Read Online Reap & Redeem by Lisa Medley - Free Book Online Page A

she always had in life, with the notable exception of # 53 and #58.
    She’d never been drunk. Ever. Not even one drink. She’d always felt the need to be the responsible one. And so she had. But it looked like so much fun! As for the other thing, well, sex was fun, but there were always complications.
    She was proud that she’d managed to accomplish so many tasks in such a short time. Her focus had crystallized after the initial diagnosis, even though it hadn’t come as a surprise. Both of her parents had already passed—her mother from the same rare genetic form of cancer, her father from heart disease. Her fate had been all but sealed years ago. Twenty-six years ago, to be exact.
    Expecting her life to be short from the beginning had instilled her with a maturity and intensity that had set her apart from most of her peers. Then again, she didn’t consider anyone her age to be a real peer. She’d always gravitated toward older mentors and acquaintances. None were close friends, but that was okay. In fact, it rather pleased her that she wouldn’t be leaving a trail of broken hearts in her wake. Having never experienced true love was her one regret, but her current situation wasn’t in any way conducive to that. Her life was a done deal. Well, almost. There were still a few loose ends to tie up.
    Fourteen of them.
    Olivia pulled herself back to the present.
    He hadn’t answered any of her questions. And where had he run off to?
    Scrutinizing the room, she tried to imagine its inhabitants and the reason for the odd setup and unusual furnishings. She could form no reasonable explanation except that someone with a severe handicap or in need of long-term care must have resided here at some point. How odd that she’d ended up here. She was grateful for the rescue—that young man had been attacking her, hadn’t he?—but it was all so bizarre.
    Her own hospice plan had been established long ago, but she wasn’t ready for it yet.
Especially right now!
    She stretched her arms above her head and leaned back, luxuriating in the complete lack of pain. Ever since her doctor had muttered the words “metastatic Ewing’s sarcoma in your bone marrow,” she’d known nothing but pain and nausea.
    She knew the drill. Her mother had suffered through the disease, dying a slow and painful death. Olivia had refused treatment with the understanding that she’d be lucky to see the beginning of fall. Well, she was a few short days away from September 22, the equinox and the first day of fall, and at the moment, she felt wonderful. Who knew why? She just wanted to take a few moments to enjoy it.
    At first, she’d planned to shoot for a top-one-hundred bucket list, but ultimately she’d settled for sixty. Sixty gave her one task to complete every other day. A few she’d even stretched out for a bit longer, like her work at the homeless shelter. Cooking there was so rewarding—her favorite thing in the world if she had to pick.
    She doubted she could actually complete the list now; she was nearly out of money and almost certainly out of time.
    She smoothed her hand across the satin covering her hips, feeling the sharp, protruding bones there. She looked anorexic. No matter how much she ate, she continued to waste away. At this rate, her metabolism would kill her before the cancer did. She needed to get out of this place—wherever it was—and try to make a final effort to finish her list.
    The list!
    Where was it? Panic bloomed behind her ribs and burned its way up her throat. Her heart thundered against her chest as she scanned for her clothes. The list was in her jeans pocket.
    Flipping back the covers, she let her legs dangle over the edge of the bed, her feet still hovering several inches above the floor. With care, she let herself slide from the bed until her soles landed flat on the cool wooden floor. She gingerly tested her balance, and then began to shuffle around the edge of the bed, the IV pulling at her hand. She reached