From Texting to Vegas

 

My phone knocked to let me know I had a text message. I clicked the notification and smiled when I saw who it was from.

“What does Charlotte want?” Jonathan asked.

“What makes think it’s Charlotte?”

“Because you’re making your stupid Charlotte face. It’s always her when you make that face.”

To be honest, he was probably right. Charlotte did tend to bring out my more childish side.

***

“You should order us a pizza,” Charlotte said.

“This study date is going so well. Why ruin it by making a phone call?”

I heard Gobelen’s voice say “Why indeed?” just before he appeared. “I could make one especially for you.” He just sat there, floating in the air with his legs crossed. No introduction, no greeting, no anything.

Charlotte clicked her tongue. “Now I feel bad for laughing when you said you and Jonathan found a genie’s bottle.”

I shrugged. “That’s what you get for being a skeptic.”

A short chuckle erupted out of Gobelen. “Do not let him deceive you, dear woman; I had to give him no end of proofs before he ceased being a skeptic himself. I will gladly give you as many proofs and more if you so require.”

I opened my mouth to say “That’s okay, it can wait,” but Charlotte beat me to it with “Do I get to pick the proofs?”

***

“Best. Idea. Ever!” Jonathan yelled before downing a Bloody Mary.

“Darn right it is. Viva Las Vegas. ” I pushed the slot machine’s spin button again, then sat back and watched the jackpot graphic flash across the screen yet again. “Hey, where’s Gobelen? I need to thank him for rigging this game.”

Jonathan pointed to a Black Jack table where Gobelen was smiling smugly as Charlotte clapped and jumped up and down. I had to smile as her pile of chips grew. She didn’t seem to notice the security guard walk up and tap Gobelen on the shoulder, but I did and I knew it was not a good omen. I snapped back around to my machine and hit the cash out button.

“What are you doing?” Jonathan asked.

“The superior gambler knows when to walk away.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning I’m getting my money before whatever’s about to happen happens.”