79 Chess confessions
Word Soap: As The World Keeps Turning
Author: SYLnl
Title: #79 Chess confessions
Rating: PG
Summary: “Life is a kind of Chess, with struggle, competition, good and ill events.” - Benjamin Franklin
Big Thanks To: ltklo, for brushing up my grammar
Previously on As The World Keeps Turning:
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20
#21 #22 #23 #24 #25 #26 #27 #28 #29 #30 #31 #32 #33 #34 #35 #36 #37 #38 #39 #40 #41 #42 #43 #44 #45 #46 #47 #48 #49 #50 #51 #52 #53 #54 #55 #56 #57 #58 #59 #60 #61 #62 #63 #64 #65 #66 #67 #68 #69 #70 #71 #72 #73 #74 #75 #76 #77 #78
After a lazy - yet very physically active - morning, they left for the Snyder farm around noon. Reid had been grouchy, but the amused light in his blue eyes had told Luke that it was all about provoking some verbal banter and so the blond had responded accordingly by sharing the most horrific Snyder traditions he could make up. He obviously had done a great job, because Reid had started to look very uncomfortable.
Just when Luke decided he would ease Reid’s mind, his doctor had noticed the wickedness in Luke’s brown eyes and he had almost pushed Luke out off bed, but had changed his mind and had pulled Luke in for some ‘bodily revenge’. And Luke had taken it like a man.
It was a good start to the day and while he watched Luke driving, Reid counted his blessings once again. Whatever the rest of the day would bring, the memory of this morning would help him through. He was pretty sure of it.
The minute Luke parked the car, Ethan and Natalie came running out of the house, calling out both their names.
Luke’s whisper - “Honey, you’re home” - made Reid lean over and kiss his partner firmly and the two kids started clapping their hands.
“Luke and Reid are making out in the car!” Natalie yelled and apparently that was a ‘must see’ for the Snyder clan. Within seconds the porch filled up with adults.
“Oh God,” Luke chuckled, as he noticed the group and when Reid looked up and saw the audience, he felt some embarrassment that he immediately challenged with sarcasm.
“So they’re basically a bunch of peeping Toms, that group of homo sapiens you refer to as family.”
Luke nodded, cupped Reid’s face and grinned. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all,” Reid let his eyebrows dance, “Especially if you want to oblige them by making out with me all day…”
“Tempting,” Luke whispered, kissing Reid and showing exactly how tempting, “But I know from experience Emma has some delicious pies waiting and…”
“Say no more,” Reid stepped out and waited until Luke stood next to the car and their eyes met, “But you can have your way with me between food moments.”
They both laughed and while Natalie wrapped her arms around Luke, Ethan came for his - traditional, by now - uplifting encounter with Reid. The strong arms held the young boy above his head for a moment and then the small arms found their way to Reid’s neck and a big hug followed. The peeping Toms almost sighed simultaneously watching that display of honest connection and when Reid and Luke reached the porch, they were both welcomed with lots of genuine affection.
He hadn’t seen Molly after the wedding-that-didn’t-happen, but their apparent click was still there. Her eyes were a mixture of sincere fondness and mischief when she kissed him on the cheek.
“Hi handsome, good to see you’re still around.”
“Same here,” Reid winked at her. “I guess we’re here to stay.”
“I guess you’re right,” Molly grinned. “So maybe some things do last forever…”
“Who knows. But for now I’m where I want to be.” Reid looked around and his smile was wicked, “Let me rephrase that…I’m with who I want to be.”
His eyes wandered off to Luke and Molly smiled, while she looked at Holden.
“Yeah, me too.” With an unvoiced sense of camaraderie they gave each other another smile and walked into the kitchen, where Emma’s loving arms were already waiting.
“Reid,” Emma managed to make his name sound like some sort of pet name and his smile was radiant, his kiss on her cheek firm.
“It’s been too long,” he said earnestly and Emma nodded.
“But you’re here now and I’m very grateful you are.”
She caressed his cheek, looking him in the eyes, and Reid smiled. How could anybody not love Emma?
Her attention moved over to his left and grandson and grandmother found each other in a long, loving embrace. No words were exchanged. Their eyes met, they smiled and Luke nodded. Reid wasn’t sure what the soundless conversation had been about, but he was pretty sure it was good. Luke and Emma both looked content.
Luke introduced Reid to Angel and a long haired, big eyed woman smiled at him. “Seth told me about you, doctor,” her demeanor was friendly, yet a little aloof, “and I’m glad to meet you.”
Reid swallowed the remark that Seth hadn’t told him anything about her and just nodded and smiled. Luke did the honors by asking Angel about some foundation she apparently was involved in and Seth put an arm around Reid’s shoulder and led him into a seclude corner in the living room. Reid’s eyes lit up immediately.
“My brother reinstated this chess corner. Growing up, Holden and I played chess here a lot, but after we moved out, my mother dismantled it. Fortunately she didn’t dismantle the chess game…”
Reid’s thumb caressed a piece and nodded.
“It’s beautiful.”
“It is. My father made the pieces himself.”
Reid looked up, surprise and respect in his eyes.
“Wow, he sure knew what he was doing.”
Seth smiled. “Yeah, he did.” He pointed at the set. “Wanna play?”
Reid grinned. “You need to ask?”
“Not really,” Seth pulled in a chair and smiled when Reid did the same, but the doctor was barely seated when Ethan stood next to him.
“Can I watch, Beebee?”
Reid smiled at the young face. “Of course you can.” He knew the look Ethan gave him and he lifted the boy on his lap. Not aware of the little nudge Abigail gave Luke. Not aware of the loving smile of his blond partner, watching them.
His full attention was on the chess board and the little and big man in his orbit.
“Okay…help me out here, E. Which one should I move first?”
Ethan looked up to Reid, his smile as radiant as his big brother. He then turned to the board and pointed at a black pawn in the middle of the row.
“Are you sure? Not the one on the edge?”
“No. When you start in the middle you win, so that must be a good move.”
Both adults laughed and Reid gave Ethan a soft pat on his shoulder.
“Right you are. So let’s move that one.” His long fingers moved the pawn.
“Maybe Ethan should sit over here with me,” Seth suggested. “He obviously paid attention…”
Reid grinned when Ethan shook his head expressly. “Reid is my Beebee.”
His tone of voice made sure that explained everything, but Seth was visibly clueless, so Reid explained and both men smiled.
“You’re obviously very good with children,” Seth’s eyes were warm and he glared at Reid’s ring. “Any plans in that direction?”
Reid slowly shook his head. “Not really. We’re both very busy right now and it’s still very new… but who knows… a few years from now.”
On Ethan’s advice Reid moved a rook and looked at Seth. “How about you? You strike me as a father figure.”
Seth smiled. “I am. But it wasn’t in the cards for us. I do a lot of volunteering with kids, though. That’s also very fulfilling.”
Reid nodded. “Lucky kids,” he said calmly and Seth smiled.
Every so often Luke casted a quick look at the chess corner and counted himself lucky with his family. There was no doubt in his mind that this little setup was made with Reid in mind. His assumption was confirmed by his father, who softly patted his back.
“He looks happy.”
Luke smiled at Holden. “He is. Thank you for that.”
“My pleasure. A family gathering like this must be pretty overwhelming for someone like Reid, so we tried to find a way to ease him into it.”
Luke leaned to his father for a moment and Holden put his arm around his son’s shoulder and pulled him close.
“But we also arranged some reinforcement,” Holden grinned and after Luke’s querying look, he smiled. “Katie and Jacob are coming too.”
Luke beamed. He knew Reid considered Katie and ‘the drool machine’ part of his self-selected family, so their presence would be the icing on the cake.
“That’s great.”
Holden nodded, smiling. “Yeah, and Dan is coming too.”
Luke’s enthusiasm faded a little. He didn’t know why, but somehow Dan equaled tension.
“Katie knows that?”
“She’s the one suggesting it.” Holden looked at Luke. “Why? You don’t like Dan?”
“It’s not that. I hardly know him. Maybe his resemblance to Brad just freaks me out.”
“Well,” Holden looked at the kitchen door where some commotion was coming from, “Start freaking out. They’re here.”
The final stages of the game had Reid so focused, that he hadn’t heard her come in, so when she softly caressed his curls, he was startled. But seeing her made it all better.
“Goldilocks! This is a nice surprise…”
“I hoped it would be,” Katie smiled, kissing him on his hair, shaking hands with Seth and watching the chess board.
“Give me a few minutes to bring my worthy opponent to his knees,” Reid grinned and Ethan clapped his hands.
“We’re gonna win, aren’t we, Beebee?”
“Of course we are,” Reid ruffled the boy’s hair, “Uncle Seth is powerless against the both of us!”
“I am,” Seth admitted defeat and moved a piece to make it official.
“You call it, E,” Reid spurred the boy on and Ethan’s young and loud voice filled the room.
“Uncle Seth…it’s checkmate!”
Some family members actually applauded and Seth extended his hand to Ethan.
“This was a great match, Ethan. You did very well.”
Reid smiled. Seth wasn’t lying. Ethan had showed some true knowledge and understanding of the game.
“Daddy is learning me how to play,” Ethan explained, “So I can beat Beebee someday.”
“That’s a healthy ambition,” Reid nodded. “Unachievable, of course…” he lifted Ethan off his lap, “But we will have a lot of fun in the process.”
Ethan just focused on the fun part and smiled. “Yeah. Lots of fun.” He was ready to leave, but turned back to Reid and whispered something in his ear. It made the doctor swallow and he squeezed the young boy’s chin.
“I love you too,” he whispered back.