S2 E1 - News
Part 5 of 7
Camille whirls to face him, eyes snapping, hands on hips. "Well?!" she barks.
Paul jerks in surprise then wilts under her gaze. Finally he manages, "Well what?"
If anything her eyes sharpen and the room temperature drops. "What did he tell you?"
Dr. Johnson snaps to the fore, "I cannot discuss that with you. I'm his doctor, after all. Let's get this exam over and then we'll talk." It takes only a minute. There's a moment of mild embarrassment when he inquires as to the 'time of coitus' and she sheepishly admits to 'non-stop'. Paul hesitates then makes a note that he's never written before. "Well," he concludes, closing the file, "everything seems fine. You're about two weeks along so we're looking at an April birth. I'll give you information sheets on nutrition and prenatal care and…"
She interrupts him, "Never mind all that. What about Richard?"
Paul frowns, "I already told you…"
"I know, I know, doctor patient confidentiality, who understands that better than a cop? But did he say anything? How is he taking the news? He hasn't said a thing to me!"
Paul studies her for a long beat. He really has to get these two talking! He stalls for time, "Let's go back to my office. I'm sure Richard has had time to calm down and think…"
She jumps on this, "Calm down?! Why does he need to calm down? Is he upset? Is he angry?" She takes a deep breath, her brows drawing down like thunder, "Is he denying paternity?"
Paul knows an imminent lightning strike when he sees one, "Now, now, I really can't…"
She stiffens. "He IS, isn't he?! How could he!? He knows very well that…"
Paul throws up both hands, trying to quell her rising anger, "No! No! Nothing like that. He just isn't sure he can be a father, that's all. It's a common…"
She flares up in outrage, "WHAT! How dare he? Oh, the absolute nerve of the man! I'm going to scatter his bits all over the beach for sure this time! There won't be enough of him left to mail home in an envelope!"
She throws off Paul's soothing hand and storms down the hall to the closed office door where she turns and hisses, "I don't need him! I can raise this child alone! Maman did it and now it's MY turn!" This last comment is more of a desperate sob but she rallies and grits out, "Men! Who needs them?"
She slams the door open and faces Richard's shocked gaze from across the room where he's practically worn a groove in the floor with his pacing. Richard stops. He heard every word she said outside the door. His world is in ashes!
As Paul steps in, the fraught silence is broken by two bellowing voices, "How COULD you?!"
END – part 5
