"Hello?" Pt. 2

December 4th 2016

"We're going to Connie's house next weekend."

"Alright."

"To have a walk through."

"Ok."

"Of our wedding."

"Well, yes, I gathered that."

"Are you actually listening to me?"

"Yes, Sophie, I am."

"..."

"..."

"Something is going on. What's going on?"

"Nothing, Sophie."

"You're calling me 'Sophie' and not 'Soph.' That alone is enough to confirm that something is wrong."

"I'm losing."

"Losing? The plot?"

"Worse. At poker."

"Are you for real?"

"What?"

"You've got an attitude because you're losing at poker?"

"I'm losing to a pre-teen, Sophie. An eleven-year-old."

"Who are you playing against?"

"Finn. Evie's eldest."

"..."

"To be fair, Ewan isn't too far behind, either. They're right little hustlers. Evie's children, most definitely. No doubt about it."

"Is it wise to gamble with impressionable children?"

"Trust me, these buggers know what they're doing. Anyway, we're playing for Tootie Frooties, not cash."

"..."

"I'm down to my last few green ones."

"And what's the value of the green ones?"

"The equivalent of five pence."

"I have no words for this. Did you know that they were better than you when you started playing?"

"Yes."

"Then why did you agree to play against them?"

"Remember last night when we discussed maybe one of them giving a reading at the wedding?"

"Yeah?"

"Neither were particularly thrilled with the idea so they decided they were going to play each other for it. Rock-Paper-Scissors was a bust so Finn- the evil genius that he is- came up with the idea of playing poker. If Finn wins, Ewan has to do the reading. If Ewan wins, Finn does the reading. If I lose, neither does a reading."

"Well... Evie doesn't half know how to raise brainy boys."

"Tell me about it."

"So basically, you have to not come last, right?"

"In a nutshell, yes."

"It doesn't matter if neither of the boys gives a reading, you know."

"It didn't yesterday but it does today. One of these little twats has to do one."

"I don't think calling them 'twats' is very helpful."

"Helpful, no. Accurate, yes."

"Daniel-"

"Trust me, I plan on winning. Even if I have to go all-in and bet my last three green Tootie Frooties on it."

"Haha. Good luck with that."

"Thanks. By the way, who else is coming to Connie's with us next week?"

"Charlotte."

"Just Charlotte?"

"From my side, yeah. Do you want to bring anyone?"

"I'll maybe bring Samuel. Or Fletch."

"That'll be... fun."

"Indeed, it would be. Right, Soph, I have to go. I've got a good hand going on here and I can't afford to lose. One of these twerps has to do a reading."

"Haha, ok. Good luck, Daniel. May the odd be ever in your favour."

"No idea what that means, but thanks?"

"You're welcome. I love you."

"I love you, too."