Playing to Win

medical and leave football out of the equation?”
    “Enough,” Jack finally said, giving a hard stare to both Cole and Alicia.
    Cara shook her head. “You two. Always at each other like wild dogs. Can’t you be nice?”
    Alicia looked at her mother. “I was being nice. He’s being an ass.”
    Savannah didn’t disagree, but there was no further commentary on the topic. It was interesting that Jack only had to say one word to silence the bickering.
    She wished it had been so easy at her house when she was growing up, but there had been no one to run interference on her behalf, no one to silence the endless arguments.
    Until one day it had just stopped. Her mother had stopped it, but not in the way Savannah had wanted.
    But that was long ago, and over, and she’d buried it. No sense dredging it all up again just because she was having a meal with a nice family.
    After dinner, she rose to help clear the table, but Cara stopped her.
    “No, that’s Cole’s and Alicia’s job. You can come sit in the living room with Jack and me.”
    “I don’t mind helping.”
    Cara took her hand. “And deny them the pleasure of dishes?”
    Alicia groaned, then winked at her. Savannah tried to get Cole’s attention, but he was obviously still sulking.
    Fine. They could talk later. Maybe he needed some bonding time with his sister in the kitchen.
    Hopefully, they wouldn’t go after each other with knives.
    She went into the living room with Cara and Jack. Cara regaled her with stories about how she and Jack met. It was sweet and romantic.
    Fifteen minutes later, she heard Alicia shrieking, then laughing.
    “Do you think they’re all right in there?”
    “Oh, no doubt,” Cara said.
    “So…they fought and then made up over washing dishes?”
    Cara grinned. “Washing dishes is the great equalizer. It solves many a dispute.”
    “I see.” She really didn’t, since, when he left the dining room, Cole looked like he was ready to murder his sister.
    Being an only child, she clearly didn’t comprehend family dynamics.
    “I think I’ll see what’s going on in there.”
    “You go right ahead,” Cara said.
    Savannah moved down the hall toward the kitchen, where she heard both Alicia’s and Cole’s unabashed laughter. As she rounded the corner she saw Alicia dumping a handful of bubbles on Cole’s head. He retaliated by rolling up the dish towel.
    “Don’t you dare,” Alicia said, giving Cole a warning look and backing away, but her expression was filled with mirth. She ran toward the container of spatulas.
    Cole snapped the towel her way and she grabbed at it with the spatula.
    The two of them battled back and forth. It looked like a very unconventional sword fight. Cole, obviously much bigger than his sister, lunged and grabbed her, then tickled her. She burst into laughter.
    “Oh, god, stop. You know I hate when you tickle me.”
    “You started this by throwing dishwater at me.”
    “It wasn’t dishwater, you moron. It was bubbles.”
    He held her firmly in his grip. “Whatever. Do you give up?”
    “Screw you. I’ll never surrender.”
    He lunged for the towel and she whacked him on the back with the spatula. He turned to come after her again, but spotted Savannah leaning against the wall.
    He dropped the towel.
    Alicia, still trying to catch her breath, leaned against the counter. “Please tell me you’ve come to save me. He’s trying to kill me.”
    Savannah’s lips lifted. “I don’t know. From where I’m standing it looks like you held your own.”
    Alicia pushed off the counter and headed her way. “He cheated. He knows my weaknesses. But I’m still running like hell.” She winked and walked by.
    Savannah walked into the kitchen. “Abusing your little sister?”
    He folded the towel and hung it up on the holder. “She’s hardly little anymore, and she started it. Plus, she’s mean with that spatula.”
    “You sound like a ten-year-old making excuses.”
    “So now I’m in trouble for roughhousing with my sister? Does that go in your report?”
    She folded her arms. “What report?”
    “I don’t know. Whatever report you’re making about your visit today.”
    “Cole, my visit today was because your mother invited me. This was not about work.”
    He leaned against the counter. “So you’re here just to get to know me better.”
    “Yes.”
    “Why?”
    “Because it’s part of my job.”
    “Then it’s work.”
    He had her there. “I suppose you’re right. But I’m not