Everyone’s favorite Chess Queen, Coffee Shop Owner and All-Around Samoan Goddess, Tava’e lumbers into our lives in Chapter 8 of SHATTERED: Logan Book 1:
Advancing impressively across the room, she adjusted her tremendous body, enveloped in a bright, boldly patterned, red and white dress, into what could only be HER seat at a wide, corner booth by the window.
Epiphany brought her espresso. Logan wasn’t the only one who remained fascinated, watching Tava’e lift the tiny, gold-rimmed cup to her lips and daintily slurp the thick, dark mixture through generous Olmec lips.
Finally, after the invisible Jean had passed new pastries out to Epiphany and the case was restocked, Tava’e was ready for her first true customers of the day.
From a dark, glossy wooden box, she removed a beautiful set of tall, intricately carved ebony and ivory chess pieces. The King was at least 5 inches high. Every table in the place had a chess board painted on it already, Logan now noticed, so the setup took less than a couple of minutes.
The old men who had been playing outside started shuffling in.
“You ready, Tava’e?” one of them challenged.
“Ready to beat you, Charlie!”
The others gathered around to watch or play a game themselves while waiting their turn. A couple of large thermoses appeared on the side counter, along with a generous spread of pastries, some with ham and cheese. The homeless-looking patrons made their coffees thick with sugar and cream, stuffing a few packets into pockets; one, she was sure, stuffed them directly under the band of his shorts.
For the next hour, Logan watched, mesmerized as Tava’e mopped her board with them, one after the other.
She was amazing. If her silent mass wasn’t enough to intimidate you, her supreme confidence was. She never hesitated, just firmly placed each piece down on its square, as if the end of every game were fated by Pele.
A lot of chess was played on the boardwalk, but it was clear that Tava’e’s is where you went if you really wanted a good game.”
I wish I could tell you how I came up with Tava’e, but all I know is I wanted someone regal, totally unique, and something of a wise, warm mother figure to Logan, whose biological mother, cold to begin with, skipped out on her and her father when Logan was young.
Tava’e is a character I look forward to hanging out with as the series unfolds. Mysterious and strong like the ocean she loves, her depths are as yet unexplored!
A self-admitted book addict, Valerie was the kid with the flashlight under her pillow. A life of travel with exposure to many different cultures led to a pervasive interest in people, with degrees & teaching credentials in Cultural Anthropology & English.