Episode 10: "I want to see you ... Now!"

Tom, grabbing his courage with both hands, put the blanket down and sat down on the couch, facing Jennifer. Linda unwrapped herself from the towel and sat down next to him with one hand on his knee.

"Now, there's no need to ask you what you were doing because, just as obviously, I was doing the same thing you were. What I don't understand is why you would want to take the risk, with Mr. Hartwell's strictures on nude bathing and especially co-ed nude bathing, of getting caught skinny dipping when you could do it home without getting expelled."

Tom answered, defiant, "It was my first time; I wasn't sure I could go through with it. I asked Linda to help me build up my courage, so that I would be able to do it for when..."

"For when... ? For when, what?"

"..."

"Why don't you give me a couple of minutes so that I can finish making the hot chocolate, Linda, and then you can explain to me what's going on."

So, after handing out a brimming cup of hot chocolate to each one, she sat down comfortably in her sofa, facing the kids and holding her own cup in both hands, indicated to Linda to start her tale. Linda told her everything, from the time when she had stripped down in front of Tom to show him that there was no shame in nudity, how she had been disappointed when the girl's camp burnt down, how she had loved being nearly naked outside while waiting for the shower, how she had been angry and upset when Hartwell had imposed his puritanical rules, how she thought that Karen and Heather, in spite of being rich, were two lonely girls and of her plot to get everyone naked so as to do away with class distinctions.

"You're saying that Pete and Lisa are involved in this plot of yours?"

"Don't be hard on them; from what Robert told us, the older boys are always going on naked outings on the island; it seems to be a regular thing with them. Lisa didn't want to have anything to do with it but he blackmailed her into going along with the plan. She warned me to be careful with whom I spoke because Hartwell would fire them and expel us. I don't want them to get into trouble because of me; if you must discipline someone, go ahead and expel me, I'll understand but don't fire them, please?"

"Oh, no, you don't! I won't let you take all the blame on yourself; if they're going to throw you out, they better throw me out, as well, because it was my stupid idea to go skinny dipping."

"Quiet down, Tom! First of all, skinny dipping is never a stupid idea, in my opinion. Linda is perfectly right; there's nothing shameful in being naked, and being naked with someone else is the nicest way of expressing that you have confidence in the person or people with you. Nobody's going to be thrown out or fired if I can help it. Now, if you have finished your chocolate, why don't you get dressed again and go back, quietly, to your cabins. I want to talk to Pete and Lisa."