I checked his bet and I raised him 20 dollars. “Damn Matt, you got all my money. Let me owe you.” “No fucking way, you know the rules, you have ...o anti up or you forfeit.” “Come on man. One time. Shit your afraid I have a better hand.” “Tell you what, I will spot you the twenty, but if you lose you have to give me the shirt of your back.” “Shit it’s a deal….here you go sucker pay up.” Tom laid down a full house jacks over fives. I laughed as I laid down my hand kings over aces. “Pay up.” “Son. The rest of the week will give you just a preview ofwhat separation will be like. Even before the divorce,we will be completely through, and you’ll never see ortouch me again, I swear. It will be something to thinkabout when you get nervous on Saturday morning.“By the way, I’ve made an appointment with my lawyerfor Wednesday morning. I told his secretary that Imight cancel it at the last minute, and she said thatwouldn’t be a problem, because he’s so booked up. It might need a bit of dusting. Thelast lot never came down here much." Bloody students. He hated them. All of them. If they weren't spending alltheir time out drinking and throwing up in the middle of the street, they wereringing him up moaning about something in the house. The last lot had been here three years, and they had always been complainingabout something or other. It had taken him weeks to clean up the place whenthey had finally left, and if they thought they were getting their. Knowing that her day would proceed as all the others. Routinely, boring, almost humdrum. But today would be different. Today He had a small surprise for her. Today He would test her strength. The thought made His smile broaden as He reached for His phone.He stretched back in His soft leather chair, propping His feet upon His desk as He waited for the phone to be answered. Her voice a crisp businesslike tone. He always marvelled at the different nuances of her voice. Right now it held that.