Chapter 5: Summer Trouble

Bruce asked his parents if he could escort Lara to Gramma Finn’s birthday party at the senior center. The Wilkes knew of how Bruce came to his relationship with Lara; while not fully approving, they believed in second chances. “The girl,” his mother had said,” is not a bad girl in the criminal sense. She is a typical teen who made some very poor choices.”

Mr. Wilkes concurred, “She could be one of our daughters, or our son,” he looked Bruce in the eye, “particularly if our son does not get his yard work done by dark tonight.”

Services ended at eleven thirty. The party was from noon until two thirty. Bruce agreed to be home by three and have the work completed by six, or dinnertime.

The senior center was across the street and down the block from the church, an easy walk. “You know, the pastor wanted to be the one who gave you relief. He thought it would be a true humiliation and a lesson learned by all the children in his congregation. When I heard that, I had to volunteer, sweetie, I would rather you be embarrassed by someone you love than humiliated by a stranger and a man at that,” her grandmother chatted with the still weak-kneed Lara.

“Right now I love you and hate you equally, Gram. I love you for taking charge of the situation and doing what you did. My relief was mind-blowing, heavens be you have technique and touch and I’m glad it wasn’t our first time either. I was too busy in my moment to notice, what was the reaction of those people in the pews?”

“Most of my age group and some of the older parents of children tried to look away, they felt, I think, like those called to witness an execution. Most did not want to see the actual decisive moment. Many of the teens were fully attentive yet looked horrified. As you kids say, it was an OMG moment. They realized the pastor and board of deacons were completely serious about any of them found under discipline having to undergo the same treatment. I also think there was a smattering in all age groups that found this voyeuristically stimulating. Several hands were working in several laps, Mr. Jensen among them. Yes, I know he is a grabber and groper - everyone does, but it was overlooked because of his palsy and dementia, not quite Alzheimer’s, but slipping in that direction. He still thinks it is nineteen forty-four when pinching a girl’s bottom or slapping her behind was a compliment. He probably thought he was lucky enough to wander into a girlie show at a carnival or some such.” Gramma Finn giggled.

The party was uneventful. Balloons, strung about black and silver, along with the usual sandwiches and salads, and a large sheet cake reading Happy Birthday Silvia. The girls circulated in the room and Gramma’s friends readily accepted both girls as they were. The older women told Kayla so many times, “Why don’t you get comfortable and join your sister?” Finally, Carla whispered, “You are under rules, they are your elders.”

Kayla unsnapped the neck strap of her sundress and for the second time since arriving home found herself nude in public. She handed her mother the dress and continued as if nothing happened. Lara looked, “Mom, told me this might happen. The old gals told you to take it off, huh?”

“Yeah, these rules take some getting used to,” Kayla grinned, “Want to cause some mischief?” She whispered in her sister’s ear. Lara responded, “You devil, THAT is something I should have thought up.” Both girls laughed.

Two naked girls were soon seen whispering in their grandmother’s ears. Gramma Finn broke out into a grin. She called Carla to her side and whispered into her ear. Carla jerked upright her jaw dropping and Silvia patted the table in front of her. Carla unsnapped her sundress and joined her daughters, totally naked.

Gramma Finn had whispered, “As your mother-in-law and the girls’ grandparent, I have authority over you. I suggest you join your girls in their nudity. Since, if you had provided more discipline to them neither of them would find themselves having to be naked in public.”

When Carla jerked upright and began to protest, she was simply told, “You can strip and be done with it or argue, be stripped anyway, AND be spanked.” Gramma had patted the table demonstrating she was serious. Carla had removed her dress. Her untrimmed pubic hair fluffed out and the ends of her slightly sagging breasts presented stiff eraser pointed nipples.

Bruce wandered over to Lara, “Hey your sister is cute, but your Mom, wow, I see now where you get it from.”

“Actually, I take after my Dad and my Gramma,” Lara said. “Kayla is closer to my Mom in looks and shape. My guess is this is your first naked MILF and you had better stop staring or Gramma will have you stripped naked next.”

“If I could be naked next to you while you are naked, that would not be too bad,” Bruce smiled and pecked her on the cheek.” Then looking at his watch, “OMG, I promised my folks I’d be home to do yard work. I have to get going or I WILL be naked beside you.”

“Mom,” Lara asked her mother, “Is it okay if I go over to Bruce’s place and help him clean his yard? You know, weeding and stuff?”

“Don’t get your party clothes dirty, young lady,” Her mother teased. Carla then twirled about utterly enjoying her nudity. Nakedness had been casual in the Finn house. Carla was now thinking it might become mandatory.

Lara kissed her Gramma goodbye, said her goodbyes to all the people at the party, and left on Bruce’s arm. His house was less than two blocks away and they made it through the gate at 2:59 PM. Bruce leaned down and pulled a weed. “There. I started the job on time. Let me get changed and we can get continue.”

“Here’s an idea, just take off what you’re wearing and we’ll get started,” Lara smiled.

“You want me to get naked in front of you?” Bruce’s voice elevated to a squeak.

“You have seen my mother, my sister, and me naked. Fair is fair and it will save on laundry later.” Lara joked.

“Okay, but I have to warn you I’m not nearly as pretty as you are in the buff.” Bruce pulled off his shirt, kicked off the boat shoes he had on, and dropped his pants. Folding both and placing them on a deck chair he removed the briefs that were his last barrier of modesty. Then he turned around slowly.

Lara looked at what she saw with awe. He was lean, not overly muscled, about two inches taller than she was, and totally hairless. Pockmark scars covered his shoulders and upper back. A few more scars showed on his upper legs and buttocks and even more ran from his navel to his pubic area.

“Psoriatic acne,” he stated evenly, “Before the doctors could control it the damage went this far. The cure was a cancer drug. The side effect was I lost all my hair for two years. All that has grown back is what is on my head. His crooked grin seemed to say without words, ‘I must look like a leper who should be driven from the village.’

“That’s an autoimmune disease, right? Like lupus or the Crohn’s Disease that took my Dad? You didn’t ask for it and if they found a way to stop it in you, I am happy for you. Heck if it will make you feel like we are a couple I’ll shave off all of my hair, including my head. I don’t like you because of the packaging, Bruce, I like the beautiful present the packaging holds,” Lara told her boyfriend. He said not a word, just wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

“Come on, we have until six to get this job done, or my nakedness will no longer be voluntary.”

Five forty-five came and the bushes were trimmed, the weeds pulled and the grass mowed in neat patterns in both rear and front yards. The couple took turns dancing under the hose to rinse off the grass and cuttings sticking to them. Standing together wet and naked they did not hear the Wilkes’ slip out of the patio door and approach the Weber grill.

His mom cleared her throat, “Bruce, why are you naked?”

Bruce turned with his shoulders lowered and a full-body blush creeping over him. “Lara convinced me it would save on laundry later?” he sheepishly replied.

His dad then said, “Lara, do you eat steak? We are grilling tonight and we would like you to stay for dinner. Dress is casual, if you were wondering. Bruce, you will stay as you are.”

“Steak is fine, Mr. Wilkes, medium if possible. Mrs. Wilkes, is there anything I can do to help you? Set the table or anything?”

“No, we are fine, do you want to call your mother and tell her you are staying for dinner?”

“Good idea, I have to tell her I did not soil my party clothes, well I did, but I cleaned them right away,” she giggled.

When she went to make the call, Bruce told his parents, “That was an inside joke, last thing Mrs. Finn told Lara when she asked to come help me do yard work was for Lara not to dirty her party clothes.”

His parents laughed. Then his father spoke, “You may not have made the deadline if Lara had not helped you. I am not so sure you were in complete compliance under the rules. We decided when we saw how well you two worked together, to give you this one. But, you are to remain nude until school tomorrow, understood?”

Bruce nodded in the affirmative as Lara walked back in. “I was warned again by my sister to not be late for curfew. What time does the sun set tonight? If I’m not in fifteen minutes before then the JPO can pick me up.”

“I believe it is 8:10 tonight,” Mr. Wilkes said, “Just let me check that on the computer.” He returned in three minutes to say, “Sunset is 8:12 to be precise. We will drive you home so that you may scamper into your backdoor unseen if you wind up too close to your time.”

“Or, since you are already dressed for school, if you wished to sleep over here tonight that is also a possibility. Bruce has bunk beds; he can clear the action figures off the top bunk for you.” Mrs. Wilkes suggested.