The Game Plan

After a 25 minute drive to the Mall outside the City, Caleb and Andrea pull up outside the LACY’S parking lot. Caleb turns to Andrea. “So, it's 12:30, how long do you think you'll need to get everything? I figure we probably need to get home by 4-4:30 to eat and head to Felicity's by 7.”

“Okay, I can do that. I should be finished by 3:30 but I'll text you if that changes. I made up a list of shit I want from the grocery store. Here, I'll text it to you. Just lemme know how much and I'll Paymo™️ you the money.” Andrea opens the door and walks towards the department store.

“Well shit, it isn't gonna take me three hours to get groceries and come back, what the fuck can I do?” Caleb sits, watching the retreating figure, and contemplates options before a wild idea hits him. “I'll hit up the hobby shop first and get Andrea something fun for her Plague Bringers army.”

Starting the car, he heads a few miles away to a quiet strip mall in the suburbs, pulling up to a small shop emblazoned with the sign ‘Grognard’s Games’ next to a flower shop and a run-down pizza parlor he knew only stayed in business because of hungry nerds.

Stepping out of his car, Caleb walks over to Grognard’s and opens the door, jingling the bell set on the mantle. As he passed through,in the silence of the empty store, a wave of nostalgia hit him. He had been coming to Grognard's since college and it seemed stuck in time, walls lined withold comic books,boxes of Magus: The Coven cards, outdated tabletop game manuals and scuffed plastic tables with much abused war-game scenery. Behind the counter, tall, grey-bearded and rotund, was the eternal fixture himself, Reginald, currently napping in the sunlight pouring through the front window.

Stepping past racks of comics books on the way to the Battlesword section, Caleb waves to the awakening mountain. “Howdy Reg, how’s life treating ya? See yer saving your strength for the Friday Night Magus gamer gaggle.”

Reg sits up in his chair and grabs a Rusty Rocket Burger cup from under the counter and takes a swig before replying, “Oh hell, what’re you doing here Caleb? Getting more yellow for your Gauntlets? Ain't seen Andrea, Marcus, or Lee in here since before the Plague, they doing okay?”

As he reaches the stacked boxes of Grim Space miniatures, Caleb turns his head to reply. “Actually, I'm going on a date tonight with Andrea and I thought I’d grab her something for her Plague Bringers, try and get her back in the hobby so to speak…”

“Well, congratulations to both of ya, that girl is too pretty to be single for that long. I know you're a good man Caleb, so I probably don't need to tell you this, but treat her right or I'll beat your ass.” Reg waggles his cane for emphasis.

‘Reginald, you old coot, the only thing you could beat in your condition would be a toddler and I’d give the kid good odds.’ Caleb thought privately before grabbing a Typhoid Belcher tank and replying “Yeah yeah, though given how much she works out, you should probably be worried about me getting my ass beat by her.”

Reg starts guffawing which devolves into a fit of coughing, subsiding only after a few pulls from his drink. “Ahaha, oh. That's true, she'd dance around you in a heartbeat. Is that all, no paint or brushes?”

“Not today, just the tank and a bottle of water from the cooler.” Caleb swipes his card, grabs the bottle from a mini-fridge next to the counter as Reg bags up the model and hands him the receipt.

“You two have a fun night tonight, and give her my regards.” Reg states with a wave as Caleb steps back out into the hot bright day.

“Will do, Reg!”

Out on the sidewalk, Caleb cracks the bottle and takes a sip, looking around for anything else that he could kill time with and realizes that if Andrea had never been on a real date, he should do it right and get her some flowers. Dropping his parcel in the car, he heads over to the florist.