Etienne’s voice was thick with alcohol. His accent was more prominent than when he was sober, which wasn’t that often. Whatever state of intoxication he was in he always called the boy Luc. Luke hated it, but he answered this time. “I was playing in the woods.”

Etienne’s gaze went over the boy’s head toward the woodshed. He looked down slowly. “Come in, boy.”

Luke paused, expecting the man’s voice to rise at any second. For his hands to start pulling at the belt.

“Come inside.” Etienne’s voice remained soft and his hands by his sides.

“Where is my mother?”

“Come inside. I ’ave somethin’ to tell you.”

Luke began to shiver. He could barely support his own weight as he went up the steps and into the cabin. Etienne stood aside to let him in. Luke stood in the threshold and he could feel the man’s presence looming over him. Etienne placed a hand on Luke’s shoulder. It was a surprisingly tender touch that the boy had never known before. Etienne gently pressed him into the room. Luke went with faltering steps. The room looked different. The scratched and sinking old furniture was still the same, but the rug was missing from the center of the floor. Luke could see where the boards were less faded: the rug had been a feature of the room for as long as he could remember. There was another pale patch on the floor. It looked like it had been scrubbed with a wire brush and the smell of detergent hung heavy in the air.

“Where’s my mother?” Luke felt that he was stuck in a loop and those were the only words he could find.

“Come sit with me.” Etienne picked up the boy and took him to a chair in front of the stove. The door of the stove stood open and Luke could see rags smoldering inside. The rags looked wet and darker red than the flames. Luke wanted to pull out of Etienne’s grasp, but he was both repelled and comforted by the man’s arms. Etienne ran a callused palm over the boy’s head, ruffling his unkempt hair. “Your mother was never very good to you, Luc. She cared only for herself and for her next drink. You know that, oui?”

Luke nodded dumbly.

“Your mother, she is gone. She has run away. She has left us both, young Luc. But do not be afraid. I will be your daddee from now on.”

Etienne turned Luke on his knee, so that they were staring into each other’s eyes. “We do not need your mother. We do not need any woman. They think they are better than us, Luc, but we will show them. Together, we will show them that no woman is better than a man. I will teach you how.”