Tina POV

I got ready for bed begrudgingly but didn't turn my lights out when 7:30 hit. Instead I decided to try and be sneaky and play with my toys and costumes. I wished I had a way to punish her parents. Jareth who had been watching her smiled. He liked her spunk. He decided to grant her wish and placed an idea into her head. She could run away. She could wish to be taken to his world, She could wish to live with him. I smiled at this idea. This would make her parents suffer. Quickly she wrote a note explaining that she was running away and why.

Maurice's POV: I sighed perhaps I had been too harsh on Tina. 7:30 was a little too early. After all, she was 12 and in only a few months she was going to be a big sister. So I went to her room and gently knocked on the door. When no I received no reply I opened the door and I didn't like what I saw. Tina was gone, a small note was sitting on her desk addressed to her mom. As I opened it I frowned.

The letter read: dear mom, it's clear to me now that my step father doesn't love me. I'm just baggage from your previous marriage. He doesn't want me and he doesn't need me, he's made that clear. Besides, he's going to have a kid of his own to love.

Why would he want a good for nothing little brat like me for a daughter? I know that's the way he sees me and I know that he'll be happier if I am out of the way.  So I am granting his wish, I am leaving. I'm going to find my real father and go live with him. I love you. Tina ."

I crumpled the note up in my hands. This letter would break Sarah's heart. I needed to find Tina and bring her home. How could she do something so foolish?

Tina's POV

I know what mom said, but I don't believe it for a minute. I'm going to go to dad's last known address. I bet he'll be happy to see me. I thought as I boarded the bus. After being on the bus for a few blocks we reached my stop. Eagerly I got off the bus and rushed to the address on the envelope I had found. "Well here it goes." I said as I knocked on the door. To my surprise a young woman answered the door.

"Can I help you?" She asked sweetly.

"I'm looking for my father, Arthur Robbins." I replied. A look of puzzlement crossed the young woman's face.

"I'm sorry did you say your father?" She asked seeming confused.

"Yes. If you don't mind my asking who are you? Do you work with my dad? Is he home?" I asked eagerly.

"Honey who's at the door?" Came the voice of Tina's father.

"A young lady she's looking for you,  says she's your daughter." The woman replied.

"What? The little brat should be with her mother what is she doing here? I don't want to see the kid, send her on her way and don't you dare invite her inside. I would have thought the kid would have gotten the message when I didn't contact her in any way after the divorce."

"I know how you feel but she's your daughter and it looks like she's traveled a fair distance to come see you. The least you could do is come and talk to her." His new wife replied.

"She's not my kid, she never was!"

"Honey please just talk to her." The woman replied.

"Fine!" Arthur muttered. Coming to the door Arthur said coldly "What do you want kid? Money?"

"Of course not, I.." My voice trailed off for a moment seeing my father's angry face.

"You, you what? Spit it out girl!" My father growled impatiently.

"I just wanted to see you. I'm so glad that your back safe and sound. I thought that I'd never get to see you. Mom said such horrible things about you. That you divorced her so that you could marry your research assistant. That you want nothing to do with either of us."'I replied.

"Look kid, I hate to break it to you but your mom was telling the truth."

"But I thought...." My voice trailed off.

"You thought what? That you could just show up at my doorstep and I'd welcome you in with open arms?" My dad asked his voice filled with sarcasm.

"It's just that, Mom remarried and her and her new husband are going to have a baby. It's obvious that he doesn't love me or want me so I thought that if I found you we could be a family again." I replied.

"Look kid, you were a mistake. I never truly loved your mother. I left your mother and I made it clear to her that I wanted nothing to do with her or you. I have a new life and it doesn't include either of you and I have no intention of changing that."

"But why? What did I do to make you stop loving me?" I asked his words like a knife to my heart.

"Don't you understand kid? I don't want you." Now get lost and don't ever come back around here again." Then turning to his new wife he exclaimed, "there you happy now? I talked to the little brat."

"Now, I'm going to the kitchen for a late night snack. Make sure that brat is gone before I get back." Arthur said turning and walking further into the house. "Can't believe the kid had the gaul to show up here. The dumb kid is as stupid as her mother." Arthur could be heard muttering as he walked away .

The woman looked at Tina her face full of sadness and pity for her and she placed her hand on her belly tears starting to fill her eyes.

"Are you pregnant?"

"You need to leave."

"But what am I to do? Where am I to go?" I asked fighting back tears.

"Go home. Go back to your mom and your step father and forget all about ever finding my husband. What he said was cruel but He means what he said. I am so sorry. You have to leave. I'm sure your step father loves you very much and I'm sure both he and your mom are worried sick. Go home." She said as she started to close the door.

"I can't." I replied sadly.

"Sweetheart, you can't stay here. You need to leave." The woman insisted as nicely as she could.

"Is that brat still here? If she's not off our porch in the next five minutes I'm calling the cops and have her arrested for trespassing."

"I'm sorry but you have to go. He will call the cops you need to leave and you need to leave right now. Please sweetheart go home." The woman replied.

"I can't. I used the last of my allowance to get here." I replied as tears filled her eyes.

"Here let me get you some money for the bus." Arthur's wife replied reaching for her purse.

"Don't you dare give that kid a dime!" Arthur called from the kitchen.

"Honey please. It's too dark out for a child her age to be wandering the streets alone at night. She could get kidnapped or worse."

"Your absolute right Honey and to show that I am not without heart, I will see to it that she gets a ride. A ride in the back of a squad car. Her five minutes were up a long time ago. The police are on their way to pick the kid up as we speak. I called them a few moments ago and reported that this kid was trespassing on our property and trying to con us out of our hard earned money."

"I told them that I have every intention on pressing charges. It'll be quite the scandal, all over the news and papers. Local author's daughter a jail bird. Arrested for trespassing, soliciting and attempted robbery. I'm sure it'll do wonders for her mother's career if you can call spending all day making up stupid stories a career." He chuckled evilly.

Then turning towards me he said coldly "I bet your step father is happy that you ran away. If I were him, I'd ship you out as soon as I were given the chance. I bet that's what he's planing on doing right now. I bet he can't wait to be rid of you for good. Now, I'd get out of here kid if I were you the cops will be arriving at any minute now." Arthur replied with an evil smile and chuckle.

I fought back tears how could my father be so heartless? I was beginning to wish that I had never run away in the first place. "That's not true. He loves me he told me so."

"Why would anyone want you for a daughter? You are a spoiled rotten disobedient teenager. The world would be a better place without you in it. Why don't you do everyone a favor and end your miserable mistake of an existence. I bet no one would even mourn your death."

"After all, I never wanted you and I doubt that your step father wants you. You've caused your mother nothing but grief from the moment you were born. Everyone would be happier if you were gone." Arthur chuckled his eyes sparkling in delight at the hurt look in my eyes.

I could hear the sirens getting closer and I knew I had to start running if I didn't want to wind up in juvenile hall. Yet I was afraid to return home, how would he react to her running away? What if he didn't let her come back home?

As Jareth watched the scene in his Crystal ball 🔮 his smile turning into a snarl. How dare her father tell her to kill herself! He growled as he threw the crystal ball sending it flying across the room and into the nearby wall smashing it to pieces.

The goblins laughter and frolicking in the room  suddenly stopped. Jareth was in a fowl mood and that was never a good sign. The goblins looked at each other what were they to do? Should they continue their routine as normal or should they scatter away quickly?

"I'm going to kill that miserable excuse for man! How dare he speak to my future Queen in such a hurtful manor!"

"But master, it is forbidden to interfere in their world unless summoned." One of the goblins reminded him causing Jareth to glare angrily.

"Don't you think I know that? I know the rules I created them and I can break or bend them anytime I want got that?" Jareth demanded grabbing the goblin and throwing his across the room.

"Got it." The goblin replied sitting up from where he landed his head spinning.

"Any other objections?" Jareth demanded glaring at the other goblins in the room. Instead of responding the goblins all looked downward and pretended to be busy doing important tasks. "I didn't think so!" Jareth replied satisfied that he had gotten his message through and delighted that the goblins were still terrified of him even after the events of the past few years.

Jareth manifested himself in Sarah's world and created a limo that he could ride in. Soon he was at the street where Tina was and he rolled down the window. Tina looked up as the limo drove down the street and was shocked when the window rolled down and the man inside spoke to her. "Tina what are you doing here?" The man asked pretending  to sound surprised.

"How did you know my name?" I asked feeling afraid of the strange man yet idly comforted by his presence at the same time.

"Oh I know a lot about you. I've been watching you closely for some time now." Jareth replied.
"I know what he said to you. He will pay dearly for making you doubt your worth." Jareth replied with a growl.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" I asked backing away from the limo.

"You needn't be afraid of me. I will never hurt you. I'm a friend of your mother's. My name is Jareth and I've known your mother since she was about your age." Jareth replied with a smile.

"Really? She's never mentioned you before." I replied backing a little further away from the limo.

"I'm not surprised,  you see your mom and I didn't part on the best of terms. You might say we were opponents of sorts and your mom beat me at my own game. I'm a very sore looser
and I wasn't happy when your mother won our little debate. However, that was a long time ago and time heals all wounds." Jareth replied with a smile.

"Ok." I replied hesitantly. "If your a friend of my mom's I'm sure it'd be ok for me to accept a ride from you." I replied getting into the limo.

"Good. Now let me tell you how this limo works, it's a magic limo we will arrive on your street momentarily." Jareth replied.

"Magic like that doesn't exist in the real world." I replied.

"Ah but it does exist where I come from. Ah I believe this is where you get off." Jareth replied opening the door to the limo. I looked around and was shocked to discover that they were at the bus stop down the street from my house.

"How did we get here so fast?" I asked confused.

"As I said, this is a magic limo. You can find your way home from here I hope?" Jareth asked with a smile.

"Oh yes thank you." I replied stepping out of the limo.

"Good. Oh and one more thing, I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention meeting me it your mother as I said we didn't part on the best of terms and she might be upset if she were to hear I was back in town." Jareth replied.

I was puzzled by the strange man's request but he had helped her a great deal and she didn't want to seem ungrateful so I nodded.

Maurice's POV

After searching for what seemed like hours I was relieved when I  finally found Tina. She was sitting at the bus station crying. When I saw her my anger dimmed a little. When saw me her eyes went wide. She seemed shocked that I had come after her. As I grabbed her arm I said angrily. "What we're you thinking running away like this!? Especially at this time of night! You could have you could have gotten hurt or worse you could have been kidnapped and raped."

"I'm sorry." Tina  replied "I just thought it would be best if I ran away. I know you don't want me that's why you told mom that you should send me to military school. That way if be out of your hair. I thought that maybe it would be better if I lived with my dad. I turns out that he doesn't want me around either." Tina replied her eyes filling with tears.

"What's this about your father not wanting you?" I asked concerned.

"I took the bus to his house. He wasn't happy to see me. In fact, he didn't want to see me at all. He made it clear that he doesn't want me and he doesn't love me. He also said that he knows that you don't want me and that you'll never love me either. He bet that you probably couldn't wait to rid yourself of me."

"He said that I'm an unwanted mistake. That no one would want an a stupid, ugly, spoiled disobedient brat like me for a daughter. That the world would be a better place if I had never been born. He said that I should just end my miserable mistake of a life. That I'd be doing everyone a favor."

"He said what?!" Maurice replied with an angry growl. "Tina I want you to listen to me. You are not a mistake. You are a very special young lady and Your mother and I love you very much. You are my daughter I'd never happen to you."

"You mean step daughter."

"No. I meant what I said. I said daughter."

"Then why do you keep saying you want to send me away?"

"I don't want to send you away."

"But your always talking about sending me to military school. I'd hardly ever get to see either of you if I was sent to a boarding or military school. I guess that's what you want though isn't it? To have my mother all to yourself?"

"No. That's not what I want. Do you realize that what you've done tonight was not only irresponsible it was extremely dangerous? What if something had happened to you? It would have broken you're mother's heart. She's going to be heartbroken enough as it is when she is told what you have done tonight."

"Oh please, don't tell my mother. I can't bear to see the pain it'll cause her. Please, I'll do anything." Tina begged tearfully.

"Here's what's going to happen when we get home, You are going to get into the house and unpack your things. You are going to bed and we are going to discuss with your mother in the morning about you attending the nearby military academy." Maurice replied.

"I knew it, he was right. You were lying! You just can't wait to get rid of me can you?!" Tina said her voice raising.

"Watch your tone young lady! You are already in enough trouble! The last thing you want is to wake your mother." Maurice replied angrily.

Sarah's POV

I awoke to the sound of Maurice and Tina arguing, however, the argument wasn't coming from her bedroom. It was coming from downstairs. What was going on? Hadn't Tina gone to bed? I quickly grabbed my bathrobe and rushed down stairs.

"What's going on?" Tina why do you have a suitcase in your hands?" I asked completely confused.

When Tina didn't reply Maurice frowned "Answer her question Tina. Or do I have to answer it for you?" Maurice demanded.

"No! I..." Tina looked down at the floor as if embarrassed and shuffled her feet refusing to look me in the eyes.

"Tina what have you done?"

"I told you coddling her would lead to more drastic misbehavior. She ran away from home tonight."

"She what?" Sarah asked in horror finding it hard to find her balance.

"She ran away from home. Evidently she thought it would be a good idea to run away and live with her father." Maurice replied.

"Please tell me your joking." Maurice shook his head. "Why didn't you leave well enough alone? Why couldn't you listen for once in your life?" Sarah asked angrily.

"I'm sorry mom, I should have listened to you. He was so cruel I can't believe I use to look up to him. I'm so sorry about what I said earlier. I never should have said such horrible things to you." Tina replied blinking tears from her eyes.

"I tried telling you." I replied shaking my head in disappointment.

Maurice POV

"Sarah, he truly is a cruel man. If I could kill him without dealing with repercussions I would. He had the audacity to tell Tina that not only was she an unwanted mistake but that she should end her own life."

"He then proceeded to call the cops on her and she barely escaped being arrested and thrown in jail for trespassing and attempted robbery. Evidently he seemed amused by the idea that her arrest would embarrass you." I replied.

"That doesn't surprise me."

"He also said horrible things about you sir. He said that he knew for a fact that you could never love me and that all I'll ever be to you is baggage left over from mom's previous marriage just like I was an unwanted stain upon their marriage I am unwanted stain upon yours." Tina replied tears filling her eyes once more.

"I see, and you believed him. That's why you were so afraid to come home. That's why you said what you did when I found you." Maurice said with a sigh.

"Yes sir." Tina replied barely above a whisper.

"Sarah, would you please leave us. You need your rest and I need to have a serious talk with our daughter alone."  Sarah nodded and went back to the bedroom and closed the door. I do care about you Tina and contrary to your belief I do love you. That is why I am so hard on you."

"I consider myself a reasonable man, I set rules and restrictions for you for a reason. Despite what you might think I set these rules for your benefit. I just want what's best for you. I want to have a father daughter relationship with you but you seem determined to do everything you can to avoid said relationship."

"I just don't know how to get through to you. Do you think I enjoy having to punish you all the time? Do you think I like being seen as the bad guy who's goal in life is to make you as miserable as possible and whose ultimate goal is to be rid of you so I can have your mother all to myself?" I my voice filled with sadness.

"It certainly seems like it. I mean all you ever do is punish me. It seemed to me like you wanted to be adversaries. After all, you started this little war between us the day you set your wedding date knowing that in doing so it would cancel my mom and I's plan to celebrate my birthday at Disney World. Now you've convinced her once again to cancel plans for my birthday. What do you expect me to think?" Tina replied with a sigh.

"Actually, I had nothing to do with her decision to cancel the trip to Disney World this time. In fact, I was rather surprised that she had canceled it. As for the start of our relationship I'm sorry. I should have realized what you were worried about from day one. I should have made time for two of us to spend some time alone so that we could get to know each other.

The trip to Disney World would have been the perfect opportunity to get to bond as father and daughter but I let my stubbornness and pride get the better of me. However, with that being said, I still have to punish you for what you did tonight. Let's try something different though so it'll seem more fair. I want you to tell me all the rules you broke today and then I want you to tell me how you believe you should be punished." Maurice replied.

"Let see, I gave my mom an attitude when she canceled our trip to Disney World and when she grounded me." Tina replied.

"What else?" I asked as I took the belt off the wall and put the two ends of the belt together.

"I was sassy to you when you told me about my new bedtime."

I sighed " all of those are worthy of punishment. So, what do you think is an acceptable punishment for those behaviors?"

"I should lose some privileges." Tina replied.

"Such as?" I asked.

"No tv or any kind of electronic entertainment for the entire month that I'm grounded. In fact, no fun at all. No reading of my favorite stories or spending anytime writting stories on my Wattpad account and I should not be allowed to participate in family game night or movie night for the entire month either."

"Sounds fair. However, there is still one thing in particular that you haven't mentioned yet that deserves a more severe punishment. I'm sure I don't need to tell you what that was . Do I?" I asked my eyebrows cocked awaiting Tina's answer.

"No you don't. I should have never run away." Tina replied.

"Tell me Tina, what's the real reason you ran away? I'm not convinced it was just because of what you said in the letter you left behind."

"I thought that once the baby is born that I'd no longer be wanted."

I sighed shaking my head in disappointment. "Why would you think that?"

"Because who needs a spoiled brat like me when you have a child that is your own flesh and blood? Besides, your always talking about wanting to ship me off to boarding school or military school. What else am I supposed to think?"

"I don't want to send you anywhere. I never did. I was just been so frustrated with your behavior. Now I warned you that if you disobeyed the rules again the consequences would be dire didn't I?"

"Yes sir. Sir, are you going to hit me with that belt?" Tina asked staring to tremble a little.

"No. Perhaps I should contact the General. He's dealt with this kind of situation before with cadets at his academy who tried running away because they couldn't handle the rules and he knows the best course of action when it comes to punishing said run aways. Perhaps if he conducts your punishment you'll think twice about ever wanting to run away again."

Tina's eyes went wide. "Oh No, no please, the General already doesn't like me. You know what he's going to say must be done. First he will tell you to hit me with the belt and then have me shipped to his school. He'd be delighted to be able to be given the opportunity to break my sprit. Please, do what you want not being sent to live with the take everything out of my room except my bed, ground me for several months but please don't send me to live with him." Tina replied.

At this Maurice chucked "oh no, Tina. You wouldn't be living with the General. You'd live in barracks like any other cadet. If you think he'll let your commanding officers  go easy on you because he's your grandfather your wrong. I have a feeling that  he'd punish you as soon as you arrive in front of the entire school. To drill it into your head that your behavior is unacceptable and won't be tolerated but to also install fear into the new cadets. If he punishes you in such a horrible manor they can imagine what he'll do to them should they break the rules. The school's punishments starts out with standing at attention and the punishments get worse depending on what you've done."

"What's standing at attention? Whats that? What  do you mean  they get worse?" Tina asked timidly.

"Standing at attention means you can't move at all for an allotted amount of time sometimes up to an hour or more. If you do move the clock starts over. You could get demerits and if you don't work them off before the end of the week you won't be able to come home for the weekend same apply a for holidays.  Let see, what else, ah yes, there's also what they call the ring of officers. Where you must stand in a circle and put on heavy boxing gloves and hold them in the air. Then everyone around you will take turns hitting you and you can't move. You will be black and blue all over by the time their done. This usually happens if you don't listen to your officers or if you give them a hard time.

"Yikes!" Tina whimpered.

At this I chuckled slightly. "Those are the easy punishments. There's a lot worse believe me. There is what's called sanctioned bullying or mass punishment. This is more a group punishment then anything. If someone has done something wrong and they don't know who it they will tell the platoon they don't care who did the wrong thing but that person had better have a black eye or worse by lunch time. If you were thinking you wouldn't get hit with a belt your wrong. You can get beaten. This happens mostly for taking during class or study hall or if you do something wrong during drill. They will either use a big wooden paddle or a leather gun strap which is similar to a belt but smaller and thinner. There's also what they call the cross. This is where you must hold two very heavy guns outward and keep the guns at shoulder length for certain period of time. If your shoulders start to sag or the guns fall below your shoulders Your commanding officer will stand behind you and hit you with the gun in you elbows. The more times you lower the guns or your arms the more you get hit.  However I'd say worst punishments is where  everyone in your platoon gets punished except you."

"How is that bad?" Tina asked slightly confused.

"It'll make your platoon extremely angry and they may beat you up or worse. There is nothing your commanding officer will do about it. Oh, and those are just the punishments from your commanding officers. If you are sent to the General it'll be worse.  You had better say goodbye to all those curly locks. The first thing that'll happen is they will either give you a buzz cut or shave your head depended on your superior officer. And let's not forget you had better get used to being called either a plebe, a rat or a maggot. That's how they will address you your first year."

"Shave my head? Being called a maggot? I don't  like the sound of the General's military school. I don't want to go there can't you just send me to a boarding school?"

"No, boarding school's won't provide the kind of discipline you need. No, that will only come from military school. Or you could choose the second option." Maurice replied.

"What is the second choice?" Tina asked hoping the answer would be a little bit better.

"I can punish you the way the General punished me when I was growing up, I can use the belt he gave me for a present at your mom and I's wedding. Let see, you mouthed off to both your mother and I were disrespectful to the both of us by challenging our authority, and worse then that, You ran away from home. For these behaviors my father would have tanned my hide so I couldn't sit for a month with out being sore. He'd not even give me a limit to my whipping he's just keep tanning my hide until I started to bleed and sometimes he didn't even stop then. Now normally the punishment at the military school that I worked at as a teacher the punishment would be 20 hits for the first broken rule and another 10 per broken rule. However, because of the severity of your behavior they'd most likely start with at least 40 and then add 10 per broken rule. So how many does that add up to?"

Doing the math in her head Tina's eyes went wide with shock when she realized that it would add up to 50. If he's staring with 40 it would be 70." Tina said quietly.

"I didn't hear you. How many hits with the belt does your behavior add up too?" Maurice asked again.

"If your following the General's formula it would add up to either 50 or 70 depending on which formula you choose to use." Tina replied looking down at the floor unwilling to look Me in the eyes. I could tell that she was trembling in fear. I didn't want her to be afraid of me.

I sighed. "Tina please look at me." Trembling she looked up at me the fear in her eyes evident. "I don't want you to be afraid of me. I swore that I'd never use a belt on my child but I don't see any other option. What you did tonight was extremely dangerous."

"I know. The truth is I deserve to be sent away. I deserve all the punishments you mentioned. Starting with being hit with the belt 30 if not 40 times." Tina replied in a whispered.

"No." I replied shaking my head. "Thats excessive. I appreciate your honesty most kids would have said no more then three.  If I must use the belt then I'd say ten would be a reasonable number don't you?"

Tina nodded and leaned over she knew this was going to hurt but she'd rather be punished once with the belt then to be sent to military school and punished multiple times.  I  raised the belt in the air and brought it down hard upon her butt.  I really hated having to do this but she'd left no other choice. "I'm sorry Tina. I didn't want to have to do this. I swore to myself that I never would but you've left me with no other choice. I want you to know I'm only doing this because I love you."

Tina winced as the belt hit her bottom. It really stung. If it was this painful after just one hit with the belt she didn't want to know how painful it would have felt if she had to get the full 50 or 70.

Sarah could hear a strange sound coming from Tina's room and so she went to investigate the cause.  I was  on strike number three when Sarah ran into the room. "Maurice what the hell do you think you are you doing? I thought you said that you had the same principles as me when it came to the physical punishment of children?" Sarah growled her eyes flashing in anger.

I could tell that I had shattered her belief in me. "Sarah I..."

"Get out!"  Sarah said with a slight growl. "I want you out of this house this instant or I swear I'll call the police. Don't you ever come near me or my daughter again!"

"Sarah please, let me explain." I  replied.

Sarah's eyes burned with anger "Get out and don't ever come back!"

I sighed. I knew Sarah was right. I never should have used the belt on Tina but I was doing it to protect her. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I replied dropping the belt to the floor.

"I don't want to hear your apologies! I want you out of my house and out of our lives forever!" Sarah replied the anger and hurt showing in her voice.

Tina POV

It wasn't long before we heard the front door close and the sounds of my step father's car leaving the garage. Mom watched as he drove off and then gave a huge sigh of disappointment. Placing her hand in her face as tears streamed down her face.

"Mom, please don't do this. Please reconsider.  Don't let him go please go after him." I begged.

"How could I have been so blind? I should have realized what that belt was intended for the day the General gave it to us. You were right Maurice is monster just like his father." Sarah replied. "I'm so sorry Tina. I should have listened to you."

I couldn't believe that I was saying this but I now knew that it was the truth. "I was wrong. He's not a monster, he cares about us. Please mom please give him another chance."

"If he cared about you at all he would have never hit you with that belt. I won't be married to a man who believes it to be ok to beat a child
with a belt or any other object as a form of punishment. It's barbaric and I refuse to have my children be around such a man." Sarah replied.

"Mom please you've got this all wrong." I replied.

"I really don't want to talk about this Tina. It's late please just go to sleep." Mom replied warily.

"No." I replied blocking her path.

"Tina I am tired and I don't have the strength to fight you. Please just go to bed."

"No. You need to listen to me and you need to listen to me right now!"

"Tina you are pushing it. I said it's time for bed. Do I have to add another week to your punishment?"

"No mom. I'm sorry I didn't mean to be disrespectful but we really need to talk about this. Please mom."

"Ok sweetheart if it means that much to you we can talk now." Mom replied sitting down on the bed next to Tina.

"Thanks mom." I replied then pausing to catch my breath and gather my thoughts I snuggled closer to mom. "You might want to sit back what I have to say may come as quite a shock." I   said at last. Once her mom was comfortable I continued. This was not going to be easy. I had never called her step father this before and she knew it would come as a shock. "Please don't be angry with Daddy mom. He loves you and he loves me. You have to believe me when I say Daddy would never intentionally harm me. He gave me the opportunity to choose my own punishment for my actions and I chose for him to use the belt to spank me. In fact, I had chosen a much higher spanking count but he refused to go through with it. So please, please give Daddy another chance. I can't bear the thought of my baby brother growing up without a father because of something that I have done. Please forgive him. He didn't want to punish me this way but I left him no choice. It was either this or be sent away to the General's military academy and hardly get to see you at all. Daddy warned me that upon my arrival the General would make a point of severely punishing me in front of the entire academy. He explained the General's punishments are designed to break your sprit and that was the last thing he wanted to have happen to me. Please mom please give daddy another chance. For my sake and for the sake of my baby brother."

Sarah POV

I was taken aback and looked at Tina in complete and utter shock. I almost fainted in fact I did black out for a few minutes. "Mom are you alright?"

"I'm fine dear. I must be hearing things. I thought for a moment that I heard you call Maurice daddy."

"Why wouldn't I? He's my daddy and I love him. I know that he loves us. Please give him another chance. Please mommy." Tina pleaded.

"Ummm." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This couldn't be real. It had to be a dream. Tina was not only defending Maurice's behavior but calling him daddy. That would never happen. "If this is a dream then I never want to wake up."

"Your not dreaming. I did call him daddy. He is he is my daddy and he loves me and if you won't go after him then I will." Tina replied with a frown.