Chapter 6: New Year's Eve

You are invited to
New Years Celebration
at Still Waters
from Friday, December 29
to Wednesday, January 2.

One bed will be provided for each two persons on request.
Otherwise, common sleeping arrangements provided.

Feel free to arrive and leave when you wish.
Clothing is always optional.

Friday supper at 7 p.m.

R.S.V.P.

Alex's, Will's and Heather's parents sent regrets. Dan and Consuela were busy. Sarah and Steve helped with the preparations.

At supper, Saul greeted their guests. They were all lightly clad in the warmth of the house. "I'm glad you remembered that we don't dress formally here. I thought I'd mention a couple of house rules, even though some of you already know them.

"First, the cook never has to wash dishes. Second, if you use the rooms or beds upstairs you are guaranteed privacy unless you leave the door open. Open Door means Open House. Third, the Big Bed downstairs has a magical property. If you sit or step or lie on it, you become fair game for anyone's advances anywhere in the house except under privacy. Finally, you can always say 'No'. 'No' is respected at all times."

Lucy Travis, Mary's mother, said, "Saul, could Sam and I be an exception as far as the Big Bed is concerned? We'd like to join you, but I'm still trying to make up for all those years I wouldn't let him near me."

Saul looked around. "Anyone object?"

"I do," Sigrid said. "Forgive me, Lucy, I understand how you feel and I agree with the feeling. But you're asking us to take over your responsibility. Before Tom and I got married, I had to hang out with these gorgeous, horny people, naked half the time, and then go home to the dorm at night. And when we did get married, I had to stay away from the Big Bed until I was ready to play the whole game."

"Sigrid, you're right. I take it back.

"Anyway," Lucy continued, "I want you all to know this is my new-life birthday, December 29. A year ago, I came back to life and discovered I have a beautiful, wonderful daughter and an incredible husband. I also remembered that I used to be a pretty horny lady. I guess it's time to put the past behind me and be myself completely... Is that all right, Sam?"

"Of course, love. It is time."

"And, as Saul said," Sigrid added, "you can always say 'No'."

Mary had tears in her eyes.

Saul resumed, "Now, on to something else. Still Waters has a new product we call Virtual Jewelry. We thought it would be fun to make it part of our holiday. It was developed by Heather."

Heather stood up and pulled off her tee-shirt, her only clothing. Her torso was covered from the slopes of her breasts to her pubis with swooping bands of vivid color, a living graffito.

"OOOh!" Susan Harrison said.

"Virtual Jewelry is a safe, non-toxic colored adhesive you apply to your skin. When it reaches skin temperature, the stickiness disappears. It will stay there until you wash it off with this soap." She held up a bottle. "My costume was painted on, but there are many other possibilities. Mary?"

Mary took off her shirt. Her body was covered from just below her breasts with rows of horses heads, rising high over her hips like a bathing suit. Her breasts were the color of The Bay's chestnut coat. At the bottom was the gold of her pubic hair. She turned. The pattern covered her back and dipped into the crevice of her buttocks.

Heather held up a sheet of paper covered with the same horse heads. "Mary simply attached the transfers where she wanted them. If you make a mistake, a solution of this soap and water will remove it. We have hundreds of different patterns, images, stripes, and objects. We even have letters. Alex, please?"

Alex pulled up the sleeves of his shirt. On one arm was the word 'Right', on the other, "Left".

"Here's how they work." Heather took up a transfer of a fleur de lys and smoothed it between her breasts. "Smooth it on, wait for it to warm up — you'll know because the backing will turn color — and simply peel the backing off." The golden trefoil gleamed on her skin.

"Only one caution. These transfers will not stick to pubic hair. Nothing to worry about, it just doesn't work and you'll have to wash it off. Short body hair's okay, but long hair, such as in your crotch or on men's chests, no."

Saul took over again, "Thanks. Heather will gladly advise any of you who want to make a special fashion statement.

"Now, we thought this up just for fun. At your place, each of you will find a small box. In the box are a number of transfers, all of one particular symbol. I call them Brag Marks. If you have had a particularly nice encounter with someone, just attach one of your Brag Marks to him or her."

"One caution here, however. If you place a Brag Mark on someone, and he or she says it didn't happen, you must immediately correct the situation or make a public apology. The option is the accuser's."

After dessert, Anne announced cappuccino nudo, her special coffee, served and consumed in the nude. Susan Harrison said to her husband, "Moment of truth, Doug," and they slipped out of panties and briefs. Inge Sorenson was already nude. Muriel and Harry had not worn clothes since the sauna. They went into the living room, in front of the fire.

Over coffee, they chatted, looked at the catalog of Virtual Jewelry. Muriel picked out two pretty, swirling designs for her breasts, Harry helped her attach them.

Sandy Stilwell asked for a pair of half moons. She went to Sam and Lucy Travis and sat on the coffee table in front of them. "Would you two please put these on me? So they cradle my breasts."

By the time the second cup of coffee had been served, the women were all splendidly decorated with colorful designs covering most of their bodies.

Harry said, "I hate to say it, but our ladies all look like they're fully dressed."

Sam said, "They sure don't feel like it." He demonstrated on Lucy.

When they had stripped for coffee, Sigrid and Anne revealed bodies resplendent in color and design. Sigrid, particularly, was covered from breast to pubis with vines and flowers that showed off her lovely skin and long torso.

Applying the transfers to the other women took quite a while. By the time they were finished, it had gotten late, and Harry and Muriel drifted off to bed upstairs. The Harrisons and Sorensons followed soon after.

Sandy Stilwell stood up. Her half-mooned breasts shone above an expanse of waves across her tummy. She looked at her husband. "Joe, I want you. Either take me down to the bed, or do it to me here." As Joe led her downstairs, the light caught a cockatoo that rose from the cleft of her buttocks, its wings spread across her back.

Sarah, wearing brass door knockers on her full breasts and a horseshoe on each buttock lead Steve downstairs soon after.

The rest followed as soon as they could put out the lights. Downstairs, Lucy sat on the Big Bed. "Well, here I am. By house rules, I'm fair game. Sam, I want you first. You're my birthday present, and I see you've already got a nice candle for me."

At breakfast, Harry and Muriel wore several of each others' Brag Marks. The group from below had a more varied assortment. Sigrid and Tom's parents wore none, but no one remarked on it.

"This Virtual Jewelry is really wonderful, Heather," Sandy Stilwell said. "I could look clothed if I wanted to, like you do. But I feel as bare as I am. It's wonderful."

"Mom, Heather hasn't hardly worn a stitch since she got this figured out. Not in the house at least."

"You know, Anne, I could wear something like what Heather's got on downstairs at home and no one would know I'm naked unless they got inside the house. It's wonderful. Heather, can you do big transfers like what you're wearing?"

"I'll have to see. It sounds like a good idea, just have to work it out. We could call it Virtual Clothing."

"Only problem is that bush." Harry said.

"Don't ask me to start shaving, Harry Katz."

"Never fear. Just an observation."

"Harry, I'm working on it," Heather said. "Anne's got the perfect solution, but it's not for most of us. I need to find a way to cover the pubis without a lot of straps and harness."

Lucy said, "What peeves me is these men. Look at you. Not one of you has anything more on than brag marks and an old-fashioned tattoo. Just you wait, I'm going to fix that."

It being Saturday, the Katzes and Anne dressed and went to synagogue. The rest lay about in front of the fires, talking and reading and loving. In the afternoon, Sarah, Mary, Will and Muriel went riding, though it was cold and a storm was brewing. By the time they got back, it had started to snow.