Loving Page #5

23.

SHERIFF BROOKS (CONT’D)

You know they aren’t gonna let her

out to you?

Richard wants to protest, but doesn’t.

SHERIFF BROOKS (CONT’D)

You best send one of her people up

here, ‘cause they won’t let her out

to you.

RICHARD:

She’s pregnant.

SHERIFF BROOKS:

You shut your mouth about that.

I’ll throw your ass back in there

for that. You know better.

Richard mumbles something.

SHERIFF BROOKS (CONT’D)

What’s that?

Richard says nothing.

SHERIFF BROOKS (CONT’D)

You do know better don’t you? Or

maybe you don’t. Your daddy worked

for a n*gger didn’t he? Runnin’

timber?

The Sheriff shakes his head, feigning remorse.

SHERIFF BROOKS (CONT’D)

I’m sorry for you. I really am.

All ya’ll over there in Central

Point don’t know up from down. All

mixed up. Half Cherokee,

Rappahannock, part niggra, part

white. Blood don’t know what it

wants to be. You just got born in

the wrong place is all.

Richard stays still.

SHERIFF BROOKS (CONT’D)

See you got to thinkin’ it was

fine. You might think people

around here wouldn’t care. Hell

maybe they wouldn’t if your dumb

country ass hadn’t gone off and

married her, but not me. You hear

me? That’s God’s law.

(MORE)

24.

SHERIFF BROOKS (CONT’D)

He made a sparrow a sparrow and a

robin a robin. They’re different

for a reason.

The Sheriff stares him down, just hoping he makes eye

contact, but Richard never does.

SHERIFF BROOKS (CONT’D)

No. No. You go on now. Get on

home.

Richard lifts from the chair but is stopped at the door.

SHERIFF BROOKS (CONT’D)

You send some of her people down

here tomorrow to get her. I see

you try and bail her out again I’ll

arrest you.

Richard exits.

42 EXT. CAROLINE COUNTY COURTHOUSE/JAIL - CONTINUOUS 42

Richard walks across the lawn. He looks up at the jail, but

doesn’t stop moving.

43 EXT. BUILDING SITE - DAY 43

Richard lays brick. He’s off his pace. His mind wanders.

44 EXT. CAROLINE COUNTY COURTHOUSE/JAIL/MAIN STREET - NIGHT 44

Richard sits alone in his car at night.

The engine is off and light from a distant street lamp barely

illuminates him.

His arm is propped on the door and he holds his head. He’s

been here awhile.

His eyes eventually drift to something across the street.

He is parked on the main street of Bowling Green. In the

distance, he watches the jail.

45 INT. CAROLINE COUNTY JAIL - DAY 45

Daylight streams in through the bars. Mildred sits in the

cell.

25.

She jumps at the sound of the loud metal door opening

downstairs. She leans over to see who will appear.

Sheriff Brooks walks a PRISONER up. The Prisoner doesn’t

take his eyes off Mildred. The Sheriff notices.

SHERIFF BROOKS:

I should let you go in there with

her tonight.

This said, the Sheriff never stops walking and disappears

with the Prisoner down the hall.

Mildred retreats to the back corner of her cell. Her eyes

stay locked on the empty hallway.

It’s quiet.

Sheriff Brooks reappears in the hallway. He’s alone.

He walks up to Mildred’s cell and unlocks the door. She

stares up at him with wide eyes. She can’t get any further

away but tries. Pressing her back into the wall.

Sheriff Brooks swings the bars open and takes a step back.

After a moment...

SHERIFF BROOKS (CONT’D)

Come on. Your daddy posted your

bail.

Mildred pauses, unsure, but then bolts up and is moving down

the stairs.

46 INT. CAROLINE COUNTY COURTHOUSE/CLERK’S OFFICE - DAY 46

The doors open and Mildred steps inside the Clerk’s office.

Theoliver is waiting there. She runs up and embraces him.

She’s crying. He holds her.

47 I/E. THEOLIVER’S CAR/COUNTRYSIDE - DAY 47

Theoliver drives as Mildred stares out the passenger window.

They ride in silence.

Mildred watches the trees and countryside passing by outside.

It’s a beautiful summer day.

26.

48

EXT. MILDRED’S PARENTS’ FARMHOUSE - DAY 48

Mildred gets out of the car.

Garnet rushes off the front porch to give her a hug. Mildred

accepts this but cranes her neck, searching. Musiel steps

out onto the porch alone.

MILDRED:

Where’s Richard?

Theoliver walks up to the house and doesn’t stop to speak.

THEOLIVER:

Moved his things out.

Theoliver continues inside the house. Mildred looks

confused. Garnet takes her hand and leads her to the house.

GARNET:

Said they’d arrest ya’ll again if

they catch him here with you.

Mildred stops on the porch and looks back to the road. No

one is there, but it doesn’t stop her from searching. Garnet

takes her on inside.

49

EXT. LOLA’S HOUSE - NIGHT 49

The sound of crickets fill the warm night air.

Richard steps quietly out the back door of his mother’s

house. He waits on the top step, scanning the other houses.

There is no one around.

He moves quickly away from the house and disappears into a

treeline that borders the community.

50

EXT. WOODS - NIGHT 50

Richard moves through dark woods. Branches and brambles pull

at his pants and scratch his arms.

A50

EXT. WOODS/ROAD - NIGHT A50

Richard pauses to survey a road in the distance.

Headlights appear and he crouches.

The car passes without slowing. Richard waits to be sure,

and then sprints out of the woods.

27.

He crosses the road and enters the treeline on the opposite

side. He falls out of sight.

51 EXT. MILDRED’S PARENTS’ FARMHOUSE - NIGHT 51

Richard appears from the woods on the side of Mildred’s

parents’ house.

He hangs close to the trees as he maneuvers to a spot where

he can see the dirt drive. It’s empty.

Richard moves toward the front door. He eases open the

screen slips inside.

52 INT. MILDRED’S PARENTS’ FARMHOUSE - CONTINUOUS 52

The house is dark and quiet, similar to the night they were

arrested.

Richard makes his way through, wary of his creaking

footsteps.

53 INT. MILDRED’S PARENTS’ FARMHOUSE/BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS 53

Mildred bolts up in bed at the sound of the bedroom door

opening.

RICHARD (O.S.)

Bean?

Mildred tries to get up but Richard is already beside her.

She wraps her arms around him tight. She’s crying.

RICHARD (CONT’D)

It’s okay. I got you.

She begins to settle and Richard pulls back to look at her.

RICHARD (CONT’D)

You okay? Did they hurt you?

MILDRED:

No. I’m just scared. They said I

couldn’t see you.

RICHARD:

I know.

Mildred wipes at her face, letting a hand cradle over the top

of her belly.

28.

MILDRED:

What are we gon’ do?

RICHARD:

I got a lawyer. They say he’s the

best in the county. He’ll get it

straightened out.

MILDRED:

I don’t know.

RICHARD:

It’s fine. We just gotta keep to

ourselves for awhile. This’ll blow

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