Dear Lady

Written by

Arielle Kilgore
 2

EXT: BLACK TRAIN BEGINS TO SLOW TO A STOP AT TRAIN STATION

The train is coming to a slow stop at the Florence Station in

Florence, South Carolina. It is snowing and gloomy as Lady
looks out her window and sees people walking to different
entrances and exits of the train station. Lady pulls her head
from the cold fogged glass and begins to button her coat to
get ready to leave the train. She starts to hear a fruit
vendor arguing and yelling at a girl outside her window when
the train comes to a stop. She turns to face the window and
sees the vendor pulling on the girl’s arm. Lady looks
distressed and rushes to get off the train.
TITLE CARD: Florence Train Station, 1965

LADY
Excuse me. Sorry.

Lady squeezes past one of the passengers and rushes down the
aisle almost slipping at the opening right before the exit.
She grabs the handles to swing herself off the stairs.

RANDOM BYSTANDER ON TRAIN PLATFORM

Aye, watch it. Stupid dame.

Lady zooms past the person on the platform to the fruit

vendor that has his hands on the little girl who had an apple
in her hand. Lady begins to slow down and slides up to the
vendor through the snow. The vendor is about to take away the
girl to the police at the station.

LADY
You definitely have a way with children,
don’t cha?

The man begins to sneer as he looks in the direction of

Lady. He was lucky to catch her as overweight as he was. His
apron is no longer white from all the fruit spills and dirt
of the station.

FRUIT VENDOR AT TRAIN STATION

Mind your business. This knucklehead was
stealing from meh’ and she’s gonna pay the price.
LADY
 3

She ain’t stealing if she was gonna pay for it.

FRUIT VENDOR AT THE STATION

Well, she ain’t pay for it. Now stop bussin’ my
sticks lady and let me handle this.

YOUNG DANNY
You’re hurting me. Lemme’ go.

The fruit vendor begins to tighten his grip as young Danny

tries to wrestle out of the man’s grasp. The little girl was
so small it was a wonder that the vendor was holding on to
anything at all. She has brunette curly hair with hints of
red. Lady begins to see young Danny’s wrist turn red. Lady
took her purse off her shoulder and begins to rummage through
it looking for some change. She finds the change and slams it
on the wooden table on top of the stand.

LADY
Now it’s paid for.

The fruit vendor looks at the money and then looks at Lady in
disgust. He unhands the little girl and takes that change off
the table. Lady gently touches young Danny on the back and
guides her away from the vendor. The vendor snarls as they
walk away into the middle of traffic of the train station.
Young Danny steps back from Lady and begins to rub her wrist.
Lady squats unladylike in the middle of the train station to
look young Danny in the eye.

LADY
A thank you would be nice, ya’ know.
I did just save your butt.
YOUNG DANNY
You saved my wrist.
LADY
Same difference.

They both smiled at each other. The little girl begins to

look at Lady for the first time. She sees her curly brown
hair but is more freeform and long and untamed. Lady’s face
looks old, but not like in age, but as if she’s been through
a lot. Young Danny realizes she is staring and needs to go
before she gets into any more trouble.
YOUNG DANNY
I gotta go. See you around--?
What’s your name?
 4

Young Danny looks puzzled as she realizes she didn’t ask for
Lady’s name. She looks at Lady waiting for her to respond.
LADY
It’s Lady.
YOUNG DANNY
Weird name. See you later, Lady.

Young Danny turns and takes off down the train platform. She
bumps into some of the passengers along the way causing the
people she bumps to go into a frenzy. Lady gets up distraught
seeing the child leave her and not ever getting her name. A
smile begins to form on her face. She looks relieved to have
saved the little girl, and then she remembers that she has
left her baggage on the train. As she turns to start to go
get it, the train is already taking off whistling down the
track. Defeated, Lady begins to walk into the train station
to file a missing bag report. She pulls on the big grey doors
of the train station which reads Florence Train Station,
South Carolina on one of the sides of the doors. The door
closes behind her and people begin to cover the entrance as
she disappears inside.

EXT.-- FLORENCE TRAIN STATION, SOUTH CAROLINA INSIDE STATION

TITLE CARD: Florence Train Station, South Carolina, 2005

The camera shows people walking inside the train station

claiming their bags and talking to the employees at the
kiosk. It follows a random man walking towards a bench which
is now where an older Danny sits in all black. She vigorously
begins typing on her phone. The camera shows her texting the
driver that is supposed to be picking her up to go to the
funeral. The phone dings with a text that the driver is
outside and she scrambles all her stuff. The camera shows her
walking out of the train station in the rain and getting into
the car. Scenes of her car on the highway to the funeral and
then the camera shows Danny looking out the window with the
rain hitting the cab’s window. The camera unfocuses to show
that she has arrived at the funeral.

CAB DRIVER
This is your stop, hun.

Danny begins to exit the cab with all her things. Just before
she gets out of the cab, the driver turns around and clears
his throat to get her attention.

CAB DRIVER
Um, sorry for your loss. If you feeling really sad
 5

and need someone to, you know, you can call me.

The cab driver looks her up and down and begins to give her
his card. She scoffs at the cab driver and slams the door.
She makes her way to the casket plot where people are
gathered in all black and holding up umbrellas. Danny packed
her umbrella in her bags and refused to get them out. She
stands soaked from the rain listening to the Preacher finish
the passage from the funeral.

PREACHER
Ashes to ashes. Dust to Dust.As I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil.
May she rest in peace. And God has mercy on her soul.

As people finished spreading the dirt across the casket, A

man caught Danny’s eyes from across the crowd. Danny looked
away not to keep the stare going. People began to walk away
from the funeral, and it was finally time for Danny to find
the person who had sent her here and offer her shelter. The
man, who was staring at her earlier, began to approach her.
Danny tried to shrink herself unsure of who the man might be.

PETER
You must be wet.

Danny looked him up and down. She was not sure how to react,
but she tried to look engaged with the man and not scare him.

PETER
You’re Danny, right? I’m Peter, the one that sent
you the invite. Where’s your umbrella?
DANNY
I packed it away, and I didn’t feel like getting it,
so.
PETER
Well, let’s get you out of this rain, shall we?
Let me take your bags for ya’.

Peter begins to grab Danny’s bags and walk her to the car.
From a distance you see him and Danny walking to the road
where all the cars are parked. As Danny gets into the
passenger seat, Peter puts her luggage in the trunk and then
makes his way to the driver’s seat. As Peter turns the car
on, Danny tries not to shiver from being cold and wet. They
soon take off to Peter’s house,
 6

EXT.--PETER’S HOUSE-FRONT PORCH

Peter sets Danny’s luggage on the porch and fumbles to get

his keys out of his pocket. Danny looks at him weirdly and
annoyed. She is cold and shivering now uncontrollably. The
outside of the house is blue with two brown rocker chairs on
each side of the porch. In one of the rocking chairs, a cream
blanket laid diagonal to the armrest with the letter “L”
embroidered on it. Peter finally finds the right key and
smiles fondly at Danny before putting the house key in and
turning the lock. They enter through the doorway.

INT.--PETER’S HOUSE--DOWNSTAIRS
PETER
Me casa en su casa
DANNY
Mhm.

Danny tries to smile at him but she can’t help but feel
awkward in a house she’s never been in. Peter comes from the
hallway after putting his keys down.

PETER
I’ll show you to your room. I think you might like it.

Peter grabs her luggage and begins to follow Peter up the

stairs to a room in the far right corner of the upstairs
hallway. Danny begins to look along the walls where pictures
of Lady, Peter, and a little girl are hugging on Christmas
day. The pictures begin to show the ages of all of them as
they get older down the hall. Danny loses sight of Peter as
he dips around the banister.

PETER(O.C.)
You coming?

DANNY
Yeah.

Danny turns into the room. Her eyes scan the room looking at
photographs of different countries and cities. The bed is
draped in white sheets and a big white fluffy comforter with
pink pillows and a pink bunny in the center to tie it all
together. Danny sits her luggage in front of the bed and
turns to look at the rest of the room. She spots an easel
with a half-finished painting of a young woman sitting in a
garden. The camera zooms into the painting. It soon zooms out
 7

and shows Danny walking toward the painting and Peter behind
her unfocused.

DANNY
Whose room was this?
PETER
Your mom’s.
DANNY
Lady.
PETER
Yes, Lady. Your mom.

Danny turns around to face Peter and backs away from the
painting. She begins to step toward Peter with dominance and
anger.
DANNY
My mom was red bricks and had four walls that
contained over thirty children. My mom was the gray
steel metal bars and white quilt blanket that kept
me warm at night. My mom was the five different
houses that didn’t want a raggedy daughter. I buried
a stranger back there in Colombia. Lady isn’t my mom.
She’s just a stranger.

Peter looked at Danny solemnly. He wants to defend Lady. but

he knows what Danny says is true.

DANNY
You two have another daughter that could have come
and done all of this. The packing, the moving,
the reminiscing on family memories.

PETER
Well, the lawyer gave the notice to you for you to do
it.
DANNY
You gave the lawyer the notice to notice me
come down here and do it. No one told you
to interrupt my life.

Peter slammed on the bed frame catching Danny off guard.

Peter was angry now as he looked deep into Danny’s eyes
almost looking to captivate her soul.

PETER
You wouldn’t have a life to interrupt without
her. Dammit, you may not want to be here and I sure
as hell can care less if you leave or stay, but her
 8

dying request was for you To come to see who she was
and the lawyer’s request was for you to come to clean
this house before I move out!

Danny turned away from Peter to look out the window beside
her bed. It was still raining, but the rain seemed to have
gotten harder since they’d been in the house. Exhausted, she
sat down on the side of the white bed. She turned to reach
for the pink bunny and squeeze it in her hands.

PETER
(off-screen behind Danny out of focus)
sorry.
Peter rubs his face.
PETER
Let’s just get some sleep and pick this back up
in the morning.

Danny gets up with the bunny in her hand. She approaches

Peter to give Peter the bunny that was sitting on Lady’s bed.
She then returns to sit at the edge of the bed and stares out
the window.Peter turns towards the door to leave Danny alone
in her room. He turns around before he closes it to look at
her looking out the window still.
PETER
Good night.

DANNY(O.C.)
Night

Danny looks at the rain for a few more minutes before

slipping into her pajamas. She then returns to her bed to lay
down and turn off the lamp in her room.

INT.--LADY’S ROOM--UPSTAIRS

Danny awakes in Lady’s bed the next morning. She rubs her
eyes and tries to adjust to the sun that peaks through the
window. She is then startled but the clank of the attic
stairs hitting the floor. Sinking into her bed annoyed, she
gradually gets up and begins to get dressed for the day.

INT.--ATTIC OF PETER’S HOUSE

Danny emerges from the opening of the attic where the stairs
were let down. She looks to the left to see old chests
pouring out with clothes and records. She then looks to the
right to see cases of photography supplies and toys probably
 9

from their child that lived in the house. She then finally
sees Peter off to the near side of the attic wrapping old
antique dining ware in newspaper and putting them in boxes.
DANNY
(monotone)
Good morning.

PETER
(cheerful)
Good morning!

DANNY
Well, what do you want me to start with first
Or like what do I need to do?

PETER
(disgruntled)
Well, you can start with anything you
like honestly. Whatever you may want of hers
you can grab it and put it in these black crates
we got and anything else you can pack up and put
it into one of these brown boxes and I’ll deal
with the rest of it. Sounds good?

DANNY
Yeah, sounds good

Peter gets up to dust off the dirt from his hands and points
at the crates and boxes Danny can use. Danny begins to look
around to see where she wants to start. Her eyes land on a
bookcase that's being held up by some chairs. Peter catches
her looking at it and begins to smile.

PETER
That's a good choice.

Danny dismisses his comment and begins to make her way toward
the bookcase. She grabs a brown box and begins to throw
Lady’s books in the box, not even bothering to look at them.
She moves the first box to the side and picks up another. A
couple of boxes later, without realizing it, she leaves a box
in front of the bookcase which is blocking her path. Peter
stops to look at Danny.

PETER
(upset)
 10

You can’t just throw all the books away. Some of

them you might like.

DANNY
(dismissive)
It’s all trash to me. I have no use for them. Might
as well give them to someone who cares; Or you.

Danny moves the box she left from the cluster of chairs and
the bookcase comes toppling over her. One of the shelves
collapses sending a booking falling to the floor. A black old
1920s book falls next to her. Peter rushes to Danny to make
sure she is ok.

PETER
(smirking and slyly)
Are you ok?

Danny dismisses him pulling away from his grasp on her arms.
They both try to push the bookcase off her legs and examine
her body.

DANNY
(frustrated)
I’m fine. I’m fine.

Danny examines her surroundings. She begins to notice the

bookcase is cracked on the side and one of the shelves fell
with it. She then looks to the side to see the 1920s diary
next to her. She picks it up and rubs her hands over the
felt-like leather of the book. She starts to untie the string
around the diary that secures it.

PETER
(solemnly)
That’s her old diary

Danny opens the diary to its first pages and begins to read.
The diary starts with the recording of 1939. The camera
begins to move past Danny reading the journal and over a dark
space that will soon reveal Lady at her desk writing in the
same journal. The voice fades from Danny Reading the entry to
Lady reading the entry of her diary. Her mom sits at the
vanity in her room writing the doctor’s appointment she came
from that day.

CUT TO: LADY’S ROOM IN GEORGIA

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INT.-- LADY’S HOUSE--ROOM

TITLE CARD: SEPTEMBER 19TH, 1939 Savannah, Georgia

LADY (V.O.)
(relaxed)
Parkinson’s Disease. Well, that’s another way to say
the young always die beautifully. And of course there
Would Be no cure. Who needs a cure anyways, Now I can
be as wild as I want and blame it on Death. Let me
not flip my wig so much. Momma would tell me “It’s
unladylike to lose your temperature. You must be
calm, cool, and well mannered or no husband will eva’
wanna be with you.” All my momma got is a hairy fig
with a lot of money. But I know she doesn’t love him. I
don’t want my mama’s love. I wanna love that leaves
ya’ breathless. Hot like a Georgia summer in July and
sweet like the honeysuckles that grow in the bushes of
our garden. Parkinson’s won’t take that away from me.
Not if I can help it.
LADY’S MOTHER (O.C.)
(nervous)
What on God’s green Earth are you doing up here?

LADY
(sweetly)
Writin’ mama.

LADY’S MOTHER
Oh well then good. That’s what the doctor said to do.

INT.--DOCTOR’S OFFICE--ROOM

The scene switches from Lady’s mother in the doorway. As the

camera moves to the left away from her mother, Lady’s room
changes the background to the doctor’s office where Lady
waits for the doctor to come in. The cold white room with
pictures of the war and girls drinking cola bottles made Lady
laugh. How could females be so happy during a time like this?
She then turned sideways on the silver platform bed listening
to the doctor and her mother argues outside.

LADY’S MOTHER
(angrily)
 12

So you gonna sit her’ and tell me that she’s just

gonna die. You’re supposed to be able to do
something.If I wanted to hear bad news I would’ve just
waited for my husband to come home. If I wanted
worthless, I would’ve gone to the colored hospital.

DOCTOR
(reassuring)
I am sorry madam. This is a new disease. The good
news is that we caught it early.

LADY’S MOTHER
(frustrated)
Early? You call nineteen early?

The doctor and Lady’s mother continued to argue outside the

room Lady was waiting in. She understood her mother’s concern
but her heightened toned embarrassed Lady. The doctor finally
opens the door and the doctor and her mother walk in.

LADY’S MOTHER
Let’s go lady.

Lady and her mom left the office and drove to the bookstore
down the street. They then walk into the bookstore for her
mother to buy her a journal to write in. As they check out,
Lady’s mother begins to cry and they soon walk out the
door.Her mother drives off and the camera cuts to a close-up
of a lady looking out the car window. As the camera moves
from Lady in the car window to the back, it transitions back
to Lady’s mother in the middle of her doorway.

LADY’S MOTHER
Well, that’s why I bought you that journal. It is
unladylike for a woman to express her feelings so
she writes them down. That way she won't offend her
man.

Lady closes her journal and begins to fix herself up in the

mirror. In this effort, she is trying to brush off the
ignorant comment her mom just made.

LADY’S MOTHER
(smilingly)
Now let’s go greet your father and have dinner now,
shall we?

Lady’s mother brushes Lady’s hair and smoothes her shoulders.

 13

LADY
(wearily)
Yes ma’am.

Lady’s mother kisses her on the forehead and retreats down

the steps. While walking down the steps she stops halfway and
her face lands between the white bar rails they have. Her
mother looks at Lady who is still fixing her hair with a
smile on her face.

LADY’S MOTHER
(happily)
I made a beautiful daughter, but vanity is a sin
as well and doesn’t stop for God's good people,
sugar.

LADY
Yes, mama.

Lady’s mother continues to retreat down the steps. Lady’s

smile fades and she rests her arms on the desk she is sitting
at. Lady sighs and soon leaves the mirror to retreat down the
steps to meet her father for dinner.

INT.-- DINING ROOM AREA IN LADY’S HOUSE

Lady opens the double swinging doors to the dining area.

There a white marble table sits in the middle with three
vases of flowers stretching across it. African American
servants are running in and out of the kitchen preparing the
table and placing hour devours. Lady sits in one of the
glossed, brown wooden seats two chairs away from her father.
Her father sits at the head of the dining table next to the
parlor and her mom sits in the chair to the right of him.

SERVANT
(sweetly)
Hey, Lady. How wa’ my butterfly tuh’day? Went Soarin’?

LADY
(smiling but irritated)
I only went to the doctor today, Lucky. Ain’t
nothing special ‘bout that silly maid.Lucky bends
over behind Lady and whispers into her ear.
 14

LUCKY (SERVANT)
Well da day ain’t ova. The wind still blowin’ which
means you still got a lot time for discoverin’.
Discovein’ like how to get out of ya mother’s panicky
and tight grasp.

Lady stifles a chuckle underneath her breath as Lucky pats

her shoulder and then wipes her hands. Lucky walks away to go
into the kitchen. Lady watches Lucky go into the kitchen and
then her eyes wander to her mother who is scolding her with
her eyes.

VO LADY: Lucky was one of the best servants we ever had. She
always knew how to make me laugh and put me in good spirits.
She calls me butterfly because I’ve always been a free spirit
and wherever the wind takes me I know I’ll be in good hands.
Especially, if it takes me away from Mama.

Lady holds her mother’s gaze for a second and soon looks down
at the dinner table and smooths her skirt. The camera cuts
into a wide shot of the servants bringing out the first dish.
The camera then cuts to middle shots of the servants placing
the food for each member of the family. The family quietly
whispers thank you to each server as they stand all over the
room as they finish waiting to serve the next course.

LADY
How was your day, daddy?

LADY’S FATHER
It was good honey.

LADY
The doctor seems quite hopeful of me being able to
control my condition. I Should be able to live a normal
life. Maybe even kids.

Lady’s father plays with his food. He looks at it helplessly

and tries to fix his face. Lady looks up from her plate to
look at her father. Her father catches her gaze and they hold
there for what feels to be an eternity.

LADY
Daddy, please.
 15

Lady looks into her father’s eyes pleadingly. Lady’s father

still has the same blank expression on his face, still
doubtful and helpless.

LADY
(pleading)
This isn’t easy for me either, but I don’t need
anyone pitying me. I still have a life right now to
live. Things won’t get harder till later.

Lady’s father stops staring and shakes his head. The word
later triggered an emotion he was trying to hold back, anger.
He places his silverware on the left of his place.

LADY’S FATHER
(grunts irritated)
Later? Lady later is not a reassuring word.
What am I supposed to do with later?

LADY
(sweetly)
We can look on the bright side.

LADY’S FATHER
(angrily)
Who did you see? A black doctor? Them negros
don’t know nothing about later. they die earlier
than us. They’re more disease-ridden than us.
I thought you saw Dr. Deplov? Deploy has all the ins
and outs of things concerning this matter.

Lady’s mother chuckles under her breath while staring at her

food.

LADY’S MOTHER
(giggling)
That’s what I said.

Lady’s mother mumbles under her breath as she plays with her
food. Lady’s father turns to look at her disapproving of her
words.

LADY’S FATHER
(disturbed)
Deborah, not tonight. I rather it be you than her.
 16

Lady’s mother turns sharply to her father. She holds his gaze
and then returns to eating her food no longer excited that
her husband is home. She east solemnly as Lady tries to
console her father.

LADY
(sternly)
But it’s me, daddy. I have Parkinson’s. And
while you worry about my life, I’mma go live it.
No need to worry to death about it.

Lady’s father looked at her shocked. He opened his mouth to

object and then closed it. He wipes his mouth with the napkin
that was placed on his lap. He resumes eating.

LADY’S FATHER
(calmly)
Well then. Since it seems your life is being rushed
anyway we might as well pick up the pace a little for
you as well. We will start planning your coming-out
party. Get ready to get a husband, sweetheart.

Lady looks at her father in shock. Her open mouth expression

turns into a disgusted look on her face. Lady turns back to
her plate. The camera zooms out into a wide shot of the
family eating dinner silently.

EXT.-- END OF LADY’S JOURNAL ENTRY

INT.-- ATTIC ENTRYWAY--LEFT SIDE OF THE FALLEN BOOKSHELF

Danny finishes the entry from her mother about dinner. She is
startled as Peter taps her on the shoulder.

DANNY
(surprised)
Don’t sneak up on me like that.

PETER
You seem pretty into it.

Peter smiles at Danny. Danny tries not to crack the side of

her mouth. She tries to look at him warmly.

PETER
 17

You’re just like your mother. Hard to trust

anyone, but you’re soft.

PETER (CONT’D)
Where did you leave off at?

CUT TO: DANNY POINTING TO THE NEXT

ENTRY

DANNY
I’m guessing this is where she will tell me
about the bachelorette party

(AIR QUOTES ON BACHELORETTE)

Something like that. Her father was saying it in
the last journal entry I just read.

Peter looks disturbed. He begins to walk away to the window

as the sun peaks through from setting over the horizon. He
looks out the window. Danny follows his gaze and becomes more
curious about what Peter is about to say. She moves from the
spot she was sitting and starts to walk up behind Peter, but
she stops short.

PETER
That wasn’t a great night for your mother.

Peter sighs and continues to look out the window. He tries to

stifle a tear from coming out.

PETER (CONT’D)
Your grandfather brought many bachelors. All kinds of
backgrounds and money. Lots of money. And of course,
your mother was so pretty and young. But just so
beautiful. One of the bachelors felt the same way I
did just without the respect part.

Danny looked at Peter confused. She leaned in closer to him.

She holds her breath.

PETER (CONT’D)
She was raped. The abortion she had forced her body
to collapse and symptoms worsened with the disease.

Danny clasped her hand over her mouth. She released it and
looked at Peter. Peter, not being able to face her, Danny
 18

turns around and walks down the attic steps to her mother’s
room.

INT.--LADY’S ROOM--UPSTAIRS
CUT TO: DANNY SLAMMING THE DOOR

Danny leans against her mother’s bedroom door. She looks at

the bed. However, not managing to move a step she sinks to
the floor clutching her mother’s diary.

DANNY
There has to be something good about this
woman's life.

Danny opens her mother’s journal to another entry. She finds

one in the year 1943

INT.-- LADY’S ART STUDIO

TITLE CARD: JUNE 29, 1943 Savannah, Georgia

MR. WALCH
Honey, please. Whatcha’ think. Now, I know
it’s dusty, but I believe it will bring you
happiness.

Lady looks around the art studio. She doesn’t like it, but
she turns to her husband with a big smile and sighs.

LADY
Thank you, dear. I think it will do nicely. For
now.

Mr. Walch goes up to Lady and kisses her on the lips. He

embraces her with a hug and pulls back still holding on to
her forearms.

MR. WALCH
Listen, I know I’m not much to you, even
though we’re married.

Lady looks solemnly down to the art studio floor. She knows
he is right, but she looks back up for him to continue.
MR. WALCH (CONT’D)
 19

However, I’m still trying to make you happy,

I’m never gonna stop trying, Lady.

Lady embraces her husband and moves her lips to his ear.

LADY
Thank you, husband.

Lady pulls back to see Mr. Walch with a satisfied smile on

his face. They both exit the building hand in hand to the
car.

INT.-- LADY’S ART STUDIO-- 2 WEEKS LATER

Lady struts to the front of the room with a paintbrush in her

hand.
CUT TO: MS LADY WALKING THROUGH HER STUDENT
WITH A PAINTBRUSH

LADY
Alright class, let’s get started.

CUT TO: LADY LOOKING OVER HER STUDENTS WHO SIT

BEHIND THEIR EASELS

LADY
In today’s painting, we are going to draw freedom,
Something that reminds you of liberty or peace.
Maybe a person who gives you courage or exemption.

A man comes bursting through the door with his art supplies.
He interrupts the whole class. Lady giggles at him as he
tried to keep his things from falling out of his hands.

MAN
Sorry, I’m late. Where am I…?
Lady interjects

LADY
You are interrupting my lesson.
The class laughs and smirks at the man.

LADY (CONT’D)
Your name sir?
 20

MAN
Timothy. My name is Timothy.

Timothy continues to fumble around

LADY
Well, Timothy. You can have a seat now
And think about freedom for your drawing.
Class you may begin.

Lady walks around the studio looking at her students'

drawings. She stops in front of Timothy and examines his
freedom portrait.
LADY
Why a woman?

TIMOTHY
Why not a woman.

LADY
With a paintbrush?

TIMOTHY
Is the woman not free who is holding the brush?

Lady squints at his picture and really looks at it. She

considers his words.

LADY
Maybe she has the paintbrush to life, but she is
not the artist of it.

CUT TO: PAINTING THAT TIMOTHY DREW IN LADY’S ROOM

INT.-- LADY’S BEDROOM-- NEXT MORNING

Danny sits on her mother’s bed once it is made up. She stares
at the painting on the wall. She zooms downstairs to get more
answers about her mother’s journal.

CUT TO: PETER COOKING

INT.--PETER’S KITCHEN

Danny pulls out a kitchen chair alerting Peter that she is in

the room. She sits down and drops the journal on the table.

DANNY
 21

My mom had three lovers. An interesting life.

PETER
Ah. You’re learning about Timothy.

DANNY
Do you think you can tell me more, please?

Peter scrapes at the pan he is making eggs in. Danny notices

that he is uneasy with the subject, but he continues and
gathers his wits.

PETER
He was your father. After he first came into your mom’s
studio, he became intrigued with her and her with him.
That was her freedom, her cure.

Danny sits up straight and puts one elbow on the table. Her
other hand glides across the top of her mother’s journal.

PETER (CONT’D)
He went to your mother’s 4th of July party that year. Her
husband, Mr. Walch didn't like their relationship.

DANNY
So, where do I come in?

PETER
Well in 1955. Technically, 1956. They met after being
banned. But Mr. Walch had you taken away right
after you were named.

Peter places a plate in front of Danny and then proceeds to give

her the breakfast he just cooked

CUT TO: TWO WEEKS LATER

INT.--PETER’S ATTIC
DANNY (O.C.)
Why is there no more writing after my birth?

PETER turns around to see Danny coming up the attic steps with
her mother’s journal in hand. She stops right in front of him.

PETER
She ran away and began to travel. That’s how we met and
 22

then our daughter came. She was so hurt, but so talented.

She vowed to never be tied down again

Peter wiped his hands with his towel and sat down on one of the
boxes. He looked up at Danny who was standing over him.

PETER (CONT’D)
I loved your mother more than anything. I wish
I could’ve married her. Made her feel safe. But she was
so stubborn and just damaged. My biggest regret was
letting her feel that way for the rest of her life. But--

DANNY
I think it's time I meet my sister.

Peter looks up shocked.

DANNY
For further research. I just--

A man pounds at the front door downstairs. Danny rushes to the

attic window and looks out to see a scruffy man.

DANNY (CONT’D)
I gotta go. I’m so sorry, but I have to deal with this.

Danny rushes out of the attic before Peter can touch her arm as
he reaches out to stop her.

PETER (YELL)
2198 Loftcroft St.

Danny stops halfway down the attic steps. She smiles and bolts
toward the front door.

Danny opens the front door to a drunken, mad man.

DRUNKEN MADMAN
I’ve been looking for you baby.

DANNY
(scared)
I’m not your baby. How did you find me?

DRUNKEN MADMAN
I followed my money. You are coming back with me. We have an art
show to do and your time is up here.
 23

DANNY
I’m not going anywhere with you ever.

The man tops off his drink and throws the bottle against the
floor of the porch. The bottle shatters and Danny jumps. He wipes
his mouth and looks back at Danny.
DRUNKEN MADMAN
Suit yourself.

The man slaps Danny and pushes her to the side. He forces his way
in stumbling towards the steps. Danny gets up but the man grabs
her from behind and bangs her head against the railing of the
stairs. Danny gathers all her strength and tries to run to the
kitchen only to be tripped and fall by the table next to the
living room. The man grabs Danny by the neck and proceeds to
choke her. Danny struggles against his grasp.

DRUNKEN MADMAN
I loved you and helped you.

Danny continues to struggle. She pushes against his hands and his
face. The man fights her back.

DRUNKEN MADMAN
I made you!

Danny looks around to see a cup of pens on the table. She grabs
one and clicks it into the neck of the madman. He lets her go and
he grasps the pen in his neck. Peter comes zooming down the
stairs. Peter and Danny both stare at each other.

PETER
Go.

Danny rushes out of the house to her car. Barely being able to
breathe she puts in the address and makes her way over to her
sister's house.

EXT.--OLIVIA’S HOUSE--FRONT PORCH

Danny parks in the driveway and slowly walks onto the porch of
her sister’s house. She knocks on the door wearily. Her sister
opens the door.

OLIVIA
(cautiously)
Can I help you?
 24

DANNY
(breathing heavily)
Danny--Lady--Daughter--Sister

OLIVIA
You know my mother?
Danny tries to speak more, but she passes out on the porch. Her
sister falls with her and is forced to take her to the hospital.

CUT TO: HOSPITAL BED

INT.--CANDLER HOSPITAL--WARD ROOM

Danny flutters her eyes and awakens to her sister standing over
her.

OLIVIA
Hey sister. Parkinson’s, huh? Whatcha’ gonna’ do?

Olivia laughs which makes Danny chuckle a little, but she

squeezes her side in pain. Olivia grabs Danny’s side as well and
sits down in the chair next to her.

OLIVIA
There was once a little girl who stole some
fruit from a vendor at the train station.

Danny looked over to Olivia still holding her side. She gasped
for little breaths of air and wheezed in pain.

OLIVIA
A lady saved her by paying for it. But the
The little girl only asked her the woman’s name and
the woman never got the little girl.

Danny and Olivia both begin to cry. Danny takes her hand off of
her side and reaches for Olivia. Olivia grabs Danny’s hand.

OLIVIA
I’m glad mom got to see you.