Chapter 12: Prep for a Visit

The video image flickered on the core’s largest screen television. Suddenly, a nice-looking couple appeared sitting side-by-side on a sofa twelve hundred miles to the north. The style of dress to accommodate the cooler northern weather was quite noticeable. A small box in the lower corner of the screen showed the local view and what they saw.

Aaron spoke first, “Hi Martin and Sasha. We can see you fine. Thanks for the call. I have a cast of thousands here to meet you for the first time before your visit. You have everyone curious about who you are, and in a few cases, who got Shelby preggers.” He laughed, as did many others in the room. The couple on the screen smiled and waved. Sasha animatedly pointed at Martin, indicating he was the guilty party on their end.

The media room in the core had over twenty people clustered in it, so that they could all see the sixty-six-inch TV and see the visitors expected in a couple of weeks. From the male side of the Circle, there were Dave, Ty, Dev, Sean, Roy, Mike, Jack, Dale, Ken, and Aaron, who’d agreed to act as master of ceremonies. From the female side Alice, Dori, Wendy, Kat, Pam, Julie, Clarisse, Heather, Rachel, Grace, Nancy, Holly, Susan, Donna, Erin, and Aaron’s wife Shelby were present. The last couple of member meetings hadn’t attracted that large a crowd – twenty-four Circle members and two guests, both of whom would no doubt be voted in very soon at the rate they were integrating into Circle activities.

Aaron explained to Martin and Susan, “We all wanted to meet you before you arrive in a couple of weeks for a longer visit. Maybe we could start by going around the crowd here and introducing ourselves and then the two of you can tell us about yourselves. Unless you have questions that’s our only agenda.”

Aaron started after general agreement. “I’m Aaron and Shelby’s husband, as you know. I work with the one male who isn’t here tonight because he’s doing some deal out in Silicon Valley. Officially, my title is Chief Technology Officer for the Bennett Foundation, but I have a pretty wide scope of work, even helping evaluate opportunities for the Foundation as well as Owen Bennett’s personal portfolio. I’m twenty-nine years old. I now live on the Circle, more or less across the core from my brother and his family, and next door to Roy, and Mike and Clarisse.” He paused and gestured to his wife.

“You know me – all too well.” She patted her tummy. “I’m Shelby, twenty-eight, the hottest marketing rep for Celude Pharma based in Montreal, and slightly pregnant either by immaculate conception or by the guy on the TV screen smiling at me.” She gestured for Alice to continue since she was seated next to her.

“Hi Martin and Sasha. I’m Alice Prentiss, Dave’s wife of over ten years, thirty-two, the head of financial systems and analysis for a large manufacturing company named Knightsbridge Manufacturing where Roy, who is also here, is my boss and the CFO. We have the largest house on the Circle because so many of us live there, as you’ll see. I have three co-wives who you’ll meet in a minute. I got here because of all the loosening up I did a few years ago at the instigation of Dori.”

Everyone laughed at her reference to loosening up. If that hadn’t happened the Circle and the cohousing project wouldn’t exist, nor would the lifestyle nearly thirty close friends and lovers had adopted.

“I’m Pam, an electrical engineer and consultant to the power utility industry, thirty-four years old, and one of Dave’s wives for the past three years. I travel a lot, and like Alice, just got my instrument rating for flying small planes.”

“I’m Wendy Connor, thirty-five, and married to Dev. I own three boutique clothing stores scattered around the city.” She waved at the camera.

“I’m Kat Marbury, twenty-nine, and married to Sean. I did a lot of computer geek stuff, and now work for Mike in his photographic studio doing digital film editing mostly, but also some camera work. We work mostly here on the Circle out of Mike’s home. I’m also pregnant, most likely with Mike’s baby.”

“I’m Sean Marbury, twenty-eight, and married to Kat. I kind of make interesting things, figure out how to manufacture them, find people to do that, and then sell them. I guess you could call me an inventor. Mostly, I work from home or a small nearby lab where I rent space.”

“I’m Roy, fifty-two, long divorced, single, and the relatively new CFO of Knightsbridge Manufacturing. I also happen to be Alice’s boss and everyone’s friend.” He smiled and waved.

“I’m Dave Prentiss, married to Alice, Pam, Heather, and Julie, and de facto dad to six-year-old Matthew. I work for our local power utility, which is also how I met Pam. I’m in an exec development program right now, so my job kind of changes every few months. I’m an engineer by background, and now they’re trying to turn me into an executive as the perfect example of the Peter Principle.” He waved.

“Hi, I’m Heather, twenty-five, and one of Dave’s wives. I am the only active mother in the group right now with Matthew, but he stays with my mother’s a lot since my time is almost totally consumed with college. I was an exotic dancer in a club for a while – read stripper and lap dancer, but about a year ago I became a full-time college student studying computer science and engineering.” She gestured next to her.

“I’m Julie, twenty-nine, Alice’s sister and the fourth of Dave’s wives. I work as an analyst, gofer, and personal assistant to Owen Bennett for both his personal business and for the Bennett Foundation. It’s a 24-7 job and some of the best parts are the after-hours stuff.” She laughed.

“Hi. I’m Dev, Wendy’s husband. I’m thirty-six and run my own contracting business, mostly building upscale spec homes.”

“I’m Mike Holiday, forty, and a photographer extraordinaire. I own Holiday Productions. Kat works for me, and sometimes Clarisse, who lives with me. Some of the other men and women in the Circle have also posed for me.”

“Hi, I’m Clarisse, twenty-three, Mike’s live-in lover, and a student at the local university working on my B.S. in management. I help run Mike’s photography business including managing the models that work and get paid by us. I may be the only person here other than Alice and Dori who can actually do a payroll without outsourcing any of it.” She gestured to the back rows.

“I’m Rachel, nineteen, daughter of Jack and Grace. Officially, I live at home, but I spend a lot of my time at Ken’s apartment because he’s there, I love him, and it’s close to the university. I’m a freshman aiming at a computer sci degree.”

Grace smiled at the camera, “I’m Grace, Rachel’s mom and Jack’s wife, fifty-three, and assistant to the local architect as well as serve as an RN in the obstetrics unit at our local hospital.”

“I’m Jack, fifty-six, THE local architect and the designer of the Circle and the homes in it, in concert with each of the occupants, as well as the long-suffering husband of Grace and much greater suffering father of Rachel.” Grace elbowed him in the side and he feigned falling over as he laughed. Rachel stuck her tongue out at her father.

“I’m Ken Toomey, thirty-five, single, affiliate Circle member right now, ex-Air Force, flight instructor and charter pilot now, awaiting a break to see if I can break into the airlines because it’ll pay better and be more reliable work. I live in town in a small apartment that has frequent visitors, namely Circle students attending the university less than a mile away from my place.”

From the back row everyone heard, “I’m Susan Harnett, Dale’s wife. I’m thirty-two, and a paralegal for a local law firm that among other things specializes in cohousing and condominium legalities. As you can see, I’m also pregnant with paternity uncertain, but my gut tells me it’s Dave Prentiss. We’re all happy about that. I plan to go back to work after the baby is born.”

Next to her the male voice sounded, “I’m Dale, Susan’s spouse. Thirty-three. Right now I’m starting a security company named Harnett Security and Bodyguard. This work plays to my strength by way of education and prior experience.”

“Hi, up there in the frozen north. I’m Holly Iverson. I’m thirty-three and work for a venture capital firm. I was based in Chicago until a few months ago when I decided to work from here. I travel a lot looking for investments and checking up on the ones we’ve already made to be sure things are on track.”

“I’m Nancy Mason, thirty-three, and an electrical engineer. I work as Dave’s personal assistant at the power company, so I’m sort of his ‘work wife’ along with Donna.” She grinned and pointed next to her.

“I’m Donna Klaubert. I’m in my early forties, and I’m not a Circle member yet, but I want to be. I work for Dave’s boss’ boss as his assistant, but I really run the multi-billion-dollar shebang of a public power utility.” She laughed merrily at her overstatement and pointed next to her.

“I’m Erin Steckler, twenty-seven, and also not a Circle member but I’m in the courting process. I’m a reporter, such as it is, for the local Herald and I’m working on finishing my first novel.”

“I’m Ty, forty-four, and local bank vice president. I’m also the president of the cohousing project board. I am the long-suffering spouse of Dori – the hot little number right next to me ... OUCH!”

“I’m Dori and I don’t take shit off anybody, especially my husband. I’m forty-two and work on contracts in the financial area of Knightsbridge Manufacturing with Alice and Roy. I should add that I kind of started all this when Alice caught me fucking one of our salesmen in his car in the company parking lot one morning about three or four years ago. The whole story takes a little longer; we’ll tell you while you’re here.” She laughed and looked around, but she had been the last to speak.

Aaron stepped back into view for Martin and Sasha. “The two members of the Circle that are missing are Owen Bennett, head of Bennett Enterprises and also the Bennett Foundation, and Christie Lee, our blonde bombshell that still works as an exotic dancer at the Club Ecstasy. Owen is traveling, and Christie is helping to hold the club together where she works since two of the other dancers quit unexpectedly.

“Now, how about the two of you talk about yourselves and your upcoming visit.”

Martin gestured to Sasha, and she coyly accepted his offer to be first to speak. “Hi, I’m Sasha Hedrick, thirty-two, and from my accent that I hope you find cute you can tell I am Slavic. Actually, I am from the Ukraine, and my unmarried name was Voloshyn. I learned English in school, but didn’t get to practice much after I graduated until I came to America.

“I met Martin because I chose to be daring and put myself up as a mail order wife after I divorced after a short and disappointing marriage. Martin liked my online profile and picture, and we started to correspond, and then he called me many times to talk as our friendship grew. I also sent him many more photographs of my family and me. By the way, they were not happy that I wanted to leave the Ukraine, but when I did leave it was just before Russia overran the Crimea again. I do not like Mr. Putin.

“I work for a woman’s spa as a physical therapist, a masseuse, an athletic and yoga trainer, and a make-up artist. I do a few other crazy things, too, such as aromatherapy and meditation sessions. I am also working on a book about spirituality practices and skills. I also want to start my own business doing all those things. I may be able to take over the place where I work.

“After Martin and I had been married for five years we started to talk about our fantasies and what we wanted our life to be like for the rest of our lives. We were very open and frank with each other, and held nothing back from our discussions. We arrived at the conclusion that we wanted an open marriage, but not just to have cavalier relationships. We wanted some close and intimate friends and not a whole lot of one-night stands, if that is clear. We wanted to cultivate close friends and have those people be as intimate with us as we were with each other.

“We happened to meet Aaron and Susan about that time, and we started to talk openly to them about what we wanted and were looking for. You may know that we experimented with each other – what Aaron also called ‘loosening up’. That is term that I think has meaning in your Circle. We did that process as well.”

Sasha paused and then covered her mouth with her hands. “Oh, dear. I am talking too much and Martin has said nothing.” Her accent made her admission cute and forgivable.

Martin laughed. “You were doing just fine, darling. I’ll pick up from there.” He thought for a few seconds, “I’ll finish her story, first. We fell in love with Aaron and Shelby, and wanted to spend more and more time with them. They visited your Circle, and could talk about little else but what they discovered and felt each time they visited with all of you, AND we were having a renaissance in our sex lives for all four of us.

“When they moved down where you are in Florida, we were crushed, but then realized that we didn’t have to end our relationship. The fact that I may have fathered a child with Shelby will further cement our relationship and we are joyful about that. Of course, we will be the distant uncle and aunt, but with a special interest.

“Now, about me. I am thirty-seven and work as a robotics engineer for a company called Robotix, that is only a couple of miles from where we live and from where Sasha’s spa and gym is. Our team is trying to build humanoid robots that operate with a large dose of artificial intelligence. Some of our work is on YouTube, if anybody is interested.”

Dave asked, “Have you found other ‘friends’ to replace Aaron and Shelby since they moved here?”

“We haven’t tried, but I think we have another couple we might approach after we’ve visited with the Circle. We want to wait and see how we’re feeling about that. They are neighbors a few houses away from us. I believe we are mutually interested in each other. There seems to be curiosity on both sides.

“That topic – attracting friends, and a number of others are one of the reasons we are interested in visiting and talking with you. We want to observe the subtleties of your lifestyle. I would like to talk to Susan about the cohousing legal documents, too. We are wondering about disagreements, living so close to each other, the open family lovemaking, and ... I could go on and on about probably every aspect of your lives. Even after we return home from our visit, I know we’ll still have questions. I guess I’ll start a list of things to talk about.”

Several in the Circle chuckled. Dave asked, “Are you going to try to clone our Circle up in Ohio?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure. You’ve far surpassed anything I could have envisioned when Aaron and Susan started to ‘loosen up’ with us. I had no vision about the future. Now, I have one slowly unfolding and it does look remarkably similar to what you’ve done. I need to do research and think about what other options look like as well.”