Ice and Fire

Jackson picked up the phone.

"Hello, " he answered it.

Wilson heard Jackson's voice, and said, "This's Wilson."

Jackson was somehow shocked, because he had never thought that Wilson would call.

"What's up?" asked Jackson coldly.

"Is Cherry at home? I called on her mobile, but she didn't answer, " said Wilson, pretending to know nothing of what was happening.

"Yeah, she's at home. You can tell me why you called her, " said Jackson indifferently, as he always was with him.

"Nothing serious. My father and aunt just want to drop by and see Cherry and Joe, " said Wilson, trying to be as nice and polite as he could not to anger Jackson.

"Tonight?" asked Jackson, bewildered.

"Yeah, we were just about to leave, " answered Wilson.

Jackson thought for a moment, and coldly said, "Okay. We haven't had dinner yet, but we can eat together when you arrive here."

"Alright, we'll be there soon. Tell Cherry and Joe that we're coming."

"Okay, " said Jackson, and then hung up the phone.

Jackson entered the kitchen and told Lily, "Prepare more food. We'll be having guests tonight."

Lily seemed to be surprised, and said, "Of course, Mr. Jackson."

Jackson intended to leave the kitchen, but then he turned around, and asked, "What did Cherry do today?"

Lily thought for a moment and then stopped what she was doing. In a downhearted manner, she answered him, "Cherry didn't eat anything all day. She locked herself inside her room and didn't come out all day."

Jackson suddenly lost his temper, and shouted at Lily, "Then why didn't you put the damn food on a tray and take it to her room!"

Lily was taken aback, and said, "Even when I took the food upstairs, Cherry didn't want to open the door. What can I do?"

"Where're the spare keys? Are you stupid, or what? Why didn't you use the spare key to open it?" Jackson shouted at Lily furiously. He thought, 'Cherry hasn't eaten anything all day. Isn't she hungry?'

Lily lowered her head and fell silent, because she saw that Jackson was very angry.

Jackson turned round, left the kitchen, and went straight upstairs to her room.

After he arrived in front of Cherry's room, Jackson pushed the room door open, and saw that Cherry was sitting at the desk helping Joe do his homework.

their heads to look at the

his father, Joe indifferently said,

Cherry and looked at her for a moment, he turned to his son, and said, "I need to talk with your mother.

then at his Daddy, and Jackson's irate expression frightened him. He didn't dare to defy his father, so he

of his Mommy's room. Before he closed the door, he turned around and shot a curious glance at his parents inside the room, because he was afraid that his Mommy might get bullied

desk in his own room, and then went downstairs. He had no idea of what he should

found that there were many dishes on the dinning table. "Lily, why did you cook

Joe, and answered him, "Your father told me that some

occurred to Joe that his Daddy knew that Wilson and his

Joe cheerfully smiled.

and asked her, "Will you stay

saw the angry look on Jackson's face, Cherry turned around and went to the window. "Aren't you keeping me imprisoned

questions angered Jackson out of his mind. He went to Cherry, grabbed her arm, and furiously said, "I told you to stay in the villa,

emphatically said, "Whether I'm starving or not isn't any of your

you setting yourself against me now?" asked Jackson sternly.

I'm not, " said Cherry, while she looked away

his fingers and turned her head towards him.

groaned Cherry in pain.

observed Cherry's fair face and said, "Be a good girl, and don't make a fuss. Wilson is coming with your parents here to have dinner with us. I

"I don't need you to teach me how to

you to contradict me?" Jackson glowered at Cherry, the

laughed Cherry helplessly. "I'm not that

slapping the woman. He wondered how could he deal with

and for

shot a disapproving and disgusting glance at Cherry,

Joe was at the dinning table, staring at all the delicious

saw Jackson absent-mindedly watching TV, and Joe waiting for her at the dinning table, she entered the

he

gave him a big smile, and said, "Wait for a while longer,

replied to his mother with a cute

and Joe heard

Uncle!" shouted Joe cheerfully. He then quickly ran

then saw Wilson

anxiously

and then looked at her mother and Uncle. "Mom, Uncle,

since she had last seen her daughter, Elsa cried, "Cherry,

and embraced her. "You promised that you would come and visit us often, but you never did that, " said Elsa, pretending to rebuke

the angry look on Elsa's face could hardly hide the happiness that she felt deep down in

" apologized Cherry while she leaned against her mom,

his face still

to him, and greeted him halfheartedly, "Good evening,