Loosening Up Bk. 04 Ch. 21-25

More relatives arrived around five o'clock. Dave thought that a peculiar arrival time, but Ken explained that there were a couple of major arrivals at SRQ, the main airport, between 3:30 and 4:00 p.m., which worked perfectly for a cocktail hour arrival time.

Dave and Aaron tended bar and distributed drinks of choice to each person. Dave had made sure to restock the bar over the previous weekend with soft drinks, wine, and hard liquor. The older clientele seemed to prefer drinks made with hard liquor -- martinis, Manhattans, gin and tonics, and scotch.

Aaron asked Dave about Karen's presence as they worked side by side. Dave shrugged and said that whatever Alice and Julie worked out with Karen would be fine with him. He just didn't want to have to contend with the malice from their parents, especially Mr. Waldorf, the girl's evangelical father.

Gail showed up with her mother and made sure that everyone, especially the men, had been introduced to her. Dave found it kind of hard to imagine what his father found attractive in the dowdy woman, but then he had to admit that over thirty years had passed that took its toll on everyone in that age group.

Jason and Robyn appeared, and Susan happily escorted them around doing the introductions of her employers and lovers to the newcomers. Elise was floating merrily around like a blithe spirit, distributing kisses and hugs to everyone along with some affectionate remarks. Dave found her acceptance by the other Circle members truly extraordinary.

* * * * *

Bobbie orchestrated Thanksgiving dinner for the entire Circle and all of their invited guests. Dave estimated that there were about ninety people sitting in the living room and dining room of the core at five crowded long tables. She'd even arranged comfortable extra chairs for the tables. Each table had a turkey and a carving set, plus the cornucopia of side dishes and condiments.

Dave set the tone for the weekend at the start of the meal with a few short spiritual remarks that might pass as a grace in other circumstances. He talked about how gratitude was a primary spiritual skill, and also about forgiveness. Everybody stood and held hands as he spoke.

Midway through the meal, Dave and Ty stood and conducted a toast to Bobbie for her dedication to all of them and the magnificent job. Bobbie had explained earlier that she conducted similar feasts at a couple of the restaurants she'd worked at and run for their owners. Nonetheless, she received the accolades and applause with gracious appreciation.

As the men sat, Ken rose to his feet a few feet away from where Dave and his extended family sat. He said somewhat loudly to capture everybody's attention, "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like your attention for a special moment in my life and what I hope will be a special moment in someone else's life."

Everyone swung all their attention to Ken, wondering just what kind of an announcement he was about to make. Dave looked at Alice and Pam who generally knew about things like this ahead of time, if he didn't, but their shrugs indicated they were clueless.

Ken went on, "When I was young and foolish, I married an innocent young woman and plucked her out of our hometown and tried to make a military wife out of her. That wasn't in the cards and we eventually separated. I got wiser and smarter with each day since that debacle of events, and I think I'm pretty sagacious at this stage in my life. At least I know I have a lifetime of learning ahead of me to even stay even in the game."

Ken turned to his partner, "Patti, would you come and stand with me?"

Patti Turner stood, and slowly walked around her table to where Ken stood. She was very uncertain about what was about to happen. She was also blushing. Dave wondered how unexpected this situation was for her.

As she reached him, Ken took her hand. "Patti, we've been through some of life's toughest challenges together, and we've also found ourselves in this little slice of heaven called the Circle. I'm just hoping you think the same way that I do about all of this."

Ken suddenly dropped to one knee, and produced a ring box from his pocket. "Patti Turner, will you marry me and make me the happiest man in the world."

"YES! YES! YES!" Patti screamed as she fell into his arms and they kissed.

Everyone in the Circle had tears in their eyes, and they all started applauding and cheering for the couple. Even the guests that hadn't met them were applauding and shouting their congratulations.

Dave, Aaron, and Dev slipped away from the table to return a few minutes later with ninety plastic stemware glasses, each filled with an ounce or two of champagne. They quickly distributed the glasses to everyone.

Dave stood, "A toast to our new couple. I seem to recall that old Irish blessing that I think expresses the sentiments for all of us and how we think about our hopes for the two of you. 'May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your fields. And as we remain as friends and express our love for the two of you, May God forever hold you in the palm of his hand.'"

There were multiple choruses of "Here! Here!" as the glasses waved around in the direction of Ken and Patti. The two were now together, with Patti sitting in his lap and admiring the diamond he'd placed on her ring finger.

Suddenly, amid the mayhem that the toast had engendered, there was the steady clinking of a knife against one of the water glasses. People gradually quieted down and turned to see Bobbie Wyatt standing at her place at the table nearest the kitchen.

When Bobbie had everybody's attention, she took a deep breath. "I am so joyful that Ken and Patti did what they did just a few moments ago. That gives me courage to do what I'm about to do."

Bobbie turned to Madison Granger, who had been sitting next to her. She pulled Maddy to her feet. Maddy looked panicked. She said, "Maddy Granger, I love you with all my heart, and I am thinking you might say the same about me. To that end, I would like to propose to you. Maddy Granger, will you marry me?"

Maddy's jaw dropped open, and she leapt into Bobbie's arms. Somewhere in the midst of the kisses, everyone heard a loud, "YES!"

Dave looked around at the various guests: siblings, parents, friends, and even more distant relatives. The two women were kissing right in front of them, yet everyone seemed to appreciate the moment.

Dave even eyeballed his sister-in-law to see how Karen was reacting to the sapphic proposal and kisses. She was agog, but at least smiling at the couple. She applauded along with everyone else.

Ken and Patti wove their way from their table to Bobbie and Maddy, and they traded kisses and hugs, and then while that was going on everybody toasted the newer couple.

Dave stood, champagne was again passed around quickly, and he made a further toast as everyone listened. "'May God give you ... For every storm, a rainbow; For every tear, a smile; For every care, a promise; And a blessing for each trial. For every problem life sends, A faithful friend to share, For every sigh, a sweet song; And an answer for each prayer.' Blessings on the two of you. We all love you and are here to support you every step in your journey to matrimony and marital bliss."

Again, there was cheering, yelling of congratulations, and more toasting.

Dave ruminated as he watched the two couples standing together while several of the Circle took pictures of the four standing together. This was a very unique moment in so many ways. His heart felt so good with what was happening.

Love was flourishing within the Circle and within its members.

Chapter 23 -- Another Bumper Crop

Over the four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Dave noticed that the entire Circle seemed more in love and more celebratory. There was more laughter, more gaiety, more hugging, and more group activities. The atmosphere that surrounded the two newly engaged couples spread like a contagious disease to everybody, even to the outside visitors.

Dave was delighted to find Patti remained as seductive as ever, even crawling into his bed for a second round of making love after she'd been with Sean and Holly in round one. He'd never asked whether Ken and she would continue with the open marriage characteristic of all the Circle couples and relationships, but took her presence as a solid 'Yes, they would.

Bobbie and Maddy both came to Dave on several nights, naked, horny, and inventive with him to communicate their continued desire to make love within the Circle despite their engagement.

Maddy did reveal that not everything had gone well at home. She told him, "I finally called home to tell them what was going on in my life. I thought mom would be more tolerant of the situation. The idea that her daughter had just become engaged to another WOMAN totally freaked her out. She was speechless for five minutes and had no idea how to respond.

"She tried to talk me out of the relationship, then the engagement, and then the whole idea of getting married. She's never been particularly religious, but suddenly she's quoting obscure verses from the Old Testament to me about how living in sin with someone of the same sex is unholy and that God won't like it and might strike me down."

She laughed, "I pointed out that there were an estimated ten million LGBT adults in the U.S. population, and that ten percent of them were married -- that's around a million people or half-a-million couples. I mentioned that the U.S. Supreme Court had recently ruled favorably on the unions, too. All she did was sputter some more. Right now that's a work in progress. I haven't even heard from my father on this. I can imagine he's ballistic."

Dave asked, "What about Bobbie's parents?"

"Not an issue," Maddy said. "They wished her joy and happiness, and pledged their support. I haven't met them yet because they live in the south of France but we plan to go see them in the spring. I talked to them on the phone and they welcomed me into the family."

Maddy kissed Dave really hard. "Enough of this talk about national statistics. I want you to make love to me again."

The events around Christmas time made the Circle especially festive for that time of year. Most of the homes forewent a Christmas tree because there was a huge tree in the core that reached all the way to the cathedral ceiling in the core living room. There were decorative lights and displays everywhere to lighten the mood and propagate a holiday air. Mike had gotten the speakers in the room to constantly play Celtic and seasonal music. He'd found a Pandora station that didn't make you think you were in church, but made you feel seasonal.

Christmas Eve turned out to be on a Friday. Everyone was home and present for an extended holiday cocktail time, and then a dinner that Bobbie had arranged to have catered for the Circle. As had been the case at Thanksgiving, there were a number of guests, relatives, and friends from the outside world present.

As Dave sat nursing one of his white wines over ice, Robyn came over and kissed him very tenderly. She whispered, "I love you." He put his arm around her. Amanda was suddenly right there as well, and then Gail.

Robyn said, "We've done as you wanted, and after struggling with it all, we found it was pretty easy in the end. We're ready for your test."

"My test?"

Robyn laughed, "Aren't you going to test us to see whether we're complete and multi-dimensionally in love with each other, and with others in the Circle. We are, I assure you. I don't know how to prove it, except to avow to you that we all feel that way. Amanda and I have changed -- dramatically. I'm rather fond of the new me, actually. Jason is, too."

Gail spoke up, "We've had long conversations with each other about our lives, our core values and life principles, and then we've interacted together. Initially, we were experimenting with each other, but then we realized that we each looked forward to our love sessions.

"Bobbie joined our rap session one night and talked about sapphic loving, and some of the feelings and the mechanics. As you probably know, we asked Alice to talk to us, too."

Dave was nodding. "And, what do you want my role in this to be?"

Amanda said, "We'd like you to be the first man in the Circle that Robyn and I make love with. We know you and Gail have been together, and that's fine with us, but we want our turns."

Dave teased, "Oh, we take turns?"

Amanda rolled her eyes, "You know what we mean. We are not being possessive of you, only hopeful that from time to time you'll make love with each of us so that we preserve the beautiful relationship we're building with you, and yes, we're building relationships with the other men and women, too."

"And Jason's opinions about this?"

Robyn smiled, "He's fully on board. He didn't want to make love with you, at least not in a sexual way. He did plan to talk to Alice tonight, only because she seemed to be mentoring him, and us, in the ways of the Circle."

"Ah, the Tao of the Circle," Dave said. "Or maybe it should be the Circle of the Tao."

Amanda leant down and kissed Dave. "You know we're ready. No pressure."

Dave nodded, "I'll come and find you three after dinner. We'll dance a little and and see what develops. Maybe Jason and Alice can join us."

Betty Watson came up to Dave shortly after the trio of women had left him alone. She gave him a little peck on the cheek. "I hope you'll help sponsor Gail, Robyn, and Amanda into the Circle. They really are ready."

Dave chuckled, "And you know this how?"

"I've listened to some of their discussions. Gail would put them on the speakerphone in our home on the days she was up north. She didn't know I was listening when she was talking to Amanda and Robyn, but those discussions were exceptionally deep, emotional, and moving. They'd laugh. They'd cry. They'd argue and finally agree. I leaned a lot from them, things I wished I'd thought about when Bill was alive."

Dave nodded, "Let's see what happens right after the New Year passes." He had a thought, "By the way, have you closed the loop with Aaron about Bill being his father."

"Oh, yes; certainly. I did that on my first visit here. I have nothing but love for everything that happened. Bill and I loved your mom and Hank so much; we couldn't get enough of each other. I just wish we'd been more open with all of you kids. Keeping a secret like that for over thirty years kind of ate away at each of us, but the men insisted."

Betty's eyes got a little cloudy, "You know if we'd been a little more with it and hip or whatever, we would have created our own version of your Circle. We were just too influenced by the rest of the world back in those days." She shook her head, "Anyway, thank you for having me as a guest here. Your mom is the perfect hostess, although I know she goes off to have sex with the men. I don't mind. It's given me some motivation to lose some weight. Since Thanksgiving I'm down ten pounds."

Dave hugged the older woman -- Gail's mother, and his half-brother's mother-in-law, kind of. What a complex set of relationships; hard to describe, at best.

When Dave was momentarily alone, Nancy came by with her parents and introduced them. She had them all sit together so she could get someone to take a picture of the four together, and then she turned to her parents and Dave.

"I have a small announcement to make."

Everyone's attention shifted to Nancy instead of the various distractions going on around them.

"I'm pregnant and I expect to have a baby around mid-August. I'll get a more specific date once a couple of ultra-sound tests get done in two weeks."

Dave immediately hugged Nancy and kissed her despite her parents being right there. She whispered in his ear, "It's yours. I'm certain ... Daddy."

Bart Mason asked the inevitable question a minute or two later. "Just a small question about the paternity of my soon-to-be grandchild? My daughter is single with no identifiable boyfriend."

Dave smiled, "That'd be me. I love Nancy very much, and although we aren't married I will be a dad who's around for our child and I'll be sure both are well cared for."

Bart's eyes rolled slightly. Ginny Mason, Nancy's mother, then said all the right words about her excitement, becoming a grandmother, and other supportive statements as Bart nodded along in agreement.

Nancy volunteered, "I'll take the maternity leave at work, but I'll want to go back to work after childbirth ... maybe a month or so later depending on how I feel."

Dave said, "When you get nearer, you should move into the house with us so you're not alone in case something happens when everyone is asleep. Maybe starting around the fourth of July."

Nancy rolled her eyes at his concern. She was very independent being. "Well see," was her comment.

Ginny looked pleased at my offer. She said, "Won't that get in the way of you and your wife?"

Dave flashed a questioning glance at Nancy. She snickered and pointed at him.

"Errr, Mrs. Mason, Nancy will not be in the way, and just to set the record straight with you, I have four wives. Well, one is my legal wife and the other three women are for all intensive purposes my wives, as well."

"FOUR!?!" Bart blurted out before Ginny could respond.

Dave explained, "We've been living together for almost four years now." He pointed to where Alice and Pam were talking to Darlene Hodge, Pam's mother. "Alice and Pam there are two of them. Julie, I don't see right now. Heather is overseeing our son's meal over by the door to the kitchen; she's wearing the blue jumper. She graduates from college in May."

"You already have a son?" Ginny asked in an awed tone. Dave realized for sure that Nancy had told her parents little about this aspect of the Circle, him or their lifestyle.

"Well, Matthew wasn't really mine. He was three when Heather came into my family. He'll turn seven shortly. I'm his dad, but not his father. Alice had Johnny a few months ago; that's who she's holding in her arms; and Pam recently had Robert Edward, who is probably asleep in the nursery."

Ginny mumbled, "I have more questions, but I'll ask my daughter later."

Dave guessed the questions had to do about the implied group sex the discussion had just revealed in veiled terms. Nancy gave him a wink as she led her parents off towards the bar to get them strong drinks.

Dave loved Nancy, and was glad she'd chosen him to father her child. They were quite a team at work, too; and yet, the rumor mill had found little grist for sensationalism in the workplace. Dave thought that might be because Donna, the hub for all-things-personal going on in the utility was the go-to person for juicy information of any kind. She'd managed the news, and this revelation would give her something to manage.

Donna had him over at her townhouse two nights earlier. Emily, Dave's boss' wife, had joined them, and they'd merrily made love for several hours before he declared that they'd won, and he had been rendered useless as a donor for anything but kisses and hugs. He knew that either of them would have him father their children were they not past that age. Donna had even complained of a hot flash that night as he took turns with Em eating her pussy.

As he turned towards the pool a whirling dervish of a redhead leapt into his arms and wrapped her legs around him. Megan began kissing him with great passion. She declared, "We have GOT to get jobs over on this side of the state so we don't have to drive back and forth. I need to be near you and the Circle more than I am."

"I love you, too," Dave told her as he kissed her nose and let her down until her feet touched the ground.