Roslyn's Night at the Casino

Their train home would leave in 10 minutes but neither of them were ready to end the evening. They were too alight with excitement to give up their night on the town, and too tipsy to see any wisdom in an early night's sleep. As they each scanned their surroundings for an excuse to continue their festivities, their eyes converged on the flashing lights of the Casino. The warm light over the red carpet beckoned them inside with the promise of thrill and perhaps some riches. Near the entrance several large screens portrayed the inside of the establishment, showing several large rooms filled with slot machines, pool tables, and tables of blackjack, roulette and poker.

The patrons of the casino were all wealthy (or keeping up appearances). Most of the men (who made up the majority of the crowd) were dressed in three piece suits. The women wore fine silk gowns, up-market cocktail dresses, and fur coats. Roslyn looked at Daniel as he looked at her. Daniel had worn a grey two-piece suit for their engagement dinner but much to her chagrin he hadn't bothered to shave. A thin line of stubble, coupled with a shaggy mess of curly hair (she ordinarily adored) threatened to bar them from the venue. Roslyn on the other hand was pulling her weight.

As a PhD student, Rosalyn made very little money, and what she did make was largely eaten up by food and rent. Despite these limitations, adorning her this evening was a shoulder-less navy bow-trim satin dress with a red ribbon wrapping around her waist. Roslyn's auburn hair rolled in waves past her rosy cheeks and scarlet red lipstick (a shade chosen to match her ribbon) into the deep blue of her dress. Her neckline plunged between her breasts. They usually needed some encouragement to come together, which was provided by several lace knots tying up her cleavage. As a result she'd decided against a bra. Her side set breasts, which often relied on some infrastructure to prop them up, sunk slightly into the bust of the dress. The material around her nipples was thick enough that she wasn't concerned about taking someone's eye out. The fabric reached to just above her knees with a slit climbing up her left thigh. Completing the look was a light open cashmere cardigan to cover her arms and shoulders if the night grew cold, and red thigh boots to match the ribbon. Only a small sliver of her thighs were visible between the bottom of the dress and the top of her boots.

Earlier in the evening, when her boyfriend (while he was not yet a fiancée) drank her up with his eyes. He could hardly believe such an outfit was possible in her salary. Her secret, which Roslyn happily shared to anyone who asked, was an enviable knack for thrift shopping. Her whole ensemble cost her under fifty, yet she felt like a million dollars.

It wasn't a perfect fit, as is almost always the case with thrifting. The zip at her back clipped tightly into her, causing some skin near the center of her back to fold in. The dress also clung a little tightly around her midsection, highlighting a small belly bulge her mum teased her about but Daniel claimed to adore. Her cheeks often burned a bright pink, causing many a friend, relative, or patronizing male superior to give her the nickname rosy Roslyn. Tonight she had chosen to lean into this look, and had blended in a light blush into her foundation.

Two security guards flanked the entrance into the inner sanctum of the Casino. A line of would-be patrons accumulated in the foyer, forming a haphazard queue in front of the large screens. Fluttering with excitement, and blinded by feel-good endorphins that only imagined success in their future, they joined the crowd and waited optimistically to be admitted.

By the time the line had thinned out, some of the tipsy excitement was wearing off. Thoughts of thrilling encounters with Lady Luck, and the butterflies of engagement gave way to more mundane realities. Roslyn would need to wake up early in the morning to help some of her masters students run experiments in the lab. Daniel also had a business trip to pack for, and a flight in the early afternoon of the following day.

As the minutes ticked on the zebrafish embryos Roslyn was studying swam through her minds eye, crowding out thoughts of high stakes poker, and daring roulette. She could talk for hours about zebrafish genetics and how important (and applicable!) it was to human physiology. But with her thesis due in only a couple of months, the beautiful striped fish had become a harbinger of stress more than a curiosity in her thoughts. Before her anxieties about unfinished experiments and incomplete data threw her into a tailspin, the herd thinned out and they were standing in front of two burly security guards in sharp black suits and ties.

The guard on the left displayed a long elegant beard that had been neatly woven into braids almost long enough to touch his belly button. On the right stood a guard who was completely bald without out a hair to be seen. While both were intimidating from a distance, their quirky juxtaposition and not unfriendly gaze made them much less scary up close. The bearded guard sorted through Roslyn and Daniel's appearance, while the bald guard remained silent. After a few seconds the bearded man broke the tension.

"You can go in," gesturing to Roslyn.

"You're out," he pointed a wayward thumb to Daniel. For a second Roslyn was relieved. The stresses of the morrow had gradually sunken into her, and the world of fish, experiments and lab coats had drowned out any possibilities the Casino presented. But Daniel chose instead to put up a fight.

"Please mate, we just got engaged," Daniel grabbed her hand and waved the large diamond ring in front of the bearded man's face.

The man looked back at him incredulous. For a second Daniel shrunk back under the searching gaze of the security guard.

"You didn't shave for your engagement?"

"She likes it like this," Daniel shot back, tripping over the first syllable.

This was partially true. She had on occasion appreciated his more rugged appearance and the scratch of his stubble on her soft cheeks. But on this occasion she agreed with the bouncer. A proposal is a pretty significant event. They had already taken nearly three dozen photos of each other. Though she had not voiced any complaint, she had wished Daniel had made a bit more effort in his appearance today of all days. Especially since she suspected her appreciation of Daniel's stubble was less decisive than his own laziness in how he chose to present himself.

Roslyn looked up at the security guard, swallowed her small truth, and gently agreed with Daniel's claim.

The bearded guard gave her a look that bordered between apologetic and disappointment.

"Alright, you lovebirds enjoy," he sighed and stood to the side allowing both Daniel and Roslyn into the Casino. As she walked past Roslyn heard the bald guard mutter to her or himself it was not clear.

"If was this I wouldn't settle for that". Roslyn gulped and hoped Daniel hadn't heard, even though she quietly blushed from the compliment.

Roslyn took pride in her appearance, though her path to body positivity was not always an easy one. She wasn't as thin as the women in commercials, but she felt lucky with the skin she was born into. Over the years she's obsessed over whether her face was symmetrical, if her nipples were the right width apart, if the skin around her vulva was the right color, and 500 other things the girls and women around her constantly discussed or lamented. She did not pass every beauty test she found in magazines, but she felt beautiful more often than not. With a small spring in her step, she hopped forward into the Casino grabbing Daniel's hand.

"No handbags in the Casino," the bearded guard cut in once more.

"But I haven't got any pockets," Roslyn patted down her waist to better demonstrate the dilemma.

"Sorry, it's policy, all bags, umbrellas and accessories must be left in the lockers. I can give you a ticket so you can get your stuff back upon exit."

Roslyn shook her head. "Fine," she muttered. She pulled off her cardigan and stuffed it inside her handbag. The bag was the weakest part of her overall look so she was happy enough to part with it, but without the bag she felt naked. She had nowhere to keep her purse, or her phone. She decided the lesser evil would be to go without for a just a little while. God knew she spent enough time on her phone as is. She handed over her bag to guard her took it into the cloakroom before returning with a ticket. Roslyn passed the ticket from the guard along to Daniel who tucked it away in his wallet.

Once inside the rush of excitement washed back over them. The sounds of life coming from electrifying card games, the ring of the slot machines and the movement of chips, cards, drinks and people injected them both with all the energy they had lost over the past twenty minutes and some to spare. A waiter offered them both champagne and they partook gladly. With a cheers they downed the two glasses and searched the velvet room for their first attraction.

As responsible young professionals they first agreed to their budget for the evening. Daniel offered to supply them both with fifty dollars to gamble with. She made some initial noises to pay her own way but eventually acquiesced to his offer. Daniel's high flying corporate world was far more lucrative that the government grants Roslyn was subsisting on. He joked politely 'What's mine is yours' as he handed her the money. A surge of electricity tingled through her as she poked at the diamond on her finger. It might not have been much money, but Roslyn's outfit was a testament to how far a fifty could take you.

However, it seemed her skills in thrift shopping did not translate to luck at dice. Within 15 minutes she had lost half her money to roulette. Meanwhile Daniel had bee-lined it straight for the card games. He had always loved to play, and had poker nights with his high school friends once every few months. Roslyn joined in semi-regularly, and while she had a decent understanding of the rules and could keep a decent mental map of the unplayed deck, her inability to lie, and read lies in return prevented her from every really excelling. Daniel on the other hand was a maestro with his words and expressions but mixed up the value of a flush and a straight half as often as he remembered it.

While Daniel warmed up with some small Blackjack success, Roslyn reclaimed some lost funds from the slot machines. With about thirty dollars to spend she joined Daniel in the cards section for some more Blackjack. She gave away another ten on more cocktails to share with Daniel. Daniel had made twenty on top of his original fifty, and sought out a table full of distinguished men and women playing poker. Before he joined in, he winked at Roslyn and whispered in her ear. "With any luck I might be able to earn us a honeymoon from these types" before taking a seat at the table.

Newly tipsy from the latest round of drinks, Roslyn went into a game of BlackJack with an unearned confidence that came free with her sunny disposition. Within another fifteen minutes she was all out of money. She found Daniel again, and found him embroiled in a fiercely serious table. Around him sat four other that would not have felt out of place in a painting from the 1920s. An older woman in a purple dress, a fur coat and white feathered hat sat to Daniel's left. To his right was the dealer, a young south-asian woman, likely still under 20 years old, wearing the stripped Casino uniform that revealed more of her skin than might have been expected from an establishment this distinguished. Her sleevelessness could be justified as an anti-tampering measure, but the rest of the tight fitting leotard could not so easily be explained. Despite her outfit, she was deathly serious of her role, giving absolutely nothing away. Her focus on the deck of cards in her hand was absolute. She shuffled them efficiently, thoroughly and without flair, dealing out cards with such force Roslyn was half intimidated. Opposite Daniel were two men. One of them was in his fifties, wearing a beige three piece suit, and a bushy grey handlebar mustache of the same caliber as the eyebrows framing his face. The other man held her attention after she first took note of Daniel's opponents. Likely only a few years older than herself and Daniel, his presence commanded the table as might be expected of a more seasoned patron. While everyone in the Casino was in formal wear, the younger man opposite Daniel seemed almost overdressed. Unlike Daniel the man was clean shaven, with dark black sweeping over his head like tidal wave. A sharp jaw punctured the air around him and he looked up from the cards with an intensity that stole Roslyn's breath. His eyes blazed a deep green that reminded any caught in its grasp of untamed wilderness and dark forests. His suit shared this shade of green, that would have looked out of place on anyone but him. Beneath his jacket, he wore a cool brown vest that enhanced his forested aura, and a scarlet tie that put his features into stark contrast. Upon his wrist he wore a brass watch that she could guess cost more than her degree. He caught Roslyn's gaze lingering upon him and she quickly looked away. Without needing any explanation she knew the wealth at this table was indeed enough to pay for her and Daniel's honeymoon many times over.

"Does anyone mind if my fiancé pulls up a chair" Daniel asked around the table.

"I'm out of money," she whispered to Daniel.

"...To watch," he added.

The dealer stared at her with a neutral ferocity that she could not interpret. The older gentleman grumbled acquiescence while the older woman in the fur coat smiled politely. The green-eyed man held her eyes for a breathless moment that felt both devoid and brimming with meaning. She pulled up a chair to Daniel's left, between himself and the older woman. She tried to put as much space between herself and the dealer as she could. Behind the green-eyed man lay the velvety walls of the casino, as they played in a corner away from the commotion of less serious games. Behind Rosalyn and Daniel lay the commotion of waiters and waitresses moving back and forth with drinks, and drunken patrons moving between games. Despite the noise, all their attention was absorbed by the game, and Roslyn sat down she felt herself too become enmeshed in consuming pull of the table. A chill ran across her arms and she missed her cardigan for a moment. While it might only be fifty dollars at stake for Daniel, she understood that much more could be gained (or lost) depending on how he played his cards.

By the time Roslyn arrived at the table Daniel had already made a handsome profit. She tried to convert the chips piled by his side into cash but wasn't quite sure of the conversion. Nevertheless he had earned enough to match some of the higher bids of his opponents. The man in green seemed to be the biggest loser during the spell of time Roslyn was watching. Each time she thought he was knocked out, he would call over one of the staff, and another pile of multicolored chips would appear by his side. He was as stoic in defeat as in victory, no matter the outcome he remained expressionless, the large sums of money moving back and forth across the table meaning nothing to him. Within an hour Daniel must have accumulated more than a thousand from his opponents, and Roslyn was fluttering with excitement. Occasionally he would hand Rosalyn a few chips to convert into cash so she could buy some drinks for herself and the table, and by the time she would come back he had replenished the lost amount with interest. Daniel had not been exaggerating when he claimed their honeymoon might be bought from this table. After some minor losses Daniel claimed victory in a surprisingly tense clash with the Man in Green. Daniel's straight flush overcame the Man in Green's full house, and doubled his already substantial winnings. Despite such a cataclysmic loss, the Man in Green merely shrugged and ordered up another round of chips.

Afterwards Daniel turned to Roslyn and whispered, "I think our honeymoon is paid for, shall I cash out?" Roslyn was so drunk on the excitement of victory she could barely understand the question.

"Are you kidding? We could cover the whole wedding in a few more rounds"

Daniel looked uneasy for a moment, but shrugged and turned back to the table. As the game grew longer, and each player cheerfully leached more and more money from the Man in Green, a few onlookers had started to appear. Several desperately tried to pull up a seat and make their money for the day, but the dealer sternly warded off any new players. None of the existing players were keen to share their winnings and so none of the small crowd could graduate from onlooker. In one round, after the animated reaction to Daniel's cards undermined his bluff the dealer shooed them away. A few regrouped but learned to be more silent.

Rosalyn also became more animated as the game grew on. Daniel had played mostly in silence, but Rosalyn had begun to nudge him, and even make quiet comments from time to time directing Daniel to bid or fold. She grew increasingly restless as Daniel's successes started to plateau. A few more rounds and their honeymoon plans had shifted from outlandish to merely extravagant. She was on the verge of giving in to Daniel's earlier suggestion to cash out when a small miracle appeared in Daniel's hand. Three aces had been dealt exclusively to his hand, with the final one sitting on the table. Meanwhile none of the cards in the middle made much of anything, a two of spades, and 9 of clubs. Daniel had grown used to making big moves in the knowledge the Man in Green would match him without hesitation, and this was no exception. Before the first card was revealed he had already pushed in half his chips. This was an almost sure fire win, and he'd wrangle as much money as he could. Rosalyn tried to remain expressionless but she was near erupting with excitement. Daniel could almost earn her entire year's salary (as pitiful as it was) in a single hand. Without hesitation, the Man in Green once again matched Daniel's bet. Another card rolled out, a seven of hearts. The Man in Green might be able to swing together a straight perhaps, but there was no chance of anything else. Daniel pushed in the other half of his earnings. The Man in Green followed suit. The older woman and mustached gentlemen had long since folded. Rosalyn nearly squealed. The bluff, if it ever had been one was over. The final card was flipped. A jack of hearts, the same suit as the Ace already on the table.

Daniel revealed the three aces already in his hand.

"Read em and weep," he almost shouted. A few of the remaining onlookers gasped. The Man in Green, wordlessly laid out his cards.

A King of Hearts

A Queen of Hearts

A Ten of Hearts.

A royal flush.

Daniel stopped gathering his cards and shook his head. Roslyn sunk back on her stool. The rest of the Casino continued to buzz with life but around the table all was wrapped in a stunned silence. Peacefully, and without reaction the Man in Green gathered the winnings. His lack of emotion until now had been a novelty, but suddenly it was grating. Roslyn glared at him, and his eyes remained steely, refusing to look away.

The hours of victory had wiped Roslyn of any expectation or even understanding of loss. She could not process her emotion.

"It's not over, we can take it back," she tried whispering to Daniel but she could not suppress her voice. The others around the table could hear.

"It's over Roslyn," she could sense a darkening of his mood. While Roslyn denied the loss, he was already in grim acceptance. "Look, It was only fifty dollars." Daniel tried to smile but could only manage a grimace.