Chapter 26: Making Up and Making Out

Twenty minutes later we were still gathered together on the floor. We weren't piled together, but everyone was touching someone. None of it was sexual, but some of what we had shared required recovery for everyone. All of them glowed almost as if sex had occurred. I felt very much the same way.

We talked about what had happened and I tried to touch on how. None of us could really explain. Erin had understood my apology, but in the end she wouldn't allow me to let her go. It had hurt her more to be let go than the feeling of betrayal. Another affect of the program I was sure. However I made an offer to them that they all declined on the spot: if any of them, at any time, felt the need to leave the group they could. I would let them go and find a way to sever the connection so they could lead a happy life with or without me. Ultimately, they expressed that they were happy even though they had to share me. I had no doubt that they were being manipulated by the program through me on that consensus.

Questions about my ability had been examined. Renée then started answering questions about her gift. Though hers didn't manipulate emotions in others, it did affect the others in that when she changed, they accepted the change and thought she always looked like she did currently. Erin found a two year old picture of Renée. She had looked very different at the time and only serious plastic surgery could have wrought the changes. Even I was amazed because I had been certain she didn't change at all when we met. She was already a busty, tall, exotic woman who amazingly found me attractive enough to want to do the nasty on the same night we met.

Renée enjoyed the short lived attention from the others, but it ended up being directed to me again when Tabitha asked about the flash of visions. It had happened twice before for me and I knew what it was. When I explained that we had shared each other's memories she looked both awed and worried. I didn't think I could have pulled off the mix but she did. Apparently, she was worried about some of the thoughts she had had of the others. I understood the anxiety as the same Erin had shared with me when we had dinner the night before and knew what it meant. I was certain that these women were not bi-sexual before I met them, but my charm was helping with the need to release the sexual tension it built by letting them find relief in each other as well as me. I had mixed feelings about that. I was concerned that if the link was ever severed, they would feel disgusted with themselves over their passionate actions. I was also relieved because there was no way I could keep up with the sexual appetites of all of them. Even if it had been only the five present, I would have been in trouble, but there were four more not gathered with us, and with a mere thought I knew where they were and what they were feeling.

The connection that brought us all so close was a double edged sword. It let us all get along and share each other without jealousy or complaint. Our feelings for one another were unconditional. I could feel all of them, especially when touching in ways that people just didn't normally feel. One person could learn to understand the signs of certain emotions and recognize them, even empathize with the other person, but this connection allowed us to share that emotion. Plus we could share memories. That alone helped in ways that words couldn't. Since most memories are tied to some emotion, we would get the depth of understanding that no explanation could offer.

On the other side, if one of us became depressed, so did others. If one was angry, so were the rest of us. If someone had a secret that would hurt the group, it couldn't be kept. Actually, I wasn't sure about that. Renée and I held memories of each other, but there were still things I didn't know about her. Yeah, they were little things, but it only led to the question that if she could keep small things from me, what bigger things didn't I know? That was another problem with the connection. If someone could keep secrets, why would they? What would be so important or dangerous to keep from the group? I had to let that go. It was already something of an invasion to share memories. My concern for their happiness was enough to both help and hurt us as a whole. If someone wanted to keep a secret, that was okay. It was their right as an individual, and I wanted to help maintain that just as much as their happiness and their ability to choose.

There was one memory that I ended up with, but it wasn't from Renée. Chloe had shared her memory of a guy she found with Renée. That one scene made so many things about the two of them fall into place. The looks, the lack of touching, the guilt Renée had felt earlier at the mall. I looked over at her and saw the pain of it still along the edges. She wore it like a transparent film over her skin. I wanted to help them make up, because I didn't believe it was either of their faults. Chloe's memories of the guy suggested that he was a ladies' man. He could swoon girls and have them eating out of his hands within short order.

I think Renée started noticing my thoughts. She began getting nervous and couldn't sit still. Finally, she got up and stretched like she was tired. I knew better.

"I think I'm going to head back to my place. It's been a long day." She said as she looked at the rest of us.

Erin and Nadia tried to convince her to stay, but I knew she wouldn't. They hugged her and so did Tabitha. Chloe waved from a safe distance. I got up to walk her out.

I caught Chloe's eye as I got up. She had a sheepish look on her face and I wondered if she shared that memory on purpose. She knew that I felt the same for all of them. They all knew it. None of them could sway me to prefer any one over the other; a part of my Charm that I was glad for. When I stood next to Renée, I turned to Chloe and held out my hand. She looked at me questioningly, but took it nonetheless.

Holding Chloe's hand, I followed Renée out. She had started walking away from the porch but I called her back.

As Renée returned, Chloe understood what was happening and I gripped her hand tighter. Renée looked stoic. She wasn't certain what would be said but she was betting on a fight.

"No," I said firmly. "You two are making up right now."

They both looked at me. Chloe was somewhat shocked, but Renée was still solid.

"I know what happened. Roger was dating Chloe, but you didn't know that Renée. He didn't tell you he was dating anyone and you were so ... captivated. When Chloe found you two together, he still didn't tell you. This isn't your fault." I turned to Chloe, "And it's not yours either. It was Roger's. He was a pig, and you both know it."

I reached out and took Renée's hand. I could feel her guilt burn across my skin. Chloe caught it too, and she had her own, but hers was the guilt of blaming Renée, the guilt of being wrong. I didn't have to do anything more. They understood the full truth of what had happened. With a short outburst, they hugged and I could feel the relief from both of them. I even let out a breath that I didn't know I was holding.

They pulled back and looked at each other. Words were exchanged and both of them looked to me. I held a soft smile for them. They were both better for the understanding and the friendship they could continue, almost unblemished. They could talk about this with others as if it had happened to someone else and there wouldn't be any bad feelings about it.