The Day Will Come by Judy Clemens

in a chapter T-shirt sat with a deck of cards spread out before him.
    “Choose a card, any card,” he bellowed.
    Lenny went first, emitting a growl at his four of hearts. Lucy picked a jack of spades, which Lenny threatened to steal. She smiled and tossed it back onto the table, where the man shuffled it back in with the rest of the deck.
    “Go ahead, partner,” I said to Tess.
    She reached out tentatively, her lips twisted to the side in concentration. When she finally made her pick, she held out an ace of diamonds. “Is that good?”
    Laughing, we assured her it was. I took my turn, pulling out an unremarkable eight of spades.
    The guy at the table initialed our sheets and sent us on our way. I tucked my paper into my jacket pocket and helped Tess put hers away in her jeans.
    “Here we go,” Lenny said.
    The trip was well-marked and pleasant, and with our multiple layers we all were able to stay warm. At first Tess kept such a tight grip on my jacket I was afraid we wouldn’t be able to unclench her fingers once we got to the final stop, but by the time we pulled into Valley Forge Beef and Ale a couple hours later she was much more relaxed, and enjoying herself.
    We meandered over to the final card table, stretching and trying to slap some life back into our rear ends.
    “Ready for your cards?” the lady at the table asked. She waved us over.
    “Not that it makes much difference,” Lenny muttered.
    “Oh, poor baby,” the lady said, looking at his sheet. “Didn’t get nothing, did you?”
    And he didn’t this time, either, pulling a ten of clubs.
    Lucy ended up with a pair of jacks, which at least was something, but Tess was the one to watch.
    “Ooo, two aces and two nines,” the lady said. “Come on, darlin’, see what you can do.”
    Tess’ fingers hovered over the cards, until she plucked one from the bottom of the pile.
    “Ah, darn it,” the lady said. “A queen don’t help much, does it? But you’ve still got two pair, aces high. Wouldn’t surprise me if you got a prize.”
    Tess grinned as the lady initialed her sheet.
    I got another eight, but seeing how the pair was joined by three completely different cards, I didn’t think I’d be receiving much of anything.
    “Lenny Spruce!” A little old man trotted over, his hand outstretched.
    Lenny took the hand and gave the man a hug with his other arm, dwarfing him. “Dennis, my man, what’s happening?”
    “Didn’t get shit for my poker hand, but we got a nice ride in. Sheila’s around here somewhere. You folks gonna get something to eat?”
    “That’s the plan. Dennis, this here’s my fiancée, Lucy Lapp. We’re tying the knot this Saturday.”
    “My pleasure, my pleasure,” Dennis said, shaking her hand. “You are either a very lucky woman or a very brave one. Maybe both. I can tell just by looking at you that Lenny here’s getting the better part of the deal.”
    Lucy laughed, obviously not quite sure how to take the comments.
    “And this?” Dennis turned to Tess and gently took her hand.
    “Lucy’s daughter, Tess. She just turned nine. And you’ve probably seen Stella around.”
    “Sure.” He gripped my hand and smiled. “Oh, here she is. Sheila honey! Look who I found.” After she hugged Lenny Dennis gave the introductions, somehow remembering everyone’s name. “They’re gonna join us for lunch. Right, Len?”
    Lenny laughed and looked at Lucy, who nodded her okay.
    “Then let’s go eat,” Dennis said. “I’m about starved.”
    We’d gotten seated with salads in front of us, Dennis gabbing all the while, when he said, “You folks hear about the Tom Copper concert the other night in Philly?”
    “Hear about it?” Lenny said. “We were there.”
    “No kiddin’. So were we, weren’t we, honey?”
    Sheila smiled, but I had yet to hear her say anything. I guess Dennis talked enough for both of them.
    “’Bout lost Sheila here when the grand exodus happened, but I managed to keep a hold of her belt loop.