Ice and Fire novel Chapter 363

While standing outside his son's door, Jackson listened to what Joe said. When he looked at the two people inside, he knew Cherry and Joe loathed him for what happened at the cafe earlier that afternoon.

Lily didn't see Jackson, and was still respectfully reminding Joe, "Mr. Joe, you can't go out. The family has too much happening, what with Mr. Andrew being taken to the hospital. You shouldn't cause any trouble right now, or your parents will blame me for not looking after you properly."

Lily was afraid Joe would run away from home. She knew how clever he was, and if it came down to a battle of the wits, she would definitely be defeated. He was a genius even at the tender age of five.

Joe didn't say anything else.

But Jackson, standing at the entrance asked, "What happened?"

Hearing his voice, Lily and Joe turned their heads and looked to the doorway and saw him.

Joe was very angry seeing his Daddy there, and he didn't want to talk to him.

Lily however, saw Jackson as a savior, and rushed to him.

"Mr. Jackson, you are still here?" asked Lily.

"What's going on?" Jackson asked. He had already guessed what had happened, more or less, but he didn't know the details. He added, "Where is Cherry?"

"Mr. Andrew fainted, so, Bill and Mrs. Cherry brought him to the hospital." Lily watched Jackson's face as she explained.

Jackson faltered back a step, completely stunned at Lily's revelation. His expression became more frightening as he wondered, 'Grandpa fainted? How? How is that possible? He was fine this morning!'

Jackson turned, desperate to get down the stairs and find out what had happened before reacting, all the while reminding himself silently, 'Grandpa will be okay! He's going to be fine!'

Cherry and Bill were waiting anxiously in the waiting room at the hospital's emergency room for an update on Andrew's condition. Cherry couldn't sit quietly, so she paced back and forth.

When Bill saw how anxious Cherry was, he approached her and tried to comfort her with soothing words, "Mrs. Cherry, please, don't worry so much, Mr. Andrew is in good health. He'll be fine."

"I hope Grandpa will be fine." said Cherry, resting her chin in her hands, and a worried look still etched on her face.

When they heard the sound of footsteps approaching, they turned toward the sound. Cherry and Bill saw Jackson rushing toward them.

Cherry felt a little relieved when she saw Jackson, but then she remembered what the occurrence was at the cafe. The anxiety she had felt was replaced by calmness, but, she stood motionless, in one spot.

Seeing Jackson approaching, Bill hurriedly called out, "Mr. Jackson, finally! You're here at last!"

Jackson looked through the emergency room door, but couldn't see anything. He turned and looked at Cherry as she stood there, silently refusing to talk or make eye contact with him. Finally, he looked at Bill asking, "What happened?"

Bill said, "Mr. Andrew fainted at home, so, Mrs. Cherry and I brought him to the hospital."

"Where is the butler?" demanded Jackson all of a sudden. He hadn't seen the butler at home, and he wasn't with them at the hospital. The butler always stayed with Grandpa and took care of him, so where was he now?

Bill shook his head, "I don't know."

Jackson thought a moment, and then, he took his phone out and called to Derek.

The call was connected within seconds.

"Hey, Jackson!" Derek's voice greeted him from the other end.

"Find the butler! Search the entire city if you have to!" Jackson ordered, and then hung up.

Jackson approached Cherry, and there was hatred in his eyes as he screamed at her, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Cherry didn't respond to Jackson's question. She stood perfectly still, looking to the side, because she didn't want to look at Jackson.

When he saw Cherry had no intention of answering Jackson, Bill quickly jumped in, "Mr. Jackson, don't be angry. Mrs. Cherry tried, but the call didn't go through."

"I asked her!" Jackson said angrily, still staring at Cherry.

Cherry knew Jackson's temper very well, so she didn't want to explain anything. She took out her phone, and turned to call log page, showing him the mobile phone's screen.

Jackson looked at the phone in front of him and discovered Cherry had dialed his number so many times that it took up the whole page. "My Husband" was listed, but not one of the calls had gone through.

Jackson calmed down as he looked at the phone, but he was still unsatisfied that Cherry hadn't spoken a word to him since he got here.

The door of the emergency room swung open just then and a doctor came out.

Jackson, Cherry and Bill all rushed to the doctor.

"How is he doing?" Jackson asked.

The doctor looked at Jackson and said politely, "Mr. Jackson, Mrs. Cherry, Mr. Andrew is awake and no longer in danger. You don't need to worry too much now, but his ordeal has left him weakened and he can't have any excitement or become overstimulated. I hope you'll pay closer attention to him when you are caring for him from now on, and keep him away from stimulation."

Cherry nodded without speaking.

"Can we go and see him now?" asked Jackson eagerly.

As soon as he saw the doctor nod, Jackson hurried to the room, with Cherry and Bill trailing behind him.

Standing beside his Grandpa's sickbed, Jackson hastily held his hands and asked worriedly, "Grandpa, are you uncomfortable?"

Andrew looked at Jackson and shook his head weakly saying, "No, I'm fine."

Andrew looked from Jackson to Cherry and Bill, standing nearby and asked, "Why are all of you here? Cherry, who's home watching Joe?"

Cherry immediately responded, "Grandpa, don't worry. Lily is home with Joe. Are you feeling okay now?"

"I'm fine, really, you don't need to worry." replied Andrew. Hearing the concern in Cherry and Jackson's voices, he smiled a big smile. He felt good, and thought it was unnecessary for them to worry about him.

But Jackson was worried about Andrew. He looked at his Grandpa and asked, "Grandpa, would you like to stay in the hospital for a few days?"

Andrew immediately waved his hand refusing, "I prefer to remain at home, and not here at the hospital. I'm in good health! Stop fussing!"

"But you..." Jackson wanted to persuade his Grandpa to stay in the hospital, but he stopped when he saw the look in his Grandpa's eyes. He's very worried about his health, and afraid he might pass away.

Andrew looked at Jackson kindly, "Jackson, I know my body very well. I want to be at home, I don't like being in the hospital because hospitals aren't good for my health. Stop trying to persuade me."

Jackson dropped the subject, and just stared at Andrew.

Standing to one side, Cherry didn't know what she should say. She thought, 'I don't carry much weight with Jackson. Am I even qualified to speak up about this?'

Eventually, Jackson, accompanied by Bill and Cherry, helped Andrew leave the hospital.

When they arrived back home, Jackson helped Andrew to the living room. Cherry and Bill followed them.

Lily came down at the same time.

Andrew looked at Lily asking, "Where's Joe?"

Lily hurriedly replied, "Joe's upstairs."

"Bring him downstairs. I want to see him now, " said Andrew anxiously.

Cherry was somewhat afraid that Andrew would blame her son. She knew Joe had said something wrong, and he shouldn't have blamed the whole Chu Family for Jackson's affairs, but if Andrew blamed him in front of Jackson, she knew Jackson would be angry about what happened. Jackson was impulsive, and she was scared it would be the doom of her son.

Andrew saw the worry in Cherry's expression; he could read her mind just from that one look.

Andrew amiably said, "Cherry, I am not going to rail at Joe, I just want to see him. You know, I love him very much."

"I know." replied Cherry nodding her head, Andrew's words set her mind at ease.

Lily headed up the stairs.

After a while, she went back with a look of embarrassment, "Mr. Andrew, Mr. Joe is throwing a tantrum, and is unwilling to come downstairs."

When he heard Lily's words, Andrew's face turned black. The kid wasn't willing to see him?

Seeing his Grandpa unhappy, Jackson said, "I'll go up there and bring him down."

With that, Jackson stood up and was going to the stairs.

"Let me go get him." said Cherry. She knew her son's temperament, and how he would react if Jackson went upstairs to get him. She also knew that if Joe contradicted him, Jackson would lose his temper and beat their son.

Cherry looked at Andrew and said, "Grandpa, I'll go upstairs and get Joe to come down."

"Well, okay then, go ahead." replied Andrew nodding in agreement. He knew Joe was closer to his mother than anyone else.

Cherry nodded and went upstairs.

Cherry found her son sitting alone at his desk. When she entered his room, as he saw the shadows, and knew someone was there and shouted, "I won't see him! I won't see anybody!"

"Joe, " Cherry called softly as she got closer to him. She sat by her son's bed and looked at him.

"Mommy, " Joe said as soon as he saw his Mommy, and he looked at her seriously.

"Why didn't you go downstairs to see your Great-Grandpa? He wants to see you." asked Cherry.

"He's going to blame me. He just fainted because of what I said. I don't want to see him. It's Daddy's fault. Why should he blame me?" said Joe, he claimed that his father was the one to be blamed, even though he knew it was not really true. Why did his Daddy have to abandon his Mommy to date with another woman? Was that woman more important or somehow better than his Mommy?

Cherry took her son's hand gently and explained, "Joe, Great-Grandpa said that he didn't blame you. You know, he loves you so much, he has given you all kinds of delicious foods and interesting gifts. Now, he just wants to see you. Why don't you go see him?"

Joe lowered his head as he thought quietly for a moment and agreed with what his Mommy said. It was very clear by how his Great-Grandpa treated him. He said those words during a very tense situation, knew he was at fault, and didn't want to see his Great-Grandpa because deep in his heart he was afraid.