"Ok, ladies, that pretty much concludes tonight's meeting. A reminder for those of you attending next weekend's three day retreat up in Oregon, I will be sending out an email with a final meeting time and place within the next week. Let's try to carpool as much as we can to make the drive from Pacific Grove up to Ashland as smooth and uneventful as possible. Be sure to pack accordingly for all weather, and anyone in need of a ride, contact me so that I can place you with someone who is going." Diane, the group organizer for the women's social group in Pacific Grove, CA closed the organizational meeting and the ladies mingled about a bit before leaving the coffee shop where the meeting was held.

 

Kristen had joined the women-only social group almost three years ago, after moving to Pacific Grove and taking a job at one of their busy wineries. It was a great way to make new friends and engage in fun social activities that their organizer Diane arranged for the members, both locally and beyond, as several times each year they went on an out-of-town, or out of state, adventure. The group's next upcoming out of state adventure was to a fabulous town in Oregon called Ashland, and they were headed up there for a long three day weekend the following week. Ashland was an absolutely charming town nestled in a rustic setting, with a constant stream of diverse cultural events to enjoy as well as the beautiful and intoxicating atmosphere that only all those cabins, trees, quaint old main street towns and eclectic group of residents and visitors could bring.

 

Kristen was admittedly very excited about going, especially since her close friend Ann would also be going. Kristen met Ann at one of the local social events that the women's group went to shortly after she had first joined, and they hit it off immediately. When they first met, both Kristen and Ann found out that they had much in common. Both women were in their late twenties; both married; both had their own successful careers and both were very open-minded, adventurous women. They met each other often, with the other women from the social group as well as on their own. Kristen and Ann not only immensely enjoyed each other's company, they also discovered that they could talk about literally anything with one another, and became so close that they often finished each other's sentences. Others often joked that they were the "perfect couple", and secretly Kristen had considered that sentiment quite apropos because they matched her own internal feelings towards Ann and her relationship with her. Kristen found Ann both physically and mentally stimulating, and in truth, she wouldn't know what to do if Ann wasn't in her life. Of course men also found both Kristen and Ann attractive in multiple ways, and each was in a fruitful marriage to two handsome men. However, Kristen lately found herself contemplating adding some extra fruitfulness to her marriage, and that extra "fruit" was in the form of Ann. Kristen knew her husband would be open to the idea of her having a meaningful intimate relationship with another woman, she just wasn't sure just how far Ann was desiring or willing to take their friendship. As Kristen drove home from the meeting, her mind buzzed with contemplation, wondering if perhaps next weekend's three day retreat would offer her and Ann the opportunity to discuss that possibility.