Hannah

Name a time and place. We’ll be there!

“I’ll invite them over Friday night,” said Jen, already beginning to text her response.

“Jen, wait,” said Drew.

“What?” Jen groaned.

Drew felt weird. As far as his wife’s fancies went, this one was pretty tame, so why did it feel so… ominous?

“I… I don’t think we should do this,” he answered.

“What’s wrong with Hannah and Charles?”

“It’s not them! It’s this game, there’s… something not right about it!”

Jen raised an eyebrow.

“You’re… not being superstitious, are you?”

“I…” Drew had never recalled being described as such in his life. “No, I…”

“You think this game’s… cursed?”

“No! It’s just… just…”

Drew couldn’t think of a way to express himself that didn’t sound utterly silly. Jen returned to the keypad.

“I already asked, it would be weird to back out.”

“Yeah…”

On Friday night, the appointed hour of their friends’ arrival came just as the sun was dipping below the horizon. The doorbell sounded, and Drew and Jen got up from their quiet wait in the living room to answer.

“Hannah!”

“Jen!”

The women embraced like they hadn’t seen each other in years, rather than just the two weeks it had been since the last meeting. Charles stayed perched on the front step, his eyes fixed on the door frame, away from the little gathering. The couple were the picture of contrast: though both were Black, Hannah (47) was large and dark-skinned, with a confident updo that begged to be stared at. Charles (38) was short and light-skinned, with a short trim that faded into the background.

“This might sound crazy, but I couldn’t stop thinking about tonight all week,” said Jen, “would you believe it?”

“Me too!” said Hannah.

“But it’s just a board game, why am I so excited?! I feel like I’m too excited!”

“Don’t let that feeling go,” said Hannah, “whatever you expect, we’re going to make a night of tonight, one way or another.”

Hannah then turned to Drew and gave him a big hug.

“Good to see you, Drew.”

“You too, Hannah.”

Hannah always gave the tightest and warmest hugs, and Drew didn’t mind being on the receiving end one bit. He had forgotten his foreboding feelings of the other day.

“Hey, Drew.”

Charles drifted past his wife. Drew responded in kind.

“Hey.”

The way he often looked at him when Hannah greeted them, Drew wondered what he could be thinking. He couldn’t be jealous, could he? For something that silly?

They retired to the living room, where Jen and Hannah came to the realization that both had made plans to supply dessert. Not being the type to argue with one another, almost everyone ended up with a big scoop of strawberry ice cream from the freezer, and a large sugar cookie from Hannah’s bag. Drew didn’t want to overeat, but he was unable to resist his craving. Only Charles had the self-control to break his cookie in half and ask Jen to stop at a half-scoop. As they settled in, Hannah marveled at the game board.

“Now this…” she said, “this, is worth getting excited for.”

“Riiiiiiight?” said Jen.

“I don’t even know how to play,” said Hannah, “but it is asking to be played.”

“Tell that to Drew,” said Jen, “he was begging me to put it back!”

Drew blushed as Hannah and Jen emptied the box’s pockets.

“Reach the center first…” Hannah read, “…and grant yourself one wish. What does that mean?”

Jen checked the writing

“I don’t know…”

She hadn’t paid much attention to the rules. They had seemed so simple, she thought she had memorized them, but this one final inscrutable declaration had slipped her mind.

“How about,” said Jen, “If one of us wins, they get a wish from one of the other players?”

Hannah smirked.

“Alright. You’re on.”

The game pieces were placed on the board: the fish for Drew, the cat for Hannah, the wolf for Charles, and the woman for Jen.

“Guests first,” said Jen.

Hannah turned to Charles.

“Do you want to…?”

“I don’t care,” he answered.

“Well, then, go ahead.”

She put the dice in his hand and gave him a kiss on the cheek for good luck. Charles took the first roll.