Loving Page #7

RICHARD:

Bean?

Mildred attempts a smile to her parents before walking over

and taking his hand. He helps her into the car.

Richard nods to her parents as he walks around the hood. He

climbs in and the car pulls away.

Her parents remain on the steps. They can see Mildred

through the rear window. She can’t help but look back.

The car disappears down the dirt drive.

60 EXT. TREE IN FIELD/ROAD - DAY 60

An oak tree stands by a curve in a country road. Sun shines

through its canopy. It is tall and beautiful.

The Loving’s car passes by, leaving the tree’s branches

swaying gently.

34.

With the car gone, the countryside is still. Almost silent.

This silence continues...

61 EXT. RICHARD’S CAR/D.C. NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY 61

Mildred rides in the passenger seat. Her eyes are locked on

the world passing outside her window.

After a time, she cracks the window.

The SOUNDS OF THE CITY come flooding in.

Cars honking. Dogs barking. R&B trickles from distant radios.

People shout at one another across the streets. A cacophony.

Mildred seems to wither slightly.

The SOUNDS are soon joined by images. It’s a poor black

neighborhood in Washington D.C.

Life spills across the streets. Dogs eat trash from tumbled

cans. Concrete and asphalt cover everything. Kids run wild,

zagging across the pavement. Men and women hover in groups.

Mildred, without taking her eyes off the scene, reaches for

Richard. He takes a hand off the wheel and finds her grip.

62 EXT. COUSIN’S ROW HOUSE IN D.C. - DAY 62

Mildred steps out of the car as Richard is already untying

the luggage on the roof.

She studies the tall slender row house in front of her. It’s

one of many sandwiched in a line that goes on forever down

the street.

She looks up at the green leaves of a solitary young tree

planted in a hole made for it in the sidewalk.

LAURA(32) comes out of the house and greets Mildred with a

hug at the bottom of the stoop.

LAURA:

How ya’ll doin’?

MILDRED:

We’re fine. Thank you for taking

us.

LAURA:

We’ve got lots of room.

35.

MILDRED:

You remember Richard?

LAURA:

Yes.

Richard walks over and offers his hand.

RICHARD:

Thank you.

LAURA:

Glad to have you.

She takes Mildred by the hand.

LAURA (CONT’D)

Come on in I’ll show you the house.

Richard watches them go inside. He studies the street for

himself, takes a deep breath and goes back to unpacking.

63 INT. COUSIN’S ROW HOUSE IN D.C./BEDROOM - NIGHT 63

The room is dark, but light from a street lamp spills in

through the sheer curtain.

Mildred and Richard lie in bed.

The room is small but comfortable with minimal furnishings.

The window is open in an attempt to let a breeze in. A metal

fan blows from the corner.

Richard is asleep. Mildred is on her side with her back to

him. She is wide awake.

She listens to all of the new sounds outside. The din of

traffic, a distant siren, an occasional shout.

She tries to keep her eyes closed, but can’t.

64 INT. COUSIN’S ROW HOUSE IN D.C./KITCHEN - DAY 64

Mildred’s cousin, ALEX(35), sits at the kitchen table reading

a paper. Mildred, still in her night clothes, sips a glass

of juice. Laura is at the stove.

Richard walks in dressed for work. He bends down and speaks

in Mildred’s ear.

RICHARD:

I’m goin’.

36.

Mildred sets her glass down and follows Richard out of the

kitchen.

65 EXT. COUSIN’S ROW HOUSE IN D.C. - DAY 65

Richard steps out of the front door. He pauses to turn and

kiss Mildred who is just behind him.

Richard walks down the steps to the sidewalk but hesitates

there. He looks back up to Mildred. He doesn’t want to

leave her and he can see she doesn’t want to be left.

RICHARD:

I’ll be home by dinner.

Mildred nods. Richard, reluctant, breaks the look and goes

to climb in his car.

Mildred stays put until his car disappears around the corner.

66 EXT. RESIDENTIAL JOB SITE - DAY 66

This is a new job site, but some of the crew are the same as

before. They are building a house in a more residential

neighborhood.

Richard works on setting bricks in an intricate pattern that

forms the front walk.

67 INT. JUMBO FOOD STORE - DAY 67

Mildred pushes a cart down the aisle of a large grocery

store. She seems lost in thought passing the stacks of

labels that line the shelves.

She emerges from the aisle and pauses. She studies a list in

her hand against the numerous rows.

As other CUSTOMERS pass by, she just stops. Feeling every

bit of her pregnancy, she leans against the cart, overwhelmed

by her situation.

68 EXT. COUSIN’S ROW HOUSE IN D.C. - EVENING 68

The sun has just set in an AUTUMN SKY.

Richard climbs out of his car parked across the street from

their cousin’s row house. Met by a cool wind, he pops the

collar on a red and black flannel coat and crosses.

37.

He walks inside past the small tree out front showing bright

orange leaves.

69 INT. COUSIN’S ROW HOUSE IN D.C. - NIGHT 69

A TV in the front room shows a news program describing

Pioneer 1, a space probe.

Their cousin Alex reclines in a soft chair nearby.

Richard watches from one end of the couch. Mildred sits on

the other. Her belly is massive, having reached full term.

Richard looks over to Mildred. She isn’t watching the TV.

She stares off at nothing. It’s a despondent look.

Richard studies her long enough to see no change. He goes

back to the TV, concerned.

70 INT. COUSIN’S ROW HOUSE IN D.C./BEDROOM - NIGHT 70

Richard and Mildred are in bed under a heavier blanket.

Mildred is on her side again, her back to Richard.

He watches her shoulders. They rise and fall with deliberate

breaths. He moves close, putting his arm over her and

pressing his face into her hair.

RICHARD:

What can I do?

MILDRED:

Nothing.

RICHARD:

Bean.

MILDRED:

It’s just...I always thought your

mother would be the one to deliver

the baby.

This isn’t news to him, but it strikes him to hear it said

aloud. He begins to nod. He rolls onto his back again.

He stares at the ceiling, making his choice.

RICHARD:

Okay.

She turns to see him. He looks at her and nods again.

38.

RICHARD (CONT’D)

Okay.

She wraps her arms around his chest. His mind is already

working on the task.

71

EXT. COUSIN’S ROW HOUSE IN D.C. - LATE AFTERNOON 71

Richard, a blanket tucked under his arm, helps Mildred into

the backseat of his idling car. She has a dark scarf tied

over her hair.

Richard hands her the blanket before grabbing a small

suitcase off the curb. He places the bag in the trunk and

climbs behind the wheel.

They drive away from the house.

72

I/E. RICHARD’S CAR/HIGHWAY - MOVING - NIGHT 72

The highway is dark at night.

Richard scans the road. A set of headlights appear up ahead.

Richard follows them getting closer. He grips the wheel.

The headlights pass.

Richard’s eyes dart from the road to the rearview in quick

succession, but the taillights continue shrinking.

Richard takes a breath.

In the backseat,

Mildred is lying down with the blanket draped over her. She

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