Page 30 of Second Chances at the Board Game Café

Did that trolley go everywhere with her?

‘Sulking,’ she mouthed to Sylvia, with a nod towards Max.

‘Don’t worry. We’ll be fine,’ Sylvia whispered. ‘Leave him to me.’

Taylor picked up her box of useful things – remnants of material, needles, pins, tailor’s chalk, fabric glue. ‘Bye, Max,’ she called. ‘Thank you, again, Sylvia. I promise I won’t be late.’

She seemed to spend her life going to and from Essendale, she thought, as she stepped onto the train for the third time that day. She couldn’t believe how quickly Kate had got this upcycling group organised; it was less than a week since she’d suggested it.

She sat down at a window seat, and placed her box of sewing stuff beside her. She opened the lid, checking she hadn’t forgotten anything, although it was too late now if she had. She was surprised at how nervous she was. Nervous in case no-one came. Nervous in case loads of people came, all looking to her to teach them things. If this was a conventional sewing class where they were making garments from scratch, she’d feel more confident, but there might be people there who knew more about upcycling than she did.

‘Hi.’

A teenage girl had slipped into the seat opposite her. For a second, Taylor couldn’t place her, but then she realised who she was. She saw this girl on the station platform every morning, taking her brother to Essendale Primary. He was one of the Year 6s.

‘Hi,’ said Taylor. ‘No brother this evening?’

‘Nah. I’ve escaped without him. I’m going to a sewing class and it wouldn’t be his thing.’

‘A sewing class? Not the one at the board game café?’

‘Yeah, that’s it.’

Taylor patted the box beside her. ‘I’m leading that.’

‘No way. I’m Ava.’

‘Taylor.’

‘Awesome name. I’m a real Swiftie.’

If she had a pound for every time someone had said that when she told them her name… Why, she wondered for the umpteenth time, couldn’t someone say, ‘What a brilliant name for someone who sews for a living.’ Or something like that anyway. Just once.

She wondered if Ava’s brother was one of the gang of lads who terrified Max, but it probably wouldn’t do to ask, not if the girl was going to be in the sewing group. She probably didn’t know what he got up to at school anyway. He’d hardly come home and say, ‘Great day today. We scared the hell out of one of the Year 4 boys at playtime.’

But as they walked from Essendale station to the board game café, she decided she had to say something. ‘I often see you taking your brother to school.’

‘Yeah, we moved house last year but Mum didn’t want to uproot him before SATs. It’s no big deal anyway. I drop him off on my way to sixth form college and collect him again later.’

‘Is he happy there?’

‘I guess so. He doesn’t say much.’

As Taylor had thought, she clearly wasn’t going to get very far with this.

They reached the board game café and stepped inside. A few tables were occupied by people playing board games and there was a queue at the counter. Ava made a beeline for another teenager, who was clutching a rucksack. Kate stood by the stairs, directing people who’d already bought their drinks to the floor above. Four older women arrived, bearing plastic bags. They immediately began pulling garments out of their bags, saying things like, ‘Do you think I can do something with this?’ and ‘D’you reckon I can jazz up this boring skirt?’

‘Upstairs, please, ladies,’ called Kate and they obediently made their way to the upper floor.

‘Where d’you want these, Kate?’ said a man, carrying two sewing machines.

‘Brilliant, thanks mate.’ Kate gestured up the stairs.

Judging from the footsteps above, there was already quite a crowd up there. Taylor’s fear that no-one would show up was beginning to subside, but was quickly replaced by a new one: what if she lost her nerve in front of so many people? What if she forgot what she wanted to say?

‘Isn’t it brilliant?’ Kate’s eyes were full of excitement. ‘All these people! I’ve counted seventeen.’

Taylor gulped.