20

Chapter 16 – Neighbors – First Encounter

"HELLO!"

Dave turned around, surprised at the slightly shouted greeting from an unexpected direction. He'd just come back from a five-mile run, worked up a healthy sweat, and didn't think he was too presentable to be meeting someone new. He saw a young couple he didn't know walking up the Access Road. The woman carried a large platter with aluminum foil over the top of it.

"Hi," Dave said. "Can I help you?" He purposely tried to sound friendly and smile at the couple.

The man spoke with a broad smile, "I'm Gary DeVille, and this is my wife, Nora. We recently moved in to the house just outside your gates and wanted to make friends with our neighbors. I hope it was all right that we walked around the gates?"

Gary looked sporty and buff. Dave guessed that he too was a runner, worked out, and then possibly played tennis. He had a deep tan and dark hair that had been slightly bleached out due to the sun. He guessed that Nora was a year or two younger, also athletic in some pursuit, and shapely in a 'girl next door' kind of way. She had a smile that beamed sunshine all around her. Both seemed about the same age: early thirties.

Dave paused and said, "Oh, no problem. With some of the press we've gotten we didn't want a lot of sightseers or voyeurs cruising the neighborhood. I guess I could also say that we had a kidnapping attempt a year or so ago, too." He wondered why he'd picked on those things to start the conversation as soon as he'd said them.

Gary stopped, "Oh, my God. Kidnapping? Press? What happened? No one told us."

"Well, it was a family dispute and nothing you need to be concerned about, but the guilty parties are locked up in prison – two in state prison and one in Federal lockup."

Nora spoke, "Well, we moved in about six months ago and realized we had only met the neighbors next door and across the street. We're friendly and like to socialize. I made some chocolate chip cookies as a peace offering. We'd like to be friends and you're property is on the other side of us. I didn't realize there were so many homes in here." Nora gestured toward the homes on the circle and the corner of the visible townhouse. I should have made more cookies." She laughed.

Gary added, "We know you have a runway here, too. We've seen and heard the planes landing and taking off, but I'm not complaining. I think it's cool that you have that capability."

Dave chuckled, "Well, we welcome you, but I need to warn you about a few aspects of this place – not dangerous, but ... revealing."

Dave started strolling towards the path between two of the homes leading to the core patio and pool. Gary and Nora were walking along, encouraged by a gesture from Dave to walk with him.

Gary canted his head to the side indicating he was puzzled. "We moved here from New Hampshire, so if there's some history to the area I guess we missed it. The real estate people didn't say anything other than that you were a 'special' gated community with private homes and they told us about the private airfield. We never asked what 'special' meant."

Dave smiled, "Well, because this is private land and visually isolated from our neighbors outside the gates, there's some nudity or semi-nudity that frequents the place, so be prepared. If that bothers you, we should stop here. We're not a nudist colony, although on some days it might be difficult to tell the difference. I just don't want you to be shocked at what we may find once we reach the patio."

Nora asked, "How many people live here?" She again gestured at the homes and the manicured landscaping. Dave also noted that the idea of nudity didn't seem to upset her.

"Roughly seventy," Dave responded, :but the number increased each year. We have others that stay over a lot and visit from nearby, too. We all have a unique philosophy about life and relationships. That said, we are not a religious sect and don't consider ourselves to be a hippie colony. I guess you might say were a commune made up of business professionals from many walks of life."

Gary volunteered, "Well, I took a new job with the Bennett Foundation as an investment analyst. I'd worked for Fidelity before, and Bennett headhunted me away from them and they moved us here to Sarasota. I specialize in the technology sector and NASDAQ kinds of stocks and companies."

Dave smiled, "Owen Bennett lives in the house on your left. Julie Prentiss Bennett, who you might know from work, also lives here. She's one of my wives and is married to Owen."

"Huh?" Both Nora and Gary uttered to question his last sentence at the same time.

"I'm somewhat notorious in the Circle here and around town because I have six wives. Oh, it's all legal and such, but I live with six women plus our children."

Nora gave an awkward chuckle, "I'd like to hear that story." Gary nodded.

Gary asked, "Might I ask where you work?"

Dave gave the two-sentence version about EneRG. "I'm the CEO of a rapidly growing technology startup focused on highly innovative batteries. We've got our hands on some new tech that we think will revolutionize anything that uses a battery and thousands of other consumer items as well that don't right now, but will in the future with our product."

Gary nodded, "Oh. I should say that I've met Owen Bennett a couple of times, but I've seen Julie once or twice a week since I started – not always to talk with. I had no idea she lived this close by ... or Mr. Bennett. We're confused about what you said about her, though. She's married to you and to Mr. Bennett? That doesn't compute."

Dave led the DeVilles to the bar and got them seated as he got them each a glass of wine.

Gary looked around the patio. There were several other clusters of people talking at one of the tables or around in several of the chairs or chaises. Many of the women were topless. Taylor, Maddy, Joan, and Athena were all topless and playing with some of the tots at the kiddie pool at the other end of the patio.

"Let me explain. About eight or nine years ago, my legal wife Alice and I fell in love with another woman – Pam. We made loving commitments to each other and she became my second wife. Shortly after that, a younger woman named Heather also became a wife and she brought a young son from another relationship. Julie, Alice's sister, decided to also join our family, so over a short period of time I fundamentally had four wives. A few years later Cricket joined us and then Scarlett, so now I have six. We're all deeply committed to each other. We live in the large house at the end of the circle of homes." He pointed to his nearby home.

"Alice and Julie also fell in love with Owen Bennett, and this goes back many years. About a year ago they decided to marry him as well as remain 'married' to me. Julie became Owen's legal wife, and Alice made the same kind of commitment to him that Julie had made to me. So, the two of them are Owen's wives, and they are also my wives. As I said, they're also sisters. I never thought about it before, but I guess that makes Owen my brother-in-law in some strange ways."

"You share?"

"On one level yes. We are, however, very non-possessive as the term 'sharing' implies. This place is very egalitarian and also non-exclusive." He saw Cricket and called her over.

"Cricket, these are our neighbors from just outside the gate. Gary and Nora DeVille."

As introductions went it was simple and straightforward. All the right pleasantries were exchanged. There were a few hesitations on the DeVilles part. Cricket wore only a monokini and a baseball cap, and she happened to look like sex on a stick, especially given how she had her hair pulled back through the back of the cap, and how her pert breasts pointed upwards at the taller men. Dave smirked internally because he thought he detected some drool on the corner of Gary's mouth. Nora seemed speechless.

"Could I prevail upon you to bring us one of the scrapbooks out from the library?" Dave asked.

Cricket bounded away as she was prone to do towards the core living room and library and returned a minute later with a large oversize scrapbook about the Circle. She handed the thick book to Nora.

"This book contains many of the clippings about things that have happened here, and it explains about the Circle and who we are because Dave got interviewed and did a press conference about his place awhile back. You're welcome to borrow it so you can get to know us, understand our philosophy of living and loving together, but please return it."

Gary started to turn pages in the book as he also sipped at the soft drink he'd gotten from Dave. He looked up at one point, "Are you swingers?" Dave could guess where he'd gotten that idea from the book.

"No, but some of our actions might be interpreted that way."

Nora had looked shocked at her husband's question. "Gary. That was rude."

Gary swung the book around to Nora. "I saw this headline and scanned the first few paragraphs regarding some press conference that Dave had done." The headline read,

'Frequent, Intense, and Wonderful'.

"The article quoted Mr. Prentiss, here, talking about the love life of the people in the Circle. Apparently, they 'share' their spouses or friends." He was careful to quote the article using the 'share' word by using his fingers to fill in the quote signs.

Dave bristled as he was prone to do at the implication. He politely and firmly explained again, "One of the principles we live by here is that there is NO ownership. I do not OWN my wives or treat them as chattels. They are each their own person. They don't need my permission for anything they do. I don't 'share' them because they're not my possessions to give away or loan to somebody else. That said, we in the Circle are also non-exclusive. I do not require that they only love me. Our vows to each other are much different in that regard. We believe we can love many people, and we do. They are free, as I am, to explore every facet of that love with each person they bless with their affections. Actually, I applaud them having that freedom."

Gary nodded trying to digest what he'd heard. Nora smiled and said, "I like that approach to things. So, the Circle is not male dominated."

Dave smirked openly, "You mean male dominated with strong female control evident but invisible?" He laughed. "No, we're all pretty equal here. We also don't play 'control games' in order to dominate each other. Many people who've gotten to know us comment on our genuineness and authenticity with each other. If somebody wants something, they ask for it rather than set up elaborate guises or schemes to suggest, hint, maneuver, and guide someone until they get it."

"So, you all ... love ... each other?" Nora tentatively asked. Gary was paying attention as he continued to scan the book.

Cricket grinned broadly, "We do. We like to think that each of us is pretty loveable. We go out of our way to be kind and attractive to each other, without become false or manipulative, as Dave mentioned."

"Is that even possible?" Gary asked.

Dave smiled, "If you give up the idea of exclusivity. In hindsight, we are brainwashed that the only valid relationship is an exclusive one. We've legalized it, institutionalized it, and propagated it through religions, books, media, and every which way so it seems to be the only way. It's not.

"We know from the rates of infidelity and divorce that serial polygamy is alive and well. An example from our own ranks: Ann, wife of Bill, also fell in love with Juan and started an affair. Divorce occurred once the infidelity and love was admitted. Five years pass, and then Bill, who is older and wiser and still in love with Ann, is invited into Juan and Ann's relationship and marriage. They exist as a threesome in a very loving way. They are now part of our loving Circle, as well.

"So, we just extend that concept to more and more people. Who's to say I need to limit my feelings of love and passion to only one, two, three, or ten other people."

Gary looked up from the scrapbook. "The pilot Ken Toomey that saved all those people from his crippled plane four years ago lives here, too?"

Dave pointed down the patio. "Ken is sitting under the green sun umbrella wearing the orange bathing suit. That's his wife Patti next to him. She was the flight attendant on that flight."

Gary studied the couple for a minute and then put his head back into the book.

Nora said, "Do the women feel objectified in the Circle because of the overabundance of sex?"

Cricket and Dave both laughed. Cricket responded, "No. We're all hypersexual, or so it would seem. We all love orgasms and the men are well-trained to deliver hundreds of them to us every day." She giggled at her exaggeration, but not by much.

Dave chided gently, "Cricket, don't exaggerate."

"Oh, all right. It's only a dozen or so orgasms every day." Cricket giggled again, but a little louder. Nora look interested.

Dave asked, "Do you have children?"

Nora nodded, "Two teenagers. Boy and girl; sixteen and fourteen. Very independent and trying with all their might to assert their independence by being obnoxious to their parents."

Nora glanced at Dave, "Gary and I stay in shape so look younger than we are. We're both thirty-six."

Dave admitted, "Well, I have one five year old, several four year olds, two three year olds, and four about to be hatch over the next few months, and an eleven and nine year old, so perhaps I have all that to look forward to."

Nora looked interested, "That's a lot of children!"

"Not all by the same woman, but a couple of them arrived with two of my wives, and now four of them are pregnant. The Circle has a relaxed attitude about paternity, too."

Gary looked up at Dave and studied him. He tapped Nora on the shoulder firmly and directed her attention to a page in the scrapbook.

After viewing the page, Nora said in a voice tinged with awe, "Scarlett Johansson is one of your wives?"

Dave nodded. "Yes, and I adopted her daughter Rose. She's my nine year old, and is working at perfecting the art of whining." He laughed.

"So, you're really married to a movie star?"

"No, I'm married to beautiful woman named Scarlett Johansson. She happens to make movies as part of her career, and has a lot of fun and satisfaction doing it. I married Scarlett, not a movie star. I hope you see the difference." He chuckled.

"I do, and I won't get wrapped up by attributing my own hero or heroine worship to somebody else. You have a very unique family and group of neighbors."

Scarlett and Rose appeared between two of the homes about then. They'd apparently walked up from her home on Perimeter Road. Rose saw Matthew in the pool and went plunging into the water with a shriek as Matthew welcomed her. Dave waved Scarlett over.

"Scarlett, come and meet a couple of our neighbors from just outside the gates – Gary and Nora DeVille." Scarlett wore a thin monokini and a gossamer thin cover that did little to hide her assets.

A short discussion ensured as Scarlett asked which home was theirs. She also munched down one of Nora's cookies. After a couple of minutes, she excused herself to do some homework reviewing a script and went off to read by herself as she kept an eye on her daughter and stepson.

"Matthew is your stepson?" Nora asked.

Dave nodded. "Yes. He's smart and precocious. Rose has already declared that they're going to get married, and he accepts that. She's so determined and certain that I wouldn't bet against that happening."

Gary looked up from the scrapbook, "HOLY SHIT! Your father-in-law tried to kidnap your niece, but it was someone named Nikky in disguise, and the whole plot was foiled."

Dave nodded, "And all the perps are in jail. I call it a case of evangelism going bad."

"And one of the men was shot," Gary said in awe.

"They were making off with our friend Nikky who was impersonating my niece so that child could avoid any trauma or rough treatment. We had no way to know what they would do when discovered the switch and sting operation. Our friend Dale runs a private investigation and bodyguard firm; Dev, a neighbor, does protective work, too. They were on the job and stopped things in their tracks before anybody left the scene of the abduction."

Nora asked, "Was that niece Julie's child?"

Dave shook his head, "No, there's a third sister that lives here. She has two daughters and a son. One daughter, Bridget, my older niece, lives with us and she's a sophomore at the university in town. The others are younger and in the regular school system. Bridget is the pretty teen at the table over there with the laptop open in front of her. She's studying. I guess you could say that she's my seventh wife."

Bridget also had that 'sex on a stick' look that Cricket was successfully working on. She was almost naked and leaning over typing on her laptop after reviewing some material in two books and some papers beside her. Dave guessed that she might be working on a term paper. She loved working on the patio in the presence of her extended family even when she wasn't interacting with them. People would often stop by and tell her they loved her and kiss her; she liked that.

Dave and Nora talked about the various levels of school that the kids were in for a few minutes. Gary continued to scan the scrapbook.

"HOLY SHIT!" Gary announced. "YOU'RE THE CEO OF EneRG! You said that before, but it just sunk in."

Dave said, "Right. I did mention that a few minutes ago."

"I didn't take it in. Oh, you and I need to talk business VERY soon. I want to get the Bennett Foundation and Mr. Bennett involved with your company. NOW, I understand who you are and what your company does." He gestured to the scrapbook.

Dave smirked, "Owen is already a financial backer. He and Mark Worthington put up the initial funds. EneRG is really an independent subsidiary of Worthington Industries, but we low-key that, because we want a separate IPO when the time comes."

Gary rolled his eyes. "THAT IPO will go stratospheric seconds after it's launched. It'll make early investors billionaires ... if they're not already in that category."

Dave grinned, "We're kind of hoping, but I've learned in business not to count my chickens before they're atop my salad. You know the saying."

"Yes. Yes. BUT your batteries are revolutionary. I'm a technologist at heart and by undergrad training. You ARE going to fundamentally change how the world functions. Those things are supposed to carry their charge like forever. I read about the car that drove from here to Baltimore and back; that was amazing."

"It's not a secret, but Bank of America will be managing the IPO for us if and when it every occurs. Wendy Hayden, one of their senior VPs, comes by once or twice a month. I'll see if we can set up an introduction for you. She's somebody you should know, and one of Mark's good friends."

"You know Mark Worthington?"

Dave nodded. "He's pretty much my boss. I really report directly to him as well as Owen and Wendy in terms of EneRG."

"HOLY SHIT!" Gary muttered under his breath. He went back to perusing the scrapbook.

Just as Nora started to get informed about all the construction projects that had been ongoing in the Circle, a pair of feminine hands wrapped around Dave's head and snuggled him into a generous set of breasts. A whispered voice said, "Guess who?"

Dave turned the charade into a major production, "Oh, dear. Guess who? Hmmmm. I wonder who might have pretty hands with delicate skin and nice tits that feel wonderful as they caress my head. Hmmm. Who could this be? I give up. I have no idea."

The hands went away and Cindy Worthington turned Dave's head and kissed him. "Hi, Lover. I've missed you."

"CINDY. Welcome. What are you doing here?"