Halfway to forever by Karen Kingsbury

There were tears on all their faces now as Hannah took the list and pulled a roll of tape from the
envelope. With Matt's help, they taped each sheet above jade's bed, and finally they placed a small banner
over the list of names that read simply: "The jade Chain."
Jade craned around to see the list as two quiet sobs shook her body. All this time she'd wondered if her
church family really liked her or not. The comments about her being an adulterer had only come from two
older women, but still, jade had wondered.
Until now.
When she needed them most, they had stepped up and agreed to pray for her every hour of the day until
she was no longer in danger. Jade buried her face in her hands. They loved her... They loved her after all.
She steadied herself and let her hands fall to her lap while Matt and Hannah finished with the wall. "I
can't believe it..." jade looked at Hannah. "Thank you so much, Hannah. I've never. . .never had a friend
like you."
Hannah leaned over and hugged jade, and the two stayed that way for a long while, holding on to the
moment, weeping from someplace deep inside them at the thought of what would come next.
When Hannah straightened again, Matt put his arm around her and patted jade's knee. "We wanted to pray
with you and let you know we'll be here all day tomorrow, helping with Ty and checking on Madison so
you and Tanner can be alone."
Jade's heart hurt, swollen with equal parts grief and joy How blessed she was to count the Bronzans as
family; to know that if anything happened to her, Tanner and Ty and Madison would
316 always have friends who understood. Friends who had been there since the beginning and would be
there to the end.
Whenever that might be.
Jade tightened her grip on Hannah's hand and searched her
eyes. Matt cleared his throat, and Jade shifted her gaze to him.
"We love you, Jade. We'll always love you." Matt's voice broke.
"We're here for you and Tanner and the kids whenever you need
us. Whatever you need."
Matt reached out and took hold of Tanner's hand so the circle
was complete. "Can we pray for you?"
"Yes." Jade choked back a sob. "Please."
Jade watched the others close their eyes and bow their heads,
and she did the same. Matt spoke in a shaky voice. "Lord, the time
has come to place our friend, Jade, in Your arms. We trust You,
God, that whatever happens tomorrow will be perfectly part of
Your will, Your plan. But we beg You..."
When he halted, Jade knew he was crying.
"We beg You to heal her. Guide the surgeons' hands and give
them Your eyes, Lord. To take out every bit of the cancer. Please
let the time pass quickly and...and bring Jade back to us very
soon. In Jesus' name, amen."
If the good-bye with the Bronzans wasn't painful enough, an
hour later their neighbor brought Ty up and turned him over to
Tanner. The surgical procedures would start too early in the
morning for Ty or anyone else to see Jade. Only Tanner was
allowed in her room until she was taken into surgery, and that
would happen sometime around six the next morning.
Beside her on the bed was the journal Jade had written for Ty. Tanner had wrapped it a week earlier. Jade