Freshers Ch. 05 - A Christmas to Remember

I decided not to reply to that, but gave her an opportunity to go on further, sensing she had more to say.

"But the fact I don't approve of what you did does not stop me from loving you, Theresa, or from respecting him as a person," she went on. "I may not approve of you having sex before marriage, and I can't pretend I understand, either. But I do accept it, as long as you can assure me that Tommy is prepared to do right by you."

She looked across at me as she drove.

"Don't worry, I'm not about to force him to marry you at gunpoint or anything," she said levelly.

"Compared to what he was afraid of, being made to marry me would make Tommy feel like he'd got off lightly!" I chortled.

"Why? What was he afraid I'd do to him?" Mum queried.

"Well, that you might, sort of, ahem, castrate him or something," I replied hesitantly.

"What? Castrate him?" Mum exclaimed, and then burst out laughing. "Silly boy! I don't know what stories you've fed him about what an ogre I've been towards you, but I'd never do anything like that! Castrating him? Hah!"

"I guess it was a bit irrational on his part," I reflected. "I tried to tell him it was a stupid thing to worry about, but you know what boys are like."

"Only too well!" Mum huffed in reply. "Which is why I tried my best to protect you from them. Evidently, I failed in that respect somewhat."

"I don't need protecting from boys, Mum!" I exclaimed, perhaps a little too loudly.

"Yes, but not all of them are like Tommy," Mum replied.

"Oh, Mum, spare me all that 'all men are potential rapists' claptrap!" I huffed.

"I never said that," Mum replied defensively. "But take it from me, sometimes their intentions aren't always entirely honourable. I wouldn't want you to be taken advantage of."

Her words, "taken advantage of," caused a sudden recollection to an incident during our holiday in France to flash across my memory.

"What if I was to tell you that I took advantage of him, would that change matters?" I asked her.

"I'm sorry, what do you mean by that?" Mum replied, clearly in some confusion.

So, I decided to enlighten her.

"When we were on holiday in France, I took advantage of Tommy," I began. "We were at a beach one afternoon and we both needed a wee - there weren't any toilets there so we had to, y'know, go behind the bushes."

"You - you did your business with each other?" Mum began aghast, before I raised my hand to stop her getting too far ahead of herself.

"We went behind separate bushes, Mum," I iterated sternly. "He didn't spy on me, before you get carried away."

"Sorry," Mum replied. "I shouldn't jump to conclusions like that."

"He didn't spy on me," I continued. "But I spied on him."

"You spied on him? As he was relieving himself?" Mum gasped.

"I'm not proud of it," I defended. "But yes, I spied on him as he was 'relieving' himself."

"But, why?"

"Think about it, Mum, I'm a young woman - with a young woman's desires and a young woman's curiosity," I began to explain. "You never allowed me to attend the sex education classes at school - I was the only girl who wasn't allowed to attend them. I had to go and sit in the school secretary's office all on my own while the other kids learnt all the things I should've been taught about sex and all that stuff."

"I was only trying to protect you..."

"Can't you see?" I interrupted her. "You thought you were protecting me from the horrors of sex, but all you were really doing was sheltering me. It took that incident on holiday in France to make me truly realise how emotionally stunted and immature I was. I didn't know what the boundaries were, I was curious about boys, and I crossed the line when I spied on him."

"I at least hope you apologised to him."

"It depends on how you define an apology," I said, biting my lip. "I'm afraid there was more to it than simply watching him pee."

I took in a deep breath, before launching into the second part of my confession.

"I touched him, Mum. Y'know, I touched his... his penis."

It was a good job Mum had pulled up outside Beth and Tommy's place by that point, as I was pretty sure she'd have lost control of the car had we been moving at the time, such was the look of complete and utter disbelief she gave me.

"Like I said," I carried on regardlessly. "I had no idea that it was wrong - to spy on him and to touch him like that without even asking. I hadn't been given that information. I touched his penis, Mum, and I made him, y'know, I made him get hard and er, y'know, made him come."

"And he simply allowed you to do that to him?" Mum gasped.

"I think he was too shocked to stop me at the time," I replied. "Of course I apologised to him as soon as I realised what I'd done, and he was pretty understanding about it."

"Oh, I bet he was!" Mum huffed derisively. "Getting a free, what do they call it? A handjob like that - I bet he felt like it was his birthday or something!"

I thought about correcting her that it was actually a blowjob, but felt it best not to push my luck too far.

"It wasn't like that at all!" I insisted.

"I'm sorry," Mum sighed. "I can't help but be judgmental - I realise now that it's a personal failing of mine. If I'd have been less judgemental of you that night you left, you'd still be living at home with me down here."

She looked at me and fixed me with an expression of deep sincerity.

"I promise I'll work on being less judgemental," Mum pledged to me. "I don't want to lose you, Terri - I love you far too much to ever want to drive you away again. I'm sorry for sheltering you, as you put it, I realise now how I've totally messed up your life."

Her using my shortened name came as a bit of a surprise - she hardly ever did that. Maybe she was genuine about making more of an effort.

"Oh, Mum, you didn't mess up my life," I replied truthfully. "You thought you were doing your best for me, which is what every good parent wants, and I can't hold that against you. So, if you're prepared to give me a second chance, then I'm prepared to give you a second chance - deal?"

Mum sighed.

"Deal," she replied. "But promise me something, Theresa. Make sure that Tommy looks after you."

"He will," I assured her. "And I'll look after him, because men need looking after too sometimes."

Of course, I decided not to expand upon the complicated ménage á trois that existed between us, and that I shared Tommy with Beth, as I half expected her brain to implode if she ever found out about that. But I decided that I ought to come clean about another aspect of my life that had come about as a result of that memorable holiday in France.

"What do you mean, naturism?" Mum gasped after I'd explained to her the change of lifestyle the three of us had made since our holiday. "You don't mean all that cavorting around naked business, do you? In public?"

"Not in public," I replied, albeit biting my tongue somewhat - after all, I wasn't t about to tell her about my evening job as a stripper. "It all began when we went on a day trip out to an island off the coast from where we were staying."

I told her all about the Île Solharvre, the island naturist resort we'd accidentally stumbled across, thinking it was a haven for naturalists, rather than naturists.

"I just decided, when in Rome and all that," I explained. "So just like that, I threw caution to the wind and took all my clothes off. There wasn't anything sinful about it, before you start."

"I wasn't going to," Mum defended. "I just can't understand why you'd want to basically cavort around naked like that."

"Well, to be honest, before that day I didn't understand it either," I went on. "But as soon as I was naked, then I understood. It was the most liberating feeling I'd ever felt - I didn't feel ashamed or embarrassed about being naked or anything like that. I felt free - for the first time in my life I felt truly free."

"Did your friends take their clothes off too?" Mum asked.

"Yes, they did," I confirmed. "Tommy was a little reluctant at first - I think he was a bit nervous in case he, y'know, had an, er, well if he had an, um..."

"An erection?" Mum hazarded a guess.

"Well, yes," I replied sheepishly. "But in the end he joined us both, and we spent the whole of the rest of the day naked, exploring the island along with all the other people there - all of whom, young and old alike, were as naked as we were."

I told her all about our day on the island - our first real experience of being in a naturist environment. She was surprised when I told her about Giselle, the woman we'd met who had given Beth and I a couple of her sarongs to wear in the parts of the village square where total nudity wasn't permitted, and she looked utterly befuddled when I told her that Giselle actually lived on the island.

"You mean, she actually spends her life down there? Naked? All the time?"

"Well, she puts clothes on whenever she visits the mainland of course," I answered. "And total nudity isn't allowed in the village square and down at the harbour, but yes, apart from that she spends all her time without a stitch on."

"Well, to each their own, I guess," my new and improved less judgmental Mum replied with a shrug. "At least there's nowhere like that on these shores, thank the lord. That I know of, anyway."

She turned to face me once again.

"Is there?" she asked me.

"Not like that, no." I replied. "But there are lots of clubs and things. When they went up to York, Beth and Tommy decided to join their university's naturist club - they meet up every couple of weeks for drinks, to have barbecues and go swimming, that sort of thing - all whilst being completely naked. And I decided to join too."

Mum clearly looked as though she was struggling to process the idea of me enjoying being naked with other people.

"It's not an orgy or anything, before you start," I said to her. "There's nothing at all sexual about it - It's just a group of like-minded people enjoying each other's company with cups of tea and biscuits. The only difference between what we do and any other social gathering is that everyone in the room drinking tea and eating biscuits just happens to be naked."

"Well, I'll admit the idea of you socialising in the nude will take some getting used to," Mum replied. "And I don't think I'll ever understand it, or even condone it for that matter, but it's your life and they're your friends, so I guess I have to at least accept it. Just as long as you can assure me that it's safe."

"It's perfectly safe," I replied, to set her mind at rest. "In fact, it's even led me towards the possibility of me going to university myself."

I told her all about John, the philosophy professor I'd met during the naturist club's monthly swimming evening at the local leisure centre, and that I'd been sitting in on some of his lectures to see if I would like to apply to study philosophy the following year.

"Well, that's wonderful!" Mum enthused. "I don't think anyone in our family's ever been to university before. Why philosophy though?"

"I don't know, I just find it interesting - I didn't realise how fascinating it could be until I met John at the naturist club," I replied.

"How would you pay for it all?" Mum asked logically. "I'll help however I can of course."

"Well, I'd apply for a student grant, obviously," I began. "That would take care of a fair chunk of my tuition expenses. And I already have a job so that I can get some savings together."

"You have a job already?" Mum asked. "What sort of job?"

Uh-oh, I thought to myself, better make something up quick! If she discovered what my job entailed - even my day job standing around in a skimpy bikini and other daft costumes as a promotions girl would've fried her brain, let alone my evenings spent performing stripteases in pubs and clubs, it would've been 'game over' between us in no time at all. Instead, though I'm ashamed to admit it, I had no option but to tell a white lie.

"I work in a department store," I answered. "With Beth, coincidentally. In fact, she recommended me to her boss in the first place. It's not much, just fetching and carrying stuff, serving customers, that sort of thing, but the pay's okay and helps me contribute to the rent and food and other household stuff."

"You enjoy living with those two then?"

"They're my friends, Mum, of course I enjoy living with them," I replied. "I know I came to stay with them under circumstances that were far from ideal, and at the time I thought it'd only be temporary, but I've kind of settled in up there with them - and with Tommy in particular of course. I like it - York's a lovely city. You'd like it too."

"So, I suppose there's no chance you'd want to move back home with me then?" Mum asked me, and I could tell she was a little close to tears.

I knew I had to choose my words carefully.

"Well, I can come back home to visit," I replied as diplomatically as I could. "If I get onto the philosophy course I'd have to stay up there whatever, and I wouldn't want to leave Tommy. But I'm eighteen now, Mum, so maybe it's time I moved away from the nest anyway. In a way this whole sorry business between the two of us just revealed what I really needed to do - I can't live at home forever, Mum, maybe it's just better for both of us."

"I understand," Mum replied with a sigh. "I shall have to just accept you're a grown woman now, with a life of her own to lead."

"But now that we've made amends I promise you I shall come home to visit as often as I can," I added, and I meant it truthfully.

"I'd like that," Mum said with a smile as she reached across and took my hand in hers. "You know, I'll never stop praying for you, Theresa."

"And I'll never stop praying for you, Mum," I replied.

"You still go to church?"

"Every Sunday," I confirmed. "I found a nice church not far away from the flat. They're maybe a bit more 'happy-clappy' than our church down here, but they're a nice crowd."

"Well, I'm glad to know I at least did something right when it came to bringing you up," Mum said. "I know now I've made some huge mistakes in trying to protect you from, well, sex basically, and what I saw as everything that is sinful in the world, and I'm sorry for all the anguish my mistakes have caused you to suffer."

"Oh, Mum, you were only doing what you thought was best for me," I assured her. "Nobody's perfect, we all make mistakes in life - we wouldn't be human if we didn't make mistakes once in a while. And look at the example of motherhood you were set by Nan - didn't you say she once made you destroy all your Beatles records because she said the Fab Four represented sin and debauchery?"

"Yes, she did," Mum recalled wistfully. "I spent the whole night up in my room steaming the labels off them and sticking them on to some of her old gramophone records I'd swiped from up in the loft while she was out. I don't think she'd have taken it well if she'd ever wanted to listen to Vera Lynn or whatever, and heard Magical Mystery Tour instead, but fortunately she never found out!"

"There you go, you see - like I said, you weren't exactly set a perfect example of parenting yourself," I said.

"I guess you're right," Mum replied. "I just couldn't see it for myself until you left. What's the old saying? I couldn't see the wood for the trees - I was blinded by my own convictions."

"Let's just put it all behind us and start over, what do you say?" I said, as I looked her in the eye. "I can't ever promise to be the perfect daughter, but I don't expect you to be a perfect mother, either, but I'll promise to make an effort if you'll do the same for me."

"I'd say, I don't deserve the second chance you're giving me, after the things I called you that night," Mum replied, as a tear trickled down her cheek. "Not to mention what I called Tommy earlier on - I was totally out of order. I promise you I'll do my best to be the mother you need me to be."

And with that pledge to each other we hugged, and it felt wonderful to have my mum back again. I knew I'd have to find a way to thank Beth and Tommy and their parents for their help in bringing us back together, but that would have to wait until the opportunity arose. It was getting late, and my bed was calling me.

"I don't suppose you'd want to come home tonight?" Mum asked hopefully.

"Probably not," I replied. "It's a bit too soon, you know? At least, not tonight - it's getting late and all my stuff is at Tommy and Beth's. Maybe tomorrow night - we'll see how it goes. You're still coming for Christmas dinner tomorrow, right?"

"Of course I am," Mum answered. "What time? It'll have to be after church, of course. I don't suppose your friends parents will be going."

"Would it surprise you if I told you that they are?" I asked her.

"They're churchgoers?" Mum said in mild astonishment.

"Not regularly, or so they told me," I answered her. "But they make a point of going for special occasions like Christmas and Easter."

"Well, I suppose that's better than not going at all," Mum replied.

"Why don't you come along with us?" I asked her. "I mean, I was planning to go with them anyway. I know it's not your usual church, but it'd be nice if we all went together, don't you think?"

It took Mum a moment to process my proposal. She usually attended the local Methodist church, whereas Tommy and Beth's folks went to the local reform church in the town centre - not millions of miles apart, theologically speaking, so I was hopeful she'd agree.

"Yes, I'd like that," she said.

"Great!" I enthused. "I'll let everyone know."

I kissed her on the cheek, something I thought I'd never be able to do again, and we said goodnight to each other. I stood on the kerb and waved her off as she drove back home. I turned and looked up at Tommy and Beth's place - it was in darkness, the only illumination being the twinkling glow of the Christmas tree lights in the living room window. I let myself in with the spare key I'd been given, and discovered that the place was eerily quiet.

Odd, I thought to myself. I knew Tommy and Beth's parents were out at their friends place having some pre-Christmas drinks, but I knew the Twins hadn't gone with them. It was also only a little after ten o'clock, and I thought that surely they couldn't have gone to bed already.

I locked the front door behind me and then crept upstairs. I checked Beth's room only to find that there was no sign of her. Tommy's room was empty also. Perhaps they had gone with their parents after all, I shrugged. At that point my bladder announced to me that I needed to take care of business, so I stepped over towards the bathroom. The thin sliver of light that escaped through the small gap between the floor and the door signalled that whoever was last in there had forgotten to turn the light off. That'd be Tommy, I thought to myself, he was always doing that back in York.

I tried the door to find it unlocked, and when I opened it, I was shocked, but maybe not entirely surprised, by the scene that I was greeted with. Tommy was laid out asleep on the floor - completely naked. Beth was laid beside him, also asleep and equally as naked. It was almost immediately clear that they'd been having sex in there.

"Ahem!" I said loudly. "So much for being completely off-limits to each other!"

The few seconds of shock and frenzied attempts to cover up as my friends were wrenched from their blissful post-coital slumber was quite a humorous sight to witness.

"Oh, my god, Terri!" Beth gasped as she realised who it was that had discovered them. "Oh, thank God it's you! For a second there I thought..."

"That I might be your folks?" I said, trying as best I could to keep my laughter within me.