She shakes her head, then her features crumble, and her words are filled with hopelessness as she sobs and says, “I’m sick.” My lips part, but she cuts me off with a shake of her head before dropping a bomb between us. “I have cancer. Glioblastoma.” She sucks in a trembling breath, then explains, “It’s a tumor in my brain.”
Intense shock vibrates through every cell in my body, and for the longest time, I can only stare at my best friend, the words not really sinking in.
Looking closely at Rachel, I notice she’s even more beautiful than the last time I saw her. Her hair is longer, and the highlights she mentioned getting a few days ago look good on her. I can’t find any visible signs of her being ill.
“I haven’t told anyone else,” she murmurs, her tone filled with a world of fear and hopelessness. “I got the final confirmation yesterday, and you’re the first person I thought of calling. I don’t know how I’m going to tell Lainey and Easton.”
Again, my gaze darts over her face, which looks so healthy.
Cancer?
Shaken to my core, it takes a moment before I’m finally able to speak. “I’m so sorry, Rach.”
My words feel all wrong, and I suck in a shaky breath.
No. Not Rachel.
She hardly ever gets sick. I’m the one who gets the flu from standing in the rain for ten seconds.
She’s the strong one.
Rachel scoots closer and wraps her arms around me. I grip her with all my strength, my fingers digging into her silk blouse as I try to process what she’s telling me.
“I’m scared, Nova,” she whimpers, her tone hoarse from the devastation the diagnosis is causing in her life.
Hopeful that the doctors can treat it, I ask, “Are they giving you medicine? Will you get chemotherapy?”
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?”
