Page 20 of Always Us

We leave the school and go back to the house. Ryan and Chloe are there, then Karen arrives and we all go out for an early dinner. During dinner, Frank and I tell everyone about Jade’s speech and what a great job she did. Jade’s embarrassed, of course, but I don’t care. I’m so damn proud of her I want to tell the whole freaking world.

I was amazed by my wife before, but now I’m even more amazed. I knew she would do great things in her life and today just proved it. This is her calling. To share her story with people who need to hear it. People who are struggling like she was not that long ago. Jade doesn’t think her story is anything special, but it is. She made a success of herself despite her childhood and she worked her ass off to do it. And she can inspire others to do the same. That speech she made was amazing. I bet she changed lives today. All with her words and her story.

Ever since Jade decided not to go to med school, she’s felt lost and unsure of herself. But today, her path was made clear. This is what she needs to do. And if she doesn’t realize that herself, I’m going to help her see it.

CHAPTER FIVE

5

JADE

We just got back from dinner and said goodbye to Karen because she has to work tomorrow. Then Chloe left because she’s behind on studying after spending so much time here the past couple days.

Frank and Ryan are lucky to have those two in their lives. I feel like I don’t have to worry about Frank as much with Karen around. She really does take good care of him. And I’ve always liked Chloe. Last year, she used to make Frank go on dates with her and Ryan just to get Frank out of the house. She didn’t want him to be lonely. She treats Frank like a dad, which he would be if Ryan would just marry her.

Now the four of us are watching a movie on TV. The fire’s going and I’m lounging on Frank’s new couch. It’s so comfy I could fall asleep on it. I wish Garret and I could stay longer. The time went so fast. I can’t believe we’re leaving tomorrow.

“Jade, get over here.” Ryan’s standing by the back window.

I go over to see what he’s looking at. “It’s snowing! Let’s go out there.”

“No way I’m going out there,” Ryan says. “It’s too cold.”

“I’ll go with her.” Garret grabs our coats from the closet. “Who’s the pretty boy now? Can’t take the cold, Ryan?” He smirks at him as he gives me my coat.

“Just wait,” Ryan says. “Once you feel that wind, you’ll be back here in a few minutes.”

“Boys,” Frank calls out from his chair. “Be nice.”

He’s just kidding. Frank loves his dad role. Now with Garret, he’s got three kids to scold.

Garret and I go out to the back yard. The ground is already covered with a couple inches of snow and giant flakes are dropping from the sky. I tilt my face up and watch them fall.

“Hey.” Garret circles his arms around my waist.

I take my eyes off the snow and look at him. “Yeah?”

“You were amazing today.”

“Thanks, but you don’t have to keep saying that.”

“I need to, because you need to hear it. What you did up there was amazing. I can’t stop thinking about it.”

“It felt amazing.”

He smiles. “Tell me why.”

“It just felt good to be up there and look out at the faces of people just like me and have them understand me and what I’ve been through. I’ve never had that. I used to think I was the only one stuck in the darkness, unable to get out. I mean, when I got older I knew there must be other people who felt that way but I’d never met them. And today I did. I didn’t know those women in the audience, but when I looked at them, I could tell they felt just like I used to feel. So maybe something I said today will help them stop feeling that way. Maybe it will help them get to the light.”

“It will, Jade. You had that whole room focused on your every word.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I sat in the back and watched it. And then they asked you to go back in there. That shows how much of an effect you had on them.” Garret wipes the wet snowflakes off my cheeks. “Jade, I think you should give more speeches like you did today.”

“I told that lady I’d do that conference in March.”

“I mean more than just that conference. I think you should consider making this your career.”

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