25
ARIELLA
ONE YEAR LATER“Read ‘em and weep, bitches!” Peggy splayed her cards out on the table, then threw both hands in the air, victorious.
“Oh my God, you are so stacking the deck!” It was her second straight flush of the night.
Here it was, the week of my wedding, and I sat next to Earl at the card table. The sash he wore read, “Total Diva.” Peggy’s said, “Shot Queen,” and Belinda’s dubbed her “Maid of Dis Honor.”
I still worked with my telehealth therapist, who liked to say, “Mental and emotional recovery aren’t a one-night stand. They’re a long-term relationship.” She’d encouraged me to build back my ability to trust other people by spending more time with those who made me feel safe. Like the crazy peeps in this room.
“Ariella, it’s like my buddy Boyd says. ‘Poker is a lot li
