EPISODE 210
Written by: Bre L. Drew
November 14, 2022
Last Time on Town and Country
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Sean and Tricia celebrated their second wedding anniversary with friends, while Sean promised Tricia his commitment. However, Tricia discovered that Dylan wasn't breathing.
WHEELER BUILDING: APT #424
Unable to describe her emotions, Tricia Lockhart couldn't shake the feeling that everything and everyone around her was moving in slow motion. But she still recalls going to check in on her infant son, who had been asleep. She and her husband had been entertaining friends at their apartment to celebrate their belated second wedding anniversary.
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However, he was unresponsive to her voice and touch, and when she picked him up, she immediately noticed he wasn't breathing. That was when she came out of the room, and everyone else seemed to take action. Sean started CPR on their son while Steven called 911. Courtney stands beside her friend with her arm around her, trying her best to comfort her. About ten minutes later, two paramedics arrive, and Antoine lets them in.
One of the paramedics, a white woman in her late thirties with a mousy brown ponytail, began throwing questions at Tricia, which she did her best to answer regarding Dylan before he drifted to sleep.
"Uh, he was a bit warm, but it was nothing to cause any concern about," Tricia manages to say.
"But other than that, he was fine and alert," Courtney adds. "Will he be, okay?"
The other paramedic, a guy in his fifties with a buzzcut, places the resuscitator on the baby's mouth on the dining table.
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"We'll do our best,"
What feels like a lifetime for Sean and Tricia, both paramedics exchange a sorrowful glance, which Steven understands, being a medical professional himself.
"Why are you stopping?" Tricia asks bafflingly
"Ma'am, he isn't responding." the mousy-hair paramedic gently declares.
The silence in the air somehow becomes deafening for Tricia as she holds in her tears. Sean attempts to hug her, but instead, she goes for her son, whom the buzzcut medic places in her arms with a blanket covering his body.
Courtney and Steven embrace each other. Antoine hits his hand against the wall, expressing his emotions at the thought that one of his best friends is going through such a loss.
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During the crisp fall evening, Jai Gupta and Louise Saunders Lockhart make their way toward the apartment building after coming from dinner in Hudson Lake; they both notice the ambulance parked in front.
"I hope nothing serious has happened," Louise observes conversely.
"Me neither," Jai comments in his British accent, which nearly sounds American since he had spent summers in the States since childhood.
The pair reach the entrance when they're both suddenly taken aback when they see not only the paramedics walking out of the building but behind them,
Sean and Tricia, with the latter holding the baby tightly in her arms. Louise wants to call out to her ex-husband to ask what's happening but knows it isn't the time or the place, even though he somewhat acknowledged her when he saw her. Meanwhile, Tricia kept her focus straight ahead onto the ambulance truck. Also behind them are Antoine, Courtney, and Steven, who look distressed as well,
Louise excuses herself from her lover to go over to her cousin, who remains, standing not far from them.
"Hey, Steven," Louise says. "What's going on?"
Steven moves his head, trying to find the right words. "It's not good; Dylan's gone."
"Oh, my god!" she elicits shockingly.
Louise turns around to see Sean and Tricia climbing aboard the ambulance while the paramedics get in the front. Soon, the vehicle pulls off without any sirens going off.
Even though she isn't the most religious, Louise says a silent prayer for Sean, their son, and even Tricia.
RADCLIFFE RECEIVING HOSPITAL
In the NICU waiting room of the hospital, Sean and Tricia find themselves speaking with police officers, which, according to the hospital social worker, is routine when an infant dies out of the blue.
"No, for the last time, he was sleeping because he was taking a nap," Tricia impatiently tells the male police officer, who jots down notes on a small notepad with an ink pen.
"Who had put him down for his nap?" The officer queries
Sean clears his throat due to the dryness from the lack of air he feels right now.
"I did, but he was fine except for the slight fever, which could've come from anything; children can get sick at the drop of a hat."
The officer gets up from the chair, putting his pad into his jacket pocket.
"That'll be all for now, but if we need anything else, we'll be in touch." And again, sorry for your loss."
He strides toward the end of the hall.
"How did we get here?" Sean speaks at random.
Tricia remains seated in the chair, shaking her head and unable to answer.
Sean looks somewhat attentively at his wife while the overhead announcements all sound the same to him.
Tricia roughly exhales while she runs her hands through her messy hair when the elevator door opens.
Steven, Courtney, Tanner, and Lenny Lockhart all exit; instantly seeing them, they approach.
The twins find themselves both hugging their father.
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"Mom called us," Lynn tells her father and Tricia.
"I'm so sorry, dad; do you know any more yet?" Tanner asks emotionally.
The young woman recently spent time with her baby brother, whom she took to the park, and it was the highlight of that day. She had planned to hang out with him again, though that won't be a reality anymore.
"Not yet, pretty princess," he answers.
Sean holds onto his daughter for a few more seconds before letting go.
"Antoine had to get over to the bar, but he says he'll call you later to see how you're both doing," Courtney informs her best friend and her husband,
"You all don't have to be here," Tricia remarks in an irritated manner.
The group is still unsure how to respond and does not want to incite further rage from the woman, who had just lost her infant son.
"How about we go get some coffee?" Steven suggests
The four goes on the elevator down to the cafeteria around the same time.
Tricia is about to say something when Dr. Ellson, a tall, white man in his early sixties with salt and pepper hair, wears wire-rimmed glasses with scrubs as well as his doctor's white coat, which heads their way.
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"We won't be sure until we get results from the autopsy, but Dylan's cause of death is likely to be a result of Sudden infant death syndrome."
Sean turns to his wife, who is now walking over to him.
Though uncertain of the condition, Tricia had heard of it before, but because those were usually a part of the plots of Lifetime movies she used to watch with her mother when she was younger starring Melissa Gilbert and Valerie Bertinelli, she never foresaw this ever happening to her.
"Like I said, we wouldn't be certain until the autopsy, but I've been doing this for a long time," Dr. Ellison replies matter-of-factly. "We aren't exactly sure what causes it, but it could come from defects in the portion of an infant's brain that controls breathing during sleep."
"Can we see him?" Tricia rapidly changes the subject.
Sean is about to state why that might not be a good idea, but the doctor reacts more favorably as he leads them into a private room where a black female twentysomething nurse holds the lifeless baby who not so long ago had life.
"I am so sorry for your loss, and if there is anything we can do, please don't hesitate to get in touch." Dr. Ellison notifies them.
The nurse passes the baby to Tricia, who barely holds it together as she notices how beautiful her baby boy is; she feels her husband's hand on her back when the medical staff leaves them.
"I just want to go back in time and prevent this from ever happening, Sean," Tricia admits wholeheartedly. "I should've checked on him earlier. Maybe then I could've stopped us from being here," she cries.
Sean clasps onto her while placing his free hand on his son, whom he is proud to bring into this world.
"I do too, and I know you don't want to hear this; hell, I don't want to say it, but the last time we saw him, he was happy, and among the people who love him, our son was loved,"
Tricia grazes his soft, dark brown hair while not wanting to let go, afraid that if she did, she would forget everything about him.
Sean could feel water forming in his eyes, while the word somehow further exacerbated Tricia's already fraught emotions.
The two remain together while they say goodbye to their two-month-old son.
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If this episode's issue affects you, here is a link for support: First Candle: Committed to ending Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
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END OF EPISODE
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Radcliffe reacts to Dylan's death as Sean and Tricia mourn.
Louise and Samuel contemplate reaching out.
Jordan begins experiencing side effects from the sedatives.
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