Chapter 387
Chapter 387
“All right, let’s head in too,” Russel suggested as he watched Neil and his crew depart, swinging open the gate to my homestead.
I called out, “Dad, Mom!”
Quick as a flash, my parents hurried out. There was a surprised look on their faces as they took in my limp.
They took charge of pushing the kids in, while Russel supported me.
Once we settled into the living room, Serena and Brandon had already drifted off to sleep. I relayed the events of the evening at the beach to my parents and Russel, sparing no detail.
Upon hearing that Serena had almost had an accident, my dad paled, “I told you not to take the kids out so late at night. It gets crowded there. You need to always set the brake on the stroller when it’s parked. How could you just leave Serena there and walk away?”
His affection for me, once boundless, then seemed divided between Serena and Brandon. Yet, I felt no jealousy. I knew that the love my parents held for their grandchildren was simply a natural thing.
“Absolutely,” my mother chimed in, “Next time, one of us must accompany you!” She immediately went to check on Serena. Her heart ached with concern.
Meanwhile, Russel had fetched some ointment, urging me to take off my shoes so he could apply it.
1
Staring at my swollen ankle, he sighed, “Try not to rush while walking. Twisted ankles can get worse over time and affect your ligaments.”
I nodded, accepting his advice despite the frustrating inevitability of my missteps.
When Stella and her group returned, it was late into the night. Russel had prepared a feast for them.
“Damn! This smells good!” Cooper lavished praise without reservation. “Russel, how come I never knew you were such a great cook? Have you been honing your skills lately?”
“You never made time for it before,” Russel retorted, peeling a shrimp and effortlessly placing it in my bowl. “Eat up.”
Stella smirked at the exchange, “Putting on a lovers’ show for us, are you? A man as devoted and upright as Dr. Russel is rare these days. How envious!”
Mitch sat up straighter at her teasing, quickly peeling a few shrimps into Stella’s bowl, declaring with a serious face, “Whatever other women have, my woman should have too!”
1
His cheesy and dramatic declaration almost made everyone burst into laughter.
The lively and relaxed atmosphere dispelled the bitter mood from earlier. After tucking everyone in, I limped towards the gate to see Russel out.
He stopped me, “Go to sleep, I’m just next door. You don’t need to see me out.”
“Thanks for applying ointment for me and cooking for everyone,” I sincerely thanked Russel.
“No problem. I enjoyed it,” Russel replied with a wry smile, “It’s been a while since I had a meal with Cooper and Mitch.”
I felt guilty, knowing that it was my situation that had distanced Russel from Mitch and Cooper.
They stood by Neil, believing that Russel had crossed a line by being interested in his friend’s wife, regardless of my marital status with Neil.
“Mitch and Stella will be here for a while, working on a project with Whitmore Co. If you want to mend your relationship with them, now’s the time,” I suggested.
“I’ll keep that in mind. Now, get some rest,” Russel replied simply, urging me to sleep.
“All right, you should rest too,” I said. Then suddenly I recalled something and asked, “By the way, how’s your father?”
A flicker of unease crossed Russel’s eyes before he looked away, replying casually, “He’s fine. Just some minor health issues that come with age.”
After staying for a couple of days, Stella and her crew moved to a house they had rented nearby, as they planned to stay longer.
Alicia and Barbara’s family returned to Rosemont.
My parents took Serena and Brandon out for a walk, leaving the once lively house quiet. I almost dozed off on the couch.
My phone buzzed, jolting me awake. It was Mitch.
I picked up, puzzled, since we rarely contacted each other directly. Usually, we communicated through Stella.
Mitch’s pitiful voice came over the line, “Rena, I need a favor…”
“What is it this time? Did Stella hit you again?” I asked, suspecting the most probable cause.
“Not this time. But if she finds out, I might get a real beating,” Mitch sounded nervous.
I was curious, wondering what could have possibly made Mitch so anxious.
Mitch then explained me the favor he wanted, after which I also felt like hitting him. How could he have been so forgetful?
Mitch had left a USB flash drive at my house. It was in the drawer of the room he and Stella had occupied. He was supposed to deliver it to Neil, but had to rush back to Rosemont to fetch something
“Could you do me a favor? Can you please deliver this flash drive to Neil’s place? He has a meeting in an hour, and he needs it. I wouldn’t make it even if I sprouted wings and flew… Mitch sounded like he was on the brink of tears. “If my wife finds out, I’m toast.”
“Mitch, are you getting senile in your youth? You’re as forgetful as a goldfish!” I was fuming, not because I didn’t want to help Mitch, but because I wasn’t thrilled about the idea of seeing Neil or delivering some random flash drive.
But at that moment, it seemed like I was the only one who could have helped him out. It didn’t feel right to refuse.
So, after some more pleading from Mitch, I reluctantly agreed to take the flash drive to Neil.
