Maxwell walken into the living room and caught up in a conversation about live music and party buffets. "Ah Mr. Sheffield, thank you for the invitation. A very good idea to organize an engagement party." Maxwell was irritated. "What engagement party?" "Well Niles told us, we should come here because of Fran. Surely it's about a surprise party. I mean Fran and that gorgeous Dr. Goldberg can announce their engagement anytimel." Sylvia Fine got a dreaming look on her face. All her dreams would come true. Maxwell, on the other hand, sighed; things were going to be even more complicated than anticipated. "Now everyone please listen carefully. The reason I want to talk to all of you is neither a party nor an engagement. (Sylvia Fine's features slipped.) "The thing is, Fran hasn't been completely honest with all of us lately. I've had a strange feeling about this story from the beginning, so I've been doing some research." He swallowed hard, everyone now staring at him. "Fran didn't move to Malibu because she fell in love... she's seriously ill and is currently undergoing treatment there at a private clinic. The doctors found a malignant brain tumor in Fran's brain."
Maxwell paused to let the news sink in. There was sheer horror in everyone's eyes, tears shimmering in Val's eyes. Even if everyone thought she was stupid, she knew a brain tumor meant Fran's life was in danger. "No, that's not true! I don't know why you're telling us such a horror story. You just can't cope with Fran leaving you. Fran wrote me so many postcards, we talked on the phone all the time... " "Sylvia, I am sorry, it's the truth. I found Fran through Dr. Goldberg. He's not her boyfriend, he's her doctor. I've been with Fran last week, every day and every night." "No no my baby didn't make any of this up, we just spoke on the phone the day before yesterday." "Yes I know, she told you about a sailing trip where she almost fell in the water.m About new furniture they were looking at and that she wants to learn to cook properly now." Sylvia Fine had been pacing restlessly the whole time. Now she stopped in shock. Slowly she realized, he must have actually been with her, otherwise he couldn't have known all this. Should he really tell the truth, but that couldn't be.
"I know it's hard to comprehend and believe me, I wish it were different too. But the thing is, we all have to stick together to support Fran, she has a long hard road ahead of her." "You're absolutely right, Mr. Sheffield," Morty now intervened, "but I still don't understand why Fran didn't tell us about her illness herself." "She wanted to protect us, she didn't want us to see her suffer." "That's typical Fran, she can't even think of herself in a situation like this" Val said. She had known Fran since kindergarten and it had always been like that, Fran had always been there for all her friends, but herself she always wanted to go through all the fights alone. "Yeah, that's just the way Fran reacts. I have talked to her about it for a long time, meanwhile she has realized that her way was not the right one. She is now willing to accept any form of help and support. She also knows about this conversation. I spoke to her on the phone earlier. (Maxwell reached into the pocket of his jacket) She gave me letters for everyone, explaining everything again herself. She also told me to tell you all how much Fran loves you all and not to worry." Everyone snorted and shook their heads. Sylvia sat a little apart from the group in tears. She kept clutching her chest. Everyone looked worriedly at her. They knew it was hard for Fran's mother. There was a special bond between her and Fran and now she had to hear the worst news of all. Monty stood up.
"I think I'll take my wife home for now. She needs to digest all this first." "I'll come with you and help!" Val agreed. Maxwell also helped to take Sylvia to the car. Before Morty got into the car himself, he advised him to take care of Fran's mother and family. He promised him to take good care of Fran. Monty gave him a hug. "I'm glad to know my daughter is in your care."
Niles, meanwhile, had retreated to the kitchen. He couldn't still understand what was going on. He read the letter from Fran. She apologized first for not taking him into confidence as her best friend. She asked him to take good care of Maxwell and especially the children. Finally, she wrote that she hoped to sit and chat with him in the kitchen again soon. Niles fought back his tears. He was not a man of great emotion but this was all too much for him. Maxwell joined him. Wordlessly, he poured them both a cognac. The two men had known each other since childhood and not a word was necessary. Each understood the other. Before Niles withdrew, Maxwell when the children wanted to come home tomorrow. Niles replied everyone wanted to be back for breakfast. His heart tightened as he thought of the children. The truth would be a shock for them. Would they really have to deal with a mother taken from them for the second time.
Fran, meanwhile, sat on her bed flipping through a "People" magazine. Annoyed, she threw the magazine away. She zapped through the TV program, but that only made her more nervous. Impatiently, she waited for Maxwell's phone call. She wondered how everyone would react. Finally, after an interminably long time, the phone rang.