Chapter 23: Induction

The following week went by like lightning. The kidnapping and related police work faded away to only a few memories as textbook trials started and lawyer motions took over. The weather got much better. Matthew rediscovered the pool, and he turned eight years old. A few more babies hit the one-year mark.

Scarlett was around for the entire week, mostly in the shade on the patio during the day reviewing the script for Road Trip or scanning several other potential screenplays.

After dinner, to Dave’s surprise, Scarlett would go off with one of the men to make love and have a romantic interlude. An hour or two later, he found that she was back on the patio making herself available to yet another man or couple for more lovemaking. Dave was certain that by week’s end, with what she’d done on her earlier visit, she’d been with every male in the Circle and many of the women.

Friday night, wearing only a monokini because of the warm weather, Scarlett cuddled up to Dave during the cocktail hour. “Can we be partners at dinner and afterwards?”

Dave smiled, “I love that idea. Most certainly. Did you have a good week?”

“Fabulous. I’ve made love with lots of people in the Circle at least once, and several people many times. Your wife keeps finding me and eating the cum from my pussy. She told me I taste divine.”

Dave laughed, “Julie? And you do taste divine. Before or after sex, even I can attest to that.”

“Yes, Julie, although Cricket does quite well at that task. She’s got me psyched up to do the same. It definitely is an acquired taste. I’ve tried it on some of my partners much to their surprise.”

“Surprised because they can’t believe an A-list movie star can be a cumslut?”

Scarlett laughed and kissed Dave, “Exactly.”

At dinner, when Scarlett felt she had Dave’s full attention, she said, “I have a request to make.”

Dave nodded to her to tell him.

“I want to belong to the Circle. I want to be a full member. I even want to move here. I was talking to Derek and Bjorn and they’re both getting ready to build homes over the rise to the south that will make them mostly invisible to the homes you already have. I’d like to do that, too; but that’s much less important that just belonging to the Circle. If I had my choice, I’d also be your sixth wife, but your bed is getting pretty full as it is.”

“Why?” Dave asked in a pleasant tone.

“I want people in the Circle to know that they have access to me, that I’m their friend, that I’m approachable, that I can be asked to help, and that I love to be with them and that I’ve made the commitment to this group the same way they have. Right now, I think they see me as an unusual visitor. I think I get treated as a transient. I want permanence.”

“What about your daughter?”

“She’d live and go to school here. Her Nanny will be here tomorrow to escort her back to L.A., so you can meet her. She’s independent and will or won’t be interested in the Circle on her own terms. She’s very shy. If she’s not interested, she’ll be at my house and won’t need to engage with anybody. Personally, I think you’ll love her and that ultimately, she’ll love all of you. She’s a young, busty brunette, just your type.” She giggled. “Her name is Athena, and no, I haven’t seduced her. I think she’s been aware of how Cricket, Ashley, and I interact.”

“It’s a vote of the membership, you know. I look forward to meeting Athena, too.”

“I do know. I also know the whole philosophy, tenets, isms, and everything else about the Circle and living here. I know the risks involved if I’m ever outed and the Circle is exposed in some way. More than that, I feel a spiritual resonance with most of the people here. Cricket taught me how to sense that, and I’m still learning. It’s changed how I think about life and relationships.”

Dave said, “You’re away so much of the time, what will you do? How does that influence your thinking?”

Scarlett thought. “You already know I can be a bit of a slut. Since forever I’ve found sex partners around my movie shoots. I’m careful. I’ve never had an STD and don’t plan on getting one. I will abide by the Circle rules on this; it’s easy because I always have. I think I’ll be able to cope. Also, maybe, one or two people from the Circle can visit or stay with me when I’m away.”

“What about your home in Santa Monica?”

“I’d sell it and get a condo for when I have to be in that geography.”

“Where do Rose’s grandparents live? Don’t you want to be near them?”

“I do,” Scarlett smiled and even laughed. “They live in Orlando. My dad is a golf nut, and my mom isn’t too far behind. From here, they’d only be about a two-hour drive. They drove down and we had a long lunch on Wednesday.”

Dave shook his head and laughed. “You’ve really thought this through.”

“I have; every detail, I think. I’m ready. I’m hoping the Circle is ready for me.”

“I promise I’ll bring it up at the monthly meeting. There are others we’re considering as well.”

“Others?” Scarlett asked.

“My sister-in-law Karen; her sister wife Candy Hotchkiss; her husband Daryl Simon; Sheri Seaton – a sharp EE that works for Nancy Mason in my utility; Stephanie Grayson – one of the nurses in our midst; Morgan Collier – one of the recent graduates that missed being around here right after graduation; and Gabe Williams – another recent grad that started coming around as of last Halloween and is one of Alice’s toy boys. With you that would make an induction of nine.”

“I’ll cross my fingers and say a little prayer. I hope we all make it.”

Ty turned to the others at the head table. It was the first Monday of the month and the Circle was holding its Members Meeting. He asked, “When was the last induction we had?”

Wendy was secretary; she checked the minutes and said, “December. So four months ago. We inducted the class of mostly the new graduates plus Lisa and Jim.”

“Do we have a slate of nominations,” Ty asked.

Dave said, “We do. These names are printed on a ballot that Julie is passing out to everyone right now. If you have any comments that would influence the vote, now is the time to speak.”

The room was quiet, and then Dev said, “This is a great slate of new members.” After that the room started to buzz with positive comments about everybody on the list.

Dave said, “Does anybody have any negative comment about anybody on the list?”

The room was so quiet everyone would have heard a pin drop.

Ty said, “Please mark your ballots as indicated. Pass them to the aisle. I’ve asked Ron, Julie, Cindy, and Sean to tally the ballots. They’ll work in the core kitchen, so we won’t have to wait long.”

At that point, Derek got up and talked about how construction was about to start on the home he wanted to build over the small hill on the property. Bjorn also made a similar report about the place where he, Tan, and Nathan would live. Paul Steckler made a similar report. Dave thought of mentioning Scarlett’s wish to also build along what had come to be named Perimeter Road, but decided not to say anything until after she was a member. The way some plans moved it might be years before any serious action occurred.

A couple of other items were discussed, and then Ron stood and reported that all of the nominees for membership had been approved by acclaim, many of the ballots with words of enthusiasm for having the new crew as members.

Dave smiled to himself, and caught Ty doing the same thing. Who would have thought coming up on six years earlier that the loosening up process that Dave and Alice started on under Dori’s taunting and leadership would lead to this polyamorous community of like-minded souls? Dave got a shiver and felt a surge of warmth all over. He looked at Alice and she had tears of happiness in her eyes; she felt the same way.

The meeting ended early. Jim Danforth rose just after adjournment and invited everyone for an end of evening celebration at the Club Ecstasy down the trail. “Drinks, meals, and snacks will be on the house.” He got a round of applause and then people went to dress more appropriately for a mid-evening celebration.

Ty and Dave split up the pleasurable duties of making the phone calls to the newly inducted Circle members. Dave called Sheri Seaton first, and she shrieked into the phone her joy at becoming a member. He told her about the gathering at the Club Ecstasy and she promised to be there in a half-hour. He also reached Morgan Collier and Stephanie Grayson and they had similar reactions.

Telling Scarlett was easy. She’d been reading in his living room and was really the first to know after the meeting broke up. As Dave led his wives into the house, she looked up with hope written all over her face.

Dave asked, “Where’s Rose?”

“She went for an evening walk around the property with Athena. The nanny liked you a lot by the way. Unfortunately, for her, she’ll be leaving tomorrow with Rose.”

Dave went to Scarlett and pulled the star to her feet and into a hug, “I’m pleased to tell you that...”

“OH, GOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I LOVE YOU.” Scarlett kissed Dave and then lunged and repeated the gesture on Alice, Pam, Heather, Julie, and Cricket as they also welcomed the movie star into the Circle and into their inner-most lives.

Alice called her sister in Ohio and had her gather the adults around as she passed along the news of the induction. Karen, Candy, and Daryl shouted and applauded.

Bridget said. “I want to belong, too, but I guess I have some homework to do in meeting everyone and getting into the way of life. By the time we had to leave last Saturday I’d fallen in love with everybody there. You’ve all made me feel so special. I promise to be a stellar member when the time comes.”

Alice also informed her niece when Bridget came on the line that she had a new home, if she wanted it, in a guest room as she started at the nearby university in August or even for a summer job if she got one in the area. That news just made Bridget sob further. Despite her tears Bridget got out, “You’ve made me sooooo happy!”

A little later, about fifty people in a dozen or so cars descended on the Club Ecstasy. The Club was usually pretty sleepy on a Monday night, but the group instantly transformed the place into a vibrant, throbbing hub of social and entertainment life.

Jim declared the entire Club a pay free zone, but did remind everyone to tip the waitresses and bartenders. He thanked everyone for coming and said he hoped they’d come more frequently and then turned the stage over to one of the strippers and also declared amateur night. Any female wanting to do a little exhibitionist demonstration should come and see him. He pointed to the table where he’d be sitting with Lisa and some of the other Circle members.

Scarlett was sitting at a table with Dave, Cricket, Gabe, and Phil. One of the guys from several tables over got up and came to their table studying Scarlett. After a few seconds of close examination, he said, “You’re her, aren’t you? Scarlett?”

Scarlett laughed, “Yes. I suppose you want my autograph.” She tried to be especially engaging, even reaching out and touching the man’s arm in a suggestive way.

The man shook his head. “No, I just wanted to tell you that you’re a fabulous actress and that I love your work. I certainly didn’t expect to see you in a place like this, but...” He sighed, and returned to his table.

She toyed with him, “I do get recognized a lot around town. I’m surprised you haven’t seen me in here before.”

Scarlett laughed after he’d left. “He’s not a hundred percent sure it’s me. There are at least two reasons he doesn’t think I’m me: first, I’m having drinks with a huge group of casual friends in a strip club in Sarasota, Florida, rather than some more exotic locale, and second, I touched him in a very friendly way and movie stars aren’t supposed to be that approachable. He’ll always wonder.”

Sheri Seaton took the stage after watching the Club’s stripper do a seductive and lewd dance routine that involved a lot of twirling on the chrome pole on the stage. Sheri talked to Christie about ‘how to’ and downed a shot and a beer chaser as liquid courage. Sheri had worn CFM shoes to the Club, and after ten minutes of good striptease on stage they became the only things she wore. Sheri danced and performed for all the stage-side tables, and a dozen of those tables did not contain Circle friends. She collected a lot of loot from them as well as the Circle as she did her exhibitionist routine. Sheri collected her clothes and the money from the stage and passed them to Dave who sat right next to the stage.