La Roja and Red Cheeks (part 3 - Salma y La Reina)
"Salma, pequeña?"
Salma Paralluelo lifted her head, looking up at Alexia as she was guided away from Jenni and Tere.
"Si, Capitana?" She blushed as she realized her mistake. "I mean, that's Olga, or Jenni, but--Mama, I mean, Reina, what's going to happen?" I can’t call her Mama now, she has enough going on she doesn’t need to have to be Mama right now.
Alexia shook her head grimly. She sighed. "I know what happened, niñita. And don't think I'm not so proud of you for how well you've played this tournament. I am, we all are. But we do have to discuss what happened with Alex Greenwood." She pushed aside what had happened with her amor for the moment, though bile still rose in her throat at the thought. One thing at a time.
Salma cringed visibly. "Reina, por favor, I don't know, it was an accident - well, mostly, I didn't expect her to get hurt like that..."
"You kneed her in the forehead." Alexia looked disbelieving. "What did you think you were doing?"
"I didn't think," Salma admitted after a long pause, unable to meet Alexia's eyes. "I'm sorry Mama - sorry Reina, I just wanted the ball."
"And you ended up with a yellow card, instead," Alexia sighed. "I know we're all upset right now, Salma niñita, but I promise you, what's going to happen isn't about him, or Olga, or Jenni. Just you."
"Si señora." Salma dropped her gaze, sniffling, and Alexia longed to just hold the nineteen-year-old, tell the team's baby, her baby, that it would be all alright. But nothing was alright, she thought grimly. She had to at least assure the little one that some things would stay normal, amid...everything.
"Alright then." Alexia fished out the sturdy wooden ruler, and Salma eyed it apprehensively. "Come here, Salma."
Wide-eyed, Salma moved to Alexia's side, and found herself tipped over Alexia's knee, her shorts tugged down to her knees.
"Reina!"
"You're lucky you're not all bare, pequeña."
Salma clung to Alexia's leg, whimpering as the ruler swatted down for the first time. "Ow!" She kicked and squirmed as the smacks fell across the seat of her white cotton briefs.
Nineteen, Alexia thought, and then one more for good measure, and she kept a silent count as Salma bucked and wailed.
"Mama!" Salma sobbed, abandoning all pretense. "Sorry, I'm sorry, I'll be good forever I swear--"
"Shhh, pequeña." The spanking had stopped already, Salma had just been too panicked to realize it, but now Alexia was pulling her shorts back up and giving her a hug, rubbing her back. "It's all okay, little one, all alright now, I have you safe."
Salma slowly calmed in Alexia's arms, clinging hard. "B-but it's not all alright, and no one's safe," she whispered, and Alexia sighed, realizing Salma had a point.
"I know, pequeña. You're so young to have to think about that kind of thing, but I promise that right now, here with me, you're safe," Alexia explained, and Salma nodded, gingerly rubbing her bottom.
"I trust you, Mama Alé."
"Good," Alexia said, giving Salma a gentle smile. "It's forgiven, Salma, you don't have to worry about the card anymore."
"Just everything else," Salma sniffled, and Alexia patted her head.
"Leave those things to me and Mama Jenni. We'll sort it out."
"Okay."
With that reassurance, Salma felt at least marginally better. Perhaps everything could be alright after all.
As this was taking place Irene quietly did her best to pull Jenni aside and into the physio room, leaving the Jennlexia children to be distracted by her own child. As soon as Alexia was finished with Salma, she followed suit.