Visions of Sugar-Plums Dancing

"Just give me a chance. You won't regret it."

"You couldn't stay faithful for five years. Now I'm supposed to believe you can go twenty years because you've seen the light? Sorry. Time for me to go. Call me shallow. Call me a quitter. But the best description is to call me GONE!"

"I'll fight the divorce Jeff."

"Good for you. I hope you get your head out of your ass before you marry again" were my parting words.

If Cassie followed through with her threat to fight the divorce, it would only cost everyone money.

Although it didn't help, the news that Cassie had been reassigned to a lesser position brought a smile to my face. My projected alimony went up a little. Curiosity got the best of me, so I called Mauldin Enterprises and asked for Pat Stillman. As much as I would have liked to hear him gone, they indicated that he was out of the office for a few days. Oh well.

With only a few weeks left until Christmas, all of the Santa visits to hospitals were already spoken for. I put my name down on all of them as being available as a backup if needed. Someone at the North Pole was looking out for me. On the Sunday afternoon before Christmas, I played Santa at a different hospital. My contact and guide turned out to be a man. A man with an attitude. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed the kids and their families.

After the day was over, I was more determined than ever to have my own family. Even though I was barely into the divorce process, I opened several dating site's accounts. There are a lot of people using those websites for things other than dating. The emails were from the political to the religious with all sorts of products offered in-between.

Wading through them all, I found a few interested in doing an online chat. Now I had cold feet. My conservative self-conscious inner being was rearing its panicked head. The dating websites faded quickly to the 'someday' holding area.

+ + + +

Cassie didn't fight the divorce. Even so, it still took until spring. I developed a few female friendships, but was reluctant to date much. The few times I tried, it was a disaster. It takes time to get over a broken marriage. Strange as it seems, I found it reassuring to know that others like me were out there, searching for love. Returning emails and swapping white lies helped pass the time at night.

People at where I worked never knew a thing about my divorce until I showed up at the summer company bash without a spouse. Then the rumors started. Why is it that the husbands are always fingered as the cheater? From the study I read, about the demographics of cheating, it's practically a tie until the age of fifty. Then the guys step out more often, or claim they have to boost their ego. Whatever, I did end up with a few dates.

It was late August when a maintenance worker's ladder tumbled into me. All I was doing was standing in line in the cafeteria. Why he needed to up on that ladder during the busiest time of day, is not my concern. What was my concern is the ugly bloody gash near my ankle. One of my co-workers drove me over to the emergency room at Good Sam.

As I sat in my curtain covered area, I thought I heard a familiar voice. As the sound of the curtain being pulled apart filled my ears, my heart lit up.

"Well what have we here? It is you. Santa has a gash on his leg. Reindeers acting up Jeff?"

"Childrens found out about your past? Is that why you're here Julie?"

"Yep, you're on to me. They told me to get out and take that higher paying job with better benefits. Got a story to this cut? Looks like you're going to need a few stitches."

"Maintenance guy tipped his ladder over, right into me."

"I see your ring halos are gone. Divorced?"

"As of April. Still no jewelry adorning your fingers. Take them off for work? Maybe I should ask you out for dinner and you can tell me all about it?"

"Maybe you should. When's the last time you had a DPT shot?"

"Well let's see. How about 'I haven't a clue'?"

"I'll let the doctor know. Where are you taking me?"

"To infinity and beyond!"

About that time, a doctor entered my area.

"What's going on Mr. Foster?"

"Speared by a ladder. Bled a little. Nurse Julie has been keeping me distracted so I don't feel the pain."

"Good job nurse."

"No problem. He doesn't remember his last DPT shot. Should we give him a very painful one so he remembers next time?"

"I take it you two know each other?"

"We met last Christmas. He was playing Santa at the time."

"Well that explains why the quiet and shy Nurse Julie isn't this time. The hospital would probably take a dim view of us making the DPT shot painful, so let's stick to SOP. Go ahead and clean the wound and give him a shot. I'll be back in a few with my sewing kit."

After the doctor left, Julie gently gave me a shot. As she cleaned my wound she pressed me again "Where are you taking me, and when?"

"Some place where I can show you off, without worrying about you running off with my competition. Maybe a laundromat?"

"How about no" as I felt a sharp pain in my cut.

"Then how about this. I'll meet you at Genny's Pub at seven tomorrow night. They have great pickles."

"Making me drive myself?"

"Well, I don't have your phone number or an address."

"Touché' it's a date" said with that smile that disarms me.

The doctor returned and ten minutes later I had a few stitches.

Julie's parting words were said with a devious grin "Don't be late or your competition nightmare might come true."

+ + + +

I arrived at Genny's Pub at 6pm. Truth be told, this was as excited as I'd been about a date since my breakup. My heart stuck in my throat when some guy held the door open for Julie. Although he invited her to join him, she waved him off and scanned the room. She had dressed to impress. Me? Not so much. I stood and waved at Julie. Her smile warmed my skittish heart.

"Popular place" greeted me.

"Well I said I wanted to show you off. I see it didn't take long for a wolf to tempt the fox. But, you're probably used to that. What can I get you to drink?"

"White wine. By the peanut shells, it looks like you've been here a while."

"Yeah, I could ill afford to be late. At least that's what I was told."

"Wow, a guy who listens."

The noise wasn't overbearing so we had a nice talk over dinner and drinks. As we grew bored with sitting around the table, I offered "Would you like to go to a movie or dancing?"

"Not really. I'm more interested in learning more about you and your past. There's a quiet little coffee shop near my apartment. I'll text you the address. What's your phone number?"

After exchanging pecks on the cheek, outside of the restaurant, I pulled up the coffee shop on Maps. Thankfully no issues getting there. Julie arrived moments before I did. She must know where the best parking spots are.

It was another enjoyable two hours. She's three years younger. Wants children. Wants a career but understands that she'll need to put the career on pause for the first few years of her kid's lives. She's as quiet and reserved as I am, but when you get her to open up, she has a very kinky sense of humor.

Thankfully Julie didn't press for details of my failed marriage. That would come a month later. After two more Saturday night dates, and then two weeks of Wednesday and Saturday dates, she wanted details.

"Jeff, I can tell you like me. I think you know that I like you. Before we get even more serious, I need to know what happened to end your first marriage."

"Julie, I really do like you. Realize this is MY version of what happened. Feel free to confirm with anyone I mention. Here we go. You are about the only person who knows that I play Santa. Even my ex didn't and still doesn't know. Last December I signed up for a gig at the Five Seasons hotel. Turns out the party was for my ex's company, Maudlin Enterprises. A party I'd not been invited to. I waited her out, but no invitation was ever extended. On the Thursday before that party, I told her I had other plans for that Saturday. It was only then that she advised me that I'd miss her company party. I told her to go without me."

"Seems suspect and enough to raise some warning flags."

"You got it. So, while being Santa, I kept an eye on her. She was really friendly with a salesman. A salesman who had a room booked at the hotel. On my first break the dance floor was active, so I did some people watching. Ex and jerk were cuddled close on a slow song when I saw it. Ex took his hand and pressed it into her side boob, mostly hidden from sight. Away from everyone but me, as Santa was resting in the shadows, out of view. I took a picture. I wish I'd taken a video. The shit hit the fan quickly as I shared the picture with her and the company owner."

"What a sneaky bitch."

"The next day I met you, while doing the Children's Hospital gig. Being around those children re-ignited my passion to have children. In my heart, I felt I couldn't trust the future of my offspring with someone like her. So, I filed for divorce."

"Just like that?" from a bewildered Julie.

"Yep. Snap decision."

"No counseling, just 'Bye, I'm out of here!'"

"Yep. Having a couple kids takes over a twenty year commitment. She couldn't even make it five years."

"But you had no proof that she'd cheated."

"I had no proof that they'd had sex. I saw her cheating. On more than a few occasions, she'd pressed my hand into her boob while slow dancing. It excites her. The sex shortly thereafter was always great. I learned what I needed to learn. She blew the opportunity to bear my children. Convictions are powerful life-long beliefs that we should be prepared to defend vigorously. I took what I felt was the appropriate action."

I could see mixed emotions in Julie's face. The conversation dragged after that. When we hugged and kissed that night, I wasn't sure that there would be another date.

But I called a few days later, not giving up on us, and Julie acted completely normal. It had been a long drought by the time we consummated our exclusivity promise.

After dinner and a walk around the park, Julie led me back to her apartment. In all of the time we'd been together, I had barely gotten a peak at any skin. She always wore jeans or skirts with knee high boots. Her sweatshirts or button up blouses revealed no hint of cleavage.

I drooled when she did a sexy strip tease for me. My strip tease for Julie wasn't nearly as sexy as my cock was rigid and getting in the way.

Julie licked and sucked my cock for a bit and then I licked her clit and pussy for a bit. Julie wanted me inside of her, and I obliged. An hour later, I obliged again. We cuddled until morning and then fucked like teenagers.

Since that night, sex has been a part of each date.

+ + + +

The holiday season was approaching again.

"You got anything going on Saturday?" I queried Julie.

"Well, I work the 4pm to midnight shift. Whacha thinking?"

"Want to be Santa's cute little helper?"

"May....be."

"I've signed up to be Santa at your old haunt. I'm supposed to show up at 8am. The kids may not appreciate how hot you look in your helper costume, but I will!"

Laughing "Pervert. Let's hope those kids aren't mind readers or they'll really be confused."

So Julie joined me at Children's. We work well together. I really enjoy brightening the spirits of those kids.

As we left, in civilian clothes, Julie leaned into me "You know, if asked, I'd be willing to commit to a twenty five year agreement. Or longer."

"Aren't you afraid that I'll make a snap decision and toss you aside?"

"No. I talked with John Mauldin, and he pretty much confirmed your story. I'm impressed with the courage you showed in defending your convictions."

"And you believe in fidelity to the utmost?"

"As much as you do."

I didn't waste my opportunity. Turning towards Julie, I took both of her hands in mine and dropped to one knee.

"Julie, would you marry me?" as I opened my imaginary ring box.

"I would be honored sir" as she took an imaginary ring out of the imaginary box, and slid it on her finger.

"Looks like I guessed right on the size of the ring."

"You did. Five and a half fits perfectly" with her devious smile.

"Got it. Five and a half."

A few days later I repeated my offer, with a real ring.

+ + + +

Epilogue:

It was like we were living in a holiday contest story. Everything that needed to go right, did. We lived happily ever after, with two children. First came a beautiful girl which we named Julie Jr. She was followed by another girl which we named Jeff Jr. Just kidding, we gave them traditional names.

= = = =

= = = =

Now for something I tossed out a few years ago. The story behind the story: Rudolph -- an alternate ending.

"Who was that on the phone? Where do you think you're going?"

"It was Santa. He wants me to guide his sleigh tonight."

"Yeah, right. They won't even let you play in the games. They still call you names."

"No, really, it was Santa."

"Deershit! Who is she?"

"No, really, it was Santa."

"Well you call SANTA and tell him you can't go. If I ever find out who she is we're going to have venison burgers. Now get your shiny little nose upstairs and finish wrapping presents. It wouldn't kill you to help pick up either."

Santa wasn't pleased. He called Rudolph's brother Ralph who had an orange nose. They couldn't make Ralph and orange into a jingle so we were spared from that annoying song. Rudolph got coal in his stocking.