The doorbell rang and gran opened the door to see me and a police woman standing there, and a police car at the end of the driveway. Mum was away for a couple of days with aunty Sheila and so I was to spend the weekend at gran’s. It was the summer holidays and the weather had been warm and dry for some time. I had been in the Old Priory, an old house which was attached to a long since ruined priory. I thought no one was in and so had been swimming in their large pond, almost a lake, fed by a fresh water spring, and it was always sweet smelling and beautifully cold. I had gone prepared with my bikini under my short summer dress, and a fluffy towel.

I had been luxuriating for about 30 minutes when I heard a voice. I looked up and, to my horror, an elderly lady was standing, pointing at me, and next to her was a police woman. Neither looked all that happy to see me. The lady because I was trespassing and the officer because I was lovely and cool and she was baking in her uniform in the glare of the early afternoon sun. The officer told me to get out and go to her. I clambered onto a small wooden fishing platform, which had seen better days, where my bag was, and wrapped myself in my towel, painfully aware that the cold water had made my nipples stand out rather thorough the thin material of my two-piece.

I walked over and apologised to the lady.

“Sorry, I didn’t think anyone was home. I’ll leave of course,” I said.

“So you think that makes it alright if no one is in, to trespass on their property do you, young lady?” The old lady snapped back.

“If you don’t want to take this any further, Mrs Dawson, I can always take her home and let her parents deal with her,” the officer said.

“I am sure you have dozens more important things to do, dear, so that would probably seem best. If I catch you here again, young lady, there will be trouble. If my late husband, God rest his soul, were here, well, let’s just say you wouldn’t be sitting down for a while!” Mrs Dawson added.

“Now, now, Mrs Dawson, you can’t be making threats like that, even if I kinda agree with you. Come on, what is your name and address, by the way?” the officer asked.

I told her, and that that I was actually staying with my gran, Margaret West. The police woman smiled.

“She used to teach me at secondary school. How is she doing?”

“She is very well,” I said, now slipping my dress back on and packing my towel. “I am really sorry, Mrs Dawson. I won’t trouble you again,” I said sincerely.

Five minutes later, the doorbell rang and gran answered.

“Oh, hells bells! What has she been up to? Hang on, aren’t you Jenny Price?” Gran said with a genuine smile.

“I was Jenny Price, but it is Martin, my married name, now,” she said, showing off her wedding ring. “We got wed this spring. He is in the job too.”

“So what has she been up to now? Won’t you come on in?” gran asked.

“I’d love to, but we have been run ragged today. She was swimming in the Old Priory pond. Mrs Dawson saw her and was quite upset at her being there. She was just cooling off, but she gave the old love a bit of a fright. Rather than take it any further, I suggested letting a parent, or in your case, grandparent deal with it. Rubbing her behind as though lost in thought, the policewoman commented, “I remember how you used to deal with us girls, back in the day. May I leave this with you, Mrs West?”

“I think you can call me Margaret after all these years, Jenny. Thank you, I will certainly deal with her accordingly. Get inside, young lady! Good bye Jenny, hope to see you again soon.”

“Bye Margaret,” the policewoman said as she marched back to her car.

“Now I know you meant no harm, but I cannot let this go unpunished. Please go into the lounge and I will be with you in one moment. I have to turn the stove down,” Gran said.

I knew exactly what was likely to happen next. I stood in the lounge, now totally dry from the pond water but starting the sweat in the warmth of the house as gran entered the room.

“I am sorry gran. You are right, I meant no harm. I just wanted to cool off a little, that was all.”

“Well, you succeed in cooling yourself down and worrying an old lady at the same time. Now I am going to have to warm your bottom for you. Come here,” Gran instructed, as she sat at the piano facing outwards.

I knew what was coming next. This was her routine as the old school teacher side of her came out. I stretched across her lap, hands and feet on the ground taking some of my weight off her legs. I felt the thin cotton of my dress lifted up and over my bikini bottoms which were every brief and would offer scant protection from gran’s practiced swing. Seconds later, her small hand smacked into my bottom with a loud slap as skin hit skin. There was little difference when she smacked wholly on my bikini bottoms and it stung just as much, that was for sure! Gran gave my poor bottom a good working over as I lay there defenceless. Thankfully, after a couple minutes, her hand came to rest one final time on my scorching hot bottom.

“Now, let that be a lesson. Do not take other people’s property for granted and use it or misuse it without permission. Understand?” she said sharply.

“Yes gran, I am sorry, I really am,” I said with tears in my eyes, red cheeks and an equally red bottom as I still dangled like a toddler over her lap.

“Good! Up you get and give your granny a bit hug. I don’t like having to do that to my favourite granddaughter. At your age too!” she said.

As I burrowed my face into her shoulder, I commented, “But I am your only granddaughter.”

“Exactly,” she said.

JG