Silent Partner Doctors

HUMMING

Are you sure you don't want to come with me to the doctor's?

No.

The walk will do you good.

Tessa, you need to get out.

Well, I'll see you later.

No. Don't!

What? What is it?

Alex, don't you realise...?

HE HUMS

I'll try not to be too long.

-Morning.

-Morning, sweetheart.

-Did you sleep well?

-As well as could be expected.

OK, look, yesterday, I'm sorry.

-What d'you fancy for breakfast?

-Nothing at the moment. I'm not hungry.

-Don't you feel well?

-It's a headache, sweetheart. Nothing to worry about.

-Mummy says fresh air is best for a headache.

-That's absolutely true.

Can we go out, then? Can we go to the park.

No, I don't think we can.

Oh, please. Don't you want Nardie to get better?

What are you doing? I thought you'd be dressed and ready for Uni by now.

He's lost in cyberspace.

If you don't feel up to it, if you want to stay at home a little bit longer...

-No, what I need is to get back in the swing of things.

-Are you sure?

I think the lad's had enough coddling.

-What are you doing?

-I wrote an article for the student rag.

-It's about Harrison and my part in his downfall.

-Wow!

"It was I, after much perseverance, who discovered the photo of Lauren

"with her arms around a mystery lover. Without that vital clue,

"Harrison Kellor might well have been a free man today."

Such huge, swelling modesty(!)

Enjoy the jealous moment cos there's going to be lots more to come.

"It was I"? Who are you, Stephen Fry?

Well, it's safe to say that things are back to normal round here.

So, this is our patients' first port of call.

-Our glitzy reception...

-Sorry.

-No harm done.

-I wasn't talking to you.

Cherry, sorry I'm late. I had to drop Jack off.

Karen Hollins, our receptionist - HCA extraordinaire.

Marina Bonnaire. our latest health visitor.

-Hi. Nice to meet you.

-Likewise.

I didn't realise we had a full house. Pleased to have met you.

-Is she always that brisk?

-She's got a lot on her plate at the moment.

-Karen Hollins?

-You might have heard of her son, Jack Hollins.

He's been in the papers recently.

Oh, yeah. Jack Hollins. All that business with the forensics guy.

He was right in the thick of it.

He was a bit of a hero.

Interesting.

Come on.

You're stronger than this.

Pull yourself together.

So, this is where all the stitching and stabbing takes place.

-Cherry, have you got a minute?

-What's up?

-There's something wrong with the blood pressure machine.

-The connectors have probably come loose again. I'll have a look. I won't be a minute.

-No worries.

-I hope you're not here to sell me something?

-Hmm?

-The case.

-What?

It was a joke.

-So what can I do for you?

-Erm...

-Actually, it's a bit tricky.

-Go on.

The problem is...well...

-it's sort of...unique.

-In what way?

I think it'd be better all round if I just showed you.

-What?

-I'm sorry, I was just looking for hidden cameras.

-Cameras?

-I thought this might be some kind of wind up.

Why would you think that?

Why indeed?

This is Gavin.

Say hello to the nice lady, Gavin.

I don't understand. Is Gavin meant to be some kind of Trappist monk?

You see the problem, don't you?

Gavin can't talk.

He's lost his voice.

It's amazing how adaptable kids are.

They make new friends so easy.

How could you do it?

Mum, let's not do this?

No! You got me to babysit while you were cheating on Sally!

-No, it wasn't like that.

-It was exactly like that!

-When did you become as calculating as your father?

-That's not fair.

Isn't it? You must have forgotten how he behaved. The cheating and the sneaking around and the lies.

-He tore this family apart, Patrick, you know that.

-I haven't forgotten.

Then why are you behaving like that? D'you want history to repeat itself?

I'm not Dad.

When your father left it was you I depended on most of all.

Looking back, I suppose that was very selfish.

You were so young.

I just needed someone I could confide in.

-It was the right thing to do, Mum.

-You're missing the point, Patrick!

You of all people know what I went through,

and now you want to put Sally through that?

There's no abrasions or rawness.

Your tonsils seems OK. Your throats fine.

You sure you didn't miss anything? There's got to be something wrong.

Try not to sound too disappointed.

-This is a disaster. The timing couldn't be much worse.

-What d'you mean?

I've got this audition next week. This could be my big break.

-And if I blow it...

-Perhaps the reason for Gavin's silence has a psychological basis.

-Psychological?

-Maybe the anxiety about the audition is stopping you projecting your voice?

No. No. That's the last thing I'd be anxious about.

-I'm looking forward to it.

-Is there anything else on your mind?

-Like what?

-I don't know. How are things at home? Everything OK?

-If I'm honest things are a bit rough with my wife right now.

-In what way?

It's hard to explain.

We've been married five years and it's been great.

Tessa's well and truly my other half.

She's loving, funny, tough.

But then, about a week ago...

..it's like someone snatched her personality away and replaced it with a shadow.

-What do you think caused the change?

-That's just it. Nothing. It's weird.

Have you tried talking to her?

It doesn't do any good. It's like she's in a fog.

-It sounds as though it wouldn't hurt if Tessa came in to talk to me. Maybe...

-Brilliant! That's it. Yes.

You sort out whatever's going on with Tessa and that'll cure me.

-Alex, just because...

-Come on, Gavin. The clock's ticking.

-Bye, doctor.

-Alex, that's not what I meant!

I didn't...!

-I think he's out now.

-There he is!

-Can we take a photo?

-Yeah, sure.

-You look good.

-Thanks.

-No problem.

-So how long have you been out?

-Erm...a couple of weeks.

-Your head looked really bad.

-It's OK now. It's a lot better than it was.

Your hair looks good that way.

What's wrong with seeing a doctor? Tessa, talk to me.

-What are you doing?

-What I should have done a long time ago.

-Stop it!

What the hell d'you think you're doing?

It's ruined our lives. It's vile. Evil.

What are you talking about?

You need to calm down. I don't know what's going on but you're not yourself.

I'm not myself?!

Oh, that really is some joke!

Listen to me, Tessa. The doctor just wants to have a chat with you.

No, thank you. I've had enough of doctors to last a lifetime!

What d'you mean by that? Nothing you're saying makes any sense!

-Keep away from me!

-Where're you going? Tessa!

Just keep away!

Just for the record, I've never done anything like this before.

-That makes it excusable, does it?

-If you'd just let me explain.

I met Sian at a work conference.

-She's a special education needs coordinator.

-That's nice for her.

We just got on quite well.

Swapped numbers, you know, for work.

-She's been ringing ever since.

-You haven't done a very good job of avoiding her, have you?

-You don't understand. You have no idea of the stress I've been under.

-Stress. What stress?

The Ofsted meeting, the Governor's inspection.

-And then there's Sally.

-Now it's Sally's fault?

Of course not!

But things are so hard now.

-We both seem to want different things.

-Obviously(!)

I want another child.

-What does Sally say?

-She's not interested. Not at all.

I've offered to give up work, do the whole house-husband thing, whatever it takes.

-She won't even discuss it.

-Patrick, she did have a really bad pregnancy.

She's just become so fixated with her career.

She hasn't even got the job yet and she's talking about moving up here.

-I don't figure in any of her plans.

-Patrick, you know that's not true.

You should see the way she looks at me. She looks right through me.

So when temptation came along...

..it wasn't even about the sex. Not really.

I just wanted to stop feeling so worthless.

-The freaks that live in this town(!)

-Alex wasn't a freak exactly.

No? A guy claiming his dummy has laryngitis?

It wasn't quite like that.

OK, I'm not saying there wasn't a ludicrous element to it

but I can't shake the feeling that I could have helped him more.

-How exactly?

-I don't know. The advice I gave him. I'm not sure it was adequate.

Do you want to know what one of the hallmarks of being a good doctor is?

-Go on.

-Being able to distinguish between those patients with a genuine medical condition

-and those who walk through the door as attention-seeking timewasters!

-What if that difference is blurred?

From what you told me, this guy sounds like a Grade A nutter.

My advice - leave well alone.

When you're in this screen you can go on and do the patient's profile search.

It all looks very efficient. You obviously run a very tight ship.

We like to think so.

-Cherry was telling me all about your son earlier.

-Was she? What was she saying?

All very complimentary. It seems he's something of a cause celebre.

Well, I'm just glad he can get back on with his life.

-Oh, I'm sorry.

-If you don't want to talk about it

No, no.

I mean...Jack was amazing.

The police were at a dead end and he solved the murder on his own.

-Really?

-At the risk of his own life.

That horrible man came after him again in the hospital.

-It's a good job Rob was there.

-So Rob...?

Rob's my husband. He fought him off. He disarmed him!

Then I stepped in and floored him.

The men in your life certainly are proactive.

Well, I like to think Jack takes after me a little bit.

He certainly is a remarkable young man. I'd like to meet him.

-What for?

-I've got a project he might be interested in.

What kind of project?

Tessa, please.

I'm really sorry if I upset you.

I'm just trying to help, that's all.

Could you please come home?

At least give me a bell and let me know you're OK.

'Looks like it's just you and me now, eh, Buddy?'

'Don't leave me alone.'

'Ouch! You'll be sorry for that.'

-A role play?

-Jack, I've got a confession to make.

I've already researched you.

That article you wrote. It was brilliant.

-Thanks.

-Now I've met you I'm even more convinced you'd be perfect for the role of chief prosecutor.

-Me?

Yeah. The head of Law - he's going to be playing the judge,

-and I think he's rather keen that you participate.

-Yeah?

I wouldn't be surprised

if there were a few extra credit points in it for you.

What do you say?

-I can't say I'm not tempted.

-And...?

I think I'm going to have to say no.

Oh...I see.

-Don't get me wrong, I'm flattered that you asked me. It sounds like a really exciting project.

-But...?

I've missed out on quite a bit of course work.

Couldn't you come to an arrangement with your tutors?

I don't want any preferential treatment.

-I wouldn't be that popular around here.

-I understand.

I've got to prep for my next class, but I hope you find the right guy for the part.

-It was nice to meet you.

-You too.

It's alive! I'm telling you.

-What is?

-The dummy. It can talk. It spoke to me.

I thought it was a trick. Like a tape recorder inside it. But no.

-It's doing it on its own.

-Alex.

It's saying things. It's not supposed to do that.

Right, you need to take a deep breath.

Right. You know the dummy isn't real, don't you?

In that case I'm going round the twist.

Because I know I heard it. What's happening to me?

Help me, please.

Alex, do you want to come in and see me?

LAUGHTER

Not possible.

Alex? Alex?

LAUGHTER

It's such a shame really.

Jack would have been superb in the role-play.

He'd have been amazing.

-I don't suppose....

-What?

...you could have a word with him? Get him to change his mind?

I think if he's made his mind up, you've got to respect that.

Yeah, but that's the trouble. I'm not sure he was thinking clearly at the time.

How do you mean?

Well, he told me he had an awful lot of work on, but I rather suspect

he's still a little unsettled over that awful business with Harrison.

Hardly surprising. The man did try to kill him. Twice.

He needs something to take his mind off it.

-He's got study and homework for that.

-All the same...

I don't think he needs to be put in a vulnerable position right now.

Yes, but if I could guarantee...

I know what's best for my son. Don't you think?

What's so funny?

Nothing really.

I'm just such a rubbish adulterer. That's why I crashed the car.

My nerves couldn't handle it.

And I wouldn't mind, but...

Anyway, it's probably a good thing. The crash, you know.

How do you work that out?

It's a wake up call. Telling me not to ruin my marriage.

It's a pity it didn't wake you up earlier.

Yeah, I know.

But I'm heeding it now.

-Are you going to tell Sally?

-What?

I'm not sure that's going to do anything. How's that going to help?

Don't keep secrets, Patrick. They're corrosive.

That's something I learnt from living with your father.

-Doctor?

-You're shivering. I think we need to get you inside.

No. It's at the window. Staring at me.

There's nothing there.

Look for yourself. Go on.

See.

Come on, let's go inside. You lead the way.

There. It's moved again.

Or it's been moved. Is there anyone else here?

Just us. And...

..that. Am I hallucinating? Imagining it all?

SNEEZE

I think the explanation might be a bit more rational than that.

How d'you mean?

OK, I know that someone's there.

Can you show yourself or I'm going to phone the police.

OK, I'll give you a count of three.

One, two...

What are you...

-Who are you?

-Alex's doctor. I take it you're Tessa?

I thought I told you. I don't need a doctor.

She's here because of me. Because of that thing.

'Oh, dear! Everybody's making such a fuss over me today.'

Does somebody want to tell me what's going on?

-It wasn't difficult sneaking back into the house.

-But why?

I'd had enough.

I was desperate.

I wanted you to suffer, but I guess for that to work you'll need to remember.

-Remember what?

-That time you started out as a stand-up comedian.

What about it?

Not only were you lacking in the talent department, but you were always a bag of nerves onstage.

-Rubbish!

-Do you remember me suggesting getting a ventriloquist's dummy as a kind of double act?

That was my idea, not yours.

-She's lying.

-Am I? I tried to train you to throw your voice.

But you never got the hang of it.

HE HUMS

Alex, don't. Alex, stop making that noise.

You need to focus on what Tessa is saying.

Alex!

Whenever you performed, I was always somewhere nearby,

doing the dummy's voice.

You're not a ventriloquist. You never were.

That's just mental!

She's just made that up.

Why would you do that?

I couldn't forget something like that.

I couldn't.

Could I?

If you're suffering from some kind of memory loss,

then there has to have been a trigger.

Have you got any ideas?

Tessa?

Did Alex mention the audition?

I tried to talk Alex out of it.

-Why?

-I couldn't take the pressure anymore.

And there was the small matter of me being three months pregnant.

-You're having a baby?!

-But what mattered to you was that thing.

You made that perfectly clear the night we had the big row.

The night I was admitted to hospital.

The night I miscarried.

No.

And you know the worst of it...

..was coming home, and you behaving as if nothing had happened.

As if everything was normal.

And every time I tried to talk to you about it you'd start up with that damn humming.

I'm so sorry.

I don't remember.

Why can't I remember?

You could be suffering from a form of disassociative hysteria.

Perhaps such an extreme emotional trauma

that caused him to forget your tragedy.

Don't make excuses for him! It was me who lost the baby, not him!

And for that reason he deserves to be punished?

Scaring him out of his wits?

You trying to push him over the edge?

I thought if I could hurt him it would take the hurt out of me.

No matter what you've been through,

that's no excuse to use revenge as your own personal therapy.

Not revenge.

I want him to share my pain. Why can't you understand that?!

Because he lost a baby too.

Look, I know you've been deeply wounded.

Tessa, you need counselling.

It's too late. Way too late.

Tessa, what do you want me to do?

I'm sorry, Alex.

We don't have a marriage anymore.

It's a breakage.

Go play with your friend.

Is my Mum about? She's meant to be giving me a lift.

She's with a patient at the moment. Sorry if I came on too strong.

-I didn't mean to put you under any pressure.

-You didn't. I'm not made of glass.

-Even so, I should have realised I was asking far too much from you.

-What?

Having Heston as an adversary.

No-one would blame you for finding it a daunting prospect.

You're joking, right? Heston?! What does he know about the law? I'm the one with the legal expertise.

Even so. He has a very commanding presence.

What, and I don't? Have you read about me in the papers?

-All of those articles say that I've been courageous.

-Yes, I had noticed that.

Oh, I see what you're doing.

I'm not going to lie to you. Right now, you're hot property.

Just think of all the publicity you can generate for the university.

You're pretty ruthless, do you know that? The whole idea is cynical, not to mention borderline bad taste.

So? Will you do it?

-'Course I will. Count me in.

-OK!

Thanks.

I'm going to refer you to one of my colleagues who can recommend a specialist for you.

But will I ever get my memories back?

You're aware of the problem now. That's a really good start.

What about my marriage?

Your prognosis is that bad?

At the moment, you're both very damaged people.

Beyond repair? Me and Tessa?

It's not for me to say.

Well, here's to a new beginning.

Thank you, doctor. For everything.

You take care.

Why is it getting harder and harder to persuade Chloe to have a bath at night?

That's because she's in the "pushing the boundaries" phase.

Right. And how long does that last?

Up until the "I've become impossible" phase kicks in.

So much to look forward to then! You know, I'm just about coping with her fashion demands.

One minute she's a little princess, the next she's Lady GaGa.

Wait until she asks for a tattoo.

Sally seems to know what she wants before she even opens her mouth.

I'd never do anything to hurt them.

-Never.

-I know that.

You won't say anything, will you?

Well, technically nothing actually happened.

-But if you ever do this again, Patrick.

-I won't. I promise.

Well then, of course I'm not going to tell her.

Come here.

Thanks, Mum.

Bye bye. And good luck.

-How do you feel about someone staying the night tonight?

-Perry?

-Yeah.

-What you doing here?

-What about that one?

-I could walk to work from there.

Sounds great. What about my work?

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury...

And this one...

..is Sanskrit.

For Imogen.

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