Chapter 37
Good Ol' Hockey Game
Khandi glared at White, then looked to the one-way window before losing her temper. He stalked her, killed one of her friends and other people, and then stalked her family. He pushed just a little to far. She went across the table and grabbed White by the collar, and pulled him almost all the way across the table, "Watch your fucking mouth! Now where the hell did you hide the fucking gun?"
"What gun, sweetheart?" White smiled.
Khandi was about to knock his head into the table but threw him back in the chair, "You know what goddamn gun I am talking about!"
White leaned into the chair, "I'm not telling anymore." He smirked.
She looked over at the uniformed officer, "Get this bastard out of my sight."
The officer walked over to White and as he was handcuffing him, White spoke to Khandi, "I hope you don't have any more nightmares, about what happed on your engagement night."
Khandi glared at him tell he was out of the interrogation room. She leaned against the table and ran her hand through her hair. She wanted to drag that guy out into the street and shoot him point blank range. But she knew it would be no use. She wouldn't be aloud to.
Cosmo told Jim that he was going to deal with White and give him time to talk to Khandi about the interrogation.
Jim opened the door to the interrogation room slowly, "Honey?" he asked as he walked up to her.
Khandi looked up at Jim frowning, "Jimmy, I couldn't break him. I couldn't get him to cop to the gun. He…"
Jim pulled her into a hug, "It's all right, honey."
Khandi rested her head against his chest, "Jimmy…" she whispered as tears came to her eyes. White hit to many nerves for the both of them. The last nerve he hit was asking Jim about the kids.
/Good Ol' Hockey Game/
The Cavalry made it home safe and sound, "Daddy!" Little Jimmy said slowly making his way down the stairs. Jim picked him up and held him against his side.
"Hey little guy." Jim smiled.
Stacey handed over a crying Sammy, to Khandi. She took Sammy into her arms, "Shh, baby. Mama's here."
The little guy looked at Khandi and stopped crying. Stacey and Cosmo kissed as he walked in the door. Sam was the last one to walk in. Jim and Khandi already made it upstairs to the living room when Stacey followed, "Okay maybe I should do your work, sis. Then you can do mine."
"Uh, no." Khandi said looking up from Little Jimmy, Jim and Sammy.
Stacey took Sammy and put him down for a nap, and put Little Jimmy in his room to play, and then sat down on the arm of the couch, "Ah, that classic gotta know where you stand in life."
Jim looked at Stacey, "We both know where we stand in life."
"I sure do," Cosmo said walking in, "I'm crazy and it ain't getting any better."
"That's for sure." Sam said making his way over to one of the recliners, and sat down.
Cosmo did the same then looked at Khandi, this is where everything was going to become hard for all of them, but more for Jim and Khandi. Cosmo decided just to come out and ask her, "Okay, do you two want to tell us if what that jackass said about the rape is true?"
Khandi looked at him, her eyes were blank; "It is."
Sam leaned forward, frowning, "How did it happen?"
Khandi looked at Jim then at Cosmo and Sam, "Before Jimmy and I found out I was pregnant with Jimmy, it happened. Same night he proposed to me."
"Shit." Cosmo commented. Stacey not to gently smacked him on the shoulder.
"Well, anyways," Jim started, "we went to celebrate. At the Bellagio's where I ran into my ex-wife…"
"Double shit." Cosmo commented again, which got him another smack from Stacey.
"Let them finish would ya?" Stacey stated.
"… And a dirty son of a bitch cop I put away." Jim finished.
"So that's why you're barred from there." Sam commented.
"Exactly." Khandi replied, "Right after we were kicked out, Jimmy and me got a call to a crime scene… later it brought you two here. But I went alone down an alley where I was kidnapped," Khandi replied with tears forming in her eyes, "Then he raped, and beat me…. At one point…" she choked back the tears, "I thought he was going to kill me. By this point I knew it was O'Toole… the guy Jimmy put behind bars. The dirty cop." She spoke, leaning into Jim's comforting and protecting hold, "But it's all over. He's dead."
"Dead?" Cosmo asked.
"Yes Cosmo dead," Khandi stated.
"You know when someone stops breathing they're dead." Jim answered.
The room went into silence. Everyone was quiet; Cosmo and Sam were still soaking in the information. Cosmo couldn't believe it, that his best friend and sister-in-law was raped, she never really showed it. And even after the fact that she was, she was still strong. She was one of the strongest women he had ever known. Sam on the other hand couldn't believe it either. He had noticed a few things, but that was irrelevant. Khandi was like a little sister to him, and yet this had happened. Finding out that this had happened to her, made it hard to believe that she was still out there, kicking asses and taking names.
Stacey who finally had enough of the silence broke it with an idea, "Hey guys, I have an idea."
"Uh-oh." Cosmo joked.
"No seriously. You guys really need to relax. So why don't we all go to the skating rink?" Stacey asked.
Sam raised his eyebrows, "Skating? You mean on ice?"
"No shit." Jim answered.
/Good Ol' Hockey Game/
Khandi was first on the ice, with Little Jimmy who was holding her hand. She couldn't believe how much Jim had taught him to skate, "Mama, let go." Little Jimmy stated.
"All right now, but be careful." Khandi said as Cosmo came out on to the ice, and Stacey who went to the team bench with Sammy.
"Mama…" Little Jimmy said moving slowly down the ice. Khandi who was wearing men's skates skated over to Little Jimmy, right behind him. She gently took both of his hands and parted her legs, swinging him back and forth, getting a fit of laughter from him.
"Hey look at that!" Cosmo said skating over to the goal at the north end setting down four hockey sticks and a puck, "The little guy is skating."
"Awesome for his age." Khandi laughed letting go of Little Jimmy's hands.
"I go sit down." Little Jimmy stated in his best English making his way over to the team bench where Stacey was.
"Be careful sweetheart." Khandi said to Little Jimmy and skated over to Cosmo hockey stopping right in front of him, "Where's Jimmy?"
"Trying to convince Sam to come out and play." Cosmo answered.
Khandi raised an eyebrow, "What is he, grounded?"
"He got in trouble for kicking a guy's ass yesterday."
"Oh… what for?"
"For hitting on his girlfriend."
"Two black eyes?"
"And a broken nose."
"Was he suspended?"
"Principle expelled him."
Jim came out on to the ice, "Guys I think we have some training on our hands."
"Yeah who?" Cosmo asked.
Jim turned around and introduced what was Sam, "Sam."
Sam came out and grabbed on to the walls to get his balance. Khandi started to laugh so hard she fell onto her ass on the ice. Sam was wearing every type of pad imaginable, plus a helmet. Khandi finally caught her breath, "Need any more pads, Sam?"
"Maybe we should have wrapped him in bubble paper." Jim commented.
"How about we put him in a bubble?" Cosmo laughed.
"Very funny," Sam said as he started to do the splits, "How about a little help here?"
The three of them skated over to him, laughing. They helped him up, "Okay push off with one foot at a time." Khandi said grabbing Sam's hand, Cosmo grabbed the other, and Jim pushed him.
"You guys just had to get me out here." Sam stated.
"Yeah, we love a living joke." Cosmo stated.
Jim laughed, "There your getting the hang of it." He said passing them and started to skate backwards in front of them.
"Okay don't do that!" Sam said, wobbling down the ice.
"It's not that hard." Khandi smiled, "To skate better you don't need roller blade pads."
"Yeah you would be a lot better with out roller blade pads." Jim smiled.
"Okay it's not fair." Sam replied, "You both look like you've been trained!"
"I have." Khandi laughed, "I was in women's hockey leagues since I could remember to high school."
"So have I." Jim added.
Cosmo laughed, "I just know, how to skate."
Little Jimmy came out laughing, "C'mon, Unca Sam. I show you."
"Oh great, I'm getting taught by the little guy who can skate better then me." Sam mumbled. Stacey turned on the CD player in the arena since there were only them there. And the song by Prism – Armageddon, came on. Sam looked at the rest of the Cavalry, "Prefect song guys."
"We could always have: Another One Bites The Dust. Put on for you." Jim commented.
"Or: Nervous Norvous – Trafusion." Cosmo laughed.
Khandi laughed along, "Oh yeah that's totally you Sammy."
After an hour, and the umpteenth time of Sam falling and bringing down either one or all three of them down they finally got him to skate. Jim looked at Sam making his way back; he wasn't doing half bad, "Finally! We must be miracle workers. You can skate."
"Can we play a game now?" Khandi asked leaning up against the north goal net.
"Okay," Cosmo said, "I'll take Wayne Gretzky over here," he said referring to Sam. Cosmo grabbed a hockey stick and the puck. He took off down the ice towards the south goal net – Jim and Khandi's net. Which they took off after him, after they grabbed two hockey sticks. Sam who was still making his way down the ice got passed by Cosmo, and then followed by Khandi and Jim. He spun around like in a cartoon going down on the ice.
"Cosmo don't you fucking dare," Khandi said as she followed him behind the net, and bashed him into the wall taking the puck and passing it half way to the blue line to Jim.
Sam finally got up in addition to was making his way to the north net to get a hockey stick when Jim passed him followed by Khandi and Cosmo, which spun him around again like a cartoon on to the ice, "Wait just a fucking minute!" Sam screamed from the ice.
Jim made a goal and stopped. So did Khandi and Cosmo, "What?" Cosmo asked innocently.
"Can I at least get a hockey stick thingy first?" Sam asked, trying to get up but fell back down again.
Jim grabbed the last hockey stick from on top of the north net, "You mean this hockey stick thingy?" Jim asked.
Cosmo rubbed his shoulder, "Where the fuck did you learn to chuck like that?"
"Twelve years of being in hockey leagues can do that to you." Khandi laughed as Jim skated over to Sam to help him up, and to teach him how to hold the hockey stick.
"Like this." Jim coached.
Sam looked at him, "I know how to hold a damn hockey stick."
"Are you sure?" Cosmo asked.
Sam looked at Cosmo, "Come here."
"Uh I wouldn't if I were you." Khandi advised Cosmo.
"Honey, if you value your life I wouldn't go no where near him." Stacey said coming back to the team box, holding Sammy and Little Jimmy was behind her.
"Okay, can we play now?" Khandi asked again.
"How bout we teach Gretzky the rules first?" Jim asked.
Cosmo raised an eyebrow, "Fuck the rules and lets just play!"
"I'm really starting to like you." Khandi smiled.
"Starting?" Cosmo asked, "Just starting?"
"Um, guys…" Sam interrupted, "How do you play?"
Jim looked at him, "You take the puck to the other end of the ice, your opponents, and try to score in the little box."
"You do know what a puck is right?" Khandi laughed.
Sam glared at them, "I can't believe I got talked into this."
"Okay, like Cos said. Fuck the rules and let's just play." Khandi smiled.
Jim looked Sam, "Try to skate like us."
"Try? I hope that's the key word." Sam said.
Khandi got Sam to the center of the ice. The game was just starting. Stacey came out onto the ice to drop the puck. But before she dropped the puck she looked at Sam, "This is what your supposed to hit with the hockey stick. With the fat end of the hockey stick."
"Just drop the fucking puck." Sam growled.
Stacey dropped the puck and Khandi let Sam take the puck. Sam took the puck down the ice fast. Khandi caught up to him and chucked him into the boards, and took the puck and headed down the ice. Cosmo tried to take the puck but missed and fell on the ice.
"Cosmo you can keep wishing." Khandi said as Sam caught up to her chucking her into the boards, "What the fuck?"
"Where'd he come from?" Jim asked skating after Sam and finally stole the puck from Sam.
"Damn you Jim!" Sam cursed chasing after him.
"Honey!" Jim said as he passed the puck to Khandi who was about to score when Cosmo knocked her down to the ice and headed off south bound to that net.
"Cosmo you're going to pay for that!" Khandi screamed getting up chasing after him.
Khandi was about to chuck Cosmo to the ground when Sam did, "Sorry about that."
"Sorry about that my ass Sam." Khandi cursed, and watched Jim chuck Cosmo into the boards and stole the puck from him.
Sam chased after Jim and was about to chuck him into the boards but missed chucking himself into the boards, "Okay," Jim said scoring, "You know how to skate, your as good as us."
"So I lied. Sue me." Sam, said taking the puck and skating down the ice.
Khandi met him half way but went to chuck him to take the puck but missed landing on her back, she stuck out her hockey stick tripping Sam, "No rules, no penalties!" Khandi said getting up to take the puck but Cosmo already did.
"Muahahaha!" Cosmo laughed evilly as he scored, "Pros my ass!"
"Cos," Jim warned, "I don't need help to kick your sorry ass."
"Now, now, kids!" Stacey piped up, "Kick ass nicely!"
"Daddy and Mama, good hockey pwayers." Little Jimmy yelled in his best English.
Jim grabbed the puck from the net and passed it to Khandi to took off like a bolt of lighting down the other net but was chucked by Cosmo to took the puck. By this time, the whole Cavalry was at the south end of the arena. Khandi chucked Cosmo, Sam chucked, Khandi, Jim chucked Sam. They all went down. Khandi rubbed her head, "Ow."
Little Jimmy stood up on the bench, by this time Stacey had taken off his skates and put on his runner, "Go! Daddy! Mama!" he cheered.
Sam pushed Cosmo off himself, "Get the hell off of me."
Jim, who helped Khandi up, picked up his hockey stick and took off with the puck. Cosmo seen this and screamed, "Cheater! Get back here!" He said getting up.
Khandi pushed him back on top of Sam, "It's only cheating if you're caught."
"I see you!" Stacey yelled, laughing.
Jim scored on the net, "Hey Cos! I didn't know you swung both ways!"
"I don't!" Cosmo yelled getting up followed by Sam, "Blame it on your wife!"
"Me? I didn't do anything!" Khandi said pushing him back down onto the ice.
"Hey look who's getting pushed around by a short stop." Sam laughed.
Khandi looked at him, "Short? Who you calling short totem poll?" she said pushing him; he landed on his ass, next to Cosmo who was trying to get up.
Jim was killing him self laughing at the other end, "Sam you are the tallest one."
"Go Mama!" Little Jimmy cheered.
Cosmo stood up finally, "Okay I surrender."
"All right France, we'll leave you alone. You ain't got no Napoleon anymore." Khandi laughed skating over to the half line.
Cosmo raised an eyebrow, "Who the fuck is Napo dude?"
"Look who skipped school a lot," Jim laughed.
"Yeah! Me!" Cosmo laughed.
Sam stood up, "It shows, dumbass."
"Who you calling a dumbass?" Cosmo asked.
Jim laughed, "He's been hit on the head too many times."
Little Jimmy looked at Jim, "Daddy, I tired."
"Okay, time to get the Bickersons home." Khandi said skating over to the door.
"I was calling you a dumbass." Sam said right behind Jim as they all headed for the door.
"Me? I saved your ass more the a public toilet has seen ass." Cosmo defended himself.
"Oooooooooooo," Khandi said then laughed, "Fight, fight, fight… wait, not in front of the kids."
"Which kids?" Jim asked, "The big kids or the little guys?"
/Good Ol' Hockey Game/
"You ever pull that stick out of your ass?" Cosmo asked Sam as they came into the house. Jim was carrying a sound a sleep Little Jimmy, and Khandi was carrying a sound a sleep Sammy. Stacey and Cosmo were stuck with all the hockey gear.
"Just when I think you said the most stupidest thing, you keep on talking," Sam countered.
"Sammy, you couldn't find your ass with both hands and a map!" Cosmo countered.
"What is this pre-school?" Khandi asked.
Stacey dropped the hockey sticks and went in front of Cosmo, "Sam, bedroom! Cosmo, bedroom!"
They both went to the bedrooms; Jim went and put Little Jimmy to bed, but as Jim laid Little Jimmy down in his bed Little Jimmy slightly woke up, "I wove wou, Daddy."
"I love you too." Jim said covering up Little Jimmy.
TBC…