Soon AJ pulls back into his mother's driveway and gets out. "Krissy's gonna love us. The one time we leave early, and she's not there."

Kevin laughs. "True."

Kevin gets out and helps Ashlynn out. "This is Daddy AJ's mom," he explains as they head for the door.

AJ chuckles, and heads in. "HELLO!" He calls out, then waits for Krissy.

Ashlynn clings tightly to Kevin and Sammy. She didn't like meeting new people all the time.

She was also dreading the spanking she knew she was going to get once inside.

AJ slips his shoes off, as he still waits for Krissy's or his mom's response.

Krissy runs into the hallway with a frown. "They're not done yet!" She says angrily. "Go away."

Kevin laughs. "What do you mean go away? Where we gonna go?" he asks her taking off his own shoes.

"Hey, is that anyway to treat Daddy?" AJ asks. "I want my hug."

He pouts at her.

Denise is very quickly behind Krissy. "There almost done, Krissy," she says.

Ashlynn feels hurt, not used to hearing someone younger than her tell people to go away.

Krissy moves towards Daddy for his hug and then latches on tightly, remembering how much she missed him.

AJ smiles and scoops her up. "Hey Munchkin. Too bad you didn't go today. We got to leave early."

Krissy pulls away looking cross again. "That's not fair," She says simply and turns her back on him.

She looks up at Ashlynn and grins broadly. "Sissy!" She exclaims bouncing up and down.

"Yes, it is fair," AJ says tickling her. "You got to make cookies."

Kevin moves closer to Denise. "Mom, this is our new daughter Ashlynn," he says. "Ashlynn, this is Gramma."

Krissy melts into giggles on the floor.

Ashlynn gives Krissy a small smile, then glances at Denise nervously. She hides her face back into Kevin, then glances up at him, wanting to get her spanking over with soon as possible. She didn't want to dread going home later.

AJ keeps tickling Krissy. "Aha! It's attack of the Tickle Monster!"

Krissy shrieks with laughter.

AJ laughs too, and keeps up his crazy antics.

Denise smiles warmly at Ashlynn. "Hi, Ashlynn. I'm so glad you're here! Do you like cookies?" she asks.

Ashlynn nods slightly, but won't look at her.

Kevin smiles and looks at Ashlynn. "Well how about we get some in just a little bit? Ashlynn and I are going to go have a little talk in your front room," he says.

Ashlynn hugs Sammy and Kevin both tighter when she hears that.

Krissy stops and looks up. "Did you talk too loud?" She asks Ashlynn as Kevin slips by his husband and youngest to get into the front living room that is hardly ever used except at Christmas.

"Shh," AJ says, picking Krissy up. "Don't be so nosey, Kiddo.” He tickles her some more, then lifts her above his head to fly into the kitchen.

Krissy laughs happily, as Denise follows them.

Kevin sits down on the couch with Ashlynn. "Why are you going to get a spanking, Ashlynn?" he asks.

AJ makes her fly about the kitchen, before coming to a stop upon the table.

Ashlynn blushes slightly, and covers her mouth, not wanting to talk.

She just hoped not talking wouldn't get her in more trouble like it had the night before.

Krissy giggles. It's fun to be on furniture. "Gramma put macadamia in it," she says slowly pronouncing the nuts.

Denise laughs. "Good girl," she says.

Kevin shakes his head. "Come on, Ashlynn," he says. "I need to know you understand why you're getting a punishment. "

"Wow! That was a big word Honey!" AJ says, smiling proudly. "You said it perfectly!" He kisses her head.

Krissy beams. "An’ I ate the dough 'afore it went in the oven," she whispers before giggling.

Ashlynn understood why, but really didn't want to talk to anyone. She clings tighter to Sammy, her eyes welling up with tears. She pointed to her middle finger, to indicate she got it.

AJ laughs. "I'll bet you did!"

"You're a lil' Cookie Monster, Babe," he smiles.

Denise loves watching her own baby with his baby.

Kevin sighs. "Do you know that saying naughty words is wrong?" he asks.

AJ picks Krissy up and pretends to eat her tummy. "Ah! Yum, yum! Tastes like cookies!"

Ashlynn nods slightly, hiding her face into Sammy.

She signs "sorry" to him in sign language - having had learned it just for the sake of it.

Kevin nods. "Alright. We're going to work on you talking, but if you're not comfortable, we'll wait a little while."

Ashlynn lets her hands do the talking for her, flying away a mile a minute.

Kevin pauses and just watches her hands.

Krissy giggles incessantly.

Ashlynn slows down a bit, hoping he can understand.

AJ still pretends to eat her tummy.

Kevin kisses the top of her head. "Ashlynn, it's okay, baby. I wish I knew sign language, but I'll learn," he promises. "I'll learn as fast as I can, but I can tell looking in your eyes you're sorry."

"Aren't you, sweetie?"

Ashlynn nods her head furiously.

Denise goes to the fridge and opens it. "What do the cookie monsters want for lunch?" she asks.

"Cookies!" AJ cries, spinning him and Krissy both around the kitchen.

Kevin smiles and hugs her tight. "Then as soon as you get this spanking you'll be all forgiven," he promises and immediately turns her over on his lap. "You can hold onto Sammy," he says as he lifts up her skirt.

Kevin reaches up and pulls down her panties next.

Ashlynn clings tightly to Sammy, feeling embarrassed some. She squirms, trying to get away, though she knows she can't.

Kevin holds her securely. "Daddy's here, Ashlynn. And he spanks you because he wants you to learn what is right and what is wrong. That's because I love you sweetheart. More than you know."

With that, Kevin raises his hand and brings it down sharply on her bottom.

Ashlynn yelps, and starts to cry once more. She hated being spanked, but never knew when or how to shut up. She hugs Sammy tighter to her.

Kevin gives her thirty solid spanks to turn her bottom a healthy shade of pink, mostly on the underside just where the thighs start.

Ashlynn sobs, and squirms around on his lap. She wished it were over with, or she could just roll off and escape.

Kevin stops after thirty and picks her up, hugging her tight. "Okay, baby. It's all over," he says softly.

Denise shakes her head. "You can't have cookies, Alex," she says.

Ashlynn whimpers and buries her face into him to cry. Sammy's still clutched to her chest.

"Sure we can!" AJ says. "Gramma's give cookies for lunch all the time! Be a Gramma, an' not a Momma."

"Cake!" Krissy exclaims.

Denise shakes her head. "I don't think so."

"Ooh! Yes! Cake!" AJ says, encouraging her.

Kevin rubs her back and rocks her. He tries to think of a good song and starts to sing a lull-a-bye he learned when Krissy was a baby.

Ashlynn sniffles softly, but soon calms and is quiet once more.

Krissy's eyes widen. "Yeah!"

"Cake! Cake! Cookies n cake!" AJ cries, still running about the kitchen, with Krissy in his arms. He could misbehave all he wanted - no one could do a thing about it.

Denise shrugs. "Okay, Alex. I'll fill her up with sugar and then send her home with you if you really want," she says and pretends to be looking for cake mix in the cupboard.

"Cookies! Cake!" AJ cries. "And I can leave her here with you! Ha!"

Krissy giggles enjoying this immensely.

He sticks his tongue out at his mother, setting a bad example - he always set bad examples when home.

Krissy copies her Daddy.

AJ just laughs and keeps driving his mother insane.

Denise gives AJ a look. "Alex Richardson, do you want her to learn that?" she asks nodding towards Krissy.

AJ shrugs. "She can use it on you if I'm around," he smirks. He had an answer for everything.

Kevin lifts Ashlynn up. "Come on, sweetie. I think Krissy misses you," he says and heads into the kitchen in time to see Krissy stick her tongue out at Denise.

AJ just laughs and does the same.

"Kristine Michelle Richardson!" he says in his sternest voice.

Ashlynn hides her face into Kevin, not feeling very missed at the moment.

Kristine shrinks a little.

AJ just sticks his tongue out at his mom. "Coulda told me he was coming."

Kevin sets Ashlynn down at the table. "I'll be right back, princess," he whispers and kisses the top of her head.

Denise shrugs.

Ashlynn pouts, not liking it when he'd leave her alone.

Kevin walks over and removes Krissy from AJ. "Corner," he says and sends her into the living room with a sharp smack to her bottom.

Krissy yelps but goes -- although very confused.

AJ rolls his eyes. He eyes his mom warily. "Wishing you could do the same, huh?" He smirks at her - he knows he can get away with things, even if he did get Krissy in shit by accident.

Kevin takes AJ by the hand and leads him out and back to the front living room. "What in the hell are you doing?!" he exclaims in a whisper.

"Messing around," AJ answers. "What? Can a guy not drive his mom insane?"

"She doesn't understand when it is or isn't okay to do something. She's too little," he says sternly.

Ashlynn starts to cry, now that she's been left alone with a woman she'd just met.

"So now she sees Daddy be rude when we tell her not to."

"Whoopsie," AJ says sheepishly.

Denise hurries over to Ashlynn. "Oh, honey, it's okay," she says gently. "They'll be right back."

Ashlynn screams, wanting her Daddy.

She whacks Denise with Sammy, wanting her to go away.

Kevin just glares at AJ. "AJ, I have Ashlynn to deal with right now. I don't need you making Krissy act up too! Come on, dude! Help me here!"

"Okay, okay. Sorry," AJ says. "I'll go explain to Krissy."

Kevin hurries back to the kitchen as Denise is backing up.

"Ashlynn, it's okay," he says.

Ashlynn reaches for him instinctively.

Kevin rushes over to Ashlynn and picks her up. "It's okay, sweetie. I'm right here."

Ashlynn buries her face into Kevin, not wanting him to leave her like that again.

Denise looks at them with concern. "I'm sorry, Ashlynn. I didn't mean to scare you," she says wondering if the boys knew what they were getting into. A victim of abuse would be a challenge for quite awhile.

AJ goes into the living room and over to Krissy. He reaches her and turns her about to face him. "Baby, Daddy's sorry he got you in trouble. I forgot you don't understand those types of things very well yet."

Kevin just holds her and rubs her back. "It's okay, Mom," he replies. "Everything’s just a little new right now."

Ashlynn clings even tighter to Kevin - accidentally dropping Sammy to the floor.

Denise rushes forward and picks up the teddy bear. "Here you go, Ashlynn," she says gently as she hands it to her.

Krissy's managed to be crying silently the whole time. Her eyes are red and her cheeks have water streaks down them.

"Kay," she agrees having no idea how else to respond to Daddy.

Ashlynn glares at Denise and grabs her Bear back from her new grandmother.

Kevin smiles. "Ashlynn, good girls say thank you when someone does something nice like that."

"Shh," AJ says giving her a hug. "Would you like for Daddy to stand here with you for a bit? Maybe then Daddy'll remember to behave too."

Ashlynn hugs Sammy tight, still glaring angrily at Denise.

Kevin smacks Ashlynn's bottom firmly. "What did I say, Ashlynn?" he asks.

Ashlynn yelps and starts to cry. She buries her face into Sammy, still not uttering a word.

Kevin pulls her up to look him in the face. "IF you don't want to talk, can you sign to gramma?" he asks.

AJ stands with Krissy in the corner, not wanting her to have to be alone because of him.

Ashlynn nods slightly, mainly seeing as she doesn't want to be spanked again.

She signs 'Sorry' then hides her face into Sammy again. She was afraid someone was going to take him from her for being bad. She was surprised she wasn't in trouble for hitting her Gramma with Sammy earlier.

Kevin smiles. "Good girl," he says.

Ashlynn wraps her arms about his neck, squashing Sammy between them. She hides her face again.

Denise smiles. "You're very welcome, Ashlynn," she says and signs, "I like your bear," to Ashlynn.

Ashlynn's surprised her Gramma knew how to do that. She lifts her head up slightly to sign back, asking for a cookie.

Kevin cranes his neck around to see his daughter and husband in jail together. He smirked. "All right you two," he says. "You can come out, but no more being rude."

Gramma smiles and signs. "Coming right up"

Krissy bounds back into the kitchen immediately. "You know Gramma language!" Krissy exclaims thoroughly impressed with her big sister.

AJ laughs as he follows Krissy back into the kitchen.

Ashlynn lays her head back on Kevin's shoulder.

Denise smiles and goes over to the oven, pulling out a baking sheet full of cookies.

Krissy climbs up on a stool at the breakfast bar.

"C'n I have one too?" She asks already reaching towards it.

Ashlynn watches Denise get the cookies. She'd never had a home-baked cookie before. When she had been permitted some, other kids would steal them from her.

"Magic word," AJ states.

Kevin readjusts Ashlynn. "You're gonna make Daddy start working out again," he says softly into her ear just before kissing the side of her head.

Ashlynn gives a small giggle, finding that funny.

Denise moves Krissy's hand. "And it's hot so no reaching Ms. Grabby."

Krissy pulls her hand back. "Please?" she asks her eyes never leaving the cookies.

"They have to cool, Krissy," AJ says, scooping her up and blowing a raspberry on her tummy.

Krissy shrieks with laughter.

"But in the meantime, what do you really want for lunch?"

AJ holds her close then.

Krissy wraps her arms around Daddy's neck, but stays active in the talking. "Macaroni and cheese!"

Kevin laughs. "You had that yesterday, goober!"

Krissy just giggles and buries her face into AJ's chest.

Ashlynn frowns, as she hadn’t gotten any mac n cheese yesterday.

AJ smiles and kisses her head.

Ashlynn scowls in Krissy's direction, not liking the attention to be shifted from her.

Kevin sits down at the kitchen table, still holding Ashlynn. "How about grilled cheese?" he suggests.

Krissy yawns and lays her head on AJ's shoulder.

Ashlynn still scowls, and starts to squirm, letting her hand hit Kevin where it counts.

AJ rubs Krissy's back. "Grilled cheese sounds good. It has cheese in it."

Kevin immediately groans and becomes sort of rigid.

Denise looks up as she starts lunch. "Kev? You okay?"

Ashlynn gives him an annoyed look.

AJ raises his eyebrows.

Kevin forces himself to breathe out and nods. "Ashlynn, please don't hit or kick or bite," he says gently. "You're a good girl and good girls don't do that."

Krissy's eyes are starting to droop as she becomes relatively dead weight in AJ's arms.

Ashlynn crosses her arms over her chest and Sammy, as her scowl deepens.

AJ hums softly to Krissy. "I think someone's going to have to wait for lunch," he says, leaving the room to go lie her down.

Kevin looks at Ashlynn with confusion. "What's wrong?" he asks. "I thought everything was going okay."