Page 100 of Between the Lines

I stand, and head to my storage cabinet, procuring one of the standard boards with plastic pieces, and hand it to Rocco.

“Now you do.”

He holds it like it is made as preciously as the one I gifted myself upon college graduation. The one thing I ever did for myself.

“I can keep this?”

I nod. He hugs the box to his chest.

“How am I supposed to practice with it though? My mom don’t play chess.”

I hesitate, then remember meeting Claire and Zoey at the library, and it sparks an idea.

“Do you think you could find a few friends who would like to learn how to play?”

He shrugs. “Yeah, maybe.”

“If there is enough interest, I could host something after school.”

“Like a club?”

“Yes. Like a chess club.”

“Psht. Harding, that’s fornerds.”

“That might be so, butyouare the one looking for a place to practice.”

Rocco’s eyes widen, and he dips his head at me in shock. I smile.Smirk. And he laughs.

“Alright. Bet. Let me ask around.” He stands with his chess set—one I probably picked up from Goodwill back in my early days of teaching to keep around in case of indoor recess—and pauses.

“So like, a club means I get to stay after school, yeah?”

“Yes.”

I can read between the lines, the hesitant hope in his question and the one that follows.

“You gonna bring snacks? Snacks might make it less nerdy.”

“Yes, Mr. Thatcher, I can provide snacks for the chess club.”

“Cool.”

He exits my office, and I make a mental note to go easier on Rocco Thatcher.

Cal’s unannounced call, as I’m sitting in my office after five-p.m. finishing up some emails, is alarming. We talk on the first Sunday of the month, and today is Thursday. I answer immediately.

“Cal? Is everything okay?”

“Hey! Yeah, everything’s fine, why?”

“You don’t call me.”

That sentiment only gets to sting for a moment before he answers.

“Yeah, I know it’s not Sunday or whatever. I just uh… Listen, would you be okay if I didn’t come for Christmas this year?”

I swallow. There’s heavy silence between us. It doesn’t come as a surprise. I always knew there would be a time when Cal would spread his wings and want to do things his own way.

---