Coffee for Charlie

Deal for Deal

"UNO!" I shouted as I slammed down my card. I wriggled my eyebrows at my little sister. Her little hands were clasped around five fanned cards that hid her face. She was giving me her evil eye but I quickly pressed my card to my lips to conceal my grin.

Erin, my little sister was the offspring of my father's third marriage. Of course my other little siblings were dear to my heart but Erin was the youngest and there was something I saw in her that reminded me of my mother. Maybe not so much in her looks but her personality. She was smart and witty. I smiled at the passing thought then slightly shook myself to see Erin place her card on the deck.

A green five. I groaned.

My fingers slowly reached for another card and Erin's face lit up.

"I got you!" She yelled happily. Her smile revealing the large gap of her two front missing teeth.

"You certainly did little missy." I spread my two cards and fanned myself vigorously. "Your turn my lady."I said dramatically then I motioned to the rapidly shrinking deck between us.

The two of us had plopped down in the living room once I got off work and picked all my siblings up from school. I promised her a game this morning when I make her breakfast. We had made our two decks on the rectangle glass coffee table that sat between the two sofas and the television.

Of course my dad was a business partner but he tried to keep it low key when picking houses. Our house was the typical middle class house in a suburban community. I was the only one who had a room to myself while my six other siblings shared a room. After my mom had divorced my dad and shipped her self to Ireland, my father remarried soon after to a very wealthy woman. She bore him three of my siblings; Thomas, Marcus, and Brian. The three of them were about eight years younger than me.

Once the two of them divorced, my father met Shelly from a co-worker. I have to admit, I like her a lot better. She was a short woman who knew how to run a family properly. When they married, about a year later she had Landon; he's turning eight in a few days. Then there was my sweet and adorable Erin with her two front teeth missing.

"I am hungry..." Erin moaned softly as she drew another card from the deck.

"You know what that means?" I raised a brow looking at my cards before slowly raising my eyes to meet hers. Her dark brown eyes were wide and alert. "The food monster is gonna get you!" I roared before leaping up and tossing her tiny light body over my shoulder to carry her to the kitchen. She screamed and let out a fit of giggles while banging on my lower back.

"Eva! Erin! Please shut up!" Thomas yelled from upstairs. I rolled my eyes and sat Erin onto the counter.

"Tomas, I'll come up there and beat you!" I called back before pulling down a clean plate.

"I'd like to see you try!" He shouted back. His offer was tempting but I was in no mood to roughhouse. After a few moments with no reply, I heard him go back into his room and close the door. Sighing, I patted Erin's head and took a look in the fridge.

"Did you want me to make you some blueberry crepes?" I asked, glancing over my shoulder.

"Please, please, pleaseeeee!" That adorable little smile beamed on her face.

"Two blueberry crepes coming up for my royal highness!" I announced loudly and at the same time the doorbell rang faintly in the background. "Want to grab the blueberries for me, Erin?" I asked before wandering out of the kitchen to the foyer.

I twisted the locked and pulled open the door expecting to see my father in his black suit and briefcase smiling but instead I stared into deep green eyes. Heat rose to my cheeks as I looked down at myself, my fingers went to my hair in a sheepish gesture.