Martin, who was now 35 years old, used to visit Flore, his father's young widow, since his father's tragic death. He had accepted this new woman into his life, ten years older than him, when he was 15 and his father had remarried her, after the death of his first wife, Martin's mother.
Flore had always been kind and caring towards him, and he had gradually developed feelings for her, which had pushed him to help her with household chores and more difficult work, which a single woman had difficulty to manage.
That evening, as a terrible storm broke out, Martin decided to stay and sleep with Flore, in the room he had occupied when he lived under the same roof as her and her father. Flore had always been afraid of storms, and he wanted to be there to comfort her.
As they both sat in the living room, waiting for the storm to calm down, Martin couldn't help but notice Flore's nervousness. He offered to join her in her room, where she would feel safer, and she accepted.
They lay down side by side, Martin holding Flore in his arms to reassure her, and he felt his heart beat faster. He realized he had feelings for her for a long time and wondered if she felt the same way.
Finally, the storm subsided and Martin retired to his room, leaving Flore alone. But he couldn't help but think about that night and the future, wondering if perhaps he had a chance of winning the heart of the woman he had always considered his mother-in-law.
