The Cline Family

Part 14

Matt's POV

Walking back into the house, I'm taking on an extremely unhappy wife, an unhappy child, and another child that will soon be unhappy.

"Kelsie, come here baby" I say sitting down in a kitchen table chair. After a second she comes to the doorway of the kitchen. I point to the space in front of me and she carefully moves closer. I pull her so she's standing in between my legs and hold her waist. "You didn't do that to your boots, did you?"

"No sir" she says glancing at me for only a second before looking back at the ground.

"Okay." I pull her into a hug. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you. We will get you a new pair."

She pulls away from the hug after a second and says "It's okay Daddy. But who did it?"

"I'm gonna find out. Why don't you go get Momma's laptop and find a new pair of boots you like."

"Really" she asks with excitement evident in her voice.

"Yes babygirl." She jumps into my lap and wraps her arms around me.

"Thank you." She gets off my lap and runs upstairs.

I follow slowly behind her up the stairs to find Caleb. When I find him, he's laying on the floor in his room, playing with his toy tractors.

"Caleb, sit up buddy." He sits up, watching me sit in his bed. "Do you know what happened to Kelsie's boots?"

He looks down towards the ground before looking back up. "No sir."

"Caleb, if you know something you need to tell me right now. Kelsie Mae is very upset that her new boots are all cut up and I have a feeling you know something about it."

"How upset is she?"

"She's pretty darn upset. She loved those boots more than any piece of clothing she's ever owned."

"Daddy, I have to tell you something" he says looking at his toys and pick one up.

"What is it?"

"I cut her boots." He passes the toy between his hands.

"And why did you go and do that, Caleb?"

He looks up at me with tears in his eyes. "I didn't get new boots. How come Kelsie Mae always gets the new clothes and all the toys. What if I wanted new boots or a new jean jacket?"

"Caleb, come here" I say patting my leg. He stands up, and sits on my left leg, sniffling. "Kelsie gets new clothes because that's all she wants. All of you kids get the same amount of money and that's what she wants to spend it on. You got that go kart last month and she didn't get a go cart. If I was made of money, you could get all of the clothes and go carts and toys and whatever else you want, but I'm not buddy."

"So Kelsie got new boots and clothes with her money and I got a go kart" he asks.

"Yes sir."

"Well I think I want a go kart more than silly clothes." He wipes his tears with the back of his hands and sucks back his snot.

"I figured you would. I love you buddy but I'm afraid I have to do something about you tearin' up your sisters boots."

He nods softly, looking up at me with new tears forming in his eyes.

"I'm gettin' a butt whoopin'?"

"Yes sir."

"Okay" he says climbing off my lap so I can adjust him over my lap. I start spanking him and the sobs start soon after. Caleb's not usually the one to act out, so I definitely didn't think he would do this. He hates disappointing us so he really tries to avoid it. Out of all four kids, I'm sure he'll be the least trouble. I spank him for about five minutes. That may either seem like a long time for a boy his age, but I really was goin' easy on him. When I finish, I lay him down on his bed and lay next to him.