Four of a Kind Read Free

concerned.
    “Just intense jealousy. It’ll pass,” said Alicia. “Actually, it won’t.”
    Bess invited them to sit. They each plunked their drinks into the table’s built-in cup holders, and smoothed their hands across the pill-free green felt. “The pathetic thing is that Borden had maybe two poker nights with his friends,” said Bess. “And that was it. I’m waiting for him to replace this with a Ping-Pong table. Or a foosball table.”
    “The kids must like it,” said Alicia, reaching for the tray of red, white, and blue round plastic chips. She grabbed a stack and put it in front of her. “Chips? Chips are irresistible. Fun to hold. You can’t
not
play with them.”
    Bess said, “You realize since we’re sitting down, we now have to deal a hand. That’s the rule. Does everyone know Texas Hold ’Em?”
    “You do?” asked Alicia.
    “I watched Borden play a few times,” said the host. “He made me practice with him.”
    Carla said, “I’ve never played.”
    “I can teach you,” said Bess. “It’s not too tough.”
    Robin said, “We have to make it interesting. Dollar a hand.”
    Alicia cringed inwardly—and, she feared, outwardly. Losing even ten bucks tonight would mean no lunch money tomorrow. They were on that tight a budget.
    Carla to the rescue. “I’m philosophically opposed to gambling.”
    Bess nodded. “I agree. I don’t want to take your money.”
    Robin smiled and said, “Oh, you’re assuming you’re going to win?”
    The host blushed prettily. “You have experience?” she asked Robin.
    Robin nodded. “You have no idea.”
    Alicia said, “What if we play for something else?”
    “Peanuts?” asked Robin.
    “Secrets,” said Alicia, amazed to hear herself say it. Her subconscious had spoken for her, and wisely. Trading secrets was a shortcut to friendship, wasn’t it?
    The three other woman stared at her, their mouths partly open. Alicia felt her gut clench. She’d said the wrong thing. “I’ll reel that one back in,” she said.
    “Secrets?” asked Bess, intrigued.
    “Secrets
are
a woman’s currency,” said Robin.
    “I have no secrets,” said Carla stridently.
    Alicia watched a ripple move behind Carla’s dark eyes. This woman had secrets aplenty, she thought. “Forget it,” she said. “Stupid idea.”
    Bess said, “No, I like it. Maybe not secrets per se. But something personal about ourselves. Children are the fallback conversation. You really can hide behind your kids. Especially me. I’m the only one herewho doesn’t have a career. Focusing on the kids has become my default setting. If I’m not dealing with them, I’m talking about them, or listening to other women talk about theirs. And it’s just more of the same. Same classes, activities, playgroup, haircuts, expressions, comments, opinions.”
    Robin said, “And you’re looking for something different—or should I say
diverse
?”
    Bess laughed. “Okay, I’ll ante up. Here’s a secret. I’m not all that gung-ho about scheduling a calendar of multicultural events and lectures.”
    Robin gasped dramatically. “You’re
not
? Then I’m
out of here
.”
    Bess laughed. “The real reason I invited the three of you over tonight is that you’re nothing like me.”
    “You mean a WASPy, blond, rich housewife,” said Robin bluntly and, Alicia thought, rudely.
    Bess took it at face value. “Frankly, yes. Most of my friendships are like talking into a mirror.”
    Robin said, “So you took a look around at drop-off, and hand-picked a black woman, a frizzy-haired Jew, and a scholarship mom to be your new best friends?”
    Carla hooted. The biggest reaction from her all night, and the first show of her smile, which completely transformed her face from serious to sweet. She had a rich, deep, baritone laugh that made the table vibrate. “Now that’s calling a spade a spade. Oh, I like
you
,” she said to Robin, making Alicia feel a little jealous.
    Bess shrugged. “I wasn’t thinking