Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 648

"Let's hit the road early tomorrow, and bring Serena and Brandon along," Russel added.

"I think they're better off staying home. It's quite the trek, and it'll be exhausting for them," I replied, thinking of the discomfort the kids might feel from sitting in the car for so long.

But he insisted, "No, it'll be fine. It's been ages since I last saw them, and I really want to catch up. Besides, Eldoria is their birthplace. It'd be nice to take them back there for a bit."

Seeing the determination in Russel's eyes, I reluctantly agreed. It was hard to say no to him, especially since he had been such a good father figure to Serena and Brandon when they were born.

Once he got my agreement, a smile crept onto Russel's face. He got up, "Alright, let's get going."

We didn't have much else to say to each other after dinner, each heading back to our own homes. We arranged for him to pick me up the next morning, and after giving him my address, I drove back home.

My parents, upon hearing about the plan, didn't object. They've always felt a bit guilty towards Russel, even now.

"We should probably sell the house over there, Rena. You could handle that while you're there," my dad suddenly remembered.

"Sure," I nodded. We once thought we'd start a new life there, but life brought us back to Rosemont. It's here that we truly feel at home.

I had a restless night, maybe because I was resistant to the idea of going to Eldoria. I wasn't really keen on the trip, mostly going out of guilt and accommodation for Russel.

The next morning, Russel was at our doorstep bright and early. His luggage was minimal, just one suitcase, whereas I, tagging along with the two kids, had quite a bit more.

When Serena and Brandon saw Russel again, they curiously inspected him. Russel reached out, "Serena, hug?"

Serena, seeing the handsome gentleman before her, blushed and without hesitation, jumped into Russel's arms. In that moment, Russel radiated a gentle aura, his smile tender as he held the little one, his eyes filled with affection.

"Mr.," Serena said politely, surprising me. The kids usually call any good-looking man they see on TV or in cartoons "Daddy."

But today, faced with a real-life handsome man, they didn't call him "Daddy" but "Mr."

A shadow of sadness briefly crossed Russel's eyes, but he just smiled, giving Serena a gentle kiss on her cheek and replied, "Hmm."