Halfway to forever by Karen Kingsbury

"Mom, are you listening?"
At the frustration in Ty's voice, jade was pierced with guilt. "You were telling me who quit the team,
right?"
Ty huffed and fell back against his chair. "I finished that story. Now I'm telling you why Miss McMacken
doesn't like my math work."
jade shook off thoughts of everything but her son. "I'm sorry. Tell me again."
"Okay" He smiled his forgiveness. "But listen this time."
He was just about to move on to another topic when Helen poked her head out the doorway and held up
the cordless phone. "Mr. Eastman, for you."
A current of electricity ran through her heart, the same as it
180 always did whenever she heard Tanner's name. Even now there were times when her life felt like a
dream, when she feared she might wake and find Tanner was nothing more than the stranger he'd been for
ten years after Ty was conceived.
She reached for the phone. "Thank you, Helen."
"Tell him I got an A on my history quiz." Ty helped himself to another handful of crackers. "But don't talk
long. My game's in an hour."
Jade nodded and held the receiver to her ear. "Hello?"
"Hey..." Tanner sounded close enough to be next to her.
"How're you feeling?"
"Fine." Disappointment blew through the hallways of her
heart. If only he'd start the conversation some other way. Jade, I
love you... or jade, I miss you. The dizziness was back, and she
closed her eyes. "How'bout you?"
He sighed. "Busy"
Jade could almost see him, elbow planted on his desk while
he sorted through a file. "Looks like it'll be another late one."
Her eyes welled up, and for a moment her throat was too
thick to speak.
"Are you there?"
"Yes." She coughed. "Ty wants me to tell you he aced his history
quiz. And he has a game in an hour."
"Good." Tanner's answer was quick. "Tell him I'm proud of
him and I wish I could be there. Maybe next time."
Jade wanted to scream. What was so important that he couldn't come home at a decent hour? And why
weren't Ty's games a priority any more? Tanner ran the office; he could take the time if he wanted to. But
she had neither the energy nor the desire to fight with Tanner now
Instead she brushed the sleeve of her sweatshirt beneath both
eyes so Ty wouldn't see her tears. "Fine."
178
F O R E V E R H A L F W A Y T O
"Fine?" Tanner sounded irritated. "What's that supposed to
mean?"
"Never mind."
"The isn't fair. Don't tell me you're mad again. Look, Jade, the a
cases I'm working are demanding, okay? Maybe it isn't good timing, but what can I do? The office needs
me."
She shifted her gaze to the passing clouds, her voice quiet, sad. "We need you, too."