Great Expectations: Advice and Encouragement

I was staring at the corner again. It was just as plain and as white as it has always been and twice as boring. Mom and Dad were watching TV while my bare, red bottom burned from the spanking I had just received. I was counting the seconds until I could go up to bed and forget about my latest week of failure. Then the phone rang and I nearly jumped out of my skin. I blushed hotter thinking of those embarrassing times when I was a teenager and some friend or other had called only to be told I was standing in the corner with a red backside and could not come to the phone right then.

“Hello?” Mom said.

I held my breath praying the next words out of her mouth wouldn’t embarrass me for the remainder of my life.

“May I ask who is calling?” Mom said.

Three ticks of the grandfather clock passed while I continued to hold my breath.

“One moment. Let me check if she is available.” Mom said. “Greg dear, it’s a Mr. Candle from Quondam Innovations for Allison. Should I get his number to have her call him back?”

“Isn’t he that CEO?” Dad asked.

“I don’t know dear. Should I ask him?” Mom replied.

“No, never mind. Allison go ahead and take the call but as soon as you hang up you’re back in the corner, understood?” Dad said.

I turned around from the corner very sheepishly, wondering just how much Mr. Candle had heard through Mom’s hand over the receiver. Quickly, I wiped the remnants of tears from my cheeks and cleared my throat hoping I wouldn’t sound as little as I was feeling.

“Yes, sir.” I replied.

I crossed the short distance of floor between myself and Mom feeling extremely self-conscious. It probably had something to do with my panties tugging at my ankles with every step. I inhaled a deep breath and took the phone from Mom. My face felt hot against the cool plastic of the receiver as I blushed feeling certain Mr. Candle would know my bottom was not only bare, but bright red as well.

“Hello.” I said.

“Miss Beaumont, we haven’t met but I am Joseph Candle with Quondam Innovations.”

His voice was younger than I expected, but it was confident and commanding like I thought it would be. The tiny speaker of the phone did little to diminish the awe I was feeling at being called by one of the most successful men in the history of the world.

“Yes, sir. What can I do for you?” I asked.

“Come work for me.” He replied.

I blinked. I sputtered with words caught in my throat. After that insane interview I never thought for one moment I would ever hear another word from Quondam Innovations, let alone be called and offered a job by none other than Joseph Candle. Finally, my voice returned to me along with a semblance of rational thought.

“What are you offering Mr. Candle?” I asked.

“Everything you have ever wanted and a few things you probably don’t even know you want. Come and meet with me tomorrow afternoon. We can discuss everything then.” He said.

“When?” I asked.

“1:30 at our headquarters. I believe you know the place.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Excellent. I will see you tomorrow then. Have a good evening, Miss Beaumont.”

“Thank you, sir.”

The phone clicked before I could say anything more. I stared into nothingness for a moment trying to wrap my brain around the idea I was about to be wooed for a job by someone who shouldn’t even know I exist.

“Corner, Allison.” Dad ordered.

“But-” I began.

“The only butt in this conversation is yours and unless you want me to freshen up its color, you’ll get your nose back in the corner.”

“Yes, sir.” I said.

Resignedly, I trudged back to the corner, still painfully aware of my lowered panties and the heat emanating from my sore buttocks. The walls were still white and boring, but my thoughts drifted off to tomorrow. What would it be like to meet the famous, Joseph Candle and why was he interested in me?

Tomorrow became today in the blink of a mere restless night. I pulled a light robe around my shoulders and closed the sash, making my way down the stairs to breakfast. To say the appearance of my neatly folded skirt still resting on the back of my chair was embarrassing would sound a bit like a broken record, but repetition doesn’t fade the truth. Dad was sitting at the table already sipping a steaming cup of coffee and by the look in his eyes, he was waiting for me.

“Good morning.” I said, feeling more than a little sheepish.

“Morning.” Dad replied.

Mom paused from her cooking at the stove to give me a brief smile before turning her full attention back to bacon and eggs. The smell made my stomach grumble and reminded me I missed dinner the night before. I filled myself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table, wincing slightly as I felt the still prevalent effects from the previous evening. Without much thought I gave a light rueful rub before noticing Dad’s amused look.

“Still sore?” He asked.

“Yes, sir.” I replied.

I nearly gave a more casual response but the pain in my rear suggested a bit of formality might still be appropriate. Odd how a little sting can change your whole attitude toward life.

“Maybe if you had listened to your mother and I, instead of deciding you new everything better, it wouldn’t have come to this.” He said.

I decided it was best to nod my head in agreement rather than speak.

“However,” Dad said. “I do realize you would not be going on this interview today if I wasn’t pushing you so hard to get a job. I know Quondam Innovations is the kind of company you have always despised. I have nothing personally against them, but I don’t want you to end up resenting me because I forced you to take a job from someone you despise.”

“So what are you saying? You don’t want me to go? What happens next week when I still don‘t have a job?” I asked.

“I think you should go and I think you should try to have a more open mind about the company, but if afterward you still don’t think you can be happy working there I would rather you walked away.” Dad said.

“It’s nice of you to say that but do I really have a choice here? I mean you’ve said it yourself, I’ve been out of school nearly a year and other than this offer from Quondam, I’ve had nothing. I know I messed up with school and I’m sorry, really sorry, but I can’t go back and remake those choices. Yesterday is gone so the reality is if I get offered a position there I have to say yes. All I can hope for is that a couple years from now I’ll be able to use it on my résumé to get a job somewhere I’ll be happier.”

“You always have choices. Sometimes when you’re in a tight spot like you find yourself right now they can be hard to see. It can be even harder still to see the differences between them, but I know you’ll do what you think you have to do. Nothing I can say will change your mind. You’ve always been stubborn Allison and God knows I love you for it even if you can drive me crazy. Just try to understand I only want the best for you and if Quondam Innovations isn’t going to make you happy then it’s not where you belong. If it would make a difference, I’ll stop spanking you over not having a job.” Dad said.

“It’s not about the spankings, dad. I don’t even blame you for that. I should have taken a job in retail or something months ago when my original career plans weren’t taking off. It didn’t have to be a career or anything grand but unemployment this long out of college hasn’t been helping my chances and I know that. You know that too and that’s why you drew a line. It’s my own fault for making you draw it, but it’s done. I’m not going to Quondam today because I’m concerned about getting another spanking. I’m going because it might be my last chance at a job that doesn’t involve asking ‘do you want the combo with fries and a drink or ala carte?’ Trust me a little, I know what I’m doing.” I said.

“I do trust you and more than a little. You go on this interview today but just remember you can say no and we’ll understand.” Dad said.

“Thanks. It means a lot to me. I still don’t trust big corporations and I doubt I ever will but I don’t think it would kill me to work for one for a little while. Who knows, maybe I’ll find out it’s one more thing I’ve been wrong about.” I said.

Dad and I lifted our coffee cups in unison and took a drink. Mom served up breakfast and we all ate with nothing more to really say. It’s always a good thing to know where you stand even if you are sitting down.