*CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN* When Blake and Manda returned from school that afternoon, they burst through the front door like wind carrying stories. “You won’t believe who came to school today!” Blake shouted before even kicking his shoes off. Tamar looked up from the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel. “What happened?” “There was this conference thing going on,” Manda said quickly, dropping her bag on the couch. “They brought in these speakers. A woman who wrote a book called Stained Things, and this guy who was with her, just… watching her the whole time like she was the sun.” Blake laughed. “He was obsessed with her. I’m telling you, they’re married.” Manda scoffed. “They’re probably siblings, Blake. They look alike! Same nose, same forehead. Just because he was being sweet doesn’t mean—” “I’m telling you, they were holding hands, Manda.” “They were not!” Tamar raised a brow. “Sounds like you both were paying more attention to the guests than the event.” Blake grinned. “Well, can you blame us? They were fascinating. Everyone was listening to the woman, her name's Kathy, I think, but this guy, Caleb, just stood beside her, quiet but smiling at everything she said.” “He looked at her like she was a miracle,” Manda added quietly. Tamar nodded thoughtfully. “Why don’t you talk to them tomorrow? Ask them yourselves.” Both teens paused. “You think we should?” Blake asked. “Why not?” Tamar said with a shrug. “It’s day two of the conference, right? Find out their story. Sometimes you don’t get the answers unless you ask.” The next day, Blake and Manda did exactly that. They approached Kathy and Caleb after the morning session. Kathy was signing a few books when Manda stepped forward, her voice a little shaky but curious. “Hi… um, we heard you speak yesterday.” Kathy looked up with a smile that felt warm and full of light. “Hey there. Did you enjoy it?” “I did. We both did.” Manda gestured toward Blake. “We… we were just wondering. Are you two… siblings or…?” Caleb chuckled before Kathy could answer. “She thinks you’re siblings,” Blake said, arms folded. “But I think you're married.” Kathy raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “And who’s right?” she asked with a teasing smile. Blake shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m just going with the chemistry.” Manda crossed her arms, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “We just couldn’t figure it out.” “Well, we’re kind of both right,” Caleb said, still holding Kathy’s hand. “We’ve been together for a long time. And we're family." They exchanged a glance, as though sharing some unspoken understanding, and Kathy chuckled. “How did you two meet?” Blake asked, his curiosity piqued. “It’s a long story,” Kathy replied, her smile turning more thoughtful. “But Jos made it possible.” “Jos?” Manda asked, a hint of confusion in her voice. “Yes. Short form of Joseph. He's my mother’s twin brother,” Kathy said. “And also my father,” Caleb added, voice calm. Manda blinked. “Wait… so you’re saying—” Kathy and Caleb laughed at their confusion. "Adopted son. Jos adopted me." Manda and Blake stood there for a moment, processing. Then Blake spoke, “So you’re telling us you’re not just married but also, like, family? he asked, scratching the back of his head. Kathy laughed softly. "We're married." "Wait, what!?" Manda screamed. "Thought you were siblings." Kathy and Caleb laughed again, taking in their confused looked. "Safe to see us as either a couple, or siblings." Caleb added. "How long have you known each other?" Blake asked. “Long enough to know we were meant to be,” Kathy answered with a quiet certainty, glancing up at Caleb with a soft smile. “It hasn’t always been easy, but we’ve been through enough to know where we're headed." Manda’s eyes softened as she watched the way Kathy and Caleb looked at each other. It wasn’t just a relationship; it was a shared journey. She could feel the depth of it in the air around them. “That’s… beautiful,” she murmured. Blake nodded. “It’s like something out of a story. I didn’t expect all of this from a writer and her husband.” "What inspired you to write stained things?" Manda asked, changing the direction of things. "What’s the story behind it?” Kathy’s eyes grew soft, her smile faltering just a little as she looked away for a moment. Then, with a sigh, she said, “My life.” Blake frowned. “What do you mean?” Kathy met their gaze again, her eyes clear but heavy with the weight of her words. “My mother was a prostitute,” she said quietly, her voice steady but raw. “And for a long time, I was no better. I ran from things, even myself. I tried to escape the parts of me that I hated.” Manda’s heart clenched as she heard those words. She had seen the way Kathy spoke, like someone who had known darkness but still believed in the light. It made sense now, the vulnerability in her voice. “But,” Kathy continued, “thanks to Jos, and Caleb, I realized something important. God doesn’t turn away from us because of our stains, He doesn’t ask for perfection, He just asks that we open up, and let Him in.” Blake, sensing the depth of Kathy’s story, leaned in slightly. “So, your book… it’s like your story?” Kathy nodded, her gaze shifting to Caleb. “Yes. Every chapter of Stained Things is a piece of me I once tried to bury. But when I let God into those broken places, I saw something beautiful. I saw that His light could heal wounds I thought would never close.” “That’s incredible,” Manda whispered. “But… do you think that’s possible for everyone?” Caleb answered, his voice calm but firm. “Absolutely. God doesn’t wait for us to clean up before He loves us. It’s the opposite. He loves us in the mess, in the stains, and makes us whole. We don’t have to be perfect. We just have to be willing.” Blake and Manda were silent for a moment, letting those words settle in their hearts. Blake then glanced over at Kathy and Caleb, his earlier skepticism replaced by something else. Something quieter. “That's amazing." Manda said. Kathy laughed, but it was a gentle sound, filled with grace. “You two are so sweet. But don’t take our word for it. Read the book yourself and see if you can find yourself in it.” Manda looked at Blake, her eyes still wide from the conversation. “We will,” she promised. As they turned to leave, Kathy stopped them with a smile. “You’ve got a lot of light in you, you know that?” Blake chuckled. “We’re just trying to figure it out.” Caleb’s voice followed them as they walked away. “Take your time. The journey’s definitely worth it.” _ Tamar listened to their retelling that evening with a quiet awe. Manda and Blake had so many questions, and their voices were full of wonder as they spoke about Kathy and Caleb, about the things they had learned. It felt like a new chapter for all of them, a new way of seeing the world. When Manda asked if they could get a copy of Stained Things, Tamar didn’t hesitate. “Absolutely,” she said, already reaching for her bag. Because stories like that, raw, real, redeemed, were exactly the kind of light they all needed to keep walking forward. ...