The truth needs to be released!

Maxwell walks into the living room and catches up part of 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 seems 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 any time."

Sylvia Fine gets a beaming look on her face. All her dreams would come true. Maxwell, on the other hand, sighs deeply; things will 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 slip.) 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 did some research to find out what is going on."

He swallows hard, everyone is now staring at him. "Fran didn't move to Malibu because she fell in love... she's seriously ill and is currently undergoing a special treatment in a private clinic there. The doctors found a malignant tumor in Fran's brain."

Maxwell pauses to let the news sink in. There is sheer horror in everyone's eyes, tears shimmering in Val's eyes. Even if everyone thinks she's not very intelligent, she knows a brain tumor means Fran's life is in danger.

"No, that's not true! I don't know why you're telling us such a horrifying story. You just can't cope with the fact that Fran left 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 the entire 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. About new furniture they are looking at and that she wants to learn how to cook properly."

Sylvia Fine rushed restlessly around the room the whole time. Now she stops and freezes on the spot. Slowly she realizes, he must have been with her, otherwise he couldn't know 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. But the thing is, we all have to stick together now to support Fran. She has a long hard road ahead of her."

"You're absolutely right, Mr. Sheffield." Morty now intervenes.

"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 for Fran. She can't even think of herself in a situation like this." Val blurts out.

She has known Fran since kindergarten and it has always been like that, Fran had always been there for all her friends. But she always wanted to go through all her fights alone.

"Yeah, that's just the way Fran reacts. I have talked to her about it for a long time. In the meantime she 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 reaches into his pocket) She gave me letters for all of you where she explains everything by herself. She also told me to tell you all how much Fran loves you all and we should not worry."

Everyone snorts and shakes their heads. Sylvia sits a little apart from the rest of the group. She is crushed and in tears. She keeps clutching her chest. Everyone looks with great concern at her. They know it has to be hard for Fran's mother. There always was a special bond between her and Fran and now she has to digest the worst news of all. Morty stands up.

"I think I'll take my wife home for now. She needs to cope with all this first."

"I'll come with you to help!" Val agrees immediately. Maxwell also takes a grip to bring Sylvia to the car. Before Morty gets into the car himself, he advises him to take care of Fran's mother and family. He promises him to take good care of Fran. Morty gives him a hug. "I'm glad to know my daughter is in your care."

Niles, meanwhile, retreated to the kitchen. He still can't understand what is going on. He reads the letter from Fran. She apologizes first for not taking him into confidence as her best friend. She asks him to watch out for Maxwell and especially the children. Finally she writes that she hopes she will be able to sit and chat with him in the kitchen again soon. Niles fights back his tears. Usually he's not a man of great emotion but this is all too much for him. Maxwell joins him. Without saying anything he serves them both a cognac. The two men know each other since their childhood and not a word is necessary. Each one understands the other. Before Niles retires to his room Maxwell wants to know when the children will come home tomorrow. Niles replies everyone wants to be back for lunch. Maxwells heart gets heavy as he thinks of the children. The truth will be a shock for them. Would they really have to deal with a mother taken from them a second time?

Fran, meanwhile, lies on her bed flipping through a "People" magazine. Annoyed she throws the magazine away. She zapps through the TV channels, but that only makes her even more nervous. Impatiently, she waits for Maxwell's phone call. She wonders how everyone react. Finally, after an endless period of time, the phone rings.