The Curves Ahead - Wattpad Award Winner

Chapter 21

There were a few beats of silence while I processed. I was determined not to freak out. Yet. I could sense Heather monitoring me, as if I was passing another test as I said, "Well. That would explain the nudity, then. And, how long have you been established here?"

"Almost twenty years," said Patty. "Let us show you around! This is the Heart Centre, our main hub for meals and meetings." She and Joe turned to lead us deeper into the seating area, their toned bottoms winking at me.

Shaking my head, as if to release the last of my judgement, I followed, Heather shadowing behind.

The wide decking caught the warm sea breezes, while sliding glass doors separated the dining from the outside. Wooden tables and benches were adorned with fresh flowers and bowls of fruit. "The kitchen is back this way," said Joe, indicating the open-plan food preparation benches. "We employ a chef to help plan meals and quantities, but everyone is responsible for helping to cook and clean up."

"We put an importance on whole foods," Patty chimed in. "We really want people to walk away at the end of their time here with the tools to provide their bodies with the best possible nutrition."

I nodded, trying very hard to focus on her intelligent face rather than her swinging breasts. "Do you serve meat?"

"We do," said Joe, "but we source from local farms and fisheries, where we know we can trust that the meat is organic. Almost everything else, we grow right here."

Stepping to the far side of the room, we emerged back onto the decking and down the stairs. A wide vegetable patch sprawled outwards, but not in the straight rows I was used to seeing. The beds were circular and arranged in a spiral pattern, expanding outwards from a central fountain, where a happy stone Buddha sat among pink lilies.

Two women moved among the beds, bending down, weeding and harvesting. Besides their broad-brimmed sun hats, they were entirely naked.

"Good morning, ladies," called Patty.

They straightened up, one younger, with lithe limbs and brown skin, the other older and far more curvaceous. "Hi! Hello! Isn't it a beautiful day?"

"What are you picking today?"

The older lady said, "There's so many zucchinis ready! And the eggplants are perfect too."

"Do you want us to move the chooks today?" asked the other, her silky hair falling forward over her perky breasts. She pointed the round chicken enclosure at the far end of the garden.

"Sure, Blair! Then we can plant more pumpkins – they take up so much room." Patty indicated the freshly turned earth beneath the black feathered fowls. "It's called Permaculture. We rotate the coop around every few weeks and the chickens make sure the soil is fertilised and dug up, plus they eat all our kitchen scraps and pulled weeds."

"Sounds very sensible," I said vacantly, watching as Blair's bushy pubic hair bobbed around between the tomato plants.

A babble of cheerful voices echoed across the grounds, causing us all to turn towards the bungalow. About twenty naked bodies poured from the building, carrying yoga mats and greeting us with gusto. "Hi, Patty! Morning, Joe! Hey, that's Evianna Moore!"

I raised a hand, a stunned smile on my face as the wave of nude bodies flowed past us. "Don't worry, dear," said Patty, patting my arm, "you'll get to meet everyone at lunch."

"We'll show you to your cabin so you can both settle in, and after lunch, you can join us for our lecture on the beach." Joe waved a long arm towards the row of aqua houses. "You're in number fifteen, down the end."