Chapter 20: Friday

It was Thursday when Jim and Denise and the O'Malleys arrived. Sigrid met them at the airport, feeling a little silly carrying a sign with a big 'Still Waters' logo.

"I'm Jim Positano, and this is Denise."

"Hi, I'm Sigrid Sorenson. Mary's teaching today; said she's sorry she couldn't meet you."

"Hey there, you're Sigrid! Hi, Jim, Denise. I'm Al O'Malley and this is Margaret."

"Sigrid Sorenson. I just explained that Mary's teaching this afternoon, couldn't meet you. She'll meet up with us later."

In the van, the visitors got re-acquainted, and talked with Sigrid.

"How did you recognize me?" Sigrid asked Al.

"Mary didn't tell us much about your bunch, outside of putting names to your pictures in the catalog." Al explained. "But I certainly remember you as Leda."

"My God," Sigrid said, "I think I'm blushing! I'm proud of that picture, and I know I look great in it. I've just never had anyone recognize me from it before."

"Sigrid, I've had those catalogs from the first issue. I love them, and I've sold quite a lot of your stuff."

"Yes, I looked you up after you wrote and found you're one of our earliest customers. It's great to meet you both. And Mary's told us all about you."

"Did she tell you about how we met on the plane?" Denise asked.

"Uh... Yes, some of it."

"Go on," Jim said, "I'll bet she gave you a blow-by-blow..."

"Jim!"

"Sorry. Anyway, a detailed story of that great vacation we all shared. If she didn't, I'll have to do it myself. She played a big part in making it that way."

"Well, yes, she did tell us all about it. I just wasn't sure..."

When the van came into the drive, Mary came out the door. She still had her boots and jeans on, but she was topless in the warm sunshine.

"Hi, great to see you," she said and began hugs and kisses all round.

They went inside to meet the rest of the group. All the women were topless, and Heather wore only a crazy geometric design on her tummy. The men wore shorts.

After introductions, Margaret said, "Uh, Mary, I notice you're dressed for the weather..."

Mary laughed. "I was just on my way to shower. I don't usually go out front in the altogether, Margaret. If you want to shed your clothes no one here will have a problem."

Without further discussion, Margaret unbuttoned her blouse and took it off. "Where should I put this?" she asked.

The guests were shown rooms upstairs and came back down topless. They got the tour of the house, beginning with The Goddesses and the gallery.

Jim said, "I saw these in the catalog Mary showed us. They are simply wonderful. And, Sigrid, I did recognize you instantly at the airport."

"I guess I'm the one who's indiscreet," Al said.

"Forget it, Al," Sigrid said, "We've sent out thousands of those catalogs, not just to dealers like yourself. It was just the first time."

"Dealer in what, Al?" Denise wanted to know.

"I have an art gallery in Atlanta. I sell mostly the normal stuff, but I also sell erotica. I've sold a few of the Still Waters things. I also collect some for myself. I love the Asian things you have, Anne."

Downstairs, they took in the sauna and the Big Bed with its pillows, cushions and duvets. Margaret said, "I take it this is why no one seems to be upset at our taking your bedrooms. Looks like fun."

Outside, the pool beckoned, and there were drinks waiting beside it. Denise pulled off her shorts and dove into the water, followed by Margaret. After a brief swim, they bounced out, streaming water onto the deck. Margaret wiped water from her arms and breasts and looked at Ken with a grin.

"No way, Margaret. Not on an empty stomach."

"What's that?" Sigrid asked. She had settled on a lounge and was now naked, too.

"Margaret has this thing, Sigrid, when her breasts are wet. She likes having them licked dry."

"Ken," Margaret kidded, "if your problem is an empty stomach, you can eat me, too."

"Mary! Protect me from this woman."

"Go to hell, Chance. Deal with it."

"I'll take care of it, Ken. I'm used to it," Al said, and took his wife in his arms, kissing and caressing her, and slowly working his way toward her breasts. Margaret pulled his shorts off and closed her eyes. They stood by the pool making vertical love to one another for a while, then disappeared into the house.

Jim and Denise, meanwhile had disposed of Jim's shorts and were talking with Anne and Saul. By the time Al and Margaret returned, the second round of drinks had been poured.

They chatted and fooled around until the sun began to sink, then started up the barbecue and toasted steaks. Vegetables appeared from inside, prepared in advance by Sigrid and Heather.

"Looks like everyone is up for cappuccino nudo," Anne noted, and led the way inside to the living room. There, under the eyes of The Goddesses, they talked about the art side of the business, and the fun they had with it.

"Will," Al said, "How come you don't just hire some African-Americans to pose for you? I'll bet there are plenty of them at the University."

"Yes, there are, Al, and I could do that. But it doesn't work out well for me. I don't know if you noticed, but all the people in our Erotics and Explicits are just from this group here. I sketch them while it's happening, then I work out the full details. I can't do that with hired people."

"I suppose. Wouldn't you like more variety?"

"Well, I certainly would like to do some African-Americans. It would be very interesting just from an artistic point. The colors, the shadings, all that. As for variety, though, our nudes sell well as it is and I'm developing a new series, too."

"What is that?" Margaret asked.

"More mature people as full-size Nudes. I've done some already, hang on."

Will went off to his studio and came back with several drawings.

"I don't usually show unfinished work, Al, but I'd like your opinion. What do you think of this one?"

Margaret took a look and chuckled. "It's Lucy!"

"Oh, right," Will said, "I forgot you know her."

"Oh, yes. And that's her to a tee. I can almost hear her. She's having an orgasm, isn't she?"

Mary laughed, "You bet she is, Margaret. You've seen her like that often enough."

The other pictures were of Muriel and Sandy, and one of Harry. All were strong and loving in their sexuality.

"I really like them, Will," Al said. "I could sell some of those, but I could sell a whole lot of them if they were African-Americans."

"I'll have to think about that, Al," Will said.

"What's the problem?"

Anne interrupted. "Will's problem is this, Al. Take a look at the picture of Sigrid as a virgin. Then, look at her as Leda. How do you think Will understood how she had changed?"

"Oh... Yes," Margaret said, "In that one she is a virgin. In the other, Will has made love with her."

"Margaret, I'm afraid it's the only way I can really do it. I've tried with some others. Take this one..." He held up a picture of Pat, his mother, posed nude.

Al said, "Right, Will. You're right. It's lovely, but it lacks something. I take it you have not made love to her?"

"No. In fact, I've never see her naked; she even keeps her crotch covered in the sauna." Will said.

Anne explained again, "Actually, that's his mother..."

"Oops! Sorry, Will."

"No, Al, I'm sure Will would gladly take her to bed, she's a wonderful person. She is his mother, but I'd really like to see how Will would do her, if..."

Al asked, "Now, how do you do the Explicits? I guess, from something Mary said, that the Erotics are just drawings of all of you in various combinations, but kept anonymous. What about the Explicits? Are they posed for or are they family, too?"

Will grinned at Anne and Saul, and said, "Uh... yes they're family. Actually, up to now, just the eight of us. Ken's new, and I haven't..."

"Yeah, to put it straight, you haven't done a detail of someone fucking my mom," Heather said. "Yet."

"Yet," Will agreed. "But I probably will unless you don't..."

"No problem, Will. I've thought about doing it myself. Took a good look last time she was here."

"Do you do the drawings, too?" Denise asked.

"No, right now I'm busy with another project, but as soon as that's over, I want to get back to doing figures. See, Will draws with a pencil, I draw with the computer. It ends up a little different, but mainly, it's just my way."

Anne said, "The other reason we limit our models to family, Margaret, is that we think we reduce our legal exposure. We've all signed releases for Will, and we all live together. And, the parents Will has done have signed releases, too."