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These thoughts raced through my head as I stared at the grimly determined face of the Suicide King. My brow was furrowed deeply in concentration. Furtively, I quickly assessed my oppponents' reactions.
Hmm. Erica, my dearest friend, was gazing at her cards, her eyebrows raised thoughtfully. Her lower lip was being mangled by her teeth, but she oblivious to the pain. In the depts of her clear green eyes, I noticed an almost imperceptible gleam of cunning.
Uh oh.
Next to Erica was Mr. John S. Glaser, reputed to be the best poker player in the family. I was told that if Glaser was playing, then everyone might as well hand him the chips right then and there. He was going to win them anyway.
Oops.
Adam and Holly were playing as a team, Holly keeping tabs on everyone's accounts on paper. She was arguing quietly but earnestly with Adam. He picked up their replacement cards and immediately the two of them started whispering excitedly.
Great.
I closed my eyes briefly, fighting the rising feeling of defeat. Things could not possibly get any worse, I comforted myself.
"Oh, by the way," Holly suddenly warned me, "you're almost bankrupt." She consulted her notes. "You've got exactly sixty cents left."
I thanked her for a wonderful day.
It was my turn. I had not discarded any cards yet. Stiffly, I evaluated my current situation. I had three of a kind. Not bad, really. But... dare I hope for the fourth card? I sighed disconsolately. Chances were, I was stuck with what I had now.
I slide two cards face down across the floor of the boat.
"Two, please," I said firmly.
Adam flipped the cards over to me. "Okay," he began authoritatively, "now we can start betting."
Erica smiled sweetly. "I'd like to bet fifteen cents."
Holly's smile dripped honey. "You're on."
"I fold," Glaser grunted.
For one brief moment, hope flared in my heart. Maybe, just maybe, I had a chance after all. Looking up at Adam's expectant face, I gave the slightest of nods.
"I'm in," I told him curtly.
Adam frowned faintly, then announced, "We're raising the bet by twenty-five cents. Everyone still in?"
Erica hesistated for the merest fraction of a second before muttering, "Yeah."
I was caught in the grip of panic. Dear God, I thought wildly, what in heaven's name am I doing? The air seemed thick, tangible, and my breath came in short, harsh gasps. I struggled desperately to maintain some sort of composure.
"Hold on a sec," I mumbled to the others. I nibbled agitatedly on my fingernails. My mind was reeling, my stomach not much better off. Sweat oozed from every pore on my hands.
I needed this game. It was as simple as that. I was so poor now that any measly game later would easily break me. Might big pot there, I thought miserably. I looked at my cards. Was it enough?
Impatiently, Erica urged, "C'mon, Cindy! Are you quitting?"
Taking a deep breath, I figured, what the heck? I was in deep now. I might as well go for it, and go for it all the way.
"Hell no," I responded shakily. My voice sounded strangely hoarse as I continued, "I'm raising the pot by twenty cents."
Holly and Adam conferred briefly before declaring they were still in. Erica turned a little pale, but she nodded, signaling that she wasn't about to fold either. Good, I thought, grimly, that makes a bigger pot.
Adam declared, "It's time for the shodown. What'd've you got, Erica?"
Four jacks gazed solemnly from Erica's outstretched hand.
Holly and Adam cheered boisterously. "Four QUEENS!" they yelled in unison.
I slapped my cards onto the pile, face up. An overwhelming feeling of triumph washed over me.
"Four kings."
Shouts of chagrin sounded, and Adam groaned forlornly, "Shafted!"
Who said luck doesn't change? Having swallowed defeat so often, victory never tasted sweeter.