If you're interested in writing fanfiction, contact me at: sammy3@ix.netcom.com
ER
"Hush My Darling "
Part Two
We are now back on the ER floor. The camera shows Mark sitting in an exam room looking over
some patient records. Carol comes in looking slightly pale and scared.
Mark: (looking at Carol with a worried expression on his face) Carol,
are you alright? Why don't you sit down for a second? (pulls up a chair
and she sits down)
Carol: I'm fine.
Mark: Did you get the test results
Carol: (nods)
Mark: Well?
Carol: I'm going to have a baby.
Mark: Congratulations. (gives her a hug)
Carol: (pulls away) Mark, are you nuts?! I'm not married, I'm not ready to raise
a baby and Doug doesn't even know I'm pregnant.
Mark: (puts his arm around her) Carol, come on. You're going to be a great
mom. And I'm sure everything will work out fine with Doug, if you will just tell
him. Carol, you can't keep something like this from him. Sooner or later he's
gonna know and I'm sure he'll really appreciate it if he finds out on the ‘sooner'
side if you know what I mean.
Carol: (nods and speaks quietly) Yeah.
Mark: You know I talked to him last night in the locker room and he was saying
how much he wants to talk to you and how confused he is right now that you've
been avoiding him and how he wants you to be able to trust him enough to tell
him about anything that is bothering you.
Carol: Mark I don't know what to do! I'm afraid that if I tell him he'll get scared
and leave, and if I don't tell him he'll get mad and hate me. And his alcoholism...
what if this does something to him and he goes out and gets drunk and gets
hurt. Then what would I do? I'm not going to let him ruin his life just because of
one stupid mistake.
Mark: I thought you knew Doug better than that. He loves you and he's changed
a lot in this past year. And besides, it's his baby too. Why don't you let him
decide if it will ruin his life or not? And I know his answer will be the not. Carol,
you need to trust him.
Carol: This is my baby. (Mark is obviously taken back by this response from
her) And I've decided to break up with Doug. (she hurries on after seeing
Mark's shocked expression) I don't want him to feel any obligation towards me.
I want him to be as free as he always was. I want the best for him.
Mark: No. You want to find the easiest way out for yourself. Why the heck
don't you want Doug to know?
Carol: I told you already! I don't want anyone to get hurt in all of this.
Mark: Especially yourself.
Carol: Listen Mark, I'm too tired to argue with you any more. I'm taking the rest
of the day off. Bye Mark.
Mark: Bye Carol.
END SCENE
It is now three weeks later and Carol is standing beside a punch bowl at a staff party that is being
held at her house. She is standing away from everyone else watching the party. Carter is dancing
with Chunny. Mark is talking to his girlfriend, Dr. Susan Lewis who is also one of Carol's best
friends, a group of nurses are in one corner talking and Dr. Benton is talking to Jerry, finally her
gaze shifts to Doug, who is talking to P.A. Jeannie Boulet. Her eyes focus on Doug who is laughing
at something and sighs. We follow her as she goes upstairs and into her bedroom and lays down on
the bed and begins to cry. After a moment we hear foot steps coming up the steps and Susan
appears in the doorway.
Susan: Carol, what's wrong.
Carol: (sits up and wipes her eyes) It's nothing. I guess I've just had a long day.
Susan: (disbelieving) Uh huh. Listen do you need to talk?
Carol: No, not really.
Susan: You've had a lot on your mind these past few weeks. What's going on?
Carol: I went in for the ultrasound yesterday. You can't tell much but do you
want to see the pictures?
Susan: Are you kidding of course I do!
Carol: (reaches into her dresser drawer and pulls out an envelope) Here they are.
(hands Susan the pictures)
Susan: (looking at them) Oh Carol these are so precious. Have you started
choosing names yet?
Carol: (places hands on her head and falls back onto the bed) Oh no! I haven't
even started thinking about that yet! Something else to worry about.
Susan: Hey, don't stress yourself out. You've still got eight months in which to
choose names. That's plenty of time. So have you talked to Doug yet?
Carol: No. I'm planning on breaking it off as soon as the party's over.
Susan: Have you talked to him at all? About anything?
Carol: Well, yeah. He was wondering why I had been avoiding him and I just
told him that I was having a rough time and I just needed some space.
Susan: He actually bought that?
Carol: No. But at least he didn't press the subject.
Susan: Sometimes you can be so stubborn!
Carol: (smiles) It's a gift.
Susan: We'd better get down and join the others. After all, you are the hostess
of this party and it would be pretty wired if you didn't show your face.
Carol: That's another thing. Why do we always have staff parties here?
Susan: Because you have a house and everyone else either has a small apartment
or a huge dog. Let's go.
They stand up and Carol wipes her eyes again. Susan puts her arm around her
and they start downstairs.
END SCENE
Cut to show time lapse. Everyone is leaving the party and telling Carol what a great time they had.
Carol, Susan, Mark, and Doug are the only people left. Mark is helping Susan on with her coat.
Susan goes over and gives Carol a hug.
Susan: It was a great party. I had a wonderful time.
Carol: Thanks. I'm glad.
Mark: Well, we better get going. We'll see you at work tomorrow. Good night!
Everyone together: Good night, good night! Take care.
Mark and Susan leave and Carol turns to Doug who is watching her intently.
Carol: Doug, I need to talk to you. Do you want to go for a walk?
Doug: Sure.
He goes to the coat closet and puts his on then helps Carol on with hers. They walk out the door
together. The camera picks up on them walking down a quiet Chicago street, in silence. Carol
suddenly turns to Doug.
Carol: Doug, I have something I need to tell you.
Doug: Yes?
Carol: (takes a deep breath) I don't think we should see each other anymore.
Doug: (shocked) What?!
Carol: It's just not working out for me and I don't want to go out with you
anymore.
Doug: Carol-
Carol: Doug please don't say anything. It isn't easy for me either but I think it
would be for the best if we just stopped it here and stayed friends.
Doug: Carol, I've been really patient this past month or so when you've been
acting so strangely and I don't know how but you got Mark in on it too. Now I
think I deserve an explanation.
Carol: There's nothing to explain. I don't want to see you anymore and that's
that!
Carol runs back towards home leaving Doug standing there looking stricken.
END SCENE
Cut to: The hospital, the next day. We watch as Doug gets on an elevator and goes upstairs. Then
we see him getting off at OB and he walks up to a nurse.
Doug: I'm doctor Ross from the ER. I need to pick up the records of Annie
Walker.
Nurse: (goes to the desk and picks up a folder) Yes Dr. Ross here you go
(hands him the file)
Doug: Thanks. (he turns and starts towards the elevator)
Nurse: Sure. (picks up another file that is sitting on her desk, then to another
nurse...) Sue, I need you to run these papers down to Carol Hathaway. She
works down in the ER.
Sue: Sure, just a second.
The camera focuses in on Doug's face his look is one of disbelief, hurt, and anger but he erases it all
as he turns back towards the nurses' desk.
Doug: Excuse me. I'm going right down to ER if you want me to take those
down for you.
Nurse: Are you sure it won't be any trouble?
Doug: No of course not.
Nurse: Okay, thanks. (hands him the folder) Nurse Carol Hathaway. (pauses for
a split second) Oh, I almost forgot. (hands him a bottle of pills) her prenatal
vitamins. She knows what to do.
Doug: Okay. (he takes the pills and again heads towards the elevator)
On the elevator we watch as he opens the folder and looks at the papers. Most are just instructions
and appointment stuff. The camera focuses in on Doug's face which again looks stricken. Fades to
black.
END SCENE
Cut to: Exam room #2. Carol is talking to a woman who appears to have laryngitis. Doug comes in
with the folder.
Doug: Carol, I need to talk to you a second.
Carol: (to the woman) Excuse me. I'll be right back. (Goes out in the hall with
Doug) So what's up?
Doug: Carol, I just came from OB. (Carol's face goes white) The nurse sent
these down for you. (Hands her the pills and the papers)
Carol: (nervously) Thanks. I was almost out of these.
Doug: Carol, meet me at Doc Magoo's in one hour. There are some things I
think we need to talk about.
Carol: I don't think-
Doug: (raises his voice to a shout) One hour. Don't even try to argue with me,
Carol!
Carol: Don't you ever yell at me again. (walks silently back into the exam room
and resumes her duties)
Doug closes his eyes and goes back to work.
END SCENE
Cut to: Doc Magoo's an hour later. Doug is sitting alone at a table wearing his green scrubs and
waiting for Carol. Carol comes in looks around until she sees him then walks over to the table and
sits down.
Doug: You came.
Carol: Good skills of observation.
Doug: I'm sorry I yelled at you.
Carol: Uh huh whatever.
Doug: (aggravated) Carol... Look, let's cut through all this and get to the point.
Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?
Carol: Pretty wet outside today huh?
Doug: Carol!
Carol: I didn't know what to do! I was scared!
Doug: What the heck were you scared of?
Carol: Have you ever been pregnant before?
Doug: No.
Carol: You couldn't possibly understand. I'm a ER nurse, I'm not married I'm
not ready to be a mother, I'm scared to death of what will happen between us, I
just can't do it! (bursts into tears)
Doug: (moves over and holds her to him) Shhh, it's alright just take it easy, calm
down.
Carol: (pulls away from him) No! I don't need you hugging me and getting me
more confused then I already am! Just back off.
Doug: Carol just calm down.
Carol: (looks at her watch and stands up) I've got to get back to work. (Runs
off)
Doug: Wait!
Carol: I'm sorry.
END SCENE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------