The Heirloom - a Cassie story

Happy New Year to all, 

this is how I'm starting the new year!

Coming soon - Cassie's Conflict

Cassie’s Conflicts (book five)

Blurb: Cassie is one busy lady. The new country club/spa has opened and the whole gang is enjoying all the amenities. That is until a new club member, Clara, begins to ride roughshod over everyone.  The situation worsens until it becomes physical, but even that doesn’t stop it.

Cassie seems to find little conflicts everywhere she turns, but it’s not always her fault. Tom is over protective about her health, sending Cassie into a tantrum. In addition, a few things happen on the girl’s trip that lands Cassie, as well as the other ladies, in even more hot water.  Through it all Tom is there to love and protect Cassie in his own unique way.

When I have one, I like to put up a Cassie story from way back before a new book comes out.  Hopefully it will get you in the mood to read more. The official release date for Cassie's Conflict is Monday the fifth - but that could be at midnight. Hopefully by the sixth or seventh it will be available everywhere.

I also like to give away a few copies to those of you kind enough to come by to read and leave a comment. I'm giving away three copies so leave a comment for a chance to win - and please if you aren't sure I have your email address leave it too, or email it to me at pk.corey@yahoo.com

Now lets hear from Cassie...

Here’s an old story that goes way back almost to the beginning. I guess that there is something to be said for heirlooms.

We had only been married about six weeks and were still really getting to know one another (we had known each other only about three months total) when I needed to have minor surgery on my foot. It was no big deal, but it was very slow healing and I was having a lot of trouble with swelling during the day. Tom babied me for the weekend, barely letting me walk at all and we were starting to get the swelling under control. Monday I had plans to go out with the girls and that was still my plan. Tom said absolute not. He said I was not leaving the house until my foot was completely healed up.

I think I told him something along the lines of, “You can’t tell me what to do. I can do anything I darn well please and I am going out.” By the time he flipped back the covers and gave me about ten hard pops on the butt I decided to keep my mouth shut. Tom got me set up for the day on the couch. I had the remote control, a plate of sandwiches and even a thermos of tea, and I had strict orders to get up only to use the bathroom and to keep my foot elevated all day.

Right, sure, that was the plan – until Tom got out of the house. I had every intention of going out with the girls just as we planned. You have to understand that back then I had not yet fully grasped how my marriage was going to be. I had done anything I had felt like doing for a number of years and I had every intention of continue the same way. I am embarrassed to say that the idea of lying to Tom really didn’t bother me. I had lied most of my life – to my parents, my first husband, often to the men I dated later. It was no big deal to me. Usually I felt it just kept everyone happy. Honestly, that was how I viewed it. I wanted to go out. Tom wanted me to stay home. I would go out, tell Tom I stayed home and that way everyone would be happy.

Soon after Tom left I hobbled up and started getting ready. Anne came to pick me up and off we went. When we arrived at the restaurant I quickly called Tom at work to tell him I was fine, resting quietly and I would call again when I woke up. I hate now that I used to lie to Tom, but I will have to say that I was very good at covering my tracks.

Having to be on crutches was a big pain as I tried to find a comfortable place for my foot and as I went to the restroom and to pay the check. Trying to manage the pocketbook and crutches was wearing me out, my foot was really hurting and swelling. By the time Anne got me home I was exhausted and in pain. I had her take the sandwich home and I poured out half the tea. I called Tom again and told him that my foot was really bothering me and I was going to take a pain pill and go back to sleep so not to call. The phone rang several times that afternoon but I didn’t bother to answer.

Tom got home about six. He gave me a kiss and asked how my day had been. I told him my foot had bothered me a lot. He looked at it and was upset to see how swollen it was. “Cassie,” he asked sharply “have you been out today?”

I kept my eyes closed and snuggled down in the pillow to keep from looking at him as I told him, “Nope, I’ve been right here.”

Tom went off to answer the phone and was soon back, picked me up off the couch and carried me to the bedroom. I hadn’t even looked at him. It wasn’t until he put me on the bed that I glanced at his face and realized he was not happy.

“What’s the matter?” I asked.

One thing I will say for Tom, he never tries to trick me into digging myself into a deeper hole. He always just tells me. “The restaurant just called, you left your billfold there today.”

Not realizing how serious he was going to take this I said brightly, “Oops, I guess you caught me!” One more look from Tom told me he did not see this as a ‘oops’, but something much more serious.

“Cassie…” He stopped and shook his head. “Cassie,” he began again, “I told you to stay home and you didn’t. You put your health in danger by not allowing your foot time to heal and you lied to me.”

Suddenly realizing what was coming (I am much quicker on the uptake these days) and I whined, “Tom you can’t spank me, my foot hurts.”

“Well then aren’t you lucky I am not going to spank your foot,” was his only answer before he sailed in to my behind. I knew he was really upset and he was spanking hard and telling me I was going to mind him and take care of my health. I, by this time, had nearly learned not to start cursing while he spanked, it only made him spank longer and harder. But I was begging him to stop.

He did eventually and as he finished he slid me off onto the bed and got up, but he didn’t hug me as he usually did.

“Girl, you are going to have to listen to me and take better care of yourself, do you understand?” I was snubbing and sniffing, but I nodded yes. I lay down to pout a bit when Tom continued, “Now we have to talk about your lying.” I looked at him quickly and saw that he was holding the ivory brush. He had never used anything but his hand before.

He couldn’t be planning to spank me with that horrible hard brush I wouldn’t allow it. Suddenly the realization hit me – I wasn’t going to be given a vote.

“No Tom, please, you just spanked me hard. You can’t use that thing on me!” I was wrong he could and he did. I thought a hand spanking hurt – and it surely did, but this was something else all together. I know I was already sore, but that brush burned like fire. He was going slow and deliberate and it didn’t last long, but the brush and I developed an instant and intense dislike for each other that last to this day.

I will say lessons were learned that day. Tom learned that I wasn’t above lying to him. I learned he absolute would not tolerate it. I learned that I hated the ivory brush and, unfortunately, Tom learned that too. It quickly became his weapon of choice when he thought I really messed up.

I complain a lot about that horrible brush. But if the truth be known it is used a lot less that it was during the first few years of our marriage. I guess I don’t see it, well feel it, all that much any more, maybe a couple of times a year. And there have been years where if was never used at all if you can believe that. But everywhere we have ever lived it stays on the dresser (unless Tom has it packed). It was my wedding gift from Tom and it is my lot in life, but if I could manage to lose just one family heirloom…