Ice and Fire

"Quite good, mom. I'm now working at the JS Group, and I have already gotten used to the business there. Everything is going well, Joe is at school, and all has been settled down, " cheerfully said Cherry.

Elsa was still not relieved, and asked, "So, won't you live here for long? Didn't your brother buy this house for you?"

Elsa more or less realized something. Women are always more sensitive, and besides that, nobody knew her daughter better than she did.

Cherry finally spoke out her mind, and said, "Mom, I don't want to be a burden for my brother. Some time later, I'll find a house of my own, and move in it with Joe. You can live here with Uncle Jacob, and in this way you're also able to look out after Wilson. He's busy running his company, and I think that it would be better if you and Uncle Jacob would stay here with him."

Elsa felt sorry for her daughter, and replied, "Cherr, there's no need for you to work so hard. If you need money, you can just ask mom for it."

"No, " interrupted Cherry, "Mom, I'm not working just for the money. I don't lack for it, either, but I just want to be independent. I've been impeding you for five years, and I really don't want to rely on you anymore. I want to give Joe a home, a home of our own."

Elsa patted Cherry on her head, and said, "My silly girl, how could you ever impede us in anything? You're my daughter, and your Uncle Jacob treated you as his own daughter. Your brother is kind to you as well, and we all wish you to stay here with us."

"But, mom, you know that I can't stay here, " said Cherry firmly.

Elsa felt puzzled; she couldn't persuade her stubborn daughter.

Elsa ended the topic, and said, "Well, goodnight then. You should go to sleep, because you have to go to work tomorrow."

replied Cherry. She held her mother's hand, and

to work during the day, and after that she went home, and had dinner with Joe and her other family members in the evening. When

go back home after work, and instead drove her car

seen Stephen yet, and she decided to visit him right away.

to the club, the place that she used

building looked fresh. It had been five years since she had left, and she thought that the building surely must have needed some repair

in the past, she would have glanced

waiter and one waitress, with their bartending skills no worse than

club was not that busy at that time of the day, and that the waiters, all dressed in uniforms, were politely serving their

pulled the arm of one of the waitresses, and asked, "Excuse me, is Mr.

she looked at Cherry, because as she remembered, Mr. Stephen always

answered her, "Eh,

you bring me to him?" asked

heard a woman's voice calling out

"Mrs. Cherry!"

was coming from and felt familiar with the face that she saw. She then realized that it was one of Emily's colleagues, and that she used to