The London Board

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Jeremy is working his way through the newsroom. His arms are full of various tapes, and he also holds several papers between his teeth.

"Jeremy."

From behind, a woman touches Jeremy's shoulder. Jeremy quickly turns around and drops several tapes.

Sally: Let me help you with that.

Sally reaches down to help Jeremy pick up several tapes. The more tapes Jeremy tries to pick up, the more he drops. Finally, he drops all the tapes on the floor.

Sally: If you needed a hand, all you had to do was ask.

Jeremy spits the papers out from his mouth.

Jeremy: Sorry. I was taught not to speak with my mouth full.

Jeremy and Sally gather up all the tapes and papers, and they drop them off at Jeremy's desk.

Sally: How's it going, Jeremy?

Jeremy: All right.

Sally: I can't tell you how much I appreciate all your efforts with Herman on vacation this week. You've been a true life-saver this week.

Jeremy: I'll have more gratitude once the bonus shows up in my paycheck.

Sally: When this week's over, let me buy you dinner one night.

Jeremy looks at Sally.

Sally: It's the least I can do.

Jeremy: What kind of dinner?

Sally: I was thinking of something more formal.

Jeremy: Like a "sit-down and order from the menu" type of dinner.

Sally: Exactly.

Jeremy: Okay.

Sally: Great.

Sally starts to leave the puzzled Jeremy behind, but she turns around.

Sally: Oh, and one more thing. Could you possibly reverse the footage on the American League?

Jeremy: Like run the tape backwards?

Sally: No, like focusing on the Western Division first, followed by the Central and the Eastern Divisions.

Jeremy: That's going to take some time. I'll have to get with Dan so he can do a rewrite. I still have to cut footage of the ATP.

Sally: Well, you don't have to change the tape for the 11 P.M. broadcast. You could just make another tape for our show. I always like to have the tightest races are focused at the top of the feature.

Jeremy: Baseball is not even at the All-Star break. Even the Cubs are still in contention.

Sally: I really appreciate it Jeremy. Thanks. And think of a good restaurant.

Sally turns and walks away as Jeremy sits at his desk.

Natalie walks by the desk.

Natalie: Jeremy, how's the ATP coming?

Jeremy: Huh?

Natalie: I asked you about the ATP.

Jeremy: I think Sally just asked me out.

Natalie: Out where?

Jeremy: Out to dinner.

Natalie: You're talking about our Sally Sally?

Jeremy: Yes.

Natalie: You actually think Sally asked you out?

Jeremy: Yes. I didn't imagine it. What is it she is looking for from me? What is it that I have to offer her?

Natalie: Let's look at what Sally likes, and we'll see if you got it.

Jeremy: Okay, let's analyze this.

Natalie: Let's start with your looks.

Jeremy: What about them?

Natalie: No offense, but you don't have what Sally is looking for.

Jeremy: And you know all of this how?

Natalie: I just do. Hmmm... power. Sally likes men in power. You're an underling, so Sally wouldn't be lusting after you. It has to be your money.

Jeremy: I'm still deep in debt.

Natalie: Well, darn. Money was all that I had left. It sure beats me what she sees in you.

Jeremy: She did ask me out.

Natalie: What reason did she give you? Did she want to hang out? Did she call you her little boy-toy?

Jeremy: She wanted to thank me for assisting her on producing her show. She's never suggested dinner to you or Dana or Kim whenever you three helped her out.

Natalie: You've become her personal whipping boy this week. I think you've earned more than a dinner.

Jeremy: A dinner would be fine.

Natalie: So, how's the ATP coming?

Jeremy: I haven't started it.

Natalie: I need it within the hour.

Jeremy: I'm going to need help getting this done.

Natalie: I've got to go produce Bubba's show. You'll need to get somebody else to help you.

Natalie continues walking toward the control room.

Jeremy looks toward Natalie, then he looks at his stack of tapes, and finally at his computer.

Jeremy: Well, things could be worse.

-----

Dana and Casey are sitting on the couch inside the counselor's office.

"Talk to me. What's going on in your minds?"

Dana and Casey look at each other.

"You can start, Casey."

Casey: I really don't have anything.

"Dana?"

Dana: Same here.

"I am here to help with your grief. I've been seeing you two together over the last seven days, and I've been seeing you, Dana, in our additional individual sessions. If you can't be honest with yourselves, you can't be honest with me."

Dana reaches into her purse and pulls out a cigarette and lighter. She puts the cigarette into her mouth and goes to light it, but Casey reaches over and grabs both the cigarette and lighter. He takes them and puts them in his breast pocket as Dana glares at him.

"You two haven't even talked about this to each other."

Casey: How did you come to that assumption?

"We haven't talked about it for a week. I know you are hurting, but you two can't just sit around and reflect on what happened. Either you're too afraid to talk about it, or you're still in denial about it."

Dana slouches back in the couch.

Dana: She's gone.

Casey looks surprised as Dana finally acknowledges what happened.

"Yes."

Casey reaches over and holds Dana's hand.

Dana: I... I can't deal with it.

"That's why I'm here. I'm not here to make you forget about your loss. I'm here to help you better cope."

Casey: I don't understand what went wrong.

"There were a lot of issues with your loss. There isn't one simple answer to it."

Dana begins to sniffle.

Dana: It stems from me.

"What makes you say that?"

Dana: I was the one carrying her. I wasn't able to bring her into a better situation.

Casey reaches over and grabs a couple of tissues. He hands them to Dana.

"Looking at your medical history, I'm not sure if there was anything you could have done to prevent it."

Dana: The doctors could have done something.

"What is it you think they could have done?"

Dana: They should have kept giving me all that medication. I didn't care if my condition got worse. I wanted to give birth to a healthy baby girl, and I failed.

Dana wipes her eyes.

"Let me give you your scenario. Let's just say the doctors decided to put the baby first and ahead of your health. They could have continued to treat your preeclampsia. After a day or two, you would have had a seizure and then another seizure. You would have developed full-blown eclampsia."

Dana: Her lungs would have developed. She wouldn't have gotten an infection. She would have been fine. :::sniff::: All she needed was a few more days.

"A few more days, and you would have been dead."

Dana: A few more days, and Hope... :::sniff::: ...Hope would have lived.

"Her chances of survival would have been worse if the doctors had waited. As your condition worsened, the blood flow supply would have decreased to your baby. Sure, her lungs could have developed, but her motor skills and organs would be at serious risk for failure."

Casey: So we're supposed to accept that nothing could have been done?

"Something was done. The doctors took the best chance at survival for Dana and Hope."

Casey: And what? Say, "It was a good effort, but we'll get it right next time"?

"Accept the fact that there are some things you cannot control."

Dana: It's my fault.

"It isn't your fault."

Dana: I'm sorry, Casey.

Casey: There's nothing to be sorry about.

"I know when you were going through your pregnancy, you were educated on what could happen during that time."

Dana: It's all my fault.

"Has a doctor told you that it was your fault?"

Dana: No, but they're paid to say that there was nothing I could do.

"She's your personal doctor. She gave you the facts. You were honest with your medical history. The fact you admitted that your mother had a history of preeclampsia allowed her to closely monitor your blood and protein levels. You and your doctor did everything possible to try and prevent this."

Dana: :::sniff::: I can't have children.

"You're still capable of having children. You're still capable of giving birth and raising healthy children."

Dana: I can't go through this again.

"I'm going to ask you something. How many pregnancies end in miscarriage or premature birth and death? Just give me a percentage of pregnancies."

Dana: I don't know.

"I think you do know."

Casey: You can't badger her like that.

Dana: It's okay, Casey.

Casey: It's not okay.

"I'm merely asking a question I believe Dana knows the answer to. You probably know the answer also, Casey."

Casey: I already have a healthy son, and those numbers are wrong.

"These are the reported numbers by hospitals, Casey. Medical journals publish these every year. I'm sure there are more that go unreported."

Casey: It doesn't give you the right to quiz Dana like that.

Dana mumbles something.

Casey: What did you say?

Dana: Fifty percent.

Casey shakes his head.

Casey: I have a son. I've already been through this. I've never heard of anything like this before.

"Nearly fifty percent of all pregnancies end in miscarriage or premature birth and death."

Dana: I'm sorry I failed you, Casey.

Casey: You didn't fail me.

Dana: Like you said before, you and Lisa didn't have any problems with Charlie. The blame lies with me.

"You're not responsible for her death."

Dana: Hope. I carried her for twenty-four weeks. Her name is Hope.

"Dana, you did everything possible to care for Hope. You could not have done anything differently to prevent what happened."

Dana: I can't go through this again. Not knowing when any condition may pop-up in a moment. Not knowing if I'll ever have children again. She's my little angel, :::sniff::: and now she's gone. There's nothing wrong with my body. There's nothing wrong with my mind. My heart... my heart is broken... my heart is broken because... I killed my baby.

Casey: Dana, no.

There is the sound of a pen scribbling on a tablet.

"You killed Hope?"

Dana: Yes.

"You knowingly and maliciously decided to end her life- just like that?"

Dana: I didn't know-

"Are you admitting that you no longer wanted Hope? Are you admitting that you decided to end her life?"

Casey: Doc, you're out of order.

Dana: I didn't want her to die!

Casey leans over and hugs Dana.

Casey: You are way out of order. This stops right now.

"Dana, you didn't take Hope's life. It wasn't your fault."

Dana cries into Casey's shoulder.

-----

Jeremy is briskly walking through the studio. He passes Elliott along the way.

Jeremy: Elliott? You got a minute-

Elliott: I don't have time, Jeremy. I've got to take a couple of phone calls. I'm really behind.

Jeremy: Have you seen Lindsey?

Elliott: Not lately.

Elliott ducks into the control room as Jeremy's frustration to get his work completed is starting to show. Jeremy runs his hands through his hair, and he then sees a familiar face.

Jeremy: Isaac?

Isaac: What is it, Jeremy?

Jeremy: I need some assistance. I need help in getting these assignments done on time.

Isaac: Do you have a list of what needs to be completed?

Jeremy: Yes.

Jeremy pulls out a pocket-full of little notes and holds them up for Isaac to see.

Isaac: I would normally ask you if they are listed by priority, but in this case I'm just going to ask you if they are sorted by priority.

Jeremy: Yes.

Isaac: Start with the most important and work you way down.

Jeremy: But-

Isaac: We have some prepared features for the rare occurrence this does happen. Keep me posted.

Jeremy: Okay.

Isaac: And if either Sally or Natalie have a problem, tell them to come see me.

Jeremy: Okay.

Isaac: I'll pull some of the morning producers to help you.

Jeremy: Thanks, Isaac.

-----

Dana is sitting in a chair in her living room. Casey walks in and hands her a glass of ice water.

Dana: Thank you, Casey.

Casey: You're welcome.

As Dana drinks, Casey sits in another chair in the living room.

Dana: It's quiet.

Casey: Yes, it is.

Dana: Case-

Casey: I am going to try to gain custody of Charlie.

Dana: What?

Casey: I could take care of him, we could get married, and we could live together in this house.

Dana: Casey, I don't know-

Casey: I know it's sudden, but we can form a family.

Dana: I mean... getting Charlie and getting married... it's a lot of change.

Casey: You don't want to do it?

Dana: I didn't say that.

Casey: We could get married and wake up together every morning. We could raise Charlie and send him off to college.

Dana thinks about it for a moment.

Casey: What are you thinking?

Dana: I'm thinking about what the doctor said about-

Casey: I think you shouldn't see him anymore.

Dana: Why?

Casey: Look, you're starting to get upset again. Every time you think about your meetings with him, you start crying. I think he is doing you more harm than good.

Dana: I'm... I'm not sure about that.

Casey: I've noticed these changes in you, Dana.

Dana: Do you think I should see another psychiatrist?

Casey: Maybe.

Dana: Maybe I should see someone else.

Casey: Okay.

Casey looks at the remote control sitting on the end table.

Casey: You want to watch T.V.?

Dana: Nothing's on.

Casey: Your show is on.

Dana looks at her watch.

Dana: In about 15 minutes.

Casey: Let's watch it.

Dana: You know what? I'm tired. I think I'm going to go to bed. Stay up if you like. Just be sure to lock up when you leave.

Dana gets up, leaves the living room, and heads toward her bedroom. Casey sits in the chair and turns on the television via the remote.

-----

Jeremy is frantically looking around the newsroom.

Jeremy: Okay, okay. There is no need to panic. You're just looking for one tape, Jeremy. Retracing my steps... retracing my steps... after I was in the editing room, I went over to the tape library!

Jeremy runs over to the tape library. He starts flipping through various tapes. He scans each title in hopes of finding his tape.

Jeremy: Not this one... no, no, no, no. It's not here. For the love of pete! Where is that tape?! Is it in my shoe? I haven't looked there!

Natalie walks by.

Natalie: What are you yelling about?

Jeremy: I left the tape from the Red Wings and Avalanche somewhere. I figure it would be best if I retraced my steps that way I can pinpoint the exact location where I left it.

Natalie: Jeremy-

Jeremy: I was in the editing room, then the control room. I then went to see Isaac, then Kim... wait! I grabbed a bite to eat at the vending machines-

Natalie: Jeremy-

Jeremy: I haven't checked there. I bet it's right on top of the soda machine.

Natalie: I have the tape.

Jeremy: It's right on top... what?

Natalie: You gave me the tape, remember?

Jeremy: If I had remembered, would I be pulling my hair out to find it?!

Natalie: You still have a lot of hair left. It's almost time for the show. Call places.

Natalie leaves Jeremy at the video library.

Jeremy: Well, that's a relief.

Jeremy leans against the wall, not realizing he is leaning against a stack of tapes which are beginning to fall. The tapes fall to the floor and Jeremy nearly follows them. He regains his balance and quickly looks around to see if anyone noticed. He then starts picking up the tapes and placing them back on the shelves.



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