Modest indulgence

Thursday 16 October 2008

The warm weather and fair breezes continue. As soon as I got home I went up to my room and slowly, almost as though I were teasing myself, I got out of everything. It's an indulgence that seems almost like a ritual by now, but it's October, and I figure (and Jessy agrees) that so long as we CAN, we SHOULD. We are NOT a 'nudist family' at all; we are just two girls who have discovered something innocent and pleasant to do with ourselves and have discovered that our family do not make a big deal over it. However this time I felt pretty tingly all over and impatiently I scampered up onto my bed. Fortunately by the time Jessy came in I was all done and scarcely even panting as I lay atop all the covers and opened my book.

I went on reading in 'Evelina', atop my bed on my tummy with the book on my pillow and my knees apart and my feet in the air, with both windows behind me open to the gentle sea breeze even as it began to grow cooler. Jessy came in, naked also, and sat at my table doing her toenails, somewhere beyond my feet where I could not see her and would not care. Little Lisa came in when she got home from school, teased us both about being naked, and then let Jessy talk her into doing her nails. It's the nontoxic stuff anyway-- believe or not Daddy has always forbade us serious nail varnish and especially the acetone-based stuff to remove it. I complained about having wanted some quiet to read, so they cleared out and I had my own room to myself till nearly dinner when Daddy knocked at the front gallery door.

'Oh,' he said peering round the door edge after I had bade him to come in. 'Sorry--'

I did not move but to turn my head and lift one shoulder. 'It's all right. What did you need?'

He hesitated, then stepped mostly round the door. 'Just seeing what you're doing up here,' he said with a sheepish smile. 'Also.... Well, I have to go up and check on the boat this weekend, and I could use the help.'

I nodded at once, from where I was with the book between my elbows. Behind me, my feet swung up and my ankles crossed. 'Sure,' I said.

'You don't have anything planned?'

'No. I mean nothing I can't change.'

'No, never mind it. Don't change your plans. It's only winterising; another weekend would do as well.'

I shook my head, shaking my hair into my eyes so that I had to push it back with my whole hand. 'No, Daddy, I don't mean that. I mean I don't have anything planned at all.'

'Oh,' he said. 'Didn't... Brett ask you?'

'Ask me--?'

'Out. You know... anywhere.'

I laughed a little. 'No, Daddy, he hasn't asked me. Homecoming is not till next week.'

'Oh,' he said, looking about himself and feeling almost as awkward about asking me about my dating life as I was taking these questions. 'Oh, well, I'm sorry.'

I smiled, feeling shy. 'Daddy, it's hardly your fault.'

'Yes, but I want you to be happy.' We met eyes then. 'So, if we leave early on Saturday, we can still salvage something of the day.'

'Or, we can stop at IHOP on the way back, just us, and have pancakes for supper.'

Daddy laughed. 'Right,' he said. He shrugged and looked across the room. 'Aren't you chilly with these windows open?'

I shrugged, turning over my own shoulder to look at them too. 'No. Not really. I'm very comfortable.'

Daddy laughed. 'I'm sure you look it.' We both laughed then. He turned to go out, almost disappearing past the door, and then his head ducked back in. 'Janine?'

'Yes, Daddy?'

'Put on something for dinner this time.'

I blushed and then nodded, because he was leaving. 'Yes, of course, Daddy.'

I did dress for supper-- in sleep shorts and my cover-up shirt-- and then afterwards I came up here and took it off, because with days like this getitng rarer it's meaningful to celebrate it, you know. But I fell asleep reading till Jessy woke me up and wanted me to watch 'Back To The Future' with her down stairs. By now I'm not tired and even though the front is rolling in I'm still naked and will probably be up half the night online.

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