S3 E21 (3 Apr 01) : Snakes and Ladders by Colin Bytheway
Episode Summary
The episode starts with Keri enjoying herself at a dance club, dancing on stage. Justin jokes to Edith Morgan that she is too old to be there. Edith tells him she isn’t feeling well.
Kerri leaves to get a cab home (it’s very late) and Edith tries to stagger downstairs but collapses.
Back at Holby, Danny is practicing his handshake in the mirror. Liam sees him and takes the Mickey. He says he has a big interview coming up to train as a paediatric nurse, which Liam tells him he’ll do fine at. Kath comes and gives Danny a tie, which Danny protests he doesn’t need. It turns out that it’s Danny’s birthday.
Victoria tells Janice that Edith is an epileptic, which she fears may have returned. Edith is in a down mood and is sarcastic to Victoria. Kerri rushes in late.
Danny leaves for his interview, Kath giving him a hug. Since he’s gone, Jasmine starts collecting money for his birthday present (which prompts Julie to leave). Kath says her present to him is having a phone line installed in his room (he wanted more privacy). It turns out Kath knows one of the interviewers and had rung them to tell them about Danny.
Abbie and Greg Sawyer are anxious – not used to NHS waiting times after private healthcare. Kath arrives and Greg complains that they have been kept waiting for too long – Abbie tells him to go and get a magazine and apologises about him. It turns out they have been trying for children for a long time, but Abbie is unable to conceive. She asks Kath if her cancer could have been caused by IVF treatment. She had it for two years (Greg had pushed her to carry on with it) but still did not have a baby.
Steve asks if Kerri is coming to Danny’s birthday bash – she declines after last night. Steve wonders if anyone is collecting for Danny’s present. Kerri quizzes Victoria about Guy the surgeon.
Edith is sarcastic; unhappy about being on a children’s ward and recognises Kerri from last night. She takes the mickey out of her age.
Abbie is telling Kath about how hard she found the IVF treatment. Mike brings her a consent form to sign.
Danny is being interviewed – the interviewers are trying to find why Danny wants to work with children.
Steve is collecting for Danny on Otter ward. Kerri puts herself down for a couple of pounds and Victoria gives some paper money. Kerri wonders if Edith had been taking any drugs at the club and goes to speak to her about it.
Mike is operating on Abbie to remove her tumour. Tash finds Abbie’s uterus enlarged – she is pregnant.
Kerri asks Edith about the drugs – she denies all knowledge. Kerri says she knows people who occasionally take Es and Edith admits she takes them from time to time… but so what? Justin arrives and gives her some new clothes. He takes the mick out of Kerri’s hairstyle.
Jazz arrives and asks Steve for Danny’s birthday money. He volunteers that they both go and buy Danny’s present.
Kath asks Mike about Abbie. He tells her about Abbie’s pregnancy and says that if her cancer has spread she will need chemotherapy and will have to terminate the pregnancy.
Justin is brushing Edith’s hair and says he’s thinking about chatting up Steve (“Male nurses are always gay.”) He then says he is thinking about taking some drugs from the hospital cupboards.
Victoria says the drugs test on Edith came back clean – so her epilepsy must have come back. Guy comes onto the ward, Kerri asks him out for a drink but he declines and goes to talk to Victoria, who says she hasn’t told Kerry about them because she doesn’t want to upset her feelings. He says they should go to Danny’s birthday bash together to show he’s no longer available.
Kerri gives Edith her drugs and Justin arrives to extract the Michael from her tabard. He tells Edith he has a plan…
Steve and Jazz have bought Danny’s present and they are discussing things. He tells her that he really likes her; she reminds him that he’s married.
Mike tells Kath about Abbie’s cancer – it has spread. She can have the baby and start chemotherapy later (increasing her risk of cancer) or have a termination and start now. Kath protests that it’s not fair on Abbie to lose the baby.
Justin is trying to pick the lock of the drugs cupboard when Kerri interrupts – he makes up a half-arsed story. Kerri tells Justin to leave the ward. Steve arrives and Edith protests she needs Justin for company. Steve reluctantly agrees to let them stay.
Mike gives Abbie the good and bad news. They are elated about the pregnancy until Mike explains the complications.
Jazz returns and tells Julie about Steve. Danny bursts in, saying he thinks the interview went okay. Kath comes in and tells him he’s got the place – he is ecstatic.Kath tells him about her ringing the interviewer. Danny is angry and thinks Kath did it because he didn’t want to do this with any of her health.
Janice is doing a ward-round. When she leaves, Justin starts pestering her about last night, and asks her to get him some drugs from the drugs cupboard. She refuses.
Greg asks Abbie if she’d think about delaying her choice about the chemotherapy. She says she wants to have the baby, but he isn’t so sure since he wants her to be safe.
Justin is pestering Kerri again and she tells him to leave the ward. Justin tells Janice that “her friends takes E” and accuses Kerri of taking drugs. Janice dismisses his “childish wee fantasies” and tells him to go. She then asks Kerri into her office.
Danny tells Liam he’s uneasy that he thinks Kath got him the place on the course. Liam says he should be glad he got the place, but Danny says he doesn’t want his mother standing over him. Danny says he has decided to move out.
Janice rebukes Kerri about saying the Es thing, saying she has degraded the reputation of the hospital. She then goes on at her for coming in late and hungover – other mornings as well as this one.
Edith collapses and starts fitting. While Kerri and Victoria try to sort her out, Justin steals something from the drugs cupboard.
Abbie is talking to Kath about her pregnancy. She thinks bad about herself for thinking about terminating the baby. She feels uneasy about not being a mother at her age. She says she is having the baby for Greg but she won’t tell him that.
Greg is buying a soft toy in the hospital gift shop.
Kerri finds Ritalin missing from the drugs cupboard and realises Justin must have taken them. Steve says Edith and Justin have disappeared.
Everyone is getting ready to go on Danny’s party. Kath calls after him but he doesn’t respond, still sore about the interview. Kath tells Jazz she’s worried that he’s all grown up and doesn’t need her anymore.
Greg goes to see Abbie but Kath tells him not to disturb her since she’s resting. Greg becomes ajitated by this.
Justin congratulates Abbie on her ‘performance’ fit. He asks her if she wants some drugs but she declines. Eventually, she takes some.
Greg tells Abbie that he’ll do as much as he can to help her, and that he has told his parents. Abbie becomes angry at all his talk about them getting through things together when it was she who was suffering, not him. She says she wants to get rid of the baby. He tells her she is being selfish. She tells him the reason she is there is because of him – pushing the IVF. She breaks down in tears and he storms out.
In the pub, Kath arrives to give Danny his present. Julie reveals that Danny is moving out. Kath (not knowing this before)is shaken and leaves without seeing Danny.
In the carpark going back to the hospital, Greg confronts Kath and accuses her of persuading Abbie to give up the baby. Kath, on the verge of tears tells him he needs to listen to her more.
Edith tries to ask Justin if he’d ever like her, but he evades the question. She says she feels unwell and reveals she has never taken drugs before. He is angry that she wasted all the drugs he gave her before. She collapses.
Kath hides in her office, crying.
Justin, seeing what has happened, runs away. Luckily, Kerri sees him and finds Edith and puts her in the recovery position. She tells Steve to get help and starts putting a tube in Edith’s airway.
Mike finds Kath and asks what’s wrong. He asks if it’s about Danny moving out – she seems annoyed that she was the last to know.
Kath says she is worried about it just being her and her husband – she didn’t want to stop being a mum. Mike reassures her that she is much more than just a mum – she says it’s what she does best.
In the pub, Julie tries to broach the tricky subject of Steve liking Jazz but shies away. Guy arrives and sits with Victoria.
Kerri comes to see Edith. She tells her Justin’s gone. She says no-one else will like her and she’s worried about ending up 30 and single.
Greg returns to Abbie’s bedside – he says he couldn’t leave and asks if she really blames him – she says she was upset and didn’t mean it. She says she isn’t ready to be a mother; she has nothing to give and isn’t sure she wants a baby right now, especially since she may die and leave it without a mother. She says he can’t push her any further.
Edith comes to see Kerri and gives her a belly-button ring as a gift.
Steve decides to go and get Danny’s present from his car. Victoria is ordering drinks. Guy comes up and kisses her just as Kerri enters; she is bitter towards Victoria.
Outside, Steve talks about Julie talking to him about Jazz. He asks what they’re up to outside then – she responds that they’re just getting Danny’s present. She walks away, but he follows he and they suddenly kiss. She breaks it off and says “No.”
Victoria tries to apologise to Kerri – she says it’s alright. Janice arrives and apologises for rebuking Kerri earlier – saying she is a superb and valued nurse.
Abbie tells Greg that she doesn’t think she’ll ever have a baby. Greg tells her how much she means to him. They hug and she says thanks.
On his way out, Greg sees Kath. He apologises for shouting at her earlier and he tells her that they’ve decided to terminate the pregnancy. He asks her to give the soft toy to the maternity department.
Mike asks if Kath is coming out for a drink. She says she doesn’t think Danny would want her around. Mike tells her to go anyway.
Danny gets his presents – a nurse’s uniform and a bottle of whiskey. Liam takes some photos. Jazz leaves, refusing to talk to Steve. Janice congratulates Danny – he says he doesn’t need it since Kath got him the job but Janice tells him that she knows the interviewer and he wouldn’t have given Danny the job if he didn’t deserve it, no matter who his mother was. Danny runs out, feeling unwell.
Kath finds Danny throwing up outside. He says he’s not feeling well and says she’ll drive him home. She gives him his birthday present, and he says thanks.
Patients
Edith Morgan – (epilepsy) never took drugs before but still clubbing. Will she find a bloke or end up 30 and lonely?
Abbie Sawyer – (cancer) is having a termination of her pregnancy but is still with her husband.
Notable Facts
Did Danny move out because of Kath ringing the interviewer, or had he been planning it? Where’s he going to go? Is Kath ever going to let go of Danny? How will she survive with Simon her husband? Did this episode raise more questions than it answered?
(Will Watson)
