Page 85 of Whiskey & Honey
“Oh yes, we play teams of two and the teams can keep going until they have a wrong answer.”
“That could take forever, why would you do that?” Ashton asks.
“You’d be surprised how entertaining it can be. Remember, there are no categories. Some answers are easy and others not so much.”
“Sounds fun. Shall we move into the living room? All of this can wait until later,” my mom says while looking directly at me and smiling. Now she looks like the Cheshire Cat.
Once we’re settled in the living room, Laurel suggests the teams should be based upon the closest relationships. My parents are obviously a team and Laurel suggests since Ashton and Piper are so close they should be one too. That leaves either Laurel and me or Jameson and me. Jameson bows out and offers to be the time and score keeper, leaving Laurel and me as partners. After explaining the rules, which have never existed before this afternoon, Laurel stands and pulls out the bowl of clues she had placed on a shelf earlier.
“I guess you were prepared for us to play,” Ashton jokes.
We rally back and forth between teams for the lead. After about thirty minutes everyone is having fun and laughing. I wonder if we should actually make this a tradition. Jameson announces to everyone that we are currently tied for the lead at three points each. Dad decides this is a great time for a break. His suggestion is perfect because it allows us to move our seats. I take the seat that puts me directly in Piper’s sightline. As everyone returns to the room, Ashton notices everyone has moved. When she starts to take the spot that should be Piper’s, my mom speaks up.
“Ash, why don’t you sit next to me,” she says, patting the spot next to her.
“Okay. Let’s do this. Ben and Laurel, you’re about to go down. Piper and I are going to wipe the floor with you.”
“Ashton, hush up. It’s not even your turn. Let your brother and Laurel have their turn. I swear, Paul, I don’t know where she gets her sass.”
Everyone laughs and I take a deep breath. Laurel steps up to me like she’s giving me a pep talk.
“Ready for this?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be. Did you pull the clues?” I ask.
“Yeah as soon as the girls left the room. Those are random words if I’ve ever seen any. I assume they are not the standard Charades list. You know, if we had ever actually played this game before,” she laughs.
“They’re random to you but they won’t be to her.”
“Alrighty, Laurel, you’re up,” my dad says, winking.