Into the Woods (DeBeers 4)

"Someone could have lower than you, unless you have an ace." I could see she was wondering if I did have an ace. "We value an ace as a one the first round and then every other round."

"Since when have we decided that?"

Phoebe turned on Ashley sharply again, and she bit her lower lip and looked away.

"Accept or decline?" Phoebe demanded of me.

I looked at the card in my hand, I could feel everyone's eyes on me. I thought back to when Daddy and I played cards, He taught me in rummy and showed me how important it was to keep in mind what everyone picked up. He also taught me blackjack and how important it was to have a face that was unreadable. I gazed at Phoebe,

"I bid two secrets." I said. "What?"

"If I lose I give two, and if I win you give two. Back to the original gamble. You said we could make rules as we went along," I added,

"You did say that. Phoebe," Roger reminded her with a smile, "I know what I said." She looked at her card and at me.

"All right, two secrets." she said,

I stared at my card. "Let's make it two secrets and one article of clothing."

"You already made the bet," she complained.

"It's called seeing and raising."

"Hey, she's played cards before," Wally cried with glee. "That's what they did on the Navy base, I bet. What did you play, strip poker?"

"How much will you bet to find out?" I asked him. and Ashley and Roger laughed. Posy looked at me with surprise. and Randy smiled, Only Phoebe looked unhappy.

"Match her bet. Phoebe, or give up two secrets," Roger told her. "Shut up, you idiot. Most of my secrets have to do with you." "I'm not ashamed of anything," he said.

"Are you sure?" she asked, looking directly into his face.

He shrugged and sipped more of his drink, shifting his eyes in retreat from her penetrating gaze.

Phoebe was glaring at me again. deciding. I kept my face as bland as I could, remembering Daddy's advice to think of something entirely different when trying to hide your thoughts about your cards,

It wouldn't be a fair bet." she concluded. "You're wearing too many more articles of clothing than I am."

"You didn't complain about the risk before," Wally reminded her.

"Well. I am now. This is different. The rules are changed." "You so... so... said we could change them," Randy piped up.

She narrowed her eyes and considered me again. I tried not to blink. "Okay. Grace face. I'll match your bet if you strip down to a bra and panties first," she said, smiling at her brilliant rejoinder,

"All right now," Wally cried, clapping his hands. "This is getting interesting."

"Do it. It's the same as a bathing suit," Roger told me.

Phoebe looked so self-satisfied. My reluctance was giving her the upper hand again. She was positive I would crumble.

"Remember," she sang. "two secrets if you fold." "And an article of clothing anyway," Wally added.

Without speaking. I began to slip off my sneakers. No one uttered a sound. All eyes were on me again when I stood up and undid my skirt. Phoebe started to squirm.

"Wait a minute!" she cried, holding her hand out "What the hell are we doing this for? It's only making these boys excited and at our expense."

Roger and Wally groaned. "What do we do?" I asked her.

"We're changing the game. It will be the four of us girls against the three of them."