Ice and Fire novel Chapter 358

Cherry pulled the ringing phone from her bag and saw Mond's name on the screen, and Cherry's smile slowly faded.

"Hello?" Cherry greeted as she answered the phone.

"Are you home?" Mond asked, guessing that Cherry would be getting home about now.

"No. Why are you calling?" Cherry asked bluntly. She didn't want to talk to him much at all.

Mond realized Cherry must be at the amusement park with Joe still and went on, "I wanted to tell you something."

"Fine, spit it out." said Cherry indifferently.

"You don't need to be so impatient." Mond heard the unfriendly undertones in Cherry's voice.

Mond continued, "I told you that I'd tell you what I know in regards to Jackson." "I can meet with you now."

"What?" Cherry was taken aback, unsure what Mond meant at the moment.

"You know where the Island Coffee House is, right? If you go there, you will learn everything and it is what you wanted." When he finished giving Cherry the information, Mond hung up.

Cherry stood there a moment listening to the dead call tone in a state of confusion. She pondered Mond's cryptic message, 'What did Mond mean? The Island Coffee? Why would he tell me to go to the café? Is that where Jackson is?'

Seeing his mom in a daze, Joe gently tugged at Cherry's sleeve and asked, "Mommy, what's wrong? Is everything okay?"

Cherry stared ahead with a dull look in her eyes. Her thoughts and emotions were mixed. She did want to know Jackson's past, but she felt a knot in her stomach twisting at the thought of what Mond had just said; that she would know everything if she went to the cafe. She was reveling in the joyful day she spent with her son, and she wasn't ready to let go of that or to hear bad news. She also wondered though, could she really discover more about Jackson's if she went to the Island Coffee.

Cherry looked down at Joe and asked, "Joe, would you like to go look for Daddy?"

Judging from his mom's frantic look, Joe knew something was wrong. He wondered if it was because of his daddy.

"Okay, " Joe agreed nodding.

Cherry took her son's hand, walking briskly to the car and they got in. Only, now they were headed to the café instead of the military residential compound.

Mond sat on the edge of the sofa feeling antsy. He wondered, 'If Cherry goes to the café, there is bound to be a conflict between Sally and her. Who will Jackson standby? Will he defend his wife Cherry, or will he stand up for the woman he loved for so long, Sally?'

Mond tried, but couldn't guess how Jackson would react. He was so curious, he decided he would go check it for himself. Mond stood, grabbed his cell and keys as he headed out the villa.

Cherry had an uneasy feeling growing in her abdomen when she arrived at the Island Coffee and parked the car just outside.

"Joe, we're arrived! Get out of the car, " said Cherry opening the door climbing out herself.

Joe scrambled out of the car, rushing over to his mom, taking her hand as they walked into the café together.

There weren't many people in the café that afternoon, but, as Cherry looked around she didn't see Jackson.

As she was looking around, a waiter approached her, "Welcome, can I help…"

Before the waiter could finish his sentence, Cherry interrupted, "Is Jackson here?"

Jackson was such a prominent figure in the community that Cherry knew if he came here frequently the waiters must recognize him. Jackson had told her about this café, so Cherry guessed the waiter would know him.

The waiter saw the anxious look in Cherry's eyes, and judging from her clothes and temperament, he could tell she was important. He knew he couldn't afford to offend her, and thought maybe she was as powerful and influential here in the city as Jackson.

"Mr. Jackson is on the second floor, in the VIP area. He and…" Before he could finish, Cherry was speeding off in the direction of the stairs, clutching her son's hand and half dragging him along.

As soon as they reached the second floor, Cherry saw Jackson immediately, and the person sitting across from him. She stood there shocked, unable to believe what she was seeing.

Cherry recognized Sally the moment she saw her. Sally had a big smile as she sat there chatting with Jackson. Cherry felt her chest tighten and could hardly breathe.

Joe stared at his Dad and the woman he was with. He guessed the woman was the Sally He. Joe thought, 'That skank! How dare she mess with my parents' marriage!'

It dawned on Cherry what Mond meant. He told her, she would learn about Jackson here and she had! She found out her husband was secretly dating Sally. She remembered Jackson telling her that he was meeting up with some of his best friends and Derek was one of them, but where was Derek? Where were his friends? Was his old lover Sally his friend?

Cherry smiled a bitter smile, thinking, how stupid and na?ve she had been.

"Daddy, " Joe shouted as he glared at Sally.