Badass Mom

“Three months?” he repeated and then grinned a bit. “Have you liked it here so far?” And then he started to laugh. “Yeah, like Julius Caesar. I just have nothing to do with him. But it’s nice to meet you too.” Julius started to walk as well, pondering would this ice cream place be the one he knew about or was it something he had missed so far. “I’ve been living here about two years, so pretty much two years of mail duty. Time to time I’ve been thinking of doing something else, but I actually like delivering mail, so I’m not sure am I going to change jobs in the next few years.”

“Yeah, it’s a nice place. Been here a couple of times before because, you know, Disney World’s here and I enjoyed whatever time I spent here and all in all it’s a nice place to live, getting used to the change’s been quite difficult though but I’m getting there.” Jo shrugged with a smile. “Ah, two years is quite a lot, bet you don’t get lost like me, I swear not even google maps like me because it keeps sending me in wrong directions. But anyway, it’s great that you like your job, not many people do, so you already won. As long as it makes you happy keep it up. What other jobs have you considered doing, if you don’t mind me asking, of course.” She looked up at him, keeping a rather slow pace. 

At her command, Nathan did take a deep breath, quelling some of the nervous flutters in his stomach. It seemed a little silly, he was a grown man, after all, but for some reason this woman was momming him with ease. Nate found he didn’t really hate it. “Okay,” he said, sounding much more sure of himself. He blinked at her next command, but found himself falling into step next to her. “Oh I uh…I don’t normally eat a good breakfast. It’s erm…normally just whatever I can scrounge up around the apartment.” He wasn’t the healthiest eater, though Nathan tried. “So erm…this isn’t too uh…out of the ordinary for me, really.” He wanted to reassure her he was fine, even if the prospect of a nice breakfast was tempting. “Oh, no, that wasn’t what I was thinking,” Nathan chuckled, shaking his head, “I was just um…remarking, really. Do people…really say that? I think food’s important after workouts. Replenish the calories or…whatever. I don’t workout, really.” He flushed, looking a little sheepish. He had next to no muscle definition, truth be told. “But um…sort of? I was going to go get a coffee and maybe a muffin or something. I needed to pick up some cigarettes too.” The need to nicotine was still burning in the back of his throat, but he could ignore it for now.

The first thought Josephine had was to tell the young man to change his eating habits for a long list of reasons but then she stopped herself; she didn’t know him and she didn’t have to, nor should tell him what to do. “You don’t? Well, I mean, I’m talking talking like an old grandma, I know, but breakfast is important, not saying that you should do as me but I’ve always liked a good breakfast, you know, to start the day with lots of energy. But don’t mind me.” Jo waved her hand, stopping herself from giving adviced she wasn’t asked. “Ah, yes, they do. I mean, some diets that some people follow are cazy, I swear but I need some boost after working out.” The woman didn’t comment that it was kind of physically notorious he wasn’t a fan of the gym, which was completely okay, for a long time she had ran in the opposite direction of gyms. “Well I don’t blame you, I wouldn’t do it myself if it was possible when after you hit the thirties is a good thing to do.” She joked, chuckling. “Oh, wait, I kept you from getting your cigarettes, didn’t I? I’m so sorry, honey, uh... we can stop for those before the coffee, if you’d like? I don’t mind.” 

He went through a theatrics of straightening out his posture and placing his right hand over his heart. Eyes shutting momentarily, he then dipped his head in a silent ‘Thank you’ to the further praise. “Tooting my own horn, here, but I’d like to think so. I worked really hard for it, even if it did seem effortless.” Sparing a deep chuckle, he didn’t think twice before he nodded in acceptance to the request. “Yeah, sure. Why not? Let’s do both. Picture first?” Initiative was taken to sidle up next to her with an arm slipping around her slender shoulders. He’d taken countless already and even done a few videos on the fly. Her notions correct as he was such a natural entertainer at heart.

“Ah, perfecto, you’re the best.” Jo grinned, fishing her phone from her clutch. It felt just a bit weird as Logan slid his arm around her shoulders, not because it was too much or anything alike, it just felt that way to her, she was able to shook the feeling pretty quickly, though. “No, wait, the light’s not right.” She said before she even set the camera. “Let’s turn around.” With his arm still on her shoulders, Josephine spun around until she found the perfect place. “Here it is.” Finally lifting the phone with the camera app opened, it didn’t take her a second to find the right angle and snap a couple of photos. “They’re great. Video now?” She looked up at him, not sure if he’d still be up for it or if he was needed somewhere else, that thought made her wonder why the man was spending so much time with only her.

“Oh! You have a daughter! That’s wonderful! How old is the little one?” Katrina asked with a smile and then added quickly, “Unless she or he isn’t that young anymore…” She said laughing a little. Katrina listened to Josephine talk about her favorite style and smiled wide. She had seen many people who liked to do portraits but hearing about portraits being more closeups interested Katrina a bit more. “Well that sounds really interesting! A different take on it-I like it!” Katrina grabbed Josephine’s card and smiled making sure to add it later to her contacts list to send her a quick message. “Perfect! Thank you….” Then, after hearing her offer there was no way Katrina would let an opportunity like this one pass. “I would love to Josephine! That’d be great! Oh and don’t worry about not making it to the gallery, I completely understand! Can’t imagine what being a mother like full-time and a photographer at the same time is like!” Katrina smiled at her and stood up checking her own watch before asking, “Is your studio place walking distance?”

“I do, yes. She’s nine. Big enough to start questionning me about my life decisions.” Josephine rolled her eyes accompanied by a smile and a little head shake. As she spoke about her line of work, it did cheer her that someone looked interested in her job and not only that but that understood it. While she loved her job and be hired to take photgraphs, Jo wasn’t a stranger to pride and that the other woman considered to have her pictures in her gallery was making her day, it was something much bigger than taking wedding pictures and it had been a while since she was in something that big. “As a matter of fact, it is. I’ve been in Orlando for like, three months and still getting used to it and remember the streets so I alwyas pick locations near my place or the studio.” She laughed. “We could get some coffee on the way there, too.”

Breathing a heavy sigh of relief, Nathan ran twitchy fingers through his hair. “Oh good. I was just…well.” He cleared his throat nervously, looking down at his feet. “I’m not necessarily the heaviest guy, but anyone getting bumped unexpectedly like that can uh…can take a tumble, I think.” Thankfully, this woman seemed nice, but Nate was still a pretty nervous guy by nature. Swallowing thickly, Nathan tried for a smile of his own, reaching out to shake her hand. “It’s um…it’s nice to meet you, Josephine. My name is Nathan.” Moving to stand next to her, he used his tall frame to glance around the area. “Um…what coffee place are you heading toward? I only know my um…my own little corner here.” He gestured vaguely around himself. “I don’t erm…I don’t get out too much.” He wouldn’t get out ever if he could help it, but Nathan was smart enough to know that wasn’t good. “I’m pretty uh…pretty hungry too. I didn’t have much for breakfast this morning.” He took a good look at her then, smiling. “Did you just come from the gym?”

As the man spoke Josephine couldn’t help but notice the nervousness in his voice, anyone would have noticed it actually, and all she could do was smile and shake her hands in front of her to stop him from rambling, trying to tell him it was all right. Funny thing was, she was usually the one rambling nervously with people. “Nathan, nice to meet you. Take deep breaths, I’m not mad at all, really.” Josephine used what her friends called ‘the mom voice’ becuase it was sweet and soothing. “You don’t? Then we have something in common because I’m still kinda new in town and I don’t know a lot of places— Wait, you didn’t have a good breakfast? Honey, that’s so wrong. We need to get you some food. Hm... I think I saw a nice place a couple of blocks from here. Let’s go.” She nodded in the direction and began walking. “Yeah, yeah, I did. I know what you might think, I leave the gym and now head for food? It’s just I don’t go to the gym because I’m worried about my body and I don’t do diets either, just like to work out and forget about work.” Josephine explained, her moment to divagate. “What about you, Nathan? You were going to get something to eat?” She asked, concerned about the man having skipped a good breakfast.

“That sounds like a plan. Who knows if we end up finding an ice cream place neither have been before.” Probably it wasn’t possible if they weren’t going to walk far since Julius knew pretty well the blocks around his apartment and well, thanks to his job he also knew a lot of different locations. Of course he knew the best the spots that were on his mail delivery route, but as a mailman you quickly learn to look at places with open eyes so in case you get lost you’d know right away where to head to. “Julius”, he replied giving her hand a shake. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“I’d say the proabilities are high in my case since I’m quite new in town. I mean, I’ve been here almost three months but I still get lost so I don’t venture to many places.” Jo admited with a chuckle. “Julius, like Julius Caesar. I like it. Nice to meet you, too.” She smiled, and slowly turned around and began walking. Generally, Josephine walked fast and with long strides to get things done in less time but since she had company now, she settled for a quiet pace which was good for a change. “So, you mentioned you’re a mailman, didn’t you? Been working for a long time in Orlando?”

“I think it’s some sort of smell of sterility. And I’m definitely not a fan of that smell.” Julius was actually one of those who avoided going to a hospital or to a doctor the best he could. The smell in there was just horrible. “Nah, I think company is what I need right now to actually wake up. But of course if you’d rather continue your way that’s fine as well.” Then he grinned when ice cream clearly wasn’t going to be turned down. “Ice cream it is then.”

Letting out a smile, Jo joined her palms together. "Perfecto! I could use some company, too, so glad you don't mind. To be honest I'm craving some ice cream now that I mentioned it. Uhm... Let's keep walking down the street? Maybe we'll find a place, unless you want to go somewhere in particular?” She smiled at him then held her hand out otwards him. "Ah, if we’re gonna spend some time with each other I better introduce myself. I’m Josephine. Jo, for short.” 

Admittedly, Nathan was a bit of a hermit. He liked his apartment, he liked the air conditioning and the lack of people that it provided. He’d only leave to go pick up his pre-ordered coffee or tea, and sometimes for a Grindr date, but he didn’t so much like to talk about those. Sometimes though, his pesky addiction to nicotine forced him out of the house. He was feeling it bad today, an itch in the back of his throat that wouldn’t be satisfied until he took a long pull of a cigarette. Unfortunately, with how preoccupied he was with his urge, he wasn’t paying much attention to where he was going. Bumping into someone, Nathan flushed, automatically launching into apologies. “Oh my goodness, I’m terribly sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going. Are you okay? Can I – I hope I didn’t make you drop or spill anything.” His eyes flitted to the ground, scanning the area for anything this woman may have dropped. “Erm…I’m really sorry. I’d be happy to…buy you a coffee or something as an apology.” He anxiously bit his lip, shifting back and forth on his feet.

@jos-casti

Josephine wasn’t the kind of woman who killed herself in the gym and followed a strict diet, she was more the kind who went to the gym to stay fit enough but never denied herself any kind of food she craved. It was what she like to call a balance between gym and yum. So as she left the building with her sport bag dangling from her shoulder she decided she was in the mood for a treat and with that in mind she started walking, a red light made her stop in a corner and she took the chance to check her messages on her phone. When she felt a thud at her back, Jo grabbed her phone tightly before it escaped her hands and immediately heard one apology after another one. Turning around, she smiled at the young man who looked really bad about the small incident. “Hey, don’t worry. It’s fine, really. NothinG’s broken and I didn’t drop anything.” Brushing his arm with her hand, she still smiled at him. “Actually, I was heading for a coffee and something to eat. I wouldn’t mind the company. I’m Josephine.” She introduced as she held her hand towards the man.

Bethany smiled as she looked at the Latina’s daughter, giving the child a wave, resting her own daughter on her hip. “I have a feeling she got it from me, which is probably not a positive thing. I can definitely hear my parents say about how I got a child with my personality as payback,” the brunette smiled as she looked at her daughter when Jo backed up a few steps. She couldn’t help her expression when she looked at her little mini me, shocked that the child was going to be two in just a few days. “I’m going to cry,” she let out a laugh as she wiped her eyes. “Why is it so emotion when their birthdays are coming up?”

“Ah, yes, I heard that, too. And I’ve come to notice they’re absolutely right. But I’d rather that than her turning out like her father. You know that saying of us women going through a lot on labour for our children to be like their fathers.” Josephine joked. While her marriage had not worked out, she did have to admit there were some good qualities in her ex-husband. She kept shooting pictures even as she saw Bethany clearly emotional then stopped and gave the woman a sympathetic smile after having gone through that. “Aww I know all about it. I cried a lot during her first three years. It got better after that. It just takes some time for the realization that they’ll keep growing to kick in.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle. “Where’s the lie tho?” he asked, “But yeah, I just woke up.” It was so obvious he had just gotten up from bed it was sort of hilarious. Surely he could’ve tried to hide the fact of how tired he was, but he was too tired to even do that. “Ice cream?” Julius repeated starting to think about that option. “That actually sounds like a good idea. I haven’t tried ice cream as a way to wake myself up, but I definitely have chosen ice cream as a breakfast before.” He grinned as the woman continued talking about her theory over ice cream and how people didn’t seem to agree with her. “No, I’m no doctor. I’m not that smart”, he laughed, “I’m just the mailman who thinks your idea about ice cream is something I need to try right now. Want to join?”

“Glad to know I’m not alone having that choice on breakfast menu.” Josephine laughed, then let out a dramatic sigh as well as wiping imaginary sweat from her forehead. “Phew, it’s a relief, really. They then to be quite dramatic about those things. Gotta say I’m not that smart, either. Plus, I’d hate to spend all my time inside the hospital smelling that... thing. You know what smell I’m talking about?” Josephine wrinckled her nose and shook her head. She was about to say goodbye and leave him to try to fully wake up but stopped herself at his unexpected invitation. “Uh... Sure, yes. If you’re sure, maybe you want to beby yourself, I know some people like to be left alone when they’re waking up. But I’d never say no to ice cream if you really want some company.” She smiled. “Fair warning, though, I talk qutite a lot.”

Julius rubbed his face as he tried to decide what was he going to do now. Either he should stay awake and walk around the city like a zombie until he’d wake up, or he could turn back and head back home and continue sleeping. But there was always the chance he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep again since he had already gone outside as well. Maybe coffee would fix it.. Thanks to his sleepy state of mind and all this pondering he hadn’t realised someone had came closer to him until she asked a question. Julius batted his eyes couple of times because to him it felt like this woman had appeared out of nowhere instead of walking there. He scratched his head and eventually just chuckled. “I’m okay. Just tired. But thanks for asking, I guess I don’t really seem to look that good right now? I didn’t really look in the mirror when I headed outside.”

Smiling in relief as the man was unharmed, Josephine chuckled. “Well, I wouldn’t say you look awful, just extremely lost. Kinda like my daughter when she just gets up and by what you said it seems like you just did that.”  The woman looked at him, at his spiked hair after he brushed his hand over it and the unmistakable sleepy eyes she was used to see in herself after getting up early and not having enough sleep. Pondering on what to do now that she had interrupted him in a possibly bad moment, Josephine pucked her lips and it bit the inner side of his bottom one. “Well, while mostly would recoment coffee and I hundred per cent agree with them, I like to recomment an ice cream works just as well or even better, more sugar, more energy.” She paused for a moment and then gave him a suspicious look. “Wait, you’re not any kind of doctor, are you? Because I told that to my head doctor and my daughter’s dentist and both of them told me I was wrong in so many levels because it was not healthy. But I mean, it’s not like I have ice-cream for breakfast every day. Just from time to time when it’s really necessary.” She explained, using her hands as she spoke.

He took all her gushing in stride. Coming to expect as much either right off the bat or right after divulging such information. “Does that mean ya watched the two tournaments I kicked ass in for it? Proved I have quite the endurance and I can assure ya that wasn’t a trick of editing.” He waggled his brows. His eyes sparkled, this time with more glee than mischievous acts when hearing how he seemed to inspire her kid. However old, such things were a delight. “How old is she? Ya should bring her by one day. Maybe I can test her skills out and, who knows, if she gets into it, she might have a future career here. Or at the new place.” 

Chuckling, Josephine nodded her head. “We did, yes, and you were quite impressive kicking ass. Totally deserved to win.” She smiled. “She’s nine and God, she’d be thrilled if I brought her, and I mean, it’s really nice of you, Mr. Worf but I’m sure you must be busy, working here and then with all your plans for a new bar. “However, I’d really appreciate it if you could take a picture with me? She’d love it. Or if it’s not too much asking, a short video repeating what you said? ” Giving him her best smile, Jo hoped he accepted —mosly because it was something it would make her daughter happy but also because she wanted to have a picture with him—,  the man certainly seemed like the kind who wasn’t shy in front of cameras.

Katrina smiled when she listened to an artist talk about all the different styles she did. “Really?! Wow, thats great! I know some photographers who will only do, say just landscapes or just portraits….so it’s good to hear that you love to do it all! But, if you had to choose, which would you say is your favorite?” Katrina asked and then said, “Oh, I’m an art gallery owner!” She paused and took a card out of her bag and handed it to her. “Here’s my card, do you have one? I”m always looking for new artists who want to put on a show at the gallery and such! I’d be more then happy to see what your work looks like whenever you have a chance!?”

“Well it’s nice to have a speciality but having just one doesn’t pay all bills and your daughter’s school.” Josehpine laughed. “My favorite, though, uh... I think portraits, close-ups, there’s just a lot to do, lot sof backgrounds, different illumination focus...” She shrugged, she could have keep talking about it but once she started it was hard to make her stop and maybe the woman had other plans. Wideing her eyes, Jo grabbed the card and read the information on it. “Oh, wait, I heard about this place. I’ve meant to go but you know, life.” She chuckled as she looked into her bag for her card and handed it to Katrina. “Here’s mine.” She checked the time on her watch and looked back at the woman. “I... have quite some time before I have to pick up my daughter from school if you have time and want to go to my studio?”

Sundays were good days because on Sunday’s Julius didn’t have work to do because there was no mail to deliver on Sunday’s. At least he didn’t have any to deal with. Usually Sunday’s meant he could sleep as long as he felt like, but today his friend had woken him up way too early – around ten in the morning because usually Julius had been up for hours by then. His friend wanted to meet up with him in half an hour, which meant Julius had to get up from bed and pretend to be awake as he walked out of his apartment and out to the street. He didn’t even get to walk a whole block when his phone rang and his friend’s name flashing on the screen. “What? You gotta be kidding me. I just-… okay, fine. Bye.” He hang up and just let out a loud groan. His friend just called to let him know there was a change of plans and he couldn’t see him right now, which meant Julius had gotten up from the bed for nothing and now he was standing in the middle of the street feeling like falling asleep right there right now.

It wasn’t every day that Josephine had Sundays for herself since she usually spent them with her daughter but Lina had spent Saturday night with her father and she’d be with him all Sunday as well, something that gave the woman a whole lot of free time. Josephine seized the chance and got up early to do all the pending things she had put off the past week. Dressed in sports clothes with colorful printed leggings, white t-shirt and trainers and a wide sadle bag, Jo practically ran out of the door knowing exactly what she needed to do first: get coffee. She walked through the streets to one of her favorite places and as she was looking down to her phone to reply a text she almost bumped into someone, stopping just inches away from a man’s right side. Josephine was about to keep walking when she noticed the man didn’t look quite alright and it got the best of her, she would feel terribly bad if she left and there was something wrong with him. Maybe he was mugged or something, she thought. Moving to stand in front of him but not so much that she intruded his personal space, she cocked her head to a side and looked at him with concern. “Excuse me? Sir? Are you okay?”

He let a soft but deep chortle shake within his broad chest. Stopping the woman to get himself a water. Being so sociable really could dry out your throat. He also took a pineapple pork slider. It was good to be the boss. Eat and drink amongst such clientele filled with beautiful women such as this Josephine and even more, see her reactions to his more bolder statements. “Almost over four years now. After I won a Chopped, I used the money to kick start this place. The added money from winning even more competitions didn’t hurt either.” Dropping his successes casually. “I’m actually scouting out another location to put up another, since this is doing so well. Ya know, share the pleasures to as many people as I can. Food is something to be experienced and enjoyed thoroughly. I like to think I instill that into my work.”

As she heard the story of how Logan managed to open the bar, Josephine gasped and pointed at him. “Ah! Yes! I remember you now. Can’t believe I forgot your face.” Josephine hoped her words didn’t gave away much, just as the fact that she had drooled over him and he might have been the only reason she watched the show since she hated cooking. “You were our favorite, my daughter’s and mine. And she surprisingly began to experiment in the kitchen when she’d never even glanced in it’s direction unless there was something already cooked.” She chuckled. “I can see this one is great and I’ll make sure to come back.”