Skinned Knees
© 2000 Mary Catherine Whitney
All Rights Reserved.
(m/f, nc, no sex)

This takes place the summer Patrick died and marks the first spanking Mary Catherine ever received from Andy.

The sweltering August sun beat down on the small group gathered around Saint Sebastian's colonnade. Despite the hot day most of the people are wearing black—suits, ties, dresses—clothes that are much too formal for such a beautiful day. Andy was hanging back on the edge of the group, head down, hands in his pocket, listening first to Father Kenney, then Dean Fleming . . .

"Patrick Whitney was a real leader, a young man who never had a chance to fulfill his promise. When I look out into the crowd today I see the people who loved him most . . . his parents Mary Elizabeth and Sean, his teachers, his closest friends . . . his younger sister Mary Catherine. They will miss out on sharing his future . . ."

Andy closed his eyes. Even now, over two months later, the pain was still fresh. It had been difficult for Andy to come today, but he'd had to do it—he simply couldn't run away anymore. Patrick was gone and he had to find a way to say goodbye to the best friend he'd ever known.

Andy could hear Patrick's mom begin to quietly cry and he looked over blankly toward Wit's parents. Mrs. Whitney turned toward her husband and began to sob on his shoulder and Andy felt his throat tighten. Despite knowing how little Wit's parents cared about spending time with him during his life, Andy felt bad for them now. Patrick was gone and the Whitney's would never have a chance to know their son.

The crowd shifted slightly and something else caught his attention, a small girl with long brown hair pulled back in a high ponytail. Mary Catherine, Wit's little sister. She was dressed in navy blue shorts and a Camp Walden tee-shirt. Among all the somber colors, her bright yellow shirt really stood out . . . a bright ray of sunshine amongst the dark clouds it seemed.

Andy watched as Mary Catherine wandered a slight distance from the rest of the group and sat cross-legged beneath a large, shady maple tree. She watched the proceedings intently. It appeared as if Mary Catherine hadn't shed any tears today but she looked very small and sad-lost even. Andy wondered how she was doing. He'd meant to check on Mary at least a dozen times since Patrick died. Andy knew how much Mary had meant to her older brother and he owed it to Patrick to make sure she was ok, but first he was too mad at Wit for dying, then, as the anger finally began to subside he simply didn't know what to say. Mary Catherine was just a little girl after all; she probably didn't even fully comprehend everything that had happened. Hell, he was nearly 18 and he still didn't understand it himself.

He turns his attention back to service just as Dean Fleming says, "I'd like to invite Patrick's closest friends, Andrew, Martin and Christian up now to plant this tree. May it take root, flourish and stand as a living symbol of a young man who touched all of our lives and who was taken from us much too soon. The marble bench that will rest beneath it is a gift from the class of 1988." He pauses a moment and adds, "I'd also like to announce that the name Patrick Ryan Whitney will live on here at Saint Sebastian's. Mr. and Mrs. Whitney have generously donated $50,000 to start an endowment for what will be known as the Patrick Whitney computer center."

Solemnly Andy and his friends step forward and quickly plant the small, sturdy oak, turning their shovels over to replace the dug up ground. Afterward they shake hands with Father Kenney, Dean Fleming, and Mr. and Mrs. Whitney. "That concludes today's service," Dean Fleming says as the boys rejoin the crowd. "Thank you all for attending. There will be a lunch in the Trustees dining room in Brennan Hall for everyone."

As the crowd breaks up, Andy watches the Dean lead the Whitney's away for a private lunch in his office. Mary Catherine isn't with them and he searches for her, but the small girl is no longer beneath the maple tree. "She must have headed to the dining room," he thinks to himself. "I'll see her at lunch."

Andy and his friends walk over to the admin building where the trustees' dining room is located. They were quiet, not knowing what to say. Just as they reached the entrance to the administration building Andy spotted Mary Catherine across the colonnade. She was standing at the top of the stairs of Walker Hall, watching him. "I'll catch up with you guys," he said over his shoulder, turning toward Mary Catherine.

As Andy approached Mary climbed up onto the handrail and started walking down the steep slope precariously as if she were on a tightrope. She has her hands out for balance, her head down watching her feet. Frowning he breaks into a run. The rail is old and worn and Andy can see it start to shake as he gets to the bottom of the stairs. "Oh god, watch out Sport!" he cries as she starts to tip over. Mary falls, head down, moving too fast to even scream, At the last moment she feels herself jerked back upward a split-second before she smacks face first against the stairs.

Andy's arms wrap around her waist strongly and pull her to safety, taking her breath away. Greatly relieved he sets Mary on her feet and looks her over carefully. Not a scratch fortunately. "You ok Sport? You could've broken your neck. Honestly . . . that railing's like a hundred years old! What were you thinking? You need to be more careful . . ."

Mary Catherine makes a face at him, clearly pained. "My name is EM, not Sport! You know that and you know only Pat . . " her voice dies out and she starts to shake, tears welling up in her eyes. Andy sees the look on her face and moves to hug her, but Mary Catherine pushes him away. Before he can stop her, Mary Catherine has turned and begins to run across the colonnade toward the footpath to the lake. Sighing, Andy takes off after her, his tie flapping in the breeze. What had he been thinking of scolding her like that . . . not to mention saying Wit's name?!

"Mary Catherine, wait . . . come on Em, it's ok," he calls out as he watches her tear along the path. "I'm sorry . . ." he adds helplessly, picking up speed. He couldn't believe he did something so dumb. Mary was fast, but Andy was faster. Mary Catherine's small legs just couldn't carry her fast enough or far enough to stay ahead of Andy. He easily caught up to her and pulled her to a stop.

"Shhhhh, it's ok, I'm sorry," he says as he stops the little girl and turns her around. Mary Catherine squirms, trying to break free of his grasp. "Let go of me!" she insists, twisting and turning to try and get away from Andy. The threatened tears are gone, replaced with a burning anger. Her face is turning redder by the second and he neatly sidesteps her small foot as she tries to stamp on his toes, simply shakes his head. The way she's behaving is wrong, but Andy knows it's simply a hurt response from a hurt little girl. Taking her firmly by the hand, he leads Mary Catherine along the path toward the stables. "Come on Em, let's go take a look at the horses," he says kindly.

Mary's lower lip forms a pout and she struggles for a minute, but after a reassuring squeeze of the hand from Andy she reluctantly allows herself to be led down the path toward the main barn. Stopping in front of the large white barn he pulls back the door, letting Mary go ahead of him. She stops inside, taking a deep breath. Horses, hay and alfalpha, the fresh clean smell of saddle soap and leather . . . warm and familiar.

Andy led her over to a stall with a large chestnut mare poking her head over the door. "Wait here Mary," he says, "I'll be right back." Mary nods, reaching up to rub the mare's velvety nose. The horse nickered softly, nodding her head up and down and despite herself and her anger, Mary smiles. She loved horses and this one was really sweet. Andy quickly returns and puts a carrot in her hand. "Here you go Em, Flirt really loves carrots. Just hold your hand out flat like this," he says as he places his palm up and feeds the mare a carrot. Mary turns at him and makes a face. "I know how to do it!" she says adamantly. "Geez!!!!! I've been around horses like forever!"

He laughs and picks her up to feed Flirt the carrot. Mary puts her hand out and the mare quickly makes the treat disappear. She reaches up to scratch Flirt behind her ears. "Can we go riding?" she asks Andy without turning around. "Not this time Em," he responds a bit wistfully. "We really should get to lunch. I'm sure your mom and dad are wondering what happened to you. Besides, you're too little, there isn't a horse here small enough for you to ride."

"I'm not little!" Mary Catherine exclaims as he puts her down, "and I want to ride." Her face begins to turn red again. She crosses her arms in front of her and looks up at Andy with narrowed eyes, adding "NOW!" Andy drops down on one knee and pulls her chin up to look her in the eye. "I said no Mary, but I promise I'll take you riding another time." Holding out his hand he extends a pinky to link it with hers. She pushes his hand away. "You're lying!" she says, her lower lip trembling slightly now. "Pinky promises don't mean anything!"

Andy looks at her surprised. "Of course they do Em. When I make a pinky promise, it's for keeps." She shook her head again and stormed out of the barn, stomping her feet as hard as she could. He watched her for a moment through the open door. Mary Catherine stopped and looked around as if unsure where to go next, then began to kick loose stones on the ground.

Slowly Andy walked outside. He knew she was upset; the last few months had to have been awful for her, but she was acting like Veruca Salt at the moment! He didn't know her well, but from what he did know this wasn't at all like Mary Catherine. A spoiled brat was the last phrase was the last one he'd ever use to describe Wit's little sister, yet that was precisely how she was acting at the moment.

"Mary?" he says gently, trying to give her the opportunity to settle down. "What?!" she says sullenly, not bothering to turn around. "I want you to turn around and look at me Em," he says. She shakes her head and drops to one knee to re-tie her tennis shoe. "Mary Catherine Whitney, I want you to look at me right this instant." Andy's voice was firm, but gentle. Sighing deeply she slowly gets up and turns around, but refused to meet his eyes.

Andy counted silently to 10, then began to walk toward the small girl. She took several steps back, until she was pressed against the long fence. As he approaches, Mary raises her hand and pulls it back, throwing a small rock at him. "Mary Catherine!" he exclaims, quickly crossing the distance between them to stop her. "Stop it right now, I'm serious young lady!" She throws another rock at him, then another. Just as Andy reaches her, she bends down and picks up another rock, larger this time and tosses it straight at his head. He ducks and it strikes the tack room window, shattering it in several pieces.

Her eyes grow wide and her face pales beneath her deep summer tan. Andy looks from her to the shattered window and back again. He takes the final half-dozen steps between them and takes her by the hand. "Mary Catherine Whitney, what on earth were you thinking? You do NOT throw rocks at people young lady, no matter how mad you are. You're lucky it was only a window that you hit. You're acting like a spoiled brat!" She begins to struggle and he brings his other hand up and places it on her shoulder, trying to keep her still. "I'm not a brat . . . and leave me alone!"

"OWWWW!!!!" Andy suddenly cries as Mary Catherine kicks him hard in the shins and wriggles her way out of his grasp, running off once more. Andy chases after her again, the spot on his leg where she kicked him smarting. For such a little thing she had quite a fierce kick. It almost felt like she was wearing steel-toed Keds!

Mary races along the lake path, not sure where she's going. She didn't meant to kick Andy . . . or break that window, but she was so mad! Tears stinging her eyes, she runs blindly, ducking under branches and skidding around corners. She looks back, trying to see where Andy is. She's so focused on trying to keep ahead of Andy she doesn't see the large tree trunk lying across the path. One moment she's running and the next . . .

"AAAAAOOOWWWWWW!!!!!" Mary Catherine cries as she trips over the log and hits the ground face first.

Before she can get up, Andy rounds the corner and catches up with her. Mary's sniffling as she rolls over into a sitting position and holds her left knee. "OW OW OW OWWWWW!!" she exclaims as Andy stops in front of her. "Shhhhhh," he says gently, picking Mary Catherine up and sitting her down on the tree stump by the side of the path.

Carefully Andy pries her hand away and pulls a clean handkerchief from his pocket. He brushes off the dirt on her knee and looks at the small red spot. "Just a little scrape Em," he says as he looks the rest of her over. "See, it's not even bleeding." Mary looks down still sniffling. "It hurrrrtttttssssss Andy," she says pathetically.

Andy kneels down in front of her and very carefully blows on her knee. She squirms, but the cool air feels good. It isn't long before it stops burning so much. "Better now?" Andy asks as he stops and puts his handkerchief back in his pocket. Mary nods tentatively. "Good," he says with a small smile. "You're quite a little tanglefoot, aren't you Em?" he asks, his earlier anger forgotten. She shakes her head emphatically. "Am not . . . I just didn't see the tree . . . what a dumb place to put a log!"

"Hmmmmm . . ." Andy says thoughtfully. "Most people would say that you should watch where you're going. It's not a good idea to run when you're looking in back of you, you know." Mary Catherine blushes furiously. "I'm sorry," she says simply, her voice very small, "honest." Suddenly a small stream of tears spill over onto her cheeks. Andy picks her up and sits down on the stump, settling Mary Catherine onto his lap and giving her a hug.

Mary throws her arms around Andy and drops her head onto his shoulder, crying in earnest now. "I'm sorry . . . I'm sorry . . . I'm sorry . . ." Andy rocks her back and forth, trying as best he could to comfort her. "I know . . . shhhhhh . . ." Andy hears her apologizing through the sobs . . . "Didn't mean to kick you . . . really . . . or break the window . . . don't hate me . . . please don't hate me."

"I know you didn't mean it Mary and I don't hate you," he says as he lifts her head up so she's looking at him. "You . . . you don't?" she asks, trying to stop crying. "Of course not, but it was very wrong to kick me and to throw rocks Mary Catherine. That's the type of thing bratty little girls do and I know you're more grown up than that." Mary's face reddens and she opens her mouth to insist she isn't a brat, but suddenly closes it. "I'm sorry," Mary Catheirne whispers, her blush growing brighter, until her ears are as red as her face. "I didn't mean it."

Andy thinks for a moment and asks, "What do you think we should do about it?" "Do?" she asks, a confused look on her face. He nods, "You might not of meant it, but you did do those things . . . threw rocks, broke a window, kicked me . . . tried to stomp on my toes and the worst part, ran away from me afterward."

"Are you gonna tell on me?" she asks, somewhat fearful now. Andy shakes his head. "No Em I think we can take care of this without your mom and dad and I'm going to fix the window for you. I want you to know though, no matter how rotten things are, there's no reason to act the way you did today, is that clear?" Mary squirmed slightly on his lap, nodding. He pulls up her chin, looks into her eyes and adds, "You are also going to pay for your behavior today young lady." She squirmed harder, nodding slightly. She certainly didn't like the sound of that!

As little as she liked hearing she was going to have to pay for her behavior, she liked what happened next even less. Andy set Mary Catherine on her feet in front of him and began to scold her. He was careful to keep his voice low and quiet. "I am very disappointed in you . . . running away doesn't help . . . and I don't want you to EVER throw rocks at me or anyone else again." By the time the lecture was over tears were pouring down Mary's face again. He gives her one last hug and gently says, "I'm sorry this is necessary Em, but I'm going to have to spank you. I hope you know that I hate doing this, but it's for your own good."

Andy turns Mary Catherine over his knee and she starts to wail and plead. "Nooooo . . . noooo . . . oh please Andy NOOOOOOO!!!!!!! I'll be a good girl, I won't be a brat anymore . . . pleasee don't spank me . . . I don't want to be spanked!!!!!! I've never been spanked . . . please don't do spank me, I'll do anything you sayyyy!!!!"

He paused for a moment. Andy suspected that she'd never been spanked before. In fact he had been virtually certain of that fact. He knew Patrick used to threaten to spank Mary Catherine from time to time. He also knew that Wit was so softhearted when it came to his little sister he could never bring himself to chastise Mary, no matter how much mischief she got into-let alone turn her over his knee. Knowing Mary Catherine's parents he wasn't surprised that they'd never disciplined her. They barely seemed to even notice they had a daughter, let alone care what her behavior was like.

Tightening his grasp around her waist, he raised his hand as he said, "I'm going to spank you Mary Catherine . . . I know you've never been spanked before, but I know that Patrick would do the same thing if he were here and you'd acted like you did today." Mary grew very quiet as he talked, then dropped her head with shame.

With that his hand comes down firmly on the seat of her shorts. Mary's head snaps up and she wails . . . "NOOO . . . OWWWW . . . noooo . . . don't . . .it hurts!" It was a firm spank, but no more. It was the shock and embarrassment that pulled such a strident wail out of the little girl's mouth. "Whap . . . whap . . . WHAP!!" "Patrick would never spank me . . . he couldn't stay mad at me long enough . . .ooowwwwww . . . oww . . . sniff . . . OWWWWW!!!!" "Whap . . . WHAP . . . WHAP . . . WHAP . . . WHHAPP!" "NOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Owwwww . . . you're just . . . ooohhhh, owwww . . . stop . . . please stop!!"

Andy spanked her a couple of minutes over her shorts, trying to block out as much of Mary's pleas as he could. It hurt him to spank her, but it hurt him even worse to know that the little girl over his knee was so angry. She'd lost so much. Andy hoped, in some strange way that this spanking could give her something back . . . a sense that someone truly cared about her.

Mary Catherine's legs began to kick and she squirmed furiously, desperately trying to get off Andy's lap. "WHAP!" A particularly firm spank landed on Mary's tiny short-covered bottom and then Andy stopped a moment, repositioning Mary Catherine across his knee and reached to tug her shorts down. "NOOOOOOOO . . . oh please no!" Mary cried desperately. "I'll be good, I'll never be a brat again . . . please don't pull down my . . ." Her pleading turned into a high pitched wail as she felt her panties being pulled down to mid thigh. The small panties covered with Winnie the Pooh's with his head stuck in the honey jar joined her navy blue shorts, exposing her small rounded cheeks to the warm sunlight and slight breeze. The way she was crying and carrying on, you would've thought she was being spanked within an inch of her life, but in reality the small cheeks were barely more than pink at the moment.

His hand landed sharply on Mary's bottom, his large palm nearly covering both cheeks in one spank. "NOOO . . OUUCHH!" "SMACK . . . SMACK . . . SMACK" Mary Catherine felt her body tip, till she was head down, bottom high, legs kicking furiously in mid-air. It hurt much more on her bare bottom and sounded like rifle shots in the quiet, wooded spot. "SMACK . . . SMACK . . . SMACK . . . SMACK . . . SMAAAACKKK!!!!!"

Andy focused on turning Mary's bottom a bright, even shade of red. He was alternating from cheek to cheek now, the tender sit spot being made more tender than normal thanks to his sharp spanks. "SMAAAACKKKK!!!!" A particularly firm spank landed and Mary's wails became louder. Her legs were flailing wildly now and she kicked off one of her shoes. Mary tried to reach back to cover her bottom, but Andy neatly held her hand at the small of her back and gave her a final hard, swift flurry of spanks.

"I . . . . SMACK . . . don't ever want you to . . . SMACK . . . throw rocks at anyone ever again . . . . or kick people . . . SMAACKKK . . . or run . . . SMACK . . . away SMAACKK SMACKK! Is that clear?" Mary nods, promising over and over as she begins to sob, huge, horrid little girl cries as if she was four instead of seven! Andy quickly stopped and gave Mary's bottom a small pat of reassurance. For the next several minutes the sound of Mary Catherine crying drowned out the chirping of birds and the leaves blowing in the breeze.

Finally she calmed down somewhat and Andy put her on her feet in front of him. "You can put your panties and shorts up now Sport," he said. She didn't even notice this time that he called her Sport and she quickly pulled up her Pooh panties and shorts, pausing to rub her reddened backside over the thin cotton material. "I'm sorry I had to do that," Andy said as he pulled his handkerchief out again and wiped her tearstained face. She looked up at him . . . a half-frown on her face. "Do you really forgive me?" she asked in a small voice. "Really truly," he said. Extending his pinky, he gently linked it with Mary Catherine's tiny one. She slowly smiled, even with her bottom still smarting fiercely, then suddenly she threw her arms around Andy's waist, hugging him. Andy hugged her back, a bit surprised. He was relieved; he'd been afraid that she'd be even angrier with him than she was before.

Standing up, he went to take her hand and she slipped it into his willingly, trustingly even. He smiled at her and ruffled her hair as he asked, "How about a ride to lunch Sport?" "It's Em," Mary Catherine insists, but she smiles up at him tentatively and nods as she says it. Laughing for the first time in a long time, Andy tells her to hang on tight as he swings Mary Catherine onto his back, headed back toward Saint Sebastian's. As he said goodbye to her later that afternoon, he wondered if he'd ever see Patrick's little sister again . . .

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