Halfway to forever by Karen Kingsbury

still, his chin resting on Grace's head. Grace realized the finality of
the moment and she, too, started to cry "Come with me, Mommy,
please..." Grace looked up and pressed her cheek against
Hannah's. "I don't want to live in Oklahoma."
"But you love your grandma, Grace." Hannah squeezed her
eyes shut, wanting more than anything to tell the child she could
stay "This is the best plan for you now. Everyone thinks so."
"But I love you. You're... you're..." Hannah opened her eyes. Grace's sobs were becoming too great for her
to speak. She struggled for a long moment while Hannah and Matt stroked her back. "You're my... family "'
Jenny moved off the sofa and fell to her knees in front of
Grace. "We'll always be your family, honey Always. Anytime you
think of us, we'll be right there."
Mrs. Parsons had advised that in situations where foster-adopt
placements were disrupted, it was best not to maintain contact
between the child and the foster parents. "Too much pain for
everyone involved," the social worker explained. "Complete severance
will give Grace the best chance for a healthy adjustment."
Now Hannah wanted nothing more than to add to what Jenny was saying, to promise letters and pictures
and phone calls. But she held her tongue, knowing that somehow Mrs. Parsons was right.
Matt cleared his throat and tightened his grip on Grace's slim
shoulders. "In my heart, Grace, you'll always be my little girl."
Hannah glanced at him through her tears and saw that he was
silently weeping, crying as she'd never seen him cry before. He swallowed hard. "Will you remember
that?"
Grace clung to Matt and nodded her head against his chest. `Yes, Daddy I'll remember for always."
Matt pulled a delicate golden locket from his pocket and
Hannah blinked so she could see. She had wondered when Matt was going to give Grace the present they
picked out for her. "Here." Matt opened the clasp and fitted it gently around Grace's neck. He opened the
locket and exposed a small picture of the four of them-Matt, Hannah, Jenny, and Grace. Matt cleared his
throat. "This is for you. So you don't forget."
Grace's eyes grew wide and she stared at the picture. "Oh, thank you Daddy. I never had a necklace of my
very own." She looked at Hannah and Jenny "I'll wear it every day forever and ever."
Their thirty minutes passed in a blur, and the women returned. Mrs. Parsons cast a sad, questioning look at
Hannah. "Ready?"
Ready? Hannah almost laughed out loud. How would they ever be ready to tell Grace good-bye? To
watch her walk out of their home and their hearts forever? Hannah shook her head and shrugged. "I
guess."
Mrs. Parsons explained that she would carry Grace's bags to
the car and then they'd need to leave. Grace and her grandmother had a flight to catch. Once she was gone
with the suitcases, the rest of them followed and stood near the car. Matt swept Grace onto his hip and
wiggled his nose against hers. "Don't forget us, okay?"
Grace tilted her face so her eyebrows met up with Matt's. "Okay."
170 h
ilrl,'
K A R E N K I N G S B U R Y
Matt handed her to Hannah then, and though she tried to be strong, a sob sounded from her throat. "Oh,
Gracie, I love you, honey I love you."