A Religious Experience - Afterward

Afterwards, we cuddled and Toni fell asleep with my arm around her, her head on my shoulder. I was just ready to doze off, it was just after midnight, when I heard the sound of a door getting busted in. I was wide awake at the sound, Toni started to stir and I quickly told her to stay put. I rose out of bed and grabbed the aluminum bat I keep under the bed.

I opened the bedroom door and looked out down the hall in time to see someone looking into Jason's open bedroom door. I crept up behind the guy and swung the bat just as he was exiting Jason's room.

I've never hit anyone with a bat before; I've never heard the sound of a hard object hitting a human skull before; it's a sickening sound. I thought I'd lose whatever was in my stomach and was ready to retch; but then I heard the sound of a pistol hammer being pulled back behind me.

I knew I was in trouble; there must have been two of them. One came through the front door, one through the back.

As I turned to face where the sound of that hammer came from behind me, I heard my father's voice.

"Stop right there, asshole!"

Dad had the muzzle of his .45 sticking right next to the second man's ear. It was the hammer of his Colt that I had heard.

"Now you may think you're faster than my finger; but anything you do besides drop that gun means I squeeze and your head turns into a canoe."

The guy dropped the gun and Dad had him lower himself to the ground, spread-out, while I called the police.

The police arrived within ten minutes and for the next two hours, sorted out who these guys were and what had happened. Turns out I hadn't killed the first guy; but he'd be more vegetable than man for the decades he'd spend in prison.

It seems the Dilbert brothers, Hunter and Howie, decided to seek revenge on Toni for her part in putting their 'savior' away in prison. They slipped back into the country a week ago and spent two days casing our home. They kicked in the front and back doors simultaneously; Hunter was the asshole who came in the front and the one I bashed with the bat. Howie came in the rear and would have caught me by surprise if my father hadn't intervened.

Life hangs in the balance of such minor things; it almost seems unfair. You can do everything possible to manage the threats, but there will always be something out there with the potential of spoiling your efforts. My life, Toni's life and maybe the life of our son hung on the thread of a series of random events. Dad had flown in that afternoon to help me put a new backyard shed together over the weekend. He usually stays with TJ's family when he's in town; but this time was staying in our spare room so we could get a quick start in the morning.

I always thought Dad was a bit paranoid, rarely does he go anywhere without that .45; I have never fired a firearm in my entire life. Whenever he flies, he goes through the time, money and effort to check his firearm for the flight. Maybe Dad could have taken Howie down without the gun; but I'm happy we didn't have to test that theory.

Whatever the reasons for those circumstances, whatever karma I built up to help my family make it through that night; I'm just thankful we were all safe.

Howie and Hunter Dilbert were sent back to Dallas, their bail reevoked, and ended up getting thirty year sentences for their reign of terror; from the time they joined Jackson's cult, to the time they broke into our home with intent to kill.

It took a few months; but things returned to normal in our household. Of course, I shouldn't use the term 'normal' whenever I relate stories concerning our life. Let's say things found their way to be what any other household would consider normal.

Part of my optimism for the future is based on Toni's time with a counselor who works out of the local Methodist church. She's helping Toni build strength in herself and I can see the difference. For the first six months after we got back together, Toni never questioned or disagreed with me on any subject. That's changed and Toni now respectfully gives her opinion when she doesn't agree with me. I have to say it's refreshing and encouraging.

Toni and I did conceive; maybe not that one night; but certainly sometime during that month; and this time we were rewarded with a beautiful baby girl we named April. Two years after April's birth, we had another boy. I'm all for stopping here or at least slowing down; but Toni is on a roll and said, "we'll see". The truth is, with my sister and sister-in-law nearby, we have an exceptional support system, I'm making more money than we need and best of all – Toni is a wonderful mother who still makes time for me.

I guess sometimes second chances do work out for those of us who need them. They did for my dad and me when he reached out and asked my forgiveness three years ago on that road trip in his Cadillac; they did for me when I responded to rehab; they did for Toni when I married her the second time. Whether we deserved them, I can't say; but I do know we all made the most of them.