The last few days had been different.

Good different.

The kind of different you don’t question too hard because you’re scared you might mess it up.

Stacey stood at the stove early Saturday morning, barefoot, hair tied up, flipping turkey bacon while the smell of coffee filled the kitchen.

Sunlight pushed through the blinds soft.

Quiet.

Peaceful.

Duane sat at the counter watching her like he had nowhere else to be.

And honestly…

he didn’t.

“You gone keep staring at me or help?” Stacey asked without turning

around.

Duane smirked.

“I’m supervising.”

She laughed.

“Supervising? Boy, you ain’t did nothin’ but drink coffee and look

handsome.”

“That’s work too.”

Stacey turned and pointed the spatula at him.

“See, this the confidence I’m talking about. Three days of peace and

now you think you Brad Pitt.”

Duane laughed.

“Nah. More like George Clooney on a light day.”

Stacey shook her head.

“Delusional.”

But she was smiling.

And that smile had become his favorite place lately.

The last few days had been filled with conversations.

Real ones.

The kind that leave you drained but lighter.

They talked about his father.

His marriage.

Her fears.

Their future.

There had been tears.

Long silences.

Even laughter.

A lot of laughter.

The kind that reminded them why all this was worth fighting through.

And for the first time in a long time…

it felt like they weren’t surviving each other.

They were building.

Duane took another sip of coffee, watching her plate the food.

Stacey was everything.

Not because she completed him.

But because she challenged him to stop abandoning himself.

That mattered.

A lot.

They sat at the table eating.

The TV played low in the background, some preacher yelling about

tithes and breakthrough like he knew everybody’s business.

Duane looked up.

“Why they always sweating?”

Stacey almost choked on her eggs laughing.

“Who?”

“Preachers. Every time I see one, they look like they fighting demons and humidity.”

She laughed harder.

“Stop.”

“I’m serious.”

“That’s passion.”

“That’s cardio.”

Stacey wiped her mouth, still laughing.

And just like that…

the heaviness eased again.

But her mind still had questions.

Not about what he shared.

She understood him better now.

It was the moving forward part.

That’s where her mind stayed.

Stacey put her fork down.

“You still wanna go to church with me tomorrow?”

Duane looked up.

No hesitation.

“Yeah.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

“For real?”

He nodded.

“For real.”

Stacey studied him.

“Not because you think it’s what I wanna hear?”

Duane leaned back.

“Nah.”

He rubbed his beard.

“I’ve been thinking a lot.”

“Dangerous.”

He smirked.

“See? That right there. That’s why I love you. You can’t let me have one

serious moment.”

She smiled.

But waited.

Duane got quiet.

“I think… I spent a lot of years angry at God for stuff He didn’t do.”

That made her still.

“My father dying. My marriage ending. Carrying everybody.”

He looked down.

“I blamed Him for all of it.”

Stacey listened.

“But now…”

He paused.

“I’m starting to think maybe He been trying to get my attention the whole

time.”

Her chest softened.

Not because he was saying all the right things.

Because he meant them.

“And your ex?” she asked carefully.

Duane sighed.

“That part ain’t gon’ be easy.”

Honest.

Good.

“But I know now I can’t keep answering every emergency like it belongs

to me.”

Stacey nodded.

“And your family?”

He laughed softly.

“They definitely not gon’ like this new version.”

“Why?”

“Because boundaries make people uncomfortable when they used to

unlimited access.”

That hit.

Because it was true.

Stacey smiled.

“That sounded real therapy-ish.” Duane pointed at her.

“That’s your fault.”

“My fault?”

“Yeah. All this healing got me talking like I journal.”

She laughed.

“I knew I was changing you.”

Duane smiled.

“Nah.” He reached across the table, grabbing her hand.

“You helping me find me.”