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“I didn’t know I was good at Poker, Sammy,” Tara taunted, “you should’ve taught me to play ages ago.”
“You can’t be good at poker, chiquita. You can get good hands.”
At that, Mindy and Chad piped in, Chad arguing that obviously you can be good at poker if he saw poker world championships on TV. Tara was pretty sure Mindy was siding with Sam, but she was just a bit too buzzed to really register what they were saying. Tara’s party rebel phrase aside, the group had been afraid to drink or be drunk with Sam, until she swore up and down that while the gesture was kind, it wasn’t needed. That, if anything, their steadfast refusal of alcohol only made it worse by making Sam feel constantly aware and guilty over the reason.
Tara interrupted their fight before it got any worse, sort of. “Sammy, this mountain of kit-kats says otherwise. I’m good at poker.”
Halloween was a sore spot for everybody, but the first few days of November, when stores all put their leftover candy on sale made it go down a bit better. Which is why a big boxful of mini candy-bars was their currency for tonight.
“Is that so?”
Yup,” Tara decided, “you should take me to Vegas.”
“Vegas?” Sam guffawed, “baby, you’re like eleven years old you can’t do anything in Vegas.”
“I’ll be twenty-one soon! It’s a big occasion!”
“I guess you’re right. A girl’s first time trying alcohol should be a big deal.”
Tara slowly lowered the beer can she was about to take a sip from.
“Sammyyyy” she pouted, “you’re so mean! My first legal drink can still be an important milestone.”
“Yeah alright, drunk tank,” Sam chuckled, “c’mere now. You’re a regular natural at poker, obviously we gotta get you on the casino floors,” she motioned to her lap and Tara didn’t hesitate to make herself at home. The game was long over anyways.
“Hold up,” Mindy said. Tara forgot the twins were there, “are we actually going to Vegas? Or are you just humoring the drunk girl?”
“Or, is this just a Carpenter Company trip?” Chad followed up, “because it’s cool if it is. Pardon my sister rudely inviti-” he was cut off by Mindy elbowing him.
“Yeah, why not?” Sam answered, “I just got that promotion with my job at the gym,” Tara squeezed her arms koala-ing to Sam tighter at that, she was so proud.
“Few months of saving paychecks like those,” she continued, “I don’t see why I can’t take us someplace nice for a few days.”
Sam raised her hand before the objections could come, “if you guys want to pay for your rooms, that’s cool. No more though. Consider it my—I never got you kids a grad gift. Let me do this.”
Mindy mumbled something about Bambi eyes.
“Fine. But our mom’s gonna bake you an entire bakery next time we go home if you do,” she warned.
“Not a bad trade,” Sam smiled. Then noticed the added weight in her lap, and Tara’s trademark gentle snoring by her ear.
“The little one fell asleep,” she whispered to the twins as she stood up still carrying Tara, “you guys know where the extra blankets are. Goodnight, love you guys.”
“We love you too,” Chad whispered back, and Mindy waved at Tara’s sleeping face as Sam carried her to her room.
Sam pretended not to hear their excited whispers of “Vegas!” behind her. She chuckled, knowing Tara probably wouldn’t remember anything about this tomorrow. Her baby sister was in for a hell of a surprise in the morning.