Page 46 of The Key To His Soul
“Now they all quiet and shit,” Mav pointed out. “All that shit talkin’ y’all was doing on the other tables.”
“I’m telling you,” Amil chimed in, throwing out a card, “chemistry all over.”
I held back a laugh because I knew my cousin.
“Mehki can play with just about anybody,” Karima said, throwing her arms around his neck from behind and kissing his cheek. “He’s just skilled like that.”
“I agree. But the real test is, can he win with anybody?” I countered.
He leaned forward, making Karima release him, as he put his card down. “Just about.”
I nodded slowly. His answer told me everything I needed to know. The silence returned until everyone was down to their last card. Mav tossed out his card first. It was the deuce of spades.
“I just know Amilly got that big joker, so we can take this thang home,” he said, sitting up in his seat.
He was sadly mistaken when she tossed out her deuce of diamonds.
“Sorry, partner.” She shrugged.
Mehki glanced over at me with a wide grin. “You did it again, didn’t you?”
“If you mean waited to play my premiere card for the finale, yes. Yes, I did,” I bragged, slowly placing my big joker down on the table as he tossed his little joker. “That’s game!”
The people around us clapped, and I heard someone yell, “She did that shit!” from the crowd.
Mehki leaned back in his chair, laughing quietly, as I stood, pointing at the people in the crowd.
“Oh, okay. You see it. You see it.”
Amil laughed at my stunting.
“Here go what’s rightfully yours,” Mav said, handing a handful of blue faces to Mehki, who then redirected them to me.
“That’s all her.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” I accepted the bills, handing them to Amil, who slid them in her purse.
Mehki got up and whispered something in Karima’s ear that made her twist her lip up and nod. Giving me a once over, she grabbed her sister wife’s hand, and they walked off.
“Congrats, fine ass girl. We still on for dinner?”
I smiled. “Mmm… I think I’ma take a rain check.”
“You sure?” he questioned, staring at me like he was trying to figure me out, not really knowing that I was plotting.
“Yeah. Your ladies came here to see you win. That’s who you should celebrate with.” There wasn’t an ounce of bitterness in my voice. It was neutral yet friendly still.
“That wasn’t the plan.”
“I know, but things change. This was fun. Talk soon?” I nodded to Amil, who began walking.
Mehki chuckled, while Mav stood next to him, watching, like he couldn’t believe what was happening.
“You got it, Ma.”
“Always, Dada.”
Turning on my heels, I walked to the exit, waving bye to the people as we passed. Behind me, I could still feel Mehki’s eyes following us, and that made me giggle inside because little did he know, whatever time I decided to give him after this, I was going to make sure he had to earn every bit of it.
