Ice and Fire novel Chapter 521

Cherry, Jackson, and Joe arrived at the restaurant early for their dinner that night with Mond and Jean. They were ushered into a private room by the receptionist.

Cherry and Jackson peered over the menu while Joe enjoyed the free snacks served when the receptionist ushered Mond and Jean inside the private room. Mond lingered by the door and glanced at Cherry, then Jackson before he stepped inside. He kept his eyes down, avoiding Jackson's, as he sat down beside Jean.

Joe's face lit up when he saw Jean and Mond. "Auntie Jean! Uncle Mond!"

Jean crouched down, with her arms out, to catch the running Joe. She hugged him tight and gave him a kiss on top of his head. "Hi, Joe, sorry, we're late."

"It's okay, Auntie Jean," Joe kissed her on the cheek.

Cherry stood up to greet Mond with a hug. "How are you, Mond?"

Mond replied with a curt smile.

"I'll call the waiter to get our food," Cherry announced before she walked out of the room.

Joe sat beside Jean and showed her his drawings. Jackson and Mond fidgeted in their seats, silent.

"So, things went well?" Jackson finally broke the ice and asked Mond.

"Of course!" Mond almost shouted without looking at Jackson. Mond's face grew red while he waited for Jackson to reply.

Jackson was surprised with Mond's reaction and he watched Mond as he tried to calm down. Mond was the only family he had got besides Cherry and Joe.

"Mond, do you hate me?" Jackson asked. He had always wanted to know but didn't dare to ask.

"I think you know the answer to that question," Mond replied with ice in his voice. This time, Mond looked into Jackson's eyes when he replied.

"I know Grandpa had hurt you once before. But he's gone now, and he was doing what he had to. I never hated you and I hope you can stop hating me for -" Jackson explained but Mond interrupted him before he could finish.

"So you're being nice now? Weren't you there with Andrew when he turned me away? When you got to live with such comfort, I had to do everything by myself because I had no family!" Mond vented out. He glared at Jackson, but he knew he didn't hate his brother. He just needed to vent out his anger.

Jackson didn't know what to say. Everything Mond said was true. He knew Mond only had the money Grandpa gave him and he had nobody but himself.

Cherry returned to the room and the two men pretended nothing happened.

But Cherry knew something happened while she was away from the room. She noticed Mond's sad face and Jackson's guilty expression before they could change their mood.

"Jean, Joe, come sit closer," Cherry requested, with a smile on her face.

"Mommy, I'm going to sit between Daddy and Uncle Mond. So all the boys can sit together. And we are three, and you and Auntie Jean are only two, so we win!" Joe cheered and ran to sit beside the two brothers.

"You're such a naughty boy, Joe," Jean remarked. Joe always put a smile on Jean's face, no matter what she was going through at that moment.

The waiters entered the room, with plates of food in their hands, which they placed at the center of the table.

Joe's eyes went big when he saw all the food. "Wow, Mommy, there's so much food!" Joe exclaimed. "Are we having a party?"

"Yes, Joe, it's our party, and Auntie Jean and Uncle Mond are our guests. We want them to have fun, right?" Cherry explained.

"Mommy, you love me the most, right? Because you helped Uncle Mond first instead of me!" Joe crossed his arms and pouted.

Jackson leaned over to Joe," Joe, do you remember what Mommy just said? Uncle Mond and Auntie Jean are our guests. We should treat them nice."

"Daddy, you don't like me anymore, either!" Joe turned to Jackson, then Cherry. "Don't you like me anymore?"

Cherry and Jackson exchanged looks and shook their heads. Sometimes, it was hard to figure out what went on in their son's head.

Joe turned to Jean for help," Auntie Jean, Daddy and Mommy don't love me anymore!"

"Don't be angry, Joe. I'll help you with your food," Mond replied. He placed a heap of chicken and vegetables on Joe's plate.

"Thank you, Uncle Mond! I'm so happy!" exclaimed Joe.

Mond ruffled Joe's hair and grinned at him. It looked like that was what Joe wanted.

The rest of them dug into the food that Cherry carefully ordered for the five of them. Jean offered Cherry soup, which she carefully set down beside her plate. Cherry watched as Jean asked Jackson about work, and Mond played with Joe in between bites.

The dinner party was over and the five of them were outside the restaurant to say their goodbyes. Cherry watched as the traffic continued to zoom past them on the street. Day or night, the city was busy as ever.

Joe held out his hand to Jean, who took it. She wanted to cherish every moment she had with Joe.

Joe smiled as Jean held his hand tight. He looked around his family, who had smiles on their faces. As he turned his attention back to Jean, he noticed a store on the other side of the road selling his favorite Peking sugarcoated haws. He tugged on Jean's hand and pointed to the store. "Auntie Jean, I want to eat sugarcoated haws."