Father's Day by Simon van Booy Page B

She told him that inside it showed the amount of his disability, plus the sum Harvey’s grandparents would be getting each month to help pay for Harvey’s food, clothes, and outings. Wanda said it was a generous benefit that included health care, and that whoever was appointed Harvey’s guardian by the courts would receive it every month to help raise her until she turned eighteen.
    Harvey watched from the backseat. She imagined that Jason was telling Wanda how good she was on the drums, and how she might grow up to be onstage someday—because Jason had told her that, had said she was that good and might be famous someday.
    Harvey went over the whole afternoon with Duncan when she got back to the foster home. She squeezed his doll body, then put her cheek against his cheek, wondering what her mom and dad were doing, and if they could see her, if they could read her thoughts.

XXII
    W ANDA SUGGESTED AN outing for the next visit, but when the time came, Jason was clueless. He asked Harvey where she wanted to go, and she said the mall in Hicksville.
    Jason bought her a pretzel from a stand outside Macy’s, and they got Dots space ice cream from a vending machine. Then they sat on a bench and watched women inside the MAC store brush makeup on each other. Harvey asked if she could put makeup on Duncan.
    When she needed the restroom, Jason didn’t know what to do, so they lingered outside the ladies’ room until Harvey was so desperate that Jason had to ask a woman taking her baby in if she would take Harvey too.
    While she was in the restroom, Jason wondered what would happen if he took off.
    When Harvey came out, she asked Jason what she should call him.
    â€œWhatever you want,” he said. “Jason, I guess.”
    When they left in the late afternoon, the parking lot was full because there was a baseball field behind the mall.
    â€œIt’s Little League,” Harvey said. “I love Little League. Can I go watch?”
    Jason watched her run ahead. Her blond ponytail bounced against the back of her shirt. She was far away when Jason lost sight of her in a crowd.
    He thought he should probably call out but figured he would spot her watching the game when he got over there. He tried to walk faster, but his leg made it hard.
    When he arrived at the field, he couldn’t see Harvey anywhere. There was a bunch of kids playing and Jason watched them, figuring Harvey might have found someone she knew and joined in the game. But she wasn’t there, either, so he went over to the ball field to check the stands. By now he was moving as quickly as he could, which made it clear he had a prosthetic limb.
    Harvey was nowhere to be seen.
    Jason shouted at the children, asking if they’d seen a blond girl. Some ignored him. Others stared blankly or looked around for their parents.
    The world seemed to be going on as normal, like in a nightmare. Then Jason lost his temper and stumbled out onto the baseball diamond yelling Harvey’s name.
    â€œThere’s a game here, buddy!” someone shouted. “Get off the field!”
    â€œFuck your game. My kid is missing. My kid has disappeared. Harvey!” he shouted. “Harvey!”
    He kept shouting her name over and over. Then, to his surprise, a few of the parents joined in.
    The game was stopped. The kid at bat just stood there.
    â€œWhat does she look like?” a beefy man holding a baby wanted to know. “My wife is a Nassau County cop. I’m going to call her and get an Amber Alert.”
    Jason described Harvey to anyone who asked, then went back to calling her name and limping about the parking lot and ball fields.
    Some people gave up on the game and went home. The Little League coach took a few kids into the mall to look for Harvey and notify security.
    When the cops arrived, they said they had Harvey in the backseat. Someone had seen a little girl dodging traffic on Route 107 and called the police.
    Jason was