Chapter 480 Why Is It (Part Two)


    Once the room was silent again, Joe shifted his attention to Mond. He watched as the man lowered his


    head and focused on eating, like it required concentration. Joe could only see Mond''s forehead and his


    expression was but a mystery. It felt weird to him, that Mond was just sitting there, distancing himself


    from the rest of them. ''We''re all in the same room, eating dinner together. Mommy lives here now. So


    even though I don''t like him and he is hiding so many secrets, '' Joe told himself silently. ''I must respect


    him and behave well. Mommy has always taught me to be polite with my elders, even if I don''t like


    them. I have to be a polite and well-behaved little boy.''


    His thoughts no longer running rampant, he decided to speak. "Uncle Mond, thank you for letting my


    Mommy live here, " he broke the quiet.


    Joe''s sudden gratitude shocked both the Shen sisters. They shared a look before staring at Joe and


    then finally shifting their eyes to Mond.


    Mond was also stunned. He raised his gaze from his food to the others at the table. Cherry and Jean


    were still staring at him in surprise. He looked at the cute boy, Cherry''s boy. He briefly wondered if he


    had misheard. ''Did he just... thank me?'' Mond puzzled in his head.


    Thinking quickly, Mond responded tly: "It''s okay. Anyway, your Mommy''s living here doesn''t bother


    me at all, so she can live here as long as she likes. I don''t care either way."


    "Well, can I visit my Mommy here sometimes?" Joe asked anxiously awaiting the answer.


    "Yes, " Mond nodded.


    Joe turned to his mother excitedly. "Mommy, do you hear that?" he shouted happily. "I can visit you


    here a lot!"


    Unfortunately, Cherry didn''t share her son''s excitement. She chewed her food, considering her words.


    "Joe, Mommy only lives here for the time being. I will be going back home after some time, " she


    exined lightly. "If I miss you, like today, I''ll have you picked up at school and bring you here, but


    please remember on other days: you still have to go home on time. You have to listen to your Daddy at


    home, and study hard, especially with Miss Amy and your piano sses."


    Cherry''s words deted his excitement somewhat. Joe lowered his head. "Yes, Mommy, " he


    whispered, picking at the food on his te.


    Jean nced at Mond, but didn''tment. She knew that Cherry would leave his house and go back


    to the Chu Family sooner orter. There was no surprise there; Cherry would go back to be with


    Jackson again.


    Frustration hiding beneath the surface of his face, Mond lowered his head to concentrate on eating his


    food again. He knew that she still love Jackson and wanted to be with him.


    Once dinner was over, Cherry and Joe retired to her room for a rest.


    They rxed on the bed together, Cherry holding her son tightly in her arms.


    Joe tugged at his mothers pajamas. He nestled into her embrace and looked up at the ceiling.


    "Mommy, when will youe home?" he asked.


    "I''m not sure yet. It may be some time. I don''t want to yet, " she answered in her trademark gentle


    voice.


    Staring at the ceiling with her son, she wore a poker face, but her thoughts were in total disarray. She


    really wasn''t sure when she would go home. She hadn''t told Jackson that she was pregnant yet. She


    hadn''t told Joe that he would have a younger brother or sister. She really had no idea what to do now.


    "Mommy, are you still angry with Daddy because of Sally?" His eyes didn''t leave the ceiling, but she


    could imagine his innocent expression. "You don''t want to forgive Daddy right now, so you don''t want to


    Cherry couldn''t bring herself to answer. In fact, she wasn''t quite sure herself whether she was dying


    returning home because of Jackson and Sally''s affair. She really didn''t know why.


    When it was obvious that Cherry wasn''t going to answer his question, he considered another. "Mommy,


    do you still remember when we were abroad together?"


    "Of course I do, " Cherry replied, wistfully. Those bitter days held a special ce in her heart. "That was


    when Mommy felt very happy, even though I was alone in bringing you up, because you mean


    everything to me. I still remember that your grandparents offered to give me a hand, but I rejected their


    kindness. I wanted to prove to the world that I could bring my son up by myself and I could live a good


    life alone. I just wanted to prove to them that I could do it."


    Her voice echoed as Joe listened carefully.


    "What about now, Mommy" Joe asked her when she was finished.


    His question made her ponder. Pain seized her heart and she had trouble controlling her tone. "Joe, did


    you know that if you''re used to relying on someone else, it can be very difficult to be strong alone


    again?"


    "But Daddy is reliable, Mommy. You can rely on him, " Joe told her seriously.


    Cherry held her tongue for a moment. "But if I want to rely on him, I''ll have to face a lot of things and


    people." Sadness shed in her eyes.


    "Mommy, " Joe said, getting her attention. "Did you know who Daddy was and how much power his


    family has over our city, when you married him?"


    "Well, yes, " she replied. "I knew."


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    "Then, Mommy, you can''t be a coward now. You have to face up to everyone. You had to know this


    when you decided to marry Daddy. I know you love Daddy. Why don''t you gather up your courage and


    defeat everyone who wants to get involved with our family?" Joe was firm and unbending as he spoke,


    not unlike Jackson when he set his mind to something. "Daddy is a very attractive man and it''s not


    going to be just Sally who wants him. You have to drive them all away and protect our family." Joe


    wanted to protect his mother and family too. His mother was so depressed and sad, and he couldn''t


    stand it. He was very young and couldn''t do much to help, but he could do this. He could think quickly


    and was smart as a whip. He could help his Mommy figure out how to deal with her troubles.


    "Joe, " Cherry sputtered, taken aback. She had never thought her little boy could have spoken like that.


    She had trouble with confidence in herself, and didn''t know what to do to deal with the troubles she


    faced, but her son''s speech gave her newfound hope. How could she keep trying to escape reality?