Role Play - Alison Hendricks Page 0,66

has a lot of great qualities. But he's... very traditional. His career comes first, and everyone else has to fit around that." It wasn't bitterness in her voice. Just a quiet resignation.

I didn't know what to say to that, or if it was even appropriate for me to say anything at all. Instead, I remained silent for a long time, before finally doing what I'd come over here to do.

"I know you want what's best for David," I began softly. "While you're deciding what that is, I need you to know I've seen your brother make so much of an effort. Not just with Dungeons & Dragons, but in anything he needs to better understand with David. He may not be the traditional caretaker, he may not have access to the specialists your husband would, but he adores that boy. He'll fight for him if he needs to... I just don't think he'll fight you."

She said nothing for a time, just watching the game. The party had reached the dragon's inner sanctum and they were engaging with its riddle.

"I'm worried I'll just be this distant... speck in his memory," she admitted. "Someone he knows exists, but who doesn't really factor into his daily life. Reuben adores David, but so do I. He's... he's all I have left of my sister, and it's been so great to see the person he's turning into. To know she'd be proud of him, and proud of the job Reuben and I--" she stopped, correcting herself, "the job Reuben's done raising him."

Again she was quiet, but I could sense she had more to say.

Finally, she added, "I don't want him to forget me. To forget how much I love him."

"He won't," I said, my throat closing up. "Reuben won't let him. And... you could always stay. Your husband's career isn't the most important thing. It doesn't have to govern your life."

She closed her eyes, tears slipping free to trace down her cheeks. Tentatively, I reached up a hand and touched her arm. When she didn't pull away, I rubbed it gently.

"How do you choose between two people you love with all your heart?"

I frowned, my brow furrowing. "You should never be forced to make that choice in the first place."

She nodded, lapsing into silence again. I could tell she was crying, as much as she tried to conceal it. Not wanting to draw attention, I just stood by her and kept rubbing her arm, offering quiet support as we watched Reuben finish the game.

28

Reuben

"I cast Fireball."

I watched, anticipation running through me as the wizard rolled their dice to tally up the total damage for the spell. There were several good rolls, the total number seeming just high enough to do the trick. Behind the DM screen, I checked the dragon's remaining health and smiled.

"As the mass of fire leaves your hands, burning hotter and hotter, bigger and bigger the further it gets from you, you know it's going to find its mark. The dragon is weakened and, while it normally wouldn't be as susceptible to your spell, the work you and your party did earlier has nullified that protection." I turned to the table, addressing them all. "You watch as a massive ball of flame lights up the dragon's features. The arrogant creature sneers at it, opening its mouth to answer with its own blast of fire. But, before the embers even begin to glow in the back of its throat, the ball of fire detonates, a shower of fire raining down on the dragon, burning through scales as if they're made of parchment. You see the panic come over the dragon's face as it realizes what's happening. It cries out, 'No!’ and calls for its kobolds, but it's too late. The dragon is consumed by the flames, leaving a charred corpse atop its previously-protected hoard."

The players listened with rapt attention and, when those final words left my mouth, they cheered. The celebration didn't last too long, since they wanted to know what they recovered from the hoard, but I felt a sense of pride and relief even as we finished up. I'd done it. I'd actually run a session from start to finish. It was simple and short -- definitely not winning any awards for originality -- but it was something I'd written and designed, then had executed with only a few bumps along the way.

It was all worth it to see how engaged David was the whole time, his eyes bright and focused