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SERIES 9 EPISODE
5 LANGUAGE OF THE EYE
Richard Turner has a
meeting at The Beeches and objects to Andrew and Joanna’s request to have Kerri
as a permanent member of staff. Richard says the only way he can make it viable
is if The Beeches cut back on all their orthopaedic referrals. Andrew and Joanna
agree to compromise.
JOANNA: We don't want to make an enemy of Richard Turner.
He could make life very difficult around here
Richards wife Kate and daughter Lucy join him at the surgery. 5 years ago Lucy
contracted meningitis and the illness left her unable to hear. Unbeknown to Lucy,
Richard and Kate have put her forward for cochlea implants. Lucy is confused as
to why her parents have suggested she have the operation as previously a surgeon
had told her she would not be able to have them. Andrew explains that the
criteria has changed and they are now happy to consider the implant.
Kerri
is still miffed about seeing Sam and Serena together.
Richard
tells Kate that he really wants Lucy to have this operation. He says he wants
Lucy to be ‘normal’ again and that he wants her to stop going to her deaf club
with the other deaf people. Kate explains that Lucy likes going to the deaf club
as she has a lot of friends there.
Andrew
and Kate meet at the pub. She asks him to support her on a project she is
planning. She wants Cardale to have it’s own drop in centre where people in
trouble can turn to for refuge. The subject soon turns to Lucy and Kate confides
in Andrew that she still feels guilty for not calling a doctor sooner when Lucy
was sick.
Lucy
spends the evening at the club but gets upset and leaves early. She tells the
group organiser that having the operation will take her away from her deaf
friends who won’t want to know her if she is able to hear. Frustrated and upset
Lucy has a ride on a friends motorbike and ends up falling off it. As they are
driving home, Andrew and Kate notice the commotion and stop to help. Shocked
that it is Lucy, Kate panics whilst Andrew gets his bag to check Lucy is ok.
Back at Richard and Kate’s house, Richard arrives home and is not happy to find
Kate crying on Andrew’s shoulder. She tells him what has happened to Lucy but
Richard is more keen to tell Andrew to stay out of his families business rather
then hearing what is wrong with his daughter.
In
order for the operation to be a success, Lucy has to go for some tests so that
the surgeons can get a better understanding of her hearing ability. Andrew,
Richard and Kate are present whilst Lucy has to sit through a number of tests
and mind games. However she is unwilling to co-operate as she says the tests are
childish. When Kate sees how upset Lucy is, she begins to have doubts about the
operation. However Richard is determined that it will go ahead. Andrew suggests
to Kate that maybe Lucy doesn’t want the operation, hence her behaviour.
Kerri
asks Andrew if she can have a computer terminal in her office. She says it would
save her a lot of extra work and time. Carol supports her by saying it will stop
Kerri from getting under her feet using the reception computer. Andrew says
he’ll think about it.
Sam
tells Liz that he saw Nick skiving school the other day. He tells her that he thinks Nick
is really missing his Nan. Liz talks to Nick and shows him the baby book that Maisy made for him when he was born. Nick tells Liz that he hates seeing Maisy’s
ashes just laying in the urn, Liz says he’s right and says they should scatter
them.
Andrew
sees Lucy and asks her what’s wrong. She tells him she feels like she belongs
with her deaf friends at the club. She says the implants will cause her more
hard work and she’s already worked so hard to cope with being deaf. Lucy tells
Andrew she can’t tell her parents how she feels because they will be sad, she
makes Andrew promise not to tell them.
At the
next consultation, Andrew tells Richard and Kate that he is no longer prepared
to support their application for Lucy’s operation as he feels it’s not the
right thing for Lucy. He tells Lucy he’s sorry about the promise he made her
but says he thinks Lucy feels responsible for her parents happiness or
unhappiness and he doesn’t think that is any reason for her to have this
operation. Lucy admits what Andrew is saying is true. The situation gets too
much for Richard who drags Kate and Lucy out of the surgery and tells Andrew
he’ll regret his decision.
At
home, Kate tells Richard that she can’t stand to see Lucy so upset and says the
only reason he wants her to have the operation is because he can’t love her if
she is not perfect.
Joanna
is unsure of Andrew’s reasons behind withdrawing his support for Lucy’s
operation. She tells him she is worried Richard will make them pay for it.
Sam is
on his way out of The Beeches for a meal with Serena when he hears Kerri
shouting at her new computer. He asks her what’s wrong and she says she pressed
a button and the computer stopped responding. Sam investigates and finds that she has crashed
the whole system. He offers to help her fix it but Kerri tells him he should
leave her to it as he has a date with Serena. Sam refuses to leave her and says
with two of them they will fix it quicker. After a while Sam gets the system up
and running again, much to the delight of Kerri who also swipes a flower from
the bunch he has brought Serena!
Andrew
tells Kate he knows she agrees with Lucy about the operation. He says that
Richard is a bully and tells Kate she must stand up to him. Kate tells him she
is worried about being excluded from Lucy’s life as she can’t communicate with
Lucy or her friends as much as she would like to. Andrew tells her she can learn how to
do sign language and become involved in Lucy’s life as much as she wants. Kate
gets upset and Andrew comforts her. Richard arrives home from work and is not
happy to see his wife in Andrew’s arms and tells Andrew to leave. Kate says she
is going to call Lucy down from her room and they are going to finally let her
have her say. When Kate goes to Lucy’s room she finds she has gone.
KATE: I'm afraid of losing her to a world I can't be a part
of
Andrew, Richard and Kate go to the bus station and find Lucy about to board a bus. They
chase Lucy through the bus terminals and watch as she stands in front of a
reversing bus. Lucy is unaware that the bus is heading for her as she can’t hear
the reverse sound. Andrew jumps in front of the bus and pulls Lucy to the
ground. Richard and Kate rush towards Lucy and she tells them she doesn’t want
the operation. She tells them they must let her grow up the way she is and be
proud of her. Richard tells her he loves her.
The Pullens go to a quiet
resting place and scatter Maisy’s ashes.
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