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“Don’t be ridiculous. You all have been doing more than enough. I didn’t expect you all to give up your lives because I had to put mine on pause.”
“I know, but to see it all like this… you’ve been through so much.”
I take her hand in mine and give her a firm squeeze. “And I survived.”
My gaze goes to the photo that’s just behind her shoulder. It’s a black and white photo of me sitting on a bathroom floor in just a plain tee and panties, leaning against the bathtub, crying. I knew exactly the day I took it. It was my second cycle of chemo, just after my second round. I felt like shit. I was so weak I could barely get to the bathroom. It was the day I wanted to give up. You can see it in my eyes. The defeat and the demons ready to pounce.
But I didn’t give up.
“I survived,” I repeat, feeling the tears prickle my eyes.
It felt good to say it out loud.
To look at the photos,my photos, plastered all over these walls, see the hell I’ve been through and say I’ve made it to the other side.
Broken and bruised, but alive.
“You did. And you turned your pain into something beautiful.”
“Stop it,” I protest, sniffling. “You guys are really going to make me cry!”
The girls huddle around me, pulling me into a group hug.
“Jade?” I look up to find the gallery owner waiting for me with a woman by her side. “Do you have a minute?”
“Yeah, sure, just a second.” I turn back to the girls. “Before I forget.” I open my bag and pull out an envelope. “I really hope you packed your bags like I told you because we’re staying the night here.” Taking Penny’s hand in mine, I place the envelope into her hand. “Happy birthday, Penelope.”
“What?” Her fingers tighten around the envelope. “But my birthday isn’t for another month!”
“Exactly! When you’re back in Bluebonnet. So, this is an early present from me. Open it.”
It takes her a minute to find the seal and open the envelope. She pulls out the paper, her eyes widening when she finds it’s written in braille. It took me some sweet time to get it, but these past few months, I didn’t have anything but time. And the hassle was totally worth it for the look on her face.
“You did not!” Her mouth falls open as she goes back to reread it.
“What?” Grace asks, looking from Penny to me and back.
“Tell us already. The suspense is killing me,” Rei agrees.
“She got me tickets. For Sebastian Black’s concert tomorrow. How did you get those? They were sold out in like two minutes tops.”
“Technically, I gotustickets to his concert. And let me tell you, it wasn’t easy at all.”
Penny returns the ticket back into the envelope. “I can’t. It’s too much.”
“Oh, shush. It was the only fun I had when I was lying in bed. I know how much you love that guy.”
“I love his music,” Penny says, the color creeping up her cheeks.
“Are you blushing?” Grace teases.
“Am not,” Penny protests. It would be more convincing if her cheeks didn’t turn even redder.
“I’ll see you guys in a little bit,” I say, going to meet Angie and the woman next to her.
“Regina, this is Jade. She’s the woman behind the camera.”
“And the one in front of it,” I say jokingly.
