Halfway to forever by Karen Kingsbury

Jesus?"'
232
Tanner lifted his head and stared
happened to eyes
Brandy has ,pain and fear. "Don't say that! What nothing to do with you."
She sniffed and grabbed two more quick breaths. She didn't
want to attract attention so she kept her tone low. "You... You say
that, but actually it does." She tossed her hands in the air. "We get
a good report so we think, grburn on you like ethatr~ She this thing. But the truth is cancer can
snapped her fingers. "One week you can be heading toward your senior year in high school, hoping to
break a state record in track and field, and the next week you're gone."
Tanner studied her, his eyes helpless and desperate. "Just because Brandy lost her bain closer to her.
you'll lose
your Jade." can't think that way." He leaned
"I know." She released another series of quiet sobs. "I'm sorry. I'll get a grip." She looked at her
watch..'We need to go."
The rest of the day was filled with nothing but positive reports. The baby was perfect, healthy and
examined for te results scheduled C-section next week. Dr.
the MRI and confirmed the technician's assessment. The tumor had stopped growing and perhaps
obstetrician once more They left with plans for Jade to see
that week. If everything looked fine, he would do a C-section on Jade Monday, October 7.
It was an evening when Jade should have been walking on air, convinced that God was working
r sbnt hhe evening at Tyds that of her baby. Instead, she and Tannep
football game, huddled together despite the fact that temperatures were still in the high eighties.
There were no words. When it came to feeling optimistic about cancer, Brandy's death had said it all.
236 wend-LIhree
he sound of screeching tires out in front of Los Robles
Medical Center snapped Hannah to attention and
brought her to her feet. She searched for the admitting
clerk. "Tina! Quick!"
The tall, graying woman hurried around the corner, back to
her spot behind the counter. "Patient?"
"Yes." Hannah pointed outside. "Look."
It had been a slow morning, the type that made Hannah wonder
if they really needed her volunteer services. Lately she'd been
thinking about helping at the children's hospital instead, in the
ward where jade used to work.
Either way, at least she was back in a regular schedule.
Reading the note from Tom's Bible and talking to Matt that
evening had helped her hear God's voice in her life once more.
Despite the pain of losing Grace, Hannah could feel His merciful
hand of healing upon her broken heart. They would survive, even
if no other children came their way
Hannah was convinced of that much.
Now she and Tina stared out the double glass doors as a beatup
Lincoln lurched to a stop in front of the emergency room
entrance. The driver's door inched open, and a rail-thin woman