Chapter 10: Of Trichotillomania and Kidneys

(Back in Chapter 9…)

Eliza made another chuckle, "That's alright; I know this hospital like the back of my hand," she then turned to him, "What's your friend's room number?"

"Err…" Eddy muttered, "It's, uh, room A-11."

"Okay," Eliza said with a nod of her head as she then started to walk off, but then noticed that Eddy wasn't following, "Aren't you going to follow me?"

"… Oh! Oh yeah…" Eddy meeped a little as he soon started to follow Eliza. But there was bugging him on the inside; why did she say that she knew the hospital like the back of her hand? Did she come here a lot? If she did, then what was it for?

'… I'm still thinking too much,' Eddy thought with a little sigh.

(And now, onto Chapter 10…)

It was no later than five minutes that Eddy and Eliza made it to room A-11. Eddy and Eliza soon entered the room, only to see Double D and Jennifer there in the room.

"Eddy!" they both stated as he came into the room, "Why are you so late to visit?" asked Jennifer.

"I, umm, got lost tryin' to find the room," Eddy explained as he then gestured towards Eliza, "She helped me find the room."

"Oh, really?" Double D questioned as everyone turned to Eliza, who was currently playing with her hair and examining it a little. They watched her for a few seconds before realizing what she was really doing; she was pulling out her hair; one strand at a time, "Uhh, Eliza…?" Eddy started to say.

"Yes?" she questioned as she continued to examine and pull out her hair.

"Why are you pulling out your hair?" Eddy questioned.

"… Oh!" Eliza stated as she quickly puts her hands down to her side, "Sorry about that. I'll try to stop."

"… You must have Trichotillomania," Double D concluded aloud as almost everyone turned to him with confusion, "It's an impulse control disorder of pulling out the hair; or hair pulling, simply put."

"Yep!" Eliza chirped a little, "I'm trying to control it a lot of times when I'm out in public places like this."

"Well, that's good to hear…" Jennifer stated, "What is your name?"

"Oh, I'm Eliza," she greeted, "And you two must be Double D and Jennifer."

"That's right," Double D stated as Jennifer nodded her head.

It was about two seconds later that Ed came running into the room, a look of fright on his face, "Hospitals are bad for Ed!" he stated as he shivered a little in fright.

The people that knew Ed made a slightly worried face, "Do you have a phobia for hospitals, Ed?" Jennifer asked.

Ed rapidly shook his head up and down, "Uh-huh," he replied.

"It'll be alright, Lumpy," Eddy stated as everyone turned to him; Jennifer and Double D arched an eyebrow, "It's not like you're the one that's hurt."

Ed made a worried face, "I-I know! But I--"

"It'll be alright… Ed, was it?" Eliza started to say as she came over to the big Ed a little, "There's nothing to fear at in a hospital… Trust me; it's more good than bad."

Everyone could tell that what Eliza said to Ed came from feelings of experience. Eddy started to ponder back to what she had said earlier to him; about how she knew this hospital like the back of her hand…

"There's someone you know that comes here often, Eliza?" Eddy asked Eliza as everyone turned to him.

"… Yes," Eliza replied as she looked down to the floor a little, "Lily, my little sister, has had kidney problems since the day she was born…" she continued as she instinctively started to play/pull out her hair, "So, my family and I have to take to the hospital regularly for dialysis and such."

"Oh dear…" Double D muttered as Eddy made a slightly paled face; so that was why…

Jennifer made a sad face of empathy to Eliza, "I know what that's like slightly," she stated as everyone turned to her, "I have an older cousin named Cory that's five months older than me that has the exact same problem. He's currently waiting for a kidney donor."

"… So is Lily," Eliza responded with a sad groan at the end of the sentence.

Eddy did not really know what to think; Eliza's sister Lily did not look like she had any kind of problems at all. How can someone her age handle something like that? He just could not imagine it for himself…

Suddenly, an idea came to Eddy; it was the craziest thing he ever thought of… but he had to ask, "Lily needs a kidney donor?" Eddy asked Eliza.

"… Yes, that's right," Eliza replied with a nod of her head as she turned to him.

"Well… I think I know someone who can try to help out."

That's when everyone looked at Eddy; their eyes widen in shock at what he just said, "Eddy… surely you don't mean yourself, do you?!" Double D asked.

"Yeah, I am serious!" Eddy slightly snapped to Double D as he turned to Eliza, "I wanna give one of my kidneys to Lily."

Eliza made a face full of shock to him, but then a few tears started to form in her eyes; they were tears of joy, "Y-You would do that for her…?"

"… Yeah, I would," Eddy replied as he scratched the back of his head with slight nervousness, "No one needs to go through something like that at five years old…"

"Eddy…" Eliza muttered as the tears then escaped from her eyes. She then did something surprised everyone; especially Eddy. She came over to Eddy and embraced him into a tight hug, "Thank you, thank you, thank you so much!" she started to, "You don't know how much this means to me; and to Lily!"

Eddy was blushing a deep rouge color in his face at her actions, "N-No problem…" he muttered as he replied with a quick hug back.

Double D, Jennifer and Ed all had the same thing on their minds as they watched this little event unfold before them; had Eddy finally gained compassion for others…? Or did he gain the compassion from some other time…?

... I cried while typing the last part of this chapter. Why? Because when I typed in my cousin Cory's name, the song "Tears in Heaven" started playing in my iTunes...

For those who need to know... It's in my profile; I'll link it.

TT-TT