The Circle Ch. 14

Bob helped play host for them, getting them drinks from one of the bars.

Eventually, Kyle's uncle turned to Bob as the others wandered off towards a food table; "Kyle says he lives here with a dozen people, but the house doesn't have that many bedrooms."

Bob was well rehearsed with this question, as were all the members of The Circle. He replied, "We're a large polyamorous family. We don't need that many bedrooms, although we will be shifting around some in a few months because we have two babies arriving."

The uncle pieced together all the implications of that statement. "Who's having the babies?"

Again, Bob stuck to the agreed upon party line, "Alice Ames and Willow Mendez. Kyle may even be a father." He was laughing uproariously inside, knowing that he'd just dropped a nuclear bomb on Kyle's family, but it was according to Kyle's wishes and plan.

"WHAT?" Learning that his nephew might be a daddy had just boggled the older man's brains. Kyle's uncle was initially agog with the news, and made Bob repeat what he'd just said.

"Be right back." Kyle's uncle scrambled across the patio to Kyle's mother, and immediately started to gesture wildly as he babbled in a rapid tone to her.

Lynn Broadhurst, Kyle's cute mother, shot across the patio to Bob, but stopped halfway to grab hold of Kyle's arm when he appeared from inside the house carrying a tray of canapés. In seconds, she was in front of Bob closely followed by the uncle.

"John said that you just implied that Kyle might be about to be a father? What do you mean?" She looked rapidly between Bob and her son.

Kyle winked at Bob, and turned to his mother. "Mom, I told you how I live. I live in an open and loving relationship with my friends – that's plural 'friends.' I even told you a couple of months ago that two of them were pregnant."

"But not that you were the father, or are you? Which one? Is it Alice or Willow? What did you do? When are they due? Do you know what you're doing? Aren't you a little young to be a father?" The questions came like short fire bursts from a machine gun his mother fired at her son. They came so fast he didn't have time to answer even one of them for over a minute.

"Chill, mother," Kyle implored when she ran out of steam. "It could be either, both, or none at all. We agreed as a family that we wouldn't put a lot of emphasis on paternity, so I'm not either."

"But one of them mmmmmight be my GRANDCHILD," Lynn almost sobbed.

Bob offered, "Mrs. Broadhurst, we would urge you to be a grandparent to all our children. I know we'll be having more over the next few years, and each one will be a blessed event as they join our large family."

"But ... but ... but ..."

Kyle said, "Bob's right, mother. I plan to be a parent to every child born into this circle. One couple that is in our circle with us is Monica's parents, Michelle and Don. They're your age, even a little older, and they plan to be universal grandparents."

"Oh, God, I am not prepared for this at all." Lynn Broadhurst threw her forearm across her forehead in dismay.

Lynn wandered off towards the bar that was serving hard liquor. Kyle's uncle followed close behind.

Kyle chuckled, "Let me get them talking to Michelle and Don. I think they'll see the light, although it might not be tonight." He went off after them.

More and more people arrived at the party. The members of The Circle had agreed that one or two of them would be greeters at the front door, helping to welcome people and aim them towards the backyard, bars, food, and pool, although no one had yet chosen to swim despite that option on the invitations.

At four o'clock, Alex and Ellie were at the door, laughing gaily and happily as guest after guest arrived. Ellie, Tracy, and Kyle each had a purple sash with the words 'New Grad' on it around their necks. The sashes were presents from Lloyd and Laura Saddler, Ellie and Matt's parents.

Lloyd and Laura knew about the pregnancies and that Matt might have fathered either or both children. Laura had said, "Oh, I like the idea of being a universal grandmother; that sounds so inclusive. If one of them looks like me I'll be a pushover the rest of my life for anything that child wants."

Each of the other Circle members, including Don and Michelle, had special nametags with a little green ribbon that said 'Host' on it. That way, if someone was lost, or needed help finding the bathroom or such, they would know whom to ask.

Jim and Tracy's parents – both of them – showed up about four-fifteen. Alex and Ellie welcomed them in. Ellie knew them well from her long-term friendship with Tracy. She gave them both hugs and introduced them to Alex, who was less than a decade younger than Gary and Denise Wilson.

The Wilson's stuck together. Denise was the friendly and cordial one, making sure that Gary got introduced to all the other members of The Circle, whether he wanted to or not. Gary had on his brave face, and was trying to tough through what had started as a bad situation for him, but seemed to get better as he met the cross-section of loving people making up his son's primary life.

Gary was unhappy about The Circle lifestyle. He didn't approve of the plural and open relationships, and that his son and daughter were involved was almost too much to take. His mind was cemented on the idea that monogamy and exclusivity were the only 'right' ways to have a relationship.

Jim had talked to his mother to make sure that she got his dad talking to Monica's parents who were the same age, yet belonged to The Circle. They weren't trying to coerce his parents to join up, only to be more tolerant of their lifestyle.

Denise saw Michelle's special nametag and pulled Gary over to her. "Gary, this woman and her husband are part of Jimmy and Tracy's circle of friends. Michelle, I'm Tracy and Jim's mother and this is their father Gary."

Michelle responded with greeting pleasantries, and called Don over so he could meet Jim and Tracy's parents as well. Don and Michelle had been primed to greet the parents of the other family members knowing they had a unique position in The Circle and a unique position in terms of understanding the polyamorous family. They'd talked a long time about how to portray The Circle and what went on with others.

Gary was fascinated with the joy and happiness exuded by the couple. Zoey came by and gave Don and Michelle a hug, and then got introduced to Denise and Gary.

Denise said, "I think I remember you from years ago when you first started to date Jimmy."

Zoey smiled, "We did meet, but a lot of time has passed since them. We're all so glad you came." She turned to Gary and said, "Jim is worried about his relationship with you. He knows you don't approve of all this," she waved her hand around the house and people, "but we hope you can at least be tolerant that he lives with people who love him dearly and want for nothing but his happiness."

Zoey had always been one of the outspoken members of the family, seldom cloaking her feelings. Her forthrightness cut to the core of some problem, and helped resolve things quickly.

Gary nodded, "I'm trying ... more today than I ever have. I assure you there's progress up here." He tapped the side of his head and eked out a smile.

Don said, "Monica is our daughter, and she's part of this circle too. We worried as she got into this group, but I've never seen her happier. Michelle and I have seen this group from the outside and inside, and this is the best place in the world. It's easy to cast stones because the people don't follow traditional beliefs and relationship tenets, but we are all a happy intentional family."

Gary asked, "Without challenging your premise, may I ask what makes it that way?"

Michelle stepped in, "If I may. First off, there is more love per acre here than anyplace else on earth. That love shows up in the ways that are important to each person, and it comes at them from over a dozen different directions. Let me show you a 'for instance.'"

Michelle grabbed hold of Gary's hand and led him into the house to the busy kitchen. She pointed to a chart on the side of the refrigerator. The chart listed the name of each Circle member, and next to them their primary and secondary modes for feeling loved: rollegetting gifts, having services done for them, words of affirmation, quality time, and physical.

She explained, "A man named Chapman wrote a book called theFive Languages of Love. Each person has one or two of these as the dominant ways they know that they're loved. We call it their sponge mode; the more of it they get, the more they can soak up and feel the adoration. That makes then self-confident, self-assured, and allows them to face the challenges of the world with great vigor and courage.

She pointed at the chart, "See Jim is physical – no surprise with this group, and wants quality time with his lovers. Tracy is over here, and she likes little services done for her as well as physical touching and things. It's not that the other things aren't wanted or liked, it's just that they're not as important for feeling loved."

Gary muttered, "I'm not sure I want to know that my son and daughter have physical relationships."

Michelle laughed, "Gary, we all have physical needs, just for some that's a primary way of knowing that we're loved. For me, I need to be romanced and held – to be cuddled – and told I'm just wonderful and the best lover in the world." She pointed at her row on the chart. "Jim does that for me, and in return I spend quality time with him, talking about books or current events or anything, just so long as we're together. We know we love each other very much."

Both of Jim's parents shuddered at the idea of their mid-twenties son making love with late-forties year old Michelle. The mood passed quickly when they both realized how sincere and open Michelle was trying to be with them. Gary noted that Michelle was pretty 'hot' too, a point obviously not lost on his son.

Laura asked, "Do you all refer to this chart?"

Don said from across the counter, "Not all the time, but it is a reminder to us to not get complacent about our relationships, to not take the other people we love and care about for granted."

Gary said, "And you fully approve of your daughter's being in this group?"

Michelle said, "We encourage it and think it's the best place in the world for her." The emphasis and candor of Don and Michelle's replies had significant impact on Gary.

Don said, "We've never seen her happier, or been happier ourselves."

Alex and Nathan's parents had come too. They were older as were both men. They circulated for a little, sat and talked with some of the other afternoon guests, and then they left before the dinner hour.

Sheila's parents came and were awed by everyone and the house. They had stayed away after the newspaper incident, although Sheila often visited them. This was their first serious look at how Sheila was living.

Zoey's parents flowed into the party, greeted and flirted with everyone, and then exited just before dinner, taking with them Jim's parents, Bob's mother, and Matt's parents with them. They were headed out to their own impromptu group dinner. Denise whispered to her son, "I'll make sure we talk about The Circle at dinner. I think the more Gary hears about the benefits, the more tolerant he is about what you and Tracy are doing."

Jim said to his mother, "Good, and make sure the guys' parents know we expect them to be universal grandparents to everyone born of our circle. I know this may be a stumbling block for some. Monica said Kyle's mother about came unglued at the concept, but he calmed her down."

As the middle agers left, a younger crowd started to arrive. Many were the friends of each Circle member, often their work colleagues or college buddies.

Jim was talking to his boss Brad, when a pretty slightly older female came up to him. "Are you Jim?"

Jim smiled, "I am."

A microsecond later, the gorgeous woman was in his arms hugging him and sharing a monumental kiss and body hug, in which she wrapped both legs around his body and ground her snatch into his groin.

Brad watched in fascination, feeling somewhat left out of the arousing event.

As they parted, Jim went, "Whoa! Do I know you?"

"You do now." She flounced away, "I'm Amy. See you later, I hope."

Brad said, "Wow, does that happen often?"

"No, but I hope it's establishing a trend. That's my friend Matt's Aunt Amy. She's from California, but was around here for a long time going to university and part of Matt's family. Alice, who you met a little while ago, and she were best friends and lovers, and lived together."

Brad nodded, "You put a lot of stock in your relationships don't you."

"I didn't always. Bob, who's around here somewhere, got me started talking about a constellation of friends. We call it a constellation of lovers, because we want people around us whom we love." Jim went on to describe the concept of a constellation to Brad and how it formed one of the bases for The Circle.

Even as the two men talked, they each felt new warmth between them. The feelings were something that hadn't been there before with only the workplace relationship.

Jim summed it all up, "We see ourselves as spiritual beings having a human experience, and that our purpose in this life is to grow and evolve. The best way we know to do that is through our relationships with other people, and what better way to do that than to love them."

Brad asked, "But ... well ... aren't you sexual with all the women?"

"I am. All the men are. The women are mostly bisexual too, and the men are comfortable around each other in a multi-partner bedroom situation, but we aren't physical lovers. When there are other people we know and like, we involve them from time to time. I was told Sandy asked Monica a lot of questions about our lifestyle." Jim meant the last sentence to be a source of reference for Brad, her husband.

Brad responded differently, "She talked to me extensively after talking to Monica and a little with you, and then Bob and Zoey. She'd really like to be under the tent flap once in a while."

Jim puzzled whether Brad really meant what he seemed to imply. "Could you say that another way?"

Brad took a deep breath, "She'd like to be a guest of your group ... a sexual guest and lover. She's in love with several of you, and I must tell you I don't mind. She still loves me, and so far I've been nothing but the beneficiary of her overflow of feelings."

Jim cautiously said, "What about you? We wouldn't do this without you because we are not in the business of breaking up a good relationship like the two of you seem to have."

He smiled, "I'm very interested too. People don't know me as well, but I would love to try your lifestyle, to use that word."

Jim smiled, "Stay late tonight, although with Sandy's involvement, you were probably planning to close up anyway."