Loosening Up Bk. 08 Ch. 21-25

Scarlett thumbed through the pictures and the short film clips Alice had sent. "She's so friendly with everyone, it seems. She smiles and laughs a lot. She's very happy."

He nodded, "I think she's not even aware that she greets everyone she meets -- male or female -- like a potential lover. She wants to be much more than just a friend with practically everyone."

"But ... does she fuck everybody she meets -- the men, I mean?"

"Well, obviously not everyone, but if she feels a sexual resonance with you, she will certainly send out 'I'm available' messages to see how you respond. She's very good at that, I think. At EneRG her efforts are limited to our 'in crowd' of Circle members, plus with a rare exception we all agreed not to indulge sexually at work. I know she developed a 'special' relationship with one of our investment advisors."

"Is that a conflict of interest?"

"She doesn't think so, and I guess he doesn't either. He's also brought his wife into the game. Alice is trying to lure them into the Circle, but the idea of group sex like this is still a little scary for them." He gestured around the patio at the busy encounters on many of the other chaises.

Dave added, "As you read, she'll be here mid-afternoon tomorrow. Talk to her then. She's very open about her behavior and how she feels. She's said to many that she's making up for almost thirty years of tight control. Now, she's loosened up and is enjoying the fruits of her efforts and change of mind."

Scarlett kissed Dave, "I'm glad I loosened up, too." She rose over his supine form, took hold of his hardness, and guided him to her opening. She slid her velvet shaft slowly down his cock, moaning for the entire journey. "Oh, God. This is so perfect."

* * * * *

Saturday afternoon, Dave was reading on the patio with a half-naked Rose stretched out beside him. She was tantalizing and obviously trying to lure him into a sexual encounter. So far, he'd resisted although he could feel the erosion of his resolve as he looked at her gorgeous torso.

Rose's boyfriend a.k.a. stepbrother Matt was doing slow laps in the pool. He had surpassed a hundred laps and was still going. Matt had a swimmer's body -- lots of buff muscles and a sleek physique that appealed to all the girls at school. He'd had many offers, some of them blatant, but had resisted so far. He'd even talked to Dave about his criteria for acceptance or rejection.

The aviation radio crackled on the shelf near the door to the kitchen area. "Circle Airport, November-One-Two-Echo-Romeo is on ten mile final for runway two-seven. We have information Sierra from SRQ."

Dave walked over to the radio, picked up the mic, and responded, "Two-Echo-Romeo, welcome home. No known traffic. Altimeter two-niner-niner-five." Dave got a golf cart and drove down Airport Road to await Alice's arrival. He got there just in time to watch the small jet touchdown, apply brakes and reverse thrusters, and come to a stop before turning and back-taxiing to the tarmac where he stood.

Dave stood and directed the jet with his hands to the parking area on the tarmac in front of the jet's home hangar. As he slowly crossed his hands over his head the jet stopped and the engines instantly spooled down. About two minutes passed and then the plane's door opened and the stairway deployed.

Alice aimed a handsome dark-haired man down the stairs. She passed several bags down the stairs to him, and then came down herself. Dave was there with a hug and kiss.

"Dave, please meet Duncan Whelan."

"Father Whelan, welcome to the Circle and to Sarasota."

"A pleasure ... and I don't use the titles or privileges of the clergy. I'll tell you more later, but for now I'm eager to see this Circle. Alice has filled me in a little on it, and I read a few chapters of a book by Cricket while you wife flew me down here in that jet. That is fabulous, and I'm still suffering culture shock knowing a professional woman that also happens to fly her own jet." He smiled at Alice.

Alice added with a smirk, "And that likes to fuck like a rabbit."

Duncan blushed, "Errr, there is that, too."

Dave and Duncan loaded up the luggage rack on the golf cart, and the three rolled up the road to the parking area next to Dave and Alice's home. Alice had pointed out the townhouses and some of the other physical features of the Circle as they'd driven past them. Dave had taken the long way around the racetrack of Circle Drive to show off the homes and also to point out the relatively untouched crater where a misguided member of the evangelical clergy from Ohio had bombarded the Circle.

At the house, they all went inside, carrying their luggage. Alice gave a quick house tour showing Duncan a room he could claim, while Dave returned to the patio. Soon enough the two emerged onto the patio. Alice had changed into a monokini. Duncan wore a swimsuit and had a beach towel around his shoulders. She got them both water from the bar area and they joined Dave.

After a few pleasantries, Dave bore into Duncan with the question that had been perplexing him for a day or two. "Mr. Whelan, I'm told you are a priest, but have been absolved in some way from various usual vows. Can you explain?"

Duncan laughed, "I think you could call me a 'partial priest', and the reason is the simple answer to your question -- blackmail; although I never invoked that terminology in my delicate transactions with the Church. I am relatively wealthy, donated handsomely to the church, and expressed an interest in the seminary and priesthood. I also explained that I had many reservations about some of the vows, specifically celibacy. I also explained how I wanted to interpret the statements attributed to Jesus regarding marriage and worship of our Holy Father. Ultimately, those arguments were accepted and I was granted an exception provided I didn't proselytize or widely announce my status."

"And what led the Church elders to grant you such status? You indicated blackmail."

"No words were ever exchanged. No quid pro quo ever demanded. That said, they knew that I had the goods on about two dozen of my brothers of various ranks for their sexual bad habits, including the abuse of underage children. A few were very highly ranked, including those who handled several blatant coverups. I insisted strongly that that the things with children and the misogyny had to stop -- and they did. Several priests were defrocked and turned over to the police as predators. A couple were assigned to posts where they could do no damage. For the others, I merely suggested they stop any cover-ups or I would help destroy the dynasty they'd built and any role they had in it. Of course, I had my evidence squirreled away with instructions that it becomes public should anything bad happen to me. I've never had so many people worry about my health and security." He chuckled.

"The Church also accepted my revised version of the theology surrounding many of the beliefs, myths, and such about our Christian beginnings and the key characters. I have no 'party line' I need to toe. Thus, you see I am only a 'partial priest', and a fun-loving one at that."

Duncan's voice had tightened as he stated in vitriolic terms about the misdeeds of his brethren.

Dave nodded, "I see. Well, welcome to this unique corner of the world. We are far from celibate here, but I gather Alice may have filled you in on that much."

Duncan smiled, "She did, in part. You have a very unique wife. She tells me you also have nine others."

Dave nodded, "Yes, officially ... or I should say semi-officially. Alice is my legal wife. The others are strong commitments, but then I also have strong relationships with all of the women in the Circle and most of those interested in joining. Monday evenings we have a class or rap session of sorts about the precepts of the Circle. You are welcome to attend. It's right here inside in our common area living room."

"I'd be delighted. Are you the teacher?"

"More of a discussion facilitator, and yes. We make it a provocative but fun evening."

Alice broke away from the two men and trotted across the patio and latched onto another of her lovers. She led him back with her.

"Duncan, I'd like to introduce you to Ross Buchman. He's the spiritual guru for most of us in the Circle. He's also a tenured professor in religion and spiritual studies at the nearby university. As I told you we consider ourselves to be spiritual but not religious. This fits nicely with the way Ross thinks about the world. Ross, Duncan is a priest with special dispensations as you might guess since he's hanging out with me and is only aroused with my style of dress and not shocked."

Ross laughed and the two men shook hands firmly. Based on a question or two Ross got the abbreviated answer to Duncan's dispensations and the reason why.

Duncan went on, "Most of the world's citizens anthropomorphize God. 'He' sits 'up there' passing judgments on over seven billion people every second. To many he has a long white beard and is exactly the embodiment as many of the Renaissance artists painted him. Further, Dante wrote about and artists portrayed heaven and hell, and many of those same people believe that rubbish. There's a lot of fire, brimstone, and Old Testament in the visualizations. Just because a billion people believe something doesn't make it correct.

"I don't hold that image, or rather I gave it up long ago. You and I probably have more in common than not. I think of God as the Source Energy in and around all of us. We make our own heaven and hell. There is some evidence of another sphere of life in or beside us, but there is no factual basis for any conclusions about that, only hopes, prayers, and idle speculations. The Church doesn't exactly like to put things my way, and they continue to enjoy the anthropomorphisms."

Ross asked, "And your view of the role of Jesus or some of the other masters?"

Duncan smiled, "Ah, great men with a touch of brilliance in terms of acting, wisdom, and oration. We are ALL the sons and daughters of God or that Source Energy, so of course Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, Lao Tzu, and many others were the same way. As a focal point for prayers and worship, I worry that we miss the bigger picture."

"And that is?"

"That true religion and true spirituality should be measured in how we interact with our fellow man. The Golden Rule should be the gold standard for all of us. I'm sure we both know too many people that show up at church, even confess their sins for whatever that's worth, and then go and repeat. People that even go out and kill their fellow man and consider they are doing God's work. We've even rewritten history to minimize the impact of a Christianity on the world's population. Almost a billion people have been killed in the name of this religion. Really! How hypocritical."

Ross smiled, "Our views are very similar. I take it Alice lured you here from Manhattan."

"I've been helping out in a homeless shelter up there, but we finally got our facility taken over by a well-endowed group with many eager volunteers. Right now, I have a lot of free time and I thought I'd take a free airplane ride with Alice and see this 'mystical' Circle she talked about incessantly."

"Well, we're glad you came. Did she warn you about Saturday evenings?"

"Errr, no." Duncan looked at Alice expecting an explanation.

Alice waved her hand dismissively. "I did kind of tell you, Duncan. I said that all my family and friends were highly sexual and that we were exhibitionists. I even believe we were in a similar, albeit smaller version of what goes on here when I told you."

Duncan obvious still had questions, but let the matter slide.

Dave commented on having bar duty in a few minutes. That led to a brief explanation about how each member of the Circle had a service duty they did to help the overall Circle in some way.

Duncan nodded, "Ah, now I see the characteristic first hand. I scanned a book written by a woman named Cricket on the plane as Alice flew us down here from New Jersey. I saw the chapter and scanned it, but now I see the relationship to all of you."

Alice said, "This month I will be a teacher's aid in our home schooling programs. I've been asked to talk about money, banking accounts, and such with the kids."

"Teenagers?" Duncan asked, almost answering his own question by his inflection on the word.

"No, most of them are around four to seven years old. Since this is Saturday, they're all having their weekly group sleepover not too far from here." She pointed towards where Scarlett's home was.

"Isn't that kind of young to teach them that kind of stuff?"

"In a normal school it would be, but our home schoolers are all about two, three, or more grade levels ahead of where their cohorts are in the regular school system. We keep having to go to the public schools and get them tested out of one grade so they can get the next batch of materials that keep us in compliance with the state's home-schooling program."

Dave said, "Moreover, we take them on many more experiential trips so they get exposed to much of the 'behind the scenes' activities that make up a business. These are really smart kids and we've taught them that it's fun to learn."

Duncan said, "Alice said you have quite a few in the mill."

Dave nodded, "Including two step children I have about a dozen others. I was apparently the donor of choice for a while."

"And ended up with ten wives!"

"Well, only some of my children are with my wives. The others are with women who I love dearly. Some are married to other men -- some of my best friends."

Dave opened the bar assisted by Jake, Ron, and Phil, with Cindy, Meggie, and Christie acting as waitresses. The men were casually dressed in shorts and t-shirts. The three women had small bib aprons on that hid little either above or below the belt. Duncan about fell over backwards since each of them was really 'hot'.

Bobbie and her sous chefs outdid themselves for dinner again. The Saturday meal was chicken cordon bleu with many exquisite side dishes. Duncan was amazed and also the center of interest at the long table that seated Duncan, Alice, Pam, Sean, Kat, Ross, Dave, and Carolyn.

During dinner, Duncan learned a lot about some of the other specific members of the Circle. He also had the pleasure of meeting Scarlett Johansson who came by the table to collect a few kisses from Dave. Her presence in a monokini about blew the young man into the next universe.

Duncan also learned that well known billionaire Owen Bennett belonged to the Circle and that another billionaire Mark Worthington and his intentional family were just as good as members. Dave pointed out that his wife Cindy Worthington was also married to the man, but away for the weekend. Dave also pointed out that Owen was away near Atlanta helping another group get started so they could in some ways be considered a spinoff of the Circle.

Cricket's name also came up, and Kat was the one that extolled her virtues as a writer of the movies that Scarlett had starred in and that brought great acclaim:Road Trip andCrystal Clear. Her absence as she was working on the third book and screenplay of the last part of the trilogy was noted for Duncan.

Those at the table took turns summarizing various parts of Cricket's book about the Circle for Duncan. Their boundless enthusiasm on the subject prompted him to tease them about belonging to a 'cult'. Dave worried occasionally about just that issue, but had decided that was not the case since no one was insisting on compliance to any behavior or belief standards. People adopted willingly, but still ...

What did catch Duncan by surprise was when Sean mentioned that Cricket was with her 'second husband' on the west cost for a month.

Duncan asked, "Why do you get married in this setting? With the open relationships it seems superfluous since you all get together with each other in conjugal ways." He looked at Dave, the man with ten wives, as he spoke.

Dave responded with care. "That's hard for me to answer, Duncan. I genuinely love each of the women in the Circle and I certainly love each of my wives. I confess that being married to all of them is a novelty and I get a kick from the reaction of others when they hear about my status.

"More importantly I wanted to impart a special level of partnership and commitment to the ten women in my immediate family. I wanted us to live together because we were so harmonious and loving together, plus they loved each other as sister wives. We could cohabit but we wanted more. In a couple of cases it also placated a parent or two. In others, it also provided a home with a father for our children.

"I find there's a little less stress in our relationships, no anger, and I feel the 'forever' bond with each of my wives and I always hope they feel it with me. I guess that's not much of an answer because the answer involves subtleties that are hard to explain."

Duncan asked, "Will you want to be with Alice tonight since she was away all week?" Dave detected a trace of desire in his tone. The question was more than just curiosity.

"I always want to be with Alice," he snorted, "but when either or any of us have special guests we always honor them so they have preference. I know she loves me, and I am certain of her love. Maybe that's part of the answer to your previous question. Since the founding of the Circle and some early events as we loosened up mentally and sexually, we are both more certain of our love than ever before. We know what 'forever' really means when we say 'I'll love you forever'."

At that point Jenn Whitaker came by the table and squeezed at the end of the seat so she could sit next to Dave. He introduced her to Duncan. She knew the others at the table.

Dave said to Duncan, "Jenn is what we call a 'pledge'. She's trying the Circle on for size and fit with her desired lifestyle. She's unique in that she tried this about nine or ten years ago and left because she was far from ready to adopt our value set. She's come back to try again."

Duncan asked Jenn, "And how does this visit feel versus your last time?"

Jenn grinned but tears came to her eyes. "I wasn't loveable back then. I didn't love myself and it took two failed marriages to realize that. You can't love others if you don't love yourself, in part because those people won't love you either.

"The Circle IS different. I was loved from the moment I stepped past our front gates. I knew what I needed and everyone -- and I mean everyone here has helped me find it. I love myself and I love all of them. I found myself in this fairy tale land." She sniffed and wiped her tears away. She choked out, "This is the best place in the world."

Dave wrapped her in his arms and pulled her smaller body closer to his. He kissed her temple and whispered his love for her. She was quiet.

Alice defused the emotion moment and said, "Everybody here would say the same thing. Some days I just stop at my desk and ponder how lucky I am to have found Dave and then for us to have found the Circle."

Duncan asked, "How did it start for you?"

Alice burst out laughing. "You don't remember the opening chapter of Cricket's book? The answer is that I drove into work and went to park and subsequently caught Dori, then my best friend and the hot looking brunette at the next table, fucking one of the salesmen in the company we both worked for in his car one morning before work. That led to several long talks and with her and to Dori giving me challenges to loosen up. I was very tightly wound and sexually repressed. Dori knew it and helped me. She loved me and still does. I needed what she did for me -- for us."

"Say more about what happened."

"As I worked through the challenges so did Dave. We were both undergoing a major mind shift in how we thought about life, spirituality, other people, and especially ourselves and our lifestyle. Dori would have us do something racy and risqué, but really it was to get us to think differently about sex, the world, and relationships, and how we interacted with people from different walks of life.