《Safe Haven》Chapter Thirty Five

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The weather on Sunday is just an annoying and constant drizzle, so we spend the day inside the house, watching movies and playing boardgames, until Daisy comes up with one of her amazing ideas.

"Let's play strip poker!"

"What?" I shout. "Why strip poker?" I furrow my brows. "Are you trying to see me naked?" I giggle.

"I'm not," she answers and discretely points to kitchen where Jamie is, then whispers, "but she is."

"Daisy!" I whisper-shout and Jess giggles with our conversation. "Let's play poker, no stripping."

"Oh!" Jamie comes back to the living room. "My mom has a full poker set. I can get it for us, but she might want to join us."

"Liz!" Daisy yells and I laugh.

"Yeah?" Liz shouts from her room and comes to the living room. "Do you need anything?"

"We wanted to play poker and were wondering if you could lend us your set, and maybe join us?" Jamie says.

"I can get it for you, but I think I'll pass. I'm in the middle of a really good movie and I want to finish it." She grabs Jamie's face and squeezes her cheeks. "But you better show them I raised you right." We laugh.

"You taught Jamie how to play?" Jess asks.

"Of course I did!" She turns to Jamie. "You were, what? Eight? Nine?"

"You started playing poker when you were nine years old?" Daisy raises her voice.

"It helped me with Math." Jamie shrugs.

"She takes after her mom, we're both poker monsters. That's why you're not allowed to use real money." She points her finger to all of us. "She'll wipe you out."

"We'll see about that," Daisy says.

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"Is that a challenge?" Jamie asks.

"Maybe..."

"Ok..." Jamie grins. "I'll get the set and you three can go to the table."

They leave, and the girls and I move to the dinner table. Jess moves the decoration so it's not in the way and we sit down.

"Who's ready to lose?" Jamie comes back and places the case on the table.

"You better be." Daisy smiles.

"I fold." I sigh after another round of bad cards and take another look at my small amount of chips. I knew I wasn't good, but I've been destroyed.

"Me too." Jess drops her cards on the table.

I look at her chip tower - yes, tower, as in she made one single tower with all of her chips. "I literally won one round. I think we should just stop playing," I say.

"What's the fun in that?" Daisy grins, picks a few of her many chips and places them into the pot.

"You should fold too, Daisy." Jamie doubles Daisy's bet. "I'm crushing you."

Jamie clearly has the most chips, she's been winning round after round. Daisy has a good amount too, but it's definitely not enough to be a threat to Jamie.

"Not folding." Daisy covers Jamie's bet.

When they show their cards Jamie smiles and pulls the chips towards her.

"I'm out," I say and start counting what amount of money I still have.

"But we're having fun!" Jamie chuckles.

"Correction: you're having fun," Jess says. "Allie and I are shit. I'm out too."

"I'm down to 400." I laugh hard. "I started with four thousand and I managed to get to four hundred." I push my chips to the center of the table. "You can split this between you. I'm done."

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"Same." Jess copies me and we leave the table.

"You don't have to be upset just 'cause you were losing," Jamie says. "Just look at Daisy. She's losing too, but she's still confident."

Jess and I laugh when Jamie flinches after Daisy hits her. We go to my room and drop on the bed.

"I can't bluff to save my life." I huff. "Lying? Totally fine, no problem. Bluffing? Disaster."

"We should've kept playing Jenga." Jess giggles.

"Agreed."

We stay silent for a few seconds and then Jess pokes me. "How have you been?"

"I'm fine..." I frown.

"No. How have you really been?" I turn to look at her. "You seem so much better."

"I am. I feel good." I smile.

"That's great!" She pulls me for a hug. "I really want you to be the happiest you can be."

"Me too." I giggle.

Jess falls on her back and sighs. "This bed is really comfy."

"I know! I slept like a baby."

"But, you know... Jamie's bed is better." I turn to look at her face and there's a small smile on her lips.

"Ok..."

"Maybe you should try it."

"I'm fine here."

"You're missing out."

"What are you doing, Jess?" I sigh and look her in the eyes.

"It's just... I know I don't really know what's going on in your head, but I feel like you might be ready."

"I don't-"

"I'm not pushing you," she cuts me off, "or telling what to do, or anything like that. I'm just saying it 'cause sometimes we only realize stuff when other people point it out. I only want what's best for you." I look at the ceiling. "Maybe give it a thought."

"I will," I say softly. "But I'm good for now."

The room falls quiet and I think about what Jess said. She thinks I'm ready, but am I? I mean, I don't know, but how will I really know if I am? Is it really by "just knowing" as Daisy said?

"C'mon." She grabs my hand and pulls me out of my thoughts and the bed. "Let's help Liz with dinner."

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