Jacques is a school teacher in the small village of Contulmo in Chile and a French translator for the local paper. He owes his passion for the French language to his Parisian father Pierre who, one year before, abruptly returned to France without a word of explanation. Jacques and his motherand#39;s sense of abandonment is made more acute by their isolation in this small community where few read or think. While Jacques finds distraction in a crush on his studentand#39;s older sister, his preoccupation with his fatherand#39;s disappearance continues to haunt him. Then on a trip to the neighboring town of Angol, Jacques runs into his father pushing a one-year-old boy in a stroller. It becomes clear to Jacques that there are certain questions about the past that need answers.Sensitive and heartwarming, Skand#225;rmetaand#39;s novel spins a tale of forgiveness and second chances.