Crashing

Put Your Cards on the Table

"Morning dear...coffee?" Nancy smiled.
"Oh I wish I could...but I'm cutting back on caffeine." Riley answered Nancy. She'd taken Zak up on the offer to stay with Nancy, Zak's mom while we were all gone. Being alone at Zak's didn't set well with her.
"I'm glad you're here...staying at Zak's alone is never a good idea." Nancy warned.
"Trust me I know...and how my aunt can do it, I'll never understand." Riley said sipping orange juice at the breakfast table.
"Because she and Zak are like one. She's been blessed too, and protected. But, she's a hard ass like he is. Those spirits know when to back off and they know she'll never leave." Nancy laughed, and Riley joined in. They were bonding, and Riley needed a mother figure. I was okay for that motherly stuff at times, but Nancy was a true mother...and she was nurturing, and Riley craved that.
                     "What do you say we go shopping for this little one today?" Nancy offered.
                       "Oh no, that's not necessary, I mean we don't even know if it's a boy or girl yet." Riley's face saddened and Nancy saw it, she walked over and lifted Riley's chin.
                      "My kids and grandkids know that no matter what happens in life, you can always come home...there's no judgement here. What they do out there is well, out there. This is a safe haven. "Base" as Zak used to call it when he was your age. And my goodness did he ever screw up...a lot." She laughed and Riley did too.
                     "Thanks, but my mistake was probably way more than...never mind."
                      "I already know. Amanda came seeking guidance for you. She loves you very much, and this baby is a blessing. No matter the circumstances. Dakota will come around, you'll see. Ya know, when you are so young, sometimes mistakes are made...but it will all be okay, you'll see." She smiled and Riley got the feeling Nancy may have been speaking from experience, but she never asked.
              We walked into the cafe and I took my seat next to Zak. We ordered and Dakota sat silent across from us. Billy and Zak were talking and Bacon had gone outside to smoke, oh how I wanted to join him, but I was trying to be more healthy, and honestly didn't want to hear the lecture. I'd cut out a lot of things. Zak could see I was just a tad bit anxious. He grabbed my hand under the table. I smiled and got up.
                      "I left my phone on the RV...mind if I run to get it?" I asked.
                       "Go ahead." Zak said, and I got up to walk away, as I walked out Bacon was nowhere. So I made my way to the RV and walked around the back side, and there he was...walking around, smoking away.
                       "Gimme." I said to him.
                        "You sure you should be smoking?" Bacon asked as he handed me a cigarette. I put it between my lips and like the gentleman he was...he lit it for me. I took a drag and then let it out slowly.
                       "Ahhh...yes." I said, almost orgasmically, and leaned against the RV.
"Damn...watch it. I may have to excuse myself." Bacon laughed.
"Funny...and sorry. I gave up herb so I gotta have something. And don't tell Zak." I pointed at him.
"Yes mam." Bacon agreed. "Seems like I'm keeping a lot these days." I looked at him.
                           "What does that mean?"
                           "Uh, nothing." Bacon answered, he was never good at keeping secrets. "What's going on with Dakota and Zak? Billy asked me to keep an eye on them."
                          "Wait, Billy asked you to what?" I asked.
                          "Zak checked him this morning after you walked off the bus. Weird." Bacon said shaking his head and taking another drag of his cigarette.
                            "Oh he did? Huh." I said and thinking to myself, so much for new Zak. Old Zak was creeping back in. Then I felt bad for telling Zak anything about Dakota, but I couldn't lie. Things were getting out of hand.
There was awkward silence at the cafe table as the guys sat there. Zak kept uncomfortably staring at Dakota. Billy watched, and Dakota finally spoke.
"So this location seems pretty easy, not much to it." Dakota said and smiled nervously. He knew Zak was pissed and he probably knew why.
"Yeah, why did we change things around again?" Billy asked...but he knew it was because I was tagging along. He just wanted to instigate. Before Zak could answer, Bacon and I opened the cafe door, walked in, and sat back down. Zak immediately put his arm around me.
"I have my reasons." He finally answered Billy and Dakota's question. He just kept staring at Dakota, as if he were looking into his soul. Zak was angry, and getting angrier by the minute. I looked at Bacon across the table. At this point I could have walked in with a cigarette lit and Zak still wouldn't have noticed. "Did you find your phone sweetie?" He then suddenly changed his demeanor and looked at me, asking and smiling.
"Yeah, just wanted to make sure I have it in case anyone from home calls." I said shaking my phone in the air, then I looked at Dakota. He rolled his eyes knowing I was speaking of Riley. The meal was uncomfortable, but we all managed to choke down some food and head back into the RV. We didn't have much further to go, and you could tell we were getting closer to our destination, the weather was changing and getting cooler.
I was cold on the RV and wrapped in a huge blanket. Billy and I were playing cards at the table, Zak was working away on his laptop and Dakota was checking a new camera he brought along. All seemed normal, but it wasn't.
"That's three hands in a row Billy Boy, pay up." I said, slamming my cards down on the table and I held my hand out.
"Come on, double or nothing." Billy said and laughed, I then felt someone walk up.
"I'll play, deal me in. Whoever wins the next round...gets everything." Dakota said, as he sat between Billy and I. Zak had taken a phone call and gone into the back room for privacy, museum crap.
"Are you kidding? I'll smoke you." I said laughing. Dakota smiled. "Alright, it's your pride on the line Laden." I dealt him in and we separated everything out. Dakota had an amazing hand. He knew exactly what he was doing. I had gotten the worst hand I'd had in a long time...we drew cards, and played the hand for a bit.
"Crap, I'm already out." Billy laid his cards down and folded.
I knew what I had and couldn't believe it. But did I have enough to beat Dakota? It was an okay hand, but not the best.
"Well?" He asked. "Are you in or out?" He smiled and I felt as if his question had a deeper meaning.
"I'm all in." I put my cards down the on the table. "Flush." I said, fanning them out.
"That's amazing." Dakota tapped his cards on the table. Then looked at me, winking. He set his cards down and fanned them out. "Full house." I couldn't believe it.
"Well, I guess I've met my match." I said as I stood up, looking down at Dakota. He sat back in his chair and folded his arms.
"Maybe." He said, and Billy watched our interaction, he was getting uncomfortable, and couldn't believe Dakota was flirting...again.
"So that's about two hundred bucks, you win Laden." I said.
"You don't have to pay me right now. I'll collect later." He stood up and we were facing each other. He grinned, and in that moment, let me tell you my thoughts were this; had I been a few years younger and in the place I was several years ago, things might have taken a turn. Suddenly, the door opened and Zak came out. He saw us standing there. My thoughts were interrupted...thank god.
"Well, I lost." I reached into my pocket and pulled out some cash. "Here." I put it in Dakota's hand and he squeezed mine for a second. I pulled away, Billy saw all of it. Dakota's look, my look...every little interaction.
"You lost what?" Zak asked.
"The game...can't believe I actually lost to a kid." I said, trying to cut Dakota down to size a bit. But it didn't matter. Dakota knew he saw something in my eyes...he just knew it. I walked away and went into the tiny RV bathroom, shutting the door. Dakota put his money in his pocket and he started to pick up the cards and place them back into the box. Zak picked up where left off, working away on his laptop, when it came to work, his guard was always let down with other things around him, except when he was investigating. Billy walked over to help Dakota and gave him a stare, a very disapproving stare.
"That's a quite a game you two played." Billy said quietly, just as I emerged from the bathroom. I heard every word as I walked back over to help with the poker chips.
"All in good fun." Dakota said.
"0h Yeah, sure. Just be careful, cause someone could really lose it all. This can be a risky game." Billy saw, and knew himself. He saw in my eyes the internal battle to be good...Billy knew me well and my past, and he also knew Zak's anger.
"You're right Bill." I said and went back to sit next to Zak. As I sat down I kissed the side of his neck. He turned around, looked me in the eyes, and kissed my lips quickly, as he turned back to work, he smiled. Dakota watched and Billy smiled after seeing that. It was an "I told you do" look. Knowing I would do the right thing.
"And that's how the game is really played kid." Billy leaned over and mumbled to Dakota. "She's a pro...you don't want to do this, trust me. Plus, he'll kill you." Billy said, pointing to Zak.
Dakota got a little jealous and pissed. His boyish games and charm were no match for me...what was he thinking? He looked at Billy and agreed. Shaking his head yes.
"Focus...and stop this shit." Billy whispered.
Zak and I weren't even listening. I diverted Zak's attention and he was leaned back, and now snuggled in the blanket with me. As I put my perfectly manicured hand on Zak's cheek, my big diamond ring caught the light just right...Dakota looked at that ring, then at Zak and I. For a split second...guilt and remorse set in again. He watched as Zak and I goofed off and kissed like two teenagers, and it reminded him of he and Riley. Dakota got a tear and wiped it quickly...he was in pain, and lashing out by trying to hit on me. It had to stop, he had to stop. A thought came to mind.
"Hey, Uh Zak?" Dakota asked.
"Yeah, What?" Zak said and looked over at Dakota, irritated at even hearing Dakota's voice.
"You mind if I use you guys' bedroom and make a private call?" He seemed antsy.
"Sure." Zak agreed and Dakota went into the bedroom and shut the door. He sat on the edge of the bed and nervously took out his phone. He dialed...
"Hello?"
"Hey,can we talk?" Dakota asked.
"Yeah, sure." Riley sat up. She was snuggled on the couch at Nancy's with Sammie. He was Nan's sweet little dog. "Are you guys alright?" She asked. "I've been calling and texting you..."
"Uh Huh. Look, I'm going to get right to the point. I'm not happy, and you hurt me badly. But before I make any decisions I may regret, when I get back; please let's see each other and talk, please?" His voice was cracking, and Riley could hear it
"Dakota are you sure everything is alright, you don't sound like yourself." Riley knew something was off, way more than just them...she heard Dakota sniffle and knew then, he was crying.
"I'm not okay or myself, and it scares me." Dakota stood up and started to pace while on the phone, and he was crying. He was letting it all out, as he should...to the one person he needed too, his wife. Finally he was releasing his frustration some, and then Riley began crying. "I almost made a really bad mistake...a friend's girlfriend. I don't know what I'm thinking." He confessed, but not everything. Little did Riley know it was me he was speaking of.
                        "I don't blame you for doing something irrational, honestly I've been expecting it. Promise me you'll calm down and think Dakota. Whoever the friend is, you don't want to ruin that...plus you don't want to put any other woman in the middle." Riley was being understanding, she's been there. Dakota wanted to open up more...but he knew he couldn't give every detail, because that would send everyone and everything into a tail spin. Dakota had put some of his cards on the table, but he still couldn't show the last one...his attraction to me.
                         "I'll be back in a few days. Just be there at Zak's when I get back. Cause, we need to sort through everything." Dakota said, and hung up. He walked over and looked in the mirror. "I'm such a shit." He said to himself...he had a lot to be thankful for...a great job, a new place, and a baby on the way. So what was he thinking almost risking it all? Temptation was a bad, bad thing...and it was just beyond a single bedroom door.
Riley hung up the phone and sat back, thinking. She knew Dakota was upset, and her thoughts were...who was this girlfriend and friend? "Oh, what does it matter." She said to herself, then put her hand on her belly. "I think we're going to be okay little one." She smiled and thought about Dakota coming home. Hopefully things would work out.