ANOTHER WORLD 193

Carl reaches out

Written by: C. Nathaniel Richardson

Consultants: aMLCproduction, beebs, DRW50

CORY MANSION

Rachel

Cory: Mom! I was just about to get to the next level.

Rachel: I think your fingers are glued to that phone.

Cory: Oh you’re just old.

Rachel: I beg your pardon. I’m still your mother.

Cory: Sorry mom.

Rachel: You and those games. Have you spoken to Michele yet?

Cory: No.

Rachel: I think you need to speak with her about you and Bridget. You two have been getting closer. I noticed you two at the wedding. You need to be careful.

Cory: About what?

Rachel: Michele’s returned, and she may think that there’s still a chance for you and her. You don’t want to be the one to drive a wedge between sisters.

Cory: Not gonna do that.

Rachel: Just be careful okay. Have you seen your father?

Cory (putting his headsets back on): Nope.

Rachel: He left early. What the hell is going on with him?

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ROOM

Carl

Russ: How you feelin?

Carl: As well as can be expected.

Russ: Well I hope this is making you feel more comfortable.

Carl sighs.

Carl: Physically yes. Emotionally not so much.

Russ: I’m very sorry Carl. I know Rachel and your children just got you back.

Carl: And now I have a brain tumor that was more aggressive than before.

Russ: You need to tell Rachel soon. Don’t let it linger too long.

Carl: I’m well aware of that Dr. Matthews. I can’t tell my wife just yet. I want to bond with my family as much as possible.

Russ: Your wife is your family. It starts with her.

Carl: I have to make things right with all of my family members.

Carl picks up the cell phone with left hand and dials a number.

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AT THE WINTHROPS

Frankie

Frankie: Hello? Carl hi. Uh Cass and I are about to go to the hospital. I suppose we could stop by after that. Okay. See ya later.

Frankie hangs up as Cass

Cass: Who was that on the phone?

Frankie: That was Carl. He wants us to stop by the Corys later.

Cass: I wonder why.

Frankie (looking around the living room): I dunno. Did I leave my compact in the bedroom?

Cass: Which one?

Frankie: My pink one.

Cass: I think I know where the one with the MFF.

Frankie: That’s the red one.

Cass: Why do you need that many compacts when you can just use the camera on your phone to do your make up?

Frankie: It’s a woman thing. You won’t understand.

Cass: I’ve dressed in drag before.

Frankie: So not the same.

Cass: So not modern. Use the camera.

Frankie: I happen to like my compacts.

Cass: One to match the color of your clothing?

Frankie: Like I said, it’s a woman thing.

Cass: And I love every girly girl part of you.

Frankie: And to think I used to be a tomboy.

Cass: Hmm.

They kiss each other, but stop immediately.

Frankie: Did you call Charlie?

Cass: Yeah she and Kirkland are gonna meet us there.

They walk toward the door to leave.

Frankie: Oh yeah. I almost forgot our daughter was married.

Cass: Come on let’s go see Lindsay.

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HOSPITAL

Lindsay

Lindsay (groggy): Whoa...that was a great dream I was having. What happened?

Stacey: You had a biopsy last night.

Gregory: My dad told us to come back in the morning, and here we are.

Lindsay: Thank you.

Stacey: Of course honey where else would we be?

Gregory: I’m not going anywhere.

John

Stacey: John?

John: We have the results of the biopsy. We took three samples of the polyps and tested them. They were benign.

Stacey, Gregory and Lindsay all smiles.

Stacey: Thank God!

Gregory: That’s great.

Lindsay: Oh wow. I was...I was thinking the worst. Thank you John.

John: I don’t think you want to thank me just yet.

Lindsay: What do you mean?

John: Those polyps can turn malignant, and they’re very large and they need to be removed.

Lindsay: Well let’s schedule the surgery to remove them.

John: Yes we have to remove them, but to do that, due to the size of the polyps, we will have to remove your entire uterus.

Stacey’s joy at the news of non cancer, quickly turns to concern just as Cass, Frankie, Kirkland

Lindsay: Hi everybody.

Stacey: John...no...she’s too young…

Cass: Stacey...is everything okay?

Frankie: Lindsay?

John: I’m sorry Lindsay. For you to reduce your risk of getting cancer, we will have to do a full hysterectomy.

Charlie: Oh my God.

Kirkland: Is there anything you want us to do?

Lindsay’s eyes well up with tears.

Lindsay: John if...if I have this hysterectomy I...I won’t be able to have children.

CAMERA PAN ON LINDSAY….SLOW FADE TO THEME SONG

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Part 2

HOSPITAL

Outside Lindsay’s room, Kirkland and Charlie talk about Lindsay. Kirkland holds Charlie from behind.

Charlie: I feel so bad for her.

Kirkland: I know babe.

Charlie: She’s gotta get a full hysterectomy or basically she’s gonna die. She’s too young for this.

Kirkland: We’re all gonna be here for her right?

Charlie: It’s not fair. This isn’t fair Kirkland.

Kirkland: You’re right. It’s not.

Charlie: I wonder if Gregory still wants to be with her. He can’t give her a baby.

Kirkland: If that’s the determining factor then she doesn’t deserve him.

Charlie turns around and faces Kirkland.

Charlie: What would happen if...we found out I couldn’t have children?

Kirkland: Why would you even ask such a question? We would find other ways to have children. I love you Charlie.

Cass walks up to them.

Cass: Good answer Harrison.

Cass then walks away with Frankie right behind him.

Frankie: What are we gonna do Cass?

Cass: All we can do is support them.

Frankie: It’s so devastating. I mean Lindsay’s still young, and she has to have a hysterectomy. Either she can’t have children, or the polyps turn malignant and she dies. Why is this happening to her? Why is the universe treating her like this?

Cass: I’m gonna assume that’s a rhetorical question.

Frankie: She’s your niece.

Cass: You can’t expect me to have answers to anything cosmic.

Frankie: Come on Cass. She’s so young and gets this type of news. I wish I could fix it for her.

Cass: All we can do is let her know that we love her and that we’re here.

Gregory walks up to them...a bit dejected.

Cass: Gregory how is she?

Gregory: Devastated.

Frankie: Why aren’t you in there with her?

Gregory: She wanted to talk to her mom alone.

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INSIDE LINDSAY’S ROOM

Stacey is clenching Lindsay’s right hand as Lindsay lies on the bed. Lindsay’s eyes are full of tears.

Stacey: You know there are other ways you can have children. You can adopt.

Lindsay: How did you feel when you carried me? After all those years you thought you couldn’t have children.

Stacey: You are my miracle baby.

Lindsay: There are no miracles for me! If I have this hysterectomy, I live, but I can’t have children. If I don’t have it, I could die. What am I supposed to do mom?

Stacey: I...I don’t know.

Lindsay: Exactly.

Stacey: Honey I...I’m so grateful that I gave birth to you, but natural child birth doesn’t make you a mother. There a lot of women who have delivered normally and can’t be mothers to those children. This is where you come in. Many children need homes; they need mothers who will love them and care for them. When you’re ready to be that, you can be it. It’s not about keeping a man in your life. If a man can’t accept you for who you are, then you don’t need him honey. You’re my baby. I love you so much, but it’s not the end of the world. Your life can go on. You can be happy...and you can have a family, but you’ve gotta be here to do it.

Lindsay: You want me to have the surgery.

Stacey: I want you to live. I want you to be happy. That is all I care about, and that’s all you should care about.

John walks in.

John: Hi. We haven’t got much time.

Lindsay looks at Stacey, and looks back at John.

Lindsay: I’m gonna have the surgery. Do it.

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Two hospital workers wheel Lindsay, who is lying on a gurney, up to Cass, Frankie, Gregory, Charlie, and Kirkland, with Stacey walking next to the bed at the same pace of the workers. John is right behind Stacey.

Gregory: Hey...are you alright?

Lindsay: Yeah. I’m gonna have the surgery.

Charlie: How do you feel?

Lindsay looks at Stacey, smiles nervously, and looks back at Charlie.

Lindsay: I’ll die if I don’t have it.

Stacey: We’re gonna be right here when you get out of surgery.

Cass: You’re right. The Winthrops stick together.

Gregory kisses Lindsay on her lips.

Gregory: I love you baby.

John: You ready?

Lindsay sighs.

Lindsay: Let’s do it.

The workers and John wheel Lindsay away to prep her for surgery as Stacey watches them. Cass comforts her.

Cass: She’s gonna get through it Stace.

Stacey: It’s like you just said. We’re Winthrops. We stick together right?

Cass: Right.

Cass embraces Stacey and he turns to Frankie.

Cass: Are you gonna go see Carl?

Frankie: Come on Cass, I’m not leaving until Lindsay’s out of surgery. I’ll see Carl after that.

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Russ: Who was that on the phone?

Carl: I just called my daughter Frankie.

Russ: What do you have to make right with her?

Carl: I’ve done a lot of regrettable things in my life. It’s almost like this is some sort of payback.

Russ: I don’t know if I’d look at it quite that way. You still have a chance to make things right with everyone because...

Carl: I don’t have much time left.

Russ: If there was something that we could do, we’d do it.

Carl: I understand. It’s inoperable.

Russ: And you need...to tell...Rachel.

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Cory: Where did he go?

Rachel: He said he had something to take care of.

Cory: Why didn’t he tell you what it was?

Rachel: I’m not sure Cory.

Cory: Is dad up to his old tricks?

Rachel: Oh we’re not going down this road again are we?

Cory: No mom. It’s just dad does these strange things all the time.

Rachel: I’m gonna find out what it is.

Rachel goes upstairs while someone rings the doorbell.

Cory: Mom can you get it?

Cory hears no response, so he reluctantly goes to answer the door.

Cory: Why couldn’t she answer the door? She was right there.

Cory opens and is surprised at the visitor.

Cory: Michele?