"I must say, Andrew. We wouldn't have gotten the title of 'Best Bazaar in Town' without your help. I just gotta thank ya." Mayor Felix began, one gentleman's poker night. The card game had just started, as Stuart had just arrived to the farm not five minutes ago. I held up my hand in protest.
"Mayor, please. You shouldn't thank me for doing my job. If anything, you should thank Enrique, who sold me my chickens and cows, and thank ol' Isaac here for fixin' up the windmill for me." I glanced over at Isaac, who sat where he always sat, between Stuart and Raul. "Raul sells me seeds, and my buddy Lloyd here gave me permission to fish on his property. Joan taught me the recipies I know so far, and you yourself were the one who brought me to Zephyr Town."
They all looked around as I mentioned everyone's names. "So, if you were to thank anyone for my sucess, thank those who help me do my job. Don't thank me personally."
The Mayor let out a hearty laugh. Everyone else broke out into short bursts of laughter as well. Around me from my left to my right, in a circle, sat Raul, Isaac, Stuart, Mayor Felix, Wilbur, and Lloyd. We'd been trying, for many weeks now, to get Claude in on poker nights, but he said he was too busy.
I dealt the first three cards. Queen of hearts, nine of clubs, two of diamonds. I looked down at my hand. I had a queen of spades and a four of hearts. So far, it was looking good.
"I suppose you're right, Andy. A group effort for sure. Though, you serve a major part." Lloyd said.
"Let's just get on with poker night, eh boys?" Wilbur said. Solemn nods of agreement and a few mhmmms from Stuart and Raul were all that was needed. Isaac's turn to start.
"I'm in." he said.
"I fold..." Stuart tossed his cards toward the center of the table, face down.
"Better believe it." Mayor Felix folded.
"Ugh, I'll stay another card." Wilbur said.
"I'm in." Lloyd said.
I looked at my cards one last time. "I'm in." I said.
"Fold." Raul said, and he tossed his cards aside.
I discarded, or burned, the next card, and placed the following card down. A six of spades. Wilbur's turn.
I saw him stare at his cards, and scratch his head. He let out a long sigh. "No chance of gettin a flush now. I fold." He tossed his cards aside.
"I'm staying." Lloyd said.
"Same." I said.
Isaac also stayed, though he only tapped on the table. Last card, it was Lloyd, Isaac and myself now competeing for a pot of 80G.
I burned the next card, and played the last card. A six of hearts. I had two pair now. I called.
I had a pair of queens, and a pair of sixes.
Lloyd had a pair of nines and a pair of sixes.
Isaac chuckled to himself as he revealed the other two sixes in his hand.
I started laughing, and reached across the table to give the man a high five. He had the best poker face I knew.
After a few more hands, Daisy knocked on the door. She was returning home from work, which meant it was around 9pm. I was getting cleaned out tonight. Out of the 100G each of us brought, I was down to a mere 45G. Raul was currently winning, at 175G, Isaac in second with 135G, and Wilbur in third with 105G. Lloyd and Major Felix were tied at 75G a piece, and Stuart had 65G.
"Come on in Daisy." I yelled at the door. She entered, removed her bonette, set down her duster, and came behind me and put her arms around my neck. She kissed my cheek. "How was work?"
She sighed. "Tiring. I'm just glad to come home to see all the boys having fun after the Bazaar."
She greeted everyone around the table from her position behind me, and they all tipped their hats in a kind 'hello.' She asked if anyone needed anything before she retired to the bedroom. A bottle of Strawberry Fizz was fetched, along with seven fizz glasses. She curtsied before heading down the hallway.
"Goodnight, boys. By the way, Andy has two aces. If you haven't already, fold." I turned and looked at her, and she was simply beaming. She left just then.
I turned back to the table. Raul and Lloyd had already folded. Everyone else, in unison it seemed, uttered the dreadful word.
"Fold..." The first three cards hadn't even been placed yet. Wich meant the pot was only 5G a piece for 45G. I put my head in my hand. I showed them that I indeed did have two aces. I exhaled deeply, trumming my fingers along the table's edge.
I could hear Daisy laughing from the bedroom.
It was 11pm before Lloyd finally lost all his money. I sat in a happy 5th place, with tonight's big winner being Isaac, followed by Wilbur, Raul, Felix, myself, then Stuart.
Two bottles of Strawberry Fizz had been drank, and a third had been started. When all the money was pocketed, and I gave the remaining bottle of Fizz to Isaac, everyone departed, and I went off down the hallway towards the bedroom.
Would tonight be the night that we slept together, for the first time? I felt nervous. My stomach began to rumble. I decided against it. Daisy understood. I got extremely nervous at thoughts of sharing my bed with another. I was about to place my hand on the door, when I did an about-face, and instead fell asleep on the couch. Tomorrow, tomorrow night I'd do it.