Could bias cut short Martine’s life?
SHE FINDS A LUMP IN HER BREAST – BUT A TRIP TO THE HOSPITAL DOESN’T END WELL…
Martine finally gives in to her longburied feelings for her ex-boyfriend Felix this week, and the pair of them share a moment of intense passion! But the sexy vibe is quickly shattered when Martine discovers a lump in her breast…
Felix and Martine’s reunion has been a long time coming – and in the end, it’s a prompt from daughter Celeste that finally pushes Martine to declare her true feelings.
“Martine’s embarrassed when Celeste confronts her!” confesses Kéllé Bryan, who plays Martine. “She’s a bit like, ‘Hang on, I can take care of my own love life, thank you very much!’ She doesn’t want Celeste to get ahead of herself and think that her parents are getting back together, only to have her hopes dashed.”
Yet Celeste’s words clearly have an affect, as Martine later seeks out Felix – and the pair share a steamy snog!
“It’s a really lovely moment when Martine and Felix finally kiss, because they’ve both wanted it to happen for so long,” grins Kéllé. “However, once Martine discovers the lump, it all suddenly becomes very real for her. This is just the last thing she wanted to happen while she’s getting her groove on!
“But also, she’s with Felix, and they have so much history,” adds the actress. “He’s looking her straight in the eye, and telling her that she needs to get it checked out. It’s a difficult thing for Martine to come to terms with.”
Martine takes the sensible option, and quickly books an appointment to see a specialist at the hospital. Coincidentally, Felix’s girlfriend Grace has also found a lump in her breast, so she too has an appointment to see a doctor on the same day. Yet the two women – one black, one white – have very different experiences…
“It’s a hideous day for Martine, but unfortunately, it’s everyday life for me as a black woman,” reveals Kéllé. “What’s clever about this episode is that it’s not showing some big drama – it’s just points out the mundane things in your life that you wouldn’t even recognise as being unconscious bias.”
Following the day’s events, Martine goes home having not been seen. So might this have a big impact on her future if she puts off going back to seek further medical advice?
“It’s taken Martine so much courage to go to the hospital, and the way she’s treated is just awful,” says Kéllé. “It’s a challenging time, and there will be a lot of hurdles for Martine to overcome before she decides what to do next…”
“Martine is treated appallingly at the hospital”