Page 49 of Shattered

I scan the keycard I was given to get into the main building and open the door. This is like a little town for the retired. The main building has small shops and stores, restaurants, a gym and spa, and even a grocery store. A little golf cart drives along the property, picking up the residents and bringing them to the main building so they can hang out with friends or do some shopping. I don’t know why my grandma had such a fit when she was placed in one of these places. This looks fun to me!

I lead us into the casino and walk up to the window.

“Can I help you?” the lady behind the desk asks.

“We’re staying here for the summer and we were just checking the place out. How does all of this work?”

She seems a little confused, probably because I’m not a retiring senior. “Most of our occupants have money put into their account by their families. They are given a set limit on what they can spend a month, but the machines don’t pay out any money like a regular casino. What they win is credited to their account which they can spend here or in any of the shops on the property.”

“Oh.” I feel my face redden. Of course this isn’t like a regular casino. I’m about to tell her thank you and walk away when I hear a commotion behind me.

I turn around to see a group of old ladies circling around River. “You’re that young man from the beach, aren’t you? I’d recognize that nice rear end anywhere,” one lady says. And based on how high River jumps, I’m guessing she pinched his ‘nice rear end’.

I can’t help the wide smile that spreads across my face. But he doesn’t look entertained. He’s giving me the death glare with the ladies flocking around him.

“Come by my room later, sugar. I’ll teach you how to play pinochle,” the lady with a gray wig tells him.

I double over, laughing.

“That’s very nice of you ladies, but I really need to go and…I just need to go.” He squeezes between them because they are not backing away to let him leave.

He grabs my arm. “I’m sooo getting you back.” He drags me from the room, while my giggles continue.

As we’re walking down the hall towards the exit, another lady approaches us. River stops, being the polite man he is, but he doesn’t look happy about it.

“Hi there, sweet-stuff. I saw you on the beach today and couldn’t help but to notice how thin you are. So I whipped up a batch of brownies.” She smiles at him sweetly before giving me the death glare. “Don’t you know how to feed your man?” she asks me.

My mouth hangs open. What happened to sweet old ladies? The only ones I’ve seen here are horny as hell.

River takes the plate and bows his head. “Thank you. That’s very nice of you, Mrs…”

She turns back to him, sweetness dripping from her voice as she says, “Ms. Pen. Vivian Pen.”

River holds out his hand and she places hers in his. He places a kiss to the top. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Pen. And thank you for the brownies. I won’t be sharing any of them.” He flashes me an annoyed look.

I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest.

The lady blushes and covers her smile with her hand.

Before anyone can say anything else, River grabs my wrist again and pulls me out the door.

“You’re sooo dead,” he seethes.

“Please, stop. My stomach can’t handle any more laughing.” I hold my side that is already aching.

12

TRUTH OR DARE

River refuses to leave the room for the rest of the day. He snacks on his brownies that look thick and delicious, but he refuses to give me one. We watch some TV and finally break out his flask because we’re both so bored. I wanted to go to Miami Beach, but it was already so late in the day that I decided to push it off until tomorrow.

I pull out my list as we’re sitting on the floor around the coffee table, taking turns with the flask. I make sure I’ve marked off everything that I can, and study it for my next accomplishment.

“Hey, I know what we can do.”

“What’s that?” His eyes find mine.

“We can play truth or dare.” I flip the notebook around to show him number nineteen.

---