Family Business

Avoiding

Claire's pov

After my uncle spanked me, I went up to my room and called my aunt. I'm pretty sure I woke her up but when she heard how upset I was, she didn't hesitate to talk to me. When she found out what I did to earn the spanking, she was no longer sleepy, she was beyond wide awake. She had no problem yelling at me as she tore me a new one over the phone for jeopardizing my safety by not telling anybody where I was going. Before she finally calmed down, she even threatened to get on the next plane out and fly here to spank me herself. Not exactly the help I was looking for.

I think the thing that hurt the most was when she called me selfish for going against what my father sacrificed everything for; my safety and protection. I still don't understand how him leaving makes me safe but that's what everyone keeps telling me so I guess I gotta believe it, even if it doesn't make sense. Sometimes it sucks being a kid cuz most adults think you're stupid and they try to hide the truth from you because they think you can't handle it or you're too dumb to understand the reasoning behind it.

I think more than anything, I don't like the idea of my uncle replacing my dad. When he had me over his knee for the first time, it made me face the fact my father isn't coming back anytime soon and that hurt way more than my uncle's spanking. I miss my mom all the time and now I have to deal with missing my dad too. I never realized how much I depended on him after my mom died and I'm not talking about life's basic necessities like food and shelter, I'm talking about emotional support.

When I first started living with my dad and aunt, I resisted getting close to them at all costs. I felt like if I did, it would mean my mom was really gone, like for good, and I didn't want to believe that. I just couldn't accept the fact I would never see her again, even though I knew I wouldn't. I didn't want to acknowledge it. Getting close to my dad and aunt felt like a betrayal to her, to the position she held in my life, like somehow it downgraded her status. Getting close to my uncle and grandfather feels like it will do the same thing to my dad.

My dad picked up on my reluctance and resistance to be emotionally vulnerable around him pretty quickly, once we started living together. With my aunt's prompting, he had me start therapy. I hated it at first. I refused to talk to my therapist for the first three sessions. My dad made it very clear he had prepaid for weekly sessions for the next three months so I was going, regardless of whether or not I wanted to cooperate. Eventually, my therapist wore me down. In hindsight, my father's threat to spank me after every session I didn't talk may have played a part in my acceptance of the process.

At first I felt weird talking about such personal matters with a stranger but I eventually started to prefer it over talking about my mother's death with people I knew. It was kinda cool telling your most private secrets to someone who couldn't spill the beans without jeopardizing their career and professional license. With best friends there's always that risk that you'll get in a fight one day and they'll rat you out to get back at you, or just to piss you off 'cause they're mad at you. The more I started to open up to my therapist, the more I opened up to my dad and aunt. This situation is different though, my dad's not dead.

I still have hope I'll see my dad again someday and we'll move back home to California to live with my aunt, like before. That was my new normal after Mom died. I'm not ready to accept life here in Italy at my grandfather's mansion, where my uncle can spank me when I'm bad, as my new normal, not yet anyway. As soon as I do, it'll be like admitting my dad's not coming back and that terrifies me. I can't lose him too, so I need to keep my distance from my uncle and grandfather. I know I can't physically avoid them since we live together but I can keep myself from getting too emotionally attached. I have to.

So far it hasn't been too difficult. My grandfather's always busy with work so I rarely see him outside of family dinners and my uncle doesn't like me, so we don't spend much time together either. After he spanked me for the first time, I spent the rest of the day in my room like he instructed. When Alfred called me down for dinner, we ate in silence since my grandfather was still out of town on business so it was just me and my uncle. I ate as quickly as possible since my ass was hurting from sitting down. When I asked permission to be excused from the table, my uncle just nodded, he never said a word.

After three more days of my grandfather's absence and silence from my uncle, I was feeling pretty lonely. I was bored beyond belief and depressed thinking about my father and how disappointed he'd be in me for sneaking out. Since Uncle EJ spanked me for the first time, things have been different between us. I wouldn't say it's been awkward being around him but yeah, it's been awkward. There's really no other way to describe it. My uncle's been bossier than ever and I kind of resent him now for humiliating me by spanking me over his knee.

I mean, it's okay for my dad and aunt to do that because they know me and I know them, but it felt wrong when my uncle did it. We just don't have that kind of relationship yet. I mean, I don't feel that close to him even and getting punished in that position, especially after he pulled my pants down, is pretty intimate. Not gonna lie, it made me pretty uncomfortable for more than one reason, obviously. He spanks pretty hard for a beginner. It was two days before it stopped hurting when I would sit down.

I was outside reading in the garden when I heard my grandfather's limo pull up. After having no one to talk to and nothing to do for the past four days, I was beyond excited to see him.

"NONNO (Grandfather), I MISSED YOU!" I shouted, running up to the car to greet him.

He smiled brightly and hugged me.

"Mia bella nipotina, è così bello vederti (My beautiful granddaughter, it is so good to see you)."

As one of the servants gathered his bags, my grandfather picked me up and carried me into the house. Normally I would have protested, telling him I'm not a baby and I can walk, but today I didn't mind.

"What have you been up to since I've been away, mia principessa (my princess)?"

"Nothing," I replied, giggling as he tickled my side before setting me down once we were inside.

"Quindi ti sei comportato bene per tuo zio (So you behaved for your uncle)?" he asked, giving me a serious look.

The only words I got out of that were good and uncle. Oh shit, I think he's asking if I was good for my uncle.

"No, Nonno (Grandfather). Mi dispiace (I'm sorry), I was bad while you were away," I replied quietly, ashamed of myself.

Bending down to my level, he looked me in the eye and said, "Grazie per essere onesto." Seeing my blank look, he translated, "Thank you for being honest, Francesca." He lightly brushed my cheek with the back of his fingers. "My son told me what happened."

"Are you disappointed in me, Grandfather?" I asked sadly.

"No, tesoro (sweetheart). Your uncle handled the situation and it is in the past. Tutto è perdonato (All is forgiven)." Tilting my chin up to meet his eyes, he clarified, "This time. Know that if it happens again, you will answer to me. Capisci (Understand)?" He patted my behind in warning.

"Si signore, capisco (Yes sir, I understand)."

"Sei la mia brava ragazza (That's my good girl). How about we find your uncle and have Cook make us an early dinner?"

"Si, Nonno, Mi piacerebbe farlo (Yes, Grandfather, I would like that)," I replied shyly, sure I mispronounced some of the words.

"Eccellente (Excellent). Sono così orgoglioso che tu stia imparando l'italiano (I am so proud that you are learning Italian)," my grandfather beamed. "You will need it when you join the family business someday."

"Uh, about that, Grandfather," I stammered nervously.

"Yes?"

"What exactly is the family business?"

Kissing the top of my head, he responded, "All in good time, mia principessa (my princess). Tutto in tempo utile (All in good time)."

Later that evening

Claire's pov

After having an early dinner with my uncle and grandfather, I excused myself to go out to the gardens to have a little walk around. During dessert my grandfather made it quite clear to my uncle that they had a lot of business to discuss tonight so I didn't want to be in the way. My uncle still seems mad at me for sneaking out and I'm having a hard time believing my grandfather's not going to punish me for getting in trouble while he was gone.

The main reason I wanted to get some fresh air and be by myself is because tomorrow's my birthday and I'm really missing my mom and dad right now.