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The two girls were shoved aside, revealing a bright blue-eyed girl flying across the space between us, the faint smell of honeysuckle following in her wake.
Within seconds, the flowers scattered to the ground and the unicorn began to take flight as Knight dropped everything to catch the flying creature. "My heart!"
At his exclamation, my cheeks burned even hotter. I jumped up, easily grabbing the balloon from flying away.
I couldn't look at any of them in the eyes, especially not Maya or Knight, as they invited us inside.
"Put me down," Honey squealed, squirming until she was back on her feet. Then she put a hand to her hip, jutting it out as she surveyed me. "You're back."
"Hi," I thrust the balloon towards her, scooping up the flowers from the ground, trying to ignore Maya's confused stare.
"For me?" Honey squealed, grabbing them.
"Tatiana insisted," Knight lied, giving me the credit for bringing a bright grin to her face.
"Thank you!" She inhaled deeply, clutching the balloon in a fist of tiny fingers. "Come in."
She led the way inside while Knight greeted the couple, headed past the living and dining rooms, the kitchen, then to a small den.
She tied the balloon to a stuffed elephant sitting on top of a black coffee table, plunking down next to it. On it was a chess board. "Do you like to play?"
I eyed the board warily. "I've played a couple of times." Rook tried to get me into it but I was mostly an unwilling participant.
"Did you like it?" Combined with the enthusiasm of her words, the bright excitement in her eyes, and three other chess boards placed strategically through the room, all of them looking like unfinished games, I had the feeling I was about to be beaten in chess. "Just because you played doesn't mean you like it," Honey stated matter-of-factly.
I suddenly felt self-conscious as I felt Knight's presence at my back, watching us, while Maya and Abby asked him about breakfast.
"That's true." I settled across from her, crossing my legs. "I never understood what the point was, when I had so many other things to worry about."
Her eyebrows knit together thoughtfully. "Chess can help you in a bunch of different ways. It improves your memory and focus, boosts your creativity, and increases strategic thought. Would that help you?"
I was now certain that I had the intelligence of a small snail compared to her.
"Yes," I admitted, bashfully. Lord, what a day for humility.
"Want to play?"
"Honey," Maya said, "time for you go get dressed. Then it's time for breakfast."
Oh, thank God.
Honey looked down at her pink, elephant pajamas. "But I am dressed."
Maya smiled patiently, "I mean your school clothes."
"Oh. Can my friend come with me?" Big blue eyes blinked up at her mom.
"Tatiana can, but Knight has to stay here."
"I wasn't talking about Knight," she grumbled, taking my hand, once again, leading me towards the stairs. "I know the rules."
As soon as we hit the stairs, she let go of my hand, racing enthusiastically upwards. "I can't wait for you to see my new elephant!"
"Don't forget to use your chart!" Maya yelled up the stairs, her voice halfway drowned out by clattering in the kitchen. The smell of bacon filled the air, making my stomach beg me for food.
"I know, I know," Honey grumbled, running to her room. By the time I'd reached it, she was holding up a purple, plaid elephant. "Look! Mom gave it to me yesterday. Did you learn anything new about elephants?"
"I did," I was strangely pleased that I'd looked them up after our meeting. "Did you know they can pick up a single grain of rice with their trunks?"
