Episode #5: The Conceived
As the scene begins, Seth has just arrived at the hospital and first sees a waiting Ryan and Marissa. Summer has been taken to the OR. When he comes in, he is running. By the time he reaches Ryan and Marissa, he is out of breath, but his face conveys just how worried he is, and, for once, he does not waste words.
Ryan: Finally, man, what took you so long?
Seth: (Breathing difficultly.) Where is she?
Marissa: We don't know. We followed the ambulance here, but they took her into the ER right away, and no one has told us anything yet.
Seth: So you don't know what's wrong with her? (Ryan and Marissa look at each other not knowing what to say. Marissa had her suspicions about what was wrong; she was a woman, she understood their illnesses and health issues, but neither wanted to say anything before a doctor spoke with them.) What? (When they still don't say anything, he begins to become angry.) Somebody better tell me what the hell is going on with my fiancée! (Still they don't say anything.) If someone doesn't say something soon, I think I will go out of my mind.
Ryan: We just don't know, Seth, that's all.
Seth: No, I saw your faces, especially yours Marissa. You know something, so tell me. What is wrong with Summer?
Marissa: Why don't we just wait till a doctor comes? I imagine one will be coming to give us an update soon.
Seth: Fine, if you won't tell me anything, I'll find someone who will! (He begins to pace around the waiting room, looking for help, but not sure exactly where to find it. As he continues, his actions become even harsher, and it becomes apparent that he is about to loose his composure. He is hanging on by a thread, and when Marissa notices this, she decides that she needs to say something.)
Marissa: Seth. (He doesn't answer her.) Seth! (She yells to get his attention. He looks up from where he is standing but does not walk back towards her. Marissa goes to him and Ryan follows.) Now, I want you to listen to me but do not jump to conclusions, okay. If you don't promise to remain calm, I won't tell you what I know.
Seth: Just tell me. (She looks at him and realizes that his response is as good as a promise.) We didn't know anything was wrong until we heard her scream out in pain. By the time we got to her, she was doubled over, lying on your bed, sobbing and screaming. She couldn't speak she was in so much pain. Ryan called 911; I went to her side trying to help her, find out what was wrong. After Ryan called you, that's when I saw it. There was blood.
Seth: Blood?
Marissa: Was Summer…pregnant?
Seth: What? (He is silent for a moment caught off guard, but then answers.) No. I mean, I don't think so, but no, she couldn't have been.
Marissa: Are you sure?
Seth: (He becomes angry because he is out of control, has no idea what is happening or if Summer is alright, and because everything that is happening is bewildering.) Yes, I'm sure! She's my fiancée; I would think I would know if she was pregnant.
Ryan: Well, what if she didn't know?
Seth: No, I'm not doing this. This is pointless. Summer was not pregnant, and even if she was, what does that have to do with this? (Ryan and Marissa look at each other again.) Would you quit doing that! If you have something to say, then say it, and if not, just leave me alone….and quit looking at each other that way and at me!
Marissa: Seth, how much do you know about miscarriages?
Seth: No, we're not doing this! I told you Summer was not pregnant! That's it; I can't handle this. If you will excuse me, I'm going to go find her doctor and try to learn the truth about what is going on here. (As he turns around, a doctor comes into the room. When he sees Seth, Marissa, and Ryan, he approaches them. He notices that Ryan and Marissa are standing together and that Seth is the one who looks as if his heart was being ripped out of his chest, so he presumes that Seth is his young patient's fiancée and begins to speak with him.)
Doctor: Are you Mr. Cohen? (Seth shakes his head yes.) I'm Dr. Phillips; I'm treating Miss Roberts. I was told to ask for you by the paramedics; they said that you are her fiancée.
Seth: Yes, I am. Is she okay? What's wrong with her?
Doctor: I'm sorry to tell you this, especially since you probably didn't know anything about it, but she lost the baby. (Seth's mouth falls open, he cannot say anything but just stares at the doctor. Ryan puts his arm around Marissa who lets a single tear fall down her face. As they see Seth's reaction, they approach him. Marissa puts her hand in his, and Ryan puts his arm on his shoulder.)
Doctor: I'm sorry. (He pauses a moment before continuing.) It was a tubular pregnancy, no matter what, the child would not have survived, but I'm afraid it is worse than that. Not only has Miss Roberts lost the child, but her fallopian tube ruptured due to the pressure of the growing fetus, that is what caused the pain….and blood. (He looks at Ryan and Marissa when he says blood before looking back at Seth.) She is currently being taken up to the OR for emergency surgery where Dr. Klein, the chief of our OB-GYN unit, will operate on her. She has to remove the ruptured tube before she bleeds to death. If you could come with me, I'll show where you can wait, but you cannot see her until the surgery is over. I'm sorry. (He begins to walk away. Seth pulls free of Ryan and Marissa and follows the doctor. They, in turn, follow him. The scene ends.)
Credits and Commercial Break
When the scene opens back up, Summer is still sleeping, Seth is sitting beside her bed, holding her hand and watching her sleep, and Ryan and Marissa are waiting outside the room watching. It is extremely late, and they've decided to go home in order to shower, grab things for Seth and Summer, and call Sandy and Kirsten. Before they leave, though, they go into the room to tell Seth.
Ryan: (He knocks on the door before entering, but Seth does not waver his attention away Summer to look up to see who's coming in.) Hey, how's she doing? (He still doesn't look up but keeps staring at Summer.)
Seth: Sleeping. The anesthesia should wear off in a couple of hours, and then she'll wake up, but she'll be in quite a bit of pain, so they'll have to keep her medicated.
Marissa: And the surgery?
Seth: (He sounds defeated.) The bleeding's stopped. (They wait for him to tell them more, but Seth does not offer any more information, unsure about what to say and how to say it.)
Marissa: And?
Seth: If you guys don't mind, I'd rather talk to Summer first before I tell you anything.
Ryan: Sure, no problem. Actually, we just stopped by to tell you that we're going home for a few hours. We both wanted to take a shower, get something to eat. Plus, we thought that we could bring you a change of clothes and some things for Summer to make her feel more comfortable when she wakes up.
Marissa: Like Princess Sparkle and maybe The Valley.
Seth: Yeah, that sounds good. Thanks. Oh, and Ryan, could you call Mom and Dad and let them know what happened, just make sure that they don't come down. I really couldn't handle that right now.
Ryan: Sure. Is there anything else we could do for you?
Marissa: Anything you want us to bring you to eat, to drink?
Seth: (He shakes his head dejectedly.) No, thanks, but I'm not hungry.
Marissa: Are you sure?
Seth: Yeah.
Ryan: Well, we'll bring something for later just in case. If Summer wakes up before we get return, let her know we'll be back.
Marissa: And if you think of anything you want or need while we're gone, just call one of our cell phones.
Seth: Thanks. (They start to leave, but Seth turns around and finally faces them before speaking.) Hey, (They stop and turn back around.) thanks for everything, not just offering to bring me things, but for being here, and especially for finding her and getting her help. If you two had been out….
Ryan: Hey, that's what brothers are for. Why don't you try to sleep for a little while since Summer's sleeping. She wouldn't mind.
Seth: I just can't right now. If I close my eyes….I'll just sit here, but I'll see you guys later.
Marissa: Okay, bye. (Seth waves and then turns around and just watches Summer sleep while holding her hand again. Ryan and Marissa walk out of the room and close the door behind them. As the door to the hospital room closes, their apartment door opens as Ryan and Marissa get home. It is 6:00, the apartment is dark, and they are extremely somber.)
Ryan: Why don't you lie down for a while? I'll take a shower, grab their stuff, and go back to the hospital, and you can join us later after you get some sleep. (They walk into their bedroom. As they talk, they begin to gather fresh clothes to change into after they shower.)
Marissa: I'm not doing anything of the sort. I'm going back to the hospital when you go. This is my family now, too, you know, and there's no way I'd be able to sleep when I know that Summer is lying in a hospital bed after having surgery. I mean, she lost a baby. She's going to need more than Seth to support her; she's going to need to speak with another woman. I just wish that Seth would let your parents come. I know he doesn't want them here right now, but Summer needs to have Kirsten with her.
Ryan: It's not our decision. Besides, if Summer wants my Mom here with her, she'll just call her when she wakes up.
Marissa: No, she won't. (She takes off her sweatshirt and goes into the bathroom but leaves the door open so she can talk to Ryan as she washes her face.) She won't want to impose or force her problems on someone else. She'll keep everything to herself, and although I can try to sympathize, I've never been pregnant, so I don't know what it's like.
Ryan: (He sits down on the bed.) But Summer didn't even know she was.
Marissa: Doesn't matter. She'll still feel the loss deeply, especially since this could cause problems in the long run for them. I mean, she might not be able to have a child now.
Ryan: Are you serious?
Marissa: It depends upon the severity of the injuries.
Ryan: I can't imagine what Seth's going through right now.
Marissa: That's why we have to be there for them, both of us.
Ryan: And they wanted children.
Marissa: They've talked about it in front of you?
Ryan: Not much, but Seth's told me that they'd recently discussed the idea of children. I know that they wanted at least a couple of kids.
Marissa: And they still might be able to.
Ryan: How do you help someone through this? (Marissa leaves the bathroom and goes back into the bedroom. She sits down beside Ryan on the bed.)
Marissa: You just have to be there for them, show them you care, and do whatever they ask you to and especially the things they don't ask you to…like take them breakfast even if they say they don't want any. (Ryan raises his eyebrows as he turns to look at her.)
Ryan: What are you planning?
Marissa: Seth has to eat, even if he says he's not hungry. So I thought that while you go and take your shower, I'd go and make some home-made muffins, make up a basket to take to the hospital. Even if Seth doesn't eat them now, he and Summer can eat them later. They'll last.
Ryan: And what about me? Do I get some of these muffins?
Marissa: After watching you last night, so concerned about your brother and his fiancée and so supportive, absolutely. Any requests?
Ryan: Can you make blueberry muffins?
Marissa: Sure. (She kisses him on the cheek and stands up, pulling him up with her.) Now, go take that shower. Let me know when you're done, so I can get in. (She begins to walk away, but he pulls her back to him. He kisses her softly on the lips and then pulls her into a hug, both of them needing the physical touch to show how much they care and how much they need each other's support. It is not a sexual moment but one of comfort and joint pain. After a moment he lets her go all except her hand.)
Ryan: Thank you.
Marissa: For what?
Ryan: For caring, for being there with me last night…. (His voice trails off.)
Marissa: (She speaks softly.) Where else would I be, hum? (She kisses him again, this time slower and longer, and then pulls away, lets go of his hand, and exits the room. The camera follows Ryan as he picks up the clothes he got out earlier, takes off his sweatshirt and wife beater, and then goes into the bathroom, shutting the door. The scene goes back to Seth who is still sitting beside Summer's bedside. A nurse comes in while he is in there to check on Summer. As she does her work, she speaks to Seth.)
Nurse: She's beautiful? Is she your wife?
Seth: She's my fiancée.
Nurse: Lucky lady.
Seth: I'm the lucky one. (She notices his somber mood.)
Nurse: She's doing great. Don't worry. In a little while, she'll wake up.
Seth: I almost wish she could stay asleep forever.
Nurse: Why? (For some reason, Seth feels that he can open up to this stranger even when he couldn't say anything to his brother.)
Seth: We lost a baby, a baby we didn't even know we were having, and now, who knows what will happen.
Nurse: I know, honey, I read her chart. You don't want her to know though, do you? You don't want her to feel the pain you're going through right now, right? (Seth just looks at her without saying a word.) She has to know though, and the best thing for you two to do is to mourn this loss together; sharing this heartache with each other will eventually ease the pain. How old are you honey?
Seth: Me? (She shakes her head yes.) 21.
Nurse: And your fiancée?
Seth: 21.
Nurse: Oh, you're both young pups yet. (The nurse is quite a bit older than Seth, probably in her fifties.) How long have you been together?
Seth: Since we were 16.
Nurse: High school sweethearts, and now?
Seth: We both go to UCLA….well at least we did. Summer, she was going to school to be an actress, but she just got a contract role on this new show. Actually, she'll be working with my brother's girlfriend who is an intern for the show.
Nurse: You sound awfully proud.
Seth: (He considers this for a moment and realizes that she is right.) Yeah, I guess I am proud of her. When she first told me, I didn't take the news well, I was scared that things would change between us, and we actually ended up fighting. In fact, I haven't talked to her since I left her in the restaurant by herself last night, but after what she went through and thinking that I could lose her, sitting here I realized that I don't care what happens as long as she is alright and that she's happy.
Nurse: (She realizes that talking to her is helping Seth, so she stays in the room, takes a seat, and continues talking to him.) So, when did you become engaged? (Seth laughs quietly.)
Seth: That is quite the story.
Nurse: Tell me. It's slow around her this morning, and besides, I'd love to hear the story. It's been a long time since I was young and in love. (Seth smiles.)
Seth: We got engaged this past New Year's Eve.
Nurse: I love New Year's Eve. It's my favorite holiday.
Seth: It's Summer's, too! So, I…. (As he continues to talk to the nurse and relate his history with Summer to her, the scene goes back to Ryan and Marissa who have both showered by now. Marissa is gathering things around the apartment and packing them for Seth and Summer while Ryan eats his blueberry muffins. He is sitting on the couch while he eats, the TV is on but muted as CNN plays in the background, and Marissa continues coming in and out of the room. The bag she is packing is on the table.)
Ryan: Marissa, how much are you packing?
Marissa: Not that much, why?
Ryan: Not that much? That oversized suitcase is almost filled to the max.
Marissa: Well, I just don't know what Summer would want. I put in Princess Sparkle and The Valley for her. Plus, I threw in some magazines for her to read, her favorite blanket, her make-up, her toiletries, and some nice pajamas and a set of clothes for when she gets to come home. Then I packed Jenga for Seth, some clothes for him, Captain Oats, some comics, his toiletries, and I considered putting his dehumidifier in, but I thought that was a little excessive.
Ryan: Yeah, just a little. (He laughs at her.)
Marissa: Well, I don't see you helping.
Ryan: Like I would want to get in the way of a woman packing. Besides, these muffins… (He puts another pieces in his mouth and goes back to eating while Marissa leaves the room and goes into Seth and Summer's room. When she walks in, she looks at the bed and sees the blood stained blankets. She immediately walks over and begins to strip the bed and throws the blankets away in a garbage bag. She takes the bag out to Ryan and gives it to him.) What's this?
Marissa: It's their bedding. There's no way they can keep it now or would even want to. If I were Summer or Seth, every time I saw these, I would instantly think of what happened. So, if you could just take this out for me to the garbage, then I'll change the bedding.
Ryan: And when I come back?
Marissa: We'll call your parents. (He gets up and takes the bag from her.)
Ryan: Okay, then, I'll be right back.
Marissa: Thanks. (She leaves the living room. Ryan walks out of the apartment and shuts the door behind him. Back in Seth and Summer's room, Marissa gets fresh sheets and a new comforter out of the closet and begins to make the bed. The scene leaves her and goes back to Seth at the hospital, but now he is alone; the nurse has left. As he sits there, holding Summer's hand, he puts his head down on the bed and rests it there for a moment. While in that position, Summer wakes up.)
Summer: Cohen? (He lifts his head at the sound of her voice and immediately stands and kisses her forehead. When he does this, Summer begins to cry softly.)
Seth: How much do you know?
Summer: I lost our baby. (She begins to cry harder.)
Seth: Did you know….I mean, when did you find out? Why didn't you tell me?
Summer: (She calms down enough to talk, but the tears continue to flow down her cheeks as she does so.) That's just it; I didn't know I was pregnant.
Seth: (He sounds a little relieved.) Oh.
Summer: And now, he or she is gone. Did I do something wrong?
Seth: What? No, absolutely not. Summer, no matter what, the baby wouldn't have survived. You had something called an ectopic pregnancy where….
Summer: I know what an ectopic pregnancy is, Cohen! (She says this in a very angry tone. Seth becomes confused by her reaction but then she breaks down again and starts to cry and he realizes that she just does not know how to handle the situation. He picks her hand up again and holds it with one of his hands as he strokes her hair trying to comfort her. After a moment goes by and he can do nothing to help calm her, he presses the call button.)
Seth: I called for the doctor. I think we both need to know what happened…
Summer: And what's going to happen. (She looks up at him and he looks at her confused.) What if we won't….I can't (He realizes what she is saying, but before he can reassure her, a nurse, a different one than from before, steps into the room.)
Nurse: Can I get you something?
Seth: We'd like to speak to the doctor if we could, please.
Nurse: Sure, I'll go get her. She's been waiting for Miss Roberts to wake up. She'll be in in a minute.
Seth: Thanks. (The woman leaves and Seth turns back to Summer.) You're going to be fine, Summer.
Summer: I know you're trying to make me feel better, but I just want to know the truth right now, so until we talk to the doctor, can we just change the subject.
Seth: Are you sure that's what you want?
Summer: Yes. (She says this very emphatically.)
Seth: Okay. So, Ryan and Marissa were here all night, but they left to go home and shower. They're bringing us stuff when they come back. Marissa said something about grabbing Princess Sparkle and The Valley for you. (Summer laughs quietly through her tears.)
Summer: That's because Coop's hoping she can get me to watch season one with her while I'm stuck in here. We were supposed to watch it over break and we never seemed to get around to it. I think that girl's more obsessed with it than I am.
Seth: I find that hard to believe.
Summer: No, I'm serious. You should see her. After each episode, she has to break it down, analyze it, predict what's to come. It takes her forever to get through one disk! (Seth laughs quietly along with her and the scene fades and goes back to Ryan and Marissa in the apartment. Ryan has just returned from taking the garbage out and Marissa has just finished changing the bed. Ryan enters the apartment.)
Ryan: Hey, Marissa, are you done yet? (She walks into the living room.)
Marissa; Just finished; are you ready to call your parents?
Ryan: Just let me grab the phone. (He runs into their bedroom and comes back out with his cell phone. They sit at the dining room table together and Ryan speed dials Sandy and Kirsten. Sandy picks up.)
Sandy: Cohens.
Ryan: Hey.
Sandy: Ryan, this is a surprise. It's a little early for you to be up on a Saturday morning. You're lucky you caught me. I just got back from surfing and Kirsten's still in bed. What's up?
Ryan: Actually, we have some bad news. Could you go and get Mom up; she needs to hear this, too.
Sandy: (He leaves the kitchen with the phone and walks towards his bedroom.) Is it Marissa; are you two okay? (Ryan looks at Marissa and smiles lightly.)
Ryan: Yeah, Marissa and I are fine, it's actually Summer.
Sandy: Seth didn't do something stupid and make her call off the engagement did he?
Ryan: If only. That's fixable; this isn't.
Sandy: You're starting to scare me Ryan, what's going on? (He reaches the bedroom, opens the door, goes inside, and proceeds to Kirsten and gets her up.)
Ryan: I really don't want to say it twice. Have you gotten Mom up yet? (Sandy grabs the other line and hands Kirsten the phone from their room. As she turns it on, he mouths that it is Ryan and then speaks.)
Sandy: She's listening; what's wrong?
Ryan: Well, first of all, are you both sitting? (Sandy sits down beside Kristen who is now sitting up instead of lying down.)
Sandy: We are now.
Ryan: Okay, so…. (The scene leaves them as Ryan goes on to tell them what happened to Summer. The scene goes back to the hospital. The doctor has just entered the room. Summer is propped up in her bed, Seth is standing beside her holding her hand, and the doctor is standing beside Summer as well but on the opposite side of Seth so that she can face both of them as she talks.)
Doctor: So, I know you have a lot of questions, but let me just first tell you that you did nothing wrong, you didn't cause this, you couldn't have prevented it.
Summer: But Dr…?
Doctor: Dr. Klein.
Summer: Dr. Klein, I was on birth control.
Doctor: I know; I've read your chart.
Seth: So, how could she have become pregnant?
Doctor: Birth control is not 100 preventive. Sometimes, a woman can become pregnant while on it.
Summer: Well, what were the symptoms? How did I not know I was pregnant?
Doctor: Many of the symptoms can be explained away by other, less complicated reasons. Did you miss a menstrual period?
Summer: I always do; the birth control I'm on makes it so that you only have four periods a year.
Doctor: So, I take it that when you started to spot and get abdominal pain, you assumed that your period had come.
Summer: Exactly.
Doctor: Other symptoms include tender breasts,…
Seth: You… (He turns to her.) you had that, remember my Mom and Dad's anniversary party? (They look at each other and recognize that the other did remember as well and then turn back to the doctor to hear more.)
Doctor: Plus, there's also fatigue, nausea, and increased urination.
Summer: Yeah, like who counts how many times a day they pee. That's just ridiculous. These symptoms are so ambiguous.
Doctor: Well, those are the earlier symptoms. There's also pain with intercourse, dizziness, and shoulder pain.
Summer: Had all those except the first one. (She turns towards Seth.) I guess we haven't done that in a little while. (His eyes show that he agrees with her. Summer turns back to the doctor.) Once I started not feeling well, we stopped…you know.
Doctor: I'm an OB-GYN; of course I know what you're talking about.
Seth: Why did it get so bad? Do these things always require surgery?
Doctor: No, but Summer's pregnancy went unrecognized so long that the embryo got too large and it made her tube rupture. By the time we performed the surgery, the damage was so extensive that we had to remove the whole thing.
Summer: So what does that mean for the future; will I be able to have kids?
Doctor: At this point, we have no evidence to suggest you won't be able to, (Summer and Seth look at each other and smile.) but your chances are decreased. We won't know if there was any further damage from the surgery for a little while.
Seth: Damage from the surgery, what do you mean?
Doctor: We had to perform the surgery to save Summer's life, but it can cause scar tissue that could cause future pregnancy complications.
Summer: Give it to me straight….please. What kind of numbers are we talking about here? (Summer has stopped crying and is trying to take this the news as well as possible. Seth just keeps looking at her amazed at how strong and resilient she is.)
Doctor: Alright, that's fair. Recent studies have shown that 85 of the women who have experienced one ectopic pregnancy are later able to achieve a normal pregnancy, but a subsequent ectopic pregnancy may occur in 10-20 of those cases. Some women fail to become pregnant again, while others become pregnant and spontaneously abort during their first trimester. Infertility occurs in 10-15 of women who have experienced an ectopic pregnancy, but I don't want you to worry. You're both young, you're both healthy, I'm sure you'll be able to have children, but just in case, you now know the facts. Is there anything else I can do for you? (Both Summer and Seth are extremely solemn.)
Summer: (As she speaks, she sounds very dejected.) No thanks, nothing else.
Doctor: Remember, every case is different, and we won't know for a while. I can tell you though that agonizing over this, over-analyzing it won't help you. In fact, it is extremely important that you remain as stress free as possible. (She turns to Seth.) I take it you can make sure that she takes care of herself, gets plenty of rest and eats properly. (Seth nods.) Now, if you'll excuse me, I have rounds, but I'll be back later this afternoon to check in. (Summer is still in shock, so she doesn't even hear her leave or say goodbye. Seth turns to her before he speaks.)
Seth: Thank you.
Doctor: I just wish I'd been able to give you better news. (She leaves and Seth sits back down at the bed still holding Summer's hands. With perfect silence, the scene fades away from them mourning their loss and agonizing over the future.)
Commercial Break