“You know very well that it wouldn’t be the case,” said Evelyn and she poured herself another two fingers, then the same for her son. “There are already fresh sheets in the guest room.”
She walked back to Aiden and handed him the glass.
“Please, I insist.”
Aiden sighed, accepting the alcohol.
“Okay, Mother.”
“Mother? You make me sound so old, but thank you.” They reset the pieces. “You want to go again?”
Aiden nodded and made his opening move.
Their game continued like this, void of conversation but still rich in atmosphere. The rain pummeled the world outside only to be muted into constant drumming against the windows and walls. The great clock in the hall continued to slowly tick with a melodic chime every fifteen minutes, all while their pieces clicked and clacked on the board as the players moved them into varying positions of attack and defense. Neither Evelyn nor Aiden was aware the record singing in the corner had long since stopped.
“Were you always good at chess?” Aiden asked.
“Not at first. I played a lot with your grandfather.”
“Really? Grandpa? He was always so serious. I never thought he’d be into games.”
“Everything’s a game,” Evelyn said as she moved a piece.
Aiden took a moment while staring at the board in contemplation.
“I want to ask you a question,” Evelyn began, “But I’m worried it would be too motherly of me to do so.”
Aiden chuckled.
“What’s up?”
“I noticed that for the last few weeks, you haven’t brought up anything about that girl you had been seeing… Jennifer?”
“Jessica.”
“Right. Jessica. So is everything still…”
“We’re not seeing each other anymore.”
“Oh. You seemed enamored with her. What brought that on?”
“Yeah, I liked her. Of course I did, but we both needed to focus on other things.” Aiden took out her Bishop with a Rook. “Check.”
“You haven’t said anything about that before.” Evelyn moved her King.
“Yeah, sorry about that,” he took a deep breath and advanced his Queen. “It’s just between school and work and… other things, we didn’t get much time together.”
“Other things?” Evelyn moved a Knight.
“… It’s complicated, Mom.” Aiden moved his Queen again. “Check.”
Evelyn moved a Bishop to block the attack.
“Was there another woman?” she asked.
“No, Mom. Not really,” he said as he moved his Queen to take the Bishop. “Check.”
“Not really? That is a loaded response.”
“We don’t have to talk about it.”
“I know, but I want to. I’d like to know a little more about what’s going on with you. It’s the least I can do for you after how much you have been there for me since the accident.”
“Mom, seriously, it was nothing.”
“No, it was everything. You were here anytime and every time I needed you to be. It’s been difficult since he passed and without you, I don’t know how I would have managed…”
Her voice trailed off as she slowly cocked her head to the side in thought.
“… Aiden, was it me?” she asked her son.
“What?”
“Earlier, you said you couldn’t commit because of work, school, and other things. Was it me? Am I the other things?”
“Mom…”
“Aiden?”
He leaned forward and took a deep breath.
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