Mother to Be Doctors

SHE BREATHES HEAVILY

ALARM WAILS

What the hell do you think you're doing?!

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!

Ayesha, you going to be much longer? I've got a police surgeon shift.

I'm just finishing my eyelashes!

Well, you're a dead ringer for her, so it surely wouldn't take that long.

Oh! All right, stop moaning. I'm ready.

What d'you think?

Wow!

Nice dress.

Thanks. Borrowed it from a friend.

Right, then, Beyonce, come on, put your drink down.

Ooh! Jimmi!

Sorry!

-Come in, come in, come in.

-Thank you.

I brought fine beer and very expensive wine.

Great. Do you want one of these?

Ooh, yes, please.

So, are we all set?

Yeah. I've invited Heston and Ruhma.

Neither of them knows that the other one's coming, so...

OK. You sure you shouldn't have told them?

No, keep it a secret. Those two belong together.

Why d'you need to match-make?

It's just a bit of encouragement.

What can I do to help?

Nothing. It's all under control. Just take a seat.

-Yeah. Sit down.

-Thanks.

Have you seen Mo today?

Er...no, I haven't, not today. I'm sure she's on her way, though.

-DOOR OPENS

-Hiya!

Speak of the devil.

-In here, love.

-Ah!

-Hey, sexy.

-Nice day?

-Get us a beer, would you?

-Yeah.

Oh, what's for tea?

-Karen's cooked something new.

-Oh!

Mo? Mo?

Could you not leave your shoes there?

I'll put them in the hall, yeah?

Cheers, Al.

-Here's your beer. And I'll take your coat, as well.

-Thanks, lover.

-Rob, could I have a word?

-Mm?

Come and give me a hand.

Why does she expect everybody to wait on her hand and foot?

She's not that bad.

She hasn't done a single thing since she got here.

She hasn't even offered. Would it hurt her to load the dishwasher

and take out the flipping rubbish?

All right, all right. I'll have a word with her.

Please, before I do.

Oh, she's going to kill me!

Don't rub it, you're just spreading it.

Look, I need to crack on. Can you just...?

I'll shoot around it. You look great.

-Really?

-Yeah.

OK. Let's do this.

-# All the single ladies

-All the single ladies

-# All the single ladies

-Now, put your hands up

# If you liked it then you should've put a ring on it

# If you liked it then you should've put a ring on it

# Don't be mad once you see that he want it

# Because if you liked it then you should've put a ring on it

# Wuh-uh-oh. #

Your BP and temperature are fine.

How far along are you?

-22 weeks.

-First baby?

-Any problems?

-No.

I just want to know she's... the baby's OK.

Well, I can check the heartbeat. If you lift your top for me.

Any abdominal pains? Any bleeding? No?

POUNDING HEARTBEAT

-There you go, that sounds OK, doesn't it?

-Thank you.

Priya?

There are bruises on your stomach and on your side.

Could you tell me how you got them?

I fell.

Has someone hurt you, Priya?

Your husband?

Someone else?

-Priya, where do you live?

-I don't live anywhere.

What will I get for breaking the window?

Will I go to prison?

No. Not just for the one offence.

Surely you don't want to be locked up?

I'd be safe. So would my baby.

Safe from what?

There are refuges, especially for Asian women,

if you need somewhere safe.

And we have a domestic violence unit here.

I could get someone to come and talk to you?

Shall I do that?

Think about it. I'll get you a cup of tea, yeah?

Ah, that's beautiful!

Ooh! The food smells nice.

I'm actually really hungry.

I don't suppose I'm going to have an appetite, once the chemo starts.

Well, I have made you something that I hope you will like.

It will build up your strength and your immune system.

So, what was Christmas like in Botswana?

Oh, it was lovely.

We all went to church.

I was in the choir.

Oh, I love singing.

Someone once told me that I should be on The X Factor.

Oh. We had a marvellous choir leader.

We used to rehearse outside.

First thing in the morning just before school

and then in the evening to avoid the heat of the midday sun.

Oh! And I loved singing at Midnight Mass.

Oh! That sounds lovely!

So much has changed since last Christmas.

I mean, I was with Ashley.

Barry and he were fighting over me.

This Christmas, I'm just going to be alone with my cancer.

And I'll be having chemotherapy.

And I'm really not sure how I'm going to deal with that.

You will not be alone.

Everyone at the Mill cares about you.

When we go through something like this, we find strength.

I believe it comes from God.

I know that you do not believe.

But I know that you will find the courage to cope.

I want to report my daughter-in-law, Priya Sutaria, missing.

She's run away. We're all so worried about her.

I'm going to need some details off you.

Yeah. She's very young.

She's expecting her first child.

And she's not been well. I've brought a photo.

Excuse me. Did you say your daughter-in-law's called Priya?

Can I see?

You don't need to worry. She's here in custody, safe and well.

-Ah!

-I'll let her know you're here, then could I talk to you?

You've done a brilliant job of being practice manager.

Well, you know, I have enjoyed it.

Of course, I knew it was only temporary.

Yeah, but you have applied?

Well, they have asked me, but, er...no.

But you've kept the practice going since Howard died.

You know the job inside out. You know all the staff.

No-one wants to see a complete stranger coming in

and changing everything.

They need someone with business experience, and I do not have it.

Yes, you do. You run the foodbank, the church.

Yeah, well, that is all voluntary work.

But I did do the practice manager's course.

There you are, you see, you are qualified.

Well, there is still so much to learn.

I would change things, of course.

Some of the tasks could be done more efficiently.

See, you do really want the job.

Oh! I am not sure.

Right, well, ahem! You can apply online. Where's your computer?

What? Oh! Wait! Wha...?

She's here! She's found me!

You don't have to go back with her. You don't have to see her.

-You don't know what she's like!

-No, I don't. You won't tell me.

I want to help, but I can't unless you tell me what's going on.

She... My husband... All of them.

They're trying to kill my baby.

That poor girl's not right in the head.

What makes you think that?

Since she got pregnant, it's turned her wits.

She imagines things, terrible things.

She thinks we're persecuting her. That's why she ran away.

Are you saying she's paranoid?

Please. She shouldn't be locked up, whatever she's done.

She needs to be at home with her husband.

We're her family. We can look after her.

When I got pregnant, they hoped it was a boy.

But she wanted to be sure.

She took me to a doctor and he said my baby's a girl.

He offered to get rid of it.

He has this private clinic.

If people don't want daughters, he...

Harshida didn't say anything, just took me home.

I thought she might let me keep the baby, but...of course not.

She wants rid of it, she just doesn't want to pay for an abortion, so...

After I saw this doctor, she started working me really hard.

Moving furniture, carrying heavy boxes.

I realised... she wants me to have a miscarriage.

-But she hasn't succeeded.

-No.

And it was driving her mad.

So today, she just...attacked me.

She tried to get rid of it.

She threw herself down the stairs.

I grabbed her to try and stop her, but she pushed me out of the way.

She ran out on to the street.

She was gone before I could even...

I'm afraid she'll try to harm the baby again

and we won't be there to stop her.

I'm not allowed out of the house.

The only time I go out is with her to do the shopping.

-What about your husband? He just lets this happen?

-Of course!

Hari just does whatever his mum tells him to!

They're all like that, they're all scared of her!

He hardly even talks to me.

He just sits there playing computer games, or goes out with his friends.

I'm...I'm not going back!

I'd rather kill myself!

So assuming Priya's telling the truth, it's female foeticide.

It would make sense. It's often the mother-in-law who organises it.

So, what d'you reckon?

Either of them could be telling the truth.

Harshida's very anxious to get Priya out of here.

If they're so worried about her mental state,

why don't they want her to see a psychiatrist?

They think mental illness is shaming.

No-one wants to talk about it.

Harshida must've been desperate to involve the police at all.

Yeah, or they're worried about what Priya might tell us.

Or that, of course.

-What about those bruises?

-Doesn't prove anything either way.

And her mental state?

Well, she's scared, but then she would be.

She's anxious to protect the baby,

but threatened to kill herself and the baby if she has to go back.

Priya's free to go. The bloke didn't want to pursue it.

I'm waiting for the DVU to call me.

They're looking for a place in a refuge.

Let me check her medical records.

I like to answer the straightforward factual questions first.

You really enjoy doing this, don't you?

Well, I've done that many job applications.

Then when it gets to the more complicated questions,

I give a specific example for each one.

So... "Coping with a high volume of work."

Well, you're already doing that.

"Managing change."

Oh! There was the time when the Mill was subjected to an arson attack.

And Mr Bellamy put the tent surgery up.

Well, that's perfect. Right.

Maintaining and developing

front-line interaction

with patients in a challenging new environment.

"Coping with difficult patients/customers."

-Well, how long have you got?

-That is all part of the job.

Yes, but you have to put it on the form.

I mean, list your achievements. Sell yourself!

Oh, well, of course, there is my work with the reducing antibiotics.

Oh! And, of course, bridging the gap between patients and staff.

Health and safety, of course.

I have been doing that for quite some time.

What?

I know you're heading out. I don't want to keep you.

It's OK. I'm glad you caught me.

OK. Priya Sutaria.

She was suffering from depression and she was on medication,

but she stopped taking that after she got pregnant.

Does she have a history of depression?

No, no, not according to her notes.

It seemed to have started when she got married.

She came to all the early antenatal appointments.

Um...she was very healthy.

And then she just stopped coming. So I was chasing...

So you saw her. OK, what was your impression?

She was with her mother-in-law. Hardly said a word.

Mother-in-law did all the talking. Nothing unusual.

What was Priya's attitude towards the pregnancy, as far as you could tell?

I think she was really looking forward to being a mum.

-It's such a shame.

-What is?

I spoke to the mother-in-law yesterday

and she told me she'd had a miscarriage.

-What?!

-It's really sad.

I've tried to speak to Priya today,

see if there was anything I could do.

Er...no, she's here. She's safe and she's well

and she's still pregnant.

Well, why would the mother-in-law say that?

Hang on a second, Ruhma.

I'm talking to Priya's midwife.

Harshida's claiming that Priya's had a miscarriage.

-So you've attached your CV.

-Answered all the questions.

Done your personal statement.

And checked all the spelling and typing errors.

So all you need to do now is press "send".

Er...no.

No. I do not think I am ready for all this responsibility.

Look, if you really don't want the job, you can always turn it down.

But you are not going to get it unless you apply.

It's like the Lottery. You've got to be in it to win it.

Miss Pitman, I-I-I am so sorry.

I have been very selfish.

This evening was meant to be about you.

D'you know what? I've actually forgotten about cancer for a while.

And that is the best evening you could have given me.

Yes, well, it is not over yet.

I have dessert. A raspberry sorbet.

I thought something light.

Hm-hm!

(Sent!)

Ruhma's here, bearing gifts.

You know everyone, apart from my cousin, Mo. Mo, this is Ruhma.

Hiya. You all right?

-Oh, Heston.

-Er...lovely to see you.

Mo, not there. Sorry. Would you mind sitting opposite Al?

Ruhma, you're here. Thought you might like to sit opposite Heston.

Ruhma, would you like wine or beer?

No alcohol for me, thanks.

You don't drink? How come?

No-one's obliged to drink.

It's a pleasure, not a duty.

There's some cranberry juice there.

-Sorry.

-Ooh!

OK, so this is a bit of an experiment.

One-pot Christmas dinner.

I got the recipe off the internet.

So you cook all the ingredients together

-and the flavours mix and enhance each other.

-Ooh, lovely.

Um...the turkey is halal. I made sure.

-Halal?

-Ruhma's Muslim.

Oh, no way!

I wouldn't have known. You don't even look like one of them.

What's one of them supposed to look like?

OK, here we go! Ta-dah!

Ah, that looks lovely!

Looks great, love.

-Smells...

-Splendid!

A dish that is more than the sum of its parts.

At last! I'm starving!

You want me to make a formal allegation?

Your mother-in-law's here.

I'll arrest her on suspicion of assault.

We'll take your written statement,

then we'll interview her as part of our investigation.

She'll know. They'll all know I've accused her.

Well, yes.

But, Priya, you don't have to go back to them.

You don't ever have to see them again.

I know how difficult this must be.

No, you don't! How can you?!

You've got a job, you can do what you like! You're not even married!

OK, fair point. But I do want to help you.

You'll find me a safe place?

I just want to get away from them.

If I can do that...

Harshida's committed a crime.

So has your husband. All your in-laws.

If you don't bring charges, they'll get away with it.

-SHE GASPS

-Ah! Ah! Ah!

-Priya, what's wrong?

-It hurts! My back hurts!

-I'm bleeding!

-We need to take you straight to the hospital.

-Jyoti, can you call an ambulance, please?

-No! No, no, no!

We'll take you straight to the hospital. Just try and stay calm.

So, Ruhma, has Heston...?

There's no way I could do your job.

Delivering babies all day. That's gross, innit?

It's not gross, it's beautiful.

If everyone thought like you, Mo, the human race would die out.

Exactly. Right, any more for any more? I think there's plenty left.

-Oh, no, I'm stuffed.

-No, really.

-No, thank you.

OK. Well, let me take your plates.

I hope you've left room for pudding.

Oh, Al, thank you!

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

It's a shame they haven't got an Xbox.

-I didn't know you played computer games.

-Yeah! I love 'em.

I can wipe the floor with my son. He won't play with me any more.

-Aren't they very addictive?

-Yes, Heston, but what isn't?

Hours thumbing a console

when you could be enjoying a good book.

I do that, as well. I'm not just a gamer.

-Really?

-Yeah.

-Christmas pudding!

-Oh, wow!

-Ooh!

That looks fantastic!

What is it again?

It's a Christmas pudding bombe.

Another experiment! Why can't we just have Christmas pudding?

-Let's hope we don't need a bombe-disposal expert.

-Boom-boom!

I think it looks fantastic.

-She does know Priya's lost the baby?

-Yeah.

Not exactly grief-stricken, is she?

Why would she be? She got what she wanted.

I still can't get my head around it. Killing a baby because it's a girl?

It's partly the dowry system.

To some families, girls are expensive.

You have to pay someone to marry them.

Sons will support you, but...daughters are just a burden.

So, what's the excuse? She's not poor.

People say it's religion or culture, but that's rubbish.

I'm Gujarati, too. I don't go around slaughtering girl babies.

They just don't want daughters.

Then you end up with far more men than women,

so there's no-one for the men to marry.

-It's crazy!

-Yeah, course it is.

But when's that ever stopped anyone?

-Dr Clay?

-Yeah.

I thought they'd just take it away.

I'm glad they don't.

Priya, I'm so sorry.

It didn't seem real at first.

I knew I was pregnant, but...it was just backache

and feeling sick and tired.

And then you see the baby and it's...

..this little person.

Beautiful.

Perfect.

Even if...

She's out there, isn't she?

Harshida.

Waiting.

-You don't have to see her if you don't want to.

-I don't care.

I'm not scared of any of them any more.

What can they do to me that's worse than this?

They were wrong, weren't they? And they don't even know.

Will you tell her?

Um...yeah, of course.

I want them arrested.

Especially her.

I want them to pay.

Oh, my landlord is a nightmare.

He gets rich new tenants in and then whacks up the rent.

-That's appalling.

-It's gentrification.

It's all right for people who own their own houses, but people like me...

I've been there for years, I keep the place really nice,

I'm never late with the rent. I mean, it's rubbish!

I know, it's mad. I don't know how Jack and Immie will ever afford their own place.

Well, I don't have a problem.

That's because you live rent-free.

I love it around here.

And they've just extended my contract at work,

so looks like I'll be staying around.

Sorry. Um...no, you can't,

because Jack and Immie will be back for Christmas

and there won't be any room.

Oh, well,

I'm sure I'll find a bed somewhere.

AL SPLUTTERS

Hi. I'm Dr Clay. I was at the station.

When's Priya coming home?

Um...she will have to stay in for a while.

I'm sure you can appreciate that having a miscarriage

this late in her pregnancy is pretty serious.

She should be at home with us.

With her husband.

Priya's made a very serious accusation.

She says you wanted to get rid of the baby

because you'd been told it was a girl.

You took her to a private consultant, who gave her a scan.

Offered an abortion.

You assaulted her, trying to make her miscarry.

-And now she has.

-She's lying!

You can't believe anything she...

She gave us the name of the consultant. We'll check.

Priya asked me to tell you something.

This consultant, whoever it was, they got it wrong.

Priya had a boy.

So it would've been your first grandson.

Are you happy now, Harshida?

-Priya, what are you doing out of bed?

-You killed my baby.

That's what you wanted.

Are you happy?

Don't you dare speak to me like that!

I'll speak to you how I like!

I'm not coming back.

I'm never setting foot in your house again!

I did what I had to do!

Do you think it was any different for me?!

You've been through...?

How could you do this to me?

I hope they put you in prison for life.

And Hari. All your sons!

I hope... I hope you...!

SHE SOBS

Harshida Sutaria, you are under arrest on suspicion of assault.

You do not have to say anything,

but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned

something which you later rely on in court.

So, lover, are we going back to yours, or what?

Oh, that's a good idea. We could call you a taxi, couldn't we, Rob?

We don't need a taxi, do we?

-Ruhma's not been drinking, she can drive us.

-Can she?

No. Um...Ruhma's going back with Heston.

No, no, no, no. I'm just giving him a lift.

Look, Karen, it's fine, we'll get a cab.

Whatever. I'm going to the loo first.

It's your food, Karen. It goes right through me.

-ROB LAUGHS

-Oh, she's a right laugh, isn't she?

Yes, hilarious(!) Ruhma, don't tidy up, just go and sit with Heston.

Honestly, she... I'm sorry, but she puts her oar in

every time I try and get Heston and Ruhma together.

You've done what you can. You got them to dinner, the rest is just up to them.

Will you speak to Heston, give him some advice?

-Why me?

-Because you're in a relationship.

-Hey.

-Hey.

-All right, yeah, thanks.

We, er...we should do this again.

Yeah, we should. It's been so great.

Yeah, it has, hasn't it? Yeah.

Er...Al, you know, I-I may have misjudged...

No, I-I-I have misjudged you.

Sorry. You're a thoroughly decent bloke

and that's exactly what Mo needs.

Someone to help her get sorted out.

A boyfriend who's going to treat her properly, with respect.

Thanks, Rob, that means so much. The thing is...

Is there anything I can do to help?

No. Heston, go and talk to Ruhma.

Actually, Heston, you could give me some advice.

Of course, yes.

It's been a disaster, hasn't it? The food, everything.

No, it hasn't. Don't get yourself into such a state.

I'll do the coffee. Come on.

KAREN GROANS

Help me. Time is running out.

It's nearly Christmas.

I haven't started my Christmas cards...

I'm not talking about that.

Look, the cut-off point is 10th December.

If you're with a girl after that, you're with her until the New Year.

You're not allowed to dump someone over Christmas.

I thought you liked her.

Well, yeah. I mean, I like having fun,

but I don't want some kind of a relationship!

She's talking about moving in.

We've got Rob and Karen trying to marry us off!

I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but...

Then you have to tell her. Be honest.

And the sooner the better.

HE SIGHS

-So?

-Just thought I'd accessorise a bit, that's all.

Not going into work today?

I'm taking some time off.

-That makes sense(!)

-I can't concentrate, so what's the point?

Might distract you.

My marriage is over, mate. You think I can forget that?!

Oh! Wow!

What've you done with Al?

Al's here. He's just trying a new look.