�For our entertainment tonight I propose a game of chance. Nothing more than a friendly game of poker, gentlemen, and let me introduce the dealer.�
Gerald went to a door that opened to an antechamber.
�Louise, please come in.�
A girl, dressed in a very fancy dress, red satin and with wide lace sleeves, a lace collar and white ribbons, stepped in. She looked up at her uncle nervously.
A couple of the men in the room quietly called their greetings, smiling. Louise was relieved to see some familiar faces. In fact she walked to the Colonel and gave him a friendly hug.
�How lovely to see you again, Louise,� he said, hugging the child back and brushing the curly chestnut hair that cascaded down over her shoulders.
�Hello, sir,� she replied, smiling up at him.
�For those of you who have not met my niece, this is Louise. She�s been living with me for a five years; ever since she was a toddler.�
�Tonight she will be dealing the cards for our game,� Gerald continued. Then, addressing the girl; �Louise, please climb up on the table where you�ll be able to reach all of us.�
Louise looked questioningly at her uncle.
�If you sit in the middle of the table you won�t have to reach honey,� he said.
Mr. Abbot slid his chair back and Louise climbed up onto the round table. It was difficult to crawl into the middle wearing the long satin dress and petticoat, and she had to stop from the pulling. Then she discovered that she could slide her knees on the smooth wooden surface. When she reached the middle she turned around and sat. She looked around at the six men who were taking their seats at the table. The petticoat made her dress poof up around her, as if she were sitting in the middle of a red cloud.
Her uncle reached out and handed her a pack of cards. �OK, Louise, do you know how the shuffle?�
The nine-year-old shook her head, the curls that framed her face swayed. She had to pull a strand of hair free from her dark red glossed lips.
�Then we�ll agree that the winner of the last hand will shuffle,� he said addressing the other men. There were nods of consent. �Otherwise, here are the rules; the winner of each hand may donate his gains to our charity in order to buy an object of clothing, which Louise here will provide.�
�This may take a while,� Mr. Grover said. �She looks pretty well dressed to me.�
�We have all evening,� Louise�s uncle replied.
Then he addressed the girl: �Louise. Count up everything you�re wearing.�
The child was a little taken aback by the question�she had never really thought about counting that.
�What do you mean, Uncle Gerald?� she asked.
�Well, your dress is just one piece, right? But I notice you�re wearing a petticoat, so that�s another, and each of your stockings are one�so we�re up to four. Just count everything up, and don�t forget the ribbon around your waist and the combs in your hair.
Louise sat for a moment, thinking. It made her feel uncomfortable with all those men looking at her. Dress�petticoat�stockings�belt�bloomers�her eyes got big.
�Uncle�everything?!�
�Yes dear, even the jewelry, you have a really pretty necklace on.�
It was hard to remember it all. Darlene had helped her get dressed, saying that she was going to have a special place at her uncle�s party that night. She was dressed in such fancy clothes�it was a lot of fun.
�Just count everything up, dear.�
Actually, her uncle knew exactly what she was wearing; he had picked it all out specifically and given it to Darlene.
It was difficult for the girl to keep it all straight and she had to go back and start over a couple of times but she finally, after remembering her shoes, counted 16.
�Sixteen, Uncle,� she said.
�There you have it gentlemen. A maximum of sixteen hands�assuming none of you choose to keep your winnings.
�Well, let�s begin then,� Mr. Jackson said.
Gerald shuffled the cards, showing some skill as he did so. Then he cut them into three even piles that he placed on the table in front of Louise. �Pick one.�
The girl tapped the left pile, which he picked up. Then she picked the right and the deck was finished. He handed the cards to Louise.
�We�ll start with seven card stud. Deal everyone two cards, honey.�
Sitting on the table, it was a bit awkward, turning and reaching. She really didn�t understand what was going on as each man in turn put some money on the table. They went around three times before everyone had said �call� and they all looked up at Louise.
�Put one card down on the table, face up,� her uncle said.
It was an eight of hearts, and the betting went around again.
The next card she put down was a five of diamonds.
This time, two of the men said �fold� and leaned back. Still, there was a lot of money on the table, mostly ones and fives but Louise did see a couple twenty dollar bills too.
By the time she put down the fifth card, only Mr. Jackson and Mr. Abbot were playing. They put more money on the table but then it was over when Abbot said �call�.
Mr. Jackson turned his two cards over. �Full house, kings over eights.�
A couple of the men laughed. Abbot smiled.
�Four tens.�
Now there were more laughs and congratulations. After a few moments it quieted down and everyone looked at Louise, then at Abbot.
�Can I choose the piece?� he asked Gerald.
�We�ll leave that up to Louise.�
Gerald nodded at Darlene who came forward and took the winnings off the table. These she put in one of six slots in a cash box she had on her tray. Then she stepped back to watch.
�Go on, Louise,� Gerald said, �give Mr. Abbot a piece of clothing that he bought. Maybe, your right shoe.�
The girl was very surprised, she hadn�t realized that they would be buying her clothing.
�Take your shoe off and give it to Mr. Abbot, dear.�
Feeling very uncomfortable, she undid the buckle on the strap and slipped the shoe off. Mr. Abbot took it and inspected it.
It was obviously brand new�the soles were still shinny and there was only the barest of a mark where the buckle had creased the leather of the strap. He placed it on the table to his side.
�And what happens when there is no more clothing to buy?� Mr. Abbot asked as he lit his Meerschaum.
For a moment Louise didn�t understand what he meant, then the blood began to roar in her ears as she felt herself blushing and perspiration broke out across her back. Was she really going to slowly sell ALL her clothes to these men?
�The man who donated the greatest amount will receive a most special gift from Louise,� her uncle said with a smile.
Louise looked at her uncle in total shock�she knew exactly what he meant by �special gift� and, so far, she had only given it to him. He smiled at her, a smile she had seen before. She looked down, embarrassed and scared.
Darlene, wearing a very short �French Maid� outfit, with a bare back, came in carrying a tray with the drinks�one scotch on the rocks, a Bud Lite, a long island ice tea, two gin and tonics, and a stout for Louise�s uncle. There was also a fruit drink that she had received special instructions on�this she gave to Louise.
�You shuffle Abbot,� Gerald said as he pushed his cards in front of the shoe. �Give Mr. Abbot the rest of the cards, Louise.�
Mr. Abbot smiled up at Louise as he got all the cards in a pile and started to shuffle them. His smile reminded her of one of the hyenas from �Lion King.�
Louise picked up her drink. She was so nervous that she emptied half the glass all at once. Again, she picked one of three piles for the cut�this time the center one�then Mr. Abbot gave her the deck back.
�It will be five card draw,� he said.
Louise looked at her uncle with a confused expression.
�Deal everyone five cards, face down, honey.�
Louise found that if she sat on her hip, with her legs folded under herself, she could reach around to each of the men. After she had finished the men started betting again. They went around twice, two of them, including her uncle, folded. Then Colonel Tibbet (Louise called him �Colonel T�, he was her favorite of her uncle�s friends) put two cards on the table in front of Louise.
�I�ll take two,� he said.
�Deal him two cards,� Gerald said.
Louise gave him two, then the other men took cards, Mr. Jackson taking two, Father Fitzhugh three and Mr. Abbot, only took one.
Again they betted. Each of them had brought a case and had put piles of bills on the table in front of them. As the betting went on, Mr. Abbot and Mr. Jackson folded and put their cards on the table in front of them. Finally Father Fitzhugh called Colonel T.
This time there were only a couple of chuckles when Father Fitzhugh threw his cards down after seeing Colonel T�s three queens.
�That�s an especially lovely ring you�re wearing, can I win it?� the Colonel said to the girl with an easy smile.
Louise took the green emerald off her thumb and handed it to him. She was feeling warm and a lot calmer. Again, Darlene took the money that had collected in the middle of the table and all the cards were passed to the Colonel.
Her uncle won the next round and, as she leaned forward to unbuckle her left shoe he stopped her.
�Oh, we forgot the earrings�that makes it eighteen. Give me one of your earrings dear.�
Louise left her shoe unbuckled and worked the backing off the diamond stud, then gave it to Gerald.
What happened in the next round was very confusing�again Louise dealt two cards to everyone, then put down five�but the betting went on for ever. Four of the men were still betting when it was finally �called� and they showed their cards. The room erupted in laughter when Colonel T put down his cards, they were all the same color. Louise didn�t understand that the two clubs in his hand combined with the three she had put face up, but she still smiled at him when she gave him her shoe.
Two hands later and her necklace and bracelet were gone. Then, when she took the comb out of her hair and gave it to Mr. Lee her hair fell down around her shoulders and across her face. When she cleared it away she noticed all the men were looking at her�Mr. Abbot even licked his lips.
Another round of drinks was brought in by Darlene�again Louise got fruit juice. Louise was feeling warm and relaxed. Her nervousness from earlier was mostly gone and she was laughing with the men as they won or lost the hands. Her belt went to Mr. Lee but, when Colonel Tibbit won the next round, she surprised everyone by lifting up and working her petticoat off over her bloomers (it had been bothering her anyway). She threw her stocking at Mr. Jackson but her Uncle asked if he could remove her other one. The table was silent as he rolled the leg of her bloomers up, then slowly drew her stocking down. When he pulled it free he held her foot, then leaned forward and kissed it.
�Lovely gentlemen,� he said.
�Well, you know what they say,� the Reverend added. �If you can get a little girl to remove her socks, she�ll remove everything.�
There were a few guffaws around the table.
�And how would you know that, Father?� Mr. Lee asked.
�I�m Catholic, of course,� he responded with a smile.
As the game went on, Louise began to think about the six men, imagining each of them.
Her uncle, of course, she knew very well. He was medium build with brown hair and a small mustache. She really didn�t have anything to compare him to other than a few men she�d seen on the internet, but she really liked the feeling of his cock when it was inside her. She also didn�t mind how it felt in her mouth when she sucked it. She didn�t like it when he came in her mouth, his goo was slimy and didn�t taste very good, it was most exciting when she felt it twitching inside her, filling her with cum.
Of his friends, she knew the Colonel best�and he was a friend. In fact, she�d kind of like it if he won. Other than her uncle, he was the only one she�d ever seen without a shirt on, they had swum together a couple of times. He was old though, and bald. He was really skinny and tall and, when she thought about it, she could remember seeing the outline of his cock in his swim suit. She thought it�d be long and thin.
Mr. Abbot she didn�t like. He was fat and dark and had a five o�clock shadow, but she liked the smell of his pipe tobacco. His hands were hairy, so she figured he�d have hair all over him. He also looked at her like she was a steak on a plate, not looking at HER but at her body.
Mr. Lee was oriental and seemed nice. He was really quiet and the youngest man in the group. She couldn�t help but think that he�d be really nice to her.
She had met Mr. Jackson a few times, once he had been to her uncle�s house and she had also met him at her uncle�s office. She was a little scared because, in the movies that Darlene had shown her, black men were always SO HUGE. If he was as big as some of the guys she�d seen in movies he�d split her in two! Still, he was really funny, joking a lot. Some of his jokes were dirty�and a couple of them he had directed at her�but still� It always seemed like the women in those movies were really turned on by Africans. He was also very nice to her, asking her for a certain card and, a couple of times, asking if he should take two or three. All she could do is shrug. Still, thinking about it made her a little more nervous, and excited. She was surprised when she realized that she was getting a little slippery in her crotch.
Of course, she knew Father Fitzhugh from church. He preached sometimes and seemed to be liked by all the grown ups but he had never done more than said �hello� to her. The idea of doing it with him was just weird. She couldn�t imagine what he�d look like without his cassock and collar. He was old and thin but had full white hair. She wondered if he had white hair on his chest�
It came as a shock to the nine-year-old after two more hands, that the only thing to remove next was her dress. Mr. Abbot had won the hand with four of a kind in a game of Texas Hold�em.
�Go ahead, honey,� her uncle said from behind her.
Louise was sitting on her feet and she looked down at the bright red dress. She reached up and undid the first button at her neck, then worked down. Abbot counted ten buttons before she reached her waist and had to shift to her knees. The room was silent as she pulled on the sleeves, then worked the dress off her shoulders. She realized she�d have to stand up to get it off.
Darlene came in and caught her breath at the site. The grade schooler was standing in the middle of the table, in an ivory camisole and lacy bloomers, her dress around her feet, while six men looked up at her with rapt expressions. The room was smoky, Mr. Abbot puffed at his pipe while a cigarette and two cigars sat forgotten in ash trays. Her hair was messy, falling in a frizzy mass around her shoulders and down her chest and back.
With the sound of the door closing she turned. Darlene saw that her almond shaped grey eyes were huge, she was biting her lower lip. She dropped to her knees and spun around, then crawled to her uncle.
�I need to go potty,� she whispered in his ear.
Gerald nodded, then stood up. �Gentlemen. I suggest a brake in the play. My niece here requires a visit to the powder room as, I�m sure, a few of us could use too.�
He lifted the girl off the table and she almost ran to Darlene. The teenager took her cousin�s hand and led her through the kitchen into a servant�s bathroom. Louise was dancing as she worked the bloomers and her thong down, then sat down to pee. Darlene looked at herself in the mirror.
�How ya doing, kid?� she asked, looking at Louise in the mirror.
�I don�t know. I�m kind of scared. Uncle Gerald wants me to�you know�do it with one of those men.�
�Yeah, I know,� Darlene said as she brushed her hair. �He gets off on watching his buddies. Who do you think�s winning?�
Louise had finished urinating and pulled a piece of paper off the roll. �I don�t know. I hope it�s Colonel T.�
Darlene laughed quietly. �Yeah, he�s nice.�
Louise�s eyes got big. �Have you?...�
�With the Colonel? You bet, quite a few times. A couple with the Reverend (he�s kind of cold) but not any of those other guys. A couple of them I�ve never seen before.�
Louise stood up, pulling the bloomers up, then turned and flushed. The two went out into the kitchen and Louise started toward the door.
�Don�t be in a hurry, they�ll wait,� Darlene said. �Here, let me give you something.�
She opened her purse and dug around, pulling out a small plastic case, like lip rouge comes in. She put it on the table and carefully unscrewed the lid. Then she dipped her finger in and came out with a small mound of white powder on her nail. She slowly lifted it to her nose and sniffed it in.
�That�s cocaine,� Louise said.
�Come here and try some. It�s make you feel great.� Darlene took some more for her little cousin and held her hand out.
With a weary expression Louise went to her cousin and looked at the pro-offered snort. She leaned forward and, placing her finger on her right nostril, pulled the drug up her nose.
She pulled back, her eyes watering and she coughed twice, then shook her head, blinking.
�Here, other side,� Darline lifted more blow up on her nail.
This dose went up the girl�s right nostril, then she wanted a drink.
Darlene gave her some more fruit juice (it was already spiked with vodka, but she didn�t put the ecstasy pill in this one).
After Louise finished the glass, she put it on the counter. The world seemed bright to her, everything had clear, sharp edges. Her nervousness had turned into excitement. She remembered the looks of the men as she had unbuttoned her dress and she thought it was funny, the way they had made big eyes at her.
�Ready to go back?� Darlene asked.
�Yeah.�
