NEVER LEAVE YOU BEHIND - Chapter 2 - Tears Of Neglect
A few hours later..........................
Molly and rini were sitting in the living room couch in front of the TV, watching one of Rini's favorite DVD's, LICCA-CHAN TV VOL. 1.
"I really love this show, Molly", smiles Rini, "she is so cool. I just about have all of her dolls".
"So do I", adds Molly, "when I found out that there was going to be a TV series based on her, I really looked foward to it. I really fell in love with the show. I got the first 2 volumes on DVD, and I got a special order for the 3rd volume. And I got 2 wall scrolls of LICCA hanging in my bedroom, the ones I got at the last big con".
"Oh, you mean Otakufest?", adds Rini, "oh, thanks for the Licca-chan UFO catcher doll and pencil board".
"It's no problem, Rini", smiles Molly, "Uh, have you seen Serena?"
"Um, not lately", Rini answers, "haven't seen her since after dinner". Sammy enters the living room.
"Are you looking for Serena?", asks Sammy.
"Do you know where she is, Sammy?", asks Molly.
"Yeah, I do", answers Sammy, "she out in the back porch, crying her eyes out. She looked really sad".
"Serena? Crying?", exclaimed Molly, "I have to go see what's the matter", she turns to Rini, "do you mind if you put Volume 2 on hold when I get back?"
"Yeah, I'll do that", answers Rini, "you go to your friend. Sounds like she really needs you".
Molly runs out of the living room towards the back porch where Serena is.
"You know, Rini", says Sammy, "I'm kinda worried about Serena, I think the thought of Molly moving away is really getting to her".
"I'm worried for her too, Sammy", adds Rini, "She and Molly have been best friends for a very long time, even beofre she met Darien. To be truthful, I really don't want Molly to go, either. She is so nice, so quiet, and always been there for Serena. She blends very well with her other 5 friends".
"I think she's pretty cool, too", adds Sammy, "I don't know what sis is gonna do if she does move. Could get scary".
Molly arrives at the back porch of the house, and sees Serena crying on the swing chair, with her head down, and her hands covering her eyes.
"Serena?", Molly asks softly as she approaches her saddened friend, "hey, Serena, what's the matter? Are you alright?"
Serena slowly looks up at Molly, tears streaming down her face. "M-M-M-Molly", she stammers tearfully, "I-I-I-I-I don't want you to go. You mean more to me than anything, or anyone. More than Rei, or Mina, or Amy, or Lita, sometimes even Darien. You were the first friend I ever made, not too long before I met Darien". She rests her head on Molly's chest, and continues to cry.
Molly cradles Serena's head in her arms and tenderly strokes her hair. Serena wraps her arms around Molly's waist tightly.
"I know at times I don't seem to spend much time with you, Molly", continues Serena, still weeping, "because i get so preoccupied with my other fellow senshi, and it seems I'm neglecting you, and I'm sorry for that".
"Please, Serena, it's alright", whispers Molly, "I understand you have a great responsibility to bear. I know we never argue, we never fight, and you were always there for me when things got tough for me, especially with what happened to Nephilite. But you, and Amy, and Rei, proved to be the best support a girl could ever have. I know at times you can be a klutz, a little flighty, and a little bit lazy as far as schoolwork goes, but that's what makes you who you are, Serena".
"B-B-B-But I wish I could have been here for you a little more than I really should, M-M-M-Molly", stammers Serena, "I realize how important friendship can really be, it's s-s-something I treasure more than anything, but when I'm not there for you enough, I f-f-feel like a failure".
"Serena, you're not a failure", assures Molly, standing her up, wipes away Serena's tears and takes her hand, "I do appreciate you letting me go to the anime com last summer in your place, and i'm glad you loved that cute Sailor V petite figure and UFO catcher doll. And thank you for giving me your invite to Lita's dinner party. You said that you and Darien couldn't go, but you asked me and Melvin to go in your place. But Melvin went out with his parents that night, so I took Mina with me instead. You did miss out on a great meal, Lita really knows how to make a delicious cherry pie, and i even brought you back a very big piece of it".
"you are so kind, Molly", smiles Serena, still choking on her tears, "you were always very kind to me. I wanted you to have some time with my friends as well".
Molly clasped her hands tenderly on Serena's face. "Serena, I've always known you had very good intentions", smiles Molly, "and I admire you greatly for that. You heart has always been in the right place". Molly holds Serena closely.
At that point, Sammy and Rini were observing from a distance.
"You know, Sammy", whispers Rini, "your sister is really taking this very hard".
"I've seen her get emotional quite a few times, Rini", adds Sammy, "but I have never seen her this way before. Molly must really mean a great deal to Serena".
"I could imagine how she'd react if Serena and darien break up", wonders Rini.
"I wouldn't even want to think about that", answers Sammy, "she would go on for weeks, even months on end".
"Um, what are you two doing, spying on them like that?", wonders Mrs. Tsukino from behind, and suddenly notices her daughter's troubled frame of mind. "what's wrong with Serena? She looks so sad".
"Molly mom was offered a very big offer from a New York jewelry distributor", answers Sammy, "but that means she would have to sell the store and move to New York".
"And Molly doesn't really want to go", adds Rini, "and now Serena is really not taking this well at all. She loves her friends very much, and you know how much it hurts for her to be far apart from them".
"That's true", adds Mrs. Tsukino, "and the fact that she and Molly have been childhood friends. They are just so close, like sisters".
"They're inseperable, sort of", adds Sammy, "Serena and Molly have always been there for each other, but she feels like a failure becuase she wasn't there for her enough".
"Yeah", conrinues Rini, "she feels she spends more time with her 4 other friends, she feels she leaves Molly out, and i think she's really feeling it now".
"I don't know what sis is going to do if Molly does move away", worries Sammy.
"I don't know either, Sammy", adds Mrs. Tsukino, "if there is something we can do to help resolve this. And Molly's mother is coming by here tomorrow morning before she goes to her meeting".
"There's got to be something we can do, auntie", whimpers Rini, "I hate to see Serena so sad".
"Neither do I, Rini", adds Mrs. Tsukino, "neither do I".
Molly and Serena break the hug. Molly then places her hand softly on Serena's cheek. "Come on, Serena. Cheer up", smiles Molly, "this isn't the Serena I know. Would watching the ESCAFLOWNE movie on DVD make you smile?"
Serena nodded, "Yeah, and a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream to go along with that".
"Sounds like a deal to me", nods Molly happily, and calls out to Rini, "hey, Rini, we're going to watch the ESCAFLOWNE movie now, so put that on the DVD player. And while you're at it, break out the mint chocolate chip ice cream for Serena".
"OK, Molly", calls out Rini, "I'm on it!"
"So, shall we head off to the living room?", asks Molly.
"Yeah. Let's do that", smiles Serena, and hand-in-hand, the 2 friends return inside the house to enjoy an evening of mint chocolate chip ice cream and the ESCAFLOWNE movie.
TO BE CONTINUED.............................