MATT

"Jady ice- cream!" Yelled Nadia from the back seat of the car where she was strapped in, just as Jade was parking in from Jo's the local ice- cream parlour.

Immediately, not to be left behind Noah also yelled, "Ice- cream" as loud as he could.

Jade had spent the whole morning at the zoo with the twins. She had mostly been dragged around from one animal to the next.

Till it was time to leave, Jade was drained out but at least there were no more thoughts of meeting Alec in the evening.

It was 2 and the twins wanted ice- cream. And that's what they would get.

As Jade made it a habit to give them whatever they wanted on their days with her. In short, she spoilt them rotten. Even their teeth.

"Yes guys! See we've reached Jo's! Now who wants a sundae?" Jade said once she had parked the car.

As the twins yelled and laughed, she got down and started helping them out.

"I want to take Horsy too!"

Nadia said dragging out the huge stuffed horse, Jade had bought for her from the gift shop at the zoo.

"And I want to take Ally!" Said Noah bringing out his stuffed alligator.

"Now, I think that Ally and Horsy will be safer and happier in the car. Let's leave them here. What if some other kids like them and want them for themselves?" Jade bent down till she was at eye- level with the twins and said.

"But Jady! Ally wants ice- cream too!" Noah insisted with a pout.

"So does Horsy!" His sister followed.

"Of course they do!" Sighed Jade and stood up with a smile on her face. "Come let's go."

The twins knew that Jade couldn't say no to them if they brought out the heavy duty guns, the pouty, puppy dog faces. And they took complete advantage of Jade's weakness.

Jo's had been opened by Johnathan Bailey the year after he left high school.

And since then nothing had changed in it. The ice cream still had the same flavours and 50 different toppings.

The place still had the same bright coloured chairs and tables.

One addition was that old Jo now sat in one of the chairs everyday, having been pushed out from behind the counter 5 years back as his son Jo Junior and daughter- in- law took over the management of the place.

He sat there everyday and directed everyone about.

Jade had been going over there since she was small.

First she used to go there with Alec to enjoy the sundaes and joke around, then afterwards she used to go there with Nicole to enjoy the thick shakes.

And now Jo's was the place for her and the twins whenever she took them out.

The bell on the door tingled as Jade walked in with the twins and the huge soft toys.

"Hey Mr Bailey!" She said seeing the old wrinkled man sitting at his usual place.

"Jade! Here with the twins again are you?" Old Jo exclaimed.

He had seen Jade grow up into the successful, kind woman that she was now.

He still remembered her coming in with scraped knees and tear stained cheeks at the age of 5. The only cure to the scraped knees was a chocolate chip cone.

"Yes. They wanted sundaes." Jade smiled at Jo Junior standing behind the counter.

Jo had been two years ahead of them in school.

"Like they always want on their day out with you." He said as he started making their usual triple chocolate sundae.

"Come here little ones! Show this old man your toys. Come!" Old Jo said from his place.

The kids gleefully ran to him and showed of their possessions with pride.

The ice- cream parlour was filled with the locals.

Jo's was the most famous place in town for all youngsters.

Jade smiled at all the town people she recognised and then turned back to Jo who had finished preparing the huge sundae.

"Here you go Jade. 1 triple chocolate sundae for my favourite author and her godchildren."

He smiled as he handed her the big bowl.

"Favourite author? Don't tell me you've read even one of my novels." Jade laughed.

"I haven't but Ronnie reads out some parts to me."

"Now that's romantic!"

Jo blushed, "Now now! Don't go getting ideas!"

Jade flashed one last smile to Jo and walked to where the twins were sitting with his father.

"Sundae!" Both of them yelled as soon as they saw Jade come towards them with the sundae.

"Yup. Come here."

She placed the sundae on the table next to old Jo's.

The twins pounced onto the ice cream with gusto.

It was almost like they had not eaten anything for years.

"Guys chill! The ice cream isn't running away!" Jade said, "No Nadia don't lick your fingers! We have tissues."

But Nadia, who was enjoying the occasional treat, didn't pay any heed to Jade's words as she put her fingers into her mouth and licked of the chocolate sauce on them.

"Let them be Jade. I remember when you and the Alec Carter used to come in with your mothers. They used to be worried that you both would choke on the cold ice cream." He guffawed from the next table.

Jade clearly remembered those days when they used to hold competitions to see who could eat the most.

"Don't encourage them old Jo!"

She turned around with a smile and spooned some ice cream into her mouth.

The chocolate burst in her mouth and almost moaned out loud.

This was what she needed to make her life better.

The bell on the door rang again to signify someone else had entered the parlour.

But Jade was busy laughing with the twins and having the ice cream that she didn't care till she heard someone clear their throat from behind.

She turned around with the spoon still in her mouth and she had a strong suspicion that there was ice cream on her nose.

"Hi Jade!"

There in the parlour stood Matt Damon with all his good looks.

He was dressed in a casual white shirt with blue jeans.

Jade stumbled and quickly took out the spoon from her mouth, "Hi!"

"Hello, Nadia and Noah! Your day out with Jady is it?"

Jade swallowed as Matt bent over the twins and tickled them.

Jade had gone out with Matt for almost a year before they broke up.

And she could still see why she had agreed to go out with him.

His dark brown, almost black hair, was falling on his forehead, as he flashed his breath stopping smile at the twins.

"What brings you here?" She said after clearing her throat.

"I was just craving Jo's ice cream." He said, "Is anyone sitting here?"

Jade looked at the seat at which Matt was pointing at.

"No. Please sit."

Matt took the chair and turned it around before sitting down with the back of the chair to his chest.

"So what else is going on?"

Jade looked up into Matt blue eyes, "Nothing much. Just normal."

"Just normal?"

"Yeah."

Matt just looked at Jade with his head tilted and his eyes narrowed.

"What?" She asked at last.

"Nothing. You just look good." He replied matter of factly.

"Matt-"

Jade was interrupted by the ringing of her phone.

She picked up the phone and saw that it was from Nicole.

"I'll just take this call."

"Sure. Go ahead!" Matt said and turned towards the twins and started talking to them.

"Hey Nicky?" Jade said picking up the call with one eye still on Matt.

"Where are you?" Nicole said without any greeting whatsoever.

"At Jo's. Why?"

"Ice cream, Jade? Seriously? If they get a cold I'm sending them to your place."

Jade laughed, "They won't. And anyways did you call to tell me this?"

"Oh yeah! No. Did you forget about dinner today?"

"I wish I could." Jade sighed.

"Well you are going to be late if you don't come back now. I've to get you ready." Nicole exclaimed.

"Nicky!"

"I'm leaving the class. You better be at your apartment before I reach there." Nicole warned before hanging up.

The last thing Jade felt like doing at the moment was get ready.

"Any problem?" Matt asked looking at the expression on Jade's face.

"No. It's just Nicole."

"Oh!"

After their break up it had always been awkward between them.

Their relationship had not ended in a bad way but they had had a disagreement about the future of the relationship.

While Jade never looked for anything serious in her relationships, Matt wanted them to move in and move ahead in the relationship.

This must have been like the second or third time they had met since the break up.

"We should get going." Jade said to the twins and also to Matt.

"No Jady!" Nadia whined.

"We no want to go home." Noah said.

"Come on sweets! Mom's waiting. And we're not going home, we're going to my apartment."

That got them going.

The twins loved Jade's apartment especially because of the big LED tv she had.

"I'll drop you to the car." Matt said helping Nadia get of the chair.

He did not listen to any of Jade's protests and insisted to drop them to the car.

After securing the twins in their seats, Jade stood up and faced Matt.

"Thanks!"

"No problem." Matt looked at her with his intense look, "I wanted to talk to you anyways."

"About?" She asked.

She avoided to look into his eyes.

"I miss you Jade." He said, "I really want to get back together."

She was so stunned at his words that Jade just stared at him.

"Matt-"

Before she could continue Matt bent and placed his lips on hers in a soft kiss.

For a second she forgot all the bad things in her life and concentrated on the kiss.

She remembered the carefree and frivolous relationship she had had with Matt.

The days she had spent with him had been really good. He was one of the sweetest guys she had ever met and had really fallen for him.

But then she remember how he wanted more from what they had. Much more than she could even think of giving.

"Matt."

Jade sighed and nudged him away softly.

"Jade?"

His lips were swollen as he looked at her.

"We can't do this. I really like you and you are a great guy. But Matt I cant give you what you need from this relationship. I'm sorry."

Matt cupped her face in his big hands, "Jade I understand. But-"

"Your a great guy Matt and I'm sure you'll find a girl who wants the same things from life as you do. It's just not me." She said softly placing her hands on his.

"Sadly!" Matt sighed stepping back.

"Sadly." She agreed, "Bye Matt. See you."

Jade stood on her toes and placed her lips on his cheek in a soft kiss.

"Bye Jade."

She got into the car and took a deep breathe.

"Jady! Were you kissing Matty? Like mom kisses Daddy?" Nadia asked.

Jade laughed, "I guess I was."

She left for her apartment with thoughts of the coming dinner pushing out the thoughts of kiss from her head.

....................................

AUTHOR'S NOTE:-

Happy Reading!!xx