Mama's Boy

Mimosa Morning

Sitting at the table, Nathan watched as Josie whirled around the kitchen to every song on her playlist.

Occasionally, Josie would look over her shoulder to see Nathan admiring her. Each time, a smile graced her lips as she basked in his admiration.

Never Be the Same by Camila Cabello came on, and she danced over to him, reaching her hand out for him. Accepting, Nathan got up, wrapping his other hand around her waist, allowing her to pull him away from the table as she wound her waist to the beat.

Nathan was only vaguely familiar with the song, but he was sure he would know it word for word just by watching Josie sing it.

Rocking along with her, Nathan managed to pull Josie closer to himself. Not that she seemed to mind, never once losing step.

"You have a good singing voice," he told her.

"I can carry a tune." She laid her head against his chest, continuing along.

Nathan only chuckled at the remark. He was sure it was her attempt at humility.

Josie pulled away from Nathan when she remembered that she was cooking. Catching her smothered potatoes before she burned them, she added some water and turned the heat down before cracking two eggs and frying them.

"Do you want a mimosa?" she called into the living room and jumped slightly when she heard him behind her.

"I would love to day drink with you," he told her, and chuckled. "And I didn't mean to startle you."

Josie looked over her shoulder, flipping the eggs. "I'm convinced you did mean to startle me and that it entertains you."

"My mom used to complain about me walking heavy and said it sounded like I was trying to wake the devil."

Josie took her turn to laugh and grabbed two plates and took the food off the stove. "A man who takes constructive criticism," she noted, passing him both plates and moving to grab two flutes.

Nathan watched Josie flittering through the kitchen, her movements graceful as she grabbed the champagne and orange juice from the refrigerator.

He waited until she was seated and ready to eat before he started his food.

"I was thinking about what you said," he told her, earning a raised eyebrow. "About telling my mom she could date. How would I go about telling her that?"

Josie took a bite of her food and thought about it. She had never been in Nathan's position and didn't quite know how to approach it herself. If one of her parents had lost the other instead of them dying together, how would she let them know she was okay with them seeing someone else?

"I don't know," she admitted. "I've never been in your position. But maybe just sit down with her and ask her if she's thought about it. Take it from there."

Nathan nodded, thinking about that. "I think about my dad a lot," he mumbled. "How different our lives could have been if he was still here. I think about if my mom wasn't so lonely and sad. I could have probably been married."

"I think about my parents a lot too. There's nothing wrong with wondering what you would have done with more time. My life would have been very different if my parents never died. I would still be in California and probably only visit Florida in the summers. Your mom probably would have been a different person if your dad never died, and maybe you would be married. But I'm glad that last part didn't happen. It worked out in my favor," she joked and winked, lightening the mood.

Nathan chuckled and had a sip of his mimosa. "It's not too late for that last one," he hinted.

Josie took a deep drink of her mimosa and cleared her throat, feeling her face flush at the insinuation.