Dana’s memories of the evening had been foggy, but Anise and her friends had taken great delight in regaling her with every detail that morning. They said she’d been all over Alex, begging him for hugs and calling him “a six-foot piece of candy.”
She wasn’t sure if it was her hangover or her embarrassment that hurt worse.
“I can handle myself, you know.”
“Really?” Anise laughed. “Last night, you were like a teenager with her first wine cooler. You kept inviting strange men to make you ‘feel like a woman.’ Thank God Wade was there to act as your personal bouncer. I don’t think the three of us could have corralled you.”
Anise may have dismissed Dana’s antics with a laugh but there was an undertone in her voice. She wasn’t sure why Anise was so ready to pass judgment on her for having a couple of drinks. Hadn’t she accused her of being a prude the other day? She should be proud Dana had let her hair down. Anise had no right to talk. She’d driven their parents to distraction in her college days. When she had, Dana had never judged her.
Okay, maybe a little, but she’d always been there for her.
There was no sense bringing up ancient history, but her sister’s attitude still pissed her off. “I thought this was our week of yesses.”
“You’re right. I’ll stop teasing. I’ve just never seen that side of you before. I have to admit it made me a bit nervous.”
“It was a one-off. I’m fine.” Her head was pounding and she was sure Alex would flee the next time he saw her, but she was fine.
“Let’s try the slots.” Bea led them toward a bank of bright machines.
A new cacophony exploded in Dana’s head as they neared the slots. The ever-present clink of coins being inserted into the machines warred with the computerized music. Every so often, someone won a chunk of change and the thunderous evacuation of coins made Dana lightheaded.
“Now,” said Bea, “the trick is to find a slot machine someone just vacated. Because you know how it goes, the minute you leave a slot machine is when it pays out.”
Their walks around Vice had led them through the casino several times now. Despite not having played the slots yet, Dana had seen lots of others doing so and was beginning to recognize patterns. She had yet to anything resembling the phenomenon Bea described. “What do you mean, a slot machine someone just vacated? No one leaves their slot machines. Have you noticed? I’m seeing the same faces over and over again.”
“These slot people are hard core,” said Jessica. “I think I’m going to try my hand at Twenty-One. Better odds.”
“Me too.” Anise looped her arm around Jessica’s. “It’s less complicated. I just have to remember how to count to twenty-one. Some of these slots look way too advanced. I don’t want to lose too much money at once.”
“See you two later.” Jessica waved.
Anise blew Dana a kiss. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
As the others walked away, Jessica gave her tummy an absentminded stroke. Dana had seen many expectant women do the same thing. The quiet secrecy of the moment, the strengthening of the bond between a pregnant woman and her unborn baby, threw her for yet another emotional loop.
She touched her own belly. It looked the same as any other woman’s, and yet it would never operate the same way. It would never shelter another life.
Right now, all it housed was a roiling mess of acid.
“Hey, you okay?” asked Bea. “You look stunned.”
“It’s the lights here. They hurt my eyes.”
“Regretting those slushies, are we? Come on. The slots await.”
Dana and Bea found a couple of slot machines next to each other in an alcove that was somewhat removed from the main part of the casino floor. Muted lights made the place appear cozy. It was relatively dark, just as every other casino was, with not a single window. Although the gaming devices were bright and sometimes kitschy with their depictions of mermaids, Greek gods, and roaring animals, the casino itself was more sophisticated than any other she’d seen. The walls were ornamented with a scrolling silver wave design that traveled throughout the entire room. Backlit with soft purple lights, each piece of artwork gleamed. Plush violet chairs invited one to sit for long periods of time. Echoing the Greek goddess statues that graced the lobby, another set of goddesses stood at intervals throughout the casino.
“Help me out here.” As Dana considered the panel of buttons and images of fruit on her slot machine, an imaginary gong sounded in her head. “This thing has a more controls than the dashboard of my car. What am I supposed to press?”
Although she’d lived in Nevada all her life, she’d never been tempted to play any casino games. She’d heard too many stories of tourists bankrupting themselves and didn’t care to follow their examples.
“I’ll show you. You’ll get the hang of it in no time.” Bea’s cellphone rang and she excused herself so she could answer it. “Sasha! Hey, baby. How are you? I miss you. Yeah, I have a minute. I always have time for you.” She motioned to Dana that she needed to take the call and walked out of the alcove and around the corner.
“There goes my tutor.” Dana looked around. In the same alcove, sat a cute little old lady, playing on a device a few feet away. She approached her. “Excuse me, ma’am. You wouldn’t happen to know how the slot machine across the way works, would you? I’m hopeless with these things.”
The cute little old lady looked over her shoulder and scowled like a demon. “Don’t interrupt me! I’m on a roll.”
“Okay, then. Pardon me.” Chastised, Dana returned to her machine. “Sorry I asked.”
