---

Ethel stood at the edge of the village, her heart pounding in her chest as the horizon stretched before her—vast and unknown. She had spent her entire life within the walls of the Matriarchal Society, a community founded on tradition, faith, and the strict, unwavering rules set by her mother. Her mother, Selene, was the embodiment of those rules—fierce, pious, and unyielding.

"Remember, Ethel," her mother's voice echoed in her mind. "The world outside is dangerous, filled with temptation and sin. You are only safe here, in the shelter of our faith."

But Ethel had always felt a pull toward the world beyond, a longing to understand what lay beyond the walls of her sheltered existence. Her mother’s stories of betrayal, of the chaos that had led to their secluded society, had never quite been enough to quell the curiosity that burned in her.

Today, though, was different. Today, Ethel was leaving. She didn’t know where she was going, or what she would find, but the choice had been made. The world had always felt too big to ignore, and now, she would finally see it for herself.

---

Ethel had wandered farther into the town than she intended, drawn by the vibrant colors of the marketplace and the unfamiliar sound of voices that filled the air. Every step felt like a leap into the unknown, the faces of strangers a blur as she tried to make sense of this new world. She’d been warned that the world outside was full of temptations, but nothing her mother had said had prepared her for what she was about to experience.

As she passed a small coffee stall, a man’s voice caught her off guard—a smooth, deep drawl that sounded unlike anything she’d ever heard before.

“Well, hey there, darlin'. You lost or just lookin' to get some fresh air?”

Ethel stopped in her tracks. His voice had a warmth to it, a calm confidence that made her stomach flutter. She turned slowly to face him, and for the first time in her life, she found herself staring at a man up close.

He was older than the young men she'd imagined—the ones from the stories her mother told her to stay away from. His hair was graying at the temples, his face weathered but handsome, with laugh lines around his eyes. A faded leather jacket draped over his broad shoulders, and his hands—large and calloused—were busy packing away a basket of fruit.

Something about him was striking, but it wasn’t just his rugged features that made Ethel’s heart pound. It was the way he carried himself, like someone who had seen the world, someone who didn’t need to prove anything. She felt her face flush as she struggled to remember the words her mother had drilled into her.

"No, I’m not lost," she mutters, feeling an odd heat rise to her cheeks. She hadn’t meant to sound flustered, but something about his gaze—those steady, knowing eyes—was unnerving. The way he looked at her wasn’t predatory, but rather curious, as if she were an intriguing puzzle he wanted to solve.

The man smiled softly, his lips curling up in a way that made her chest tighten. “Well, you’ve sure got a long way from home for someone who isn’t lost," he said, his southern drawl making each word sound like a soft caress. "You’re a long way from where people usually wander, darlin'. What’s your name?"

Ethel opened her mouth to speak, but her throat felt dry. She was suddenly acutely aware of every detail—the way his presence seemed to fill the space, the warmth of the sun on her back, the sound of her heart beating in her ears.

“Ethel,” she finally whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Nice to meet you, Ethel. Name's Beau. You need any help with anything, you just holler," he said, giving her a nod before turning back to his work.

For a long moment, Ethel stood frozen, her mind racing. She had never met anyone like him—so sure of himself, yet kind in a way that felt almost dangerous. Her mother had always said men were a source of sin and temptation, but she hadn’t expected it to feel like this. A simple conversation had left her more confused than ever, a strange pull she didn’t understand tugging at her chest.

As she walked away, the sound of his voice lingered in her ears, the warmth of his gaze still searing into her thoughts.

-------

ethel spends the next few days exploring, looking around, exploring.

she's walking to the farmers market, needing the next few days of food, she encounters Beau again, he's with his children, Cole and Jackson.

---

Ethel had spent the morning wandering the farmers market, doing her best to keep her mind focused on the task at hand: buying produce for her temporary stay in the town. But no matter how hard she tried, her thoughts kept drifting back to him. Ray. She had tried to forget about the strange fluttering she’d felt the first time they spoke, but it hadn’t gone away. If anything, it was stronger now, lingering in the back of her mind.

As she reached for a bunch of carrots, she heard that voice again—a familiar drawl that made her heart stutter.

“Well now, look who we got here,” he said, and Ethel’s breath caught in her throat. She turned to find Ray leaning against a nearby stall, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. His eyes were bright, amused, and focused solely on her.

She tried to steady herself, but her hands suddenly felt too warm, too unsure. “Oh... um, hi,” she managed, her words coming out too quickly, too awkwardly. She felt suddenly out of place, like she didn’t belong here at all, not with him, not in this world where men like him existed.

“You seem to be wandering' quite a bit for someone who's just visiting',” he said with a smirk, clearly teasing. He pushed off the stall and took a step closer, and Ethel could feel the space between them growing smaller, even though they were still a few feet apart.

“I’m just... getting to know the place,” she replied, her voice sounding thinner than she meant. It felt like her heart was thumping in her chest, and her body was suddenly too aware of every little movement. She didn’t understand what was happening—why was she so nervous?

Ray gave her a warm, slow smile. “Well, I’m sure you’re doing’ just fine. But if you ever need directions—or anything else—you just let me know, alright?”

Ethel nodded, though she felt her face heat up, her pulse quickening. He was being nice, that was all. There was nothing more to it. She had met plenty of men back home, though they’d been distant figures in stories or the occasional acquaintance, never someone who made her feel *this way.* This was different. His presence made her feel... *off-balance, * like the ground beneath her was shifting.

She quickly turned her attention back to the stall, hoping it would somehow help her regain her composure. “Thanks,” she muttered, looking down at the vegetables in front of her. But the strange warmth inside her didn’t go away. Instead, it seemed to grow with every passing second.

Ray chuckled softly, a sound that seemed to vibrate in the air. “You’re a long way from home, aren’t you?” he asked, his voice low, almost thoughtful.

Ethel’s throat tightened as she tried to keep her cool. “I’m not... I’m just here for a little while,” she said, but her mind was whirling. She hadn’t meant to sound flustered, but it was impossible to ignore the way he made her feel—like she was both drawn to him and scared of him at the same time. It didn’t make sense. She had never felt this way before.

Ray’s gaze softened, but the faintest glint of amusement was still there, as if he could tell she was struggling. “Well, darlin’, I’ll leave you to it. But if you need anything—anything at all—you know where to find me.”

Before Ethel could answer, he walked away, his steps slow and easy, and she couldn’t help but watch him go. For a moment, she stood frozen, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Why did his words make her feel like she was standing on the edge of something, like she was about to fall into a world she wasn’t sure she was ready for?

She didn’t understand it. She wasn’t sure what it was, but something about the way he looked at her, the way he spoke to her, made her feel... *different. * It was as if he had opened a door inside her, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to walk through it or shut it and lock it away forever.

She shook her head and turned back to the stall, but the feeling didn’t fade. *What was wrong with her? *

----------------

As days passed, their paths began to cross. Beau, with his kind patience, would talk to her softly, even when she didn’t know how to respond. Ethel found herself drawn to him, her shyness melting into something warmer as she began to see the strength in his hands, the gentle wisdom in his words. She admired the weathered lines of his face, evidence of years that had shaped him, and felt her confusion deepen.

What was this strange ache in her chest? Why did her heart race when he laughed, or when their hands brushed accidentally? Ethel had no name for these feelings; all she knew was that Beau’s presence filled a space inside her she hadn’t realized was empty.

For the first time in her life, Ethel was learning the language of love—awkward, tentative, and beautiful. Though she didn’t yet fully understand it, she began to realize that the connection she felt to Beau was something profound, something worth holding onto despite her confusion. Little by little, she allowed herself to fall.

-----------------------------------

As the first light of dawn painted the horizon, Ethel leaned her head against Beau’s shoulder, the rhythm of his heartbeat calming her racing thoughts. In his steady presence, she found a new kind of home—one she never knew she had been searching for.