Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 647

"Mom, I get it," I responded, keeping my voice even, avoiding an argument.

Yet, deep down, I yearned for any news of Neil - even just a photo. I wanted to know how he was doing.

I refrained from arguing with my parents because I didn't want to upset them.

I thought today would just be another episode, but for the next several days, Serena and Brandon excitedly told me, "Dad's back."

Each time, I'd rush out, hopeful, only to find no one. The front door camera hadn't caught a glimpse of Neil, either. Finally, I decided to install a camera by the window near the upstairs game room. If Serena and Brandon saw "Dad" again, we'd catch him on camera.

But, from the day I installed the new camera, Serena and Brandon stopped mentioning "Dad," and the footage revealed nothing.

After repeated disappointments, I gradually gave up. Now, I couldn't find any trace of Neil, which left me feeling uneasy.

Mitch had shared some bits about Neil previously but never in detail. A big part of my worry stemmed from the fear that something had happened to Neil, and he was keeping it from me.

The ring of my phone snapped me out of my thoughts, a rush of hope surging through me at the sight of an unknown number. Maybe Neil had changed his number and was trying to reach me.

"Hello?" The voice that came through was Russel's, marking the first time he'd called since returning from abroad.

"Russel?" I was taken aback, curious about his reason for calling.

After a brief silence, Russel spoke up, "Got time for dinner?"

"Sure, when?" I didn't refuse. If we were going to be honest friends from now on, it meant facing each other eventually.

Russel gave me an address and time for that very evening.

I arrived on time, only to find Mitch and Cooper there as well. They avoided eye contact, knowing I'd pestered them about Neil too many times without getting any answers. Today, they were caught in Russel's net.

The atmosphere was tense as I sat down opposite Russel, with Mitch and Cooper angled away from me.

Mitch cleared his throat, "I just remembered I have to work late tonight. You guys go ahead without me!"

Cooper chimed in quickly, "I've got a blind date tonight, almost stood them up. Let's catch up another time; I've gotta run!"

Their attempts to escape made me raise my voice, "Sit down! Am I a ghost to you? Why run away?"

Feeling guilty, Mitch and Cooper reluctantly stayed seated.

Finally facing these guys, especially Mitch who had managed to dodge me for a year with Stella acting as a buffer, was something.

Left alone with Russel, I noticed he ate more than usual. In the past, he was always cautious about his diet, sticking to balanced meals.

Noticing my surprise, Russel wiped his mouth and smiled, "Living abroad wasn't great for my diet. Now that I'm back, I'm enjoying the food."

"I might not stay in Rosemont," Russel suddenly said. "I'm thinking of moving back to Eldoria, to that old house. Wanna come with me for a trip?"

We had spent time in Eldoria before, but it had been ages since my last visit. I was surprised he chose to stay there, "You're not coming back?"

"I might visit, but my family has the company covered, and since I can't perform surgeries anymore, I thought I'd live there. I've always loved the scenery and the sea," he shared, a hint of longing in his eyes. "The happiest times of my life were spent there."

I knew what he meant; we were neighbors then, and I even introduced him as the father of my two kids at times.

But I couldn't revisit those memories, "I'll pass. But let me know when you're back in town. We'll catch up properly."

Rejecting his offer, I leaned into the familiar comforts of home, leaving the past where it belonged.

"Come with me, one last time," Russel urged, locking his gaze with mine, the weight of his words pulling at something deep within me. "Holed up in here, you're only going to sink deeper into that pit inside you. Maybe, just maybe, stepping out for a bit could lead to... something different, something unexpected."

I wanted to refuse, to shut out the possibility as I had so many times before. Yet, faced with Russel's earnest eyes, a flicker of hesitation sparked within me. Somewhere, buried beneath layers of reluctance, a small voice was pushing me to say yes, though I couldn't quite grasp why.