Leah 15

Meredith came from work in her usual mood: exhausted, but happy. Home was her favourite place to be, no matter what. And this was especially the case when her whole family was there. Her husband John, her best friend, the love of her life. Her beloved dog Shep, and her thirteen year old sister Leah who Meredith thought was just such a cool kid, never failing to amaze her in one way or another.

As she set her bag down at the door, kicked her boots off, walked into the kitchen and started to make a pot of coffee she wondered where everyone was. Shep hadn't greeted her at the door like he did every single day of his life, and she couldn't hear a TV, or any phone chatter.

"Strange" she thought, as she pulled her coat off and hung it on the back of a chair. She poured herself a cup of coffee and wondered curiously out into the large hallway. She thought she heard some shuffling in the livingroom so she headed there. She stopped dead in her tracks the second she reached the entrance.

"What are you doing?!" she exclaimed, laughing. There was Leah, sitting on the couch, her long blond hair pulled back into a pony tail, a black headband holding the shorter pieces out of her face, wearing her thin, dark-rimmed glasses. She had a large hoop in one hand that was holding a large white piece of cloth, and the other hand held a needle and thread. On once side of her was a magazine with a pattern, on the other side, a box filled with little baggies holding different colours of thread, all labelled. She was obviously working with the concentration of someone working toward their PhD.

"I'm cross stitching" Leah replied, knowing that her sister would be amused by this.

"Well..then...GRANDMA, where'd you get all this?" she asked sarcastically.

Leah smiled and rolled her eyes.

"When I was at Holly's house this morning she was cross stitching and asked me if I wanted to learn. And I did! I picked out a project from one of her magazines and we went out and she bought me the stuff I needed. Cool eh?" she asked, holding it up for Meredith to see. It was a large picture, a loose bunch of poppies. It was beautiful.

"Wow" she replied. "That's really really good!"

"It's really fun, seriously." Leah said, taking it back from Meredith.

"So you had a good time at Holly's then?"

"Yeah, it was good. Their new puppy is so cute...I played with her most of the time, and played with Cora."

"Good, I'm glad. Holly just loves you." Meredith commented. Since Leah began to get into trouble a couple of months ago, Meredith decided that it would be a good idea for her not to be left at home alone as much. Since she worked a lot, there weren't many options. The best was to have her go over to Meredith's best friend and co-worker Holly's house. She was on maternity leave, and really did adore Leah, they got along perfectly. And Holly's eight year old daughter Cora LOVED Leah...idolized her even. And Leah was great with her. Meredith hadn't heard one word of complaint from Holly about Leah's behaviour...not because Holly wouldn't tell her, but because there were no behaviour issues...Leah was perfect when she was with Holly....

"So tomorrow we're going to the movies right?" Leah asked, pulling thread through a hole, not taking her eyes off her work.

"Well....I actually have to work...something came up at the last minute" Meredith explained.

Leah stopped working on her project and looked at her sister.

"What?"

"Well....a few things. The Food Network wants me to tape a couple of shows, and have a meeting with someone new who they want me to fund."

"You promised!" Leah cried dramatically.

"I know sweetie, we'll do it next weekend for sure."

"Meredith, that's what you said when you broke your promise to go to the movies LAST weekend! Why didn't you say no!?"

"Because...it's a really good opportunity for me" she explained.

"For YOU. You're just like Mom and Dad" Leah spat at her, and quickly picking up her stuff, she left the room.

Meredith cringed at the idea of having to deal with Leah. When she was upset she tended to lash out and be completely uncooperative. She left her alone in her room all night, figuring that if she wanted to talk, Leah could come to her. Otherwise she'd just end up starting a bigger fight than she was already dealing with. She sent John up with Leah's dinner, and apparently she was civil to him, but did express her unhappiness with Meredith's lack of being around. John also told her that she'd have to go to Holly's tomorrow instead of stay home, since he was working too. She told him that she wouldn't be going to Holly's, and that he couldn't make her. He didn't argue with her, he just left her alone.

Meredith didn't sleep much that night. Leah had been so good lately....back to the Leah she was used to. Sweet, kind, polite, and fun to be around all the time. She had been accepting when she didn't get her own way, she'd been obedient and respectful, and hadn't gotten into any trouble at school. She hadn't been punished in months. Meredith didn't want that to change. She dreaded the morning when she had to get Leah up and take her to Holly's. Although Leah had always enjoyed going to Holly's and spending her time with her, and not once expressed any displeasure in not going, Meredith suspected that the next day would be different. And she was right.

"Leah!" Meredith called, while knocking on her door for the second time that morning, and for the second time got no response. She had no choice but to go in. She slowly opened the door and stepped inside. Leah was laying in bed facing away from the door, and appeared to be sleeping. Meredith went around to the other side and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Leah" she said softly. "It's time to get up sweetie...Leah" she said gently shaking her. Leah slowly opened her eyes and woke up.

"What?" she asked, extremely unenthusuastically.

"It's time to get up" Meredith whispered. Leah looked over at the clock.

"It's 6...it's Saturday. Go away" she said. Yep, Meredith thought, here we go.

"I'm gonna drop you off at Holly's, pumpkin...come on" she said.

"I said I wasn't going to Holly's" Leah responded.

"You don't have a choice...so please Leah, get up and get dressed" Meredith all but begged.

"I'm a person, I have a choice" Leah said bitterly. "And I'm choosing to stay home."

"I'm sorry you're upset Leah...but it happens. I don't want to go to work today...I would so much rather spend the day with you. But I don't really have much of a choice sweetie...so please, if you get up we can do something tonight when I get home. Dinner maybe? At.....Riley's?" Meredith was definately not beyond bribing her sister at this point. All she wanted was for Leah to get up and get into the car without gaving a tantrum. When Leah still didn't move she had to throw in a threat. "And you know the consequences for not listening" she said more sternly. Leah rolled her eyes at this, and got up.

"What, are you gonna stay and watch me get dressed?" Leah asked rudely.

Meredith let it go. She got up and silently left the room.

The drive to Holly's was silent and tense. They pulled into her driveway and got out. Meredith rang the doorbell and Holly answered.

"Gooood Morning!" she sang.

"Morning!" Meredith exclaimed, handing her friend a coffee.

"Ooooh, thank you" Holly said.

Meanwhile Leah had walked in, kicked her boots off and gone into the livingroom.

"Hey, Leah, be good okay? I'll be back soon and we'll go for dinner" Meredith called, and Leah didn't respond.

"What's with her?" Holly asked.

"She's a little upset because I wasn't supposed to be working today. Hopefully she'll get over it. If she gives you any problems just call me okay?"

"Yep, don't worry about it" Holly said, and Meredith left.

As Meredith walked up Holly's driveway at the end of her long day she assumed that all had been well, since she didn't hear anything from Holly. She opened up the door and let herself in. There was no laughter...there was no TV on...the baby wasn't even crying. It was a little eerie. She found Holly in the kitchen getting dinner ready.

"Hey you" Meredith said.

"Oh...hi" Holly said.

"How was your day?"

"Our day was....a little rough" Holly said smiling.

"Rough? What did she do?" Meredith asked, sighing.

"Well...we had some attitude issues."

"Holly...I know how she is, don't worry about hurting my feelings. What happened?"

"Well...she was just so rude about everything. She even told the baby to shut up once. And not in a joking way. She wouldn't listen to me...she wouldn't eat a thing...she freaked out when Cora left to go to a friends' house....it was pretty bad."

Meredith looked very unimpressed.

"I'm so sorry Holly" she said.

"Oh Mere, it's okay! I have one, I know what they're like!"

"I'm so embarassed. I know she's mad at me, but she loves you, I thought she'd be fine once she got here!"

"It's okay Mere...it's happened to me..a lot. Cora isn't perfect, trust me!"

"Where is she now?" Meredith asked.

"She's in my bedroom with a book....she's in time out."

"Oh God...my thirteen year old still needs to be in time out....it's horrible!" Meredith exclaimed half-jokingly. Holly just laughed at her. Meredith went down the hall and opened up the bedroom door. Leah was sitting on the bed reading. When the door opened she looked up.

"Hi" Leah said. Meredith crossed her arms and leaned against the door way. "I'm glad you came, I'm starving. I think I'm gonna have a wrap at Riley's."

Meredith just looked angrier and angrier and, shaking her head, approached the bed and sat down.

"What?" Leah asked innocently.

"Do you think Holly and I don't talk to eachother?"

"What?"

"Do you think she didn't tell me about how you acted today? No wonder you're starving, you refused to eat all day!"

"....oh" Leah said, looking back down at her book. Meredith reached out and took the book from her.

"Leah....you're not five...you can't just be a jerk to people when you don't get your way. I thought we'd taken care of this kind of behaviour, but obviously we haven't. I don't know what to do with you! I don't know how to make you stop doing this stuff!" she exclaimed, frustrated.

"I'm sorry" Leah said, almost surprised that Meredith was so upset.

"No you're not. You're sorry you're in trouble. You aren't sorry about your behaviour at all" Meredith said angrily. "Let's go. And I want an apology to Holly, and I'm not kidding" Meredith said, standing up. Leah followed her out into the kitchen.

"Leah?" Meredith said, when Leah was standing next to her sister awkwardly, but not saying anything.

"Sorry I was so rude today Holly" she said, looking down.

"Ohh it's okay, we all have bad days" Holly said, and bent down to hug Leah.

"I'm so sorry Holly...again. We'll see you Monday....if that's still okay?"

"Of course!! Don't be ridiculous" Holly said.

The drive home was silent until Meredith drove past the street that Riley's was on.

"What about dinner?" Leah asked, her voice small and quiet.

"Are you serious?! Did you seriously just ask me that? Do you think you deserve to be taken out for dinner after your behaviour today?!" Leah didn't say anything.

When they got home and into the house, Meredith asked Leah what she wanted for dinner.

"A wrap from Riley's" Leah said, pouting.

"I don't want to hear another word about that unless it's to say "you're right Meredith, I don't deserve to go out for dinner, I'm sorry" Otherwise, not another word" she said firmly, and then turned to start heating up some leftover lasagna from the previous night. Before Leah had a chance to escape, Meredith pointed to a chair at the table. "You can sit there and wait for dinner" she said. Leah pouted, and sat down.

"I just...I don't understand you Leah. You can be so amazing and then flip and be just horrible. I know you understand what you're doing....but I don't understand why. Are you trying to get attention? Because really Leah, the way to get attention is to be good....and you know that. Can you explain it to me?" she asked, turning to look at her sister.

"No...I don't know" Leah said quietly. "I don't know why I did that. I was mad at you."

"I know you were, but I would have thought that your last punishment would have taught you that you can't lash out at others because you're mad at me."

Leah blushed at the thought of her last punishment. She was spanked, months ago, by both John and Meredith. It had been the worst week ever, and both spanking hurt so much that she'd been on her best behaviour since. She didn't respond.

"Maybe it's time you go to some sort of councilling" Meredith said.

"What? No way!" Leah responded.

"We'll talk about that later" Meredith said.

"No we won't because I'm not going...not now, not ever."

"I said we'll talk about it later. We have other things to talk about right now young lady, like how we should handle your behaviour today? Holly is my best friend Leah, and I'm really very upset that you treated her so badly. After everything she does for you. I really thought you were better than that" she said, placing a plate of lasagna in front of her sister, and then retrieving her own plate and sitting down next to her at the table. "Ya know, if you keep doing things like this people will stop liking you" Meredith said.

"Can we just talk about something else? I said I was sorry!" Leah said rudely.

"And since when does saying you're sorry fix everything?" Meredith asked her. Leah didn't respond. "We have to talk about this Leah, it isn't funny. It's actually very disappointing for John and I. We want you to be the best you can, and treating other people badly is not something we want. Do you at least understand why I'm upset?"

"Yes I understand why you're upset! I was rude to Holly! I made her whole day miserable and I did it on purpose to make you mad! But can't you understand why I'm upset Meredith?!"

"Yes I do know why you're upset, but there isn't anything I can do about it! I had to work!! I offered to take you out for dinner! And we could have gone to the movies tomorrow! It's not like I'm never here....I'm here almost every weekend and I'm here with you after school every day! So don't even go there. Don't start comparing me to Mom and Dad because I won't listen to any of it. I'm here with you always, and just because you had to miss one movie....I just can't believe how selfish you're being" Meredith finished. There were a few minutes of silence, and then Leah spoke.

"I don't think you're like Mom and Dad" she said quietly without looking up. "I'm sorry I said that yesterday"

"It's okay" Meredith said.

They ate the rest of their dinner in silence, and when she was finished Leah got up, rinsed her plate off, and put it in the dishwasher. She began to walk out of the kitchen.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Meredith demanded.

"Can I be excused?" Leah asked.

"Yes, you may be excused, you can go up to my bedroom and stand in the corner and wait for me."

"I'm getting a spanking?!" she cried, exhausted and scared.

"Yes you're getting a spanking Leah. So please go wait for me in the corner" Meredith said evenly. Leah turned and stomped out and up the stairs.

Meredith waited another half hour before going up to deal with her sister. She entered her bedroom and Leah was standing in a far corner of the room. Meredith closed the door softly behind her. She sat on the edge of her bed facing Leah.

"Leah?" she said. Leah turned around, but didn't move. "What you did today....how you treated Holly....I know that you know it was wrong. Our actions have consequences, which for you, means a spanking. You know that, and you chose to act badly anyways, so you have to be punished." Meredith said calmly.

"Please don't Mere...please. I'll do anything you want, just...don't spank me." Leah pleaded, with tears rolling down her face. Her last spanking, the worst one ever, was still fresh in her memory and she was terrified to be back in that position.

"Leah, I know that you don't enjoy being spanked, and I know it hurts. That's why it's a good punishment. You know that what you did was wrong, so please, just come here" Meredith repeated.

"No, please...I don't want a spanking"

"I'm not going to ask again. Come here" Meredith said more sternly. Leah didn't move.

"No. I'm too old to be spanked! Find some other way to punish me, this is just stupid!" Leah protested.

"Look Leah," Meredith said, her patience running very short. "I've told you a hundred times before that you are not too old to be spanked. And besides that, if you're willing to act like a little kid, then you'll be punished as one."

"No" Leah said. "I'm serious"

"Alright, fine. I'm not going to force you to come over here. You're old enough to accept your punishment and deal with it. So until you're ready to do so, you can turn back around and stay right where you are. I have time, I'll wait. Just let me know when you're ready" Meredith said. Leah looked frustrated, let out an angry sigh and turned back around. Meredith picked up a magazine, and leaned up against the head of the bed and started to read.

She wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing. She was essentially letting Leah choose when she would be punished. Didn't that kind of contradict the whole idea of a punishment? But dragging her across the room and forcing her to bend over her knees and holding her down....would that also contradict the idea of punishment? She wanted Leah to understand her misdeeds and realize that she broke a rule, and when that happens, punishment follows.
Leah on the other hand, was just getting more and more frustrated. She was a little bit surprised that Meredith hadn't taken her hand and forced her to accept her spanking because that's what she had done in the past. But she also knew from experience that her sister wouldn't back down....ever. Not when what Leah had done was obvious and uncomplicated. She weighed her options. She could stand in the corner for the rest of her life, or she could just get the spanking over with. Part of her thought that maybe if she stood there long enough, Meredith might just get tired or bored and tell her to go to bed or something. But she doubted it.

An hour and a half passed and neither had said a word. Meredith had moved on to making notes for work on Monday and Leah had crossed her arms and was leaning on the wall, her nose still in the corner. She was bored to death, and her legs hurt from standing there. She took a deep breath, and knowing that Meredith didn't have any plans of backing down, she slowly turned around, and leaned against the corner.

"I'm sorry for what I did today" she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks once again. She forced herself to move from her safe haven (the wall), and went to the bed, and sat down. Meredith sat up and put her arm around Leah, who leaned on her.

"I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me" Leah begged.

"You just need to think before you act Leah" Meredith said gently. "You're a good person sweetie...you just need to think."

"I know, I'm sorry" she said again.

"Alright, it's okay" Meredith soothed. Leah leaned against her and eventually stopped crying.

They were both quiet, both thinking about things. Once Leah seemed calm, Meredith decided to try again.

"Thank you for doing as you were told....even though it took a while, you still did it. So I would like you to stand up please" she said. Leah looked at her for a minute, wiped her face, and stood up.

"I'm going to spank you with my hand, and then with the paddle" Meredith said.

"The paddle? What paddle?" Leah asked, panicked.

"It's new, a friend gave it to me actually. It's not made of wood, but similar. That way it won't bruise your skin" she explained, believing that Leah shouldn't be too terrified.

"Oh.." Leah said regretfully, and with a shake in her voice.

Meredith reached out and began to pull Leah's pants down. She hadn't gotten very far when Leah's hands grasped her own, trying to stop her. All Meredith had to do was shoot Leah a warning look, and Leah took a deep breath, let out a sigh, and let go. Meredith nodded approvingly and slid the pants down to Leah's knees. She then lead her over her lap so that her top half was resting on the bed. It was a little awkward for them both...it had been so long since either of them had been in this position. Leah felt that familliar warmth of Meredith's free hand wrapping around her stomach, making contact with her bare skin, and pulling her close.

Meredith hardened her palm, lifted it into the air, and snapped it back down, creating the slap that was so familiar to both of them. She did the same again, and again. Before long Leah was letting out the regular "oww" and "ohhh" and "ahh"'s and was almost crying a little. As Meredith spanked, she made sure to cover every part of Leah's pantied bottom...all the way from the top of her panties to the tops of her knees. The spots that got the most reaction were the "sit spots" and Meredith took note of that. Meredith tried to focus on the rhythmic sounds of slapping rather than her little sister's cries and begging. She knew Leah was sincere. She wasn't one to fake cry to get let off easy. Meredith could feel her stomach moving up and down as she cried and tried to breathe.

She stopped spanking for a minute.

"Stand up Leah" she commanded. It took a minute, but Leah stood up, with the help of her sister. Meredith hooked her fingers into the waistband of Leah's panties at her hips, and slid them down, without taking her eyes off Leah's face once.

"I don't want to ever have to speak with you about this again. Do you understand?" Meredith asked. When Leah didn't respond Meredith landed a hard spank to Leah's now bare bottom.

"Oww!" Leah cried, reaching her hands back to rub. Meredith reached around Leah and pried her hands away and held them tightly.

"Do you understand?" Meredith asked again slowly.

"Yes" Leah said, crying.

"Good" Meredith said, and guided Leah back over her lap. She picked up this new paddle and looked at it for a minute. It was very thin....and almost looked a little flexible. It looked like wood, but wasn't. Hopefully it would make a point. She pinned Leah's legs between her own and gently twisted Leah's outer arm behind her back and pinned it there.

"Noo!" Leah cried.

"I don't want to hurt you with this. If you reach your hand back it might get hit" Meredith explained calmly. All Leah did was continue crying.

Leah was trembling in anticipation for the first spank with this new implement, and so was Meredith. It made her a little nervous. She took a deep breath, lifted it, and slapped it back down very sharply. Leah cried out, and Meredith continued. She covered her entire bare bottom until it was glowing, and then moved to Leah's upper thighs. She snapped the paddle down again and again, and then moved back to Leah bottom. She alternated cheeks, and used even force. Leah was crying and begging her to stop. Meredith of course, didn't.

"Owww" Leah cried. "It stings.....it really stings Meredith....pleeeeeaaaaseeeeeee stop!!!" Leah begged. Meredith ignored her. This took all of Leah's breath, so instead of crying again, she went back to crying.

Meredith placed a few more forceful spanks, and then spoke very sternly.

"Leah, will we have to deal with your rudeness again?"

"Noo" Leah cried.

"And will you act gracefully when you don't get your own way?"

"Yessss" she cried.

"You will spend the rest of your evening writing an apology letter to Holly and we'll take it over tomorrow, do you understand?"

"Yes" she cried a lot quieter.

"Good" Meredith said. She lifted the paddle again, and delivered the hardest spanks yet to Leah's sit spots. Leah screamed bloody murder. It's a good thing the windows were closed.

Meredith set the paddle down on the bed and released Leah's arm. She also unclamped her legs.

"Alright sweetie, we're finished, it's over. I forgive you" Meredith said softly, and Leah cried and said she was sorry repeatedly. She eventually allowed Meredith to help her up. She stepped out of her panties that were twisted around her feet, and Meredith hugged her close. After a few minutes she let her go.

"Why don't you go get your pjs on and meet me in the kitchen...we'll work on your letter"

"Okay Mere...I'm so sorry"

"I know you sweetie....it's over now" she said, and Leah turned, not at all concerned with modesty at this point, and, rubbing her bottom the whole way, left and went into her bedroom.