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I ended the call as both my parents began to protest that plan. It wasn’t their decision to make. This was going to be hard enough without their opinions on the matter. “Isaac,” I breathed out. I couldn’t believe I was asking him for help.
“Yeah.”
“Ready to meet my parents?”
He clutched his chest. “This is so sudden.”
We grinned at each other, and then he took my purse out of my useless hands, reached in, and found my keys out on his first try. “Where are you parked?”
“About a mile that way,” I said, pointing. I was only slightly exaggerating. The area was packed. I’d had to parallel park in a tight spot, and even in my little cherry red VW Beetle, it still made me feel like I was attempting an Olympic feat. I just hoped no one had boxed me in since then. I didn’t want to need Isaac right now, but even getting out of here would be easier with help.
He pointed to the white Ford across the road from us. “That’s me. Hop in. I’ll drive you to your car, and then I’ll follow you to your parents. Does that work?”
“Yes.” Whatever would get me home the fastest without making me abandon my car here sounded like a great plan. Maybe a neighbor would help before we got there, but that might be worse. There would be talk. Even Winnie couldn’t keep her mouth shut when it came to all the neighborhood gossip, and Papá, like any man, would take his pride over his health any day. Men.
Eddie really should be here for things like this. I wished my brother hadn’t moved so far away for work. He came back to visit on the odd weekend, but that was it.
The traffic in front of us was zooming by at a steady clip. Isaac took my hand, and we darted across the street together, his grip warm and sure. He opened the passenger door of his truck for me before running around to get in. My hurry was his hurry. Some part of my brain that wasn’t focused on my family was keeping track of these things, and I wished it would stop gathering evidence in a court battle against my old grudge. I didn’t want to rearrange all my old thinking yet, despite knowing deep down it was time. It would cause me to stretch, and that sounded highly uncomfortable.
Once we backed out, I directed Isaac towards my car that was thankfully not trapped, and then I led the way as fast as semi-legally possible back to my parents’ house. Isaac had no problem keeping up with me.
On our front lawn under the porch lights, Papá sat with his legs out, looking helpless and irritated, but I noticed the preparations that must have happened while they waited on us. They’d cut off his boot with a pair of metal shears. Poor Papá would mourn the loss of his favorite pair of cowboy boots. The offending ladder had been put away. Someone put a thick blanket under him so he wouldn’t get cold and wet from the grass. His foot didn’t look right. It was swollen and turned funny. My mother stood with an overnight bag ready, fussing over him, and the old fifteen-passenger van was running in the driveway with the sliding door opened. Papá would be able to stretch across the bench seat on the way to the hospital.
Well, if we could get him in the van.
An ambulance was not off the table yet, but we’d do our best. Isaac walked over to my parents and leaned down, putting out his hand for Papá to shake. “Hi, I’m Isaac, Carmen’s date.”
Papá reached up and shook his hand. “Eduardo. This is Francesca.”
Isaac shook her hand as well.
Gia sidled up to me. “Well, isn’t this nice. Meeting thefamilia.”
“I can’t believe this is my life.”
“Me either. Buthermana, he is a treat. I hate Maria ten percent less now. Maybe twenty. Where did she find him?”
I hushed her, which only made Gia laugh.
“Stop it. He’s too old for you.”
“But not too old foryou.”
Isaac turned around and looked at us, and we both stood up straighter, as if we could shake off the evidence of what we’d just been saying about him. Or at least what Gia had been saying about him. I was innocent, despite secretly agreeing with her about the treat part.
He walked over and held out his hand palm up. “Okay, so I’ll move the van closer.”
Um, what?
Gia dug in her pocket and handed him the van keys. Apparently, while we had been talking about him, he and my parents had been coming up with a plan.
We watched as Isaac went and got in the driver’s seat, then slowly inched the van onto the grass until the open passenger door was right next to Papá. I should have thought of that.
Together, Gia and I took his good side, while Isaac supported his injured side. Papá hobbled between us, and then practically crawled into the first row of seats on his good knee. He didn’t moan and groan, but he was red-faced and sweating bullets despite the cold. I gave him a careful hug and made sure he was buckled in. “I love you.”
He stroked my hair, practically palming my head with his big hand. “I love you, too, my Carmen. Don’t get old. It’s a trap.”
“Oh, I plan to get very old and fussy. I will terrorize neighborhoods with my cats and unwanted advice.”
