Halfway to forever by Karen Kingsbury

that every r brought her last meat ledfore the A nurse came then ght jade
surgery. Now it was six o'clock, and before they could talk about what the morning might bring, there was
a knock on the door. Tanner looked up. "Come in."
The door opened and the Bronzans filed through. First Matt, then Hannah.
"Hey, guys!" Jade smiled at them and pushed a button on the remote control, raising the back of her bed
several degrees. "Where's Jenny?"
Matt gave her a partial grin that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Downstairs with Kody"
Jade nodded. She had seen their baby once earlier that week and marveled at the grace of God, the
perfection of his timing and design in bringing them this child. Especially while the pain of
losing Grace was still so real.
Matt and Hannah crossed the room toward her bed. Hannah carried a large envelope and already jade
could see tears in her eyes.
"How are you?" Hannah took hold of jade's hand, her face
intent. Jade's throat was suddenly thick with emotion and she could
only nod.
Tanner stood, and he and Matt hugged. They'd talked at
315 length the day before so Matt could fill Tanner in about the trial and the judgment and how all of it
had been more than they could ask or imagine.
There were no words between them now, though.
Everyone in the room knew why they were there. They'd come to say goodbye.
Hannah moved close to jade's side and held up the envelope.
"We have something we'd like to hang over your bed."
Jade smiled and adjusted her baseball cap. "Not a Lakers poster, right? Ty already tried that. The head
nurse is from Portland. A Blazers fan." She glanced at Matt. "It's all she can do to let me wear the hat."
"No..." The tears in Hannah's eyes spilled onto her cheeks.
She managed a sad smile as she took Jade's hand. "It's not a Lakers
poster."
Hannah pulled out a small stack of notebook paper. "It's a prayer
chain, Jade." Hannah's smile faded and she leaned closer. "Pastor
Steve agreed to ask the congregation for forty-eight volunteers."
Hannah passed the stack to Jade. "But 240 people signed up."
Tanner positioned himself on the other side of the bed and stared at the pieces of paper. "Are you
serious?"
Jade stared, speechless, at the names listed before her. Hannah Bronzan, midnight; Amy Hannan, 12:30;
Adam Sonney, 1:00 A.M.; Ben Bailey, 1:30...
The list of names flowed the length of the sheet and continued
to the next page and the next. Ten pages of names. People
whose children she had taught in Sunday School or women she'd
sat next to in church. Girls in the high school youth group and
boys barely old enough to drive.
Names jumped at her from the page: Brandon Daves, 5:00 PM.;
Ann Hudson, 5:30; Sylvia Wallgren, 6:00 PM.; Landon Heidenreich,
6:30...
310
It was overwhelming.
Her hand began to shake and she let the stack fall to her lap. Her hands fluttered to her throat and she
worked to find her voice. "I...I don't know what to say."