“She’s a married woman who ran away from her husband,” Mark said flatly. “And you helped her do it.” He turned fully to face Megan, and my blood ran cold at his expression. “Get your paddle and bring it to me.”
The words hung in the air like a death sentence.
“Mark—” Megan’s voice was barely audible.
“Now.”
I watched in horror as Megan walked slowly to the kitchen. I heard a cabinet open, then the soft sound of something being lifted from a hook. When she returned, she carried a wooden paddle—smooth and worn, with holes drilled through it.
The paddle Mark used to discipline his wife, my best friend.Herpaddle, apparently.
And now he was going to use it on her because of me.
“Mark, please.” I found my voice, standing up on shaking legs. “Please don’t punish her. This is my fault. I came here. She was just trying to help?—”
“Sit down, Valerie,” Mark said without looking at me. His eyes were fixed on Megan, who stood before him with her head bowed, holding out the paddle with trembling hands.
“Please,” I tried again, my voice breaking. “Please, I’ll go home right now. I’ll call Chris. Just don’t?—”
“I said sit down. I’ve already called your husband. He’s on his way. You and he are going to watch me punish Megan.”
The command in his voice made me sink back onto the couch. Tears streamed down my face as I watched Megan hand the paddle to her husband.
“You knew better,” Mark said quietly to Megan. “You knew what the right thing to do was, and you chose to disobey anyway.”
“I’m sorry,” Megan whispered. “I just wanted to help her. I told you, she’s like my little sister?—”
“And she’s also a married woman whose husband has authority over her,” Mark said. “By interfering, you’ve undermined that authority. You’ve made it harder for Chris to properly train his wife.” He gestured to the back of the couch. “Bend over.”
My hands flew to my mouth. He was going to do it right here? Right now? In front of me? I realized he had said it, just a moment before, but I supposed I had thought he couldn’t mean it literally.
“Mark, please.” Megan’s voice shook. “Can we at least go to the bedroom?—”
“No.” His tone was implacable. “Valerie needs to see what happens when wives make poor choices. Maybe it will help her understand the consequences of running from her husband.”
Megan’s face was scarlet as she moved to the back of the couch. She bent forward slowly, her hands gripping the cushions, her body trembling.
Mark moved behind her and lifted her skirt, folding it up over her back. Then his hands went to her panties—simple white cotton, much like the ones I had been wearing before the terrible ‘tutorial’ with Mrs. Chen—and pulled them down to her knees.
I couldn’t look away. Couldn’t close my eyes. I sat frozen, watching as my best friend’s bare bottom was exposed for punishment, and all because she’d tried to help me.
The sound of a knock came from the front hall.
“Come on in, Chris,” Mark called. “Perfect timing.”
