Braxton Academy

Chapter 10

MR. DAVIS' POV:

I adjusted my monitor so it was directly in my attention, I have a great deal on my mind and my ability to focus was diminishing by the minute. For God's sake, I've been on the same column for the last twenty minutes. Jim needs the budget finished by the end of the day so we can give it to the financial advisor and yet I have only the first two columns finished. I sat back in my chair, pinching between my eyes I sighed at the useless hope of completing it before our breakfast session. Glancing at the clock, the apprehension in my stomach was growing as I realized that Naomi would be here soon.

I spent a significant amount of time last night after dismissing her trying to figure out what it was I'm going to do. She definitely deserves a good spanking for her attitude and actions, but I have to make sure this is sufficient enough to where we will never revisit it again. It's not so much the missing curfew that alarmed me, I understand that mistakes happen but she hid from me, ran from me. I don't know what I would do if I lost her and the other night I felt a giant blow to my chest when I couldn't find her. Apart of me just wants to tell her the truth...but that may only bring mistrust and, God forbid, more insubordination. I haven't felt this conflicted since the day I signed the custody papers.

"Is this going to help her? I can't just punish her and send her off like any other student." I leaned back against the windowsill and loosened my tie, feeling as though the walls were caving in on me.

"Yes this will help her, you know as well as I do that this method works with out students. Hence why we are the number one disciplinary school in the district." Jim came forward.

"Will you stop being so managerial right now? Yes, of course we're the number one disciplinary school in the district! But that's because we rule with a heavy fist but Naomi...she needs more than what we give our usual students and I don't know what that is ...I've never had to care for a child let alone a fourteen-year-old girl."

"That's not true! Besides, she deserves to be punished for what she did."

"I know, but I'm not entirely sure a spanking will resolve this." I ran my fingers through my hair, pacing through an agonizing struggle. "I need Audrey here, she'd know how to handle this...she always knew what to do."

I could see the lapse of empathy in his face, he was much too stubborn to understand this right now. He was much like his father, when it came to discipline no one could tell him otherwise.

"You need to do something, it's your responsibility. When we made the arrangement with her parents you were positive that..."

"I don't regret the life I chose for me, I'm just saying that maybe a spanking isn't the right choice to help her learn her lesson."

He shook his head, "If you don't do this then you will be taking a big step back in your relationship with Naomi, not to mention that you will be setting a precedent for others to follow. Consistency is key, repetition is good for a developing brain."

"So because she's always had a spanking from me then she'll be expecting one? Doesn't that take away the primal feeling of being punished?" I snidely asked.

"Well I can see we're not going to agree here."

"I'm just analyzing my options Jim, don't take this so personally."

" I guess I will give you time to consider this but just so you know...you're going to decide this alone, I won't do it for you."

I have to remain strict. I can't let her see that I think there is even a shred of doubt in my methods otherwise she may grow to resent me. I took a deep breath. ___________________________________________________________________