Warning

"I hate Christmas carols." Billie Joe groaned as one of his co-workers Christmas Santa danced and sang every time someone passed by it. He leaned back in his chair and fiddled with a pencil. "Two weeks, two weeks." Billie Joe chanted under his breath.

In two weeks, Billie Joe was flying back home to California to spend Christmas with Joey. He knew he had to make this a good Christmas for his son as Joey was still a bit upset with him; and even though Joey said he wasn't, Billie Joe could tell he was.

'It's the most wonderful time of the year '

Billie Joe rubbed his eyes, which still had a stale remnant of eyeliner from the night before that he wore out to a rave, and began to type in his personal folder on his desktop.

At the center of the earth at the parking lot, of the 7-11 where I was taught. The motto was to just lie. It says 'Home is where your heart is, but what a shame because everyone's heart doesn't really beat the same. We're beating out of time.

Billie Joe's work phone rang and he picked it up automatically. "Sun Herald, this is Billie Armstrong."

"I was all by myself." The voice on the other line said.

"Huh?"

"And I was thinking of you,"

Billie Joe's eyebrows hiked up into his hairline in confusion of this bizarre phone call.

"Did I mention I was all by myself."

"Oh, fuck me hard No way Tre'?"

The voice laughed. "It took you long enough. I thought for a minute I had the wrong number, again."

"Oh shit, I had to think about it for a second. I had forgotten about that song. What, again? How many times have you tried to call me?"

"Oh, about four. The first time I got the social paper lady, the second time nobody picked up, the third was a Billy Armstrong in West Virginia and then I got lucky and found you this time around after Adrienne corrected the number I had."

"Adrienne? You've seen Adie? When?" Billie Joe leaned his elbows on his desk.

"About a week ago. I was at the college doing some insurance stuff for the faculty there and I saw her and we talked and she told me where I could find you. She didn't tell you?" Tre's voice was becoming fuzzy and difficult to understand.

"No, well, we haven't had a chance to talk in awhile. She moved back in with that bastard David hoping to change him or some shit like that, I really don't know." Billie Joe's voice became moody and sulky at the thought.

"We... Ta... Er."

"Huh? Tre' I'm losing you."

"Damn," The only clear syllable Billie Joe caught before the call was dropped and Billie Joe was left with a dial tone.

'It's the most wonderful time of the year '

"Tre' Cool's here. Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all." Billie Joe shook his head and batted a pencil on his desk for a moment.

"Hey Billie, I have to ask everyone this question," Mark, Billie Joe's editor, was standing in his office doorway. "Do you know who this St. Jimmy person is? He's been writing in every so often to the editorial section and we're getting some colorful remarks from readers about him."

Billie Joe leaned back in his chair. "Really? What kind of remarks?"

"Remarks on his language use, issues he brings up. Most of those issues are things most people don't like to talk about."

"Mmm hmm."

"Then you have people praising him and proclaiming his return. They confuse me. This Jimmy character has never been in the Herald as long as I've been editor. So, I don't know. Thanks for your time Billie and great job on that art show piece."

"No problem." Billie Joe murmured to Mark's back. He had some how managed to dance his way around answering the Jimmy question. It wasn't that he was ashamed of Jimmy, he just wanted to keep everybody on tinter hooks and guessing until the time was right.

'It's the most wonderful time of the year '

Billie Joe went back to his computer and began typing several sentences about a trio of people... Jesus of Suburbia, St. Jimmy and a female character he had yet to name. "Jimmy, just give me the novocaine." Billie Joe muttered to himself as he typed.

Timid knocks followed by a soft "Billie Joe?" broke his concentration.

Billie Joe turned away from his computer to find Katrina standing before him in her school uniform, biting her lip nervously. "Katrina," He closed his document, "What are you doing here? Why aren't you in school?"

"I skipped fifth period. I needed to talk to someone and I don't know anyone else to talk to about this except you because... Well... You know." Katrina worried her lip as she watched him anxiously.

"Yeah, yeah. Come in." Billie Joe ushered her inside the small office and closed the door. "You skipped fifth period? Katrina... You know better than that." Billie Joe chastised, knowing in the back of his mind that only skipping one period was only a warm up for him in his school days. Katrina didn't need to know that though.

"I know. I'm sorry. I know it's stupid and I'm really sorry. You're not going to tell my mom are you?"

Billie Joe sat in his seat. "No, I won't tell your mom. I'll keep it between us. Just don't," He pointed a finger at her, "Let it happen again. Too many psychos and freaks running around who would love to take a pretty little girl home with them. Now, what's up?"

"You need to talk to Mom. You are the only one she will listen to. Things are worse." Katrina's voice dropped to a sad whisper lined with emotion. "Jakob is so scared. He barely comes out of his room and even if he doesn't... Dad... Goes in there. And then we have to go to school and pretend everything is fine and dandy when it's terrible. And Mom, she cries all the time. I know she knows it was a mistake to come back and I know she wants out but she's afraid. Dad was out of town last night and me and Jakob slept with Mom in her room. Jakob was asleep between us and she told me about when you two were together. She was smiling and laughing and so peaceful when she talked about you Billie Joe. Please, talk to her."

Billie Joe had remained silent throughout Katrina's spill and remained quiet even afterwards. "It's not that easy." He started out carefully.

"Why not?" Katrina burst, tears streaming down her face. "What was so terrible that it tore you two apart? I know Dad said it when you were at the house but he made it to where we couldn't hear him."

Billie Joe was at a lost. He couldn't look at Katrina and say that it was because of her that he and Adrienne didn't stay together. He couldn't tell her that it was her fault that everything was as shitty as it was.

"Katrina, listen." He started slowly. "I loved your mom and to this day, I still do. She was and always will be the only woman I will ever love. But," He lifted a finger to silence her oncoming protest. "This is life. It's not a book or a movie or even a song. I just can't burst into your house, sweep Adrienne off her feet and ride away with her into the sunset and live happily ever after. It doesn't work like that. I know, what I'm fixing to say will be harsh but it's the truth. I can't help your mother until she wants to help herself and right now, she doesn't want my help. She proved that to me when she left with you guys and went back to David. I will always be here for her, always. But I can't force her to do something she's not ready to do."

Katrina shook her head, tears streaking her mascara, and left the office.