Regenesis (Closed | Biker_Faerie)

[Biker_Faerie]

The four of them spent the rest of the afternoon talking by the pool. The conversation was light hearted and fun, although Jane could tell that Robert was deep in thought. He could get a bit like that at times.

As they sat there she noticed Paul and Cindy Rossiter, the couple who had been selected at the Morning Greeting, sit down at a table a few yards away from them. They both looked happy and in a way Jane felt relieved to see them. It meant that they hadn't been ritually sacrificed or turned into dog meat. Cindy looked positively glowing in fact.

As they talked, another couple came up to greet Mark and Daphne.

"We heard you were going to be here," the girl said, giving Daphne a big hug while Mark shook the hand of the man.

Like everyone it seemed, the man was handsome and the girl attractive. They spoke with West Coast accents and Jane thought she recognised the man from the Regenesis offices in Palo Alto.

"I'm so excited," Daphne told the girl.

"Big night tonight," the girl continued.

"Yes," Daphne squealed excitedly. "This is Robert and Daphne, our pairing."

"Pleased to meet you, David and Carly," the man said after which there was a short round of greetings. "We're on our own this weekend. Ours couldn't make it."

"Carly is my cousin," Daphne added. "She and David just made full members."

"We can relax a bit now," Carly added.

"I bet your Dad's pleased," Daphne said. "I'm so jealous."

"You'll be members in no time," Carly told her then, looking at David, she offered, "If you like we'll be your first Union."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Daphne squealed again. "How about Tuesday?" she asked impatiently.

"Tuesday's fine," David confirmed. "Come over to us, we'll have a barbecue."

Daphne thanked both of them and Mark did the same.

"Well, we have a tennis court booked now so we'll leave you to it," David told them.

"It was nice meeting you," Carly said to Robert and Jane.

Carly and Daphne kissed and Mark and David shook hands. As they walked away Jane realised why she knew David's face. He was the newly promoted Director for Research at Palo Alto.

"Carly's father is Virgil Jenkinson, one of the company founders," Daphne explained. "We were in the same year at school but she's almost a year older than me. David's a really good match for her. They're a lovely couple. They've got a beautiful house up in the hills. You'll see it on Tuesday. Their partners are nice too. You might know them in fact."

At the end of the afternoon. The two couples parted company to get ready for dinner and the night ahead. The time for committing was getting closer, although in truth it had probably already passed. Jane was a bit worried about Robert though. He seemed a bit quiet.

"Is everything ok?" she asked when they were on their own.

 

[Desande]

The afternoon was pleasant. Robert enjoyed it. It might have seemed like he didn't, and Jane certainly glanced at him a couple of times, looking concerned. But, honestly, he was having a good time. Even his conversation with Mark seemed to get buried beneath the general positivity surrounding everything. It was really nice to be in such an environment where everyone at least appeared to respect one another, if not genuinely like them. A refreshing change from the ruthless corporate world.

He listened to the whole conversation between Daphne and her cousin. Other intrusive thoughts sprang to his mind. What was the Union? Why would they be going to their house on Tuesday? But he silenced his own mind, which struggled to stay quiet. He made an effort to trust, and that's what he did anyway. Trust that they knew what they were doing and that they had their best interests in mind. There was no reason to be nervous or overeager about that.

The number of people they were going to meet was still dawning on him.

In any case, not only did he manage to silence those thoughts, but another idea took their place. The anticipation of what would happen that night. He still hadn't figured out the specifics. Would they be together, the four of them? Would each pair go to a separate room? Did someone need to testify that their swinging was happening? Those thoughts kept him entertained and curious. And, to be honest, he wondered what he would prefer when the time came.

That's what occupied his mind when Jane, once again the most perceptive of the two, took the time to ask him if he was okay.

"Yes, everything is fine," he said.

And he smiled at her. Because he loved her. He walked over to her and kissed her as she prepared herself in front of the mirror. He hugged her from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder, looking at both of them in the mirror. They made a lovely couple.

"I just had a strange conversation with Mark, that's all," he added. He wouldn't keep anything from her. "But it's nothing to worry about. Maybe I'm reading too much into some stuff. I'm still a bit nervous about all this."

He left a quick kiss on his wife's cheek before stepping away from the mirror and continued his own grooming ritual for dinner. It was simple enough, but he wanted to be perfect. It was a crucial night, after all.

When they finished getting ready, he looked at her and a big smile crossed his face. "You're beautiful, Jane. I'm lucky to be your husband. And Mark is going to be a very lucky man tonight."

It still felt a bit awkward to mention that as if it were nothing. But the more they could talk about it without feeling weird, the sooner it would become their new normal. He kissed her hand, like in courtship, and then they went to have dinner.

The moment of truth was slowly approaching. And the anticipation was growing within.

 

[Biker_Faerie]

"You're beautiful, Jane. I'm lucky to be your husband. And Mark is going to be a very lucky man tonight." Robert told her.

“I think you’re in for a good time with Daphne too,” Jane laughed. “ She’s gorgeous and very enthusiastic with it. I wish I had a body like hers.”

As she said it, Jane felt just a tinge of jealousy. Daphne was good looking, really good looking. But then she stopped herself.

“There’s no point in doing this if we’re going to have one eye on what the other is doing all the time,” she added. “ We’ve got to be all in or not at all Robert. So I don’t want you worrying about me. Just enjoy yourself and we’ll compare notes tomorrow.”

Like many of the other residents, they ate in the hotel restaurant that evening. At first it seemed like nobody wanted to bring up the elephant in the room and the conversation was about anything but what Mark and Jane really wanted to know. Finally, over coffee Mark began to explain what would happen next.

“It’s a bit like a wedding,” he began. “You remember the couple who officiated at the morning greeting, well they will officiate at our Union. There’ll be witnesses at the ceremony and then Jane, you and I will go to one room to consummate the Union and Robert you and Daphne will go to another. Afterwards, Jane, I’ll bring you back to your room and we’ll spend the night together and Robert, if you take Daphne back to our room that would be great.”

It seemed straightforward.

“Like the costumes the ceremony comes from the seventies,” Mark added. “But this way, everyone here has gone through the same Union and had the same experience.”

“Once we’re united everything will be much clearer and in no time at all I promise you you’ll see the benefits and be having fun at the same time,” Daphne added excitedly.

“How long have we got before the ceremony?” Jane asked.

“We’ve got half an hour,” Mark added, “so we should probably head over to the club. “

They walked over to the clubhouse and into the cocktail lounge. They still had time to spare and so Mark ordered a round of drinks. Then as the time got close he got up and they made their way over to an elevator. Mark waved his bracelet over a pad on the wall and the doors opened. He pressed ‘-1’ on the keyboard and Jane felt the elevator begin to descend.