A Toast to Flappers and New-Fangled Ideas
 

The year is 1924. New inventions are coming out every day. Speak easys (bars that sell illegal alcohol) are very popular, especially among young men and women. Women are allowed to express themselves in ways they'd never been allowed to before.

That is, except for Sadie and Marilyn, wards of Mr. Bernard Lawrence, their guardian. He despised everything of the current age. (That is, except for the radio. He enjoyed that, even though he didn't let the girls know.) He was very stern, very strict and very old fashioned.

Which led to how both girls were currently in his study, standing in different corners, awaiting for him to return and punish them for sneaking out of the house after curfew. They were planning on meeting Jonathan: a mutual friend from their old school, who still came along after school to visit and play with them after Mr. Lawrence pulled them from school and hired a tutor (whom he called a 'governess', the old-fashioned bat). Jonathan was going to take them to a speak-easy, but their guardian caught Sadie helping Marilyn out the window... and they thought it was better to not mention anything about them planning on drinking underage.

"S-Sadie?" Marilyn peeped softly from her corner. Their guardian was still gone, and even though they were both old enough to no longer need a guardian (Marilyn was nineteen), he didn't want them working or leaving his house before they wed. And they weren't supposed to talk when in the corner, unless Mr. Lawrence asked a direct question. "Sadie...? How mad do you think he is?"

Sadie rested her head against the wall in her corner. Also nineteen, she always thought of her fellow ward as a sister. Sadie was indeed more adventurous in the ways of breaking Mr. Lawrence's "laws" as she called them, so naturally she felt a little sorry for Marilyn. "He's pretty mad," she whispered in response. She turned her head so Marilyn could see and gave a reassuring smile. "But it'll be alright...maybe I can try and convince him to let us off easy, yeah?" Though she knew in her heart that it would be very difficult, probably impossible, to do so.

Marilyn sniffed. When she was little, Sadie - at least, whenever the girl got legitimately mad at her - would call her a cry-baby, but thankfully she'd gotten much better at reigning in her tears as she grew older. Except in this particular situation, which happened much more than either young lady liked.

"I... I don't know how you would, Sadie..." she whispered. "He's awful mad. His neck and ears turned red." Which, unfortunately, only happened when he was very mad and disappointed in his girls.

"Yeah...he didn't seem to keen, did he? Don't worry, I'll still give it the good old college try!" She giggled. "I almost had him that one time...and then I had to curse, and that ruined all of it. You remember that? I'll just have to do better this time!" Sadie wasn't sure if it was confidence she had or just wishful thinking.

Marilyn gave her friend a small smile - she had rather prominent dimples, even when only smiling slightly - and said, "Yes, I remember that! He did seem to consider not taking his hand to you."

"Which, for you both, shall not happen this time." Their guardian, Mr. Lawrence, stated suddenly, having just stepped into the room. "I have told you both time and time again to not speak when you are in your corners. I should not need to remind you naughty girls of that time and again."

Marilyn whimpered a little as she immediately turned back into her corner.

"Sorry, Mr. Lawrence..." She said as she turned her nose to the corner once more. "You don't need to remind us to be quiet," she said, ironically since she had trouble not talking as was evident right now, "I know that it was wrong to sneak out, and Marilyn was just following me...she was worried. Ahem...so, since she's not to blame, and I've had a good thinking about it in this corner, I think the proper punishment would be to forbid me from going out for a week...perhaps two?" She closed her eyes tight as she said her final words, hoping that he'd actually buy what she said.

Bernard shook his head. "Oh, no you don't, little miss. You are not squirreling yourself or Marilyn out of this. I know very well you have a tendency to do as you please, and she takes every opportunity to follow you."

Marilyn found herself squirming in her corner.

"And, along with breaking the rule of no talking in your corner, and no sneaking out after curfew, are there anything else you two wish to tell me before I spank you both?"

Both girls shook their heads.

"Where were you two going? And I expect an answer. And failure to give me an honest one the first time will result in a bedtime spanking for you both."

"We were going with Ruth to the ice cream parlor," Sadie said quickly. "She asked us to go with her earlier, and we were nervous to ask you because you rarely let us go out past curfew...We made the wrong choice, sir. Oh, and no need to tell Ruth's parents...they gave her a later curfew. She didn't break any rules." She just couldn't admit that they were going to a speakeasy. He probably would be more furious then either of them had ever seen.

"Ruth...?" Bernard said, his voice in thought. He couldn't remember a Ruth...

"She beat Sadie in the spelling bee when we were in fifth grade, sir," Marilyn said. Which was true, as Sadie had complained about for two weeks straight.

"Ahh, yes. I remember now. Ruth Raymond, yes?"

Both girls nodded.

"Well, regardless, I will call her parents later on, to let them know in the future that you both have a curfew that I will not change until you both can obey it...."

When he said he'd call Ruth's parents, she let out a frustrated sigh and banged her head against the wall, harder than she meant. "Ow..." She would risk him calling her parents, as hopefully she would answer and vouch for her lie. "Please, Bernard...we're really sorry." At this point, she was just sorry that they were caught, and missing out on a fun speakeasy with Jonathan.