Loosening Up Bk. 05 Ch. 10-14

Elise assured Alice that she would run interference for her with her parents. She was turning out to be one of the toughest and most resilient members of the Circle. She was fearless. Dave and Aaron were both glad that their mother was spending almost all of her time with them.

Unbeknownst to Dave and Aaron and most of the other Circle members Elise also had a serious relationship developing with one of the other Circle members. Things came to a subtle head the following weekend.

Elise showed up on Roy's arm, as she often did. This time, however, she was dressed a little better and completely for dinner; a little more completely meaning she had a top on instead of going half-nude as many of the other women did.

Elise also wore her sparklers -- her diamonds. She had on a tennis bracelet that Aaron recognized as a gift about ten years earlier from their father. The only other sparkler was a diamond ring on her left ring finger.

Dave studied her hand as she sat opposite him and engaged in dinner. There seemed to be a slight exaggeration of her moves with that hand, almost as though she were waving the hand under his nose.

Dave tried to identify the ring as anything he'd ever seen before.

"Errr, Elise -- Mother -- that ring. I don't think I've seen it before, have I?"

Elise smiled, "No, you haven't. This is the first time I've worn it -- today, I mean. I got it last night when Roy proposed to me."

The whole table got so quiet you could of heard a pin drop. The other tables also quieted and turned in their direction.

Dave nodded slowly and started to smile, "And you, of course, said 'Yes'?"

Elise grinned broadly, "Yes. I love him dearly." She turned and looked adoringly at her beau.

The entire Circle broke into bedlam. There were shouts of congratulations, and why didn't you tell us from all the tables. Champagne appeared with a huge stack of Styrofoam coffee cups to drink from. Ty made the toast to the happy couple. Roy blushed and got so many pats on the back, Dave thought he'd have shoulder pain.

Dave and Aaron were truly stupefied. Shelby along with Alice and Dave's other wives were surprised. No one admitted to having figured out the depth of the relationship. The last anybody recalled was that Elise was 'sleeping around' the way most of the single women in the Circle did.

Roy stood and made a few comments about his precipitous decision to seek a mate at his late stage in life after twenty years of bachelorhood since his first marriage ended. He talked about how Elise had barely lifted a finger to win him over and wake up the deep love he felt for her.

Jack teased, "So, does that mean that we aren't going to enjoy Elise in the future, or that the women here won't enjoy your loving?"

Roy and Elise looked at each other and laughed, "Of course not," Elise said loudly. "We're Circle members in good standing. We will continue to enjoy ourselves just the way we have been, but we will both know where home is and where we find that wonderful feeling of belonging."

Someone yelled out, "When's the wedding?"

Roy said, "No date set, yet, but we won't wait too long. In the meanwhile, my fiancée will be moving into my humble abode."

There were more cheers and a few other questions, as the Circle celebrated the loving commitment the pair had made.

Dave and Aaron both got up and walked around the table to Roy and Elise, kissing and hugging their mom, and shaking Roy's hand.

The trio of women flew into the Circle in Owen's corporate jet. The Gulfstream 650LR landed Saturday morning after a red-eye flight from Orange County Airport where they connected with Owen and the plane. They all admitted to sleeping for most of the flight since they were each worn out from a hellish week wrapped up in their activities.

Dave met the plane on the tarmac with a couple of others from the Circle and several golf carts. He'd been waiting for the radio call, and as arranged got a warning as the plane started to descend from six-thousand feet about thirty or forty miles away. Dale, Paul, and Dave had brought golf carts down to the airport to shuttle luggage and the women up to the main set of homes.

As the engines spooled down after having run flawlessly for over seven hours, Dave watched as the door opened. He and the other men got a wave from Owen's chief pilot, the stairs were deployed, and before anything else happened there was a blur in dark slacks and a white blouse that came down the stairs three at a time, and then launched herself into Dave's arms as he walked towards the plane.

Cricket was sobbing. "I never should have left you. I felt so empty the entire time I was away. God, it's been weeks. I can't believe so much time has past. OH, GOD, I LOVE YOU."

Dave held her as she sobbed and nearly crushed him with her long hug. Similar greetings were going on around him as Ashley and Scarlett hugged Paul and Dale, but without the tears or the raw emotions that Cricket demonstrated.

After a hundred kisses, Cricket finally let go of Dave, but only so she could hold his arm. Scarlett and Ashley took turns also kissing him. Dave was surprised at Scarlett's passion. She whispered, "I missed you almost as much as Cricket. She's been nearly inconsolable most of the time. We did find a few ways to distract her, but she is REALLY glad to be here -- with you. For that matter, I am, too. I hope I'm staying with you."

Dave laughed, "Tonight, in my bed -- you, me, Cricket, and Ashley if she wants."

Ashley had heard the conversation and interjected, "She wants. I'm not sure I want to wait that long."

Dave nudged them towards the golf carts. The copilot of the jet said, "Don't worry about their luggage, I'll bring it up to the core living room in one of the carts and you can decide what to do with it from there."

Cricket rode in the golf cart with Dave holding his arm to her chest, Scarlett with Dale, and Ashley with her father. The animated conversations about powered the carts.

Upon reaching the core, Dave pulled Cricket into the kitchen and situated her at one of the kitchen counter stools. He had just started to do the Saturday Brunch for the Circle members when he'd heard the plane's radio call ahead that they were arriving. Dave wanted Cricket near after so long; he also knew that she needed him. Scarlett and Dale took the other two stools. Ashley went off with Paul to see her mother, sister, and new nephew, promising to bring everybody to breakfast if she could.

Ken and Patti were helping with breakfast, but took time out to welcome Cricket and Scarlett 'home'. The others went out of their way in their welcome, too. Dave noticed that not everyone exhibited the blind awe or adoration of a movie star in Scarlett's case; only the welcome of a long-missed friend, much as Ken and Patti received when they'd been gone on one of their two-week circuits around the country.

Alice, Julie, Pam, and Heather came and stood or sat around the kitchen bar after kissing the women in greeting.

Dave said to Cricket, "Time to tell us your story."

Cricket began, "I feel like I've been in a blender going around at a billion miles an hour. It's been the most unusual six weeks in my life since I left here -- surreal. Before I left, Scarlett had read my draft novel ofCrystal Clear, and then had two friends of hers that were a producer and a screenwriter read it. She'd gotten together with them and the three decided it needed to be a movie. Scarlett wanted to play the part of Crystal, the lead character in the novel. As some of you recommended, we split the book into two parts:Road Trip andCrystal Clear.

"When I got out there, the questions were piled high. Would I work with a man named Don Abrams the screenwriter to turn the novel to a movie script? Would I work with Melissa Culpone at Random House to finish the book and speed it to print? Would I sign this and sign that? You know I ran a couple of things by you and Jason, but there were more and more, so Jason arranged with a friend of his in Hollywood to become my lawyer -- Bert Munday.

"Melissa and I worked about twelve to fifteen hours a day for almost three weeks on the first novel -- word by word, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph. She's good. She called herself a Grammar Nazi. As we finished a chapter, it would go to yet another editor who scrubbed through it. Suddenly, after all that we had a finished book. It went to a preliminary printing immediately, and I sent you one of the proof copies, but we were done with it by that time. The publisher still had lots more they wanted to do with it, plus organize the marketing campaign in concert with the movie. That's still going on.

"Then I started in with the same level of intensity with Don Abrams. Converting the book to a screenplay took longer. I write about what characters are feeling and thinking. In a movie you have to SHOW that somehow; the actors have to say things or do things that reveal what's going on inside them. I had to rethink whole sections of the book, and reconceive what they might do or say as a result, but everything had to hang together and closely resemble the book.

Don was good. He'd have me watch part of a movie after reading the same part of a novel that had been turned just the wayRoad Trip andCrystal Clear were. Then I'd go off and attack a couple of chapters of my book, and then run them by Don. I was working in his office from seven-thirty in the morning until nine at night. It seems so long ago, but we finally finished yesterdayRoad Trip. Carl Reed, Scarlett's producer friend, read the play as it came off the word processor. He liked it and signed on. We have a fully funded, fully staffed movie that starts production right after New Years.

I barely saw Ashley or Scarlett except when I'd get home to her house exhausted. I actually had a limousine driving me around Hollywood. Most of the time we'd all fall in bed and just sleep, but we did make love some of the time.

Scarlett had been listening, but laughed. She chimed in, "A lot of the time. You're little girlfriend is an insatiable little minx. We did get her to take a little time off to play here and there. She can tell you about a couple of the parties we went to and I did get her to shop with me on Rodeo Drive a couple of times."

Dave teased, "And what kind of a critter are you?"

Scarlett grinned, "I guess I'm more like a horny rabbit. I just like to hop from cock to cock to cock." Everyone laughed.

Dave turned to Cricket. She dug in her shoulder bag and put three pages of paper down on the counter. Even from a distance Dave could tell they were clinic lab reports for Ashley, Scarlett, and her.

Cricket said, "I hope you're not mad at any of us, but we hooked up with a few guys at the parties Scarlett took us to. They were crazy and sexy and quite amazing. There were four parties -- Saturday nights; bacchanalian orgies towards the end of each night. We wouldn't leave until the sun was coming up. I also got it on with Don Abrams and his girlfriend.

"Scarlett warned Ashley and me ahead of time about the parties. Most of the A-listers left around eleven o'clock, but those that stayed knew what was coming. One was the raunchiest and wildest party I've ever seen. The first time I'd been pent up for three weeks working on the novel. I missed you and everybody here, I missed the sex, and I was super horny becauseRoad Trip andCrystal Clear are not exactly children's books, so I'd been reworking some of the love and sex scenes in it. I was horny and looking for an opportunity.

"Because I'm small and I'm told kind of sexy, I appealed to most of the men there. Scarlett warned me about what to expect; she'd been there, done that. I liked the men, and we talked and laughed for a long time before anything happened, and then I decided to allow a different relationship to come forward. I didn't think of it like 'Do this; get that' kind of transaction. It was just about the relationship, but later Scarlett told me that things would go easier in Hollywood for me after the party.

Dave teased, "So, you did the entire cast and crew?"

"NOOOoooo!" Cricket said in a pleading tone. She threw a punch at Dave's arm. "I was with six men while I was gone. They were nice, and all told me that they loved me. I'm sorry I was weak and wasn't faithful to you."

Dave shook his head to show the last thought was of no concern. "You weren't UNfaithful to me. Get rid of those guilt feelings. We have an open relationship."

"But ... I want to be your wife."

Dave gestured to Alice and Pam.

Alice chuckled, "A short story to set an example. When Pam and I went to get our instrument ratings we met Doug and Pete; we'd never met them before and only had the briefest of professional conversations with them by phone. That first night we'd gone up to Asheville and all the nights after we had one huge fuck fest with them. We were and are Dave's wives, so don't get upset over what you did. Doug and Pete joining the Circle later turned out to be a fortuitous surprise, but Pam and I fuck on the first date -- almost everybody here does."

Scarlett laughed, "I like that story. A good relationship has a lot of flex in it."

Cricket looked relieved. "Thank you. I feel better."

"And Ashley and Scarlett?" Dave probed in a teasing tone.

Cricket pointed at Scarlett. She laughed, "I already have my steady friends that go to these parties. It was comfortable to slip away and reestablish old friendships."

Cricket volunteered, "Ashley will have to tell you about her exploits herself, but they were similar to mine. I know she was worried. We were all careful about our partners having the right papers and all. We took no one's word for their safe condition."

Dave set breakfasts up on the counter for everybody as things came off the grill. Cricket was visibly more relaxed. She really had thought she'd screwed the pooch in terms of her admission to the Circle. Cricket sat with a long face. Scarlett seemed a tad subdued.

As the dirty dishes were cleaned away, Dave casually said, "Oh, by the way, last Monday the Circle annexed a group of new members. Scarlett and Cricket, you were included. Welcome to the Circle."

The screams of joy could be heard across town. Both women threw themselves into Dave's arms, who received the brunt of their enthusiasm despite his protestations that he was only one person that had wanted them to join. The two women also hugged and kissed Dave's wives and thanked them for their support. Those around them eagerly expressed their congratulations as well.

Cricket had tears in her eyes.

Dave told the two who else had achieved Circle status. Scarlett was very touched and got very romantic and tender about the whole situation. She pleaded, "Couldn't you see to going off with Cricket and me for a little while right now? I am a very needy person and I love you."

Dave took some kind of imaginary measurement of the sun and horizon with his hands, checked his watch, and then kissed her. "I think that is in the stars."

The threesome didn't surface until one o'clock, and only then after Julie had confronted the group in the bedroom and gone into her bizarre cleanup mode on Cricket and Scarlett. Dave thought to himself about what a great intentional family he had.

Afternoon on the patio was full of Circle members coming by to greet Scarlett, Cricket, and Ashley, and also to welcome the first two into the Circle for the first time as members. Dave had a further surprise for Cricket but he'd decided to wait for dinner. The pretty girl was never very far from him, and stuck with his wives when he had to leave and go do a few chores.

Alice gave an update about the happenings in the Circle, including Sheri Seaton's seduction, Elise's engagement, and the rapidly emerging plans for another Halloween party with lots of attendees. The trio of women were intrigued with the progress the new graduates had made resulting in their becoming Circle members. They didn't know Jim Danforth that well, since most of his interaction with the Circle had been right after the group left for Hollywood. Dave could see resolve in Cricket's eyes to get to know the new man much better.

The trio cheered when they heard about Elise's engagement to Roy Goodman. They thought that would be a fun match, and they were glad that neither of them would be lost to the Circle and the open relationships everyone enjoyed.

Cricket had lost touch with Karen due to her workload, but was pleased to hear that the threesome with Daryl and Candy had held together as long as it had. She and the others laughed as Alice told them about Dave rendering Candy a blubbering pile of orgasmic mush madly in love with him before she left to return to Ohio. They also talked about Karen's possible annexation into the Circle, maybe revisiting what had been affiliate memberships when one lived far away and couldn't fully participate.

The trio also learned more about Sheri Seaton, another new face that had appeared while they'd been away. Sheri wasn't yet a member but had thrown herself into the Circle activities and lifestyle with tremendous enthusiasm after her debut with Dave and Nancy. During the previous week, Dave commented that she'd asked whether she could be considered for one of the Townhouse 2 residences as they got finished and approved by the county building inspector. She wanted complete immersion.

Dave was asked about the rest of the aftermath of Hurricane Marco. He described the lingering damage and then modestly commented that he'd become a vice president at the utility as a result, and that Nancy had moved into his director's position with no argument from any of the executives or board. The trio of women applauded their successful rise.

Maddy came by and asked Dave for five minutes of his time. Alice teased him about how he made it last that long, but after flipping her the bird, he broke away to have an aside with Maddy.

Maddy was brief, "I just wanted to give you a heads up about three things. First, I'm pregnant. In concert with Circle philosophy, I do not plan to speculate about who the father might be but you might want to compare your baby pictures with whatever I produce. I'm due in May. Bobbie and I are very happy about this. We ultimately want two kids, and this is our start. I'm quite sure you're the father."

Dave glanced across the patio, and Bobbie was half-nude sunning in a lounge chair. She waved at Dave and maintained a big grin. He waved back.

"Second, I want to keep doing the nursery and child care, but I will need some relief as I get to full term and then for a few weeks after I deliver. Do you want me to hire a temp or how should I proceed? You don't have to decide today, but think on that. We have a lot of time yet. I should probably talk to the moms, but I thought I'd ask you first.

"Third, as the kiddies get older we are going to want some kind of playground. Unless you want to compromise part of the patio, my recommendation is to put in a fenced playground across Circle Drive on the opposite corner from where the access road intersects with the Drive and opposite the townhouse."

Dave hugged the young nanny and kissed her. "I'm here for you. Thank you for sharing and thank you for being the great person that you are. I love you, and thank you for allowing me to become the father of our baby. I am ready to play whatever role you want me to in your family, or no role at all other than what we've been doing."

Maddy laughed, "What we've been doing is how I got pregnant!"

"You know what I mean. As far as a temp, I'd talk to Alice and the moms. If I recall she led the process that ultimately hired you. I think it's a little on the early side. I think I'd start in February, and then have your temp overlap a few weeks with you and help ease your burden in your last weeks before you stop and wait for the arrival. And, as for the playground, that is a good idea. I hereby anoint you as the committee head to come up with a design and costs and bring it to the board. Is that all right?"