On the way home from the poker game, William kept saying he couldn't believe how they'd gotten thrown out. It was clear what he was really saying was that she had gotten them thrown out. "William!" she finally snapped, "what was I supposed to do? Watch an entire afternoon of you throwing away every hour what I pay in rent for a month? How about you stick your hand up your butt and pull your goddam head out of there?" William was looking at her, shocked. "I spent the night in jail with a bunch of $20 skanks after my cousin was shot to death in front of me, and all you can think about is that it might look bad for your career ?" William looked at her mournfully. "I am a terrible excuse for a human being." Lucy took a breath. "No, William, you just--" "No, no, you're right," he said, shaking his head. His eyes got shiny and for an awful moment Lucy thought he was going to cry. But he pulled himself together, his face firming up again as he came to a decision. "I need a drink," he said. "William!" "So do you," he said firmly. "Swear to God, Lucy, this is one subject I know a lot about. Back in that room, just before we got tossed, you were going seriously green. I was on this episode of this show once, this white girl drowned, and you looked just like her in her dead make-up. I mean, you looked great, like you always do, not bad or anything--" "Yeah. That was ... unnerving." Lucy remember the sudden cold, like she had stepped in front of a refrigerator. Prickles running up and down her neck. Heavy, cold, drowsy feeling, the cards on the table looking at her like objects in a dream, charged with hidden meaning. She shook her head. "It's been quite a week. Robert, and then this weird guy broke into my apartment and harassed me, and then jail. Bad run of cards." William drank from his flask. "I've been a prick." "Yeah," Lucy said, "let's talk about you some more." "You shouldn't stay in that apartment," he said. "Not if creepy dudes are breaking into it to shake you down." William drank; frowned; drank again. "You should come stay with me." Lucy laughed. "With you? Hell, maybe I should just camp out with the Osbourne's. Seriously, William, your heart is in the right place, but the level of craziness is more than I could stand." "I mean it," he said. "My place is huge. I wouldn't even know you were there. You could live in the linen closet or something." "The linen closet?" "It's walk-in. Joke, Lucy. I was joking. Seriously, though, every time I have a party I keep finding extra people for days afterwards. Room is not a problem." Lucy laughed. "Thanks, but I should be getting home." She stopped at a red light. Red. Red. Black. Ace and queen of diamonds first in the flop, queen and nine of hearts, ace of spades at the river. The death card. ALL IN. ALL IN. The cards like a message she couldn't stop hearing. William was right, she thought, dropping him off. She needed a drink.
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