Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 90464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
She shakes her head, and her voice is filled with anguish as she says, “It’s too far advanced. There’s nothing they can do for me. They’re only giving me meds that will help make me as comfortable as possible.”
Oh God.
Nonononono!
Unable to be strong as the shock of the horrible news digs its claws into my heart, a sob explodes from me. Our hold on each other tightens, and it makes my ribs hurt, but I don’t care.
Sitting on the couch, we cry as empty hopelessness spins a web of fear around us. The harrowing news that my best friend is dying floods my soul with panic.
Not Rachel. She can’t die. She’s the only good thing in my life.
I brush my hand over her hair, and pulling back, I lock eyes with the person I love most in this world. When I see the fear in her gray irises, it makes me realize I’ll have to be strong for her.
Rachel needs me.
Another wave of intense shock hits the air from my lungs. “You’re all I have.” I sob as my panic and fear rapidly increase. “I can’t lose you.”
“I’m so sorry,” she cries.
Her face crumbles again, and I hold my best friend as she breaks down. Tears roll silently down my cheeks while I try to offer her all the comfort she needs.
God, Rachel’s dying?
Everything in me revolts against the fact that I’m going to lose her. I’ve been through a lot in my life, but I’m not sure I can survive losing Rachel.
Still shocked to my very core, I pull back a little, and my gaze darts over her face. Somehow, I think to ask, “Did you get a second opinion?”
She nods and lets out a heavy sigh. “I’ve gone for every test there is. They all say the same thing.”
My chin trembles as I take hold of Rachel’s hand, linking our fingers together. I do my best to fight back the tears and clear my throat before I ask, “What’s next?”
She clenches her jaw and glances at the stunning view of the veranda and backyard before looking at me again. “I guess I have to wrap things up and somehow prepare for the end.”
My body goes numb, and my voice is barely audible as I ask, “How long do we have?”
Her face crumbles again, and her tone is thick with tears. “A few weeks. Two months if I’m lucky.”
“No!” I cry, shaking my head wildly. “There has to be something they can do. I thought, at the very least, we’d have a few years!”
The same dread I see etched into her beautiful features engulfs my heart.
Oh God, this is really happening, and there’s nothing we can do to stop it.
No. No. No. No. No.
Rachel is so young.
She’s all I have.
For a moment, my emotions spiral into chaos until I see the despair in her gray irises.
This isn’t about me. I have to be strong for Rachel, Lainey, and Easton.
I suck in a quivering breath, and as I stare at my friend, I do my best to shove all my feelings deep down so I can focus on her.
“What do you need me to do?” My voice sounds much stronger than I feel.
She shrugs while rubbing a hand over her face. “I don’t know how to tell Easton and Lainey.”
“When will Easton be back?”
“Not for another three months.”
I shake my head. “You have to call him, Rach. We don’t have time to wait for him to come home.”
“I know,” she whispers. “But . . . what do I say to him?”
“Just tell him to come home. Say it’s important, but you can’t talk about it over the phone. Just like you did with me.”
She lets out an empty-sounding chuckle. “You’re so much easier to talk to.”
I rub her shoulder. “Where’s your phone?”
“In the kitchen.” When she climbs to her feet, I get up as well. As we walk toward the kitchen, she mentions, “If you want something to drink or eat, just help yourself. I want you to feel at home while you’re here.” Her eyes dart to mine, and her teeth tug at her bottom lip before she asks, “How long can you stay?”
“As long as you need me.”
Some relief eases the worried lines on her face. “The pooch parlor won’t miss you?”
I shake my head. “Not at all. Business has been quiet, so I quit.”
“And Trent?”
Every muscle in my body tenses at hearing his name. The anxiety and fear I always feel when just thinking of him blends with the horror of learning Rachel is terminally ill.
A tremble shudders through me, but somehow, I manage to shake my head and say, “It’s over between us.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Nova.” She leans in to give me a hug, then asks, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“We ended things two days ago.” I leave out the part about Trent hurting me. Again.