And when she hear him stumbling down the path, she hide me behind the water barrel. Give me that look. ‘Not a sound!’

‘I’ll sell the bastard! As soon as he’s old enough. I’ll sell him to the highest bidder. Do you hear me, Stella?’ Him hold her by her arm them and shake her. Shout down into her face. ‘I’ll send him far, far away.’

‘Have pity, Massa. Have pity. Poor child. Him do nothing wrong.’

‘Who else? Who else paid you a visit?’

Stella never answer.

‘Speak! Tell me who the father is,’ him say before him rough her up some more.

More silence from Stella, till she smile her snake smile. ‘Him would be a more handsome pickney, if him was yours.’

With that him beat her again, throw her on the floor.

Night after night is the same thing. Then one night, Calla show up. Calla the old Obeah woman. Have them crooked fingers and toes. Her cane come tap, tap, tapping down the path just as Massa bout to lay a hand on Stella.

‘If you keep going, you going kill her,’ she say, very calm and proper. ‘Why you want to kill you favourite slave, eh, Massa Mowat? You worry bout who the father is?’ and she chuckle. ‘Only Ancestors know. Must wait till him grow up. Then you can tell. So stop all this carry-on. Otherwise,’ and Calla go quiet, take a deep breath, let it out when she bang her cane on the dirt floor, ‘no more babies going be born on this plantation!’

With that she leave, tapping her way back up the path.

Everybody afraid of Calla, even Massa. Afraid she going put Obeah on him. Afraid of the power she bring with her from cross the seas. She know how to work magic, late at night when the full moon sit low in the sky. And other times, when the moon gone, leave behind only darkness.

After Calla come, Massa and Stella stop fighting. Him still come to visit, but him no longer beat her.

Is only when I grow and the glimmer Calla give me light up that I start to understand what happen that naming day. Why Massa turn so angry.

Calling me little Will is how Stella took her eye for an eye. How she hurt Massa deep. After all the nights and days him going to her bed, she telling him I is not his son, but him father son.