𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐈𝐒𝐇// 𝐄𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐄 𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐗𝐎𝐂

𝐥𝐯𝐢. ✭ 𝐒𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐘 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐂𝐀𝐏

FEBRUARY 26, 1977; EDDIE
11:33-11:37 a.m.

"Rainy day." Chance groaned from her spot on the sofa. We were kneeling, looking out of my trailer's window. Raindrops dropped down the pane, rubbing our noses in the situation. "What a lousy use for a Saturday."

"I'll say." Mumbling, I leaned forward to fog up the glass. With my finger, I drew a smiley face. It melted away seconds later but Chance caught it, giggling at my little drawing.

"Oh, what do we do? What do we do?" She let her face slump into my shoulder. "We can't bike, we can't play hide and seek, we can't do anything."

I let my head fall, surrendering to my limp neck. Copying Chance, I was letting mine rest on top of her head. It just so happened that the hallway closet fell right in my line of sight. The door was open, left ajar from when Wayne had gotten his raincoat out for the day.

Along the shelves that lined that closet was an array of board games. Ones we hadn't touched in ages. There was Clue and Boggle and Life and Scrabble and many more.

"How bout a board game?" Pulling myself off of the couch, I trotted over to the closet. "That's what they're for you know. Board games are supposed to make you unbored."

"Doubt it." Sighed Chance, but she perked right up when I drew out Monopoly. "Ooh, Eddie, I want the little dog. Promise you'll let me play as the little dog."

Wickedly, I flashed a grin at her and ceremoniously let the box clatter onto the kitchen table.

"We'll see...if you can find it first!" I teased, fully intending on letting her have the little silver dog. I had to have fun with her first before just giving in though. I always did.

"Eddie!" She cried out in laughter, making a ragged dash over to the kitchen in her slippery socks. On her way over, she nearly fell.

Together, in our pajamas, we pilfered through that Monopoly box, on a mad hunt for that tiny silver dog. We played and quit halfway through and made grilled cheese with soup and stayed out of the cold rain together by occupying ourselves with that litany of stupid, stupid board games.

It was a good day. Just two kids trying to keep out of the rain. Real sweet.

MARCH 23 1986; EDDIE
9:00 a.m.-6:24 p.m.

"This is your lifeline." Announced Chance, tracing the curve of my palm. "It's strong." She noted, furrowing her brow."

"How about this one?" I asked, pointing toward a random blank space.

"That's your marriage line."

"It's pretty long. Must be all those weddings we've had. How about this one?"

"Heart." Chance said immediately, scooting closer to my body on the bed she had made. Her torso carved itself into the side of mine. "Very deep."

"That is because..." Twisting my hand around her wrist, I pulled it to my mouth. Warm kisses tickled her flesh. "I am very deeply in love with someone. Wanna take a guess on who?"

"Is it the mailman?" She blurted, with crinkle-cornered eyes.

I kissed down to her elbow.