[Storiesmaniac]

Shawn, Robin, Becka, and Sarah sat around the darkened table in the middle of Robin's apartment. About twenty dollars in spare change sat in the middle of the table, the largest the pot had really gotten all night. Sarah took a deep breath and sighed.

"I fold."

"Me too." Shawn shook his head.

It was now Becka and Robin going at what would probably be the last hand of the night. The two stared at each other with looks that had enough strength to kill.

"I raise five dollars." Becka laid down a stack of quarters.

"I see and raise you five.' Robin tossed in his cash.

"I see and raise a buck." Becka shook her head cockily.

"I see and raise another buck."

"Five."

"See and raise five."

"See and raise three."

"See and raise fifty seven cents."

"Robin." Becka shook her head. "You suck."

"I still need money for lunch tomorrow." Robin shrugged. "Fifty seven cents is the best I can do, unless we're playing with lap dances as payment."

"Fine." Becka shrugged and laughed. "I match; no lap dance required. Show me your cards."

"No." Robin shook his head. "You show first."

"Nuh uh," Becka whined. "You do."

"No you-"

"Guys," Shawn intervened. "Lay down your cards."

Becka and Robin both placed their hands on the small card table. The entire group looked back and forth between the two hands, and then a riot broke out.

"A high card of seven?" Sarah exclaimed. "Becka wins with a high card of seven!"

"What the fuck?" Shawn shouted. "No! I had a pair of fours!"

Robin shook his head. "She is the best fucking bluffer I have ever bet."

"And what was your strategy?" Sarah pointed to Robin's hand which had nothing in it but a six.

"To bluff." He shrugged.

The group let out a laugh, and Becka wracked up the cash she had earned in the last hand. Sarah took a sip from the soda she had on the table and popped a handful of pretzels into her mouth. Chewing she said, "So what's the plan for tomorrow, or rather, today?"

"I believe we're all going to Whit and Kyle's after Mass tonight," Shawn said, collecting the cards and ordering them so that they could fit back into the box. "Drink eggnog, watch It's a Wonderful Life, and toss popcorn at the screen when it gets incredibly inspirational."

"Wasn't Kara the only one who did that?" Becka remembered counting up her stash. "I mean, the rest of us all really rather liked the movie."

"Tradition." Shawn shrugged. "I'm sure we can all find enough cynicism and 'Scrooginess' in our hearts to throw popcorn at Jimmy Stewart."

"So after mass, we're heading to Kyle and Whit's?" Sarah asked, picking up her empty can and the bowl of pretzels and maneuvering into the kitchen. Becka followed her, her pockets jingling with the heavy load of cash.

"Yep." Shawn nodded.

Robin walked his guests to the door, and he and Shawn waved good bye as the girls departed.

"Need any help cleaning up?" Shawn offered in the door frame as he stepped out into the falling snow.

"Nah." Robin shook his head. "Sarah and Becka sorta did it without trying. Their genetic composition as females took care of most of it."

"So," Shawn said, not really wanting to go back to his apartment and force sleep upon himself. It was, after all, the first official day of his leave from work, and he wasn't expected back to the office until the twenty sixth. That was forty eight hours of freedom, and he wanted to exploit it to all its capabilities. "I'm thinking we need another wedding in our group, just to make things interesting."

"Gah!" Robin rolled his eyes. Since Sarah had fallen head over heels in love with a guy no one else had really met, all he ever seemed to hear from her and Kara when the two were together was wedding chat. He was about to go nuts and was incredibly thankful that Kara was currently in Europe, a very far three thousand miles away. "Let's hope not. After the last one, I don't think we could stand another."

"Ah," Shawn sighed, "but you have to admit, good times indeed."

"You can say that," Robin slightly pouted. "You got laid."

"Aw," Shawn teased. "Is someone a bit jealous?"

"Absolutely not," Robin replied. "Now get out of my fucking apartment."

"You're not pleasant at this hour." Shawn shook his head mockingly.

"GO!"

"Aye, aye, Cap-i-tan!" Shawn saluted with an obnoxious false French accent and stepped out into the blowing frosty snow.