Loving Page #4

Richard immediately turns back to the bars being slammed in

his face. He tries to see down the hall to Mildred but

can’t.

He steps back, his eyes darting around trying to find an

answer that isn’t coming. He brings his hand up to his face

to cover his hurried breathing.

Stuck, he begins to gather himself. He turns to the large

open cell. Shadowy FIGURES line the walls and pace around

the windows. Mostly drunks, one mumbles in the corner.

Richard backs into an open spot on the wall by the door. He

leans there, keeping his eyes on the room.

IN THE SINGLE CELL,

Mildred is balled up in the corner. The cell is barely big

enough to contain the filthy cot she’s huddled on.

She’s trembling, trying to control her tears.

29

EXT. CAROLINE COUNTY COURTHOUSE/JAIL - NIGHT 29

Outside, the town of Bowling Green is quiet.

The jail sits just a few yards away from the county

courthouse. A statue of a confederate soldier stands between

the two buildings.

30

INT. CAROLINE COUNTY JAIL - DAY 30

Sunlight streams through the bars of the communal cell.

Richard hasn’t moved from his spot on the wall. Several

other MEN, black and white, are sprawled out across the cell.

The sound of traffic bustles from the town outside.

Richard barely moves his head at the sound of the big metal

door downstairs opening. Footsteps climb the steps in no

kind of hurry.

Keys jingle and the cell door opens.

JAILER:

Richard Loving?

18.

RICHARD:

Here.

Richard straightens, stiff from the long night, and moves to

the door.

JAILER:

You made bail.

Richard quickly steps out of the cell and moves down the hall

looking for Mildred.

He sees her still huddled on the cot in her cell.

RICHARD:

Bean?

Mildred lifts her head to find Richard approaching. She

immediately gets to her feet and goes to the cell door.

MILDRED:

Richard?

As Richard approaches her, the Jailer grabs him by the

shoulder to steer him downstairs.

JAILER:

On down.

Richard resists.

RICHARD:

What about her?

JAILER:

Just you.

MILDRED:

Richard?

The Jailer moves Richard further down the stairs. Richard

tries to pull back.

RICHARD:

Wait.

The Jailer yanks his arm.

JAILER:

Don’t pull me again.

RICHARD:

That’s not right.

19.

The Jailer moves him on downstairs. Richard turns to see

Mildred. She stands at the bars watching him go.

RICHARD (CONT’D)

That’s not right now!

At the bottom of the steps he loses sight of her. The Jailer

shoves him outside.

31 EXT. CAROLINE COUNTY COURTHOUSE/JAIL - DAY 31

Richard stumbles out the door into bright sunlight. He

covers his eyes as the metal door slams shut.

The Jailer keeps a hold of him and leads him across the lawn

toward the courthouse.

Richard looks over to the small Sheriff's office that sits in

a building behind the jail. Sheriff Brooks stands outside

sipping a cup of coffee.

He watches Richard. Richard averts his eyes.

32 INT. CAROLINE COUNTY COURTHOUSE/CLERK’S OFFICE - DAY 32

Richard stands in front of a desk in the CLERK’s office

collecting his wallet and keys.

CLERK:

Sign at the bottom.

The Clerk, a white man in his early 60’s, presents a paper

and pen to him. Richard bends over to sign.

RICHARD:

What about my wife?

CLERK:

You’ll have to talk to the Judge

about that on Monday.

RICHARD:

Monday?

Richard waits for a response, but the Clerk just hands him a

receipt for his things. Richard walks out.

33 EXT. CAROLINE COUNTY COURTHOUSE - CONTINUOUS 33

Richard walks outside to find Raymond waiting for him by his

car on the street.

20.

They don’t speak. They just climb in the car and Raymond

drives away.

34 INT. LOLA’S HOUSE - LATE AFTERNOON 34

A scream.

The pregnant young White Girl sits in a bed in the center of

the front room in the midst of labor. Her HUSBAND(25) stands

by looking pale.

Lola performs her midwife duties in the middle of it all.

LOLA:

Richard!

Richard enters from the front porch.

LOLA (CONT’D)

Bring me that fresh water and take

this one out.

Richard moves to the wood stove and a uses a towel to grab

the fresh bucket of water. He replaces it with one at Lola’s

feet and heads back out to the front porch.

35 EXT. LOLA’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS 35

Richard walks onto the porch and dumps the bucket off to the

side of the house.

Setting the bucket down, he joins Raymond on the railing

looking out over the small community of houses. SEVERAL

PEOPLE mill about.

RAYMOND:

What you gon’ do?

Richard shakes his head, unable to unclench his jaw. He

studies the people in the nearby houses, black and white.

All poor.

RICHARD:

How’d they know to come get us?

RAYMOND:

Somebody talked.

Richard looks at him. Nods.

He turns his attention back to the neighbors. The sounds of

the Girl’s labor continue inside.

21.

36 INT. LOLA’S HOUSE - NIGHT 36

Lola has cleaned up the room from the birth.

By the light of a bare bulb, she folds a clean sheet and

places it in a large wooden chest.

37 EXT. LOLA’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS 37

Richard sits alone on a stoop smoking at the back of the

house. The moon is bright. His mind works on the problem.

Stumped, he stands with a flick of his cigarette and begins

to pace. His head moves as if making an argument with no

words.

He finally sits back on the stoop and stares up at the moon.

He rubs his fingers over his face.

From inside, Lola watches her son through the screen of the

back door. She returns to her work.

38 INT. CAROLINE COUNTY JAIL - NIGHT 38

Mildred tries to straighten a stiff leg while leaning on the

edge of the cot in the cramped cell. She massages her belly

with a wince.

MAN’S VOICE (O.S.)

HEY!

Mildred flinches at the sound from down the hall. A shouting

match erupts between two men in the communal cell.

MAN’S VOICE (O.S.) (CONT’D)

GET OFF ME! I SAID GET OFF ME

NIGGA!

Mumbling. Someone laughs. Then silence.

Mildred draws back onto the cot, trying to make herself

small.

39 INT. CAROLINE COUNTY COURTHOUSE/CLERK’S OFFICE - DAY 39

Richard stands in front of the Clerk’s desk already

frustrated by the situation.

CLERK:

We told you to come back on Monday

and talk to the Judge.

22.

RICHARD:

I can’t let her be in there ‘til

Monday. That’s not right.

CLERK:

Talk to the Judge. You’re not

allowed to bail her out.

RICHARD:

I get a lawyer?

CLERK:

You can.

Richard swallows his frustration and walks out.

40 EXT. COURTHOUSE/CLERK’S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS 40

Richard storms out of the clerk’s office door. He stops to

take a breath, trying to stay calm. He moves across the lawn

toward his car parked on the main street.

SHERIFF BROOKS (O.S.)

Hey boy!

Richard stops to see Sheriff Brooks standing outside his

office. Richard doesn’t move.

The Sheriff beckons him.

SHERIFF BROOKS (CONT’D)

Come on!

Richard watches the Sheriff walk back into his office. He

looks around, then walks over.

41 INT. SHERIFF’S OFFICE - DAY 41

Richard steps inside to find Sheriff Brooks seated behind his

desk. They are alone.

SHERIFF BROOKS:

Sit down.

Richard takes a seat in front of the desk, apprehensive.

SHERIFF BROOKS (CONT’D)

You back tryin’ to bail her out?

Richard nods.

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