“The Diamond Guard corsairs drop out of FTL and surround your ship. The Diamond Guard leader appears on your viewscreen. She looks like Angela Bassett circa 1995 with those awesome dreads from Strange Days and says, ‘Lower your shields and prepare to be boarded.’” Kayla paused and looked at Celia, Beck, and Madison seated around the table. “I need you to roll initiative.”
A chorus of groans accompanied her statement. They were going to see who reacted first in their upcoming battle.
“Oh no, hold up,” Celia said. “I want see if there’s a peaceful way out of this.”
Kayla smiled. “What would you like to do?”
Celia described her approach, and Madison added her own idea. Beck agreed and then Kayla said, “Okay, then, I’m going to need you to roll.”
Madison’s phone dinged as she reached for her dice. Kayla gave her a look when she pulled it out and read it.
It was Jen. Where are you?
She rolled and told Kayla the number. She listened with half an ear as Kayla narrated the actions that everyone’s dice rolls created.
Gaming. She hadn’t expected to hear from Jen. They had settled into a weekend night together and then a week off. Not that she wasn’t happy to hear from her, but this was her off week.
Oh. She got a frowning emoji. A pit formed in her stomach. Was Jen angry?
“Instead of smoothing out the situation, you’ve made her even angrier. Your sensors pick up several target locks. Roll for initiative.”
“I tried,” Celia said. Several sets of dice clacked against the table, and everyone read out their number.
Kayla nodded at Madison. “You go first. What do you want to do?”
Distracted by the text, Madison concentrated on her character sheet, trying to figure out what she wanted to do and where the encounter was going.
Her phone dinged again. I’m home alone.
Did she want her to come over? Erika had thought gaming was frivolous and had constantly sabotaged her schedule. And Madison had let her. She didn’t want another repeat of that. She’d wrap up her conversation and finish playing, no matter what Jen said. Decision made, she told Kayla what she wanted to do and rolled. After Kayla told her the results, she texted back. Where’s Carter?
With Rachel. Gone for the weekend. Want to come over? This time, a smiley face.
Of course, she did. She missed her on their weeks off, but she also wanted to finish her game. It had taken them a month to schedule it and even longer to get so close to their objective. If she said no, would Jen be mad?
“Do you need to go?” Celia nodded toward the phone. Kayla held her hands up, saying in gesture the same thing Celia had said in words.
Holding up her hand, Madison said, “Give me a minute.”
“Go. We’ll get some more snacks.”
She stood and moved into the downstairs bathroom. Pulling the door closed behind her, she screwed up her resolve and texted back. Can I swing by later?
Yes. I’ll be waiting.
Relief poured through her. Now she could play without that fear of reprisal hanging over her.
Three hours later, she parked in front of Jen’s house and knocked on the front door. No answer. She pulled out her phone and texted, I’m here.
She waited for a few minutes and wondered if maybe Jen had changed her mind. Maybe she’d been wrong, and she should have come over when Jen texted. But nothing about their conversation had indicated such a move, and she pushed it away as nonsense. She tried the door. Locked. Then she remembered the side door near the garage.
It opened on a dimly lit but spacious kitchen bounded by the door and windows on one side and a set of stairs leading up to the second floor on the opposite side. Two archways on either side led to the rest of the house. Closing the door behind her, she called, “Hello? Jen?”
She heard familiar voices and the blue glow of a television through the left archway. Farscape. Jen had picked up her boxed set and asked about it. She’d gushed for an embarrassingly long time and told Jen she should watch it. Jen had said she would, but Madison thought she was just humoring her. Seeing proof of her commitment to share the things that mattered to Madison opened her heart a little bit more.
She walked into the living room and spotted Jen wrapped up in a blanket and asleep on the couch. Madison picked up the remote and hit pause. Jen didn’t move. Madison just stood and watched her sleep. She looked remote and unapproachable. Her sharp features softened so often around Madison that she forgot how intimidating Jen could be.
Madison debated waking her up, then thought better of it. She’d let her wake up on her own, and they’d go from there. She wanted to cuddle up and hold on to this moment. For once, they had time, and she could wait.
She locked the door and rummaged through the downstairs, finding another blanket for herself. She sat on the opposite end of the couch, resting her hand on Jen’s ankle before she hit play.