"Footprints"
Episode #05
Immediately After #04
TEASER
outside Tim’s hospital room:
Paula and Bill are silently looking into the room. Enter Molly and Claire.
Claire: How is he? Is he gonna be okay?
Bill: We don’t know yet, Claire. They’re still at work on him.
Claire: I can’t believe this is happening.
Claire breaks down into tears and Paula pulls her aside.
Molly: Dad, what happened? I tried to ask Claire, but she was so nervous that she could hardly speak on the way over.
Bill: He was just laying there, unconscious, when all of a sudden he started to shake. It looks like a seizure of some sort.
Molly: Oh no. (beat) Do they think he’ll pull through?
Bill: They’re not sure. Dr. Smith came out a moment ago and very briefly spoke to us, but he had to rush back in to work on Tim.
Molly: Dad, we can’t lose him. Claire can’t lose him. And most importantly, that baby can’t lose him.
ACT I
at Sarah’s apartment:
Sarah and Brent are sitting on the couch, watching TV.
Sarah: I can’t watch this anymore. It’s terrible.
She reaches for the remote.
Brent: Go ahead. The only thing I’ve been watching anyway is you.
They cuddle up.
Sarah: You sure know how to make me feel special. (beat) I’ve never felt this kind of connection with anyone before in my whole life – well, besides my mother, but you know what I mean.
Brent: I certainly do.
Sarah: It’s kind of ironic, you know?
Brent: What? Why?
Sarah: No, I mean, I met you at work a couple of months ago and all of a sudden we just sort of hooked up. And my sister, she met this guy Craig at work and they’ve been spending a lot of time together.
Brent: Speaking of your sister, nothing else has popped up with this stalker business, has it?
Sarah: Nope. For the last week or so, everything’s been very quiet. Except for Tim …
Brent: What a family. Actually, they have no leads on Tim’s shooting yet. It doesn’t look good. There don’t seem to have been any witnesses, the bullet was such a common one, and of course Tim hasn’t been able to make a statement yet.
Sarah: I don’t know if it would be better if it was a random thing, or an intentional shooting.
Brent: I really don’t think either is a great option, but I’d tend to say it was prearranged. After all, all his money and I.D. was on him when we found him. Very few muggers shoot a guy and leave all his possessions on him without helping themselves.
Hold on Sarah’s confusion.
outside Tim’s hospital room:
Paula and Claire are speaking in the foreground. Molly and Bill are in the background speaking.
Paula: Claire, I know this is a difficult time for you, what with being pregnant and Tim being in the hospital. But I want you to know that we think of you as family and you’re welcome to stay with us any time at all.
Claire: Thanks so much, Paula.
They hug.
Claire: I’m considering taking my maternity leave now, because I’m not gonna be a very effective nurse in this condition – all nerves and very pregnant.
Paula: That sounds like a great idea. (beat) So, would you like to move into our house? You need people around, especially being so pregnant. You never know what might happen.
Claire: I think I might just take you up on your offer. Are you sure that you and Bill won’t mind?
Paula: Not at all. In fact, I could use someone around to talk to. Bill’s at the restaurant working all day, Molly’s been with Craig a lot, and Jason is always at the rink.
Claire: It sounds like you’ve got yourself a deal. Thank you so much, Paula.
Paula: Believe me, it’s our pleasure. Let’s go tell Bill and Molly.
They go over to Bill and Molly.
Paula: Guys, guess what? Claire is gonna move into the house for a while – at least until Tim is better.
Molly: Oh, Claire, that’s great. It’ll be so nice to have you around.
Bill: Paula, isn’t it interesting that within a few weeks we went from having only Jason in the house to having three of them?
Paula: They leave, they move back in. What can you do? I think the important part is that we’ll all be together during this difficult time.
Molly: I’m with you on that, Mom.
Bill: Maybe someone should call Sarah and tell her about Tim. And Jason, too.
Molly: I’ll give Sarah a call.
Molly takes out her cell phone and moves to the side.
Paula: We won’t be able to get in touch with Jason for a while. He’s at the rink.
Bill: You’re right. (long beat) Well, I guess we should just wait until they’ve made some progress with Tim.
Paula: Claire, come over here and have a seat. It should be a while.
Claire: Okay.
She starts to approach them to sit down.
Claire (thinking): Paula, you wouldn’t even begin to imagine the real reason I’m moving in with you guys.
ACT II
at Sarah’s apartment:
Sarah: Your theory makes sense, but I have one question: Who had it in for Tim?
Brent: None of us seem to know, and his wife didn’t even know. We’ll have to wait till he wakes up.
Sarah: I guess so. But that—
Telephone rings. Sarah answers. One-way conversation.
Sarah: Hello? Sarah Fisher—(beat) Oh, hi, Molly. How’s it—(long beat) Oh no! Is he okay? (beat) Yeah, I’ll be right there. Don’t worry. Bye.
Brent: Who was that? What’s wrong?
Sarah: My brother is having a really bad seizure and they don’t know if he’s gonna make it. Come on.
They run out of the apartment. Hold on the door.
at the hospital:
Claire is off to the side. Bill, Paula, and Molly are in the foreground. Claire approaches.
Claire: Okay, I got Sarah on the phone. She and Brent are coming right over.
Claire puts her phone away.
Paula: Okay. It’s important that we’re all together right now, especially if …
Bill: Don’t put that in your head, honey. Tim is gonna be fine.
Paula: But Bill, don’t you see that it’s not alright? Tim is laying there half-dead right now, moving a little bit closer with every second. If those doctors don’t do something quickly, we’re gonna lose him!
Claire: She’s right. If only I could help …
Molly: Why can’t you? You have the medical training.
Claire: I’m not really qualified to perform emergency procedures. And I think I’d probably break down in there. It’s a little bit of an emotional time.
Bill: Well, I’m sure Tim will be just fine. It’s just a matter of time.
Molly: Could anybody think of anyone who may have wanted to shoot Tim?
Bill: I couldn’t, but you never know if he has enemies at work or something. Still …
Paula: Something serious would have had to happen for a coworker to shoot him out in an alley at night.
Molly: Unless it was something so serious that he was hiding it from all of us. Claire, did he ever—
Claire: If he’d said anything that obvious, I would have reported it by now. He never made any comments that led me to believe he was in danger.
Bill: There’s a missing piece of the puzzle somewhere … And it’s lying right under our noses, I’m almost sure of it. Maybe one of us even knows it already, and doesn’t realize it.
Claire: I wouldn’t be surprised. So many weird things have happened already.
Molly: I don’t get it. (beat) Maybe Tim didn’t even know he was in danger, though.
Paula: That’s always a possibility. But it seems a little unreasonable.
Molly: Yeah, I guess you’re right.
Enter Dr. Smith.
Dr. Smith: Mr. and Mrs. Fisher—
Paula runs over to Dr. Smith.
Paula: Dr. Smith, what happened? Is Tim okay? Did something go wrong?
Bill: Paula, calm down. Let the doctor tell us. Now, Dr. Smith, what were you going to say?
Dr. Smith: I need to talk to all of you about Tim’s condition.
Out on Bill, Molly, Claire, and Paula, all anxiously awaiting his words.
ACT III
at the hospital:
Bill: What’s wrong, Doc? Is Tim alright?
Dr. Smith: Well, we managed to save his life a few minutes ago. As a matter of fact, most of his vital signs are up.
Paula: Thank God! I was so worried!
Dr. Smith: But …
Paula: What do you mean, "but"? I thought you saved him!
Dr. Smith: We did, but his seizure was caused by an adverse reaction to some of his medication. Unfortunately, this is the medication that’s keeping him rested. Otherwise, he’d been in terrible pain, despite being unconscious.
Paula: So take him off of it!
Claire: It’s not that simple, Paula. If he were in constant pain, Tim might suffer another attack … likely worse than this one. And there’s only so much you can do after a certain point.
Dr. Smith: Well-said, Nurse. The question is: Do you want us to continue with his medication and risk more attacks, or take him off the medication? Keep in mind that there’s less chance of attacks if he’s off the medication, but if he does have one then, it’s likely to be fatal.
Enter Sarah and Brent.
Sarah: How is he?
Bill: Dr. Smith here was just telling us that Tim’s reaction to a certain medication caused this seizure. If we take him off of it, though, there’s still of a chance of more attacks … but they might be fatal.
Sarah: Oh my God! What are we gonna do? Claire, you’re a nurse … what should we do?
Claire: Honestly, I just don’t know. One way or the other, it’s still a dangerous and risky situation. It’s a personal choice that the family has to make. You guys have to decide whether to leave him on it or not.
Paula: We have to? You’re just as much a part of his family as we are. This decision might affect us all. So what should we do?
Dr. Smith: Why don’t you all take some time to think this over, and I’ll be back in a little while?
Bill: Okay. Thanks, Dr. Smith.
Exit Dr. Smith.
Bill: I personally think we should take him off it. There’s a smaller risk of attacks with him off of it. It’ll only happen if he experiences great pain, the doctor said.
Paula: Yes, but he could die without the medication!
Bill: And he could die with it!
Claire: I have to side with Bill. Tim might not have any attacks if he’s off the medication, and if he does there’s still a small window of opportunity to save him.
Molly: It’s a difficult decision.
Sarah: It really is. But I’m for taking him off it.
Molly: Me too. It seems a little more logical.
Enter Jason.
Paula: Jason! What’re you doing here?
Jason: I finished early at the rink, so I decided to come see Tim. How’s he doing?
Paula: Not much better. He had a terrible attack, and then Dr. Smith told us that if we don’t take him off a certain medication, he might die from more attacks. But it’s the painkilling drug, and if we leave him on it he might suffer fatal attacks.
Jason: I’d go with taking him off it. What about everyone else?
Bill: I’m with Jason.
Molly: Me too.
Sarah: Take him off it.
Claire: I don’t know. (beat) I guess there is less risk in taking him off it, so let’s do it.
Paula: Well, I’ve been outvoted, so I guess we’ll take him off it.
Molly: Okay, everyone, I’ve gotta go. I’m meeting Craig in twenty minutes. (beat) Bye!
Exit Molly. Paula moves away from the group.
Paula (sotto voce): Tim, I wish we didn’t have to play God with your life, but it’s the only way. Oh, I hope you recover soon.
ACT IV
at the restaurant:
Molly is standing in second-in-line, waiting. Exit first person in line.
Woman: Hello, how may I help you this evening?
Molly: I have a reservation. Simmons, party of two.
Woman: Oh, Mr. Simmons is already in the dining room – right there.
Molly: Yeah, I see him. Thanks.
Molly goes over to the table.
Molly: Hi, Craig.
Craig: Hi, Molly. How’s everything going with your brother?
Molly: Not well. (beat) Not well at all. He had a huge complication because of his medicine, and that led to an almost-fatal attack.
Craig: Ouch. (long beat) So, how are you? No more problems or anything?
Molly: It’s strange, actually. I got those two "messages" about a week ago, but then they stopped. Just like that. I wonder if this person just felt threatened by the police or something.
Craig: Could be, but the police didn’t really do anything. It’s hard to trace handwriting on a car.
Molly: I know. I just hope he – or she – isn’t planning some grand way to frighten me to death. At least I’ve had time to recover my nerves. And you were so helpful with that. I can’t thank you enough.
Craig: I was just looking out for a friend. (beat) And now, it seems that you’re strong enough to be a little more than friends.
Molly: Craig – I never really … I never really thought about it before.
Craig: I knew I brought this up too soon. I knew it. (long beat) Well, then, let’s have dinner. What are you gonna get?
Molly: Craig, we can’t just change the subject like that. I never would’ve thought you felt that way about me.
Craig: It’s making you uncomfortable, isn’t it?
Molly: No, no … Actually, I’m flattered. I kinda like it, to tell the truth.
Craig: So tell me, then, would you be willing to be a little more than friends?
Hold on Molly’s surprise.
at the hospital:
Paula is standing with Bill by Tim’s door.
Paula: I can’t just stand here. I’m gonna go crazy.
Bill: What do you wanna do?
Paula: I’m not sure. (long beat) Actually, I’ve got an idea. I’m gonna go visit Courtney.
Bill: Okay. See you later.
Paula walks down the hall and enters Courtney’s room.
Paula: Hello?
Courtney: Mrs. Fisher! Hi! Thanks for coming to visit me.
Paula: It’s my pleasure. I haven’t seen in you in so long.
Courtney: I know!
Paula: Jason feels so bad about your injury, and I’m trying to convince him it’s not his fault.
Courtney: Me too. But he won’t listen.
Paula: Listen, Courtney, are you alright with him skating with someone else?
ACT V
at the restaurant:
Craig: So do you think you’re ready to move this relationship further along?
Molly: I think so, Craig. I think so. I just hope I’m ready emotionally.
Craig: I’m sure it’ll all work out for the best. For instance, if this whole business hadn’t happened, then we’d never have become friends.
Molly: Right you are. Well, if this is a date, then I’ve gotta go freshen up. I’ll be right back.
Exit Molly.
Craig (sotto voce): Oh Molly, I am gonna make you the happiest woman on Earth.
in Courtney’s hospital room:
Courtney: Yeah, I guess. He can’t pause his career because of me.
Paula: But you’ve been partners – and friends – for so long now …
Courtney: That’s part of it. (beat) I know Jason’s not interested, but I’d like to be a little more than friends.
Out on Paula’s surprise.
END OF EPISODE #05