Crapshoot Ch. 02

“Uh, it doesn’t have to be Bruno.”

“Well, he is the best and he doesn’t take appointments any earlier in the afternoon.”

“I see. Well…”

“Then we will see you at three.” Mmmmmmmmmmm.

“Sandy? Sandy? Oh, damn it!” she exclaimed as she realized that Sandy had hung up. “Oh, well, he does give a fabulous massage,” she said sardonically at the receiver she held in her hand.

She felt better the moment she stepped into the swirling bath.

*****

John was feeling more and more confident. He had won back a good portion of what he lost the night before. The shooter was hot and John was excited.

“Nine is the point,” sang out the dealer.

“John?”

John turned to see his lovely wife smiling at him. She looked different. It wasn’t the dress, he’d seen that low cut blue dress many times before. It was one of his favorites. “What did you do to your hair?”

“You like it?”

“Seven!” called the dealer.

John turned back to the table in stunned disbelief. He turned back to Judy. Angrily he said, “Do me a favor. Go someplace else. Anyplace but here.”

Judy was taken aback by his hostility. “I thought a seven was good?”

“Not when point is nine,” he said with clenched teeth.

“Sorry! I just wanted to tell you that…”

“Go! Please go!”

Seething, Judy swung around and headed for the slots. She had few bucks too, and she wanted to try her luck, just to spite him.

It wasn’t her fault that she never won at any kind of game. As a bridge partner, she was a disaster. It wasn’t that she didn’t know how to play, or how to bid, she just got more than her share of lousy hands. John was always trying to switch her off for another partner, but everyone in their circle of friends knew she was the kiss of death. It had become quite a joke. At the horse track, if she picked the favorite to win, the nag barely made across the finish line. John had even tried to work out a system for picking losers, but whenever he put it into practice, he lost. Therefore, whenever they visited a casino, John had forbidden her to place a bet of any kind. He also didn’t want her around him when he played.

She put a quarter in a slot and pulled the handle. Out popped a deluge of quarters.

“Say, that’s pretty good.”

She turned to see Nick smiling at her.

“Nice dress; shows just the right amount of…”

“Nick! Be good!”

“Can’t help it. You’re a delight to the eyes.” Judy’s face flushed red. Changing the subject he asked, “Do you like to play the slots?”

“John won’t let me. Says I’m bad luck.”

“You just won.”

She beamed in triumph. “Yes, I did.”

“Indeed! Have you had lunch yet? I know it’s late, but I need to eat.”

“Are you asking me to join you?”

Nick smiled, wrapped his arm around her slender waist and headed for the restaurant. Nick flirted with her all through lunch and she shamelessly flirted back. As the waiter cleared the table, she wondered what she would really do if he asked up to his suite again. She idly wondered what kind of a lover he was. But he didn’t ask, he simply excused himself to take care of business.

It was a half hour or so before her spa appointment so Judy went back to the slots and promptly lost every dime she had with her. Peeved at herself for proving John right, she went defeated to her appointment.