* New to Little River or behind in reading? Find all the previous chapters here. Titus pulled the paintbrush back and forth across the surface of his front door with long, broad strokes. He shifted his weight to alleviate the pain in his right knee, which was pressed against the porch. He knelt to better paint the bottom…

* New to Little River or behind in reading? Find all the previous chapters here. “Caleb?” At the sound of Megan’s voice calling to him, Caleb swiped an arm across his eyes before turning to scan the trees for his friend. When she called his name again, he finally spotted her, picking a careful path down the wooded…

* New to Little River or behind in reading? Find all the previous chapters here. Jonathan hurried down the front porch steps, and walked down to the crumbling sidewalk. He had told Abby he was going for a walk, but he felt like running. He wanted to run until his lungs burst—until he couldn’t run anymore. He wanted…

* New to Little River or behind in reading? Find all the previous chapters here. “Well, look who’s here!”  Josiah Jackson called out from his seat on his father’s porch swing. Abigail pressed her sweaty palms against her blue jeans, and called back, “Where is everybody?” Josiah spit a stream of dark liquid into an empty Mountain Dew…

* New to Little River or behind in reading? Find all the previous chapters here.   “Jonathan?” Titus was surprised to find his brother standing on his doorstep. “Hey.” Jonathan had both hands plunged into the pockets of his khaki shorts. He hadn’t shaved in days. Titus stepped back to let his brother come into the house, and…

* New to Little River or behind in reading? Find all the previous chapters here. “I didn’t think you were coming.” Megan narrowed her eyes at Caleb as he approached her. She was sitting on the steps of her Papaw’s front porch. “I thought you were standing me up for the second time in a row.” Caleb could…

* New to Little River or behind in reading? Find all the previous chapters here. The sounds of squealing and feet pounding back and forth across the deck assaulted Jonathan’s ears as he sat at the desk in his bedroom. His head was pounding, and he couldn’t seem to concentrate on the sermon he was working on. He…

* New to Little River or behind in reading? Find all the previous chapters here. ~ Nine-year-old Olivia Schillings was breathless with the anticipation of sharing news. “Mama?” “Yes?” Abigail answered her daughter without looking away from the pan of brownies she was pulling from the oven. “Emma’s crying.” “Why?” Abigail turned to look at…

Titus sat quietly across the small table from Jamie in his downtown apartment. “Titus?” Jamie gently prodded. “What’s wrong?” Titus clasped his hands together on the table top. “I’m just waiting.” “For what?” “You called me at work and asked me to come over to talk.” Titus looked sadly at his boyfriend of eight years….