"You're supposed to help me win!" she complained, shooting a glare at him from across the table.

"Oh, I am? I must have missed that in the rules," he replied with a lopsided grin, snorting faintly. Lera sniggered, and Jude swirled his wine before taking a sip. Dali noted this and wondered, for a moment, who chose to drink wine while playing a game of Monopoly.

"It's an unwritten rule, Caleb!" she said, leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms tautly over her chest. "I'm your wife. You're supposed to take pity on me and my lack of fake, paper money and slip me bills from the bank when no one's looking."

"I don't know how he'd do that, since I'm banker," Lera cut in, giving a smug grin in her sister's direction.

"That's another rule!" Dali quickly returned. "Caleb's always banker from now on," she finished, reaching out a hand to snatch her martini from the table. And here she was mocking Jude for drinking wine. "So that he can slip me money. You all know how bad I am at this game!"

Caleb laughed, rolling his eyes good-heartedly. "Oh, come on dear. It's just a silly little game. Just be glad this isn't real life," he grinned, and Dali gave off an 'ugh!' of annoyance before taking another sip of her martini.

Jude was simply watching. He was also losing, and felt it best to keep his mouth shut. His grey eyes glanced down at his sad array of money - two tens and a five. Twenty five dollars left. Hoping no one would notice, he stole a glance at Lera's money. She had a lot more than he did. He noticed that Caleb, too, had much more money than he did.

"Caleb, if this was real life you and Dal would be living in an effing shack in Minnesota," Lera said smartly, nodding and rolling the die, promptly moving her game piece - the thimble - the appropriate number. "HA. Boardwalk," she grinned happily, depositing the correct amount of paper bills in the 'bank' and claiming the 'Boardwalk' property card.

Caleb looked at her, snorting faintly. "We would not be living in an 'effing shack'. I know how to handle the money!" he said defensively. "And your Boardwalk is useless because I have Parkplace."

"EXCUSE ME!" Dali cut in shrilly. "I'm still here. Stop talking about me like that! I refuse to live in a shack in Minnesota. Caleb, I'll slit your throat if you ever make me live in a shack in Minnesota." She took another sip of her martini, finishing it off and looking longingly at the empty glass, as though hoping her wishful thinking will magically make some more appear.

"Of course you are, darling. Of course you do, darling. of course you will, darling," he said dismissingly, giving a laugh. He found it amusing how easy it was to make his wife annoyed and angry, like so.

Jude looked up. "Hey, Caleb. I'll sell you Lera if I can have Parkplace..." he offered, shrugging. Lera shot him an offended look and Dali shot a similar one to Caleb.

"I don't care!" Dali declared. "It's not like you're getting any any time soon, Caleb. So maybe you should think about that offer!"

Jude snickered, amused.

"Sorry, Ler. Nothing against you or anything, but I'll keep Parkplace."

"Jude," she said calmly, shooting him a violent look. "This isn't the least bit amusing. Take that back, now." He dismissed this. The men knew quite well how to make their respective gals angry.

Dali scoffed loudly, taking her turn. She moved her piece - quite ironically the moneybag - nine places and landed on Luxury Taxes. "Caleb, you're my husband. Pay my damn luxury taxes," she demanded, looking sadly at her twenty dollars.

"Adalia, there are no spouses in Monopoly," he answered with a smug grin, tauntingly gathering up his large amount of money.

"That's it. You're not getting any for months now, Caleb Whealdon. I may just have to resort to prostitution to fulfill my physical needs," she said rather offhandedly, throwing her measley twenty dollars in the center of the board.
Caleb sighed sadly. At this rate he wouldn't be getting any for a whole year. "But Dali, darling. I'm just following the rules!"

"Rules my ass," she retorted, looking into her drink; maybe, she mused, some had gathered in the bottom of the glass again. Alas, there was nothing and she set it down on the table rigidly.

Jude glanced at Caleb. "If you give me Parkplace and some money I'll give you Lera and buy you a prostitute of your own..."

"Stop auctioning me off, Jude," she said, her voice dangerously low.

"Buy him a prostitute and die, Jude," Dali added in a similar tone.

Jude sighed. All he wanted was Parkplace.

Caleb sighed as well. All he wanted was some senseless animal sex.