The Face in the Mirror Doctors

Your ring? Where's your ring?

It's fine - it's in my pocket.

What? You can't take it off!

-What if you lose it?

-OK, OK, it's going on...

-I haven't finished.

-What's the damage?

-I've seen worse.

-You were lucky. You could easily have lost that eye.

Yeah?

Didn't though, did I?

I'm delighted for you, Karen. I think it's great.

Your marriage with Rob runs through everything that you are.

If you can consolidate that, then your home life, your kids,

everything that you had can slot back into place around it.

It's not like that with Rob. I mean, I know technically we've been

married for ages. But, I know he's old, but he's actually quite cool.

Well... He's not exactly cool.

But he's all right and he treats me like a grown-up.

Oh, no, no, no - don't! No, don't!

I'm just taking notes, that's all.

Yeah, I know but you always write stuff down when I say stupid stuff.

I know I'm a grown-up!

I'm not a kid, but I'm not any old granny, either.

I know. Karen, I want to try something new today.

Something a bit challenging.

It's a bit stupid really - we're old enough to know better!

Sorry to waste your time.

Nonsense. It's nothing to be embarrassed about.

So this was last night?

Yeah.

We haven't left it too late?

No, not at all.

Right. And, er, how does it work exactly?

It's just basic biochemistry.

The pill disrupts the whole fertilisation process.

-Are you sure this is what you want?

-Yes. Thank you.

Ms Whittaker?

We can't risk it, babe. You know that.

I suppose.

Look, it's quick and it's easy - but you do need to be sure.

We're fine.

The thing is...

-The thing is, Mr Whittaker...

-Gavin.

The thing is, you're not the one who has to take the pill.

Yeah, sure. I understand.

OK, look. There's an empty room across Reception.

Why don't the two of you take some time alone together to talk things

through and then come back and see me when you've made a decision.

All right?

Looks like you went down fighting.

You must've got a few good punches in, by the looks of it.

I got one swing at him before he took me out.

I hit a concrete wall.

It should've been him but he moved. I did some damage to the wall, mind!

-Are you pressing charges?

-Is he?

I thought he was the one who started it.

He spilt my pint. I pushed him.

He kicked off.

-It was a good fight.

-You like fighting, do you?

Yeah - when I get the chance.

So, no problems, then?

Nope. I keep forgetting to take it! But apart from that...

OK, well, the pill's only really effective if you remember to take it every day.

It's Gavin!

It's my Gavin and his stupid wife!

I've done what I can. Listen, Lee, don't overdo the painkillers.

-This is nothing.

-You should still go to St Phil's.

-Get checked over properly.

-Maybe.

Doc! The other guy.

Yeah, he's next on my list.

Yeah. Be careful.

So - decision?

We'd like to go ahead.

Ms Whittaker?

I think so...

OK.

You know you do need a strong, stable relationship

if you're going to bring a child into this world?

There's nothing wrong with our relationship.

Course not.

None of my business, anyway.

Right. OK, that's all that sorted.

I'm going to scoot off. I'm late enough as it is.

Is it that obvious? He never meant to have an affair.

It's...it's complicated.

That's very...understanding.

Well, it's easy to be understanding when you're the mistress.

It's his wife I feel sorry for.

I don't understand.

It's called a mirror retraining exercise.

I want you to stand and look in the mirror.

Just relax and allow yourself to breathe normally.

In the mirror, please, Karen.

I want you to look at the whole of your body,

all your body parts one by one and take the whole of yourself in.

It's not a pretty sight!

Just follow my instructions, please.

-Sorry.

-It's fine.

Now, I want you to describe each body part as I say it out loud,

making neutral, non-critical descriptions.

-Are you ready?

-So I'm not allowed to say I look like an ugly old woman with wrinkles and saggy boobs?

Some people find it helpful to imagine that they're describing what they see to an alien.

Why would I want to do that? I don't know any aliens and if I did,

I wouldn't be wasting my time explaining to them.

I'd be running away.

We'll start with...your hair.

It's cool!

Your face.

Why are you so horrible to me?

Face.

The stupid thing is and it's really stupid -

the thing I love most about Gavin is that he won't leave his wife.

He doesn't love her any more and it's a miserable marriage,

but he stays with her because of his two little girls.

He's sacrificing his own happiness for theirs.

And what about your happiness?

I don't matter. I'll survive.

KNOCK ON DOOR

What?

Sorry to interrupt, Dr Carmichael, but the lady in the consulting room is refusing to come out.

That's fine, Mrs Tembe. I'll deal with it later.

But she says she will not come out until you inform her that

the coast is clear.

Oh.

PHONE KEYPAD

It's me. Thanks. She's here.

Your wife is in the building, and she knows.

She knows about us.

Shoulders.

Round? I don't know! One each side.

Arms attached.

Arms.

Soft.

Hands.

They're my mum's hands.

We'll be fine, thank you.

Yeah, it's OK, we'll be fine.

HE SIGHS

This is a wind-up, right?

This isn't real, this is a wind up.

Rob, your mum, Howard - they're all sitting in another room

-watching this on CCTV.

-They don't know.

Not yet.

Show me your hands.

Other side.

"Trapped in doctor's surgery. Text me when it's safe to come out."

He's gone.

Oh.

Oh, well. That was close!

Sorry.

Oh, come on, it's fun! Beats marriage every day.

She gets the dirty laundry, the screaming kids, the dull,

grinding awfulness of daily life.

And I get the sex!

She's still here.

I thought you said...

I said Gavin was gone. But she's still waiting in Reception.

And I need my room back.

So, if you don't mind.

Look, Miss Stanbridge, as a doctor I have a duty of confidentiality

towards my patients.

-Of course you do.

-but there is a woman waiting in Reception,

and there's absolutely nothing I can do to stop the two of you

bumping into each other and having a little chat.

You may find that you have more in common than you might think.

So, if you don't mind...

Mum doesn't need to know about this.

You think?

It's nothing. It's just...

Chris, Chris!

Whatever this is, this is not nothing, mate.

Were you drunk? Is it drugs?

-It's nothing like that.

-What then?

-You know The Ram, the pub?

-Yeah.

It's rough. Roughest place I could find.

I walked in, I looked for the biggest,

ugliest nutter I could.

And I knocked his pint over.

And then you beat the crap out of him.

It wasn't meant to be like that.

It was meant to be the other way around.

And what do you think about that woman, the one in the mirror?

If you met her, how do you think you'd feel about her?

Um...

She looks, friendly, nice.

She's got kind eyes.

She has, hasn't she?

You said she looked like your mother.

My mum's dead.

I know what you're doing - I know that woman - that's me,

looks like someone's mum.

But I'm not.

You're not a mother?

No. I mean...

There are two people in this world who think that woman is their mum.

And maybe she is. Maybe she was. But...

..I'm not.

If I was a mum, I'd know what to say.

I would...I would love them.

And I wouldn't even have to think about it - I just would.

And I don't. I don't love them.

I don't...I don't...

Oh, God. I don't feel anything - nothing.

Tell me about YOUR mother, Karen.

MY mum? Yes. What was she like?

She was beautiful and she was funny.

And she was clever and she used to run rings round my dad!

Always knew what to do.

Always.

Never had doubts. Always knew what to say.

Never wondered... Never wondered if she was a good mother.

Never felt as clueless and useless as everybody else.

-Never doubted her love...

-Stop it! She loved me.

She was the best mum ever!

What was his name?

You know I can't tell you that.

I didn't mean to hurt him.

I am really sorry for that.

I just needed to provoke someone.

Anyone, really.

Just so long as they'd hit me. And keep on hitting me.

I need to be hurt, Jimmi.

You need to stop talking.

You need to get some legal advice.

I thought YOU'D understand. It's a compulsion. You know all about compulsive behaviour.

I shouldn't even be treating you!

You're a colleague - a friend - it's completely inappropriate.

Especially if you end up facing charges.

-I've never talked about this with anyone.

-I'll find you another doctor.

I DON'T NEED ANOTHER DOCTOR!

I need a mate.

So where did you meet him?

None of your business.

Not so fast!

There are two women up there,

and each one is convinced that the other one is your wife.

Well... It couldn't last forever.

No.

And does your real wife know about either of them?

I've never been a great fan of marriage.

Are you married?

Oh, for goodness' sake!

You're not quite what I was expecting.

Oh, you're everything I thought you'd be!

What kind of an example do you set your girls - dressed like that?

Eh! What did you say?

Your girls.

My girls?

You are his wife, aren't you?

Gavin!

No! You cannot go in there! That is a doctor's room!

Fine! We'll talk about it out here.

No. I want no blood on this carpet!

Staff room! Go!

It doesn't make any kind of logical sense, I know that.

I sneak out in the middle of the night,

go to a dodgy pub or somewhere,

and get myself beaten up.

Or you beat someone else up.

That happens sometimes.

I'm not always in control.

And then I go home,

and it hurts and I feel...

Dirty?

No!

No, I feel clean.

Cleansed.

It's like every bruise, every split lip, pulls me back from the brink,

makes everything OK just for that little bit longer.

And then I can get through the day.

And then the bruises fade,

and the black cloud comes down.

-And you go out and do it all over again.

-Yeah.

Why?

When you look in the mirror, what is it about that guy looking back at you that makes you want to hurt him?

-He did something terrible.

-Chris!

Really bad.

Chris, come on.

You are a lying, cheating, two-timing,

back-stabbing, lying, cheating...

Yes. All that.

And you love it!

You and me - we lied and we cheated together.

You didn't want me to leave my wife!

All the sneaking around, the hotel rooms,

the last-minute secret rendezvous, the illicit phone calls,

the texting - that's what you wanted!

But you weren't married!

All the lying and cheating...was all a lie!

I was still cheating! Ellen never knew about us.

-Yes, she did!

-No, she didn't.

She thought I was married, but not to you.

She thought I was married to the same woman you thought I was married to.

But she doesn't exist!

It doesn't matter! Don't you see?

Everything we had was real.

Mrs Tembe, will you send my next patient through, please?

He isn't married to anyone, is he?

Erm...

What about Phoebe and Lauren?

Who?

His little girls.

He's all yours.

Where else did he hurt you?

Emma, you can't be here.

Does that hurt?

-Emma!

-Did you check for internal injuries?

Chris is fine.

What's that supposed to mean? The other guy isn't?

Because, to be perfectly honest with you,

I don't care if the other guy is a pile of broken bones!

-Funny you should say that.

-I can't believe you would let him leave the station!

Don't take this out on Jimmi - he hasn't done anything.

No, you're right. He hasn't done anything.

He has done absolutely nothing to see that the guy

who did this to you has been put behind bars.

Or to get you out of here and he certainly doesn't seem to have done

-anything to check whether you've got an internal haemorrhage or not!

-You're being unreasonable.

Don't you "reasonable" me, you pious little man!

He's my son! And he's hurt!

Which is why I need you to step outside.

And leave him alone with you?

You've made an awful situation into an absolute nightmare.

You know...get out. Get out!

-Better?

-Thank you. That was weird.

The mind's a funny place. OK, enough mirrors.

Tell me about your kids.

Tell me about Jack and Immie.

I don't really know. Um...

Jack's some kind of lawyer - he did tell me

but it went straight over my head.

Immie thinks she's... thinks she's an artist.

She's at college in London.

You must be very proud.

Rob is.

Of course. And how do they feel?

How do you mean?

How do they feel about the way you exclude them from your life?

Phoebe.

Eight years old. Birthday, 14 September.

Hair - mousey brown, and curly. Obsessed with One Direction.

Had a dental appointment last Thursday - you couldn't see me.

Ellen...

Lauren. Six. 21st of August.

Dark brown hair. You put it in plaits.

It makes her look really cute.

Plays Mary Had A Little Lamb on the recorder and drives you all crazy.

Well?

No. Ellen, I know how awful this looks.

It's not too late.

If you want to have children...

if you want to have a little girl

who'll play Mary Had A Little Lamb on the recorder

and one with a crush on Harry Styles,

I can give them to you.

Mum.

Not one word!

Let him talk. He's got a lot to say.

Has he been cautioned?

Right now, I am his doctor, he is my patient,

and until you arrived, we were getting on fine.

Oh! A cosy little chat, was it?

-You didn't think to call me?

-You turned up quick enough.

No thanks to you. You should have called me the moment he was brought in.

I would have thought that was a professional courtesy at least,

or don't you care about things like that?

In my experience that means bending the rules for your mates.

If you want to talk professional behaviour, I suggest we both

step outside and declare our personal interest in this case!

-This "case" is my son!

-Exactly!

And your son committed a serious assault on a complete stranger last night.

Part of a pattern of possibly sociopathic behaviour.

And I think, Chris, wanted to talk about it - didn't you, Chris?

I can't do this any more.

This patient is mentally unfit.

Nothing he says should be taken seriously.

This isn't just incompetence, Dr Clay - this is gross misconduct!

If you'd like to come through, Mr Simmons.

I'm going to give these back to you.

Dr Carmichael!

Er, Dr Carmichael, I will take care of Mr Simmons.

I am sure you will not be very long.

Come on.

I am not prepared to accept accusations of misconduct

from a police surgeon who is attempting to pervert

the course of justice just to protect her own son

from a serious charge of assault, and from who knows what else!

There is nothing else. My son is the victim here.

Your son nearly killed a man last night!

Gavin!

Vicki has something she needs to say to you.

OK, well, then I will say what needs to be said.

You, Gavin, are one of the nastiest pieces of work

I think I have EVER come across.

It is one thing to cheat on your wife

but to cheat when you're not even married!

You take what you want from these women, and you give them nothing.

Because you can't leave your miserable fictional wife

and your poor nonexistent kids!

You are a disgrace!

That's enough!

You leave him alone.

You're defending him?

What you don't understand, Dr Carmichael -

what you've failed to take into consideration -

is that Ellen and Vicki love me.

We're going now. Thank you, Doctor.

Gavin?

He's coming with me. I'm sorry, Vicki. Really, I am.

But we've talked it through and we're going to get married,

and we're going to try for a family.

After everything he's done!

Yes.

He always promised me, one day,

when his wife was out of the picture, we would be together.

And she's not in the picture any more.

Not that she was in the picture in the first place,

so she couldn't be in it.

But now I am. I'm...in the picture.

Doctor.

Sorry.

Yes, well.

Better off without him?

You could say that.

I'm sorry, Dr Carmichael. But we won't be needing this.

Game on!

Who do you think you really are, Karen?

The woman in your mind, or the woman in that mirror?

Mm?

The truth is, you can't be just one or the other.

You're both those women.

And if you can't reconcile that reality in your mind,

then you could risk losing...a lot.

You know, you almost skipped in here this morning -

happiest I've ever seen you.

Do you think you'll be able to sustain your relationship with Rob

if you refuse to acknowledge who you are, or who your kids are?

He loves me.

Yes, he does. But which you?

Rob isn't in love with the teenage girl living inside your mind.

Rob is in love with the woman he has shared his life with,

the woman he had a family with.

Her.

And if you can't find a way to accept that she is part of you,

then you could lose everything.

I already have! I've lost 28 years!

And you're not helping!

Thought therapy was supposed to be good for you!

You are the worst therapist ever.

Cos, yes, you're right - I was really happy

when I came in here this morning and now look what you've done!

You don't want people to be happy. Well, I am.

I'm seeing Rob. He likes me. And I like him. It's fun.

And you have to rake everything up!

I think it's important, Karen.

Yeah, well, I don't, Anna.

For the first time since I can remember, I'm having some fun.

And, yeah, thank you very much, I'm having some sex, great sex!

I'm not going to let you, or Jack or Immie,

or that hag in the mirror ruin it.

I'm not!

-We're going.

-He's not going home until I say he's fit to leave.

The custody sergeant says there are no charges

and you clearly have no medical grounds to keep him.

-I'm sorry, Jimmi.

-Chris, if you ever want to talk...

He has nothing to say.

-I think he has.

-Come on.

It's really swanky.

Only the best for my Karen.

The name on this card says Mr and Mrs Bonici.

That is correct.

So, which one of you is Mr, and who's the Mrs?

-I am fed up with you digging dirt on my son.

-What?

Has it ever occurred to you that you might actually be

part of the problem?