Ah Santa, I can Explain - Norris

"She put her heart out for everyone to see," he said. "If her man comes through, we can milk it. If not, we give her peace and privacy. The poor girl is going to need it."

Of course I didn't hear that until later. As Christmas came closer, I was anxious, then disappointed realizing I had lost Norris forever. To keep from going nuts in my condo, I volunteered to work Christmas Eve. I did a touchy feely show at eight filling in for Mr. Bill who was with the network then. It was a recap of the political circus that was DC and some foreign news. I was on autopilot focusing on the teleprompter and notes. When it was over, I realized I was going back to an empty place; alone.

I almost didn't go home, but the weather made me rethink going out for a drink with my work crew. In half an hour I was home. Thank Gawd for SUVs with big tires. I parked, took my travel bag with clothes I had worn on the set and walked in the building. The security guard smiled at me; he always smiled the old letch, but tonight his smile seemed different somehow. I said Merry Christmas as I passed and took the elevator upstairs. As the door closed I saw him talking on a cellphone looking at me.

"Guess who is here by herself," I bet he said to some gossip rag that had paid him to report on my failing life. I could imagine the headline the next day.

AMBER JONES CRASHES AND BURNS AS EX HUSBAND SNUBS HER ON XMASS EVE.

Suck it up Amber. You wanted a public life. Well, deal with it. I could just imagine what was going on my Facebook and Tweeter pages. I had not even bothered updating them since last weekend. That too had made the gossip rags. I was crashing and burning in style.

Still after the door of the elevator closed and I was alone I burst into tears. I knew it was a long shot, but I had hoped. I had hoped that maybe I would hear something from Norris. If not a reconciliation, a thank you for trying e-mail? A call? Oh Gawd I was such a mess.

I went inside my flat and picked up the mail leaving it for later to read. I had a small Christmas tree by the window, but it was sparse and just a false hope that someone would want to celebrate Christmas with me.

Dropping my coat and stuff by the couch, I went to the kitchen found a bottle of Stolichnaya Vodka and orange juice. My plan was for me not to feel anything withing half an hour. I was mixing my first drink when the doorbell rang. Shit! Probably that woman across the hall wanting to borrow something. The bitch just wanted to tell her friends Amber Jones and she were friends. I had seen her posts on Facebook.

I opened the door and almost fainted.

"Merry Christmas!" they all said.

There was mom and the kids, Lance and his wife Anna? And Norris. I couldn't speak from the shock.

"Merry Christmas Mommy," the kids kept saying and I had to drop on my knees to hug them.

"I love you guys," I said as I scooped them up and hugged them.

"Mommy, you're squishing me," my little girl said. My son just laughed.

"Come in everyone," I said looking up at the adults in near shock. My mother rolled her eyes and brought in two large bags with handles full of bottles and food. Lance and Anna brought in a present boxes along with Norris who gave me a wink.

I couldn't hold back anymore. I started to cry. As I did, the adults took the kids to the tree with one exception. Norris stood by me and looked at me.

"I saw your letter to Santa show," he said nervously, but smiling at me politely. "Want to know what I asked him for?"

"What?" I whispered as my voice cracked.

"That you forgive me."

"What did you do for me to forgive you?"

"There is a list Amber," he said taking me in his arms. "I didn't trust you. I didn't confide in you. I didn't tell you of what I had done. I... I was not faithful to you after our divorce."

"We were not married then Norris, only I was. You wanted out, so what you did then doesn't matter."

"It doesn't matter?"

"No. But I need to know what this is about. Is this just be nice to my ex wife on Christmas? And why on earth did you bring Lance here?"

"My first instinct was to beat the shit out of him some months back. But every time we talk, he takes your side as if he is your best friend. Told me if I don't do right by you, he would tell our kids I was a shit to you."

I looked at Lance who sat next to Anna looking our way as she and mom were doing the same. The kids were already playing with some toys and boxes. Lance smiled and nodded to me.

"I would have threatened to beat him up," Lance said, "but we all know that's not going to happen, so I resorted to blackmail."

"That's my guy," Anna said rolling her eyes in feigned disapproval. Then she kissed and hugged Lance. She gave me a stern look then reminding me that I was to keep my hands off.

I turned back to Norris.

"So you are here under duress?" I asked. "You don't want to be here?"

He nodded and looked down in contrition before he looked back up at me.

"Norris, please don't play with my heart. Do you still love me?"

"Yes Amber. I do. I am just ashamed of how I have treated you."

I held him close, then looked at his face.

"Then say it. I have told the world I love you and want us to be together. All you have to do is whisper it to me."

"I'll do more than that Amber," he said. "Come with me."

He grabbed my hand and pulled me out the door to the hallway. There waiting for us was a Fox live crew and that tramp of a former producer of mine that got her chance to be on camera last year in Dallas.

"Well folks, she said to the camera, "here they are. Norris and Amber."

I was surprised and looked at Norris who was smiling from ear to ear.

"I'm going to kill you," I heard myself say as Norris took me in his arms. He just laughed.

"Hold off on that, because I have something to say," he turned and looked at the camera.

The ambitious bitch whose name I will not mention tried to ask a question, but Norris cut her off. Well, he was getting on my good side already.

"OK, folks," he said looking at the camera. "It's Christmas Eve and you want to be with your family, so we'll make this short and sweet. Santa received Amber's letter and send one of his helpers to show me the light. He had a question for me and that was do you want to spend the rest of your life without Amber. It was kind of like the grinch story, where I had to choose between life with or without her. But I already knew the answer. I hope Santa answers my request that Amber take me back as much as I want her back."

He turned to look at me.

"I will Norris. On one condition. Say it for all the world to hear."

Norris looked at me then the camera and back at me.

"I love you Amber. I never knew how much."

I think he tried to say something more. But some neighbors ran out of their apartments to be on TV. The crew whooped and hollered, and my mother came out as Norris and I were kissing. I think Mom told the TV crew to "bugger off?" Mom loves watching British TV mysteries, so there you have it.

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OK, you probably want to know if we got married again. Well, we decided to date for a while before we try marriage again. Lets just say we are both a bit gun shy. I'm still working in DC and Norris is working in New York. But we travel and visit each other. Twice a week we see each other as I finish my contract in the capitol. I am now the Defense department correspondent. When I have to travel, Norris comes along as my consultant. He makes sure I use the right terminology and not embarrass myself.

Mom is still watching the kids, but we hired a nanny to give her time off at nights and when we are not around. She is dating a New York cop. He is a couple of years younger, but no one is counting.

Lance and Anna are finally expecting a child. We don't see them often, but Lance and I still talk on the phone, but not as much. Anna took me aside and told me if I screwed her husband again, she would pierce my nipples with bobby pins and no disinfectant. I've learned my lesson; he is off limits.

Last week, Norris and I went on vacation together on a cruise ship. We spent a fortune on the trip only to spent most of our time screwing and making love in our cabin. Norris has no problems in that area anymore.

We go to his therapist together. Now I know what caused his E.D. and we are working on his trust issues with me. Life is not easy. Nor are relationships. Yet we have both learned to trust and be honest with each other. Its bringing us closer.

One more thing. My darling mother and Norris had a talk with me about their escapades one night soon after that DC Christmas. I made like I was shocked, but mother had told me what she did as soon as she had.

"You're not married to him," she had told me, and you would rather he was with me who will pass him back to you in working condition. If he was with some slut, she would keep him for herself. So, you're welcome."

I didn't say thank you. But when they told me together I looked at Norris.

"OK, you and I are even now. I did Lance and you did mom. No more, right?"

"Honey," he said looking at me with a smirk. "Its only sex."

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I'm sure many of you will let me have it with both barrels in comments. Many of you asked me to write he finish, and I did. As Sinatra said, "I did it my way."

Oh, one more thing. I am ex-military. So are most of the men in my wife's family. My father was a WWII vet with severe PTSD. The war was in our house growing up, because he brought it back with him. His PTSD was the survival guilt type.

Veterans suffered and suffer daily so us civilians can have the freedoms we enjoy. One of which is freedom of speech, (if you stay out of Facebook and twitter.) So when you decide to trash Norris, remember this. He is not firing on all cylinders.

Yes, vets can function on most levels just fine, but there is usually one thing; something that has hit them to the core and its what makes them suffer. If you know a vet like that, be patient. But not so much so that you let them walk all over you. Telling them that treatment is an option is a good thing, so don't shy away from it. It may take some time before they come to terms that they need help, but its better than ignoring them or looking down at them.

OK. I'm off my soapbox.

So... again. Merry Christmas and until next time.