Thursday 3 September 2009

seventeen

Monday morning, the start of the working week. For many a time of deep misery as they enter a long dark tunnel where the light of a Friday evening shines as dim and as far as a guiding star above a storm tossed ship. But for university students on holiday Monday morning holds no fear. For Alice Monday morning announced itself with yet another hangover. She lay in her bed looking at the wallpaper pattern on the ceiling until driven by the pain of a full bladder she pushed back the bedclothes and swung her feet on the floor. She was mildly surprised to find she was naked. Then the memories flooded back, bringing at first feelings of shame that so many people had seen her in the nude. These feelings slowly metamorphosed into pride of accomplishment. She idly counted the number of people she had exposed herself to in the last week as she padded off to the bathroom.

Hangovers always made Alice hungry, so rather than go back to bed she decided to get up and have breakfast. She had a quick shower and headed back to her bedroom to get dressed. Alice stopped at the door. Why bother, it was a warm day, she wasn’t planning on going out and she had spent the whole of the previous day naked. She had nothing to hide from her family anymore so turning on her heels, she positively skipped down the stairs, breasts bouncing.

“Good morning” she announced brightly as she entered the kitchen.

Alice’s father looked up from his morning paper.

“I thought the Nude for Africa day was over” he commented.

“It is”

“Then why are you not wearing any clothes?” enquired her mother.

“I’m not cold” said Alice matter-of-factly.

“I hope you’re not turning into a nudist and planning on joining one of those clubs” said her mother

“Well not on my own, perhaps we could join as a family” Alice replied, This drew two startled looks, but no response. She smiled and continued “After yesterday I just don’t see the point of wearing clothes all the time”

“What exactly do you mean by that” said her father

“Well” began Alice “you’ll be seeing at lot more of me, when I’m home that is”

“Oh my” said her mother despairingly, “I do hope you won’t embarrass us in front of guests”

“Of course I won’t” Alice continued wickedly, “if they are embarrassed by nudity all they have to do is say so and I’ll go and put something on”

“Alice” said her father in a menacing tone.

“Just kidding, dad. I’ll only go nude in front of family; and my nudie friends”

Alice’s parents looked at their daughter in despair. What could you do with a nineteen year old who refused to wear clothes? They preyed she was joking, but somehow they knew she was not.

Charlotte was also getting up. She was not hung-over and recalled the previous day’s adventures perfectly. She shivered slightly.

“I’m glad that is over” she said to herself as she pulled on her robe and walked across the landing to the bathroom. She quickly showered. and covering her perfect body returned to her bedroom to select her clothes. Rarely had she taken so much care in choosing what to wear, she looked at her clothes as someone looking on a long lost friend just returning from afar. She relished in the feeling of being covered. Never again would she expose herself as she had done the day before. Singing happily she made her way downstairs to the kitchen and made herself some tea and some toast.

She swore quietly as a small globule of marmalade fell on her clean dress. Nudity did have some advantages she mused as she wiped it off with a cloth. The dress was clean and the marmalade had left an orange stain. Even so it did not dent her high spirits; her ordeal by nudity was over. Holding her cup in one hand and plate in the other she backed through the door to the breakfast room.

“Morning dear” said her mother

“Morning” replied Charlotte cheerily as she turned around to face the breakfast table.

“Now look what you’ve done” said her father testily “you’ve got jam all over the carpet!”

THE END

sixteen

Half an hour later Alice was clean and smelling of perfume. She had washed and dried her hair, all of her hair, and was sitting in her bedroom listening to the conversation downstairs. Her father and the traitorous car had returned. It was standing innocently below her bedroom window. She stared at with thoughts of malice. Because it couldn’t keep going for two more minutes longer two more people had seen her bare behind, and front. It was also obvious from the loud conversation that Janice and Ted were still there. Now Alice was on the horns of a dilemma. She could hide upstairs in her room, and no one would think the less of her, or she could go down and join her family and friends. What should she do? She reached for her phone.

“What should I do Charlie?” she asked her friend who was lounging comfortably in an armchair watching television with her parents and not a stitch of clothing between them.

“I dunno Alice” she replied, “just wait a minute.” There was a brief pause before she continued “Sorry, I was disturbing my parents’ viewing”

“Should I go down, or should I stay in my bedroom”

“They’ve already seen you, you say”

“Yes, I’ve just explained”

“So, what’s the problem, you might as well go and join them”

“What if I upset them?”

“They wouldn’t have come into the house in the first place. And remember the cause”

“You’ve changed your tune”

“Ah well, nude with mum and dad isn’t that bad after all”

And with that not very helpful comment Charlotte rang off.

For the second time that day Alice stood nervously at the top of the stairs, shifting her weight from one bare foot to the other and wondering what to. Everyone downstairs was fully dressed, she was nude. What would they say when she walked through the door? She had been naked with them only thirty minutes before. They hadn’t seemed to mind then, but they had stumbled on her by accident. This time she would have chosen to expose herself. How would they accept that? Would they be convivial and see her as she was. The same girl next door they had always known who just happened to be naked, or would they look away, mumble some excuse and hurriedly leave. She curled her bare toes in the carpet, twisting in her dilemma. A sudden noise from behind made her start.

“Hi sis, what are you doing?”

Greg spoke to her much he would normally. This broke the spell, why had she hesitated; nobody was expecting her to be wearing any clothes.

“Just had a shower” she told him as she confidently walked down the stairs. The sound of conversation drifted towards her, and, like a bee tracking down a patch of flowers she followed into the lounge. Her parents were sitting opposite her neighbours, glass in hand talking animatedly.

“Hello sweetie” said her mother, “would you like a glass of wine”

“Yes please” replied Alice rather too enthusiastically, as she lowered her self into a vacant chair. She felt the upholstery envelope her bare flesh.

“Oh my” said Ted who, sitting opposite, watched as she uncrossed her legs and leant forward, breasts hanging vertically down as she accepted a glass of red from her mother

“Come, come, Ted” scolded his wife, “anyone would think you had never seen a naked woman before”

Alice glowed. This was the first time that she had been referred to as woman. Hitherto she had been a girl dressed in girl’s clothes; jeans, T shirts, brightly coloured jumpers and short skirts; the clothing she had worn since primary school. It was just a few sizes larger now. Stripped of this uniform her body’s maturity was plain for all to see, the firm well formed breasts, the wide hips and the patch of flame red pubic hair, which she had kept despite the modern trend. Some of her friends at university practised pubic topiary with the zeal of a bonsai enthusiast. Despite much ridicule Alice had resisted joining them.

“No boys like a hairy fandango” they advised her. But this was contrary to Alice’s experience. When she did allow her boyfriends to explore the regions south of the knicker line they treated the discovery of her burning bush akin to stout Cortez first staring on the Pacific.



And so a naked Alice spent the rest of the night in convivial conversation with her parents and neighbours. In a small hamlet several miles away Alice’s two cousins were having a solitary half an hour in their bedrooms. Later they phoned their friends to relate their wonderful afternoon, but nobody would believe they spent the afternoon playing Frisbee with a naked nineteen year old girl with ginger pubes.

A few streets away from Alice, Charlotte whiled away her Sunday evening watching television, her long body lying stretched out on the sofa, while her parents sat opposite her, all three oblivious to their nudity. Next door her neighbours, Stella and Tom were just getting up, having spent the early evening in the bedroom.

Around a corner and someway to the north Lizzie’s family were going about their business naked, as they normally did. Nude for Africa Sunday was no adventure when everyday was a bare day.

Next door to them Edgar Street had spent the evening eating cream coated strawberries from his wife’s bare body. Unfortunately for Marjory her husband’s excessive fruit intake had necessitated a very rapid visit to the toilet at a rather crucial moment. And so at the same time as Alice stood barefoot, and bare everything else in her hallway bidding farewell to her neighbours, Marjory Street sat watching the evening news, miserably wiping the last of the cream from her flaccid nipples.

fifteen

Alice’s father had wanted to wait until it was fully dark before attempting to drive home. Normally he was keen to escape as soon as he could, but today he felt that he could tolerate his mother-in-law for a few hours more if it enhanced the chances of his naked daughter remaining unseen. An added bonus was the amusing sound of his wife being scolded for not being charitable and remaining clothed. But the mid summer light was refusing to fade and Alice’s mother was tiring of the criticism. She kept glaring at her husband who was pointedly ignoring her gaze.

Eventually the issue was settled by Alice herself, who said politely that perhaps it was time to leave, thanked her grandmother, kissed her on the cheek and headed to the front door. This galvanised her father into action. Ordering Alice to stay put he raced out into the street and reversed the car as close to the door as possible. Her family then formed a screen so Alice could get into the car unnoticed.

Normally the return home took about ten minutes, but her father had planned a more circuitous route around the edge of the town. This avoided any traffic lights so reducing the chance of any passers by catching a glimpse of his bare passenger. All went to plan until, about a quarter of mile from home, the car’s engine gave a quiet cough and then with no further ado cut out. It glided to a stop next to a grassy verge. All was silent but for the sound of distant traffic. For a moment nobody spoke, and then pandemonium broke loose.

“Useless, bloody machine” shouted Alice’s father thumping the steering wheel.

“I’ve told you this car was too old, but would you listen, oh no” screamed her mother.

“What if a car stops to gives a hand?” said Greg

There was silence again while Alice’s parents digested this.

Her father turned around, “Alice, get some clothes on” he told her sharply.

“I haven’t got any” she said

“Oh yes you have” said her mother, “I’ve put some in the boot. Just in case” She sounded enormously pleased with herself.

“Well I’m not putting them on”

“Alice, don’t be so stupid, this is an emergency”

“No”

“Alice the car has broken down, someone may come along at any moment.”

“I don’t care, I’m not getting dressed” she said stubbornly

Alice’s father was becoming increasingly impatient. “Listen young lady, it’s no longer a joke”

“I know that Dad, but if I get dressed now I will have spent most of the day in the nude for nothing”

“No one else will know”

“And what if the somebody who comes along is one of my sponsors” she said.

Greg broke into the conversation.

“I know where we are, there’s Badger’s Path” He pointed towards a gap in the trees. “We could walk along there and be home in five minutes”

“Excellent” said their mother, “Alice, get your clothes on and we’ll quickly nip home. No one will see us”

“If no one will see us then I won’t need to put on any clothes” replied Alice with impeccable logic.

“What if there is someone on the path?” asked her mother.

“Well it’s nearly dark so they won’t notice I’m in my birthday suit until we are right up to them. So, if we see anyone coming I’ll have plenty of time to duck into the cornfield.”

“Look” said her exasperated father, “the longer we sit here the more likely someone is to stop and ask us if something is wrong”

To prevent further argument, Alice checked the road behind was clear, got out of the car and ran for the trees. The ever attentive Greg sprinted after her to check the path was clear. He quickly passed Alice who had stopped in the shadow of the trees where she waited, almost invisible, for the rest of her family

“Just wait there” commanded her father as he locked the car. “Alice in the middle.” He ordered as the family nervously began their way along the path. They were nearly there when the unthinkable happened. Ahead in the gloom, they could make out two figures and a dog coming towards them. Their voices carried in the still evening air

“Oh my God” hissed Alice’s mother in a loud whisper “I knew this would happen, “quick Alice into the field”

Alive to the possibility Alice had already slipped across the dry shallow ditch into the cornfield, and like a modern day Minnehaha started to move through the ripening crop. She felt the husks against her bare waist, the stalks brushing against her legs. It was truly magical and she thought herself invisible as she made her silent way through the corn.

“Ayeee” she screamed, breaking the spell. Something cold had just touched her bare bottom. She fell over with a crash crumpling the corn. She looked up to see her neighbours’ dog Pilot standing over her, tail wagging.

“He started to bark. “Woof, woof”

“Shh, shh” pleaded Alice. Then she heard her neighbour Ted shouting “Here Pilot, what have you found, a rabbit”

Some rabbit though Alice.

She heard the resignation in her mother’s voice “No it’s Alice”

“Alice, what is she doing in the field?”

Then Janice, Ted’s wife spoke. “I thought she was doing that nude charity thing.”

“She is, that’s why she is in the field”

“Oh, er right” said Ted, “we’d better get on our way then. Here Pilot”

But Pilot wasn’t coming; he was too busy licking Alice

Alice had had enough. She climbed to her feet and walked back to the path.

“Hi Ted,” she said “hi Janice, thanks for sponsoring me”

Despite the fading light Alice could see Ted’s eyes nearly popping out of his head. He quickly looked away. Janice stared at her, “I had thought it was a joke, but I can see now…….”

“Our car broke down on the way back from Nan’s” she continued brightly, “We thought we could sneak back with nobody noticing. Perhaps if you walked back with us everyone could surround me so I could cross the road unseen. She smiled sweetly.

“Oh, er yes of course” mumbled Ted “I’ll walk on in front with Pilot”

And so screened from public view Alice walked the final few yards to her front door.

“I’ll go back to the car now” said her father, in an attempt to avoid his wife’s ire.

“I’ll come and lend a hand” volunteered Ted.

“Won’t you come in and have a cup of tea” Alice’s mother asked Janice, “as long as you don’t mind my naked daughter!”

“It’s not me you should ask” said Janice. “How does Alice feel about it?”

Before Alice could express an opinion her mother said “Don’t worry about her she’s been naked all day”

Alice shrugged, it was true. Up until now Alice had been half hidden by the darkness. Her brother snapped the light on and suddenly all eyes were on her. She had never had so many people stare at her as today, but then she had never paraded around stark naked before.

“I think, Alice you should go and have a shower” said her mother.

Alice sniffed herself, she smelt of dog. Then she looked down at her bare body. The evidence of her encounter with the cornfield was written all over her skin.

She scooted upstairs to the bathroom.

fourteen

“You didn’t” shrieked Charlotte incredulously into the phone

“Yes” replied Alice smugly

“Three boys! Frisbee! Naked!” squealed Charlotte

Alice was sitting alone under a shady tree in the corner of her grandmother’s garden. Her ogling cousins had left now, dragged away by their mildly amused parents.

“How could you do that?” she gasped.

“You get used to it after a while” replied Alice nonchalantly “in fact I’m at the point where I don’t feel naked anymore, if you know what I mean”

There was a silence on the phone as Charlotte pondered that slowly. Alice idly rubbed some grass stains of her bare knee.

“Yes I have to admit I don’t notice my nudity either.”

“So where are you?” asked Alice

“I’m in my bedroom”

“Not hiding are we” she teased

“Yes” said Charlotte in a strange voice

“Oh come on Charlie you can’t still be shy, you’ve been wandering around starkers for the last six hours!”

“It’s not me being nude that’s bothering me, I’m fine with that”

“So, what’s the problem?” exclaimed Alice

“It’s my parents”

“I don’t follow” exclaimed Alice “Lizzie told me that they were OK with it all”

“Oh they are more than OK with it, they’ve up and joined me”

“They’ve what?” queried Alice

“They’re nude” replied Charlotte

“What your parents, no clothes, around the house” Alice’s thoughts stumbled around her mind, this way and that, like a rubber dinghy lost on the wide, wide ocean being driven by merciless winds.
“That’s right they are sitting in the lounge stark naked watching TV”

Unbidden, a picture of her own mother and father, stark naked in her sitting room formed in her mind. She shuddered, it was fine for her to be nude, but them…. After all they were old!

“Oh my God, Charlie, but that’s awful, I don’t know how,” her train of thought branched off into a siding “how long have they been nude?”

“Since before lunch”

“What, you had lunch nude with your parents”

“Well so did you” replied Charlotte matter-of-factly

“But they were dressed” she said in an exasperated tone before continuing in a more thoughtful voice. “I wonder which is worse”.

“I can’t believe it” said Charlotte suddenly with a great deal of exasperation. “I’m sitting in my bedroom hiding from my parents. And it’s not because I haven’t got any clothes on.” She paused briefly for breath before charging on. “Oh no, that’s not a problem for me, I quite happy to parade around starkers” She paused again, the enormity of what she had just said overwhelming her brain like an eclipsing moon.

Alice filled the gap “You’ve got to join them, Charlie”

Charlotte gulped, “I know” she said in a small voice.

“Stay on the phone, and I’ll talk you to the door”

Charlotte looked across her room to the mirror on the wall. A tall slim girl with long blonde hair stared back. Her flawless milky skin shone, her breasts were firm and her stomach taut and flat. To any red blooded male she was the perfect woman. Charlotte however saw only flaws. As Alice prattled on, she noted the asymmetry of her breasts, the freckles that swarmed over her like a rash, her legs were too thin and there was not enough flesh on her arms.

‘Well,’ she thought to herself in a rare rational moment, ‘if my mother can walk around the house in the nude with her saggy podgy body, I certainly can parade around in this one’

And so for the second time this day Charlotte stood naked and nervous at the top of the stairs. The first time she was concerned about her parents seeing her naked, now she was bothered about herself seeing them naked. And for the second time this day she plucked up the courage and walked down the stairs, talking to Alice as she went.

Just outside the lounge door she heard the sound of the television. Charlotte stopped dead. “Alice” she said in a mild panic.

“What?” replied her friend testily.

“What if they are watching something I don’t like?”

thirteen

Alice was in the kitchen helping her grandmother with the washing up. Being old her Nan would have nothing to do with new fangled devices such as dishwashers so after lunch someone would have to help her at the sink in her tiny kitchen. Alice usually avoided this tiresome chore but for just this once she was grateful for the opportunity to retreat, and she it knew it for a retreat, to the sanctuary of the kitchen.

Sunday lunch had been hard for Alice. Her two young, male, cousins were in their in early teens, and never before had something so wonderful happened to them. A real, live, young naked girl was sitting opposite them at the table. Their eyes devoured her breasts with their lunch. They never moved from her breasts, except for the amazing number of times one or other of them dropped something on the floor. They would then spend a long time hunting for the inconsequential lost object. Alice knew exactly what they were looking at and kept her legs firmly crossed throughout the meal.

More unsettling were her aunt and uncle who in diametric opposition to their offspring spent the whole afternoon acting as if Alice were fully clothed. Not once did they refer to her state of undress. This extended to their ogling offspring. What Alice really needed was a settling glass of chilled white wine. There was no chance of this as her grandmother was an avant teetotaller and the glimpse of a mere drop of the demon drink would have elicited a moral tirade lasting at least half an hour. The sight of a stark naked granddaughter however passed without a murmur of rebuke.

The warm dishwater splashed onto her bare skin. Alice ignored it; at least she wouldn’t have wet clothes she mused. Outside the window her two cousins were playing Frisbee in the garden with Greg. One of them caught sight of her through the open window and stopped and stared. Greg took careful aim and hit him on the head with the Frisbee.

“Ow” squealed Harry, “you did that on purpose”

“You’d have caught it if you had been watching, instead of staring at Alice’s tits”

After the initial teasing this morning Greg had set himself up as his sister’s protector.

Alice folded her arms defensively over her chest and poked her tongue out at her cousin

“You can’t really blame them” said her grandmother softly

“I know” sighed Alice.

“They’ll remember this day, and you, for the rest of their lives”

“I think we all will Nan” said Alice in a resigned tone

“Well dear, you do realise you are probably the first naked girl they have seen.”

“I know, and that’s all that is stopping me from screaming at them.”

“So Alice, you have two choices, are you going to hide in here all afternoon or are you going to give them something to really remember you by”

Alice gave her grandmother a puzzled look

“Go play Frisbee”

Alice rocked back and fore on her heels in the manner of someone considering a weighty decision. In fact she wasn’t really thinking at all, the shock of her grandmother’s suggestion was just too much to take in. Slowly, much like a snail homing onto a gardener’s prized plants Alice’s thoughts gathered and proceeded in a logical straight line

‘Everyone’s seen me, yikes all of me’ said her brain

‘I’ve nothing to lose’

‘It’s just bits after all’

‘If it makes them happy’

She looked at the yellow rubber gloves.

‘Should I be wearing them?’ she thought ‘Am I breaking the Nude for Africa code’

‘Yes but not the spirit’ she thought.

“You know Nan, you’re right” she said “I will go”

As carefully as a surgeon she stripped off her washing up gloves, casually wiped some soap bubbles from her bare stomach and walked out into the fragrant garden.

“Hi guys” she shouted “count me in”

The only response was a dull thud as the Frisbee hit the grass a few feet from her brother. The three boys stared at her with their mouths wide open. Alice firmly placed her hands on her hips and smiled at them.

“What’s the matter, never played with a naked girl before” she chided them

“Well, er no, not exactly” replied Greg

“Well I’ve never played Frisbee in the nude before so it will be a learning curve for all of us” said Alice walking out onto the lawn. She luxuriated in the feel of the grass under her bare feet, the warm breeze nuzzling around her skin.

“Catch Alice” shouted Greg.

The Frisbee was high and she jumped to catch it. She winced as her breasts bounced when she landed.

’You can’t beat a good sports bra’ she thought to herself,’ but I bet the boys appreciated the show’

The boys certainly were appreciating the show. They ran her around mercilessly, watching her body as she twisted, turned and jumped. But best of all were the rare occasions she fell legs akimbo sliding along the grass. Alice knew exactly what they were doing but she just didn’t care. She revelled in the freedom of the moment. There was no chafing of tight jeans against her groin, no sticky, sweaty feeling of clothes on her back. No, there was only freedom. Limbs moving without encumbrance, sweat evaporating immediately from exposed skin. It was worth a little revelation of the inner secrets of her vagina to experience the total freedom of her body in motion.

“Alice”

Her mother’s voice cut thought her reverie. ‘A telling off coming’ she thought ‘Don’t let the boys see what’s in your knickers’

“Yes Mum”

“Come here and put some sun cream on. You’ll be as red as lobster if you don’t” said her mother.

Alice dutifully stood still while her mother applied lotion to her back. “You can do the front” said her mother handing her the bottle “And don’t forget the naughty bits!”

Her cousins snickered as Alice’s mother strode back in doors. Then they drooled as they watched her rub cream into her breasts.

“Tongues in boys” said Greg “anyone would think you’d never seen a girl in the nude before”

That stung them; they weren’t going let out that Alice was the first female they had ever seen naked. Unfortunately their efforts at bravado failed miserably and Alice glowed inside. Her Nan was right; the pair of them would remember her forever.

twelve

Charlotte was cooking the Sunday lunch. Mindful of the potential for a disaster she had just oh so carefully turned the roast potatoes when she heard a noise behind her. What she had expected when she turned around she did not know. But the last thing she expected to see was a penis. Now Charlotte was no stranger to a penis. She had spent a year at university where they had been in plentiful supply. But this penis was very different. Oh yes, very different indeed. Not in its shape and size. In fact it was an average penis in shape and size, at least in Charlotte’s experience of penises. What made it very different, and extremely embarrassing, was that it was attached to her father’s naked body. There stood Charlotte, stark naked except for a pair of fetching green striped oven gloves, glowing red from embarrassment at the sight of her naked father. They were both speechless in their shared discomfiture.

Her equally naked mother was not bothered at all. She brushed passed her husband and strode past Charlotte.

“How’s the dinner coming along, Charlotte?”

Charlotte’s mouth opened and closed like a goldfish in a bowl

“What’s the matter” said her mother “cat got your tongue”

Charlotte gulped some more. Eventually she said

“But I never, but you are both like er”

“Nude” finished her mother “Yes we are, after all we couldn’t let you have all the fun could we”

Charlotte had been dreading Sunday lunch. The thought of sitting at the table wearing nothing at all and trying to make convivial conversation with her parents had been preying on her mind all week. Now all her fears had come to pass with an extra helping of embarrassment. She sat in total silence as her parents chatted convivially. With grim fascination she watched her mother’s breasts bouncing as she gesticulated to emphasise a particular point that the vicar had made in his sermon that morning. Her father was sitting opposite his daughter so the table mercifully hid his penis from Charlotte’s view. A potato fell from her fork onto her plate. Charlotte winced as warm sticky gravy splashed onto her chest.

“You mucky girl” scolded her mother

“Er, sorry I “

Her mother interrupted. “Well at least it I don’t have to wash your dirty clothes!”

Despite herself Charlotte began to giggle uncontrollably. Her father also began to chortle quietly which slowly built up, like a rising sea, into a fully blown guffaw. Her mother got up and wandered into the kitchen. She returned momentarily with a damp cloth

“Here, wipe yourself down, and down there as well” Charlotte followed her mother’s gaze down. There was a large globule of sticky brown gravy perched precariously on her blonde pubic hair

“Oops” said Charlotte with a smile, “could have been even more washing”

With the ice finally broken Charlotte’s family’s first family nude lunch proceeded to an amicable conclusion.

She was helping her mother load the dishwasher when the house phone rung. A short time later her father appeared in the doorway.

“It’s Stella, she was wondering if we still wanted to come over”

“Yes, sure” replied her mother in an offhand way, “does she want us as we are?”

Charlotte looked astonished at her mother, and then at her father leaning casually against the doorframe..

“What’s the dress code Stella” asked her father

“You are!” he exclaimed “Tom too? Well done the pair of you”

He looked at his wife, she nodded.

Charlotte could not believe this. “You can’t go……”

“We’ve both taken the plunge too” said her father into the phone.

Charlotte could hear Stella’s voice in the earpiece, buzzing like an excited bee.

“Stella wants to know if you’re coming Charlotte?” her father asked

“Er well, er I can’t” replied Charlotte as she grabbed at a straw she suddenly found floating on the surface of her own private pool of embarrassment and fear.

“Under the terms of ‘Nude for Africa’ I can’t put on anything today. I’d have to walk there naked”

“Oh I’m sure we can creep across with no one seeing” her mother replied confidently

Charlotte’s jaw dropped faster than a lead balloon.

Memory of the afternoon at Lizzie’s suddenly loomed large in her mind as her father said into the phone “Be over in about ten minutes, as soon as we’ve worked out how”

“I think” said her mother thoughtfully “we can go out of the front door”

‘Oh no, no, no not that again’ thought Charlotte desperately

“Mother where are you going” she pleaded as her parents headed for the front door

“Don’t worry sweetie, I’m just checking” said her mother putting on a coat. She disappeared out of the door leaving Charlotte naked with her father in the hall. A silence fell between them. What do you say to your naked father? Perhaps a joke to lighten the air? But the only joke that her treacherous mind could recall was the one about a deaf leprechaun and a twelve inch pianist. Just as Charlotte was about start gulping like a goldfish her mother burst through the door. She and her father exchanged mutual looks of pure relief.

“We can do it” said her mother enthusiastically as she stripped off her coat “we can’t be seen at our door and we can slip across the front garden without anyone seeing us because of the hedge. Well as long as there is nobody on the street”

“No one on the street” repeated Charlotte in a small voice.

“Oh come on” retorted her mother “Where’s your sense of adventure? We have to try new things now and again”

Charlotte winced, she had already done nude in the street and hadn’t liked it. Her father was none to enthusiastic either.

“But Judy, what if…”

But Judy had already gone out of the door. Her husband scampered after her leaving Charlotte on her own. Grabbing her door keys Charlotte stepped across the threshold. Once again she stood exposed to the world. A horrible feeling of déjà vu filled her whole being as she felt the warm breeze over her skin, followed by the cold gale of panic at being left naked and alone and in a public place.

“Charlotte, come on!” hissed her father from behind the hedge.

She swiftly scuttled through the two front gardens and burst into her neighbours’ hallway. Here she was again, stark naked in another house.

“Well you’ve certainly started something” said Stella. Charlotte was more familiar with breasts than penises, after all she had a pair of her own, but never in all the changing rooms she had frequented had she seen a pair as large and as firm as Stella’s. She was still gawping as a very nervous and naked Tom hove into view. Charlotte had noticed the bulge in his trousers when he had left after lunch and now the guilty party was hanging there in front of Tom for all to see. She was pleased to see it was under firm control.

“We thought we’d have drinks in the garden” said Tom quickly. He turned away from Charlotte and led the way out to the back of the house. By the time she got to the garden Tom was seated at the garden table with his bottom half well hidden from view. Charlotte was relieved, while she had enjoyed teasing Tom earlier, and had almost crowed in triumph when she noticed the erection in his trousers she had no desire to view the same effect with the one eyed snake freed from its fetters. Charlotte resolved to be good.

eleven

Alice’s father and brother had been fussing around for the last half hour, checking sight lines from the front door to the neighbours’ windows and fixing and reaffixing sun blinds to the car. They had checked from all angles to see if the seat she was to occupy was visible from the outside. Only when they were totally satisfied did Greg came in to the house and announce:

“I’m going to do one more dress rehearsal, before big sis does the undress performance”

The car was as close to the front door as was physically possible, Alice could have stepped from house to car without touching the ground. Greg gingerly stepped out of the door and climbed into the backseat of the car while their father watched from the end of the drive.

“How was that Dad?” Thumbs up.

“God knows what the neighbours will be thinking” muttered Alice as she watched them.

“They wouldn’t come up with the right answer, not in their widest dreams” said her mother who had crept up behind her.

“In you get Alice” said her father. Alice grabbed her bag and stepped out into the sunshine. She stood on the step soaking in the warmth of the sun all over her body; she felt the heat of the faint summer breeze over her skin.

“Get in before somebody comes along” hissed her mother. Alice jumped into the car and closed the door behind her. She reached out for the seat belt which felt smooth against her naked skin. She smiled at her mother as she got in next her.

“OK sweetie?” she asked

“Fine Mum” Alice replied as she absentmindedly pulled her left breast from beneath the belt.

Her father made one more circuit of the car to check no flesh was visible and then got into the driving seat.

Alice watched the world go by, it was a baking hot summer’s day and only a few mad dogs and Englishmen walked along the parched pavements. They stopped at a red light near to a pub She watched as the drinkers talked and gesticulated to each other. No one looked at the car, not one of them realised that she was sitting stark naked in its cool dark interior watching them. Alice smiled, if only they knew. The sound of her phone broke into her reverie.

“Hi Lizzie, what are you doing”

“We’re having a barbeque.”

“In the nude?” asked Alice

“Yes, why not” replied Lizzie

“Bit like a bikers’ reunion. A few fat issues”

“Ha ha, Dad’s used to it”

“Invited the neighbours?” asked Alice

“Yes but they haven’t come. They didn’t say no though”

“Have you seen them?”

“Well Marjory has been out in the garden and chatting to Mum across the fence. I don’t know what her husband thinks of it all. Never mind me how’s it with you?” asked Lizzie “have you been nude in front of the family yet”

“Oh yes that’s all over, I’m in the car on my way to my grandmother’s”

“In a car, I’ve been naked all over for years, but I’ve never been in a car, what’s it like, has anyone spotted you yet.”

“No, I’m well hidden behind blinds,” replied Alice and then she raised her voice so her father could hear “it would be ok if the air con was a little lower mind you, some of us haven’t got any clothes on you know”

Alice could hear Lizzie laughing. “Have you heard from Charlie” she asked.

“Not since just before her parents arrived”

“They did the dirty on her and brought the neighbours in for tea” said Lizzie

“That’s outrageous” sad Alice “how did Charlie take it”

“Well you know how she can be a tease at times” began Lizzie “well imagine her doing it in the nude”

“How her parents like that?” asked Alice

“They’ve retreated in confusion. Charlie thinks their cooking up some new plan between them”

“She’s not the only one, I’m not too sure about the guest list for Sunday lunch at my grandmother’s” said Alice

“Oh it’s just family dear” said her mother sitting beside her.

“What do you mean, just family” Alice retorted, looking sharply at her. “Listen Lizzie I’ve got to go.”

She hung up and was about to tackle her mother on that casual comment when the car pulled up at her grandmother’s. Her father muttered something under his breath and tooted the horn. There was a car blocking the drive. Alice recognised it only too well. Her uncle, aunt and cousins had been invited to dinner.

Alice confronted her mother “You didn’t tell me they were invited”

“Oh didn’t I dear” she replied innocently “Why, would have made a difference.”

“So now I’m going to be nude in front of my whole family” said Alice crossly

“Yes dear, but isn’t that the whole point this day. People who run marathons have to suffer, so surely you should too”

“Well, I didn’t expect to be paraded around for everyone to see”

“It’s all for charity dear” said her mother sweetly

Her grandmother had come out and was waving.

“Can you get Pete to move his car,” shouted her father “I need to get Alice as close to the door as possible” said her father

Alice was still cross. “Oh come on mother,” she complained “you, Dad, Nan, Greg, Uncle Pete” she was counting on her fingers “Auntie Jackie, Johnnie and Paul and then little ol’ me in the altogether”

“Just think of the poor starving Africans while you eat your lunch dear” replied her mother.

“Well there’s no point waiting here,” said an increasingly furious Alice “you’ve probably invited the whole street anyway” With that parting shot across her mother’s bows Alice opened the car door and got out. She slammed it theatrically and stormed off towards her grandmother’s. Unfortunately Alice had decided that for today naked meant naked and she hadn’t worn any shoes. And so her petulant performance was marred by the inconvenient fact that her grandmother’s tarmac drive was hotter than the planet Venus.

Her father watched his daughter’s bare behind waddle unceremoniously down the drive and then he put his head into his hands.

“Way to go sis” shouted Greg.

ten

Charlie cut the call and turned to face he parents.

“Hello Charlotte” said her mother “I see you’ve gone through with it”

Charlotte couldn’t think of any thing to say, after all she was standing there starkers, so of course she had gone through with it.

“Ah Charlotte” began her father “Tom and Stella have just come to say hello”

Charlotte froze. This could not be happening, they wouldn’t dare. But her parents had. Through the door strode Stella and Tom.

“We just had to come and tell you how brave we thought you are” said Stella

“We knew you wouldn’t mind” said Charlotte’s mother sticking the knife in further “The people at church were a little incredulous, but now Tom and Stella can vouch that you are completely naked” said her mother with a smile.

Some people fold in a crisis and others seem to rise to the occasion. Under ordinary circumstances Charlotte was a complete dope, but now, standing naked in the hall facing her parents and her neighbours Charlotte became icy calm.

“Of course not” she said calmly “you’ll stay for coffee won’t you?”

“Oh yes, of course we will” said Tom very quickly, a little too quickly for Stella’s liking and she shot him a filthy look. But Tom was oblivious. For him whole wide world had boiled down to one perfect object standing exposed before him. Charlotte was a stunning blonde who turned everyone’s eye when she was clothed. Stark naked she was ravishing and death on his white horse would not have pulled Tom’s attention away from her at that moment.

“I’ll go and put the kettle on” said Charlotte. She turned and walked into the kitchen, her bare buttocks rising and falling alternately, as mesmerising as a hypnotist’s watch.

Her mother watched her daughter’s bare body disappear through the door. She winced; her daughter had seen her and raised the stakes and she feared that Charlotte hadn’t finished yet.

Charlotte’s parents were sitting in their lounge trying to make small talk with their neighbours when their naked daughter breezed holding a tray laden with five cups and a plate of biscuits. She placed the tray carefully on the low coffee table. This gave Tom a very close view of her bare behind. As Charlotte handed the cups around her breasts hung before her. The more Charlotte flaunted her body the angrier her parents and Stella became. Whether they were annoyed with Charlotte for her display or themselves for conjuring up this situation they weren’t too sure. But either way they were irritated. Charlotte primly spread a towel over the seat of a chair opposite to a blissfully happy Tom and sat down carefully crossing her legs.

“How was church” asked Charlotte. She was immensely pleased with herself. Her parents plan to embarrass her had backfired completely.

“A very nice service” said Tom “it’s a pity you weren’t there”

Charlotte shrugged and spread her arms, further emphasizing her nudity.

She noticed a slight swelling in Tom’s trousers that he was desperately tying to hide. Her face beamed angelically

“I don’t think I would have been very welcome dressed like this” she said

Stella had had enough.

“Well I suppose not, but it is in a good cause. I’m sure some of the congregation would have sacrificed their prurience in the name of charity.” She said

“Absolutely” agreed Tom.

“We certainly would have been prepared to bare all ourselves for such a good cause, wouldn’t we” said Stella looking directly at her husband.

“Oh yes” he said

“It’s not too late” said Charlotte wickedly “You can start the twenty fours hours any time today, I’ve got a spare sponsor form if you would like one”

“You know I think I would” said Stella, and she smirked. Tom took his eyes off Charlotte for the first time since she had walked into the room

“What” he mumbled

“Well” continued Stella warming to her theme “If we start straight away we would have finished by lunch tomorrow.”

“I have to go into work tomorrow morning” replied Tom in desperation

“I’ll phone John and explain that we are both entering Nude for Africa. I’m sure he’ll understand. In fact he’ll probably sponsor us. Perhaps he’ll get a few more sponsors when he gets into the office”

“But, but” spluttered Tom going down for the second time and swallowing sea water.

“Charlotte could pop over this afternoon for coffee and be our witness”

Tom groaned. Charlotte smiled “of course I could” she said

Charlotte’s mother gave her daughter a stern look, this had gone far enough.

“Well I don’t know, you’ll be outside in the nude, Charlotte”

“Oh I can just slip across the garden” she said breezily.

“Why don’t you come too, Judy” said Stella “and bring Stephen with you”

Charlotte was very pleased with the way she had manipulated the situation, Stella was clearly very angry; Tom’s expression was of mild panic mixed with astonishment. Her mother was smiling grimly and her father sat looking at his shoes shaking his head.

Stella and Tom quickly finished their coffee.

“Thank you for the drink, it was very nice” said Stella picking up the sponsor form. She turned to her husband.

“Come along Tom you have some phone calls to make; and some clothes to remove”

She smiled grimly as she strode across the room.

“Well it was lovely to see you Charlotte” said Stella as Tom winced, “and we shall see more of each other later” She smiled as she saw the look on her husband’s face.

“I’m looking forward to it” replied Charlotte, smiling contentedly when she saw the look on her father’s face.

Her mother closed the front door and turned on her daughter.

“You, young lady, are out of order” she scolded

“What, me, I didn’t invite them in, you did just that so you could embarrass me. Well it didn’t work” And with that Charlotte strode into the lounge to pick up the coffee cups.

There was an icy silence in the kitchen. Charlotte sang happily to herself as put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. When she had finished she turned around to find both her parents staring at her.

“What?” said Charlotte.

“Are you fully intending to go to through with this?” asked her father

“We had rather hoped you would have covered up when we invited Tom and Stella in” said her mother

“Well your little plan didn’t work, did it” replied Charlotte haughtily.

She held her arms out and spun around. Despite her initial misgivings she was revelling in being naked and thoroughly enjoying her parents’ discomfort.

“And you fully intend going to our neighbours’ house dressed like that?” asked her father sternly.

“Well technically I’m not dressed, but since you ask, yes I am,” said Charlotte firmly. “And I’m going even if you decide to stay here.”

“Oh no, you won’t” said her mother, “we’ll be joining you, don’t you worry about that”

Charlotte looked at her mother’s face, she recognised that look. Her mother had set her mind on something and that something was about to happen.

“Come along Stephen” said her mother and pushed her reluctant father out of the door.

Charlotte thought about that phrase ‘we’ll be joining you’. She had a feeling she had just poked a stick into a wasps nest.

nine

Alice was woken by her phone. She picked it up and groaned as her head throbbed in time with the jaunty tune she was now regretting choosing as a ring tone. Another Sunday morning hangover made its presence felt. Another thumping head made worse by Charlotte’s phone call.

“What?” she said sharply

“How’s it gone?” asked Charlotte anxiously.

“Can’t you just leave me to die in peace Charlie?” pleaded Alice. After a brief pause she added “How’s what gone?”

“You must know, there’s no way you could forget” said Charlotte earnestly

“What is so important?” asked Alice with less certainty. She was beginning to feel that there was something important about today.

“The nudie stuff” said Charlotte

Alice shot up in bed, her bedroom swayed and then steadied like a ship running into the shelter of a harbour.

“Oh” she said in sudden recollection. This was followed by another louder “oh” when she realised she was naked. She jumped back into bed and covered her body.

Alice groaned into the phone “What have we done Charlie; I told you this wasn’t a good idea”

“So you haven’t gone nude in front of them yet” said Charlotte getting straight to the point that Alice was desperately steering her mind away from

“No, have you?”

“Well I tried” said Charlotte.

“You haven’t bottled out have you Charlie? Because if you have then perhaps…………..”

“No I haven’t” interrupted Charlotte primly. “I screwed up all my courage and came down the stairs…”

“And?” said Alice “what did they say?”

“They’re not here. They’ve gone to church” said Charlotte. There was disappointment mixed with relief in her voice.

“Well I don’t think I’m going to be so lucky, I can hear them speaking downstairs” said Alice grimly. “So where are you now Charlie?” she asked.

“I’m downstairs in the lounge. I trying to read the paper but it’s kind of hard to concentrate.”

“Are you, well like, er you know?”

“Nude?” interrupted Charlotte quickly “Well of course I am, that’s the idea isn’t it”

“What are you going to do?” enquired Alice

“I’m going to wait down here for them” said Charlotte determinedly.

Alice pulled down the duvet and looked down at her bare breasts “I’m going to have to get up aren’t I” she said

“Sooner or later” said Charlotte.

Alice took a deep breath “Ok, here goes” she said “wish me luck”

“Luck; and let me know how you get on” said Charlotte.

“I will but if your folks get back before I bare my all, you phone me to let me know how it went” Alice told Charlotte.

Alice got out off bed and tiptoed to her bedroom door. She opened it just enough to stick her head through. All clear. She scampered across the landing to the bathroom quickly locking the door behind her.

Her head felt much better after a shower. She stared at herself in the mirror as she combed her hair. A short naked girl with dyed red hair stared back at her. She couldn’t believe what she was about to do She pinched herself to check she wasn’t dreaming. She squeezed the fat under her skin. More than an inch here. Still it was too late to diet now. She started to wrap the towel around herself but stopped, what was the point, she was going to spend the whole day naked. She opened the bathroom door an inch and peeked out. Good nobody around. She was about to scamper back to her bedroom when the absurdity of her situation dawned on her. Her family was expecting to see her in the nude.

Alice opened the door wide, held her shoulders back and walked towards the stairs. She took a deep breath and started down. She managed to reach halfway before her knees turned to jelly. Alice wobbled the rest of the way. She stood shivering in the hall listening to her family’s voices in the kitchen.

“Here goes nothing” she said to herself, and walked in through the door.

“Good morning dear” said her mother brightly “I see you have decided to join us”

“Good morning Alice” said her father, looking up from his newspaper “did you sleep well?”

“Um yes fine thanks” replied a rather startled Alice. She had expected some comment at least on her nudity. Indeed she had prepared herself for some snide remarks. But this was eerie; here she was, as naked as the day she was born and her parents were acting as if nothing was amiss. Just then her brother walked in. “Hi sis” he said He was about to add a further comment when their mother fixed him with a stern glance. Clearly they had planned to try and make today as normal as possible. Perversely Alice found it to be unnerving and she decided to put a stop to it.

She turned to face her brother. She stood legs slightly apart, hands on hips and said “good morning Gregory, that’s a nice shirt you’re wearing”

“Er thanks” he said as his eyes moved up and down his sister’s body.

“What do you think of my outfit?” she asked provocatively.

“Oh stop that Alice” said her mother “we can all see you’re naked. We’re just trying to make it easier for you that is all”

Alice backtracked “Sorry mum, I’m a bit nervous”

“I’m not surprised” said her father “it’s been many years since we saw you in the buff”

“Good, now’s that’s all over, sit down and eat your breakfast,” said her mother.

Alice was sitting reading the newspaper in the lounge when her brother stuck his head around the door.

“Oi nudie, your phone’s ringing” and he tossed it to her. Alice fumbled as she caught it.

“Mind my phone” she shouted “you could have broken it”

“They’re unbreakable” replied Greg as he walked away .Her brother had spent a good ten minutes eying her body when she first appeared, but he had soon got bored of it. She was just his naked sister now.

“Hi Charlie” said Alice “your parents back yet.

“No “said Charlie

“You must be a nervous wreck standing around waiting for them” said Alice

“It’s torture” said Charlotte in a strained voice, “Are you up yet?”

“Yes”

“And!” said Charlotte

“Well I’m Ok now but my knees were like jelly when I walked into the kitchen”

“What did they say?” asked Charlotte

“Oh, it was eerie, I can tell you, they tried to act like everything was normal, so there I was in the kitchen without a stitch on and they were doing trying to the usual Sunday breakfast chit chat.”

“Oh my God” said Charlotte interrupting Alice’s flow “the car’s back”

“Keep talking to me Charlie.” encouraged Alice. “Is it them?”

“Yes,” there was a sudden pause “Oh my God they’ve brought someone with them”

“What, who is it?”

“It’s ok it’s Tom and Stella from next door, they usually give them a lift home, they wont come in” said a clearly relieved Charlotte

“That’s ok then, are you still there Charlie.”

“Still here Alice. There’s the key in the lock, wish me luck Alice”

“Luck Charlie” said Alice.

eight

It was a warm summer day, with a blazing sun hanging in a blue sky and not a breath of wind. Charlotte was late. Even so she didn’t hurry; she didn’t really understand why she was even going to Lizzie’s. The thought of sitting around in Lizzie’s neighbour’s house stark naked was gnawing into her mind. She had turned back once already. Now she stood outside Lizzie’s front door twisting on her feet. Charlotte made her decision and turned to go.

“Hurry up Charlie, we’re late” said Lizzie. Charlotte looked up at her friend. Despite the heat she was wearing a long jumper. Charlotte sighed and went into the hall, her fate was sealed.
At least Lizzie is still dressed she thought.

“Hi Charlie” said Alice from the kitchen doorway, “we’ve been waiting for you”

“Hi Alice. Oh” Charlie’s voice went up an octave

“Hurry up, we were about go without you”

“Alice you’re naked” said Charlotte. Stating the obvious was one of her strengths.

“Der, well, like ,that’s the idea Charlie” said Alice

“But I thought we were going to a neighbour’s home” said Charlotte, desperately clutching at straws.

“It’s next door” said Lizzie pulling off her jumper to reveal nothing but bare flesh. To Charlotte’s dismay Lizzie’s equally naked mother strolled into the hall.

“Hi Charlotte, how is university life”

“Er fine Janet”

“Come on Charlie, we’re about to leave” said Alice “get your kit off”

It seemed to Charlotte that she moved within a dream. She pulled her summer dress over her head and before she could think about what she was doing she was pulling down her knickers

“Quick now” said Alice, “before I lose my nerve”
‘Your nerve’ thought Charlotte in a panic standing in the hall stark naked and wondering what was going to happen next

What did happen next was beyond her wildest nightmares. Her three naked companions walked out of the front door!

“For god’s sake Charlie will you get a move on” scolded Lizzie.

Still in a dream Charlotte, a naked Charlotte, walked out of the door onto the front path. The cold stones beneath her feet and the warm breeze that she had not felt when clothed brought her back to the awful reality.

“Clear” said Lizzie’s mum and four naked women scuttled along the pavement, and up the path to Mrs Street’s door.

Mrs Street welcomed them with a cheery “good morning” “you must call me Marjorie”

“Why don’t you girls go and sit in here while Janet and I bring in the coffee”

The three girls went into the Street’s elegantly decorated lounge. There were large red bath towels spread across all the chairs. They sat down.

Alice had been shopping for clothes on the way to Lizzie’s. Charlotte sat there, feeling the fabric of the chair against her bare back. listening with mounting incredulity as Alice explained about the dress she had just bought. Her hands gesticulated over parts of her naked body as she described the length and colour.

“I think it may a bit revealing Alice” said Lizzie.

Charlotte looked at Alice. She was lying back in the chair with her legs uncrossed, bare breasts jiggling as she talked about a revealing dress. Charlotte began to think she was the only sane person left in a world gone mad. Then she remembered she too was naked.

“You alright Charlie” asked Lizzie “you look a little pale”

“Alright! Of course I’m not alright. I’ve just walked naked through your street and now I’m sitting naked in your neighbour’s lounge while your naked mother and your equally naked neighbour make coffee”

“Hey chill out Charlie” said Alice

Mrs Street and Lizzie’s mum brought in the coffees and some homemade cake. As they sat and ate Charlotte noticed crumbs were falling into her lap. She carefully picked them out of her pubic hair and dropped them onto her plate.

“A car has just pulled up outside Marjory” said Alice.

Marjory went to the window, pulled back the net curtain and peeked out. Charlotte watched the cheeks of her buttocks vibrate with shock. A rather large tuft of dark hair was visible between her legs. Charlotte made a note to do a touch of trimming before Sunday

“Oh my God it’s Edgar. But, but he never comes home.”

Despite the warmth of the day Charlotte felt suddenly very cold. Goosebumps rose all over skin and her nipples visibly tightened.

“Quick girls” said Alice’s mum “into the garden”

“I’ll stall him” said Marjory wrapping a towel around herself, “do you want to take the towels to cover yourselves?”

Charlotte was about to utter her undying thanks but Lizzie said “no we’ll be ok, we’ll just slip out of the side gate” Before Charlotte was able to protest Alice pushed her towards the door. By the time they had scurried out of the back door, Lizzie’s mum was already sneaking out of the side gate into the drive.

“Come on Charlie” hissed Alice as she ran across the lawn after Lizzie

“But what if the neighbours see us?” said a clearly panicked Charlotte

“They are the neighbours” said Alice pointing towards Lizzie’s bare behind
just disappearing through the garden gate. Charlotte ran as fast as she could, breasts bouncing wildly in front of her, not caring who saw, with thoughts only of the sanctity of Lizzie’s front door.

Finally she was safely inside with the door firmly closed against the outside world. Charlotte stood stark naked in Lizzie’s hallway with heart pounding and chest heaving.

“Whooo hoo” squealed Alice “High five girls” She and Lizzie slapped hands. She turned to Charlotte “What a blast, gimme five Charlie”

Charlotte wearily held up her hand.

“Let’s go again” said Alice.

But Mr Street stayed at home a long, long time and the three girls had to content themselves with some naked sunbathing.