The Board That Came Out Again

Chapter 1Under the Table

The chessboard had spent three weeks beneath the sitting-room table.

Hindy hadn't put it there as a punishment. She simply didn't want to see the white knight waiting beside the unfinished game.

She and her friend Avigail had begun it every Monday for most of the term.

Then Avigail had missed three arranged afternoons without telling Hindy in time. One week she forgot. One week she chose another visit. The third week she arrived as Hindy's mother was taking her out.

Avigail had apologized.

Hindy had accepted the apology. She hadn't made another Monday plan.

Chapter 2A Different Invitation

On Tuesday, Avigail came over at break in the Bais Yaakov courtyard.

"Could we play again?"

Hindy looked at her.

"You can come for break chess here," she said. "I don't want to keep another whole afternoon waiting."

"I won't forget this time."

Hindy wanted to believe her. That was different from knowing she could rely on the plan.

Avigail looked down at the paving stones.

"I thought you forgave me."

"I did. I still don't want the same arrangement right now."

It sounded harsh in the open courtyard. Hindy wished a sentence could be kind simply by being difficult to say.

Chapter 3The Question for Mama

At home, Mama was mending a sleeve, her gray tichel tucked away from the thread.

Hindy told her about the invitation.

"If I forgive her, do I have to make the old plan again?"

Mama set down the sleeve.

"Forgiving isn't a promise to use every arrangement that went wrong before. You can choose a plan you can manage."

"But perhaps she'll think I'm punishing her."

They talked about what Hindy actually wanted.

She didn't want Avigail to suffer. She wanted to enjoy being friends without losing afternoons to uncertain visits.

That was a different aim.

Chapter 4A Board at School

Their teacher allowed a small chessboard in the classroom cupboard for break. It would be put away before lessons, and whoever played would take care of the pieces.

Hindy explained the idea to Avigail.

"We can play one break on Thursday. If you aren't there, I'll read. I won't be waiting all afternoon."

Avigail nodded.

"I'll come."

Hindy didn't ask for a dramatic vow. Avigail didn't make one.

They agreed on a place and a time small enough to try.

Chapter 5Thursday's Knight

On Thursday, Avigail arrived before Hindy.

The pieces were set out on the desk.

"White or black?"

"Black."

They played until the bell. Hindy lost a rook because she forgot to look at a bishop on the far side.

Avigail didn't pretend not to see it as a gift for being forgiven.

Hindy didn't expect a gifted rook to prove friendship either.

They laughed at her badly defended king, put every piece back in the box, and returned to lessons.

One break had gone well. It wasn't proof about every future Monday.

It was a good break.

Chapter 6The Following Week

They played again the next Thursday.

On the third Thursday, Avigail had a teacher's appointment. She told Hindy before break.

"Could we do it next week?"

"Yes."

Hindy read her book that day.

The canceled game didn't feel like the old missed afternoons. There was clear notice and no long wait.

Changing the plan hadn't prevented every change in life. It had made changes easier to handle.

Hindy found that she could enjoy Avigail more when she wasn't spending the morning watching for a disappointment.

Chapter 7One Afternoon

A month later, Hindy invited Avigail for one Monday afternoon.

Their mothers arranged the time. Avigail arrived when expected.

The old board came out from beneath the table.

"Our unfinished game?" Avigail asked.

Hindy studied the pieces.

"I don't remember whose move it was. Let's begin a new one."

They reset the board.

This wasn't a return to an automatic visit every week. It was one afternoon both of them wanted and had arranged.

Hindy didn't need to announce that all trust had been restored in every possible way.

Chapter 8Where the Board Belonged

After Avigail left, Hindy put the chessboard on the shelf.

She liked it there.

She had forgiven a friend and kept a limit. She had tried a smaller arrangement, watched ordinary follow-through, and later chosen one larger visit.

Nobody had forced her to hurry that choice. Avigail had made it easier through what she did, not through increasingly large promises.

They would still be imperfect friends. Hindy would still occasionally lose a rook for no good reason.

The board wasn't a reward for a perfect apology or a punishment waiting to happen.

It was something they could take out when the next actual plan suited them both.