Chapter 28

Arrangements

Everyone sat around the living room discussing the plans for Thursday and Friday so that everyone was on the same page. Last Sunday, Robbie, Roxi, and Frank had set up the basic plan for the two days. But now with everyone here, they needed to talk details so that Miley and Hannah remained two separate people. Add to that the fact that, if everything was going well with Maggie, her transplant would be done Thursday. That meant her dad would be coming on Wednesday. Plus everyone here was wanting to know how the operation went. Not that it was an operation per say. It was more of an IV drip, like a blood transfusion. What really mattered was her temperature and whether or not the doctors had control of the infection. If her temperature was too high, then the bone marrow would be destroyed by the fever before it found its way inside of her bones. Or if the infection was not under control, then it could infect the marrow cells before they could start producing new red and white blood cells. This was truly a high stakes card game and an innocent life hung in the balance. But getting distracted like this was not helping Robbie get Thursday and Friday set up.

Frank was leading this meeting. Carey, Zack, Cody, Maddie, Jackson, Oliver, Lilly, Miley, Roxi and Robbie listened to the overview of the plan for the two days. It was decided that because of Robbie and Jackson being family and known to the kids at school that they would have to stay away from everything. Which brought another problem up. That being Frank and the two months of undercover work he did protecting Miley from her stalker. He had posed as a student in our trio's school and was known by the student body. So he would have to stay away too. But since Jake had met Carey, she couldn't help out on Friday. This only left Roxi. The main problem that everyone worried about was Miley losing her wig while trying to get through crowding students. Carey had an idea about that. It involved sewing her wig on. They had to wait for Jackson, Oliver and Zack to get back under control before they could go on. Miley liked the idea. She had an older wig that would work just fine. It also gave her the perfect excuse to get rid of the wig too. They would have to cut it off the next day. Wig shopping. You gotta love it.

Now they came to the part of the meeting that Miley was not looking forward too. The dance. Because she was going to be Hannah and Jake had met Cody as Miley's boyfriend and since Miley was not going to be at the dance and outside students can only come with another student, Cody couldn't go. But Oliver saved the day. He pointed out that he was going with Amy and since Amy was a student at the school, he could bring Cody as his guest. There was nothing that said your guest had to be the opposite sex. So it was agreed that Cody could go but had to stay away from Miley unless she made contact first. But Cody would have to play that Miley was home sick.

Frank and Roxi came up with a way to make it a very believable excuse. Miley was not too excited about it but agreed to do it. Frank would get a small bottle of medicine that would induce vomiting. Miley would spend the time before lunch complaining to everyone that would listen, that she was not feeling too well. Then, after lunch, just before going into her next class, she would drink the bottle. The results would be seen in only thirty to sixty seconds. That was a part of the plan she was not too thrilled with. But all of this was for Maggie and because of that she would do it. Miley just hoped to make it to the trash can by the teacher's desk before the medicine worked. It was going to be embarrassing enough throwing up in front of everyone in the room, let alone all over the floor.

Thursday was just a little hard to plan. But Lilly came up with an idea that Miley liked. Hannah would pick everyone up in casual clothes and then take them shopping for some very nice clothes. After that, it would be off to a fancy restaurant for dinner. This would by followed by a teen dance club. Robbie liked the idea but changed it a little. Hannah would pick everyone up from school and take them home to change into nice clothes. This would be followed by dinner and a Lakers game in a VIP box with a meet-and-greet with the players. Everyone liked that idea, so Robbie would set it up.

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"That was as bad as detention!" Zack complained as the kids headed out of the house and onto the patio.

"How would you know? You slept through most of it!" Cody told his brother.

"Yeah. Well with detention, I sleep through all of it."

"I still can't believe we have the same genes!"

"Hey. Maddie and I are going out for some pizza. Anyone want to come?"

"Love too. But I have to get home and do my homework," Lilly said sadly.

"Yeah, me too," agreed Oliver.

"Welcome to my world, guys," Miley told them.

"I still wish you'd keep this part of it to yourself," Oliver replied.

"Yeah. Stop sharing this part of it," Lilly complained good-naturedly.

"Chinese sound okay to you, Cody?" Miley asked.

"Sounds good."

"What about you Zack?" Maddie asked.

"I think I'll stay here."

"Okay, see y'all in about an hour then." Jackson said as he and Maddie walked out to his car.

"Where's everyone at?" Robbie asked Miley as she came back in with Zack and Cody.

"Lilly and Oliver went home to do homework and supper. Jackson and Maddie went out for pizza. We thought we'd get some Chinese delivered. What are you and Carey going to do?"

"Well, I promised Carey I'd take her to a Lakers game tonight."

"Ooooohhhhh……Lakers game."

"So don't wait up."

"And when Maddie gets back, you guys can go back to the hotel."

"Okay, Mom," Cody answered.

Miley got started on her homework as Zack and Cody settled down to play some video games. As Miley was working, she felt watched. She looked over to Zack and Cody who were lost in their game. So Miley stopped and thought back about when people left. Hmmmm………I don't recall Frank saying good-bye to me or, for that matter, leaving. So where could he be hiding? Kitchen is too open. Miley causally looked around the windows. No, too open also. Stairs are too noisy. The hallway! Miley got up and walked over to Zack and Cody.

"You guys still want to see my Grammies?"

"You bet we do," Zack answered.

"Come on, there down the hallway in my Daddy's office."

Zack and Cody got up and started for the hallway. But as Cody started to pass Miley, she grabbed his arm and covered his mouth with her hand. Then she took her hand and put one finger to her mouth and pointed at Zack.

Zack didn't notice that Cody and Miley weren't following him. Miley started to giggle to herself as Zack got closer to the hallway. Just as he was about to turn the corner, Frank jumped out and attacked him. Zack jumped at least three feet in the air. Miley and Cody were on the floor rolling in laughter.

"I knew he was there," Zack tried to recover.

"You should have seen your face Zack! Oh wait a minute, I can show you!"

Cody made a scared face. Miley laughed harder.

"I'm sorry, Zack. I was just testing Miley's training. Although, throwing a sacrifice to the lions was not one of the options I taught you."

"I know. But it was so funny!!!" Miley lost control again.

"You knew he was there?" Zack asked

Miley could only nod.

"How did you know he was there? We didn't see him when we came in."

"I know. I felt I was being watched. Then I deduced where Frank was." Miley wiped some tears from her eyes.

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While all of this was going on at the Stewarts' house, Dr. Ryan was making her rounds. She had Maggie's chart with her as she went into Maggie's room. She saw that Maggie was a sleep. Mr. Stewart was in the room watching Maggie. He was absently looking at the picture of Hannah when he noticed Dr. Ryan.

"Oh, hi Dr. Ryan. Sara just left with Carey to get something to eat. How is Maggie doing?"

"If her fever doesn't go down then we won't be able to do the transplant."

How much does it have to go down?"

"Two degrees."

"What do we have to do to make that happen?"

"Well, it will go down as we get better control of the infection."

"I've been wondering about that. What is causing the infection?"

"Naturally occurring bacteria that is present in the human body. The only problem is that there are no white blood cells to control them."

"So what you're saying is that this won't die because of the bacteria but because it's delaying the transplant?"

"Yeah. The fever will destroy the bone marrow before it can settle inside the bones."

"You mean the marrow knows where to go?"

"Pretty amazing isn't it."

"When will we know if you can do the transplant or not?"

"Just as soon as the fever goes down two degrees. The good thing is the fact that we stopped it from going any higher."

"How long can you wait?"

"Well, that's the problem. What blood cells she has right now are dying off. So if she doesn't start replacing them…"

"Can't you do a blood transfusion?"

"Technically, no. But if push comes to shove, yes. But we really don't want to go that long." Dr. Ryan noticed that Robbie was holding the picture of Hannah.

"I heard that Hannah Montana came here to visit Maggie."

"Hey. They're as close as sisters."

"Kind of like your daughter too."

"What do you mean?"

"That they're as close as sisters."

"Oh yeah, you're right about that."

"Thanks for everything you are doing for Maggie, doc."

"Don't thank me until the last act is done."

"We have faith in you." Robbie laughed a little at Dr. Ryan's last statement.

As she left Maggie's room, she promised herself that this one was going home again.