Author’s Text

FINALLY NBC gave me something to work with to get back to this formula of stories! This story is ALL Doug and Carol and their family, though...not much hospital stuff in this one except for briefly in Act Three. New horizons coming on and I think I’m going to take this one...but don’t fret too much for the changes coming...you may be surprised before everything is in place.

The characters in this story are not mine and no money is made by me for the use of them in this story...

Robin

"ER"
"Bad Medicine"
Opening Act

Scene opens at the Ross home, exterior, daytime. Show Carol pull up in the family van and get out on the driver’s side. She walks around to the passenger’s side, pulls open the door, and unbuckles the seatbelt secured Tatiana. Then, she lifts the little girl into her arms and begins to carry her to the house. Tatiana keeps her head on Carol’s shoulder and her arms hang limply over Carol’s shoulders. Follow Carol into the house. She takes Tatiana to her bedroom and lays her down on the bed.

Carol (drawing covers up over her):
Just rest, sweetheart...you’ll feel better in a little while.

Tatiana (weakly...as Carol gets to the door):
Mama?

Carol (turns to her):
Yes, sweetie?

Tatiana:
Do I have to go back?

Carol (sad smile):
Oh, sweetie, you know you do. This is your new treatment now.

Tatiana (whining):
I don’t like it. I don’t want to go anymore.

Carol (goes over to her bed and sits beside her):
I know you’re having a hard time with it right now, but it’ll get better. You just have to keep at it.

Tatiana (pouting):
That’s the same thing you tell me every time...when is it gonna get better?

Carol (sighs):
I don’t know, sweetie. But, remember? We all sat down and talked about this? And we all decided this was the best thing to do?

Tatiana:
When I said that, I didn’t know how sick I was gonna be.

Carol:
I know...neither did I.

Tatiana:
Does Papa say I have to go, too?

Carol:
Tatchie, I know you’re having a hard time right now, but, I think if you can just stay with it a little bit longer things will start to get better.

Tatiana:
What if it doesn’t?

Carol:
Then, we’ll talk about it again, OK?

Tatiana (nods, rubs her eyes):
OK.

Carol (leans down and kisses her forehead):
Get some rest, OK?

Tatiana (sighs):
OK, Mama.

Carol tucks the covers around Tatiana and goes on out of the room. She goes through the house and looks in at the nursery. She sees Lana standing up in the middle of the room. When the little girl sees Carol, she takes several unsteady steps towards her and Carol smiles. Tina is sitting in the floor playing with blocks. And Josh is on his play mat, happily slapping at the shapes in the material. Carol ad libs hellos to the other two babies and waves to them before going on through the house. She gets to the deck and looks out into the backyard to see Doug passing ball with Scott while Marc looks on Carol stands on the deck to watch for a few minutes. At one point, Scott misses a catch and the ball tumbles to the ground. Marc immediately toddles to it and picks it up, skirting away from Scott.

Scott:
Give me the ball, Marc...

Marc (taunting):
No! Mine!

Scott (looks helplessly at Doug):
Dad?

Doug (firm voice):
Give him the ball, Marcus!

Marc (shakes his head, clutches ball close to him):
No!

Doug (sighs):
I’ll get it, Scott...

Doug walks across the yard to Marc and tries to take the ball away from him. Marc pulls the ball close to him and hangs on tight and begins to laugh as he runs away from Doug.

Doug (chasing Marc):
Hey, listen, Marc, I’m not playing with you...give me that ball back NOW!

Marc (shakes his head):
Mine!

Doug (reaching for the ball):
No, it is not yours now give it back...

Marc (emphatically):
NO!

Doug (aggravated now):
OK, that’s it!
(reaches and pulls the ball free, tosses it to Scott. Marc begins crying angrily and Doug picks him up and carries him across the yard)
Time out for you, little man!
(over his shoulder)
I’ll be back, Scott!

Carol (wry smile as Doug passes by her):
Can I talk to you later?

Doug (nods):
Sure...what’s up?

Carol (follows him into the house):
It’s about Tatchie...

Doug (carries Marc to his room and sits him down in a chair facing the wall...demanding voice):
Sit there.
(Marc is still crying, reaches for Doug with tear stains on his cheeks but Doug shakes his head)
No, you’re in a time out...
(turns Marc back towards the wall, Marc begins to cry loudly...Doug turns to Carol)
I’ll be back in a little while, OK? Leave him there 10 minutes...then he can get up, OK?

Carol (nods):
OK.

Both leave the room....Marc watches them go and when they are gone begins to cry even louder at no avail. Doug returns to the backyard to pass ball and Carol’s attention is caught by a folder he has left lying on the coffee table in the living room. She goes in and picks it up, looking over it carefully. Her reaction is one of surprise as she reads through the pages. She carries it with her and goes on through the house. Just as she gets to the hallway, Marc comes carefully out of his room and sees her. He looks up at her and grins. Carol smiles as she shakes her head at him.

Carol:
Your Daddy said 10 minutes...

Marc (reaches up to her):
Up, Mama!

Carol (reaches down and scoops him up in her arms):
We won’t tell Daddy, OK?
(kisses his cheek...Marc squeals with delight. Carol starts on through the hall with him)
If you don’t get out of this ‘no’ stage of yours and claiming everything as ‘mine’ you just might be headed for your very first spanking...you know that?

Marc (shakes his head quickly):
No spanks!

Carol (laughs lightly):
You might find out!

Marc laughs as she carries him on through the house...Carol just shakes her head as she goes with him and the Opening Act fades into the Opening Credits of the show.

Act One

Scene opens at the Ross home, interior, evening. Show Scott working on homework at a desk in the family room. Marc is playing with a toy truck on the floor. Lana, Tina, and Josh are in various places in the room playing with blocks and other toys. Doug and Carol are watching TV and keeping an eye on the children.

Doug (looks around):
Tatchie still in her room?

Carol (nods):
Yeah, she ate dinner there, too. She’s not feeling very well this evening.

Doug (frowns):
Treatment really wore her out, huh?

Carol:
Yeah. I felt so bad for her...she doesn’t want to go back....and I can’t say I blame her.

Doug:
Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?

Carol:
Yeah, but, we’ll talk later...when we’re alone. Besides, there’s something else I want to talk to you about now...

Doug (sheepish look):
Am I in trouble?

Carol (smiles, shakes her head):
Not yet....

Show Josh pick up a brightly colored ball and begin to play with it. The colors catch Marc’s eye and he is over to Josh in a flash, snatching the ball away. Josh begins to cry and reach for the ball but Marc starts on across the room with it.

Doug (looks up, frowns):
Marc! Give him the ball back!

Marc (shakes his head):
NO! Mine!

Doug (shakes his head):
It’s not yours, it belongs to him, now you give it back to him, NOW!

Marc (taunting):
NO!

Doug (rolls his eyes):
I HATE this stage of development!
(gives Marc a stern look)
If you don’t give it back to him right now, I’m going to spank you!

Marc (emphatically):
Mine!

Carol (quietly to Doug):
Don’t tell him you’re going to spank him if you’re going to wimp out and not do it, Doug. You can’t do that. You’ve told him what the punishment will be and now you’ll have to follow through.
(Doug gives her a helpless look)
I know...you don’t want to spank him...but you told him you would and if you don’t do then he will never learn his boundaries.

Doug (weak voice):
Maybe he’ll give it back.

Carol (looks at Marc clutching the ball tightly):
I wouldn’t bet on it.

Doug (sternly to Marc):
I’m gonna count to three, Marc, and if you don’t give that ball back you and I are going to your room for some one on one attention to this situation, do you understand me?

Marc (grins at him):
Mine!

Doug:
1....2....
(gets up off the sofa and starts across the floor towards Marc)
3!
(reaches down and takes the ball away...Marc begins to cry loudly)
You have to learn what’s yours and what’s not!
(returns the ball to Josh who grabs it quickly with a big grin...Doug goes back and takes Marc by the hand)
Come on, Buddy...you’ve got a lesson to learn.

Carol (as they start out of the room):
Watch your temper, Doug...no more than three swats.

Doug (as he leaves the room with Marc):
I know the ropes, Carol...

Scott (once Doug is out of the room):
I thought he didn’t believe in spanking.

Carol (shrugs):
He doesn’t really, but sometimes, with little ones, it’s about the only thing they understand. He already tried time out.

Scott (closes notebook):
My homework’s finished...you think Tatchie would feel like playing a game?

Carol (smiles at him):
I don’t know but you can sure go ask her!
(Scott nods and starts out of the room, but then turns back)

Scott:
Mom?
(Carol looks up to give him her attention)
Is Tatchie gonna be OK?

Carol (nods):
We hope this new medicine will help some, yes...

Scott:
That’s not what I meant...I meant is she gonna die?

Carol (sighs):
We’re all going to die, Scotty...just some of us sooner than others. I don’t know the answer to that. All I can tell you is that we’re going to do the very best we can for Tatchie and hope for the best for her. A lot of it is out of our hands.

Scott:
When she was just HIV...before she went into Aids...she could play and go to school and everything. Now she can’t hardly even get out of her bed. How can that be better for her?

Carol:
The treatment is severe, but it promises good results in the end.

Scott (shrugs):
What good are good results if Tatchie can’t enjoy them?
(goes on out of the room...show Carol thinking about that remark)

Cut to show Carol putting the triplets down in their cribs in the nursery. She turns on a lullaby box for them as she starts out of the room and closes the door. She goes across the hall and opens the door to Marc’s room quietly. She looks in to see Marc is in his crib in his footed sleeper lying on his stomach but sound asleep. His face is tear stained from his crying but the night light is on in his room and Carol smiles lightly as she closes the door as quietly as she opened it. The next door she opens is Tatiana’s room. Tatchie and Scott are sitting on her bed playing a board game and seem to be having fun so she doesn’t disturb them. She just waves slightly to them for them to continue and closes the door. She goes on down the hall to Doug’s study. The door is cracked open so she looks inside and sees Doug sitting at his desk with his head in his hands and his elbows propped on the desk. She smiles lightly at his disturbed state and knocks quietly on the door. As soon as he hears the knock, Doug begins to act like he’s working at his desk as he directs his attention to the door.

Doug:
Come in.

Carol (pushes door open):
Are you OK?

Doug (nods):
Yeah...I’m OK.

Carol:
I just checked on Marc...he’s asleep now.

Doug (sighs, runs his hand through his hair):
First time I ever hit one of my kids...
(shakes his head)
I’m an advocate for child abuse and I hit my own kid!

Carol (comes into the room):
Give yourself a break, Doug...you didn’t hurt him, did you?

Doug (rolls his eyes):
From the way he screamed I thought I was killing him.

Carol:
You didn’t leave any marks on him, did you?
(Doug shakes his head)
Well, then, you didn’t hurt him.

Doug (sighs, reaches for her to come and sit on his lap):
I know...I just didn’t want to have to hit him. He probably thinks I hate him now.
(puts his face in his hands)
I’m turning into Ray, Carol....I never wanted that to happen.

Carol (takes his hands away and lifts his chin with her fingers):
You are a LONG way from Ray Ross, Doug. You’re here...everyday...and every night...that’s more than Ray was for you. You hit your son with the palm of your hand...not a belt. And you’ll be here in the morning when he gets up to show him you still love him...Ray never did that for you. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
(kisses his forehead lightly)
You’re a good Dad...don’t ever think you’re not.

Doug (hugs her, smiles):
Thanks....I needed that.

Carol (slides off his lap and onto the desk):
I wanted us to talk about Tachie...

Doug:
Yeah...what about her? Is something wrong?

Carol (concerned look):
Do you think this new treatment is doing her any good?

Doug (shrugs):
Well, the lab work has improved...

Carol (shakes her head):
I’m not talking about medically...I’m talking physically...she’s always so worn out...she hardly ever gets out of her bed much anymore...I’m really concerned about the effect this medicine is having on her.

Doug:
Well, we read all the brochures...it said there was an adjustment period...

Carol:
Yeah, but it didn’t say it was gonna take six weeks!

Doug:
It said the period of adjustment was different for each patient...

Carol:
Yeah, and everything in there was talking about ADULT patients. There wasn’t one thing in any of those brochures about children with AIDS...she never wants to go...she puts up a fuss everytime we take her...when we come back, she begs not to have to go again...I don’t know how much longer I can do this.

Doug:
Well, what do you want us to do? We don’t have a lot of choices!

Carol (frowns):
I don’t know...I wish I had the answers. I just know I can’t stand to see her like this. It can’t be better for her, either.

Doug (shrugs):
I can look into treatments for children with AIDS...that’s about all I can do.

Carol (hopeful look):
Would you?

Doug (nods):
Sure...but it might mean we would have to travel.

Carol:
Is that a problem?

Doug:
Well, I don’t know...I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Carol (coy look):
Travel someplace like maybe, New York?
(Doug gives her a suspicious look)
You left your folder on the coffee table.

Doug (nods):
I was wondering where I left it!

Carol:
Were you going to tell me about this at all?
(pulls folder out of his desk drawer and lays it on the desk)
Or were you going to just let it pass you over?

Doug (shrugs):
I don’t know...I really hadn’t given it much thought yet.

Carol (grins at him):
Liar...you had red pen marks all over it! It’s an excellent proposal.

Doug (nods):
Yes, it is.

Carol:<
Are you gonna take it?

Doug (shrugs):
I don’t know...there’s a lot of things to consider.

Carol:
Name one.

Doug:
We just bought this house, for starters...this is our home...we’re both comfortable at County...

Carol:
Our home is where ever we both live...this house can probably be moved to new property....and what good is comfortable when there’s no place else you can go?

Doug (confused look):
What do you mean?

Carol:
What else can you do at County? You don’t want to be Chief of Staff...there’s no other upward move you can make at County now...

Doug:
There’s other things to consider...

Carol (takes him by the hand):
Let’s go to bed and talk about this...

Doug (follows her...devilish smile):
If I go to bed I don’t want to talk...

Carol just chuckles as she leads him on out and Act One fades to Black.

Act Two

Scene opens in the Ross bedroom. Show Carol nestled in Doug’s arms with her head on her shoulder. Doug is smoothing her hair and kissing her head softly. Both are under the covers. Doug has no shirt on and neither does Carol but all we see are her shoulders and arms out from under the covers. The both look relaxed and happy.

Carol:
Doug, I really want us to talk about this proposal deal...

Doug (sighs):
OK. Let’s talk about it if it makes you feel better.

Carol:
Is this the hospital in New York that we toured when we were there for the convention?

Doug (nods):
Yes, it is.

Carol:
Well, I read this thing they sent and they want you to open and run a Pedes Emergency Medicine ward of their hospital? Did I understand that right?

Doug (nods again):
Yes, you did.

Carol (surprised):
And you’re not interested in something like that?

Doug (shakes his head):
I never said I wasn’t interested! I said there were other things to consider!

Carol:
OK, let’s take them one at a time...what’s your biggest concern?

Doug:
This house...we just bought this house...just BUILT this house...and it’s perfect! I would really hate to give it up.

Carol:
OK, so, we call the contractor and have him come and evaluate it and see if it can be moved. People do that all the time. And it’s not like we don’t have the money to do it.

Doug (chuckles):
Well, before we MOVE it we have to have property to set it on when it gets there!

Carol (nods):
OK, so, we take a weekend and go to New York and look at property...THEN we move the house.

Doug (chuckles):
OK...I think that might be easier said than done, but, we’ll do it your way for now.

Carol (satisfied smile):
OK, what’s your next problem?

Doug:
There’s the question of Scott....we’d be moving him a long way from his two sisters who live in this area and his grandparents...

Carol (shrugs):
So, they have someplace to go on vacation...and we have someplace to go on vacation.

Doug:
He’ll have to change schools...

Carol:
He’s almost 13...he’ll be going to a new school in the fall anyway.

Doug:
I don’t know anything about the school systems in New York...

Carol:
They were good enough for John Kennedy, Jr....they’ll be good enough for Scott.

Doug:
It’s not likely we’d actually live in New York, anyway. I think Connecticut was decided on as a good place to live.

Carol:
Catholic schools are Catholic schools no matter where they are...

Doug (nods):
OK...you have a point there.

Carol:
Another problem solved! What’s your next hang up?

Doug (chuckles at her):
I’d have to leave County. I’ve got a lot of heart at County. It’s been my home for a long time.

Carol (nods):
And you’ve grown about as far as you can there. There’s no more opportunities for you there....and the opportunities are reeking in New York!
(looks up at him)
I think you should seriously consider this proposal, Doug!

Doug:
Well, what about you?

Carol (shrugs):
What about me? You’re my husband. I’d go with you.

Doug:
There’s no guarantee in this proposal I can get you a job! Besides, it’s a Pedes hospital...all the patients are children.

Carol:
So? I’m sure Pedes hospitals need nurses just the same as any other hospital does! And I have training in Pedes now, anyway! And if I can’t work at the hospital with you, I can go into home care or something. I’m sure I can find something to do.

Doug (confused laugh):
You act like you WANT me to make this move!

Carol:
I don’t think you should write it off so quickly. I think you should seriously think about it.

Doug (thinking):
What about Mark?

Carol (surprised):
Mark? What about him?

Doug (shrugs):
I don’t know...it’s just that he’s my best friend and this is kind of a crappy time in his life to walk out on him, what with his cancer, and Nina pregnant and all.

Carol:
It’s a great opportunity for you...surely you don’t think Mark would encourage you to seize it while you have the chance!

Doug (nods):
I’m sure he would....but that doesn’t mean I’d do it!

Carol:
He would!

Doug:
Well, Mark’s an opportunist! He goes looking for things like this! I don’t! I never have!

Carol:
Maybe it’s time you started.

Doug (confused):
Why is this so important to you?

Carol:
I just think it’s a good opportunity for you and I’d hate to see you pass it up unless you had a very good reason.

Doug (ticks his head):
Well, you know, there is one thing leaning me towards considering the possibilities of it...

Carol:
And that would be?

Doug:
They have a terrific Pedes AIDS research program there.

Carol (looks up at him brightly):
For Tatchie!?
(Doug nods)
Do you know much about it?

Doug (shakes his head):
It was just one of the footnotes on one of the back pages...I called Dr. Hollins and asked him for more information.

Carol:
Was he surprised to hear from you?

Doug (chuckles):
Delighted, was more like it. He told me again how they would LOVE to have me on staff there.

Carol:
Did you do a Residency at Mr. Sinai?

Doug (nods):
Yeah...with the infamous Kerry Weaver.

Carol:
So, you’re familiar with New York?

Doug (ticks his head, shrugs):
Vaguely, yeah.

Carol:
What? You didn’t like it there?

Doug (chuckles):
Oh, I loved it there! Are you kidding? And that trip we took there was fantastic!

Carol (smiles):
You and Scotty would have to become Yankees fans...

Doug (grins):
Well, the Yankees won the World Series!
(chuckles)

Carol:
And I guess you’d have to be Rangers fans...Jets fans...and what’s the basketball team up there?

Doug (smiles):
The Nets.

Carol (nods):
Yeah...you’d have to be Nets fans.

Doug:
I guess we could maybe live with that.
(chuckles again)

Carol:
I think you should seriously consider the possibilities...talk to some people about it...and we should talk to the kids about moving if that’s what you decide to do.

Doug:
It IS a good opportunity...but I’d almost be starting all over again!

Carol:
But you’d have the opportunity to advance...isn’t that what you want?

Doug:
I’d be building a Pedes ER from the ground up...pretty much what I did here...

Carol (shrugs):
So, see? You already know how to do it.

Doug (chuckles, wraps his arms around her):
I’ll look into it, OK?

Carol (satisfied smile):
I think you should.
(wraps her hands around his, face hardens)
It’s your turn tomorrow, you know?

Doug:
What? To take Tatchie?
(nods)
I can handle it.

Carol (ticks her head):
I don’t know, Doug...it’s getting harder and harder...

Doug:
I’ll handle it, Carol...I’m a Pediatrician...I talk kids through things they don’t want to do everyday...I’m sure I can talk my own daughter through a couple of needles and a sick aftermath.

Carol (nods):
I hope you can because I sure did a lousy job of it today...

Doug (sighs):
I can’t help thinking there just HAS to be a better system than the one we’re using. I thought I might talk to Jeannie Boulet and see what she knows about it...

Carol:
I already talked to her. She said there’s several other programs and various other drugs that are less reactive but none of them have been tested on children.

Doug (ticks his head):
Maybe it’s time some of them were.

Carol (looks up at him):
Maybe that’s what they’re doing in New York.

Doug (nods):
Maybe it is.

Carol (rolls on her side, looks at Doug):
Doug, I really think you need to check into this. If not for you, for Tatchie. We owe it to her to give her every opportunity we can.

Doug (nods):
You’re right...you make some calls about the house, because I’m not giving up this house no matter what we have to do! I’ll make some calls in New York...we’ll see what we come up with and compare notes...how’s that?

Carol (kisses him sweetly): c Good enough for me!

Doug (kisses her, slides back down in bed with her):
Good enough for me, too!
(chuckles as he kisses her and wraps himself around her)

Focus on the two of them rolling around underneath the covers and both of them laughing as Act Two fades to Black.

Act Three

Scene opens at the Ross home, interior, early morning. Show Doug waking up and rolling over to gaze sleepily at Carol still asleep beside him. He smiles, and toys carefully with a strand of her hair before leaning down to kiss her sweetly. Carol smiles and makes a soft happy sound from her throat and she wakes up and kisses him back.

Carol:
What time is it?

Doug (looks over his shoulder at the clock on the table):
7:30.

Carol (throws covers off her):
You want breakfast before you go?

Doug:
No, I’ll get something at the hospital while I’m waiting for Tatchie.

Carol (nods, soft smile):
Suit yourself.
(watches Doug pull into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and head for the door)
Where are you going?

Doug (motions over his shoulder with his thumb):
I’m gonna go get Marc up...
(as he gets to the door)
When will Emily be back?

Carol:
She’ll be here today...she does get a day off every once in a while, Doug!
(chuckles)

Doug goes through the hallway and into Marc’s room The little boy is standing up in his crib and he grins the minute he sees Doug and reaches for him.

Doug (smiles):
Hey, Little Buddy!
(lifts Marc out of his crib and cuddles him close on his shoulder)
How you doing this morning, huh?

Marc (pats Doug’s face):
Love you...

Doug (hugs him and pats his back):
I love you, too, Pal!

Marc (looks at Doug with wide eyes):
Pee pee!

Doug (shocked expression):
Pee pee? NOW?
(dashes out of the room with Marc in his arms)
Carol! Get up! Come quick! You don’t want to miss this!
(rushes into the bathroom and begins to help Marc get his pj bottoms down while Marc "holds" himself in anxious wait. Doug lifts him up on the toilet and steadies him there)

Carol (comes into the bathroom):
What’s going on?

Doug:
He said ‘pee pee’...I want to see if he can do it when he says it! If he can, he’s ready for potty training.

Carol (surprised):
Already? Are you sure? He’s not even 3 yet...he’s just barely 2!

Doug:
Well, he’s done everything else earlier than most kids....why not that? (they are distracted by the sound of water splashing in the bowl)
He did it!
(puts his hand up for a high five)
High five, Marcus!
(Marc pats his hand with a wide smile)

Carol (as Doug pulls Marc pj bottoms back up)
That’s my big boy!
(picks him up)
What a big boy you are, Marc!
(hugs him, Marc laughs, Carol looks at Doug)
I guess I’m going shopping today, huh?

Doug (roughs Marc’s hair):
I guess you are!

Carol (melancholy air):
I can’t believe he’s ready for potty training already...

Doug (surprised, looks at her):
You seem disappointed...?

Carol:
Well, it just means he’s not a baby anymore...pretty soon he’ll be out of his crib and ready for a big boy bed...

Doug (grins, kisses her cheek):
Well, cheer up...we got three more behind him that won’t be ready to leave their cribs for a long time yet.
(Marc wiggles free and Carol lifts him to the ground...he heads down the hall to his room)
I think we should have his IQ tested.

Carol (scolding look):
Doug! He’s just a baby!

Doug (nods):
I know, but, he’s always been very advanced for his age...I think we should know what we’re dealing with here! We could have a little genius on our hands!

Carol:
And what are you gonna do? Sign him up for Harvard before he’s 5?

Doug (shakes his head):
No, but, I do think we should have him evaluated.

Carol (scoffs):
You know of course that he did this this morning and he may not do it again for a month?

Doug (nods):
I’m well aware of that, but at least he has the seed planted and he’ll be thinking about it now. We should encourage him all we can.

Carol:
I’ll go out and get him a potty chair and I’ll THINK about letting you have him evaluated LATER.

Doug (nods, heads out the door):
Fair enough...

Once Doug is gone, Carol reached back to flush the toilet with a sad look on her face. Then she goes on out the door as well.

Cut to show Carol helping Tatiana get dressed in Tatchie’s room. She is fussing with a button and Tatiana is trying to button it herself.

Tatiana (protesting):
I can DO it!

Carol:
Tatchie, please, don’t help me, sweetheart...I’m trying to get you ready so your papa can take you to the hospital with him...

Tatiana (whining):
I don’t wanna go!

Carol (frustrated):
Oh, honey! I know you don’t! But, we talked about this and you know you have to go...

Tatiana (starts to cry):
They’re gonna hurt me....I don’t wanna go!

Carol (buttons the last button):
Tatchie, please, don’t start this! Not now, OK?

Doug comes into the room just as Carol gets Tatiana up on her feet. Carol gives him a helpless look...Tatchie is still crying.

Doug (gets down on one knee level with Tatchie):
Hey, what’s wrong in here?
(catches her tears with his finger)
What’s the matter, Punkin?

Tatiana:
I don’t wanna go! Don’t make me go, Papa, please! It’s a mean place! They hurt me there!

Doug:
Tatchie, we all sat down and talked about this, remember?
(Tatiana nods slowly)
And we all agreed that this was the best treatment for you right now, remember?
(Tatiana nods again)
Now, I know it’s not real pleasant right now, but if you can just tough it out a little while longer, I promise you it’s going to get better, OK?

Tatiana (sniffles):
OK, Papa.

Doug (pats her back):
That’s my girl.
(kisses her cheek)
Are we ready?

Tatiana (nods, sniffles):
Yes, Papa.
(Doug takes her by the hand and starts out of the room with her, Carol follows behind them)

Carol (softly):
Doesn’t it bother you to lie to her like that?

Doug (shakes his head):
I’m a Pediatrician...they teach you how to lie to kids in first year...
(chuckles lightly)
Besides, I’m not lying to her. It WILL get better...I just don’t know when. (They get to the door and Doug picks Tatiana up to carry her the rest of the way. He turns to Carol and kisses her gently)
We’ll be back soon.

Carol (nods):
OK...good luck.

Carol watches from the door as Doug carries Tatiana to the van and straps her into the seat. He waves shortly as he gets in on the driver’s side. As the van backs down the driveway, Carol focuses on Tatiana’s very sad face looking back at her. Once they are out of sight, she closes the door and turns back around to find Marc standing behind her grinning.

Carol:
Come on, Marcus! Let’s get you dressed! We’re going shopping for a potty chair for you!

She takes him by the hand and leads him through the house with her.

Cut to County Hospital. Show Doug coming through the ER carrying Tatiana, who is not too happy, but also not protesting.

Kerry (looks up from the front desk):
I didn’t think you were on today!

Doug (shakes his head):
I’m not...it’s my day to be the bad guy!

Kerry (nods):
Oh, you and Carol take turns, do you?

Doug (nods):
Yeah...we figured that was the only way we could get through this...

Doug goes on through the hallway with Tatchie and gets on the elevator. When the door opens again, they are face to face with Mark and Nina...Nina is very obviously pregnant now and she and Mark are holding hands.

Doug (brightly):
Hey! How you doing?

Mark (smiles, nods):
We’re doing OK...how are you doing?

Doug (shifts Tatchie in his arms):
We’re hanging in there. Hey, listen, Mark, I need to talk to you about something, can I call you later?

Mark (nods):
Yeah, sure! We’ve both been so busy lately we haven’t had time to get together! I’d love a chance to talk.

Doug (nods):
OK...I’ll call you.

Doug gets on off the elevator and Mark and Nina get on. Doug goes on down the hall with Tatiana and carries her into a treatment room. He sets her on a table but she clings to him when the doctor comes into the room.

Doctor:
Hey, Doug! You’re the Pedes expert. I’d think this would be your area of expertise.

Doug (shakes his head):
No way, Steve. I lose enough patients in the ER, I don’t need the odds against me when I start.

Doctor:
Well, we’ll just hook her up to this bottle....takes about a half hour to fill....we keep her for another half hour to be sure there’s no bad reactions...and then you can take her home.
(Doug nods)
Ready, Tatiana?

Tatiana (sad voice):
I suppose.

Doug stands back and watches as the needle is inserted into Tatchie’s arm. Tatiana whimpers just a little bit, but Doug winces and bites his lip for her. Once everything is in place, Doug leans over and kisses her cheek gently.

Doug:
Do you need me to stay?

Tatiana (shakes her head):
No, I’m OK.

Doug:
OK...I’m going to go check on a few things downstairs and I’ll be back before you’re ready to leave, OK?

Tatiana (weak smile):
OK, Papa.

Doug gives her another quick kiss and starts for the door. He looks back at her, she looks small on the big exam table, her arms is secured and an IV bottle is running into it, and he shakes his head sadly as he goes on out the door and Act Three Fades to Black.

Act Four

Scene opens with Doug coming back into the exam room to Tatiana. The nurse is just finishing up with her when Doug comes into the room. Tatiana smiles weakly at him but she doesn’t sit up.

Doug (to nurse):
These treatments always leave her so weak...why is that?

Nurse:
The chemicals in it effect different patients in different ways. You were told that this procedure had never been used on a patient under 15, weren’t you?

Doug (nods):
Yeah, that was explained to us.

Nurse (cheerfully):
OK, Tatiana...that’s all for this week...we’ll see you again next week.

Tatiana (sadly):
OK.
(looks weakly at Doug)
Will you carry me, Papa?

Doug (reaches to lift her to his shoulder):
Yes, Punkin....I’ll carry you.

Doug hoists her up and starts out of the room with her. They get into the elevator, Doug pats her back assuringly, Tatchie hangs on him like a rag doll...when the elevator starts down, she vomits suddenly down his back on his shoulder.

Doug (irritated but not angry):
Tatchie! Why didn’t you tell me you felt sick?

Tatiana (near tears):
I’m sorry, Papa! I didn’t know! It just came on all the sudden!

Doug (pats her back):
It’s all right, Punkin...don’t worry about it...I’ll just stop in the lounge and get a scrub top out of my locker to wear home...it’s OK.

He gets to the ER and goes into the lounge. He sits Tatiana on a table while he gets into his locker, looking back at her to make sure she doesn’t fall while he’s not holding her up. He peels off the soiled shirt and stuffs it into a bag and pulls himself into a scrub top. On his way out the door, he picks up Tatiana and also a plastic basin to take with him.

Doug:
Now, if you feel sick, let me know, OK? And we’ll catch it this time. c Tatiana (near tears):
I’m sorry, Papa.

Doug (pats her back):
It’s OK, Punkin...it’s not your fault.

He carries her to the van and straps her into the passengers seat and drives off with her. Show the drive along the way and Doug looking over at her every so often. Tatiana is slumped in her seat, unable to sit up, and not looking out the window, just limp and stationary. Every so often, Doug reaches his hand over to touch him and she looks up at him with a sad smile. Doug shakes his head, obviously disturbed.

Cut to show Doug carrying Tatiana into the house. Carol comes to the door to meet them and takes Tatchie out of his arms to carry her through the house herself.

Carol:
How’d it go?

Doug (shrugs):
OK, I guess. She got sick before we left the hospital.
(tugs on his scrub top)
I had to change.
(holds up the bag)
Brought the shirt home, though!

Carol:
Go ahead and take it to the laundry room, OK? I’ll treat it and run it through tonight.

Doug (nods):
OK.
(as he goes towards the laundry room)
How’d it go with Marc today?

Carol (calls back to him):
I’ll be with you in a minute...let me get Tatchie in bed first.

Doug (calls back):
Yeah, OK!

Cut to show Carol laying Tatiana down in her bed. She draws the covers up around her and Tatchie gives her a sad look.

Tatiana:
I threw up all over Papa.

Carol (kisses her forehead):
That’s OK, sweetie...you couldn’t help it. Papa’s not mad at you.

Tatiana:
I don’t like being sick all the time, Mama! I never get to do anything anymore!

Carol:
I know, honey, but, all that’s going to change...you just have to be patient.

Tatiana (whining):
I’m tired of being patient.

Carol (soft smile):
I know, honey...it’s hard to be a little girl and be sick so much, but things are going to get better...I promise you, OK?

Tatiana (nods slowly):
OK.

Carol (tucks her cover around her):
Call me if you need me, OK?

Tatiana (nods, sad smile):
I will.

Carol leaves the room and goes through the house to find Doug changing his shirt again in the bedroom. She goes to him and puts her arms around him, squeezing him right.

Doug (turns to her, kisses her):
Ummm...that felt good!

Carol:
Everything OK?

Doug (nods):
Yeah, she just got sick without warning...it’s OK.
(wraps his arms around her waist, holds her close to him)
How’d it go with Marc today?

Carol:
Well, we got a potty chair and I put it in the bathroom and I showed it to Marc and he didn’t act overly impressed, but he did use it once and I changed his diaper three times.

Doug:
Well, that’s some progress anyway.

Carol:
I think if we just ignore him and don’t make a big deal out of it, he’ll come closer to using it. And Scott said he’d help, too.

Doug:
OK, so we are all now on the Potty Patrol, is that right?

Carol (laughs):
That’s about the size of it.

Doug:
Well, then we’ll just have to do the best we can.

Carol (walks over to the bed and sits on the edge):
Isn’t he awfully young to be using the potty?

Doug:
Well, I always tell parents it’s best left up to the child to decide. Marc obviously thinks he’s ready. What triggered that, I would have no idea, but, he made the first move. Nobody pushed him and that’s the most important thing.
(pause, joins her on the bed)
Can we talk about Tatchie?

Carol:
What about Tatchie?

Doug (sighs):
What are we doing, Carol? What are we doing to our child?

Carol:
We’re prolonging her life, or at least that’s what I thought we were doing...

Doug:
What life? She has no life! She can’t even sit up without being strapped to something! We have to be doing all this for us...we can’t possibly be doing it for her.

Carol:
What are you saying? That we’re lousy parents?

Doug (shakes his head):
No...we’re good parents...I think we had the right idea we just didn’t know what it was going to do to her. Now we know what it’s going to do to her and I think we maybe need to re-evaluate the situation.

Carol:
What are you suggesting? That we stop her treatment?

Doug (shrugs):
I’m suggesting we look for another one.
(Carol gives him a confused look)

Carol:
Doug, we sat down together and reviewed all out options and we agreed this was the best thing for Tatchie...

Doug:
Well, we were wrong! Carol, come on! She can’t sit up...she can’t eat...she can’t sleep....she just lays around like a rag doll...we have to carry her practically everyplace she goes! That’s not my daughter! My daughter is lively little bundle of energy that used to meet me at the door everyday with a hug and a kiss. I miss that.

Carol:
But, the doctors told us this is the most effective treatment...

Doug (nods):
Yeah, for adults! It’s never been tested on anyone under the age of 15 and they had no way of predicting for us how Tatchie would react to it. Now we see how she reacts, and I don’t know about you, but I don’t like it!

Carol (shakes her head):
I don’t like it, either. I hate seeing her like that...I hate it when she cries. She begs me not to make her go and I hate myself for making her do it anyway. I try to right the situation by telling myself we’re doing the right thing...but in my heart, I just don’t believe it...
(gives Doug a sad smile)
No matter how hard I try.

Doug:
Then, I think we need to stop it.

Carol (frightened):
Stop it? We can’t stop it! If we stop it, she’ll die.

Doug:
Who says she’ll die? She won’t die right away. And we can keep looking for another treatment...one with less severe side effects...

Carol:
Oh, Doug, I don’t know...take her off everything? I don’t know if I can handle that...

Doug (sighs):
Carol, I’d rather take her off everything and let her have a life...SOME kind of a life...than to keep her on these drugs and have her like she is now. We’re not being fair to her...we’ve taken everything she knew away from her.

Carol:
But she understands that it’s for her own good...

Doug:
How can it be for her own good, Carol? LOOK at her! She can’t even hold her head up without help...is that fair to her?

Carol (thinking, shakes her head):
No....I know you’re right...I’m just so scared....

Doug (pulls her to him):
I know...I’m scared too...I want Tatchie to have the best advantages possible...but I also want her to have a life. I want her to be a little girl...
(they are disturbed by a knock at the door)
Come in!

Scott (opens the door):
Hey, Dad? Tatchie said she needs some help and she didn’t want me to help her!

Doug (nods):
I’m on my way, Son...thanks!
(kisses Carol on the forehead)
Think about it, OK?

Carol (gets up to go with him):
Oh, I know you’re right...I just need to sell myself on the idea...

They go together to Tatiana’s room and find her crying uncontrollably. They go to her bed and attempt to comfort her.

Carol:
What is it, sweetie? What’s the matter?

Tatiana (chokes with sobs in her throat):
I wet the bed!

Carol (shocked, throws the covers back):
You what?

Tatiana:
I couldn’t get up to go to the bathroom! I wet the bed! I’m sorry, Mama! I’m not a baby! I’m sorry!

Carol (holds her close):
It’s all right, baby! It’s not your fault...
(looks up at Doug)
I think you’re right, Doug...

Doug nods sadly Carol attempts to comfort Tatiana. They look at each other with knowing glances as Act Four Fades to Black.

Scene opens at the Ross home, interior, evening. Show Doug coming in the front door while Carol is picking toys up out of the hallway. She turns when she hears him come in and smiles at him.

Carol:
Hey, how was your visit with Mark?

Doug (nods):
It was good...
(holds up his folder)
He agrees with you...I’m a fool if I turn this down.

Carol (grins):
Well, that’s two to one now! You’re the lone hold out.

Doug (shakes his head):
Not anymore...
(sighs)
I went to my office and called Dr. Hollins....we had a long talk...
(Carol gives him her complete attention, totally interested in what he’s saying)
He wants us to come to New York where we can talk more and he can show us some things...

Carol:
Us? Like in a team?

Doug (nods):
I told him we were a package deal and that I wouldn’t come if he couldn’t guarantee you a job of some kind whether it’s in the hospital or in home care...

Carol (smiles):
You didn’t have to do that!

Doug (grins):
I didn’t do it because I had to...
(kisses her forehead)
I told him we’d come. We’ll be there next week. Your mom or mine can watch the kids...we’ll only be gone for a couple of days.

Carol (puts her arms around his neck):
And we might be moving to New York?

Doug (ticks his head):
I think we’ve got a lot of things to find out about before we make a decision like that...it’ll be hard to walk away from here. It’s been my home for a long time.
(smiles at her)
The best thing in my life happened to me here...

Carol (grins, kisses him):
Yeah, but, you’re taking that with you...

Doug (chuckles):
What makes you think I was talking about you...

Carol (chuckles):
You better be talking about me!
(kisses him)

Doug (chuckles again):
Yeah, I was talking about you...
(thinking)
Have we told Tatchie she doesn’t have to take anymore of those treatments yet?

Carol (shakes her head):
No, I don’t think so.

Doug:
Should we tell her? Or should we wait?

Carol:
Let’s wait...I can think of something else I’d rather do right now...
(takes him by the shirt front and starts dragging him through the house)

Doug (laughing as he goes with her):
Not aggressive or anything, are you?
(Carol chuckles)

She leads him into the bedroom and starts stripping his shirt off him...he kisses her but gives her a look.

Doug:
Fair’s fair...I took something off now you have to take something off...

Carol (smiling):
This isn’t strip poker!

Doug (chuckles):
It is now!
(reaches for her shirt and pulls it off over her head)
I’ll make this fair...
(pulls her close and cuddles with her)
I don’t want to talk about AIDS treatments...or potty chairs....or even hospitals tonight...I just want you and me together and nothing else.

Carol (smiles up at him):
Music to my ears...

Doug (gives her a ‘one minute’ signal with his finger):
Let me just make sure we don’t get interrupted tonight...
(goes to the door and opens it)
Hey, Scotty?

Scott (calls to him off camera):
Yeah, Dad?

Doug:
Your Mom and I don’t want to be disturbed tonight, OK? If Marc needs to use the bathroom, you take him, OK? And if Tatchie needs anything, you help her, OK?

Scott (calls back):
I got it, Dad!
(Doug closes the door and goes back to Carol)

Carol (wraps her arms around him):
That was good thinking...

Doug (ticks his head): I have a brainstorm every once in a while!
(grins)
Now....where was I?

Carol:
I think we were ready to work below the belt...
(grins)

Doug (chuckles):
I guess we’ll start with the shoes...

Carol (laughs):
I guess that’s a good place to start....OK....
(kicks her shoes off)
Now you...

Doug (kicks his shoes off):
We’ll do the pants together....one three, OK? One...
(Doug takes hold of Carol’s jeans)
Two....
(Carol takes hold of Doug’s jeans)
Three...

They strip each other together and head for the bed. Carol pulls back the covers and they climb in together, laughing, and holding on to each other. We see Carol’s hand reach to turn out the light and the Closing Act fades to Black as the room grows dark...

November 11, 1998