For The Sake Of His Child

‘What is it?’ Gina asked.

‘I was just thinking what I might have been doing this afternoon. Going through the balance sheet, perhaps. On the whole, I think I prefer hooking plastic ducks out of the water.’

As he spoke he was paying the stall keeper for a rod and taking his pick of the ducks that came floating by. He was rewarded by a toy that might have been shaped like a fish, but it was hard to tell.

‘What is it?’ Carson demanded, studying his prize from various angles.

‘Why don’t we ask Joey?’ Gina looked around and knew a flash of alarm. ‘Joey! Carson, he’s gone. Oh, my God!’

‘Relax,’ Carson told her. ‘There he is.’

She followed his pointing finger and felt faint with relief as she saw Joey getting into one of the Ghost Train cars. As they moved off he waved at them cheekily. Then the black curtains engulfed him.

‘Wretched brat,’ Carson said without heat.

‘I suppose he simply got tired of waiting for us and decided to strike out on his own,’ Gina said. ‘I’m glad he feels so confident; it’s just-’

‘I know,’ Carson said with feeling. ‘I nearly had a heart attack. Let’s fortify ourselves with a cup of tea. There’s a little cafe just over here, and we can keep the Ghost Train in sight.’

Gina sat down at a table while Carson fetched their tea. She felt as though she’d been through a wringer.

There was a queue and it was several minutes before Carson returned. Gina kept her eyes fixed on the Ghost Train and, after a few moments, Joey reappeared. She managed to attract his attention, and he smiled and waved, but didn’t get out. He simply gave the man his money, and squeezed over so that a little girl in a red dress could get in beside him.

The man held out his hand to the little girl. She didn’t move and the man began to talk, obviously explaining that she couldn’t ride if she didn’t pay. Joey tapped him on the arm and offered him more money. The man took it, and the cars moved off.

‘What are you staring at?’ Carson asked, returning with tea.

‘I think I’ve just seen Joey being gallant to a lady.’

She described the incident and Carson grinned. ‘He’s starting young-just like his old man.’

‘You started at eight?’

‘I didn’t wait that long. When I was seven I was sharing my ice cream with Tilly next door. I can’t recall her last name, and even her face is a bit vague. But her appetite for raspberry ripple will stay with me for ever.’

It was good to see him relaxing enough to be humorous. He was casually dressed in a short-sleeved shirt, and the sun had caught him, tanning his face, neck and forearms. For once the tension was gone from his face, and he looked simply a handsome, vital male animal.

There was a small disturbance behind them and they turned to see a man and a woman, both middle-aged, with pleasant, worried faces.

‘What are we going to do?’ the woman asked frantically.

‘Don’t fret, Helen. She’s probably all right.’

‘How can she be all right, so alone and helpless? Excuse me-’ the woman pounced on Gina ‘-you haven’t seen a little girl, have you? She’s eight and she’s wearing a red dress-she wandered off-’

‘Don’t worry, I’ve seen her,’ Gina reassured them. ‘She went on the Ghost Train. She’ll appear in a minute.’

‘But she hasn’t got any money,’ the man said.

‘Joey took care of that.’

The couple sat down and introduced themselves as Helen and Peter Leyton.

‘Sally’s very vulnerable,’ Helen explained. ‘She’s Down’s Syndrome.’

At that moment the cars appeared again and drew to a halt. Joey and the little girl were there, sharing the smiles of children who had enjoyed a fantastic adventure. Helen stood up and waved, but she couldn’t attract Sally’s attention.

‘Wait,’ Gina said as Helen started forward. ‘Let’s see what happens. Don’t worry about her. She won’t come to any harm with Joey.’

‘Gina-’ Carson protested.

‘It’s all right. Can’t you see he knows what he’s doing?’

Joey was handing over more money, evidently having the whole situation under control. As the adults watched he took Sally’s hand protectively between both of his, and they were off again.

‘Well, I’ll be-!’ Peter was scratching his head and grinning. ‘What a nice kid your son is, Mrs-?’

‘He’s Mr Page’s son. I just look after him,’ Gina explained.

‘Well, someone’s doing a great job,’ Helen said. ‘He’s a real little knight in shining armour. You must be very proud of him.’ This was to Carson.

‘Yes,’ he said quietly. ‘I am.’

‘It’s so good to see Sally making friends with a normal child,’ Peter said. ‘Most of them flinch away from her, but your son treats her naturally, and that’s what she needs.’ He noticed a strange look on Carson’s face. ‘Is something wrong?’

‘Nothing,’ Carson said quickly.

But Gina knew the pleasant shock he’d had at hearing his son described as a normal child. Because that was what anyone would think from Joey’s bearing. He wasn’t a victim. He was potentially a young man with a lot of confidence.

‘Sally’s a darling,’ Helen said, ‘but she’s got a will of iron. If she wants to do something she tends to wander off, so we have to look out all the time. This time we slipped up, I’m afraid.’

‘And she has a problem talking,’ Peter added. ‘Things don’t come out quite right and people don’t understand her. Then she gets upset.’

‘We haven’t had her long,’ Helen put in. ‘We’re foster parents, and we specialise in children with problems. It’s a kind of thank-you because our own three are all disgustingly healthy.’

When the cars reappeared they could see that some sort of dispute was going on. Sally didn’t want to get out. Joey took her arm and urged her, but she wouldn’t budge. At last he climbed over her feet, grasped her hand firmly and pointed to the cafe. Faced with this display of authority, she gave in and meekly followed him, her hand tucked in his.

Gina looked at Carson’s thunderstruck face, and her lips twitched. ‘I’ll bet Tilly Whatsername didn’t let you order her about like that,’ she said.

‘She didn’t. The one time I tried, I got ice cream all over my face.’

Joey appeared at the table with his new friend, and protectively pulled out a chair for her. Sally had a sweet face and myopic eyes behind thick glasses. Her smile was enchanting.

‘We’re so grateful to you for taking care of her,’ Helen said to Joey.

She was looking straight at him, so that he could lip-read easily.

‘Could you understand what she said?’ Helen added. ‘Most people can’t, I’m afraid.’

Joey understood this perfectly. His smile contained a hint of mischief, and his eyes went from Gina to Carson, inviting them to share the joke.

‘What is it?’ Helen asked, catching the look. ‘What have I said?’

‘Joey’s deaf,’ Gina explained. ‘So Sally’s problem doesn’t matter to him.’

‘Well, I’ll be-!’ Peter fell back in his chair, scratching his head again. ‘I thought I knew about deaf children. We’ve fostered several. But I never guessed.’

Carson had a strange look on his face. ‘My son has great style,’ he said simply.

‘Yes,’ Gina said eagerly. ‘That’s the word. Style.’

Peter began to sign, introducing himself, Helen and Sally. Joey nodded and returned the courtesy, but he was interrupted by Sally, who pulled his shirt to indicate that she wanted something.

Can we have some ice cream? he signed. Strawberry for Sally and chocolate for me.

‘How do you know Sally wants strawberry?’ Gina asked.

I’ll give it to her. She’ll like it.

And she would, Gina realised. She would like whatever Joey gave her, because it came from him. The little boy