Halfway to forever by Karen Kingsbury

Linda brought her hands together and lowered her voice. "We're praying for you Jade. All of us."
Jade reached for Linda's hand and squeezed it. "Thanks." Linda was a new believer, one of the many
people jade knew who became a Christian after terrorists attacked the United States a year earlier. Across
the country, in the aftermath of that tragedy, there were barely enough seats in churches for all the people
looking for answers, looking for peace and hope and stability in a world gone mad.
And many of them had found the answers they needed in the One who so clearly was watching over jade
and her baby. Without saying a word, jade raised her hand and, from where he stood behind her
wheelchair, Tanner took hold of it.
It was time to find Brandy.
Jade gazed down the familiar blue-carpeted hallway, which
231 led to a dozen hospital rooms... places where jade had administered medicine and held the hands of
crying children and parents. Places where children had been healed.
Places where they had died.
She looked back at Linda. "I came to see Brandy" She smiled,
anxious for the visit. "Tell me she's gone home."
Linda's smile faded. "Oh, Jade..." Tears welled in her eyes and
her chin quivered. For a moment the woman couldn't seem to
speak. "You didn't hear."
"Hear what?" Alarms sounded in the sanctuary of jade's soul.
What had happened? Was she sicker? Had she slipped out of
remission? Whatever it was, there was still hope. Jade and Tanner
would spend the hour at her side, cheering her up and praying
with her. But even as those thoughts flitted through her mind, the
next question stuck in jades throat.
"Last time I was here she looked great." Jade's voice sounded
hollow. From behind her, Tanner tightened his hold on her hand.
"She was...she was in remission. I kind of hoped she might be
back at school by now"
Linda shook her head. "I'm sorry, jade. I know she was special
to you." The woman moved closer to the wheelchair and
placed her hand on jade's shoulder, the way nurses do when
they're about to deliver bad news.
Jade's head began to spin, and she had the urge to leap from
the wheelchair and run out of the building. What had Linda said?
Had she used the dreaded past tense? I'm sorry, jade ...I know she
was special to you...
No! Jade wanted to scream. Not Brandy. Not when she was doing
so well. This was her year; the year she was going to run again and win
the track meet. Please, God, no.
Tanner must have known how she was feeling, that she could
hardly breathe, let alone speak. He cleared his throat and voiced
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H A L F W A Y T O F 0 R E V E R
the very thing jade wanted to ask. "Is she sick again?"
Two tears spilled onto Linda's cheeks and she brought her hand to her mouth. "A week after your visit,
Brandy got pneumonia." Linda looked from Tanner to jade. "She was very sick. A week later... the
leukemia came back full force." The woman paused. "She never recovered, jade. We lost her three weeks