Father's Day by Simon van Booy Read Free Book Online Page B

now. Since your mom and dad have gone up to heaven.”
    â€œThey’re with Jesus and the angels,” said Principal Russo, swallowing as if there were something bad in her mouth.
    â€œThat’s right,” said Wanda. “They’re safe and they’re not in any pain—but they can’t come back to life. Do you understand that? They cannot come back to life.”
    Something heavy began to shift in Harvey’s body, as though part of her wanted to follow them.
    â€œIt’s okay to cry,” Wanda said. “This is a very tough thing to hear—a very sad day.”
    â€œThat’s right,” Principal Russo said, her hand making circles on Harvey’s back. “That’s right.”
    F OR THE NEXT week, Harvey lived with one of the teachers from school. Some of the other kids were jealous. Miss Bateman had really long hair and looked so different when she shook it down at home. But her toilet didn’t flush properly, and the poop just went in circles.
    Her house smelled like soap, and there were plants with green leaves that made Harvey want to bite them. Miss Bateman stayed up late talking on the phone, wrapping her hair around her fingers, speaking softly enough to conceal words and giggling.
    The best thing happened before bed: Miss Bateman would brush Harvey’s hair. Harvey looked forward to having her hair brushed. The brush clawed a bit and pulled her head back—but Harvey didn’t care about anything except having Miss Bateman brush her hair at night.
    After brushing came a braid. Miss Bateman held a strand of hair. “This is the fence,” she said. Then she took two more strands. “And here are two bunnies about to go jumping.”
    Harvey closed her eyes. “Go bouncing!” she said.
    â€œThat’s right,” said Miss Bateman. “Up and down the bunnies go, up and down, up and down . . .”
    Miss Bateman had a cat, but it didn’t like to be petted and just watched everything from under a table, licking one paw at a time, and hissing if Harvey got too close.
    After a few days, the woman who had been in the office with Principal Russo came to take Harvey to a foster home.

XIV
    W HEN W ANDA WANTED to come over a third time, Jason figured she was up to no good and told her he was sick and couldn’t get out of bed. But she called again the next day and said she really had to see him.
    When Jason heard her car outside, he looked out the window. There was someone with her this time, some little kid with a doll.
    After they came inside, Jason said he had only water to drink, but Wanda said they were fine. Then they sat on the couch and no one said anything. The little girl kept looking at her doll, kept touching the doll’s face.
    â€œThis is my helper for the day,” Wanda said.
    The child pretended not to hear.
    â€œWho is your helper, Harvey?” Wanda said, but still she did not look up.
    Jason watched the little kid play with her doll, wondering why she was sitting on his couch with the woman from Social Services who wouldn’t leave him alone.
    â€œHoney?” Wanda said to the little girl. “Can you go get me nine pieces of toilet tissue from the bathroom?”
    â€œOkay,” the girl said, and stood mechanically. “Where’s the bathroom?” she whispered to Wanda.
    â€œAsk the man who lives here,” Wanda whispered.
    Slowly, the girl turned her body but kept her eyes on the floor. “Excuse me, Jason, but where’s—”
    â€œEnd of the hall. Light switch is outside if you can reach it, which you probably can’t.”
    â€œRemember to count out nine pieces carefully . . .” Wanda reminded her.
    When Harvey was out of sight, Wanda picked up the girl’s doll and began arranging its limbs.
    â€œHow does the kid know my name?” Jason said.
    â€œShe knows more than that,” Wanda said.
    â€œYeah, really? Why’s that?”
    â€œI