Chapter 5: Defense. Fixing an Awkward Situation

Barbara was in the pool. Like many others on the patio she wore only her monokini. She was doing laps, but at a near frantic pace that Dave had never seen someone attempt in their new, larger pool. He wondered if she were out to set some sort of speed record. Dave and several others watched the perfect strokes as they heard her vocalized gasps for air when her head turned from the water. Her turns deserved to be in the Olympics they were executed so perfectly and so rapidly. If ever there was aerobic activity, this was it.

Dave started to count aloud. Ike was there, too. He said, “I saw her start with a dive into the deep end. I think she’s already at about thirty laps, so start from there.”

The men watched, and a larger group gathered to watch. After thirty more laps, Dave realized this woman was burning off some huge store of nervous energy.

At ninety laps, Barbara had slowed. No one could have kept up the blistering pace she’d started with. At a hundred laps, she stopped, and just floated to the side gasping for breath.

Dave helped pull her up from the pool, and presented her with a towel and a hug, not caring that his t-shirt got wet. He asked, “What was THAT about?”

He realized that Barbara had tears in her eyes. She said, “I’m panicked. I really am scared shitless. Tomorrow is the defense of my doctoral dissertation. I know that Marie is on my side because she’s my advisor and has coached me about my research and the paper every step of the way. It’s the other four members of the committee I’m worried about. I don’t even know two of them; they come from other schools. I’m ... I’m so scared. This is like the rest of my life on the line for two hours tomorrow. If I don’t pass, I don’t know what else I could do.”

Dave hugged the sweet and very smart anthropologist to him and kissed her forehead. “Honey, you’ll do fine. Trust Marie. She’s allowing this to go forward and she wouldn’t set you up for failure. She loves you.”

Barbara babbled, “Each committee member supposedly has read my dissertation and they’re each coming loaded with questions and areas where they see my work is deficient in some way. That’s what these things are – a chicken roast, and I’m the chicken!” She sobbed slightly. She moaned, “Oooooh, God.”

Ike also hugged her, “Sorry, Barb, but I agree with Dave. Marie and even the other professors from the school wouldn’t set you up to have an embarrassing situation. I’ve sat in on one of these and it was like a cakewalk. You’ll stand up, give an overview of your work to remind them why they’re there and keep them awake, comment on some high points, and then you’ll answer a few inane questions. After that you’ll be asked to leave the room. About twenty minutes later, while they’ve talked about the weather, Marie will come and get you and you’ll be congratulated by the six members of your committee. You’ll become Dr. Nelson at that point.”

Barbara blubbered, “Oh, God, I hope so. I don’t expect it’ll be that easy. I’ve rehearsed my remarks so many times I’m sure I’m saying them in my sleep.”

Ike winked at Dave and asked Barbara, “Hey, how’s your sex life been?”

Barbara laughed, “Sex life? I’ve done nothing for the past month but prepare for tomorrow – and this, AFTER I had finished the final dissertation and given it to all the committee members.”

Ike pulled Barbara to him and kissed her cheek, “Then, why don’t you come with Dave and me and let us take the edge off of your anxiety. I don’t think doing a hundred laps of the pool did it for you, but I bet that Dave and I can.”

Barbara looked uncertain, but she allowed Ike to take her hand. For a change, he suggested that the threesome take place at his house. They grabbed a golf cart and went shooting down the Access Road, past the gatehouse, and onto Christian Grey Road. They pulled into Ike’s driveway, and he led them into his home.

About two hours later, Ike saw Dave out the front door. He promised to care for Barbara overnight if she stayed that long. He would rouse her for breakfast and then be sure to give a boost to help her in the Friday midday dissertation committee meeting.

Just as they were parting, Carol pulled into the driveway home from work. Ike came out and Dave heard him explaining about the guest lying comatose in their upstairs bedroom. Carol laughed and promised to be especially kind and supportive of Barb.

Dave was on bartender duty on time. His companions on duty that night for the ninety-minute ‘Happy Hour’ were Mandy Grafton and Lane Wente who’d wanted to wear the sexy little cocktail waitress uniforms. Mandy had acknowledged that the tight little uniforms were sexist, but that didn’t deter her from going on display to the amusement of all. She had discovered her exhibitionist streak. She’d even created a slit up to her waist on both sides of the outfit so that it proved to observers that she wore no undies. The tiny skirt was little more than a loincloth with a gauzy top.

Behind the long bar were Savannah Stone – one of the twins, Kyle Hanks – Ashley’s husband and agent, and Jake Randall. Kyle always needed more interaction with everyone since he spent so much time either on the road with Ashley or in Nashville setting up concert arrangements and recording sessions.

Jake was the surprise. Tan had intentionally reassigned him to the bar so that he’d get exposure to everyone in the Circle again, much as he had years earlier when he pledged. At first, he’d been embarrassed and blushed but no one made anything of his presence other than to welcome him back, and to josh with him about one thing or another. Everyone in the Circle was kind and loving.

Mindful of the overall situation, Tan also assigned Tanya as a cocktail waitress. This service job for the Circle pledge also put her in a position to meet and greet just about everyone in the Circle. She would be highly visible and needed to converse with every person at every table she was assigned. She also knew she was expected to learn their names by heart and be very personable.

Tanya dressed like a waitress in one of the downtown restaurants. She wore black sneakers, long black pants, and a black blouse. A careful examination might reveal she’d omitted the bra, but she looked conservative and efficient. Dave was pleased at the progress she was making in the Circle after only a few nights; she had a knack at remembering people’s names and preferences for special orders or dinner drinks.

Ike and Carol showed up for dinner leading Barbara who looked a little spaced out. Carol came over to Dave. “After you two men fucked her brains out, I got Barb to do a little girl-on-girl with me. I think I managed to get her another ten major orgasms. She’ll sleep well tonight and be ready for tomorrow. She’s going to come back to the house, and we’ll take good care of her. I’ll be sure she’s up and functioning at an early hour.”

Dave chuckled, “Thanks, Carol. I’m sure you’ll do well for her.”

Carol then teased, “Hey, I would also like some of your time. It seems you’ve fucked my teenage daughter several times, and I’ve been passed over in preference to youth?”

“NO! That’s not at all the case. I keep finding Danica in my bed ... or on my chaise ... and ... well, she’s so willing, but then I am, too.”

Carol laughed, “My daughter is nothing but a bundle of skin-enclosed sexual hormones that are telling her to fuck every male she can find and make babies. Well, she’s on the pill, so no babies. Other than that, it’s full steam ahead. I think she’s found that if she hangs out in your bedroom that your wives and friends bring back males for her to fuck, so she’s happy all the time and doesn’t have to work hard at flirting. It still amazes me that she’s a straight-A student.”

“Toby was there with her when I was last with her.”

“He’s the same bundle of hormones, except he likes to fuck all your wives. I confess that it took some time to get him over the ‘mother-in-law’ gap, but we are now happy lovers. He’s such a neat kid; I love him so. Danica gets a charge out of the fact that we like to fuck together. Heck, Toby likes that she likes to fuck his dad.”

Dave teased, “A little incest is good for the soul. Ask a guy who knows.”

The next day, about five o’clock, Dave went on bar duty again with the same players. The Friday evening seemed especially busy. Moreover, in mid-afternoon, Bobbie had announced a special dinner without giving a reason or even the menu. People were curious.

At five-thirty Marie and Barbara appeared between two of the houses. The entire patio went silent in about ten seconds, a truly eerie sensation. Everybody looked at the pair.

Barbara finally raised her hand with a ‘V’ for victory sign and Marie flashed a wide smile. Marie said in a loud voice, “Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to present to you the SUCCESSFUL candidate for her doctoral degree in anthropology, DOCTOR Barbara Akersley Nelson.”

The whole Circle well over a hundred people broke into wild applause and cheering. Barbara had a smile a mile wide on her face. She also looked as though the burden of the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. This was so different from the day before.

As they waded into the crowd of well-wishers, Dave noted a truly devilish grin on Marie’s face. She even winked at Dave. He heard her ask for Barb’s cellphone so she could take a picture or two. He watched her produce the phone and pass it to Marie, who did take some pictures. He also noted that Alice jostled Barbara, removing her fitness watch in one of the finer moves of her pickpocketing lessons from Dev.

As soon as Marie raised her hand, Barbara was bodily picked up by four of the men. At first, she looked confused, but then she realized she was doomed. As she emitted a high-pitched scream, her body was swung away from the pool. Barbara then swung the other way, sailed high in the air, and made a stupendous splash in the deep end of the pool. As she surfaced, she looked a bit bedraggled but she was laughing.

Several people yelled out that she needed to do another one-hundred laps as she had the day before.

Barb made her way to the stairs and walked out of the pool dripping wet. She said, “Well, what a humbling experience after those few minutes of soaring with the eagles.”

She immediately started to unbutton and peel away her wet clothing. Alice and some of the other women on the patio were only wearing monokinis, so the action wasn’t as bold as it might have been. Barbara ended wearing a little wet thong until someone brought her a couple of towels and a monokini. She changed right in front of everyone, and put her hair up in a towel to dry out.

After that, there was a steady-stream of people giving her a hug and kiss in congratulations. Dave noted that off to the side of the festivities, two camera crews were filming the dinner and congratulations. Helen gave Barbara another towel to keep around her shoulders and cover her tits to make editing the scenes for the TV show a little easier.

Dave was at his usual omelet prep station on Saturday morning when he got a pleasant surprise. Mike Holiday arrived for breakfast escorting Bret and Jean Edwards, Riley Raine, and Brittany Davies from the Atlanta Group. As soon as he could, he left his station and went and hugged the women and welcomed all of them to the Circle.

Mike happily explained, “Well, you did such a great job of selling the idea of doing adult videos as a loosening up exercise that these four decided to fly down early this morning and have us take some videos out at my new studio. If you want, why don’t you come out and join us. Although, I do have plenty of cock lined up to keep the women and the cameramen happy. You know me; one or two more are always welcome.”

“I might. You ladies are all so tempting.” He turned more towards the guests from Atlanta, “If any of you want omelets, let me know. They’re custom, so think about your ideal omelet and I’ll try to deliver. The more regular breakfasts you’ll order from one of the waiters or waitresses.”

Dave hustled back to his small three-burner stove. A moment later, the four visitors were in front of him. He wrote down each of their orders and allowed them to go back with Mike. He knew Mike was giving them a briefing about what the filming and experience would be like. Mike didn’t like his models or actors to be surprised when he asked them to do something. He tried to cover all the bases ahead of time and adjust if someone raised any kind of objection.

Dave again noticed that one of the camera crews for the reality TV series had filmed his welcome. They were also capturing Mike filling them in on what the shooting of their porn debut would be like.