Here we go again! The action takes up just after the events in my Holiday short 'It's My Christmas Pity Party' and from the trilogy, 'The Girl Who Came To Stay'. OC's Sioux and Dawne return. This yarn will feature a very different Andy Hillstrand and introduce a new OC. PLEASE R&R! I live for your encouragement!

Dawne

Her Christmas Eve 'Fuck Me It's Christmas Pity Party' stroll of self-pity had hauled in an especially fine catch. . .fisherman Edgar Hansen. She was mortified the next morning when she awoke trapped in his arms. For all her Cosmo Girl rap, she had never been the girl who picked a man up off the street, took him home, and allowed him to master her to a pitch of wanton passion. But then again, she thought and relaxed, Edgar made her feel that maybe that girl wasn't so bad. Even if it turned out to be a one night stand, it would be one she'd never forget and she wasn't going to let any goodie-two-shoes guilt spoil it.

'Merry Christmas beautiful Dawne Langston.'

A low warm growl nuzzled her ear. Remembering her name she thought was a good sign. She smiled and stroked the strong arm wrapped around her waist and lay between her breasts. She peered at the clock and remembered they had finally succumbed to sated exhaustion around 4 a.m.

'Merry afternoon of Christmas fisherman Edgar Hansen.'

She feared he would jump up with some excuse, grab his clothes, give her a quick kiss with a promise to call, and make a dash for it. Instead he nibbled her neck and stroked a breast lazily bringing a nipple throbbing and erect.

'Sorry. . .have I outstayed my welcome?'

He held his breath and prayed she wouldn't make him go. She was the best thing that had come to his life for a long time. It wasn't just how she responded to him sexually which was awesome, but he really liked her. Liked her a lot.

'Ask me that question again, oh let's say Labor Day.' Dawne smiled with relief.

Edgar buried his face in her hair. 'Labor Day it is.'

Edgar

It was about three in the afternoon when he left Dawne's whistling. She had family stuff to do, as did he, and they had agreed to meet back at her place around nine that night. His cell rang ACDC's 'Highway to Hell' which meant it was Mike Bradley calling.

'Yo!' Eadgar snapped.

'Well, Merry Christmas to you too. Where is your ass?'

Shit! He had forgot all about the get-together! Fortunately it was at a coffee shop near-by.

'Be there in ten.' And hung up.

Edgar, Mike, the two Jakes, Jake 'Junior' Anderson and Jake 'Dong' Harris had formed a circle, within the circle of A.A. sobriety support, and had arranged to meet on Christmas Day. Holidays, especially Christmas were triggers for many addicts and an extra meeting of their circle they agreed was a good idea.

Especially for Edgar Mike thought. He and Edgar had been best friends since junior high and Matt had half grown up in the Hansen household. It was no secret Edgar had a hard time last year and had relapsed. Only Matt knew he had recently started seeing a therapist and that he was dealing with some tough shit.

When Edgar rushed in and slid into the booth, he was greeted him with hands up all around. Punctuality was part of the structure that governed A.A. and an honest explanation for arriving late was expected. As Edgar sat down their waitress was right there with a steaming mug of coffee.

'Thanks Gina' Edgar smiled. Gina was in recovery herself and always wore around her neck a leather band heavy with a slew of silver circles embossed with affirmations such as; Honesty, Family, Hope, Sobriety, Faith, and Integrity.

Edgar raised his mug. 'Sorry. 10 months sober.' And as each bumped mugs they witnessed.

Mike. '3 months sober.'

Junior. '9 months sober.'

Jake. '30 days sober.'

Gina also witnessed, her arms around Edgar and Jake's shoulders at the ends of the booth that completed the circle.

'12 years sober.' Smiled and rushed away to attend her other tables.

Their circle, this band of brothers battling a chronic and potentially fatal disease waited. At A.A. meetings and in their circle, there were 'no hats' meaning there was no status. . .no Deck Boss and crewman deferential, all were equal in their disease. It was apparent since the last A.A. meeting they had all attended two days ago, something had changed with Edgar. He looked something of his old self, smiling and even lighthearted. Accountably, honesty, and integrity were cornerstones of A.A. and Matt, for all his relapses and struggles went there.

'You forgot about the meeting didn't you?'

Edgar meet each eye and recognized this moment as a personal Rubicon. He knew his sobriety depended on honesty with these men. In his recovery, he had always battled his Norwegian nature and nurture that instilled privacy and non-disclosure, especially of personal feelings. He took a deep breath, then breathed it out.

'Yeah I did. Met a girl last night. On the boardwalk swigin' vodka from a flask. A normie unlike me. But like me, was kinda down. Invited me up to her place for a 'Fuck Me It's Christmas Pity Party'. Turned out we had a good time. Spent the night. . .just left her. Didn't use. . .never for a second felt like I even wanted to.'

Their looks were steady, he stared back, then surrendered.

'Liked her. Like her a lot.'

They all smiled.

Sioux

A few days after Christmas everyone had left Homer and gone their separate ways until it was time to get the boat ready for opies in January. She and Johnathan were back in Seattle. She had been busy on the phone and online with the architect who was designing her home in Homer, and real estate agents searching for her Seattle home. Johnathan had been catching up on business with his assistant, accountants, and his agent. He poked his head in the kitchen where she was worked.

'Baby, I'm going to help Billy put a new carburetor in his truck. Shouldn't take too long. See ya.'

'Hummmm.' She replied absently then thought.

'Wait up! Have you heard from Andy?'

'No I haven't. Why?'

Sioux had a witchy feeling something was not right with Andy. He didn't feel right to her at Christmas. He put on a good enough front, but there was something dark and sad behind his eyes, and in the whirl of Christmas-ing she hadn't had the chance to talk with him.

'Just wondering.'

'You know, now that you mention it, I've called him a few times and he hasn't returned one call. That's not like him.' And pulled out his phone and hit Andy's speed dial, and again got voicemail.

'Yeah this is Andy. If you have this number you're either family or a really good friend, so if I could, I'd be talkin' to ya. You know the drill.'

'Yo Andy! Where is your sorry ass? Pick up! Sioux wants to talk to you!' Johnathan barked and hung up. The phone rang and he answered quickly.

'Andy?'

'No, Uncle John, it's Cassy. Have you heard from my Dad?' She sounded worried.

'Hey beautiful. Just left him a message. I'm sure he's fine, probably laid low on a beach in Mexico fishing or riding some fool horse.' He assured.

'He would have told me if he was leaving the country. 'Member the last time he checked-out? Find him and call me!' Cassy ordered and hung up.

Johnathan quickly called Billy, apologized for bailing at the last minute but something urgent had come up. He sat down heavily.

'What's going on?' Sioux was alarmed at the look on his face.

Johnathan worried the cuticle on his left thumb.

'This could be bad Sioux. . .real bad. Looking like Andy's gone off the grid again.'

Knocking on Heaven's Door - Bob Dylan

Mama, take this badge off of me
I can't use it anymore.
It's gettin' dark, too dark to see
I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door.

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

Mama, put my guns in the ground
I can't shoot them anymore.
That long black cloud is comin' down
I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door.

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door