Author's Note: I hope nobody hates me for writing this story. Ever since I heard the terrible news about Valerie Harper's diagnosis, I've wanted to write a tribute. I know that I'm basically killing off a character that people love. I wouldn't be doing this, except that I just felt like it needed to be done. This is obviously not a one-shot, but it won't be very many chapters. I do have a vague idea where it's going, so I hope to have it finished pretty quickly. Reviews are appreciated!

Rhoda had been dreading this phone call. She'd put it off for the past few days, but she couldn't do that anymore. She'd always prided herself on being independent, but this was one thing she simply couldn't handle alone.

Taking a deep breath, Rhoda picked up the phone. For an instant, she remembered a moment from years ago. She had been in New York then, too. She had called Mary with the news that Joe had proposed. Of course Mary had been excited for her best friend. Even though the marriage hadn't worked out, Rhoda could still feel the excitement she'd felt back then. She'd give anything to go back to that right now. She wished her fingers would stop shaking as she dialed. The phone rang twice. Rhoda was nowhere near ready to speak when Mary answered. "Hello?"

Rhoda sighed. "Hi, kid. It's me."

Mary smiled at once. It had been a month since Rhoda had re-entered Mary's life via a phone call. Though, at the time, they had made plans to see each other, Rhoda's art exhibit had gotten in the way, and Mary's hectic job at one of Minneapolis' top news stations didn't exactly help matters. But there had been plenty of phone calls and promises to visit as soon as their schedules permitted. As with all the other calls, Mary had to remind herself that it wasn't 1974 anymore. The mere mention of her best friend's name conjured up a thousand memories. "I'm glad you called," Mary said. "You won't believe what happened to me at work today -"

Rhoda once again took a deep breath. She loved Mary to death, but she just couldn't listen to whatever her problem was right now. "I've got to be honest, Mare, I called you for a reason. It's kind of important."

"Oh," Mary said, a bit disappointed. "OK, then."

"You know how, after my art exhibit, I said I wasn't feeling well? I thought it was just all those late nights and caffeine finally catching up to me. But Brenda said it could be something more serious, so I decided to go to the doctor, just to make her feel better. I guess my little sister was right."

"Oh, Rhoda...what is it?" Mary's voice broke.

This was the part Rhoda had been dreading. She wasn't even sure she could say the word. But she'd come this far, so she had no choice. "It's cancer. Inoperable."

"No," Mary said, as if by simply refusing the diagnosis, she would change the situation.

"I made them re-do the tests a dozen times, Mare. They all came back the same."

"Oh, Rhoda." Mary didn't know what else to say. But after the initial shock wore off, she spoke again. "You'll come out here." It wasn't a question.

"I can't do that. I mean, my life is here..."

Mary was not about to take "no" for an answer. "I want to help you. Either I can go there, or you can come here. There is no way I'm letting you do this alone."

For a split second, Rhoda recalled their first meeting. Back then, she'd thought Mary didn't have a backbone at all. How wrong she'd been! "OK. I guess...I guess I'll go out there." She couldn't believe she'd agreed to this. But perhaps a change of scenery would do her good. Most of the bad things in her life had happened in New York. Moving to Minneapolis had helped her once before, and right now, she didn't have much left to lose.