Bare

'Aww! You're really cute!' said Barb. 'Such a beautiful smile too!' She became distracted by how naturally pretty Christine was and contemplated all the things she could do to accentuate her features.

'Please! Stop this!' said Christina. 'I'm too ticklish!'

'No chance! I haven't even had my fun yet!' said Clancy. 'Now gimme that other foot!' She pulled up a stool next to Barb and yanked Christina's right foot into her lap.

'Did you know you two have identical feet?' said Barb. 'Not surprising as you're cousins, but it's like lookin' at before- and after-a-suntan photos. All you need now is some decoration!' She kicked off a flip-flop and waggled her foot in Christina's direction. In a different moment Christina would have wondered how someone with the regular complement of toes managed to fit seven toe rings onto one foot, or marvelled at the pleasant musical sound made by the assortment of anklets that hung from Barb's shapely leg. However, in this moment, she had the strong and novel desire to take revenge on the woman's exposed sole, but Joshua's hold on the towel was too strong.

'Can we get with the programme?' said Clancy. 'I am here to tickle the hell out of my cousin's foot.'

This was said with such comical rectitude that Christine couldn't help laughing, even though she was dreading what was to come next. Clancy smiled in response and teased under Christine's slippery toes with her fingertips, causing Christine to lapse into giggles.

'That's no good!' said Barb. 'You've got no nails!'

'I can't have claws like yours when I go surfin' each day! Anyway, what difference does that make?'

'I'll show ya!' said Barb and she scurried her ten long, false nails at once all over Christine's hypersensitive sole.

Clancy growled in frustration that her fingernails weren't long enough produce the same effect as Barb's and quickly overcame the issue by lowering her head to playfully gnash on Christina's big toe.

Christine's eyes widened in disbelief at the electric sensations that sailed through her body. Forced to abandon all resolve, she threw her head back and felt a wave of relief rush from inside her as she submitted to a pure, primal state of hysterical laughter.

Joshua had to shout to be heard over her peals of laughter: 'Looks like your gaining an audience, cuz!'

She looked up and followed his line of vision out the boutique window to see two Ozzie blokes standing on the street, sipping glasses of beer. They had evidently heard the raucousness from the pub next door and come out to see what all the noise was about.

The surreal nature of the situation was exemplified when, through eyes streaming with tears of laughter, Christine watched as both raised their glasses in appreciation of the scene. This made her laugh even more and she sank back into the chair. Whether Joshua's towel had been there or not, she wouldn't have moved because she now had an answer to her previous rumination: she enjoyed being tickled.

-- -- --

Christine and Clancy stood side-by-side at the front desk as Clancy paid Barb for the treatment. Christine looked down and smiled at Barb's observation -- they did have identical feet, although hers were paler and now had glow-in-the-dark orange nail polish.

'Can we get our arses to the beach now?' asked Joshua.

'You'd better!' said Barb. 'Go show off them pretty tootsies and don't forget to tell people where you got 'em done!'

'I will!' smiled Christine.

They said their goodbyes and headed to the beach. Christine smiled all the way. Her cousins assumed it was because she had lightened up a bit, but it was actually because she had just hatched a plan as to how to get both cousins buried with their heads and feet poking out above the sand. After all, she had pretty long fingernails too...

THE END.