mentor5

I stayed in my room and on my bed for I swear what felt like all day. The pain was subsiding some but it still stung like crazy. I wasn't ready to accept what had happened to me, but one thing I did know was that it was all my fault. I had betrayed my mom and I had lied to Taylor. If what I was doing wasn't wrong then I would have not needed to lie or sneek around. Maybe he was right, maybe I needed to let someone else guide me for a while, because I'm so tired.
Tired of dealing with friends, tired of school and tired of listening to my mom cry. I really did care that it hurt her. How could I do this to her. I am so confused about alot of things. I got off of my bed and went to look for Taylor. When I saw my mom I don't know what happened but I threw myself into her and started crying my eyes out. She stroked my hair and talked to me in her soft voice like when I was a little girl. I miss that. Turned out that I had stayed in my room most of the day. It was almost dinner time. After I calmed down a bit, I looked at her and asked,"Where is Taylor?"

"He is sitting outside on the lawn," she replied.

I went to the window and watched. How could someone look so nice but be so strict with me. I had definitely under estimated him in a very big way. I had alot of apologizing to do, so with my tears, red face and still dressed in my pj's, I went outside. I walked over to him and sat down. I sat there, but I couldn't look at him. I could see out of the corner of my eye that he would look at me every now and then.

"He cleared his throat and he finally spoke to me. "Anna, You know I didn't want to do that don't you," he said in a really shaky voice.

"Then why did you," I asked, as tears ran down my face.

"Because you needed it," He replied.

I didn't say anything. I just sat there and cried.

"Anna, look at me please," he asked

"I can't," I replied

"Anna, You know I'm listening," he said

That was it, I totally lost it and started to bawling. "I'm sorry Taylor," I said as I sat there I threw my hands on my eyes so he couldn't see. He put his arms around me and let me cry.

After what seemed like forever he spoke to me again.

"Do you know what your sorry for?" he asked.

"I'm sorry for last night. For lying, for worrying my mom, and for not being responsible. Most of all I'm sorry for deceiving you. I let you think that I was accepting your help and changing, but I was just pretending.

"Are you willing to try now?" he asked, "because I hope to never have to spank you again. But Anna, I will if I have to."

"I know you will, and yes, I'm ready to behave. I thought I was pretending, but I really do care. I just don't know why I fight it so much, but I will try, I promise," I said.

Taylor hugged me again and I knew that he really did care and so did my mom.

"I am so glad to hear you say that, he said, but I have a confession to make. I could tell the day I met you that you were going to be a challenge and tough to get to . I almost knew that I would have to beat your butt before you understood . I wanted you to trust me first or it wouldn't have worked. You did trust me ya know, but only in your heart, not with your mind, and that was because you were fighting it. Now we can really get to work.

"You know you're rotten don't you," I stated.

"Ya I know," he said.

"I did a terrible thing last night. I hurt Megan's feelings. Will you go with me to her house. I hope she will forgive me," I said.

"Go get dressed and I will walk over with you," he replied.

I told Megan how sorry I was for hurting her. It took her a while but we became closer than ever as time went by. Taylor became part of my family and I spent alot more time at his house. I was happy to see that his brother had learned as well and had decided to change too. I had accepted Taylor and my moms guidance. I did a few minor things over the next year and a couple of them earned me another appointment with Taylor and his belt. It wasn't as bad as that first time, because I wasn't the angry child I was before and I didn't yell any more, but it still hurt me alot. I learned that part of my acceptance came with age and he was right, My life got a whole lot better. By the time I was in high school, I had started a mentoring program for younger kids. In my freshman year there were fifteen kids in the group and we each adopted a child in elementary school that seemed to be heading down the wrong path. It made me feel good to be doing something positive with my life. If it hadn't been for Taylor and my mom, who knows where I would have wound up. Today I am married to a wonderful man and we have four beautiful children. I am still very close to Taylor. He is expecting his fifth child. I see him all the time and my husband totally understands the unique bond that we share. I guess he has no choice, since my husband happens to be Taylors little brother.

Posted Replies

I hope I have the right email and person. I got your email from a webpage with no clear title which published your story "The Mentor". It was the best story I read in a long time and I just wanted to ask if you have written anything else.
Thank you
Rachel

Thank you Susan. That was a good story. very pleasant to read. I especially liked the phrases "new best friend for hire" and " being punished for being a kid" - exactly what an angry, lonely child would think. Anna's feelings and motivations are perfectly believable - that's what made the story so good.
Best, Haron

Beautiful, simply beautiful Susan. I loved it. You have a real knack for writing stories that can get to the reader. Thanks you
Wifebear

That was an incredible story, and I loved it all. You ahve a lot of in depth knowledge about what makes kids tick, and I felt you illustrated it wonderfully. Have you written anything else? I would love to read more if you have them
Thanks, Lynne