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“When I woke up and was not happy,” Caleb finished the quote, smiling.
“Yes!” the bartender replied, clearly impressed.
Daphne turned to my brother with a sparkle in her eyes. “You’d be great at that game where people improvise and build a story one sentence at a time.”
“How does it go?” Caleb inquired, his interest piqued.
“Well, there are a hundred variations of the game, but the one I played starts by someone setting the scene with one sentence, any sentence they like,” Daphne said. “Then, we take turns adding our own sentences to the story. We go round by round, each person contributing a complete sentence to build on what was said before, until we craft an entire story together. There’s another version where you finish the sentence of the other person, but I like this one.”
“Sounds fun,” Caleb said, looking at me, then back at August. “We should try it.”
Under normal circumstances, I might have been on board, but with August across from me, every moment felt charged. Luckily, the server set down a platter of shrimp tempura, the inviting aroma momentarily distracting me.
I stabbed a shrimp and took a bite, eager for an excuse to focus on something other than the game. “I think I’ll just sit back and enjoy the food and drink while you guys play.”
Daphne was quick to object, pointing her shrimp at me. “No way, you’re playing. It’s more fun with four people. Just one round, then we can go back to our tent and relax.”
She winked at me, which I took as a clue that she was still on board with us leaving for a new destination ASAP. I could not wait to share that I’d already decided on us going to Zanzibar.
“All right, one game,” I reluctantly said.
“Perfect!” Daphne clapped her hands, finishing her drink in one long gulp. “Caleb starts, then me, August, and Veronica. It keeps it balanced, guy, girl, guy, girl.”
Caleb cleared his throat, took a sip of his drink for inspiration, and began, “There once was a man from Nantucket …”
Daphne made a game show buzzer sound with her voice. “Try again, something less cliché.”
Caleb nodded, then his eyes twinkled mischievously. “Once upon a time, in a distant land, there lived a princess whose name rhymes with harmonica.”
“Stop!” I frowned, not liking where this was headed. “Really? That’s all you could come up with?”
“What was wrong with that?” Caleb asked. “It was a great start!”
“Her name rhymes with harmonica?” I said, shaking my head in disbelief. “Seriously?”
“I didn’t say she was Veronica,” he defended. “It could be anybody! Princess Monica, for example.”
“I immediately thought of Monica,” August said, nodding, his bottom lip twitching like he was trying his best not to laugh. “I’m okay with Caleb’s start.”
“Me too,” Daphne said. “If you don’t like it, you can always change the direction of the story when it’s your turn.”
They obviously did not know who they were dealing with if they thought they were going to have fun at my expense. I finished my drink, then turned toward the bartender and said, “Could we please get another round of dawas?”
“Of course,” he said.
“Okay, no more interruptions,” Daphne said. “Caleb, please start again.”
“With pleasure,” he said. “Once upon a time, in a far-off kingdom, there was a princess, whose name rhymes with harmonica.”
Daphne nodded appreciatively before adding, “Renowned far and wide not just for her sense of humor but for her unrivaled beauty and sharp mind.”
Okay, that wasn’t so bad.
I kind of liked that, actually.
August, with a twinkle in his eye, continued, “And oh, there was a prince, hopelessly smitten with her. From the very first day, he’d had his eye on her.”
Okay, that will not work.
