Chapter 3

Maggie's Bad-Good News

Miley lead the group into her room. There she picked up her phone and hit her speed dial for Maggie. There was no answer. Miley looked up at Lilly and Oliver. She hung up and tried again. Again, no answer. Now she was scared. She asked Jackson if he knew what was going on. He didn't. She dropped the phone on her bed and went to her dad's office. The door was still closed. She leaned her ear to the door and could still hear him talking on the phone. With nothing else but worry for Maggie, Miley lead everyone back to the living room to wait.

During this whole process, Maddie asked Cooper what was going on.

"Jim Baker is the father of their friend Maggie. She has leukemia and is in remission right now. But when a phone call like this comes through, it's never been good news."

"Oh. Thanks."

Maddie turned to the twins and asked them to help her and Carey to finish getting things ready.

"What's going on?" Carey asked Maddie.

"I think something is wrong with a friend of theirs. Her name is Maggie and Cooper says that whenever her dad call's like this, its never been good news. Miley just try calling Maggie in her room and didn't get an answer."

"What's up with Maggie anyways?"

"Mom, remember when Miley came to Boston and why she came to Boston?" Cody asked.

"Yeah. Oh! That Maggie."

"What are you guys talking about?" Zack asked.

"Maggie." Cody answered.

"We can talk later. Let's get this meal on the table." Carey instructed.

With the meal served, everyone sat down at the table. Robbie was still on the phone. Everyone but Miley, Lilly and Oliver were eating. Our trio just pushed the food around. However, Oliver ate more than Lilly who ate more than Miley. About five to ten minutes after everyone sat down to eat Robbie came into the room. Miley jumped up and ran to her father.

"What's going on with Maggie, Daddy? Is she okay? Did anything happen? Why can't I reach her?" Miley was near tears from all the 'what if's' she played in her head. Robbie took his daughter's hand and walked her over to the couch. Lilly and Oliver got up and followed.

"Well bud, Maggie needs an operation."

"Is it bad?"

"Yes it is."

"How bad?"

"They need to do a bone marrow transplant or she'll die."

"NO! THAT'S NOT FAIR…IT'S NOT FAIR…" Miley was yelling.

"Miles! Settle down." Robbie tried to calm her. Lilly on the other hand had turned and buried her head into Oliver's shoulder and shook with emotion.

Oliver wrapped his arms around her.

Miley pushed herself away from her dad and ran up to her room. Cody jumped up and followed. A slamming door told him where she went. He stopped by her door and listened. He heard her muffled cry as he listened. Slowly, he reached for the doorknob and tried it. The door opened. Her crying got louder. She was lying on her bed with her head buried in her pillow. He could still hear her saying 'it isn't fair' into her pillow. Cody walked over to her bed and sat down by her. He reached out and gently shook her shoulder.

"Miley…Miley…"

Expecting to hear her father's voice, she rolled over in surprise to find Cody sitting by her. Miley quickly sat up and latched on to Cody. She held on tight and let her emotions out. Cody, not knowing what to do, just held her and stroked her hair. Carey and Robbie where watching from the hallway. Robbie reached for the door and closed it gently.

-------------------------------------------------

"How's Miles?" Jackson asked. Everyone downstairs was able to help Lilly. She didn't take the news as hard as Miley. Miley had come to think of Maggie as a younger sister that she had to take care of. The fact she was not and probably would not be over grieving for her mom worked against Miley too. Lilly realized that even though the news was dire, nothing had happened yet. There was still a chance. Miley took it as a death sentence.

"I don't know. She's still pretty upset. Cody's up with her right now."

"Should we go up there, Mr. Stewart?" asked Oliver.

"Let's see what Cody can do first."

"Miley." Cody waited. Then he tried again.

"Miley." She lifted her head and turned to face Cody and laid her head back down on his shoulder.

"Yeah."

"What's going on?"

"It's not fair," she cried. She wiped at her face with the back of her hand.

"No it's not fair, but you're acting like the operation failed. If the operation works, she'll be cured."

"She will?"

"Yes. Do you know what they are going to do?"

"No, I guess not. I've never thought about it I guess."

"Well, don't you think we should ask you dad what's going to happen, then?"

"Yeah……I guess you're right. Look at me. I'm probably a mess huh?"

"Well, if you don't look at the running make-up, puffy eyes, wet cheeks, and messed up hair, you look great."

This made Miley laugh and she hugged Cody.

"Thanks. I guess you didn't have this in mind when you came to see me."

"Well to be honest, no I didn't."

"You must hate me."

"No, I don't hate you. I still feel like I love you. At less I feel the way I did when you were in Boston. How do you feel?"

"I've been a nervous wreck since I found out you were coming out. Do you know why?"

"No."

"It's because I still feel the same way too and I was afraid that maybe you didn't."

Cody turned his head and kissed Miley on the forehead. She reached up and kissed him on the cheek. They hugged again.

"Let's go and talk to your dad. Okay?"

"Yeah, I just need to get cleaned up. Oh, wait. You said I look great." Miley couldn't keep a straight face any longer and laughed.

"Do you want me to wait for you?"

"If you would please."

-------------------------------------------------

Cody and Miley came downstairs holding hands. Miley let go and went over to her dad and hugged him.

"I'm sorry, Daddy. I guess I let my fear get the best of me."

"I still love you, bud."

"So what is going to happen, Daddy?"

"Sara and Maggie will be out here at the start of the week. They're going to stay with us. On Tuesday, Maggie will go into the hospital. Wednesday, they will kill off all of her bone marrow with radiation. If all goes well, then on Friday, they will give her the new bone marrow. Then we have to wait and let Maggie's body do the rest."

"How long before we know that it worked Daddy?"

"About a week, but that is not a hard figure. You just can't tell. The real danger of the procedure is her getting an infection."

"Why's that?"

"When they kill off her bone marrow, she won't be able to make white blood cells to fight off an infection. So any little germ or virus could kill her."

"But that won't happen will it, Daddy?"

"I don't know, bud. I just don't know."

-------------------------------------------------

With dinner over and things cleaned up, Maddie, Jackson, and Cooper went out to a movie. Carey and Robbie had coffee at the table and the kids went out on the patio.

"So do you think Miley will be okay?"

"Well, no matter how hard she tries, anything that reminds her of her mom affects her deeply."

"How long has it been if you don't mind my asking."

"All most four years now. Lilly's mom has helped her a lot. Miley pretty much treats her like a mother."

"That's good. A girl needs her mom or someone she can look to as a mom."

"I know the kids have pretty much planned on hanging out together as much as they can, but what plans do you have?"

"I don't know. I really haven't thought about it much. I was really looking to relax. I've been working pretty hard lately and not singing for awhile is feeling pretty good right now."

"Tell you what, why don't I show you a few sights and a few restaurants, and a few dance clubs if that is alright with you?"

"I don't know. You have Maggie and her mom coming. I don't want to get in the way."

"You won't. We'll just be serving as a home base for them. Most of the time Sara will be with Maggie in the hospital. We're the moral support."

"Well, okay as long as we don't get in the way."

"So are we all set for tomorrow?" Lilly asked on more time. The plan was to have the limo pick up Zack and Cody from the hotel and take them to Miley's house when school was over. Our trio had to quickly get their homework done. Then they would go to the beach for the rest of remainder of the daylight. Then they would go back to Miley's house and eat, change, and then go to a movie. After the movie, they would make plans for the next day.

"Boys, time to go." Carey called from the house.

"Okay. We'll see you guys tomorrow then." Cody said. Then he and his brother got up to head back to the hotel with their mom. But not before kisses where exchanged.

"I'll pass on the kissing if you don't mind." Oliver joked.

Miley and Lilly looked at each other and nodded. They walked over to Oliver and kissed him on the cheeks at that same time. Oliver blushed.