I dramatically whimpered. Out loud. Then stomped my feet on the ground like a toddler.
“Everything all, sweetheart?” The cute older lady, Judy, driving me asked.
I sighed. “Yeah, just my brother. Mind if I change our destination?”
“Sure. Don’t bother me none. Although you look like you should just go home and get some rest.”
With a smirk, I nodded my agreement. “If only, Judy. If only.” I gave her his address, which was going to cost me more to get there, then settled back in.
Me: On my way. You’re lucky I was still in the Uber.
Randy: Thanks, sis. You’re the best.
I was the best, huh? Guess I knew what he needed then. I just gave him 5,000 a few days ago though. He never needed money so soon like this. Maybe this was about something else. Had to be.
It took nearly an hour to get there when it would have only taken me half that to get to my place. When I got to his floor, I used my key to let myself in. I was met with nothing but darkness.
Weird.
I flipped the light next to the door as I called for him. “Randy?”
When he didn’t respond by the time I hung my purse on the coat hangers nearby and slid out of my shoes, I went on a search for him.
“Randy?” I called again, entering his living room. I reached for the lamp behind the couch and flipped it on.
“Hey, sis.”
I screeched, not having seen him lying on the couch. I cursed when I got a look at his face.
“Yeah, I know. It looks bad. I’d like to say it looks worse than it is, but to be honest, it’s just the opposite. Since you can only see my face.” That was true, the rest of him was in sweats.
“What the hell happened?” I screamed as I walked toward his very small kitchen and opened the fridge. I grabbed a couple beers. I had a feeling I was going to need something stronger than the wine I had at home.
“What do you think?” He groaned as he pushed into a sitting position, accepting the bottle I set in front of him, the top already off.
I sighed and sank onto the coffee table in front of him. “I gave you the money though.”
He nodded and looked like he was about to cry. All this time, all these debts, and not once had he cried.
“It wasn’t really the amount I owed. But there was a high-stakes game, and I knew all the players there. The winnings would have been just enough to pay off my debt. Dillan wasn’t going to let me at first, but then he agreed to let me try.” Randy gulped. “The 5,000 was the entry fee.”
“I take it you didn’t win, and they taught you a lesson.” And here I thought I couldn’t get any more tired than I already was.
“Yes and no. I’m sure that was part of it. I came really close to winning. The last two of us were nearly tied in chips. But Dillan had given me a 2-hour limit. I was running out of time. I had a royal full house. I thought I was in the clear. I swear.”
He always did.
“You went all in?”
“How in the hell was I supposed to know she would get a royal flush? Do you know how rare those are?”
I rubbed my forehead with another sigh. I just wanted to sleep. Eat and sleep. And forget. “Then what happened?” Get to the point. Get to where you ask me for the leftovers.
