Don’t even need to say “spare change” in these parts, thought Kunak. What a haul. Such easy work. Definitely a place to return to. Let’s see . . . He looked at the street signs: 106 Avenue and 82nd Street. That’s the best place to stand or sit between three and four in the afternoon. Weekdays only. No Blue Jay cap jigging. Just sit and make the peace sign. Kunak began to hum as he walked toward Aviak.

“Nuliaq! Nice work. How much?” Kunak nodded toward her bra. Aviak winked and said that she had one five-dollar bill and nothing less than six toonies tucked away in her 34C cup.

“How about you?” Aviak asked, looking at his crotch.

“No money in there, babe. Got it all in my right pocket.” Kunak patted his thigh and the heavy jingle of a day’s work came out of the denim.

“Hey, we should be here every day, eh!” Aviak was excited. She reached into her little bundle of trinkets and brought out a piss-yellow bottle of Ungava gin. “Cool, eh! It was on sale in that cowbell liquor store! Let’s sit by the river and have a sip.”

“Aviak. No. We are going to The Hope to get something to eat. Half the day is gone, and we haven’t even gotten down the hill. Come on. Let’s just keep going. We’ll be there in time for supper.”

“Look at the bottle, Kunak. See: ‘Ungava.’ My home. Let’s sit by the river and drink to my family.”

Kunak gave in. “Okay. Let’s go through the bush over this way.” He held tight to Aviak’s left arm. Women, he thought, they always get what they want.

“They do always get what they want,” Chevy said to Kunak, even though he wasn’t listening, “and sometimes what they don’t want.” He turned to the person on the other side of him. “Right, Ubluriaq?”

Ubluriaq nodded and smiled. “He’s making this far too easy for me. This one will be a cake walk, or in their case, a River Walk. So simple.”

Chevy felt a shiver run up his right arm and into his heart. He felt the cold splash of ice spread across his chest. Once you call any of the Evil Ones, there is no turning back. He knew that what he had asked for was the only way to get Kunak home. The only way to stop all the nonsense Kunak was living. He was doing this for his boy.

Kunak and Aviak settled themselves at a place on the river’s edge.

“You know, he may have been my gramps, but I knew I was his boy,” Kunak said and sucked back on the mickey. “You just know when someone really loves you.” Kunak handed the bottle back to Aviak.