EPISODE #16

EPISODE 16

Created By: Casey Hutchison

Written By: Casey Hutchison

Executive Producer: Casey Hutchison

SAME DAY. NIGHT.

MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - PATIENT ENTRY

Judith, 4 Paramedics, and Stuart (on a hospital gurney) rush off of the elevator. Two nurses rush up to the scene and begin to assess Stuart.

NURSE: Give me the info!

PARAMEDIC 1: White male. 52. Apparent heart attack. He has a history of heart issues according to his wife. He has also been diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure.

Andrea rushes up to them.

ANDREA: What’s going on here?

PARAMEDIC 2: Do you know this man, doctor?

ANDREA: He’s my patient. Get him to room 300 immediately! Also, give him six milligrams of Nitroglycerin. Once he is stable, prep him for a coronary artery bypass. This man needs surgery. Now!

Everyone rushes off. Before Andrea can walk off, Judith stops her.

JUDITH: Wait! You want to do the surgery now?

ANDREA: Judith, take this heart attack as the greenlight to do this surgery. Things are getting highly dangerous right now. This surgery is the only thing that will save his life. We have to do it.

JUDITH: (voice breaking) Okay.

ANDREA: Call your family. Okay?

JUDITH: Will do.

As Andrea walks off, the elevator doors ding open again. 2 more Paramedics rush in. On a gurney is Philip. Judith looks over at the paramedics and the man on the gurney. She realizes it’s Philip. As she rushes over, Joshua goes over to them.

JUDITH: Oh my god! Philip! Philip!

JOSHUA: Judith, I need you to back up.

Judith reluctantly backs away. But, she stays very close. Joshua begins to assess Philip’s injuries from the hit and run.

PARAMEDIC 1a: White male. He’s in his 20s. We found him outside of Mimi’s Cafe. He’s been hit by a car. We managed to get him stable in the ambulance. But, he is still unconscious.

JOSHUA: Alright. Let’s get him to room 302. Now!

The paramedics rush off with Philip.

JOSHUA: Judith, I’ll save his life. But, please, call my sister. Let her know what’s going on. Thanks.

Joshua rushes off. Judith, shocked, scared, and terrified, begins to cry. She then backs up to a wall. The camera zooms in on her.

AMY & MIMI’S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM

Mimi is sitting on the couch. Then, there’s a knock on the door. Mimi gets up and goes to the door.

MIMI: (opening the door) Thanks for coming.

LINDSAY: No problem. What’s up?

Lindsay enters. Mimi shuts the door, turns around, and goes to her.

MIMI: I told Amy the truth.

LINDSAY: About the affair her mother had with my father?

MIMI: Yes.

LINDSAY: How’d she react?

MIMI: Well, she stormed out of this apartment. And, now, I’m not so sure that we are even getting married.

JACKSON FAMILY HOME - LIVING ROOM

Jennifer is sitting on the couch. She is looking at a photo of she and Philip on her cellphone. She then looks at the time on her phone.

JENNIFER: God, where’s Philip? It’s almost nine.

Then, Jennifer’s phone rings. She stands and takes the call.

JENNIFER: (on the phone) Hello. Judith...wait...what? Slow down. Oh my god! Are you serious?! Yes! Of course. I will be right there. Alright. Bye.

Jennifer hangs up. She then walks over to the desk in the room and grabs her purse and keys. She then rushes out of the room.

ANDERSON MANSION - LIVING ROOM

Cynthia puts the top back on the scotch bottle. She then turns around carrying a full glass of scotch. She takes a sip.

CYNTHIA: So, tell me. Do you love her?

MICHAEL: Cynthia, I only have eyes for one woman. And, that one woman is you. You are the only woman for me.

CYNTHIA: Then, why’d you keep that photo?

MICHAEL: Judith is a small part of my history. And, I just thought that I should hang onto a memory of that short period in my life.

CYNTHIA: Michael, I know you still hang onto photos of your late wife. And, those do not bother me. But, the fact that you are keeping a photograph of your former mistress is a little suspicious to me. So, what is really going on here?

MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - WAITING ROOM

Amy rushes into the waiting room. Judith stands from the chair she was sitting in. The two rush to one another and embrace.

AMY: Oh, mom.

JUDITH: Hi, honey.

AMY: (coming off the hug) How’s dad?

JUDITH: He’s going to be just fine. However, the doctors did have to go ahead and prepare him for surgery.

AMY: (caught off guard) What?

JUDITH: Honey, I know this is a lot to take in. But, they have to do this surgery. It’s the only way they can save your father’s life.

AMY: Okay. I...I...I understand. I do. And, I know that Andrea is damn good at her job. I know she’ll move forward with the best course of treatment for dad.

JUDITH: You bet she will. (sighs) Now, there is something else that I think you need to know. (deep breath) Your brother is here too.

AMY: Well, yeah. Of course he is. Why wouldn’t he be? Is he...uh...getting coffee from the cafeteria or something.

JUDITH: No, darling. I didn’t mean it like that. What I meant to say is that he’s here…, but in a hospital room.

AMY: (holding back tears/choked up) Why would Philip be in a hospital room? Mom…, what happened to my brother?

JUDITH: (tearful) He was hit by a car.

Amy covers her mouth in shock.

AMY: (sobbing) No! Oh my god! No!

JUDITH: Come here.

Judith takes Amy in her arms. The two women quietly sob.

MIMI’S CAFE - PARKING LOT

Becky and Detective Roberts walk up to the parking lot. There is yellow tape all over. And, reporters and people are standing around.

BECKY: Looks like we have a lot to take care of here.

DETECTIVE ROBERTS: I would say so.

BECKY: Officer Harrison!

Officer Harrison walks up to Becky and Detective Roberts.

OFFICER HARRISON: Yes, Detective Campbell?

BECKY: Get all these people out of here. I don’t need these reporters snapping a picture every five seconds. And, I don’t need the whole town gossiping around my crime scene.

OFFICER HARRISON: I’ll take care of it.

BECKY: Thanks.

Becky and Detective Roberts put on latex gloves.

BECKY: Alright. Let’s find out who ran down Philip Whitmore.

The two begin to investigate the scene.

MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - 5TH FLOOR

Judith and Amy are watching through a window that leads into a hospital room. They are watching as the hospital staff works on Philip. Then, the elevator doors ding open. Jennifer looks around and rushes over to them.

JENNIFER: How is he?

Judith and Amy turn around.

JENNIFER: (noticing the staff working on him) Oh...my...god. Is that him?! Is that Philip in that room right now?

JUDITH: Yes, it is.

JENNIFER: What are they doing to him?

AMY: Mom says they are just making sure he stays stable.

JUDITH: (sighs) I think that we should all go somewhere else and let the staff work on him. We don’t want them to get distracted.

JENNIFER: With all due respect, Judith, I’m not going anywhere.

AMY: Same here.

JUDITH: Okay. Fine. Look, I have to go sign some papers so the hospital can move forward with your father’s surgery. So, please, excuse me.

Judith walks off. Amy and Jennifer stare on at Philip.

Back at Mimi’s Cafe, out in the Parking Lot, Becky and Detective Roberts are still investigating the crime scene. Both of them then stop what they’re doing and walk back over to one another.

BECKY: There’s gotta be something we’re missing.

DETECTIVE ROBERTS: Well, I hope we find that something soon, because we’ve gone around this parking lot about eight times.

BECKY: There has to be something here, Roberts. A hit and run happens and doesn’t leave any evidence? Come on! That’s like saying a doctor performs a surgery and has no blood on them. There is something here. I know it. All we have is tire tracks. But, I know there is something more here.

DETECTIVE ROBERTS: (noticing something) Wait. What’s that?

Detective Roberts bends down. He picks up multiple pieces of rubber.

BECKY: It looks like rubber from a tire.

Detective Roberts stands back up.

DETECTIVE ROBERTS: So, we have multiple pieces of rubber from one or all of the tires. What does this mean?

BECKY: It means that the hit-and-run driver needs a new tire. Or, even multiple new ones. How about you go back to the station with this. Get me a list of people who have stopped at a repair shop in the past five hours to get their tires repaired. Since it is late at night, our list might be very small.

DETECTIVE ROBERTS: Sounds good. Seya later.

BECKY: Yeah. Seya.

Detective Roberts walks off.

BECKY: We will find out who did this to you Philip. I can promise you that.

Becky then continues to look over the crime scene.

Back at Amy and Mimi’s Apartment, in the Living Room, Lindsay puts her purse down on the couch.

MIMI: You know, I was against keeping this a secret from my soon-to-be-wife. However, you made me keep it from her. Now, everything is out in the open. And, Amy is pissed off at me. Lindsay, I really don’t think she wants to be my wife anymore.

LINDSAY: That’s crazy. Amy loves you.

MIMI: Yeah. You’re right. She does. But, she isn’t going to want to enter into a marriage if I am keeping secrets. That’s not how marriage works.

LINDSAY: Mimi, you did the right thing. Ultimately, I was just trying to protect Amy...and so were you.

Then, Mimi’s phone rings. She retrieves it from her back pocket.

MIMI: It’s Amy.

LINDSAY: You should get it then.

MIMI: Yeah. I should.

Mimi answers the phone call.

MIMI: (on the phone) Hello. Hey. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Amy. Amy. Slow down. I can barely understand you. What? Oh my god. Yeah. I’ll be right there. I love you too. Bye.

As soon as Mimi hangs up the phone, she collects her things.

LINDSAY: What’s going on?

MIMI: Amy’s father is in the hospital. He had a heart attack. And, her brother is there too. He was hit by a car outside of my cafe.

LINDSAY: Oh my god. Well, let’s go. I’ll drive you there.

MIMI: Are you crazy, Lindsay? I don’t want to go anywhere with you. I’ll be going to the hospital alone.

MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - CHAPEL

Judith enters the chapel. She wipes a tear from her face and goes to the altar. She kneels before the cross and looks up at the cross.

JUDITH: Hey. It’s me. I know it has been a good couple of months since I really cared to talk to you. But, I need you now more than ever, God. Things have really gotten bad for this family. My affair came out. My son was hit by a car. And, my husband had a heart attack. (sobbing) I just feel so guilty. I caused all of these events. I told Vargas to do what he had to. But, I didn’t think he would hit Philip with a car. I just didn’t want anyone to figure out that Stuart and I were responsible for the deaths of Jennifer and Joshua’s parents. If they did, they wouldn’t understand that it was an accident. I never meant for anyone to get hurt. I just wanted what the Jackson family owed me. They stole hundreds of thousand of dollars and even some diamonds from my family all to pay the tuition for their son to go to medical school. (sighs) Why have I done this to myself? Why have I let myself spend my whole life as a selfish person? If it was not for me having that affair, Stuart would have never have had a heart attack. All of this is my fault. (crying) All of it. And, I admit that to you now, Lord. But, because of this admission, I ask for one thing. Don’t let my son and husband die because of me. I beg of you. Don’t let them pay for my sins.

Judith then falls from the alter. She begins to cry uncontrollably.

Back at the Anderson Mansion, in the Living Room, Cynthia and Michael sit down on the couch. Cynthia sets her glass down in front of her.

CYNTHIA:  Michael, we are really far into our relationship. And, I expect the truth considering how far we are into this thing. So, if you love another woman, just tell me now.

MICHAEL: Judith is my past. She was a meaningless little affair that I had. You are my life. She is nothing to me.

CYNTHIA: Meaningless? So, she’s now meaningless to you?

MICHAEL: Since that affair ended, she has become that to me. I love you. Only you. No one else. Please tell me you believe me.

CYNTHIA: Of course I do. And, I am sorry that I ever doubted you. It is just that a lot has been going through my mind today. It has been a long day. That’s why I need to know that we are both 100 percent in this thing.

MICHAEL: Yes, we are. I can promise you that. Anyway, why was your day so difficult? What’s going on?

CYNTHIA: Well, I had another run-in with Lindsay.

MICHAEL: What happened this time?

CYNTHIA: I discovered that she and Thomas dug into my past.

MICHAEL: Excuse me?

CYNTHIA: No. Wait. Don’t be angry. To tell you the truth, I’m kind of relieved that they did do a background check on me.

MICHAEL: You are?

CYNTHIA: Yes. Because, it forces me to be honest with you about a part of my past that I’ve managed to keep quiet and hidden. You see, Michael, I think it’s time that you know everything. Every single detail.

Back at Memorial Hospital, in the Waiting Room, Amy and Jennifer are pacing around the room. Both of them are drinking a cup of coffee. A couple of seconds later, Mimi enters the room. Amy and Jennifer stop pacing and go to her. Mimi and Amy hug one another.

MIMI: Hi.

AMY: Thank you for coming.

Amy and Mimi come off of the hug.

MIMI: Of course. How are you doing?

AMY: I’m gonna be okay.

MIMI: What about you, Jenn?

JENNIFER: Yeah. I’m gonna be fine too.

MIMI: Good. So, how’s your brother?

AMY: I don’t know. We’re waiting to hear from Joshua.

MIMI: What about your dad?

AMY: He is currently in surgery. They decided to move the whole thing up to today as an emergency measure.

MIMI: I’m sorry you’re going through this.

AMY: Me too.

Then, Judith and Joshua enter the room.

AMY: Hey, mom. Thank god you brought Joshua with you. It is about time we heard from a doctor.

JENNIFER: Alright, brother, what’s going on? How is Philip?

JOSHUA: Before all of you hear this news, I want all of you to take a deep breath. I know things have been tense for all of you.

JUDITH: Joshua, just tell us what’s going on.

JOSHUA: (deep breath) Due to Philip’s severe injuries, and due to his head trauma from hitting the pavement, he has slipped into a coma.

Amy leans on Mimi. Jennifer holds back her tears.

JUDITH: When will he wake up?

JOSHUA: At this moment, we don’t know. However, we will do everything we can to keep him stable and comfortable. And, we are working very hard to make sure his injuries heal properly.

JUDITH: Thank you. Please, leave us.

JOSHUA: Certainly.

Joshua exits. Jennifer follows him out.

(CUT TO)

*5TH FLOOR*

Jennifer and Joshua walk over to the main desk.

JOSHUA: Why’d you follow me out of there?

JENNIFER: I need to talk to you.

JOSHUA: About…?

JENNIFER: Well, I have a very serious question for you. And, I need a very truthful answer from you. Please.

JOSHUA: What’s up?

JENNIFER: In the waiting room, you told all of us that you would do everything you can to basically bring Philip out of his coma. But, I know you hold a slight grudge against Philip.

JOSHUA: What are you implying?

JENNIFER: Just tell me. Will you do everything you can? Or, will you slack off with Philip’s hospital care because of that grudge? So, which one is it?

THE PALACE HOTEL - LOBBY

A woman enters the hotel. She is holding a suitcase and a purse. She walks up to the front desk.

MAN: Good evening, miss. How may I be of service to you?

WOMAN: I’d like to know if you have any available suites.

MAN: In fact, we do.

WOMAN: Great.

MAN: How long will you be staying?

WOMAN: For awhile. Perhaps even a couple of months.

MAN: Do you have a credit card, miss?

WOMAN: Yes.

The woman pulls a card out of her purse and hands it to the hotel employee. The hotel employee begins to type on his computer.

MAN: Very well then. The room that is available is 300 dollars a night. But, since you will be here for an extended stay, we can offer it to you for 1,500 a month.

WOMAN: Perfect. I’ll take it.

The employee hands the card back to the woman and hands her a key for her suite. She puts everything in her purse.

MAN: Oh, and one more final question before you go.

WOMAN: Yes?

MAN: What’s the name you’d like to put the account under?

WOMAN: Veronica. Veronica Sterling.

MAN: Well, Miss Sterling, welcome to Thorne Hill.

VERONICA: Thank you.

Veronica politely smiles and walks off.

MAN: Enjoy your stay.

MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - OPERATING ROOM

Several hospital staff members are crowded around Stuart. Stuart is laying down on the operating table. He is unconscious.

ANDREA: Alright. So, now, I will begin to saw through the breast bone. Please, give me the saw.

An OR Nurse hands Andrea a bone saw. She begins sawing Stuart’s breast bone. Then, his heart monitor begins to beep rapidly.

ANDREA: Dammit! I think I went too far.

NURSE: Pressure’s dropping.

ANDREA: Okay. Paddles! Now!

Andrea is handed a pair of surgical paddles.

ANDREA: Alright. Charge to 75 joules.

The machine is charged.

ANDREA: Clear!

Everyone backs up. Stuart is shocked.

NURSE: Still nothing.

ANDREA: Charge to 120!

Everyone backs up. Stuart is shocked again.

WOMAN: Still nothing. Pressure is still dropping, Doctor.

ANDREA: Dammit, Stuart! You will not die on me! Charge again!

NURSE: Are you sure, Doctor?

ANDREA: Yes.

The Nurse turns the dial on the paddle monitor.

ANDREA: Clear!

Everyone backs up. The camera zooms in on Stuart once again being shocked. The sound of a heart monitor flatlining is heard.

***FADE OUT***
***END OF EP. 16***