It's An Upper Class Gathering

"Our next stop I need you to be on your best behavior. Always address me as Lady Odette. Always be courteous. And keep yourself calm." She says that but that only makes me more nervous. I just agree, "Yes, Madam Odette," and hope for the best.

We share a two-and-a-half-hour ride to a house that somewhat resembles Madam Odette's but with a very different feel. I keep my mouth shut and just follow Madam Odette up the stairs. The main doors open with a stately-looking ferret holding them. I'm trying to hide my surprise but it's just too much. There's a very vibrant purple and gold theme around the entire place. The echo of a high tweeting voice hits my ears, "Odette! Darling! You made it!" A short woman no taller than 5' comes flying, almost literally, down the stairs. She's a very mobile finch with a beautiful set of feathers, almost a full rainbow.

She runs up to Madam Odette wings open hugging her. I see Madam Odette smile ever so slightly, "Hello Mary. How are you?"

"I'm doing well. I'm glad you could make it this weekend. You've been so busy."

"I have. Been taking care of him."

She points to me over her shoulder with her thumb. I perk up as Mary's eyes catch mine. She swiftly moves around Madam Odette into my face cocking her head sideways, "So this is what's been keeping you occupied. I see why." I'm a little offended. I'm a "thing" to her and just a "him" to Madam Odette. "Well Odette, he's cute."

I lock up and I see Madam Odette do the same. "Now I can see why you've been at home the whole time. I wouldn't want to leave either." I'm trying not to laugh. I'm not sure if she means exactly what I think I'm hearing but it looks like Madam Odette is about to lose it. I have never seen her like this. It's amusing to finally see her under pressure.

Madam Odette managed to calm herself, "Mary, I'm teaching him…"

"Oh, I bet you are! Look at him! I'd learn new things to teach him."

I can't help but smile as Madam Odette continues, "Magic, Mary. I'm teaching him magic."

"The magic of love? Tell me kiddo, what has she 'taught' you?"

I can't anymore, "I'm staying with Lady Odette…"

"Ah, so that's how she is. I kind of guessed she was dominant."

I lost it. I laughed like an immature 14-year-old to where I begin to tear up. I'm trying to collect myself but I looked at Madam Odette who is flustered beyond all reasoning to where I cannot help but laugh harder. Madam Odette is trying to keep herself composed but with every sentence, it just gets worse. I feel a little bad but it's just so comical.

Even Mary is enjoying it. "I'm sorry Odette! We haven't seen you in so long we had to speculate what was happening. But, Red, you have the best teacher you could have. She'll take care of you." I nod to her. "But will you be joining us this evening?"

"Joining for what, Lady Mary?"

"Lady Mary? Odette, he's so cute. Can I keep him?"

"Madam Odette pouts, "No, Mary, you can't. I'm trying to keep him alive."

"Mm, yea. You are better suited for that, but will he be able to join us this evening?"

"Red, do you have an interest in poker?"

I'm a little taken aback, "I haven't played much but I do, Lady Odette."

"Do you have $500 for the buy-in?"

Now I have to pause. $500 is most of my money but, "I do, Lady Odette."

Madam Odette turns to Mary, "Then I will cover the other $4,500 of his buy-in. He can work the rest of it off when he loses it."

I just threw myself into another three weeks of debt. I didn't know it was a $5,000 buy-in. Mary perks herself up, "Excellent! We'll find him a seat." She goes off her way for us to follow. Madam Odette stops me first, "Red, typically with these games we just end up trading money for a couple of hours but know that if you bust out, you will have to pay me back." I knew it! I'm screwed! $500 of my own money I can deal with but $5,000 loans are another. I can feel my gut starting to rot already.

The room we enter is small but well laid out. There's a green felt card table in the middle of the room with a small bar in the corner. The ferret behind it is mixing up something. He comes out handing the drink to the corgi already at the table. Mary snaps to me, "Red, this is Sally." The corgi stands to extend her hand to me. I go to shake her hand but Madam Odette whispers to me, "Kiss her hand." I hesitate slightly but do it. Sally smiles and sits. "Next is Dolly." The schnauzer across from me stands. I hear "Shake her hand" and do so. "And here we have Veronica." The heterochromia ragamuffin stands. She's absolutely gorgeous and stuns me. "Stop gawking and bow." I snap out of it and do so. She smiles and bows back to me. "Excellent! Everyone, this is Red. He'll be joining us so bets on the table."

I reach for my $500 but it feels thicker than it should. I pull a bundled stack of $100 bills totaling $5,000. I have $168 in cash left so where did the $500 go? Did… did Madam Odette pull a switch on me? When? She never touched me! I snap to her with money in hand. She blinks, "Yes?" I try to fathom how she did it. I wanted to ask but know that I can't be there. I look at the table laying the money down by my seat, "I'm in." The others lay down theirs while Madam Odette takes her seat. The chips are set and the money is moved to a box beside the table. Mary speaks up, "Tonight's game is Texas Hold 'em. Drinks will be served by Morris. Just say what you want." Madam Odette speaks up, "Two vodka shots and a water glass." Morris gets to work quickly bringing them over.

Madam Odette moves the vodka shots and water to me. In a low breath I try to keep myself as quiet as possible, "Lady Odette, I'm not old enough to drink."

"Have one shot, drink the water, then take the second. You're shaking so bad it's affecting the table."

I lean back to stop the table from shaking with me. I look at my hand to see that I am jittering. With an uneasy feeling, I grab the small glass. I watch it shake in my hand. I bring it up to my mouth until the smell hits me. I immediately pull back but man up downing the whole glass. My eyes clench as it burns my throat all the way to the stomach. "Now the water." I sip the water. My throat feels better already. "All of it." I pause to wonder but it doesn't take long before I finish the whole glass. "Now the second shot." I remember the first and the burn so I'm hesitant but down it. "Ok, let's play."

The ladies talk while playing, making their bets and actions on the side. I'm trying my hardest to keep quiet until it comes to me. I'm lost in their conversation but my turn comes around, "Call the 300." They move on laying three cards down, face up. I realize that I never actually looked at my cards. It's a $500 bet to me that I fold forfeiting my $300. Now my mind is dead focused on if I lose and the money I would have to repay to Madam Odette. More than half of the money that was mine is now gone. I watch the round go over with Sally the corgi winning. The round begins again and I begin to shake.

I get two kings with my opening hand. I feel safer but still edgy playing with money that's not mine. I call the minimum that I can and three cards flip face up on the table. Two more kings come up on the table. The sense of stress is gone. We go around, no money is bet, and the fourth card is turned. Dolly the schnauzer bet $1,000 on the round. Everyone at the table folded. It came to me again but I'm stuck. I have four kings, why am I hesitating? Go! Do it! "I call.", and place my chips in the center. The last card flips. Dolly bet another $1,000. I rack my brain trying to figure out what she has. I start going through the deck in my mind of every card combination that can beat mine but the only thing that can beat me can't be her hand. Then it hits me. Math! It's odds, chance, and numbers! It's my advantage! With a smirk, "I call." Dropping $1,000 on the table.

She reveals her hand, "Two pairs, 7's and kings." I can't hide my grin, "Four kings." My two cards flip over and both Mary and Madan Odette gasp. I fall back in my chair with a sigh covering my mouth. Madam Odette moves my chips over to me. She looks me in the eyes, "Well done." Those two words make my nerves melt. My body relaxes and the vodka begins to make me feel warm. I just won $4000 giving me a nice cushion for now. I lean forward stacking my chips and throwing in the big blind of $500 with no worries.

An hour had passed. I had won the big pots when they came up and started building the big pots when I had the power to back them up. Veronica busted out on a showdown with me but she bought back by adding to the value of the table. I had in my possession a total of $18,800. Almost 2/3rds of the table. Mary chirped, "I thought you didn't play."

"I don't Lady Mary. But I have. It was just for fun with no real money."

"You should have started sooner. You're about to take the shirt off our backs."

Before long everyone else has bought back in. By the end of the second hour, I have $49,700. I own the table. I just wiped Mary, Dolly, and Sally off the table, and left Madam Odette with enough for the small blind. I don't know how I've managed to do it but I'm beginning to feel bad. I've lost a couple of hands but they weren't more than $1,200 at a time. Dolly speaks up, "I'll have a rum and coke." Morris mixes it bringing it over. "Mary dear, can you cash me $50,000?"

"Of course."

Dolly wrote a check handing it to Mary. She signed the back of it, putting it into a pocket somewhere. "Morris, be a dear." Morris moves from behind the bar, "Yes, Madam Marie." He disappeared and returned carrying a stack of cash placing it in front of Dolly. Dolly trades the entirety of it for chips. Before I knew it, Mary, Sally, and Madam Odette bought back in with $50,000. The only one who didn't was Veronica who seemed content to keep talking. This changed everything. I no longer own the table. My nerves begin to take over when Dolly wins the first hand. I'm having issues concentrating. I almost fall out of my chair when Madam Odette calls out, "Double Vodka and water." She points it to me.

It's a taller shot glass paired with a glass of water. When the cards are dealt the vodka disappears. By the time my turn comes around the water is gone too. I throw my hand without looking at it to stall myself. I watch the hand continue. Madam Odette, Mary, and Veronica are all having a good time talking. Dolly, on the other hand, is focused on the game intensely. I end up passing on the next few hands until my face begins to feel warm.

It's perfect timing. I get a pocket pair of kings again and work the table toward the first cards. I try to play it slowly so the pot builds on its own with a little pushing. More so now that I have three kings. The fourth turns and a second ace card comes up giving me a full house. I play a little money to make the pot grow. But Dolly has other ideas. She slides all her chips, a total of $36,000, to the table. The other two back out immediately.

My shakes are back. I don't know why she scares me. It's just a game, I have a good set of cards, but why am I shaking? I go to throw my cards when I hear someone whispering in my ear, "Shh, relax, think it out, and then act." There's no one beside me but I begin to relax. "I'll call." The room gasped, Dolly's jaw dropped, and I fell back into my chair. She has an ace, king, 9, 4, and 2 of spades. My full house wins by one step. Mary had to move the chips to me while I regained myself.

"Well played Red. I thought I finally had you pegged but you managed to outdo me." She stands up straightening her coat, "We will have to play again. For now, I've lost enough money. See you, ladies, again next week?"

Mary has a cheerful tone to her voice, "Of course! Goodnight Dolly. Take care."

The door closes behind her leaving the four of us left. "Well done Red." Veronica grabs my attention, "You have managed to do what we thought was impossible." She leans back looking at the empty seat. "We still have time. Do you want to continue and try your luck?" I smile with a wryly smile, "Let's." The cards are dealt, and Madam Odette orders herself drinks as we continue to play. Veronica stays out to socialize but at the end of the hour, the night is done. Of the table value of $200,000, I have $106,000. Madam Odette ended the night with the last win and $72,000. Mary has $22,000, "I think it's time to cash out."

Mary grabs the metal box pulling out the bundled stacks. While sorting, she has Morris grab a bag for me. She lays $105,000 and counts out the last $1,000. Madam Odette gets her $72,000 while Mary gets the remainder in the box. The two of us are escorted to the door by Mary where she hugs Madam Odette goodbye while wishing me a good night. The limo is waiting in the driveway for us.