Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 661

Was the door unlocked?

I couldn't be sure, but it seemed I'd forgotten. Yet, I never expected Neil and Kitty to make their way back, especially not to Russel's place to seek us out.

"How about we grab a bite?" Russel was the epitome of calm, giving the veggies in his hand a little shake as he extended the invitation to Neil.

Neil's response was as chilly as the Arctic breeze, yet he agreed to stay for dinner.

Soon after, Kitty ushered him into the living room to wait while I stayed back, helping Russel with the cooking. Once everything was ready, I began bringing the dishes out, one by one.

By the time I got to the table, Neil was already seated, Kitty by his side. They watched me bustling about, their gazes filled with an unspoken narrative.

"Dinner's ready, Russel!" I called out to the kitchen, my voice carrying across the space.

Neil shot me a look when I called out to Russel, an odd glint in his eye, but I pretended not to notice. Pulling up a chair, I sat opposite him, with Russel taking his place beside me.

It was an awkward setup at the rectangular table, with Neil and Kitty on one side and Russel and me on the other.

The chill in the air mainly stemmed from Neil's icy demeanor. He barely touched his food, mostly Kitty trying to serve him, but to little avail. After nibbling on some green beans, he put his fork down.

I served Russel a slice of roast beef. "Eat up, you've slimmed down a bit."

After all, a year of volunteering in underprivileged countries had taken its toll on Russel, likely due to the less-than-stellar food options.

Obediently, Russel nodded, taking a bite of the beef I'd offered him. Then, he carefully picked out a piece of fish for me, making sure it was boneless, and placed it in my bowl. "You should eat more, too. You're too skinny."

"Yeah, I'll try to put on some weight, for good luck," I replied, beaming at Russel and happily digging into the tender fish in my bowl. Over the past year, I'd lost even more weight, probably due to stress and the constant need to look after my child, making my figure even more pitiful.

While Russel and I enjoyed our little moment, Neil and Kitty opposite us hardly interacted, barely exchanging glances.

Feigning curiosity, I asked, "What's up with you two? You seem a bit down."

"Mind your own business," Neil retorted coldly, then proceeded to peel a shrimp with meticulous care, eventually offering it to Kitty. "Here, eat."

Kitty seemed pleasantly surprised, thanking him with a smile before eating the shrimp. Neil, seemingly putting on a show for us, continued peeling shrimp after shrimp until the plate was empty.

By then, Kitty's bowl was heaped with shrimp, more than she could finish.

It was a silent battle of performances between us.

"That's plenty, I can't eat anymore," Kitty protested gently, trying to stop Neil from serving her any more.

Neil finally ceased his efforts, then turned to me with a half-smile. "I just wanted to make sure she felt comfortable and had enough to eat. You don't mind, do you?"