Poker Princess

4 - Anfractuosity

I hold my bowl of ice cream closer to my chest as I dramatically explain what I had seen.

"I had never seen someone so badly beat in my life. It was like he was threatening me without threatening me, you know?" I ask.

Alana nods, munching on the popcorn she had prepared as I had made my way home.

"You definitely shouldn't work for him," she states. My thoughts falter as I rethink my decision.

Nope, I've already made my decision.

"I'm going to work for him."

"WHAT?!" Alana screeches.

"Alana... he has information on my parents and-"

"But like come on Aur-"

"Listen listen. If I don't get this job, we both are going to be homeless."

This silences her.

"I don't want you to have to risk your life for money," she whispers quietly, keeping her eyes trained on her lap, "they're dangerous people and... you're all I have left."

"Oh Lana," I say, before leaving my spot on the couch and the bowl of melted ice cream behind and leaning in for a comforting hug.

After we pull away, she sniffles whilst wiping her face with a tissue. I get back into my comfortable spot on the couch.

"I still don't get how you got the job. You have no experience and... wait why are you making that face?" She asks.

"What face?" I murmur, avoiding eye contact.

"That face! Rory, what are you hiding?"

"I'm so sorry I should've told you before but likeafewyearsagoiaccidentallyhackedintosomegangdatabasethingand-"

"YOU DID WHAT?!" she cries. "Oh my, they're going to kill you! Why would he offer a job to someone who saw his private documents? Oh no, what if he's in love with you?," she rambles. "What if he threatens you with marriage? And then you'd have to marry him and have his gangster babies."

I gasp dramatically, completely amused.

"Imagine that, the horror!" I feed her delusions. "Marrying a rich business owner sounds awful. I would have enough money to feed half the population." I turn to Alana eyes wide. "We'd never have to worry about being evicted again!"

She joins me on the couch as we lean back together, fantasising about a life, where we won't be held back by certain restraints called money.

"Unless it was like black money or something then we'd be-"

"Shut up Aurora"

I snicker.

After a couple seconds of silence, I sit up and reach for my phone.

"I'm terrified, but I have to do this. Everything will be okay," I tell myself, in hopes of lifting my spirit. Alana shoots me a wonky thumbs up and an encouraging smile, like I wasn't agreeing to work for a mafia group or anything.

"I still don't think this is a good idea..."

But I had already pressed the call button and Mr D'Angelo had already picked up.

"Carlyle," he greets. I take one deep breathe before continuing.

"Mr D'Angelo... I would like to take the job"

"I know. Would that be all?"

"Yes?" I frown. He hangs up.

He knows?