turn. “Well, I’m grateful for Advil, and beer, and elevators, and my mom putting up with me. And for good friends who drink beer and ride elevators and drive me places. And put up with me.”
Theresa was next, holding her glass of wine in the candlelight. “I’m just happy to see all of your shining faces around my table tonight.” She beamed at each of us in turn. “Thank you for coming.”
That left only me. And while I’d been enjoying hearing what nice things my friends had to say, the truth was that I couldn’t think of anything to add. Because I hadn’t been a very thankful person lately. “I’d like to say thanks to whichever computer makes the roommate assignment selections. And for getting to sit here with all of you tonight.”
And that’s the best I could do. At least for right then.
Chapter Ten: There's Always Custom
— Corey
“I’m no good at clearing the table,” I said, balancing my weight against the countertop. “But I can wash or dry.”
Hartley tossed me a dish-towel, and Theresa handed me a wet serving bowl.
Bridger walked past the doorway of the kitchen carrying Lucy piggyback style. “I read two chapters already,” he said. “Now you’re going to sleep.” I heard his footsteps on the stairs.
“Why aren’t you going to sleep?” Lucy argued.
“I will,” he said. “After I have a beer with Hartley.”
“I’ll wait up for you,” she said.
“If you wait with your eyes closed, that’s okay,” he said, chuckling. A half hour later¸ he came into the living room alone, bringing two six-packs with him.
“You know why I invited you two?” Hartley asked Dana and I, taking a deck of cards out of a drawer in the coffee table.
“Why?” Dana asked.
“So that we could play euchre, of course.”
I clapped my hands together. “Yes! Girls against the boys.”
“Bring it.” Bridger cracked open a beer, offering it to Dana.
“But I don’t know what euchre is,” she said, reaching for the bottle.
“Fuck, really? And here I thought Japanese schools were superior.” He cupped his hands to his mouth. “Hey, mom?”
Teresa stuck her head in the room. “You rang?”
“We need a fourth for euchre. Dana doesn’t know how.”
“Ah,” she said, coming in. “The best game ever. Do you know anything about bridge? Euchre is like bridge for idiots. Once you watch a couple of hands, you’ll be good to go.” She took a seat, and the beer that Bridger offered her.
Hartley ran through the rules for Dana. “And there’s one kind of cheating that’s legal.”
“Wait,” Dana said. “If it’s legal, how is it cheating?”
“Just go with it, Dana,” he said. “In euchre, you can steal the deal. If the dealer doesn’t realize it’s his turn, and you step in, you keep the advantage.”
“This is so complicated,” Dana complained.
Hartley shook his head. “It isn’t, not really. Because there’s only six cards in the game. You’ll see.”
Theresa played a hand with us, and she and I quickly euchred Bridger and Hartley.
“So that was, like, a practice hand,” Hartley said.
“What?” I yelped. “No way. Two points for the women.”
“Competitive, much?” Hartley asked.
Theresa laughed. “Pot, I’d like to introduce you to the kettle.”
“You should see them in front of that video game,” Dana said. “I have to leave the room.”
“I can only imagine.” Theresa picked up the deck and began to shuffle. “Bridger, how’s your mom?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Not great. But as long as she keeps her job, things will be okay. The work-week holds her together.”
“It must be so hard for her,” Theresa said, shaking her head.
“I used to say that too,” Bridger picked up his cards. “But at some point you just have to pull yourself together, and I don’t see that happening. Long weekends are the worst. That’s why I brought Lucy down here with me.”
Theresa winced. “Bring her anytime.” Then she looked at her
Theresa was next, holding her glass of wine in the candlelight. “I’m just happy to see all of your shining faces around my table tonight.” She beamed at each of us in turn. “Thank you for coming.”
That left only me. And while I’d been enjoying hearing what nice things my friends had to say, the truth was that I couldn’t think of anything to add. Because I hadn’t been a very thankful person lately. “I’d like to say thanks to whichever computer makes the roommate assignment selections. And for getting to sit here with all of you tonight.”
And that’s the best I could do. At least for right then.
Chapter Ten: There's Always Custom
— Corey
“I’m no good at clearing the table,” I said, balancing my weight against the countertop. “But I can wash or dry.”
Hartley tossed me a dish-towel, and Theresa handed me a wet serving bowl.
Bridger walked past the doorway of the kitchen carrying Lucy piggyback style. “I read two chapters already,” he said. “Now you’re going to sleep.” I heard his footsteps on the stairs.
“Why aren’t you going to sleep?” Lucy argued.
“I will,” he said. “After I have a beer with Hartley.”
“I’ll wait up for you,” she said.
“If you wait with your eyes closed, that’s okay,” he said, chuckling. A half hour later¸ he came into the living room alone, bringing two six-packs with him.
“You know why I invited you two?” Hartley asked Dana and I, taking a deck of cards out of a drawer in the coffee table.
“Why?” Dana asked.
“So that we could play euchre, of course.”
I clapped my hands together. “Yes! Girls against the boys.”
“Bring it.” Bridger cracked open a beer, offering it to Dana.
“But I don’t know what euchre is,” she said, reaching for the bottle.
“Fuck, really? And here I thought Japanese schools were superior.” He cupped his hands to his mouth. “Hey, mom?”
Teresa stuck her head in the room. “You rang?”
“We need a fourth for euchre. Dana doesn’t know how.”
“Ah,” she said, coming in. “The best game ever. Do you know anything about bridge? Euchre is like bridge for idiots. Once you watch a couple of hands, you’ll be good to go.” She took a seat, and the beer that Bridger offered her.
Hartley ran through the rules for Dana. “And there’s one kind of cheating that’s legal.”
“Wait,” Dana said. “If it’s legal, how is it cheating?”
“Just go with it, Dana,” he said. “In euchre, you can steal the deal. If the dealer doesn’t realize it’s his turn, and you step in, you keep the advantage.”
“This is so complicated,” Dana complained.
Hartley shook his head. “It isn’t, not really. Because there’s only six cards in the game. You’ll see.”
Theresa played a hand with us, and she and I quickly euchred Bridger and Hartley.
“So that was, like, a practice hand,” Hartley said.
“What?” I yelped. “No way. Two points for the women.”
“Competitive, much?” Hartley asked.
Theresa laughed. “Pot, I’d like to introduce you to the kettle.”
“You should see them in front of that video game,” Dana said. “I have to leave the room.”
“I can only imagine.” Theresa picked up the deck and began to shuffle. “Bridger, how’s your mom?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Not great. But as long as she keeps her job, things will be okay. The work-week holds her together.”
“It must be so hard for her,” Theresa said, shaking her head.
“I used to say that too,” Bridger picked up his cards. “But at some point you just have to pull yourself together, and I don’t see that happening. Long weekends are the worst. That’s why I brought Lucy down here with me.”
Theresa winced. “Bring her anytime.” Then she looked at her
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