Fairy Lights

Audrey Anderson flittered across the wooden floor of the community center carrying a large box of Christmas baubles. The Christmas pageant is her favorite social event and Audrey had started planning the event since the Halloween decorations went down. The children’s choir was sounding angelic and the tree she has acquired is at least two feet taller than her friendly nemesis Janet Miller. Every year, Janet tried to steal Audrey’s thunder and every year she was crushed by the redheads gorgeous pageant.

“Amber!” she called in her shrill tone. “Stop lazing around and help me with this tree.”

Amber Anderson was laying across four folding chairs texting when her mother called. She hated helping with the pageant, it was so whimsical and beautiful for the town folk, but it was Amber who did all the grunt work. Sure, the snowflakes where cute but papercuts were not. Sure, the soft fluffy cotton snow around the choir was whimsical but finding glitter and cotton on your skin for weeks sucked.

“I’m setting chairs mom!”

“Don’t get snippy! This tree needs to be perfect, and the choir will be here to practice in 20 minutes.” Audrey was especially short for something that is supposed to be fun. Amber rolled her eyes.

Jenna Smith appeared through the doors with her father, Michael Smith, a stern looking man with a military style buzzcut. The type of man that could be 25 or 48 and no one would question it. He was holding an old, but still intact box of fairy lights.

“We picked up the box of lights you asked for Mrs. Anderson,” called Jenna with a smile.

“We have 100 feet of lights here. Should be plenty to go around your tree there,” added Michael.

“Thank you, Mr. Smith” smiled Audrey. “I do hope it wasn’t any trouble.”

“Not at all. Happy to help a friend of Jenna’s.” He smiled back.

Amber made a face and Jenna giggled. “Mom, can we please go now. We want to go to the Christmas market.”

“After the pageant practice. We have to put the lights on but we need a bigger ladder.”

“I think I have a bigger one at home, I can run out and get it.”

Audrey looked up at the tree. “Oh no, I’m sure we’ll manage, you’ve already helped.”

“Nonesense, I always enjoy your pageant and if more lights will help I’m happy to.”

“Mom!” snapped Amber. “If we put the lights up can we go?”

“Hush Amber. Mr. Smith and I are going to get a ladder and be right back. Then you may go.” Audrey snapped her scowl at Amber into a smile for Michael and they left through the doors.

“Ugh! This is so unfair.” Amber pouted as she finished putting up the chairs.

Jenna helped, following the pattern on the opposite side. “They shouldn’t be too long. I’m sure we can get started.”

“Pfft!” Amber scoffed. “Did you see the way she was looking at him?” Amber made a shrill high pitched mime of her mother’s voice. “Oh please Mr. Smith. Help me with my petty little pageant and maybe you can finger me while I’m up your big ladder.”

“Ewww!” cried Jenna as she threw a large cotton snowball at Amber. “Shut up! That’s so gross!”

Noting Jenna’s discomfort makes Amber bold and turns her voice deeper. “Oh yeah Mrs. Anderson, maybe later you can suck on my candycane.” A second snowball boofs her in the side of the mouth making her spit out cotton. “Oh! You are so dead.”

Jenna shrieks and starts to run around the nativity scene. “No, no, no. Save me baby Jesus.”

Amber chases her giggling companion around the scene catching her around the waist before toppling her into the fake cotton snow. “You wanna throw snowballs?” Amber picked up a handful of the fake snow and tossed it at Jenna’s face as she pinned her down. Jenna squealed with delight at feeling Amber on top of her. The weight of her body on her own gave her a delicious warmth in her chest.

“I yield, I yield.” She called between giggles.

“Oh you don’t get off that easy.” Amber leaned forward to kiss her giggling friend. Soft lips and the taste of hot chocolate as her smooched in the soft cotton snowfall. “I can’t wait to go skating in the square.” Ambers hand ran up Jenna’s side, slipping under her green sweater.

Jenna blushed. “Amber…what if they come back.”

Painted fingernails dragged softly on Jenna’s skin making her gasp and whine. “Do you want me to stop?”

Jenna’s eyes opened wide and she reached up to kiss the exploring red head again. “No…no…but we’ll get caught.”

Amber giggled. “Okay” She flopped next to her friend on the fake snow. “Well, they are taking forever. I bet we could get the lights on. Come on.”

Amber helped her friend up and walked over to the enormous Christmas tree, the baubles were already smattered around the huge tree. “Let’s start at the bottom and work our way around.”

Slowly but surely the fairy lights wrapped around the evergreen carefully around the spiny needles. “It looks great,” remarked Jenna.

“Yeah, I bet we could finish it. It doesn’t look that high.”

Amber slipped off to find the step ladder and set it up beside the tree, it only stood about two feet but with a stretch she was sure she could reach the top.

“Don’t you think we should wait?” asked Jenna. She was nervous Amber could fall and hurt herself.

“Nah! Their probably banging in your garage right now.”

“Oh my god! Quit it!” Jenna smacked Amber on her left cheek while she stood up on the step ladder.

“Ow!” Amber turned a little too quickly and felt herself slip. With only the tree to grab onto, she fell forward and hugged the tree as she, and the evergreen, careened to the ground. The lights snapped and a few baubles smashed and rolled off.

“Oh my God! Amber! Are you alright.” Jenna helped her friend to her feet.

“Yes, yes, I’m fine. The tree broke my fall.”

A shiny blue and silver bauble rolled across the floor and stopped on the shiny red heel of Audrey Anderson. “What on earth did you think you were doing!”

The red headed woman marched forward to her toppled and broken tree. Michael Smith helped lift the tree up, one side was squashed and the branches were broken.

“I told you to wait! You could have seriously hurt yourself. And look at my tree.”

“I’m fine mom. It was an accident. I..”

“It was my fault Mrs. Anderson.” Chirped up Jenna. “I was messing around while Amber was on the ladder.”

“Excuse me?” Snapped Michael. “You could have seriously hurt your friend.”

Jenna looked down at the ground and felt Amber’s arm touch her own. A small comfort to the shame she was feeling. Audrey looked at the tree, it may be salvageable, she could turn it and place the ugly side against the wall, but the baubles were crumbled or smashed.

Stepping towards the two girls she looked Amber over. She wasn’t hurt. No bumps, no cuts. She was unscathed. “Excuse us. I have to have a chat with my daughter.”

Audrey grasped Amber by the wrist and marched towards the small supply closet at the back of the community center.

“No. No mom. Wait” Amber followed behind her mother knowing full well where she was going and what was going to happen. “I told you it was an accident.”

As they walked past the nativity scene, Audrey pulled a long thin stick from the makeshift fence and gave it a swish.

As the two redheads walked away, Michael snapped his fingers to make Jenna look up at his face. “See what you foolishness has caused.”

“Yes Sir.”

“And is it fair only Amber is punished?”

“No Sir.”

Michael Smith raised an eyebrow and exhaled. He had never used Audrey’s brand of discipline and he was not about to start now, but it was not fair to let her off scott free. He watched the two red heads disappear into the closet.

“Go. Stand accountable with your friend.” Michael pointed to the door and watched Jenna follow them slowly.

In the small room, Audrey cleared a space as Amber pouted. “Mom please, not in front of Jenna and her dad.”

“We are not in front of Jenna or Mr. Smith, but it can be arranged if you want to fuss.” Audrey stood facing her daughter with her hand son her hips. The long thin stick in her right hand. “You know how important this is to me and how unsafe it was to climb up there. You could have hurt yourself and you have ruined the main spectacle. How am I going to show a broken tree to the children tonight.” Audrey placed her thumb and finger on her nose. Disappointment flowing through her.

There was a weak knock at the door and Jenna slipped inside. “Mrs. Anderson. I’m so sorry. It was my fault too. I should share the consequences.”

Audrey looked over the meek looking brunette. “Very well. Amber. Jeans and panties down. Hands on your knees.”

Amber stepped forward and began unbuttoning her jeans. Her skinny jeans tugged down to her knees and she bend forward, her pale rear jutting out towards Jenna as Audrey swished the stick and laid it gently across both cheeks, giving it three gently taps across the plumpest part. With a snap the stick bit into Ambers cheeks leaving a bright red line.

“You get one for every broken bauble on the floor. Count!”

“One.” The stick tapped again and with a slice whipped into her with another red stripe. “Two.”

Jenna watched as the stick lit up Amber’s bottom right in front of her. She pressed her thighs together. Both full of anticipation and fear. Audrey raised the stick again and landed three stripes in rapid succession causing Amber to stand up and touch her bottom with a small jump.

“OW! FIVE!” She squealed.

“Two seconds to get back in position or we will start again.” Audrey corrected in a sharp tone. Amber bend forward again, her cheeks jiggled for some relief and found none. Five harsh lines decorated her pale rear. Audrey laid the stick in the crease between the curve of her cheeks and her thighs. Eliciting a groan from Amber.

The stick raised and with a swish cracked into the thinner flesh. “Six, Momma!”

Audrey had two left to give, but the change in tone from Amber and the weak way she called her momma told her the message was received. Thighs were always the most tender.

Twice more Audrey flicked her wrist across her daughter’s upper thighs.

“Eight!” Amber felt the sting in her cheeks and her eyes as tears began to prick her cheeks. She felt Audrey’s hand on her back and she helped her stand up.

“Very good Amber. Go stand by that wall with your hands on your head.” Amber shuffled off with her jeans still tight around her knees. Audrey watched her get into position and place her hands on her head. “Alright Jenna. Are you ready?”

Jenna’s eyes were wide and a little glassy as she pulled up her sweater and slipped her thumb in her leggings. She pulled the leggings down to her knees catching one more look at Ambers striped bottom. The flick of the stick made her flinch and Jenna quickly got into position.

Audrey placed the stick on Jenna’s bottom and gave her the same three taps before whipping the flexible rod across the girl’s bottom.

Jenna let out a small eep and then whispered “One. Mrs. Anderson.” The second fell quickly and Jenna became flushed. It hurt. It hurt terribly, but just like with Amber the pain gave her a deeper feeling in her stomach. A feeling that made her whine and bite her lip. “Two.”

Amber scowled into the wall and pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth as she heard her mother punish her friend. Each stroke followed my quieter and quieter counting.

Audrey was no stranger to disciplining other peoples children, but it still hurt her heart to strip and cane a girl that had been a tremendous influence on her wild child.

“Five,” Jenna was swimming in the pain of the strokes, but she felt a sense of pride for taking her licks with Amber. The stick tapped against her thigh and she braced herself for the final three strikes on the delicate skin. She felt her bottom burn and the sixth stoke made her cry out. “SIX.”

Audrey delivered the final two swipes. One on the thighs and the final one across the lower cheeks, watching the way the small brunette tensed her spine but did not move.

“You may get up now Jenna.” Audrey helped her stand and the short brunette pulled up her panties and leggings. “You too Amber.”

Amber turned to see her pink faced friend pull up her panties and reached for her own. She pulled the denim jeans over her striped ass and buttoned them up. She dared not risk a scowl at her mother.

“Come along. We have a mess to clean up.” Audrey waited until the girls were dressed and watched as her daughter wiped a tear from Jenna’s face.

As they opened the door, Audrey saw the tree upright and covered with the remaining baubles. Michael Smith stood on the ladder and wrapped the last string of lights on the tree. The floor was swept and the broken baubles and branches were cleaned up.

“Well ladies? What do you think?” Michael Smith connected the string and the tree lit up with flickering golden lights.”

Amber wrapped her arm around Jenna and let her hand drift to her hot striped bottom. The brunette blushed and let her head lean against her taller friend.