The Gooseberry Doctors

Hello, I'm Ruhma. I'm here to see Alice.

-Ah, midwife.

-Yeah.

Harriet's still on maternity leave.

-Occupational hazard, I guess.

-Yeah.

-I'm Chris.

-Sorry about the mess.

-Oh, I don't mind.

We've got the builders in. Well, one builder - gets everywhere.

-Alice is upstairs.

-Right...

-KNOCK AT DOOR

-Yeah?

Hey, Alice. How are you doing?

Please do not get up.

No danger of that.

I'm really sorry I didn't come in - I've just not been getting out all that much.

Please, don't worry about it -

you've got an extra passenger on the bus.

So, shall we get on with it?

Chris, are you staying?

We're not together.

Oh, right. I'm sorry.

-We used to be.

-Chris still lives here.

It's a bit unusual.

Oh, no, I've seen every kind of living arrangement under the sun.

Sorry I'm late, babe. Did I miss anything?

-Hi, I'm Steve.

-Oh, hello.

Steve's the baby's dad.

He lives here as well.

OK...

Anyone fancy a coffee?

So...

what's the plan?

-Plan?

-For today.

Well, you tell me.

She's getting dropped off in half an hour.

She's your goddaughter. Why am I the one making plans?

Because.

Oh, well, that's much clearer.

You were always the one who came up with the ideas when Jack and Immie were little.

-Was I?

-Yeah - days out, things to do when it was raining,

making stuff out of cereal boxes - all that Blue Peter malarkey.

Well, I don't... I don't remember. Sorry, I...

I sometimes forget that you forget.

I do remember one time that we took the kids to the zoo, and

Immie managed to get her arm stuck

in the railings just outside the lion cage.

Let's not do that.

It'll be fine. I mean, kids will play with anything, won't they?

I mean, I remember when I was little,

somebody gave me a peg bag off the washing line - I was happy.

Ee, by gum, lass! At Christmas we used to get

a lump of coal, between us, if we were lucky!

Your blood pressure's normal.

Now, you said that you'd been feeling breathless?

And your heart - her heart feels funny as well.

-Funny, how?

-Sometimes it feels a bit...

Fruity tea for Alice, and a coffee for Steve.

-Did you tell Ruhma about your heart?

-She was just about to when you came barging in.

-You were saying?

Erm, yeah...it beats really fast, and it feels fluttery

if I go to the shops, or...I go up the stairs too quickly.

-OK, well, let's check your pulse again.

-OK.

What's this?

-It's the only one that was clean.

-Funny how that keeps happening.

How long have you been feeling like this, Alice?

Couple of weeks. It comes and goes.

Pregnancy does put the body under a lot of stress.

It doesn't bother me.

-Maybe if you did the washing up now and again.

-I work.

-Yeah, it's a little bit fast,

and you say it happens when you over-exert yourself?

Or if I get stressed.

-I work too.

-Yeah, right(!)

Maybe the boys should wait outside.

Anthony...

I've been reading your King's Green memo.

And?

Well, I imagine you must have a man on the inside?

What makes you say that?

You can't get this kind of an insight, without...

So... Erm, nonetheless,

I'm very excited about seeing it this afternoon.

-Shall we take my car?

-Yeah, why not?

-Great.

-We should stop off for lunch on the way back - I know a great little gastro pub.

-Sounds good.

By the way, you should know, the partners are really impressed

-with the great progress you've made in such a short space of time.

-Thanks to you.

You've created a leadership environment that allows the staff

-to perform at their very best.

-Well, that's kind.

I only give credit where it's due,

and working here...

well, it's a gift. I feel privileged.

-I'm really looking forward to this afternoon.

-Me too.

I didn't realise your ex was living here as well.

That's got to be a bit awkward around the breakfast table.

It's OK, actually.

-Really?

-Well, Steve's not that bothered,

and it's not as if we're rubbing Chris' face in it

by swinging from the chandeliers.

-That hasn't happened for weeks.

-THEY LAUGH

Now...

you mentioned about being stressed...

Yeah. It's the building work that's the most stressful, but

Steve says we're nearly there,

and it'll be done by the time the baby comes.

Steve's the builder, as well?

Yes, he's great. He's really taking care of me.

I think that we should get you an assessment at St Phil's.

I'm going to contact your obstetrician

and let Dr Clay know so he's in the loop.

-That sounds serious.

-Well, we just want to play it safe.

They'll probably do a test, like an ECG.

It's probably nothing to worry about.

What's nothing to worry about?

They want me to have tests on my heart.

At this point in the pregnancy we like to get, well,

we like to get as much information as possible,

consider all the options,

and the best approach for Alice and the baby.

-Thank you.

-Yeah, thanks a lot.

-I'd better be getting off to work.

-OK.

-You want anything for dinner?

-You choose.

-OK. See you later.

Right, you, take it easy and I'll be in touch.

-OK...

-I'll walk you out.

-Thank you.

So, do you work nearby?

Oh, not far.

It's great that you're around, you know, to support her.

Why wouldn't I be?

Well, it just happens less than you think.

Actually, Steve, is there somewhere I can wash my hands?

Bathroom's upstairs - first door on the left.

Great. I'll see myself out.

OK, it was nice to meet you.

-Yeah, and you.

-Take care.

-Bye.

Can I have a word?

Yeah, sure.

Please, take a seat.

No, I'm fine, thanks.

I was supposed to be in the back bedroom, but they decided to build a nursery, so...

So, it...it must be a bit weird.

You know, you being here, and they're just upstairs?

Well, I've had to invest in some good quality earplugs, if that's what you mean.

Ooh, yikes!

It must be hard.

Especially cos, well, this is your house too.

Chris, have you thought about trying to find somewhere else to live?

-It's complicated.

-Look, I'm sure it is, but...

but this...

it's not good for anyone.

Business is slow. All my money's tied up here, so I can't really afford to move anywhere.

Cos it's only going to get harder - you know, once the baby comes.

I mean, babies are amazing, but no-one gets any sleep.

It can't be worse than a squeaky mattress.

Sorry, too much information.

Look, it's not just the money.

Oh, right.

Steve's got a criminal record. He's been to prison.

What for?

Assault.

Has anything happened?

No, but it might.

Does Alice know?

Yes, but she doesn't seem to care. I just thought, as long as I could stay here,

then I could stop something from happening - that's why I can't leave.

Ah...!

This is Scarlett.

Hello, Scarlett.

I'm Karen. It's very nice to meet you.

Oh, she's shy...

MUSIC: Fiesta by The Pogues

Move your hand up higher.

-Feel anything?

-Not yet. Maybe he's gone to sleep.

No, I felt it just then.

-OK, what about now?

-DOOR OPENS

Babe, have you seen my...

Take your hands off her.

-Steve, it's fine.

-No, it's not.

Look, when I go out, random old ladies put their hands on me.

-You know, that's what happens when you're pregnant.

-That's different.

-I want you out the house, right now.

-Steve, don't...

-No, I've had enough.

You heard what Ruhma said this morning - she doesn't need the stress, and neither do I.

You're the one who shouldn't be here. Alice doesn't want you here, she wants me.

-In your dreams, mate.

-Tell him.

OK, both of you, stop this. Just stop this.

Do you see what you're doing to her?

Right, leave now, or I'll throw you out.

-Because you WERE a bouncer?

-There's nothing wrong with that.

-There is, the way you do it - I know you were in prison.

-Big deal!

Alice knows all about that. I'm different now.

It's mine, not yours.

-What?

-Don't.

You really are deluded.

When you were working away in Newcastle.

Yes, that's right. Maths isn't really your strong point, is it?

Oh, looks like you haven't changed at all.

You stay away from her! Alice...!

No, YOU stay away from her!

I'm calling an ambulance, and the police, and I'll tell them you attacked us, you animal!

Who do you think they're going to believe? You or me?

Ah!

Have you seen her?

-Have you lost her again?

-Well, we are playing hide and seek.

Oh, let her hide. We'll enjoy the peace and quiet.

-We need to get out the house.

-Evacuate, you mean?

This isn't working. Let's take her down the park.

Feed the ducks, or something.

I'll call animal welfare.

Scarlett?

Scarlett?!

-Anthony.

-Adrian, good to see you.

-Adrian Willis, Daniel Granger. This is the senior partner.

-Good to meet you.

You're ahead of the game. No-one else is even booked in yet.

-Anthony pulled some strings.

-Yes...

he does that.

Do you play golf?

-Yeah.

-What are you doing tomorrow?

-I can tell you a few things about this place on the QT.

-Sounds perfect.

Good. We'll set it up. Enjoy the tour.

Thanks, Adrian.

Your man on the inside, by any chance?

Terrible golfer. Nice chap, though. Been very helpful.

When did the mural go?

Yesterday. Anthony decided to go all DIY SOS.

Ooh...

How did that go down?

Well, it would have been nice if he'd asked.

Well, he is the practice manager,

and it was either that or he has to get someone to paint in us newbies.

I suppose.

Sorry, we're closed.

I need to talk to Ruhma. She's my girlfriend's midwife.

Well, you'll have to come back after four.

I need to talk to her!

Who is it?

Some bloke who says he wants to talk to you.

I know him.

-Hey, Steve. What's hap...?

-I need to talk to you now.

-OK. Where's Alice?

She's at the hospital.

Steve, what's happened to your hand?

Have you been talking to Chris?

-I think you should go.

-Look, he just wants to make trouble for me, all right?

Alice is my patient, not you, and I'd really like you to go.

I didn't do anything!

Erm, don't shout!

I'm just trying to explain it to her.

-Right, well, you're going to have to calm down.

-But you're not listening to me!

No, you're not listening,

and if you don't calm down I'm going to have to call the police.

-All right.

-OK?

-Yeah...all right.

Why is Alice in hospital?

It...it was her heart. She got dizzy and faint...

It was scary.

Why don't we take a look at that hand?

Go on.

Just take a seat.

It was a door.

Ouch.

Yeah,

it's pretty sturdy.

I should have known better, I'm the one that put it in.

Did you hit anything else?

No.

I wanted to, but...

I don't fancy going back to prison.

Good call.

I go to therapy.

Anger management, once a week.

I'm trying...

..but I think I've blown it with Alice.

She was really upset.

What happened, Steve?

Oh, just Chris said that he's the baby's dad.

Is that why you're here, for a paternity test?

No...no, if Alice says that I'm the dad,

then that's good enough for me.

-I just want you to tell her that I'll be a good dad.

-Well, no offence, Steve -

I don't know you.

No, but...you've seen worse, right? I mean, you said yourself, I'm supportive.

I think you need to go to the hospital and talk to her.

I don't think she'll listen to me.

Well, if you don't go...

you won't know.

You might want to try changing your shirt too, it's a little bit grubby!

Good point.

It's huge.

This dead space could be a whole other consulting room.

It could. Mind you, you should see...

Mrs Tembe, how are you?

Ah, I'm very well, thank you, Dr Granger.

-Mr Harker.

-Mrs Tembe.

-You our guide today?

-Well, now Mr Goddard has left, I am the new acting practice manager.

Wow, there's no stopping you, is there?

Now, how is Dr Carmichael after her party?

Well, you know what? When everyone had left she started redecorating...

-KNOCK AT DOOR

-Yeah?

-Hey...

how are you doing?

I'm feeling better. I met the consultant,

and they gave me an ECG, so I'm just waiting on the results now.

Well, that's good news.

So, what happened?

Chris and Steve had an argument. It got pretty heated.

How heated?

Chris wanted to call the police.

I persuaded him not to.

Does Steve have a temper?

He got into trouble when he was young, but...

..Chris is always trying to wind him up.

I mean...

He hasn't even ever shouted at me.

Never?

Once,

when I took his good screwdriver and stirred a tin of paint.

So you think he'd make a good dad?

Of course.

He's never lost it like that before.

Right, well...

I think my advice would be,

you need to think about your living situation.

I know.

You need to get tough and you need to tell Chris it's time to go.

I can't do that.

Why?

It's complicated. We've got history.

OK, well, you move out.

Get a flat with Steve.

We'd lose the house.

Steve's practically paying the mortgage.

I mean, he can't pay that and pay rent.

We're just stuck.

Steve's paying the mortgage?

Well, his rent covers it.

You know...I can't work because of this,

and Chris is trying, but he's skint, so...

Right. Well, then you sell the place.

No, we've just had work done.

I love that house.

And, anyway, by the time we've split the money

and then we've settled the mortgage, there's just not going to be

enough for us or Chris to buy anywhere else.

Alice, you... you need to make a decision.

OK?

The house...

or your relationship with Steve.

You've got a baby coming.

You can't put off making this choice for ever.

I'm going to chase up the test results.

You think about it.

Say cheese!

-ALL:

-Cheese!

CAMERA SNAPS

What do you want to do now?

Go on the slide.

Go on the slide?

Right, then you should...

you should go on the slide.

One, two, three,

wahey!

Be careful.

Hey...

come and have a look at this!

Aw, lovely.

You've got the look of a serial killer about you,

but she looks very sweet.

I can't wait to put it online, show Jack and Immie.

No, you can't do that.

Are you so vain that you don't want people to see you with your goddaughter?

Karen, you can never put any photographs of Scarlett

on the internet.

-Why not?

-She's a protected child.

If her birth parents were to see them,

they might want to make contact.

But they're not going to see, are they, if it's on my timeline?

No, but the rules in a case like this are really strict.

-What are you not telling me?

-Nothing.

All I know is that Scarlett was taken from her birth parents,

so there must have been a good reason.

Like what?

I don't know, honestly.

And it's probably best that way.

He's just on his way.

Is Chris the dad?

Yeah.

So when were you going to tell Steve?

Well, I wanted to.

But you needed him to carry on paying the mortgage.

No...

I-I didn't mean for that to happen.

-It wasn't my idea.

-What does that mean?

Well, I tried to tell him this morning, but you got so stressed you blacked out.

Well, it wasn't the right time. You don't have to be so cruel about it.

I wanted to tell him weeks ago,

-but you said if he didn't pay the mortgage we'd lose the house.

-You said that?

-No.

Yes...

that's not the only reason. I care about Steve, too.

I thought Chris and I were over,

and so Steve and I started seeing each other, and

he offered to work on the house - that was HIS idea...

and he was staying over anyway, so...

I asked Chris if he'd mind if he moved in.

-What was I supposed to say?

-Well, how about the truth?

I'd never seen Chris that jealous before.

When Steve was away, he came into my room one night and told me,

and that's when it happened.

And so you carried on seeing him behind Steve's back?

I didn't want to hurt him.

You didn't want to lose the house, Alice.

You're making this sound much worse than it really is.

How can it be any worse?

Steve thinks he's going to be a dad!

It took us so long to find that house.

Do you remember?

And when we saw it, we just had to have it!

Right. I think that you need to tell Steve what's going on.

-But, I...

-Are you sure Chris is the dad?

The dates match.

You'd better hope that the anger management sessions are going well,

because if I was in his shoes...

Watch your head. Haven't done this for a long time...

Oh...

nearly forgot. There you are, OK?

Bye-bye.

Bye-bye!

Excuse me, I'm looking for Alice Chaykin.

Do you know where you're going?

-No.

-If you go down...

-How is she?

-Erm, yeah...she's, erm...

-She's fine.

-Oh, great.

Erm, sorry I can't tell you any more -

it's patient confidentiality.

Oh, yeah. Erm, listen...

thanks for everything.

She's got a visitor.

-Who, the police?

-No, he...

he didn't call them.

Chris, then?

What's he doing here?

You know something, don't you?

I think you should talk to her.

-Right...

-Steve...

You said that you had changed, so...

now would be a good time to prove it.

Apparently we need to have a chat...

..but the look on your faces says it all.

-Maybe I should leave.

-Why change the habit of a lifetime, eh?

-There's a security guard outside...

-Oh, yeah? Good for you.

Well?

I'm sorry.

So, w-w-what was I, cheap labour?

No. I mean, I know how it looks...

No, you have no idea how this looks. You two...

you think you're so clever, with your books and your degrees, and...

-You're the animals here!

-Steve...!

-No, don't call him back.

I'm impressed.

Anthony's talked me through the set-up.

-But you only get a real idea when you see for yourself.

-Yeah...

exactly.

The larger consulting rooms, the dedicated room to minor surgery -

I know someone at the Mill who'd be jealous.

I thought of Dr Carter as soon as I saw it.

Let me just give you some background.

I think we know most of what you have to say, but it

-would be good to have it summarised.

-KNOCK AT DOOR

Can I sit in?

Oh, well, erm...

Dr Willis, I would prefer if you didn't.

We don't mind.

I am a partner, I have a useful perspective.

I'm sure you are aware we are short-staffed,

and you must have patients to attend to?

-I thought...

-Thank you, Dr Willis.

I'll call you, Anthony... about tomorrow.

Thanks, Adrian. I look forward to it.

That's a shame. I know Adrian, he's a superb doctor.

Oh, I agree,

but we have to talk about the staffing situation,

which has not been as beautifully maintained as our facilities.

-If you say so.

-I do.

One partner has retired,

another is about to,

and the GPs that should succeed them

have departed, along with our practice manager.

The remaining GPs, well, they are...

they are not suitable candidates for the partnership.

Dr Willis knows this,

and in order to protect his investment,

he will give you the hard sell...

..whereas I believe

it is in all our interests

if I give you the facts,

all of them,

good

or bad.

That way you are under no illusion,

and you can make an informed decision.

OK.

We're listening.

Hello?

Steve? Hello?

Good riddance.

Don't say that.

Maybe we should sell it.

How can you say that?

It's just a house.

All I care about is you and the baby.

I'm so sorry I put you through this.

We can be happy here, I know it.

Ooh! Why is it so cold?

Maybe there's a window open.

Chris?

-He's gone.

-He's taken all of his stuff.

-Right...

-No, all of it -

the window he put in, the wall he built...

THUNDER CRACKS

Another way to increase the revenue stream is

to introduce a dispensary.

Interesting idea.

Well, there is room for expansion here. There is not at the Mill.

A dispensary would benefit both practices.

It would.

Once we have increased the QOF figures, and...

we'll reduce the practice's dependency on locums,

well, I think the situation can be settled at King's Green within...

six months to a year.

Thank you, Mrs Tembe.

She's certainly given us a lot to think about.

Yes, you have.

I have to make it clear that....

I will be conducting this process without favouritism.

All interested parties will have the same analysis,

and I imagine there will be several.

I'd expect nothing less.

What do you think?

Very impressive.

Now, having said that,

the one thing that all the partners favour with this opportunity

is the chance of bringing you back into the family, Mrs Tembe.

Thank you, Dr Granger. That means a great deal.

Clearly you're flourishing in your new position,

and I feel that with you and Anthony both working in our interests,

there would be no limits to what we can achieve.

Well, I've certainly learnt

many business lessons working with Mr Harker,

and I can honestly say without his assistance,

I would not be where I am now.

Oh, Skipper! What have you done now?!

Whatever it is, you need to plan ahead.

I am. Have you thought about moving in?

Your timing is terrible.

I'd feel like I was abandoning a sinking ship.

Scott Duckenfield - Sendo TV?

We're going to have to submit a knockout proposal.

We can do that with bells on.

Alan, call Skipper off!