Chapter 28: Seeds Planted

Scarlett appeared at Sunday morning breakfast with her daughter Rose in tow. Rose looked compliant until she saw Matthew and he saw her. The six-year-old and eight-year-old lit up like Christmas trees, made squealing noises of joy, and raced to each other and hugged. Both Dave and Scarlett were surprised at the PDA between the two children.

Holly checked in with Scarlett as she passed by, “Swim lessons still all right?”

“Oh, yes. She hasn’t been near water since she was here last. I don’t know how much she remembers.”

Seconds later, everyone watched Matthew execute a near perfect dive from his raised platform at the deep end of the pool. Rose got up on the platform, made sure that Holly was watching her, and then leapt as high in the air as she could and out over the water. She went deep under as everyone held their breath to see whether she’d surface. She did with screams of joy. “Holly, you have to teach me to dive head first. I love the water.”

Scarlett finally sat, “I guess that answers that question.”

Dave chuckled, “How’s your nanny this morning?”

Scarlett laughed, “I don’t think you did any permanent damage to her psyche, but when I asked, she blushed up the color red in the country’s flag. She said she was fine but would stay inside and read this morning. She’s taking some online courses so has reading and homework to do – at least that was her excuse.”

He said, “She should meet our temporary nanny while Maddy is out on maternity leave.” Dave pointed to where Taylor sat in the shade next to a playpen with three toddlers in it. She also held six-week old Logan in her lap as she talked to Maddy, the Circle’s regular nanny. There were enough children now that Dave wondered whether they shouldn’t have two full-time staff. He made a mental note to mention that to Alice.

Dave also made a silent note to himself to talk to Taylor. He never heard the outcome of her talk with Alec from the ‘test’ the girls had orchestrated a week ago and was curious. He was more than curious; Taylor was a beautiful woman and he hoped that the two of them could make love some day soon.

Ross appeared in a swimsuit and holding Sheri’s hand. Dave surmised they’d spent all of the previous evening and night together. Sheri was wearing a monokini and had that freshly fucked look on her face as she looked adoringly at Ross. The feeling was obviously mutual.

Dave got their breakfast orders along with several others and went back to the kitchen where he was part of the breakfast prep crew. Phil and Cindy were acting as short-order cooks as Dave moved around getting orders and making sure the coffee carafes on the various tables were full.

Owen, Julie, and Rachel appeared, the latter two in monokinis and looking very fetching. Dave got their orders and went back to the kitchen. He and Cindy had developed a pattern where they’d kiss each time he reappeared with an order. The pair kissed, and then went about their business. She’d often flash him her pussy or ass.

That Sunday was a busy day. Ross gathered about thirty of the Circle members and guests after breakfast and led a discussion about the meaning of life. By the end of the hour he’d set aside for the group discussion that he facilitated Dave and the rest of the members were impressed with the way he’d facilitated the discussion and how he’d kept things moving along and not becoming locked into any one dogma or ism.

Ross had led them from a simplistic view of life to a complex one with major insights. He’d quoted many people who’d said something profound about the subject without referring to notes; people such as Judy Collins, Aristotle, Joe Campbell, the Dalai Lama, Gandhi, and even Ben Franklin.

Dave took heart that Bridget had sat through the whole discussion on the edge of her seat, fascinated by the comments and discussion. After several of those, she’d be well equipped to ace her freshmen year Philosophy course. He noted that after the group broke up that Bridget went up and talked to Ross, especially knowing that he taught at the university.

Dave had noted that Bridget had been ‘discovered’ by all the men in the Circle, especially the recent graduates. As the discussion group broke up, Phil, Jake, Ron, and Murph also hung around, but not to talk to Ross. They were hoping to woo Bridget into their afternoon activities. Dave suspected a beach date and some sex so they could all get to know each other better.

Dave later saw a couple of other women being swept up in the group, specifically Cricket, Sharon, Tan, and Cindy. He was especially pleased to see them including Tan in their group, and that Tan felt comfortable enough leaving Bjorn and Nathan behind to fend for themselves.

Bridget had labored through her first week of her summer job at Mote Marine Laboratories. Everyone in the Circle has explained to her that she’d likely be doing grunt and gofer work, and that indeed proved to be the case. The most exciting thing she got to do was feed a couple of manatees Mote was nursing back to health after being hit by boats in some of the city’s canals. Other than that, she spent a lot of time collecting water samples with another summer student for some of the researchers who were studying red tide.

Bridget had made a point to befriend a new person at dinner each night since her arrival and move-in at Dave’s home. Of course, she met Scarlett that Sunday morning and Alice and Pam watched her work through her serious case of being star struck by the movie star. Scarlett made it easy for Bridget, and promised to be available to her later in this visit so they could spend time together. Cricket was there helping facilitate a more natural friendship between the two women.

Alice noticed a group of women all creating a small but happy scene around Amanda. She wandered over to see what was happening. As she reached the women, Grace turned to her and explained, “Amanda just found out she’s pregnant. Dale is the likely father, but your husband had been sniffing around her tree at the right time of her cycle, too.”

Alice laughed, “Her tree? Grace, you can do better than that.”

“OK, her pussy,” Grace laughed. “He or Dale left their drippy white semen in her womb when an egg was there waiting to be fertilized. Your husband, and Dale for that matter, get around. I love both of them.”

Alice congratulated Amanda with a hug and kiss. Amanda was bemoaning the fact that her figure and tits would go to hell in a hand basket from then on. She even pointed out how her areolas had already darkened, but that seemed to make her look sexy.

Alice asked Grace in an aside, “Is Susan all right with Dale’s possible accomplishment?”

“Very much so. Now that baby Mark is a year-and-a-half, they’ve been talking about having another child. Dale’s business is doing well, and Susan talked to Jason and Robyn about the possibility as well, and they support her breaking away from their law practice for whatever time it takes to build their family. Everyone knows that Dave is probably Mark’s father, but none of them care. Jason, of course, volunteered to be the sperm donor for the next one, and they were thinking of giving him a shot at it along with Dale.”

“Isn’t he donating anyway?”

“I think the three of them play around in his office a few times a week. Susan told me that she helped Jason pick out a comfortable couch for his office, knowing as she did that, she’d be on her back on it getting fucked frequently. He’s still very much a stud muffin and she loves him more than most. He’s one of her specializations.”

“And Robyn is cool with that?”

“She’s there, too. She also has developed an affinity for Dave’s brother – Aaron. I think they’ve become each other’s ‘go to’ lovers a couple of times a week. I guess they’re specializing, too.”

Alice commented, “Hmmmm. Specializing, huh? Interesting terminology. I wonder if now that the Circle has gotten so large that we won’t see more of that. We used to be able to make the round of all the men in one night even, and then it became one weekend. Now, we’re lucky if we can make love to all the men in one month, even doing multiple rounds on Friday, Saturday, and sometime Sunday nights.”

Grace chuckled, “But your husband is on all the women’s list, especially the newer ones. You sister Karen, Candy, Cricket, Scarlett, Tali, Bridget, Carolyn, and a few others think the sun shines out of his ass.”

Alice laughed, “At least he doesn’t. He’s never been egotistical, conceited, or cocky. As a matter of fact, maybe that describes all of the men, even the ones we have in the queue as guests such as Wolf or Ross. We selected well.”

Dave finished getting an update on Scarlett’s work on Road Trip, the movie she was making based on Cricket’s book. He loved hearing about how she struggled with some of the scenes, particularly the lovemaking scenes. She also knew how to tease him. The way she put it to him, “Every man has cuckold fantasies about the women he loves; I just play to those. I know you love me, and when someone is making love to me it arouses you. I like that you respond that way.”

Dave saw that Taylor was alone and gestured her over. She’d met Scarlett already, but they did a polite welcome to each other.

Dave posed, “I never heard the outcome of how Alec and you sorted out Saturday night a week or so ago. He didn’t seem like a happy camper nor appear ready to see you in any kind of a relationship with someone else.”

Taylor sat down as she rolled her eyes. “He wasn’t – isn’t. We had a very long discussion that night and into the next day about his controlling personality and his desire to ‘own’ me. I finally got it across to him that I don’t want to be a possession of his. I don’t want to have to go to him for approval of my friends, my activities, or my thoughts about things. He has a real stick up his ass.”

Scarlett cringed slightly, “It doesn’t sound like the basis for a very long relationship.” She was teasing but the remark was accurate.

“It wasn’t. We kind of broke up. I told him that until he got a different mindset about his partner, he was going to have trouble finding one among today’s women. He has most of those messages from watching his parents and he knows it. I don’t see us in any kind of longer-term relationship unless he changes. I left the ball in his court, but it pretty much meant that I withdrew from the relationship. We haven’t talked since last Sunday afternoon, and we certainly haven’t had sex the way we were, although he’d been hopeful after the visit here.”

Scarlett asked, “So, are you all right? Losing a friend isn’t the happiest experience in the world.”

“I think I’m doing all right. I did want to talk to my mentors in the Circle about what happened – Alice, Nancy, Joan, and Kat. Some of the others might help out, too. I need an ego boost, I guess. I knew we weren’t headed anyplace serious with each other, but still, it’s was kind of hard kissing him off. He has my number. I figured I’d call him next week to see how he’s doing.”

Scarlett said, “Before you talk to them you might want to jot down the characteristics of the ideal male in your life. See what they say about those.”

“That’s a great idea. I guess I have some characteristics I don’t like, but not the ones I do like.”

Scarlett said, “I can give you a few, but most of mine apply to ex-husbands.” She turned and pointed at Dave. “Actually, here is a rather fine specimen of a man. He is loving, caring, compassionate, smart, a leader, and can make a girl like me swoon all over myself – to translate that further, he makes me very wet between my legs all the time. He’s a fabulous lover, always delivers oodles of orgasms, and even cleans up his messes in ways that give you a few more.” She hugged Dave to her body. He blushed.

Dave said, “I’m sure if you ask my wives, you’ll get a long list of areas in which I need to correct my errant ways. I worry that I overcommit, there aren’t enough hours in the day for me to be with all the people I want, I am mortal and so my own orgasmic capabilities are limited by my sex, I often forget to tell people where I am, I wish I were more involved with my children, and sometimes I snore. I’m sure they can give you a hundred more without much thought.”

Scarlett shook her head. “This guy is Mr. Attentive. Further, most women have trouble with their boyfriend or husband’s mother. His mother is Elise. She’s now Roy Goodman’s wife, and she is a fricken nymphomaniac like the rest of the people in the Circle. She fucks everybody just like he does.” The thought finally struck her, “Hey, do you and Elise have sex?”

Dave laughed. It had taken her long enough to make the leap. “Yes, occasionally. I love her dearly in all ways possible. She’s now more like my hot step-mother, because she’s not at all like the mom I grew up with. Turns out she had a whole other side that she successfully hid from me and Aaron for decades until only a couple of years ago.”

Scarlett smiled as she talked to Taylor. “One other great thing about Dave is that he’s not afraid to break the rules that should be broken. This whole Circle is pretty much something that he put together.”