Punishment

It had never gotten easy for her to raise a growing boy all by herself. Lisa just came home from work, a couple of hours earlier then normal thanks to a big account being finished completely. She had also received a big bonus, which always was a good thing in her household. Her son Frank had had his eighteenth birthday a couple of months ago, and by now she did not have a good insight into his life and thoughts anymore. To her he seemed to be a loner, even on his birthday there had been no friends of his. He had said that they had a celebration in school, and with all the homework they had to do there just wasn’t time to visit him at home as well.

Lisa heated water for a pot of tea, and walked up the stairs to ask Frank to join her for a cup of tea. She knocked on his door, but there was no reaction. She peeked into his room to see if he might be asleep, but he just wasn’t there. There was a small travel bag on his bed, half opened. That was odd because they had no travel plans. Lisa stepped into her sons room to see what he might want with the bag. Just then she saw him in the back of their garden. He acted peculiar, almost frightened. She kept looking at him, forgetting the bag on the bed.

Frank stepped on the old rabbit cage and from there he got over the wall into the garden of mrs. Jennings, their 30-something neighbour. Lisa had no idea what he was planning to do, he had no business there. It could not have been that mrs. Jennings had called him, Lisa had seen her on her bicycle in the city center a little while ago. Frank walked hastily in the direction of the house next door, alongside the clothesline. Suddenly he stopped, en grabbed a black pair of panties of the clothesline, followed by a black bra. Lisa was stunned and shocked. Never in her life had she expected something like this from her son. She saw him running to the back of the garden, and climb back over the wall.

Lisa walked to the stairs, and got down again. Halfway the stairs he heard Frank get into the kitchen, and then he just stopped suddenly. The water for the tea was boiling, and he must have heard or seen it. She walked into the kitchen, and saw Frank standing there, completely red, the bra and panties still in his hand. Lisa told him to take a seat at the kitchentable, and calmly made a pot of tea. Frank walked slowly to the table and sat down. She took two cups and put those on the table, followed by the teapot. She poored the tea, still without speaking, and then looked directly at her son. He was leaning forward in his chair, without any reaction. She told him to sit up straight, and tell her what he had just done. Whispering, almost silent he told her. He had seen mrs. Jennings leave on her bicycle, had waited some extra time, and then climbed over the wall to take something from her clothesline. He did not say what he took, but that was obvious, the loot was lying on the seat next to him.

Lisa asked Frank what he wanted with their neighbours’ underwear. The answer was ununderstandable, so she asked him to repeat it a bit louder. Still whispering he said that he wanted to wear it. She could see the tears in his eyes.

“Have some tea first, it will make you feel better,” said Lisa. Frank drank some and looked like calming down a bit.

“Don’t you agree that what you did is very wrong?” asked Lisa.

“Yes, it seems so. But something inside me made me do it anyway, I don’t know what, but when I saw that underwear hanging I wanted to feel it, and when I felt it I wanted to have it, so I took it off the clothesline. But I will hang it back right now, so mrs. Jennings won’t notice anything!” It came out of his mouth as a continuous stream of words.

“No,” said Lisa, “that’s no good. It seems to me that you should give it back to mrs. Jennings personally the moment she comes back home.”

Frank looked up, frightened. He wanted to say something but swallowed his words at the last moment.

“This probably wasn’t the first time that you did this. What else have you taken from the clothesline?” Lisa asked her son.

He mumbled something, again ununderstandable. Lisa understood that there was more, and remembered the travel bag upstairs. “Is it in the bag on your bed?”

Frank got to be fiery red again, which said more then any words could have.

“As soon as we have finished our tea we’ll go upstairs together and see what else is there,” said Lisa resolutely.

Calmly she drank her tea and watched Frank do the same, very slowly. When he had finally emptied his cup she told him to get up and follow her. She went upstairs to his bedroom, where the bag still was on the bed, half opened. She sat herself down on the chair by his desk and waited what would happen. Frank had stayed at the open door and intensly studied the floor.

“Come on,” said Lisa, “let me see what is in that bag.”

Frank finally walked in and sat heavilly down on the bed. He opened the bag further and took out the contents. That turned out to be three pairs of panties and two bra’s. Next to those was a sexy looking bright red one-piece womens swimsuit.

“I don’t think that comes from Mrs. Jennings,” Lisa said pointing at the swimsuit.

Frank shook his head without a sound.

“Then where and how did you get it?” asked Lisa. “I found it at school, at the lost and found near the gym,” whispered Frank. “Nobody took notice of it and after a few days I took it home.”

“And those panties and bras, those all come from Mrs. Jennings?”

“No, only one of each, the rest not,” Frank clearly hesitated.

“Then where do those come from?”

“Those are Christine’s.”

“Christine from next door? Jennie’s daughter?” Jennie was the neighbour on the other side, and her daughter Christine was a pretty looking but a bit shy girl, who had just last week turned nineteen.

“Yes.” The answer was hardly noticable.

“Then later on we have to make two visits. Is everything clean? No, wait, don’t answer that. Just wash it all again right now, then I am sure it is clean. What you took from the clothesline today you can leave here, that is clean. Take the rest with you and come to the bathroom.” Lisa tried hard to keep her voice neutral, not angry. She didn’t believe that getting angry now would do any good for anyone.

Frank followed her into the bathroom, the panties and bras in his hands like they were poisonous. Lisa let some lukewarm water into the sink and added some washing powder.

“First wash all by hand in this water, then thorouglhy rinse it in lukewarm water. When that is done put some of this softener in some water and wash them again. When you’re all done lay all of ‘m above the radiator to dry and come downstairs. Be as fast as you can, we got more to do today.”

“Yes mom, I will do as you said.” Frank sounded as having given up.

Lisa got downstairs again and had another cup of tea. She needed time to think things over, she was really shocked by all of it. Just now she started to wonder what Frank had meant when he said he had wanted to wear mrs. Jennings undies. He never had been girly, had played soccer a couple of years, and used to be a boyscout. Did he want to be a girl? Did he have perverted thoughts about mrs. Jennings? She had no idea and decided to talk to him about it later on. First everything that did not belong to him had to be brought back to those he had stolen it from. She felt bad about the word. Stolen. Theft. A thief, that was what her son had become. That was the worst of it all to her.

About fifteen minutes later Frank came downstairs. “Everything is drying now, mom.”

“Good,” said Lisa, “now practice with me what you are going to tell Mrs. Jennings and Christine when you are returning what is theirs.”

Frank looked scared again and asked, “Do I really have to mom?”

On his mothers face he could read the answer even before she told him, “Yes, you really have to. You took some of their most personal things, so I want you to bring it back personally. I don’t know whether they want their stuff back or not, but that doesn’t matter. It has to go back anyhow. What will you tell them?”

“Sorry.”

“Something more would be better, I believe.”

“I will tell them that I noticed their underwear to be really pretty and wanted to know more about it. I did not dare asking them…”

“Is that the truth?” asked Lisa with a soft voice.

“Yes, mom, it feels like that to me.”

“Well then, that’s the way it is going to be. I will come with you, but you will have to do all the talking by yourself. And I also think that you had better get some flowers for each of them, then it might feel not as bad to them.”

Frank got up and took his jacket. “From my savings, those flowers, I presume?”

“Of course. I will not pay for them, that would not be right.”

“No mom, you got a point there.”

Frank went out the door. Lisa finished her now cold tea and decided to already inform mrs. Jennings about what had happened. She had seen her come home while Frank was still upstairs. With a heavy heart she picked up the phone.

When Frank returned home with three bunches of very nice red roses Lisa looked up. “Three bunches of roses? Did you take clothes from again someone else?”

“Yes mom, but I have put those back immediately.”

“And from whom was that then?” She was really angry now.

“From you mom, so I also got you flowers.”

Lisa’s face softened immediately. “Thank you Frank, we will talk about that later, okay?”

“Right mom. How to go from here?”

“Go upstairs and take all the things from mrs. Jennings. Fold it as nicely as you can, and put it in a little plastic bag.”

“Okay,” he said it calmly, and got up the stairs. Some moments later he returned with a small bag with the stuff from mrs. Jennings inside. “This is it mom.”

“Now, let’s go then.”

Frank took one of the bunches of roses, and they walked out the front door, and to the door of mrs. Jennings. Frank rang the bell, by now red in his face again. Mrs. Jennings opened the door and invited them into her livingroom. “What can I do for you two?” she asked.

“I have to tell you something Mrs. Jennings, but I have difficulties doing so.”

“Well, take it easy, take your time, I will listen to you,” waited mrs. Jennings.

“Uh, well, uh, I have… uh, well, I have taken some things from your clothesline when you weren’t home. Some of your underwear to be precise. I know that is not good at all, but it looked so pretty, and well, when I went to look closer I also wanted to feel it, and when I felt it I also wanted to take it and that’s what I have done, but I am really sorry about it and I will not ever do it again and I have washed all of it just now and it is all in this little bag here and I bought you roses and I hope you will not be very mad at me,” After a hesitating begin it was like a continuous flow of words. Frank kept looking at the floor when he had said it all.

“Look at me,” Mrs Jennings said, “and tell me, what have you done with my underwear?”

Frank got completely red again. “I have worn it,” whispering again.

“Then I don’t want it back, but I think you should repay me for what you have taken so I can replace it all,” Mrs. Jennings did not sound upset or angry so Frank looked at her.

“I will do that Mrs. Jennngs, and really, I will not ever do it again!”

“Well then, let’s leave it at that,” mrs Jennings said, “But let me have a look so I can see what it is yoy took and how much it will cost to replace it.”

Frank handed her the little bag and waited.

“With about sixty it will be right. If your mother is also okay with it you will not hear anything from me about it anymore. Is that also okay for you Frank?” asked mrs Jennings. All Frank could do was nod his head, happy it was no worse then this. He missed the blink his mother gave mrs. Jennings.

“I will make sure he will bring you the money this week mrs. Jennings, but he will be punished somehow by me later on,” Lisa said. “I am glad you will not report him to the police for this.”

At these words Frank suddenly looked very scared. That was something he had not thought about, that it could become policework.

“Well, no-one gets better from that. I consider it to be just a bad deed from a youngster, and leave it at that. But indeed, if it was ever to happen again that will be something else alltogether,” said mrs. Jennings while looking straight at Frank.

“No, really, it won’t. Seriously it won’t,” replied Frank.

They said their goodbyes to mrs. Jennings and went back home again, Frank with the little bag in his hand.

“That went quite easily,” said Lisa. “You may hope that Christine takes it just as easy.”

Frank scared again. He had been very uncomfortable having to tell his adult neighbour what he had done, but this was even worse. Christine went to the same school as he did and he saw her everyday. Secretely he had a crush on her, but of course he would never tell her so. She was about a year older then him, and really pretty. All the boys in school wanted to date her. She had brown hair with big curls onto her shoulders and she had very beautifull big eyes. He didn’t know the colour of her eyes, he had never been close enough to her to tell. And now he had to go and tell her that he had stolen her underwear, and that he had put it on. He felt his knees shaking.

“Can’t we do this tonight, after dinner?” he asked his mother.

“No, better right now,” came the direct answer. “Go get Christines things.”

Frank went upstairs and came down a moment later with another small plastic bag. He wasn’t red now, but pale. But he took the last bunch of flowers and said: “I am ready to go mom. Will you come with me?”

“Of course I will. I will never let you stand alone, so also now I won’t.”

They went out the door again, now to the other side. After Frank had rung the bell Jennie opened the door. Jennie had been a schoolfriend of Lisa, and because she was also a single mother and already lived there Lisa had decided to buy their present house.

“Hey, hi Lisa, and Frank as well, come on in.” It sounded heartily.

“Well Jennie, we will come in but we are here this time for a reason. Frank has to explain something awkward to Christine. Is she home as well?” asked Lisa.

“Sure, I’ll call her. Or would Frank prefer to speak with her privately in her room? It is fine with me.”

“What do you think Frank, it is your call. But if you go to Christine I will not come with you,” said Lisa.

“I guess it might be beter. But will you please wait for me, mom?” asked Frank slowly.

Jennie looked surprised, she had never before seen Frank like this. He did some odd jobs for them once in a while like working the garden or washing the car. Always a bit tough to her and a little shy to Christine. She thought he had an eye on Christine, but could never have expected him to lean on his mother so heavily.

“If it is no problem for Jennie I will wait here downstairs for you,” said Lisa, while watching Jennie askingly.

“Yes of course that’s okay, it’s never a problem,” reacted Jennie immediately. “You know which room is Christine’s, it is the same as yours in your house.

Frank got up the stairs and knocked softly on the pink door of Christine’s room. it was opened immediately, as if Christine had seen him coming.

“Hi, come on in, and don’t notice the mess I have in here. I’ve been needing to clean up for about a year but somehow I never seem to find the time for it,” laughed Christine.

“Hi Christine,” said Frank, “I have something to tell you but I don’t know how to do so.”

“Start by not calling me Christine, only my father does that. For all my friends I am Chris or Chrissy. And whatever it is you want to tell me, I won’t eat you.”

“Okay Chris, here it comes,” Frank got red in his face again. “I still don’t know how to say this, but I have been taking some of your underwear from your clothesline. My mom told me that I have to bring it back to you, so I have washed everything, and here it is,” He handed her the small bag. “And these flowers are for you, as a sort of apology.”

“And further?” asked Chris. “Or is that all?”

“Aren’t you mad at me?” asked Frank surprised.

“Well, in fact I already knew that you had taken my panties. And my nicest bra. That was a bit awful, but I got myself a new one just like it.”

“But how did you know that?” asked Frank, now totally stunned.

“I had seen you from out of my bedroom window, when I was sick at home once. You must have thought that I was still at school, but I had come home in he morning already. My mom went to her work, and some minutes later you walked through our back garden. I was surprised to see you there, certainly when I saw you take my panties and bra from the clothesline, and walk back home with those. But I also thought that I would get to be okay again someday. Did you expect me to punish you?”

“Yes, in fact I did.”

“Well, then you will be punished. Do you agree that I have the right to punish you?”

“Eh, yes, there is some logic in that. Do you want your things back?” pointed he at the bag.

“No, I bought everything new again. You can keep ít. I take it you have worn it all?”

Frank got extremely red again, and felt himself getting very small. “Yes,” he stammered.

“Well, you get to do that again,” said Chris with a grin on her face.

“What do you mean?” Frank looked at her and noticed that she had bright blue eyes. They were now sparkling above a smiling mouth.

“That will be your punishment. You wil have to wear my lingerie again,” said Chris. “But I mean right here, right now,” Her smile got even bigger. “I want to see you wear it”

“Are you serious, or ar you trying to make me look ridiculous?” Frank didn’t understand it at all. “I mean, more ridiculous than I have made myself already.”

“No, I will not try to ridicule you. I thought we were too good friends for that. I know you hardly talk to me at all anymore, but I don’t think you don’t like me or something like that. Right?” Chris looked at Frank questioningly.

He calmly said, “No, I do not dislike you. Absolutely not. And that I don’t talk to you anymore is because I never know what to say whenever you’re around. But if you want me to put on your underwear you’ll have to turn around.”

“I’ll do that for you, but please name it for what it is. Lingerie. Underwear is for old lady’s and for boys. Women wear lingerie. As do some boys. And hurry up now before downstairs they will be wondering what all happens up here.”

She turned around and Frank took off his jeans and shirt. “Don’t peek, hey?” he said.

“No, I will not turn back until you’re ready,” said Chris.

Still a bit hesitating Frank took of his boxers, and put on one of the panties of Chris. Also the bra that was part of the set he put on. He had taken that as a set, and had worn it often. Black satin, with lace on the sides and a little pink bow in the front. “Okay, I’m ready. You can turn back now.”

“You look very nice Frank. You’ve got a great figure,” she said admiring his looks. “More boys should wear lingerie, it looks much nicer then boxers.”

“I’ve never heard that before,” said Frank, “that I have a good figure. And I also never heard of girls who like boys to wear lingerie,” The word ‘lingerie’ still sounded strange to his ears.

“Well, I do think so. That you have a good figure,” Chris said again. “And I do think that lingerie on boys looks really nice, and especially on you. You’re not such an annoying macho type, who thinks that all the girls are put on the world for him. I see enough of those already,” Chris sounded sincere. “Have I punished you enough or do you want more punishment?”

“This is not really a punishment for me, Chris, and I can see that you know that.”

“Yes, but maybe you think that I should now let you see what I look like in just my lingerie.”

“You don’t have to, Chrissy, but I would like it a lot if you want to do that for me.”