Page 15 of Legend's Legacy
“I pressed the emergency call button. It will alert building maintenance that we need help. I see that we’re close to one of these floors, which is why I pressed the button to open the doors in case we could get out on our own. It didn’t work, so we’ll have to wait.”
“Wait?” Legacy’s voice was tiny, and I prayed that she didn’t have asthma or any illness that would be exacerbated by being in a small space. Hopefully, she wasn’t suffering from claustrophobia, just the dislike of being stuck in an elevator that most people experienced.
“Yes, love. Here, let me take those bags for you,” I stated, removing her purse and laptop bag from her arm. I set the laptop bag on the floor and her purse on top of that, before I took her hands into mine. “Look at me, Legacy.”
She looked into my eyes. “Do you have asthma?”
She shook her head no. “No, I don’t.”
“Do you suffer from anxiety?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Okay, then I need you to breathe with me. We’re going to inhale for four seconds, hold it for seven, and then release for eight. You with me?”
She nodded again.
“Let’s go.” I continued holding her hands and rubbing my thumbs against her soft skin to help calm her. We did those breathing techniques three times before I finally moved to the next exercise.
“I need you to name five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. Are you ready?”
“Taste?” she whispered.
I released her hand, and she gripped mine tightly. “Please.”
“I’m just getting something for you to taste, doll.” I slid my hand from hers again and stuck it into my pocket. When I removed the gum, I waved it in front of her, and she nodded.
“Mkay.”
“Now. Five things you can see, Legacy.”
“You.” She swallowed and allowed her eyes to wander. “The door, elevator buttons, your laptop bag, my purse.”
“Good, honey. Now, four things you can touch.”
She touched my arm, the elevator wall, her hair, and her thigh.
“Three things you can hear, sweetheart,” I coaxed.
She closed her eyes and swallowed. I whispered a silent prayer for God to please get this elevator moving again.
“Your voice, mine, and the air conditioning unit.”
“Good. Good. Two things you can smell.”
“Your cologne and my perfume.”
I unwrapped a portion of the gum. “Open your mouth, love. When you chew this, tell me what you taste.”
She did as I asked, and I slid the unwrapped portion into her mouth before sliding the paper off the rest. Legacy chewed slowly.
“Cinnamon.”
I winked. “Good girl. Just like you. Now relax your muscles one at a time, starting with your forehead and working down to your feet. I’ll press the emergency call button again.”
She did as I asked while I pressed it. Immediately, a voice came back this time.
“We’ve got someone working on it right now. How many people are in there?”
