Loosening Up Bk. 09 Ch. 06-10

Felicity looked slightly shocked, "OH!" Dave checked in with Scarlett to see whether he had overstepped but she was only nodding in agreement.

Everyone was quiet for a while and then Felicity asked, "Every night?"

By that time, the context for the previous question had long ago expired, but Dave knew she'd been thinking about it. He responded, "The possibility is there, but Friday and Saturday nights, for sure. We are careful when the younger children are around."

Scarlett explained further, "On weekend evenings the children have a large slumber party, usually at my home but this weekend it's next door at Bjorn, Nathan, and Tan's home. They have adult supervision, get spoiled with snacks, can stay up late, usually watch some Disney movie for the hundredth time, and even get stories read or told to them. They love the time together. Rose and her boyfriend Matt are with them tonight.

"The rest of the time they're typically home with parents, many of whose homes have a view onto the Circle patio. Thus, on our weekends, as I mentioned, we are an exhibitionist group. We make love to each other on the patio in open view of each other. It's very arousing. We're all also voyeurs."

Scarlett turned to Dave and started a secondary discussion, "Does the Atlanta Group do things like this in a similar way?"

Dave explained that they did. "They do, and there are fewer of them, so over a weekend they might try to be with every one of the opposite sex. They're also more sexually-balanced, too."

Felicity asked, "Atlanta Group?"

Dave explained, "It's a group of like-minded individuals who have started what might be considered a clone of the Circle up between Atlanta and Macon, Georgia. Owen helped them out by securing a large piece of property that they're starting to move or build homes on, much as we did with the cohousing homes and townhouses of the Circle."

Felicity said, "So, this isn't the only place like it in the country?"

"Far from it. Although estimates vary, it appears that about three to five percent of the country's population live this way, and up to twenty percent have lived in a polyamorous lifestyle at some time in their lives. There are many variants to that lifestyle, as you might expect."

Scarlett added, "Felicity, you've watched many of the swingers at some of our parties in Hollywood and how they carry on with each as foreplay; then we see them slipping away to one of the bedrooms for a short and no doubt sexual tryst. That's one lifestyle, and the basis for the hook-ups is sexual fun and curiosity, whereas here that basis is about love and intimacy. It's a subtle distinction when you see it in action, but it tells you more about what's going on in people's heads."

Scarlett paused and winked at her husband. She said, "On that note, Dave and I are going to retire to my boudoir and enjoy a little nookie. Make yourself at home Felicity, and I'll see you in the morning."

Scarlett rose, and prompted Dave to do the same.

Dave turned to Felicity, "I take great pleasure in meeting you after having been a fan for so long. I'm sure I'll see you tomorrow. I recommend you start reading Cricket's book. It'll help explain this place -- the Circle."

He took Felicity's hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed the back of it, even using his tongue to trace a sexy little pattern before allowing her to take back her arm. She smiled ruefully at him as he left the patio with Scarlett.

The next morning Dave was at his omelet preparation station on the patio making custom omelets for anybody in the Circle or guests that wanted one. In the process, whether they ate one of his creations or not, he got to greet most of the Circle members and the pledges.

To his surprise, Scarlett and Felicity didn't show up until he was just about to close down the omelet station at nine-thirty. They were both in monokinis with towels draped over their shoulders. He teased them, "I'd about given up on seeing you this morning."

Felicity blushed, "There are two reasons for our late appearance. First, I'm still on west coast time, so was slow to awaken. Second, I read Cricket's book until late and my eyes crossed. I'm a fast reader, so I got about halfway through it, even re-reading portions of it to be sure I got the full intent of the author."

Scarlett teased, "I told her she had to get up or miss one of the real phenoms of the Circle -- one of your weekend omelets."

Dave laughed, "I didn't think they were THAT special. I'm flattered."

Felicity looked about the patio. Many tables and chaises were occupied. Several mothers had their toddlers playing in the shallow water in the baby pool. Every woman was half-naked, with most only wearing the bottom half of a bathing suit. Five men had just started their Saturday morning poker game with a lot of laughter and the presence of Bloody Marys beside most of them.

Dave joined the two women with their orders plus his own, sitting opposite Felicity at one of the weathered picnic tables. Felicity kept her eyes roaming about as they ate. Dave finally asked, "What do you see?"

She gave him a funny look. "The obvious: kids playing in the pool, men and women reading or talking, a card game, a few are still eating, some people topping off their tans, and only one or two are on their cellphones, but then they return to talking."

Dave asked again with emphasis, "What do you see? What's really happening?"

Felicity scanned the patio again looking for some activity she'd missed. She turned to Scarlett for help with the question on her face.

Scarlett laughed, "I've been through this with Dave. You'll get the answer soon enough. A hint might be to restate the question as 'What's going on?' or 'What's the common thread?'"

Felicity looked again, this time noting the interactions between people and looking at facial expressions. She was trying to see some common thread. Some of the obvious things were probably not what Dave was looking for: active-inactive; in the sun-in the shade; swimming-dry. She saw contrasts and differences.

Dave pushed her, "You read the first half of Cricket's book. What was the message in all those pages -- the big bottomline? What happens here in the Circle that doesn't happen with a similar group of people outside our gates?"

Felicity looked around again. The men's laughter from the card game carried over the patio as Dale apparently made a colossal move in the game that surprised everyone. Three of the men actually stood and applauded what he'd done as they slapped him on the back in a congratulatory manner.

Felicity looked at Dave and said, "With a rare exception for a short period of time, everybody here is interacting with somebody else. They're being social."

Dave grinned and said loudly, 'BINGO. Keep going. You're on the right track. There's more."

"They're ... they're ... I don't know. What am I not seeing?"

"What'd you read in Cricket's book. What's the basis for the Circle?"

Felicity closed her eyes and thought.

After about a minute, Felicity spoke softly, "They're expressing their love for each other."

Dave and Scarlett both stood at the table and applauded Felicity as she looked up at them from her seat.

Scarlett said, "You just learned a very important lesson about the Circle, and the most important message about why I live here."

Felicity teased, "Oh, I thought it was all the sex."

Scarlett instantly said with a grin, "That was a close second reason and maybe part of the first reason. Here, they each make the other better."