Chapter 27: Christmas – An Ultimate Present from His Wives

Everyone in the Circle started to skulk around in the weeks before Christmas. Rose wrote a computer program to randomly assign Secret Santas. It took Circle members and pledges and matched them up in some way with somebody else. Each member knew who they were buying for, but they weren’t suppose to reveal who they were to the gift recipient. Also, gifts were supposed to be under a hundred dollars. The program also made sure not to match up family members, partners, or spouses. Also, members could specify the number of people they were willing to buy for: one to three.

Dave peeked into the envelope that Rachel handed him to see who he was buying for. He’d put in for two. He was gleeful because he’d been assigned Kellie Sawyer – a poor struggling student and pledge of the Circle, and Erin Steckler – Ashley’s sister, the Circle PR manager, and a freelance journalist mostly for the Sarasota Herald and the Tampa Times.

He knew that Kellie needed a new smart phone and that Erin had been wanting to take a cruise with her mother, but didn’t have the money and had to worry about a babysitter for Josh – their son. Easy peesy, but the cost for both items would be seriously over the recommended spending limit. Dave shrugged and thought, “I’ve loosened up; rules are made to be broken.”

Dave swung by the Apple store and bought the latest, greatest, state of the art, iPhone for Kellie. The phone could be used as is or opened like a small seamless paperback book to conduct all sorts of business on the larger split screen that was more like an iPad Mini. Apple was hyping the iPhone XX as one of the great triumphs of the twenty-first century. Dave noted that if it weren’t for the price everyone in the world would have one, they were so innovative.

Of course, within his family Dave had presents for ten wives to buy. Without hesitation he headed for Kay Jewelers at another mall, and soon had several items of bling for each wife. Fortunately, he knew each of their preferences about that type of thing. Some items would need to be picked up a week later because they were custom.

Coming home from his shopping trip Dave stopped and chatted with the gatehouse guard, a hefty college student named Manny who planned to graduate in May. Manny was actually an employee of Dale’s security company – Harnett Security. Dave made a note to suggest a holiday bonus for Manny and the other guards that prowled around the Circle for security reasons and also remained unobtrusive. He’d have a hard time finding out what Stu wanted, too, but figured Millie might know.

Dave changed into athletic shorts and went into the core living space. A large meditation space had been set up in an alcove off of the main living room. A few indoor plants were there, a Buddha, sitting and kneeling mats, some sandalwood incense, and soft music to facilitate mediation played in the background around the clock.

Some of the group gathered there to do Tai Chi, yoga, or other meditative exercises. They also met on the patio. He noted that Helen, Kellie, Nikky, Barbara, and Mandy were lined up, each on a separate large pillow, naked, and in the Lotus position, and in some other dimension of time and space. Dave tiptoed away, but noted how serene the five of them looked.

The core rooms each had holiday decorations spread around. Everywhere he looked there were twinkling and blinking lights, festive garlands, Christmas trees, and other accountrements of the season. Many faux presents had been spread around under the various trees to make them look more like Christmas, but Dave knew they’d disappear a few days before the main holiday party so that ‘real’ ones could appear.

Elise, Emily, Abby, Alice, and a few others had taken on the task of planning and decorating for the holiday party. Unlike some of the parties, this would be ‘G’ rated. The kids would attend, and get their Secret Santa gifts along with everyone else, and then there’d be a large communal dinner. Many parents and grandparents would also show up.

Dave had conferred with all of the mothers of his children about gifts and put together a good list and then in one afternoon had made stops at a half-dozen stores that sold ‘kid’ stuff. One store on Main Street emphasized educational ‘toys’ and they got the lions’ share of his expenditures.

The party was a week before Christmas on a Saturday late afternoon. Dave estimated about two-hundred-and-fifty people in the large open space since many relatives that lived nearby also showed up for the event. He tried to meet all of the newcomers, in part to see how they were coping with the son or daughter’s membership or pledge status in the Circle. If they didn’t say anything or frown too much, he figured things were good.

Several out of country guests from Russia clustered around Tatiana and little five-month-old Wade, her baby with Dave. Tatiana’s mother had long-ago adjusted to her daughter’s new lifestyle and her success in her career in a foreign country. Dave was a welcome light in Tat’s life as far as they were concerned.

One of the next women he met was Claudine Noel, Merry’s mother. She proved that the apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree. Clee, as she liked to be called, was a knockout with long blonde hair and perfect physique.

Dave could tell just how much had been revealed to various parents by how they sized him up. Clee apparently knew everything, so he got close scrutiny.

Merry came up and slid under his arm wrapping his arm around her and even placing the hand over her breast, although everyone was dressed in party garb with nothing racy or risqué showing. They shared a brief kiss. “Well, mom, this is my first true love male. God, isn’t he luscious?”

Clee said to Merry, “I can see why you’re attracted to him. It’s nice to see you broadening your horizons.” She laughed.

Turning to Dave she said, “You apparently have a magic touch ... and one that excites me to think about. Sometime in the New Year I hope to bridge the mother-daughter gap with you. Around here, that may not be novel, but for us it would be. I’ll try to plan something with Merry.” She smiled.

Dave got a kiss on the cheek as Clee strolled away with a swish of her maxi skirt and a flirtatious coy look over her shoulder.

Merry whispered to him, “She means it, and I won’t mind. She won’t believe it when you make her pass out from The Experience. She’s one of those ‘always in control’ type of people. All orgasms must be tightly controlled and properly executed by the numbers. It’s her German heritage.”

After a pause, she added, “I bet she fucks like a mink, too.” She giggled and then went off to keep her mom from getting into further trouble.

At the other end of the spectrum in one way, Jim and Mandy brought their parents to meet Dave. Mandy introduced Ralph and Connie Grafton, and Jim his mother Jan Hotch.

The talk with them was pure ‘G’ rated. They’d heard about the bombs and hostage situation, and knew about the repair to the various buildings and not much else related to the Circle other than it was ‘an intentional family’. Ralph liked that terminology and commented that they do without most of his and Connie’s relatives. In an aside, Connie told Dave, I really like Jan. I think her son and our daughter are moving to some serious relationship status.” She gave him a wink that indicated her enthusiastic approval. Dave tried to act innocent and unknowing.

Helen Ursinger’s mother came alone to the party from the Atlanta area to join her daughter for the party. Her name was Diana Kent. She sized up Dave, so he knew at least part of Circle activities had been revealed.

She gave a firm nod after two minutes of conversation, and then took Dave’s hand to command attention. “My quick assessment is that Helen finally made a good decision when it comes to relationships. She loves you, but I guess you know that.”

“And I love her. She is a beautiful person inside and out. I do confess to working with her to loosen up a bit.”

Cricket came by Dave and planted a surprise kiss on his lips. She said, “I love you, husband.” She’d returned the day before from L.A., and was making up for having missed his husbandly affections. Her words of love did not pass unnoticed.

Diana’s gaze followed Cricket as she bounced away with zip in her step. She said, “Did I hear her call you her husband?”

Dave nodded. “Yes. She’s one of my wives.”

“‘One of’? What’s that mean?”

Dave shrugged. This was the start of what everyone knew would be coming. He replied, “I actually have ten wives. Cricket is one of them.”

The sharp intake of breath covered up a few of the words in Dave’s explanation. Clee Noel had been standing nearby and heard the scandal-laden conversation. She rapidly spun around to change conversation circles. Dave was keeping everything low key and ‘matter of fact’. There was nothing to hide and nothing worth getting bent out of shape about.

Clee said, “Whoa! I just caught the last of your remarks. You have TEN wives?”

“A legal wife and nine others who I’ve made a similar commitment to. We all live in the big house right over there.” He pointed. “This is not a secret and your daughters know about my status, probably better than I do.”

Diana asked, “And you all ... errr ... make...”

Dave nodded, “Yes, we’re fully involved with each other in romantic and conjugal ways.”

Clee stated neutrally, “So, you were unfaithful to your wives when you had sex with Merry!” The statement sounded marginally confrontational.

“No,” Dave responded, just allowing his one-word answer to hang out there.

Just at that moment, Scarlett Johansson swept into Dave’s arms for a kiss. She did a quick introduction of her mother and father and after excuses for the interruption then led them towards the bar. The Circle had hired professional bartenders for the event.

Clee said, “That looked just like...”

Dave started to have some fun, “Megan Fox?”

Clee was watching Scarlett walk away. “No. Scarlett Johansson.”

Dave stated, “She is wife number six if you want to get picky about the order ... or maybe it was number seven. Even I lose count.”

Diana was sputtering, “The movie star?”

Dave shrugged, “She’s done some theater, too, plus she sings. The songs she sang in Road Trip and Crystal Clear were her own voice. She’s very talented. So is her teenage daughter – my stepdaughter.”

“And ... and ... and ... she just lives here?”

Dave shook his head, “Not enough. She has a beautiful house just over the ridge, but also homes in New York City, Santa Monica, Monaco, and Hawaii. I think there are some other condos here and there, too. She tries to spend as much time as she can here with the family and the other Circle members.”

“And you know her?” Clee said in amazement.

Dave shrugged. “Yes. We’re married. She’s helped out a few Circle members, too. Ashley Steerman and Cricket to name two. You just met Cricket.”

“The singer and the author?”

“Yes.”

Diana looked off to where Cricket had gone. “So, your Cricket really is the author of those two books ... and Scarlett played the lead character in the films?”

“Yes, and Ashley really is the famous country music singer. She and her husband are about to build a house down the hill near Scarlett’s home. It’s beautiful. I think it’ll be finished by next Christmas. Ashley will be eager to move in since she’s pregnant with their first child.”