She wasn’t our real mother, or stepmother, but as a foster mother, she made us call her that. Any deviation, for example calling her mom, mommy, miss, or ma’am, was met with a swift reprisal. She was a strict disciplinarian, but never crossed the line and for a majority of the time, she treated us with love and respect. We were clothed, fed, taken to school, and enjoyed occasional vacations.
I never could recall what happened to my parents or how I became a foster daughter to Mother. While I couldn’t remember the start, there are a few things I remember quite vividly from my experience with Mother, particularly from my rebellious phase when I was seventeen.
“Did you hear me girl?” clearly booms in my auditory memory. I always wish I had registered her voice the first time.
“No, ma’am,” I sheepishly replied, trying to cower from this newfound sadist in my life.
“It’s 'Mother', and you’ll wish you had,” she emphasized grabbing me tightly by the arm and leading me into the kitchen. She then walked me over to one of the wooden stools at the counter.
“Stay there, Abigail,” she commanded. She looked around in the doorways searching for something, and when I figured out what it was my stomach churned.
“Emily, go get your brothers and sisters and have them come into the kitchen,” Mother asked with my foster sister complying to her wish.
It took only a few minutes for the others to sidle down the stairs and collect around the perimeter. There were seven of us altogether, with two boys and five of us girls.
“I want all of you to witness what happens when you are naughty in my house,” she spoke causing my sweat to cool in place. The others, watched in frozen fear as mother stood imposingly over me.Â
I was just a gawky and lanky high school nerd who with some good heels could maintain an average height. I would say that I never really got attention from guys, but that would be a lie. Most of the time it was weirdos and creepers who gave me attention, and older men who routinely made me feel uncomfortable. My bright copper hair also led men to believe I was somehow crazy or exotic, which never really sat well with me either.
Although in truth, Mother may have only been a few inches taller, I could have sworn she was a towering figure. Despite her fearsome attitude and unwavering demeanor, she was quite beautiful. I was totally jealous the first time I saw her long flowing brown hair, full even breasts, and firm backside. She wasn’t one to flaunt it though, she wore blouses and skirts that were either muted in color or contained basic patterns.
I didn’t admire her for long, however. A soon as she put fear into the others, I dreaded my fate. I honestly think the waiting was almost as terrible as what was to come. She spent the time I was filled with grisly anticipation, looking for something else.
OH MY GOD! She’s going to find the biggest thing in here to hit me with! I screamed in my head as she continued to rummage through drawers. Finally, she settled on a wooden spoon that was larger and thicker than your average ruler. Although she placed it down kind of haphazardly on the counter beside me, I figured it wasn’t going to stay there for long.
Then with a swift move, she hoisted me off the stool.
“Stand there!” she barked.
I obeyed mostly because I was too afraid to move or deviate from her orders. She sat down on the flat wooden stool, squirming a bit until she found the most comfortable position. I was not afforded the same luxury. She simply pointed at the skirt draped over her knees and said in a calm stern voice, “Bend over”.