Chapter 389
Chapter 389
“Word has it that Neil’s parents are quite smitten with the boy. They’ve been itching to be grandparents for a while now. They must be absolutely thrilled.” My father casually mentioned.
If Ryan and Faith Whitmore ever found out that Serena and Brandon were their grandchildren, I bet they would have been over the moon.
It was not as though the Whitmores couldn’t afford to provide for them. But it was heartbreaking to know that my twins were destined to grow up without the affection of their grandparents.
No matter what, I had to do everything in my power to fill the void of love they were missing.
Three days later, Stella and Mitch returned to Eldoria, this time accompanied by their newborn. They had left the older twins with the grandparents for the time
being.
Bounding into my house with her usual enthusiasm, Stella announced, “Rena, let’s go out and have some fun!”
“Fun? What kind of fun?” I asked absentmindedly while trimming Brandon’s nails.
“There’s this couple’s retreat on an island nearby for three days and two nights. It’s just a two-hour drive from here. Let’s go!” Stella, ever the restless spirit, proposed. I refused, a bit helpless, “I can’t. I have the kids. Why don’t you and Mitch go?”
Stella pouted, “That’s no fun. You and Russel have kids together and yet you haven’t even thrown a wedding party or anything. You need to do something significant.” Then she looked at Russel and asked, “Don’t you think so, Russel?”
Russel was perched by the window, basking Serena in the sunlight. He had placed her on his lap, and his arms gently wrapped around her. The scene was heartwarming.
Every so often, Serena would wave her little hands around, seemingly enjoying the moment.
“Whatever she wants,” Russel replied softly. “If she wants to go, I’m all for it.”
Stella gave me a teasing look. “See? He’s willing to go with you. Aren’t you going to give him an answer? It seems like he really wants to spend time with you.”
Russel did not say anything. Instead, he gave me a knowing look, and his eyes were full of affectionate indulgence.
I had never planned on having a wedding with Russel. He was helping me take care of the kids of his own accord, and despite how selfish it might be to admit, I couldn’t bring myself to refuse his help.
Even if I locked him out, my parents would have just let him back in. Deep down, they were hoping for a romantic spark to ignite between Russel and me.
“Go ahead. We’ll take care of the kids. You’re not exclusively breastfeeding. So, we can manage for a few days,” my mother chimed in. “We’ll hire a nanny to help out/ before you leave. Everything will be fine.”
“Mom, I’m not comfortable leaving the kids.” I tried to refuse; the idea of going on a couple’s retreat with Russel felt strange.
“What are you worried about? We’re their grandparents. Don’t you trust us? We’ll call you if anything happens. Consider this a chance to unwind. You’ve been cooped up inside for too long!” my mother interrupted.
My father quickly agreed, “Right. You kept complaining about being bored at home when you were pregnant. Now you have a chance to get out and have some fun. Seize the opportunity.”
Pressured by my parents’ persuasion and Stella’s encouragement, I reluctantly agreed to go, partly out of curiosity.
Russel’s smile grew brighter. He playfully tickled Serena, radiating warmth and tenderness.
If I claimed that I wasn’t a little swayed or moved, I would have been lying. At that time, I was not just thinking for myself, but for my kids as well.
Serena and Brandon were still too young to recognize their own father. If I could have accepted Russel, they might have started looking at him as their own father.
I thought, “As long as Russel could keep showering them with the same level of love and tenderness…”
But such thoughts were selfish. How could I have expected Russel to continue being so good to my children? He had every right to have his own children.
“All right; then it’s settled. We’ll leave this Friday, and I’ll pick you up!” Stella bade me goodbye, then took off like a whirlwind.
We had three days to prepare. During that time, we could have hired a nanny to help my parents with Serena and Brandon. I was a bit worried that they might-have struggled to manage, and I was wary of the old-fashioned childcare methods they might have employed. A professional nanny would have certainly been more knowledgeable.
The next day, I contacted a nanny service and received profiles of some top-notch nannies. The choice was mine to make.
I chose a relatively young nanny, and without wasting any time, had her come to my house on Friday morning. After briefing her on the basic childcare needs, Stella arrived, as energetic as ever.
Mitch was in charge of driving, while Stella sat in the backseat with her baby.
Russet and I followed in another car, heading towards the island that was to be our home for the next three days.
During the drive, I listened to music and occasionally made small talk, which was mostly about the kids.
To reach the island, we had to take a ferry: Russel parked the car, and we met up with Stella and Mitch to board the boat.
That was the first time I was going to be away from my kids for so long, and I was already missing them. I kept scrolling through the photos and videos of them on my phone.
“If you’re having second thoughts, we can still go back, Russel noticed my unease and gently suggested.
“No, it’s just that I miss them already” I replied, putting my phone away.
Russel comforted me, “We’ll be back in a couple of days. With the nanny around, everything should be fine.”
I decided to heed his advice and relax for a few days.
Our couples’ retreat package cost $19999 and included three days and two nights on the island, as well as meals and various couples’ activities like scuba diving, rock climbing, and camping to watch the sunrise.
The whole idea was to strengthen the bond between couples. I wasn’t sure if it would have worked, having never tried it before.
Once we checked into our hotel, Russel and I received our room key. It was a couple’s suite with a large bed, which felt a bit inappropriate to me. But I didn’t want to make a scene in front of Stella and Mitch. So, I didn’t say anything.
There were quite a few other couples participating in the retreat. Some arrived after us, but I didn’t pay much attention to them. Instead, I decided to rest in our room with Russel.
“I’ll take the couch,” Russel offered as soon as we entered the room as if he was concerned about my comfort.
“All right,” I nodded in agreement.
There was an outdoor movie night happening on the beach of the island. The event organizers suggested dressing up a bit glitz and glam, making it feel like the first date for couples on the island.
I chose a black sequined body-con dress. It exposed my shoulders and a bit of cleavage, but not too much. It had a tie around the waist that perfectly accentuated my figure. The hem of the dress fell mid- thigh, showcasing my long legs to their full advantage.
