We didn't know how to handle these episodes of anger. So we did anything we could to keep us or him from getting hurt. Which usually meant getting him on the floor and physically holding him down until he agreed no to hit or tear anything up. Sometimes this worked, others it didn't, and the second you turned him loose he was after you again. We learned also never to turn our backs on him. You never knew if he was coming up behind you.

The following incident was one that we could never prove. We had two cars, a 1993 Camero and a 1996 Olds Achieva.  The Camero was in my name but Terry drove it, and the Achieva was in Terry's name but I drove it.  The Achieva was my dream car, it was a teal blue and two door, decked out with every extra that you could think of.  I loved that car, it was me.

Terry had gotten into an argument with Bobby.  It was again over something  stupid as always.. About two days later I put gas in the car. I didn't get two miles down the road before the car started acting up. I managed to get it home, just barely. It refused to start. I had a friend of mine come and look at it. So he first thought that it was bad gas. So he got the equipment and drained the gas from the car. He went and got a gas can full of gas and put it in, and still nothing.

We were sitting outside talking when Bobby came out and asked what was going on.  I told him that my car had broke down. He then asked what was wrong with it. My friend told him that he wasn't sure yet. But that it was possible that I had blown the engine. So now I was stuck.... Terry was working for a off shore company, and would be gone for another week. So now I was stuck with no car. I got a friend to pick me up for work and home afterwards.

After Terry got home, we called about having the car repaired. And found out that it would need anew engine. Well we didn't have that kind of money laying around. And didn't have the money to pay off the car, we still owed almost ten thousand dollars on it. We had no choice but to voluntarily turn the car back over to them.  We found out that they had came and towed it off about two days later. And when Terry called and inquired about the engine, the mechanic told him that they had found that the engine was indeed blown, the reason... sugar in the gas tank.  Sugar was found in the opening of the gas tank.

Bobby thought it was funny that someone had put sugar in the tank. We didn't see it that way, the car was sold as is at auction for a little over four thousand dollars. Which also meant that we still owed almost six thousand on the car. We could never prove that he did it, and he never did admit to it. But the minute Terry got off the phone with the mechanic, he went tot he auto parts store and bought a locking gas cap for the Camero.

With living payday to payday, we had run into another problem. Where were we going to get the money for another car. And then on top of it we had another surprise.

I was pregnant. Not a shock but not a real thrill at the time.  We had decided to have a baby a year before. Terry didn't have any natural children, and really wanted one. He caught me at a weak moment and I agreed to just one. So I went off birth control, and we waited.

Terry was off shore at the time I got the first clue that something was up.  I was at work and walked into the canteen for lunch, I came in one door and turned around and went out the next one. The minute that the smell hit me, my stomach did back flips. I thought maybe, but wasn't sure. I thought it is too soon to tell. My girlfriend, Candy, was more excited than I was.  She was about to drive me nuts the minute she figured out what was going on. I had to take a test. I kept telling her no, that there was no way that it would show so soon.  We had a disappointment several months before. We were beginning to think that something was wrong. But the doctor said to give it a few more months. And if we didn't get pregnant then we would look into some tests.

Candy drove me home that night and stayed for a little while.  I didn't think she was ever going to let up. So I finally gave in and we went to the store and got a home test. When we got home she got frustrated, cause I didn't have to "go".  When I finally took the test, I told her, "There, now quit". We both laughed, but I still didn't know who was more nervous. It was one of the longest ten minutes I have ever had.