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Jamming the envelope with the photos out of sight in a drawer, Opal decided to deal with that later. Obviously, nothing could be done presently, nor did she want to think about it. She turned her complete and interested attention to her friend, who had been helping her orchestrate the latest charity event: a poker tournament.
“Yes, yes, of course. Thank you for asking. What can I help you with?”
Gerri sashayed into the room and pulled up the seat in front of Opal. Anyone could see Opal was not okay. Her posture, her aura, and even her dialect rang true with the distinction of wariness. Of course, Gerri had to press into it. That was just Gerri’s way.
“You know, you are a terrible liar, Opal Hayes. You can’t fool me. But if you don’t want to talk about it, we won’t. Just know that I am open to talking,” Gerri winked, and Opal’s cheeks flushed hot.
Gerri dove straight into a conversation about the event, which was only a few days away. Opal knew that Gerri was firm and confident about her contributions to the tournament. Gerri Wilder lived up to her name; she was someone not to be underestimated, even though her methods were often more than a little unorthodox.
Gerri and Opal reviewed the final details for the event, from the guests to the food, to the main attraction. Opal was excited about this event because she would never have thought of it on her own. Gerri was extremely involved in this particular project, having offered to help plan and organize.
“Thank you again for the idea to host a poker tournament. What an amazing idea! This is going to be quite the production.”
“Thanks. I do have my moments of genius.” They laughed.
Of course, most of the work still lay on Opal's shoulders, as Gerri didn't much care for the pageantry of it all. There would need to be hors d'oeuvres and enough beverages, alcoholic or otherwise, to serve the head count attending.
The tables had to be just right, the rooms needed to be set up effectively, and the players needed to be assigned their starting positions. The mix-and-match style of poker was something Opal was still trying to wrap her head around. She had never played poker herself, but she knew there was a big draw among the rich and the poor alike.
At one point, Gerri raised an eyebrow at Opal. “Have you found any ringers to champion for Senior Rights?”
Opal frowned. “Not yet. I have been striking out in that regard. While it would be nice for Senior Rights to have the money, it doesn’t really matter who wins. I am just happy to put this event on and allow the flow of some good money to a good charity.”
“In seriousness, it should be a very beneficial tournament. For everyone.” Gerri’s eyes flashed gold again, and Opal briefly wondered what Gerri meant.
The turnout was going to be awesome, with thousands of players coming out, most of which were from the shifter community. Among the competitors were some top players from around the world. Regardless of the players, there was going to be so much money rolling in and going to a terrific cause.
Gerri was truly instrumental in bringing people into this event. She organized most of the clientele, and she called in connections from all over. That was how there were so many shifters in attendance. How the woman could possibly know so many people, Opal would never understand. Opal herself was a very reserved individual.
Opal was very grateful to Gerri, who had become a good friend. Gerri had worked on charity events with Opal for a while now, and she was always a pleasure to work with. Charming and charismatic, Gerri brought light to every room.
“Well, it seems like you have this well in hand, Madam Manager, so I will leave you to your work. You have done a fantastic job, and I am very proud of your dedication. I can’t wait to attend the event.” Gerri gave Opal a sly smile.
“Thanks, Gerri. We’ll see you soon.” Opal smiled brightly.
“That you will.” Gerri began to stroll from the room and then turned back at the door. “Oh, and don’t get too discouraged about not finding your champion. I have a bead on someone who I think will be perfect to champion Senior Rights. I will be meeting with him later. Ciao.”
Gerri shot Opal a wink and hurried from the room. Opal shook her head. That woman was such a firecracker. Opal was always impressed with Gerri’s confidence. Opal hoped one day she could be as swanky as Gerri Wilder.
She resumed her work, double and triple-checking the numbers and itinerary. This was going to be such a spectacular night.
TWO
BENTON
It had been a minute since Benton had done what he did best: win poker tournaments. Being a professional poker player, he was very confident, and with good reason. Benton O’Connell did not lose.
He had spent the last several years hustling with everything he had. He had learned the importance of self-reliance from his mom. After his father did them dirty, and his mom had to raise him alone, only occasionally able to rely on the good grace of others to help.
With Benton being born outside of a tiger streak, the O'Connells didn't have the benefit of kin to help them. They went to his mother's streak for help, but the streak didn't want the burden of a mother and a newborn. So Mrs. O’Connell and baby Benton were on their own in the world.
They bounced around from place to place, moving from friend to friend, through different streaks for as long as they were allowed to stay. Every place they went, they were considered too much to take on. Benton grew up without knowing what the next day, next week, or next year would hold.
He had watched his mom struggle for so long that he decided that she needed to struggle no more. While he had grown up relying on the generosity of others, he decided that was not the way he wanted to live the rest of his life. He wanted to do something that would give him the ability to care for himself and his mother.
He was a smart kid with an intense and motivated mindset. He excelled in the areas of math and social skills. He had charm and ingenuity. He was turning cards by high school. He developed an “I can do anything” attitude, and he really could when he set his mind to it.
When he started gambling with his neighbors, he ended up dominating. A small pool of money started streaming in to supplement the jobs his mother had picked up. While she wasn’t a fan of his gambling, she was a fan of eating that week, so she permitted the behavior.
