Chapter 180 - 176: Look, does it look particularly similar to Timmy?
Roy Lewis spoke casually, without any intention of probing, and simply wanted to share the matter with Richelle Dunn.
But Richelle thought of too much at once!
Her body stiffened for a moment, and the wok spatula in her hand suddenly paused as she was stir-frying the vegetables.
Fortunately, Roy Lewis was standing behind her, and she was wearing very loose homewear, so none of her unusual reactions were noticed by him.
He assumed Richelle hadn’t heard him clearly, so he took out his phone, opened several clear and large photos that Nathan Caroule had cropped, approached her, and handed her the phone.
“Take a look, doesn’t he look very similar to Timmy?”
Richelle’s heart skipped a beat, thinking that Roy might have discovered something and was testing her.
Her spatula moved faster, her eyes fixed on the vegetables in the wok, and she said to Roy Lewis, “Wait a moment, I’ll take a look later. If I fry the beef for too long, it’ll become tough.”
Of course, these were all excuses; she just wanted to give herself some more time to calm down.
And come up with reasonable and believable explanations.
Roy Lewis was always very patient with Richelle.
When she asked him to wait, he sidestepped and saw a clean plate on the cooking table. He put his phone back in his coat pocket, turned on the faucet to wash his hands, and handed Richelle the plate.
It was his first time helping out in the kitchen.
He did it smoothly, but Richelle was startled once again.
She suppressed her shock and unease and looked at Roy Lewis.
“Mr. Lewis, the kitchen is quite smoky. You’d better wait outside!”
His presence alone put a lot of pressure on her, and the question he had just asked struck her like a bolt of lightning, making her feel even more uneasy around him.
But before Roy Lewis could respond, Richelle suddenly changed her mind.
“Ah, right. Mr. Lewis, you’re taller. Help me open the cabinet at the top and grab some lunchboxes so I can pack some braised pork for you to take home.” The reason she called out to him again was that she was afraid he would take the photos to the kids and ask them about it.
After all, the incident happened so suddenly that even she, as a mother, was caught off guard and panicked. One could only imagine what startling statements the kids would make under Roy’s questioning.
The purpose of Roy Lewis staying here was to accompany her, although the kitchen was more or less a no-go zone for him in the past and present.
But the allure of Richelle far outweighed his resistance to the kitchen.
According to Richelle’s instructions, he took down the lunchboxes and asked if there was anything else he could help with.
To stall him, Richelle bluntly asked him to wash and dry the lunchboxes.
She didn’t know if Roy Lewis had ever done this kind of work before, but he was still methodical, albeit much slower than he usually did other tasks.
“Mr. Lewis, am I the first person daring enough to make you do these chores?”
Richelle tried to divert the topic to make him forget about the South Asian prodigy.
Roy Lewis had no suspicion of Richelle, looked at her with a smile, and nodded his head.
“Indeed!”
Richelle chuckled, inwardly wailing.
If it wasn’t out of necessity, she wouldn’t want to bother Master Lewis!
Roy Lewis continued, “But you can be bolder next time!”
“Huh?!”
Richelle was surprised and didn’t understand his meaning for a moment.
Roy Lewis explained, “Timmy and I have been freeloading off you for so long, isn’t it only natural that we contribute some effort?”
Richelle smiled, “Mr. Lewis, you’ve forgotten, you paid me for meals and wages.”
Although she had joked several times about him and Timmy freeloading, she knew full well that the payments Roy Lewis made to her would be more than enough for several full-course dinners, not to mention home-cooked meals.
However, unknowingly, Richelle was no longer just a doctor, cook, or teacher hired by him. In Roy Lewis’ mind, she was an equal, possibly a friend or even something more than a friend.
Because he understood that with Richelle, talking about money wouldn’t work.
She had to want to do it willingly, and only then could the money have any effect.
And what she had given him and Timmy over this period of time was far more than money could buy.
“I haven’t forgotten. But even if we pay, it doesn’t mean we can exploit someone’s service without limits.”
Richelle’s palms sweated slightly. Surely he hadn’t noticed anything, had he? Was he insinuating that she had done too much for Timmy?
“Haha, it’s just that I like Timmy… If Mr. Lewis feels it’s a burden, I’ll…”
Although letting her curb her love for Timmy would be painful for both her and him, if Roy Lewis became suspicious, she would have to restrain herself and not jeopardize the situation.
Roy Lewis finally finished washing the lunchboxes and, following her instructions, took a towel and slowly began drying them.
“No need, it’s good as it is now. If it wasn’t for your tolerance and care, Timmy wouldn’t be as happy and cheerful as he is now.”
Roy Lewis didn’t understand why Richelle had misinterpreted his words. Was his expression of gratitude and thanks not clear enough?
Richelle finished cooking the last dish in trepidation as Mrs. Walker, who had been tidying up the bedroom clothes, entered and helped carry the dishes and utensils out.
With Mrs. Walker there, Richelle’s nerves relaxed somewhat.
And Roy Lewis seemed to have forgotten about the matter of Timmy and the young prodigy, helping to carry the dishes out, supervising the children in washing their hands, and then everyone took their seats together.
Richelle’s braised pork was one of her specialties.
Not only did the kids eat with oily mouths, but even Roy Lewis couldn’t stop praising it.
“Richelle, this is the best braised pork I’ve ever had!”
Timmy grinned at him, “Daddy, I didn’t lie to you, right!”
Roy Lewis smiled, nodding his head, and wiped oil off Timmy’s mouth.
Timothy and Tifanny then leaned forward, “Uncle, can you help us too?” Richelle glared at the two siblings, “You two really think Uncle is your nanny?” Roy Lewis wiped the siblings’ mouths while laughing, “It’s my honor!” Tifanny raised her eyebrows, “Mommy, see, uncle is so nice!”
Richelle couldn’t help but laugh, “Yeah, you just keep pouring honey into Uncle’s ears.”
This struck a chord with Roy Lewis.
He didn’t know why, but he often felt sweetness in his heart, like honey being poured in, because of Timothy and Tifanny’s simple compliments!