The Honor Roll: Episode 16. Hanging In The Balance

   As late afternoon has approached, at Bankhead Medical Center in Bankhead, Thomas lays in a hospital bed in ICU, as he's unconscious, and outside in the waiting area, Eliza and Bill sits next to each other, as they hold hands, and Dwight, Alice, Pat, Effie, and Missy sits inside with them, as Missy tells Eliza "I should have said something about that bitch being at the school earlier." Eliza sighs "You and Erica were trying to protect him. Hopefully the Doctor will come out here and tell us something." Alice and Pat look at Eliza and Bill, as Pat assures them "He will recover from this." Alice sighs "I hope so Pat. He's barely hanging on." Eliza tells them in a paranoid tone "I shouldn't be here, my little boy is in there, and there's not a damn thing I can do for him." Effie tells her "You're here, and actually I did work here part-time before returning to Waters Elementary, so he'll be looked after." Bill meanwhile remains silent, as he gets up, and walks to the desk, and tells the woman behind the desk "I want to see my Son." The woman unlocks the doors, as Bill goes back, as Eliza watches, and sighs "He's barely said a word." Dwight tells everyone "I hope soon we find out what's wrong. Is this even real?" Eliza responds in a despondent tone "When he was young, he had the same thing happen, and he has blood vessels that's all together on the lining of his stomach. He nearly died then, but luckily he made it." Alice assures Eliza "And he'll make it again." Missy is silent, as her phone rings, and she sighs "It's Mom." Eliza glares at Missy's phone, and walks over, as she opens her hand, and Missy hands it to Eliza and answers the phone, as Maura, at her apartment in Caswellton goes "What's going on Melissa?" Eliza snaps in an angry tone "Bitch this is Eliza, and we don't know a damn thing, and if I hear something, believe me bitch, you will know!" Eliza hangs up, as Missy sighs "This is horrible." Bill walks out of the ICU, with the Doctor, as everyone turns to him, as Eliza asks "How is Thomas?" The Doctor looks down, and responds "He's lost a lot of blood Ms.Sullivan, and we can't stop the bleeding. He also has a slight concussion due to a fall." Eliza holds onto Bill tightly, as Alice asks "What's wrong with him?" The doctor goes "He has an aortic aneurysm, and from where it's located, I would suggest preparing for the worst." Eliza is silent, as her eyes are distant, as her voice begins to tremble, and tells the Doctor "Save him." The Doctor responds in sadness "I'm sorry, but we can't do anything until the bleeding stops. Would you consider a ventilator?" Eliza and Bill look at each other, as the Doctor responds "The two of you have the choice, as you are his beneficiaries." Eliza responds "He's made it before, and he'll make it again." Bill looks over at Dwight, Alice, Pat, Effie, and Missy and asks "Can he see anyone before we make this choice." The Doctor nods, and everyone heads into the ICU, as they look through a sliding door into Thomas' room, as Eliza breaks down, and Bill tells Eliza "He's been silent, and I'm scared." Alice holds onto Effie and Pat, as Dwight looks on with sadness, as Missy gets emotional, as Eliza looks over to the Doctor, and tells him "Save my baby." Eliza walks out, as she motions for Missy, and everyone follows, as Bill asks his Ex-Wife "Where are you going?" Eliza tells Missy "Take me back to the school." Missy warns Eliza "You're not in the condition..." Eliza yells "I said take me back to the school! I make good on my vows!" Bill looks at Eliza with tears in his eyes, and asks "What if...." Eliza tells him "Don't say it Bill. I'll be back." Eliza walks out, as Missy follows, as Alice, Pat, Effie, and Dwight sit around Bill, as he tells them "If he were to die.." Alice stops him, and boldly responds "Stop thinking that! He will make it!" Bill cries "From the way it looks, my family may be gone."
    Meanwhile in Caswellton, Erica and her Husband Rick Hand, have dinner at The Courthouse Inn, as Rick asks his Wife "So why are we having dinner in Caswellton?" Erica goes "I may be late returning home tonight." Rick looks at his Wife, as he tells Erica "I think you need to come back home. You're angry, and I know that look in your eyes." Erica assures her Husband "I have paperwork to do." Rick rolls his eyes, as he motions for the waitress, and asks his Wife "And just where's my pistol?" Erica responds "I've been doing target practice with it." Rick tells Erica "I want that gun?" Erica asks "Want date night, then I keep the pistol, you have enough guns." Rick pays the waitress, and warns his Wife "Don't do anything stupid Erica. I wish you'd retired." Erica is silent, as Rick walks out, and Erica says to herself "I may be in a damn jail cell with what I have in mind." As Erica walks out of The Courthouse Inn, she bumps into Anna, as she asks Erica "What's the update on Thomas?" Erica goes "When I last spoke to Dwight, it wasn't good." Anna tells Erica "Mama and Daddy's praying for him. I called Maura and.." Erica takes a deep breath, and tells Anna "When school starts back up, I will stay until a replacement's found. I refuse to work with Corey." Anna sighs "Give him a chance Erica!" Erica snaps "No way in hell! After seeing what I did earlier, and Maura kissing his ass, that speaks volumes to me!" Anna reminds Erica "She would know who has visited Edna and who hasn't." Erica shakes her head, and heads to her car, as Anna looks up, with doubt in her eyes, as Erica speeds off, as Erica gets a text from Eliza, and Erica tells her "I'll meet the two of you at Didi's."
     At Corey's Room at the Rooming House, Corey sits on the couch, as Carly brings him a drink, and smiles "I got something to make you feel better." Carly shows off her pistol, as Corey sighs "Now Carly, I do not believe in violence." Carly responds "But it's so exciting Corey! Corey warns Carly "This isn't Los Angeles, this is Caswellton. I'm already on the bad side of Dr.Elliott and Eliza Sullivan after today, and I'm thankful Anna's willing to give me a chance, but I've heard Erica and Eliza have a strong bargaining chip, and Thomas Duncan being in the hospital, and from what Maura told me earlier..." Carly hands the pistol to Corey, and smiles, and goes "Here's your protection if they come after you." Corey looks at the pistol, as he responds "If I were to use this, it'd be on my Grandma." At Maura's Apartment, Maura sits, as Edna walks into the living room, holding a butcher knife, and laughs "I love kitchenware, and everything sharp." Maura yells at Edna "You damn near cost me my job today!" Edna responds "And you hurt the Bankhead School, and warn your lover, or what you call Daughter if she hits me again, I will kill her like I killed your Husband." Maura gets up, and looks at Edna, as she slaps Edna in the face, and snaps "You have cost me a lot you crazed bitch, and when you threaten my Daughter, that's too damn far!" Edna goes "Your Daughter is a hindrance, and you are breaking the rules." Maura yells "My life's in danger because of you because of today! Eliza Sullivan would jump on the chance to kill me. I may not like Thomas, but I don't want to see the man die." Edna goes "I do." Maura looks at Edna, as she tells Edna "You need to find another place to go. We're done, and I'm about to send you back to Milledgeville." Edna pulls out her pistol, as Maura slaps the gun from Edna's hand, and grabs it, and coldly tells her "No bitch, you don't get your way this time." Edna trembles, as Maura yells "Sit down, as I make a phone call." Edna walks to the door, and goes "I hope you can find me." Edna walks out, and gets inside Whips's car. Meanwhile at Waters Elementary, Missy and Eliza has arrived, as Missy asks Eliza "Are you alright?" Eliza looks at Missy, and tells her "Thank you for being there. You've proved yourself to me today." Missy sighs "I have a lot of making up to do for the past Ms.Sullivan." Eliza is silent, as she walks over, and hugs Missy, and whispers "Call me Eliza sweetie. Go back to the hospital and stay with my Son." Eliza gets inside her Mercedes, and drives off, as Missy follows Eliza. Meanwhile outside Maura's Apartment, Edna attempts to start Whip's car, and the motor's dead, as the gas meter's on empty, and Edna walks back to Maura's apartment, and knocks on the door, and yells "Let me in!" Maura, on the other side, doesn't answer, as she holds Whip's pistol, and looks up and says to herself "Time for redemption."
    As night falls, at Bankhead Medical Center, in the waiting area, Pat looks over at Alice, Effie, and Dwight, and tells them "I need to go back home, before I can't see. I don't like to be out at night at my age." Effie tells Pat "I'm going to head home, and I'll follow you." Pat thanks Effie, as Alice tells them "If I get an update, I'll call both of you." Effie sighs with sadness "He looks so bad. I'm going to pray for him. I don't think Eliza or Bill could handle losing him." Dwight responds "Bill's been in the room with him for awhile now, and no word from Eliza." Alice tells them "I'm staying here." Dwight adds "Me too. Bill and Thomas will need some support, especially Bill." Inside Thomas' room, Bill looks at his Son, as he cries, and says "It's not supposed to be like this Thomas. You were moving down here, and starting over, and now here you are in this damn room and your Mama can't handle this. I can't handle this." Thomas remains unresponsive, as his vitals are low, and the Doctor walks inside, and tells Bill "Mr.Duncan, we've got a decision to make. I can't remove the aneurysm from his stomach, and he's too weak to be sent to Atlanta, and wouldn't make it." Bill yells "Damnit save my Son!" The Doctor asks "Where's his Mother?" Bill goes "She went to get her car." The Doctor takes a deep breath, and sighs "Sir, I can't promise you he's going to make it. We're almost out of blood, and I need both of you to give me the go-ahead to have him on a ventilator." Bill looks at his Son, and pulls out his phone, as he calls Eliza, but gets no answer, and looks at the Doctor, and tells him "Isn't there somebody in this damn place capable of saving my only child?" The Doctor responds "I can ask a friend in Atlanta to drive down here, but it won't be until tomorrow, and I don't think he will make it that long." Bill yells at the Doctor with fear "Well I'll speak for Eliza and myself! Put him on the damn vent! I'm not letting him go without a damn fight, and I won't sit here and watch him die!" The Doctor asks "Would your Ex-Wife be..." Bill gets in the Doctor's face and yells "Put him on it and stop piss-anteing around!" The Doctor walks out, as Bill looks at his Son, and tells him "You'll live. I'm not letting you go." The Doctor, and two nurses walk inside, as they prepare to put Thomas on life support, as Bill walks back into the waiting room, and Dwight and Alice doesn't say a word, as Bill tells them "He's being placed on life support." Bill starts to cry, as he tells them "I can't get in touch with Eliza, and she needs to be here!" Dwight and Alice console Bill, as he cries, and tells them "He's been through so damn much...And he has a full life ahead of him, and he can't go before I do, or Eliza. He just can't!"
    As Thomas is taken to the operating room at Bankhead Medical Center, and Bill sits in the ICU waiting area, with Alice and Dwight, in Caswellton, Eliza has arrived at Didi's, as Didi asks Eliza, as she checks her voicemail, and tears fall from her eyes, as Didi goes "He's not doing well is he?" Eliza is silent, as she looks at Erica, as she pulls out a pistol, and Eliza asks Erica "You know the way to Maura's don't you?" Erica nods, as they walk out of Didi's home. At Corey's room at The Rooming House, Corey walks out of the bathroom, as he looks for Carly, and doesn't see her, and finds her phone sitting on a nightstand, as Corey rolls his eyes. Meanwhile Missy arrives at Maura's Apartment, as Edna walks towards Missy with a knife, and coldly tells her "You've caused your Mother and I to split apart you slut, and it's time you go to hell with your Daddy." Maura stands at the door, as she holds Whip's pistol, and cracks the door open, as Edna chases after Missy. Carly meanwhile hides near the apartment, as she holds a pistol and aims towards Edna. Eliza and Erica pull up, as both walk out of Eliza's Mercedes, as each pulls out a pistol, and Eliza coldly tells Edna with tears falling from her eyes "All you've ever done has caused trouble. You and Maura. And now you pay for it with blood, as my baby may not live you psychotic bitch!" Edna grabs Missy, as she puts the butcher knife at her throat, as Missy fears for her life, as Edna whispers "One yell and you die, and your Mother can watch." Eliza yells "Let her go." Edna yells "NO!" Inside Maura's apartment, the safety's turned off, as she says to herself "You won't kill my Daughter." Carly's safety's turned off, as Eliza and Erica both turns off the safety on their pistols, as they aim at Edna, and she yells "Just know, if I die, Missy dies with me." A shot's fired.