S3 E27 (15 May 01) : The Mourning After by Colin Wyatt
Episode Summary
The episode begins with a shot showing police clustered around Victoria’s flats. Miranda, Victoria’s stalker is still there, amongst the crowd. It is morning and Victoria is still lying on her kitchen floor, being photographed by a forensics team.
Alex is giving the police a statement and tells them how he found her. He doesn’t seem to think he knows anyone who could have done this to her. As Alex leaves, the head policeman, DI Harry Chambers, tells his subordinate to check out Alex’s story.
At home, Alex listens to the answerphone message Victoria left him the previous day. Her doorbell rings during it.
Julie is trying to push her over-amorous husband away as she gets ready to go to work. He suddenly asks to marry her – to be Rosie’s dad and her husband – to be a family. She doesn’t give him a definite answer and leaves.
Sandy wonders to Jazz if someone had been stalking Victoria and stabbed her. She wonders if the same person could come after them but Jazz warns her not to come to conclusions. Julie arrives and they give her the bad news, which shocks Julie.
Meyer gives the team a speech but tells them that they must continue to give their patients the same standard of care despite their greif. Alex enters late.
Janice is giving a similar speech to the Otter team. She says she doesn’t want people to stand and speculate on the ward. As they leave, Danny mutters that Janice should recognise that Victoria was their friend.
Alex tells Julie about a new admission, a young man called Gary Sullivan who is awaiting a heart bypass graft. He complains that he should be at home but his wife tells him that he needs to be in hospital. Meyer says he won’t allow him to leave after being admitted with a potential heart attack. Meyer looks at Gary’s chart and find that Garry has changed his diet and stopped smoking.
Meyer tells Alex that they will operate on Gary that afternoon.
Julie asks Alex about Victoria. He says he hasn’t heart anymore, then changes the subject back to medical matters.
Nathan Miles, a young patient with sores asks Danny when Victoria will come to give him his steroids – he doesn’t want Janice (“Scary-face”) to do them. Danny says he doesn’t know when Victoria will come. Nathan is in some pain, but doesn’t want anything for it.
Maud Davis, an elderly patient suffering from cardio-myopathy has a large amount of fluid on her chest. Her husband, Lionel, asks if a chest aspiration is necessary but Sam says they will do a chest drain.
Sandy asks [ID 572]Sam[/ID] about Victoria but Sam just tells her to get ready to do the drain. Maud complains that she sees more of nurses than she does of other people and that she’s always in and out of hospital. She asks if she really need the drain, but Lionel reasurres her that that was what the doctor said.
DI Chambers and his team enter the ward. Julie says they want to talk to everyone. Anton gives them a list of all the ward personnel. He asks the DI not to get in the way of the treatment of patients and Chambers assures him they will keep a low profile. They ask to be shown the people on their list who knew Victoria particularly well and Anton asks Alex to help them with that.
Bruce Holden, another patient asks for more painkillers but Julie tells him he can’t up his morphine dosage for risk of overdosing. She goes to sign him up for another drug when a female detective, DS Linda Arnold asks Julie for a word – Julie says she’s busy. When DS Arnold sees Mr Holden’s chest drain, full of blood, she freezes for a second.
DI Chambers is questioning Guy. He seems nervous and tells them that he didn’t see Victoria that morning and that their relationship had ended on good terms. The DI asks if Victoria was close to anyone else but he says she got on well with most people.
Gary’s wife, Laura tells Gary that Luke (their son) knows where he is. She tells him that Luke needs his dad, so he should get better. Gary apologises for being a 36-year old man who needs heart surgery. He tells her to go and look after Luke and she (reluctantly) leaves.
Steve tells the DI about how some patients can be dangerous, although he doesn’t think any were especially after her.
Janice tells Keri, who is talking with another member of staff to move on if they’re talking about Victoria. Danny says that it’s only natural that people will be affected by Victoria’s death and some leniency should be given. Janice changes the subject and says she wants to treat Nathan.
Janice is being questioned as Steve chats with Sandy. As DS Arnold leaves, Jazz wonders why she was being questioned about Alex and Victoria. Sandy mentioned she saw them arguing in the lifts and mentions her suspicions about him sleeping with her. Jazz tells her that she needs to tell the police about that.
Maud says she doesn’t see the point in the chest drain – Sam says the point is to keep her alive. Julie arrives to take over from Sandy, as the policewoman (who is making a point of not looking at the grisly procedure) wants to talk to her. Maud says she feels like a pincushion.
Alex tells Meyer he thinks he should put an end to all the gossip by admitting he slept with Victoria. Meyer advises him to keep quiet for now and let the rumours run their course. He asks if Alex feels sufficiently focused to carry on with his job – Alex says yes.
Sam tells Maud she will have the drain for a couple of days. Julie says it will make her feel better – Maud says she doesn’t want that, she just wants to get better. She’s sick of “being kept ticking over like a clapped-out old Morris Minor. Unless I can have a new engine and a damn good respray, what’s the point?” Lionel arrives and kisses her. He asks if she’s alright.
Sandy is telling the DI about Alex and Victoria’s argument. He asks her for a full statement but she says she doesn’t want to get more involved.
Lionel is playing cards with Maud. She seems in pain. She says she doesn’t want to be in hospital anymore, she is tired of all of that and she doesn’t want Lionel to be her nurse but he seems convinced that she’ll be back.
Mr Holden asks Julie about Victoria – the police gave the game away to him. He wonders if he’ll be questioned and babbles on a bit. Julie says Dr Kennedy will be along soon.
Julie is about to start Nathan’s treatment. He protests that Danny said Victoria would do it – he doesn’t want Janice do it. She tells him Victoria isn’t there – she’s not coming back – she’s gone away. Nathan protests Victoria promised she’d be there so Janice must be lying. Janice tells him Victoria died – Nathan is upset and Danny takes him back to the ward. Nathan protests Danny lied to him. Janice takes Danny to one side and ticks him off, saying she could do without Danny making that procedure a waste of time. Danny protests that wasn’t the way to tell Nathan about Victoria but Janice says he left her little choice.
Steve talks to Jasmine, who has been put on edge by the constant presence of the police. She says it’s so surreal that something so sudden can happen. Jazz says she keeps thinking of Victoria lying there scared and what could have happened if someone had found her earlier. Steve says they should meet up after work.
Gary asks Alex if he can go for a short walk. Alex says it’s okay and he and Sandy help him out of bed. He promises he’ll come straight back after going to the toilets. Alex asks Sandy if everything’s ok – she says things are fine and then leaves.
Danny apologises to Nathan for not telling him about Victoria. He complains that all he’s had all his life is bad news.
Janice gives DS Arnold a letter they received. It reads:Dear Victoria,
I don’t understand why you are treating me this way. All you have done is make me feel like I mean nothing to you. I want you to know how much you’ve betrayed me. You should feel the pain I feel.
M
Janice has no idea who it came from. She asks Janice about her warning to Victoria – Janice says she didn’t think Victoria was suited to paediatrics.
Nathan is playing with his toy space shuttle – he tells Danny of how he dreams of going into space – no more hospitals. Danny says Victoria wouldn’t want him to be upset – Nathan is denying that he ever liked Victoria and calls her “another stupid doctor.” Danny snatches the toy off him and says Victoria was a lot more than that.
Danny goes out of the ward for some air and he sees Miranda Locke bring some flowers – she says they are for Victoria.
Gary has snuck out of the front door of the hospital. He lights up a cigarette.
Alex is in the toilets when Guy bursts in and demands to know if he slept with Victoria. Alex says he isn’t willing to play these games with Guy but Guy pushes him – he says he was the one Victoria turned to when he chucked her out. He says he knows all about how Guy abused drugs and put patients lives at risk. Guy accuses Alex of taking advantage of her. Guy grabs Alex but Alex pushes him back against the wall. He says that Victoria was going to to tell the police about Alex only she never got the chance. DI Chambers comes in and the two let go of each other. Alex leaves, as does Guy, without a word.
Outside, Keri finds Gary lying unconscious on the ground – he has had a heart attack.
Maud tells Julie that they only married at age 18, since Lionel was called up to fight in the war.
She says the longest they’ve ever been apart was an hour or so. She asks what would happen if she stopped having the treatment. Julie says her life would be shortened – Maud says she’s lived so much it doesn’t seem to matter – and she doesn’t want to live like that anyway. She says the only one she’s got to worry about is Lionel, who can’t seem to face up to her death. She asks Julie to try to talk to Lionel and make him understand.
Laura, Gary’s wife, shouts at him for risking his life when he has so much to live for. He says he can’t give up – he’s been smoking since age fifteen and it’s too late to stop. Sam says they’ll have to bring the operation forwards.
Lionel is sting by himself with a deck of cards. Maud and he have always played – he thinks it’s important to do things together. He asks about Maud – “She’s not too good, is she?”
Janice tells Danny that Nathan’s condition makes him prone to bouts of depression. Danny says he’s worried about how Victoria’s death might affect him. Janice says she appreciates that – but there are other patients who need attention. She says they’ll just have to deal with Victoria’s death and get on with things.
Lionel has been playing cards with Maud. He asks if she wants another game but she says no. He finds she had a winning hand but had let him win. He says she always was lucky – she replies she got to marry him.
Sam meets Alex and asks about Gary. She then asks about him and Victoria. He admits to sleeping with her. He says he doesn’t have to explain himself to her – she angrily responds that he could have lied to the police – he walks off.
Nathan is trying to get out of bed. He is sorry about what he said about Victoria.
Meyer tells Gary that his operation went well. He points out that if he keeps on smoking he will kill himself and that he wouldn’t have performed the bypass graft if he’d known he would callously carry on harming himself. Meyer says since he’s done his bit, it’s over to Gary – if he wants to end his life, the choice is his.
The DI asks Alex for a word.
Maud is sleeping in her bed and Lionel in a chair next to her. He is woken by the frantic beeping of her monitor and cries out for help. He hugs her, saying “It’s alright, girl!” She is in VF and Sam has to shock her. “Don’t let her die!” panics Lionel.
The DI quizzes Alex about the argument between him and Victoria. Alex explains it was about Guy – he tells them about Guy’s drug habit. He says she was going to tell the authorities about Guy. Chambers wonders why Alex didn’t say this before but Alex says he had been shaken by finding Victoria and wasn’t thinking straight. Chambers asks if Alex had any proof – he just had Victoria’s word. He says they should speak to Guy – Victoria’s reporting would have ended his career.
Sam still hasn’t revived Maud. Lionel asks if she’s in pain but Julie responds that she’s old – and weak. She tells him that Maud had said she wasn’t frightened of dying and about the brilliant life they’d had – perhaps it’s time to let go? Lionel, on the verge of tears asks Sam to stop – it wasn’t what Maud would have wanted.
Guy denies the drug habit and denies that Victoria was worried about him. He guesses that it is due to Alex and says it smacks of desperation. Chambers says he will have to search his locker and take a statement at the station. Guy allows it.
Mr Holden is still complaining about being in pain – Julie says she’ll get Sam to look at him. He complains further and Julie says they are under extra pressure – he doesn’t see why his standard of care should be affected by Victoria’s death. Julie snaps at him and Sandy steps in, Julie leaving in tears. Sandy says he is still being cared for at best standard.
Julie is still fighting back tears as Sandy lays a hand on her shoulder.
DI Chambers asks if Guy went to Victoria’s flat the previous morning but Guy says he was in bed. They find a bag leaking white powder in Guy’s locker but it turns out to be toffee bon-bons.
Janice goes to Nathan’s bed. She talks to him about the space shuttle and tries to cheer him up. She says Victoria wouldn’t want him to be depressed like that. She says about all the good things Victoria did outweigh the bad way her life ended. Nathan says he misses her – Janice says so does she.
Guy runs into Sir Charles Merrick, Victoria’s father. He asks how this could have happened. Guy asks if there’s anything he can do – Charles asks her to come to their house – he says he loved her very much.
Mr Holden apologises about upsetting Julie.
Charles is talking to Anton about Victoria – he reminisces about her childhood. He says after seeing her dead in the mortuary, he wants to be somewhere where she was alive. Anton tries to console him. He wonders who could have done this – Anton tells him he’s sure they’ll find who did it.
Anton tells him the hospital isn’t the place for him to be – he should go home to his wife – the hospital isn’t the place for him to find closure. Anton reassures him that Victoria would have made a damn fine heart surgeon one day.
Lionel is still sitting by Maud’s bedside, looking at her. He sees Julie and they smile weakly at each other. He kisses Maud gently on the forehead and walks off.
Gary’s wife has brought his son to see him. Gary sees Meyer through the room’s window. They nod at each other and Meyer walks off.
There are still police cars parked by the front entrance. Julie shoulders her way through the crowd. She sees Martin and runs up to him, hugging him. She says the answer is yes – she will marry him.
In theatre, Alex finds Meyer has replaced him. He tells him he thinks Alex should take some leave. Alex says no. Meyer isn’t happy with the atmosphere around Alex. Alex says he has done nothing wrong – he doesn’t see why he should give into gossip. Meyer isn’t comfortable with the impact this could have on the hospital – he says he should limit the damage and Alex should keep a low profile. Alex says he will stay – as going would be an admission of guilt.
Lionel stands in the middle of the corridor, fighting back tears and fidgeting with the deck of cards in his hands. Mr Holden is pushed past him in a wheelchair and asks a nurse if his message has been passed on to Julie. As Alex leaves the ward and Sandy puts up a notice, the camera fixes on a photo of Jazz, Julie and Victoria.
Patients
Nathan Miles (skin condition) – young boy upset by the loss of Victoria.
Bruce Holden (unknown) – persistant complainer about his pain management. Sorry about upsetting Julie.
Gary Sullivan (blocked coronary artery) – despite his attempts to kill himself, was saved by an operation from Meyer. Will he give up smoking?
Maud Davis (cardio myopathy) – died. Will her husband cope with her loss?
Notable Facts
* The question remains as to whodunit. Guy, Miranda or someone else? If Miranda speaks to the police, her testimony could well pin Guy down.
* How will Holby cope with Victoria’s loss though? Otter ward doesn’t seem likely to be the same again, and it’s definitely shaken up a large proportion of Darwin.
* Victoria’s father seemed quite at a loss. And then there’s always the newspapers to make a mountain out of a molehill…
* Peter Sallis plays Lionel.
* Edna Dore plays Maude.
(Will Watson)
