Chapter 5: Private Life
SCENE: ANDREW AND AMBERS APARTMENT
(Amber enters the kitchen to make breakfast, making noise by opening and closing the cupboards. Andrew groans and wakes up from the uncomfortable couch)
Amber: (Coldly) How did you sleep?
Andrew: (Stretches and pops his neck) Lousy.
Amber: (Pours them both a cup of coffee) Clearly.
(Andrew stands up and walks to the kitchen to grab his cup. Amber turns her back to him to make scrambled eggs which Andrew takes as a sign that she's still mad)
Andrew: (Exhales) Okay I wrote this down last night because you were asleep when I told you this but uh…I'm sorry and not just for-
Amber: (Still making eggs and reacts in monotone voice) I heard you give this speech last night so you don't have to repeat it. I forgive you and your allowed back in the bed.
(Andrew looks at Amber confused over her coldness)
Andrew: Did I do something? Something else that's making you act like a robot?
Amber: (Still doesn't look at him) Why would you think that? I told you I forgive you and I'm not mad anymore.
Andrew: (Unconvinced) You just said you heard my speech last night but didn't bother to open the door or answer back. Your mad about something, you only get ice cold when you're really mad about something or someone and the only logical theory I have is that your mad at me for taking so long to apologize.
Amber: (Puts eggs in plate and answers coldly) I'm not mad.
Andrew: Yes, you are.
Amber: Not about that.
Andrew: Well, what else is there?
Amber: (Cold) I thought I was pregnant.
(Andrew coughs on the coffee he's drinking from shock before drinking water to compose himself and look at Amber with a shocked face)
Andrew: What?
Amber: (Turns to face him) Relax I said 'thought' meaning I'm not, so we're good.
Andrew: H-how long have you suspected?
Amber: (Cold tone) Since yesterday morning, I went to OB with Jo and they ran the test.
Andrew: (Shocked) Why didn't you tell me then?
Amber: (Glares at Andrew) It's not like you would let me get a word in edge wise, what with all the yelling over the past week.
Andrew: (Groans as he realizes why she's mad) Your mad because you found out about this on your own and I didn't make it any better for you.
Amber: …Yeah that's why I'm mad.
Andrew: (Sighs and stands in front of Amber stroking her arms) I'm sorry, I'm an idiot. Are you okay?
Amber: (Nods) Yeah, I am and…I forgive you for being an idiot this past week.
Andrew: Thank God I was worried that couch was gonna be my new girlfriend.
(Amber grins slightly as Andrew pulls her in for a hug and kisses her head not seeing Amber with a conflicting look on her face)
LATER AT THE HOSPITAL
(Amber approaches Nurse Taylor with updates on Pierce's post op)
Amber: Make sure Mr. Klein gets cardio checks every two hours and page Dr. Pierce or Roberts of any changes.
Nurse Taylor: No problem doctor.
(The nurse leaves Amber in the hallway. She turns to go back to the post ops when she sees a little girl with her arm in a sling standing in the waiting room all alone looking around for someone. Amber looks around and sees no one with her or approaching her so she decides to, Amber kneels down to the girl's face level)
Amber: Hi, I'm Amber, what's your name?
Little girl: Wendy.
Amber: Hi Wendy, I'm a doctor here, I'm Dr. Karev. Are you lost? Do you need help finding your parents?
(Before Wendy can answer Link comes up after recognizing her)
Link: Wendy? What are you doing here so early? Your mom said she was gonna come by this afternoon.
Wendy: Mommy and daddy said we should come here before surgery.
Link: Okay where are they? Are they with you?
Wendy: They said they had to go get money and then they'll be back. (Lowers voice) But I have to go to the bathroom really bad.
Link: Um sure. Just follow nurse Taylor and she'll take you there and back.
(Nurse Taylor comes to take her)
Wendy: Oh, and they told me to give you this.
(Wendy pulls out a letter from her backpack and gives it to Link who reads it as Wendy is taken to the restroom. Link makes a worried face after he reads it)
Amber: What is it?
Link: Her parents left.
Amber: What? What do you mean they left?
Link: It says so right here, they're not coming back, they can't afford the surgery.
Amber: (Shocked) What?
(Amber grabs the letter and reads it confirming her fears)
Amber: Oh my god.
CUT TO INTRO
AN HOUR LATER AT THE PEDS FLOOR
(Amber quickly heads to Link who talks to Jackson and Andrew outside of Wendy's room where she is laying in a bed watching a movie)
Amber: I've called their cell numbers about 20 times, no answer from either parent and there's no contact information for their work.
Link: Damn it.
Andrew: What's the surgery for?
Link: It's an internal fixation on a distal humerus fracture, I had the O.R. prepped for this afternoon.
Amber: How did she hurt her elbow? Were there signs of abuse? That could explain this.
Jackson: No, it's nothing like that she has type 1 osteogenesis imperfecta, she broke her elbow when she was jumping off a swing.
Link: She's only 7 and she has more broken bones in her file than most of my adult patients. It's awful.
Andrew: Her parents just walked out the day of the surgery?
Amber: (Disgusted) Yeah, they just left her in the lobby with a note.
Jackson: We don't know if they left her, I've met them and they seem like good people.
Andrew: (Incredulous) They abandoned a sick child; we need to call child services and the cops.
Link: Look let's not do anything that's gonna risk Wendy going into the system. I've known her folks for a year and they've been having financial problems since her dad got laid off. They probably got freaked out by the surgery and made a rash decision made by stress.
(Amber gapes at Link astonished by him defending the parents)
Link: It happens especially with parents who are scared their kid might not have a home to come back to when they pay for the treatment they need.
Jackson: And besides this surgery is elective, if we turn her over to family services it won't be paid for. And she needs this surgery to gain full motion of her arm.
Link: Okay, I'll get Nico to cover my soft tissue repair so I can stop by and see if their serious about this.
Jackson: I'll see if she has any other family that can take care of her just in case.
Andrew: And what about Wendy? She's gonna figure out something is wrong eventually; kids are smart like that.
Link: Uh I can get Qadri to-
Amber: (Jumps in) I can do it. I can be with Wendy until you guys figure out a plan.
(The men look at Amber shocked over her willingness to volunteer to babysit)
Jackson: Aren't you with Pierce today?
Amber: I did her post ops I can see if she'll let me go for the day. I already met Wendy and I can keep her busy from thinking…worst case scenarios.
Link: (Blinks) Um okay if Pierce can clear you then yes.
Amber: Okay, I'll be back.
(They look at Amber confused as she walked away)
Link: Did your resident girlfriend just pass over cardio to babysit?
Andrew: (Equally confused) I think so yeah.
AN HOUR LATER IN WENDYS ROOM
(Amber sits on the bed across from Wendy playing with playdoh as they do a contest to see who can make the best statue. Amber makes a brian model on the flat surface with each color signifying the different parts of the brain while Wendy makes a butterfly)
Amber: That's a really pretty butterfly your making there Wendy, do you like insects?
Wendy: (Makes a disgusting face) Ew! Their nasty and icky and crawly. I like butterflies, their pretty and they can fly around the world.
Amber: (Chuckles) Yeah that's true, they are lucky creatures. I'd give anything to fly if I could, I would fly as far away from my problems if I could.
Wendy: (Sad tone) Me too…Dr. Amber?
Amber: (Works on the cerebrum) Yeah Wendy?
Wendy: Did something happen to my mommy and daddy?
(Amber stops and looks at Wendy who has a worried look on her face)
Wendy: Did they get into an accident?
Amber: No, they didn't your parents are…fine their fine, we just think they're going through a tough time and so me and Dr. Link are gonna help them.
Wendy: (Smart and intuitive) You're lying.
Amber: No, I'm not lying Wendy Dr. Link is out trying to get your parents back from the bank and he's gonna fix your elbow but until then we will have a play doh Olympics which you are clearly winning.
Wendy: That's cause your making a rainbow blob.
Amber: (Exaggerated tone) I beg your pardon this is a model of the human brain young lady. The green part is the frontal lobe that's the part of your brain that does the thinking for you and makes you smart.
Wendy: (Intrigued) What about the pink one?
Amber: That is the occipital lobe, it's the part of your brain that helps you see.
Wendy: You need your brain to help your eyes see?
Amber: (Nods and grins) Fascinating, isn't it?
Wendy: How did you get so smart?
Amber: Well, that's thanks to the purple part here, my parietal lobe. It helped me read and understand every part of the brain.
Wendy: Your brain helps you understand the brain?
Amber: (Chuckles) Yes, it's a brainception.
CUT TO OUTSIDE THE ROOM
(Andrew stands outside observing Amber laughing and talking to Wendy with a curious look on his face. He sees Jo walking down the hall and goes to her to get answers)
Andrew: Hey can I talk to you?
Jo: Sure, what's up?
Andrew: Have you talked to Amber recently?
Jo: (Thinks he's angry she knew before him) Um that depends, on what?
Andrew: I know that you knew about the pregnancy scare and that's not what I'm here for so you don't have to worry. I'm just here to ask if something seems…different about her since then?
Jo: Um we haven't really talked since yesterday so I don't know. Why what's happening?
Andrew: (Brushes it off) Forget it, I'm probably reading too much into it.
Jo: (Concerned over Amber) Tell me.
Andrew: She uh turned down cardio today to help keep a little girl company while Avery and Link go out to find her parents who abandoned her.
Jo: Oh well that makes sense she doesn't want a child to be alone when her folks abandoned her that sounds like an Amber thing to do.
Andrew: Yeah, but it's not very Amber to give up cardio to do something as simple as babysitting.
Jo: That's a good point. Why are you so concerned?
Andrew: Because I'm worried this is a reaction to her finding out she's not pregnant, I mean she acted strange this morning just…cold and different.
Jo: Okay, um is she getting along with the kid? Are they having a good time?
Andrew: I mean yeah it looks like it why?
Jo: It's just a theory but I'm thinking that she changed her mind on having kids. When I was with her yesterday, she didn't want to have kids she was afraid of becoming a bad mother and having a baby in the middle of the O.R. I guess finding out she wasn't pregnant awakened a maternal side to her she didn't know she had.
Andrew: So, what are you saying? She wants kids now.
Jo: It's possible, I mean women change their minds all the time. I know I didn't want kids before I met Alex but now, I'm just waiting for the plus sign.
Andrew: (Looks at Jo) …Are you and Karev…?
Jo: No, no, I promise you that you and Amber will be the first ones to know when me and Alex do. Look this isn't about me this is about Amber, maybe she wants to have kids after all the only question here left unanswered here is do you?
Andrew: Of course, I do and if it's with Amber then that's fantastic news, I just…I'm not sure we're there yet, I mean we just moved in and our apartment is barely big enough for two let alone three. (Sighs) What do I do?
Jo: Just talk to her, see if she wants what you want. If she does, great if she wants to have kids now have a conversation with her and figure out what's best for you guys. I have a surgery to get to, I hope this was helpful.
(Jo walks away from Andrew as he contemplates his next actions)
LATER AT FREMONT
(Link arrives at the Carson's apartment and knocks on the door. May Carson answers)
May: (Sighs) You shouldn't have come here.
Link: If I didn't, I wouldn't be a very good doctor, would I? I need to talk to the both of you.
(May reluctantly lets him in and Link finds Rick in the living room packing up their things into boxes)
Link: (Scoffs) So I guess it wasn't stress, you really were about to leave.
May: I-I'm sorry.
Link: Look I know that things are bad since you lost your job but you don't have to resort to this, Wendy loves you and she needs you both. She needs this surgery or she'll lose function of her arm.
May: (Sniffles) We just we can't do this anymore Dr. Link, the medical bills the broken bones it's just it's too much and we can't do it anymore.
Rick: We just lost the lease of this place and our insurance canceled our policy.
Link: I'll talk to the hospital I'll get the surgery pro bono and then-
Rick: And then what? Wendy breaks a bone doing something a normal kid does again. The bills never stop Link, it's too much, she's…she's too much. I called my sister and she and her husband are coming down from Montana right now and they can have her.
(Link looks at the both them astonished by their willingness to abandon their daughter)
May: I know what you think of us but-
Link: (Angry) Trust me you have no idea what I think of you right now. My parents weren't perfect, less than perfect but they didn't leave when I got diagnosed with cancer and they never left me throughout the chemo and the treatments and all the crap that comes with it. This little girl was born with brittle bones but she is smart and strong and she survived all the broken bones and all the pain and for a kid like that I would help at all costs!
(May and Rick look guilty before Link decides to leave)
Link: (Spiteful) I hope you two are proud of yourselves.
(Link slams the door on the way out)
LATER AT WENDY'S ROOM
(Amber helps Wendy build a house out of foam blocks and sees Link through the window signaling her to come out)
Amber: I'll be back in a couple of minutes Wendy. Try not to start the patio without me.
(Amber leaves the room and meets up with Link who is with Andrew and a random woman)
Link: Dr. Karev this is Ellen Gramm, she's Wendy's aunt.
Amber: (Shakes her hand) Hi. (Knows what her presences means) They're not coming are they?
Link: (Disgusted) No they made their wishes very clear; they want Ellen and her husband to take care of Wendy now.
Ellen: I'm so sorry, I…I knew that things were bad with them but I never imagined they would do this.
Andrew: You have nothing to apologize for, the important thing is that you're here and you can help Wendy get this surgery.
Ellen: My husband Brad is back home trying to get Wendy on our insurance, he said it kicks in tomorrow morning.
Link: (Sighs) Okay DeLuca will reschedule her surgery for tomorrow afternoon and she can stay overnight. I'll go ahead and tell her what happened.
Amber: I'll do it.
Link: Karev this isn't something you can just say, you need to be delicate and-
Amber: Act like it was me in the bed who also got abandoned by her parents? Do I need to remind you of my childhood that makes me sympathetic to kids like Wendy?
(Link looks at Andrew who nods in agreement)
Link: Okay, but if gets too hard you need to let me know, got it?
Amber: Got it.
(Amber heads back to Wendy's room closing the door behind her. Wendy looks up and sees the look on her face instantly making a connection)
Wendy: (Sad) They're not coming, are they?
Amber: (Sighs and sits across from Wendy) I'm so sorry Wendy. I know it's not what you want to hear and it's not what I want to tell you. This doesn't mean that they don't love you it just means…they know they can't take care of you.
(Wendy plays with a block sadly as tears form in her eyes)
Amber: I have good news though your parents called your aunt to come here. She's outside talking to Dr. Link she's gonna take really good care of you.
Wendy: Auntie Ellen? (Amber nods) She's nice, she gives me presents when she visits.
Amber: That's nice.
(Wendy still looks sad and Amber feeling sympathetic takes her unbroken hand and holds it)
Amber: I want you to promise me something Wendy and this is really important. Whenever you feel guilty about this or you think that your parents don't love you, I want you to say to yourself, "It wasn't my fault, I am worthy of all the love in the world." (Wendy starts to cry) I know that and so does your aunt but you have to know it too. So, you have to promise me that you will say "I am worthy of love." Can you promise me that?
Wendy: (Cries) I promise Dr. Amber.
(Amber nods and Link, Andrew and Ellen watch from the window. Wendy hugs Amber and cries, Amber hugs Wendy back soothing her)
Amber: It's gonna be okay.
CUT TO OUTSIDE THE ROOM
(Amber opens the door letting Link and Ellen in)
Ellen: Thank you.
(Amber goes to the station to chart with Andrew following her)
Andrew: That was a really nice thing you did.
Amber: (Continues charting) I'm nice on occasion.
Andrew: I think you really helped that girl out, I think she needed a talk with you to understand that this wasn't her fault.
Amber: I was just doing what I wanted someone to do for me when I was her age. My mom didn't abandon me like her but she did leave me with family services whenever she was unwell…and she was unwell a lot.
Andrew: (Concerned for her) Look um Amber about this morning-
Amber: (Grabs the tablet) I have to go.
(Amber quickly leaves the station as Andrew watches her leave confused)
LATER THAT NIGHT AT ANDREW AND AMBERS APARTMENT
(Amber enters the apartment to the smell of dinner filling her nose. She goes to the kitchen and sees Andrew pulling a pan out of the oven with a pan of pasta already on the table)
Amber: Something smells good. Is that gnocchi?
Andrew: (Puts the small baking dish on the table) Yep with four cheeses and meat sauce and on the side, I made roasted peppers with all the olive oil I could find.
Amber: (Mouth waters) My favorite.
Andrew: (Chuckles) I know. I figured you'd be starving and after the day you had I thought carbs and calories would help remedy that.
Amber: (Sighs and wraps her arms behind Andrew's neck) You know me too well, thank you.
(Amber gratefully kisses Andrew and feeling guilty for her treatment to him she decides to come clean)
Amber: Andrew there's something-
Andrew: Wait me first, okay? I have something to say and I want you to hear it.
Amber: (Nods) Okay.
Andrew: I understand that you feel conflicted after the whole pregnancy scare and I just want you to know that if you changed your mind about having kids I completely understand and I would be more than okay with it if you do want kids after all.
Amber: (Wants to stop him) Andrew-
Andrew: Just wait, I know I freaked out this morning when you told me but that was only because you caught me by surprise. If we do end up getting pregnant whether it's an accident or not then I will completely support you and raise the baby with you. I mean…seeing you with that little girl shows me that your gonna be a great mom someday and…I would be so lucky to be the father of your children, Amber Karev.
Amber: (Processes his word) I do want kids someday; I want the swings and the noisy house and even the bodily fluids I want all of that.
Andrew: (Nods) Okay we can talk about that, if you want to have kids now or if you want to wait till later.
(Amber shakes her head and turns away from Andrew taking a shaky breath)
Andrew: (Concerned) Hey, what's wrong? Are you okay?
Amber: (Voice breaking) No I'm not okay. Nothing is okay.
(Amber turns to face Andrew with tears in her eyes. Andrew stands a reasonable distance away knowing she doesn't want to be coddled now)
Amber: It took something awful happening for me to realize that I want to have a baby.
Andrew: What happened?
Amber: (Wipes her tears away) Um after I took the exam Dr. Lachman called me to tell me to go back up. When I went to her office, she said there were some abnormalities in my labs and she asked for further tests. My uh my F.S.H. level are low.
Andrew: (Knows what this means but assumes something else) …Okay I mean your arm implant just expired so that could be a factor or maybe it's a pituitary gland issue.
Amber: My antral follicle count is at 5, the average for a woman my age is supposed to be 15.
Andrew: (Blinks) Th-That could be due to stress. I mean your brother got fired and your sister-
Amber: Andrew I have asked all the questions and considered all of the scenarios but Lachman's tests don't lie. I've done all the tests and she said that…she said that the possibility of me conceiving naturally is at 10 percent.
Andrew: (Face falls as he understands now) You can't have children? She told you that?
(Amber cries and starts to shake from grief. Andrew goes to her and rubs her arms to comfort her)
Andrew: Shh, it's okay.
Amber: (Continues crying) It's not, how come it took something so horrible for me to realize I want to have a family? Why is this happening to me?
Andrew: I don't know, I don't know why this happening but I do know this isn't the end of the world. We'll get a second opinion and if that doesn't take, we'll get a third opinion.
Amber: What if-
Andrew: (Cradles her face to look into her eyes) Hey, listen to me, I love you, okay? No matter what happens, no matter what any doctors tell us I will always love you, that's all that matters.
Amber: …I love you too.
(Andrew pulls Amber in for a hug allowing her to cry on his shoulder offering her his strength)