Chapter Text
Christmas Eve, and they are on a two hour drive into upstate New York. They sing along to the Christmas songs on the radio and play a few rounds of mental chess.
“What’s your family like?” Beth asks during a lull in the antics.
“Well my aunt Helen lives with my mom, my dad’s side; she moved in after he died. Then there’s my sister, Jenny, and her husband, Ted, plus their two, well, about to be three, kids, Linda, David, and the one on the way.” Benny gestures vaguely with his hand still on the wheel. “They still live in town, keep close to home.”
Beth feels like she did when Benny first called her the best, as if he has no regard for the gravity of his own words. She’s pretty sure he’s told her more about her family in those few sentences than he has any other chess player, and chess is nearly his whole world. It also reinforces Beth’s position as far more to Benny than another opponent.
Beth smiles, “I’ve never really been around a normal family.”
Benny laughs, “if that’s what constitutes a normal family, television must be filmed on Mars.”
…
In the afternoon, they pull into the driveway of a classic suburban home, lights hung around the garage, and a wreath on the door. It reminds Beth of the houses back in Lexington.
Beth and Benny exit the car with their bags, and a woman’s voice starts from the porch, “Benny, I raised you better than to let a young lady get her own door and bag!”
Beth looks up and sees an older woman dressed in an old fashioned red dress. Her hair may be half gray strands, but the blond that still remains is unmistakable as Benny’s, the woman must be his mother.
Benny begrudgingly takes Beth's bag and leads them up to the porch.
“Beth,” Benny pops a shoulder in the direction of the woman, “this is my mother.”
Beth smiles and reaches out a hand to her, but instead, Mrs. Watts wraps an arm around Beth in a half hug, kissing her cheek.
“It’s good to meet you Mrs. Watts,” Beth stumbles out.
“Call me Ruth dear,” Mrs. Watts insists, keeping a hand on Beth’s forearm to guide her into the house.
Benny has already set down their bags, and is kneeling down to be wrestled by two children calling him Uncle Benny. Another older woman quickly takes both of Beth’s hands in hers, “Merry Christmas, dear, I’m Helen.”
Helen’s hair is all gray, and curling out of her updo. And before Beth can seem to speak, a tall man in his thirties introduces himself with a handshake, “I’m Ted.”
“Pleased to meet you both,” Beth says looking between Helen who is no longer looking at her, but the scene on the living room floor, and Ted.
“And this is my wife, Jenny” Ted adds, gesturing to a very pregnant woman on the couch.
“I’m sorry, it’s just so hard to get up and down at this point in the pregnancy,” Jenny apologizes, gesturing to her gigantic belly.
“Oh don’t worry about it,” Beth says, sitting down next to her on the couch. She is about to introduce herself, when someone, Ruth, she thinks shouts, “Benjamin what is it you think you’re doing!”
At some point in the introductions, Benny had seemingly untangled himself from the kids and grabbed their bags and was now heading down a hallway, Beth assumed lead to the bedrooms.
“What?” Benny asks frozen in a doorway.
Ruth looks stony, “you will be putting Beth’s bag in your sister’s old room, not yours.”
“Mom,” Benny begins, before he is interrupted.
“I do not care what young people in the big city do these days, but in my house two unmarried people do not sleep in the same room.” Benny rolls his eyes, but sets his bag down, and moves Beth’s to the room across the hall.
“I apologize for the Elvis posters, it’s been a long time since anyone stayed there,” Jenny whispers to Beth. Beth smiles at her.
“Welcome to our home Beth, we are so glad Benny brought you up to meet us,” Ruth smiles through most of the sentence, but she does send one pointed look at Benny as he walks back into the living room.
“We like to hit the service before dinner if you two would like to change.” Beth nods. “Jenny can show you the steamer for your dress.”
Jenny takes the lead down the hallway, waddling somewhat, Benny behind Beth. She sneaks a glance at him as they turn into opposite rooms; their eyes meet for a moment; Beth smiles.
Jenny points Beth in the way of a steamer, as Beth unpacks her clothing to hang in the closet. It feels strange getting dressed alone in the room with this woman who means so much to Benny, but who she knows nothing about.
“I never read about you in any of the articles on Benny,” Beth states in a hope to get the conversation going.
“Oh, well, I’m ordinary.”
“I’m sorry,” Beth says awkwardly.
“No, no, I’m glad. I was certainly jealous as a kid, but then we grew up, and I got married to the love of my life, and then we’ve been blessed with children. And each time I think my heart can’t possibly grow any bigger, but when the nurse hands me that little bundle, I can’t help but love them so much.”
Beth is shocked, her words are so similar to Margrett’s, but the meaning is so much happier.
Jenny continues, “And Benny, well he got to be the best at chess, he got to live in the city, he always wanted to do those things growing up, but you know he just kept doing the same stuff, he played chess and lived in that godawful apartment, and that’s it. Never had anyone to come home to since he moved out, never found anyone who meant something more than chess. And I know that he loves the game, but when I think about how much I love Ted, Linda, David, and this one,” she places her hands over her stomach, “and how much they add to my life, I just can’t help but think about how much he’s missing.”