THE DATE

Just as Jade was getting into her mom's car, her cell phone started to ring.

She pulled it out of her purse and saw that it was Julia.

"I need to take this call." She told Amanda who was getting into the driver's seat.

Amanda nodded, "Want me to wait?"

"No it's okay. I'll walk. I'll call you later, okay?"

Jade gave one last parting smile to her mom and started walking.

"Hi, Julia!" She said after picking up the phone.

"Hello Jade! So what have you been up to after your major escape?"

Jade laughed at Julia's teasing tone, "Look the great escape had been necessary. You could not see Emma's face. She looked like she wanted to kill me. Like really!"

"Well... She almost killed Alec!" Julia chuckled, "So I guess it was good you ran."

"What happened after I left?"

"Nothing much... At least nothing that I know about. She started throwing questions at him. And well we- Steve and me- excused ourselves. I was reluctant but my dear husband forced me. I was scared that the Emma would eat my little brother alive."

Jade laughed at that, "Then...?"

"Then there were in Alec's room for like an hour. At first we could hear her yell and then suddenly everything went quiet. I have no clue what happened."

"You're not at home are you? If anyone hears you speaking like that about Emma...."

Julia interrupted her, "Ofcourse I'm not at home. I don't have a death wish. I had actually gone to invite Nicole and Jason."

Jade frowned, "Invite?"

"That's the reason I called. See since you and Emma started off in such a good manner..." They laughed at that, "I was thinking let's sort out all the tension. We'll go for drinks and dancing. Maybe have dinner."

"But..."

This was what she had been dreading. Jade didn't want to go, not for any other reason but because she would be like the third wheel, or the seventh wheel in this situation.

Without a boyfriend she would just feel awkward.

"No... Don't say no. Look it's all sorted out. Emma and Alec are game. Nicole is calling her mom to take care of the twins. Please Jady!" Begged Julia.

By this time Jade had reached the Main Street. She looked around aimlessly, trying to find some some excuse so that she could avoid going.

"Jules..." Suddenly she saw something that made her smile.

She had an idea.

"Okay..." She continued, "But I'll be getting a date!"

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

"That was the last patient for now, Matt."

Matt picked up his head from the file he had been concentrating on, to see Mrs Lloyd standing at the door to his office.

Mrs Lloyd was a middle aged, sweet lady who worked as the receptionist at his clinic. But was more like a substitute mother to him in the absence of his own mom.

"Thanks Mrs Lloyd! Why don't you take a break? Go get some lunch." Matt said with a smile, before returning to his file.

Instead of taking him up on his offer, Mrs Lloyd walked into his office.

Agatha Lloyd had seen many young men in the town of Millbrooke. Some of them ambitious, others just lazy.

But Matt Damon was the most hard working guy she had met. He worked day and night. Sometimes missing meals to see a patient.

"You should take a break too." She said, taking the seat opposite him.

Matt looked up again, surprised to see her still in the room.

"Yeah maybe after sometime."

"You know what you need in your life? A woman. Yeah that's what you need." She continued even after the surprised look Matt gave her. "A woman who will take care of you when you don't. You'll find a girl very easily. A handsome lad like you."

Matt laughed. This was not the first time he was having the conversation with Mrs Lloyd. In the four years since he opened his clinic in Millbrooke and the woman, who surely must have been quite a looker in her youth, this conversation had taken place twice every week.

Sometimes more.

"You broke my heart Mrs Lloyd. And you know I can never love again. What's the use of even trying?"

"Rubbish!" She flapped her hands at his words. But Matt could see the rosy flush come onto her pretty face.

"It's true! Ralph Lloyd is the luckiest man I know!" Insisted Matt.

She ignored him and continued, "What happened between you and Jade? She looked good with you. Got all her looks from her beautiful mamma after all! Amanda, pretty but unlucky in love! Poor Amanda!"

Agatha was proud of herself for knowing all the gossip in town. And even the most ignorant person knew about Amanda and her husband.

"We broke up." Stated Matt, not liking the turn which the conversation had taken.

Mrs Lloyd frowned, "Why did you do that?"

"I didn't do anything." Shrugged Matt, "She dumped me."

"Hmm... Well you'll find someone for yourself too. Better find her fast. Before you work yourself to the bone."

Matt laughed at that and waved his hand when she bustled out of the door.

He suspected that she was going to come up with atleast 4 girls he should take for dinner by the end of the day.

Agatha Lloyd had tried to patch him up with almost all the girls of his age in town.

Sometimes girls who were younger than him.

Much younger than him.

He could relate with the disappointment that had flashed on her face on hearing that he was no longer with Jade.

It was a feeling he himself got most days.

His relation with Jade had been some of the best days of his life. She was interesting, intelligent, kind and stunning. Qualities which were difficult to find in one girl.

So it had been a natural step for him to ask if he could move in with her. If only he had known that she would react to that by breaking up with him, he would kept quiet.

He was startled out of his thoughts of Jade when Mrs Lloyd poked her head back into his office.

There was a huge smirk on her face.

"Someone's here for you." She said, the smile still stuck on her face. Like a kid who was going to play a prank.

"A patient?" He asked.

"She doesn't look ill. I'll send her in." She winked, "All the best!"

Matt was confused.

Mrs Lloyd winked at him. Something was up.

Before he could speculate any longer there was a knock on the door to his office.

Jade was standing over there with a small smile on her lips.

She was dressed in jeans and a light green shirt. Her hair was pulled into a pony tail. No wonder he had fallen so hard for her. She looked beautiful.

"Jade?"

Jade was not surprised to see the look of shock on Matt's face.

She had seen his clinic while talking to Julia and had decided to go meet him immediately.

"Hello Dr Damon!" She said, "Can I come in?"

"Yeah... Please sit!" Matt stuttered offering her the seat opposite him.

"Was I interrupting something?" Jade asked once she had taken her seat.

He shook his head, "Not really. It seems that the citizens of Millbrooke are all healthy today! I just told Mrs Lloyd to take a break herself."

"That's good."

"So what brings you here?" Matt asked.

Jade took a deep breath, "Actually this is going to sound a little wierd or absurd."

"Go ahead." Grinned Matt, "I love wierd and absurd stuff."

Well, here goes, thought Jade. After all what could be the worse that could happen? He would say no? But then what would she do...? She would cross that bridge when she came to it.

"I was invited to this thing tomorrow. Just dancing, drinking... Maybe dinner. You know Nicole and Jason... Alec, my friend who's just back from London, his girlfriend, Julia another friend and her husband from Chicago.... Well couples... So I told them I would get a date too...." She ended awkwardly.

While talking to Julia she had said the first thing that came to her mind when she saw his clinic right there in front if her. It had seemed like a sign. The idea that Matt might say no, or he might have other plans had not struck her.

But waiting for Mrs Lloyd to tell Matt that she wanted to meet him, Jade had been stressing out that maybe it had been a mistake.

"So you want me to come? As your date?" Matt asked at last.

"Well... Kind of.." Jade clasped her hands in her lap. "It's okay if you have other plans."

He's going to say no. It's obvious. She had dumped him. Then said no to him again a few days back. Why would he help her?

"I'll come."

"What?" Jade asked, surprised that he had agreed.

Matt shrugged, "I don't have plans. And it will be nice to meet your friends."

"Thanks." Jade smiled, still surprised.

"I'll pick you up at 7?" He asked.

"Yeah... That'll be good."

Just as Matt started saying something, Mrs Lloyd poked her head into the room again.

"Matt, Noelle Jones is here for her appointment." She said, her face splitting into a grin again.

"Okay.. Just a second." Matt said to her.

He saw the woman wink at him again and walk out.

"See you tomorrow then." Jade said getting up.

"Yeah..." He smiled, "see you!"

As Jade left the office Mrs Lloyd walked in again, almost immediately.

"What happened?" She asked all excited.

"Ahh.. Nothing."

"Tell me! You have to tell me!"

He laughed at the way Mrs Lloyd looked at him, almost begging.

"We're just going out tomorrow evening with a few of her friends." Matt said giving in.

Mrs Lloyd smiled and clapped her hands, "That's good. That's perfect. You'll look so good together.... Ahh... Young love. Reminds me of when Ralph was courting me!"

Though Matt wanted to laugh at Mrs Lloyd's reaction, he fisted his hands on his waist and said, "I thought Mrs Noelle is waiting out there."

"Spoil sport. Act all you want. I know you want to dance with joy." When Matt frowned at her she smiled and backed out, "Okay okay! I'll send her in. But love is in the air!" She went out humming to herself.

Once she was out of the room, Matt grinned.

She was right. He really wanted to dance.

There must be some reason that Jade had thought about him and not anyone else. He would convince her to give their relationship another chance.

And maybe this time she will realise that they were meant to be together.

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

Happy Reading!!