"You'll gamble everything we have sweetheart."
"I need to win big just one time, then I'll get everything back, Chloe."
"You won't, but I can't talk you out of this, so I'll wait for you at the bar."
Lance was always convinced the next hand would be his way back to riches, but every week, when the casino closed to regular punters and he joined the high rollers for a private game, the same thing happened. He lost big, someone advanced my husband more credit and he lost that too.
It went on for nearly and year and now, we had practically nothing left. I couldn't stop him even though most of our income came from my job as an executive in a specialised beverage import/export conglomerate. Lance gave me the ultimatum of divorce or support him. I'd never faltered before, but frankly, I was wavering these days.
We married young. I was twenty four, Lance was two years older and, to be honest, in the beginning everything was great. Now, with six years invested, we were both tired, barely still in love, and flat broke.
"Would you like a drink, Chloe? It's on the house."
"Yeah, I'll take a mineral water please, Harry. Ice and a slice."
"I see Lance is in the red big time again."
"Yup. He won't be done until we lose everything."
"Why do you put up with it?"
"Sometimes the only way out of a car crash is after the vehicle stops rolling, Harry."
A round of applause rippled through the players and a few guests observing them. My heart soared because it signified a big win and I glanced hopefully but my husband remained slumped in his chair, looking every inch the loser he appeared to have become.
I glanced back at Harry who looked sad for me, sighed, rolled my eyes and readied to collect my husband and assuage his pain.
"Just before you leave Chloe, may I say something."
"Yes, Harry?"
"You need to leave Lance. I hate saying it, but I've seen these guys habitually lose so many times and they never rise again. They don't stop gambling until their life's curtain comes down and in his case, you'll get dragged along."
"Thanks Harry, it's fair advice and I appreciate it. I'll be seeing you."
I collected Lance from the table, holding his trembling hand tightly, praying he could hold back the tears welling in his eyes just long enough for me to get him out the front door.
As we walked through the casino foyer, a familiar voice shouted my name.
"Hey, Chloe, can I have a word, please?"
I whirled around with my husband following in a slower orbit, him turning like an ocean going tanker. My old school friend smiled when he approached with an arm outstretched.
"Simon, it's lovely to see you. What's up?"
He wasn't offering a hand to shake, instead, Simon gripped my elbow, ushering me to god knows where behind reception.
"Come with me, please. It's a private matter."
"Private to you and me or private with Harry, too?"
"Both of you, please."
He sounded and looked intense, so I knew something was amiss, but I kept my calm because I couldn't imagine his concern might be about me.
Simon and I grew up together and were friends for years. We dated in high school but never got past kissing, then lost contact during college years and met again when I began working as a buyer of expensive whisky.
When Simon appeared disinterested in catching up, I had a couple of romances, mostly through work, then met Lance and well, the rest is history.
"Where are we going, Simon?"
"To my office. It's just around the next corner."
When we arrived I was agog. His office was palatial, and it became clear to me that Simon had fared well in life. The managing director and part owner of a casino with two thousand slot machines and three hundred tables had an office suite fit for a king.
"Wow. This is the most gorgeous office I've ever seen."
"Sit down, please. Would you like coffee or anything else to drink?"
"No, thanks."
I noticed he didn't chase my husband for a response, but I sat down to hear my old friend out despite a rising irritation. My husband browsed collectible sports memorabilia on display in well lit, fancy walnut and glass cabinets.
"You're scaring me, Simon."
"Lance owes a hundred grand, Chloe."
"Oh fuck. I thought it was ten."
"Nope, ask him if you need confirmation."
My husband hadn't batted an eyelid, admiring a tatty baseball in a presentation box on a table.
"Lance?"
"Lance?"
"Lance?"
On the third time of asking, he spun around with a deeply apologetic expression.
"What's up, Chloe?"
"Did you hear what Simon said?"
"Yeah."
"How will you pay the debt off?"
"Umm, well. It's, umm. Why don't you ask Simon?"
I turned from my stupidly nonchalant husband towards Simon. By now, both men angered me and I was fairly sure my old friend had detected that.
"He's offered you, Chloe."
"Fucking, come again?"
"Lance has offered you in repayment of the debt."
"In what way?"
My head snapped from one to the other as though I were spectating a tennis final. My stomach churned and I felt light headed as the ramifications of Simon's words coalesced.
"In a sexual way."
"To whom?"
"Peter Ingram."
"I've never heard of him."
"Gangster."
"Fucking hell. I won't do it. This is on Lance. He's a stupid wanker and needs to sort this out. I'm not fucking anyone to pay off his debt."
Simon stood up and sidled over next to me on a red leather sofa. I shook with anger and fear about what Lance had done. I saw he was upset too but not for the same reasons as I was. When my husband knelt before me, the tears rolled down his face.
"Peter will kill me if you don't do this, Chloe."
"Why, Lance? Why would you do this to me?"
He bowed his head in shame and the tears dropped onto Simon's parquet wooden flooring.
"I never thought it would come to this."
I let go of my husband's hands, unable to come to terms with his treachery. I stared at Simon, praying he had another solution, but his face was completely blank.
"How many times must I sleep with this guy, Peter, is it?"
"Just one night, Chloe, but it's tonight, here, upstairs in the penthouse and everything is prepared."
I recoiled in horror, pushing my husband backwards in disgust and as though doing so might drive the problem away.
"Did you know this, Lance? Is that why I'm here? As payment for your bad debt?"
"I'm sorry, Chloe."