ACT 3, SCENE 1 EXT – THE BRICKS – APARTMENTS – AFTERNOON (NEXT DAY)
JAMAL COLE is in a hoodie, looking up and out of view at something tall.
HIS POV: A building in the Bricks.
JAMAL is cautious of who’s around him, but heads towards the building.
CUT TO: ACT 3, SCENE 2 EXT: APARTMENTS – CONT’D
JAMAL pushes the buzzer.
In the INTEROCOM is youthful laughter.
INTECOM:
Hello? Can y’all be quiet, please? (Laughter calms a bit) Who is it?
JAMAL is silent.
INTERCOM:
Hello?
JAMAL:
Mom?
Silence on the intercom. Then door buzzes open.
CUT TO: ACT 3, SCENE 3 INT: APARTMENT – HALLWAY – CONT’D
JAMAL is walking down the hallway and slows when he sees his MOTHER (MS COLE) standing at the threshold of their apartment door.
JAMAL:
Hey.
MS. COLE:
Are you done?
JAMAL:
Done what?
MS. COLE:
Are you done with this shit? Because I can’t keep having you disappear around your brothers. I’m trying to raise a house of men who takes care of their responsibilities, and I hate doing it by myself.
JAMAL:
Yeah, I know.
MS. COLE:
I’m serious, Jay. Leave whatever crap you’re involved with away from my door. Grow up. Take responsibility. Be a man.
JAMAL:
I promise I’m done.
MS. COLE stares intensely at him.
JAMAL:
I’m serious. I’m done. I’m tired.
MS. COLE:
Are you ok?
JAMAL:
I’m just glad to be home. Can I come in?
MS. COLE:
God, you look like you lost weight. Get in here.
JAMAL enters the apartment and as Ms. Cole closes the door…
KIDS:(screaming)
Jamal!
ACT 3, SCENE 4 INT: APARTMENT – HALLWAY
OMAR is dressed and knocking on an apartment door.
OMAR:
Melissa, it’s me. Open up. I know you’re here. I saw your car in the lot.
Behind his back are flowers.
OMAR:
I come bearing gifts.
He picks up his phone and calls. When his phone rings, he hears her phone ringing beyond the door.
OMAR:
You could at least pick up your phone!
OMAR glances around him and then grabs the door knob. He tries to turn it and is stunned at the difficulty it takes. He tries to turn it again with all his might and finally he breaks the lock.
OMAR:
Door’s unlocked. I’m coming in.
ACT 3, SCENE 5 INT: MELISSA’S APARTMENT
OMAR locks the top lock and enters the apartment. He places the flowers on the counter top, next to several empty wine bottles.
OMAR:
Hey, where are you?
He searches the apartment and eventually finds her in her bedroom, lying in bed facedown.
OMAR:
You’re alive, right?
MELISSA:(muffled)
How did you get in here?
OMAR:
You left the door unlocked. That’s very unsafe by the way.
She sits up in bed, bags under her eyes and tired.
MELISSA:
You and your damn lies. You might as well be named John.
OMAR:
Yeah, I don’t know what that means, but I left flowers for you by your bottle collection. You moonlighting as an alcoholic now?
MELISSA:
Leave me alone, Omar. I’m not in the mood.
OMAR:
Word of advice: don’t quit your day job. This alcoholic life ain’t for you.
MELISSA:
Don’t do that. Stop treating me like I’m yours. I’m not your damn prostitute!
OMAR:
Are you crying? The powerful Melissa Day?
OMAR sits next to her and she wraps herself around him.
OMAR:
Sister told me you might be upset.
MELISSA:
How would she know?
OMAR:
I don’t know. That’s kinda all she told me when she called. She’s cryptic and psychic like that.
MELISSA:
She shouldn’t be able to know that I’m upset. Unless Rev Mac told her. I don’t think I can trust her, Omar. You shouldn’t either.
OMAR:
Who? Sister? Everyone trusts her.
MELISSA:
I can’t trust anyone, not anymore.
OMAR:
You can trust me.
MELISSA rolls her eyes.
OMAR:
Seriously, what do you need? What happened?
MELISSA cries harder.
MELISSA:
I can’t do anything about it. It’s too late. I’ve tried so hard to forget; to do something else to take my mind off it.
OMAR:
Melissa, what is it? Tell me.
MELISSA:
I want all this blood and dirt off of me. I want to feel clean.
OMAR:
What are you talking about?
MELISSA:
But I won’t ever be clean. There’ll always be a spot of dirt on me.
OMAR holds her face in his hands.
OMAR:
You’re strong. You’re brave. You’ve accomplished great things. Whatever’s going on, it won’t break you, because that’s not who you are. And I won’t leave you, until you remember that.
He kisses her.
MELISSA:
Why do you have this ability to make me fall for you over and over again?
OMAR:
I was touched by an angel.
MELISSA:
You’re still an asshole. (beat) Don’t hurt me please.
OMAR:
Just tell me what to do.
MELISSA:
Stay with me. That’s all I want. It’s all I ever wanted. Just stay with me.
MELISSA hugs him and he hugs her back. They start kissing.
DISSOLVE INTO: ACT 3, SCENE 6: MELISSA’S BEDROOM
MELISSA and OMAR are standing and she has her legs slung over his arms. They’re both topless and he is holding her up against his chest. He kisses her across her chest, face, and lips as he lays her gently down onto the bed.
PAN OUT: In this new position, he pushes her legs over his shoulders and he starts to go down on her.
CU of MELISSA’S face as she moans and grabs his head. She smiles. She trembles. She cries. Mixed emotions.
The scene FADES to CU of her blissfully tired. OMAR emerges from below and rests besides her.
ACT 3, SCENE 7 INT: AMED AND LINDA’S HOME – BEDROOM
AMED wakes up to the phone ringing. The other side of the bed is empty.
AMED:
Linda?
The phone keeps ringing and AMED drowsily reaches for it.
AMED:
Hello? This is he. (More alert) What?
HARD CUT TO: ACT 3, SCENE 8 INT: HOME – BATHROOM
AMED washes his face in the bathroom. He looks deeply at his reflection.
CUT TO ACT 3, SCENE 9 INT: BEDROOM
AMED buttons up his uniform. He looks around, but the bed is still empty.
AMED:
Linda?
CUT TO ACT 3, SCENE 10 INT: HOME – FOYER
AMED is walking down the steps. He hears something.
AMED:
Linda?
ACT 3, SCENE 11 INT: HOME – KITCHEN
AMED enters the kitchen. LINDA is on all fours wiping down the wet floor with a dish rag and wringing it out in a bucket.
AMED:
Didn’t you hear me calling you?
LINDA:
Really? I was in the zone. Sorry. Why? What’s wrong? Why are you dressed?
AMED:
Good news. Rev Joe Mac called and asked me to do some security at a protest today. He’s willing to pay me.
LINDA is speechless.
AMED:
I got this. Don’t worry.
LINDA:
Should you be wearing your uniform? Did you clear this with your captain? I don’t…
AMED:
I got this.
LINDA:
There’s too much media exposure already, babe. Maybe…
AMED:
Why don’t you just use a mop?
LINDA:
I really wanted to get it cleaned.
AMED:
You’re a little heavy on the bleach, aren’t you?
LINDA:
Amed, promise me you won’t let them get to you.
AMED:
Don’t worry about me. I’m stronger than I look. (Beat) What are you cooking?
AMED points to the stove with a pot of boiling water.
LINDA:
I thought we were gonna spend another night in.
AMED:
I’m sorry. Leave me left overs. I won’t be gone long.
LINDA hugs and kisses Amed.
LINDA:
Make sure you come back to me.
AMED:
I will.
ACT 3, SCENE 12 INT: MELISSA’S BEDROOM
OMAR and MELISSA are under the covers together. He realizes that she had fallen asleep. He kisses her forehead. She stirs. He freezes. Then he slowly pulls himself out from under the covers.
MELISSA:(moans)
Where you going?
OMAR:
I’m getting water. You need anything?
MELISSA:
You’re too nice to me. Sister raised you right.
OMAR:
Something like that.
MELISSA falls back asleep.
OMAR slowly tip-toes out the room.
ACT 3, SCENE 13 INT: KITCHEN APARTMENT
OMAR closed the bedroom door behind him and begins searching the apartment. He searches through her bag. He presses play on the recorder.
RECORDER:
Melissa whimper’s “no.” Rev “let go and pray with me.”
OMAR stops the recording unimpressed. He pulled out her laptop from her bag and sits at her office desk.
He tries unsuccessfully to get her laptop password.
OMAR:
Reporter?
No.
OMAR:
Omar?
No.
OMAR:
Asshole?
No.
He notices a desk draw, but it’s locked.
He pulls it with all his might, again annoyed at his strength, until the draw pops open.
OMAR sucks his index finger as if he hurts himself.
He reads her files. Photos of the MAYOR and SARAH, OMAR among them. PHOTOS of the DEATH CAR. OLD NEWSCLIPPINGS of JOSHUA BIRDSONG among a lot of other paper work. OMAR scans through the papers quickly and is horrified.
CUT TO: ACT 3, SCENE 14 INT: APARTMENT
OMAR is dressed and ready to head out the door. He’s on the phone.
OMAR:
Call me when you get this. We got a problem.
HARD CUT TO: ACT 3, SCENE 15 INT: TRAP HOUSE
LOCO, RICKY, and the other boys are sitting around laughing, until…
MAYOR:
Hello boys.
LOCO:
My best customer!
LOCO laughs.
HARD CUT TO BLACK.
END OF ACT 3