The Aftermath Ch. 03

"No, I think I'll just have a biscuit and wait 'till lunch since you let me sleep so long – why didn't you wake me?"

"Well, it's been a couple of rather stressful and hectic weeks for you and you obviously needed it, so I just let you sleep on. Take a paracetemol for your headache though, I put them by the kettle for you."

He was such a lovely man, thinking of everything for me. I got my tea, took the tablets and went back into the lounge, sitting down with the biscuits in a chair opposite Mike and next to Martin.

Again, nervously, Mike asked if he could get the file so that he could leave us in peace and Martin said he would, once we had drunk our teas. He went on to tell Mike about the last few weeks, and as he did so Mike became less flustered and more relaxed.

When he had finished, Mike asked me some questions, especially about me working, and travelling back and forth from work naked too, and I responded in the usual ways, explaining very briefly how it had all come about.

"I can't really see that catching on in our place, do you Martin?"

"No, I don't – and a good thing too I suspect. The work load would fall through the floor, I suspect."

Now this I took exception to, especially since the obverse was true where I worked. It prompted me to challenge what they thought, stating how it had helped my company – and if it can work there, why not other places too. Also, one of the things that I haven't before mentioned, was how much it had broken down barriers and become a 'leveller'. Everyone respected each other more and the more senior people in the firm treated those of us lower down the pay-grades much more like equals instead of mere junior office workers.

It had done the company good and it looked it would continue. Those of us lower down felt more involved in the company and wanted more to see it succeed, and worked with that in mind. It truly had made a great effect on the staff and thereby the company.

As it was something that neither of them had experienced, they couldn't comment, but I'm sure it made them both think about how the interactions between themselves and those both more and less senior to them worked.

I finished my tea and got up to take my cup back to the kitchen, asking Mike if he had finished to take his cup out too. He said he had and that he'd bring his and Martin's cup out, Martin, meanwhile, went to fetch the laptop from upstairs.

In the kitchen, now on our own if only for a few seconds, Mike asked if I had been hit on going about in public 'like that', and I said I hadn't, but I had made some new friends that I never would have in the past. He still couldn't quite believe it I don't think, so I got myself another drink and went out to the patio to drink it, enjoying the morning sun on my skin.

Given that I was visible to the houses to the back of us and that Geraint was in the garden proved to him what we had been saying, especially when Geraint came to say 'Hello', telling me that Sammie had gone over to Jen's (one of our neighbours in the close) and would be back soon. Just to make a point to Mike, I said "Gone naked again, I presume?" to Geraint, who closed his eyes and nodded. "Don't know if she's ever going to get dressed again at this rate – I am beginning to get used to it now though, and it's starting to be fun, in an odd sort of way."

I laughed and he went back to his chores while Mike sat at the deck table with his jaw hanging open. He did look a little shell-shocked.

"I'd appreciate it if you kept this to yourself at the office, I don't want to jeopardise Martin's future with stupid title tattle, if you don't mind. Or if you must say something, at least be adult about it." I asked him.

"Gina, if I told anyone in the office, they'd think I was out of my tiny little mind and not believe me anyway!"

"Thank you Mike." I said, and meant it.

I suspected though that if this were to continue, and I sincerely wanted it to, there would probably come a time when they would find out for themselves, but we'll deal with that when it arises, and not be pre-empted by a chatterbox.

A few minutes later, Martin came out to the patio with a CD in his hand, presumably containing the files that Mike required, and gave it to him.

"Thanks Martin, I'll be off now then and get on with this bloody project!"

He turned to me and said, "Thank you for your hospitality, It's been very interesting talking to you and without doubt a pleasure. And I'll be keeping this to myself at the office, but if you don't mind I'll be discussing this with my wife?"

I giggled a little and whilst Martin just smiled. I stood up and, holding out my hand again, said, "It's been a pleasure for me too, it's always nice getting to meet Martin's colleagues, and no I don't mind you telling your wife. Better for her to find out about something like this from you rather from someone else. If it does 'slip out' at the office though, please make it in an adult rather than a salacious manner will you?"

Mike smiled then and replied, "I don't know how anyone else could tell her to be honest, but yes, if she did find out about any other way than from me, she'd bound to be suspicious, and I don't have any plans to discuss this with anyone at the office. Your private life is nothing to do with them anyway Martin, but should it be somehow discussed at the office, I shall take care to make it an honest and grown up matter of conversation. Well, once again, thank you both. It's been a very pleasurable experience.

We both walked him to the door and saw him out. Just at that time, and I'm sure it didn't do much for Mike's 'temperature', Sammie came walking down the street on her way home. Once again, Mike got a little flustered when Sammie waved and came over to say good morning. Mike mumbled something to her, presumably by way of a general greeting, and walked off to his car.

We just waved and said 'good morning' to her and went back indoors.

I got myself another cup of tea and again sat out on the patio. My head was starting to feel better now and I was beginning to enjoy the sunshine. Martin came and sat with me and we just held hands lightly, neither of us saying anything for a while.

Eventually, Martin asked me how I felt about his work colleagues knowing about our new life together, which was now much more likely to be discovered by then following Mike's visit, despite what he had said about not discussing it. All it would take would be a couple of drinks after work and Martin felt that the cat would be out of the bag, as it were. I didn't answer for a while, just thinking things out in my own mind first. Whilst I did, the matter of our parents featured in my deliberations. Martin knew not to press me until I had given the question some thought. Have I told you all yet how considerate he can be? Well he is, always, and that just makes me love him more.

Speaking slowly, I said, "If", and I stressed the word, "this way of life is to continue, I don't see how it could not come out publicly some time, and probably sooner rather than later. I think that it may be better to deal with it in our own time and way before it does. Also, there's the matter of the legal ramifications of continuing with this to consider, I suppose. It's sure to come to that some time, I've – we all have – been lucky up to now, but there's going to be a moment when that luck runs out and the Police will become involved. I think, although we've discussed my continuing this before, we had better put our minds to all the ramifications of this before we tell your work colleagues, but only after, if necessary, our parents. So... do you want this to continue and bear up and face the consequences?"

Martin, too, didn't respond for a while, and I got up to refresh my tea. I called from the kitchen to see if he wanted one too. He did so I took one out to him while he mulled over the issues involved.

"How much have you enjoyed the last couple of weeks, and how much would you like that to continue. I'll tell you what I think after you've confirmed your desires for the future, because it's more about you than me?" he eventually asked.

Now it was my time to ponder. Did I want this to continue?

I thought about getting up and getting dressed every morning; worrying about what to wear each day, and how I had felt more free, outgoing and so, so much happier since Naked Friday was announced. Given those matters, of course I wanted it to continue – until you've tried it you just can't understand how liberating it is to just get out of bed, take a shower or wash and be 'ready to go'. I had made some new friends and genuinely enjoyed life much more recently. On the other hand, there was the constant possibility of being arrested. But then, there was still the offer of assistance from Richard and Rachel – really useful, him being a Barrister and all. Getting arrested then? So long as both Martin and I accept and expect it to happen, and both be prepared to deal with it, then yes, I desperately wanted to continue with this.

I asked Martin then, "Have you enjoyed the last few weeks?

"Yes, Yes and double Yes! I've never been in love with you so much as I am now, and for that, I don't care what you want to do about this. If you want to continue, then so be it, if you don't, well that doesn't matter either. I'm just happy to be with the most gorgeous woman I've ever met, not to say the most forthright, grounded and exciting person I've ever known. So I'm sorry, the answer to the question is on your shoulders and I'll repeat it – Do you want this to continue?"

I just melted listening to what he had said. I put my tea on the table, went over and sat on his lap and lightly kissed his soft welcoming lips.

"Yes please, I want to continue, despite all the things that could go wrong, the likelihood of being arrested too, Yes, I do want to remain naked, and not just for me, for both of us – because you've changed over the last few weeks too, and I so like what you are now and how much more loving our relationship has been since this started. Now I think we know too that we can trust each other implicitly, or we wouldn't have been able to do what we've done. So, if a thousand times Yes, Yes, Yes!

Martin just laughed, then said, "I take it you don't want anything to change then?"

Playfully, I slapped his chest and then kissed him again.

"Ouch!" he said, equally playfully.

"OK, I'm going to tell the people I work with what the situation is, and today we ring our parents to tell them. Better all round coming from the horses mouth, rather than people finding out when we're splashed all over the papers and television.

I kissed him again, this time tenderly and deeply, which just raised my, until now reasonably low, sexual temperature.

I had a feeling that the slow start to the day just may turn out to be a bit more hectic than I had expected. I could just imagine how hot the telephone was going to become!