Chapter 3: Best Laid Plans

"Just a second, please," said Sarah. It was not a request.

She strode over to a lady in her 30's, sitting near the pool.

"Justine?" she asked, not quite sure if she had the right person.

"Yes? Mother Miles?" The woman was clearly astonished. "I didn't know..."

"Neither did I," responded Sarah dryly. "Can I assume that if my daughter-in-law is around here, my son and grandchildren are around here somewhere?"

"He's playing handball," Justine Miles responded. "The boys are in the pool." She pointed to two blond kids, aged 8 and 9. "Mike! Matt! Come and say hello to your grandmother!"

Both boys waved, and then when they realized which grandmother, waded over to greet her by the side of the pool.

"Well, boys, are you having a good time?"

"Yes," they responded. The older, Matt, asked, "Grandma, what are YOU doing here?"

"Research," she said cryptically. "It's proving to be more informative than I thought it would," she added, looking over her shoulder at her embarrassed daughter-in-law. "You boys enjoy your fun. I'm getting the nickel tour from Diane over there."

Sarah passed by the nonplussed Justine. "And how long have you been going here?"

Justine pointed vaguely toward the dome's perimeter. "My family has had a cottage here since before I was born. Bobby and I started coming here back when we were dating."

"Oh." Sarah took the information in, and advised her, "We're going to have to talk about this more later." She pointed to the luxury restaurant. "What's it like?"

"Expensive, but the food justifies it."

"And the dress code? I left my clothes at the change room lockers at the other end of that train line."

"Nude, of course. It's in a naturist resort."

"Oh." Sarah turned to Diane. "Can you change the reservation to add two more, my son and daughter-in-law?"

"Certainly, madame."

In the main shopping district of Lunar City, Tom Lucas and his wife Barbara were on an afternoon walkabout, prior to heading for a campaign trip to the Outer Planets. They'd be away for two weeks.

The reporters were shouting out questions, some of which made the couple wince.

"Will you be bringing your children with you?"

"What about your naturist daughter?"

"What about your son?"

"Will you be going to any naturist resorts to campaign?" President Yamashita had already been to many naturist resorts on her campaign trips.

"What about the Conservative Party's anti-nudity stance? How does this affect that platform plank?"

Off in the distance, a group of naked men, women and even children were waving signs bearing such slogans as "Nude Ain't Rude!" and "Freedom to be Clothesfree!"

Opposite them, carefully separated by police, supporters of Reverend Matthew Calhoun were also marching with signs of their own, indicating their disapproval of clothing-optional and naturist resorts and living arrangements.

"No, we will not be taking the children with us. School is in session, and we value their education. We trust the couple who will be looking after them. We'll be back in just a couple of weeks, after all." It was with decided relief that the couple made it back to the Party offices.

"I'm sorry, Barbara, my dear. If I'd have known I'd be putting you through this hell, I'd have never run for public office."

"I knew you were a politician when we met, and still married you. We'll get through this." Barbara hugged him close. "It'll all be worth it when you're sitting in Government House." They walked into the boardroom, Tom's arm over Barbara's shoulders protectively.

"Ah, there the two lovebirds are!" the party Whip called. "I was worried I'd have to send out a search party."

"Just the crush of the press, the naturists and the Very Reverend Calhoun's followers." Tom winced at the memory.

"Bee in their Very Reverend bonnets?" enquired a member of the executive.

"They're afraid of the naked body." Tom sighed.

"Oh, good. You're going to love this. Apparently the very schools your son and daughter attend are going naturist."

Tom goggled, and Barbara giggled. "They're going what?" he demanded.

"Going naturist." The Whip didn't crack a smile.

"You are kidding, of course," averred an astonished Tom. "You are definitely kidding."

"The Spican diplomatic mission is being upgraded to a full embassy," advised the Party Whip. "The new ambassador has kids. Four of them. It was apparently a point of negotiation, she demanded that they 'find my kids a nude school' if they wanted her to come here." He handed Tom his data pad. "They may well have found those nude schools. On the request of the Solarian Department of Foreign Affairs, no less."

Tom picked up the pad and scanned the official request. "How are they going to persuade the school board to do this?"