Chapter 3: Don’t Worry About Us

Things were very quiet that evening around the table as Susan and Jack ate their supper with their parents - George and Beverly Flynn. Eventually Susan’s mother was the one to say something.

“You kids are very quiet tonight. Is everything OK? You’ve hardly said a word all evening, either of you.”

“Oh, mom, things are fine” replied Susan. “Don’t worry about us. Nothing is wrong.”

“AH HA!” snapped out George Flynn. “Then there is something wrong! Every time I’ve heard you say that, Susan, there has always, most definitely, been something wrong. So come on ... out with it ... what’s wrong? And ‘Oh, nothing’ is not an acceptable answer! What is it Jack? What is bothering you both so much that it turns you both into a couple of mute zombies?”

Jack looked across at Susan looking for moral support before he tried to reply to his father’s inquisition. Susan shrugged then looked down at her plate of fried chicken and potato salad. She poked it with her fork in little aimless circles then looked back up at her mother and step-father but still said nothing. Jack looked at his father again then began to reply - speaking very slowly and deliberately.

“Well ... you know how ... the week after next is ... Lifestyle Awareness Week ... at Altadena Progressive High School?”

“Yes, of course we are aware of that” responded Beverly Flynn. “But so what? They do that every year. So do all the other schools around the area. Pasadena High School had their Lifestyle Awareness Week just two weeks ago. Why? What’s happened? Why is it a problem this year?”

It went very quiet again so Susan decided it was her turn to say something.

“Well, nothing has happened that is different from every other year apart from ... apart from ... apart from the Lifestyle elective option we have both picked.”

“Oh, do hurry up. Stop beating about the bush” demanded Susan’s step-father. “Are you guys going to tell us anything or not!?”

Jack spoke up this time and carried on from were Susan had left off.

“What we have both registered for this year is ... is ... is ... is ... is NUDISM!”

Jack fell silent as he waited for what he had just said to sink in. It was silent in the room again for about five minutes as the idea did just that. Jack’s step-mother was the first to break that silence.

“OK! I see! I hope you both know what that means. Do you? Do you know what the NUDISM Lifestyle is all about?” Beverly Flynn looked at her daughter then her step-son in turn waiting for a response.