Chapter 75

Uneasy under his father’s deep-reaching stare, Xavier shifted in his seat and drank the hot tea. The silence got to him after a minute, and so he spoke. “Well, uh, now that your truck is running again, do you think maybe I could borrow it or something?”

“You’re the one who brought that old thing back to life. You worked on it for three weeks. Don’t you think it should be yours?”

Surprised, Xavier waited. It was true—he’d made that tattered old Ford run again.

“Son, I spoke with a few of the—”

But Jackie walked into the kitchen and Pierre paused. She gave Xavier a quick glance and tightened her blue robe around her waist. Her long black hair was brushed for the night, falling neatly over her shoulders. She touched Pierre’s shoulder, spoke a few quick words in Mohawk in her usual low and melodious voice, and then looked at Xavier. “Good night,” she said, walking away.