adomania // the queen's gambit

Chapter Three

Before the death of Alma Wheatley, Nate hated alcohol. He thought it tasted fucking digusting.

Now no taste on his tongue could rival the one he had every time he remembered his mother. So getting shitfaced was worth it.

Nate woke up, neck sore, on the couch, an old thin blanket draped across his legs. His head was pounding, and he immediately got up to get an aspirin. He stopped in his tracks when he heard something in the bathroom. He walked up to it and knocked.

"Beth? You okay in there?"

He heard a muffled 'yeah', but Nate had grown close to the girl over the years; he knew when something was wrong.

"Bullshit, let me in."

He looked up as he heard the door open. Clearly Beth had tried to mask the tears on her face. He sighed, and pulled her into a hug. They stayed like that for a while, just embracing each other in the bathroom doorway, silent tears running down their faces.

That second Nate decided he was done drinking his problems away. His little sister shouldn't have to mourn and take care of him at the same time.

"Beltik's coming over," Beth stated as she walked out of the hallway. Nate looked up at her.

"Beltik, as in, the guy who's ass you kicked back in '59?" He questioned.

"Yes."

Nate shrugged and moved over to the kitchen. He'd been trying his hand at cooking recently.

"What's your attempt today?" Beth asked him.

"Lasagna," was his reply. It was simple, and also like, the best thing he'd ever tasted ever. Beth nodded before pulling over a chess book. She looked up for a split second.

"I'm playing at the U.S. Championship in a few weeks."

"That's great, Beth."

"You don't understand what's in it for you, do you?"

"Nope."

"Benny will be there."

Nate stopped in his tracks. It'd been quite a while since he'd heard the name Benny spoken in this household. His eyes widened as he leaned back to look at Beth, who gave him a small smile.

"Benny, as in like, Benny Watts? As in like, the most gorgeous man to ever exist?"

"Benny as in Benny Watts, yes. I think 'most gorgeous man to ever exist' is a bit of a stretch."

Nate rolled his eyes at her. "You just have no taste."

Nate continued to create the beginnings of lasagna, noodles and sauce and meat and shit all in a pan and covered in six different types of cheese. This was going to be amazing. He turned his head when he heard a knock at the door, and watched as Beth went to open it. A man he assumed to be Harry Beltik walked in, a huge box of books in tow. The man looked up and noticed Nate.

"Who are you?" Beltik asked. Nate shoved the lasagna in the oven and walked over, hand extended.

"Nate Wheatley, Beth's brother." Beltik nodded and shook his hand.

Nate watched closely as they went through the books in the box. Upon realizing the thing he was hoping for wasn't in there, he got up.

"I'm going to Morris' to go find you guys even more books. Beth, can you get the lasagna out of the oven when it's ready?"

"Sure thing," she replied. She sighed after she heard the front door shut.

"Why does he care about what books we have?" Beltik asked, confused.