Gambling With Life

126

'today marks the day kalem. it fucking kills me inside. I can't visit your grave and I miss you tremendously. What a man you are' "jaylah are you coming to the bar?" "No" Tyson looked at jaylah as she stood facing a photo of her and kalem. "Bad day huh?" "I just want to be alone right now" "okay. Well the offer is there if you want to join us" "thanks". When Tyson left the room, jaylah played with the bracelet on her wrist 'fuck it's hard without you. You were my savior, my knight in shining armor, my rock, my everything. I don't care what anyone says, it never gets easier. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think of you, your stupid jokes, the ringing in my ears of you calling name when I was in trouble' hearing her door open up, jaylah stayed still. "Hey woman" "Nicole" "bad day?" "Worst day of my life" "what's going on?" Nicole closed the door. When jaylah didn't respond, Nicole looked at jaylah as she had her eyes set on the picture 'oh shit, today marks one year with out kalem' "date of his passing?" "Yeah.." jaylah swallowed the lump in her throat. "That's not all" "what?" "I found out I'm pregnant" Nicole grinned "when?" "This morning" "that's him" "what?" "You find out today. The same day of his passing. He's coming back" jaylah let a small sob out "if only" "hey, that man isn't leaving for good" Nicole wrapped her arms around jaylah "he's always with you" hearing the door, Nicole spoke "OUT" "Nicole what.." "OUT" Zaire looked at the way Nicole held jaylah 'fuck it's a shit day' closing the door again, Zaire walked out. "I just want one more beer. One for him" Nicole nodded "then let's go do that. at the beach. Shit it won't hurt. I drank for two months before I found out about jasmina" "yeah.." Nicole pulled away and jaylah wiped her face "you going to tell marshall?" "Yeah I will but not right now" "let's go" exiting the room, Nicole grabbed Jasmina while jaylah grabbed a six pack of beers. Walking to the beach, Nicole spoke "good day for beers and taking poker money" jaylah grinned "these first" "sounds right to me" both taking a seat on the beach, Nicole held Jasmina and jaylah opened two beers. "Here" "thanks".
"To kalem" "to kalem" Tyson stopping in his tracks as he heard Nicole and jaylah, his eyes changed to shock. 'shit it's the anniversary of kalems death' running up to the bar, Tyson pulled Zaire aside "what's going on?" "Today's the anniversary of kalems death that's.." "what.. oh shit" both running to the bar marshall looked at both curiously. "Two six packs of beer please" "sure" both putting money up as soon as Clarissa put the beers up, the guys thanked her and ran. "how did you hear?" "I was going to see if she is alright and overheard the girls saying cheers to kalem" "fuck" both making it to the beach, they sat down. "Shit" both guys grinned "you know he would be kicking your ass right now" "why is that?" "You came here to drink and take people's money. You aren't playing poker" Nicole internally grinned "I think a thousand in would be a good start. A good hidden message" "what?" "To kalem" jaylah internally grinned "yeah I think so too" "let's drink these and go play" "I have new deck of cards too" "always" "just hand the old ones to marshall" the guys laughed "why him?" "I don't need em. You have plenty and these two have their own" "that's a good point". Drinking the last two beers, jaylah and Nicole stood up. "Need anything from the house?" "Nuh. Meet you at the bar" "sure".
Heading back to the house, jaylah walked to her room and grabbed her old deck of cards. "I want in on this" "I'm thinking I remove all the kings, queens and jokers" "why?" "Ace to ten is ten. So is Im pregnant" Nicole chuckled "so on each suit?" "Yeah I'm think that's the way to do it but I'm shuffling the cards" nicole laughed "he's a man" "he best work it out then" jaylah grabbed two texters and two suits while Nicole took the other two. Removing all kings, queens and jacks, jaylah wrote a letter on each card then put them in a pile. Nicole doing the same they then put them together and jaylah shuffled them. Throwing the other cards in the bin, Nicole grinned "I hope I'm there when he finds out" jaylah chuckled "let's see how long it takes" "yeah well that's true."
Grabbing her new deck, jaylah put them in her pocket "oh fuck. Where.. oh that's right" grabbing her thousand, Nicole walked to her room and grabbed what she needed before they both left the house. "hey" marshall had a concerned look on his face "hey" "are you alright?" "Yeah we are going to play some poker" marshall grinned "you know I'm playing" "hmm well actually I have a new set, I thought maybe you can have my old ones" "memories of you kicking my ass huh?" "Yep" Nicole internally grinned "well let's go play" marshall took the deck and put it in his pocket. Jaylah winked at Nicole before they both walked to the bar. Taking a seat, Nicole grinned "here woman" "hey gorgeous" jasmina showed a massive smile as she looked at jaylah 'cant believe I will be a mommy too'.
"Looks like we are all in" "seems that way" jaylah grabbed out the new deck and removed the jokers then started shuffling. "Here woman" "thanks" having a sip jaylah wanted to laugh 'this bitch got me a coke' "a thousand up right?" "Yes" "a hundred in?" "Im playing too" Bennett moved to sit down. "let's play" jaylah dealt out the cards then discarded one. 'eight and Jack' "check" "check" "check" "check" "check" "check" placing three down face up jaylah internally grinned 'two jacks and an eight' chucking a hundred in everyone else did aswell. Discarding a card, jaylah put another down 'another jack. Fuck yes' "check" "check" "check" "check" "check" "check" discarding one more, jaylah placed the last card down. "check" "check" "yeah check" "check" "check" "check" "face up" all placing their cards down Zaire grinned "fitting if you ask me" "fitting?" Jaylah, Tyson, Nicole and Zaire raised their glasses "cheers kalem" marshall internally grinned "it's the anniversary of kalems passing isn't it?" "Yes". "Not sculling?" 'fuck' Nicole wanted to laugh. Jaylah sculled the glass and Nicole grabbed it "as you have Jasmina let me go get them" "alright" "babysitting duty huh?" "She is my god daughter" "what?" Tyson smirked "I'm her god father" "no fucking way" "we aren't joking" Zaire grinned "fitting. You two are always there for her" "I would do anything for Jasmina" "we know".
"Alright woman, here's your drink. Guys" "thanks" 'fucking coke. I'm not liking this one bit' "shuffle them woman" "distracted" "expected. Give me them" Nicole chuckled "he's taken over" "as he does" "hey nah.." "he should take over ordering food" "no he shouldn't, he has shit taste" "like yours is better" "lamb and garlic?" "how good does that sound" "yeah but my pasta is good" "yeah I'm not complaining about that" "yeah see" "hurry up and deal the cards" "you winning for kalem and yourself?" "Yep yep" "she needs to win for both" "why is that?" "It's his day and this is what they originally came to do" "she won plenty" "fifteen thousand" Nicole laughed "not a bad effort. Even more than a weekly wage" "depends on the job" "well that's true".
"Alright move ya shit" Zaire dealt out the cards and discarded one. Jaylah looked at her hand 'not a fucking hope in hell' jaylah threw her cards down "that's shit" Zaire chuckled "on purpose" "cheating prick" jaylah stood up and put Jasmina on her hip. "She's always hungry that woman" "she stays fit" "she did like a hundred laps of the pool this morning" Nicole internally grinned 'just wait until she gets cravings. This will be fun' "check" "check" "check" "check" "check" Zaire put another card down" 'yeah this could be good, if he puts down a club' "check" "check" "check" "check" "check" Zaire discarded a card and put the last down. "Check" "check" "check" "check" "check" "face up" Tyson grinned "yeah thanks" "he only won cos she's out" "OI GET YOUR FINE ASS BACK OVER HERE" "I WAS ORDERING A FEAST. SHUT IT" jaylah walked back over and sat down, putting Jasmina on her lap "did you atleast order me something?" "What?.. no. Why the hell would I do that?" "Cos you hate me" "maybe I did, maybe I didn't" "you so did" "she's going to eat all your food if you aren't careful" "no she wouldn't" "yeah I would" Nicole laughed "yeah she definitely would" "Jasmina can help" "well I can't go against that. She's cute" "rude".