A Spinoff From the Grace Series I skim my fingers along my woman's arm as she reclines back, seated in my lap with her back resting against the cushioned arm of the wooden bench we worked on together. I built it and she painted it. And each one of our kids put their handprints on it. My darling sewed cushions to tie on during the warm days so we can sit out here comfortably. Now we enjoy the fruits of our labor together. And I'm speaking about the couch and our marriage. "How did we start?" she asks languidly, her eyes shut. Her coily hair frames her face in the afro she has it in. She's dolled up a bit with her dress and earrings. She's got nowhere to go, but she does it to feel perked up for the day. I'm fine with that, but she knows I'm just as fine if she's wearing one of those old nightgowns she has, or in her birthday suit. "You were always passing me by," I hold Kemi's hand and with my other one, I use my finger to trace her facial features. I love every one of them. I gently go over her brows then go to her cheeks that are a lovely rounded shape. I move onto her cheekbones, which sit a bit high. My finger trails down to her jaw and her lips as they curve up in a smile. "But to be fair, I passed you by as well, darlin'." The way we met, and the way we began, is all part of a story that is beyond us and I like to think back on it often. I like to think back on how the Lord made something new out of something broken. ~~~ This technically comes after Grace but can be read alone (and before or after Redemption). As with "Grace", this is an age-gap interracial romance about faith, love, and healing. Forewarning: This story discusses a darker theme that may not be suitable for a younger audience. Although, things are still done in a God-honoring way. Unlike Grace, this story is more of a short story and will likely contain less than 25 chapters. It follows Kemi and Fred, the close friends of Grace and Joe.