Loving Page #12

RICHARD:

You okay?

Donald nods sullenly.

118 INT. COUSIN’S ROW HOUSE IN D.C. - NIGHT 118

Richard reaches the bottom of the stairs in the front room to

find Mildred sitting rigid on the couch.

62.

MILDRED:

We’re moving back to the country.

I don’t care what they do to us. I

won’t raise my family here.

Richard looks at the luggage and boxes. He stands there for

awhile. Both are silent.

Richard finally walks over and sits next to her on the couch.

He places his arm around her.

Her face finally breaks. She leans into him.

119 EXT. COUSIN’S ROW HOUSE IN D.C. - DAY 119

Mildred’s car is loaded with bags and boxes. Sidney and

Donald laugh playing grab ass on the sidewalk.

RICHARD:

Ya’ll get loaded up now.

Richard leaves the car door open and walks over to Laura and

Alex at the bottom of the stoop. Mildred is there with

Peggy.

Richard shakes Alex’s hand.

RICHARD (CONT’D)

Thanks Al.

ALEX:

All right.

He hugs Laura, then grabs Peggy and steps back toward the car

to herd the kids.

RICHARD:

Come on now.

Mildred hugs Laura.

LAURA:

Just go on.

Mildred exchanges a smile with her.

MILDRED:

Thank you.

Laura and Alex walk back inside as Mildred turns to the car.

Richard has the kids loaded. Mildred gets behind the wheel.

63.

RICHARD:

I’ll see you tonight.

Richard kisses her through the open driver’s window. He raps

on the roof and eyes the children in the backseat.

RICHARD (CONT’D)

Ya’ll be good.

Mildred pulls the car away.

Richard takes keys out of his pocket and crosses the street

to his own car, which is also packed with boxes.

120

EXT. BOARDING HOUSE - EVENING 120

The three-story Victorian-style boarding house stands

secluded in the middle of farmland. The sun has recently set

and a blue hue hangs over everything.

ON THE WRAP AROUND PORCH,

A young black BOY(9) sits in a rocking chair next to his

GRANDMOTHER(72). They are enjoying the night air.

Headlights appear and lead Richard’s car down the dirt drive.

The Boy watches as Richard’s car pulls around to the back of

the house to park.

The Boy gets up and walks to the edge of the porch.

He sees Richard climb out of his car, one of many parked in

the back lot. Richard carries his tools toward a back door.

The Boy runs inside through the front entrance to the house.

121

INT. BOARDING HOUSE - CONTINUOUS 121

IN THE MAIN SITTING ROOM,

The Boy stands unseen in the front room. He spies on Richard

walking in the back door near the kitchen.

Richard disappears up a back set of stairs.

The Boy rushes up the main stairs.

UPSTAIRS,

A long hallway shows several numbered doors.

64.

The Boy reaches the top of the stairs in time to spy Richard

standing at a door at the end of the hallway.

Richard knocks lightly and checks over his shoulder. He

doesn’t see the Boy.

The door opens and the Boy sees Mildred there.

Richard slips in. Through the sliver, the Boy makes out

Donald and Sidney jumping on the bed behind Mildred.

The door closes. With the show over, the Boy disappears back

downstairs.

122 EXT. BOARDING HOUSE - DAY 122

Sidney, Donald and Peggy run alongside the field that borders

the house. The Boy from the porch runs with them.

They laugh, playing tag and dodging in and out of the crops.

123 INT. BOARDING HOUSE/ROOM - CONTINUOUS 123

Richard pulls back a curtain to see outside. He spots the

children playing.

Mildred sits on the bed and Raymond stands against the door.

RAYMOND:

My cousin has a house he might rent

out.

MILDRED:

I thought Jim’s brother said it was

fine here.

RICHARD:

I don’t trust it. Too many people.

(to Raymond)

Where is it?

RAYMOND:

King and Queen County. Just a

farmhouse up there. I figure it

gets you out of the county but

keeps you close. You’ll be on your

own out there. It don’t have no

phone or nothin’. But no one’s

gonna find you less they know to

look. I can get word to you when

you need it.

65.

RICHARD:

How much you think he’d want for

it?

RAYMOND:

He’ll be fair.

Richard nods. He hasn’t taken his eyes off the window.

124 EXT. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY FARMHOUSE - DAY 124

Red-winged black birds glide over a rolling hillside planted

with corn.

Mildred steers the car up a gravel path with Peggy and Donald

beside her. She studies the tree canopies that line the

drive and then slows the car to a stop.

Mildred takes in the house up ahead. It’s perfect.

A white farmhouse with a wide porch. There are multiple out

buildings and a massive oak tree in the yard. Grass

everywhere leads to rolling farmland.

A horn honks behind her, snapping her out of the gaze.

Richard is with Sidney in the car behind them. Mildred pulls

ahead.

125 EXT. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY FARMHOUSE - MOMENTS LATER 125

Mildred has parked near the house. She steps out of the car.

The children burst off the front seat and sprint for the

house. They start running circles around it.

Richard parks nearby. Sidney jumps out and joins his

siblings. Richard begins untying the luggage on the roof.

Mildred meanwhile slips off her shoes. She puts her feet in

the grass. Closing her eyes, she takes a breath and curls

her toes.

Richard watches her, happy to see her there. He takes in the

property. It’s a nice spot with a high vantage point. You

can see who might be coming in multiple directions.

Richard goes back to the luggage.

66.

126 INT. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY FARMHOUSE/KITCHEN - DAY 126

Richard, dressed for work, enters the kitchen to kiss Mildred

goodbye.

RICHARD:

I’ll try and get home ‘fore dark.

MILDRED:

We’ll be fine.

Richard is out the door.

Mildred sits at the kitchen table as a pot of something

steams on the stove.

She is in the middle of writing another letter.

A portion of it reads:

“...We haven’t heard anything from you for so long we had

given up hope.”

127 INT. BERNIE COHEN’S LAW OFFICE - DAY 127

Bernie sits behind his desk reading Mildred’s latest letter.

He mouths a collection of the words.

Bernie puts the letter down, frustrated. He thinks for a

moment and then presses the intercom button on his phone.

BERNIE COHEN:

Martha, I need you to call Chet

Antieau’s office at Georgetown and

try to set a meeting.

128 INT. GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY/ANTIEAU’S OFFICE - DAY 128

A SECRETARY knocks at an office door.

CHET ANTIEAU (O.S.)

Come in.

The Secretary enters and finds CHET ANTIEAU(51) sitting in a

high backed chair talking with PHIL HIRSCHKOP(27), a baby-

faced man with dark hair wearing a neat blue suit.

PHIL HIRSCHKOP:

I’d never seen anything like it.

No matter how many times I go down

there I find something that

surprises me.

67.

ANTIEAU’S SECRETARY

Excuse me.

The Secretary sets a note down in front of Chet who gives it

a glance.

CHET ANTIEAU:

Oh yes, please bring him back.

The Secretary exits.

CHET ANTIEAU (CONT’D)

This is good timing. I want you to

meet a former student of mine. He

called about a case you may find

interesting.

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