Page 3 of The Soul Never Forgets

“There are much better ways than this to learn,” he says.

“I don’t know anyone who can teach me.” No one alive, that is. I’m irritated with myself for not paying more attention to Frank’s strategy.

“I’m no expert by any means, but I have a basic understanding of the game. Maybe I can help you.”

He isn’t Frank, but I’ll take help anywhere I can get it. “Tell me why I should hold the three nines.”

“You’ll have four of a kind if you get another nine. That’s the third strongest hand you can be dealt in poker.”

Man, I really don’t know what I’m doing. “How do I hold the three nines?”

Landon reaches forward and touches the three cards on the game’s screen. “Tap the cards on the screen like this.”

I’m an imbecile. “Okay. That makes sense.”

The two cards not on hold change to new ones. “A six and eight. That’s diddly-squat, right?”

Landon laughs. “Correct. That hand is diddly-squat.”

I press theBet $1button again and five new cards appear. “What about this?”

“More diddly-squat.”

We cycle through a total of five hands and my money is gone in under a minute. “Oh well. I only lost five bucks.”

“Are you going to give it another shot?”

“Nah. I’m done trying my hand at poker. At least the video kind. I think poker the old-fashioned way would be more fun. This kind sucks. It just feels like something to sink your money into.” Plus, this wasn’t Frank’s way of coming through to me.

“We should go to the casinos at Biloxi or Gulfport. You could watch me play and maybe pick up on the game.”

“I would love that. Hit me up when you and Riley are free, and we’ll make a weekend of it. Maybe Teagan and Tanner could go too.” And I can be the fifth wheel.

“I’ll bring it up with Riley. Maybe we can get away next weekend. If not next weekend, then maybe the next.”

“Sure, check with Riley and let me know what works for y’all.” Lord knows I’m free.

The line for drinks is moving at a snail’s pace. “They must be short-staffed tonight.”

All places are short-staffed these days. “It would probably be smart to get a couple of drinks… if we ever get up there to order.”

“Good idea.”

Landon rocks back and forth, foot to foot. “Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you how everything is going. I mean your life post-coma.”

I’m struggling but for reasons that Landon could never understand. “Life has been an adjustment.”

“I’m not trying to stick my nose into your business, but do you have someone you can talk to about what happened and how you’re feeling about it?”

No, Landon. I have no one to talk to. I can’t be honest with Coco about my true feelings. It would scare her to death if she knew how much I grieved my loss of Frank and Augustina.

“Teagan and Riley are great. I can talk to them about anything.”

It’s a moment before Landon responds. “I’m sure they are. I mean do you have someone you can confide in on a professional level?”

Oh, Landon. If you only knew how manyprofessional-levelconfidants I’ve had over the years, each one of them worthless. Including the one I’m forced to see now.

My mother wasn’t even present when I woke from the coma, but she rode in on her broom as soon as she heard that I was awake and did everything in her power to convince the doctors that the coma was the result of a suicide attempt. She’d have probably been successful in convincing them if Coco hadn’t stepped in and quashed her claim.

---