All You Care About is Yourself!

We begin this episode in the waiting room of Hale Memorial Hospital. Ashlyn is sitting in the waiting room playing Sudoku on her cell phone. She feels anxious and upset. She is trying to figure out what to say to Drexel when he arrives.


Nurse: Ashlyn Davis?

Ashlyn: Yes, that’s me. Is Valencia okay?

Nurse: You may come see her now.

Ashlyn realizes that the nurse did not answer her question and follows the nurse down the stark white corridor to Valencia’s room. Hospitals make her uneasy. She is mentally preparing herself for the worse case scenario.

The nurse gently knocks on the door before coming in. She walks over to the large windows and lets some light into Valencia’s room.


Valencia is looking pale but, she is awake. She is staring at the photo of a mother holding her child at the beach. A single tear is falling down her cheek.

Nurse: She is still weak. We want to keep her stress level down. She and the baby are fine. She just needs to keep ingesting fluids. She was dehydrated. I need you to continue to lay on your side so we can monitor the baby’s heart.

Valencia: (she sniffles) Okay.

Ashlyn: Thank you nurse. Val, are you alright?

Valencia: Ashlyn I’m so sorry. I didn’t know he was your husband at first and then he told me and…

Ashlyn: Calm down. No stress remember? You’ve got a baby to protect.

Valencia wipes her face and sits up in the bed.

Valencia: Didn’t you just tell me to get an abortion? Hell, you were right. Before you all came, I told him about the baby and he acted so cold. I’m so embarrassed and ashamed. I only slept with him because Drexel is the only man I had ever been with and I just wanted to feel like I had experienced life a little. I met Patrick in a bookstore and I started talking to him on the phone. He didn’t tell me about you or him being gay until AFTER we had sex. He said that he had a vasectomy so, we didn’t use protection. When he told me about his firm, I looked on the website and everything, I just thought surely this man is legit…I can trust him. Stupid huh?

Ashlyn: Yes, it was stupid. So was marrying a man I had known for only 24 hours. People like him prey on women like us. We displayed a vulnerability that he was able to pick up on. I was mad at Dennis…I mean Patrick. It’s like he has had some hand in all the relationships in my life lately and I just got fed up. I’m sorry I said that you should abort the baby. Do you know for sure that it’s his?

She moves the hair out of Valencia’s face.

Valencia: No, I mean, sometimes Drex and I use protection but, that’s only when I’m in between birth control prescriptions. I guess it could be his…oh God! No matter how much I want to be excited, I can’t escape the fact that this could be Patrick’s child that I’m carrying. I love Drexel with all my heart and I don’t want him to leave me. I don’t think I can live a lie. The only other way is to have an abortion.  That's why I asked Patrick for the money.

Ashlyn: No, the alternative is to have a paternity test and take it from there.

Valencia’s room phone begins to ring.

Valencia: Ugh, who could be calling here? I’m too tired to talk. Would you answer for me?

Ashlyn: Valencia Marsh’s room.

Drexel: I’m at the Nurse’s desk. Will you tell them I can come see you please?

Nurse: Ma’am, I’m sorry but, I have to observe the HIPPA laws, I can’t just send him in there without your consent.

Ashlyn: Uh, it’s fine.

Nurse: Thank you. (She hangs up the phone)

Drexel gets the room number from the nurse and speed walks down the halls to Valencia’s room. He opens the door and Valencia is surprised.

Valencia: Drexel!

Drexel: Baby, I came as fast as I could, are you okay? What happened? Is our baby okay?

Valencia: We’re fine. I was just dehydrated. That’s all.

Drexel: Ashlyn thank you so much for calling me. Oh, baby…I hate to see you like this.

He pulls up a chair to sit beside her bed. He hears the baby’s heart beat.

Drexel: Is that the baby? Man. His little heartbeat is so strong.

He smiles and kisses Valencia’s forehead.

Ashlyn: Well, I’ll let you lovebirds have your time. Val, don’t worry about the shop. I’ll take your clients. Get your rest and we’ll see you soon.

Just as Ashlyn is walking out of the room, Patrick is approaching. She quickly closes the door and stops Patrick from entering.

Ashlyn: First you don’t care and now you want to see her? No.

Patrick: Step aside Ashlyn! I deserve to see the mother of my child.

Ashlyn:  You can't just come to someone's room!  How did you know where her room was?

Patrick:  I said I was sorry.  I understand that you're angry.  I know where her room was because she texted it to me.  She said to tell them that she was my wife.

Ashlyn:  You are so full of shit Patrick.  I have had her phone the entire time.  You lied your way back here.
You are as crazy as the days are long! She is in there with her man who thinks that it’s HIS child.  A man who will proctect and nuture her and that baby! Leave them alone. You know you don’t want to be a father. Let them have their happiness.

Patrick: I was upset when I turned her away. I genuinely care about her!

Ashlyn: You care about her?  Really?  You're such a liar.  All you care about is yourself!

Copyright © 2010 Cravencrest. All Rights Reserved. Do not duplicate or redistribute in any form.