I hear him let out one of his long sighs, and I don’t hardly say two words to him till we pull in my driveway.

I can’t believe it. The house is clean. Spotless. “Who did this?”

“Me. Wasn’t much to do.”

I go in the kitchen and open the refrigerator real slow. It’s been cleaned out, too, with the exception of some French’s mustard packages, a jar of Folger’s coffee crystals, and two big bottles of Schlitz Malt Liquor. These ain’t hardly mine. All of a sudden I smell the disinfectant he used, so I slam that door. The fumes alone can do me in. All I need is to go rushing back to that hospital the same damn day I get home. Wouldn’t that be a kicker?

“I fixed your car,” he says, heading straight for the refrigerator. I try to guess what he’s going in there to get. A fix. But, hell, I could use one, too.

“Wasn’t nothing wrong with my car,” I say, as I head for my bedroom. I can see in the room where Cecil slept that Lewis done made hisself right at home. I hope he don’t think he moving in. I got news for him if that’s what all this fixing and cleaning is about. He should really think of my house like it’s a motel.

“Ma, when was the last time you changed the oil?”

“What you mean, the last time? I ain’t never changed the oil. That was your daddy’s job, not mine.”

Lewis comes in the living room with one of my Classico spaghetti jars full of beer and sits down on my off-white couch. “No you don’t!” I yell.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, looking scared.

“Please don’t sit on my good couch with them dirty clothes on, Lewis.”

“Okay,” he moans, and gets up, looks around the room at two gold chairs I just had re-covered, then down at his pants, and decides to stand. “Anyway, your spark plugs were shot, and you needed a new starter, so I basically talked the man into letting me barter in exchange for some work, which is one reason why I’m so dirty.”

He looks down the hallway at me, waiting for me to praise him, I guess, so I do: “Thank you, Lewis. Glad you still use the good sense you was born with. At least some of the time.” I should’ve left that last part off, but it just slipped off my tongue. “Work?”

“Yep. He said he’d hire me if I wanted a job.”

“That’d be one helluva commute, Lewis.”

“I’m thinking about making some changes.”

“Well, don’t think too fast. Do you realize how hot it gets here?”

“Ma, please. You need anything?”

“Yeah, let me have a sip of that beer.” Then I stop and think about it. “Never mind, pour me a glass, would you?” I say. “Do you know when Paris and Janelle supposed to be getting here?”

“I don’t know. I think there’s quite a few messages on your answering machine.”