Page 73 of The Little Board Game Café

‘Next slide, please,’ said Mr B again and a lone wolf trotting down a tree-lined road replaced the woodpecker. The photos continued: some unusually shaped fungi; cobwebs strung across conifer branches catching the early morning sunlight; a herd of shaggy beasts with frighteningly large horns.

‘There are about eight hundred bison living in the forest,’ said Mr B. ‘They’re the heaviest land animal in Europe.’

‘I’ll be taking that title,’ said Ludek, ‘if I keep eating your pączki.’

Emily bit her lip to stifle a laugh. And then a yawn. She closed her eyes.

The warmth of the room and Mr B’s calm tones must have lulled her to sleep. In her dreams, she was frying a never-ending mountain of pierogi when raised, anxious voices roused her. Her head was on Ludek’s shoulder. She hoped she hadn’t drooled all over him, but he sprang up before she could check. What was going on?

Marjory was standing up and was clearly struggling for breath. A heart attack? Oh god, not Marjory. Emily couldn’t bear to lose Marjory.

Mr B was by her side. ‘She’s choking,’ he said. ‘Breathe, Marjory. Breathe. Ludek, do something.’

Ludek was behind the elderly woman now, talking to her in a gentle, but firm, voice.

‘Shall I call an ambulance?’ asked Peter.

‘No need,’ said Ludek. ‘You’ll be fine, Marjory. Try and relax.’ And then he put his arms around her. What was he thinking? Emily thought. Her friend needed medical help, not a hug. But then it all happened so fast. Emily wasn’t sure quite what he did, but something flew out of Marjory’s mouth and she gasped and the next minute she said, ‘I’m fine. Honestly, everyone. I’m fine.’

‘Thank goodness you were here, Ludek,’ said Mr B and began to clap.

The rest of the café joined in. Even Peter, Emily noticed, albeit a little grudgingly.

As the applause died down, Marjory addressed the room. ‘I’m sorry, everyone. I feel very silly. A nut got stuck in my throat, that’s all. Can’t we get on with the evening? Next slide, please.’

But if any of them had ever had any interest in looking at slides of the Białowieża Forest, they hadn’t now. A couple of people stood up, glanced at their watches, and said they had to go. Others then began to drift away and the café emptied in minutes.

‘Rather a dramatic evening,’ said Peter to Emily. ‘I think perhaps I’ll take Mother home.’

‘Thanks for coming.’ Emily kissed her former MIL2B on her cold cheek, then reached up and kissed his too. She watched them go before turning to look at the empty café. Only Ludek, Mr B, and Marjory were left.

‘Well, that went well,’ she said. ‘I bet none of them ever come back.’

‘Oh, Emily, I feel so awful,’ said Marjory.

‘No, I do,’ said Mr B. ‘If we hadn’t put nuts in the makowiec, this would never have happened.’

‘You put nuts in the makowiec?’ said Ludek. ‘My mother just puts poppy seeds.’

‘My late Magda’s recipe,’ said Mr B.

‘Fair enough,’ said Ludek.

‘Anyway, it was me who chopped the nuts,’ Emily said. ‘I must have missed one of them. I’m so sorry, Marjory. You could have…’

And the next minute, she was in a crumpled heap on the floor, tears streaming down her face.

‘Leave her to me,’ she heard Ludek saying to Marjory and Mr B. ‘I’ll take care of her. She’ll be okay.’

Marjory bent down, kissed her on the cheek and then had to be helped up again by Mr B. ‘It’s my knees,’ Emily heard her saying. She felt a hand on her shoulder as he said, ‘Don’t worry, Em. The customers won’t be put off by a little thing like this.’

And then they were gone. Ludek sat down on the floor beside her and pulled her in for a hug. ‘It’s okay. Marjory’s fine.’

‘But she could have died,’ Emily blubbed.

‘But she didn’t.’

‘But she might have. Everyone dies.’