Dissolving

Chapter 20 - Poker Face

I am on a winning streak.

Which is rather unheard of, since I am not known to be a very skilled card player, nor am I generally lucky when playing any other games with friends or family. I have gotten used to the fact that the chances of me winning such games are pretty much zero. There is always someone in the group who has better strategies or more luck – or who is just better at cheating. Which I know is something my brothers have no reservations doing.

Out of all my siblings, Noah is the one who needs to be watched most closely when we play a game. He may look really innocent and come across as somebody who couldn't hurt a fly, but he is deceitful when it comes to doing anything to win a game. That is when he literally throws all his morals over board. Part of it must be that competitive gene that is prevalent in all members of this family, me included. But the other part is that he is simply such a sore loser that he does anything to avoid that humiliation.

Everybody knows that this is Noah's vice and we never let him hear the end of it. But for some odd reason, my youngest brother is hardly bothered by our regular – and very loud – complaints. Sometimes, when he goes too far, we get to the point where we discuss either quitting the game or excluding him from participating. But most of the time, we just ignore his antics and get on with it, because it is always highly entertaining. Or it is for me, because I usually don't have any chance of winning, anyway, so I don't have much to lose, either. And it is quite fun to see Aidan get angry when Noah exaggerates it with his cheating ways.

Tonight, the tables are strangely turned and Noah is slowly going crazy. He keeps accusing me of cheating – what a hypocrite! – and he claims that I am not playing right and that I don't understand the rules. Which is completely idiotic, because I wouldn't even know how to cheat playing poker. I am definitely not sneaky enough for that. I am simply having a lucky streak.

Also, I have been playing this game for as long as I can remember, so I know the rules inside out. My brothers taught me how to play when I was barely in school and over the years, I have steadily improved. Alex wasn't very happy in the beginning, when he found out that Luke, and partially also Sam, taught us younger kids how to play poker and black jack from a young age, but he eventually had to accept it. These are family favorites, after all, and the majority of our brothers believe firmly that it is like a of a rite of passage to becoming fully-fledged family members.

"All in," I announce, not for the first time this evening.

A collective groan can be heard from my fellow players, which are Alex, Jordan and the twins. Noah lets out a string of not so nice language, earning himself an instant scolding from our oldest brother.

"Lily," Jordan meanwhile tries to rationalize with me.

The look he gives me is a combination of exasperation and amusement. Part of him finds it kind of funny that I keep doing what must look like very random moves and taking on stupid risks, and part of him is getting a bit exhausted by mainly Noah's constant complaints that go along with my reckless card playing.

"What?" I ask innocently.

"Is that really a good idea?" Alex thinks he has to get involved now, too.

I shrug and nod.

"Yeah," I confirm. "Stop questioning me. I know what I am doing."

I confidently point at the ever-growing stack of M&Ms in front of me and then confidently shove the whole pile of deliciousness into the middle of the table. Maybe this is the reason for my winning streak tonight: the fact that we are playing for chocolates. The thought of an endless supply totally motivates me.