A quiet night

The shower helped Dan's muscles and tension drain away. After he toweled off, he dressed in shorts without a shirt. "Hey, I put the towel up to dry," he called as he moved over to the table where his mother sat checking her phone.

Laura quickly put down her phone and turned to smile at him. "Thanks, we'll use it to dry the dishes later," she said. "Dinner," she continued with a wave at the bowls in front of her.

Thankfully, that night Kimmy and her boyfriend were either out or kept quiet. Dan and Laura made a list of things they both needed from Big Bucks and listened to the news on the radio.

"I'm going to get a shower," Laura said with a big stretch as she looked over at the display on the microwave. "I'm kind of excited to start work on Friday. Oh, the cable company called. They'll be here tomorrow instead of Wednesday."

"That is great news," Dan said with a smile. "We're burning through data, even as little as we're using."

"We'll be fine."

"Always are. I'll start the dishes since you cooked. See you in a few," he called as his mother closed the door.

Thirty minutes later, Laura popped her head out of the bathroom. "Uh, can you pass me one of the shirts? This one got wet when I tried to get out of the tub," she asked, a slight flush to her cheeks.

"Yeah, one moment," Dan called as he put the leftovers in the fridge. He went over to the shopping bags and got one of the shirts. It smelled clean. "Here you go," he said and passed it through the tiny crack in the door.

"Thanks," Laura said as the shirt disappeared.

Ten minutes later, she came out with soaking wet hair and the white shirt clinging to her damp body. "We'll let the dishes air dry. I slipped a little trying to get out of the tub," she said with a sigh.

"No problem, I just need to brush my teeth."

"Uh, yeah," Laura said as she clutched her bundle of dirty clothes and moved out of the way.

"I had a few more ideas for what we might pick up. I left the list on the counter," Dan called as he entered the bathroom. The floor was wet and the towel they shared dripped water into the tub from the bar where a shower curtain would be if they had one.

"These are some good ideas, if we have the money for them," Laura praised as he exited the bathroom.

"I walked around the store to see what was on sale while I was on break. It took me a bit to remember what I saw."

"Well, our first purchase once one of us gets paid is a real mattress. I think the air mattress is starting to leak some air. I had to blow it up again this afternoon. Amanda is going to ask around to see if she knows anyone who has a sale. I didn't get over to the library to use the free wifi to look on my phone."

"Oh, I agree, we need a new bed. Uh... should we get two twin beds?" he asked.

Laura sat in silence for a minute, lost in thought. "No... I don't think we need to. For one, two mattresses cost more than one, and two, once we get a real bed, we won't roll toward the center like we do now. I noticed... well, I kind of rolled toward you last night," she admitted.

"Sorry about... well," Dan said with a small shrug.

Laura smiled and shook her head. "I was just more shocked than anything else. You didn't upset or hurt me, or anything. It's okay," she finished as she patted his forearm. "It's been years since I've slept with anyone in the same bed."

Dan saw that his mother's admission seemed to hurt her a little to admit. "Hey, it's okay. I've never slept with anyone in a bed before," he said with a laugh. "Well, you said I did as a child, so that isn't quite true."

Laura raised one eyebrow at him. "I'm not blind... you and Cindy..." she challenged as she trailed off.

"Uh... well, come on," Dan pleaded.

"Wait... really?"

"No... we did... once or twice... but, like, never slept in the same bed. If that makes sense," he hedged. They had passed out the first time from mutual exhaustion. It was the only time.

Laura gave him a gentle smile. "You're young, you'll find someone to share a bed with. Sorry your first time has to be with your mom," she joked.

Dan coughed and tried not to laugh. It took Laura a moment to realize what he was saying without saying it. "Oh, come on," she half choked. "You... sigh... I walked into that one," she admitted.

"If you say so," Dan smirked and got a light rap on the head for his cheek.

"What am I going to do with you?"

AN: This is an important choice.