Page 53 of Better Than Gelato
“Losers pay for dinner? We absolutely accept those terms,” Paolo says. “I think I’ll order the lobster.”
I look at the girls. “What do you ladies say?”
Valentina is shaking her head, but Carmen says, “We absolutely accept those terms.” There’s a fire blazing in her eyes.
“All right, let’s get started,” Diego says like the announcer at a sporting event.
“Three oh one,” Paolo says. Then he turns to me. “Each team starts with three hundred and one points. You throw three darts per turn. The first team to get to exactly zero wins.” I nod and pretend I don’t know the rules by heart.
The boys grab some darts, and my hands start to sweat. I take a breath.I’ve got this.
Diego goes first, and his dart misses the board completely. “Just warming up,” he says. He rubs his right wrist. I saw him rubbing it earlier. I think he must have hurt it in the snowball fight. He throws two more and earns a total of fourteen points for his team. My brain pulls up their score, 287.
Valentina goes next, and her first two darts bounce off the board. Her third manages to hang on in the 20 spot.
“Pulling out to an early lead,” Carmen says to Paolo and gives me a high five.
Paolo goes next, easily beating Valentina’s score.
“Hope you enjoyed your lead while it lasted,” Paolo says.
Carmen goes next, then Jake. They both throw just fine, but clearly they’re not dart players. When it’s my turn, the score is Girls 255, Boy 247. Carmen hands me some darts. She looks nervous, but I feel calm. I take a breath and throw. Triple 20. Another breath and throw. Triple 20. Last breath, last throw. Triple 20. 180. It’s a perfect turn. I only pulled that off twice last year. I just dropped our score to 75.
I can’t help smiling a little. Then I turn to look at the gang and smile a lot. Paolo, Diego, Jake, and Valentina wear identical expressions of shock. Eyes wide, mouths open, like a surprised barbershop quartet. Carmen is pumping her fists in victory and looking happier than I’ve seen her in a while.
Jake comes over and gives me a kiss. “Have you played this game before?” he asks with a smile.
“Maybe once or twice,” I say.
Diego has a bad first shot, but his next two are decent. Valentina, apparently inspired by our tremendous lead, earns us 30. We’re at 56. Paolo and Jake take their second turns, and they’re better than their firsts, but nowhere close to overtaking us. After Carmen takes a turn and hands me the darts and we’re down to 26.
I pick up a dart and look at the board. I try for the double 12, but I’m off just a hair and land on single 12.It’s okay. I’ve got two more. I take a deep breath and aim in the exact same spot. My second dart lands just a sliver away from my first dart. Alright, 2 points left. Paolo starts to say something, to psych me out I’m sure, but I pay him no attention. My last dart lands in the black of the 2 with a satisfying thunk. It’s the sound of victory.
“Well, it looks like that’s the game,” Jake says with a laugh.
“That’s the fastest game of darts I’ve ever played,” Diego says.
“Can you really call what you were doing, playing?” Carmen asks.
“Do they serve lobsterandsteak at this restaurant?” I ask Paolo. “Something about crushing victory makes me crave seafood and red meat.”
Jake comes over and gives me a big kiss, and Diego mumbles something about kissing the enemy. He’s taking the loss pretty hard. Paolo actually gives him a hug, and Paolo never hugs anyone.
“You were incredible,” Jake says. “I had no idea you could play like that.”
“I can,” I say simply.
The girls do some more celebrating and gloating and then we head upstairs to get ready for dinner.
On the way, I stop Carmen and apologize.
“I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to be so accusing.”
“No, it was my fault,” she says. “I was angry about some other stuff. Anyway, after handing us that win, you are forgiven of all things.”
“Carmen, if you ever want to talk about other stuff, I’m here,” I say.
“Maybe. For now, let's go celebrate.”
