We Are Family

Zach had been ignoring Thomas and the twins' calls. He didn't want to explain what had happened. He was so stupid Glen was much better with kids he should have waited like he was told to do. Zach cursed over and over hitting his steering wheel. Zach's phone rang again, he swallowed hard when the caller ID showed it was Glen. Zach contemplated not answering it, but he knew that would not go over well.

"Hello" Zach's gruff voice answered

"What happened Zach? Where's Claire?" Glen asked way too calmly for Zach's likening

"I don't know where she is" Zach's voice trembled, he heard Glen sigh

"Come home so we can talk about what set it off and regroup, we will find her" Zach nodded then realized Glen couldn't see him

"Yes sir" he responded.

Glen knew Zach must have done or said something he shouldn't. That was the only time he used sir with Glen. A few minutes later Zach walked into the house.

"All right, what happened?" Glen asked Zach sternly.

"Um..... can Thomas take the boys out so we can talk privately?" Zach was practically pleading and Glen was quickly losing his patience for his younger brother.

"No, explain what happened, right now!" Glen barked.

Zach took a deep breath and then told Glen what happened with Caleb being late and Claire lying to cover for him. He confessed how he laid down the law with her giving her the rules he and Glen had previously discussed as well as punishments. He explained to him how Claire reacted and subsequently ran away from him. Glen looked furiously at Zach.

"None of this would have happened if you listened to me when I told you that the three of us would sit down together this weekend. If you thought it needed to be addressed today then you should have waited for me to get home. You better pray that we find her safe tonight and get her home. Don't you worry Zach you will get that private discussion with me later" Glen told him dryly. Brett and Caleb shifted uncomfortably. It was hard for them to see Glen come down on Zach. Glen told Thomas to take Caleb and Zach to take Brett and he would go by himself. He gave each an area to look at.

Claire ran until her legs felt like they were going to fall off. She had cried a lot of the way but now she was just exhausted. She came to a park that had some long tunnels on the playground. She crawled in one and just sat there. This week she found out that the two brothers she thought were dead were alive and living with three other brothers she didn't know about. Her mom's drinking and drug use had caused the boys to leave, and the older ones raised the younger ones.

At first, Claire was happy to be living with them and away from her crazy mom, but she saw how strict they were, and she worried that she was too bad of a kid, and they would hate her. Zach yelled at her and gave her a lot of rules all at once. It was overwhelming and the more agitated he got the more scared of him she became. She could only imagine how angry Zach was going to be with her. She had figured in her mind Zach telling Glen what a brat she was, and they decided she was too much and sent her back to Rhonda, or maybe they will beat her like some of mom's boyfriends have in the past. Zach did say if she were bad they would hit her. Claire began crying again she curled up in the tunnel and fell asleep.

Glen drove slowly looking trying to pay attention to his surroundings so he could hopefully find Claire. He would stop at different areas and walk around. Claire was on foot so she could only get so far. Glen was furious with Zach, he loved his brother dearly but as a police officer and on top of the shit they had to put up with as kids, Zach was a little rough around the edges. Glen had been thankful Zach wanted to stay with him and help raise the boys after they escaped from their mother. It had been a great relief to have someone to help him and the two leaned on each other for support when times were difficult. Glen knew Zach had worked really hard to overcome the trauma that they lived during the time they lived with Rhonda, the way she treated Glen and Zach was very different. Rhonda was cruel to Zach and Glen found out by accident that she would hurt Zach when Glen wasn't around. Glen never knew why she hated Zach so much.

Thomas and Caleb had been driving around for a while. It was almost completely dark outside.

"There is a park up here we will go look that over carefully then head back to the house. Glen said it would be too hard to keep looking after dark" Thomas explained to Caleb after he spoke with Glen on the phone.

None of the boys had found Claire yet and Thomas was really worried they weren't going to find her. They split up at the park each starting at separate ends of the park they would meet in the middle. Caleb had the playground and the last family there had just left because it was almost dark. The park lights came on making it a little easier to see. Caleb looked around the playground, but it was now empty, he was going to walk to another area when he noticed the three tunnels on the playground. Caleb saw a familiar face asleep in one of the tunnels, her face streaked with dirt showing how much she had been crying. Caleb gently shook her awake. Claire started to move away from Caleb before she realized who he was. She looked at Caleb as tears flooded her eyes.

"Everyone hates me, don't they? I'm such a fuck up" she shook her head and looked at her feet.

"Hey, cussing like that is going to get you into trouble. I promise you no one hates you. We've been worried about you; everyone has been looking for you" Caleb assured her.

"Sorry for getting you in trouble. Are you okay?" She asked with much concern.

Caleb chuckled "Claire I got myself in trouble for being late again. Zach feels really bad for scaring you." That seemed to get Claire's attention

"Zach doesn't hate me? Glen doesn't hate me?" Caleb didn't understand why she would think any of them hated her.

"No one hates you, Claire, I mean you're in big trouble for cussing at Zach and running away but we are all glad you're here." Claire wiped her eyes

"Are the beatings bad?" She asked hoping Caleb would say they weren't too bad

"Claire no one is going to beat you. Glen, Zach, and Thomas love us; they only spank us to teach us to make good choices. Spankings hurt, they hurt a lot but that should teach you to follow the rules"

Claire was confused weren't spankings and beatings the same thing? Caleb realized Claire had no idea what a spanking was or was not.

"Claire have you ever had a real spanking before?" Caleb asked. By this time Thomas had joined him and was listening to the conversation he was impressed with Caleb's ability to keep Claire calm and get her to open up, he let Caleb talk to Claire as he stood by close in case she tried to run off again. He texted Glen and Zach that they found her and where they were.

Caleb repeated his question to her "Claire, do you know what a spanking is?" Claire rolled her eyes,

"Duh mom's boyfriends have hit me plenty of times" she stated. Caleb looked to Thomas for help. He bent down to the tunnel to talk with Claire

"Claire hitting someone isn't spanking that's abuse. A spanking is done to help correct you when you don't follow the rules, or you need to be corrected. Can you come out so we can talk?" He extended his hand to her to help her out of the tunnel. Claire hesitated but then took his hand and came out of the tunnel. Thomas held her hand and guided them to a bench to sit down.

Glen pulled up and ran to them. He grabbed Claire and hugged her "I'm so glad you're safe. We were so worried about you. Please don't ever run away from us again" Glen pleaded. Claire melted into the hug Glen was warm and his hug felt like she was truly home.

Thomas spoke up "I was just about to explain to Claire what a spanking really is and what it's not" Glen looked nodded and let Thomas proceed.

"Claire, a real spanking is done on your bottom. When I spanked Caleb this afternoon I hit his bottom from here to here." Thomas had turned Caleb around to show her exactly where she could expect to be spanked.

"A spanking us not slapping or screaming and hitting out of control. We only spank the twins when their behavior warrants it. I promise no one is going to be cruel to you" Thomas assured her. Zach and Brett showed up. Zach began crying as he approached Claire he pulled her in for a big hug

"I'm so sorry I scared you. I would never hurt you that's a promise" Glen put his arms around Zach and Claire

"Let's go home so we can talk"

Once back at the house Glen began explaining to Claire why they had the rules the way they were. It was to help protect them from harm. He told her he knew they were strict, but they loved their younger siblings and wanted the best for them.

"Claire, you have only been here a few days, but we care deeply for you. We love you and want what's best for you." Claire burst out crying when Glen told her they loved her

"No one ever said they loved me. I'm sorry, please don't make me go back. I'll take whatever punishment you give me" everyone was shocked. Zach went over and put a hand on Claire's back

"Love we would never ever send you back there. We are a family. You belong with us" Claire finally calmed down.

"Claire, can we now discuss your behavior earlier?" Glen asked her gently.

"Would you like us to leave you guys alone?" Thomas asked knowing things were going to get serious.

"No, I would like everyone to stay. Glen told him.