The sun shone brightly through the kitchen and living room windows. It could only do this early in the morning, just after rising above the eastern horizon, for it's entry was blocked by trees. The light was still soft, yet the energy from the sun's rays filled the house. Clio could feel this energy as she awoke. Today was her first day as a professional poker player and she teemed with excitement!
She had gotten a good night's sleep- an easy thing to do on the pillow-top bed left behind by her brother's former lover, James. Every night, she thanked him for this blessing. She was excited. Though she set her alarm for 8am, she didn't need it; by 7:40 she was already wide-awake, and by 9:15 she had already completed her daily routine: wash scalp, condition scalp, shave body, condition hair, wash body, apply deodorant, moisturizer, foundation, liberally apply scented lotion to body, nourish scalp, condition hair again, mousse hair, style hair, fix with hair spray, take medication, apply blush, eye-liner, mascara; first with the left hand covering the inner left and outer right eyes, then switching hands for the inner right and outer left. The only thing left to do was wait for her hair to set, but she wasn't going to wait this time; the diffuser on her hairdryer would save her precious time today.
The tournament didn't start until 12pm, but she had planned on arriving around 10am to signup... no point in waiting around 'till the last minute, she reasoned. It was almost time. She clutched the touchstone loaned by her sister Lisa and put into it all of the joyful energy she knew she would feel when taking her seat at the final table two full days from now.
Bradly was already gone. He was working a double shift today- at the pancake house in the morning and then off to the Palazzo where the more lucrative tips were. Today was a big day for him as well; he was being promoted to a higher station... where the tips really added up to serious dough.
The silence from Clio's meditation was broken by an incoming text message from Lisa. It said, "Just having nice thoughts of you. I got so busy yesterday that the day just slipped away. I prayed for you last night in hopes of achieving your poker dreams..."
Clio responded, "Aw, bless you! I was just visualizing how happy I will be at the final table... Smiling at you and brad in the audience! :)"
She continued visualizing the day: signed up by 10:30, eating sushi lunch by 11- it was all-you-can-eat and she planned on stuffing herself since dinner was far away and snacks were not to her choosing. 12pm, cards fly, 2pm first break, 2:20 play resumes, 4:20 (teehee) second break, 4:40 play resumes, 6:40 break for lunch. 90 minutes... she figured either the burrito joint down the road or maybe just the buffet at Rio. 8:10, play resumes, 10:10, fourth break, 10:30, play resumes, 12:30am break for the night, asleep by 2:30am, then up by 9am to do it all over again.
She was so looking forward to today... today was THE day... she couldn't stop giggling as she drove to the Rio.
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