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Grace In The Shadows Excerpt - Chapter 45

   

“Father wounds strangle us,” Mo said quietly. “They leave the soul gasping for air. Addiction often follows.”

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Dalton felt a chill crawl across his scalp. He hadn’t said a word about his dad, yet Mo had somehow pierced straight through him. The memories already ambushed him enough—during worship songs, at his mother’s grave—any quiet moment was a trap. Only Oxy eve muted the pain.

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Mo was right. No matter how hard Dalton fought, he couldn’t shake the drugs. He let the words come, low and raw. “I couldn’t stop. I kept needing more. And then more. And more.”

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Mo scratched at the stubble along his chin. “Opiates numb a deeper pain. You’re starving inside, but nothing physical can fill that hunger.”

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Dalton studied him. Mo’s calm had the weight of something deeper than knowledge. It was wisdom—more than even his mother ever carried.

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“I saw you praying earlier,” Dalton said. “You a Christian?”

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Mo smiled, nodded. “I am. What about you?”

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Dalton turned his gaze toward the iron bars just a few feet away. “Wouldn’t matter if I was. God’s done with me. I really messed up.”

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Mo’s eyes softened. “That’s exactly who He’s drawn to—the broken. The bruised reeds. The smoldering wicks.”

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“Bruised reeds?”

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“It’s a verse. You should read it.”

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“Old Testament?”

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Mo nodded. “Isaiah. It’s a gold nugget—easy to miss unless you’re looking.”

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“I’ve heard it. Just never really thought much about it.”

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“Not surprised,” Mo said gently. Then, after a pause, “Can I be straight with you, brother?”

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Dalton tensed, jaw locking. “Go ahead.” He braced for judgment—he’d heard it all before.

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“You’ve spent your whole life trying to earn a smile from God, haven’t you?”

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A smile from God? No. Being tolerated, maybe. Surviving on crumbs beneath the table—definitely. But a smile? An affectionate beam? He couldn’t picture it. Not for him.

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