Founders Ch. 91

"That was the whole thing," he said.

"Yussss," she moaned.

"Any problems?" he asked.

"I came?" she said, confused.

"It can still be painful."

"Not painful."

"Good."

It was awkward for some reason, getting detached, wiping up, getting dressed. Martha was blushing and not making eye contact. She startled. "What's that?"

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"On the floor."

"Oh that? Looks like a little dollop of soil. Occasionally, when a woman is very excited, she might excrete a little something. It's called 'spending a penny.' It's perfectly natural."

Her face fell. "You're just trying to be nice."

"Believe me, it's not a problem," said Zach.

"I'll clean it up," she said. She grabbed the wet wipes out of Zach's hand and worked frantically. He tidied everywhere else.

When hands were washed afterward, he turned to her. "I enjoyed that very much," he said earnestly.

"You're very polite," she said, looking away.

Zach opened the door, and Martha scampered out.

"You sure you're-"

"Byeee!" waved Martha frantically as she power-walked away.

Zach figured he would see Martha again at dinner, but he didn't. The dinner meeting began once the kids were all asleep. Trigonometry got their plates of food and sat together at a table front and center. He smiled at Noa, who smiled at him from a small raised platform in the front. He looked for Martha to check in with her. He didn't see her. Anming hustled Naz and Adah over to sit at the Trigonometry table.

Anming whispered in Adah's ear. Adah looked alarmed. She looked pleadingly at Zach, moved her plate aside, and put her head and torso down on the table. Her eyes at him were crazy. She was in tears.

Zach stood up and came around behind her. She reached behind herself and grabbed the waist of her stretch pants. Before she could pull them down, his hands stopped her.

The room, which had been loud with conversations, fell silent.

"I'm sorry," Adah said. "I know they're supposed to be down by the time you arrive behind me."

"We don't do this in public," said Zach.

"But Anming said-"

"Anming is not all of Trigonometry. The group has not voted yet. I appreciate your desire to fulfill my wives' wishes. Please take your seat. Please."

Adah's body relaxed from it's coiled spring position. Wiping a tear, she sat down, head down.

Zach sat down. Conversations started up.

"Uh, okay, let's get started," said Alexis, tapping the microphone. The crowd quieted. It was a crowd, too, Zach appreciated. Forty-five people. "Let's get started. Okay, Noa has some things to say about her role here in Olympus City. She's not a whore! Oh, all right. She should explain it." Alexis surrendered the microphone.

Noa stood up and said, "First of all, like all of us, I'm a free person. I can have sex with whomever I like, whenever I like. Likewise, I can refuse sex. I don't sell sex. What I provide are healthy sexual attitudes. We are a colony that depends on procreation, in part, to succeed and thrive as a community. I'm charged by Alexis and the leaders of this community to look after every individual's sexual health, whatever that entails. Any questions?"

Dallas stood up. "How much?" he asked with a snicker.

"Sit down Dallas!" yelled Alexis. Sierra pulled him down with embarrassment.

He stood up again. "But seriously. What about marriage?"

"What about marriage?" asked Noa. "If a person is in a committed relationship, I encourage it, if it's healthy. I encourage people to fulfill the commitments they've made in their relationships. Honesty is the only way to live in peace and happiness."

Dallas looked confused and sat down.

Lou stood up. "I admit to being disappointed. The thought of a whore in business right upstairs plain as day was thrilling and colorful."

Noa smiled broadly at him. "Lou, you're such a charming fellow. As far as I'm concerned, I'm your colorful whore. You can come up and... heh... spend time, money, or anything else with me any time you wish."

Minna Larsson stood up and asked, "How is it that the counseling is only for men?"

"I see both men and women," said Noa.

"But I only see men going up there."

"I'm not responsible for you not noticing women coming to me. They have. But to be honest, hardly anybody has visited me so far. I wish I was busier. Come see me. We'll talk about it."

Agatha Reddy stood up and asked, "Isn't there more to relationships than sex?"

"There is a lot more to relationships than sex, and I offer counsel about all of it. But never underestimate the power of great sex. Romantic relationships can't be all they can be without great sex. A society can be all it can be without being sex-positive. And we're creating a society here."

"Is it ethical to have sex with your clients?"

"It's just like any interaction with a client. If an interaction is empowering and freeing rather than controlling or coercing, then yes. If you think about it, any form of communication can fall under this. You might as well ask whether talking to a client is ethical. It depends on the nature of the conversation."

There were several more questions. Noa answered them with humor, grace and insight. When all questions were extinguished, Noa turned to the crowd. "The bottom line is this. If you want a mind-blowing sex life with nothing missing, come and see me. You can have that. If you don't want a mind-blowing sex life, stay away. Either way, though, it's not about what I do. It's not about me spreading my legs or not. Your sex life can only become mind-blowing based on what you do, or what you stop settling for."

"I'm not selling bread, people. I'm selling ovens. And I'm teaching how to use them so you won't get burnt."

She got an enthusiastic round of applause.

With the audience milling around and dispersing, Anming spoke to Adah and Naz. "You take Zachary straight home and serve him exactly as I described."

Zach looked around at his assembled wives. "Is this okay with everyone?"

"Okay by me," said Colleen.

"Please, I'm still walking funny," said Becky.

"You're one to talk! I could barely walk this morning!" complained Khushi. Then she turned to Zach and smiled. "But it was a wonderful crippling."

Anming added, "You don't know the half of how he pillages my intimate places relentlessly!"

Zach said to Adah and Naz, "Okay. I need to get my overnight bag. I'll meet you at your place."

(To be continued)