Marlene and the Boy Next Door Part IV
By David

Copyright 2009 by David, all rights reserved

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This story is intended for ADULTS ONLY. It contains explicit depictions of sexual activity involving minors. If you are not of a legal age in your locality to view such material or if such material does not appeal to you, do not read further, and do not save this story.
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Part IV

Marlene Miller was ecstatic!

Her morning could not have been better! Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined that she would actually come face-to-face with a naked boy!

Well, that wasn't exactly true. Her wildest dreams did in a way place her with naked boys, but she never really expected such a thing to actually happen. Ever since her first experience spying on the eccentric Mrs. Tully and her prissy little grandson, Samuel, Marlene did not think she would ever get to see him up close. She'd resigned herself to the life of a voyeur, a peeping tomboy, spying forever on jolly old ladies who spanked their naughty grandsons on their bare bottoms and made them do housework in their birthday suits.

"But it didn't happen that way, did it?" the young adventurer said to herself as she thought about what had just happened that morning. "How lucky am I?"

Marlene was in a hurry. She had much to do and – if she was really lucky – little time to do it. She wouldn't have much room to spare as long as Samuel did his part. And if he didn't, well, she'd make it work anyway.

Why not? she thought to herself. I got nothing to lose, that's for sure.

First she wrote a note to her mother and Aunt Margaret. That took longer than she planned as she had a hard time figuring out just what to say. In the end she opted for "keep it simple, stupid," something her late father used to say before he left for the war.

"Mom and Aunt Margaret," she read aloud to herself. "I'm next door with Mrs. Tully. Be back after while. Have fun! Your favorite daughter and niece, Marlene."

She shrugged. "Quick, easy and doesn't say too much. Good enough."

After sticking the note on the front door Marlene ran up to her room to change her clothes. She wanted to look as grown up as possible, but still ... well, not too grown up. She kicked off her shoes, yanked her jeans and top off, peeled off her socks, and then paused to look at herself in the mirror.

"Um-hmmm," the freckle-faced girl said to no one in particular. "Well, I'm not exactly ugly, I guess."

She frowned as she studied her blossoming twelve year old body. Intrigued by what she saw, she slid out of her bra and tossed it in the hamper without taking her eyes from the mirror. Her pale white legs were long and lean, merging into not-too-wide hips that tapered into a slender waist. Her bosom was modest, only recently swelling into petite breasts that she found as embarrassing as they were fascinating. Not too big for her age, but not too small, either.

"At least they're larger than Samuel Oliver's little titties," she whispered as she cupped one in each hand.

Glancing at the nightstand clock, Marlene raised an eyebrow.

"Time to check on my new friend," she said with a giggle.

From her position at her bedroom window Marlene had a perfect view into Mrs. Tully's parlor. With her father's old army field glasses pressed against her eyes, she was treated to a close up examination of Samuel Oliver as he dusted and vacuumed with an expertise that tickled the grinning girl. Seeing a boy doing "women's work" was funny enough, but seeing a boy wearing nothing but girl's panties doing housework was hilarious.

"This is great!" the giggling girl said to herself. She then looked down at her own similar white briefs and laughed. "Wow, we're twins! Neat!"

Marlene watched for several minutes, savoring the sight of the effeminate boy as he did his chores. She was absolutely right. With his hair in pigtails and his body clad in the skimpy briefs, he did look just like an adolescent girl as he wiped dust from the various knick-knacks that decorated his grandmother's room.

"From pants to panties," she said, giggling happily. "This is just great!"

She noticed with some amusement that Samuel's facial expression was oddly content, as though he didn't mind his tedious assignment, nor his scant attire. This was not unusual behavior as she'd seen him doing these kinds of chores before, oftentimes wearing even less. He seemed to actually enjoy his subservient feminine role at times and more than once Marlene even caught him smiling.

The real fun would start once his work was done and he was called to stand before his babysitter. That's when then tears would flow.

"He looks so cute when he pouts," she whispered wistfully.

Marlene didn't have long to wait before things got more interesting. She licked her lips as Samuel finished up with his vacuuming. Once everything was put away, the curly-headed boy stood in the middle of the parlor, alone and quiet. Marlene smiled as his cherubic face slowly took on a look of dread. Through the binoculars she could see him roll his eyes, take a deep breath and then leave the room.

The elated girl panned her lens toward the back of her neighbor's house. She couldn't see the entire kitchen but she could tell that Mrs. Tully was working on lunch. Marlene kept watch long enough to see the old woman stop what she was doing and turn to greet her bashful grandson.

Marlene watched carefully as Samuel was stripped of his panties and left standing naked in the middle of the kitchen. His misery only fueled her happiness. She loved looking at his naked body and she studied every square inch of him as his grandmother spoke. She couldn't hear everything that was said, but that didn't matter. Seeing her new friend in all his naked glory was more than enough.

Watching Mrs. Tully bathe the young boy in the middle of the kitchen was a delight. Licking her lips, Marlene could hardly take her eyes off his glistening skin, giggling at the soap suds that clung to him here and there. She noted with particular interest how his little penis was now aroused and swollen, bouncing around like an excited puppy.

That is the strangest thing I've ever seen, the frowning girl thought to herself. One minute it's smaller than his belly button and then it's stiff and sticking up in the air.

Marlene focused in on Samuel's penis. The high quality binoculars allowed her to see the "pink pearl" peeking out of that odd little foreskin. She noted with amusement how Mrs. Tully would reach down occasionally and smack at it with her hand or flick it with her finger, just as she would a rambunctious pet.

"I can't blame her," she said out loud. "Why in the world is it doing that anyway? Boys sure are weird!"

A glance at the clock reminded her that she had best hurry. If things went as she expected, she would have to be ready to go in a matter of minutes. Still, she had one more thing she needed to do.

Shedding her panties, a giddy Marlene Miller stood in the middle of her bedroom and looked at her nakedness. Her pudendum was barren of any hair, just like her effeminate friend next door. Part of her envied the older girls who were obviously so much more mature, well, physically, at least. At the same time she loved the way her pubic mound looked, so clean, so innocent ... so unhidden.

It's a lot prettier without that nasty old hair, she thought to herself.

Marlene took a deep breath, held it and then closed her eyes. Primed by all that she had seen and experienced the last two days, she pretended for a moment that she was in Samuel Oliver's situation. She imagined herself trapped in a strange house with odd acting adults who poked and prodded and tickled and spanked her naked body with no regard for her dignity or happiness.

She caressed herself between her legs and up and down her bare belly with one hand. The other cupped her budding breasts, one at a time, caressing and rubbing them ever so lightly, just barely touching the soft white skin surrounding the erect nipples.

"Owww ....," she mewed as she suddenly pinched the pink nipple. She gave her breast a slightly too-tight squeeze. "You're a bad girl, Marlene Miller ...!" she whispered, giggling.

Her imagination flowed, taking her outside to an ornamental garden where she was put to work picking flowers while still nude, collecting blossoms and cuttings for her mysterious guardians. Eyes still closed, she allowed herself to fantasize being punished for some inconsequential infraction and her bare bottom was pinched and whipped until she cried out in agonizing humiliation.

Feeling more than a little foolish, she slapped her butt as hard as she could in an attempt to replicate what she'd seen just a few moments in Mrs. Tully's garden. That wasn't so bad. She decided to give it another try. She took a deep breath, raised her hand and let it fly as hard as she could.

"OW!!!" she yelled.

Her face burning with excitement, the naked girl imagined being poked and pawed by one of the anonymous adults. The odd-looking Mr. McGillacuddy came to mind. She pictured him running his rough hands over her body, exploring and prying in her most intimate places. Her heart racing, she gave herself a sharp pinch on her belly, just inches above her hairless privates.

"Yeow, that hurt, too!" she fumed foolishly to herself.

Giggling quietly, Marlene reflected on the absurdity of what had just happened.

"Well, of course it hurt, dummy," she muttered. "You should know better. It's not like you haven't done that before."

Awakened from her daydream, she giggled at her own silliness.

"What a doofus I am."

Still, she had to admit that as stupid as her little game seemed, it was intriguing. She thought about Samuel Oliver and what must be going through his mind at that very moment. Her fantasy was in part his reality. She licked her lips and felt the heat rising on her flushed cheeks.

"That poor boy doesn't get it," she whispered. "He thinks he's miserable, but I think he's a lot luckier than he thinks!"

"Or so I think!" she added with a giggle.

* * *

Twelve year old Samuel Oliver stood on his grandmother's back porch and thought. He was alone, for the moment at least, free from his grandmother's doting care and away from the smirking Mrs. Haggard. He wasn't entirely happy, but that was all right. Things could have been a lot worse.

The blond boy stepped down to the stone path and followed it to the side gate, opened it and made his way to the yard next door. The laughter and yelling of the neighborhood children could be heard from the front of the house. Oh, how he wanted to run away and join them, riding bikes, playing ball, chasing each other and making friends.

"That would be great!" he whispered as he passed through the gate into the Miller's back yard. A quick glance down at his silly attire quickly brought him back to reality. "Damn it! It's not fair," he muttered to no one in particular. "I hate my life ...."

The youngster carefully made his way to the Miller's porch, looking around to make certain no one else could see him. The coast was clear, thank goodness. It was bad enough that Marlene was going to see him like this, but as he'd told himself so many times already that day ...

... things could be a lot worse!

* * *

Marlene was dressed and in the bathroom when she heard a knocking at the back door. Flushing the toilet, she adjusted her clothes, looked in the mirror and smiled.

"Wow. Good timing! This is working out better than I expected," she said to herself.

She took her time walking downstairs, pausing at the foyer mirror for a final look at her ensemble. She wore the suit her mother bought her for the academic competition, a navy blue jacket, matching slacks and a sleeveless white silken blouse underneath. A pair of three-inch heeled pumps borrowed from her mother adorned her nylon-covered feet. The outfit looked very mature on her and, most important, made her feel very grown up.

Look how tall I am, she thought as she heard the knocking again. I could pass for a high schooler.

Marlene knew who was at the door. If she had not known she would have run downstairs and answered it immediately. That's just the way she was. But in this case, no, this one could wait. He should be used to waiting by now, so a few minutes more wasn't going to hurt him.

She adjusted her hair one more time, admiring how pulling it back into a tight bun gave her a mature appearance. That was important. She struck a pose, raising a single eyebrow and forcing her mouth into a frown. The giddy girl then laughed. Inside she was a nervous wreck but on the outside her demeanor was cool, calm and deceptively grown up. Or at least that's what she was trying for.

The knocking became more frantic. Smiling to herself, the pre-teen stepped into the kitchen and called out, "Who is it?"

The knocking stopped and for an instant there was silence. Then came a shy, soft voice, unsure and nervous, through the layers of screen, glass and wood.

"Marlene? It's ... it's Samuel. From next door? I did what you said. I asked if I could come visit you. Nana ... I mean, my grandmother said I couldn't come over here but you can come visit us if you want. I really tried to get her to let me, but she won't."

Marlene leaned against the countertop and grinned. She wasn't going to make this easy on him.

"Who is this? 'Samantha'? Is that you?"

The young girl primped her jacket and blouse again, taking her time to respond.

"Mmmm, maybe. You'll have to come around front first. The back door is locked."

"Nope. No can do, 'Samantha.' Like I said, the back door is locked. I can't get it open. Just come around front and I'll let you know what I'm going to do."

There was some whispered fussing and another knock at the door. "I know what you're trying to do. Look, if you're not coming, I'll just go home and tell ... I'll tell Mrs. Tully you're not coming. I'm not coming around front, so you can just forget it!"

More whispering and whining could be heard from behind the closed door. Marlene tried not to giggle, but it was impossible. She did manage to regain her composure when the question was asked:

"Okay. If I come around front will you let me in right away? I really don't want anybody seeing me like this!"

By the time she got to the front door Samuel was tapping on the glass and wiggling the knob. "Marlene? Let me in! Please? I thought you said it was unlocked! C'mon, no fair! Open up! Please?"

"Who is this? 'Samantha'? Is that you again?"

"This ain't funny, Marlene! Open the door and let me in right now!"

"Sorry. Can't do it for anybody but 'Samantha.'"

"What?"

Some mumbling and whining ensued, followed by "What do you want me to do?"

Marlene smiled. "Just say you're 'Samantha,' that's all. Say, 'hello, it's me, Samantha,' and I'll open the door. That's all you have to do. If you don't say it I'll just stay here and you can go home to your Nana and explain to her where I am."

There was another long pause, then "Okay, okay. Hello, it's 'Samantha.' Can I come in?"

"'Samantha' who?"

"Marleeene!"

Marlene had to laugh.

"Say it again. Say, 'hello, Miss Marlene, it's me, Samantha' just one time and I'll let you in. I promise."

"You promise? Seriously? You really promise?"

Another moment of silence was soon followed by "Hello, Marlene, it's 'Samantha.' Can I please come in?"

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you. Could you speak a little louder?"

"I said it's 'Samantha'!!! Can I please come in??!!!"

"Okay, okay, don't get your panties in a wad!"

The smiling pre-teen opened the front door of her house. She tried not to laugh, but she couldn't help herself. The sight before her was too silly.

Samuel Oliver stood looking as miserable as she'd ever seen him. He also looked more girlish. The poor boy's hair had been brushed and teased within an inch of its life, causing the curls to fluff up and stand out on all sides like a girl's hairdo. The blond bangs framed his cherubic face perfectly, giving him a definite feminine appearance. The plump Cupid's bow lips pouted in the cutest way, causing Marlene's heart to skip a beat.

Her moment of passion turned toward hilarity, however, once she realized what he was wearing. The tiny sleeveless baby doll t-shirt looked four sizes too small, barely covering the blushing boy's belly button. Its snug fit emphasized his fleshy bosom, his nipples evident against the thin cotton. Even more absurd was the figure of a winged sprite on the front with the words "fairy princess" in bold script beneath.

"Wow. I didn't know you had boobs, 'Samantha.' You really should consider wearing a bra, girl."

Samuel looked down and then crossed his arms over his breasts. "Hey, that was mean! I can't help it! This isn't my fault ... that old woman made me wear this!"

"Oh, yeah, right," Marlene said, shrugging. "Tell me, where did you get that skirt?"

Indeed, the red-faced boy wore what appeared to be a very short flirty skirt around his waist. Made of thin white cotton and decorated with little red hearts and lace trim, it had an ultra-feminine look.

Samuel sighed and pulled the ruffled hem down around his bare legs.

"No, it's not a skirt! It's m- ... m-my apron. It's just a stupid apron, that's all. It's not a skirt!"

Marlene shook her head, unconvinced. "Funny, it looks just like a skirt to me."

The frustrated boy muttered something ugly and sighed. Marlene giggled as he turned around to reveal a pair of skimpy white panties peeking out the back.

"See! It's just a stupid apron!"

"They're NOT panties, they're briefs!" He pulled the back of his apron together in a fruitless attempt to cover his bottom.

Marlene shook her head and laughed. "Mmm, no, those are not boy briefs, for sure. They are most definitely panties, panty boy!"

"Hey, come on, it's not my fault!" the blushing Samuel complained. "Nana, I mean Mrs. Tully has me wear this whenever it's hot outside. She says it's more comfortable than jeans."

"So, is it?"

The cross-dressed boy blinked. "Is it what?"

Marlene snorted. "More comfortable than jeans?"

He made that pouty face again. "What do you think?"

The freckle-faced girl snickered. "What do I think? I think that's a skirt and panties, that's what I think. And I think you're a sissy boy who loves wearing skirts and panties! You act like you hate it, but you love looking like a girl, don't you? Come on, 'Samantha,' admit it!"

"This isn't fun and you're being mean to me." Samuel frowned. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

Marlene looked down. "Oh, stop being such a crybaby. Let's talk about those shoes and socks, 'Samantha.' I guess your Nana made you wear those, too, huh?"

Completing the effeminate child's costume were a pair of white slippers. They looked just like Marlene's old ballet shoes. The curly-haired girl had to laugh. A pair of bright red ankle socks – was that lace? – added to the absurdity of his wardrobe.

"It's a really cute outfit, Miss Priss." She arched an eyebrow and formed a crooked smile, just like she'd practiced oh, so many times in the mirror. "I love how your socks match the little hearts in your skirt!"

"It's not a skirt, Marlene! It's a stupid apron!"

The freckle-faced girl giggled. "Oh, it's a skirt all right. And you are a just adorable in it. As a matter of fact, you look sweet enough to go on a date with a boy!"

Samuel looked defeated. "You said you'd let me in," he said hoarsely. "Please, I don't want people seeing me looking like this."

Marlene glanced down the street. Four houses down the Mullins boys were playing ball in their yard. Across the street a group of girls were standing around giggling and talking. She could hear some of the smaller boys yelling "bang-bang, bang-bang," either playing "war" or "police" while a couple of others rode their bikes.

That was not what Samuel wanted to hear. It showed in his face, plainly. Marlene expected him to say something sarcastic, but instead he just sighed.

"Please, if you won't let me in, can we at least get going? That's what you wanted, right? Nana ... Old Lady Tully and that ugly old Mrs. Haggard are waiting on us."

Marlene did a double take. "Mrs. Haggard? Mrs. Gertrude Haggard? Are you sure?"

Samuel looked at her and nodded his head just a tiny bit and shrugged. "Yeah, I think so. Why, do you know her?"

The curly-haired girl nodded. "I have a teacher named Gertrude Haggard. I wonder if she's the same one."

Without warning Marlene shoved Samuel backward. While he backed away in surprise she moved in and shoved him again.

"Oh, shut up, 'Samantha'! You don't know what you're talking about, Miss Priss! The Mrs. Haggard I know is neat. She's smart and fun. She's kinda old, but that's cause she's lived through a lot of things and has all sorts of great stories to tell. You got no right talking about her that way!"

Samuel shook his head. "Whatever. I just know she's mean to me. Can we go now?"

The freckle-faced girl nodded. "Sure thing, pretty boy. Just lead the way!"

Marlene Miller grinned. This was turning out to be better than she ever expected!

* * *

Samuel Oliver was not a happy camper.

Lunch was going pretty much as he expected. In other words, not very well at all. He'd been put into his maid servant role, as usual, working his tail off doing what he'd always thought of as "women's work." He was used to that kind of thing when it was just him and his grandmother, but having that mean old Mrs. Haggard and that busy body Marlene around to see him, well, that was pretty unbearable.

They ate in Mrs. Tully's modest dining room. It was small and a bit crowded, but clean, neat and well-furnished with a table, chairs, hutch and a small buffet. As usual it was Samuel's job to put all the food on the buffet and then to serve it to their guests. This included preparing a pitcher of iced tea and a pot of coffee. Samuel was used to the routine as he had performed in this manner at least one night a week since he first began staying with his grandmother. One evening he even served his mother in this fashion, which got her thinking that maybe they should do something like this at home.

The big difference on this particular day was that instead of simply serving Mrs. Tully, Samuel had two guests to tend. Where mincing around in his prerequisite ruffled apron had become somewhat commonplace with his babysitter, he felt like such a fool with the eyes of the old woman and young girl following his every move.

"Nana, can't I put on something less embarrassing?" he pleaded with his grandmother. "Mrs. Haggard and that girl keep looking at me funny."

Irma Tully smiled. "That's because you are so pretty, baby doll. Everybody loves looking at pretty boys. They're looking at you because they are admiring you. You shouldn't be embarrassed, love. You should be proud! Now, be a good boy and go get the cloth napkins from the hutch. Scoot before I give that cute little butt another spanking!"

Despite his grandmother's words, Samuel was skeptical. A sidelong glance in the mirrored hutch showed him to look completely ridiculous. Marlene was right. He did look just like a girl and he hated that! That silly, frilly little apron could have been easily used as a skirt and his stupid, curly girly hair never looked worse! He vowed to convince his mother to get him a haircut as soon as he got home. It would be hard sell, he knew, but he had to do something before things got too far out of hand.

Samuel was especially bothered by how the women in the room conducted themselves around him. He expected to be teased or tickled or pinched or otherwise provoked as he performed his servant duties. But that didn't happen right away. At first he was pretty much ignored. The two old ladies chatted and gossiped while twelve year old Marlene listened and smiled. When he was referred to it was either in a dismissive manner regarding the serving of the food – "Baby doll, would you refresh Marlene's tea for her, please?" – or in the third person, as though he wasn't even in the room.

"You've done wonders with your little brat," Mrs. Haggard said at one point. "Compared to how he was when you first got hold of him, he's an angel. I swear, I would not give you a plug nickel for a boy. I wouldn't take one if you offered me a million dollars."

She kissed the blushing boy once on the cheek and again on the lips, leaving two huge red lipstick prints for everyone to see. Marlene giggled while the elderly school teacher just shook her head.

"Oh, sure, he's a little angel right now. The little darling. But get him out of your sight and he'll return to his devilish little self in no time flat. Isn't that right, Marlene? You're around boys all the time. Educate my dear old friend here on the facts of life."

As much as Samuel despised being part of this conversation it was obvious that Marlene was thrilled.

"Well, Mrs. Haggard, I think part of what you say can be true," the excited girl replied. "But on the other hand, 'Samantha' acted very sweet when he came to invite me to lunch a little while ago."

"I just love how Marlene calls Samuel 'Samantha,'" Mrs. Tully interjected. "It is so cute! I think I'm going to start calling him that myself."

Marlene's eye lit up with delight. "It's funny you should say that, Mrs. Tully. You'd think most boys would hate being called a girl's name. Just like you'd think most boys would hate wearing girl's clothes. But that's not the case with 'Samantha' at all!"

Samuel frowned. What was she talking about, he wondered.

"Oh, really? How do you mean?" Irma Tully asked with a giggle.

The excited girl gave a sheepish grin. "Well, I kind of found out by accident. When he showed up at the door in that cute little outfit, what with the fairy princess printed on his t-shirt and that sweet little apron and all, I teased him a little about it. You know, just for fun. I thought he'd get embarrassed, but you know what he did instead?"

The two women looked at each other, and then at Samuel. Irma Tully seemed really interested while Mrs. Haggard had a more subdued look on her face. The blushing boy squirmed under the focus of so much attention.

"I have no idea," Mrs. Tully finally replied. "What did he do?"

Irma Tully smiled. "My little Samuel said that?" She raised her hands palms up in bewilderment.

"That's what he said, all right. I was going to tease him about looking like a sissy, but he didn't care. He loves looking and acting girlish. You really got me on that one, 'Samantha.'"

Samuel, of course, was stunned to hear such talk. That wasn't what happened at all! He tried to think of something to say, but he was dumbfounded.

In the meantime, Mrs. Tully clapped her hands together with delight and she reached over and pulled her grandson close, smothering him with kisses.

Mrs. Haggard, ever the solemn one, smiled her biggest smile of the day. She shook her head and almost laughed. "That's hard to believe," she said, giving Marlene a long considerate look. "I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't heard it from someone I trust."

Marlene shrugged her shoulders. "I know. Isn't that odd? I would have never thought it true either, but, oh well!"

His face covered in red lip prints, Samuel Oliver stood staring at Marlene, his mind trying to understand what he just heard. His grandmother kept kissing him on the cheek and rubbing his belly under his apron, causing him the worst distraction.

"Did you really say that, baby doll? That is so sweet! Why didn't you tell Nana sooner? I could have made you look even prettier for your little play date, you know."

Samuel wiped his red-stained mouth with the back of his hand. "That's not exactly what I said," he muttered.

Grinning like a bandit, Marlene glanced at the somber Mrs. Haggard and shrugged.

"Well, I have to admit, I thought about fibbing about what he said. You know, just as a joke? I was going to make this big story about how much he hated dressing up and how much he hated working in the garden and doing housework and all that."

"Oh, really?" Mrs. Haggard looked at Marlene with considerable thought. "That would have been interesting."

The young girl bit her lip, then smiled. "I know! I even thought about saying how he didn't like Mrs. Tully. You know, after that spanking she gave him and all."

"Now that would have really been something, too," the elderly teacher commented.

Eyes wide, mouth agape, Samuel Oliver could not believe what he was hearing. Never in a million years did he expect to hear such talk. In a matter of minutes, seconds, really, this homely, scrawny little girl from next door had put him on the spot. She'd told the most outrageous, most fantastic story on him that she could have ever told – and there wasn't a damned thing he could do about it!

Oh, he thought about it, all right, he was ready to deny the whole thing, right there on the spot. He'd denounce that stupid Marlene as a fraud, as a wicked hypocrite, and expose her lies in front of his grandmother and her lady friend.

I'll show her! he thought angrily. She won't get away with this!

There was only one problem. He'd have to tell the truth. He thought for a moment and realized what that meant. He'd have to say how he really did talk bad about his grandmother, how much he hated her, her ugly friend and all of the awful things that happened to him in the quaint little cottage at the end of the lane. He'd have to say how much he despised running around in his birthday suit and wearing girlish underwear and having his hair played with and put into silly, demeaning styles. And then there were the awful things that happened to him upstairs. He didn't even want to get into that stuff!

Oh, holy crap, he thought. This is not good. Not good at all! She's messed everything completely up!

That's not fair!

The rest of lunch was an absolute nightmare for young Samuel. Instead of waiting on his female guests, he was pulled onto his grandmother's lap and hugged and squeezed and kissed and fawned over as if he was the most precious thing in the whole wide world. Which he apparently was to the excited woman.

There wasn't much else he could do. The twelve year old boy felt his stomach drop as he searched for the words. His mouth was dry and his face burned with shame. A quick glance at the smirking Marlene made him dizzy with frustration. There was nothing else he could say but ....

"Well, it is kinda fun, I guess. You know, wearing pretty clothes and, um ... you know, helping around the house and all."

The ever helpful Marlene jumped in with, "Tell your Nana how much you love her, 'Samantha'! Tell her how much you like it when she kisses you and tickles you and pats you on your bare bottom!"

Samuel glared at the grinning girl. He almost said something out of character, but Mrs. Tully changed that by digging her strong, farm-grown fingers into his sides and tickling him until he cried out in helpless laughter.

The struggling boy almost went into a panic as one of the woman's hands slid under the hem of his apron and groped his butt cheek. He was afraid for a moment his panties were coming off, but instead he got a painful pinch that caused him to cry out in pain. He felt like crying, but another round of tickling diverted his sobs into laughter and giggles. It was a horrible, helpless feeling, one that would repeat itself over and over again throughout the remainder of his visit.

Things finally calmed down enough for everyone to finish their meal. Eventually Samuel got to sit down long enough to consume a bland lettuce salad, some cooked greens, with no seasoning, of course, and a glass of – yech!!! – prune juice. He normally didn't care for egg salad, but it sure looked good on Marlene's plate. What made it even more unbearable was the manner in which the seventh grade girl kept praising how good it tasted and what wonderful cook his grandmother was.

"It's really yummy, 'Samantha.' Are you sure you don't want some?" the freckle-faced girl asked with feigned concern. "That lettuce looks a little boring, but if that's what you like ...."

Samuel looked horrified to hear his most private functions discussed at the dining table, but Marlene was delighted.

That was for certain.

* * *

The women – including Marlene, of course – retired to the parlor after lunch, leaving a frustrated Samuel Oliver to clean up and serve the coffee. Directed by his grandmother to leave the dishes to soak, the sullen boy slowly made his way toward the lioness' den.

At least I was safe in the kitchen, he lamented.

As soon as he entered the parlor they started on him. His grandmother pulled him close, kissed him on the cheek and patted his chubby bottom.

"Now, see here, ladies," she spoke with warmth and pride. "Have you ever seen a prettier boy?"

Samuel blushed as all three females turned their eyes on him. He looked down at his apron and those stupid socks and shoes. He just as well have been wearing a dress, he looked so ridiculous.

Marlene spoke first, her smile crooked, her eyes piercing. "He is very pretty, Mrs. Tully. When he came over to get me this afternoon I could have sworn he was a little girl."

The two older women chuckled while Samuel fumed.

The freckle-faced girl was a special problem. Samuel couldn't believe it when she said, "Oh, I think 'Samantha' is too pretty for the ladies. I think maybe he'd have better luck with the boys!"

The room was silent for an instant. Irma Tully and her old friend looked at each other, then at Marlene. And then at Samuel.

The two old women then burst out with laughter.

Samuel Oliver just sat there and endured. He wanted to cry but he did everything in his power to suppress his tears. He didn't want to give the triumvirate of females any further reason to tease him.

Why can't they just leave me alone?

Samuel was eventually released to go about his duties. A tray with a small pot of fresh brew, saucers, cups and the necessary accessories was placed on the coffee table, along with a plate of delicious homemade white chocolate cookies. Once everyone was served he returned to Mrs. Tully's side.

This is the worst day of my life, he thought sadly.

The frustrated boy watched with some interest as Marlene Miller struggled to keep up her adult image. She made a pig of herself, however, by consuming three of the freshly baked cookies in as many minutes.

"These are delicious, Mrs. Tully!" she declared, her mouth not quite full. "It's good thing you're not my grandmother. I'd be as fat as 'Samantha' here!"

The women all laughed, including the quiet spoken Mrs. Haggard. Samuel just stood next to his babysitter, fuming inside while trying to maintain a neutral exterior.

She's witch, too, the effeminate boy thought angrily as he tugged at his frilly apron. I'd give anything to get even with her!

The truth of the matter the cookies smelled quite good and Samuel was desperate to take a taste of just one. All he'd had to eat since arriving at the little cottage with the ornamental garden were bland vegetables and tasteless oatmeal, a far cry from the pizzas, burgers and candy he consumed on any other day. Instead of chocolate milk, sports drinks and colas, so far this weekend buttermilk, prune juice and castor oil had been his chief beverages. By no means had he been starved, but he was ravenous for something that actually had flavor for a change.

It was the cookies that did it. Fueled by the buttery aroma and the fragrance of melted white chocolate chips, it was no wonder that hungry boy's the stomach suddenly made the most rude rumbling noise.

"What in the world was that?" Marlene exclaimed. "It sounded like a volcano erupting!"

Irritated, Samuel Oliver ignored the giggling girl. He focused his attention rather on his grandmother. This wasn't good. It was never good when his belly made noises. It never had been when they were alone. He had no doubt it wouldn't be good now that she had an audience.

"Excuse you?" said a suddenly serious Irma Tully. "That wasn't what I thought it was, I hope."

"It sounded like meanness to me," Mrs. Haggard said dryly.

Marlene glanced at her art teacher. The old woman gave her a hateful little smile.

Samuel winced as the noise happened again, this time even louder. Or so it seemed since the room was so quiet.

"Nana, I promise, I didn't do anything," the red-faced child pleaded. "It was just my belly. I promise, it wasn't my bottom!"

He glanced over at Marlene. Her face looked as though she knew something she shouldn't.

Oh, please, no, he wished as hard as he could. Don't let this happen now!

Well, dear reader, it was bound to happen. The room remained silent for another moment and as soon as the third rumbling took place poor Samuel watched his grandmother put down her saucer and cup. To his horror she pulled him close. The mortified boy gave a soft sob as he was spun around to face the two guests. He remained silent, but his eyes filled with tears strong fingers slid under his waistband and gave a slight tug on the frail elastic.

"Oh, dear ... Marlene, I hope you don't mind," the old woman said apologetically. "I just have to check something. It won't take a moment, I promise."

Mrs. Haggard gave Marlene a careful look. "Oh, really? I didn't know that? The last I heard, you were going to study art in Paris. Or was it dance?"

The grinning girl shrugged her shoulders. "Well, you know me, Mrs. Haggard. I'm interested in all sorts of stuff."

The elderly teacher nodded her head. "I see. Very interesting, the choices you've made. That's good. A girl should be interested in lots of 'stuff.' This should be pretty interesting for you, too, if I'm not mistaken." Samuel heard none of this. He was too busy feeling sorry for himself. And feeling the rush of cool air on his bare skin as his briefs were pulled down over his bottom.

"You better not have done what I think you did," his grandmother said in a stern voice. "Um-hmmm ... just as I thought! I see a stain in your panties! Samuel Oliver! How could you! And in front of Nana's guests, too!"

The embarrassed boy looked toward the ceiling as if to appeal to a higher power. He knew what would happen next. Before he could move a muscle his panties were slowly pulled down to his knees. He heard giggling as they fell to his ankles. A curt prodding forced him to bend his knees one at a time and they were slid over his feet. And then they were gone.

"Nana, please ... don't ...." he sobbed.

But it was too late. Samuel Oliver let out a hopeless sob. He wouldn't see another pair of pants – or panties, for that matter – for the rest of his stay with his grandmother.

* * *

"Let's see what we have here," Mrs. Tully said in a singsong voice. She turned her grandson's underwear inside out and sniffed the crotch.

Oh, my goodness! Marlene thought, both shocked and intrigued. She didn't say a word for fear of being expelled from the room. That was the one thing on this earth that she did not want at that moment.

Then something even more bizarre happened. While Samuel stared at the ceiling, the old woman showed the panties to her guests and shot them both a sly grin.

Marlene understood. There was no stain. The white cotton looked like new.

I get it, thought the seventh grade girl. Or at least I think I do.

Samuel Oliver stood defenseless in the middle of the three females, his face buried in his hands. Bottomless, accused of a vile breach of hygiene in front of guests, he looked absolutely miserable.

"Nanaaaaaaa, please don't ... nooooooo ...." His whining faded into sobs.

Marlene looked over her shoulders as she headed for the stairs. Samuel looked almost sweet with his bare bottom exposed behind the frilly kitchen apron. Her eyes widened as Mrs. Tully put her ancient hand on his pale, plump bottom and rubbed it as though this was something she did all the time. Marlene smiled as she realized that was probably true.

Just as interesting was Mrs. Haggard's reaction to all this. Or more accurately, her lack of reaction. Her favorite teacher sipped her tea and nibbled at a cookie, seemingly nonplussed by the entire situation, as though it was just another Saturday luncheon.

Maybe it is – for her, at least, thought the curious girl. They're old friends. I bet this isn't the first time she's seen 'Samantha's' bare butt!

The bathroom was easy to find and the hairbrush was right where Mrs. Tully suggested. Marlene was excited as she picked up the sacred object. It was a lot larger than it looked through her father's binoculars. She felt the worn wooden handle and marveled at the weight of the thing. A sense of déjà vu came over her. Then she remembered the dream she had where she was holding the heavy wooden paddle.

Oh, yeah ... I remember now.

Just out of curiosity, Marlene took a moment to survey the bathroom. For nearly two months she'd wondered about this mysterious room. Something strange was going on here. She'd been wondered forever what was so special and now was her time to discover the unknown.

A quick look in the cabinets was part of the routine, of course. Marlene often heard her Aunt Margaret expound on the merits of snooping through people's bathrooms.

"You can find out just about everything you need to know in there," her mother's sister said on many similar occasions.

Most of the cabinets were pretty ordinary. Except for some old lady things like lilac powder, various lotions, oils and medicines, there wasn't much that answered Marlene's questions. Until she opened up the tall cabinet next to the sink, that is.

What in the world???

The astounded girl had discovered a bizarre collection of little rubber bulbs, some red, some pink and blue. All were attached to weird little nozzles in a variety of sizes. There were also several tubes of mysterious ointments, a large jar of petroleum jelly and an arsenal of thermometers and other strangely shaped devices. Two bottles of castor oil and a huge table spoon caught her eye.

"Yuck!" she said aloud. "I hate that stuff. I wonder if Mrs. Tully makes her grandson take it?"

Fascinated by all she saw, Marlene picked up one of the bulbs, the large red one, and stared at the fluted nozzle. It was similar to the one in her mother's bathroom, but much bigger. And scarier.

"Good grief!" she whispered. "This is amazing! Am I going to have this kind of stuff when I'm an old lady?"

She then turned her attention to the two rubber bags, one small pink one and another huge red one. Each was attached to a long hose and a very intimidating nozzle.

From her extensive reading and unbridled curiosity, Marlene knew exactly what these things were for. Her mind raced frantically as she imagined ... imagined ... oh, how she imagined!

She closed her eyes for a moment and thought about all those times when Mrs. Tully and her grandson disappeared into the bathroom. She remembered the faint voices, the crying and whining and the silence. She then thought about the times she spied on the old woman as she probed and massaged Samuel's bare bottom. Then she remembered the reason she was in the bathroom in the first place.

His bottom?

She looked at the shiny black nozzle in her hand ... and she smiled.

His bottom!

It all makes sense now, she mused. I think ... no, I don't think. I know I get it!

Holy mother of ...! I figured it out!

As pleased as she was at solving the puzzle, the flustered girl now had a new problem. One that would haunt her until she figured how to solve it.

Please, oh, please ... I've got to see it for myself. So close, yet so far away. I've got to do it or I'll never forgive myself.

How am I going to do this???

* * *

Before going downstairs Marlene made sure to flush the toilet and wash her hands. She hadn't needed to go, but she wanted to establish an alibi in case anybody asked what took her so long. She also made certain to place everything back as she found it. She'd gotten so excited in the midst of her discovery, she honestly didn't know how long she'd been gone. It could have been an hour, it could have been only five minutes.

I've got to get hold of myself, the excited girl thought as she made her way down the steps. This is going to drive me crazy!

When she finally arrived in the parlor it was as though she'd hardly been missed. The two women were chatting casually about Mrs. Tully's garden. The only thing that had changed was she now found poor Samuel on his stomach over his grandmother's lap. The frilly apron was nowhere to be seen, having disappeared just like his panties. Even his girlish shoes and socks were gone, leaving him stranded with nothing but the baby doll t-shirt and his bare feet.

Chatting with her old friend, Irma Tully caressed Samuel's chubby naked bottom as she would a house cat. Samuel just laid there, quiet and submissive, as though this he was enjoying his grandmother's affectionate touch. Marlene soaked it all in for a good full minute – or was it two? – before announcing her return.

"Um, Mrs. Tully, is this the one you wanted?" She presented the hairbrush to her neighbor.

The bottomless Samuel walked over to Marlene and held out his hand without looking up. He looked ridiculous wearing nothing but the sissyish t-shirt. She couldn't help but notice that his penis had swollen considerably. It was completely erect and sticking out at a noticeable angle. The young girl's eyes locked in on the little pink pearl at the tip. Shaking her head, she had to force her attention up from his roused member and focus directly in Samuel's blushing face. A sense of power coursed through the curly-haired girl's being and she held the brush just out of reach.

Giving a glance at her elderly audience, Marlene raised an eyebrow and said, "Isn't there something you're supposed to say first, 'Samantha?'"

The tearful child looked up just long enough to see the gleam in her eyes and the smirk on her face. He then looked over at his grandmother who nodded encouragement.

Samuel took a deep breath. "Can I please have it? Please?"

Marlene held it up a bit higher. "MAY I please have it, MISS Marlene!"

The two women looked at each other. Mrs. Haggard winked at her old friend who in turn chuckled.

"I think I'd do what she said, baby doll. I do not think you want to cross Miss Marlene."

Samuel frowned, then pouted. "May I please have it ... Miss Marlene?"

Marlene didn't giggle, she didn't laugh. She didn't react at all. All she did was lower her hand just enough that the half-naked boy could take the hairbrush.

"Thank you ... Miss Marlene," the tearful boy whispered before hurrying back to his grandmother.

Wow, she thought to herself. That was ... it was just GREAT!!!

Mrs. Tully seemed to agree. "Very good, Miss Marlene. We may have to invite you over more often." She pushed her grandson toward her elder guest, giving him a playful swat on the bottom in the process. "Now, baby doll, go over to Mrs. Haggard and ask her if she'll do the honors. Nana's too tired right now. Go on, don't be shy. Do it or I'll let her do it anyway and then I'll give you an encore."

Marlene was surprised to see Samuel's face suddenly turn white, his eyes wide with fear.

"Does SHE have to spank me, Nana?" His voice trembled. "Can't you just do it?"

The rotund babysitter shrugged. "Yes, I can do it. I'll do it right after Mrs. Haggard gets through with you if you don't do as I say."

Mrs. Tully's voice became uncharacteristically low and firm. "Listen to me carefully, baby doll. I will not be questioned. Take the brush over to Gertrude and ask her if she will spank you. If you do not obey me, I will make sure you do not sit down until your mother comes to take you home. If I have to I will blister your butt every hour on the hour. I will make you sorry you ever questioned my word. Do you understand me?"

By this time the half-naked boy was biting his lip, his eyes wet with tears. Marlene was amazed. She didn't know which was scarier, Samuel's fear of Mrs. Haggard or the tone of Mrs. Tully's voice.

How odd, the young girl thought. Both of these nice old ladies are always so good to me. I can't imagine being afraid of either one of them. Well, until today.

She watched with fascination as the crying boy minced over to the smiling Mrs. Haggard. The old woman glanced at her and winked as Samuel complied with his grandmother's directive.

"M-M-Mrs. Haggard," he stammered, "w-w-will you please ... will you sp- ... spank me?"

This was clearly a very hard thing for the seventh grader to say. Marlene closed her eyes for a moment and imagined herself in that situation. She tried to picture herself naked in a room full of people, asking to be punished. A rush of blood reddened her face and caused her heart to go pitter-patter.

Wow, she thought to herself. I bet this doesn't happen every day.

"Say it again." Mrs. Tully's voice brought Marlene back to reality. "Say it like you mean it, baby doll, or you'll get it twice."

Samuel nodded. He took a deep breath, wiped his eyes and sighed.

"Mrs. Haggard, will you please give me a spanking? My ... my Nana is too tired."

A look of satisfaction spread over the old teacher's face. She nodded toward the young boy and said, "Since you asked politely, I'll be happy to do just that, young man." She then turned toward her old friend and said, "Thank you, Irma. You're so good to me."

"Any time, dearie," the plump babysitter said with a chuckle. "I know how you miss it."

Marlene's eyes went wide as she realized what was going on. She didn't dare say a word, but it was clear to her that these two old ladies were playing a game of some sort at Samuel's expense. Her shock turned to excitement as she realized she was being allowed to take part in the game, if only as a spectator.

I wonder if I'll get to do something, she wondered.

The freckle-faced girl watched as her teacher pulled the hem of her dress up over her knees, almost to her old lady underwear. She understood as the bottomless boy was pulled over the old woman's lap. Apparently she did not want his privates pressing against the material of her dress. That made sense.

She doesn't want him making a mess on her dress, Marlene said to herself. She's obviously done this before.

The paddling that followed was more fierce than anything that Marlene had seen through her bedroom window. It may have had something to do with actually being in the room when Samuel was being beaten, or it might have been the fact that Mrs. Haggard took a more vindictive approach toward punishing the young boy. Even so, the elderly teacher possessed a power and technique that was far more vicious than anything the plump Mrs. Tully had ever demonstrated.

Thwack! Thwack-thwack-thwack! THWACK!

If it had been anybody else, if it had been another girl or a younger child, Marlene would have felt badly for her ... or him. She probably would have intervened, she was sure, to put a stop to such a scene. Even if it meant risking her own safety. But this was somehow different. In this room, with these two particular women, it just felt right. Seeing a boy her own age being punished, especially this boy, the one whom she'd surveilled all those days and nights, this was a delight. To watch his plump bottom turn from pale pink to deep red in a matter of seconds, to see the fat flesh quiver and shake and squirm ... it was an extremely rewarding experience. The smiling preteen watched not with pity, but with fascinating and excitement. And with envy.

This is wonderful, she thought as she watched the helpless boy struggle and wiggle and cry under the assault to his unprotected derriere. This is the most amazing thing I've ever seen in my life! And I'm right here in the middle of it! I don't want it to ever end!

Marlene marveled at how that skinny old lady landed each and every sharp, burning blow with a precise power and timing that evoked the maximum amount of screaming from the quivering mound of flesh known as Samuel Oliver. By five blows the poor child was delirious with pain. By ten he was hysterical. By twenty he was incoherent. Beyond that and Marlene had run out of adjectives.

Wow, she thought, her heart fluttering with excitement. I wish I could do that! Mrs. Haggard is the luckiest woman in the whole wide world!

After the beating – there was no other word for it, polite or otherwise – Samuel was pushed off the teacher's lap with all the ceremony of brushing crumbs from her dress. Little if any affection was evident, which made the sobbing boy feel even worse. There was, however, a short lecture, the words of which cut almost as hard as the agonizing fire burning his reddened bottom.

"Stand up here, boy!" ordered Mrs. Haggard, her breathing steady and strong, without a hint of weariness. "That's just a taste of what it's like under my hand. You think you have it bad under your poor old Nana? Be grateful your mother doesn't give you to me for a weekend. Compared to what I would give you, your grandmother's coddling and pampering is a trifle. You would work your fingers to the bone cleaning my house and doing chores for me, and you would be happy because every moment not working would be on my lap getting more of the same. How does that sound to your dirty little ears? Does that sound like fun?"

The sobbing boy shook his head. "It doesn't sound like fun," he said, choking out the words."

"But it would be fun for me, you little scamp. It would be my pleasure to keep you in your birthday suit and spank you just because I could. I know what boys like and better yet, I know what they need. And you need someone to keep you in your place. Would you like to come home with me and get a taste of my love?"

"You can have him for a day or so if you like, Gertie," Mrs. Tully said brightly. Marlene couldn't believe her ears! The fat woman nibbled a cookie and grinned as though she was having a wonderful time. "That old house of yours could certainly use a good dusting. My little baby doll loves doing housework."

"Then go and apologize to your Nana for being a little brat. Apologize for staining your panties and any other offense you've committed. And while you're at it, be sure and thank her for the sweet little love taps she gives you now and again. Go and let her wipe your tears. They're wasted on me, you nasty little thing. Just be grateful you're not mine. Remember, as bad as you think things are, they can be a lot worse if I ever get my hands on you again."

Marlene's face was red with excitement as she listened to her teacher's words. She'd never heard the old woman talk like that before. It was the total opposite of how she conducted herself at school. Marlene always thought Mrs. Haggard – despite her witch-like appearance – was a good teacher, interesting and, well, yes, a bit stern with her students, but she had her sweet side, too. But this, this scene with the hairbrush and that lecture! That was something completely different.

The curly-haired girl turned her attention to the sobbing Samuel. He looked so pitiful, standing in the middle of the room with barely a stitch to cover his modesty. His whole body shook as he cried and she noticed with disappointment that his penis had deflated to hardly as big as a button. She thought about the transformation and figured fear was instrumental in changing its shape. She would have to read up on that.

Those things are just too strange, she thought as she studied the shriveled penis. I'm sure glad I don't have one!

Oddly enough, Marlene was as interested in the naked boy's facial expression as she was his naked body. She smiled to see the expression of horror and dismay that he displayed when Mrs. Haggard spoke. For some reason the image of a snake and a mouse came to mind. She remembered seeing a documentary about predators and prey and how some animals apparently stared down their victims before devouring them.

I wonder if Mrs. Haggard could devour Samuel? the smiling girl thought. I wouldn't be surprised.

Before this day Marlene Miller had great admiration for her teacher. To her the old woman was a role model and mentor. But now, after seeing the old woman in action, she realized there was more than met the eye with the illustrious Gertrude Haggard, especially when it came to her affect on vulnerable young boys.

She is amazing, the freckle-faced girl thought with wonder.

* * *

Irma Tully entered the parlor with an apologetic look on her face. "Ladies, I am so sorry, but this is going to take a few more minutes. Would you mind keeping each other company a little longer? Either that or you're certainly welcome to come up and watch while I take care of our little problem."

Marlene licked her lips and looked expectantly over at her art teacher. Mrs. Haggard nodded.

"It sounds to as though you could use a little moral support. I'd rather tag along if you don't care," she said. "Marlene, sweetie, are you coming?"

The curious girl was quick to agree. "Oh, sure, I'd like to come, too. If you don't mind, I mean."

Marlene glanced over at her mentor, Mrs. Haggard and smiled. They had just finished the most interesting conversation. The words had been vague and relatively few, but much was said.

Twenty minutes earlier Mrs. Tully had taken Samuel upstairs to "get cleaned up." Marlene remembered fondly the dreadful look on the boy's face as he was led bare-bottomed toward the staircase. He looked so silly, so young and helpless in his fairy princess t-shirt, following his grandmother with his head lowered in shame.

It's hard to believe that's a seventh grade boy, Marlene thought. With his face wet with tears and his bottom bared and glowing red, he looks more like a kindergartener if you ask me. I'd love to spank that fat little bottom myself!

Grinning to herself, she felt her face burning with excitement.

I can't believe I'm thinking like this? Where did all this meanness come from?

Marlene watched wistfully as the fat woman led her grandson up the steps. She wondered how long they be and – most important – what they were going to do.

"So, Miss Marlene, did you get your project finished?" Mrs. Haggard asked as the pair disappeared from sight. "You seemed rather enthusiastic about it yesterday afternoon if I remember correctly."

Marlene blinked. In her mind she thought, What? She licked her lips and cleared her throat. She had to think about what she was going to say before actually speaking.

"Oh, um, yes, ma'am, I have it all done. I actually had it done two days ago. I just wanted to talk to you after school and make sure I was on the right track."

The old woman took a sip of her tea and considered the young girl for a moment. "And?"

Marlene raised her eyebrows. "Pardon?"

Mrs. Haggard shrugged. "Are you on the right track?"

The freckle-faced girl nodded. "Um, yes, ma'am, I am. I just have to double check my footnotes and I'm ready to turn it in."

Marlene felt like she was in a dream. How could this conversation be taking place after all she'd seen in the past twenty-four hours? There was a long silence. She didn't know how to react, so she didn't say anything.

They sat in silence for a moment or so, then the old teacher spoke.

"Do you visit Mrs. Tully often?" she asked. "I haven't noticed you here before."

Mrs. Haggard nodded. There was another long period of quiet. Marlene cleared her throat.

"What about you, ma'am? Have you and Mrs. Tully been friends long?"

"Yes, ma'am," the young girl replied.

The two sat in silence for another moment or so. Marlene tried to think of something to say, but her thoughts were too wrapped up in the naked boy she'd been admiring all morning long.

I wonder if I'll get to see him again today? she wondered.

"You know, Marlene," Mrs. Haggard suddenly said, "You remind me of someone I know. Two people, actually. Two girls about your age, if I remember correctly."

The freckle-faced girl nodded. "Really? Anybody I know?"

The old woman smiled. "Perhaps. It was a long time ago, though. I think it was about, oh, twenty years ago, come to think of it. They were quite a pair, two sisters, quite shy, very interesting and most important, very interested in the world around them."

Marlene smiled. "That kind of sounds like me," she said softly.

"Indeed." The teacher sipped her tea. "One day these girls were playing outside, you know, the usual girl games, skipping rope, chasing butterflies, giggling and the like. Anyway, they were minding their business, not bothering anyone, when one of them got knocked down by a football. Hit right in the head, she was, so hard that it broke her glasses and caused her to hit her head on the sidewalk. Terrible, terrible accident."

"Was she hurt bad?" The curious seventh grader felt bad for the girl, even though the story took place long ago.

"Not seriously, but like I said, it broke her glasses. Oh, and it did leave a little scar on her chin. Right here." Mrs. Haggard pointed to a spot under her own chin and rubbed it pointedly. "She had to go to the doctor and have stitches. It was very traumatic for her."

Marlene frowned. "That's awful. Did she find out who did it? Was the boy punished?"

The curly-haired girl shrugged. "You said it was a football. I'm just assuming. Was it a boy? It was, wasn't it?"

"It was. It turned out to be their next door neighbor's son. His name was David, if I remember correctly. About eleven years old or so. He wasn't a bad boy, but a little wild. Like boys are today, I suppose."

There was that long silence again. Marlene sighed.

"So? Was he punished?"

Mrs. Haggard nodded. "Yes, he was punished, all right." She studied the young girl for a moment. "Would you like to know what happened to him?"

Marlene licked her lips and shifted in her seat. "Yes, ma'am. I would."

The smiling teacher nodded. "Well, after they got back from the hospital, the two girls and their mother were invited next door by David's mother. That's when they witnessed an extraordinary thing."

The frustrated girl sighed. "Which was ...?"

Mrs. Haggard shrugged. "Well, first off, his mother was horrified by what had happened. She was friends with the girls' mother and for something like this to happen was a disgrace as far as she was concerned. And so she made her son apologize for his callous behavior and careless actions. She then made him promise to pay for the wounded girl's glasses, which would come from his allowance and his savings. She then asked the girls and their mother if they would mind being present when he was punished."

Another pause took place while the old woman took a bite of cookie and wiped her mouth. Marlene was totally hooked by the story, but she kept quiet. She couldn't explain it, but she already knew what happened next.

Mrs. Haggard finally continued. "The girls and their mother followed David and his mother to the back porch. There they watched as he was ordered to undress, right there in front of them."

"Did he cry?" the fascinated girl asked, her voice breathless and hoarse.

The old woman nodded. "Oh, certainly. Not much at first. Just enough."

"Just enough ...." Marlene nodded. She knew what that meant. She then blushed as she realized she'd interrupted the story. "I'm sorry, go on."

Mrs. Haggard smiled. "That's all right, sweetheart. Anyway, yes, he cried, a little at first. Just a bit. Then his mother whipped his bare bottom with his father's leather belt. That's when the real crying began. She whipped him so hard he sobbed and begged for forgiveness. He eventually fell to the floor on his hand and knees and begged to be forgiven. Right there in front of those two girls."

"With no clothes on? Wow," whispered the young girl. "What happened next?"

"What happened next? Well, when she was done, David's mother offered the mother of the two girls a turn at his bare tushie. And, of course, she took it."

Marlene grinned. "Of course."

"By the time she was done, the poor child was a mess. To reinforce his punishment, the David's mother insisted that he remain in their company while she invited everyone into her home for afternoon tea. Arrangements had to be made regarding payments and compensation, and the boy was forced to witness it all."

"He got dressed, of course," the girl said, her voice not at all hopeful.

The old woman smiled. She took a sip of her coffee, put the cup down and watched Marlene carefully as she answered. "No, he remained nude for the rest of the day. It was a horrible experience for him. I understand he had nightmares about it for weeks afterward."

The freckle-faced girl stared at her teacher in amazement. She wondered if any of this story was true. She also wondered why Mrs. Haggard, of all the people in the whole wide world, was telling her such a tale!

The elderly teacher continued. "I sometimes think about how terrible young David must have felt, naked, beaten and forced to stand before those two girls like that. Can you imagine the shame, the humiliation of being forcibly exposed like that? Boys hate that, you know. They brag all the time about how brave they are and they make crude jokes about such things, but they're actually afraid, you know. Especially of girls. Especially the shy, intelligent ones. They know those are the ones to watch out for. All you have to do it take away a young boy's pants and ... well, you know."

Marlene nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I know," she croaked.

Mrs. Haggard thought for a moment. From upstairs the sound of water running could be heard.

"You found that story interesting, did you not?"

The red-faced girl nodded, suddenly aware of the absurdity of her situation.

The smiling woman closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them. "Does it remind you of anyone?"

Marlene frowned. She wanted to say the right thing. Whatever that was.

"Well, it kind of reminds me of Samuel. And his grandmother. Quite a bit, actually."

The question caught Marlene off her guard. She pondered the question for a moment and giggled. "I can't say that I do. Until just now, I thought I was the only girl in the world who ... who found stories like that interesting."

Mrs. Haggard nodded. "Trust me, child. You are not the only one. You are not the first and you are not the last. What is important is that ... well, that you are what you are."

The sound of a toilet flushing upstairs broke the silence. Marlene thought she heard crying.

That's probably just wishful thinking on my part, she decided. I guess the fun's all over for the day.

"They should be done in a jiffy," Mrs. Haggard said, her voice nonchalant and bored. "It either takes just a few minutes or it takes forever. You never know."

Marlene wrinkled her nose. "What are they doing up there?"

The old teacher picked up her coffee and looked at it. She gave Marlene a sidelong glance and – to the girl's surprise and delight – she smiled.

"That's for me to know" – she drained her cup, raised one eyebrow and winked – "and you to find out."

* * *

Samuel Oliver sat on the toilet, his head in his hands, feeling extra sorry for himself. He was alone for once, his grandmother having gone downstairs to check on her guests. Being alone allowed him to think for himself for a few minutes, something he hadn't been able to do in more than twenty-four hours.

He squirmed on the toilet seat. Oh, how he wanted to get up, but he didn't dare. He was having a really bad day and he didn't know what to do. Things had gone badly enough, from the moment he woke up that morning until just now when he expelled his afternoon enema.

This is not a good weekend, he thought to himself.

The one thing that really bothered him was Marlene. It was bad enough that she saw him practically naked, but what really got to him was, well, kind of silly. It was the way Marlene tricked him into saying all those stupid little sissy things at lunch. He never felt so embarrassed in his life as when he had to tell everyone in the room how much he loved his babysitter and then had to say he actually liked being called "Daphne." UGH!!! That was almost as bad as getting a whipping.

Well, almost.

The twelve year old boy felt his eyes water up as he thought about how he'd been stripped naked from the waist down right there in front of that ugly old Mrs. Haggard. And that little brat Marlene was there, too! He gritted his teeth as he remembered her eyes staring right at his privates. And then to have his bare butt beat with that hairbrush by that skinny old witch! That was just horrible! Mrs. Haggard was way worse than Mrs. Tully. Way, way worse.

A series of images involving his grandmother flashed through his mind. Oh, sure, she'd spanked him plenty of times, but she wasn't really mean. She was more, well, just a little old-fashioned or something. He didn't know how to describe it. Every time she did something to make him mad, like take away his clothes or spank his bare bottom, she would hug on him and love on him and make him feel better. He thought about how he woke up that morning. He cringed at the time, but in retrospect the idea of having her breast in his face made him feel warm.

That wasn't so bad, he thought, blushing at the memory of his lips wrapped around that long, thick nipple.

"At least Nana is a lot nicer that than stupid old witch Haggard!" he said out loud to himself. "I hate her!!!"

Samuel despised Mrs. Haggard for the beating she'd given him. He also hated the snooty looks she always gave him whenever she came to visit. Thank goodness his grandmother brought him upstairs alone when she decided to wash out his bottom. He would have died if that skinny old witch got to watch him get another enema. He could understand his grandmother wanting to make sure he had a clean butt, no problem. He'd had enough enemas to understand what she was doing. He didn't like it, but at least he understood it.

Anyway, he knew he was in for an enema when he got upstairs, but he didn't care because at least it got him out of sight of ugly Old Lady Haggard and Metal-Mouth Marlene. He didn't even mind when his grandmother used one of the larger bulbs on him and then set him on the toilet. That wasn't so bad. At least they were alone and away from that horrible woman and that ugly brat of a girl!

Maybe Nana will let me take a nap when she's done, the hopeful boy thought. She usually did that with him on Saturday afternoons. He normally dreaded having to go to bed in the middle of the day like a little kid. But on today of all days that would be perfect. No more Witch Haggard, no more Marlene-The-Brat. No more poking and tickling and spankings. No more stupid talk. Just a little peace and quiet and some sweet, precious privacy.

I could just close my eyes and think about home and ... and ... and ....

An image from his dream crept into his thoughts. It was large and dark and slug-like. He tried to block it out, but the shadowy creature approached and his mind slowly saw a huge pale breast, fat with a long brown nipple come into view.

Samuel opened his eyes and blinked. This is awful, the whimpering boy though sadly. I can't even close my eyes without something crazy happening to me. How can things get any worse?

* * *

"Knock, knock!" a feminine voice suddenly called. "May we come in?"

Samuel looked up to see his grandmother enter the bathroom. His heart dropped as two uninvited guests followed her into their private sanctuary. It was Mrs. Haggard and Marlene, of course. And there he was, sitting on the pot practically naked! He wasn't just embarrassed. He felt angry. And quite scared.

"Hello, 'Samantha,'" said a grinning Marlene. "Are you feeling better?"

Samuel covered his face with his hands, only to have them pulled away by his grandmother. The fat woman hovered over him and shook her finger in his face.

"That's no way to act, baby doll. Miss Marlene asked you a question. Don't be ugly or you might get another paddling. Be a good boy and answer her, please."

"Hello." Samuel made eye contact with Marlene and cringed. The smirk on her face was enough to make him sick to his stomach.

"Hello 'Miss Marlene,'" Mrs. Tully corrected him.

The red-faced boy sighed. "Hello, 'Miss Marlene.'"

Still seated on the toilet, he tugged desperately on Mrs. Tully's skirt. "Nana, do they have to be in here? Can't they wait downstairs until I put some pants back on?"

"Oh, is my baby doll shy? Hmm? Hmmm?" The rotund woman clucked her tongue and laughed. "Don't be bashful, 'Samantha.' I told our guests we were going to be down in a little while, but rather than leave us alone they decided to come up and keep us company. Wasn't that nice of them?"

Samuel's face turned white with dread. He was so upset by the presence of Mrs. Haggard and Marlene that he didn't pay any attention to being called "Samantha" by his grandmother.

"But Nana, they didn't have to come up here, did they? We were going back downstairs, weren't we? Couldn't they just wait downstairs?"

The worried boy watched as his grandmother opened the cabinet and retrieved the big red bag. His bottom clenched tight without him even thinking about it. He looked over at Marlene. The girl's eyes were wide and attentive as the old woman hung the bag on the hook next to the fold down table. He felt sick.

"Oh, hush, baby doll. It's just a silly enema. You're just a little boy, so nobody cares."

By this time Samuel knew his fate was sealed. Still, the tears came and his modesty demanded that he plead for mercy.

Mrs. Tully chuckled. "Oh, is my little baby doll shy? Isn't that adorable? You don't have to be shy, sweetheart. You have such a pretty little bottom, you should be proud. Mrs. Haggard has seen it plenty of times in the past. And Miss Marlene is studying to be a doctor, so you'll actually be doing her a favor. So, see? Everything is just fine."

"It seems to me that someone might need a reminder of who is in charge." The voice of the dreaded Mrs. Haggard hit Samuel's ears like fingernails on a chalkboard. His bottom still burned from the spanking she'd given him. He glanced up long enough to see her cold black eyes watching him. He then cast his own eyes down at the tile floor and wished himself a million miles away.

Samuel had no control over what happened next. He wanted to die as his grandmother wiped the tip of his penis with a piece of toilet tissue. He really wanted it all over with when she directed him to bend over so she could wipe his bottom and wash it with a warm soapy cloth. When they were alone it wasn't so bad. It actually felt kind of good. But with that awful Mrs. Haggard and that smirking Marlene watching him, it was almost as bad as getting a whipping.

Almost.

Samuel stood in the middle of the bathroom while his grandmother prepared his enema. He felt so exposed, wearing nothing more than that silly short t-shirt with the cartoon fairy on the front. From the belly down his naked body was open to Marlene's gaze. He groaned as he fought the urge to cover his privates. He knew if he did his grandmother would smack his hands ... or worse.

"Nana," he pleaded, "maybe I ought to take a nap. I'm really, really tired. You usually make me take naps after lunch, remember?"

Mrs. Tully laughed. She had just finished mixing the warm soapy water and set the pitcher on the vanity. Turning toward her grandson, she put her hands on her hips and clucked her tongue.

"What's the matter, baby doll? Is my little baby doll not having a good time? Is he sad? Maybe he needs some cheering up before he gets his nice enema."

Samuel recognized that tone of voice. He felt his knees get weak as his grandmother flipped down the toilet lid and took a seat. She then motioned for him to come close. Eyes down, his heart fluttering, he did as he was directed.

Irma Tully turned the trembling boy around to face his guests. Marlene was grinning broadly while Mrs. Haggard studied him with a slightly amused look on her face. Samuel wanted to die as their eyes caressed and probed his nakedness.

"There's no need to be bashful, baby doll. Like I said before, Mrs. Haggard has seen you get your enema before. And I'm sure Miss Marlene doesn't mind watching. Isn't that right, Miss Marlene?"

The smiling girl nodded her head. She looked so happy. Her expression was filled with enthusiasm and delight. Samuel had never seen such a look on a girl's face before in his entire life.

"This is fine with me, Mrs. Tully. I don't mind at all."

The shamed boy tried to turn around and hug his grandmother, more from modesty than affection. Mrs. Tully placed her hands on Samuel's hips and held him tight, her fingers lightly tickling his pale pink skin as she directed him to face her guests.

"Maybe Miss Marlene would like to help Nana with your enema. Doesn't that sound like fun? Why don't you ask her and see?"

Samuel's face turned white with fear. That was the last thing he wanted! It was bad enough that his grandmother paraded him around in front of her guests, but for this ... this ... this ugly, metal-mouthed, freckle-faced girl to witness the worst thing in his entire life ... that was just atrocious!

"Come on, baby doll ... don't be shy now," the old woman said, tickling his sides and triggering a burst of involuntary giggles. "Ask the pretty girl if she wants to help."

Samuel wiggled under his grandmother's sudden assault, but there was no getting away. He wanted to yell and cry and tell everyone to leave him alone, but instead a wave of laughter came forth,

"N-n-no, Nanaaaaaahahahaahaaa ....!" He wanted to cry, but he was too busy laughing. "P-p-p-pleeeeheheheheheheheeease! Hahaahaheheheheeeeee!!!!"

The naked boy wanted to run and hide, but there was nowhere to go. The tickling literally made him helpless. He giggle and he laughed and he tittered and gasped and he laughed some more. He was desperate to escaped, but even if he did run off, he knew there would be consequences for his actions. His bottom was still sore from the beating he'd gotten just a little while before. He did not want a repeat of that any time soon.

"Noooooohohohoho, Nanaaaahahahaha, pleeeeeheheheheeeeeease!"

And so he stood there in his grandmother's arms, his bare bottom exposed and his penis and balls bouncing about ... and he giggled and laughed like he was having the time of his life.

"You still haven't asked her," Mrs. Tully chided. "Ask Miss Marlene if she'll help with your enema, baby doll. Go ahead and ask. Nana will keep tickling until you do."

Samuel made a strategic move, but it was a mistake. Weak and helpless from all the laughter, he fell to the floor in hopes of escaping his grandmother's clutches. What happened instead was that she grabbed him by the feet and before he could pull free, she locked them between her knees.

The frightened boy gasped for air as he realized his error.

Uh-oh!

"No, Nana, don't! Not my feeeeheheheeet! I'll do it ... I promise!"

It was too late. Laying on his back bottomless and exposed, the mortified boy was powerless as his babysitter focused her attention on his bare feet. Not wasting any time, she applied an experienced fingernail to each of the sensitive soles at her mercy, eliciting squeals of laughter never before heard in that bathroom before.

"I'll do it, I'll do it!" Samuel screamed. "Please don't, ohgoshohgoshohgoshohgosh ... Nanaaahahahahahahahaaaa!!!! I'll do it!!!!"

"Why are you talking to me?" The smiling woman winked at her guests and paused her tickling long enough to be heard. "Miss Marlene is the one you should be talking to."

Another round of tickling reinforced her request. Samuel Oliver was completely under his grandmother's power at that point, no less than if she had an electronic remote control connected directly to his brain.

"I'm doing it, I'm doing it!" he yelled, desperate for relief. "Please, stop it! Nana! Stopi it! I'm doing it!"

Catching his breath, the humiliated boy lay looking upside down at the women standing over him. No doubt he looked ridiculous in his skimpy fairy t-shirt and no pants, his face red from laughter and his bottom red from a paddling. But he had to do the best he could do, so he took a deep breath and spoke.

"Miss Marlene ...."

He paused. This was harder than he thought it would be. He had to ask her to do what? He couldn't remember ....

A light stroke of a sharp fingernail across that one spot on the sole of his foot was enough to push him along.

"Hahahaha ...." He cleared his throat. "Miss Marlene ... would you ... would you help with my ... my en- ... enema? Please?"

"Again," ordered Mrs. Tully.

Samuel wiped a tear from his eye. "Miss Marlene, would you help with my enema?"

Marlene started to answer, but the old woman held out her hand.

"Just a moment, please. He needs to do it right."

She released her grip on her grandson's ankles and helped him to his feet. Wiping his tears, she cupped his face between her hands and kissed him on the mouth.

"Now, do it again, baby doll. And do it right, please. Stand up straight and look her in the eye. Do it."

The defeated boy did as he was told. Standing erect, he turned around and stood exposed and vulnerable toward the young girl. Eyes cast downward, he licked his lips and coughed.

It was like he was in a bad dream. He couldn't believe the words that were about to come out of his mouth.

"Miss Marlene, w-w-would you like to help with my ... m-my en-ene- ... enema?"

Marlene looked at Mrs. Tully, who nodded. The twelve year old girl raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"Why, yes, 'Samantha,' if that would make you happy."

Samuel blinked. He looked up at the grinning girl and felt sick to his stomach.

But that feeling would soon pass.

* * *

Samuel wasn't the only one who felt like they were in a dream. Marlene Miller was giddy with excitement.

The curious girl watched carefully as Samuel was guided toward the folding table and awkwardly climbed aboard. He assumed the face down position, poking his bare bottom up in the air. He looked so ashamed, so scared.

And she could not have been happier.

Mrs. Tully picked up the heavy pitcher of soapy water and handed it to her.

"Here, sweetie, why don't you pour this into the bag for me and let me take care of putting the nozzle in my baby doll's hiney?"

Marlene did as she was told. She took the huge rubber bag down from the hook over the table and carefully began pouring the enema solution into it. The weight of the pitcher was impressive, but what really struck her imagination was how heavy the bag became as it got full. The idea of all that hot water going into Samuel's bottom and filling his belly fascinated her.

This is a lot of water, she thought quietly. And it's all going in his bottom? Wow ... I wonder if it will make him cry?

When the pitcher was empty Marlene put it on the countertop and hung the bag on the hook. She glanced at Mrs. Tully, who in turn winked at her.

"Let's get this started," the old lady said with a smile. "It shouldn't take long. We had an enema session last night and I just rinsed his little rosebud out a few minutes ago. He shouldn't have very much in him, but you never know. You can stand close and watch if you like."

The excited girl nodded. "I like," she said with a happy giggle.

Marlene watched with amazement as Mrs. Tully lubed up the huge old nozzle. Even more interesting was how the old woman put petroleum jelly on her finger and smeared the sticky salve right on Samuel's "rosebud." The twelve year old girl squirmed with delight as she watched her mentor slide a finger inside the winking hole and wriggle it around with audacity and force.

"Have you ever done this yourself?" the old woman asked nonchalantly. She laughed when Marlene vigorously shook her head. "Well, don't fret, sweetie. I'm sure you'll have your chance soon."

Marlene licked her lips, glancing bashfully at Mrs. Haggard. The elderly teacher gave her a knowing look, nodded and turned her attention toward the doomed Samuel.

There was a click as the valve was opened and the miserable boy moaned in despair. The freckle-faced girl smiled. For an instant she tried to put herself in the sobbing child's place. No doubt the entire ordeal was as mortifying as anything that had happened in that bathroom. To have his bottom spread wide so the three women could see his ever-deepening shame, to be penetrated by that awful, terrible nozzle and be filled to the breaking point with an endless rush of warm, soapy water, it had to be a living nightmare.

"That's it, baby doll," Irma Tully cooed. "Such a good boy. You love this, don't you? It feels so good ... and it's good for you, too."

While Marlene was enthralled by all the activity surrounding Samuel's bare bottom, she found herself distracted by his reaction to his treatment. She walked over to the other end of the table and bent down so that her face level with his own. She smiled at him, not in a mean way – well, perhaps a bit of mischief glimmered in her eyes – but with perhaps a touch of understanding and empathy. She took his hand and patted it as he endured a series of cramps induced by the soapy enema.

"Does it hurt?" she asked the tearful boy. "I bet it's really embarrassing, too, huh?"

Samuel nodded, biting his lip. "This isn't fun," he whispered. "Please don't look at me."

Grinning eagerly, Marlene reached up and did as she was told. Other then shaking Samuel's hand, this was the first time she touched his body. She relished the smooth curve of his back, running her fingers up and down his spine, more tickling than comforting. Her actions caused the boy to squirm and wriggle, earning him a sharp slap on his bare bottom from his grandmother.

"Ow! Nana, I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Be still, baby doll. You don't want Miss Marlene to think you're a crybaby, do you?"

Mrs. Tully shot Marlene a wink. Marlene smiled and turned back to stare Samuel dead in the eye. She concealed her delight behind a practiced look of evil. She wanted her victim to respect her power and – more important – fear her intent. Her heart melted to see the expression on his face. It was so sweet. He looked trapped somewhere between pitiful and ashamed. Marlene liked that. She liked even more the fact that her presence was having an adverse affect on the humiliated boy's spirit.

"Poor little 'Samantha,'" she said as she ran her fingertips up and down the tearful boy's back. "Poor little baby doll ...."

I can't believe I'm doing this, Marlene Miller thought excitedly. This really is the best day of my entire life!

Now, if I can just figure out what I'm supposed to do next ....

* * *

Samuel Oliver was not having a good day.

Sitting on the toilet, his back erect and his knees spread apart per his grandmother's strict directions, he was exhausted. This was his third trip to the pot that afternoon. His bottom ached and his belly was empty and his head was spinning.

I just want to go home, he thought sadly.

"Okay, I think we are done," Mrs. Tully announced, pulling the weary boy from his seat and standing him in the middle of the bathroom. "Up you go, baby doll. Let Nana wipe your little hiney and make you good and clean."

She then bent him over and washed his bottom with a warm soapy washcloth as though this was something she did all the time. Samuel about died as her nimble fingers soaped up his privates, rubbing the soapy terrycloth over his adolescent cock and balls, triggering an awkwardly pleasant sensation. By the time she was done he was erect and tingling and weak with embarrassment.

"Yes, ma'am, all pink and shiny, from his wee-wee to his hiney," Mrs. Tully said with a laugh. "Now that's what I call a job well done!"

Samuel felt like a little child as his grandmother rinsed the cloth in the sink and hung it up to dry. In a daze, the youngster stood before the three females, not quite sure how to act. The one thing that stood out – literally – was his penis. The mortified boy so wanted to hide his erection, but he didn't dare move a muscle. Mrs. Tully beamed with pride while Mrs. Haggard looked at him with the same dismissive expression that always made him feel so bad. Add to that the gleeful, mischievous look from that ugly, giggling freckle-faced girl and he wanted to just lay down and die.

"He's sticking out again, Mrs. Tully," Marlene said with a husky voice. "Is that unusual?"

"That just means he's having fun," his babysitter sang with delight. "Boys love getting enemas. You can tell because it makes their wee-wees stand up. That's why my little baby doll's is doing that. He feels so much better now. Now more rumbling belly, no more feeling all bloated and bad."

"No more stinky little boy smells," Marlene added with a giggle.

The two older ladies looked at each other. All three females then burst out laughing. Samuel was amazed. Even Mrs. Haggard was laughing and she never, ever laughed. Well, she did have that nasty little smirk and emit those occasional chuckles that sounded like something from a horror movie. But she rarely laughed. Not like that.

Irma Tully sighed. "Now I need to powder my little baby doll's bottom and brush his hair, but I have to tell you, I am worn out from all this excitement. Would you ladies like to join me downstairs for a sip of tea and maybe another cookie? This old lady needs to rest her weary bones before she can finish her chores."

Samuel's heart leaped! He'd been praying for this moment all afternoon. Maybe now he'd be left alone, away from those awful women and that ugly, mean little girl! If he could just get through this afternoon, and if he could go to bed early, then the next thing he'd know, it would be tomorrow and he'd practically be home!

Oh, please, let it happen! Oh please, oh please, oh please ....

But then Marlene Miller spoke up and ruined his plans forever.

"If you're tired, Mrs. Tully, I can finish tidying up Samuel ... um, I mean 'Samantha.' I've babysat plenty of times before and given little kids their baths, no problem. I can put powder on him and brush his hair and anything else you want done. Really, I don't mind."

The fat woman nodded, then shook her gray head. "Dear, that is so sweet of you. I really do appreciate it, but my little baby doll is my responsibility and what kind of hostess would I be if ...."

Samuel blinked. He could not believe this conversation. Was she serious? Did she really think that she was going to ... that his grandmother would ....?

Was the whole world going crazy???

The half-naked boy watched in stunned surprise as Mrs. Haggard almost smiled. The old teacher put her hand on Marlene's shoulder in a show of confidence.

"I have to say, Irma, that's a grand idea. Let our little protégé here take over while you go get some rest. I feel certain that she can take care of any little thing" – she shot a warning glare at poor Samuel – "that might ... pop up."

Mrs. Tully paused. "Well, I just don't know ...."

Gertrude Haggard stroked her student's freckled cheek with obvious affection. "Trust me, Irma dearest. I've no doubt that Marlene can handle herself in any situation. Supervising your little pet here should be no problem for her at all."

Samuel's stomach fell as he listened to the teacher's words. He tried not to cry as Marlene cleared her throat and spoke.

"Nana, you can't let her boss me around!" he cried. Despite his nakedness he was going to put up a fight before things got out of hand. "I'm not gonna ...."

SMACK!!!

Something burned his thigh and he squealed "OWWW!!!" before he could think. It took him a second to realize that Marlene had slapped his bare leg with her hand. Blinking back an errant tear, he looked down and saw a red hand print forming on the otherwise unblemished pale skin.

"Nanaaaa ...!" he cried. "OW!!! Stop it!"

Before Samuel could get out another word the freckle-faced girl slapped his leg again. She then stepped up in his face and poked him in the middle of the chest hard enough to hurt.

"Samuel Oliver, that is no way to talk to your Nana! You apologize right now or I'm going to get her hairbrush and use it on your fat little bottom! Do you hear me? We might be the same age, but I'm more mature than you and I'll have no trouble turning you over my knee and blistering your butt! Now, apologize to Mrs. Tul- ... I mean, to your Nana before you really make me mad!"

The red-faced boy looked down at his nakedness and sobbed. He wiped his tears on his bare arm and sniffed as he spoke.

"Nana, I don't have to ...."

Another hard SLAP! – this time on his bare bottom – caused him to stop and bite his lip. Before he could say another word the empowered girl renewed her scolding.

"The only thing you have to do, Miss Priss, is apologize to your Nana. You better do that right now, unless you want another smack on the butt!"

Samuel Oliver's eyes burned as he glared at his young mistress. He turned to his grandmother. Instead of sympathy he saw a warm glow emitting from her face.

"I think I'd do what I'm told if I were you," said a jovial Mrs. Tully. "I don't think Miss Marlene is playing around."

Samuel frowned. He thought for a moment and then sighed.

"I'm ... I'm sorry, Nana. I didn't mean to be bad." He wiped his face and tried not to make things worse by crying out loud.

Marlene poked him again, right in the middle of the cartoon fairy on the front of his baby doll t-shirt.

"That's better! You'd best not let me hear you talk to your poor old Nana like that again, little miss, unless you want more of the same!"

Irma Tully's face was pink with pleasure. She winked at Marlene and then slid her arm under that of her friend, Mrs. Haggard.

"Well, I certainly can tell who's going to be in charge of this pair," she said with a chuckle. "Come along, Gertie. Let's go downstairs and catch up on some gossip. I think we can leave Miss Marlene to take care of business."

Mrs. Haggard smiled at Samuel as she followed her friend out the door. The blond boy recognized that look. It meant that she won. Or more important, that he lost. He looked down at his bare toes and belly. He felt so foolish, so defenseless. He then looked over at the grinning face of that ugly, freckle-faced girl. A cold chill swept over his mostly naked body.

This isn't going to be good, he thought sadly.

To be continued...