The Guardian (2001) s02e17 Episode Script

- MAN: What were you doing? - WOMAN: None of your business! - What the hell were you doing? - Don't you touch me If you're gonna live in this house, you can never, never do that again! [Wood scrapes and glass shatters.]
MAN: Damn it! Damn it! [Smacks and thuds.]
WOMAN: Aah! Kenny? Jeez.
Get in! In! I'm kind of nervous about this but I'm going to tell you.
I got us a place to go after the wedding.
You got a place? Yeah, a place to go after the wedding.
Kenny! Kenny, sit down! And it's not like me.
Usually, I just leave these things up to fate.
Or to someone else.
No, up to fate.
But this time, it's up to me.
Kenny, sit down! Sit! Don't move! Oh! [Church bell ringing.]
Barbara? - Yeah.
- ALVIN: You OK? Yeah, it's a cramp.
Nerves.
[Lndistinct talking.]
Um, sir, would you excuse me? There's been an accident.
I'll be right back.
[Engine hissing.]
Lulu? Lulu? Hey.
[Distant sirens.]
~ Well, there is trouble in my mind ~ ~ There is dark ~ ~ There's dark, and there is light ~ ~ There is no order ~ ~ There is chaos ~ ~ And there is crime ~ ~ There is no one home tonight ~ ~ In the empire of my mind ~ ~ There is trouble in my mind ~ ~ All the chaos ~ ~ In my mind ~ EVAN: Collision-side driver, female, early thirties.
- MAN: Vitals? - Pulse is one hundred five.
BP's one hundred over seventy.
Respiratory's at twenty-one.
- Blunt trauma, left side parietal.
- CGS? We gave her a nine-to-ten in the truck, but she's not responsive now.
All right.
Look, folks, thanks a lot.
We're going to take it from here, OK? WOMAN: Easy.
[Lndistinct chatter over PA.]
That's the third accident at that intersection in the last six months.
How's your hand? Oh.
All right, I'm going to go get you a doctor.
I'll be back.
Honey, where's your mother? Sweetheart, can you tell me your name? Are you all right? Come on with me, honey.
We'll try to find your mother.
WOMAN OVER PA: Cardiology resident to CCU.
BURTON: How's your hand feel? It's fine.
You going to take this stuff? [Exhales.]
No.
It's probably not a great idea.
I'm going to see if I can find a coffee.
You want one? - No, thanks.
- OK.
[Lndistinct talking over PA.]
She has a serious injury to her brain.
We've given her medications that should help reduce the swelling.
If it doesn't work? Well, then we'll have to put in a shunt.
A shunt? A shunt it's to drain the fluids.
They're usually very effective.
I'll keep you posted.
WOMAN OVER PA: David Sushman, please call the pharmacy.
David Sushman, please call the pharmacy.
[Telephone rings.]
Nick.
Brian.
Did you, uh, see the doctor? Yeah, yeah, I just I just talked to one of the doctors.
So, listen, you should you should just go.
Go home.
I got it from here.
CAROLINE: Where is she? Where is she? - Caroline - Oh, God.
I was at the health club when the police called me.
Oh, God.
What She is in a coma right now, and her brain is swelling but they're giving her Mannitol, which will reduce the inflammation.
If it doesn't, then they'll have to put in a shunt.
Now, I've called Jonah Horwitz the head of neurosurgery at Shadyside and he's going to take over her care.
You know you know him? Yes, I worked with him when I was a resident.
He is one of the best neurosurgeons on the east coast.
Oh.
Oh, thank God you're here.
It's going to be OK.
It's fine.
Don't worry.
MILNER: I know we have to take a cut and none of us want to see the mill close but I need some help convincing them and we'll need some more equity.
Well, how much you thinking about? MILNER: You want an eleven percent pay cut.
We want you to make that up in stock.
It should be about twenty percent of the company over the next five years.
No.
That would give you fifty percent ownership.
That's what the workers want.
Well, I think what John's objecting to is losing majority ownership, right? Ten percent pay cut forty-nine percent ownership stake.
Draft an agreement along those lines.
Meeting's at twelve.
We'll hear what the workers have to say.
We'll be there.
Good to see you, Stan.
They're not going to go for this.
We'll just have to sell the opportunity.
[Knock on door.]
Yeah? [Door opens.]
Hi.
Any word on Lulu? How's your hand? Should let me do that.
You should go home or back to the hospital.
I already I already talked to your dad about covering you.
OK.
What's this? Freedom of Information request to Penndot.
What do you want from the Department of Transportation? Crash-site statistics on the intersection of Route Fifty-One and Connell Road.
You going to sue Mt.
Aire? [Telephone rings.]
[Lndistinct talking over PA.]
Hey.
How is she? You know, I was thinking, uh we should just go to the district justice and get married privately.
What do you think? - Thanks.
- For what? Hey, Barbara.
Evan.
- BARBARA: Hey, Nick.
- EVAN: Hey.
[Lndistinct talking over PA.]
BRIAN: He's the best neurosurgeon in the city.
CAROLINE: I don't care.
BRIAN: Caroline, OK.
The drugs aren't working.
The shunt's been in for eight hours, and the pressure hasn't been relieved.
CAROLINE: But Dr.
Berman says the pressure is leveling off.
BRIAN: But it's not going down.
CAROLINE: But it's leveling.
BRIAN: Caro a craniotomy is probably the only option that we have.
CAROLINE: Oh, gosh.
She could get a brain infection or not come out of the anesthetic.
BRIAN: We can't keep waiting for the medication to work.
OK? The longer the pressure stays at this level the greater the risk of brain damage.
But Dr.
Berman You're trusting the word of a trauma specialist at a small hospital over the opinion of a world-class surgeon.
You know, you shouldn't even be a part of this decision.
She's my wife.
CAROLINE: No.
She was your wife.
- Hey, Brian.
- Hey.
Nick.
How's your hand? Uh, it's, uh Uh, you going in there? No, I haven't been allowed.
I'm I haven't seen her since the accident.
Yeah, um, excuse me.
I'm just gonna [Caroline sobbing.]
If there's anything I can do [Sobbing continues.]
- Hey, Red.
- Burton.
How you doing? Good to see you.
Oh, I, uh, brought you some glazed doughnuts.
- Thanks.
- Yeah.
So the guys from the mill came by today - Milt and Sal.
- Oh.
Told me about some of the horse crap you were peddling down at the VFW today.
Horse crap? They said you'd get about one percent of the vote if you were lucky.
They do? So Clayton's serious this time.
Yeah, looks like it.
Interests me, really, you being his lawyer.
What is he? Twenty-three? He's in his thirties.
His parents looked like each other.
You know? Redheads.
Bible says siblings shouldn't marry.
Well, that's true.
No, the mill's going to close this time, Red.
Clayton just doesn't have the money to keep it open.
Sal and Milt think he's lying.
I think they're pushing the boys in the in the wrong direction.
People spent the last thirty years around here losing ground being forgotten.
While you were downtown making all that money we were living through recessions that never quite ended plant closings, friends leaving.
None of us wanted our kids to stay here in Mt.
Aire.
Most of us couldn't even help them to get out of here.
You know, I remember what it was like.
Most of us aren't looking back at it.
We're living it here every day.
Men are done begging for their jobs.
They've begged enough.
But what they don't understand is they're owners now.
Gotta start thinking like owners.
You think when you came back here last year, you changed lives? None of us thought for a moment we'd ever see a return from Clayton.
We just needed our jobs.
Still do.
But at a certain point, a job doesn't pay enough to fight for it.
[Lndistinct talking.]
[Door opens.]
WOMAN: Miss Ludzinski? We're ready for you.
- ALVIN: Nick? - Yeah? Are you heading back to Mt.
Aire to see Lulu? - Soon.
- A case just came in.
This kid Kenny Traeger, shelter hearing.
I need you to take him to his home to get some clothes.
Can't you do it? Or social services? The social worker will meet you in Mt.
Aire wherever you want.
You know, l I don't really have time.
[Lndistinct talking.]
Well, I'll drive him up in an hour.
He can stay here.
We've got plenty of toys in the corner.
I'll take him.
- You his social worker? - Yeah, Sofia Trokey.
Where's his father? Died years ago.
Mother's barely alive.
Car accident.
- Any other family members? - No.
Hey.
Do you remember me? SOFIA: He doesn't talk.
Where are you keeping him? Southwestern Psych, children's ward.
Mental hospital? We're not sure what's wrong with him.
WOMAN: Legal Services, Pittsburgh.
Here's his address.
Let's put the TV on.
[Lndistinct talking on TV.]
Yeah? That's good, clean fun.
Uh Kenny, I'm going to get you some clothes.
Is there anything in particular you want? Kenny? Nope? OK.
OK, Kenny.
There's uh Do you want to grab some toys or [Beeps.]
ANSWERING MACHINE: You have five messages.
It's Todd.
I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.
Please don't let this change anything.
Please, call me back.
[Clicks and beeps.]
TODD: I was wrong.
Really wrong, Kirsten.
Kenny's your kid.
Are you there? Come on back.
Kenny's room is all set up.
Come on back.
We're a family.
We're supposed to be a family.
If you're listening I know you're listening.
I'm not good at this, but I love you.
I love you so much.
Please, come back with Kenny.
Are you there? [Telephone rings.]
[Beeps.]
It's Todd.
Todd? [Lndistinct talking over PA.]
It happened at the intersection of Route Fifty-One and Connell Road.
And Kirsten? I'll let the doctor talk to you about her.
Todd, uh, social services want to place Kenny in a psychiatric hospital.
What? Unless you want to take him in.
He's autistic.
You think he should be locked in a psych ward for the rest of his life? I'll need a lot of help to do this.
If social services approves the placement.
What do you mean? They're going to want to do a home study check to see if you have a criminal record.
Do you? No, I don't.
Well, if they approve, and the judge agrees then the county will pay you as a foster parent.
I don't know.
I mean, I don't have a lot of money.
I work two jobs already.
I still can't make ends meet.
If you take Kenny in, you could cover his expenses by filing a lawsuit.
A lawsuit? I don't believe that the accident was Kirsten's fault.
Well, who would I sue? Begin with Mt.
Aire.
There should've been a stop sign at that intersection.
Well, how much could Kenny get? Given the situation, I think a jury would be very generous.
Kenny's social worker's name is Sofia.
She's going to be here in a few minutes to pick him up.
I'll wait here with him.
[Lndistinct talking over PA.]
Is Lulu alone? They're changing her bandages.
I'm so sorry, Nick.
I'm just so sorry.
Are you OK? Damn it.
I'm just Oh, Nick.
I lost the baby.
Hey.
I'm sorry.
We, uh, made an appointment for the district justice on Wednesday.
Right.
Evan wants a family so badly.
When he finds out I'm not pregnant You haven't told him yet? No.
He's going to No.
Oh, Nick.
Nick, I need to speak with you, uh, privately.
That, uh Dr.
Horwitz wants to remove part of Lulu's skull.
He says it will prevent the swelling from damaging her brain.
And and Brian has OKed it.
When's it scheduled? They're supposed to do it tomorrow morning.
And you don't want to do it? Well, I certainly don't want Brian Olsen making medical decisions for my daughter.
He's still her husband on paper.
I will not be rushed into doing something that I will regret later.
Did you communicate that to Brian? I can challenge him, can't I? His standing.
I can take him to court.
Well, if you really want to do that I would think about it before you got a lawyer involved.
She doesn't love him anymore.
Just think about it.
Hey.
Didn't know you were still here.
Yeah, I got some stuff to do.
So, how's Lulu? No change.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Well, the workers voted today.
And? Rejected the offer.
What's Clayton going to do? Liquidate.
It's bad news all the way around.
The workers, retirees I keep I keep thinking about Red's son.
That's that's a shame.
He'll never be able to get that children's center to work now.
Well, you're still going to take your money out? I have no choice.
Well, I'll see you tomorrow.
Don't stay too late.
Hi.
I want to tell you I spoke to the Department of Transportation.
There's a federal statute that protects Pennsylvania from releasing any traffic studies or crash statistics.
What? Yeah, so you're going to have to get the data from somewhere other than the state.
[Lndistinct talking.]
Nick.
- How are you? - Thanks for meeting me.
No problem.
You want a beer or something? No.
So, I, uh I told Barbara the truth.
About my other wife, about Kuwait.
Good.
Yeah.
She lost the baby.
Yeah.
The doctor doesn't know if she's going to be able to have another.
You've never been married, right? - No.
- No kids? Yeah, I always wanted a family.
Always thought I'd be a good dad.
Let me ask you something.
You know.
If you were me You want to have a family, meet a nice lady.
She wants the same thing, but she tells you she might not be able to.
What do you do? I told Barbara I was going to meet her at the district justice on Wednesday afternoon.
I just I don't know.
So, uh, what'd you want to talk about? The, uh, accident.
What about it? You mentioned to me that you'd been called to that intersection three times in the last six months.
Right.
Does your EMT dispatch keep a record of accident sites? Yeah, every time we go out.
Why? Could you do me a favor? Sure.
Could you find out how many times you've been called to that intersection in the past five years? Yeah, no problem.
Good.
Thank you.
WOMAN OVER PA: Dr.
Pine to the nurses' station four south.
Dr.
Pine to the nurses' station four south.
Kirsten died twenty minutes ago.
[Lndistinct talking.]
[Todd sniffles.]
He doesn't understand.
I'm sorry.
Yeah, well I'm sorry.
The social worker's coming out to my house in the morning.
Anything I should know about that? She's going to check to see if you have a clean house a bed for Kenny, just ask you some questions.
And if we want to sue? First you need to become Kenny's guardian.
- Right.
- Then you need to hire a lawyer.
What about you? - There are conflicts.
- What do you mean? I was in the other car.
I don't get it.
Why would you want to help us? Your friend got hurt like she did.
I told you, it wasn't Kirsten's fault.
That woman in the accident is she your girlfriend? We got a lot in common.
A lot in common.
This is a conflict waiver signed by Mr.
Dougherty allowing me to represent him.
Just so you know, I was in this accident.
There have been thirteen accidents at the intersection of Route Fifty-One and Connell Road in the past five years.
It is our position that if that intersection had had a stop sign those accidents wouldn't have happened.
We received your notice of claim, Mr.
Fallin.
We know what your allegations are.
My client is autistic.
We have estimated his lifetime support needs to be in excess of eleven million dollars.
Mt.
Aire is a small township on the verge of bankruptcy.
I think their insurance carrier can pay for it.
Give me a few days to look over your claim.
Great.
That lady from social services, Sofia - she came by the house this morning.
- OK.
She seemed concerned about my being able to take care of Kenny.
Well, that's just her job.
I told her, you know, they were supposed to be living with me before the accident.
She kept saying how Kirsten was used to taking care of kids like Kenny.
- Do you want to do this? - Yeah.
I just she kind of freaked me out.
You really think this lawsuit is going to work? Yes.
'Cause it would help.
You know, I could pay people, you know, to help and stuff.
Well, the shelter hearing's in two hours.
I'll meet you at the courthouse.
Nicholas.
Nicholas.
Are you suing Mt.
Aire over this accident? There should've been a stop sign.
You think we're the right firm for it? Why not? Why not we just give it to Ron Lampeer over at Sutter and Feldman? They'll give us fifty percent, and we won't look conflicted.
Who cares what we look like? We're not conflicted.
I have a conflict waiver and I'm not bringing a claim against anyone for my injuries.
What about Lulu? She can decide what she wants to do when she recovers.
Is this about Mt.
Aire? Yeah.
They just lost the mill.
Now we look like we're involved in bankrupting the township.
What difference does it make if Sutter-Feldman does this instead of us? It's going to happen either way.
WOMAN OVER PA: Orderly to admitting.
Orderly, report to admitting.
- She's in surgery? - No.
- What? - Not yet.
Caroline told the hospital she disagreed with my decision and hired a lawyer to fight me.
- Where is she? - She went to get coffee, or What do you want to bring a lawyer into this for? By the time he gets an injunction and drags Brian through the courtroom You're on Brian's side? The Mannitol isn't working, the shunt isn't working.
What makes you think you even have a right to discuss this with me? [Lndistinct talking over PA.]
[Caroline sobs.]
She's such a smart girl.
She's so beautiful.
She's so strong.
Who is going to love her after I die? If she's unable to speak, if she's unable to walk and I'm not there for her anymore who is going to love her then? You know, every day that passes she's She's another day closer to spending the rest of her life in a coma.
I know how you feel about her, Nick.
Believe me.
I can see that.
And if it were your choice, I know just what you would do.
And if she died during the operation well, you could walk away with all of your life before you knowing that you did everything you could for her.
But it's different for a mother.
I would rather see Lulu peaceful and alive than Do you understand me? Come in.
Have a seat, Evan.
OK.
I'm, uh glad you came by.
You know, uh, Clayton is liquidating.
Which means there's no way that they're going to have enough money to match your funds.
Yeah, I anticipated that, and, uh, I have a backup plan.
There's this not-for-profit in Harrisburg the, uh, Clymer Foundation.
They're apparently interested in urban redevelopment so, uh, I'm going to go have a meeting with them tomorrow.
Well, the truth is I've been giving this a lot of thought and I don't see I don't see any future in Mt.
Aire.
What? The mill closes, the few families that are there now are going to leave.
Monessen, Donora, Homestead.
I've seen it happen again and again and again.
People are still going to live in Mt.
Aire.
Are you? Guys your age going to live there? Evan, you're a smart guy.
If I were you, I'd get the hell out.
Well, I don't want to leave.
Well, I tell you what I can do, Evan.
I can help you.
I can find you an appropriate job, if you want.
I might even consider investing in one of your future projects but not a children's center in a town with no kids.
- Look, you pledged that money.
- Yeah, I did and I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to give it back.
Give it back? It's already been committed.
Yesterday, I signed a contract to buy three storefronts on Main Street.
It's perfect for the children's center.
The earnest money alone was forty grand.
All right, give me back sixty thousand and we'll just write off the rest as a mistake.
Oh, come on.
What's $100,000 to you? That's a lot of money, son.
You know what my father said? When you returned last year for the reorganization he said you were trying to buy their forgiveness.
- That's not true.
- Oh, yeah? Then prove it to me that he's wrong, and help me make this work.
Kenny Traeger is an orphan.
The only father figure he has known over the past few years is Todd Dougherty.
Kenny's mother and Mr.
Dougherty were romantically involved and as of last week, they were planning to live together.
Now, I know that social services has evaluated Todd and although Mrs.
Trokey has voiced some concerns about placing Kenny with him I feel that Todd is a far better alternative than a psychiatric hospital.
[Lndistinct talking.]
So, you're his guardian now.
You'll be responsible for every aspect of his care.
Good luck.
You have my number at work.
Your foster care checks won't start coming in for a couple of weeks.
Here is the address of a respite care center for Kenny if you get tired.
- OK.
- See you soon.
So I just take him home now? I'll see you at my office tomorrow for the meeting with Mt.
Aire's counsel.
[Lndistinct talking and telephones ringing.]
Hey, h-how'd it go? Good.
Good.
Burton was completely understanding.
I told you.
The Fallins, they're just softies.
So, listen, I have to go to Harrisburg to meet the guys from Clymer.
Well, can't it wait until this weekend The thing is that, um I told them about the plant closing and, uh, they seem really interested.
I feel like if I hesitate, that I might lose them.
Oh, um, when are you leaving? Now.
Should we change the appointment with the district justice? Uh, well, that's not till four-thirty so I should be back around two, OK? - OK.
- OK.
I'll see you.
Love you.
Love you, too.
[Distant sirens.]
[Door shuts.]
She's still in there.
Hey, can I have that magazine? WOMAN OVER PA: Anesthesiologist to OR three, stat.
Could you not pace? Fine.
Anybody want some coffee? Yeah, I do.
- I'll get it.
- I'll get it.
- I'll get it.
- I got it.
[Door opens.]
[Door shuts.]
It went very well.
Uh, the intra-cranial pressure's been relieved.
She's still unconscious, but her vitals are good so, uh, we'll keep monitoring her.
She's a very strong woman.
Can I see her? You can look at her, but you can't go inside the recovery room.
[Door opens.]
[Door shuts.]
You still want that coffee? No, I'm going to get back to Columbus.
Um, when Lulu wakes up, will you, uh just tell her I was here? Sure.
See you.
See you, Brian.
RYDER: This is John Peelor.
He's a safety engineer who reconstructs accidents.
He'll be the expert on this case.
Mr.
Peelor? Here's the scene of the accident.
Here's where the black Suburban impacted the green Passat.
Given the angle of the impact it's clear that the driver of the Suburban took no evasive measures prior to the collision.
There are no skid marks, no swerve marks.
In other words, the driver of the Suburban was either suicidal or had no idea what was about to happen because she wasn't looking.
What was she doing? Miss Turk shattered the left side of her face.
She also broke her left arm five of the ribs on her left side.
Her left hip was fractured.
Her right side absorbed nearly none of the impact.
OK.
Meaning, if I may demonstrate She was in this position when the cars collided.
Now, I asked myself, why would she be in this position? - NICK: Looks fine.
- Exactly.
The buckles weren't engaged at the time of the accident.
If they were, and the boy were in his seat they would be distressed, and the frame would be bent.
It isn't.
Miss Turk's autistic son was loose in the back seat and she was turned around, trying to contain him.
She wasn't watching the road when the accident occurred.
I reviewed the medical records as well.
What you're forgetting is she also had a fractured right cheekbone.
I noticed that, but that injury is not consistent with the type of fracture one sustains in a high-impact car accident.
Wait, you can't just rule it out.
It's not from this accident, Mr.
Fallin.
It's a blunt trauma from something else.
[Lndistinct talking and telephones ringing.]
So there's no lawsuit? You can have someone else review the data.
That guy, what he was saying was Kenny was responsible for the accident? She forgot to buckle him in.
I've seen Kenny do stuff like that.
I mean, he doesn't know what's dangerous.
Walk in front of cars, put his hand on a hot stove.
Can you be trusted with him, Todd? What? Can you be trusted with him because if you hit his mother, how can you handle a kid like Kenny? You did hit her, didn't you? Kirsten was so tired.
Her life was so hard.
Sometimes, she hit the wall and sometimes, she hit Kenny.
You fractured her cheekbone? That was a mistake.
I came home to the house.
I saw her pulling Kenny out of his chair by his hair and I stepped in, and I hit her but I never hit Kenny.
I have to tell social services.
[Beeping.]
Hey, Nick.
Hey.
I thought you might need a witness or something.
Yeah, thanks.
Yeah.
[Monitor beeping.]
Burton? Hey.
You awake? How you doing? Pretty damn tired.
You know, last week, John Clayton was telling me I had to come down here and undo the only good thing I've ever done for this town.
I got a pain in my chest.
I thought I was having a heart attack.
Is that why you been coming around here making your peace before you die? Maybe.
You know when you said you wanted to do something for me? Yeah.
You can.
What? My kid.
Well, I am trying to help him, Red.
Don't.
People been doing things for him all his life.
If you really want to do something for him let him make his own way.
He's not coming.
He's not coming.
Do you want me to tell the justice? No, no, no.
Just just wait a minute.
He's not coming.
JUDGE: Come in.
Sir, he's he's not coming.
[Door shuts.]
Didn't really like him anyway.
[Door shuts.]
I told you I'd make it.
Ah, Nick.
Sofia called Mr.
Dougherty and told him that social services would be making unscheduled visits to monitor his care of Kenny and that Kenny would have to undergo a weekly physical examination for signs of abuse.
- Good.
- No.
He changed his mind.
He doesn't want Kenny under those circumstances so there will be another shelter hearing the first thing next week.
Right.
They're keeping Kenny at Southwestern Psych for the short term.
Can't you advocate to have him placed somewhere else? There's nowhere else for that kid to go.
[Monitor beeping.]
Lulu.
They wouldn't let me come see you.
Before this happened, you were, uh you were talking to me about fate and, uh, not getting in the way of things.
Lulu, if you're not there anymore if you're not going to be the way you were then let go.
If you're not going to be who you are you don't have to fight.
You can just let go.
[Door opens.]
[Door shuts.]
[Distant door shuts.]
[Lndistinct talking.]