Don't Hate the Player...Hate the Game(30)

After dinner, Mrs. Parker and Maddie quickly cleared the table for game night. No shit, they seriously had a game night once a week where they played board games together. You know, all that jazz that it’s not about playing the game but spending quality time together and all. This particular night was Monopoly.

Maddie glanced over at me, anxiously gauging my reaction to game night. I smiled. “I’m a killer Monopoly player. I used to always win when I played with my grandparents and my mom.”

“Oh really?” Pastor Dan questioned, with a grin.

Josh leaned over to me. “Watch out for Dad—he cheats!”

Pastor Dan laughed. “Now son, don’t you be telling lies to our guest.”

“Daddy, you know Josh is telling the truth,” Maddie exclaimed, a grin etched across her face.

“It’s sad that two children would accuse their father of such a thing,” Pastor Dan replied, and then he gave me a wink.

Maddie and Josh weren’t lying. We had barely gotten started when Pastor Dan tried to pull one over on us. “No offense, sir, but should a minister be doing that sort of thing?” I asked.

I thought I might have offended him, but instead, he roared with laughter, and so did Mrs. Parker. “That’s a wonderful question, Noah,” Mrs. Parker said. “I’ve often thought the very same thing.”

“All I have to say is sometimes you need a little something to repent for, and I know He forgives me!”

We all laughed. Fortunately, I was able to outwit Pastor Dan’s schemes to end up the Donald Trump of the night.

“Good job, Noah,” Maddie said.

“Yeah, way to beat Daddy!” Josh chimed in. It was the first thing he’d said in a long time, and I’d noticed for the last few minutes he’d been propping his head up on his elbows. He yawned, and Mrs. Parker nodded.

“All right, that’s enough for tonight. Josh is getting tired.”

“I am not!” Josh protested.

Pastor Dan shot him a look, and he piped down.

“I’ll clean this up, Mom,” Maddie said.

Mrs. Parker smiled. “Okay, I think I’ll let you. I’m going to take my coffee in the living room.”

“I’ll join you,” Pastor Dan said.

When Josh dallied at the table, Pastor Dan gave a short whistle and a jerk of his head. Josh hopped up and followed into the living room.

I started helping Maddie pick up the game pieces when the thump, thump of a jacked up stereo interrupted us. Even with her dark hair shrouding her face, I could see Maddie had flushed scarlet. “What is that?” I asked.

“My dad and his oldies,” she murmured.

“Maddie, get in here!” Josh shouted.

In the living room, Pastor Dan and Mrs. Parker were dancing together. Josh was doing crazy dance moves around the living room. I recognized the song. It was Smokey Joe’s Cafe, and it had been one of my grandfather’s favorite tunes from the 50’s. A slow burn radiated in my chest, but I did my best to ignore it. I wished that it was possible just once to think of Granddaddy or of Jake without the same debilitating chest pain.

Pastor Dan saw Maddie, and his eyes lit up. Without missing a step, he motioned to her from the living room.

Maddie’s face glowed with mortification.

“Come on and dance with me, Maddie,” he urged.

“No Daddy!” Maddie hissed.

“Madeline Elizabeth Parker, get your uptight tail over here this instant!”

I couldn’t help laughing as Maddie stalked over to her father. He grabbed her into his arms and did a fast waltz around the living room. I had to admit, Pastor Dan had some serious moves. While he and Maddie cut a rug, Mrs. Parker did some old moves from the 60’s with Josh—the twist, the alligator, you name it—they were doing it. I think they even started doing the Sprinkler.

Pastor Dan dipped Maddie, and then spun her over to me. “Your turn, Noah,” he urged.

Maddie blushed as she tried to catch her breath. “You don’t have to.”

Since no one from school was going to see me and possibly give me shit, I decided what the hell. I grinned. “No, it’s okay.”

“Really?”

“Sure.”

She smiled with surprise when I pulled her to me. I quickstepped her across the room like Grammy had taught me. We had our own Dancing with the Stars moment in the Parker’s living room.

“Nice footwork, Noah,” Pastor Dan complimented.

“Thank you, sir.”

I cleared my throat and stared into Maddie’s eyes. “So did Jake ever…”

“Dance like this?” Maddie responded.

“Uh-huh.”

Maddie shook her head. “No, he didn’t.”

Hmm, I guess there was one thing I’d done that Jake hadn’t. I didn’t know if that was a hollow victory or not. I mean, he might not have ever had the opportunity. But what I really wondered is if given the opportunity would he have shot down the chance.

When the large grandfather clock struck ten, Mrs. Parker turned off the stereo. She gave Josh a look. “Okay, I think it’s way past somebody’s bedtime.”

“Aw, Mom,” Josh whined.

“Upstairs, now,” Mrs. Parker replied.

I glanced at Maddie. “I guess I better be heading on, too.” I smiled at Pastor Dan and Mrs. Parker. “Thanks for having me for dinner and game night.”