Halfway to forever by Karen Kingsbury

Tanner froze.
Had it been his imagination or had jade moved her foot? He
leaned forward and stayed utterly still, silent. Then he remembered
Dr. Layton's advice:
It's especially important that you talk to her as she's waking up.
Help her find her place again. But don't overwhelm her. Take it slow.
Tanner gulped hard and searched for the right words. `Jade,
baby?" He waited. "Can you hear me?"
There it was again. Only this time, she moved the fingers on
her right hand, too. She was coming out of it! Please, God, let her
come back all the way... please...
Jade's head moved back and forth, and she moaned like a toddler
waking from a long nap.
Tanner was on his feet, his eyes burning with unshed tears.
`Jade, baby, it's me, Tanner. You're okay, honey. The surgery was a
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success." His eyes scanned her body and there was no question
about it. She was moving the toes on both feet! Suddenly her hand wriggled against his, then gripped it
with the faintest movement. "Jade, wake up, honey. I'm here with you. Me, Tanner. Can you hear me,
honey?"
Her eyelids began to flutter, and in seconds she opened them, squinting from the light. At first she looked
around the room and Tanner held his breath.
Please, God... let her know me.
A heartbeat later, she turned her eyes on him... and the corners of her mouth lifted a fraction of an inch.
Her voice was slow and croaky. "Hey..."
Tanner's heart jumped. She knew him! Jade knew who he was! He grabbed a quick breath and tried to
keep from shouting out loud. Calm. Stay calm. "Hi."
This time there was no question, she was trying to smile. "Is your ...o'er-fraught heart still in one piece?"
Tanner tried not to react, but a flash of concern set him back in his chair. "What?"
"Can I..." She sounded like she'd been sleeping with cotton in her mouth. "Can I have water?"
Water! Tanner grabbed the plastic pitcher at her bedside and poured a cup. "Here." She lifted a shaky
hand and took the cup. There were a million things he wanted to ask her, tell her, but Dr. Layton wanted
her to lead the conversation once she was awake.
Tanner tried to help her out. "What ...what were you asking about?"
Jade's face filled with exhaustion as she raised her head several inches and took a sip. Her head fell back
against the pillow, but when she looked at him, Tanner saw her eyes sparkling. "I'm guessing that your ...
o'er-fraught heart ... is still in one piece."
327 "Because?"
"Because..." She grinned this time, and he could see a familiar teasing in her eyes. His heart soared as she
continued. "I heard everything you said for the past two hours and... you, my dear
attorney husband... have definitely given your sorrow words." "Yes!" He shouted the word again and flew
to his feet. She was back!
Only Jade, his Jade, would have used humor in a moment like
this. Now there was nothing anyone could do to keep him quiet.
"Thank You, God!" He raised his hands to heaven, staring through
the ceiling at a God who was not only his Savior and Lord, but his
deliverer. Because only a deliverer could have walked them