Playing God by Katherine Russell Becker

Author:Katherine Russell Becker [Becker, Katherine Russell]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-11-02T13:55:46+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Winter 2003

Steve

In no time at all, they’d become poker buddies. Playing low stakes hands, Rob and Steve began meeting at the club whenever they could to try to improve their luck. Steve found that playing those hands turned out to be a quick way to put what he’d learned into regular practice, and it wasn’t long before he began to acquire some chops and with them, a modest degree of confidence.

On Thanksgiving, he’d volunteered for the desk shift at the motel so his roommate could join Aunt Millie and Gene for a turkey dinner in town with all the trappings. Alone in the office, he’d passed the holiday watching a rerun of It’s a Wonderful Life on TV. After that, the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas flew by in a flurry of tree lightings and carolers, and the weather turned chilly, warranting the purchase of a warm winter jacket. Steve guessed the holidays could become a minefield for someone who didn’t want to get swept up by the past. He cautioned himself to squash the memories that threatened to crop up as recollections of Andrew and Gracie in soft flannel pajamas and the sweet smell of cinnamon rolls in the oven lurked at the edges of his mind.

Bobby offered to man the desk on Christmas Eve, and when Rob extended an invitation to a home-cooked dinner, Steve jumped to accept it.

“Every year, we have a holiday party. The wife likes to invite anyone she thinks doesn’t have other plans,” Rob explained in between bites of the frosted angel-shaped cookies someone had set on a plastic tray next to the coffee dispenser at the card club. “She rounds up all the strays she can find. I said you might have folks who expect you, but she told me to ask anyway.”

“Nope, I don’t have any plans. I’d be happy to join you. Let me bring some wine.” Steve smiled as he turned to face his new friend. “Listen, man, there’s something I want to explain.” He ducked his head. He’d been wanting to clear the air, and with no more than a moment’s hesitation, the words spilled out of him. “Remember when I said I don’t have a family now, but I used to?”

Rob took a sip of coffee. “Figured you just got divorced, and she took the kids. Happens all the time.”

“Yeah, well, the thing is, it’s kind of complicated.”

“What, did she take ’em clear out of state?” Rob squinted up at Steve from the corner of his cup. “She take you to the cleaners, too?”

“Nothing like that, man,” Steve stammered. “See, there was a car accident, a head-on collision. It was a drunk driver. The accident … well, the thing is, no one survived.” He looked away as he heard Rob draw a sharp breath. “I don’t like to talk about it,” he added in a low voice.

“Oh my God, that’s terrible.”

Neither spoke for a long moment. A young man in a Cal State Fullerton sweatshirt reached between them for a fistful of cookies.

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