Even after all these years and having three children Josie still had a horrible sweet tooth and had the appetite of a teenage boy. Adrian was out of town on a "mission" as he called it. It did often scare her that every time he left on said "mission" that could be the last time she saw him. She had already lost so many people she cared about she didn't know if her heart could take losing Adrian. So to sate her sweet tooth and take her mind off of it she decided to take Dale and the twins to a great ice cream shop in Manhattan. She said the reason to go was because of Dale good grades. They weren't spectacular but they sure were a hall of a lot better than hers were at his age. As usual when the family went out for something Dale pouted the whole way. He was at the age where hanging out with the family was uncool and all he wanted to do was hang out with his friends.
Once getting into the ice cream shop Josie smiled as she smelled the hot fudge that was being poured on a customer at the very front of the line. Josie had a toddler on each of her hips and she turned to Dale,
"See isn't this nice, a nice reward for doing so well."
"I don't want to be here Mom, if you wanted to reward me you'd let me hang out with my friends."
"Come now it can't be that horrible spending some time with me and your brother and sis..."
"Half...their my half-brother and half-sister. They're the kids that you had with the norm." Apparently norm was the slang kids used for people without powers.
"Half or not they adore you and it would be nice for you not to brush them off because of you having different fathers."
"Yeah, and mine is dead."
"Dale please stop this you're causing a scene," she glanced around at some of the patrons who turned away pretending they didn't notice the squabble between mother and son. "Now tell me what you want, you and the twins can find a booth."
"Mom, I don't want..."
"I don't care, please Dale, help me out here." He paused as they shared a stare,
"Fine." He scooped up the twins. Jodie went to hang off his back and Jayden kept pointing at the toppings asking what they were. He didn't tell her what he wanted but Josie knew him, he was a creature of habit and always got the same flavor every time. Pistachio.
There was a mother and a kid maybe a few years older than the twins in front of her. She smiled as the mother tried to get him to order. She could relate, he reminded her of when Dale was that age. Even ended choosing the same favorite flavor. She smiled as the woman smiled apologetically at her. She shook her head saying there was nothing to apologize for.
She then made her way to the front of the line and gave her order, two small cups of frozen yogurt for the twins a double scoop of pistachio for Dale and a mint chocolate chip shake for herself. They said the shake might take a bit so they asked for a name,
"Clarke, or Josie, either or." She then went to sit in the booth Dale had found it was right next to the woman and her son who was in front of her in line. Decided she wanted to say something,
"I don't mean to intrude of anything but your son is absolutely adorable, reminds me a lot of my eldest son. Enjoy these years."