For the next three days I heard nothing from Paula, which was a little unusual as we generally chatted on the phone most days. I was becoming concerned that I may have offended her and scarred our relationship, and I began kicking myself for my foolishly brazen behaviour.
However late on the third I answered the phone and was relieved to hear Paula's voice, although she sounded reticent and seemingly distant. She was asking if I could drop over some more plums. I responded that I was only too happy to, and was about to hang up when I heard her quietly say 'I want to'.
I wasn't really sure what she was referring to, but I couldn't stop my heart racing. "You want to do what, honey?"
Silence on the other end of phone.
"Paula?" I began to wonder if we had been cut off.
"I want you to punish me." Her voice was quiet and nervous.
I had to take some deep breaths to steady my excitement and collect my thoughts as to what I would say next. "Have you been a naughty girl?"
"Yes," Paula whispered
"You realise you will receive a proper spanking if I need to come over and punish you?"
"Yes," her response was barely audible
"On your bare backside."
There was a hesitation. "Does it have to be on my bare backside?"
"Yes it does," I responded firmly.
"Ohh. I guess if it has to be." Paula's voice was quavering.
"Is Dave home?" I enquired.
"No, he will not be back until later tonight."
"Very well. Once I have collected Abigail off the bus I will leave her with Francesca and drive around. I will be there at four o'clock."
"To drop of the plums?" Paula's voice had gone up a few octaves and she sounded so young.
"Yes, to drop off the plums," then after a long delay I added, "And to give you your punishment."
"Now! Not today. No!" Paula's voice was on the verge of hysteria. "I didn't mean today."
"If you have been a naughty girl you are going to be punished today. End of discussion. I will see you at four o'clock." I hung up the phone and realised my hand was shaking with excitement.
I stood by the phone for another ten minutes expecting Paula to phone back and protest, but to my surprise no call came.
After settling Abigail with Francesca, I loaded some plums into the small truck and drove the few hundred yards to Paula and Dave's boutique winery. I had conflicting emotions: nervousness, excitement, reticence, anticipation. One part of me wanted to back away for fear of destroying a relationship, but another part was pushing for me to explore exciting new territory where my comparatively vanilla life and not taken me before. The latter was the devil sitting on my shoulder, driving me forward.
When I arrived at Paula's a few minutes after four o'clock she was already waiting nervously for me in the yard. Together we unloaded the boxes of plums off the back of the truck. I tried to act normal but conversation between the two of us was infrequent and strained. When we had only a few boxes to unload I stopped work and turned to Paula.
"I will unload the rest. I want you to go into the house, undress, and wait for me with your hands on your head."
Paula just stared at me and I tried to read her face but it was expressionless.
"Undress," she finally spoke.
"Yes, I want you totally naked when I enter the house."
"Naked?" she responded nervously.
I ignored her response and turned away from her and began unloading the rest of the boxes. I knew this was going to be a crucial moment. Would she have the nerve to follow through on my request?