Episode 18

"Pleased to meet you all," she said. "I'm Jacqueline and this is my daughter, September."

"It's lovely to meet you all," said Kelly. I wondered how Kelly managed to stay so cool and collected with her bush out in plain view.

"Do you come out to this beach often?" asked Jill.

"Actually, no. This is our first time," said Jacqueline. "We just moved to the area recently. Do you come here regularly?"

"Yes, you could say Jill and I visit here often," answered Kelly, "but this is Joe's first time."

"So, is it legal to um, be naked here?" asked Jacqueline, she almost whispered the last words.

"I don't know if it's legal to be in the nude here, per se," answered Kelly, "but we've never gotten hassled here."

"Oh, I see..." said Jacqueline, trying not to stare at our naked bodies.

September kept sneaking peeks at the three of us. I could feel her stares as if they were hands on my skin.

"I couldn't help but notice all of these art supplies," asked Jacqueline, trying to look away from the nudity, "but are you an artist or, ah, something?"

"Yes, I am," announced Kelly beaming with pride. "I am currently working on a project for a good friend of mine. We're doing a series of nudes. Jill and Joe are my models."

"Oh, I see," abashed Jacqueline. "I would be so embarrassed to pose nude."

"Actually, it's not bad at all," answered Jill. "You see, we're used to it; we're nudists."

The words hung in the air for a moment and were so tangible; you could almost reach out and grab them.

"Have you done anything that I might have seen?" asked Jacqueline.

"It's possible ... I won the Art Prize competition a few years ago," Kelly pointed out, "And I did the new installation at the Ban Centre."

"Oh, I love those sculptures," answered Jacqueline, astonished and then paused... "Forgive me, but they are all nudes."

"Yes, I firmly believe that the only pure art form is a depiction of the human body uncovered and in all its glory."

"They ARE stunning," replied Jacqueline, "as are your models."

"Thanks," interrupted Jill, "my mom and I both pose for Kelly all the time, and a couple of other artists, as well."

"Well, it's time that we get back to work," announced Kelly. "We don't want to lose this light."

"Oh, right. Where do you want us?" asked Jill as she jumped up and fluffed up her full bush with her hands.

Kelly set up her canvas in full view of the two clothed women. They were even closer to us now.

"Joe, we'll need to put on some more sunscreen since we went into the water," Jill reminded me.

Jill and I repeated the ritual we had done only a few hours before.

Kelly positioned us on the sand very close to Jacqueline and her daughter.

"Right about there," said Kelly to Jill, "just put your knee down."

"Like this?" purred Jill as she knelt with her knees spread wide apart and had her back to the blue water.