Paved with Good Intentions: A Nat and Alyssa Story - Part Four

[naughtylilgirl09]

Paved with Good Intentions: A Nat and Alyssa Story - Part Four

Nat ran out to the van, grabbed the bag off the ground and tossed it over his right shoulder, and then pulled open the door.

“Well, well, well,” Alyssa remarked. “Look who finally remembered he engaged the child safety locks.”

For a second, all he could do was stare at her.

“I take it I can come out of time out, now?” she continued, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Let’s get you inside,” Nat said, not trusting himself to say anything else. He’d rushed out there expecting to find her upset, distraught. He’d been afraid that he’d added to past trauma that she’d endured. He did not expect, she’d have a worse attitude, than when he’d entered the cabin, earlier.

Holding out his hand, he waited patiently. Alyssa appeared to take her time, moving to the edge of the seat and then placing her hand into his, allowing him to help her up and out. Nat held onto her, pulling the door closed, and hitting the lock button. He would have preferred to be able to look her over before going inside, but there wasn’t enough light.

“Are we going to stand here,” she demanded. “Have a staring contest with the darkness? Hold hands in a non-romantic way past sunset?”

“Inside,” he said. He really didn’t trust himself to say more than the one word. Alyssa went four steps and then stopped. It was not a well-lit area, not until another ten feet once they were much closer to the door of the cabin. Because he couldn’t see her well, Nat had to rely on his ears to detect her movements. His ears did not warn him when she’d stopped walking. With the abrupt stop, he nearly fell over her.

“You know, it is easier to walk forwards if you let go of my hand,” she informed him. Her tone was a combination of snide and snotty. After nearly falling to the ground, he still did not trust himself to speak. Nat wasn’t about to give into her, though.

“You’ll survive,” Nat replied. “Let’s go.” Even though it was dark, he saw the flash fly across her eyes. It was told him there was trouble or mischief ahead. Or both.
Because of the way he’d gripped her hand, he was facing one way and she was facing the other. The simple solution was for her to walk behind him. Nat knew that was not something Alyssa would do. Not unless she absolutely had to.


Alyssa was furious. She couldn’t believe him! After he’d left her stranded in that stupid van for three hours, he wasn’t going to let her turn around? It wasn’t okay. Not by a long shot. He’d told her to keep walking, by his command of ‘let’s go.’ Well, she thought to herself, she could do that. Go. After all, he hadn’t been very specific. Raising her arm up in the air, therefore raising Nat’s arm up in the air, Alyssa turned in a circle.

She noted, when she was 180 degrees through the turn, that he’d stopped walking. After completing the circle, she started to walk around him. To add to the fun, she began to sing. “Here we go round, the mulberry bush, the mulberry”

She had walked halfway around him before she couldn’t go any further since Nat wasn’t turning with along with her. She thought for a moment. Then, decided to go back the same way.

“Bush, the mulberry bush. Here we go round the mulberry bush. So early.”

Again, she couldn’t go any further. So, she started to go back the way she’d come. “Early in the morning. This is the way we bale the hay, bale the hay, bale the hay.”

She was getting louder and louder as she went, and had gone past singing into yelling. “This is the way we, what the?”

Apparently, Nat didn’t appreciate the entertainment that she was providing. She hated to admit it, but he surprised her when he turned and circled his other arm around her waist and yanked her up off the ground. “If you wanted me to stop singing, all you had to do was ask,” she told him, as she attempted to figure out where he was going. It wasn’t towards the house, but it wasn’t back to the car.

He took three long steps, sat down and dumped her over his lap. Alyssa had absolutely no idea what he was sitting down on or where he was sitting. She knew they were outside, she could feel the dirt. She was also quite familiar with the position he’d placed her in. But Nat wouldn’t spank her outside, she assured herself. Not in the dark, not in the middle of the night. Nat wouldn’t do that. Though she assured herself that she was not going to be spanked, she didn’t believe herself.

“You like nursery rhymes and children’s games, Alyssa,” Nat asked her.

That was a rhetorical question, she decided. Best to keep your mouth shut.

Alyssa found out she was wrong about that one when Nat’s hand came flying down on her bottom. SMACK!! She jumped slightly and let out a small cry, more of a surprise than pain. “I asked you a question, young lady, I expect an answer.”

Alicia, she reminded herself. Be Alicia.

“Not really,” she told him, trying to sound aloof and bored.

“Well, you could have fooled me,” Nat replied, his hand was on top of her yoga pants. She was hoping that he was going to leave them up, even though she knew it was foolish to do so. “It’s enough of these antics, Alyssa. The behavior stops now. I’m disappointed in you.” Hearing those words, having Nat say that he was disappointed in her, that almost did her in. That was usually enough to make her crumble under scrutiny. Alyssa knew this, too. She hated disappointing people that she respected, people that cared about her. Hearing him say that he was disappointed in her, especially in the tone that he used, she almost began bawling right then and there.

Then she reminded herself of the six weeks that had just passed. Six weeks where he hadn’t been disappointed in her, or proud of her. He hadn’t been anything, because he hadn’t been there. He’d been at the gym, with Frank Brady and Alicia and the life she’d left behind. Six weeks around Alicia, whom he couldn’t stand. Someone who he threatened to get a restraining order on, at one point. Alicia, who had practically tormented him when they were at State.

When Alicia had moved into her house, he’d warned her about picking up any of Alicia’s behaviors. How he wouldn’t tolerate it. Yet somehow Alicia had become the one he chose. Alyssa shook her head to herself. If he wanted Alicia, she could be Alicia. She could be Alicia better than Alicia could be Alicia.

She felt Nat’s arm slide underneath her abdomen. He lifted the lower 2/3 of her body up in the air. Not high, a couple inches. Enough to easily pull down her yoga pants and panties. As soon as her clothes were down at her knees, he lowered her back down on his lap. “You’re acting like a spoiled child, who didn’t get a toy she wanted.”

Alyssa pictured Alicia in her mind and had to agree, the assessment was pretty accurate.

“I know you know better than this,” Nat continued. “We’re going to address it right here, right now,” he patted her bottom. “So that it doesn’t come into the cabin. Understand?”

“I get it,” Alyssa replied, making herself sound bored. While she knew the response probably surprised Nat, he was still quick with the sharp SWAT on the center of her bottom.

Maybe she was imagining it, but Alyssa was certain that single smack from his hand stung more than usual. Of course, he had spanked her just a little while ago. Still, even with those earlier spankings, he had to be doing something different.

“Respect,” he told her, his voice booming down at her, breaking into her thoughts.

“R-E-S-P-E-C-T,” Alyssa sang mockingly in response. She heard Nat sigh. It was his tired and frustrated sigh.

“All right, young lady,” he told her. “Put your hands on your head, interlace your fingers.”

That was new, he didn’t usually make her do that. Alicia would have questioned and fought him all the way. But, Alyssa wasn’t quite sure how far she could push him. So, she did as he said. Then, she waited for him to begin. Waited, attempted to brace herself for the first stinging smack of his hand. It didn’t come.
“Alyssa, any time you’re ready,” he told her.
She’d been squeezing her buns together in anticipation of the onslaught of swats, legs straight out, toes pointed, everything she usually did to brace herself for the spanking that was coming. Hearing Nat, she relaxed, letting out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. What did he want her to do? She was quiet as she tried to think of what he might be talking about. Nat was silent, so he obviously was not about to help her.

“Alyssa, any time you’re ready,” Nat told her. Yes, she was over his lap, her legs hanging down on one side, and her upper body on the other. He could tell by the way that she held herself that she’d been steeling herself for her punishment. While her feet didn’t touch the ground, her toes were pointed, with her legs ramrod straight. On the other side, she held her chest up at a specific angle with her hands behind her head, fingers interlaced. She was doing what he always told her not to; squeezing her cheeks together in anticipation of that first smack. Her bottom cheeks were clenched together so tightly, he was slightly worried she would pass out.

However, the moment he made that statement, her entire body changed. Nat heard her let out a breath. He shook his head to himself. She never did realize that she held her breath when she did that. The stiffness disappeared from her legs, and her upper body relaxed and hung over his lap. She’d relaxed all of her muscles, including her tush.

Because she hadn’t thrown a sarcastic reply his way, he could tell she was confused. She was quiet, and he left her to think. She’d ask him when her pride finally allowed her to.
It took less than a minute.

“Um, ready for what?” she finally asked him. Nat ignored that the ‘sir’ he’d normally require, wasn’t there.

“To continue,” he told her. “Your song.”

“My what?” she practically spit out.

“Oh come now, you were having such terrific fun singing and going in circles,” Nat placed his hand on her bottom. “Start singing, Alyssa.”

He could tell by the way that she held her shoulders, she realized what he meant. “Here we go round the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, here we go round the mulberry bush, so early in the morning.”

“Very good, continue,” Nat told her. “I want to hear the whole thing. If you get to the end, start over.”

He heard a small whimper from her. She knew what was going to happen.

“This is the way we bale the hay,” she sang out and waited. He didn’t spank her. “Bale the hay, bale the hay.”

Again she paused.

However, Nat was going to let her get further into the song.

“This is the way we bale the hay, so early Monday morning. This is the way we feed the chicks, feed the chicks, feed the chicks. This is the way we feed the chicks, so early Tuesday morning.”

Nat could tell that she was starting to relax by that point. He decided to give her another few bars before he started. “This is the way we sweep the porch, sweep the porch, sweep the porch. This is the way we sweep the porch, so early Wednesday morning. This is the way we paint the.” SMACK!!

Alyssa hadn’t noticed that he’d lifted his hand off her bottom, she’d gotten into singing. When his palm came down on both her cheeks it shocked her.

“Keep singing, young lady,” Nat ordered.

“Paint the fence,” she began. SMACK!!! Only to stop, when he spanked her again.

“Alyssa, keep going. If you stop every time my hand comes down it will be a very long night.”

“Paint the fence. SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! This is the way we paint the fence, SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! so early Thursday morning,” she sang out, her voice starting to become shaky. SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! Nat was spanking fast, on purpose. During that last bit of her singing, he’d probably given her thirty swats.

“Keep going, Alyssa,” he told her.

“This is the way we groom the horse, SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!!” she began, her voice making it clear that she was holding back tears. “Groom the horse, SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! groom the horse. SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! This is the way we SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! groom the horse SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! so early Friday morning.” SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!!

Nat had kept count, even though he was spanking fast. Sixty swats. Each verse of the song equated to sixty smacks with his hand. “Keep going, young lady, I shouldn’t have to continue to prompt you.”

“This is way we milk the cows, SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! milk the cows, SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! milk the cows, SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! this is the way SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! we milk the cows SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!!, so early Saturday morning,” SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!!

Alyssa’s voice was shaking, and Nat could tell that she was crying, but she was being stubborn. “Here we go round the mulberry bush, SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! the mulberry bush, SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! the mulberry bush, SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! here we go round SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! the mulberry bush, SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! so early Sunday morning.” SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!!

Nat reached down and pulled her hairbrush out of her bag. “Start again,” he told her.

Alyssa started singing, and Nat knew she was expecting to feel his hand. Her surprise was evident when he used the brush instead. CRACK!! He had to prompt her to continue a few times, but only a few. He’d moved down to her thighs and was concentrating on using the brush there. She’d just started the fourth verse when he must have struck a particularly tender spot. Alyssa let out a howl of pain and begged him to stop.

“Start at the beginning of that fourth verse,” Nat told her.

“Please, I’m sorry, please stop,” Alyssa begged him.

“Alyssa,” he snapped. “I will give you twenty seconds to begin. After that, I will add an extra minute for every ten seconds that passes. Now, start at the beginning of that fourth verse.” Nat looked at his watch carefully. Twenty seconds was enough time for her to gather herself, find her voice and begin. The fact that she took over one minute, that was her stubbornness. Sixty-five seconds to be precise.

The moment she started singing, Nat continued to use the hairbrush on the same exact spot that had evoked the reaction previously. Alyssa was soon screaming, bucking, howling, begging, and then sobbing over his lap. “I’m sorry Nat,” he heard her say. “I’m so sorry.”

“I know you are,” he told her, rubbing her back gently. “I accept your apology, sweetheart and I forgive you. I don’t want you to worry, Lyssa, we all fall back into our old habits. Sometimes you need a stern reminder.”

He saw her nod her head and heard her sniffle. “Yes, thank you, sir.” Nat continued to rub her back, talking softly to her until he was certain that she was calm.

“Now,” Nat said quietly, patting her bottom. “Before we go in. There is still the forty-five seconds that you need to pay for.”

Alyssa felt him gently pat her bottom. She was wondering why he hadn’t helped her up yet. Her punishment was over. This was where he was supposed to help her up, take her into his arms, and hold her. “Now,” she heard him say. “Before we go in. There is still the forty-five seconds that you need to pay for.”

Alyssa choked back a sob and gasp. He’d been serious about that? “Nat, please, I’m sorry, I learned my lesson, I swear it won’t happen again.”

“Hmm,” she heard him muse. “You know Alyssa, every little girl that’s just had their bottom warmed seems to always be certain that they’ve learned their lesson and swear that it won’t happen again.”

Hearing that, Alyssa felt her head drop down. Any hope that she’d had just flew out the metaphorical window. “How long,” Nat asked her.

“I’m sorry,” Alyssa replied. “I’m not sure what you’re asking me, sir.”

“Forty-five seconds,” Nat said patiently. “I told you one minute for every ten seconds. So, how long will I be spanking you for, Alyssa?”

With that question put to her, all hope really disappeared. “Four and a half minutes, sir,” Alyssa replied.

She heard him doing something and then felt him tap her hand. Taking her hand, he placed something in it. “Take it and put it on the ground where you can see it,” he told her. It was his watch, she realized.

Alyssa placed it on the ground in front of her, so that she was able to see what it said. Then, she put her hand back behind her head. “Now,” she heard Nat say. “You are going to be the timekeeper. Pay attention to the second hand on the watch. Just as it passes the 12, you will tell me to begin.”

That seemed simple enough, Alyssa thought to herself.
“You will clearly call out every fifteen-second mark,” Nat told her. “At two minutes we will pause for a moment. Only a moment. Then, we’ll finish up and go inside.”

“Yes, sir,” Alyssa said quietly.

“Tell me when,” Nat told her. “And not by simply saying the word ‘now’, or ‘start’. I expect to hear ‘please start spanking me, now.’ You’ll need to start speaking, a few seconds before the second-hand reaches that twelve.”

She whimpered and then nodded.


Nat heard her whimper and then, a moment later, her head bopped up and down. She nodded. There was quiet for a moment. He could hear Alyssa take a deep breath. “Please, please start sp-spanking me, now,” she managed.

Nat didn’t hesitate. He brought his palm down on her bottom. It was obvious that she was surprised that it was his palm. Though he knew his hand could be just as painful as some of the other things used to deliver a spanking.

“Fifteen seconds,” Alyssa said quietly.

Nat was not spanking as fast as before. He was spanking hard. Hard, measured, deliberate swats to her cheeks. He made sure that she felt each and every one of them.

“Thirty seconds,” Alyssa told him, her voice strained.

Nat worked his way down spanking the lower part of her bottom. This brought fresh protests from Alyssa. She managed to continue watching the time, though. At two minutes, she let him know and he stopped.

Nat gave her a moment to catch her breath, rubbing slow circles on her back. “Breathe sweetheart,” he said quietly. “I know it hurts, but it’s a punishment. A deterrent. It’s supposed to hurt.” He listened to her breathing, it still wasn’t where he wanted it. “Shh, Alyssa,” he continued to rub her back. “You’re doing very well,” he told her. “You’re accepting your punishment like the good girl, I know you are.” While normally telling her that would have helped, it didn’t seem to have an effect. Nat gently rubbed her back again. “Alyssa take a deep breath in, right now. Do it with me. Ready? Deep breath. Hold it in, 1, 2, 3, 4. Let it out. 2. 3. 4. Very good. Another one, deep breath in. 2. 3. 4. And out. 2. 3. 4.”

Nat felt her pulse and listened to her breathing. It was much better. He kept her there a little longer, rubbing her back and helping calm the hysterics that were internal. “You’re okay, Lyssa,” he told her quietly. “You’re okay. I promise.”

Nat didn’t want the break to go on too long, though. It was enough time for her to get the tears under control, catch her breath, get her breathing back to an even pace, and to get a small bit of comfort from him. All of those had happened.

“All right, Alyssa,” he said, his voice all business. “We’re going to start a little differently this time. You wasted forty-five seconds. So, you’re going to count out the first forty-five seconds of the remaining time. As I’m sure you’ve already surmised, one swat per second. So, take a breath, look at the second hand on the watch, and right before it passes twelve, you’re going to tell me that you’re starting. Then you will count, respectfully.”

Nat heard her take a few breaths, he wouldn’t necessarily call them deep breaths. “I’m starting sir,” he heard her say. “One,” she said. CRACK!!

He was aware that she wasn’t expecting him to use the hairbrush when he gave her that first one. The feeling of that first stroke and the pain must have surprised her. That, and the sound when the brush came down onto her cheeks, it was very different out in the open than when they were inside in her bedroom. It echoed, it seemed louder.

If this had been inside, and he was spanking at a slow pace, the brush on her cheeks would produce a slapping sound with a piece of wood. A quick noise that sounded exactly what it was. But out in the open, like they were, the sound was very different. It made a loud cracking noise that echoed slightly. Nat almost would have described it as similar to a firecracker. Alyssa tried to turn around to look at him. “Face forward, Alyssa,” he told her. “Start over.”

He heard her take a deep breath, and then she began. “One, sir.” Nat brought the brush down. CRACK!! “Two, sir.” He smacked her left cheek. CRACK!! “Three, sir.” Right cheek. CRACK!! “Four, sir.” Lower cheeks. CRACK!!

At twenty she was starting to show the pain she was feeling. Nat wasn’t about to give her a break. “Alyssa?” he tapped her bottom. “You’ve already used the first of three strikes.”
That got her counting. Nat was giving her an advantage, though she probably didn’t realize it. He was letting her announce the number first. At thirty-two, she reached back though. “We’ll repeat that, and add an extra,” he told her.

She made it through the entire forty-five. “One extra,” Nat reminded her.

“Forty-five again, sir,” Alyssa said through her tears. Nat brought the hairbrush down CRACK!! and Alyssa cried.

“Now, tell me when the second-hand passes the twelve,” he instructed her. “One minute and forty-five seconds left to go.”

“Please start now, sir,” she said, her tears accompanying each word. Nat continued using the hairbrush. He didn’t spank fast, and he didn’t spank as hard as he was. It was enough to get the point across. CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!!

“Fifteen seconds,” Alyssa told him.

She’s sounding better, he thought to himself. He increased his strength a tad. When she called thirty seconds, he realized that she was sounding much better. He wanted to get his point across and that point was not supposed to be that she could fool him. CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!!

Nat began spanking faster with the brush, also moving from the center of her cheeks down to the very lowest part of them, where the bottom cheek meets the upper thigh. That brought a reaction.

“Forty-five seconds,” Alyssa called out, her teeth clenched. Nat continued spanking in that spot, increasing the amount of strength he was using. CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!!

He could see it was having the intended effect. At one minute, she struggled to call the minute because she was holding back the tears. CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!!

By one minute fifteen seconds, Alyssa had given up on being brave and was crying. Though, she still hadn’t given in. He knew she wasn’t ready to actually admit she’d behaved in a way she shouldn’t have. CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!!

By one minute thirty seconds, it was closer but still not there. CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!!

With fifteen seconds left Nat struck the absolute lowest part of her cheeks multiple times. CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!!

She screamed out in pain, but fifteen seconds wasn’t a lot of time. She was crying and there was a tiny bit of contriteness in her, but not nearly what there should have been.

Nat leaned over and dropped the brush back in the bag. Then, he slowly massaged her back, as he spoke gentle nothings to her. She calmed down rather quickly, he wasn’t sure if that was a positive or not. He helped her off his lap, pulling up her clothes before lifting her to her feet.

He stood up as well and reached out to take her in his arms for a hug. That was when he got the answer: Not a positive thing.

Alyssa sidestepped him. “Watch it, dude,” she scoffed. “You spank me and then want to hug me? In some parts of the world, people would think you’re a perv.”

Nat frowned at her. “Did you learn absolutely nothing from that, Alyssa?”

He watched her tap her the left side of her chin three times, pretending to think. “I learned how to tell time?”