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Leo slaps a Draw Two on Chance.

Chance immediately throws another Draw Two on top.

“Four.”

“Oh, fuck you.” Carter spits out.

“Language!” three people yell at once.

Mom appears in the kitchen doorway, dish towel thrown over one shoulder. “Do I need to start charging a dollar?”

Theo has completely stopped pretending to hide his cards.

He's the youngest we're letting play this year. Last Christmas, we gave him a few cards and let him throw down whatever he wanted because he didn't understand what was happening.

This year, he actually gets it.

He understands matching colors and numbers. He understands Skip means someone loses their turn. He really understands Draw Two, mostly because he finds other people's suffering hilarious.

What he hasn't mastered is holding seven cards in hands designed for approximately three.

He's got two tucked between his fingers, three fanned badly in one hand, another pressed against his stomach, and his green seven is still visible to everyone.

For a second, everything settles.

My siblings crowded around the same table. Kids wedged between us and perched on laps. Mom banging around in the kitchen even though we've repeatedly told her to sit down and relax before dinner. Sophia half asleep in the recliner. Dad's muffled are you kidding me? coming from the living room when something happens in the football game.

“When Daddy gets here, can he play?” Theo asks.

“Absolutely not,” Brittney replies before I can answer. “Your dad is the biggest cheater of them all.”

Theo's eyes widen. “Daddy cheats?”

“Your daddy is a menace.”

“He does not cheat.” I argue.

Theo looks around.

“He absolutely does,” Carter says.

Theo turns to me, scandalized. “Mommy?”

Thankfully the front door opens at that very moment.

Theo's entire face lights up. “DADDY!”

He drops his cards and takes off running.

I hear Simon's laugh before I see him.

“Whoa—hey, buddy.”

Then Theo barrels back into view with Simon following behind him, one of Theo's hands wrapped around two of his fingers. Theo is practically dragging him across the room.

“We're playing Uno!”

“I can see that.”