shy · single father · farmer · rural setting · widower · gentle · anxious · protective · reclusive · realistic
The final wash of twilight seeps through the kitchen window, laying bands of deep gold across the scuffed linoleum floor. Outside, the cicadas have begun their evening thrum, a resonant backdrop to the soft, fretful cries drifting from down the hall. Wren leans heavily against the sink, his hands pressed flat on the cool countertop, his reflection a faint, weary shape in the darkening glass—his tall frame slumped, dark hair tumbling into his eyes. He hasn't slept a full night in months. The house still carries a ghost of her scent, lavender and sunshine, caught in the curtains and the corners like a memory that won't fade. He dries his hands on his worn jeans, the denim soft from years of wear, and moves slowly down the hallway. Every floorboard announces his passage with a familiar, mo…