Halfway to forever by Karen Kingsbury

When visiting hours were over, the Bronzans offered to take
Ty home with them. Jade would be released from the hospital in
the morning, sent home with specific instructions and a month's
supply of anti-seizure medication. Hannah would take Ty to baseball
practice and bring him home after that.
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H A L F W A Y T O F 0 R E V E R
"Thanks," Jade reached out and held Hannah's hand. Tanner,
Matt, and Ty were near the door, not listening to their conversation. "You're the best friend I have, Hannah."
"You, too." Tears filled Hannah's eyes and this time she didn't try to hide them. "I teamed something after Tom and Alicia were killed."
Jade nodded, her own tears blurring her vision.
Hannah struggled to speak. "I learned that even in the darkest nights, morning eventually comes." She smiled, her lips trembling. "It's God's
promise. Fight this, Jade. Fight it with everything you have."
"I will." She blinked back the tears. "If I ever look like I'm giving up, tell me again, okay?"
Hannah nodded, and soon Ty and the Bronzans were gone for the night.
Tanner turned off the light in the room and pulled his chair
near her bed again. He planned to sleep at her side as he'd done
the night before. "Maybe..." His voice was a quiet whisper. "Maybe you won't have any side effects."
His statement confirmed what she already knew. The thing that weighed most heavily on both their minds here and now, at the starting line of
their race against death, was the medication. What if she suffered from it the same way some of her young patients suffered? Would there be
a time when she might look into Tanner's loving eyes and not know him? Feel the precious touch of his hand on her skin and be startled, even
frightened?
He tried again. "Maybe you'll be the exception."
She consciously raised the comers of her mouth. "Maybe." The nurse brought in a tray bearing a glass of ice, a pitcher of water, and a straw
There was also a small saucer with two orange capsules. Jade didn't have to ask what they were. She'd given them to her patients too many
times for that.
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K A R E N K I N G S B U R Y
Tanner looked from jade to the tray and back again as the nurse poured her a glass of water. There was a heaviness in Tanner's eyes that
broke Jade's heart. "Is it...?"
She nodded. "Yes." There was no sense in dragging out the
moment. She placed the pills on her tongue and took a long swig
of water.
And with that, jade's uncertain journey into darkness began.
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N early six weeks had passed since Grace came to live with them, and Hannah was so giddy about life she felt guilty.
What right did the four of them have to be happy when jade and Tanner were living through the most difficult time in their
lives? Of course it wasn't a question that could be answered. Hard times came to everyone who lived long enough, and as Matt had been there
for her during her darkest days, so the two of them would be there for jade and Tanner.
Still, Hannah found herself consumed with warring emotions. Half the time she was elated by the leaps and bounds Grace made each day, but
there were moments, hours, when she was drawn to the sad, quiet pondering of jade's future.
It was the morning of July 3, and jenny was upstairs helping Grace get dressed. The three of them were going shopping for the big party the
following day, the one she and Matt had thrown each Fourth of July since they were married two years ago.
Hannah worked in the kitchen, taking care of the morning dishes and savoring the sound of Grace's laughter upstairs. Had it been nearly two
months since that day when Mrs. Parsons brought her home to live with them? The,victories they'd notched since then were unbelievable,
making up the sweetest bouquet of memories.
The four of them had learned to trust each other. They had shared tenderness and tears, sunshine and silly laughter. Many nights when Grace
was tucked in bed, Hannah and Matt marveled at how far she had come.
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How very far.
A breeze filtered in through the kitchen window, and Hannah
paused, staring at the endless blue beyond the sandy beach. There
had been times during those first two weeks when Hannah wondered
if Grace would survive the transition.
Times when she wondered if any of them would survive it.
The child would wake in the middle of the night, grabbing at
her wrist, of all things. Then she'd scream in a way that would