Chapter 10 As Matt drove around town, not wanting to go home, the last thirty minutes played back in his mind.  Then he started thinking about Cassidy, remembering the times they had spent together. Matt had gotten home from a grueling week on the road and all he wanted to do was sleep.  Just as he had drifted off to sleep, his phone rang.  He sighed and said "hello?" as he put the receiver to his ear. "What are you doing?", Cassidy asked from the other end of the line.   "I’m sleeping.  What’s wrong?" "Nothing.  Nevermind.  I’ll let you go since you’re sleeping.", she said rather disappointed but sorry that she had bothered him.  "It’s okay.  I’m awake now.", he said rubbing his eyes, "What’s up?"   "I have this really bad craving for ice cream.", she said hoping that he would get the hint. He laughed, "Really?  What kind?"   "Mint chocolate chip.  No wait, cookie dough.  No wait, chunky monkey."   He smiled, "I tell you what.  Why don’t I go to the store and get all three." "Matt, I can’t ask you to do that, you’re tired.  And besides, I can’t eat all that ice cream by myself."   "Well, then I guess I’ll just have to help you eat it.", he chuckled, "I’ll be there in a little while." "Thanks Matt.", she said smiling to herself. A half an hour later, Matt let himself into Cassidy’s house with the key she had given him, his arms loaded with bags containing ice cream. "Matt?  Is that you?", she called from her bed. "Yeah.  Just stay in bed.  I’ll bring it to you.", he called back as he set the bags down on the counter.  He pulled two bowls from the cabinet and scooped the ice cream.  A scoop of each of the three flavors went into her bowl and two scoops of chunky monkey went into his.  He put the remainder of the ice cream in the freezer.  Then placing a spoon in each bowl, he went to Cassidy’s bedroom.  "What’cha watchin?", he asked as he handed her the bowl. "Thanks.  It’s that movie, Coyote Ugly.  I just love this movie.", she said as she sat up propping three pillows behind her.  Matt slipped off his shoes and climbed into bed next to her.  He propped himself up on pillows and began to watch the movie with her. "Wow.  You got all three.", she said looking into he bowl. "I told you I would." "You’re so sweet.  What kind do you have?", she asked peering into his bowl.  "Chunky Monkey.  I don’t know about those other kind.", he said making a face.  "Their good.  Especially the cookie dough kind.  Here, try.", she said putting a big spoonful of the ice cream into his mouth.  She had given him such a big bite that he made a horrible face. "You don’t like it?"   "I might….when my brain thaws out.", he said causing her to laugh.  He too began to laugh.  Then they both finished their ice cream and fell asleep watching the movie. The same memory filled Cassidy’s mind as she sat on the couch still in tears.  She recalled another memory as well.   Matt was helping Cassidy paint the nursery.  He was painting one wall and she was painting the one next to it.  He bent over and filled his roller with paint again, but as he raised up Cassidy was reaching down and the roller hit her face, putting a light green dot on the end of her nose.  Matt howled with laughter at the sight. "You think that’s funny?", she said with revenge in her eyes.  "Very."   And with that, she took her brush and ran it down his face, full of paint.  Matt took a deep breath and appeared to be angry.  Cassidy laughed.  "That’s it.", he said playfully and they began to throw paint at each other.  In the midst of this full out paint war, Cassidy suddenly felt a jolt from within, "Whoa."  Matt dropped the roller and immediately became serious, "What?  What’s wrong?"  "Feel this.", she said grabbing his hand and placing on her belly.  She felt the jolt again.  Matt’s eyes lit up and both of them smiled a huge smile. "Is he going to do it again?", Matt asked still holding his hand in it’s position.   "I don’t know." But as soon as the words were out of her mouth, it happened again. "Hello, in there.", Matt said now kneeling down to where his face was level with her stomach. "He can’t hear you, Matt." "Sure he can.", Matt said, "He can hear every word we say."  He continued to talk to her stomach.  "Guess you better watch your mouth now, huh?", she said laughing.  He laughed too as he stood up, "I guess so.".  The two went back to painting, pausing each time she felt another jolt. Matt noticed the song that was playing on his car stereo.  It was that song by Default that Cassidy loved so much. He'd heard many times but for some reason, he really listened to the words this time. A world without you here an unreflecting mirror his words were so sincere he left you standing there Oh, I’ll never let you down while I’m still around His words were never meant your one last tear’s been spent you’ll never be content in a world as big as this oh, I’ll never let you down while I’m still around when you were lost who was it who found you Oh, I’ll never let you down while I’m still around Oh you’ve just been found Oh, I’ll never let you down It was at that very moment that Matt realized the truth.  He couldn’t understand why he never realized it before.  He turned the car around and headed back to her house.  He couldn’t let her go back to Jeff, he had to tell her.   At that same moment, a thought hit Cassidy.  What had she been thinking?  How could she have been so blind?  She picked up the phone and tried to call Matt, but he didn’t answer.  She saw the headlights flash through the front window and quickly pulled herself up off of the couch.  Before she could get to the door to see who it was, the door flew open and Matt walked in.  "Cass, I have to tell you something.", he said walking closer to her. "I have something to tell you first." "Mine can’t wait.", he said getting very close to her now. "What is it?", she said looking deep into his eyes. He gently grabbed her face in his hands.  "I love you.", he said pulling her face in to kiss her passionately.  She melted into his kiss.  Pulling away, he looked into her eyes to see her reaction, "What were you going to tell me?" A single tear fell down her cheek, "That I love you, too." He pulled her into a hug.  "I love you, too.  I love you, too.", he kept repeating.            Last Chapter ..*.. Next Chapter ..*.. Chapter Index ..*.. Home