104 10: BAD NEWS

"Doctor, please tell us. What is wrong with my son's dog?" Said Gigi.

"Well, i drew some blood from Molly and tested it. And it turns out that...it's worse than we thought. If she's gonna have any hope of pulling through this, she's gonna need surgery." Said the doctor.

"Surgery? Molly?" Said Gigi.

"Yeah. Look...the midnight pains are actually a blessing in disguise. If we don't operate soon, then, maybe we won't catch this in time." Said the doctor.

"(Crying) Surgery? That cost money." Said Gigi.

"Yes, it does. $ 11 billion dollars, as a matter of fact." Said the doctor.

"(Crying) I don't get it, she wasn'tt even sick up till this point." Said Gigi.

"I know. It appeared that way for some time, but now her body heat tempereture is through the roof. Okay, we need to operate to be a hundred pursent sure, but the blood sample that i did is...pretty convincing. I'm so sorry. I know that this is a huge blow." Said the doctor.

"So how sick is she?" Rex asked.

"At this point, even the mildest infection could be fatal." Said the doctor.

"(Crying) Wait. Wait. You're saying Molly is so sick, she could die?" Said Gigi.

"Okay, Surgery is no longer a possible death sentence that it use to be. There have been enormous successful surgeries on humans and animals in the past 20 years. But it can be fatal. And given Molly's condition, we're gonna we're gonna wanna persue a progressive line of treatment as soon as possible." Said the doctor.

"(Crying) Oh my good." Said Gigi.

"What does that mean? Progressive?" Asked Bo.

"That's gonna be up to the head doctor, but he's probably gonna wanna get Molly into treatment right away." Said the doctor.

"(Crying) Treatment?" Asked Gigi.

"Yes. The nurses will be asked to comotose Molly, to delay whatever's wrong with her. And since you don't have the money to pay for her surgery, we're gonna get the word out to the whole community of Paris, Texas and ask it's citizens to donate money to the hospital." Said the doctor.

"I'm gonna need that money to pay for Molly's operation." Said Gigi.

"So...i suggest you guys get on your phones and you call up everyone that you can. The more money donners, the better. Our best hope for getting 11 billion dollars is important. And Molly is most certainly gonna need that money for her surgery if she any hope of coming out of this alive." Said the doctor.

"We'll call everyone we know." Said Rex.

"I'm so sorry. I hate giving this news to you. But please do not give up hope." Said the doctor. "I'm gonna give you guys a few minutes alone, alright?" The doctor then left out of the room.

"I'll be outside if you need me." Said Bo before leaving.

"Me too." Added Stacy before leaving as well.

"(Crying) I can't lose my dog." Said Gigi.

"You won't. I won't let that happen." Said Rex.

"(Crying) Last year, Molly was always tired. I just think she's a dog, it's normal. Run and rest. What am i gonna do, miss work? Skip a payment on the electrics so i can come to the doctor every time she get's tired?" Said Gigi.

"We'll figure this out." Said Rex.

"(Crying) She's been having such a hard time getting up lately, and i thought that it was just because she didn't wanna get up." Said Gigi.

"You can't blame yourself." Said Rex.

"(Crying) Sure i can. How long has she been like this? Surgery? Surgery! Boy, how did i miss this? What kind of dog owner does this make me?" Said Gigi.

"Gigi..." Said Rex.

"(Crying) What am i gonna do, Rex?" Said Gigi.

"You are going to do what you have done the past decade. You are gonna role with this punch, you are gonna get back up and you are gonna beat it." Said Rex.

"Okay." Said Gigi.

"Only this time," Rex began. "you're not gonna be by yourself. You're gonna have me. I am gonna help you get through this for your son and for Molly. And we are going to do it together."

"(Crying) Thank you Rex. Thank you for being here for me and my son." Said Gigi.

"Hey, what are friends for?" Said Rex.

"(Crying) Thank you, Rex. I really appreciate you being here for us. But i need to be alone for a while, this is a lot to take in." Gigi then rushed out of the room and down the hall, not knowing that Stacy was standing outside, watching her as she ran down the hallway.

Gigi stopped halfway down the hall and got out her cellphone and called someone.
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Meanwhile, down stairs in the hospital cafeteria, Cruella and Jason were sitting at a table, eating burgers and french fries.

There was then a ring and Cruella got out a 90's cellphone and answered it. "Hello?"

"Hi, Cruella." Said Gigi.

"Oh, hi, Gigi. How are you, darling?" Said Cruella.

"To be perfectly honost with you, i've had better days. How are things with you and Jason?" Said Gigi.

"Oh we're fine, we're doing just fine. We're sitting down here in the cafeteria, eating, is all. You want us to bring you something when we come back up?" Said Cruella.

Gigi then started crying silently.

"Gigi? Are you there? Hello? Gigi?" Asked Cruella.

"(Crying) No, thanks, i'm not hungry." Said Gigi.

Cruella could hear the crying in Gigi's voice and realized that she was upset. "Uh, Jason, darling," She said as she got some dollars out of her purse. "Could you go up to the serving of the room and get us both some ice-cream, please?" Said the blond british woman as she handed the 10 year old her money.

"Sure." Said Jason before leaving the table.

"Okay, what's wrong, darling? Why are you crying?" Asked Cruella.

"(Crying) While you and Jason were headed down to the cafeteria, the doctor came in and informed me and the others about Molly's condition." Said Gigi.

"How is she, darling? Is she well, is she stable? What's the verdict?" Cruella asked.

"...(Crying) Neither. She's gonna have to have surgery." Said Gigi.

Cruella's eyes widened. "What? Why, that's awful. Is it really that bad?"

"(Crying) The doctor said that Molly had needed this operation since late last year. And that the surgery cost 11 billion dollars." Said Gigi.

"Oh my goodness, that's horrible." Said Cruella.

"(Crying) I know. Where am i gonna get that kind of money? I don't have it, and i don't know anyone who has it either." Said Gigi.

"Gee, i...i knew that something was wrong with your dog, but i didn't think that it was this bad to where it required surgery. And Jason...oh, that poor boy. What are we gonna tell him?" Said Cruella.

"(Crying) Don't tell him. That'll only make him feel worse. He already feels bad about this enough as it is." Said Gigi.

"I understand, darling. You have my word that this information stays just between the two of us." Said Cruella.

"(Crying) Thank you. Thank you so much, Cruella." Said Gigi.

"You're welcome, darling. See you later." Said Cruella.

"Bye." Said Gigi before hanging up.

Cruella then hung up her cellphone. "(Sighs)."

"What's wrong?" Came a voice.

Cruella looked behind her and saw Jason with two ice-creams in two white cups. One was white vanilla and the other one was green mint chip. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong." She then noticed the two cups of ice-cream the boy was holding in his hands. "Oh, you got the ice-cream."

"Yep. White vanilla for me and green mint chocolate chip for you. I hope that's okay." Said Jason.

"Of course it is, darling. After all, it's the thought that counts, right? And besides, i think i could really use the mint chip right about now." Said Cruella.

"Great." Said Jason, looking sad.

"What's wrong?" Cruella asked.

"Is Molly gonna die like my Dad did?" Asked Jason.

"Oh, honey, come here. Sit down." Said Cruella.

Jason sat down at the table where Cruella was and placed the two ice-creams on the table.

"There is no way your dog is gonna die." Said Cruella.

"How do you know?" Asked Jason.

"Because i know hospitals. I was recently released from one myself this year back in London. And if the doctors at that hospital could help me, then there's no doubt in my mind that the doctors here can help your dog." Said Cruella.

"You really think so?" Asked Jason.

"I know so. We are at a hospital. And the doctors here are going to do everything they can to save your dog." Said Cruella, trying to lift the boy's spirits, but then she realized that maybe it wasn't such a good idea, as she didn't know if weather or not it was true. But had spent the past two years in a mental institution, and the doctors there had helped her, so sopposed anything's possible.

Jason smiled. "Thanks, miss An GeL."

"You're welcome, darling." Said Cruella. "Now come on, let's eat before the ice-cream melts."

Jason handed Cruella the green mint chocolate chip and they both began to dig into their ice-creams with their spoons.

104
DALMATIANS