Echoes of Faith| He Walks With You|Based on Luke 24:16| Flash Fiction

 

He Walks With You

Caleb Beaumont buried his sister two days ago. The weight of grief hung heavy in the air, suffocating him with every breath. The loss felt like a gaping wound in his chest, raw and festering. He had stayed a few extra days at the family farm outside Greenville, doing chores to help his parents, trying to keep his hands busy. But the emptiness followed him everywhere—a shadow that refused to be shaken off. Now, with the funeral behind them and the goodbyes said, Caleb was headed back to the city—back to Atlanta, to work, to routine, to the life that no longer made sense without her in it.

Marcus Falls, his childhood friend and the kind of guy who never gave up on people, started the car and glanced at him. “You good?”

Caleb didn’t answer. His gaze was fixed on the horizon, where gray skies melted into gray land. “I’m here,” he said.

They pulled out of the lot and onto the highway. The car was quiet except for the low hum of tires against the road.

“Leah really believed, you know,” Caleb said after a while. “Said Jesus would meet her in the end. Said she saw angels a few nights before she passed. Like it meant something.”

“It did,” Marcus said softly.

Caleb shook his head. “I prayed. Hard. I fasted. I begged God. She still died.”

“I know,” Marcus replied. “But that doesn’t mean your prayers didn’t matter.”

Caleb looked away, jaw tight. “Feels like they got lost in the ceiling.”

An hour passed before they spotted a rest stop. Marcus pulled off without asking.

As they slowed to turn in, a man stood near the entrance with a hand-lettered cardboard sign that read: “Headed East.”

He looked about mid-fifties, beard graying, coat a little too thin for the weather. But there was something about him—steady, like the kind of person who wasn’t in a hurry to get anywhere but always arrived on time.

Marcus looked at Caleb. “Should we…?”

Caleb sighed. “Sure. Why not?”

They pulled up, and the man leaned down to the window. “Afternoon, fellas.”

“You heading east?” Marcus asked.

“I am,” he said with a smile.

“Hop in.”

He climbed in the back. “Name’s Eli.”

“Marcus,” Marcus replied. “This is Caleb.”

“Pleasure,” Eli said, settling in.

For a while, no one talked. Caleb stared out the window, eyes tracing raindrops as they raced each other across the glass. But then Eli spoke.

“You both coming from something heavy.”

It wasn’t a question.

Caleb turned, surprised. “How’d you know?”

“I can always tell when someone’s spirit is walking slower than their body.”

Marcus chuckled. “We just left a funeral.”

Caleb added, “My sister. Leah. Thirty-four. Cancer. She was a fighter.”

“I’m sorry,” Eli said. “That kind of pain runs deep.”

“She believed God would heal her,” Caleb said. “Right up until the end. Me? I’m not sure what I believe anymore.”

“Loss has a way of shaking the ground,” Eli replied. “Even the firmest faith can feel like it’s slipping.”

“You sound like you’ve been there.”

Eli nodded. “I have.”

At the next rest stop, Marcus hopped out to grab coffee. Caleb stayed behind. Eli opened the door.

“Feel like stretching your legs?”

Caleb hesitated, then nodded. They walked to a wooden bench under a bare-limbed tree. The air smelled like damp earth and diesel fuel. It was quiet except for a few cars rolling in and out.

Eli sat. “I lost someone, too,” he said. “My wife. She had a quiet strength. Believed God would walk with her through anything.”

“What happened?” Caleb asked.

“She passed,” Eli said simply. “But her faith didn’t.”

Caleb ran a hand down his face. “It just hurts. Leah was my only sister. The only person who really saw me.”

“She still does.”

Caleb looked up, startled.

Eli smiled gently. “Faith like hers doesn’t disappear. It echoes.”

For a while, neither of them said anything.

Then Eli spoke again. “There were two men, once. Long ago. Walking the road home after losing everything they believed in. Grieving. Questioning.”

Caleb tilted his head. “Sounds familiar.”

“They were joined by a stranger,” Eli continued. “He didn’t give them answers. He just walked with them. Listened. Then reminded them of promises they had forgotten. In the end, they realized… they had been walking with the risen Savior the whole time.”

Caleb's eyes searched his. “You talking about the road to Emmaus?”

“I’m saying,” Eli said, “that resurrection isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it’s quiet. Like footsteps beside you when you thought you were alone.”

Marcus returned, holding two steaming cups. “Got your usual, man.”

Caleb stood slowly, eyes still on Eli.

They returned to the car. Eli got in without a word, quietly settling back into his seat. His eyes were closed, resting, as the road stretched ahead.

Caleb turned forward, his thoughts a whirlwind of grief, questions, and something else—something unexplainable but oddly calming.

Ten minutes passed.

Caleb turned to speak.

“Hey, Eli—”

He froze.

The backseat was empty.

No door had opened. The car hadn’t stopped. Eli was just... gone.

Caleb’s heart pounded. “Marcus… stop the car.”

Marcus looked over. “What?”

“Stop the car!” Caleb said again.

Marcus pulled over to the shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

Caleb whipped around in his seat.

No one.

No trace.

No coat. No bag. Just a folded slip of paper lying on the seat where Eli had been.

Hands trembling, Caleb reached for it and unfolded it slowly.

“He walks with you—even when you don’t recognize Him.” – Luke 24:16

His throat tightened.

The ache in his chest cracked, not from grief this time, but from wonder.

He stared out the windshield, eyes glistening. The road ahead still looked the same.

But now he knew… he wasn’t walking it alone.

He opened his backpack, pulled out Leah’s Bible—still marked with her underlines and prayers—and slid the note inside. Right between pages already highlighted in yellow. 

Luke 24:16.

He closed the Bible gently, feeling a sense of peace wash over him. The weight that had been pressing down on his shoulders seemed to lift, if only slightly. The words on the note felt like a warm embrace, a reminder that he was not alone in his pain.

Marcus glanced at him, concern etched in his features. "Caleb, what happened? Who was that guy? People don’t just disappear.”

Caleb shook his head slowly, still processing what had just occurred. “I... I don’t know.”

Marcus frowned. “How else can you explain it?”

Caleb looked back at the seat, then at the note still in his hand. “He said... he walks with you—even when you don't recognize Him.”

Marcus fell silent, letting the message sink in. After a moment, he started the car again and merged back onto the highway. “If I believed in angels, I’d call Eli one. But since I don’t, I’m not sure what to think or believe.”

Caleb leaned back in his seat, the note still clutched in his hand. The road stretched out endlessly before them, the rhythm of the highway soft beneath the wheels.

“I don’t either,” Caleb said quietly, the words catching in his throat. “But I think Leah… she sent him to remind me I’m not walking through this alone.”

Outside the window, a break in the clouds let a shaft of sunlight cut across the road ahead. Caleb didn’t say anything. He just held the Bible tighter and closed his eyes—letting the warmth remind him of the presence he could no longer deny.

He didn’t need answers. Just the reminder that he wasn’t alone.

Echoes of Faith: Whispers of Forgiveness| Flash Fiction

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Whispers of Forgiveness

Eve Leakes held onto the steering wheel tightly, the gentle purr of the engine barely calming her racing mind. The road ahead was narrow and wound its way through a peaceful suburban area, with trees lining the streets still glistening from the recent rain. She hadn't returned to Charlotte for years—ever since her father's funeral. Even then, her visit had been brief. There were too many memories, too much heartache.

It started with a name.

A single document — a custody agreement, a relinquishment of rights. Loren Baker.

Her father had never spoken it aloud, but now it echoed in Eve’s mind.

When she asked about her mother growing up, his answers were always the same. He’d turn away, his eyes darkened by bitterness. Her mother had vanished when Eve was just a baby. One morning, she was simply gone. No explanation. No goodbyes. Her father had been left to pick up the pieces — a man hollowed out by heartbreak. He never spoke about Loren.

"Some people don’t deserve forgiveness," he once said.

Eve believed him.

Her best friend Cassandra had been the first to suggest otherwise.

“So, are you going to go?” Cassandra asked, her voice gentle.

Eve shrugged, tracing the rim of her coffee cup. “I don’t know.”

“You have the address.” Cassandra’s gaze was steady. “That’s more than you’ve ever had before.”

“I don’t know if I want it,” Eve muttered. “What good will it do? She left. She’s a stranger.”

“She’s your mother,” Cassandra said softly. “You’ve wondered about her your whole life. Isn’t that why you kept that document instead of throwing it away?”

Eve scowled. “Maybe I kept it to remind myself why I don’t need her.”

Cassandra didn’t flinch. “Or maybe you kept it because part of you wants answers.”

“Answers?” Eve scoffed, her fingers curling tightly around the cup. “She left me. What could she possibly say that would make any of that okay?”

“She doesn’t have to make it okay,” Cassandra said. “But maybe hearing the truth will help you let go.”

Eve’s jaw tightened. “I don’t need closure. I’ve lived without her for this long.”

“Living without her isn’t the same as healing,” Cassandra replied gently. “You can’t tell me you don’t think about her. And now you have the chance to find out why.”

Eve opened her mouth to argue, but the words never came. Every time she thought of that name — Loren Baker — the questions rose like shadows she couldn’t shake. Why had she left? Had she ever wanted to come back? Did she regret it?

“I just… I don’t know if I can face her,” Eve whispered.

Cassandra reached across the table, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “You don’t have to know. Just take the first step. The rest will come.”

Eve swallowed hard. The rest. That’s what terrified her most.

And now, here she was.

The house stood before her, a quaint cottage with vibrant flowers climbing up its brick facade. The garden was lush and carefully tended, blooms of every color swaying gently in the breeze. Eve hesitated, gripping the car keys tightly. She could still turn back. But something in her refused to run.

With a deep breath, she knocked on the door three times. The sound echoed in the stillness. Seconds stretched into eternity before the door creaked open.

The woman who answered was older than Eve expected, but she had aged gracefully. Her silver-streaked hair was neatly styled, and though faint lines traced her face, there was an elegance in her posture. A familiarity lingered in her eyes — a reflection of Eve’s own. For a moment, neither spoke.

Loren frowned, uncertainty flickering across her face. “Can I help you?”

Eve’s mouth went dry. She had rehearsed this, but now the words stuck. “I… I found your name. In my father’s things. You’re Loren Baker, aren’t you?”

Loren’s face paled. Her hand gripped the doorframe, as though steadying herself. For a moment, she said nothing — only stared, disbelief flickering across her face.

“I am.” Her voice was barely a whisper. “And you are?”

“Eve,” she said, her throat tightening. “Eve Leakes. Samuel’s daughter. Your daughter.”

Loren’s eyes widened. She blinked rapidly, her lips parted in silent shock.

“Eve…” Her voice faltered. “I never thought I’d see you again.”

Inside, the house was small and cluttered, but not unkempt. The furniture was worn, the air tinged with the scent of old books and lavender. A dusty cross hung above the mantle. Family photographs lined the shelves, though none bore Eve’s face.

Loren gestured for her to sit, but Eve remained standing. Her eyes flicked around the room, searching for signs of the woman who had disappeared from her life.

“I suppose you want answers,” Loren said softly.

“I do.” Eve’s voice was steady, though her chest ached. “Why did you leave? Why did you just… disappear?”

Loren clasped her trembling hands together. “Your father. He was a good man in many ways. But his drinking… it consumed him.”

Eve stiffened. The words didn’t fit. Her father had always been steady — a quiet, dependable man. She searched her memories for any signs she might have missed, but there were none. No bottles tucked away, no slurred words or stumbling steps. He was the man who read her bedtime stories, the one who held her when nightmares crept in.

"He wasn’t a drinker," Eve said firmly, shaking her head. "My father wasn’t like that."

But even as the words left her mouth, something stirred. A memory — faint but persistent. The tension in his jaw when he thought she wasn’t looking. The closed door of his study. The way he sometimes spoke with a rough edge, regret flickering in his eyes.

Had she only seen what she wanted to see?

Loren’s eyes were full of sorrow. “I prayed for that. I prayed he’d change.” She paused. “But when I left, he wasn’t a man who could be reasoned with. I thought leaving you with him would be safer than staying. I thought I was protecting you.”

“Protecting me?” Eve’s voice cracked. “You left me with a man you claim was a drunk? And then what? You disappeared?”

Loren’s tears brimmed, but she didn’t look away. “I thought if I stayed away, it would give you a chance at a better life. But every day, I regretted it. I watched from a distance. I wrote letters I never sent. I was afraid you’d hate me.”

Eve clenched her fists. “You’re right. I do. And I hate that I do.”

The words struck like a slap, but Loren didn’t flinch. “I understand.”

That night, alone in her childhood room, Eve paced. She opened drawers, pulled old photo albums from the shelves, searching for answers. But there were none. Only faded pictures of a smiling father, a little girl on his shoulders.

On the nightstand, a small Bible sat untouched. A gift from her father when she turned sixteen. She traced her fingers over the cracked leather, the memory tugging at her. She opened it without thinking.

A faint underline marked a single verse:

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32)

Forgiveness. The word gnawed at her. Could she even fathom what that meant?

The next morning, Eve stood at Loren’s door once more. She didn’t bring flowers or gifts. Just herself.

Loren opened the door, surprise flickering across her face.

“I don’t know if I can forgive you all at once,” Eve said, her voice steady. “But I’m willing to try. It’s going to take time. And I don’t know what that looks like.”

Loren’s face crumpled with relief, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Thank you.”

They stood there, two broken souls finding the first threads of healing. And in that moment, Eve felt something shift. The bitterness loosened its grip, and a quiet whisper stirred in her heart.

"Thank You, Lord."

Echoes of Faith: The Gift of Time| Flash Fiction

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The Gift of Time

Monica Carson had it all—at least on paper. Senior Vice President at a prestigious marketing firm, a penthouse with panoramic city views, and a wardrobe that would make any influencer jealous. Her days were a blur of meetings, client calls, and deadlines. Time, to Monica, was currency—measured in productivity and profit.

But life, as it often does, had plans that didn’t care about schedules.

It started with a voicemail from her mother. “Hey sweetie, I hate to ask, but Grandma's not doing well. The doctors say it’s time she’s not alone anymore. Can you come down? I know you’re busy, but... it’s important.”

Monica stared at the message for days before calling back. “Just a few weeks,” she told herself. “I’ll work remotely, check in on Grandma, and be back in the city before the next big campaign launches.”

She packed her designer suitcase and flew to Oakridge, the small southern town where she’d spent summers as a child. It had been years since she’d stepped into her grandmother’s creaky old farmhouse, filled with the scent of lavender and memories. Time seemed slower there. Softer.

Her grandmother, Miss Lillian Grant, was 84 and frail, but her spirit remained sharp.

“Well, look who the wind blew in,” she smiled weakly from her recliner. “You’ve been running so fast, baby, I’m surprised you remembered how to stop.”

Monica offered a tight smile. “I’m here now, Grandma. Just for a little while.”

Miss Lillian chuckled softly, then added, “You know, when I get overwhelmed, I still go to my little prayer chair and talk to the Lord. Been doing that since before your mama was born.”

Monica smiled politely, unsure how to respond. She’d left prayer behind somewhere between boardroom deals and airport lounges.

But a little while turned into something more.

At first, Monica tried to keep her usual routine—emails by dawn, Zoom calls by noon, and reports by night. But the rural Wi-Fi had its own plans. Dropped connections. Frozen screens. Missed meetings. Frustrated, Monica slammed her laptop shut one evening and sighed loudly. “Unbelievable.”

Miss Lillian, sitting nearby, looked up from her knitting. “You know, sugar, when you were little, you used to run around this house barefoot, chasing fireflies and laughing like nothing in the world could touch you.”

“I don’t have time for fireflies anymore,” Monica muttered.

“That’s the problem,” her grandmother replied softly.

Over the next few days, Monica began waking up later. She’d cook breakfast—actual food, not protein bars—and sit with her grandmother by the window, watching the morning light dance on the porch. They talked. About the weather. About old memories. About nothing—and everything.

As the days turned into weeks, Monica found herself immersed in a world she had long forgotten. She helped her grandmother tend to the garden, feeling the earth between her fingers and the sun on her face. She listened to Miss Lillian's stories of youth, love, and loss, realizing there was a depth to her grandmother she had never truly seen before.

One afternoon, as they sat on the porch swing, rocking gently back and forth, Miss Lillian turned to Monica with a knowing smile. "You know, child, life ain't just about the hustle and bustle. Sometimes you gotta slow down and appreciate the beauty right in front of you."

Monica felt a pang of guilt wash over her. All this time, she had been chasing success and validation, thinking it was the key to happiness. But here, in Oakridge, surrounded by simplicity and love, she found a peace she had been missing for so long.

One afternoon, as they shelled peas together in the backyard, Miss Lillian chuckled. “Remember when you tried to cook dinner for me when you were seven?”

Monica laughed. “I set the kitchen towels on fire trying to boil water.”

“That you did,” her grandmother grinned. “But you were so proud. You brought me toast and a slice of cheese on a plate like it was a five-star meal.”

Monica smiled. “You ate every bite.”

“Because it wasn’t about the food,” Miss Lillian said, her voice turning tender. “It was about your heart.”

That night, Monica sat alone on the porch, staring at the stars. For the first time in years, she realized how long it had been since she’d slowed down enough to look up.

Every day became more valuable as she spent time with her grandmother. She mastered baking sweet potato pie exactly the way Miss Lillian preferred. She also assisted in watering the roses her grandfather had planted many years before. They even enjoyed playing dominoes together on Sunday afternoons, just like in the past.

In the stillness of Oakridge, Monica began to hear again—not just the birds, or the ticking of the old clock, but the echo of her own soul.

One evening, Miss Lillian didn’t come down for dinner. Monica found her asleep in her chair, a Bible open on her lap. She gently knelt beside her.

“You okay, Grandma?”

Miss Lillian slowly opened her eyes. "Just feeling tired, sweetheart," she said, giving her hand a gentle pat.

Monica’s hand felt the warmth of her grandmother's touch, a soft and gentle pat, a reminder of the love and connection between them.

Monica helped her to bed, tucked her in, and sat by her side. The air was thick with emotion.

“You’ve changed,” Miss Lillian whispered, brushing Monica’s cheek.

Monica nodded. “I didn’t know how much I was missing… until I came here.”

Miss Lillian reached for her hand. “Time is a gift, Monica. You can chase success your whole life, but it won’t hold your hand when you’re old. It won’t pray with you. It won’t remember how your laugh sounds. But people will.”

Tears welled in Monica’s eyes. “I thought I was giving up time by coming here,” she said. “But I was actually gaining it.”

Miss Lillian smiled faintly, and that night, she slept peacefully.

A week later, Miss Lillian passed away in her sleep.

In the days that followed, the house felt quieter, the silences heavier. Monica found herself moving through the rooms with care, as if her grandmother’s presence still lingered in every corner. There was grief, yes—but also gratitude. Gratitude for the time they’d shared and the healing it had brought.

The funeral was small but filled with love, the townspeople coming together to honor the life of Miss Lillian Grant. Monica stood beside her grandmother's grave, tears streaming down her face as she whispered a final goodbye. Memories flooded her—sipping coffee on the porch in the morning, singing in the kitchen, and the wise advice shared in quiet moments.

After the service, she stayed in Oakridge. Not out of obligation, but out of calling. She took a sabbatical from work. Started volunteering at the community center. Planted a garden in her grandmother’s memory. And every evening, she sat on the porch, just like they used to.

Her phone rang one morning—her boss, asking when she’d return.

“I’m not sure yet,” she said, her voice calm. “I’m discovering something here. Something important.”

In the months that followed, Monica remained in Oakridge. She kept the garden blooming, just like Miss Lillian used to. She opened the front porch to neighbors who needed someone to talk to. Some days, she’d find herself baking sweet potato pie and setting out two plates, out of habit and love.

She didn’t need a grand plan. The house itself had become a place of peace—one quiet moment at a time.

Sometimes, when someone passing through town would sit with her for a while, Monica would share her story. “I used to think success was measured in numbers,” she’d say, her eyes soft. “But I’ve learned it’s really measured in moments—those quiet, sacred seconds where love lives.”

And in that little farmhouse, Monica Carson chose to slow down. Not because she had to. But because Miss Lillian taught her the secret: Time is not something to manage.  It’s something to cherish.

Echoes of Faith| A Second Chance| Flash Fiction

 

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A Second Chance

The doors of the county jail creaked open one last time for Christian Magnum.

At twenty-five, his steps outside felt like he was learning how to walk again. He had traded his orange jumpsuit for a plain white T-shirt and jeans his grandmother, Mama Nell, left for him. The sun, brighter than he remembered, hit his face like a second baptism.

He looked up at the sky. “Thank You,” he whispered.

Christian was a smart, quiet kid from West Haven. But the streets were loud. His dad left early, and his mom worked herself into an early grave, and by fifteen, survival meant rolling with the wrong crew. By seventeen, he was arrested for robbery. At twenty-one, he was back inside again—this time, for assault during a drug deal gone sideways. No one died, but someone could have. That was the wake-up call.

In prison, Christian met Chaplain Dorsey, a silver-haired man with laugh lines around his eyes and the calm of someone who knew storms firsthand.

“I see something in you, son,” Dorsey had said. “You’ve still got purpose. God hasn’t thrown away the clay.”

Christian read Scripture out of boredom, then curiosity, then conviction. The parable of the Prodigal Son hit him hardest—the idea that someone could squander everything, yet still be welcomed home.

Now free, Christian had a new mission: make amends, one day at a time.

Mama Nell lived on the corner of Walker and 3rd. She was waiting on the porch when he arrived, arms crossed, her full chest rising with a breath. “You got my house keys?” she asked flatly.

Christian smiled sheepishly. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Then go wash your hands before touching anything.”

Mama Nell didn’t do hugs, but her love ran deep. She had prayed for him daily—sometimes with tears, sometimes with grit. She gave him the back room, a plate of hot cornbread, fried chicken, candied yams, collard greens, and one rule: “You better walk with the Lord in this house.”

One week later, Christian found work at Rebuild, a community center run by ex-cons and former addicts who had turned their lives around. They offered after-school programs, job training, and a boxing gym for at-risk youth. Jay Sparks, the founder, had been to prison himself and didn’t sugarcoat anything.

“You mess up, we hold you accountable,” he told Christian. “But if you fall and get back up? We’re here for you.”

Christian cleaned floors, folded chairs, and kept his head down. In time, respect followed.

One afternoon, while running errands for Rebuild, he saw one of his old crew members across the gas station parking lot.

“Yo, C! I got work for you if you want it. Easy money, just like old times.”

Christian’s pulse quickened. He remembered the rush, the power, the lie of control. But then he thought of Mama Nell. Of Chaplain Dorsey’s quiet words: “Grace isn’t just about being forgiven—it’s about choosing different when no one’s watching.”

He shook his head. “Nah. I’m building something real now.”

A week later, life shifted again.

He was standing in line at the grocery store, picking up items for Mama Nell, when he heard a soft familiar voice behind him. “Christian?”

He turned—and froze.

“Porsha?”

She looked good. Grown. Confident. Her hair pulled into a sleek bun, a gold necklace catching the light. But it was the little boy standing beside her—wide-eyed, dark-skinned, and with Christian’s exact dimples—that knocked the air out of his lungs.

“Who’s lil man?” he asked, even though his heart already knew.

Porsha’s jaw tightened. “This is Jalen.”

Christian dropped his eyes to the child. “Hi, Jalen.” He smiled gently. “I’m—”

“Just someone I used to know,” Porsha cut in. “Come on, baby.”

And just like that, she was gone.

Later that evening, he sat on Mama Nell’s porch, staring into the streetlights.

“I know Jalen is my child,” he muttered. “He looks just like me. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“What could you do about it?” Mama Nell said while sipping tea. “You were locked up. That girl was scared. Alone. She moved on with her life.”

“But he’s my son.”

“Yes,” Mama Nell said quietly. “You made him, but it don’t make you a father. What you gonna do about it?”

Christian made several attempts to contact Porsha through calls, texts, and even a letter, but she never replied. Left with no other option, he applied for visitation rights. "I'm not looking for a fight," he explained to the court clerk. "I just want to know my son."

The process was slow. Expensive. Humiliating. He had a piece of a job, no degree, no credibility. Just a criminal record and a deep ache in his chest every time he passed the park and saw dads pushing swings.

The first court date was brutal. Porsha stood on the opposite side of the room with her new fiancé—a man with a buttoned-up shirt and clean record.

“I don’t want my son around him,” she said flatly. “He’s unstable. Dangerous.”

Christian sat still. He didn’t argue. Just listened.

Afterward, the judge ordered a review: employment status, living situation, and parenting classes.

“Until you can show you’re stable, there will be no visitation,” the judge said. “Child support is still expected.”

Christian nodded, jaw tight. “Yes, Your Honor.”

Despite the challenges, Christian stayed committed. He kept working at Rebuild, investing in the young people who reminded him of himself. While his past lingered, his present pulled him forward.

One night after class, he passed by the park. It was nearly empty, except for a woman on a bench watching a child on a slide.

It was Porsha.

He nearly turned away, but something in him said, “Now.”

He approached slowly. “Hey.”

Porsha's eyes widened as she looked up at him, her expression no longer guarded.

“I’m not here to argue,” he said. “Just wanted you to know I’m trying. I have a job. I’m paying child support. I’m taking parenting classes. I’m not the same man.”

She looked at him for a long moment, then over at Jalen.

“He asked who you were,” she said quietly.

Christian smiled. “What did you say?”

They both chuckled softly.

Trying not to betray the ache in his chest, Christian asked softly, “Are you still with that guy?”

She nodded.

“Does he treat you right?”

“Yes. He’s good to Jalen, too.”

Christian nodded. “That’s all I could hope for. Just… don’t shut me out. Please.”

She didn’t answer. But she didn’t walk away either.

At the next hearing, Christian presented his binder. The judge flipped through every document. Porsha remained quiet.

“I’m granting supervised visitation,” the judge said. “One hour a week for now. Re-evaluation in six months.”

Christian’s hands shook as he said, “Thank you.”

When Jalen finally walked in with Porsha, Christian’s heart skipped a beat. The boy looked at him curiously. Christian knelt to meet him eye-to-eye.

“Hey there, Jalen. I’m your dad,” he said softly.

Jalen studied him a moment, then tentatively reached out. Christian felt a lump rise in his throat as he took the boy’s small hand.

They colored for the whole hour. Jalen talked about school and his dog and how he liked French fries but hated peas. Christian listened like it was gospel.

At the end, Jalen hugged him without being asked.

Six months later, the court granted unsupervised visits. Porsha started texting updates. Sometimes even sent pictures. Christian never overstepped. He always said thank you.

One evening, he and Jalen sat on the porch of Mama Nell’s house, eating popsicles.

“I’m glad you’re my dad,” Jalen said.

Christian nodded slowly. “Me too.”

“Where were you before?”

Christian took a breath. “I made some mistakes. Grown-up mistakes.”

Jalen leaned against him. “I’m glad you’re here now.”

Christian swallowed hard. “Me too, lil man. Me too.”

Mama Nell watched them through the screen door, a tissue in her hand and tears finally rolling.

“He’s gonna be alright,” she whispered to the Lord.

And this time, she didn’t cry from worry—she cried from hope.