difference between you sitting comfortably or not," Nelson warned.
Zach huffed and asked, "What did I do?!"
"You're picking at Ben and I want it to stop."
"I'm JUST making conversation."
"Im not asking you to stop talking. Im asking you to change the subject. Ben said he doesnt want to talk about it."
Vic glanced at Ben and could see he was irritated from the puppy conversation and was thankful Nelson was changing the subject. He wasn't at all convinced that Ben needed a puppy and wouldn't want to get into an argument at dinner in front of their friends.
"I think a different subject would be a good idea," Vic agreed.
Zach had a bit of a devilish grin on his face in spite of being spoken to by Nelson. Nelson caught a glimpse of the look and groaned inside wondering what the rest of the evening would entail. It took a lot of effort to keep Zach in line when he was in one of those moods.
While the tops managed to keep the conversation light and off the subject of puppies, the waitress brought over a basket of hot rolls with two cups of butter, and Zach's face lit up.
"Hey, Ben. How much to eat five cups of butter? We can get the waitress to bring more."
"No, Zachary. You aren't playing that game," Nelson said, squashing Zach's fun. Vic was already shaking his head before Ben could respond.
The game was actually a form of daring for money. A dare was laid on the table (e. g., eat five cups of butter) and the dared person would tell how much money it would take for him to follow through. The dare generally consisted of the other party having to do something embarrassing or eat something nasty. Probably the worst dare in their history entailed one brat eating another's clipped toenail. It was worth a whopping $50.
"But, Nelson! I'm not hurting anyone. It's just for fun," Zach spat with a pout.
Nelson wanted to get Zach under control before things got worse that night. A game of "How Much to..." was not the way to manage the evening.
"Come with me, Zachary."
The mirth left Zach's eyes as he was certain he was in trouble. "Why?"
Nelson had slipped from the booth and was already standing, hand held out to Zach. "Come on," he said, waiting for Zach to move.
"Where are we going?" Zach hedged.
"Now, Zachary. Don't make me ask again."
It was Ben's turn to grin seeing his fellow brat in trouble. Zach slid across the bench seat and put his hand in Nelson's. He hoped they weren't headed to the bathroom. Zach was nervously following Nelson and almost breathed an audible sigh of relief when he turned toward the door, which was in the opposite direction of the bathroom.
Once they were outside, Nelson let go of his hand and Zach slumped against the outside wall of the restaurant. The pout was evident on his lips when Nelson began to speak. "Zach, I know you're trying to have fun, but you need to behave yourself. Don't turn this into an unpleasant evening."
"I didn't DO anything, Nelson," he protested folding his arms across his chest.
"You've been picking at Benjamin all evening and I want it to stop."
"I'm only playing around with him."
"I said I want it to stop. Is that understood?"
"But, Nelson..."
"Zach, you're asking for a spanking," Nelson said simply, moving his hands to his hips.
"I AM not," Zach growled.
"Aren't you?" Nelson asked.
He had NEVER once in his life ASKED for a spanking. If anything, he had often asked NOT to be spanked but it didn't look like a good time to point that out to Nelson, who obviously saw things differently. He backed up a step or two mentally before Nelson decided to give him what he thought he wanted.
"I'm sorry, okay? Can we just go back in?" Zach asked anxiously, wanting the conversation to be over.
"Can you behave if we go back in?"
"Yes, sir."
Nelson held out his hand again and led Zach back to the table, more subdued and determined to avoid a spanking tonight. He looked down when he took a seat and felt his face redden. Ben was enjoying Zach's discomfort and he tried to suppress a smile at his chastened friend.
Their food came right after Nelson and Zach returned and Zach was grateful for the distraction. But, by the time dinner was finished, Nelson's warning was a distant memory. Almost without thinking, Zach picked up a peanut shell and chucked it across the table at Ben popping him in the forehead. In doing so, his elbow caught the edge of his glass and threw his recently refilled drink across the table. Most of it puddled in Bens empty plate but some trickled onto his clothes as well.
Ben and Vic jumped back from the drink that came at them as though it were acid, but couldnt avoid some of it hitting Bens shirt. Ben snapped, "ZACH! Youre such a JERK!"
The tops immediately began to simultaneously speak to their brats, Vic shushing Ben and Nelson talking sternly to Zach.
Ben turned to Vic, "He's been picking on me ALL night."
Vic was trying to mop at the drink to keep more from getting on Ben. "That's no reason for you to jump on the bandwagon, young man. Keep your voice down and behave yourself. Lets go get you cleaned up before the stain sets." Vic pulled Ben from the booth and they started toward the bathroom.
"It was an accident," Zach was saying to Nelson. "I didnt mean to spill it."
Nelson said calmly while he worked at cleaning up, "Not right now, Zachary."
Nelson was quickly grabbing for every available napkin and was swiping at the mess. He raised a hand to their waitress nearby who saw the spilled drink and returned with a rag to clean up. Once the last of the sticky liquid was wiped away, Nelson took Zach by the hand again and out the front door they went. He saw Vic and Ben heading back to the table as they left, Bens face wearing a stormy expression. His shirt held a dark wet spot where Vic had obviously worked at stain removal. Nelson and Vic exchanged knowing glances as they passed each other on their separate paths.
The outdoor conversation between Nelson and Zach was shorter the second time. It didn't take long to tell someone they were going to get spanked later and that it would happen sooner, if things didn't change. When they returned to the table, Zach's eyes were glassy and Ben wondered if Zach had been swatted while they were gone. They weren't gone long enough for him to have gotten spanked.
They paid the check and made it through the rest of the evening without further incident. Zach managed to behave himself, not wanting to make things any worse than they already were. Keeping his mind on the movie proved to be a difficult task as he kept thinking about what Nelson promised would happen later. He wasn't looking forward to going home, and the evening was concluding far quicker than Zach cared for.
As the couples exited the dark theater, he suggested, "How about some ice cream?"
"I don't think so," Nelson said. "We need to get home."
Zach knew exactly what he meant by that. They said their goodbyes and Zach followed Nelson to their car. It was all too quiet now that they were alone and Zach leaned his head against his window. Both men were lost in thought: Zach's on how he could get out of a bun toasting while Nelsons were focused on driving.
Zach couldn't stand the suspense after a mere ten minutes and finally broke the silence as he raised his head from the glass. "Are you mad at me?" he asked softly focusing his eyes on his hands resting in his lap.
"Hmm?" Nelson was lost in thought and hadn't heard what Zach said.
Zach cleared his throat and swallowed, then asked again with slightly more volume, "Are you mad at me?"
"No, I'm not mad at you, Zach."
"Really?" Zach asked hopefully as he turned his eyes to Nelson.
"Really." Nelson knew what Zach was getting at and added, "You're still getting spanked when we get home, but I'm not mad at you."
_d_a_m_n_.
"I'm sorry I kept picking at Ben tonight," Zach said, trying to get out of his punishment, or at the very least, lessen the severity. His stomach clenched as he saw their house come into view. "I didnt mean to spill my drink on him."
"It's too late for that now, Zach," Nelson said, pulling into their driveway. "You would have never spilled your drink if you hadnt been throwing peanut shells at him." Nelson put the car into the garage and said while unlatching his seatbelt, "Go upstairs and wait for me."
"Nelson..."
"Don't argue with me. Go on. I'll be up to give you a spanking in a minute."
Gee, thanks, Zach thought. Nelson's blunt comment made Zach feel sick to his stomach as he usually did before he got a spanking. No matter how many times it happened, he never failed to feel the butterflies in his stomach before the event. He unbuckled his seatbelt and slid from the front seat resigned to what was about to happen.
He followed Nelson into the house and then they separated, Nelson going his way and Zach headed to the bedroom.
"Find a corner," Nelson called after him as he ascended the stairs.
"Yes, sir," Zach said meekly.
Nelson left him alone for about 15 minutes before heading up the stairs. Zach was obediently facing the corner and Nelson saw him picking at a place on the wallpaper.
"Quit picking at the wallpaper, Zach. We're going to have to replace it with you spending so much time in the corner. Come over here."
Zach's fingers left the crease in the wallpaper and he turned to Nelson willing himself to walk over to his partner as requested. He barely stepped into Nelson's space when his wrist was snagged and he was pulled over to Nelson's right.
Nelson began working the button and zipper of Zach's Dockers while he spoke, "I warned you several times tonight to behave and leave Ben alone, didn't I?"
"Nelson, please don't spank me..."
"Didn't I, Zach?"
"Yes, but..."
"But nothing. I told you to stop it and when I tell you to do something, I expect you to do it. You know what happens when you don't."
Zach's pants slipped down to his calves and he was pulled across Nelson's lap. He felt Nelson's fingers slide into the waistband of his underwear and pull them down, well out of the way of his bottom.
"Why are you getting spanked tonight, Zach?"
Zach could feel Nelson's left hand at his waist, ready to pull him in tight while his right hand rested conspicuously on his bare butt. "Because I wouldn't quit picking on Ben?"
"And why else?"
"Um, because I spilled my drink?" Zach hazarded a guess, not sure why else he was being spanked.
"No, Im not spanking you for spilling your drink. That was an accident and Ill never spank you for an accident. But, it wouldnt have happened if you hadnt been picking on Ben. Why else?"
He couldn't think of anything else. When he got no answer, Nelson's hand rose and landed solidly against Zach's rear. His handprint blossomed to life on the canvas of Zach's white bottom and Zach tensed at the slap.
"Answer me, Zach."
"I can't think of anything!" Zach pleaded, tears stinging his eyes.
"Disobedience doesn't come to mind?" Nelson asked.
Zach struggled to think quickly trying to avoid another warning swat. The carpet was blurring as his breathing quickened.
"I...I...disobeyed you by not leaving Ben alone?"
"Correct. I shouldn't have to tell you how to behave to begin with, but when I do, you should straighten up like I ask you. Did I tell you I would spank you if you didn't?"
Zach answered, squirming slightly, "Yes, sir..."
"And, you didnt listen, did you?"
Zach reluctantly answered the question, knowing the spanking would probably begin as soon as the words were out of his mouth. "No, sir."
"No, you didnt." Nelson's hand lifted again and came down in a slow steady pattern against Zach's behind. Zach was crying quickly and wished profusely that he had not picked at Ben that night. He was sure he would never do it again, at least, not in the near future or with Nelson around.
Zach's bottom was stinging and then warming with the spanks. Nelsons experienced hand expertly covered Zachs entire butt, concentrating on the sit spot before stopping. His hand was stinging when he stopped and he slipped it under Zach's shirt to rub his back, patiently waiting for him to calm before helping him to his feet.
Zach's arms went immediately around Nelson's waist and Nelson hugged him back tightly. "Get ready for bed, sweet pea," Nelson said, disentangling himself from the embrace.
"Noooooo," Zach cried.
"Go on. I'll come to bed with you. It's late."
Zach wiped his face and stepped out of his pants and underwear leaving them crumpled on the floor before heading to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He chanced a look at his face in the mirror and grimaced at what he saw. He hated to see himself after a spanking; his nose and eyes a red that possibly matched the shade of his butt. He turned slightly so he could see his bottom in the mirror and confirmed an equal shade of red was painted there.
Looking back at himself, he asked his reflection for about the millionth time when he would learn.
The ride home was equally tense for Ben and Vic since Benji decided to broach the subject of the puppy again on the way home.
"Vic? I DID want to ask you about getting a puppy," Ben began, "just not in front of Zach and Nelson."
Vic sighed inside. The conversation would probably not be good. Vic asked, "Why do you want a puppy all of a sudden? This is the first I've heard of it."
Well, at least he didn't go straight to "no", Ben thought. "I think it would be fun. I'm home all summer and I could get it trained before I go back to school."
"Benji, a dog is a big responsibility."
"I know that. I'll take care of it, I promise," Ben answered.
"What kind of dog is it?"
"It's a puppy and I don't know. It's just really, really cute and he liked me a lot."
"Puppies grow into dogs, Ben. Many of them lose their cuteness as they grow up. I'm glad he liked you but you look for more than cute and sweet when picking out a dog. It would help to know the breed."
"It looked like a Pekinese and Pomeranian mix," Ben guessed.
Vic cringed. Neither breed was an easy dog to have around in Vics opinion. Vic wouldn't agree to either one had it been pedigree. He continued gently, trying to keep the situation calm. "Benji, those aren't typically good breeds of dogs to have inside the house."
"Our back yard is fenced. It could stay outside."
"Would you really want a pet you could only interact with outside? What kind of pet is that?"
Ben saw where the conversation was going and his temper began to rear its ugly head. "I KNEW you would say no!" he shot across the car at Vic.
"Have you heard me say no?" Vic asked.
"You're GOING to! I know how you are."
"Watch your mouth, Benjamin. That mix is not the kind of dog I would want, but I haven't even seen it."
The volume of Bens voice continued to climb and he said hotly, "I should be able to get a dog if I want to. I shouldn't have to ask your PERMISSION!"
"Benjamin, do NOT yell at me. That is not the way to convince me you should have a dog."
"I WANT that puppy," he spat stubbornly.
"The way you're talking to me is going to get you a spanking, not a puppy. Do you want that when we get home?"
"What do YOU think?" Ben shot back sarcastically.
"I think you just answered my question."
Later that night, Vic slipped into bed beside his sniffling partner. Ben was on his stomach, since that was the most comfortable position after having his butt spanked. His head was turned to the wall away from Vic. He was no longer mad, just subdued and wishing he controlled his temper better.
"I'm sorry, Vic," he said to the wall. "I just wanted the puppy."
"It's all right, sweetheart. I'll never care if you talk to me about things. But, you need to learn to have a discussion with me without having a temper tantrum. We don't have to agree, but HOW you disagree with me is important."
Vic slipped his arm around Ben's waist and pulled him close. It was comforting then, but when he did it earlier, it was most disconcerting. Pulling him in close to snuggle was a lot different than pulling him in tightly for a spanking. Ben melted against his partner, enjoying the comfort.
"You never said no," he whispered into the night.
"No, I didn't. I believe we need to think about it."
"Thanks, Vic," Ben said, eyes slipping shut.
Ben and Vic were both awake but still resting against each other in the bed. Ben thought a good night's sleep should be all Vic needed to help him make a decision about the dog and he brought the subject up again. "When are you going to tell me?"
"Tell you what?" Vic asked running his hand across Bens back.
"If I can get the puppy." Bens head was lying against Vics chest and he could faintly hear the beating of his heart beneath him.
"Benji, I'm not even out of the bed yet. I didn't lie here all night pondering whether or not we should get a puppy. This would be OUR dog and I haven't even seen it."
"Let's go over today!" Ben suggested, popping up on one elbow in the bed.
"Don't rush me, Ben."
"Come ON!"
Ben jumped out from under the covers, rounded the bed and tried to pull Vic out. Vic gave in and got out of bed to squelch any more coaxing from Ben. They went downstairs and Vic made French toast, one of Ben's few favorite dishes. Ben rushed through his breakfast, pushing to get over to Zach's house.
"Slow down, Benji. We aren't going over there at the crack of dawn."
"It's after 9:00!"
"Give them time to wake up and I'll call to see what time we can go over."
"They should be up by now," Ben complained.
Vic looked at him, "Just calm down, Benji. Be patient."
"I HAVE been patient," Benji said, knowing full well it was not one of his stronger virtues.
"Keep on and I won't call at all," Vic said, tired of hearing the complaints.
Ben sighed heavily but Vic ignored it. He began putting dishes in the dishwasher and motioned for Ben to help. Ben was somehow able to keep his mouth shut about the puppy until the dishes were done.
"Will you call now?" he started in again.
"Give them until 10:00. I'll call then."
Benji looked at the clock and saw it would be another whole fifteen minutes. He tried to busy himself and not watch the clock, which he was sure was broken since the hands were obviously not moving.
Right at 10:00, Benji said to Vic, "It's 10:00. You said you'd call at ten."
"All RIGHT, already. I'll call."
Vic picked up the phone and called Nelson, not entirely sure it wasnt still too early on a Saturday. He knew Nelson was an early riser, but Zach liked to sleep in. The phone rang four times and Vic was just beginning to hang up when Nelson answered.
"Morning, Nelson. Did I interrupt anything?"
Zach was snuggled up to his partner satisfied with the recent encounter with his lover, which was decidedly more enjoyable than the one the night before.
"Um, not really," Nelson said, rubbing his hand down Zach's bare back.
Vic read between the lines and said, "Sorry. I didn't think Zach was a morning person."
"Depends why you want him to get up," Nelson said with a smile.
"Do you want to call me back later?"
Ben was nearly jumping up and down mouthing the word "no" over and over. Vic held up a hand and frowned at him.
"No, we were done," Nelson said.
Zach's head snapped up and he looked at Nelson with his mouth open. He didn't want Nelson telling about their personal life and didn't know who was on the phone. Nelson saw the look and lowered the mouthpiece of the phone.
He said to Zach, "It's Vic."
A little more comfortable, Zach laid his head back down on Nelson's chest while Vic proceeded to tell Nelson the reason for the call. "A certain someone is about to drive me virtually crazy to come see that puppy of your neighbor's. Do you think we could come out and see it today?"
"I can ask. I'll check with Susan and give you a call back in a little while."
"That would be fine."
They ended the conversation and Vic turned to Ben.
"He's going to check and get back with me."
"When?!" Ben asked excitedly.
"I don't know, Benji," Vic said getting exasperated.
Vic still wasn't sure this puppy was the one they should get or if they should get one at all. He didn't like the mix and knew it would be a tough battle to convince Ben to get something else since he seemed to have his heart set on that particular puppy. Plus, Ben would be back in school in a couple of months and he wondered if the puppy would get the same care and attention once Ben was distracted. He decided to talk to Ben about it before he got too keyed up.
"Benji, sit down for a minute."
Ben took a seat at the table, but Vic continued to stand with his arms folded. It was a familiar pose when Ben was in trouble - Vic's "discussion" stance.
"What?" Ben asked.
"Don't get your hopes up about this puppy. I still haven't decided whether we should get a puppy at all, much less this particular one."
"You haven't even seen him!" Ben complained.
"I don't need to see him to know something about the breed."
"You're going to say no! I KNOW you are. You're just trying to think of a good reason why," Ben snapped, mouth turning down into a pout.
"Would you like to try talking to me? Don't start with your temper, Benjamin. I don't want to have to remind you this morning how it needs to be controlled. We just discussed that last night and Im beginning to think I didnt get my point across."
Ben quickly tried to get his temper in check before he ended up over Vic's knees again. If that happened, he was sure the puppy conversation would be over. "I'm sorry, Vic. I just know you aren't going to let me have it."
"Even if I say no to this particular puppy, it doesn't mean I won't consider another one. I just don't want to make any quick decisions based on cute and fuzzy. Getting a dog is a big responsibility and I want to be sure we're prepared for it."
"You mean that I'M prepared for it," Ben said, scowling.
"Is that what I said, young man?"
"Why wouldn't YOU be prepared for it?" Ben asked.
"Because I have enough on my plate handling you," he said, smiling at his favorite brat to soften the words.
It worked and Ben smiled back. "Vic. That's not funny," he said, despite the smile playing on his lips.
"Just don't lose your temper if I don't like this one. Okay?"
"I'll try," Ben said, not committing to do more than that.
Susan had plans that Saturday and said she couldn't show the puppy until Sunday. Benjamin thought he would burst before they were able to go back and see the little dog.
Zach and Nelson went with them to see the puppy and Ben sat on the floor playing with it. Vic had to admit it was a cute little thing, but he still didn't like the mix; Susan confirmed it was a Pekinese and Pomeranian mutt.
Nelson stood by Vic watching the boys play with the puppy, and it continued to chew on their fingers. In mid-play, the puppy went around the corner of the sofa and crapped right in the middle of the floor. That's all we need, Vic thought.
"I'll be so glad not to clean up puppy doo once this little one is gone," Susan complained using a wad of toilet paper to clean up the little pile.
The comment told Vic the puppy had been used to defecating in the house, and that habit wouldn't be an easy one to break. The puppy was high-strung, even for normal puppy energy and yapped a lot. He didn't see anything to change his opinion of the puppy based on his knowledge of the breeds mixed in its blood.
"So what do you think?" Susan asked.
Not wanting a scene, Vic answered, "We'll think about it and let you know."
Benji's brow immediately went into a frown, knowing his partner was going to say no for sure. If he had planned on saying yes, he would have said so right then. He just didn't want Ben to go postal in front of everyone, Ben was sure of it.
Vic didn't fail to notice the look Ben was shooting his way and returned one of his own. Ben looked away and went back to playing with the puppy.
They left Susan's house and got back in the car after saying their goodbyes to Zach and Nelson. Ben slouched against the seat of the SUV and crossed his arms as the frown deepened on his face. The intended body language wasnt lost on Vic. "Are you going to start, Benjamin?"
Ben shot back angrily, "Are you?"
Without swerving or missing a beat, Vic's hand snaked out and swatted Ben's leg from the driver's seat connecting with his bare thigh just below the hem of his shorts. "Watch it," Vic warned.
If it did nothing else, it got Ben's arms uncrossed since he needed a free hand to rub his stinging thigh.
"Do you have anything else smart to say?"
"No, sir."
"All right. You were right. I am going to say no. BUT, only no to that puppy. I will consider a different breed but not that one."
"I knew it," Ben mumbled, shaking his head. "I knew it all along."
"I'm sorry, Benji. We would be lucky if we ever got that dog housebroken. He's used to going to the bathroom in the house and I won't have a pet ruining our home. That alone is reason enough to look elsewhere."
"You'll never let me get one," Ben pouted.
Vic supposed the pouting was better than a tantrum. "Stop saying that. I haven't said no to all dogs," he said gently. "Where did this come from anyway? You haven't mentioned wanting a dog until you saw this one."
"I just liked him, okay?"
"It's easy to like them when they're cute and puppies. I'll do some research and see if I can come up with a breed that would suit what we'd want. Better yet, you could work on that while you're home this summer."
"I already found a dog."
"Stop it, Benjamin."
"Fine," Ben grumbled turning toward his window. "It doesn't matter what I want anyway."
Vic hardened his voice and said sternly, "I'm not going to argue with you about this any more. I will consider another breed, but not that particular one. If you want to talk about what other dogs you might be interested in, that's fine. But, I don't want to hear another word or smart comment about this one."
Ben kept quiet on his side of the car working on his pout.
Ben spent the rest of the day convincing himself that he could have the puppy if he wanted it whether Vic liked it or not. It was his house, too, and he should be able to have a say once in a while. It wasn't fair for Vic the Almighty to always get his way.
He made a decision and called Zach the next day to get Susan's phone number while Vic was busy at work.
"Did Vic say you could have the puppy?" Zach asked, surprised that Ben would be calling Susan. He had assumed they wouldn't be getting the puppy since they left without it the previous day.
"No. He said I couldn't."
"Oh, sorry. So, you have to call and tell her?"
"No, I'm getting the puppy whether Vic likes it or not."
If Benji could see Zach's face, the shock registered on it would be clearly evident. Once Zach was able to close his dropped jaw he said, "I wish I could be a fly on the wall when he finds out. I'll hear you wailing all the way over here when Vic gets hold of you."
"He's just going to have to understand. It can't always be his way."
"Yeah, right. He'll understand. Just explain it to him," Zach said laughing. "Hes a totally reasonable guy." Ben was going to be toast.
"Stop laughing," Ben whined.
"You know you're going to get it if you bring that puppy home. But, if you really have a death wish, I'll give you the number."
Ben hung up from Zach and called Susan. Within the hour, he had picked up the puppy and brought it home. He purposely steered clear of Zach's house because he didn't want to hear Zachs mouth. Ben knew he would likely remind him of how this scene could, and probably would, end.
He played with the puppy all day, enjoying the company. Thoroughly caught up in playing with the puppy, he hadnt paused to consider the wisdom of his actions until the time neared for Vic to come home. Blatantly disobeying Vic would not go over well, not well at all. It probably wasn't one of his better ideas. Feeling far less bold than he had when he got the puppy, he decided he'd better hide it from Vic until he could think of a way to tell him about it. He scooped up the puppy and took him into the laundry room, continuing to play with him until he heard Vic come home.
"Now, you be quiet and behave in here," he told the puppy. "You don't want to get me into trouble, do you?"
The puppy tried to follow Ben but he cut him off at the door using his toe to push the little nose out of the way so he could close it. He had followed Ben everywhere during the day but he couldn't follow now. "Gotta go," Ben said to the puppy through the door. He hurried through the house and found Vic loosening his tie in the living room.
"Hi, Vic."
"Hello, sweetheart," Vic said holding out his arms for his brat.
Ben embraced him and turned his lips up to Vic for a kiss. Keeping Ben close, Vics hand slipped down his back and grasped a rounded cheek, squeezing it gently.
Still in each other arms, Vic said, "I needed that hug. It's been one of those days. I think I'll go get changed into something more comfortable." With that comment, Ben immediately thought again about the puppy. If Vic had a bad day, finding out Benji had brazenly disobeyed him would translate into an extremely bad day for Ben.
Vic grudgingly withdrew from his partner to go upstairs and change, stealing one last kiss before he mounted the staircase. In their bedroom, he put his shoes in the closet and then started toward the dresser to pull out some jeans and a shirt. On the way, he felt a distinctly mushy, wet substance through his sock as he stepped in a pile of puppy poop.
His face registered confusion as he raised his foot up to investigate, crossing it over his knee for a better look. He frowned trying to identify what he stepped in and took a look at the carpet. Beginning to figure out what it was, he peeled off his sock and carefully smelled it, not inhaling too deeply. It took barely a whiff to confirm that the brown matter was what he thought it was.
"BENJAMIN DAVID!" Vic yelled, straightening up from the floor.
Ben heard the summons all the way in the laundry room and hurried through the house to find out why Vic was yelling. Vic was now standing sockless but otherwise, still in his work clothes at the top of the stairs. He waited for Ben and called to him again when he saw him appear on the lower level at the bottom of the stairs.
"Up here, Benjamin! Now!" he growled pointing to the floor beside him.
Ben hesitated at the bottom of the stairs and looked up into Vic's angry face. He didn't go directly to him but stood there looking up at his furious partner, frozen in place. He didn't think Vic could possibly know about the puppy, but something was obviously wrong. Vic returned the gaze and snapped his fingers before pointing again to the carpet beside him. Benji couldn't seem to find his feet and just continued to look up at Vic blinking.
"One," Vic said simply.
Ben started to shift uncomfortably from foot to foot but didn't ascend the stairs.
"Two."
Ben quickly dropped his eyes and started the long climb up the stairs to where his partner was waiting before he could get to "three". He was nervous because he recognized the look but had no idea what he had done. He had a sinking feeling he was about to find out. As soon as he was within reach of Vic, he clutched Bens hand and marched him to the bedroom.
"What did I do?" Ben asked as he was dragged along. "Vic?"
Vic didn't respond; he just continued on his trek toward their bedroom. Once inside, he pointed at the squished pile of puppy _s_h_i_t_ wordlessly and watched Ben's face, gauging his reaction. The bulb illuminated in Ben's head and his eyes turned from curious to worried as the switch was flipped to "on". _d_a_m_n_. The puppy had found time to _s_h_i_t_ in the floor, and from the looks of it, Vic found it by stepping in it. Great. Ben glanced at Vics bare feet and was certain that was what had happened.
"Where's the puppy, young man? Is it in the basement?" Vic asked, announcing he knew all about the puppy.
Ben turned his eyes to Vic's and didn't answer right away. Vic's hand connected with his bottom in a well-placed swat.
"OW! No, sir," Ben said, reaching back to protect his bottom. "In the laundry room."
"You're telling me you brought that puppy home after I distinctly told you we were not going to get it?"
Benji mutely nodded a positive response.
"Answer me!"
"Yes, sir," he answered.
"So, you disobeyed me then tried to hide it from me?"
Not seeing any way around the obvious, Ben answered quietly, "Yes, sir." Ben knew where this discussion was leading. He had traveled the path enough to recognize the scenery knowing every bend and bump in the road.
"Wait here," Vic said. He went into the bathroom and returned with some cleaner and a cleaning cloth. "Get it up, and do it right. I don't want to be able to tell it was ever there," he said, indicating the pile of _s_h_i_t_.
At least it was a little puppy that didn't produce all that much poop at one time. Ben took the cleaning supplies from Vic's hands and went to get toilet paper to clean up the bigger stuff first.
Vic changed clothes while Ben diligently worked at cleaning the soiled carpet. Ben was glad to see the remains came up without much scrubbing. It wouldn't have been such a mess if Vic hadn't stepped in it and ground it into the carpet.
Vic finished changing and was monitoring Ben's progress with his arms folded. Satisfied the carpet was clean, he said more gently to Ben, "That's enough. Put the cleaner away and come back in here."
Ben tried to take his time putting the supplies away like he did with the cleaning, not at all in a hurry to be standing in front of Vic. He found himself there anyway soon enough.
"Why did you bring that puppy home when I clearly told you not to?" Vic asked after Benji returned, head bowed, from the bathroom.
"I just wanted him, Vic. It isn't fair that you get to make all the decisions," he tried to explain to Vic.
"Benjamin, you have every opportunity to express your opinion. But, when we disagree, I have the last word. That's how our relationship works. You understand that and have agreed to those dynamics."
"But it isn't fair!" he exclaimed while balling his hands into tight fists.
"You may not think so in this case, but it works. What happens when you go against my decisions?"
Ben was suddenly angry to be in trouble yet again and answered sharply, "I get my ass beaten."
Vic landed another strong swat to Bens seat and said, "Try again. You're in enough trouble, so I'd be careful how I answered, if I were you."
Ben's hand went back to rub the spot, always shocked at how much Vic's love taps hurt.
"You punish me," he replied, modifying his earlier response.
"I punish you any time you disobey me and bringing that puppy home was outright disobedience. Wasn't it?"
Ben's hands were twisting nervously together and his eyes dropped in reaction to the question. "Yes, sir."
With that, Vic began to unbuckle his belt and Ben went white. His stomach lurched when Vic pulled it through his pant loops and doubled it over.
"Not the belt, Vic! Please," he began pleading immediately.
He watched helplessly as Vic took a seat on the bed and motioned him over, ignoring the protests. "Come here, Benjamin."
"I don't want tooooo," he said.
"Don't make come over there. Come here to me right now."
Ben knew it could only get worse from there so he unwillingly moved to where Vic waited.
"Pull down your pants," Vic instructed.
Ben's eyes were filling with tears and he wiped at them before unzipping his fly. He pushed his pants and underwear off his bottom and positioned himself uncomfortably across Vic's lap. Vic adjusted him slightly then raised the belt.
Ben felt the first lick bite into his tender flesh then come down a second time before he could recover from the first. Vic brought the belt down again and again leaving a stinging trail with each lick. Ben was crying hard quickly and wished he had never laid eyes on the puppy. He was sure he agreed with Vic by the time the belt stopped falling. Vic brought the belt down 15 times before stopping, letting it communicate his displeasure with Bens blatant act of disobedience.
Vic laid the belt down on the bed beside him and rubbed his partner's back while he was still bent over his lap. The crying began to subside while Vic waited silently for Ben to calm down a bit. He helped him to his feet then walked him to the corner with Ben taking baby steps against his lowered pants and underwear. After Vic left him, Ben carefully pulled his pants up and laid his head on the wall, continuing to cry and feel sorry for himself.
Life was so unfair, and he said so when Vic came back and held him.
"Now, why would you say that? I still haven't said you couldn't have a puppy at all. I just don't think that one is the one we should get," Vic said.
"But I like him. It isn't fair," Ben sniffled against Vics shoulder.
"Did you enjoy cleaning up puppy poop?" Vic asked him, pulling him back to look at him. Ben scowled and shook his head at his partner. "If we kept him, you would have to get used to it really fast and the piles would get bigger because that dog's used to going inside and he's going to grow up."
Benji knew Vic was right, but he still wanted a puppy. Ben laid his head back on Vic's shoulder as he held him in the corner. Vic asked, "Have you done any research like I asked you?"
"No, I already knew what I wanted," Ben mumbled against his partner.
"I think you need to do some research like I said. You know what would make a good indoor pet. Look for something that's easy to housebreak and otherwise train, and that's small enough for indoors."
"But, there are hundreds of breeds of dogs," Ben complained. "How would I ever find the right one?"
"Benji, if you were researching the latest technology news, you could find all kinds of material and wouldn't tire of looking. If you really want a puppy like you claim, do the leg work so we can make an informed decision that will be a good one." He hugged Benjamin one more time then pushed him toward the door. "Go get the little thing so we can take it back before it craps anywhere else."
Benji trudged downstairs to get the puppy with his bottom still stinging against his jeans. He was embarrassed to be returning it but wasn't exactly given a choice. They delivered the puppy amid apologies to its original owner. Susan was intuitive and had the distinct feeling Vic must have been the one who didn't want the puppy. It was also clear to her that Ben had been crying, obviously not happy with the decision. She took it back without much conversation saving Ben further embarrassment.
Zach and Nelson were in the front yard when they were leaving so they spoke briefly to them before heading home. Zach looked at Ben trying to figure out if he had been crying because he was due a spanking or because he already got one. He couldn't tell for sure, but he knew one thing with a certainty - if he hadn't gotten it already, he was going to.
Vic and Ben said their goodbyes and went back home, puppyless. Benji was quiet on the ride back still sulking over not being allowed to keep the puppy and having been strapped. When they got home, Vic plopped him down in front of the computer. "Do your homework. See what breeds you can find that you think will work for us," Vic instructed.
He hoped giving Ben a project would help get him out of his mood and would be helpful as well if they were going to get a puppy. Ben was on the computer for almost two hours when he emerged from the office with a printout in hand. He found Vic at the kitchen table working on an upcoming case after checking the living room and finding it empty. Vic looked up when Ben entered the kitchen and was pleased to see Bens sulking expression had left his face and he was actually smiling.
"Look at this, Vic. I think I found one," he said handing the page over to Vic.
Vic read it aloud, "Good at obedience training and housebreaking, good with children. Let's see, how big does it get?"
Vic was scanning the information and Ben said, "Between twenty and thirty pounds. They don't get much taller than this." His hand hovered just shy of two feet over the floor to demonstrate the breeds size.
Vic nodded approvingly, "Good job, Benji. I think this would be a good breed. Shetland Sheepdog, huh? Looks like a little Collie. Cute dog."
"I think so, too. There were some other breeds that came close but all of them had something about them that we wouldn't like. Most of the little dogs are hard to housebreak or they aren't good with children."
"Did you check out the Pekinese and Pomeranian breeds?"
"Yeah, you were right," Ben conceded. "Now, what do we do?"
"Well, we have to find someone with some puppies and take a look. We need to be sure the puppies were well-bred."
"So, that means I can have one?"
"I didnt say that. Let's see what we can find then we'll decide after we see them."
WE'LL decide? Yeah, right, Ben thought. He kept his mouth shut because Vic still hadn't said no yet.
The next day, Vic called in the afternoon and asked Ben if he'd like to go out for dinner that night. Benji was a little surprised at the question since it was the middle of the week. "We hardly ever go out for dinner during the week," he said.
"Does that mean you don't want to go?"
"No, it's just unusual, that's all. What time?"
"I'll knock off a little early today. How about 4:30?"
"Sounds good."
Vic showed up promptly at 4:30 and blew the horn in the driveway to let Benji know he was there. He waited only a minute before Ben came bounding out the door toward the car.
Vic hung out the window, "Lock the door, Benji."
Ben snapped his fingers having forgotten to bolt the door and ran back up the steps to do so. He was quickly back on his previous path to the SUV and slid into the passenger seat. Vic leaned over for a kiss and was rewarded with one.
"How was your day, sweetheart?" he asked.
"Okay, yours?"
"Pretty good."
Ben buckled his seat belt and asked, "Where are we going to eat?"
"I thought Outback would be good. Does that suit you?" Vic asked.
"Sure."
They finished dinner quickly since they were early and didnt have to wait. Between that and the fact it was a weekday, there wasn't much of a crowd. They were soon back in the car and headed home but when they approached their turn, Vic continued straight. Ben frowned and turned to him.
"You missed our turn," he said, glancing over his shoulder as they passed by the road.
"I need to make one more stop," Vic said.
Ben didn't question him further and just relaxed in the passenger seat. Vic turned into a residential area Ben was unfamiliar with and pulled into a driveway of a family Ben didn't know.
"What are we doing here?" he asked curiously.
Vic put the vehicle in park and shut off the engine. He unbuckled his seatbelt and turned in his seat to face Ben. "I thought you might like to meet these people. I met them today when I came by to see their puppies."
Benji's eyes grew so wide Vic thought they might pop from their sockets. He smiled at his brat as the message sunk in and watched Ben's own face break out in a grin. He threw off the seatbelt and wound his arms tightly around Vic's neck.
"I can't believe it! Thank you! Thank you!!"
"You're welcome, sweetheart," Vic was able to say, although the hug was tight enough to block his airway.
"You didn't say no! I don't believe it!"
"Would you like to see the puppy I thought you might want?"
"YES! Let's go!" Ben exclaimed breaking the embrace.
He jumped from his seat and could hardly stand still waiting for Vic to come around the car. "Hurry up!" he said and clasped Vic's hand as soon as he cleared the car.
Ben couldnt stop smiling while they waited for the owner to open the door. A pleasant looking woman emerged from behind the door and greeted Vic for the second time that day. Vic had spent a good part of the day diligently calling local vets and searching the internet to find puppies in the area. He had taken a long lunch to see several litters and this one was the best of them.
"Here they are," the lady said, leading them out into her backyard.
She had a puppy playpen to keep them out of trouble and safe when playing in the yard. She had three Sheltie puppies, only one of which had been spoken for. That left one male and one female still up for sale. She pulled the available two puppies from the pen and let them run around the yard and interact with Ben. Vic smiled as he watched Ben sit in the grass playing with them.
"What do you think?" Vic asked him.
"I really wanted a boy," Benji began, "but the little girl sure is sweet."
"I thought the same thing," Vic agreed.
The male appeared to be a bit skittish and didn't seem to have any desire to interact. While he went to lie down under the shade of a bush, the female continued to stick with Ben.
"She has better markings, too," Ben observed. She had one full sock and one short one on her front legs but the male didnt have any socks. "I like that her socks don't match," Ben said.
Vic smiled at the observation. The owner spoke up and pointed out that she would also have a full collar when she got her adult coat. The male hardly had a collar at all.
"I think I like this one best," Ben decided cuddling the squirming female to his chest.
"That's exactly what I thought. You want to take her home tonight? She's yours if you want her," Vic said.
"Yeah!" Ben held her tightly as he stood and she squirmed playfully in his arms to the point he almost dropped her. He sat back down on the grass and released her to run. While Benji continued to play with the puppy, Vic went to the car and returned with a pet carrier.
Ben looked at the carrier in surprise and asked, "When did you get that?"
"This afternoon. I've got food, toys, food bowls, everything I thought we would need," Vic said.
Benji just shook his head smiling, "You really got me this time, Vic."
The owner smiled at the exchange and said, "I know she'll be happy with you."
Before they left, she took an old towel and rubbed it all over the mother dog and the remaining pups then put it into the carrier with the puppy.
"She'll miss her littermates and mother. Put this to bed with her and it will help her while she adjusts."
Vic paid the breeder and thanked her as they left with the new addition to their family. They settled the carrier in the back seat with the cage door facing the front so Benji could keep an eye on his new puppy. Vic smiled at his partner when Ben's hand found its way into his as he pulled the SUV onto the roadway towards home.
Ben squeezed the big hand firmly and said, "Thanks so much. I still can't believe it. What made you decide to let me have her?"
"The owner said this breed is exceptionally good with obedience training. I thought you could learn a few tricks from the dog," Vic teased.
"VIC!" Ben exclaimed feigning hurt, but smiled at his lover.
Vic laughed at the response. "What are you going to name her?" he asked.
"I don't know. I was hoping to get a male so I didn't have a name picked out for a female."
"What about something really feminine, like a sweet southern belle-type name? Maybe Scarlett or something like that," Vic suggested.
"Southern belle. That makes me think of that Bugs Bunny cartoon with the short old man who sniffed magnolia flowers. He was supposed to be a Southerner. He would say, 'Ah, magNOLia'. Remember that one?" Ben said, chuckling at the memory of the cartoon.
Vic laughed softly remembering the Looney Tunes character. He wasn't one of the regular cast members, but Vic recalled the episode Ben referenced.
Ben sat up sharply in his seat as he got an idea, "Hey! We could name her Magnolia and call her Maggie. What do you think?"
Vic thought about it a minute then started nodding his head. "I think I could live with that."
"Magnolia it is, then," Benji turned to the back seat and spoke baby talk through the carrier door, "Do you like it, sweetie? Huh? Do you like it?"
The puppy peered at him through the cage door tilting her head to his voice. Ben laughed at her and stuck his fingers through the grid rubbing her nose.
"She looks like a little porcupine, doesn't she?" he said to Vic.
The baby Sheltie had a little pointed nose and her fur stuck out all over her as if she had just been pulled from a clothes dryer and someone forgot the dryer sheet.
"She does," Vic agreed. "She'll outgrow that."
Ben turned back around to the front seat and hooked his fingers through Vic's again.
Ben said, "I really like her. I'm glad I waited and listened to you. Thank you."
"You're welcome, sweetheart."
"I love you, Vic," Ben said, giving Vic's hand another squeeze.
"I love you, too."
Maggie whimpered a little in the backseat.
Ben looked back over his shoulder and said, "Don't worry, Maggie. We love you, too."
The end.