The following morning dawned with an air as if the previous night's escapades were nothing but a fever dream. Breakfast passed with amiable chatter, both Taylor and Bella wearing masks of normalcy as Aunt MJ presided over the meal with her usual mixture of love and sternness. Once the meal was finished, Taylor excused himself to begin his day’s labor on the farm—a routine he knew well by now, each task grounding him back...

Morning arrived with the crow of a rooster, its call like a herald for duties awaiting. Emerging from beneath quilted covers, Taylor dressed slowly, the ache from yesterday's spanking flaring as he moved. He made his way downstairs, following the enticing aroma of breakfast being cooked. As Taylor descended into the kitchen, he spotted Aunt MJ standing at the stove, skillfully flipping pancakes. Warmth painted across her...

The summer heat was wrapping around Taylor like a thick, sweaty blanket as he dragged his suitcase up the dusty path to Aunt MJ's sprawling farmhouse. He was eighteen now, fresh out of high school and ready for a new chapter, but this summer was about reconnecting with roots before the college plunge. Roots that were deeply entangled with memories of raspberries picked under the sun and stern scoldings followed by warm, c...