Page 21 of Legend's Legacy
Derron, who flirted with me earlier, smiled at me and winked. “Sure. I’ll do what I can. Faye, I’m going to ask you a few questions to fill out some paperwork before we get started, if that’s okay with you.”
Faye looked at me, and I nodded. “Okay,” she replied hesitantly.
“I’m going to stay right here with you, Faye. If there’s anything you don’t understand, I’ll be happy to explain it to you.”
She turned back to Derron, and I sat on the edge of the van while he helped her up inside the back of it. He asked her a series of questions before he explained what he would be doing and what each piece of equipment was that he would be using.
She finally relaxed enough to trust him to do his job. When it was all over, he said that, overall, she looked good and healthy, despite her living conditions, but he said that he thought she might have diabetes, and they would like to screen further for that.
She did have high blood pressure, but he said it was only slightly elevated, and it could be because of her being nervous about the entire process. Derron provided her with a card that had an address and phone number on it. He told her to come by there whenever she wanted to see him for further care.
When she left to head to the next station for clothing, Derron grabbed my elbow.
“What you did here today was good, but don’t get your hopes up.”
“About?” I asked, snatching away from him with a scowl.
“Her following up with me about future medical care. They seldom do. The homeless, I mean. They come by places like this to get all the assistance that they can, but they don’t generally trust institutions like hospitals, clinics, or the police.”
“Well, can you blame them? After all, people use and abuse them and take advantage of them every opportunity they get.”
“You sound like one of them.”
I rolled my eyes as something else caught my attention. “Whatever. Thanks for all your help, Derron,” I stated and walked away.
Legend was working a booth, giving out packed lunches, and he had the cutest little kid by his side. He was a cinnamon brown color, with long, curly plaits in his head.
I leaned against a tree, basking in the shade as I watched them from a distance. He handed the little boy the boxed lunches, and in turn, the little boy handed them to each person in the line. When the line slowed down, Legend turned and high-fived the kid, who grinned widely up at him.
He said something else to the kid, and he kneeled and placed the little boy on his shoulders. I watched as the two of them walked away and went to the bouncy house. He kneeled once more and removed him from his shoulders.
The little boy climbed into the bouncy house and began jumping and waving his hand to get Legend’s attention. Legend threw his head back and laughed. His face was more relaxed, and his overall demeanor was happier than I had ever seen it.
I turned and walked back to my station since I had been away for some time. I was just in time because the line hadpicked up and became busy once more. We were handing out backpacks with toiletries in them, like toothbrushes, soap, feminine products, deodorant, and things of that nature.
Another hour passed before it slowed down.
“’Scuse me.”
I looked down to see the same little boy who had been with Legend, now standing at my station.
“Hello. What’s your name?”
“Kayson Waters,” he stated proudly.
“Well, hello, Kayson Waters. My name is Legacy Reese. How can I help you?”
“I lost my daddy, and I cannot find him.”
Daddy? I didn’t realize that Legend had a child. I assumed he was a nephew, a friend’s child, a girlfriend’s child, or someone else’s kid.
“Come on. I can help you find him.”
“Can you please ’nounce it? I’m not ’lowed to go with scrangers.”
He was so adorable. I turned to my partner, Eliza. “Eliza, do you mind watching over Kayson while I see if I can locate his father?”
“Sure.”
