Free 8 Sandpiper Way by Debbie Macomber

the death of Olivia’s son Jordan to her divorce. They’d been through so much together, nearly every loss a woman could experience. Olivia knew Grace better than anyone. And Grace knew Olivia.
    But cancer…Grace wanted to scream, to howl, to weep. She felt helpless, impotent, with no idea what to say or how to support her friend. Her fears for Olivia overwhelmed her.
    Cancer was so unfair. It didn’t make sense. This shouldn’t be happening to a woman as conscientious and positive and kindhearted as Olivia. She was the one who watched her diet religiously. She took her vitamins every morning without fail. She exercised and looked after herself emotionally and spiritually. What more could she possibly have done?
    “You going to the hospital?” Cliff asked, although he already knew the answer.
    “I told Jack I’d sit with him while…while they do the surgery.” She turned around and slid her arms around Cliff’s waist and hid her face in his chest. A shiver went through her.
    “Hey, hey, relax,” Cliff whispered soothingly, stroking her hair. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
    “I won’t be able to relax until we know for sure the cancer hasn’t metastasized.” So far, the tests were encouraging, but until the surgery was done, they wouldn’t know whether the cancer was localized and her lymph nodes were clear. Grace wanted reassurance and she wouldn’t rest until she heard the physician say the words.
    Even when things were at their worst, Olivia had always seemed to be in control. From the time they were in grade school, Grace had admired her. Young as she was, Olivia had been so well put-together, so smart and organized. She wore crisp dresses with Mary Jane shoes and perfect pigtails. In high school she’d been elected a class officer every year. She was popular, intelligent, capable and her peers recognized it and sought her out.
    But that lifelong sense of control had abandoned Olivia now.
    When the coffee finished brewing, it was Cliff who gottwo mugs and filled them both. He handed the first one to Grace. “Would you like me to go with you?”
    Grace’s immediate reaction was that she would’ve liked nothing better. Then she remembered that Cliff had a meeting with a horse breeder he’d been looking forward to seeing for weeks. His willingness to reschedule the appointment touched her deeply.
    “Thanks, but I’ll be fine—and so will Olivia.” She forced a smile, sipped some more of her coffee and then walked back to their bedroom to change out of her night-clothes. As she sorted through her wardrobe, she wondered what one wore to an event like this. Her normal attire at the library was a cotton turtleneck pullover with a jumper. She had quite a few jumpers, some of which she’d sewn herself. In the end, she opted for tan khaki slacks and a rust-colored V-neck sweater over a white polo shirt.
    Grace couldn’t imagine why her outfit seemed so important, yet somehow it was. She wondered if this could be a way of distracting herself from Olivia’s surgery. Or perhaps it was a more complex psychological phenomenon, like…like suiting up for battle. Because this was battle, even if she was going to be standing on the sidelines.
    When she arrived at the hospital, she discovered that Olivia had already been checked in and given a sedative before the surgery.
    As Grace entered her hospital room, Olivia raised her head and glanced at the door. Grace hesitated. Seeing her dearest friend so vulnerable nearly brought her to tears. But the last thing Olivia needed was for Grace to turn into an emotional wreck. Swallowing the giant lump that blocked her throat, she managed to grin. “Hello, there,” she said with a heartiness she was far from feeling.
    “Grace,” Olivia whispered. “I told you it wasn’t necessary to come. I should’ve known you’d never listen.”
    “I wouldn’t dream of being anywhere else,” Grace said. “I need to be here—if not for your sake, then my