Aubade: Chapter 18

Happy Birthday?

OpenArt • Prompt by author

Link to all previous chapters • KindleVella

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"Have you ever played cards with Sirta?" asked Stormare while retying his boots.  Sara stepped off the trainer and took off her goggles.  They were finishing up a long gym visit.

"No, and is this some kind of trick question?"  She rubbed her hands with a towel and felt a sting.  The scar was still red and sensitive.  The whole ritual now seemed too fantastic to be real.

Stormare laughed his hoarse laugh:

"Nah, I guess I'm just getting desperate for entertainment.  Want to see how wacko the guy really is?"  Sara gave him a stern look but it was not very convincing.  He immediately grinned and pointed a finger at her.

"See!  You do too!  I think we both need to go ask Mister Sirta to sit down with us for a good game of Pidro!"  Stormare held open the door to the hallway and a waft of fresh air met them.

"Last time I played Pidro was freaky enough for me,"  Sara responded and took in a deep breath of the fresher hallway and immediately felt a surge of post-exercise energy rise through her body.  She looked at Stormare and smiled.

"All right, give me half an hour to get ready.  But you get to do the talking.  Let's see how you tackle the world's smartest math genius."

Stomare did not spare a moment but quickly responded:

"Any betting you would be interested in?"  Stomare smiled.  Sara's heart skipped a beat when she saw Jack walk toward them.

"Well, you two look like something we once pulled out of the marina," was his greeting.

"Unlike other people we fulfill our required physical," Stormare countered.  Sara rolled her eyes.  Jack was dressed in exercise wear.  Stormare threw Sara a quick glance before asking Jack:

"So, how much would you bet on me getting Sirta to sit down and play Pidro with me and this lady here tonight? Oh, and over a glass of spiritus?"  Jack looked first at Stormare and then at Sara, and shook his head and proceeded to walk toward the gym.

"Hey! I asked you a question! How much?" Stormare yelled after him.  Jack stopped right at the door and slowly turned around.

"Well, pretty damned much!"  he broke into a grin.