Chapter 14: A Liberal Education

Dave noted that Nikky and Amanda were talking together. He’d aimed Amanda at Nikky because she was the only other person that he knew who had been abducted. In Amanda’s case it had been worse, because some minor gangster named Dom and one his henchmen had stripped her bare, had the threat of white slavery hanging over her head, and she was only an hour or two away from a planned gangbang to induct her into being a two-bit whore for the small time thug.

Karen was sitting with the two women as well. What made the situation somewhat unique was that all three of them were topless. Amanda had a noticeable baby bump and her breasts had enlarged somewhat from their normal state. Karen had the normal body of a forty-year old woman, along with a nice set of breasts that Dave had toyed with only the night before as they’d made love. He loved his sister-in-law.

Nikky was the new kid on the block. Much to Dave’s surprise, the tiny brunette was basically ‘stacked’. She dressed conservatively at work, and ‘stacked’ on a tiny woman meant she didn’t have near the amount of tit flesh that taller women had, and so she just didn’t appear to have a rack until one saw her almost naked, and then you were seeing a Barbie doll, with magnificent breasts and girlish figure. Further, he learned that she wore a sports bra most of the time that more or less compressed ‘things’.

Dave chided himself for having sexual thoughts about Nikky. Hell, he knew he had sexual thoughts about all women, at least initially. He’d resisted having them about Nikky because she looked so young and innocent, plus she’d had a retarded social life growing up because of her accelerated path through school and college.

Nikky was just about completely naked. She’d not only removed the tie-dyed shirt, but also her white shorts, leaving her in a monokini that couldn’t have had any more material in it than what would be in a dollar bill. The little scrap of material covering her mons and nether region even sported the same green color with an off-white paisley pattern. When Nikky turned around to lie on her stomach in the sun but still talk to Karen and Amanda, Dave noted that there was no ‘back’ to the monokini, only a few pieces of dental floss about the same color as the suit. He became aware that he had really studied the small G-string and Nikky’s fabulous ass.

Daryl and Candy arrived about noon in two cars and one trailer filled to the gunnels with clothing and possessions. Everybody greeted them warmly with hugs and kisses, especially Karen who started crying again now that her family was with her after her ordeal. Bridget, Sean, and Christiana also gathered around the pair, and the family went off and sat together with Karen in Daryl’s lap. It was a tearful reunion.

Nikky hung around for most of the afternoon not only watching in awe as more and more women showed up on the patio topless, but also gawking and nearly losing it completely when Bridget and Rachel went completely nude in order to go skinny-dipping in the pool.

Nikky kept looking at Dave as the two naked nymphs stood beside the pool talking, seemingly expecting him to do something, or at least gawk at the shapely blonde and brunette. He didn’t even respond in any physical way.

By then, Nikky had moved back to being seated next to Dave at one of the tables. She’d also stopped blushing since no one seemed concerned about her nudity or had propositioned her. Sex and nudity were not strongly connected in the Circle. Being nude didn’t automatically mean having sex. Of course, it didn’t mean NOT having sex either.

After Dave, Nikky, and Dev had glanced at the nude swimmers, they went back to having a conversation. Dev had been telling Dave about traveling up to Maine to see first-hand the ‘cabin’ that he’d inherited from his bachelor uncle.

Nikky asked, “Are you going alone?”

Dev nodded, “No, Wendy and Willow are coming. I just want to see it and get an accurate feeling for what the place is like, how many people could be there simultaneously without needing to be on top of each other, and assess the surrounding area’s ability to supply the place. The caretaker is meeting me and will walk me through the place. It’s peak foliage season, too; so it should be a pretty trip.”

Nikky ruminated, “I’ve never really been that far out of Florida. My parents took me up to Myrtle Beach one summer, but that was only for a couple of days. We visited Charleston on the way home, but that was a blur.”

Dev speculated, “So, you grew up locally?”

“Bradenton and then went to college at the university right in town. I commuted from home, in part because I was so young and my parents didn’t want me getting into dorm, fraternity, or sorority life when I was so seriously underage. I’ve been to Miami and Key West, though. We never had too much money, and traveling costs money.”

Dev didn’t know Nikky’s history. “How underage were you?”

“When I started college, I was fifteen. I had advanced placement since I’d taken all the high school AP courses that I could take, and all of those had been blessed by the university as eligible to satisfy so many college credits. I ended up kind of starting in my sophomore year in college, and then graduated three years later after I’d turned eighteen. I had a pretty good academic scholarship.”

“Wow!” Dev said. “Another smart one. Spread those genes around the Circle will ya?”

Nikky stood and danced around, even shaking her breasts a little, as though she were sprinkling fairy dust all over. She said, “There; that should do it. All the women in the Circle are now strong and beautiful, the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.”

Dave poked at her side as she sat, “Just like you, Miss Lake Wobegon of the year.”

Nikky squirmed and laughed, “Well, I’ll give you smart.”

Dev and Dave both shook their heads. Dave said, “You are strong and beautiful. You showed real strength of character to do what you did for Karen and her family, and you should look in the mirror.”

Dev amplified, “What my friend is trying to say is that you are a very pretty young woman. You’re beautiful in mind, body, and spirit. Personally, I think you’re hot.”

Nikky laughed, “Body? Hot? Hardly.” She turned to Dave, “Did you even look at my breasts or my body?

Dave smirked, “I peeked. You’re gorgeous. I love looking at you. Everybody here does.”

“Nobody’s looking,” Nikky teased.

Dave said, “We make it a practice not to stare at people, but believe me everyone notices. You watched me glance at Bridget and Rachel a couple of minutes ago when they got out of the pool. I didn’t stare and gawk at them despite wanting to. I did take a mental photo.”

Dev teased, “That’s because you know you can be with either or both of them later if you want to.”

Dave laughed, “I’ll stand in line.”

Dev replied in his joking tone, “Are you kidding? You get a free pass to the front of the line with all of the women. They all love you so much.”

Nikky soaked that in, “I can kind of see that happening, but have you really been with all of them?”

Dave said in a tone that tried to sound serious, “A gentleman never talks about his partners.”

Dev was nodding vigorously and pointing a finger at Dave.

Nikky looked disappointed but teased, “Oh, shucks. I thought I’d learn something about my mentor and best friend. I’m guessing from the way Dev referred to you that the answer is yes. Bridget even lives in your house and Rachel lives next door.”

Dave laughed, “Do you want to tell me all about all your Lovers?” The teasing tone in his voice carried his mirth.

Nikky continued to look disappointed, “I thought I told you, I’ve never had a lover. I’m a virgin and I can count the number of dates I’ve been on IN MY LIFE on ONE HAND!” She sounded mad.

Dave recoiled, “Whoa! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to touch a sore spot. I can’t imagine why you weren’t one of the most popular girls in school – either high school or college. I probably shouldn’t be saying this as your mentor, but you are exceptionally lovable. Dev is right, you’re very pretty and I think you’re desirable and I agree with his label as hot.”

Dev nodded to reinforce what just got said. “Dave probably can’t say what he wants to you because he’s in management. You’re beautiful. He likes having you around and near him. He’d also gladly be your lover.”

Nikky whirled to Dave, “Is that true?”

Dave dipped his head slowly, but remained silent.

Nikky said in a near whisper, “I’ve been thinking the same thing.”

Dave got embarrassed for both himself and Nikky. “Let’s talk about something less ... controversial. How about the upcoming Halloween party?”

Dev laughed because he saw the trap that Dave had missed. Dave looked puzzled.

Dev prompted him, “Where’s the party going to be?”

“Errr, at Mark Worthington’s out of the city estate.”

“And what’ll be high on the agenda for the evening?” Dev prodded.

Dave suddenly got it, “Yeah, that’s not a good topic to have picked.”

Nikky said, “You mean Mark Worthington, the billionaire that lives north of here?”

Dev said, “One and the same. A friend and very nice man.”

Dave volunteered, “As you might expect he’s a personal friend of Owen Bennett, and it was through him that we all met him and some of his ... wives.” Dave thought, ‘Shit, I can’t have a conversation without some part of it referring to something sexual or risqué.’

Nikky said, “I saw pictures of his home, The Meadows, in a decorator magazine. It’s a fabulous home. The article said that it probably cost fifty million to build and furnish. Some of the art is fabulous. One of his girlfriends is a really great artist. I love her work.”

Dave teased, “He’s been here to the Circle several times. I’m sure you’ll meet him someday if you hang around with us.”

“You’ll let me know if I overstay my welcome, won’t you?”

“I would, but that’s not likely to happen. Dev was right in what he said earlier; “I like having you around – a lot.” He made the small reach between their chairs and held her hand. Nikky gave him a broad smile and squeezed back with her hand to show acceptance.

Dave sat at the head of the table with Nikky on his left and Karen on his right. Daryl sat next to Nikky and Candy next to Karen. Alice and Julie framed the group as they ate a Chicken Marsala dish that Bobbie had prepared. As often happened, there was applause for Bobbie about partway through the meal after everyone had tasted the fabulous meal she’d prepared for the Circle. She loved the recognition.

As the meal ended, Derek and Emily Wilson along with Roy and Elise Goodman came to Karen. They were casually dressed, and as they often did play the roles of senior statesmen in the Circle. Derek was Dave’s boss at the utility, and his wife had been one of the winners of an award for the adult movies she’d made in the senior category. Elise was Dave’s mother, and Roy was the CFO of Knightsbridge Manufacturing and Alice’s boss.

Elise spoke, “Karen, we’ve been talking and we want to offer something to you. If you turn us down, none of us will be insulted or anything, it’s just that with everything that’s happened to you and your family over the past month we felt we wanted to do something.”

Karen nodded, “You don’t have to do anything, but thank you.”

Elise continued, “Here’s our proposition for you to think about. We love your children. Bridget is a darling. Christiana is so sweet and gentle, and Sean is right on the edge of becoming a man. They’ve all lost their grandparents either for health reasons with Daryl’s family or for more malevolent reasons with your parents.

“What we propose is to offer ourselves up as grandparents – two sets to equal his and hers. We have talked and we are prepared to spoil your kids rotten, babysit, take them interesting places, feed them junk food that you’d have a fit over, bake cookies with them, give them sugar highs, and everything else that grandparents are supposed to do. Of course, we’ll always have their best interests at heart.

“We make the offer and, as I said, you don’t have to accept or feel bad if you turn us down. You may call any of us any time, just as though we were family, to do anything for you. We know it’s unusual, but we just felt that...”

“YES!” Karen screamed as she leapt from her seat and embraced Elise in a huge hug. She then kept saying, “Yes, yes, yes,” as she went from Elise to Roy to Emily and finally to Derek.

Karen nearly sobbed, “This is the nicest thing you could possibly do for us. I know the kids already like you because I’ve seen you talking to all of them and you make them laugh and smile.”

Elise looked very pleased with herself. Dave guessed that this had been her idea, and she’d roped the others into the endeavor, but from their smiles probably without much effort. She said, “We can talk later about how to make this happen in a graceful way for the children. We were thinking about taking them to the beach tomorrow, if that would work for you. It’d just be for two or three hours in the afternoon, but we think they’d have fun. Anybody that wants to can come, too. We’re not trying to be exclusive here.”

Derek said, “I was also thinking that we’d all take them to Orlando and Disneyworld some weekend soon. I think they might like that, unless you think it would be too much?”

Karen beamed, “No. No. The beach a perfect beginning – and Disney. Just tell me when? We can talk at breakfast tomorrow and be sure they have the right clothing and stuff such as sun screen. Disneyworld will have both children eating out of your hands; they’d love to go. It’s been a constant topic of discussion since we arrived.”

Karen hugged Elise again and tears flooded her eyes. “Thank you all so much. This is a dream come true. I’ve been thinking about this for the past few weeks after all this shit storm ... started to happen because of my parents. I still can’t believe how badly they behaved. Being Christian was supposed to be important to them, and yet they violated so many basic tenets of their religion to do what they did for their own selfish reasons. They made it a religion for their own convenience. Thank you again.”