7. Legacy
Legacy
“ H ere, let me help you with that.” I moved from behind the table and lifted the backpack from the box and helped the woman put it on her shoulders.
“Thank you so much, baby.”
“It’s no problem. I’m happy to help any way that I can. Oh, and don’t forget to stop at the mobile clinic for your free checkup.”
I could see the fear in her eyes the moment the words “checkup” came out of my mouth.
“How about I walk you over there and introduce you to the nurses. They won’t do anything that you’re not interested in having them do to you.”
“I don’t want no shots. I don’t trust people sticking me with needles.”
“That’s fine. I’ll be sure to tell them that.”
I extended my arm to her, and she hooked her hand around my arm. She smiled at me, and I could tell that it had been a long time since anyone showed her an ounce of compassion or probably even touched her.
We all need to feel human touch on a daily basis, I believe. It’s good for the heart and soul. I led her to the van that the clinic was offering services out of.
“Hi, Derron. This is . . .” I turned to the elderly woman, and she smiled a gap-toothed smile at me.
“Faye, baby.”
“Derron, this is Faye, and she wants to get a checkup, but she doesn’t want any shots. If she needs medical attention that requires anything like that, could you offer an alternative healthcare solution?”
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 had picked 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.”
“Kayson, this is my friend, Eliza Genero. She’s going to watch you right here so that you don’t have to go with a stranger. And I’m going to find your dad.”
“You know him?”
“I do. His name is Legend Waters, right?”
He bobbed his head as his eyes widened in fascination with the wonder of my knowing his father.
“I’ll be right back,” I promised.
I marched off in search of Legend in the crowd of people.
I was amazed at how smart his son was and how strong he was.
Most children would have been bawling their eyes out when they realized they were lost and couldn’t find their parents, but not him.
He had explained his situation and asked for help.
I was starting to grow concerned and wondered if Legend and I were passing each other up when I hadn’t found him after about ten minutes. I kept searching, and just when I was ready to head inside the building to see if he was in there, I heard him call my name.
“Legacy.”
I spun around, excited to see him. The look of worry and fear on his face almost stopped my heart.
“Hey, Legend.”
“Have you seen a little light brown-skinned boy about?—”
“Yes, I have him,” I stated calmly. “He’s at my station, and he’s safe and waiting for me to find you. Come on.”
The way his shoulders visibly relaxed, and he instantly calmed down put my heart at ease and made me glad that I was the one who could bring him peace.
“I don’t know how I lost him. We were together, and he was in the bouncy house. We left there and went to the clown show. He was sitting right beside me, watching the show. I got up to throw our funnel cake and cotton candy wrappers in the trash, and when I returned, he was gone.”
“Well, no worries, because you two are about to be reunited,” I stated, pointing at Kayson, who was standing at my booth talking Eliza’s ears off, while the two of them handed out backpacks.
“He was so cute, Legend. He came up to our booth, told me his name, and asked if I could find his father. But he refused to leave our station because he said he wasn’t allowed to go with strangers. ”
“Thank God. His mother and I have always taught him that, but I only prayed that he would remember it if the time ever came that he needed to.”
“Then you should be proud.”
“Daddy!” Kayson exclaimed and ran to him.
Legend kneeled and opened his arms for the little boy. He threw himself into Legend’s arms, and Legend stood, holding his son close to him. My heart almost broke when I saw him close his eyes, cup the back of Kayson’s head, and press his lips together.
I could tell he was fighting off tears. After several seconds, he pulled his son’s face away and kissed him all over it until the little boy giggled.
“Daddy, I was looking for you, but you were gone.”
“I told you I was throwing our trash away and not to move.”
“I didn’t want to sit by myself anymore.”
“I’m sorry, little guy. Next time I’ll take you with me, okay?”
“It’s okay, Daddy,” Kayson stated and grabbed his father’s face and pressed a kiss to his forehead.
The two of them together were so sweet. I felt my uterus dancing in my body. Legend was a good man. How had he and his wife come to a place of divorce? If I had one like him, I would never let go.
“Thank Ms. Legacy for finding you.”
“Thank you, Ms. Legacy.”
“No problem, sweetie.”
“Thank you, Ms. ’Liza, for watching me,” he stated to my co-worker, who smiled widely at him.
“It was my pleasure, Kayson,” Eliza replied.
“Would you like to grab some lunch with us?” Legend asked.
“You do realize that they’re providing lunch here already, right?”
“Then you won’t mind grabbing a bite to eat with us,” he replied.
“I can share my juice box, ’cause Daddy always brings extras. Doncha, Daddy?” Kayson professed.
“Well, I was about to decline your offer, Legend, but how can I say no to that adorable little face?” I asked, kneeling and hugging Kayson to me.
He threw his arms around my neck, and I lifted him and stood. “She likes me, Daddy.”
“I absolutely do.” I agreed, giggling with Kayson.
“Then I’ll take that as a yes,” Legend interjected smoothly.
“That is a yes,” I confirmed.
He led us across campus to where lunch was being served to the volunteers. After we received our boxed lunches from Off The Bone, a popular barbecue spot, we found a place to sit down in the shade and eat.
Kayson largely dominated the conversation.
After I asked about his favorite colors, cartoons, and games, he launched into a spiel all about Kayson that was too adorable.
He talked so much that at one point, Legend told him that was enough.
He explained it was rude to go on about yourself, especially in the company of a lady.
She might lose interest in you, especially if you’re interested in her being your girlfriend.
“You wanna be my girlfriend, Ms. Legacy?” Kayson asked, dipping his spoon into his macaroni and cheese before he glanced up at me again with a sly smile.
“Mm, wonder where he gets those smooth moves from,” I retorted with a laugh.
“Aye, get your own woman. I’m tryna push up on this one,” Legend declared. “I thought you were hollering at that girl Clover, anyway.”
He wrinkled his nose and shook his head. “No, Daddy. She was my girlfriend last week. This week, it’s Kariana. Keep up, Daddy.”
“Oh, my bad, li’l G.”
“Unless Ms. Legacy wanna be my girlfriend.”
“Uhm, I think I might take you up on that offer, Kayson. You’re too cute to say no to.”
He grinned a toothy smile at me again.
“I’ma take you on a date, Ms. Legacy.”
“You are?” I couldn’t help but giggle at the way Legend was mugging his son.
“Yeah. Saturday.”
“This Saturday?”
“Yep.”
“Well, where are we going, and do I need to pick you up?”
“We’re going to the zoo. You don’t gotta pick me up, ’cause Daddy’s driving. Ain’t that right, Daddy?”
“Niggaaa, how you gon’ mack my girl and then pimp me for a ride?”
I hid my smirk behind the drink that I was sipping.
“Ya Mack hand not working, Daddy. Learn from the ’riginal Mac. She fell for me ’cause I put my Mack hand down on Ms. Legacy. Stop sleeping, Daddy.”
I spit my drink out and started choking. Legend was right there patting my back on one side, and Kayson was on the other side doing the same thing. These two were more than a handful.