Ally Mcbeal: The Return of Larry

Dinner for three

"How are planning on keeping this from Richard?" Sarah and Ling had been standing in the cold outisde the doctors surgery for quite some time. Both in a considerable amount of shock, Ling even more so, "Because he's going to find out eventually!" Sarah placed a comforting hand on the usually vain and self-centred woman's shoulder. But Ling instantly pulled away at the question, there was no way she was going to tell any of this to Richard, she couldn't. It would, in her mind, make people think of her differently and perceive her as a weak woman. No. Ling couldn't deal with that along with the added stress of her situation that she had now found herself in. "I've been keeping a lot of things secret from Richard in the past, this will just join that long list." How long would she be able to hide the truth from Richard was the question that ran through both Ling and Sarah's minds. This was not something that could be concealed for a great amount of time. "But they're going to notice you're not there every time you need to attend your appointments," Sarah spoke with sympath and was trying to to console the distraught woman. The news the doctor had given Ling had nearly broken her. "I'll think of something," Ling was on the verge of tears, which was not something in her typical characteristics, "Sarah I don't think I can do this on my own," she confessed with embarrasment. It sounded so feeble! 

Sarah felt quite bad for Ling having such a difficult problem thrust on her. Nobody deserved to deal with this, "Ling you won't be alone," Sarah consoled, "I'll support you as best as I can and I promise I won't breathe one word of this to anyone." Ling remained quiet for a moment, she was never one to ask help of others, well not without being subtle about it. But here was Sarah who was willing to help her, no questions asked. "Why? Why do you want to help me?" Sarah just smiled softly, "Well because you look like you need the help and if you're not telling anyone else I guess I should." Ling looked at Sarah, she tried to keep herself together but it was all too much for her. "It would happen to me wouldnt it?" She snapped suddenly, her fear of the future eating at her. This problem had gone unforeseen. "Ling you will get through this," Sarah reassured but that was all she could offer, words. Words aren't always enough for a person nearing or at their lowest point, "But I do think you have to tell Richard," she added carefully, "In your your own time, but I think it will help."

Ling was quite sensitive right now, anything could easily set her off, "How do I tell Richard the woman he loves has cancer?!" She felt the gut wrenching pain in her stomach as she uttered those words. Until that moment it didn't feel real or that it was happening, "Oh God... I have cancer.." Sarah, being the kind and friendly person she was, hugged Ling as she sobbed, "Ling it''s going to alright, it's alright."  It was at that moment when Ling's cellphone rang, pulling her back into the normality of her life, but the constant reminder of her illness nagged at her mind. "Hey, Ling, it's me," Richard sounded, of course it would be him of all people ringing her. The one person who Ling did not want to speak even one word to right now, "What is it Richard?" she spoke in her usual carefree and arrogant voice, acting as a facade to hide how broken she was feeling inside.  Sarah looked concerned at Ling, sure she had her own problems to deal with but it didn't measure up to having cancer. "He's wondering where I am because apparantly nobody let him know," Ling huffed in annoyance after hanging up the phone. "I guess I have to go back to work because he won't give up until he sees me there," she explained with a roll of her eyes.

"Are you going to be alright?" Sarah asked, she was genuninely concerned for her work colleague.

Ling recomposed herself from her recent lapse of emotion, hiding any fact that there was anything wrong, "Of course I will, I mean I'm not going to mope around about it, I'm not Ally!"