Jim woke up early, like he always did, and made his way downstairs. He was not at all surprised to find his mother was up and already getting ready to begin the food for Thanksgiving.

She turned to him with a smile and a mug of coffee, which he took gratefully.

“You heard me getting up?” he asked, taking a grateful sip.

“Yes, plus I know you. You never sleep long. When you were little, I can count on one hand the times you slept in and it was usually when you were sick.”

“Mm. Thanks for doing all this, Mom. I know it’s a lot of work.” He glanced at the kitchen window. “There’s that snow you were talking about.”

“Just a few flakes right now. Who wants snow before Christmas anyway?”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Would you peel potatoes?”

“Of course.” Jim reached for an apron and then a peeler and got to work.

“So.” His mom paused to flash him a smile. “Is it serious between you two?”

“Yeah, I think so. Bones keeps asking me that and for a while I said I wasn’t really ready to think along those lines, you know to label it or whatever.”

“And now?”

Jim grinned. “Now I can admit I’m in love.”

She laughed. “Have you told him?”

“Nah, not yet. But I will. I’m pretty sure he feels the same way. He’s asked me to live with him. Vulcans don’t do casual.” He frowned. “Or I don’t think they do. I don’t really know.”

“The way he looks at you? It’s not casual, Jimmy.”

He nodded. “I hear movement upstairs so I think Spock and Bones are about to join us.”

“Great, because I have warm buns in the oven for breakfast.”

“Wow, you really did get up early.”

“I wanted everything to be perfect,” she admitted.

“It will be, Mom. Just because we’re here together.”

She hugged him. “Happy Thanksgiving, honey.”

“Happy Thanksgiving, Mom.”