Page 4 of The Way the Heart Breaks: Jade’s Story

Jason kicks his foot against mine again from his spot across the table playfully. “You’re pis⁠—”

Mom cuts him off. “Jason Ross, language.”

“My bad,” he says, but continues. “You're mad about the woods.”

I feel my face getting hot. “Alex wouldn’t have told Tessa to go back to the house if she couldn’t keep up, and I was keeping up way better than I usually do.”

“Jade.” Jasper shakes his head. “We weren’t being jerks; you needed to get that cleaned up.”

“You knew she was hurt and let your sister walk all the way back herself?” Mom asks.

Dad takes her hand to calm her down. “Next time that happens, one of you should be walking back with her to make sure she’s okay.”

“Pfft, I’m not a baby. I can clearly handle it myself.”

“You did great, Jade,” Mom states, then looks at the boys, all three of them, as I’m pretty sure she considers Ryan one of hers, too. “But that’s not the point. You boys will do better next time.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Jasper, Jason, and even Ryan whisper as they look down.

Dad lets them grovel for a minute before loudly clapping his hands together. “Alright, now that’s settled, tell me all about practice. You may be moving up, with paid coaches and not just your old men coaching you; that doesn’t mean we don’t want to know everything that’s going on. Give it to me play by play.”

2

BEFORE / SATURDAYS

Jade

Lifting my T-shirt, I wipe the sweat from my face and look around the living room to make sure I’ve dusted, swept, and mopped just like Mom likes it, so that she’ll let me keep doing extra chores so I can make extra money and save it for when it’s time for me to buy a car or truck. I do a second inspection, and yes, it’s sparkling.

“Done in here,” I yell to Mom over the radio as she cleans the kitchen.

“You beat me,” she calls back with exaggerated annoyance.

Pride swells in my chest as I grab the cleaning bucket and head to the kitchen.

She points to the table, “Write down your pick before you call Tessa and ask what hers is.”

“Mom,” I whine. “We just have the same taste in music as Aunt Maggie and Aunt Josie.”

I sit down and grab the Ross Construction pen. “Mine’s different this week, brand new to the charts.” It really wasn’t, but now it is.

“Oh yeah?” Mom asks, ringing out the mop.

“It’s not 1-2-3 anymore.”

Mom's eyes widen in surprise. “What’s the new one?”

“Fast Cars.” I shrug.

“Arguably worse,” she laughs.

“What can I say? Your girl loves a power ballad.” I write it down. “Should I put you down for⁠—”

“Hers never changes,” Jason says, walking into the kitchen, filthy.

Mom quickly holds the mop up to stop him. “Do not come in here and dirty our floors with your muddy shoes.”

He holds his hands up as if she’s the police, and he slowly steps back to the door Jasper’s holding open, his shoes removed, of course. “My bad.” He looks at me. “Put Jasper and me down for Pour Some Sugar on Me.”