Gerry sped his phone tightly, Healy''s words echoing in his mind.


    His expression was unreadable, a mix of sorrow and joy.


    When Healy didn''t hear a response, he asked with a hint of confusion, “Hey? Gerry, you there?”


    Still, there was no reply.


    “Gerry?”


    Just when Healy thought there might be something wrong with his phone, Gerry finally spoke, “You


    sure it''s from Cloudcrest?”


    Gerry himself probably didn’t expect his voice to tremble as he spoke.


    Eighteen years, and this was the first time he had heard anything about his birth mother.


    For Gerry, there couldn’t be a better Christmas'' gift.


    “Yes, Gerry,” Healy continued, “Zack traced the factory address, it''s definitely from Cloudcrest.”


    “Healy.”


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    “What?”


    Gerry looked up at the sky, a slow smile spreading across his face, “Merry Christmas.”


    “Merry Christmas, Gerry,” Healy replied. “Are youing out for the fireworks at midnight?”


    “Yeah.”


    After hanging up, Gerry walked into the dining room.


    J looked up at Gerry, “Who was that on the phone?”


    “A friend,” Gerry answered.


    “That George guy?”


    Gerry didn’t respond.


    Taking his silence as an affirmation, J said, “How many times have I told you, you and George


    aren’t cut from the same cloth! Why won’t you listen?”


    “Mom, Gerry’s got his own friends. Let it be,” Jonah interjected calmly.


    “Oh really?” J shot Jonah a nce, “Am I now deprived of the right to even care for my own


    grandson?”


    “That’s not what I meant,” Jonah said smoothly. “It’s just that Gerry’s grown up now. He knows who


    he should and shouldn’t hang out with.”


    “If I don’t step in, should he take after you?” J contained her anger, “It’s Christmas Eve, and I


    don’t want to argue.”


    With that, J turned to Gerry, “How about we invite Edna over for the Christmas Eve dinner?


    What do you say?”


    There were three people in their family.


    As long as Gerry agreed to have Edna over, Jonah had no say.


    “Grandma, I don’t like Edna,” Gerry sat down, “I don’t want her to be my mom, and I don’t want her


    coming over for Christmas.”


    For the first time, Gerry voiced his thoughts in front of Jonah, directly to J.


    J mmed her hand down, her bottled-up fury erupting, “You and your father, you’re both trying


    to drive me insane!” Christmas Eve was supposed to be a time of joy, and J had not wanted to


    lose her temper.


    But she couldn’t hold it back any longer.


    Edna was so wonderful, a thousand, no, ten thousand times better than that wretch Carole. How


    could she not be good enough for Jonah?


    In her anger, J began to cough violently, clutching her chest.


    “Mrs. Lindsay, are you alright?” Delia rushed over to soothe J.


    “Jonah, young master, Mrs. Lindsay is already in frail health. Why must you upset her on Christmas


    Eve?” Delia sighed, then continued, “Even though I''m just a servant, I feelpelled to voice my


    thoughts. Miss Edna has done so much for this family, for Mrs. Lindsay. If it weren’t for her bringing


    nourishing soups to Mrs. Lindsay day after day, how would she be now? Even her own children


    don’t show such care, yet Miss Edna does! Even the coldest stone can be warmed with enough


    time, let alone a human heart.”


    The implication was clear: Jonah and Gerry, father and son, were being used of heartlessness.