Kay smiled and waved from the front porch of the old Victorian house when Kelsey drove in the driveway. "Hi Honey!" she yelled. It was late in the day on Sunday, and Kay's naked body was dirty from a day of spring gardening. "Did you have a good trip?" she asked, as Kelsey trotted over to embraced her.
"It was the best, Mom," Kelsey said. "Raymond's really happy, and his friends are awesome. We had a blast."
"Oh, good. I was hoping he'd settle in and be comfortable down there. Good roommates are important when you're living in a new city."
"You and Daddy and me should go down sometime. We could have a party with Raymond and the boys and Ashley, and there's two girls Raymond works with that are super fun. They'd love Daddy."
"I'll ask him, Honey. Sounds like fun. Did you see some of the city with Raymond?"
Kelsey told her about the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and the topless rally in Times Square. "It was the coolest thing, havin' out titties out right in the middle of the city like that. The woman I was talking to said it's legal in New York State, but people don't do it because you can still get arrested for other stuff."
"Yes, it's still not accepted," Kay said. "The law's
technically
on our side, in some situations."
"She told me I should talk to my State Senator. Do you know who that is?"
"Yes, Joan Fresco. I've met her."
"You
know
her?"
"Not really, your father and I met her at the school. She was talking about taxes. She's very nice."
"So how do I talk to her?"
"You'll need to call her office and make an appointment. I'm sure she's very busy, so get all your facts straight and make some notes before you go. You'll have a much better chance of getting her on your side if you make a good case."
A week later, Kelsey, Brie and Charity sat nervously on leather chairs in a small conference room at the State Office Building. Kelsey felt awkward in her high-buttoned conservative shirt, like she was covering up what she was there to talk about, but Brie and Charity were comfortable in their teacher clothes. Senator Fresco walked in, looking very businesslike in a navy-blue pinstripe skirt suit. After the introductions Kelsey launched into her argument for a more lenient bare breast law.
"I'm a Republican, girls," Senator Fresco said, when Kelsey had finished. "It'd be political suicide for me to sponsor a bill like that. New York is a blue state, but upstate, when you get away from the cities and the colleges, it's surprisingly conservative, especially out where the beaches are."
"But think how nice it would be, Joan," Kelsey said. "Wouldn't you like to be topless in the sun?"
"Kelsey, not all women have your genetic makeup." She looked around to make sure they were alone and the doors to the room were closed. "I look nothing like you girls. I was saggy when I was a teenager, and..."
"It's not a beauty contest we're here about," Kelsey said, sounding remarkably polished at politicking. "It's about freedom, and comfort, for all women, of all ages. Think how nice it would be, Joan, just to feel the sun on you like that. And even saggy girls look good on their back. Imagine yourself lying on your back on the warm sand in the summer sun. Your husband spreads sunscreen on you, all over your soft tits. Some handsome men are nearby, watching. It's like a summertime dream. You've got the power to make dreams real."
Joan had fallen under Kelsey's hypnotic spell. "I have some good friends on the Democratic side," she said. "I may be able to get one or two of them to sponsor what you're looking for. But I'll be honest, this is the kind of change that might take years, decades even. Are you in for the long fight?"
Kelsey smiled and nodded. She was.
—
Kelsey's phone rang when she was on her lunch break at work.
"Kelsey? Hi, it's Wendy."
"Wendy! Hi!"
"How's everything?" Wendy asked. "Are you and the girls good? How's my Richie?"
"Richie's as sweet as ever. Yeah, were all good. What's up, Honey?"
"So I don't really know how to ask you this, but Barb told me to just blurt it out," Wendy said, sounding nervous. "Barb said you know all about that day Austin was at the gym, with Barb and...and me."
"Sure, Honey. It's all good, you know. You're not feelin' bad about it, are you? Austin said it was super fun. He told me all about it. I think it's hilarious that he shot his load right in front of that woman."
Wendy giggled. "Good Lord, Kelsey, you do know how to lighten a mood. Yeah, looking back on it it is kind of hilarious, isn't it."
"Have you seen her since then? That woman?"
"Yup. Just a few days ago," Wendy said. "She seems kind of lonely. We talked a little. I could tell she wanted to ask about it. About Austin."
"Is she cool?" Kelsey asked. "You could talk to her some more and see if she seems cool. You guys could hook her up with Austin in the shower some day."
"Oh my God! Really? I mean, that sounds crazy..."
"It's just a thought," Kelsey said. "Is that what you called about?"
"No, it's not. So, I guess I'll just blurt it out, like I'm supposed to. I'm feeling bad that I've been with Austin twice now and Matt hasn't been with any of the younger girls. Oh my God, hearing myself say that seems so odd..."
"He's been with Ashley."
"Yes, and she was great, but...I was thinking more of...you."
Kelsey smiled. "Really? Yeah, I'm in, Honey! I was hoping."
"You were?"
"Sure! Matt's a cutie. We all kinda wanna."
"Wow," Wendy said. "Okay. Wow, this is the weirdest conversation I've ever had. This life you and your parents are into, it's just so different. I feel like I'm not even me."
"It's good, right? So what did you have in mind? Like, a couples night with me and Austin?"
"I don't even know, Kelsey. I'd like it to be really special for him. I mean just the fact that it's you will be plenty, but..."
"Let me think it over," Kelsey said. "Yeah, we'll come up with somethin' great for him. The weather's gettin' super nice, so...do you guys ever go camping?"
"We used to. Yeah, we used to like that kind of thing. Richie was conceived in a tent in the Adirondacks."
"Cool! I love that! Okay, how 'bout this. There's this little super private beach we found up at Sandgrass Pond. My friend has a big tent we can borrow and all the gear we need. We can do it this weekend but it's Memorial Day. We'll have to get there early to snag the spot. You guys got plans already?"
"No. I mean, yes, we do, but it's nothing we can't get out of. The weather's supposed to be really nice. Wow, Kelsey. Is the rest of my life gonna be like this? My heart's pounding. I haven't been this excited about a summer weekend since I was a
teenager
."
"You hang with me, girl, and your heart'll never slow down," Kelsey said. "Austin's gonna be so excited. He just thinks you're the cutest."
Wendy's heart beat even faster. She was thankful for all the time she'd spent on cardio at the gym.
—
Memorial Day weekend arrived so quickly Wendy felt like she hadn't adequately prepared herself for what was to come. The whole of the last few months had been that way, rolling from one new sexual experience to another, without the thoughtful deliberation that would have, more likely than not, talked her out of everything. She was glad, in a way, but it was dizzying. She felt off balance, but it was thrilling, like a tightrope walker feeling the vibrations through her feet, leaning at an awkward angle, catching herself with adrenaline and some magic, and then turning around and doing it again.
"I'm looking forward to camping again," she said to Matt, after a long quiet spell in the car on the drive up to Sandgrass.
"Me too," he said, keeping his eyes on the highway.
The conversation went quiet again, classic rock on the radio giving them both something to think about other than throwing their marriage into the swinger spinner for another go-round.
When they turned into the marina parking lot a half an hour later, Wendy was shocked to see Richie's car, and Richie and Abby leaning up against it, talking to Kelsey and Austin.
"Why are
they
here?" Wendy asked Matt. "Did you know about this?"
"Nope. You've told me how Kelsey operates. I'd be willing to guess this is her idea. Unless they're just out for a ride or something. Or maybe to spend the day swimming with us."
"Oh. Yeah, maybe," Wendy said, sounding a little calmer.