Page 68 of In Love with Lewis Prescott
I move to give Uncle Pedro my arm, but he smiles and waves it off. “I’ve got this,anak.”
I swallow back nerves as I watch him walk up the three steps faster than I expected, but he moves with ease. When he pulls me into a hug, I smile. That’s the hug I grew up with, the hug I loved getting—snug with a pat on the back before letting me go. He’s getting his strength back after his stint in the hospital, and it’s so good to see.
Before their shoes are even off, Mom announces the exciting news.
“Look who Harper brought! This is Lewis! Her boyfriend! Isn’t that wonderful?”
Dual sets of deep brown eyes go wide at the sight of Mom pulling Lewis by the arm over to them.
“He’s the contractor who’s been working onApongBernie andApongVivian’s house for the past couple of months,” I explain when I step over to stand next to him.
Uncle Pedro grins and nods at him while Dad’s gaze turns a bit more thoughtful.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” Lewis says while reaching out his hand to Dad.
While they shake hands, Dad frowns at him. “You look familiar.”
Air lodges in my throat as I notice Lewis’s eyes go the slightest bit wide.
Recognition flashes across Dad’s face as he snaps his fingers. “I know where I’ve seen you! You look just like my dentist.”
Lewis and I let out dual weak chuckles at the same time.
“Must be a good-looking guy then,” Lewis says, quickly recovering.
Everyone laughs. Dad pats him on the back as he turns to shake Uncle Pedro’s hand.
“I like him. He’s funny,” Dad says to me.
Dad runs upstairs to change out of his work clothes while Uncle Pedro takes a seat at the kitchen table. Mom asks him about his day at the senior center.
“Had lunch, then played some card games, then bingo. Same old, same old.”
“Poker?” I ask.
“Of course.”
“How much did you win?”
“Twenty-five bucks.”
“Nice.” I chuckle, thinking back to when I was a kid and Uncle Pedro taught me how to play his favorite card game.
I grab a glass of water along with Uncle Pedro’s pill box, then walk over and set them in front of him. I sit in the chair next to him while he takes his medicine, quietly looking him over. His eyes are brighter, and his deep tan skin doesn’t look pallid anymore, thankfully. I notice he even put some gel in his short-buzzed gray hair that’s still as thick as it was in his heyday.
“Insurance is still covering your prescriptions, right?” I ask. “You haven’t had any issues paying at the pharmacy?”
“Yes, all good.”
“Well, you have the credit card I gave you just in case any unexpected expenses pop up.”
“I told you before, you don’t need to pay for my things,anak,” he chides as he grabs his cloth napkin from the table to wipe his mouth.
“I want to help, Uncle Pedro.”
He opens his mouth to protest but closes it while shaking his head and offering a tired smile. “I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me so much.”
“I just feel bad that I left so soon right after you got home from the hospital. I should have stayed longer.”
