Five years ago my wife Sue and I left behind the dark, dank climate and the economic and political doom and gloom of England in search of a new life in the beautiful, peaceful and sunny Languedoc region of the South of France.
Both of us are keenly interested in good food, cooking, and enjoying the odd glass or three of wine. We came to the conclusion that most, if not all of our needs could be catered for here, with its long, hot, fragrant summers and short mild winters under a clear crystal blue Mediterranean sky. What could be better than having the sea full of finest fresh fish on our doorstep together with fields of exceptional fruit and vegetables? What's more the whole area is surrounded by mile after mile of some of the best vineyards in the world. It really is our own piece of heaven on earth.
Luckily, Sue and I found that we had moved into an area that has a true local community, not just an area full of summer vacation homes, like so many other places in the sunnier climates. Those that turn into ghost towns during the winter after the seemingly endless stream of summer tourists depart. Our area is populated not just by the local French natives who are extremely warm and friendly but a wide variety of other nationalities, a real little United Nations. Life is almost perfect.
The only fly in the ointment is that Sue, after a period of illness back in the UK, had lost all real interest in any form of sexual activity. We are both in our late 50's and I guess fairly ordinary looking for our age, slightly or even somewhat over weight with bits that used to be classed as perky now tending to head south. However, we do enjoy a good standard of living and are comfortable enough in each other's company and have no desire to part or go our own separate ways. Earlier in our marriage she used to be a real hottie, and was always leading the way in looking for new and different ways to spice up our sex life. Until recently, Sue had become more than happy with life as it was, just doing her own thing. She occasionally got turned on by something or other that lead to sex between us, but try as I might I was never able to find out exactly what it was that turned her on. Whenever I tried to talk to her about it, the subject became a closed book and lead to many heated disagreements. Hence, sex with Sue really was a rare occurrence, which was more than a shame as I love her dearly.
That is what makes this story even more extraordinary.
It all started early last summer, Sue and I were having a drink one lunch time on the terrace of a local Bistro. Sitting at the next table were a threesome of a man and two women who at first sight looked as if they could be sisters.
Overhearing their conversation it was obvious that they were Brits, like us. Sue and I introduced ourselves and the five of us were soon deep in conversation having found much in common. Time and a few carafes of wine really did just slip by, the way it does when you click with people and are instantly on the same wavelength. Initially we had assumed they were on holiday but as it turned out they lived in the next village to ours and had done so for the last three years. It was a complete surprise to all of us since we thought we knew, or knew of, all of the ex-pats in the area. Before we left the bistro we exchanged addresses and phone numbers promising to get in touch.
A few days later they called to invite us over for early evening drinks and nibbles, a very French thing to do.
We arrived at 5pm while it was still very warm. In fact it was a perfect summer evening. They have a very nice villa set on its own grounds very similar to our own. Like ours, their property is surrounded on all sides by mature trees and shrubs, shielding the grounds from the neighbour's view making it very private. The main difference between our two homes was that theirs was completed by a beautiful in-ground swimming pool.
At this stage I ought to introduce our hosts. Harry his wife Joan, and their friend Jean. They are of a similar age and background to ourselves and remarkably we all seem to enjoy the same things in life.
On reflection it is easy to see why we had thought that Joan and Jean were sisters, their hair was a similar colour, and cut in a similar style. Later they told us that being the same dress size they could and did share each other's clothes. Harry said that at times even he could have trouble telling them apart.
It was an interesting melange; Jean spoke of several liaisons over the years but she never married, nor did she seem to regret it, or the lack of her own children. She told us that she had known Harry and Joan for most of her life; in fact she and Joan met when they were at a private girl's school together in the South of England. When the couple suggested moving to the South of France joining them seemed like the natural thing for Joan to do. She sold her own house in England and put some of the money into the new Villa.
They are such nice and easy going people but surprisingly they had made very few friends in the local area. Those friends they did have all seem to live a bit further away. I supposed this was real the reason we had never met before and why we had not even heard of them. Now of course things have changed and we in turn, have introduced them to many of our own friends.
They proved to be perfect hosts; the wine flowed and the nibbles were excellent! It turned out that both Joan and Jean, like Sue and I, are first rate cooks. I knew instantly we would enjoy many excellent meals with them.
Along with the wine, the conversation moved with ease touching on all the normal topics new would-be friends ask each other. Like us, Harry and Joan have two grown children, a boy and a girl, and two grandchildren. Harry had been an engineer with his own business and Joan stayed home to look after the kids. Jean used to have a top job with an advertising agency and had been a high earner.
It was a lovely evening and a beautiful way to ease into a new friendship. Naturally, this sparked off similar gatherings at each other's homes, at restaurants and of course occasions with other friends in our circle. In no time the five of us became firm friends. However, the nature of our friendship was about to change in a most unexpected way.
Sue had promised to loan Joan one of her cookbooks and asked me to drop it off for her on my way out one morning as I was going in that direction anyway.
Arriving with book in hand, I was met at the door by Joan dressed in a light robe. With the sun shining through the material it was obvious that apart from the robe she was naked. Up till that moment I must say that I had not thought of her as anything other than a friend, but now I could very clearly see she was also a very attractive woman.
She could not help noticing my eyes lingering longer than they should have done and I'm sure that as I watched, her nipples actually started to harden.
"Hey Frank," that's me by the way. "My eyes are up here!"
"Oops. Sorry. But the sun shining through your robe does not leave much to the imagination."
"Sorry Frank. I guess we should have told you. We really have been meaning to but we never found the right moment to talk about it. Plus we were not sure how you would react. Maybe you and Sue would even think we are perverted. I guess I could tell you that I just got out of the shower."
"Joan! Joan. Stop. You're rambling. Just get on with it. Whatever it is, it can't be that bad."
She took a deep breath and spoke so quickly is was like she was spitting out the words. "The truth is that we normally like to be naked around the house. We only put clothes on if anybody is visiting. When the weather is warm enough we are always naked around the house, not just swimming and sunbathing in the nude. We were not sure that you and Sue would approve."
"God, is that all! I thought you had some really nasty dire secret. If it puts your mind at rest, I too rarely wear any clothes around the house either. Apart from anything else it gets to darn hot to wear clothes. You really do not have to worry. Rest assured neither of us will mind. In fact I'm surprised that Sue has not already told you how naked I am through the summer, she has taken delight in telling just about everyone else.
Sue is on the other hand more reserved, and never takes her own clothes off in public these days. She seems to have lost all her self confidence and thinks she is to fat and her body is ugly. But she does delight in going down to the naked city at Cap d'Agde and watch the world go by. "She is a real voyeur." It's a shame because for most of her life she was the same as you or I and would strip off at any excuse. She was no stranger to nudist beaches either."
