A Little Twist

One

Risa leans with her head on her fist looking at the board. Then she knows what to do and moves her tower. 

Her opponent smirks and lifts his knight. 'You're almost leaving yourself wide open.'  

Risa loses a pawn and chuckles. 'But was it losing a pawn or sacrificing a pawn?' She raises her eyebrows for a moment and with a smile. Her fingers hang in the air above her knight but then move to her tower and place it forward. Smiling, she leans back a little. 'I believe that's what people call checkmate.' 

The man realizes his mistake and looks back and forth between the woman and the board. 'You got me. Although I don't know how you manage to fool me?' He makes it sound like he's questioning himself. 

Risa reaches for her bag for the water bottle. 'I only play normal games. Not mind games, sir. Maybe you were trying to throw me off but you distracted yourself by doing so?' 

'Hmm, it doesn't matter. You won the game.' The man stands up to shake her hand. 'Surely, you understand that I want a rematch. Just not today, some other day.' 

Standing up, Risa noticed his eyes wander down over her body. 'Not yet, I have some weeks to go. But I don't mind another game.' She shakes his hand. 

'Congratulations, how long to go?' The man won't ask to feel the big belly. 'How far are you?' 

'Tomorrow thirty-five weeks,' Risa answers the man. 'It's not going to take long anymore.' 

He smiles. 'I'm sure you're waiting for the baby to come. I have children, and it always felt like a relief to breathe again.' 

A soft laugh follows. 'I wouldn't know. It's my first child while it sounds like you have some experience.' Risa puts the water bottle back in her bag. 'Have a good day sir.' 

The man follows Risa with his eyes to the ladies' room. 'Oh, I will.' 

*** 

When Risa reached her home, she looks around. Every time again, she felt eyes on her back but hasn't seen anything. In the kitchen, she finds a note on the fridge. 'I'm working a double shift. There is food in the fridge. You only have to warm it up. There is also ice cream in the freezer,' she reads out loud. 'You are an angel.' Opening the fridge, she finds the Tupperware with the food inside. Her eyes land on the clock, which tells her it's close to six o'clock. 'It's a reasonable time.' She takes the Tupperware out of it and in the microwave. Waiting for it, she makes sure to have everything in range on the couch. 'Remote, drink, my food... oh, my pillow.' She gets the U shape pillow and hears a familiar peep. 'Dinner.' She gets comfortable and turns the TV on. 

*** 

He followed the woman at a safe distance and watched as she got comfortable on the couch. He recognized her scent. Regardless if she tried to cover it with a fragrance. Shaking his head, he goes inside and compliments her for her discipline to keep things clean. 'Thirty-five weeks tomorrow,' he mutters. 'You can't fool me, Risa.' In the living room, he eyes the woman, who fell asleep in front of the TV. 'Fine, I'll get you some clothes before you go back.' Effortlessly, he finds her bedroom and packs some clothes. 'That will do for now. Everything else will be done at the mansion. You're not raising this child without his father.' He goes back to the living room where he finds the woman still on the couch. 'Time to go back. I don't know how you escaped them. Unless someone helped you.' He teleports her stuff to the mansion first. Then, and without waking her up, he teleports the woman to the living room in the mansion. Where he puts her on the couch and, immediately, he disappears because he knows that they will come down and fast. 

*** 

Noticing a familiar scent, Reiji appears in the living room first and sees a woman on the couch. And who is this? He goes closer. More importantly, this one is pregnant. He finds a note and opens it. His eyes widened and went back to the woman. Risa, you have been gone for months. And who's baby are you carrying? It isn't mine, that's for sure.