Alexis rolled the two dice, frowning as she tried to add them up silently.
"It's seven", David said confidently. He was eight, and didn't need to count with his fingers.
"Stop it David, I'm not a baby!" she said heatedly, glaring at her brother.
"Shhhh, David, let her do it", Adelina shushed gently. "She's a big girl and can count all the way up to ten by herself now".
"Seven", Alexis said finally, and Adelina smiled at her.
"Well done sweetheart".
She moved her little yellow piece seven spaces, grinning at David as she slid up a ladder.
"She always wins", David grumbled, rolling the dice.
He'd never tell her, but sometimes he let her win.
"David", Alexis said brightly, slamming the door of their motel room and making him jump. "Stevie and I found some board games!"
"And?"
"Just like we used to play with Adelina". She held up a battered Snakes and Ladders board, grinning.
He set his book down, rolling over. "What else did Stevie have?"
"Uno". She shrugged. "Monopoly".
The two of them shared a smile.
"Are all the pieces there?" he said finally, moving towards their tiny table.
She shrugged again, tipping the contents onto the table.
There were only two game pieces, but both dice were there. Alexis glanced at her brother, who nodded in silent agreement.
"You go first", he said, just like he'd done when they were little. Adelina had always told him that Alexis should go first as she was the youngest.
She rolled the dice.
"Its seven", David said quickly.
"I'm not a baby, David". But there was no malice in her voice as she moved her little yellow game piece.
David bit back a smirk, as he picked up the dice.
He had never thought he'd be in that position again, playing Snakes and Ladders with his little sister. She had the yellow piece, he had the blue. But he was definitely not going to let her win.