Goldilocks (Male World Order, part 7)
**This story is a work of fiction and all characters, events, and locations described in it are purely fictional. No resemblance or connection to any living or deceased person or real-world event or location is intended.**
...
"She can't really be serious about him," Third Beta Albert Norris said to his wife, Julia.
"I'm afraid she is. She said the lad's coming to ask your permission tomorrow," Julia replied, brushing her hair at her vanity.
"A Sixth. Marrying the daughter of a Third!"
"It's not totally unheard of. That Ransom girl married a B7," Julia replied.
"But he was butler to the governor and from a respected family. His father was a First. This Blaine fellow is a sixth from a whole family of Sixths and Sevenths. Below that even. Blaine's got a brother in the dorms." Albert was beginning to fume.
"Blake. His name is Blake, not Blaine. And he, and his brother who lives in the dorms have a pretty successful moving company together."
"Julia, you sound like you're defending this."
"Sophia is 24, and she hasn't had any other offers in years. If it weren't for...," Julia trailed off. Not needing to remind her husband of the incident that got their daughter on the 'Respectable' registry, rather than the 'Estimable,' as was customary for the daughter of a Third Beta.
"You mean if she hadn't put her virtue in question for that son of another B6. She liked them common then and she likes them common now. She's lucky to have come out of it with any reputation at all."
"Arthur Roundtree is a B3 now. Just. Like. You," Julie snapped back. And in a year she'll be 25. An official Spinny. She won't need our permission, so why not give it now?
"She'll need our money still, if she's going to marry a mover."
"Well, she's got to marry someone."
"We'll see," Albert said, formulating a plan in his head. "We'll see."
...
"I know it's unconventional, Sir, but I do believe I can keep Sophia happy and very comfortable, and that is why I am respectfully requesting your and Goody Norris' consent to marry her," Sixth Beta Blake Hutchins wrapped up his little speech. They were in Albert's home office the next afternoon.
"I'm not saying no, boy. Not yet. But I don't know you well, and I'd like to get to know you better before making any decision."
"Daddy, just say yes," Sophia pouted from the other side of the door.
Ignoring her, Albert continued, "Which is why you and I are going to take a little trip together. I trust your brother's restrictions in the public dormitory won't prevent him from looking after the business a few days?" He painted on a bit more disapproval than he intended.
"Oh, no sir, of course not. We've got four employees now so he can handle a few days worth of moves without me."
"Excellent. Meet me here Monday morning, about 7:00. Pack light, for the outdoors."
...
"I'm really trusting you with this, and I know you can do it," Blake said to B8 Trent Hutchins, his brother. The two were sitting at a picnic table outside of Trent's dormitory. Trent was wearing his gauzy white dorm nightshirt, and his body was semi-visible through it under the outdoor lights. It was a bit of a chilly evening, but Blake could not enter the building after official visiting hours.
"If you're sure I can handle it, then I trust you to trust me. I can handle it," Trent replied.
As they were speaking, two dorm residents exited the door and lit up cigarettes. The hem of the nightshirt on the taller one was too high to fully conceal his genitalia.
"I don't know what Julia's dad has in store for me. But I don't think I'll be in contact for a few days."
"It'll be alright, I promise." An alarm chimed and the lights inside the windows went from white to a dim red. "And with that, I should probably be getting some good sleep right about now!," Trent rose and hugged his brother."
...
Blake arrived at the Norris residence to see a rented airpod parked on the front lawn. It was not a technological descendant of the wireless earbuds of the same name, it was a small car-sized helicopter with multiple nearly-silent rotors, used for medium-distance trips.
Third Beta Albert Norris exited the house along with his younger brothers, Second Beta Michael Norris and Second Beta Edmond Norris.
They were 6'5", 6'4" and 6'6", respectively. Each well over 250 pounds, broad shouldered, with big pecs and big biceps and calves like Christmas hams. They were unmistakably brothers, all with dark brown hair and two with matching moustaches.
The blond, 5'10", 155-pound Blake suddenly felt very diminutive.
"Mike, Ed, this is Blaine. He's taken an interest in my little Sophia, so we're gonna see how he fits in the family," Albert explained to his brothers.
The one without the moustache reached out to shake Blake's hand. Blake felt his hand nearly crushed by the gesture. "Pleased to meet you, Blaine, I'm Ed."
"Very good to meet you Second Beta. My name is Blake, not Blaine," he managed to squeak. Ed just squinted at that.
"And I'm Sophia's favorite Uncle Mike," the one with the moustache reached his hand to finish crushing Blake's.
"Pleased to meet you as well, Second Beta!" Blake waited until their attentions were on loading the pod to shake his hand out.
For the duration of their 2-hour flight, the three brothers bantered and barely included Blake at all. He didn't really mind, he was feeling quite nervous around them. He looked out over the endless sea and part of him wished for a watery death rather than facing the next few days with these men.
Sea turned to land, and land grew closer and closer. The pod alit outside a small cabin at the Alpha & Upper Beta Male Campgrounds and Recreation Area in Acadia National Park, Maine.