Page 72 of The Way the Heart Breaks: Jade’s Story

The phone finally rings when Home Improvement ends.

When I answer, the voice on the other end is not Tessa, it’s Aunt Maggie. “Hi Jade.”

“Um, hi?”

She signs softly, “I wanted to call and give you my number, because no matter what is going on between your uncle and me, I want you to know that I love you and am here for you always.”

“I love you too,” I say, nose stinging.

She clears her throat. “Got a pen?”

I open the drawer and grab one. “I do now.”

After she gives me her number, I ask, “Are you, um, okay?”

“I am. It will be an adjustment for all of us, but we’ve been though much harder times.”

“Well,” I say, not knowing what else I can say, I pause and then tell her, “And if you need anything, I’m here too.”

“I’ll see you at the game.”

“See you then.”

I hang up the phone, and Dad turns and looks at me. “Tessa?”

I shake my head. “Um, no. It was Aunt Maggie.” I hold up the paper. “She wanted me to have her new number.”

He blinks a few times and then nods once. “Makes sense.”

By the time Alex's truck turns into our driveway, I'm already standing on the porch. Which is saying something.

Normally, I make them wait while I run back inside because I forgot my backpack, or my lunch, or my homework, or my entire sense of responsibility.

Today is different. I want them to know I’m here, but I hope they don’t think I’m going to attempt to drag anything out of them they’re willing to share. I hated feeling like that, and neither one of them ever made me feel that way.

The second the truck stops, I grab my bag and hurry down the steps.

As soon as I open the door, Alex smirks, “Who are you, and what'd you do with Jade?”

I roll my eyes as I climb in beside Tessa. “Very funny.”

“Sorry, I didn’t call.” She turns to me. “Kendall, Jake, and I ended up crashing on the back deck.”

“The back deck?” I ask.

Alex states, “Camping.”

“Like actually?” I ask

“There were sleeping bags.” Tessa nods.

“There was a house literally attached to the deck,” Alex mumbles as he pulls onto the road.

“There were stars.” Tessa shrugs.

“But on the deck?” I can't help but laugh.

The knot that's been sitting in my stomach since finding out about Uncle John and Aunt Maggie last night tenses a little bit more.