Halfway to forever by Karen Kingsbury

Jade swallowed back several small sobs. "Since... since the day
we found out."
His body responded to her words, tensing and flexing
beneath her. When he spoke, his voice was choked with sorrow
"All this time I thought I was the only one who was afraid." He
tightened his hold on her. "I didn't know, jade. I'm so sorry, baby
So sorry. You said you were okay"
"I wanted to be." Her forehead fell against his shoulder. "I
thought if I got scared everything would spin out of control."
"No, honey, that wouldn't happen. It's okay to be scared."
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suddenly Jade's fear of dying that night faded like a winter sunset. ;fanner stroked her hair and continued.
"It kills me to see you like
...hurting, unable to walk." He paused and touched his lips to "this
hers. "And when you pretended it didn't matter..."
She lifted her shoulders. "I knew you were scared, Tanner. I
thought if I told you the truth you'd ...you'd be gone more." She clutched his shirt and drank in his sweet
breath near her face. "I love you, Tanner. I need you more than ever."
He placed his hands on either side of her face and positioned her so he could see straight into her soul.
"What do you need from me, jade? Whatever it is, I'll do it."
She didn't take even a moment's consideration. Blinking back an onset of fresh tears, she kissed him as she
hadn't in weeks. When she pulled away, she studied his face, praying that this would be a turning point,
because the battle she was fighting could not be won without him. She knew that now "Are you serious?"
Tanner's eyes glistened and he nodded. "As serious as I've ever been. What do you need from me?"
"Okay." She drew a steadying breath. "I'll tell you."
And for the next hour, with Tanner hanging on her every word, jade did exactly that.
197 O F 0 R E V E R
III
E l~~tG~h
ach time the dream was the same, and that September
night was no different.
Jenny stood in front of her house, her mom and Matt on either side, and together they waved to Grace. The
car Grace and her grandmother left in was maroon, and jenny watched it back out of the driveway, stop
and shift gears, then take off down the street.
The whole time, Grace's face was up against the window, tears
running down her cheeks, her hand pressed against the glass as
she said her final goodbyes.
Two seconds passed, three, four...
Then the car glided into an intersection, and suddenly from
out of nowhere a giant white pickup came from the side and there
was a horrendous crash. Jenny's senses filled with the assault of
grinding metal, shattering glass, screeching tires, and flying debris.
"No! Not Grace. Not her, too."
She raced as fast as she could toward the accident scene. But
when she came upon the spot where the collision occurred, there
was nothing but pieces of the car. Small, maroon pieces. Tires and
car doors and engine parts. The giant white truck had continued