We got into Marge's house, and I learned that Charlie was at a sleepover with a friend. Ellie, proposed that the whole family undressed while he was away, which made Marge hesitate, but her mom explained.

"Your dad needs to get used to it."

"So it's okay tonight because he went to the club and Charlie isn't here?", says Marge.

"Yes, Marge"

"Ok"

And soon enough, all four of us were nude, getting ready for bed, which was soon enough.

In bed, Marge didn't speak until the light was off, and we were silent for a little while.

"I hate complexity", she says.

"I bet."

"It's an aspect of autism. I like simple things. Our friendship is simple. My mother is simple. Naturism is simple. Edith is simple. Your parents are simple."

"Indeed"

"Why is it so complex to be nude in my house compared to yours?"

"I don't know, Marge"

"So it's not me missing it?"

"No, Marge. Ellie has her own ideas. "

"Maybe she is more complex than I thought", says Marge.

"Maybe."

"Thank you, Julie, for this talk"

"My pleasure"

I slept well, but I don't know if Marge did. When I woke up to get to the restroom the nest morning, I found Richard, at the table, fully dressed.

"Good morning, Julie," he says, over a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, Richard. I need to go to the restroom"

I go, and I return to the table, not the bed, but I ask for a towel.

"Sure." He says, giving me a towel.

I sit on it.

"So, did you like the non-landed club?"

"Is that what it was called? I liked it. My father-in-law went there. I knew the place"

"I heard that. So, how was it?"

"It beats getting divorced," he says, laughing.

"You are in a good mood"

He looks at me, and then at his cup.

"I suppose I am"

"I have delayed puberty. My body doesn't know it's supposed to turn me into a woman. A doctor gave me pills, and now, I am better. Maybe you will get better too"

"I hope so"

Ellie arrives soon, also dressed up.

"Hello Julie. Awake early?"

"I think I slept enough. Thank you for inviting me over"

"I didn't. Marge did. She likes you a lot."

"Good. I like her a lot too"

Ellie smiles.

"Want some breakfast? Wait, is it "kiddo" or sugar" that your parents called you?"

"Huh? Oh, my mom calls me "kiddo", my dad "sugar"."

She laughs. "I used to call Marge "Beanie", but she began to hate it. Richard called her "monkey"."

"I sometimes still do," he says.

"Yeah, when you are good," the two kiss, and I start wondering if I missed something.

Ok, fine, I didn't when I was 12. But writing this at 22, I cannot help but think that Marge's parents had sex the previous night. They felt closer than I had ever seen them.

I ended up just getting some toast. I wasn't that hungry, and while eating, Marge went to the restroom nude. Ellie said nothing, but then Marge picked up a towel and went to sit at the table.

"What do you think you are doing, young lady?"

"Getting breakfast. Fine, I can make my own toast"

"No, I mean, aren't you supposed to get dressed?"

"Charlie isn't back"

"But he could be back any minute"

"And if he comes back, I will get dressed"

"That's not how it works"

"Well, maybe it's how it should work"

"What did you just say to me?"

"What?", says Marge.

"Can you repeat to me what you just said"

"No"

"Why?"

"Because I don't remember what I just said"

Ellie sighs. "You told me that maybe it's not how it should work"

Marge stops. "Yeah, you are right. I think I said that"

"That's not very polite"

"I am not good with polite when stressed"

"And why are you stressed?"

"Because yesterday, the rule was we can be nude when Charlie isn't here, and he isn't here, and I can't be nude with my friend."

"Yesterday was an exception"

"I can't understand exceptions."

"Then I made a mistake"

"What if I don't want it to be a mistake? What if I like being nude in my house"

"It's not your house"

"Well, it's not Charlie either, and we need to accommodate him."

But Marge, isn't calm anymore.

"Marge, you are triggered. You are getting angry"

"I get angry when the rules are not clear or when the rules are unfair. When it was just you and me, I could understand. But now, Dad was nude too, so Charlie is the minority."

"It doesn't work like that"

"Maybe it should. He is a fucking asshole."

"Marge, you are grounded today"

"And I am not putting clothes on until I go to school."

"You do not make the rules in this house, young lady"

"Who makes them?"

"We do, your father and me"

"When Charlie cut my hair, why wasn't he more punished? When he broke my doll, why wasn't he more punished? Why does he never fucking get punished, and I am"

"You know why"

"Because he will throw a fucking tantrum. Well, I can too."

This is getting out of hand.

"You are grounded for an hour. Go to your room." Said Richard.

"Fine", says, Marge.

"No you, Marge. Ellie. Go take a breather."

"You can't send me to our room"

"When you are acting like a child, I can. Marge, you can sit down. And make some toasts when you want. We will talk again when your mother calms down"

"It's her who needs to calm down," says Ellie.

"No, you want to win this argument. Charlie was a monster to her. We didn't know why. We do now."

"Why?"

"Because Marge is different, and Charlie hates that. We shouldn't reward him for his intolerance."

"Maybe I liked you better when you were tired," says Ellie, who goes to the master bedroom and slams the door.

Marge turned to me.

"What just happened?"

"I think your dad just grew a spine"

"I can hear you girls, you know?"

"I was angry. I will apologize to her when she comes back," says Marge.

She goes to make herself a toast, and a bowl of cereal.

"What do you think of that rule, dad?"

"You know, monkey, let's talk only when your mother calms down."

It didn't take an hour. It took maybe 15 minutes.

"Mom"

"No, let me talk"

Marge just freezes.

"You are right. I am scared of Charlie, and it's unfair to you. You are right. I need to adapt more to your condition. And you are right, I should not push on you when you are triggered. I should walk back. Swallow my pride, and wait. I am the adult, and I was being a child. Don't you think I wouldn't like being nude in my own home? With my daughter?"

"So, why not?", says Marge

"Charlie"

"So you will discipline me, who is autistic, and block yourself, just so you don't step on Charlie's toes, who isn't?"

"Oh shit. What if he is", says Ellie.

"What?" says Marge.

"Autism isn't the same between boys and girls. What if you both are"

"So?"

"So? Autism parents tend to be overly strict and rigid with autistic girls, and tolerant of autistic boys. Fuck"

"Mom!"

"Ok, you are not grounded. New rule. Anyone who wants to be nude in the house can be, unless we have non-naturist guests over"

"What about Edith?"

"She lives in a naturist house"

"Charlie too," says Marge.

"And he isn't a guest"

"Fair enough. Mom?"

"Marge?"

"Thank you"

"What did you want to say?"

"That I am sorry for my tantrum"

"Thank you for that, and while I think it's important for you to apologize, I think we should find a new way to deal with your tantrums"

"Good idea"

Ellie turns to me. "Sorry, Julie, I was out of hand"

"Hey, my parents had a hard time with me too."

"Fair enough. Eat breakfast girls, I will go have a talk with my husband."

"What did I do this time?", he says.

"You sent me to my room"

"I deescalated the situation"

"Our room, now"

"Sorry, girls, no need to pick up the dishes. We'll do it."

My appetite was gone, but Marge managed to finish her plate and bowl of cereal. We dragged our towel to the living room, and booted up the Wii U to play, you guessed it, Zelda in Nintendoland.

I didn't mind. It always calms Marge down, but I was shocked by how fast she did.

We heard some yelling, from Ellie and from Richard. Not loud enough to get words, but it went on for a good few rounds of our game.

Eventually, the voices stopped.

For a good 30 to 45 minutes. It's challenging to tell, as I couldn't see a clock.

It's Ellie who left the bedroom first, and she was nude. She first put a toast in the toaster, brewed more coffee, and picked up the plates and bowl to put in the dishwasher.

Marge was focused on the game, but I was a little worried, until Richard emerged, also nude, to join his wife in the kitchen.

He sat next to her, and they held hands. I guess that they reached an understanding.

Ellie's phone rang. It was Clara. They had dinner plans, but Ellie said she had last-minute minor emergencies at home and rescheduled, but then asked if she could borrow her opinion about something for a few minutes.

I guess the answer was yes, but Ellie went into her bedroom. It was more than a few minutes, and Richard grabbed his towel and went to sit on his chair behind us. He seemed as catatonic as usual, but perhaps a little less.

When Ellie came back, she said, "Clara thinks I might be right."

"Why didn't we see it?"

"He is good at making friends"

But Marge speaks up. "He doesn't have friends. He has play partners."

Ellie waits a few seconds. "You might be right."

But Ellie grabs a Wii remote, and soon enough, the three of us are playing.

We had fun until Charlie came home.

"What the actual fuck?" he says.

"Language, young man."

"All of you are naked"

"Nude, and yes. And if you'd like to, you can undress," says Ellie, after the game was paused.

"Why would I want to be naked? This isn't right at all."

"Julie, can you call your parents to pick you up? I think we need a family conversation"

"About you guys being crazy?", he says

"No, about you being insensitive and unrespectful"

"Fuck that shit. I am going into my room"

I stood up.

"Good luck, Ellie," I told her.

"I will need it. "

"Maybe we could get dressed to talk to him," says Richard.

"Good idea," admitted his wife.

I called my parents and got dressed. Marge followed me and asked me a question.

"Should I get dressed? If my brother is autistic, I want to help him, but I said I wouldn't get dressed until going to school"

I put my hand on her shoulder. "I learned something from my father. Promises made when angry do not count."

"Wait, but promises are promises"

"Promises made, when of a sound mind, are promises. Those made on the impulse of emotions are not."

She looks at me.

"I... Ok." And like that, she went to her dresser and put some panties on. I got dressed, and she did too, but I had to wait for her, since it took forever for her to pick each item of clothing. Is it always like that?

When we made it to the living room. Everyone was dressed, and Charlie's door was opened, with Ellie and him sitting on his bed. I noticed that he was crying, but his body language was closed off. Like, his arms were crossed, and his legs too. His mother had her arm around his shoulders.

I didn't hang around. Marge and I went outside and realized it was rather cold. Marge grabbed a jacket for her and lent me one.

We sat on the front stairs.

"Will your brother be okay?"

"I don't care," says Marge.

"What if he is autistic and couldn't help being how he was?"

"I am autistic, and I never broke any of his toys. Well, not on purpose. I did break one of his trains when I tripped on it, but I was, like, 6. I never cut any of his clothes."

"Wait, he did that?"

"To my favorite dress"

"And he cut your hair?"

"My ponytail. When I was 7. It took forever to grow back"

"Oh, so he was still a kid"

"My favorite dress was two weeks ago"

"Wait, why didn't you tell me?"

But she looks at me.

"Oh, it was the night of the results"

"It was that evening. He said I was only trying to get attention. I wasn't even verbal yet."

I put my head on her shoulder.

"Poor you."

"My parents promised me a new dress, but we didn't have the time yet."

"Will you get the same one?"

She thinks.

"I don't know. I am not the same person."

I laugh. "You are"

"No. Well, fine, I am not the same person I thought I was."

I remember my sundress that she didn't like. "Maybe you can buy one like my sundress, so we match," I say, laughing.

"But you can't wear it, and I don't like it"

"I made a joke, Marge"

"I don't get it"

"It doesn't matter. "

Soon, my mother came to pick me up, and I gave the jacket to Marge, who stopped me.

"Friends lend each other clothes, right?"

"They do"

"I am lending you my jacket, but give it back. I can't give away my things"

"I will take good care of it"

"Julie? You always take good care of things, even if you're clumsy, and you are even better at taking good care of friends "

I hugged her goodbye, and joined my mother, who made me sit at the back.

"Did you have fun, Kiddo?"

"I don't even know where to start."

I wanted to tell her the story, but she stopped me. "I am sure Dad wants to hear it, but he is with Edith."

"Something wrong?"

"Kiddo, healing is not a straight route. Want to get that ice cream to give them time?"

For a second, I wondered which ice cream she was talking about, but when I remembered, I agreed.

I ended up getting an extra large strawberry sundae with extra peanuts, and we discovered that this place of ours was on its last day of the year. They will close for the winter.

In the driveway. My mom spoke up. "Do you want me to read you a story?"

"Mom, it's not even lunchtime yet"

"Then, want to hang in your room?"

"Ah, give more time for Dad"

"He said he would text me, and he didn't"

"So, maybe drop me at Olivia's? So I give some peace to Edith?"

She looks at me.

"You didn't eat lunch yet"

"Let's see if she is available, and possibly you can bring a pizza for the two of us? She is always lonely, and well, I could use the company."

"Sure Julie. But Dad has the address"

Fortunately, I remembered the street name, and once on it, the house.

Olivia was thrilled to see me. Her parents were both gone, and she only had leftovers for lunch. A pizza was perfect for her.

I thanked my mom. We coordinated that she would pick me up later no matter what, or as soon as the coast was clear.

We talked, in her living room, which was dirty, until the pizza arrived, and we ate directly from the pizza box as all the plates were dirty.

"Want me to help clean them?"

"Julie, if I clean them, it will become my job now."

But then, she proposed another tutoring session. I was annoyed because I was seeing her more as a friend, but these things happen.

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