The day after was the finals of the tournament, it was Watts vs. Harmon
Benny vs. Beth
Stranger vs. Sister
Before the match at one, Benny found Emilie at the same table as before, a few empty glasses on the table, her eyes were only on her sketchbook. She was still trying to get the hands to look just how she remembered them.
"I found you again," he commented as he sat down across.
"Why would I sit here if I didn't want you to?" she looked up at him through her lashes.
"Speed chess?"
"You're playing Beth today," was her only response.
"Well, I didn't think you were the E. Harmon they were referring to,"
"You're going to lose," she said very matter of factly.
"I don't think so,"
"Well, Mr. Confident you ought to start thinking so,"
"She is good, but I'm more mature, got a good few years of experience on her,"
"Do we need to have the nursing home talk again?"
"No, we don't," he chuckled but then got serious again, "We need to have one last talk before I'm the guy that beat your sister,"
"Sure-"
"What're you drawing?"
"That's private and you won't get it-"
"Humor me," to Emilie he was sincere so she looked for one to show. Difficult to find a recent one without his face so she showed one of Beth playing one of her opponents from later in the day, and behind it she put the one of his hands. It didn't have his face so it technically could be anyone.
He was quiet. He just looked at them, examining, analyzing, checking, appreciating the detail of the faces, how the shadows were all in the right place. A smile did grow on his face.
When he got to the next one, he paused. He glanced at his hands, the rings were just the same and were on the same finger. To him it was obvious, she on the other hand hadn't taken the rings into account.
"You could make money doing this, you know?" He looked at her coal dusted hands. "Some magazines would eat this shit up, like hotcakes."
A smile began to grow on her face, and an idea grew in her head.
"and this," his gaze drifted to her eyes, "is something else,"
"Is that a good thing?" her expression faltered slightly.
"Yeah, um can I keep this one?"
"Didn't seem to stop you the last time, and that's kind of private,"
"Well, that one you dropped and I did return, and I understand it's just-"
"You can work for it," she started picking her stuff up. "You win today, you can keep it and I have all faith in my sister, so I think this will stay mine," She got up and walked around to his side of the table.
She kissed him on the cheek. "I'm still rooting for Beth that doesn't mean anything,"
"Sure, Emilie," His face hid nothing.
"You got lipstick on your cheek by the way,"
He wiped his cheek but that didn't wipe the stupid grin off his face.