“Lily would have liked to see you looking this happy.”
“Lily?” Stefan asks.
“My mum.”
“Ah.”
Granddad takes a picture out of his wallet and hands it to Stefan before making his move. It’s a photo of Mum in her climbing gear, probably at a base camp, judging by the background. She doesn’t have her goggles on, so her face is fully visible. She’s happy and smiling and so full of life it makes my chest ache and my eyes well up with tears. My legs go floppy, and my head nods as I sniff. Stefan wraps his arm around me, hugging me to his side.
“Your daughter was beautiful.” Stefan gives the photo back to Granddad.
“She was.”
“Did she play chess too?”
I’m dimly aware of them continuing the game as my eyes drift open and shut.
“I tried to teach her, but she was more interested in climbing trees. Quinn was a much better student.”
I smile. I might even chuckle. I’m not quite sure. On the board, the pieces that haven’t been moved yet are yawning and stretching.
“Who taught you to play?” Granddad asks Stefan.
“A…friend.”
“A past lover?”
My cheeks heat from second-hand embarrassment. My eyes are so heavy.
I sit up with a start and blink repeatedly. The pieces are all in very different places than they were a second ago. I guess it was a lot longer than a second ago. Quite a few pieces have been taken on both sides.
Stefan kisses my head. “Good nap?”
“Uh. Yeah. Sorry.”
“You’ve got nothing to apologise for. I’m afraid we’re losing.”
I stare at the board. “I can see that.” My mind is too fuzzy to help. Stefan moves our remaining castle forward two spaces.
In response, Granddad moves his last castle to the edge of the board, right next to where our castle had been.
Stefan moves our knight out of the path of the castle. Granddad moves one of his pawns forward one space.
“We can take his pawn,” Stefan whispers.
“I don’t think we should. I’m sure it’s a trap.” Not that I can see a better move. I’m trying to think several steps ahead, but I’m too tired. I just know that’s the wrong move to make. “It’ll lead to check.”
Stefan frowns. “It will?”
“Yeah. If we take his pawn, he’ll take our knight, and that will give his knight an opening to take our bishop. If we move our bishop—”
“It’s check.” Stefan sighs.
“I don’t think we can win.”
“Do you concede?” Granddad asks.
I lift my head and look at Stefan.
