A return to the table

For a long while, Annie was tempted to put her clothes back on. But then she realized that the blonde woman who had just left might see her and think that Annie's stripping had been just another ruse. So instead she stood there quietly, trying to psych herself up for the inevitable walk out the ladies' room door.

Well, she thought. The minute I signed that paper, it seemed obvious that I would have to expose myself to the public sooner or later. I suppose this way I might as well start getting used now as opposed to later.

And with that, she willed herself to walk out the door, resisting the urge to cover her nipples and her private parts. It seemed like it took an enormous strain for Annie to keep her head up and keep looking ahead but she did so anyway. Even when another female customer passed her, looked her over and then smirked in her direction.

For that matter, the waitresses were smirking at her as well. One of them even seemed to be deliberately concealing herself behind a corner so that she could laugh at Annie without seeming too obvious. Annie knew she should respond to that. But she also knew that responding would only make it worse.

It's better if you don't look embarrassed, she told herself. If you have to go naked, you might as well look proud even if deep down you aren't. After all, you don't look bad for a woman your age. And no doubt David will agree. In fact, he's probably eagerly awaiting your return from the ladies' room. Boy, will he be surprised!

David was indeed surprised to see Annie return to the table as naked as the day she was born.

And so was the woman he was sitting with.

It was Annie's sister-in-law Irene, a dark-haired older woman who routinely dressed as if she never remotely considered the idea of nudity. How she managed to conceive three kids with such an attitude, Annie never knew, but she did know that as far as Irene was concerned, David was her fourth kid -- and Annie, by extension, her fifth.

"So she finally went through it," said Irene. "I'm surprised. I didn't think she'd have the guts to go through with it. Especially since she had a whole extra day before she had to do so."

Irene turned toward Annie and said, "You're quite a different person than I am, my dear. I could never have the nerve to do what you are doing."

"Er, thanks, I think," said Annie.

Then Annie said, "What are you doing here, Irene? I thought that this would be a private celebration between me and David."

"That was the original plan," said Irene, "but then David called me from the restaurant while I just happened to be in the area and..."

Irene shrugged. "That reminds me. Do you want me to go get your clothing?"

"My clothing?" asked Annie.

"Yes," said Irene. "I assume you didn't come to this restaurant naked so right now I'm assuming you left your clothes in the ladies' room."

"That's a smart guess," said Annie. "But then I'm still a bit surprised you're so comfortable with this."

"Oh, don't be," said Irene. "You should have seen some of the women David dated in college before he met you. You're hardly the first exhibitionist he dated. Nor, if God forbid you two ever break up, will you be the last."

"You don't understand," said Annie. "I'm not an exhibitionist, I'm --"

"I got an idea," said Irene. "I've heard there's a party tonight where a woman in Annie's state of dress would be most welcome. If you wish, David, we could take her there -- just to see how she adjusts to such a setting."

"I don't know," said David. "Perhaps it is a little too early for that."

"Nonsense," said Irene. "The sooner she's exposed to such a setting -- so to speak -- the quicker she'll learn to adjust. Now just let me make a quick run to the ladies' room so that I could get rid of Annie's clothes."

"Get rid of them?" asked Annie. "Can't you at least keep them until all this is over."

"Oh, my dear," said Irene. "I see you're still new to this whole naked wife thing. So I really should tell right now even though I'm not exactly the voice of experience -- once this whole nude thing starts, it is never over."