Just then, Nat’s phone vibrated in her pocket, and her mother’s name lit up the screen. Nat answered, keeping her voice low.
“Hi, Mom,” she whispered.
“Nat? I got your message earlier about Sofia joining us tomorrow,” her mother said, sounding beyond excited. “That’sgreat, honey. I have your dinner here by the way, but I don’t see your car outside. Are you still there?”
“Oh, um… Sorry about dinner.” Nat hesitated, glancing toward the bathroom. “Yeah, I’m still here.”
“At this hour? What are you doing still working?” her mother asked. “And why are you whispering?”
Nat’s cheeks warmed as she scrambled for an excuse that wouldn’t give away too much. There were many perks to living next door to her parents—the ready supply of homemade meals, the cozy company on quiet evenings, the kind of love that was never far away. But that closeness came with its downsides too, especially when it meant her mother had a constant front-row seat to every detail of her life, always checking in and keeping tabs on her whereabouts.
“I just… thought I’d stay over,” she finally said. “It’s late and Sofia doesn’t mind. In fact, she likes the company so I figured it’d be easier in the morning.”
“Oh! Well, poor thing, you must be exhausted,” her mother replied. “But what a turnaround. Sounds like you two are getting along just fine now. Doesn’t it go against your contract, though?”
“No one needs to know, Mom. Anyway, I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
“So are we, honey. Your father and Zoe are already in full Christmas Eve mode—they’re out back stringing up extra lights along the fence. You know how your dad loves to compete with the neighbors!” She chuckled. “And Zoe’s been baking cookies all day. I think she’s aiming to have enough to feed the whole neighborhood.” Then her mother gasped. “Oh, my, speaking of cookies… Sofia’s not gluten intolerant, is she? Or a vegetarian? Does she have allergies? Anything she doesn’t like?”
“No, Mom. No restrictions, and please don’t go through any more trouble. She’s just tagging along, that’s all.”
“But what about the wine glasses? We only have four matching ones! Is she a red or white drinker?”
“Mom,” Nat said, more pressing this time. “Please don’t worry. It’s all good. Sofia’s easygoing, honestly. She’ll eat anything.”
“Oh, that’s a relief,” her mother said, though she didn’t sound entirely convinced. “Well, I’m looking forward to meeting her.”
“She’s very much looking forward to it too. And we’ll have to bring Moxie. She’s so young, I don’t want to leave her here on her own.”
“Of course. That’s fine. I’m sure Zoe will be delighted.”
Nat heard the shower turn off. “Okay, Mom. I really have to go now—I’ll see you tomorrow and don’t worry about anything.”
She hung up just as Sofia emerged from the bathroom, her dark hair damp, face freshly flushed.
“Was that your mom?” she asked. “Are you sure she’s okay with me coming?”
“Absolutely. She can’t wait to meet you.”
Sofia nodded. “I’m a little nervous. Is that weird? I mean, we’re not a couple or anything, but it still feels a bit like…” her voice trailed off.
“Like meeting the parents?” Nat finished her sentence with a chuckle. Nat could relate; she was a little nervous herself. She’d never brought a woman home for Christmas before—not even close. Sure, she’d introduced a few casual dates here and there, but never with this kind of undercurrent. It felt different with Sofia. And even though they weren’t officially a couple, there was something substantial between them, something so natural yet undeniable, as if each moment they shared was slowly revealing a path forward. She couldn’t shake the feeling that, despite how new it all was, bringing Sofia to her parent’s house for Christmas carried an unspoken meaning, something weightier and more real than either of them was ready to put into words.
Nat got up and closed the distance between them, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Sofia’s ear. “Don’t worry. They’re easygoing and they’re going to love you.”
Sofia gave her a small smile as she looked down, her fingers idly fidgeting with the tie on Nat’s robe. "Truth be told, I’ve never met anyone’s parents before. Not like this, anyway. When I was younger, I wasn’t allowed to go on playdates to other kids’ houses. My parents thought they would have a bad influence on me, or lead me astray, as they put it. And by the time I moved out and started making real friends, everyone already had their own places. The whole family thing was sort of… foreign to me.” She laughed softly, almost as if embarrassed. “I guess I’ve always had this strange, morbid curiosity about other families. How they interact, how they work… I’ve never really been part of that picture myself.”
A pang of sadness washed over Nat as she wrapped her arms around Sofia’s waist. “What about your ex? You never met her parents either?”
“No. Her parents live in Hawaii, and she was… well, she still hasn’t come out to them. That’s why I think I’m nervous.” Sofia rolled her eyes. “I sound ridiculous.”
“No, you don’t.” Nat pulled her close. “But it’s about time you satisfied that morbid curiosity as you called it. And you’ll probably get more than you bargained for.”
Sofia grinned as she traced a gentle line along Nat’s arm, her fingers brushing over the fabric of her robe. “I’ll try not to act too awkward,” she joked, only half-heartedly. “For now though,” she continued as she untied Nat’s robe, “I’m very happy to have you just to myself.”
She let the robe slip from Nat’s shoulders and it fell to the floor.
Nat’s breath caught for just a moment before Sofia’s hands moved to rest on her bare waist, pulling her in closer. Heat rose within her, and just like that, all family talk was forgotten.
