Chapter 6
I awoke the next morning feeling stiff as though I’d just run a marathon. Mr. Quackers was no where in sight and I assumed he’d gone to work. I felt stronger and after a few wobbly starts, was able to stand and walk around. I slowly padded into the bathroom. I still felt too sore to sit. Watch out world, there’s a woman out there who’s learned how to use a toilet standing up! I giggled as I went to put the seat down and then shrugged, leaving it up. I tried looking at my rear in the mirror but found it was too high to get a good view. A shower seemed like a good idea. Undressing was slow, but I managed. I got the water running after I found a stack of towels under the sink. .
I wasn’t prepared for the burning I felt when the water cascaded down my butt and thighs. Even though it was cool by my normal standards, on my abused skin the water felt like it was boiling. I avoided the spray as much as I could and adjusted the temperature till the water was cooler. It still hurt, but not as drastically, and I showered quickly. When I was done and carefully wrapped in a towel, I sniffed at my clothes. There was no way I would be able to wear them again. I padded back to the bedroom and hoped he wouldn’t mind if I borrowed something.
I inspected his drawers quickly, feeling like a snoop. My eyes felt like they were going to bulge out of my head when I discovered a pair of handcuffs stashed among the t-shirts. Blushing, I picked them up and closed my eyes, imagining what it would be like to feel the cold metal around my wrists. My stomach growling convinced me to put them away and get dressed. I ended up wearing the baggiest pair of sweat pants I could find and a sports t-shirt. I grabbed a pillow from the bed and went off in search of breakfast.
My knees almost buckled when I started going down the stairs but I was able to steady myself and slowly managed to get down in one piece. I walked around till I found the kitchen, where to my surprise, I found Mr. Quackers. He looked up from his book and smiled warmly, “I didn’t hear you get up. How are you feeling, Shannon?”
“Sore. I hope you don’t mind, I borrowed some clean clothes. No work?” I dumped the pillow onto a chair and carefully eased into it, wincing. He closed his book and stood, “Nope. They gave me the day off to watch you. Can I get you breakfast? I have eggs, fruit, toast, tea…”
I cut him off, “Tea and a banana would be great. By the way, your taste in football teams sucks.” He glared at me and then giggled. It was so funny to hear a grown man giggle and I couldn’t help but go into a giggle fit myself.
When he’d caught his breath, he put the tea kettle on and smirked, “I’m sure the team you cheer for is so much better! You’re probably a loony Cowboys fan.” I smirked back, “No way! Eagles all the way! And at least my team made the playoffs this year!” Mr. Quackers clutched at his heart and pretended to stagger around. I was laughing, nearly doubled over when he said, “So tell me Miss Eagles fan, why did they punt?”
I threw up my hands into the air, “I don’t know! You win. Where’s my tea?” Breakfast was lighthearted and fun. It was a good distraction from my pain and we talked about football the entire time. After eating I tried to wash out my tea cup, but he shooed me away, “Go watch television for a bit. I’ll be in shortly.”
Daytime television sucks. I ended up picking a nature show. When Mr. Quackers entered he was carrying a jar similar to the one I’d seen the first time I’d been caned. I groaned and he shook his finger at me, “You know this will help. Don’t even think of telling me you’ll do it yourself, you can barely move.” I sighed and lay down along the couch. He was exceedingly gentle as he slowly slid the sweat pants down and whistled when he saw the marks.
I shuddered from the pain as he slowly started rubbing the balm in. When one of his nails scraped along my skin I screamed into a pillow and his hands stopped. My breath was ragged but I urged him to continue, to just finish. After a few more minutes of rubbing, I stopped noticing the pain. I was getting aroused by his touches and kept biting my lip not wanting to moan and ruin the moment. Somehow I succeeded and he stopped only when he was satisfied that every mark had been coated in balm.
Mr. Quackers eased the sweatpants back up and I gingerly sat up on the couch. He sat down next to me silently. It felt awkward and I nervously asked, “Umm, if we’re friends in this setting, should I still call you Mr. Quackers?” He shook his head, “No, I think my first name will do, but you’ll have to guess.”
I’d seen his first name in a teacher’s directory, but decided to tease first, “Hmm. Oh I know, your name is Graham.” He shook his head, “Nope try again.” I grinned at him, “Are you sure? You know, Graham, as in Graham Quackers, Graham Crackers!” I giggled at the joke and was rewarded with a pillow to the face.
“Mercy, mercy!” I shrieked, pretending to faint. The pillow stopped hitting me and when I peeked to see if he was looking, he whapped me again on the top of the head. He beat me a few more times with the pillow and I made a silly face, “Okay, okay, a serious answer. Your name is Jonathan. Do you go by Jon? Maybe John Boy? Johnny? Nathan?”
“John Boy? Do I look like some sort of country bumpkin?” He shook his head. The teasing flirt in me was out in full swing, “Well, now that you mention it…” I covered my head with my hands and he pinched my side instead of hitting me with the pillow, “Jon is just fine.”
There was a long pause and we both sat there lost in our own thoughts. I was the first to break the silence, “Are you going to lecture me about my behavior in school?” He looked over at me sadly, “Nope. As of yesterday I’m no longer your teacher. Your parents are headed here to take you home.”
I was stunned. I’d assumed that my parents would check to see how I was and then leave. I liked my school, well somewhat. Honestly, I liked learning from him. He’d gotten through to me and had made me enjoy learning. I also liked him, and somewhere in my mind for brief moments I’d thought that maybe he liked me as well even if he was older. No, not old! I’d never thought him old. He was just older in a nice mature manner, but still goofy and fun.
I sighed loudly and pulled the pillow up to my chest. I was determined not to let him see me cry again. Despite having cried in front of him many times, I hate showing my emotions to anyone. Once you let someone in, I felt that it made you weak and vulnerable. He patted my knee, “I’ve enjoyed teaching you Shannon. I had hoped to teach you more. When you put your mind to it, you are a bright young lady. Never forget that. You can accomplish anything if you really try.”
My heart was racing. I wanted to confess the truth, and I’d just opened my mouth to speak when the doorbell rang. I cursed my luck as Jon went to the door. It was my parents. My mother rushed in, a cloud of heavy perfume trailing behind her. She enveloped me into her perfume drenched aura and hugged me tight, “Don’t worry baby, you won’t have to go to that nasty school anymore!”
I winced as she pushed me into the couch with her hug and pulled away, “Mom, calm down please; I’m really sore. I’m okay, honestly.” I could tell by the look on her face that she didn’t believe me. I looked around for my father and Jon, but the two were still standing at the door talking. My mother started fussing over me and I couldn’t take it. I eased off the couch and walked over to my father.
Dad hugged me around the shoulders, “You okay, kiddo?” I nodded as he continued, “You know kiddo, you’re lucky that Jon works at this joke of a school. You should have told us sooner that they were caning you. I’ll have my lawyer sue any teacher there who’s ever touched you!”
Jon turned pale. I flushed scarlet. My father was still rambling on about taking the school on a “ride they’d never forget”. I tried interrupting him twice before I finally raised my voice, “Daddy!” He stopped plotting the school’s demise and looked at me, “I’m sorry kiddo, I’m sure this is upsetting you.”
I shook my head, “Daddy, until this, I was never punished unfairly.” I looked away in shame. He scowled and directed his fuming at me, “Shannon Jessica Cole, what sort of troubles have you gotten into now?” I stammered but it was Jon who told my father what was going on. He spoke sheepishly at first, his voice gaining confidence as he continued, “Mr. Cole, Shannon has been getting into minor troubles. She’s bored in her classes and I had just agreed to take over her teaching till graduation. I believe that she wasn’t being challenged enough. During the incident, I was the one caning her initially…”
He took a deep breath and my father’s jaw dropped as Jon continued, “I only cane students when they truly deserve it. Shannon did not sustain her injuries from me however. A vengeful teacher took out her anger over a petty fight on Shannon, after she’d already been properly punished. The police have this teacher in custody and she’s undergoing psychiatric testing.”
My father stammered and glared at Jon for a moment before turning back to me. He snorted angrily and I could hear him counting to ten before he continued, “Did you learn your lesson before you were abused Shannon?” I nodded, “Yes daddy I had.”
He looked thoughtful for a moment and finally asked me, “Shannon, do you want to stay at this school? You only have four months till graduation. If you can’t convince me that you won’t get into trouble, we’re leaving.”
I caught Jon’s eye, but he was still pale and his face was emotionless. I could hear my mother yakking away on her cell phone in the living room. What did I want? I didn’t want to leave, but was it for the right reasons? My father was growing impatient and looking at his watch when I made up my mind, “Daddy, I want to stay. I-it was planned that Jo- err, Mr. Quackers would be my only teacher for the rest of the year. I’ve learned a lot from his lessons and I want to stick with this and not quit.”
My answer seemed to satisfy my father. He nodded gruffly at me and turned his attention back to Jon, “Jon, would it be too much inconvenience if I requested that Shannon stay with you for the remainder of the term? I do not want her living in those dorms anymore. Those other girls seem to be a bad influence.”
The paleness in Jon’s face was quickly replaced by a deep blush. He looked terrified, “N-no trouble at all. It would be a pleasure.” My father nodded and pulled out his wallet and handed me money from it, “Good then, it’s settled. Shannon, pay for anything you need. Say hello to your parents for me Jon.” He patted Jon on the shoulder and hollered for my mother, “Come on Silvia, we have to be going now. The plane to Athens won’t wait all night!”
Dad kissed my forehead and walked outside to the waiting limo. My mother came out from the living room, still on her cell phone, gave me one of her “famous” perfumed air kisses and followed Dad to the car. We watched them drive off in stunned silence. When their car was out of sight, Jon closed the door and turned to me, “So those are your parents.”
I rolled my eyes, “Yeah, quite the pair.” Jon’s lip was twitching as he tried not to laugh, “Well meeting them explains a few things!” He darted back and I growled, “Not fair! I can’t chase after you!”
His expression rapidly changed from silly to sober as he walked back over, “Shannon, I…”
I cut him off as I looked down at the floor in shame, “Jon, we both know I deserved the first part of the caning. No one could have anticipated what else was going to happen. Don’t blame yourself. If I had learned my lesson the first time, this wouldn’t be an issue. Can we put this behind us and focus on getting me through the last bit of school? Friends or not, I’d like to graduate.”
He beamed proudly at me and smiled, “Sure thing “kiddo”. I groaned and whapped him with the money my father had given me. Seeing the money reminded me of my father’s “request” and I shook my head, “Look, my father is really demanding. Hopefully I’ll feel better and tomorrow I’ll return to my dorm.” Jon shook his head at me, “Nope. You’re staying here. I said you could and you will.” I sighed but knew that arguing would get me no where fast, “Fine, but take the money at least. Just think of all the books you could buy with it.”
Jon’s eyes lit up at the mention of books as he accepted the money.
