YOU'RE NOT ALONE - CHAPTER 10 - "Game Plan" The following night................at Darien's place............... Serena, Raye, Ami, Mina, Ken, Chad, Andrew, Melvin, Greg, and Darien converge in the living room. "I'm glad that all of you made it tonight", nods Greg. "What is this all about, Greg?", asks Andrew. "As all of you may, or may not, know", replies Greg, "next Wednesday, Lita and Molly are undergoing liver biopsies at the hospital". "Didn't Lita just have one done not too long ago?", wonders Chad. "She did", answers Greg, "but the doctor didn't get enough liver tissue due to her thick skin. So, they are trying another method". "The method is called trans-jugular", adds Amy, it's a procedure in which a catherer is inserted in the jugular vein and goes through to the liver, which collects liver tissue from the inside". "That sounds so icky", grimmaces Mina. "But you will be heavily sedated so you won't feel anything", continues Amy, "so the procedure won't be so icky". "But why does Molly need to have it done as well?", asks Andrew. "Word has it that Molly has been diagnosed with the Hepatitis C virus", answers Greg. A sudden silent spell hit the living room. The friends couldn't believe their ears. That makes it a total of four being struck with Hepatitis C. Nobody would ever expect Molly would be the next victim. "But how would Molly get the Hep C?", wonders Chad. "The same way that Lita, Greg, and I did", answers Raye, "through blood". "Whether it be razors, tattoos, body piercings, and blood transfusions", adds Amy, "if it comes contact with Hepatitis C infected blood, you are at a great risk". "Is Molly's biopsy the same procedure as Lita's?", asks Ken. "Yes, it will be", answers Greg, "and may I add a very effective one". "I don't think Molly is ready for this", whines Serena, "this seems like too much for her to be put through". "I know this doesn't sound fair, Serena", counters Darien, "I know she doesn't deserve this. But Molly needs to be strong and brave in a situation like this". "Lita will be there for her", adds Raye, "because their procedures are done on the same day, back to back to be exact, but Dr. Jones will not be performing them this time, the Radiology Department will take care of that". "I feel so bad for Molly, you guys", whimpers Melvin, "and for Lita, Raye, and Greg as well". "We need to be there for them", adds Andrew, "no matter what happens". "That's the reason I brought all of you here together tonight", says Greg, "so Molly and Lita won't know about this". "Do you have a plan, Greg?", asks Serena. "I want to make Lita, and especially Molly, feel at ease", answers Greg, "to cheer them both up and both on". "What plan do you have in mind?", asks Mina. "I've talked with my older sister, and she's willing to help out", answers Greg. "You mean the manager at the Sanrio mega-store in Osaka", chimes Mina. "That's right, Mina", nods Greg, "I remember when you were in Osaka two summers ago, you got a part-time job there". "Yep, for I got to be Hello Kitty", smiles Mina, "I got to wear the costume and attend all the Comic Parties and anime cons and cosplay workshops. It was so much fun". "Yes, I know how much Molly loves Hello Kitty", smiles Serena, "her dream was to always go to the Sanrio mega-store". "I'm taking this one step further", nods Greg, "my sister is going to lend us the costumes of much of the Sanrio characters". "You mean Chococat, Pochacco, Badtz-Maru, and Keroppi?", asks Raye. "That's right", answers Greg. "You want us to wear these costumes?", asks Andrew. "That's right", answers Greg, "also, my sister will be including some Sanrio related gifts for them". "That's sounds so cool", says Chad. "COUNT US IN!", everyone chimes in unison. "Wonderful", smiles Greg, "the costumes will be arriving next Tuesday afternoon at the Tokyo location by my sister, and Darien and I will pick them up there. Then everyone will meet back here at 7:00 that same night". He turns to Darien. "Is it alright with you if we meet here once again, Darien?" "It's no problem at all, Greg", smiles Darien. "Great", nods Greg, " I'll have the costumes here and everyone will wear one. Not too worry, we will have enough costumes to go around". "I would like to wear the Hello Kitty costume", chimes Serena. "Sorry, Serena", says Greg apologetically, "but the Hello Kitty costume has already been accounted for". "Aw, no fair, Greg", whines Serena, "who's going to end up wearing the Hello Kitty costume? It better not be Raye". "No. It will be Mina", answers Greg, "since she donned the costume when she worked at the mega-store". "Don't worry, Serena", grins Raye, "if this is any consolation, I wasn't considered for the Hello Kitty costume either". "Relax, Serena, assures Greg, "I'm sure there will be a nice Sanrio costume suitable for you. Well, anyway, everybody back at here at 7 at night. Then I will contact Molly and Lita to be here at 7:30 that same evening so this will give us plenty of time to prepare". "This sounds like a great idea", says Melvin, "Molly will be in Hello Kitty heaven". "Doing this for both her and Lita will really cheer them up", adds Andrew. "With perfect timing, too", adds Chad, "because it would fall the night before their liver procedures". "I will inform Lita and Molly later in the week and remind them again early Tuesday", informs Greg, "if any of you have any questions or problems, please don't hesitate to give me a call". "Got It!", everyone answers in unison. "I will call all of you next Monday to remind you about next Tuesday night", advises Greg, "see you next Tuesday night". "Right!!", responds everyone. TO BE CONTINUED....................