Meeting Mr. Swat
© 1999 Mary Catherine Whitney
All Rights Reserved.
(M/f, Cons, No Sex)

This takes place a couple of weeks before Mary's senior year starts . . .

Andy looked up from his book as he heard the distinct crunching sound of gravel. There was a car pulling up the lane. He was seated at a round redwood table on the small flagstone patio behind his cottage reading and drinking fresh lemonade. It was nearly lunchtime and he wondered if his visitor would be staying. He hadn't been to town for groceries in nearly a week and he wasn't even sure if he had enough to offer a guest. Things had been quiet around Saint Francis most of the summer and visitors were rare. As much as he had enjoyed the lazy peaceful days where he could relax and be himself instead of always being the Dean, he had become restless. He was actually looking forward to the Senior Advisors arriving next week for orientation and training. Just a week after that the rest of the student body would be back at Saint Francis and the new term would be underway. He put down his book and wandered to the driveway just as the driver turned off the engine. It was a large, new, highly polished black Mercedes sedan complete with driver.

As the driver got out Andy came out and said, "Hi, May I help you?" "Yes," the driver responded as he pulled off his sunglasses and removed his hat. "I need to know where to drop off Miss Whitney's personal belongings." Andy looks confused. "Miss Whitney? You mean Mary Catherine? Her bags shouldn't be here until next week when she arrives. I'll have to double-check my list to see what her room assignment is going to be. Come on in, I've got the list in my study."

The driver follows him inside and Andy looks at the list. "Here we go, Benning Hall, top floor, Advisor's Suite. I'll show you where to go. The driver thanks him and says, "I should really let Miss Whitney know where we' ll be. Do you mind stopping by the stables first? She was waiting for the horse trailer to arrive." Andy stops short, "You mean Mary is here? I thought you were just dropping her belongings off. Senior Advisor orientation isn't due to start for another week." Andy thinks to himself panicking slightly, "Did I put the wrong date on the leadership materials I sent out to the girls? Will they all be arriving today?"

His fears are quickly put to rest as the driver responds, "I know, that's what Miss Whitney told me, but well . . ." the driver trails off coughing slightly and looking embarrassed. "Yes?" Andy says half guessing the answer. "I was supposed to pick her up at Camp Allegheny this morning and take her home to spend a week with her parents, but well, they got an invitation to spend the rest of the summer up at Martha's Vineyard. They said an extra week of school wouldn't hurt her and to bring her here instead. She tried to convince me to take her back to New York or at least a hotel here in town where she could stay until she was supposed to arrive, but I wouldn't leave a nice young girl like her alone like that. I figured at least that she'd be safe here. Don't be mad at her. Mary worried the whole way up here that she's ruining the end of your holiday."

Andy sighs, thinking that her parents never come through for her. They're missing out on her entire life. It's just like Mary Catherine though to be more worried about ruining his vacation than the fact that her parents had ruined hers. "I'm not mad at her, she's a special young lady. I just wish her parents would wake up and realize that. I'm happy to have her and you did the right thing by bringing Mary Catherine here. I'm Andrew by the way," he says as they walk out the front door and toward the stables." "Dominic, but everyone calls me Dom."

They continue to make small talk as they walk down the path to the stables. As they come over the rise, Andy can clearly make out a truck and four-horse trailer with the back down. Andy is surprised; she only had one horse when she left this summer. "How many does she have in there?" he asks Dom as they make their way down the hill." "Two plus her tack trunks," the driver replies says. "Her old horse Hey Jude and a new jumper her parents bought her this summer to make up for the fact that they didn't come to camp to visit." As he says that, they see the truck driver back a large handsome palomino out of the trailer and lead him to the barn. "That's the one her parents bought, Amazing Journey. She's calling him AJ."

They wander into Barn V; it's cool and smells of horses, liniment, saddle soap and sweet hay. Jude is in the aisle, held in place by cross-ties as Mary Catherine is squatting down underneath his belly unfastening the wraps, which protected his legs on the long van trip. "Whoa, that's a good boy," she says as he shakes his head and stamps his foot. Shhhh . . . hold still a minute Jude and I'll get you into your stall." She stands up and tosses the wraps on her trunk, unclips Jude and leads him into his stall as she pats him on the neck. "There you go boy . . . it's good to be home isn't it?" She straightens his forelock and gives him a kiss on the nose. Andy makes his way to the stall door and Mary catches sight of him as she slips out of Jude 's stall and fastens the latch securely.

"She's grown this summer," he thinks as Mary stops short in front of him. She's wearing a pair of old, faded jeans with a tear in one knee and an oversized black polo shirt with the Camp Allegheny logo over the left breast. Her Jodhpur boots are half laced and scuffed, and she smells like lilac and horses. "Hey Sport," he says as he puts his arm around her shoulder and gives it an affectionate squeeze. "I'm glad you're back. Things have been kind of quiet around here. I bet you'll be able to liven things up a bit."

Mary gives him a big smile, she had been so worried what his reaction to her arriving unannounced would be. She was pretty sure her parents hadn't cleared it with the Dean first. "Hi, I'm sorry to show up early Dean. I know I must be causing you a lot of extra work. "It's no trouble at all Mary Catherine, in fact, I've got a lot to do around here to get things ready for the new term. I was sure I wouldn't get it all done, but with you here to help me out, I know I'll be set. I don't want to ruin the last week of your vacation, but it would really help me out of a bind if you could pitch in and help me get things set for the new year."

"Sure Dean, anything you need." she says obviously relieved. She picks up Jude's shipping gear and neatly stows it away. "I should be done here in 10 or 15 minutes. Once I've gotten my bags out of the car, I'll be all set. I don't have much, my trunks and room furnishings and everything else won't arrive until next week. I didn't want to put you out, so Dom and I picked up sandwiches and stuff from town for lunch. He's driving back to the city today."

Mary walks over and takes her new horse from the driver of the van and signs the shipping paperwork. "I've got to put him in Barn I," she says as she leads her new horse down the hill. Andy and Dom nod and follow Mary Catherine to main barn. She clips the big palomino to the cross ties and takes off his shipping boots and travelling rug, giving him a quick brushing and leads him into an empty stall. She then re-rolls the leg wraps, places then neatly in her trunk, and sweeps the aisle clean of sawdust and hay. Hanging up AJ's halter outside his door, she brushes her hands on the back of her jeans, turns and says, "Ok, all set. Let me dump my gear and then we can have lunch and get to work."

The car is unpacked in a flash with the three of them pitching in and Andy shows Mary Catherine her new room. She has to admit, as much as she hadn't wanted to spend another year at Saint Francis, if she has to be here this was the best room on campus. It was a large corner room, a suite really with big picture windows on two sides. In the tower portion of the room there was even a stained glass window, which threw prisms of color across the suite. Unlike most of the rooms in the dorms, this one had a private bathroom, and Mary noticed smiling, a fireplace! It might not seem like a big deal in August, but by the time winter rolled around she was going to be really happy about that. She remembered living in Benning Hall as a freshman and while the rooms here were larger than in Founders and Trustees Hall where she had spent her sophomore and junior years, they were much older-poorly insulated and hard to heat.

They left her alone to change, and not bothering to unpack, she quickly tosses her bags on the large double bed. Heading into the bathroom, she washes her hands and brushes her hair, fastening it back with a clip. Then opening a suitcase, Mary Catherine grabs the first thing at hand and pulls on a fresh white tee shirt, jeans, and an old pair of Tretorns. She races down the stairs and along the path across the Quad to the Dean's cottage where Andy and Dom are unpacking the sandwiches, carrot sticks and freshly-baked ginger cookies that Mary Catherine and Dom had picked up as they passed through town.

Lunch is relaxed and casual, and Mary is full of stories of all the adventures she had this summer as a Junior Camp counselor as well as on the show circuit. As they finish, Andy turns to Mary and says, "It sounds like you got a lot of good experience this summer Sport. You're going to be able to use what you learned as a camp counselor when dealing with your girls this year." All too soon, lunch is over and Dom gives Mary a big hug by the car. "You have a good year Miss Whitney and let me and Connie know how you' re doing, ok?" "Sure Dom . . . but when are you going to stop calling me Miss Whitney? I thought you promised you'd use my name from now on! He hugs her once more, "Old habits die hard Mary but I'll try and remember. Now, you be good and try not to get into too much mischief." Mary laughs and waves as Dom drives away.

The next week passes in a blur. Andy and Mary Catherine are very busy getting things set for Senior Advisor orientation and the new term. Mary is a tremendous help Andy discovers, always ready to pitch in whether it's in the office doing paperwork or helping with the grounds, or checking to make sure all the dorm rooms are ready. The days are long, but Andy makes sure that he sets time aside every day for Mary to have some fun. He takes her for a couple of long trail rides in the forest and they barbecue every night on his patio. They play tennis before breakfast each morning. He even takes her into town for pizza and a movie one night.

Andy notices that she's really grown up over the summer, not just physically, but mentally. They talk and laugh easily, as if they were friends instead of simply Dean and student. Something else has changed over the summer though, something he can 't quite put his finger on . . . she's always been private and somehow shy despite her outgoing nature, but now . . . well it seems more and more as if she's holding onto a big piece of herself. He wonders what it is.

The last day they're alone before the other Senior Advisors arrive, Mary Catherine goes for a walk by herself mid-afternoon. When dusk is falling and she hasn't returned for dinner, Andy grows concerned. Grabbing a small box he planned to give her over dinner and her sweater, he walks toward the gardens in the old campus section. He knows she goes there to be by herself and while he doesn't want to intrude, he doesn't like the thought of her alone in the dark, even though she knew every inch of campus as well as he did, if not better.

Andy reached the garden and made his way over to the alcove. He smiled to himself remembering the last time had tracked here down there. Mary had been in quite a bit of trouble that day. To say he had seen a whole other side of Mary Catherine that day was an understatement. By the time he walked her back to class she had been quite contrite over her actions, though to be honest he wasn't sure what the long term effects of that day had been. Even now, he wasn't sure how he felt about that little incident. That fact had become quite disturbing to him over the past several months. At the moment though, he was only worried about whether or not she was all right.

He spotted her just then sitting on the stone bench, lost in thought swinging her long tan legs as she watched the fading sky. She was barefoot, her tennis shoes beside her. Fireflies were beginning to light up the night sky. He sits down next to her as he says, "Hey Sport, I was getting worried about you. It's dinnertime. Everything ok?" Mary nods, her mind a million miles away. "Anything you want to talk about?" She drops her eyes, shaking her head. "No, just thinking."

They sit in silence for a few minutes. Sensing she's not going to confide in him, he drapes her sweater over her shoulders and places the box in her lap. "I wanted to thank you for all your hard work this week Mary. I know it couldn't have been a lot of fun to spend the last week of your vacation like this, but you were a really big help and I appreciate it. I wouldn't have gotten everything done if it weren't for you."

She looks at him, playing with the bow on the box. "You don't have to say that Dean. I know I've been a pest. You had to spend your whole last week of vacation keeping tabs on me." He feels himself anger and swings her around, pulling her chin up until she's looking into his eyes. "I don't say things I don't mean Mary Catherine Whitney and you are not a pest so don't ever say or think that you are! You' ve been a big help to me and very good company this week. What would ever make you think something like that?"

She turns away not sure how to answer. All summer, well longer than that . . . for nearly a year now in fact, she had been having feelings for him. Feelings she couldn't explain or clearly define. She knew he didn't see her as anything more than a student at best, and a badly behaved spoiled brat at worst. She knows that he wouldn't understand if he knew that she had feelings for him. He pulls her back around, speaking gently now. "Look at me Mary Catherine. I want to know what made you think I felt that way. Did I do or say something that made you think that?" Mary shakes her head unable to meet his eyes. "No Dean, no . . . I just, well I just know is all."

"You're a VERY smart girl Mary, but that doesn't mean you know everything. I could tell you how special you are, but until you believe it here," he says pointing to his chest, "you're never going to believe it here." With those words, Andy's hand moves to his head. "I can't even begin to tell you how glad I am that you were here this week Mary. No one could ever think someone as nice and caring as you are is a pest and I can tell you that's the last thing I feel." With his words her eyes begin to water and a single tear runs down her cheek. "Hey, none of that now." He puts his arm around her shoulder squeezing tightly. "Why don't you open the box, then we'll go make dinner. If you're not too tired we can go into town to The Freeze for ice cream afterward. Sound good?"

She nods, as she shyly unwraps the gift, carefully laying the ribbon aside, making sure she doesn't tear the paper. He had given her a present last year on her birthday, and she thought blushing, mentally rubbing her bottom, that hairbrush last Valentine's Day, but this was the first time he had ever given her something just because he wanted to without a special reason. She felt a warm glow fill her knowing that he had actually gone out and bought something especially for her. Opening the box she parts the tissue paper and finds a small journal barely bigger than her hand. She pulls it out, opening the book as she flips through the blank lined pages. "I know how much you like to write and you usually use your computer, but every great writer should still put their pen to paper sometimes. I thought this would be small enough to fit in your backpack or blazer pocket. That way you could write your thoughts down when they hit you instead of having to wait until you got back to your room or the computer lab."

She looks up from the book and smiles, hugging him as she thanks him. "I don 't know what to say, I love it Dean. Really, it's perfect . . . I've never kept an actual written journal before. This means a lot to me." He hugs her back and he waits for her to slip on her shoes before they walk through the gardens and across the Quad to his cottage. That night Mary writes in her new journal for the first time.

The next day the girls begin arriving for orientation and Mary and Andy are quickly caught up in the hectic pace of training. Mary is happy to see Mandy and Kristin and her other friends, but she isn't too thrilled that Veronica was chosen as a Senior Advisor. She's even less excited to learn that Veronica would be just two floors down from her in Benning Hall. The days are long, and intense as the girls go over school policies and procedures. The Dean reminds them over and over that being a floor advisor is an honor and a privilege.

The night before the rest of the student body arrives, a graduation ceremony of sorts takes place. Saint Francis tradition dictates that the Dean of Discipline presents each Senior Advisor with their floor paddle. In order to remind the girls of the tremendous responsibility their position holds, the senior and the Dean break in her paddle across the desk in each Advisor's room for a full senior paddling on the bare. It's a painful tradition, but one that has its place. Feeling a full healthy dose of their floor paddle before their girls arrive helps remind them that punishments are something that should never be given out lightly. The Advisors get together for a special early dinner, are briefed on the ceremony and are then dismissed to their rooms. Andy has a great many girls to visit, and by the end of the evening the campus is filled with teary eyed girls with throbbing bottoms falling asleep on their tummies.

Mary is last on his list, and he makes his way up the stairs from Kristin's room, blocking out the cries of the girls on the first three floors. He wishes this wasn't necessary, but knew from his first year as Dean that it was. He had held back on how hard he swung the paddles on this night his first time around and a number of freshmen had suffered in the process, including he remembered Mary Catherine, Kristin and Mandy. As hard as it was, that wasn't a mistake he was about to make twice.

Arriving at Mary Catherine's door, he knocks and waits for permission to enter. Mary looks up nervously and closes her journal. "Come in," she says in a soft, breathless voice. Andy enters, looking around the room. Most of the girls added homey touches to make their rooms look less like dorms, but none quite as effectively as Mary had. It really looked more like a studio apartment than a dorm room. The fireplace was not needed yet, but there was a rug in front of it, and a small sofa with big pillows and an ottoman. Books were now on shelves and pictures on the walls and over the mantle. Her study area in the tower alcove was inviting and cozy.

Mary gets up, and stands beside her desk nervously as he closes the door and walks over to her. She heard the cries as he came in, and knew that soon her tears would be joining them. "Good evening Dean Michaels," Mary Catherine said as she fiddled with the cuffs of her pj's. "Hi Mary, how you doing? Sorry you had to wait so long." Mary blushes furiously, she was a nervous wreck. "I'm ok . . . I was writing . . . to take my mind of, well, you know, for a while." He brings his hand up to push her hair out of her eyes, and leads her over to the couch, sitting her down.

Handing her the flat wooden box he begins to gently lecture her about the responsibility she's about to undertake. "I'm very proud of you Mary Catherine. Being a Senior Advisor is very important. You're going to help shape these girls lives Mary. They're going to take the lessons you teach them and use them throughout their lives. Now, you've been here for three years, and you know that sometimes those lessons are painful to learn. The important thing to remember is that your job as an advisor isn't to punish, it's to help your girls learn right from wrong. Sometimes that's going to mean spanking your girls or paddling them. I know you wouldn't ever use that right maliciously or harshly. You care about others far too much to ever do that. But it's hard to remember sometimes, especially when your authority is challenged, or you're faced with no other choice. To help you remember your responsibility to your girls and to Saint Francis, I'm going to give you a full senior paddling on the bare with your new paddle. I know you'll take this lesson gracefully and that you'll carry this lesson with you long after the sting has left your bottom."

His speech out of the way, he allows Mary Catherine to open her box and remove the paddle. Holding out his hand for it, he asks, "Have you decided on a name yet?" Mary blushes furiously, "Mr. Swat," she whispers, her voice barely audible. Andy laughs, even in such a serious moment that Mary Catherine has managed to keep her perspective and a sense of humor about her. "I like it Mary. Now, come on, let's warm up Mr. Swat for you, then tuck you in for the night. Tomorrow is going to be a long day for with a floor full of girls to meet and get settled.

He walks her over to her study area, turns her toward the desk and squeezes her shoulder as he says, "Ok Sport, time to drop drawers. Blushing bright red she tugs her pajama bottoms down, feeling them fall to her ankles. The night is warm, yet she still shivers slightly. "Over the desk now, that's a good girl. He watches as Mary Catherine lies across her desk, reaching her hands to the far side and gripping tightly. He lifts her pajama top over her hips, exposing her bare bottom fully. Even though she knows the purpose of this exercise, it doesn't make it any less embarrassing. If anything, in a strange and unexplainable way the gentle care he's giving her makes it more embarrassing than normal.

Andy stands back, taking careful measure and aim of her bare bottom with the paddle. "Ready Mary?" Her voice comes out as a squeak. "Yes Sir, er Dean that is. Yes Dean, I'm ready." "Good girl, now count them off . . . 12 strokes are due tonight." Drawing back, he brings the paddle hard and sure against her bare bottom . . . "SMMAAACKK!" Mary gasps, it was as hard as a punishment stroke. "One, Ddeannn" "THWAAACK!" "Uhgh TWO, Dean" "SMMMACKKK" Thrrreee Dean." "CRAAAAACK" Right across the fullest part of her bottom, Mary twists up on her toes, bouncing up and down . . . "OOOhhh, owww . . . Four Dean!" "SMMACK" Fiiivvvvvvve, Dean, Owwww!" "CRAAAAACK!!!!" Mary's legs start to quiver, her head raises from the desk in obvious pain as she cries out, "SIX DEAAAAN!!" Her eyes were flooded with tears that threatened to spill at any moment, but as yet she hadn't begun to sob.

Andy walked around to her other side, watching her well-reddened bottom tense. "That's a good girl Mary, you're doing great . . . only six more . . . I know it hurts . . . He swings the paddle again and the sharp smack of the paddle mingles with her yelp . . . "Oooh, owchh, Seven Dean" "WHHHHAAAAP!" Eeeiiighhhht Dddean . . . ohhhh" "SSMACKK!!" DDEANN, Oh, owwwww . . . nine . . . please, OOHH" "CRACKKKK" "Ttteeeeennn . . . dean . . . oh god, owwwwwww . . . "

He hears Mary Catherine gasping loudly and sniffling. Her bottom is fire engine red, with large painted stokes of color deepening on her bottom. "SSSSSMMMMMACCCK" "Llllevenn Dean" Mary can't see anymore, her eyes are too full of tears and pain to focus. Drawing back, he lets the paddle fly, catching her on the soft undercurve of her bottom, "CRACKKKKK, SMMAAAACKKKK!!!" Tttttwelllveee, Deaan . . . ouchhhh!" He waits for Mary to calm, watching her twist her legs and bottom. She wants desperately to bring her hands to her bottom, but can't unclench them from her desk. He watches as she finally manages to stand. Her bottom is burning hot . . . at the moment she's not sure she'll ever be able to sit again.

Andy puts her paddle down on the desk and wraps his arms around her, comforting her. "I am so proud of you Mary. You did a great job. Your girls are going to be very lucky to have you looking out for them. He lets her cry, unlike most of the girls Mary's tears are silent. He can feel her pain from the rigid stance of her body and waits for her to begin to relax. When that happens, he tells her to step out of her pj bottoms and he'll help her to bed.

Surprisingly though she shakes her head and stiffly pulls her pj's up, wiping her eyes with the back of her sleeve. "I'm ok, really," she says. "You sure Sport? I know that had to hurt pretty bad. You don't have to be so brave." She nods her head, "I'm sure Dean. I think I'd like to take a short walk though if that's ok." He looks out her window, it's nearly dark. "Only if I come with you . . . I don't want you out after dark." Mary looks wistfully at her journal, she had really wanted to be alone to finish writing in it, but still, she really wanted to get some fresh air. She nods and they walk outside, Mary's hand never leaving her pajama bottom . . .

© 1999 Mary Catherine Whitney, All Rights Reserved.

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