Your mom is

You certainly underestimated how good Hannah is at appraising novelty. The ongoing nudity from your mother is now immortalized by ordinary means, regardless of whatever impossible shots the KDK decided to take. You quickly save the message as a file in case you need to make a show of deleting it.

“Oh shit.” Hearing your sister cuss is enough to pull your head out of your phone. Hannah is in the middle of defending her blatant violation of her mom’s privacy. “I’m sorry Mom, we were having such a good time, and it’s been a while since we’ve had a day like this that’s gone this well.” She pouts as she finishes, “I just wanted something to remind me of today.”

Of course, the real reason she took the picture is because you commanded her with a magic button on your phone. The heat of the moment is just a plausible excuse. Although now that you think about it, she doesn’t know the real cause either. Could your sister think she’s telling the truth? Whatever the case, it’s probably the best response she could have given.

Mom fidgets uncertainly with the fork in her hand. “I understand why that’s important, Dream Stone.” Despite her appeasing words, a look of massive discomfort is still plastered across her face. She continues, “But I don’t know if I can, that’s not ac– I don’t know– I’m sorry.” She looks to you for support, struggling to stick up for herself.

It seems like your mom is on the fence about being okay with this, caught between her love for sentimentality and her personal boundaries. You’ll have to be the one to tip her over to the better side, taking advantage of her need to get validation from you. “Don’t you want to remember what a fun time we had as a family?” you verbally twist her arm.

That might have been laying it on a little too thick. “I– of course dear, but that doesn't mean I’m okay being photographed with my– my girls out!” she protests. This may take more than words.

In a last-ditch effort to calm your mother down, you place a steadying hand on her arm and show her exactly what was photographed. “Look Mom, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. You’re beautiful.”

At first she settles a bit, seeming to accept your assurances, but throwing in a compliment was going too far. Her flustered squirming heightens, as does the looking horrified and withdrawing. She connects the dots from the photo back to its photographer. “You– You sent it?” she asks with obvious unease.

Hannah looks quizzically between the two of you, as though she just now caught up with something that slipped her mind. “Oh, yeah, I just thought she’d like a copy. Share button’s right there. You want one too?”

“No!” Your mother raises her voice a little, but not higher than the more startling sound of her chair grinding back against the floor a moment later. “I would appreciate if my privacy was–” She stops to take a deep breath in with her eyes closed. “I’m sorry. I need some time alone. Excuse me.”

Mom briskly retreats to her bedroom, leaving you and your sister in awkward silence. For a moment, you're worried your sister might scurry off too, but she seems stuck in place. She’s the most demoralized you’ve ever seen her.

Regret and shame well up in her face before spilling out in the form of tears. In between heavy breaths, you can hear her muttering hatefully at herself. “Why did I do that? I’m so impulsive.”

Not knowing what to say, you get up and start rubbing her back gently. You can only hope the affection is of some comfort to your sister.

The physical contact seems to remind Hannah of the outside world. She collects herself somewhat, straightening her back and slowing her breath. “Sorry V, I think I ruined brunch” Hannah apologizes without looking up at you.

“Huh? You didn’t do anything wrong. It was me who–” You cut yourself off just in time to avoid disclosing your recent introduction to the paranatural. “...who had the idea for everybody to be topless. I egged you on.” Sheesh, there you go talking about eggs again.

Hannah doubles down, “Yeah, but I’m the one who took things too far and pushed Mom away.” Her voice is plainly skeptical. Hannah’s disbelief is understandable considering she doesn’t know the real reason you’re to blame. Assured that you’re at least here to support her, your sister continues to vent. “My work schedule is so hectic over the next two weeks; and you know how busy mom can be. I’m just worried that my last interaction with her for a while is going to be this. I don’t want to end our family time as a villain.”

Now that, you can fix without disclosing anything. Given that your mom left the room after fighting with Hannah, she’s undoubtedly focusing on something other than you. All it would take from you is a discrete maneuver with your phone. “It’s not ruined” you console Hannah, “we still have a way to fix this. You know Mom, she’ll come crawling back any second; and when she does, I think I can get her to agree to take some family photos. You were completely on the right track, about making mementos of today.”

Hannah scoffs, “How? Why would she come back in the first place, let alone agree to something she clearly hated?”

“To answer your first question: because she’s a pushover. I love our mom, but she’ll forgive anything just to maintain her image as the cool mom who’s perpetually chill with whatever her kids want.” The follow up question is slightly more difficult to answer without comparing yourself to a sorcerer. You pause for a second to collect your thoughts. “I think I know a method to get her to ignore how these types of photos could be considered erotic. Not forever but certainly for long enough that you could get a few good snaps in.”

Hannah turns her head to look at you. “A ‘method’? What does that mean? Did someone replace my sister with some drywall puncher named Kyle?” She follows up the jab by pulling the straps of her leotard back on. Her sudden redressing leaves you feeling exposed and uncertain.

“What?” you ask bluntly, confused by the comparison.

She turns her body to face you more comfortably while still sitting. The motion naturally slips your hand off her back. “First you, understandably, put me in my place with your favor system. Then you fucking give me a– what do I even call that, a comfort lap dance?? Next thing I know our mom takes meals in the nude and I just so happen to owe you a ‘play along’ favor!” Hannah sounds baffled as she describes the implausible series of events. “All the while me and Mom are clearly struggling to keep up with the new normal, but you’ve got this self-assured grin on your face. Are you doing this? Does Mom owe you something too?” Fear creeps into her voice during that last question.

You’ve definitely been pushing too hard, too fast. Your sister has caught on and there’s no good answer to these questions. Your last remaining power can bring your mom back, but you’ll have to get by with your wits alone otherwise.