Page 58 of To the Moon and Back
Not Brady. He was sure he’d beat the pneumonia and walk again. Convinced he’d fight fires once more and live the way he’d done before the accident. The only thing that worried him was losing Jenna.
He’d gotten the basics about her last eleven years. She’d finished college and moved to Columbus to teach. There she’d met and married some jerk named Dan who walked out on her. Brady clenched his jaw.
If only he’d found her years ago. He opened his eyes and stared out the window. Or if he’d run into Ashley Blake sooner. Outside the sky was cloudy. Rain hit the window and ran down toward the world below. How could any guy walk away from Jenna?
She returned with a coffee and sat in the chair near him. This time they talked about Jenna’s school, the kids she taught and how much she loved it. “I’m connected. I have my friends and my church.” She slid the chair closer to his bed. “My students. Life is good.”
Brady listened, taking in every word. This wasn’t the first time she’d talked about loving her life in Ohio. Her work and her church. Brady felt a piercing fear. The old Jenna had loved Oklahoma. She didn’t believe in God and she hadn’t had her heart broken by a guy. Was Jenna too different now? He didn’t dare think about the possibility. Back then they’d had everything in common. Now he wasn’t sure.
Best not to think about it. He could fall through the roof of a burning building and survive near death on a dozen different levels. But if all this was only leading to another terrible goodbye, Brady wasn’t sure he could stand it. He took another sip of water. “Did you ever think about making a life here?” The question had come before, Brady was pretty sure. But he couldn’t remember her answer. And he had to know.
“I didn’t.” Her reply came as quickly as the sadness that filled her eyes. “I couldn’t . . . you know, drive by the memorial every day. Hear about the bombing every April.” She shook her head. “I needed a life away from this.”
He nodded. “I guess for me . . . it was too late for that. It already defined me. What happened that day.” He paused. “It still does.”
“I get that.”
An older nurse came in then. “You need to sleep, Mr. Bradshaw. Your first rehab is in two hours.”
“I’m not tired.” He grinned at the woman.
She cast a wary look at Jenna and back at Brady. “I see that.” Patience didn’t seem to be her strong suit. “Either way, I need you to sleep.”
Jenna took the hint. As soon as the woman was gone she stood and reached for Brady’s hand once more. “Work hard this afternoon.” She smiled, her eyes locked on his for a long few seconds. “I’ll be here tomorrow.”
“Okay.” He savored the warmth of her touch. If only he could freeze time, hold on to this moment forever. “Thanks again. For being here.”
She smiled at him. “I’m glad I found you.”
He grinned. “You did actually talk to Ashley Blake, right? She’s not an angel?”
Jenna laughed, and the sound filled the room like the most beautiful song. “Yes. I texted her. She and her husband are praying for you.”
“Well, then.” He was procrastinating; doing everything he could to keep Jenna beside him a minute longer. “You better go.”
“I better.” Her eyes sparkled. He had the feeling she didn’t want to leave, either.
He sighed. “Bye, Jenna.”
“Bye, Brady.” She released his fingers, took her bag and headed for the door.
With everything in him, he wanted to get out of bed, take her in his arms and ask if she felt the same way he did. He certainly hated seeing her go. But the nurse was right. Rest was the only way he’d be able to work hard enough to walk again. And he had to walk again.
So he could do the other thing he’d forever wanted to do.
Take Jenna Phillips on a date.
18
A s May became June, Jenna could feel herself falling. Her summer in Oklahoma City was like something from a movie. The sound of Brady’s voice, the way she felt when he watched her. Some afternoons she could barely breathe for the effect he had on her.
Her new life had taken on a different kind of routine. When she wasn’t with Brady, she and Allison would share breakfast on the weekends and sometimes they’d work in Allison’s garden or take a trip to the library. Other times they’d sit at the neighborhood pool and talk. But only when Brady was busy.
During the week Jenna would find a few minutes to talk to Ashley, catch her up on how Brady was doing. The two of them had gotten close. Jenna could tell they were going to be friends, just like she had believed that day when Ashley came to her school.
Just yesterday Ashley had asked about the future, whether Jenna saw any hope for her and Brady.
“That’s tough.” Jenna felt comfortable sharing this. Ashley seemed to understand the situation better than almost anyone. Even Brady. “We’re very . . . different. Especially in our faith.”
