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."

held her mother's hand, and left

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

didn't hurry to go back home after work, and instead drove her car around in the

seen Stephen yet, and she decided to visit

her car to the club, the place that she used to be so

club seemed to have been redecorated, and the color of the whole building looked fresh. It had been five years since she had left, and she thought that the building surely must have needed some repair work done. She was curious if the

entered the club, she immediately looked towards the bar counter, almost subconsciously. Every time when she had come to the club in the past, she would

saw there one waiter and one waitress, with

She noticed that the club was not that busy at that time of the day, and that the waiters,

of one of the waitresses, and

as she remembered, Mr. Stephen always kept away from women. Now, unexpectedly, a beauty was

vaguely answered her, "Eh, perhaps, but

you bring me to him?" asked Cherry.

woman's voice calling out her name from somewhere nearby in the bar.

"Mrs. Cherry!"

voice 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 know