Page 62 of Second Chances at the Board Game Café

Taylor stared at herself in the mirror in the ladies’. It was strange that the one time she brought Max here, to the board game café, Harry happened to be here too. Or maybe it wasn’t strange. Perhaps Harry often went to the board game café. Not for the first time, she thought how little she knew about him. But one thing was for sure: what she did know, she liked.

Harry seemed to like Max, which made her like him even more.

And Max seemed to like Harry, which was even stranger, although Taylor suspected he’d like anyone who was willing to play that blessed board game with him. Though she felt sure that it would be a different story if she’d introduced Harry as Mum’s boyfriend, rather than him being a random stranger at a café, who happened to be playing Ticket to Ride. She could imagine the sulks there would have been then. Yes, it was better this way.

‘Perhaps Harry and me can put the past behind us and be just good friends,’ she said to herself in the mirror. ‘At least, until Max is older.’

The door opened. An older woman walked in and flashed Taylor a strange look, having obviously overheard her talking to herself. Taylor dried her hands, checked her hair and then went back out. She paused near the counter, looking over to Max who was talking animatedly to Harry, about the game presumably. He stopped abruptly as she sat down at the table and said, ‘The game’s gonna end soon, Mum, cos Ludek’s down to only two trains.’

She came in last, but she wasn’t too far behind, thanks to Max instructing her on most of her moves. She hadn’t focused on the game at all; her attention had mostly been on Harry and what he thought of them showing up like this. Was he pleased to see her? Or had he welcomed them into the game out of politeness?

She winced, thinking for the umpteenth time about how cowardly she’d been, and how she should have phoned him, should have explained properly and apologised. She’d so much going on what with Max’s problems and the fashion show and her angst about losing their home, but that was no excuse.

She hoped he hadn’t been too upset. If he had, he showed no sign of it now. He seemed very calm and was clearly over her. If he’d ever really been into her. She never had been able to tell how he felt about her. Was he one of those people who found it difficult to show his feelings? Or had he simply never had feelings for her in the first place? Perhaps he’d been content with a one-night stand.

‘Are there any other train games?’ said Max.

‘Loads,’ said Ludek. ‘Shall we go and look?’

Max didn’t need asking twice. He hopped off his chair and ran over to the board game shelves, almost tripping over the handbag of a woman at the next table.

Taylor looked at Harry. Once again, she couldn’t read his expression. ‘We can go, Harry. If you’d rather…’

‘No, not at all. Stay. Max seems to be enjoying himself.’

But are you? Taylor wanted to ask. She glanced over at her son and Ludek who were looking in a game box together, talking animatedly. ‘He’s in his element. You don’t have to be polite, Harry. If you’d rather we went to sit at another table and left you to talk to your friend.’

‘No, I’d prefer you to stay.’

Taylor looked into his eyes, his kind, gentle eyes. Her heart was thudding and she wanted to reach across the table and take Harry’s hand. Instead she said, ‘Really?’

‘Of course. Most games play better with four.’

She looked away, staring out of the café window at Costa across the street. Staring but not seeing.

‘Ta-dah.’ Max placed a game box on the table. ‘We found a game for you, Mum. It’s got sewing in it.’

‘Sewing?’

‘It’s called Rococo.’ Ludek slipped into the seat opposite her. ‘It’s set during the reign of Louis XV, and our job is to make elaborate coats and dresses for the nobles to wear to a lavish ball.’

‘I thought you wanted a train game, Max?’

‘Ludek thought you’d like this better.’

She smiled at Ludek. ‘Thanks, Ludek.’

‘You’re welcome. This okay with you, Harry?’

Taylor thought Harry hesitated for a moment, but she could have imagined it.

‘It sounds splendid,’ he said.

Ludek began to explain the rules, which sounded even more complicated than the ones in Ticket to Ride.

‘It’s easy, Mum,’ said Max. ‘You use any of your employees to collect the fabrics from here. You need lace and thread too. When you have enough, you use your gold and silver employees to make a garment, and then you either put the garment up here to score victory points, or you can sell it if you need money.’

‘You can also use your gold person to employ someone new,’ said Harry. ‘Basically, you take an extra employee card into your hand.’