Me and Zach. A year later..
A brisk sunny day in October marks the first anniversary since I drove all the way from Sayville to Glen Cove to be with Zach. During the summer I had settled into my new home, a renovated two story brick townhouse.
I am wearing a gray heather sweatshirt, green mint pants and Sketchers slip-ons. Zach is on my mind. Taking off these clothes and being naked with him is also on my mind as I walk through my neighborhood.
The place came with three bedrooms but I only need one. It's not as though Zach and I will sleep in different beds. In one of those bedrooms I put office furniture: desk, swivel chair, a couple of wooden chairs. In another, I put my elliptical and peletron fitness bike.
The place has one drawback. The longer drive to work costs much more in gas. Maybe I'll just get an electric car. This clunker's best days are behind it. On the plus side, the man I love is much closer to home.
My phome rings in my pants pocket. I look at the caller I d. It's the boyfriend.
"Where are you?"
"I'm taking a walk."
"I'm at your townhouse."
"Wait there. I'll be there in a few minutes."
Zach pulled me into an open-mouthed kiss that lasted several seconds. Arms draped around each other caressing.
We became engrossed in our late-morning chess tornament across the oval dining table. Rated though not professional players, we set the clock to agreed upon time controls of 20 minutes each. My lover held out his fists. I tapped his left hand. It opened revealing black pieces. Late morning became early afternoon. We had played four games and won 2 each.
I made a suggestion that we should "put a wager on our games."
He nodded and gave his reply. "Best of five, loser purchases condoms and lube for a year."
"So one more game then," I said. "This one's for the prize."
Both of us had watched the recaps of Carlsen vs Carauna FIDE world championship. The upcoming series was on Zach's mind. "Nepo had a very unusual style. He tries to be unpredictable."
I didn't know what to make of my boyfriend's observation so I didn't give a reply. Instead I just said, "Let's just see how long Carlsen holds the title."
"Or if Nepo beats him," said Zach in reply.
I took the black pieces for game 5 and offered the Sicilian Najdorf variation. By move 6 the boyfriend had a long think.
I took advantage of this by thinking on his clock time.
Zach conceded defeat on move 30.