A companion to By
My Side by Julie
Webmistress’s Note: This is a short story my friend Veronica
wrote for fun about the main characters of BMS – Nick, Claire, Jamie, Laureen,
and Howie – playing Monopoly. It
correlates roughly with Chapter 164 and beyond.
Have fun reading it! :)
A Friendly Game
By Veronica
“Ok, are we sure we all want to do
this?” Claire questioned uneasily, looking around at everyone who had gathered
around her bed.
“Yeah, it sounds like fun, I never get
to play this, no one hangs around long enough to finish,” Laureen smiled.
“Nick? Jamie? Are you two sure you
want to play? Can I trust you both to keep this light and fun?” Claire raised
an eyebrow.
“Of course sweetheart, I’m looking
forward to this,” Jamie smiled at Claire, reaching out to take her hand,
kissing it gently.
Nick rolled his eyes, shaking his
head, “No problem Claire.”
“I’m just banker, so whatever you guys
chose is fine with me,” Howie chuckled.
Claire sighed heavily, not quite sure
how they’d gotten to this point. Nick had suggested that they play Monopoly
when Claire was feeling better, and suddenly Jamie had challenged Nick to play
right then and Howie dropped by looking for Nick and somehow got roped into
being banker only because Nick insisted that “Howie cheats without it actually
looking like he cheats but somehow always manages to cheat.”
No one quite understood that.
So it was decided that everyone else
would play and Howie would be banker and the occasional real estate adviser to
those who sought advice before making a purchase or business decisions that
could ultimately shift the outcome of the game drastically. His services would
be free, much to the dismay of Howie.
“Alright, let’s go then. Howie why
don’t you finish handing out the money and we can roll to see who goes first.
Make sure you each pick your piece.”
Nick grabbed his usual battleship,
Laureen took the shoe, Claire the car and Jamie took the dog.
“I guess I’ll be the dog,” Jamie
smiled at Claire.
“If the shoe fits…” Nick muttered.
Jamie glared at him, “Excuse me Nick,
did you say something?”
“Huh? Oh no, I didn’t say anything.”
Claire looked between the two, sighing
again.
They each rolled and order Laureen,
Jamie, Claire and then Nick.
“Are we invoking house rules?” Nick
questioned.
“I’d think that’d be a good idea,
leaves more opportunity for more money gained with the collection in the center
of the board,” Howie offered.
“Hey, that works for me,” Claire
smiled.
“Ok sure,” Laureen shrugged.
Jamie looked like he wanted to say
something, but finding he was outnumbered, remained silent.
Once the money was situated, Laureen
rolled again and the game started.
“Six, lets see…” Laureen moved her
piece. “Oriental Avenue, I’ll buy it Howie.”
Money and deed was exchanged. Next
Jamie went.
“Two, community chest,” he announced,
moving his piece and grabbing a yellow card. “Tax Refund, collect $20. I’m off
to a great start,” Jamie grinned, taking the money from Howie.
Nick cleared his throat, “Your turn
Claire.”
“Alright,” she grabbed the dice and
rolled. “Ten.” She moved her piece. “Whew, gonna visit my old man in the
slammer,” she grinned.
“Make sure you hide the file,” Nick
winked, grabbing the dice and rolling. “Baltic Avenue, I will buy it Howie my
good man.” Nick handed the money over and took the deed.
Laureen grabbed the dice and rolled
again, “Four,” she moved her piece, landing in jail with Claire. “I’m here to
help you bust your old man out, I’ll be the lookout.”
“Whistle if anyone comes,” Claire
whispered, giggling.
Jamie shook his head, grabbing the
dice, rolling “Eight,” he moved his piece. “Connecticut Avenue, I’ll buy it
Howie, thanks.” Jamie took the deed and handed the money over. “Ya know
Laureen, I’ll be willing to sell this too you for an additional ten dollars.”
Laureen bit her lip in concentration.
“Laureen if I may, I think in the long
run this would be a wise move. You’ll get that ten dollars back after one or
two people land on it and of course you’ll need it to make a Monopoly.” Howie
advised.
Laureen nodded, “Yeah that sounds
good, ok Jamie you have a deal.”
Money was once again exchanged and
deed handed over and play resumed.
Claire rolled, “Five, ok…Penny
Railroad, I’ll take it Howie.” She handed the money over and collected her
deed.
Twenty minutes later, everyone had
made their way around the board at least once and all of the properties except
a few had been purchased. The tension between Nick and Jamie had steadily been
growing and Claire and Laureen and long since ceased to exist in the minds of both
men.
“Ok kiddies, this is when it starts
getting good,” Nick grinned, rubbing his hands together.
Jamie rolled, “Eleven, umm…chance.” He
grabbed a card, “Advance to Illinois Avenue.”
“Ahh that would be mine, you owe
me…umm…” Laureen announced, looking her card over, “Twenty please.”
Jamie handed her the money.
Claire’s turn came up next and she
purchased a house for Virginia and States Avenue and St. Charles Place. After
rolling, she landed on Water Works and paid Laureen rent.
Nick rolled landing on Pennsylvania
Ave, realizing that it hadn’t been bought quickly purchased it, handing the
money to Howie, grinning broadly.
“Uhh, excuse me…Nick. In case you
didn’t realize, I own the other two properties, I was waiting for that one,”
Jamie stated coolly.
“Oh? Were you? I didn’t even realize.
What you may not be aware of James my good man, is that you also have Park
Place, the part of the property that I’m trying to collect and you will notice
that I did not remind you like I should’ve at the time that I was trying to
collect those particular properties now did I? No, I kept my trap shut, unlike
you. So deal with it.”
“Why you…” Jamie sputtered.
“Guys please, let’s just keep going,”
Howie sighed.
About an hour or so later, they all
had a least a house up on one of their properties, but things didn’t look good
for the girls, both were barely scrapping by, while Nick and Jamie seemed to be
growing more and more competitive.
Laureen cleared her throat and quickly
rolled. “Oook, eight, and…damnit, I landed on Ventnor and with the four houses
you‘ve got Nick, I…can’t make rent.”
“Well…just give me what ya got and
we’ll call it even.”
“Ok, here ya go looks like I’m out.
It’s up to you Claire!” Laureen smiled, as she handed her deeds to Howie.
“Great, not that I have a lot to work
with,” she sighed, looking down at her dwindling cash supply.
The three managed to make it around a
few more times, Claire tried to hang on, but after lading on St. James Place
with a hotel on it, almost all of her money went to Jamie.
“Hey Nick, can ya spare some money for
you friend here? Float me a loan so I can pay rent to Jamie here?” Claire
smiled sweetly.
“Well…”
“Nick I don’t know that that would be
a wise decision, I’m sorry Claire but I don’t. I mean…if there was a guarantee
that he’d get that money back…then ok. But you could end up rolling a low
number and landing on one of the other two properties and then…” Howie
explained.
Nick nibbled at his lip, looking up at
Claire, “Damn…well…”
“It’s ok Nick, geeze thanks Howie!”
“Well I’d tell you the same thing.”
“Ok then Claire, give me what ever
money you have and all of your property and we’ll call it even.”
“Whoa is that legal?” Laureen frowned,
“Nick didn’t do that to me.”
“That’s because Nick didn’t see the
opportunity,” Jamie smirked, looking at Nick.
“I did so, I just chose to be a
gentleman, you should try it sometime,” Nick finished, grabbing the dice and
rolling. He landed on Chance, drew his card and did the action. Jamie rolled,
moving his piece, he landed on Marvin Gardens.
“Ok Jamie, with the hotel, you owe
me…twelve hundred bones,” Nick smirked.
“Look Nick we‘re both business men
here, let’s cut a deal. Why don’t you just give me Penn Ave for Park Place and
we’ll call it even ok?” Jamie grinned.
“What? No way man, pay up! I should’ve
contested the purchase in the first place, I still think you miscounted and
landed on the luxury tax.”
“I did not miscount, it’s not my fault
you’re a sore loser.”
“I am not! You miscounted and you know
it!”
“Well I’m not paying it, you either
give me Penn Ave or you’re not getting your money!”
“I want my money, no way you’re
staying there rent free buddy, and Penn ave is mine, you were the one who
turned down my generous offer to sell it to you.”
“For a thousand dollars?! The asking
price is only three twenty!”
“Gentlemen gentlemen please!! Let’s do
this through mediation what do ya say?” Howie suggested.
Nick and Jamie grudgingly accepted.
Howie swiped the complementary paper and pen off the table next to Claire’s
bed.
“Ok, first I will consult with Nick on
an asking price for Penn ave and then submit it to you Jamie and vice versa
until we can get a price we agree on, fair enough?”
Both men agreed and negations started.
Laureen and Claire watched in awe as
Howie went back and forth with offers and counter offers.
“I can’t believe this, it’s just a
game for cryin’ out loud.” Claire frowned.
Jamie looked over at her, “This isn’t
just a game Claire, this is all about what’s right and what’s wrong, what’s…”
Jamie looked down at the paper that Howie had slid over to him. “This is
robbery!!”
Howie looked over at Nick knowingly,
“I told you he wouldn’t go for it Nick. It’s just not reasonable.”
Nick smiled smugly.
“Well forget it, all deals are off.
Either you give me Penn ave or you aren’t getting any money.”
“I’ll give you Penn ave, for one
hundred twenty thousand,” Nick grinned.
“What? You’ve raised it twenty?”
“Yup, you’ve used up a lot of my time
with these negotiations here, rent is past due, a late fee is more than
applicable.”
Jamie looked over at Claire, “Do you
believe this guy? Hey, stop laughing!”
“S-sorry,” Claire managed to get out
before her and Laureen burst into giggles.
“Forget it, I’m not playing anymore,
this is stupid,” Jamie muttered, standing up and heading for the door.
“You forfeit, then I win by default,”
Nick announced triumphantly.
Jamie whirled around, “What?!! That’s
not a rule!!”
“Yes it is, house rule four hundred
and seventeen to be exact.”
“There is no house rule four hundred
and seventeen!”
“Uhh correction Jamie, there is a rule
four hundred and seventeen that clearly states. That if game is down to two
remaining players and if one player for whatever reason cannot continue the
game due to shock, loss of limb, which in Nick’s case isn’t really an issue in
that he lost his limb prior to game play…
Nick gave Jamie a smug smile.
“…dehydration, starvation, loss of
sight, loss touch and feeling in fingers, bankruptcy, unsportsmanlike conduct,
and temper tantrums, game automatically goes to remaining player and in this
case that would be Nick, sorry Jamie.”
Jamie stared at Howie and then at Nick
before whirling around and making his way out the room.
Laureen looked over at Howie, “Is that
true?”
“Absolutely, these are Backstreet
house rules. We stayed hours upon hours coming up with them, believe me ladies,
they’re legit.”
“You mean to tell me you came up with
four hundred and sixteen more house rules?” Claire asked, stunned.
“Oh yeah, we don’t mess around when it
comes to Monopoly, all areas must be covered.” Howie reaffirmed.
“I dunno, there’s something fishy
going on…”
“Hey now, I don’t play dirty,” Nick
said seriously. “I take Monopoly very seriously. I also take beating Jamie
seriously as well.”
“Nick…” Claire started.
“I know I know, but it felt damn
good,” Nick winked.
