Epilogue
Addison
“You look… happy.”
Addison couldn’t help but grin at her friend’s assessment.
She’d met Meredith at a Mommy support group the Ranch had begun hosting a few months ago, and they’d become fast friends.
“I am. Very happy. You know better than anyone how many bumps in the road there have been over the past six months, but things are good. Really, really good.”
Meredith smiled, the green-gold of her eyes warming with the gesture. “Good. How’s Kylie liking her new job?”
After learning exactly how much her babygirl did not want to pursue an engineering career, Addison had latched on to her love of books and introduced her to Arabella Cole.
Arabella was the pen name of one of Rawhide U’s professors, and he’d happily taken Kylie under his wing to show her the self-publishing ropes.
After a few weeks, he’d even offered her a job doing some administrative work for him.
“She loves it. And she’s even talking about taking some extra English classes so she can become an editor. She really loves picking Arabella’s books apart and pointing out places the story could be stronger. And she’s brilliant at it.”
“I love that for her. What about Danny?”
Addison shrugged. “He’s still figuring things out. But I’m in no rush. I love having them here with me and it’s not like we need the extra money living at the Ranch. Eventually he’ll need to do something but for now we’re… content.”
“Good. You all deserve it.”
There was a hint of longing in her friend’s tone that tugged at Addison’s heart. “How is Annie?”
Annabeth Walker was the Little girl of one of Meredith’s oldest friends who had died earlier in the year after a long battle with cancer.
After Eric’s death, Annie had come to live at the Ranch while she grieved and worked on figuring out her next steps.
And since Meredith lived just a couple towns over, she made it a point to visit at least once a month to check on her late friend’s wife.
“She’s doing better, actually.” Pride filled Meredith’s voice. “She’s even talking about dipping her toe back into the dating pool.”
“Really? And how do you feel about that?”
Before Meredith could answer, an ear-piercing screech rent the air. “Mommy! Danny is being mean and won’t let me play with him!”
Rolling her eyes at her girl’s dramatic wailing, Addison flashed her guest a smile. “Sorry, I’ll be just a second.”
Meredith waved away her concerns. “No worries at all. I get it.”
Rising from the couch, Addison made her way to the guest bedroom that had been converted into a playroom for her Littles. Despite her amusement with their antics, she forced her expression into stern lines before entering. “What is going on in here?”
From her spot beside Danny’s desk, Kylie crossed her arms, her bottom lip pushed out in the most impressive pout Addison had ever seen. “Danny won’t let me play with him! He said his game is too growed up for Little girls.”
“Did he, now?” She let a hint of steel infuse her words, and judging by the way Danny’s shoulders immediately tensed, the change did not go unnoticed by her boy.
“Well, that’s very interesting, because if a game is too mature for my Little girl, then I am fairly certain it must be too mature for my Little boy. Daniel?”
As she’d been speaking, Danny had been scrambling to mute his microphone and rip his headphones off. The group he played with all knew about their dynamic, but it still embarrassed him whenever she reminded him what a Little boy he was in front of his friends.
Which, of course, was half the fun.
Cheeks blazing red, Danny spun around to glare at Kylie. “Tattletale!”
“Jerk!”
Sensing a meltdown coming, Addison held up her hands in the universal “timeout” gesture. “What happens to Little boys and girls who can’t play together nicely?”
It was a rhetorical question, of course.
All three of them knew that if the fight continued to escalate, Addison would have no problem paddling both their bottoms until they were red and hot before tying them together in their “Get Along Shibari”.
Over the past months, it had proven to be a wildly effective method of working through arguments and now even the threat of it was enough to gain their compliance.
As evidenced by the way both her Little ones blushed and dropped their gazes to the floor. “Sorry, Mommy,” they chorused together.
“Apologize to each other, and then we can talk about what has Kylie so upset.”
They each mumbled an apology, and she had to bite back a sigh at how sulky they sounded. An apology was an apology, and at least they weren’t fighting anymore.
“Thank you, my loves. Now, what seems to be the problem? Danny, why won’t you let Kylie play with you?”
“Because she doesn’t want to play right! She just wants to run around and mess everything up!”
It was such an “annoyed older brother” argument, Addison had to bite the inside of her cheek to avoid laughing. “Is she going to hinder your progress in the game if she doesn’t play the way you want her to play?”
“Yes! She always messes everything up!”
“Nuh uh!” Kylie stomped her foot. “You just don’t like me to have any fun!”
“I do, if you play the right way!”
Sensing this argument was about to spiral out of control, Addison held up her hands again. “Kylie, why don’t you come play with Auntie Meri and me. We can have a tea party.”
Calculation filled her girl’s eyes. “With real tea?”
“Of course.”
“And cookies?”
It was a test, and one Addison knew well. They’d already had a sweet treat that morning when Meredith had shown up with donuts, so Kylie knew she was pushing her luck.
And still, Addison couldn’t look in those sweet brown eyes and refuse. “Two cookies and no more, little girl.”
Her babygirl lit right up. “Okay, Mommy!”
“Good girl. Get your friends you want to bring to the tea party while Mommy speaks with your brother.”
When Kylie rushed over to her side of the playroom to pick out her toys for the party, Addison crossed over to stand in front of Danny.
Gripping his chin, she forced his head up, and had the pleasure of watching the flicker of fear in his eyes as she smiled.
“Do I need to sit and watch you play to make sure this game is appropriate for my babyboy, Daniel?”
“No, Mommy. I, um, only said that so she’d leave me alone.”
“So you lied to your sister.”
To his credit, he looked suitably chagrined by the accusation. “Yes, Mommy.”
“Do I allow my Little boy to tell lies?”
“N-no, Mommy.”
“After Auntie Meri leaves, you are going to apologize to your sister for lying to her, and you are going to sit with a plug in your bottom and write lines for me. You’re lucky I don’t tell you to turn your mic back on right now so all your friends can hear you getting your naughty bottom paddled.”
Embarrassed color flooded his face, but his pupils widened with desire. It wouldn’t be the first time his friends had, with their enthusiastic consent, listened to her disciplining her boy, and it always left Danny feeling rather conflicted about his punishment afterward.
But she was feeling a bit sentimental, and she wasn’t altogether unsympathetic to his desire to enjoy his game with his friends in peace.
“I’m sorry, Mommy.” True regret colored his tone, softening her even more. “It won’t happen again, I promise.”
“Good. Because next time, I will put you over my knee and I don’t care who is listening or watching, and once your bottom is a nice hot red, I will take you to the bathroom to wash all those nasty lies out of your mouth. Am I making myself perfectly clear, little boy?”
“Yes, Mommy.”
Still gripping his chin, she bent to press a kiss to his trembling lips.
“I’m going to get your sister out of your hair,” she murmured against his lips.
“So enjoy your time with your friends. Because after your punishment, Mommy is going to fuck your sweet little bottom. I suggest you be on your best behavior the rest of the day if you want to be allowed to come when I do.”
With another brief kiss, she pulled away, satisfied her threat-slash-promise would keep her on his mind the rest of the day.
Gathering Kylie on her way out, she headed back to the living room where Meredith was waiting.
A smirk tugged at her friend’s lips as Addison settled back on the couch while Kylie set up the table for their tea party, her excited, endless chatter filling the air.
“Everything okay?”
“Yes.” Leaning over, Addison ran a hand over her girl’s hair. “Everything is perfect.”
The End