the others' faces are impassive. As the dealer goes around the table and the others place their bets I glance again at Lilly. She's fidgeting, nervously shifting her weight from one foot to the other. I think she's totally oblivious to me but suddenly she turns in my direction, locking eyes with me. Catching me staring, she looks quickly away.
I return my attention to the game. A king of clubs is on the table. A five of clubs is added. I consider folding. But then I get a lucky break; a four of hearts. Still, a pair of fours is no match for the four-of-a-kind that Deanna has managed to come up with. I grit my teeth in annoyance.
“Boy, ya don’t like losing, huh?” Deanna grins as she scoops up the pot. “Maybe you’d do better if you could keep your eyes off my sister and concentrate on the game.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t get too cocky,” I respond. But I can’t help flicking my eyes in Lilly’s direction. Her cheeks have gone pink at Deanna’s words.
“Pride comes before the fall,” Maurice mutters to himself, his words barely audible. His eyes meet mine. Maurice is no first-timer. He knows what I’m up to, letting Deanna take hand after hand like this. I’ve noticed he’s been folding more frequently than he normally would. Clearly, he’s just watching the show go down.
My cards aren’t looking much better on the next hand. Normally I’d fold but again, I decide to stay in the game and feed Deanna’s confidence.
This time I'm dealt a two of diamonds and a queen of clubs to start. A two of clubs and a two of spades ensure that I'll at least be able to claim three-of-a-kind. Finally, a six of hearts rounds out the flop. Useless.
“Close but still not good enough,” Deanna coos. She likewise landed three-of-a-kind, but her cards were sevens. A higher rank.
Although Deanna is doing well, Lilly appears to be getting more and more nervous. After first peppering Tessa with questions, she eventually falls silent. She pulls anxiously on her low-slung ponytail and whenever her eyes meet mine, they are filled with fear. But there’s also a spark of awe.
Before long, Deanna is sitting on $650,000. She’s enjoying her ride sitting at the big boys’ table. I push thoughts of Lilly to the side and focus on my newly dealt hand. Finally. Something I can work with.
Deanna has done well but like any non-professional poker player, she has tells, signs that show she’s bluffing. I’ve seen her gently scratch her wrist, right above the small rose tattoo, twice. Both times she’s been bluffing. It’s a nervous tick. Something she can’t control and probably doesn’t notice herself. But I’ve picked it up. I have no doubt Maurice and Mr. Hayashi have noticed as well. Jeremy’s too dumb and careless to bother looking for other people’s tells. He’s just in this for the lifestyle, not the art of the game.
“This is too rich for my blood,” Maurice remarks delicately. He folds.
Jeremy likewise is out of the game. He must have an awful hand or he’d never forego the chance to get in on this action.
Mr. Hayashi, impassive as ever, folds without comment.
I call the pot and level my gaze on Deanna. It’s just the two of us. She’s got a smile on her face but her eyes are red and bleary. She’s had two more rum and cokes since sitting down. And then she makes her fateful move, declaring “All in.”
“Deanna!” Lilly lets the word escape, louder than anything else she’s said all night, and then turns bright pink. She’s been inching closer and closer to the table as she’s become more entranced by the action. Shaking off her embarrassment, she gives me a defiant look before touching Deanna’s shoulder gently. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“Trust me, Lilly.” Deanna shrugs her sister’s hand off of her shoulder. “It’s not like this is my first time,” she adds, giving Lilly a pointed look. “How do you think I got the money to fly you out here?”
Chastised, Lilly steps back into the shadows, her eyes fixed on mine, pleading. As if I could do anything to help her sister now. As if any of us could. She's not just a railbird, a spectator watching the action for entertainment. She cares about the outcome because she cares about her sister. That much is clear.
Deanna looks at me. Although she and Lilly are nearly identical, their eyes are distinct. Deanna’s have