"Mama? Papa? What are you doing?" Adrian asked, standing up on his tiptoes to peer over the table before big hands caught him by the waist and lifted him, giggling, to settle in his father's lap.

"Playing chess, my little one," Papa said, stroking his hair and letting him settle close, looking at the patterned board and little figures of a tiny army between them and Mama, "would you like to help your Papa face down your Mama?"

"Hey now!" Mama said, laughing softly. "That's hardly fair; don't you think so, darling?" she asked Adrian, holding out her hands to him as he giggled again and snuggled closer to Papa instead.