Dtat sin Jai (ตัดสินหใจ – judge heart) Make up ones mind or to decide.

Chapter Six

Ben – Bad Recalls

Fear was poking up its ugly head. I wanted to go, but I carried a tremendous load of bad baggage. It would be the first visit to my, so called, home in seven years. Angie's parents had learned to love me and insisted she bring me home with her.

Lilly was calling me Daddy. Her folks called me son. Angie was thrilled that she would be able to visit her friends. I told her that I had no friends in St Louis. United Airlines flew us, on military stand-by, to Houston where we changed planes to St Louis. Angie's mother, father and Lilly greeted us at the airport. On our request, they made a stop at the courthouse where we obtained a marriage license.

A chorus of Angie's friends, spouses, children and her Momma's minister welcomed us home. The wedding was short, simple and sweet. The kiss was different as we were bound in holy wedlock. Adoption papers declaring that Lilly was my daughter was signed by me and witnessed by Angie and her Daddy. Her father's attorney assured us that we would receive the final approved documents within a month.

The day had exhausted us as we cuddled each other in bed and we instantly fell asleep. In the middle of the night we felt a thump between us. Lilly flung her thin arms around my neck, kissed me on the cheek and said, "I wuv you Daddy. In the next moment, she repeated the process with her mother. Angie retorted, "We love you also. What do you want?"

"Affer wunch can we go to Dream Cream? Can I git a Chukee Chu Chu? Please Daddy an' Mommy?"

"I knew you wanted something, that is when you are always super nice."

"Granny an' Pappy said to 'acts youses,'"

"Okay, we are both tired. Let us get some sleep."

"Otay, but I do wuv boff youses."

"She does this often, when she gets it in her mind that she wants something. Now that you are her Daddy she'll bug you to pieces."

"That's fine. Spoiling our little girls is the reason why we Daddies exist. I'm proud to be her father, and I'm happy we are married."

Lilly went to sleep between us, sporting a huge grin. I peered at the clock. The big red numbers proclaimed that it was 0300 hours.

"Go to sleep. There is an important task for us later in the afternoon." "What's that?" "We promised to take our daughter to Dream Cream."

"I love you." "Why?" "You called her, 'our daughter.'" My spirit was at an all-time high. Euphoria, exhilaration and satisfaction was radiating through my body. For the first time in my life, I had a family.

Lilly ate two bites then proclaimed that she was ready. Although I knew why she was impatient. I asked, "Waiting for what, sweetheart?" "Mom promised!" "What agreement did Mommy make with you?"

"To take you and me to Dream Cream!"

"Can Granny and Pappy also go?"

"Yes, yes!"

"Then it sounds good to me. How about it, Granny and Pappy, do you want to go to Dream Cream with us?"

Pappy said, "If you let me drive."

Granny replied, "I need to make a phone call first. It'll only take a minute."

At the Dream Cream Shoppe Beverly and John shared that Dream Cream was a combination of heavy cream, orange juice, vanilla and sugar. The mixture was poured into molds of various shapes. A Chuckee Cho Cho included chocolate chips and was cast into the form of a kids Cho Cho train. Additionally, the store offered thirty regular flavors of ice cream. Angie and I ordered a strawberry shake with two straws. Granny and Pappy each ordered a scoop of chocolate ice cream. Lilly laid into her combination with a vengeance. Her strategy was well planned. She was prepared for combat.

Angie and I decided to walk home. Her parents chose to take Lilly with them. We were about ten feet from the Dream Cream Shoppe when six men accosted us, four had knives and two were waving guns. She recognized them as Doug's buddies who raped her. One of them told me they were going to beat my sorry rear-end, and take Angie to their house and play with her.

I said, "Fellows, if you leave now, we will let you live." Before I finished, Angie kicked the two with the guns in the groin. While they were humped over, she kicked them twice in the head. They fell to the parking lot and their guns slid out of harm's way. One thrust his knife at her. She backed away, grabbed his arm, flipped him onto the sidewalk and stomped on his ribcage. The three remaining were incapacitated and laying on their backs. Angie retrieved one of their knives, cut their clothing to pieces and left them naked.

The police arrived. Several witnesses gave their statements. The officers were laughing so hard that they had difficulty cuffing them. Angie requested they withhold her name from the news media. Television, radio and newspapers headlined, "Superwoman Beats Up Southside Gang."

One of the law enforcement cars delivered us home. Red lights were flashing as we arrived. My in-law rushed to the door. We were faced with questions while entering the door. Angie looked at her mom and said, "How did Doug know we were at the ice cream parlor?" "What happened?" "Six of Doug's thugs attacked us. They threatened to beat up Ben and rape me again!"

My mother-in-law began bawling professing she believed Doug was going to make amends, but evidently, he was playing her. I said, "The police are going to stay here, and we are going to play a little game if Doug shows up." The police parked their car a block away. Doug barged in holding a gun. We were quietly sitting in the living room. Granny said, "Welcome son, we've been waiting for you." Doug was dumbfounded. Pappy said, "Your Momma and I thought you were going to show up at Dream Cream to make amends. Everyone is glad to see you. I see you brought a handgun to show me."

My father-in-law held out his hand. Doug automatically placed the weapon in John's hand. Beverly said, "Your presence speaks louder than words, we know that you want to make peace in the family. Sit down and make yourself comfortable. Do you want any lemonade?" She presented him a warm grin. He relaxed and sat down. He received the glass and returned the smile.

She continued, "Do you know Ben, Angie's new husband?" "I don't think so." "That's funny, since you and your buddies use to beat me up after school." Angie's Daddy pulled back the slide on the handgun saying, "Don't move unless you want me to blow off your head. Listen carefully. Ben is going to ask you a few questions. Angie responded, "If you answer the questions honestly we will not kill you." At this point, Doug was sweating profusely.

I smiled and said, "I am one of the toughest fighters in the country." Angie inserted, "He ranks, number five, world-wide. Don't you wish you would have treated him a lot better? He can rip your heart out with his hands." Doug's body was rapidly shaking. My response was, "Doug do not worry about me, but your sister has changed. She is ranked as the best female fighter world-wide. She knows at least a dozen ways to kill a man. One of her favorites is to tear off your arm and spank you with it. She is one tough gal. She beat up your six buddies today by herself. They ratted on you to the detectives. The police have an APB on you. They will shoot you, as soon as you are spotted."

"Are you prepared to answer my questions?" "Go f#&@ yourself!" "Wrong answer!" Angie walked over to him and kicked him on the side of his head, He doubled over and collapsed to the floor. She put him in a neck clinch with her thumb pressing against the front of his throat. You can die by way of two methods. Both will cause you to suffocate to death. "Since you can't talk right now, if you are ready to answer the questions, slap your right thigh." He did. She changed from the neck clinch to an arm clinch.

"Doug. we know that you are in pain, at the moment, but she will release you if you reply to these three queries honestly. If you don't she will tear off manhood and shove it down your throat. Say yes, if you agree." He nodded up and down. "That's good. Number one, your sister wants to know why you had her raped?"

"Everybody kept telling me how smart she was and asked why I was a dunce?" "In other words, you were jealous? "YES."

"Your mother and father are wondering why you lied?

"Because, if they believed me, I would not have had to leave our home."

"Good boy, last question. Why did you have your gang of buddies attack us today?"

"We wanted both of you out of the way."

"They were going to kill us?"

"Now tell your sister you are sorry that you had her raped, and left her to die."

"I did not want her to die. I just wanted to teach her a lesson."

"Most brothers love their little sisters and will protect them with their lives. You chose to hurt her and shame her. You are the most despicable character I have ever seen."

"Gentlemen come get the piece of rubbish. He is more than ready to go to jail. The stench in here makes me want to vomit."

As the police cuffed him, he shouted, "They forced me to confess." "Son, we did not tape the first part, so it is your word against ours. Who do you think they are going to believe?"