POKER FACE
Prompt - Poker Face : Write about playing a card game
Al could, daren't look at her. Had to suppress the image from his mind. He knew how tense, pursed, scared she must be, knew she wouldn't take her eyes off him. But he couldn't spare a glance. These were the moments that would decide his life. And hers.
His concentration focussed on the dealer, awaiting the sliding actions that would signal the beginning of the end. A card to Shapiro, a card to Chang, a card to him. None picked up, all waited. Another. Another. Another. Al watched the others, trying to pick up on reactions. But Shapiro only stared back at him, Chang looked on his pair impassively. He picked up his cards, making himself laugh as he did. A nine. A five. Already at risk.
The dealer looked at Shapiro, who nodded. Another card slid over, a three. The hood looked at his card, looked at the other players, one sour glare at a time, looked back at the dealer, nodded. A Jack appeared. Three others were thrown atop it, accompanied by an angry growl. Only two left in.
Chang nodded, got a six. Looked back at the deal, slight shake of the head. He was done, he was in, and he had given nothing away. Al's turn. What to make of that six? Must make Chang there or almost there. Or was this the big bluff? But he knew fourteen wasn't a winner. Ever. He had no choice. The slight nod, the hand on the pack, the slide, the flip. Another six. He was in. Chang was in. Al felt his whole existence pivot on the turn of those three cards. He couldn't look Chang in the face, could look at nothing but the two cards lying face down. The Chinese man turned one over. A ten. Sixteen lying there, life down to five alternatives. Al had stopped breathing. The last card turned over. Three. His breathing returned in a rush, his heart went in to bass drum mode, he felt the colour in his face deepen. He turned over his nine. Still couldn't look up. The five joined it. He heard, felt, the mush of shouty whispers rise around the room.
He could look at her now. He had won his wife back.
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