"And you promised we'd get to see him," said Charity.Victoria sighed. She had promised they'd see Santa, but when they went to the Christmas festival ...n the Base last week, they were too late from having fun with all the activities to get to see Santa. She looked over and only saw a couple of children so she said, "Fine. Let's go."The girls ran ahead and got into line just as a large family entered the velvet ropes to get their time with Santa. Victoria had to argue with the woman of the family. You guys made my day," she said quietly before kissing Stacey."Thank you," I replied with a grin.Stacey grabbed Connie by the face with both hands and gave her another long, slow kiss before letting her go."Maybe we can play in the hot tub later," she whispered in Connie's ear.Connie grinned and nodded her head before plopping into the lounge chair between Kevin and Paul. She stretched out and closed her eyes. Karen gestured at Stacey and asked her to come help get things ready for dinner. Dave. He had seen too many tired, bitter women enter his premises. Women unhappy with their lives, their imperfections, their boredom and stress. He had seen how they despaired of the impossible role modern society demanded of them. To be perfect mothers and successful business-women. To be emancipated, yet sweet and caring. To be whores and saints.He had taken their despair and molded it into eternal bliss.He had seen how happy he had made them. How he had lifted their burden of guilt. Taken away. The George Bush Intercontinental Airport at Houston was a ghost of its former glory. Megan guessed it had no more than few civilian flights a week. Commercial air travel was in its death throes due to the price of oil, and there was continuous debate in Congress whether to phase out the massive subsidies and let the civilian aviation industry collapse completely. It was no surprise then when Houston Control gave the Cessna immediate clearance to land.They were buffeted by rain squalls and.