Loosening Up Bk. 08 Ch. 21-25

Chapter 21 -- Very Unexpected Visitor

Friday evening before dinner, Dave assessed the progress on the reconstruction project. Several points were noteworthy. The shattered large tempered plate glass panels across the core living room where they looked out over the patio had all been replaced except right where most of the construction was going on. He could also see that there had been significant activity on the roof, suggesting that the permanent roof was complete over the top of the girders and special plywood that made up the base. Inside he could see that the walls had already been installed with metal studs. The burned and twisted wreckage was now completely hidden or removed.

This was not one of Dave's nights to tend bar, but he headed there anyway if not to help then to meet and greet his friends and lovers.

He didn't realize that he was in store for a large surprise. He was seated on a bar stool for a change talking to Abby Walsh wearing a sexy barmaid's outfit. He'd just gotten an update on how she was feeling after the death of Derek Wilson, her lover, mentor, and just about everything else for years of her life. Surprisingly, she'd continued to live with Emily -- Derek's wife -- in the home he'd built on Perimeter Road. As they had with Derek, they shared the same bed.

As they talked, he saw another resident from a Perimeter Road home making her way across the patio with a large grin on her face -- Tan. Tan was married to Bjorn Andersen and Nathan Ryder, but considered herself first and foremost a Circle member.

Tan got close to him and said, "Dave, please close your eyes for a very nice surprise. I'll tell you when to open them."

Dave closed his eyes and got a kiss from the hot Oriental woman. She said, "I like to kiss you, but that's not your surprise. Just keep them closed for a moment."

He heard a slight diminishment of the patio conversation, and then got another kiss on his lips, this one soft and passionate and long lasting. A female said in a lovely husky whisper, "I love you."

Dave couldn't guess who the person was. "Can I open my eyes now?"

Before he got an answer, each of his eyelids got kissed, and then a "Yes".

"OH, MY GOD! JENN," Dave exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I thought I'd never see you again." Tears came to his eyes. He pulled Jenn to him in a hug.

Tan stood by and looked pleased at the meeting.

Jenn was Jenn Whitaker, one of the women Dave had met and wooed at a leadership seminar in Sedona over a decade earlier. The last Dave knew she worked for a dot-com selling furniture online based on the west coast. She'd made a special visit to see him right after the Circle formed, and had decided she couldn't share or get over the group environment and the open sex that underpinned the Circle and Dave's way of life. She'd self-selected out of the scene with a tearful goodbye that had sounded like forever.

Jenn smiled at him and then hugged him again.

"Jenn Whitaker. You are a sight for sore eyes. You are as beautiful as ever -- even more than I remember."

She smiled, "It's not Jenn Whitaker any more. I became Jenn Ryder for a while. I guess I still am, but I'm divorced. I have one child who's playing with a group of other kids her age in Scarlett Johansson's backyard -- a point I have a hard time believing in and of itself."

"What ... where ... I have so many questions about you," Dave confessed.

Jenn hitched herself onto the adjacent barstool, accepting a glass of white wine from Elton Cleats who also had bar duty with Abby that night.

Jenn began, "When I left here, I'm sure you never expected to see me again. I never thought I could come back either. You were married to your wives -- I heard from Tan that you have ten now, the women in the Circle, and the Circle itself. I couldn't handle the competition back then. I wanted you exclusively and possessively. I didn't even want to share myself with anybody but you."

She sighed, "I've traveled a million miles since then -- mental miles where I learned one helluva lot about life, love, relationships, and many other things."

Tan snuggled up to Dave with her arm around him, "Jenn got in touch again about two years ago. I promised I wouldn't say anything, but we had long talks about the Circle and what was going on. You came up part of the time, but not exclusively you'll be glad to know. About two months ago, I sent her a copy of Cricket's book."

Jenn said, "I've almost destroyed my copy underlining practically every sentence, and the whole book looks highlighted in different colored markers. Every page has been dog-eared. It is very well read."

Dave was holding both of Jenn's hands in his. "And what did you conclude?" He was almost scared of the answer.

Tears flooded into Jenn's eyes and she gripped his hands tighter. She made a quiet strangling sound trying to speak for a moment but nothing came out. She finally said as tears ran down her pretty tanned cheeks, "I belong here!"

Dave got off his stool and hugged Jenn tightly to his chest. He felt her tears sinking into the fabric of his t-shirt. He gently kissed her temples as she burrowed into his hug and wrapped her arms tightly around his body.

Jenn gathered her wits. "All that stuff that bothered me then, doesn't bother me any more. I remember we talked about how you loosened up -- with your wife Alice and then with others. I guess I went through a similar process that I won't bore you with right now. Suffice it to say, my world got turned every which way several times since I saw you last. I've actually been divorced twice. My child is from my first marriage. I kept learning, growing, expanding, and more. I even had a real guru helping me for a while -- very 'California', I know." She made air quotes.

"Any way, I only know of one place in the world where I want to be and that's here -- in the Circle."

Dave softly said, "I haven't changed all that much, at least in terms of my value set. The Circle hasn't changed that much in that regard either, although we have many new members since I saw you last." He gestured to the others milling around the patio.

"Tan told me about how you were all attacked. I'm so glad no one was hurt."

"We were, too. Hopefully, we'll have a new kitchen up and running in about two or three weeks. The pool cabana might be a month after that."

Jenn said, "Just so you know, I've undergone some real transformations in my life, including my value set. I did some brave things and some dumb things in the past decade, but I grew a lot."

"Are you still in Internet furniture?"

"No, no. I quit there about five years ago and started my own online business specializing in unusual flooring. I sold it about six months ago and did very well. Right now, I'm unemployed, not working, and not worried about money. Eventually, I'll probably need a job, but I can coast for a long time, if not forever. I actually thought I'd talk to Holly about what her venture capital business was doing these days."

Tan jumped in, "I asked Jenn to move in with us for a while. She doesn't mind the brat since she has one of her own about the same age. We have sufficient guest rooms for everybody. She accepted.

"I told her that if she wanted to really embrace the Circle that she had to embrace our way of life AND befriend everybody. We'd talked about little else since she got here yesterday."

Jenn teared up again and looked at Dave with great uncertainty, "If you want me to leave, I will."

Dave hugged her again, "God, no! I want you here, especially if you are comfortable with all of what you see around us, and are comfortable with what you know about our behavior and values, our lifestyle, and the Circle culture."

"I'm good," Jenn sniffed. "I'm sorry I'm so emotional. I've thought about little else but this moment and this day since I drove away from here ten years ago. I knew I had to have a major catharsis if I were to ever return. I did, fortunately. I've loosened up."

Pam came and joined the group. "We didn't expect to see you again, Jenn. I'm glad you came back."

Jenn hugged Pam, and they shared a kiss on the lips. Pam looked at Dave, "Oh, this one is a keeper. Can we take her home tonight?"

Dave snickered, "That might be a little premature, but you can ask her."

Jenn smiled almost devilishly even past the tears on her cheeks, "Yes. That's almost more than I could hope for."

Tan tossed in, "Jenn spent last night in bed with Bjorn and me. She's a great snuggler ... plus she can suck cock like you wouldn't believe, at least according to Nat and Bjorn. My husbands may never be the same."

* * * * *

The tall lithe brunette in bed next to Dave stretched. Her hands were against the large headboard and the tips of her toes were just over the end of the mattress. She sighed, "I am in heaven. I've never felt so wrapped in love as I do this morning."

Dave rolled over next to her and they kissed as she again wrapped her body around his. He said, "I'm so glad you came back. You were like unfinished business in my life. I had a feeling we should be together, but I couldn't make it happen and be true to myself and the others that depended on me. It was one of those terrible situations where I had to pick the option that did the least harm rather than the most good."

Jenn rolled up onto his body so they could kiss better. Her bare breasts pushed into his chest."Fate is what life deals you; destiny is what you do with it. I always liked that statement. Fate is what happened ten years ago, and destiny happened until here I am back with you and all your friends."

"The prospect of being with others here doesn't bother you? I mean, you don't have to, but ... well ..."

Jenn interrupted, "If I like somebody, I plan to be available to them and to let them know it. This is the new me. The old me would have run for the hills. I don't run from things any longer. I've learned that I have to face my demons or else they'll rule me. My demons took me away from you and the Circle. I let them take over. What a fool I was. I am a more loving person than ever before, too."

Dave smiled, "Ah, you suffer from twenty-twenty hindsight, too. We never tried to find a win-win solution to our being together. I'm more aware now. Moreover, the Circle is large enough that I can say that you'll meet people you won't want as lovers. That's all right. You don't need to be physical with everyone you meet. If you're tolerant of everything else going on, I suppose you could limit yourself to one person, but I don't know of anybody doing that."

Jenn shook her head, "Nor do I. Give me some time to adapt and get used to being HERE!" She broke into a grin. "I should add that I really enjoyed Nathan and Bjorn."

Dave slid down the bed. "It's Saturday morning and I am hungry. Breakfast is served in our kitchen as soon as you get there. I think I need a shower. You're more than welcome to join me."

"Oh, boy." Jenn slid her lithe body out of bed. Pam was sleeping next to them and moaned slightly at the disturbance.

The shower was erotic, and resulted in an orgasm for both of them and some further washing of body parts and crevices. After they got out, Dave tossed Jenn one of the many monokinis from the drying rack. "This is all you'll need today."

Dave dressed and together they went downstairs and to the kitchen. There was laughter there.

"Scarlett, you're home! Hurray!" Dave said as he walked in and hugged his popular wife. They shared a loving kiss.

"We got in about one a.m. via Miami," Scarlett said. "Who's your new friend? She looks like she has that rosy glow of a fresh fuck. You two must have had a nice shower together."

Dave laughed and Jenn blushed up a bright pink.

Dave said, "Scarlett meet Jenn Whitaker, a friend from over a decade ago who has gone through a few transitions since I saw her last. She feels she belongs here. Jenn meet Scarlett."

Jenn was still blushing but put out her hand. "I'm genuinely honored. I confess to loving your acting abilities. When you played Crystal inRoad Trip andCrystal Clear, I thought those were your best roles ever."

Scarlett pulled Jenn into a hug. "What a kind thing to say. Thank you. You'll get to meet the author of the books if you hang out around here long enough." She looked at Dave, "I heard that Cricket is in L.A. shacked up with her other husband."

Dave grinned, "Yes. She thought she'd be a month or so working on the screen play forCrystal Palace."

Jenn asked, "Is that a third book in that series with Crystal Lee?"

Dave nodded. "Yes. The final part of the trilogy."

Scarlett said, "I've already been signed to play Crystal again. She's going to be an older and more seasoned country singer that starts to mentor younger singers, of course to the benefit of everyone in her intentional family as well as the singers. There's a touch of that movieA Star Is Born in it, but it's not so dramatic or such a bad ending."

Jenn said, "How exciting. If I can help with anything, please let me know. I'm taking a few months off so have some time to help others. I'm tabula rose for now."

Scarlett's eyebrows went up. "I just might do that. If that's your normal way of thinking you'll fit in very well around here."

Jenn said, "I learned to be a lot less self-centered during my decade in the desert. After the beatings I learned. Of course, five years with a shrink and guru helped, too. It was all very California."

Dave quickly asked, "You serious?"

"Yeah, unfortunately. Husband number one had a bad temper that didn't show until after we'd been married for a year. I was afraid he'd hurt our baby. Divorce and a restraining order got through to him, but the damage had been done. I try to forget that phase of my life. The emotional desert followed, even into my second marriage. Those both happened some time ago."

Scarlett said with great empathy, "I'm sorry to hear that you had to go through that. No body should be beaten or demeaned. I've also been married twice before, so I can guess how you feel about permanent husbands about now."

Dave said, "If you need a local tune-up with a shrink, one of the Circle members -- Bill Lewis -- is a psychotherapist. I know he's helped many people here and he has a thriving practice. Of course, everything is very confidential. He understands the Circle and the draw it has for some people, so he's not locked in to a paradigm based on our broader contemporary society."

Jenn nodded, "Good to know. I'd like to meet him sometime soon, just to have the option should I feel the need." She added, "I want to meet everybody here."

Scarlett and Jenn got in a discussion about where are you from and all of that while Dave cooked some breakfasts. Scarlett was fascinated with how entrepreneurial Jenn was.

Dave had some of the right pans at home and made custom omelets for everyone. The omelet pans and burner set he used for the Circle breakfasts had been destroyed when the kitchen got bombed.

After breakfast, Dave escorted Jenn around the patio introducing her to the members and pledges that were hanging around. That trip gave Dave the opportunity to talk about being a 'pledge' to the Circle and also the self-selection activity that went on. He also told her about some of the common problems he'd seen pledges have, and told her about the Circle 101 classes on Monday nights.

"Hey," Dave said, "if it gets too uncomfortable or you feel you're overstaying your welcome with Tan, Bjorn, and Nat at their house, please let me know. We have various options -- some private and some more familial. It's also safe to assume that everyone in the Circle or pledging is polyamorous. I guess based on what you said that includes you."

Jenn smiled, "It does. I have a confession to make, too. I read in Cricket's book that most of the Circle think of themselves as hyper-sexual or tending towards nymphomania. I think I'd put myself in that category, too. I repressed that for most of my life because my parents, church, and schools; they beat thinking in those terms out of me. Growing up this past decade I realized I had some needs and desires I'd been suppressing."

Dave stopped in his tracks and cursed, "Oh, shit!"

"What?" Jenn asked in a concerned tone.

"I never asked you if you were sexually clean. I don't mean to accuse you of anything, but we are VERY careful here about each of us having a clean bill of health before, during, and after we have sex."

Jenn stroked Dave's cheek. "I wouldn't do that to you. Yes, I'm safe in every way you might worry about. I'm on the pill and I had a gynecological exam just before I left California a few days ago. The only people I've been with since that clean bill of health have been Tan, Bjorn, Nat, Pam, and you. The paper is with my stuff at Tan's home. I'll give it to you later unless you want to walk over there now."

Dave said cautiously, "You are the first time I've ever slipped on that score. My stomach just sank to the center of the earth when I realized my lapse. Not that we made love, but that I didn't think about 'safe' terms. Yes, let's take a walk over there. It'll help me regain some balance and I need the exercise."

The two strolled between some of the homes and then down Circle Road, Access Road, and turned onto Perimeter Road. Bjorn et. al.'s home was the third one in the lane. They all went in and Jenn ran off to one of the bedrooms while Dave visited with the three of them as they lingered over coffee, newspapers, and magazines.

Jenn appeared a moment later and passed the paper to Dave. He tucked it into his pocket without even looking at it.

Tan teased him, "Forget to ask an important question, did you?"

"Yeah. Don't rub it in. The older I get the more I need a keeper."

Bjorn stepped in to defend him, "Hey, you've had a few things on your mind, what with that guy Morton, your business, Alice being a hostage, and ten wives plus the other women."

Dave rolled his eyes, "I let them take care of themselves unless they tell me otherwise." The others all laughed.

Dave and Jenn walked over to Scarlett's house and went around to the back where they heard the noise of a dozen or so screaming children of all different ages. Shepherding them were Maddy, Athena, and Taylor, with Athena being the most involved in a game of tag as the other two watched the loud game punctuated with shrieks of laughter and screaming children.

Athena had worked for Scarlett as the nanny for Rose, but Rose made a strong case for emancipation instead of being 'cared for' when she was eleven. The Circle parents with children instantly hired her as the head honcho for all of the children unless they were in the classroom with Samantha, Taylor, and the other teachers. Athena also did some of the teaching.

Several of the children ran over and greeted Dave. He introduced them to Jenn, as well as introducing Jenn to the adults there. There were a lot of kisses for Dave from the women. Jenn introduced a precocious seven-year-old girl named Nova to him -- her daughter. Nova wasn't at all put off by her mother's half-nude body.

After the short visit, Dave and Jenn walked back to the Circle patio holding hands. Jenn said, "Walking around in only a monokini seems so strange -- relaxing and exhilarating in one sense, but sinful in another way."

Dave laughed, "In the old days, before too many kiddies a lot of us would be fully nude. This place could have easily passed for a nudist colony back then. We fucked a lot, too. The sex was more open and spontaneous. That was one of the reasons we set up the Circle as a gated community and why we shuttle the kids off here when the adults want some private time."

Jenn laughed, "My kind of place ... at least these days."

Dave chuckled, "You say that but you worry me. You're so different from how you were when we met. I'm afraid the clock will toll at midnight and you'll snap back to the way you were, kind of like Cinderella at midnight in the Disney movie."