Still, each thing reminded me that our family had stopped shaping itself around an empty space.

One evening I found him gazing out at the shelter.

The tarp had sagged under the wet snow.

A gust of wind made one corner slap against the boards.

“I ought to take that down before someone gets hurt,” I said.

Lucas didn’t answer right away.

“I know it looks terrible,” he said.

“But there were good nights too.