Epilogue

The crème of the crop had congregated at Sol’s mansion for a little soiree. Politicians, businesses men, journalists, and the like chatted and drank around the ostentatious home. Luna and her friends were playing the ambiance music while her mother mingled with the patrons.

Claire, meanwhile, was in the kitchen. She rubbed her nervous feet together and moved the tray of cheese in her hands up and down trying to find the perfect angle.

The tray didn’t cover much. Even if she held it in front of her chest, it wasn’t enough to cover even her nipples. There was no way to make what she was about to do any less mortifying.

Claire stepped up to the door and hesitated. A part of her admitted that she deserved this, while another cried out that this was unfair. In any case, she had already agreed and undressed. Too late to back down. She took a last, deep breath and opened the door.

As soon as she stepped into the room, the guests laid eyes on her bare body. Claire fought the urge to run and began to walk around the room. Her “uniform” consisted of a bowtie, hair clips, nail polish, and nothing more.

According to Luna, she looked great! The girl also told her somewhat cryptically that her little stunt was going to do wonders to her career. Bah. Claire didn’t know if she was trying to cheer her up or mock her.

“H-hi, cheese? Cheese, you want some cheese?” Claire asked with the most plastic of smiles. She tried to drown out the gasps and unkind comments people were making behind her back, but it was a losing battle.

“Oh, Claire, there you are,” Sol exclaimed. “Why yes, I do want some cheese.”

“Sol, why is your waitress naked?” asked a scandalized old woman. “Is this prank?”

Claire winced in anticipation. Here it comes, her boss would tell of her embarrassing adventure to the crème of the crop. She would be the laughingstock of the rich! How was this going to help her find more jobs?

“Oh, heavens no. Claire is the most serious and dedicated maid I had in years! She would never try to do such a juvenile prank like that! She’s practically family!” Sol grabbed Claire’s cheeks and squeezed them like a grandmother seeing her grandkid for the first time in the year. It kind of hurt.

“Huh?” asked a confused Claire.

“No, the reason is naked is precisely because she is so dear to me that I decided to let her live like she wants to.”

Sol leaned forwards towards her circle of friends and started whispering. “You see, she is secretly a nudist! Claire recently confessed to me that she finds it suffocating how she can never go au natural in polite society. So I told her, screw society! Come to my party however you want. I know my friends will not make a fuss. Isn’t that right, Claire? Or is there another reason you are standing here without clothes?”

“Nope, no, that’s the reason. That’s me, Claire the nudist hehe… sooooo, cheese anyone?” While that was a very embarrassing explanation, Claire figured that she ended up looking better as a nudist than as a clumsy maid. Still, the words kind of stung, and her newfound reputation would certainly not help the job search.

“Good for you girl! Live your dreams. I wanted to be a Buddhist when I was a kid, but my father never let me.

“That’s not the same-“

“How exotic. I didn’t think such people existed.”

“I could use someone with such strong convictions in my house. My last maid, ugh, what a disaster she was, let me tell you.”

“Well,” Sol crossed her legs. “Why don’t you hire Claire? She only cleans this house three times a week. She has plenty of spare time to help you. I can’t recommend her enough!”

“Huh?”

“You know what? That’s a great idea! Girl, come work with me. I’ll pay you 100 dollars.”

“T-the day?”

“No silly, the hour!” Claire’s legs turned to jelly. That… that was a lot of money! The naked maid left the tray on a table and sat down next to Sol.

“Yeah me too!”

“Sure, I could use someone to iron my clothes. Count me in!”

“Yes! I accept, all of it!” Claire blurted, putting on a genuine smile this time. “And, erm, don’t worry about the nudist thing, I can wear a uniform at work.”

“Nonsense, we don’t want to bother you.”

“Yeah, follow your dreams.”

“You know what? Yes, I forbid you from wearing clothes at my house! So now you don’t have to feel guilty about working naked!”

Claire was speechless. The cheers of the people only further tied her stomach in an ever-complicated Gordian knot. She had to work naked? She couldn’t! But it was so much money that she also couldn’t refuse! Her heart was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. “Oh thanks, guys, you really shouldn’t…”

Sol raised her glass and toasted on Claire’s honor, laughing the whole time. “See Claire? Everything worked out fine in the end. But I’m afraid I can’t let you start working with my friends…”

“W-what?”

“Just yet! You still have to finish gardening my lawn, remember? I’m afraid Claire is going to be busy this week. She has to spend all her days outside in my price winning garden. I’m so proud of my flowers, they are the talk of the neighborhood.” Claire winced, she was sure to become the new talk of the neighborhood by the time her "nudist" ass was done. “Once she is finished, however, she is all yours! Feel free to come to visit her to iron out the details.”

Claire fought the urge to squeal as she joined her boss in a toast in her honor. This is not how she pictured her career taking off.