Page 1 of Maverick

CHAPTER ONE

Maverick Stanton watched his mother as she knelt beside an old man on the curb on Bienville. The old man had stumbled and fallen, his hands now scraped, his knees bleeding. He looked really white to Maverick, his skin sweating unnaturally as he fumbled for his words, looking around him as if he were hoping to find someone or something familiar.

“My name is Kennedy,” smiled his mother. “I’m a doctor, and I want to help you. Are you on any medications?”

“I take them pink pills for my heart,” he said, seemingly struggling to get the words out. She turned to Maverick, handing him her phone.

“Mav, I need you to open the app I use to identify medications. Type in pink and heart, and tell me what comes up,” she said softly to her son.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, typing quickly on the phone. A young man from inside one of the coffee shops ran out with a bottle of water, and Kennedy thanked him.

“I’ve called for an ambulance as well,” he said. He took off his ball cap and placed it on the man’s head. “It’s awful bright out here. I hope that helps.”

“You’re a good boy,” said the man. His eyes were dilated, glassy, and Kennedy was becoming more and more concerned.

“Mom, there are two drugs,” said Maverick, turning the phone toward his mother.

“That’s perfect, baby. I know which one he’s on now.” She turned her attention back to the man on the ground. “Can you tell me your name?”

“Russell, ma’am. Russell Wills.”

“Mr. Wills, are you able to tell me what happened?”

“I just got dizzy all of a sudden, and the world kept spinnin’. I needed to sit, and this was the place that I sat. I’ve never had this happen before, and I won’t lie, I’m kinda scared by it all. Am I okay?”

“I’m trying to figure that out, Mr. Wills. What have you had to eat today?” she asked him.

“Well, now, I didn’t get my usual breakfast. I just ate a banana.”

“And lunch?” frowned Kennedy.

“It ain’t lunchtime,” he said quietly.

“Sir, it’s almost three. It’s well past lunchtime. Mav? Take my wallet and go into that café and ask the young man for a sandwich and bring me a regular soda. I think he might need some sugar as well.”

Maverick ran into the café and told the young man what he needed. He was gracious, handing him a chicken salad sandwich and sugar soda at no charge. Maverick returned his mother’s wallet and handed the food to her. By the time Mr. Wills was halfway through the sandwich, the ambulance showed up.

Mav heard his mother rattling off the man’s information, what happened to him, and what medication he was on. The ambulance driver thanked her as they loaded him into the back and then took off.

“Is he gonna be okay?” asked Maverick.

“He’ll be fine,” smiled Kennedy. “I think he’d gone too long without eating properly, and he’s not in the best of health. They’ll make sure that he gets what he needs. Hey. You were very helpful back there.” She ruffled his thick head of hair, smiling down at him.

“Thanks,” he grinned. “It was cool watching you work.”

“What do you say to some ice cream? I think we deserve it, don’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am!” he said, pumping a fist in the air.

Kennedy laughed as he pulled her along to their favorite spot. She loved these mother-son afternoons. They only did them once a month, but it gave her alone time with her only child, and nothing made her happier.

At eleven, he was already bigger than many of the kids at Belle Fleur. Built like his father, he was tall, strong, and had superior strength. He was already a little man, and time was going way too fast for Kennedy.

He was a miracle baby for her and JT. She’d had cancer and thought she’d never be able to have children of her own. One of the many great miracles of Belle Fleur. But Maverick couldn’t crawl into her lap any longer and cuddle. He didn’t want bedtime stories any longer, and he didn’t want his mother with him as much. It was all part of her little boy becoming a young man.

“So, are you ready to start middle school?” she asked, smiling at him as he licked the cone.

“I guess,” he shrugged. “It’s all the same classmates, so that makes it good. I know it will be harder, but I’m okay with that.”

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