Page 114 of The Little Board Game Café

‘Ta-dah,’ said Kate. ‘I managed to find some meeples fabric. You’re going to look wonderful, Em.’

*

Posters were up all over town. An article had appeared in the local paper with a picture of Emily sitting at one of her tables with a huge pile of board games and a mug of coffee. Thanks to Rob, the sign above the café was freshly painted. The guests were all invited and only a few still had to confirm. One of those being Dad.

‘There’ll be loads of people there,’ he said when Emily phoned for the eleventh time to remind him about the event. ‘You won’t need me.’

‘I need you more than I need any of those other people, Dad. What was it you said? That it was beautiful that I shared Mum’s dream and that you’d like to be part of it. Of course, you’ve got to be there.’

‘I’m not sure, Em. It’s a long way. Three buses.’

‘Two,’ Emily said, but she knew it wasn’t the number of buses. Dad was never going to leave Thornholme.

*

At half past two, Emily grabbed one of the games from the shelves, and she and Kate left the others to it.

‘I could have taken the bus to the hospital,’ Emily said as they drove away. She didn’t fancy another white-knuckle ride.

‘No, I needed to get out of there. Mr B and Marjory are driving me nuts. That list of roles! Honestly. Anyway, I’ve taken it down. It’s in my handbag.’

Emily reached behind her and pulled the bag off the back seat. ‘May I?’

Kate nodded, so she opened the bag and took out the list.

‘Might keep this for my memory box,’ she said. ‘So one day, when I’ve a chain of board game cafés all over West Yorkshire, I can look back and say, “This is where it all began.”’

*

‘All ready for the big launch?’ said Ludek. ‘Preparations going smoothly?’

‘Yes, all ready. And yes, pretty smoothly. Except for Mr B and Kate arguing over paint colours. Marjory made this.’

Emily pulled the now-crumpled list out of her bag and handed it to him.

‘Shame I’m not on there,’ he said. ‘I’d have loved to help.’

‘Hang on.’

Emily took the paper back, fumbled in her handbag and pulled out one of her chewed Biros. She wrote ‘Ludek’ on the bottom and added a role. ‘How’s that?’

‘Health and safety? Er…thanks, Em. Are you being ironic?’

‘Ironic?’

‘Well, I’m currently in a hospital bed due to being run over.’

‘Oh god, no. Ludek, I didn’t mean that. Although…’

‘Although?’

‘Well, it is a bit ironic, now you mention it. Essendale running club’s favourite lollipop man being run over.’

Ludek laughed and shook his head.

‘But,’ she added, ‘what I meant was with you being a doctor, it was apt to put you in charge of health because that’s your expertise.’

‘But not my only expertise.’