Episode #34: Overcoming Trauma #34: Working for the weekend

Feb,13 2026

<-#33: Overcoming Trauma #33: Plans

We came back home, and that evening, before bed, Sarah was stuck and needed help.

I wondered about her getting two friends, and I thought it was just my maturity seeing a possible issue, but right as I was tucking her in, she expressed almost the same worries as I did, but with a new angle I didn't see before.

"I am not sure who is my best friend now, Mom. I know you said that Candace was more of my adult-like friend, and yeah, it's like we talk more. She cares more about how I am feeling and tells me more about her feelings, but today, in the pool, I had more fun with her than I ever did with Cassie"

"Oh? That's new", I say, surprised. She used to say that Candace was boring.

"No, I think I had it wrong. It's not that Candace is boring; it's that she has fewer things to talk about."

"Like video games, she doesn't play them"

"Yeah. And school, and TV shows, and websites. And like, what do I have in common with her? I am on the tablet a lot during the day"

I chuckle. "Perhaps a little too much"

"Yeah, perhaps. But then, Cassie too. Even when with me, if we have our tablets, we'll check them from time to time. But with Candace, she is all there, 100%. Like, when I am with her, I feel like the only people in the world who matter are us. And Jimmy and Kyle, but like, you know what I mean"

"Not so with Cassie?"

"Well, no. We have other friends in school, and she talks about them, but they are mostly her friends. And like, when we began hanging out, it was for Captain Toad, and now that we finished it, I barely see her outside of school. It's like she needed help to finish the game, and now that we did, I don't matter"

Shit, I didn't even notice that. But it's true. I haven't seen a lot of Cassie or Nadia recently. Some, but not as much.

"But you've seen her since"

"Well, yeah, but at the resort, or because her mom saw you. I feel like Cassie moved on, but that if I pick another video game or project, she will come running"

"Ok, well, that's good, no?"

"I don't know. Is that the kind of friend I want? Someone who only has projects with me? Candace is so happy to see me every time"

"I don't think she has many other friends"

"I know that, but she had Cassie, and the two didn't connect that much."

"Right"

"But we went to laser tag with Cassie, and I had a blast, and I know we could go to the movies, play a video game, and, like, do fun stuff that I can't do with Candace, but it's like Cassie isn't as much there as Candace can be. Like, I am just there for the ride. Oh, we talk, but it's not about us, you know?"

"Maybe she is extroverted and you are introverted. Introverted people, like you, tend to want more profound relationships, but fewer of them. Extroverted people, like Cassie, want more relationships, but more superficial ones"

"Could be. So Candace would be more introverted than I am?"

"Yeah"

"She loves to read", Sarah.

"You do too"

"Yeah.", she says, thinking.

"Did that help?"

"It did, but I am scared"

"Of what?"

"Mom, Candace is from a rather extreme family. I can only see her at the resort, and I love video games."

"I know. Maybe you'll need to find a way to get along with Cassie for video games and play outside the resort"

"Yeah. But potentially connect superficially and stop waiting for her to be deeper?" she says, clearly wanting me to comment.

"That makes sense. But if she ever wants to connect deeper"

"Oh, I would be thrilled if she did. Thanks, Mom, that was wise"

However, when I came into our bedroom, I found a bothered husband.

"I hope I didn't ruin story night with Kyle"

"What? Oh, no, but he did tell me what he liked from how you read to him, and I added it"

"What was it?"

"You use a different voice for the narrator so that he can better tell dialog from narration"

"Oh, cool. So what was bothering you?"

"I think Luis is making a mistake"

"Wait, you think the project will be a failure?"

"No, not that. It's just. Ok, so he is used to working mostly alone, but there are steps in which he works in a team"

"Ok, so?"

"Well, there are tools to help working alone, like supports and techniques and stuff, but there are things that might need two pairs of arms, and he will work alone"

"And he can't go around it?"

"Well, perhaps, but what if he gets to work tomorrow and realizes he is missing something to mount the floor because he thought there would be a helper"

"Martina will help him", I say.

He looks at me. "She doesn't know how to use the tools"

"Right, but she is a janitor and thus handy, and his wife"

"Yeah, maybe. But what I was thinking was that this weekend, perhaps I should help him, to get him started."

"And potentially you could help train Martina while you are at it"

"Wait, you actually want her to help?"

"John, she is about to quit her job to live how Kelly and Kara live. But she doesn't have kids yet; she is super social at work. I fear that working full-time and transitioning to being a stay-at-home wife will depress her until she can at least be a mother, you know?"

"But it's what she wants"

"And Sarah wanted us to be naturists, and she finds Candace a little too extreme. People want things, but once they get them, sometimes, it's a little too much for them"

"How did I get such a wise wife?"

I chuckle. "You didn't pick me because I was wise"

"No, I did not. This is like a super bonus. Do you mind if I work this weekend?"

"It depends"

"On what?"

"On how you are in the evening. You are an office worker, John. If you work hard with your muscles all day, will you be all sore and boring, or will you come back happy and relaxed that you did something?"

"Well, I will be working toward our second home. I hope I will be in a great mood"

"Yeah, one where your wife will always be nude at. Of course it should put you in a great mood", I say, teasing him.

"Elena...", he says, in a tone meaning "This is no time for jokes"

I laugh. "Ok, let's see and adapt, but respect your limits. He is the carpenter, not you. I don't want to see that ER until Monday"

"Yes, nurse", he says, laughing.

I laughed too.

We connected more before bed, but when I woke up the next day, John went into the kitchen with me.

"Already leaving bed?", I asked him.

"Yeah, I want to check my old tools, see what I could bring, and do some stretching and warming-up exercises."

"Not a bad idea. I'll join you once I am done"

And so, we did, and honestly? It was a fun, intimate, and yet fully proper moment. We were a married couple stretching our muscles in our living room.

I showed him a few Pilates moves, and he added some push-ups and sit-ups.

Soon enough, our kids were up, and fortunately, we were then at the kitchen table.

The four of us made plans. Sarah was excited to try a new connection level with Candace, and Kyle couldn't wait to play sports with Jimmy.

We soon made it to the resort, where we entered thanks to our membership, and we found Martina and Luis already on the worksite.

It was still early, but Kyle had a change of heart. He now wanted to see the worksite in action. Boys and their toys, right?

I went with Sarah to get close to Candace's house, giving her a warning that we wouldn't try to wake them up.

Instead, we sat at their picnic table and talked. Nothing serious, but it was nice.

Kelly joined us first as she was taking out the trash to their outdoor trash can, which made me wonder how trash collection worked in this resort.

"Elena?"

"Kelly! Good morning"

"I am surprised to find you here"

"Ah, well, John wanted to help Luis, so we tagged along and were wondering if Candace wanted to see Sarah"

"Of course she does! She asked me today if we could invite you over. Is Kyle here too?"

"Yeah, watching the men work"

"I'll send Jimmy there. Why don't you get in?"

We found Victor, Candace, and Jimmy at the table, drinking orange juice.

"Sarah!" said Candace, excited.

The two girls escaped to Candace's room, and Jimmy asked about where Kyle was, and soon enough, simply left on his own for the construction site.

I knew Kelly a little by now, but Victor, I barely did. As a person, I mean.

I learned more about them. Kelly grew up at this resort and pretty much never really wore clothes, like Kara. Victor also did, but he went to public school, unlike Kelly and Kara, who were homeschooled.

I got a few funny stories about them growing up. Including discovering that while teenagers, Victor previously dated Kara.

"But I got him in the end, which is all that matters", says Kelly, putting her hand on his hand.

They also wanted to know how it went at my job and how John's job was. What I thought of naturism, of Christian Naturism, of their house, of the resort.

They cared. In a way that most other people I know don't.

Is it simply their religion? The naturist lifestyle? Or is it that by not having a television to witness character drama, it makes you more involved in the lives of your friends?

Each time we watch TV, does our brain see the details on the characters as fulfilling some sort of socialization quota, which makes us less interested in our friends?

I know I have watched less TV recently since, well, we mainly did over the weekend, and now we spend them here.

And I know I have met new people, but did I talk to them out of lack of drama in my life from the little screen in our living room?

I get the feeling I will find out soon enough if everyone is always that friendly.

After a talk, I decided to go see the construction site, and both decided to come with me, after Candace and Sarah promised to stay indoors or come find us.

"I am told one of the houses is for you?", says Kelly on the way.

"We haven't told our kids, but we do not plan to move here yet, just to have a place to more easily come visit"

"I like that. Sarah is an excellent friend for Candace. She is doing a lot of good for her"

I smile. "I think the same is true for Candace and my daughter. "

We made it and saw that in just under two hours, a lot was done!

The anchors of the first houses were placed, and the support beams were installed for it. On top of it, a plywood floor was put in, and I could see the size of the house!

The three of them, Luis, Martina, and John, were in the process of making the center column for the house.

Martina was less busy and came to see us.

"It's going well!" she said.

"I see that. Are you okay?" I ask her.

"It's more fun than I thought it would be. Granted, I mainly hold things, but we are doing something. We are building our house"

"That is very worthwhile", says Kelly.

"Thank you", says Martina.

Kyle and Jimmy were gone, but I learned that Ginny came over and brought them to the pool.

Good. I ended up going to see my son and his friend, with Kelly coming with me to see her son and Victor going back to watch over our daughters.

I had a nice time in the pool. Just Kyle and Jimmy play differently than when the girls are there.

But more than that, Kelly's and Kara's parents came over to relax in the pool! The four of them are friends.

I got to meet them, and by the time we were talking, Kara, Frank, and Kevin, their teenage son, joined us.

To be honest, I had met these people before. I had seen them around, in the pool, at the barbecues, and even in church.

But now, they no longer were background characters to me.

Kelly did ask if I rented a cabin or a camper.

"Not this weekend; we plan to return home, if only to let John recover and unwind"

"It makes sense. Did you bring food for lunch?"

I admitted that I didn't have plans, unlike last weekend.

She insisted on inviting all of us over, not just my family, but also Martina and Luis.

"We just got a delivery of beef, and honestly? It's too much for us!"

I look at her. "A delivery of beef?"

"Right, we know this butcher; he often gets a whole bull or a cow, and he can offer us a portion of it for really cheap"

"A portion?"

"Yeah, like a fourth or a fifth. It depends on how many people are interested. We have a chest freezer, and, well, sometimes the bundle is too big, so we need to pass it quickly. Tonight a lot will be at the barbecue, but I have a few steaks for lunch that are way better fresh. What do you say?"

"Can I contribute?"

"Nah. What you can do is, once that house is built, get your own freezer so I can store more meat, and we can share the costs and the spoils"

"Not with Kara or your parents?"

She laughs. "Who do you think takes the other parts?"

I look at her. "Ah, so everyone has too much meat"

"Well, Kara's parents have a bigger freezer, and they split their part with Kara, but mine have their own share"

"And Greg?"

She sighs. "Greg and Wendy prefer fresh meat, not frozen, so it's not really for them"

"Fair enough"

I did offer money again, but she still rejected it. She wanted us to taste it so we could split her share with her next time, in a few weeks. It might be a pig that time...

The kids were fine with steaks, but John and Luis were thrilled!

John was on board for the next shipment if the price made sense.

But soon enough, John, Luis, and Martina were back on the construction, and I spent part of the rest of the afternoon at the lake with the four kids and both Kelly and Victor.

We had fun. Both parents play a lot with their kids, and that afternoon, with my kids too.

We did the splash tag again, but Victor proposed some shoulder wars, which we call chicken fights.

It wasn't much of a success, as we were missing another father, and I wasn't strong enough to have Sarah on my shoulders.

Still, we had fun, and this time, sandcastles were made, with Kelly running back home to get tools to help.

It's Kelly who was running the potluck, but soon after we were done eating, we elected to get back home to let John rest for the next day.

<-#33: Overcoming Trauma #33: Plans