Carol's Christmas

"Who are those men? Are they... Native Americans?" she asked, shocked. Justice looked at the men on horseback and nodded his head.

"We called 'em Indians, but yes, that's exactly who they are," he said.

"Weren't you scared?" she asked. He chuckled as he shook his head.

"Not at all," he said. "This was originally their land. Pa worked out a deal with 'em when we first came. They let us homestead here, work the land, tend to our animals, and we shared the fruits of our labor with 'em. Most of the original tribe here had already gone south by the time we got here, but some remained. Every so often, they'd come by and we'd break bread and celebrate with 'em. Ma always cooked up a bit extra just in case they showed up." The door of the small adobe opened and four men came outside to greet the new arrivals. The man in front greeted the visitors and invited them inside.

"That was mah Pa," Justice said. As they watched, one of the four men laughed at something one of the Native Americans said. Carol looked at the man, then at Justice.

"That was you laughing, wasn't it?" she asked.

"Yup," he said. "That feller I'm with over there was Windrunner. I never could pronounce his real name, but I was told that's what it meant in English. He could run like no one I'd ever seen before."

"So, what's so funny?" she asked.

"An old joke. He was telling me about a white woman he had seen in town. A fairly hefty woman, if you know what I mean. Told me he wanted to marry her. I asked him why. His answer was always the same: 'Big, strong woman. Pull plow good.' He must've told me that about 100 times. I laughed every time." Carol chuckled at that.

"What's happening now?" she asked as the men went to the corral instead of the house.

"That year was pretty hard on everyone in these parts. Pa decided to give them a couple extra cows that year to help get them through the winter," Justice said.

"And what's that?" she asked as one of the riders handed something long and thin to Eli's father.

"A pipe. Made specifically for mah pa," Justice said. "It smoked pretty good, too, as I recall." When the men returned to the house, two women came out. "That's mah Ma and mah wife, Lizzy. They came out to let us know dinner was ready." As they watched, all of them piled into the small house.

"So, why are we here?" Carol asked.

"To show you that Christmas isn't about feelings or buying presents or any of the other things modern society has made it. People are born and die every day of the week -- even Christmas. This here's a day where we celebrate life and love. A day we remember the birth of a very special person -- someone who literally gave his life for all of us. Mah pa recognized that. And he made sure we understood as well."

"I thought your father wasn't a religious man," she said.

"Nope," Justice said. "He wasn't. He didn't get into all that book-learning or sermonizing. He even got mad at God a time or two. But he knew how to treat people right. How to give respect, and how to help those who needed it. You don't just get that from breathing the air."

"I guess not," she said. She looked and thought she saw a tear form in the corner of his eye. He wiped his face and turned to her.

"We'd better get back. I'm not normally allowed to do this and I can't stay here long. Besides, I have more to show ye," he said. He tugged on the lasso and Carol found herself next to Justice in a bar. The place looked familiar and then she remembered it was a bar Jake like to frequent from time to time. He had even taken her there a couple times. She looked down at the pajamas she had on.

"Don't worry none, they can't see ya," Justice said. "Just watch and listen." She heard loud conversation from a table of about six men. One of them was Jake, and he was talking to a friend of his, Alan Michaels.

"So, you still trying to get into the Ice Queen's panties?" Alan asked. Carol turned red at that. She knew that several men -- and a few women -- called her that, but they never said it to her face.

"Now, be nice," Jake said. "Carol Beck is a good, decent woman. Show some respect, willya?"

"Oh please," Alan said. "You've been trying to get between her legs for years now. Think you might get lucky at the Christmas party this year?"

"I don't know. Maybe," Jake said. "You never know what might happen."

"Her husband still outta town?" Alan asked. Jake nodded his head.

"Yeah, the nerd is stuck up in Seattle," he said.

"Well, there ya go. Hubby's out of town, wife's here all by herself probably crying her eyes out. Sounds to me like you've got a good chance to score. Need something to melt that ice in her panties? I can score some good stuff if you need it," Alan said with a smile.

"No, I don't need any of that," Jake said. "Save it for your dates," he added with a chuckle. Everyone else laughed at that.

"Seriously, Jake, you really trying to bed Carol?" another man asked. She looked and saw it was Bill Fredericks, a lawyer who worked with a firm the company used. She didn't deal with him very much, but she had seen him around more than a few times. "I mean, it's really no secret that the two of you go out to lunch fairly frequently. People have noticed, you know."

"It's more than that, Bill," he said. "I'm looking for something long-term. I've about had it with these one-night stands. And you know me. When I set out to do something, I succeed, no matter how long it takes."

"Yeah, well, you be very careful," Bill said. "If her husband gets evidence that you've screwed her, he could screw you and the whole company over pretty good. Remember, it's my job to protect the company from shit like this."

"What if I married her?" Jake said.

"Assuming you and the company survive the fallout from any affair you might have with her? Well, you couldn't keep her on as CFO. You know the corporate bylaws don't allow for spouses to work together. You'd have to let her go and replace her. You sure you're willing to lose the best CFO the company has ever had?"

"Good point," Jake said. "I'll keep it in mind. Thanks for dumping cold water all over my dreams, buddy." They all laughed at that.

"Probably a good thing," Alan said. "I bet if you did manage to get your dick in her, it'd probably freeze and drop off." There was more laughter at that. Embarrassed, Carol turned to Justice.

"Get me out of here, now," she angrily hissed. He looked at her and nodded his head.

"All right," he said. "There's a couple more things I think you should see." He tugged on the rope and they found themselves in the penthouse suite Jake reserved for the night of the party. Carol looked and saw Jake in the king-sized bed.

But he wasn't alone. With him was Brenda Spencer, the head of marketing and sales. Her head rested on Jake's shoulder and one arm was draped over his chest. Brenda was recently divorced, having been caught multiple times cheating on her husband. The room reeked of sex and Carol could see small globs of goo on her face. She felt like she was going to throw up.

"I've seen enough," she told Justice.

"Well, then, there's one more thing you should see," he told her. He tugged on the lasso and the scene changed to another hotel room, this one much smaller and cheaper than the penthouse suite they had just visited.

Carol looked at the bed and saw her husband on his back, softly snoring. Tears came to her eyes as she looked at him. She looked around the small room, and saw the small digital frame she gave him for his birthday.

As she looked, pictures of her and Timmy flashed across the screen. She looked at the way the frame sat on the dresser. It was placed so that Ray could see the photos from the bed. It dawned on her why, just as Justice spoke up.

"He loves you so much he wants your faces to be the first thing he sees in the morning and the last thing he sees when he goes to sleep," Eli said. Carol broke down sobbing as the realization hit her. She came "this close" to hurting a man who loved her and their child with all his heart just for some strange dick from a man who saw her as a prize in some kind of sick competition.

"How could I be so stupid?" she asked between her sobs.

"It happens to the best of us," Justice said quietly. "Come, let's go. Your third visitor will be along soon." One last tug on the lasso and Carol found herself back in her hotel room, tears falling down her face. She grabbed some tissues and wiped her face just as another flash of light caught her attention. She turned and saw an attractive, petite blonde woman standing before her.

"Who are you?" Carol asked.

"My name is Adrestia Rhamnousia," the woman said. "I know that's a mouthful, so please, just call me Dr. A."

"You're a real doctor?" Carol asked.

"I have doctorates in a number of disciplines," Adrestia said. She held out her hand to Carol. "Please, come with me." Carol took her hand and the two of them were suddenly looking down a long hallway with what appeared to be portals on both sides.

"What is this place?" Carol asked.

"It's something I call the 'Hall of Possibilities.' Here, I can show you what could happen under certain circumstances," Adrestia said.

"I don't understand," Carol said.

"You see, Carol Beck, normally, by the time I get involved, the evil has already been done. With this, I can present possible outcomes in hopes of staving off disaster. Nothing you see here is carved in stone, but will happen if the status quo remains. Do you understand?"

"I... I think so," Carol said. Adrestia nodded her head.

"Good. Then let's get started, shall we? Please, come with me to the first portal. Do not be alarmed. All you have to do is step into the alcove and the scenario will play out in front of you. You will not be able to interact with anyone or anything and no one will interact with you. You may experience a bit of vertigo, so keep one hand on the side rail at all times. When you feel you have seen enough, simply take one step back. Any questions?"

"None I can think of," Carol said.

"Good. I will monitor your progress and answer any questions you may have. Please," she said, motioning to the first portal with one arm. Carol looked at the portal and carefully stepped into the alcove, her hands on the rails. As soon as she stepped inside, she instantly saw her and Ray, arguing in their home.

"How could you do this to us?" Ray asked, his face red with anger.

"It... just... happened," the Carol in the scenario said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. You weren't here and it just... happened."

"Just happened? Are you kidding me right now? What, did you trip on something and just accidentally fall on Jake's dick, since it just 'happened' to be erect? What kind of an idiot do you think I am, anyway?"

"I don't think you're an idiot at all," she said. "Look, we've talked about this. You're always gone to God-only-knows where, for days or weeks at a time. Yeah, you call every day, but dammit, I'm the one left alone here."

"What, you don't think I miss you when I'm gone? For the love of God, woman, what do you think it's like for me being away from you and little Timmy? You think I don't miss you? Yes, I do miss you, but I'm not going to go and 'accidentally' fall into some woman's pussy. No, this was no accident," he said.

"What are you saying?" she asked.

"I'm saying Jake has been after you for years. Ever since his wife died, he's had his eye on you. You think I don't see it? You think I'm an idiot or something?" He stopped as something dawned on him. "Oh my God. You screwed him during your company Christmas party, didn't you? While I was in Seattle." She shook her head.

"No, I got a terrible headache and ended up going to bed early," she said.

"You expect me to believe that?" Ray asked.

"Please, Ray, you have to believe me. I never meant to hurt you," she said.

"It's not just me you've hurt, Carol," he said. "It's our son, Timmy. Did you ever once think of him while Jake was seducing you?"

"I...I," she stammered. Ray cut her off.

"I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses," he said. "I'll be filing for divorce. And know this. I'll be asking for custody."

"No, you can't do that. Please, can't we get past this?"

"There's nothing to get past," he said. "You've been giving me nothing but crap for months about my work. And now you do this. Well, I certainly hope it was worth it to you. I'm going out for a couple hours. When I get back, I expect you to be gone." He grabbed a suitcase sitting in front of the couch and left, leaving her wracked with sobs. She stepped back out of the alcove, tears in her eyes.

"No, no, no, please, no," she said as she cried.

"Actions have consequences, Carol," Adrestia said. "Please, step into the next alcove." She grabbed the handrail and stepped inside. This time, she saw herself and Jake at the diner.

"So, the nerd's filing for divorce, is he?" Jake asked with a smirk.

"Yes, he is," she said. "And he's asking for custody, maintenance and child support."

"Really?" Jake asked. "Maintenance? What a loser."

"And my attorney says he could get it, since I make so much more than he does," Carol said. "According to the paperwork, he says he can also show that I'm not an attentive mother since Timmy had to stay with his parents while he was in Seattle."

"That sucks," Jake said. "Look, why don't you move in with me. It'd be a lot better than staying at that motel. And you can bring Timmy over when you get visitation." She looked at him as she considered her options.

"Yeah, what the hell. I'll check out of the motel and come over. Most of my things are still in storage, so I'll need some help getting them out."

"Okay," he said. He looked around for a few moments and then came close to her. "Carol, listen, I know you're going through a lot right now, but the truth is, I've fallen for you. And I know you have feelings for me as well. After your divorce, would you consider marrying me?"

"That was fast," she said. "The papers haven't even been signed yet. You're right, I do have feelings for you, otherwise I wouldn't have slept with you in the first place. Let me get through this divorce first, and then we'll revisit it, okay?" Jake nodded his head.

"Okay, I understand. I've waited for you this long, I can wait a few more months." The scenario ended and Carol stepped back from the alcove, her head reeling. Adrestia motioned to the next portal and Carol stepped inside, holding the handrail.

This time, she saw herself at the front door of the house she once shared with Ray and Timmy. She knocked on the door and saw Ray's mother, Alice.

"What do you want, Carol?" Alice asked coldly.

"I'm here to pick up Timmy," Carol said. "It's my day for visitation."

"I'm sorry, Carol, but Timmy doesn't want to see you," Alice said.

"I'd like to hear that from him, if that's okay with you," Carol said.

"Have it your way," Alice said, stepping aside. Carol walked into the room and saw Timmy sitting on the couch, looking straight ahead without acknowledging her presence.

"Timmy, I'm here to pick you up," she said. "Are you ready to go?"

"I'm not going anywhere with YOU," he said angrily. Carol reeled back, having never heard her soft-spoken son talk like this before.

"But Timmy, it's me, your mother. I've missed you so much and I really want to see you," she said.

"You don't get it, do you?" Timmy asked, his face flush with anger. "You hurt my dad. I hate you and I never want to see you ever again."

"Timmy, please," Carol began. Timmy got off the couch and looked her in the face. She had never seen such anger and hatred in his face before.

"NO! I'm not going anywhere with you! Ever! I HATE YOU! You're NOT my mother anymore! GO AWAY!" With that, he stormed up the stairs to his room. She heard his bedroom door slam and started to climb the stairs before Alice stopped her.

"I think you should let the boy be, Carol," she said. "You heard him. He doesn't want to see you."

"You turned him against me. You BITCH! How dare you turn my son against me," Carol said. Alice folded her arms and looked at Carol as though she were an errant child throwing a tantrum.

"I understand you're upset, so I'll ignore that outburst. This time. But never again. Ray and I have both done everything we can to make Timmy realize that you're still his mother. This is his decision," Alice said. "I think you had better leave now, Carol." Carol looked at Alice, then slowly got up and left the house. When she got back to her car, she put her hands on the steering wheel and cried like a baby.

"What have I done," she said through her sobs. The scenario ended and Carol stepped back, tears freely falling down her face.

"How accurate are these scenarios?" she asked Adrestia.

"Keep in mind, they're based on an assumption that the status quo has not changed. I have found them to be just over 99 percent accurate. I know it can be painful sometimes, but as I said before, your actions have consequences," Adrestia said. "If you would please, step into the next alcove. This scenario is somewhat piecemeal, but I think it adequately conveys its message. It's essentially an executive summary of the next few years of your life."

Carol stepped into the alcove and suddenly saw herself and Ray with their attorneys in a courtroom. The judge prepared to render his decision in their divorce.

"After carefully considering all the information and evidence brought forth by both parties, I hereby grant the plaintiff's motion for divorce. Plaintiff Raymond Beck will retain sole physical custody of the minor child Timothy with visitation allowed to the defendant. Plaintiff will also retain full use the family dwelling.

"Defendant will pay child support in the amount equal to 20 percent of her net monthly income. Defendant will also pay maintenance in the amount of $5,000 per month for a period of not more than five years unless the defendant remarries in that time frame. Defendant will also pay one-half of the mortgage on the family dwelling for the same period of time.

"Both parties may retain their own retirement accounts, however, all other marital assets are to be divided with plaintiff receiving 60 percent of the assets. Defendant is required to surrender her wedding rings per the agreement and will also revert to her maiden name.

"Court adjourned," he said, banging his gavel. A stunned Carol turned and walked away from her attorney.

The scene changed and Carol saw herself in a small chapel wearing a wedding dress while standing next to Jake. They exchanged vows, kissed and gleefully walked down the aisle to their new life. They enjoyed a two-week sex-filled honeymoon in Hawaii before returning. When Carol walked into her office, she was met by Philip Carson.

"Good morning, Mr. Carson," she said with a smile. "What may I do for you?"

"Good morning, Mrs. Be... excuse me, Mrs. Callahan," he said. "Congratulations on your marriage. I hope you had a good honeymoon."

"I did, thank you," she said.

"Unfortunately, we're going to have to let you go," he said.

"What? Why?" she asked.

"Corporate bylaws prevent spouses from working on the same team," he said. "You and Jake are both on the executive team, so we've got no choice but to let you go. In light of your 12 years service to the company, however, we will give you a very generous severance package. I want to say thank you for your hard work and dedication, and I'll be more than happy to provide you with a glowing reference if necessary."

"Uh, okay," she said. "Thank you." Just then, Jake showed up at her office.

"What's going on here?" he asked.

"Well, Jake, I'm just giving your bride her walking papers. You know the rules about spouses on the same team."

"Yeah, but, we need her," Jake said.

"We'll find someone to fill her shoes," Philip. "We've got another problem, however. Bill Fredericks tells me the company just got served with a lawsuit accusing us of not enforcing our employee morals clause. I've also heard that some of our long-time customers aren't too pleased with what they have heard.