Family: Out of Business

Splashed

Claire's pov

Even though my butt hurt really bad from the spanking Uncle EJ just gave me, I sat as still and quietly as I possibly could while we ate our pizza. I really want to go swimming and I know if I say or do anything to annoy him right now, he'll pull the rug right out from under me by banning me from the pool. That would crush me. I need this tiny bit of joy in my life, or I swear I'm gonna lose my mind.

"What's with the stupid look on your face, Nipote (Niece)," my uncle crudely asked.

"I was just wondering, how come Grandfather doesn't have a pool at his house? I mean he's super rich and he's got plenty of room on his land."

"Your grandfather doesn't have a pool 'cause he's a hundred years old."

"So," I sneered, sticking my tongue out at him. "Old people still like to swim." I gave him a duh look, indicating how stupid he is for not coming to that conclusion himself.

"Maybe in the movie Cocoon but not in reality, ritardato mentale (moron)," he retorted, having no problem insulting me.

"What the heck is the movie Cocoon? And what does it have to do with old people? Aren't cocoons for butterflies and moths and stuff?" I took another slice of pizza from the greasy take-out box. Sometimes getting spanked makes me really hungry and this was one of those times. "And besides, you're old, Uncle EJ, and you still like to swim," I said smirking, as I took a big bite.

"Not too old to spank your ass twice in one day, twerp." He stood to put his plate in the sink. "Remember that," he said, winking at me as he grinned slyly.

Processing his extremely credible threat, I swallowed hard as I avoided his penetrating glare.

"I'm going to get my trunks on. Last one in is a daft git," he said laughing, as he dashed off to his room.

"Speak English, Uncle EJ," I shouted, quickly stuffing in the last bite of my pizza as I hurriedly dumped my plate in the sink. "I don't understand your goofy British gibberish," I said, running down the hall to my room so I could change into my swimsuit. Despite going as fast as I could, my uncle easily beat me, getting into the pool first.

"Winner dunks the loser," he informed me, shaking the water from his hair.

"No fair!" I complained. "You only have to dress half your body. I hafta to cover my top and bottom."

"Quit whining, loser, and get in to take your lumps," he stated firmly, as he beckoned me to him.

Reluctantly, I made my way over to the ladder and climbed in.

"Fine, I'll let you dunk me if that'll make you feel like a big man," I sassed, only semi-jokingly as I was kinda hoping shaming him would cause him to change his mind about dunking me. Being bullied in the pool isn't what I had in mind when I wanted to go swimming.

Uncle EJ swam underwater and grabbed me by the legs as he pulled me under. I tried to fight my way back up to the surface but he wouldn't let go of my ankles. Dragging me toward the bottom, he released his grip and then used the top of my head for leverage as he simultaneously pushed me down while propelling himself up. In hindsight, I should've known shaming him wouldn't work. The man has no shame. He's got an ego the size of my home state of California and then some.

When I popped up to the surface, he had a huge goofy grin on his face, which immediately dissolved my anger. Well, I wasn't really angry so I guess saying it dissolved my annoyance would be a more accurate description. It's really cool to see the fun carefree side of my uncle since he so rarely displays that persona. Sometimes I feel like he's a fifty-year-old man trapped in the body of a twenty-four-year-old. I think it's Grandfather's fault that he doesn't typically act his age.