Me

I looked at my hand. Sigh. A pair of deuces, Jack high. I tossed two cards, keep the jack and the two's. I didn't get anything better to replace the cards I tossed. So it was no surprise when the hands were shown that I had the low hand.

"Show us some skin, Daddy!" That was Michelle, beating out a "stripper's rhythm" on the table. Suzy laughed and even Rachel managed a wan smile.

I slipped off my left shoe, holding it up for everyone to see. Michelle made a face as if she had caught whiff of a bad smell, and this at least got a giggle out of Rachel, who seemed to be relaxing, even if it was just barely.

Suzy had won the deal, and I thought to myself, 'Maybe it was for the best I lost the first hand. That seemed to help the girls relax a little.'