"You got the rings?" "Rings?" "What rings?" "Now that is the whitest woman I've ever seen." "My brothers and sisters, we are gathered here together in the presence of God, to join this man and this woman, in holy matrimony." "Sarah Kate, there're probably a million reasons why were shouldn't be married." "Some of them are seated here right today." "When Brenda died I thought my happiness had ended... mine and Clover's." "But I was wrong." "I, Gaten Hill, take you, Sara Kate Johnson, to be my lawfully wedded wife, and I pledge before God and all creation, to be a loyal and faithful husband, and a good friend, 'til death do us part." "Sarah Kate?" "I, Sarah Kate Johnson..." "Excuse me." "Hey, Stranger." " I'm lookin' for my little girl." " Well, she's not here." "Well, I don't know how you know that until I describe her to you." " Is she pretty?" " Pretty?" "Well, now, she's usually so dirty you can't tell, but..." "I wouldn't say, "pretty", my girl is beautiful." " What was she wearing?" " Wearing?" "Well, she usually wears these torn jeans that I forbid her to wear." "But today she's wearing a very pretty dress." "It's me, Gaten, you found me." "Oh!" "It's you!" "I found my little girl!" " Gaten?" " Huh?" "Now that you're married, you still need me to take care of you?" "Honey, a man like me needs lots of taking care of." "♫ I'm looking over a four leaf clover that I overlooked before. ♫" " I hate this song, Gaten." " I love this song." "♫ One leaf is sunshine, the second is rain. ♫" "♫ Third is the roses that grow in the lane. ♫" "♫ There's no need explaining the one remaining, ♫" "♫ is a pretty girl that I adore. ♫" "She's pretty, and her name is Clover." "♫ I'm looking over a four leaf clover that I overlooked before. ♫" "♫ I'm looking over a four leaf clover that I overlooked before. ♫" "Here!" "Here!" "Over here!" "They hate me!" "Your family hates me!" "No they don't... no." "Do they know we were on the same side in the Civil War, that I'm from the North?" " Do they know that?" " Well, Aunt Katie likes you." "Oh, she's so lovely..." "she's okay." "She's also so blind she probably doesn't even know you're white." " Aw, I'll never fit in." " Oh, sure you will." "Ya know, if some of your own folks had been there it might've been a little easier." "No, my family never made anything easier for anybody." "My ears are burning, I'm sure your family's talking about me right now." "Well, the men are... the men are talking about farmers are always talking about... the weather" "The women?" "Well..." "Well, she did something to him to make him lose his mind over her." "There is no other explanation for this." "I can understand maybe a one night stand, but something like that..." "One night stand?" "Everleen, maybe in your family, but never in ours." "Oh, no, you might want to talk to Gideon about that." "Well, Merlee, it is all your fault anyway." " What?" " You had a chance to marry Gaten." "Oh, I know that, Everleen, I just didn't want to be raising somebody else's child." "Child's right there, have some respect." "Clover knows I love her, don't you, Baby?" "Well, we didn't need you anyway." "Me and Gaten were doing just fine by ourselves." "Don't need Gaten's new wife either." "We're married now, not a darn thing anybody can do about it." "Are you sure?" "I mean, are you sure we're married?" "You're married if you don't say your vows right?" " Now, that was a little odd." " Gaten, I memorized them." "I knew them backwards and forwards." "And then, I just..." "I just looked at your perfect, perfect daughter, and..." " OUR daughter." " Our daughter." "Yeah, and I was trying to figure out what she was thinking." "Well, that might take some time." "And I didn't want to say or do anything that would upset her." "And I..." "I couldn't speak." "Nobody's sayin' what the real problem is." "In case you haven't noticed, Gaten married a white girl." "Gideon, are you saying that I am a racist?" "Certainly not, Ma'am, it's a well know fact it's impossible for a black person to be a racist." "Well, if we are, we had some very good teachers." "White people, how do they manage to get everything?" "I mean, in one day that girl snatched up the most eligible bachelor in this town." "Not to mention a good, prime piece of land." "Tie me up." "I knew it would come to this." " No." " So sin, I didn't think." "What?" "What?" " Yes?" " Okay." "Say your vows now." " You kidding?" " No, not at all." "Ya know, as much as I love Clover, I want you two to love each other." "We will, I promise we will, I promise I'll be a good mother to that child." "But even so, marriage, well, that's something that happened between two people." "You don't need a preacher, you don't need a congregation" "Just you, and me, forever." " Say your vows." " Okay." "Gaten Hill, I loved you from the moment I saw you, a thousand years ago in college, when I lost you the first time." "I thought I was gonna die, but..." "I'm glad that I didn't, because..." "I love you Gaten Hill." "You ARE the love of my life." "for better or for worse, in sickness and in health," "in good times and bad, until Death do us part." " A month?" " I love you so much." " I love you so much." " Okay." "Okay, seat belts on!" "Let's go!" "I think that woman has a name." "And she didn't come to this marriage empty handed, she left a good job to come here." " Doin' what?" " Paintin' pictures, if you call that work." "And now that she's married to Gaten, I expect YOU to treat her like family." "God!" "Don't treat her like family, she won't last a week." "Well, I am not going to burn myself to a crisp in that peach orchard while that woman..." "You mean Sara Kate?" " While that woman..." " Sara Kate." " While that woman..." " SARA KATE." "While that woman plays tennis, or golf, or whatever white women do." "No, Everleen Boyd does not take anything off of anybody no matter what color they are." "If Everleen gets bored again, she's gonna leave ya." "No, I'm not that lucky." "Oh, Jim Ed!" "Uncle Jim." "Well, it's been a long time since I've been to a party that brought out the Troopers," " come on in, Max." " Jim Ed, could I speak with you for a minute?" "Privately?" "There's been an accident." "It seems that Gaten and Sara Kate..." " How serious?" " Maybe we should just get down to the hospital." "Oh, God, forgive me for whatever I said." "I'll drive, somebody take care of Clover." " I'm coming." " Honey, maybe you should just..." "Gaten needs me." " Whaddya got?" " We got a decreased lung fluids." "Barbara, you got his pressure yet?" "Got a line in." "Check his pulse off!" " What's his pressure, Barbara?" " 80 over 20." "Soup it up!" "Get me another one!" "Let's go!" "Let's go!" "Mr. Hill." "How serious is it, Doctor?" "Gaten's car was struck on the driver's side." "It looks bad." "Gaten needs me." "We're gonna fly him to Atlanta, they have excellent facilities there." "I wanna see the man that did this." "Gaten." "Sara Kate" "Clover." "Clover." "How's Gaten?" "Nothing's ever too wrong with him." "Let's go guys!" "We're bagging him!" "Gaten!" "Gaten!" "Clover!" "Clover!" "Clover." "Clover!" "Wait for me!" " Clover, come back here." " Gaten!" "Gaten!" "Gaten!" "Gaten!" "Gaten!" "Gaten, don't leave me!" "I'm so scared." "I know it was my fault." "Maybe I will have the magic prayer for getting the words, "I'm sorry."" "I'm so sorry." "I'm so sorry." "Don't cry." "Don't..." "Don't cry." "I'll check through Gaten's papers as soon as seems appropriate." "Did he make provision for his part of The Orchard?" "Gaten assumed the land was mine and Gideon's." "He never had much feelin' for workin' The Orchard." "He had feeling' for it... he hated it." "He loved The Orchard, he just hated working' in it." "Gaten loved school and books and sports... ya know." "He was allergic to bees." "He swelled-up like a football lunch when he was a kid," "So, Grandma wouldn't let him work The Orchard for the rest of the summer." "After that, his biggest problem was gettin' a bee to sting him early enough every summer so he could spend his time with his books." " Well, here's to Gaten." " Gaten." "I'm ready." "We're gonna wear the white dress today, Honey." "But you're supposed to wear black." "You want to celebrate your father's life, you father's gone to God." "At the service, when the Reverend asks you to pay your last respects," "I want you to stand and pull the satin cover over your father's face." "I don't want to." "Now, this is a hard day for all of us." "Now, you can do this, I want you to make Gaten proud." "Now, put your dress on." "It's not right." "Aunt Katie, aren't you coming?" "What if a highway stranger should come by, who would feed him?" "Who cares about a stranger?" "Just lock the door." "Oh, you don't want to talk like that, Child." "What if the stranger's The Departed, comin' to say his last goodbyes?" "You wouldn't want to lock Him out, would ya?" "This is a sad day for us, a sad day for The Departed, as well." "But we only have to say goodbye to one person." "He has to say his goodbyes to everyone and everything." "And that might take some time." "Why isn't Aunt Katie coming?" "Just an old custom." "Dearly beloved family and friends, we are gathered here today to not only mourn the passing of our brother Gaten Hill, but also to celebrate his life." "Blesséd are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." "Holy God, Lord of Life and Death, you made us in your image and hold us in your care." "Let us pray." "Is that you, Gaten?" "Gaten." "If it is you, you can help yourself to the food," "I'm not gonna spoil ya rotten like Everleen and all the other have." "Besides, I'm at you." "You left us a problem not of our making." "A child..." "in my opinion two children." "I expect you to postpone hell until you help us through this hell you've raised and left us with." "It's time to say goodbye to your father, Child." " Go on up, Clover, you need to pull-up the mask." " Come along, Clover." " Do I have to?" " Yes." "No." "No, you don't." "Clover is used to being here with us." "And I have been a very good mother to Clover since Florinda passed on." "And to tell the truth, Reverend, I couldn't bear to lose Clover so soon after losing Gaten." "I know, I know, it's for the good of the child." "Thanks for comin' by and talkin' with us, Reverend." "We appreciate it." "You drive carefully, now." "Why are you unpacking?" "This is my home." "No it's not." "It became my home when I married Gaten." "And... you became my child." "You're nobody to me now that Gaten's dead." "Really?" "Nobody?" "And I don't need a mother, I've got too many mothers." "Who do you wanna go with?" "Nobody." "Well, here I am." "Why are you staying here?" "I'll answer you that question if you answer me a question." "Why did you make yourself bleed at the funeral?" "It's okay, Clover, sometimes I do things I can't explain, either." "Who do you wanna go with?" "Gaten." "Sara Kate." "Gaten?" "Gaten!" "Gaten..." "One thing you should know..." "I promised Clover's father that I would take care of our daughter." "You takin' her back to Boston?" "No, I think it's best that she stays here, don't you?" "The child barely knows you." "Let's go Evie." "It's what Gaten wanted." "Damn you, Gaten." "It seems wrong for there to be so much sun." "Isn't it?" "I dreamt about Gaten." "Was it a bad dream?" "Not until I woke up." "What about breakfast?" "I usually just have coffee." "I didn't mean for you." "Oh, of course." "I'm not used to..." "You go get dressed... and I'll get your breakfast." "I always have grits." "Grits... okay... grits." "Honey, I don't know how to cook grits." "You don't know how to make grits?" "Never heard of them." "If you can't even make a bowl of grits, how are you supposed to take care of me?" "Sorry to be a disappointment." "Well, it's not as bad as when you came the first time." "I thought you were gonna be a 10-speed bicycle." "I beg your pardon." "Gaten said he was bringing me a surprise." "I thought it was gonna be a 10-speed bicycle." "Turned out to be you." "Listen..." "Clover... if I disappoint you again," "I want you to tell me about it, and I'll do something right away, okay?" "I..." "I don't think you can, Ma'am." "What is it, Clover?" "You can tell me and then we can work it out together." "Well... it's just... um..." "I was thinkin'... if you hadn't o' come here, Gaten never would have died." " You told me to tell you." " I know, no, I'm glad you did." "You don't look glad." " Are you gonna cry?" " Um... yes." "Don't cry!" "You're supposed to take care of me!" "I'm not gonna take care of you!" " It's not fair!" " Exactly right." "Um..." "let's..." "Let's go out for breakfast, we'll get some grits, whatever they are." "And... uh..." "We'll buy a bike, okay?" "Let's go!" "C'mon!" "C'mon!" "I'll get it." "Hello, this is Gaten Hill," " if I'm not in the office, I'm" " Gaten?" "probably out chasing Clover." "If you leave a message, I'll get back to you as soon as I can." "Clover, I thought we agreed, you were supposed to start back at the peach shed this morning." "Now, rise and shine and get down here to work." "Clover, who was it?" " Wrong number!" " Wrong number?" "Sounded like, "God is mean to me."" "Gaten!" "Gaten?" "Where you been, Missy, you were supposed to be here early this morning to help me out." "Was she?" "I didn't realize." " I called." " But, we only got one call and that was a..." " It won't happen again." " Well, it better not, because I need the help." "Take those empty baskets in the back for me." "Maybe I could come by to help out sometime." "This isn't your kind of work." "May I take a peach?" "You askin' me for peaches?" "Part of this orchard belonged to Gaten Hill..." "You did marry him, in case you've forgotten." "Everleen, have I done something to offend you?" "I'll be honest with you..." "I've lived most of my life knowing the right thing to do by watchin' what white people do, and then doin' the exact opposite." "And I haven't been wrong all that often." "Have you done anything to offend me?" "If I'm not mistaken, that's a brand new bicycle stuck in the back of your truck." "Now, what that child needs now is an abundance of love, and the security that comes with hard, honest work, not some white woman's expensive toys." "I'll see you back at the house, Clover." "We'll eat at 5:30." "Looks like she bought-out the store." "She did spend a lot of money, but she didn't buy any of the things I eat." "Well, don't ya worry, Baby, you're not gonna go hungry as long as I'm around." "Bet she hasn't had a piece of meat in years." "It would've all been much, much easier if you had brought home that bicycle instead of me." "But the only thing Clover and I have in common is that we both wish that I had died in that crash instead of you." "It's not gonna work, Gaten." "It's not gonna work." "Wow!" "This reads like a recipe for a triple bypass." "Hel..." "Clover?" "Oh, hi, Mom, how are you?" "You wouldn't know what a fat back is, would you?" "Neither do any of my friends." "I'm thinking of staying where I am staying, Mother." "There's a child, Mother." "Her name is Clover." "Yeah, yeah, we're getting on together really well." "I know you warned me, Mother." "Well, some people do marry for love, Mother." "Well, maybe it wasn't a fake, my biscuits are burning, Mom, I gotta go." "No, I don't need any money." "Yeah, goodbye." "Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry, don't cry, don't cry," "Now, that was batter." "I made it special for Clover." "It's a shame Sara Kate didn't come over." "Well, you know how white women are." "No I don't, how are they?" "Standoff-ish." "Well, I guess maybe you could say they call it, "reserved" and cheerful." "She came by the peach shed this morning all smiles." ""Maybe I can come by and help out sometime."" "Well, that's her, but I don't think it sounds standoff-ish." "What did she say when you invited her to dinner?" "Would you like some desert now?" "You asked her, didn't you?" "You left her in the house by herself, and that woman's in mourning?" "Well, it won't go on long, mourning for them is short." "Funny, they just don't love as hard as we do." "Jim Ed, where are you goin'?" "To call Sara Kate to apologize for your behavior." "Don't you dare!" "If you embarrass me in front of that woman, you'll never see me again." "I think I'll go home now." "Sit down, eat your desert." "She's family now." "Family." "Are you gonna call her, or am I?" "Well, what can I say except, "I'm sorry"?" "But I've already said that twice." "Well, it won't happen again." "At least not without a phone call." "Oh, uh, Sara Kate, Clover's gonna be staying here tonight... that is if it's okay with you." "No, no, that's all right, she has plenty of clothes here." "All right, good night." "It's a heavy load you're carrying around, Everleen." "You oughta put it down before you go to church next time." "Now, remember, we never repeat the things we talk about here." "It's family talk." "Sure, stay down there, see what I care." "Hell, Clover's a better thing than I did." "What was Gaten thinking?" "It's not your kind of work." "You've nothing decent since Gaten died." "Why are you staying when we're not?" "Gaten left and no one blamed him." "Well, I can disappear, too, Gaten." "I can disappear, too." "Ya gotta be strong, Sara Kate." "I'm not strong." "You know that." "You always confuse "strong" and "tough"." "They're different." " Pick a beach." " I hate beaches." "I never want to see another beach as long as I live." "Silly girl, you've never really seen a beach in your whole life." "Yes I have." "Everything's so nice..." "nice and clear." "Everything's a little fuzzy." "You have..." "you have to see how they grow." "All the force that's in the Earth pushes its way up," "and reaches up to the roof of the tree." "A leaf with all that power makes... a flower." "And the flower becomes a bud, and that bud... a peach." "A peach." "I'm starting to like peaches." "That peach is so..." "so soft, that anything can bruise it." "But it's so strong that nothing..." "nothing can stop it from growing." "By the thousands, year after year after year." "And you... you haven't even gone out to take a look." "Okay... let's go." "Don't go... stay with me." "Damn you, Gaten." "Hello." " Sorry to wake you, Sara Kate." " Jim Ed." "Is Clover with you?" "Why don't you ask Everleen about that, Jim Ed." "Clover's not here, Sara Kate." "It looks like she packed her bag and ran away." "What?" "She left a note sayin' she was going to look for Gaten." "Do you know what that means?" "Sara Kate?" " Sara Kate!" " Call the police, Jim Ed... now." "Y'all come on in, I'm gonna make some coffee." "Yeah, we'll re-group and then we'll start in again in an hours" "I wanna thank y'all for helpin' us out." "Jim Ed!" "Jim Ed!" "She must've come back while we were out looking for her." "Oh..." "Tell me this isn't the sweetest sight in the world." "Sweet?" "I'm givin' this child the spanking of her life when she wakes up." "Then I just won't wake up then." "Well, Jim Ed, it looks like you won't be needin' us anymore." "I wanna thank you fellas, I really appreciate it." "What do you mean scarin' us out of our wits?" "I was with Gaten." "He walked me home and he sang that song he always sings." "I saw him, too, last night." "Plain as day." "It was a dream, Honey" "I saw him." "None of you believe me." "Baby, now, listen, Gaten has gone on to heaven." "I'm going to bed." " Thanks for all your help." " Well, I know what it's like." "I'm raisin' a daughter since my wife passed on." "So, if you ever need any help, don't hesitate to call." "That's very nice, Mister...?" "Chase." "Chase Porter, I was a friend to Gaten." "Well, I better get goin'." "What can I say about the most obvious thing?" "And I would say the same thing to a black parent raising a white child..." "It never works." "Look, it's not going to be easy for her to come back to school." "In some ways, this building was more home to Gaten and Clover than home was." "He made this school, his memory is everywhere." "Any suggestions?" "A great deal of love, and a very firm hand." "One thing you can tell Clover: she'll be in the gifted and talented class this year." "I'm sure she'll be very pleased." "I can't be in the gifted and talented class." "Why not?" "You've been with me all summer, have you seen one sign that I'm even gifted or talented?" "Uh... well... it will all seem better when you get some new clothes for school." "I don't want new clothes!" "I..." "I don't want new anything!" "I just want things to be the way they were!" "What is this?" "Pot salad." "It's a balanced, nutritional meal..." "proteins, carbohydrates..." "I don't want a science project!" " I just want some lunch!" " What's going on?" " I've never seen you like this." " I'm gonna eat at the peach shed." "Sit down and eat your lunch!" "Take your practice salad and shove it!" "Damn it!" "Clover!" "Get back here!" " That any way to talk to Sara Kate?" " Shut up!" " How dare you talk to me that way." " I wasn't talking to you." "Clover, you're going to get back in there and you're going to eat your..." "Everleen needs me, and you don't want to cross Everleen." "She'll throw the bones at you and then you'll be sorry, you'll see!" "Throw the bones?" "Clover, you are not going out in those clothes." "Clover, you're gonna get back in there and you're gonna eat your lunch, then Clover..." "Clover you're going to clean your room." "Clover!" "Clover!" "Stay out of my road!" "Clover!" "So much for the firm idea." "Psychiatrists!" "Good heavens!" "I see those talk shows." " Terrible people." " She has to talk to someone." "You!" "She needs to talk with you!" "You're her mother now." "She started, but I think I frightened her." "Of course she's frightened, poor child's livin' with a white woman, that's enough to frighten anybody." "Are white women really so terrible?" "White women?" "Terrible people!" "Cold, distant, work your fingers to the bone for the last few dollars they begrudge you." "I see your point..." "my mother is a white woman." "Clover says she SEES Gaten." "Really?" "How is he doin'?" " This doesn't bother you?" " Be bother me more if she didn't." "Somebody has to look after the dead..." "ease 'em through "The Passage"." "It should be in a dump, but the Hills are not a grieving family." "They turn their sorrow into work and the Lord blesses them for their labor." "But it leaves the child alone to grieve." "I almost think I saw him the other night." "You did?" "How'd ya feel?" "Thrilled." "For a second, then it was like..." "losing him all over again." "How do you think the child feels?" "The child is grieving'." "Hard work, there's nobody willing' to do it." " She needs company." " Even from a white woman?" "Has nothing' to do with race." "Thank God for that." "Oh, this is harder that race, this is family." "There is nothin' harder than family." "You are a wise, old woman." "Age has nothin' to do with it." "I was smart when I was young." "Go on, finish up your lemonade, you're keepin' me from my soups." "Clover, when you see Gaten, how do you see him?" "First I feel him..." "behind me." "When I turn, sometimes he's there... sometimes not." "If he's not there I get sad." "I was sad once." "So sad I didn't feel like living anymore." "Why?" "Well..." "found out I couldn't have children." "I wanted to die, I was very sad." "You wanted a kid that bad?" "Still do." "You don't want to ruin my drawing, you better not smile." "What the hell." "Oh, I hope I'm not disturbing'." "Not at all, not at all." "Some of the back of your house is gettin' out of control and" "I had some time this mornin', so, I brought my riding' mower." "Wasn't that thoughtful." "C'mon in, have a seat." "Clover!" "We've got company." "Ya know, I used to come here when Gaten was..." "Well, Gaten was a friend." "Once, you came here once." "And you weren't really that good a friend." " How's your daughter, Chase?" " She's a pig." "Claire's at an awkward age." "But she's fine, just fine, she has a birthday comin' up." " You and Clover are invited." " Oh, great." "Seems like everybody's in church but us." " Clover, maybe she's..." " Well, I better get to work." " Have some iced tea first." " Oh, I'll get it, Chase, how do you like it?" "Well, no sugar, please." "My!" "That's good iced tea." " Just the way I like it." " That's what I thought." "Hey, Stranger, I'm lookin' for my little girl." "It's not going to work this time, Gaten." "You won't talk to anybody else, so everybody thinks I'm crazy." "Sweetheart, I talk, they... they just don't listen." "Well, then I'm not going to listen anymore either." " That makes me feel lonely, Clover." " You!" "How do you think I feel?" "You go away and leave me with a mother I don't even know." "I thought you and Sara Kate were getting along better." " We had a talk." " About what?" "Woman stuff, Gaten, you wouldn't understand." "But now..." "you can't trust her." "Sweetheart, maybe you shouldn't be playing up there." "Don't tell me what to do!" ""Don't do this" and "Don't do that", "What would Gaten say?"" "You boss me around more now than you ever did when you were alive." " Clover, get down from there." " No!" "I'm not listening to you!" "You're dead, Idon'tneedyou anymore!" "See!" "You wanted me to have a new mother, and now I've got one." "And she' gonna go away with my new father and they're gonna take me with them." "So, go away, I don't need you anymore, Gaten!" " Clover." " Leave me alone." " Daddy!" " Clover!" " Daddy!" " Clover!" "Oh, no." "It's all right." " It's all right." " Put me down!" "Put me down!" "Put me down!" " Honey, c'mon." " Leave me alone!" "Good night, Clover." "Please close my door." "I don't want you spying on me." "Gaten?" "I'm here." "Clover told me you're goin' away." " And she meant it." " No, no, no." "Whatever she said to you, she didn't mean it." "Even if she did, she still needs you." "What about you?" "Do you need me?" "No, no I can't." "I can't, somebody has to stay sane around here." "Gaten." "How was the gifted and talented class?" "I'm not going back to that school... ever." "It's your turn, Gaten, yeah, yeah." "Ha!" "I won again." "Hit restart." "Three in a row, I win, Gaten." "Why did you go there?" "Ah, man!" "You start this time." "You're X." " Clover." " Did I say something funny?" "Eh, it was a game." "See, when Gaten was busy on the computer, he'd tell her, "You play for me."" "And she'd play and when she was finished she'd say," " "You lose again, Gaten."" " Gaten." "Oh, yes!" "All she needs is an abundance of love." "That's what Aunt Katie said." "Now, if you don't mind, Sara Kate..." "I'd like t' get to what we asked you over to talk about." "Oh?" "I thought it was Clover." "Sara Kate, money will never be a problem, but since Gaten didn't leave a will," "Yes." "We thought it might be a good idea if you made a will." " Soon." " Soon." "What's the rush?" "You're frightening me, what is it?" "Well, Chase Porter was at your house the other day." "Yes, he was." "Has he been coming to your house for dinner?" "Yes, but..." " what does that have to do..." " See, Sara Kate, this land has been in the family for over a hundred years." "In fact, it's the oldest black owned piece of land in the county." "We want to make sure it stays in the family." "And you think Chase Porter and I are going to take your land?" "Someone needs a psychiatrist and it's not Clover." "Sara Kate, I'm sorry if I made your feel uncomfortable." "Uncomfortable?" "This is the most at home I've felt since I got here." "You... you are exactly like my family back home." "My father and my brothers are in real estate, they think JUST like you." "I mean, of course, with them it's, "Watch out for the blacks"." "And with you it's, "Watch out for the whites"." "But other than that, Aunt Katie was right, it's not about race, it's just family." "Thanks for a lovely dinner." "What about the will?" "I'm afraid you're just gonna have to trust me on that." "I'm only trying to protect my husband's land." "Is she speaking for you, Jim Ed?" "Boud Ellis' house sits on property that used to belong to us." "Papa sold that land to pay for Gates tuition." "I've lost a lot for Gaten, I don't want to lose anymore." "I married Gaten Hill because I loved him." "I loved him since the moment I met him in college." "He wrecked my life once because he thought race was so important he couldn't marry a white woman." "Among other things, he didn't think his family would approve." "So he married Brenda." "And when she died, Ididnotcallhim, HEcalledME." "He told me that in time, you would get to know me and love me like he did." "It was about love, not your land." "And, by the way, the reason I encourage Chase to come by?" "It's because he is the only one who ever came to visit me." "Good night." " Your family hates me." " No, they don't." "Do they know we were on the same side in the Civil War, that I'm from the North." " Well, Aunt Katie likes you." " Oh, she's so lovely." "She's okay." "She's also so blind, she probably doesn't even know you're white." "Gaten!" "Oh, Gaten, not while I'm driving." "Excuse me, I'm looking for Sara Kate Johnston." "Gaten... is this what Clover's going through?" "Because it's hard, Gaten." "It's hard." "But if she can do it, so can I." "Okay." "I'm lookin' for Sara Kate." "I'm Sara Kate Johnston." "And I'm Gaten Hill, your math tutor." " But you're..." " Black." " Is there going to be a problem?" " No." "No." "I was going to say, "You're handsome", and yeah... that could be a problem." "Gaten." "Gaten." "Gaten." "Ya know, I always hoped I'd marry somebody just like you." "I always thought you'd be black." "Oh, Gaten, I don't want to remember this part." "Yeah, well, we gotta talk about it sometime, Sara Kate." "Well..." "I always thought I'd marry somebody just like you, only... it doesn't make any difference, does it?" "We love each other." "No!" "No!" "This almost killed me the first time." "Enough!" "Enough!" "Come on, Katie, pick up." "Sara Kate." "I know it's been a..." "long time." "Do you even remember me." "Please don't." "My wife died a while back, Sara Kate, and..." "I just need somebody to talk to." "I had no one else to call." "I know there's no good reason you should see me, but..." " can you and me talk?" " I should've said no." "Please?" "I see." "This weekend?" "I'll be there." "Let's stop there, Gaten, please." " Hello" " Katie?" "Aunt Katie, I know it's late, but..." "I'll come to get you...you just stay the night here." "I'll be on the porch waiting." "No!" "I want you to promise me you'll look after Clover." "No matter what." "I can barely get myself through the day, how am I going to look after her?" " She needs you." " Huh!" "She's the most self-sufficient kid I've ever seen." "Besides... she's got a perfect father." "Exactly!" "I've always had to be perfect to get where I am." "And Clover's worked hard to be a perfect daughter to please me." "God, I envy you both." "Don't, a perfect world is fragile." "And when her world falls apart, she'll need you, not a perfect father." "Why, because I know the territory?" "Thanks for throwing that in my face on our wedding night." " Come on, it's your strength." " I'm not strong." "You always confuse strong and tough... they're different." "Okay..." "I'll be there to pick up the pieces." " Good." " Okay." "No, no, I want you to keep me from picking up the pieces." "Let that perfect world shatter." "How else will Clover ever find out what kind of young woman is living inside of that perfect little girl?" "I promise to protect her from you... and your perfect ways, to love her with all my heart." "Hold on to her." "I will, always." "It's like I'm holding you." "I can't deal with it, can't do it." " I can't do it, I can't do it." " Sara Kate" "I can't do it." "You've done it, you've already done it." "It's all right, it's all right, it's okay, it's okay." "Sara Kate and Everleen are gonna find out, you know that, don't you?" "How, they never talk to each other." "What do you think you're doing?" "I'm doing what Gaten should've done a long time ago... fixing this house, and then... we're going to Chase's daughter's birthday party." "I have to work, most definitely." "Perfect Chase's daughter's birthday party." "You're both out of the game." "What're you talkin' about?" "I haven't had such a good time in I don't know when." "Shame Clover couldn't come." "Yeah, her aunt keeps her awfully busy working." "Besides..." "I'm not sure your family would have been too happy to see you entertaining a woman with a black daughter." "This isn't the old days, Sara Kate." "Think you sister knows that." "Aw, hell, can't go by Mary Ellen." "Mary Ellen thinks she pretty uppity-crusty now that she married herself some money." "A year ago just to pay the rent, she worked as hard as a damned nigger woman." "WHAT?" " I'm sorry." " Not the old day, huh?" "Wait, don't go away, please." " I've gotta get..." " No, no, stay." " Let go of me!" " Please, please, don't let me interrupt." "I just came by to drop off a present to one of my favorite students." "Well, Claire'll be happy t' see ya." "Yes..." "I certainly am happy to see you're feeling better, Mrs. Hill." "I take it the... uh..." "cancer is in remission." "Cancer?" "I feel fine." "Oh... well... then you might want to let Clover come to school every once in a while." "What are you talking about?" "I take her to school myself, every morning." "Really?" "Well, did... did you know she hasn't been in school for the past two weeks." "Okay, Everleen, I've put up with a lot from you!" "I've put up with your coldness, your rudeness," " your suspicion, your voodoo..." " Voodoo?" "But when it comes to Clover, you've gone too far!" "I've gone too far?" "You're the one come down here actin' all high and mighty tryin' to buy the child's affection with bicycles." "Bicycle!" "One bicycle!" " Damn it!" " Don't you cuss at me." "Don't you go accusing me of trying to steal your land." "I have worked this peach orchard day and night." "I offered to help, but you wouldn't let me." "Well, how would you have time, you're so busy tryin' to steal that child away." "When she ran away from your house, she ran to me." "Of course she did, with you buyin' her buying bicycles, all the time." "A bicycle!" "One bicycle!" "She's a kid, she's supposed to play once in a while." "You have her down here working all day long and I don't even get a chance to see her." "Me?" "You're the one that has the child locked up in the house." "I can put up with all of that... but lying, so you can keep her out of school to work for you here." " I mean, really, that is low!" " Wait a minute!" " Wait a minute!" " And WRONG!" "And if you needed a worker, I offered to help you!" "Now!" "Wait a minute!" "What are you talkin' about?" "I'm talking about the letters you're writing to school, saying that Clover has to stay home to take care of her sick mother" "I didn't write any letters." "You haven't written any letters saying that Clover has to stay home because I have cancer?" "Will you listen to yourself?" "She hasn't been down here working with you?" " I thought she was with you." " I thought she was with you." "Oh!" "We have been had!" " Sorry." " Well, you should be." "How could you believe that I would do anything to keep that child out of school?" "Well, it doesn't help with you practicing that voodoo against me." "I beg your pardon!" "Just because I'm a black woman, does not mean I am practicing voodoo." "Now, I am a god-fearing, church-going woman." " I know, I know." " Where did you get an idea like that?" " Clover said you threw the bones." " And you believed her?" "You know, you're lettin' that child get totally out of control." "She comes out the house dressed in God knows what." "You think I let her go out that way?" "Well, that's what she said." "And you believed her?" "Excuse me, is this painting for sale?" "It certainly is." "I just made an offer of fifty dollars for it." "Well, I'm prepared to better that offer." "Seventy-five, if the artist is an authentic primitive." " I beg your pardon?" " He wants to know if the painter's black." "Primitive paintings are getting valuable again, I guess." "Well, I don't know if the painter is an authentic primitive, but I can tell you this... it was painted by a member of my family." "Great, I'll take it" "There's eighty." "Wow!" "It's still wet." "Yeah, like the sign says, we've got the freshest peaches in the county." " Thank you." " Uh-huh." " White people." " Now, what am I supposed to do with this?" "Haven't you ever sold a peach before?" "Not for seventy-five dollars." "How fast can you paint peaches?" "What are we gonna do about that girl?" " Can you come to dinner tonight?" " Clover says you're a terrible cook." "And you believe her?" "Are you inviting' Chase Porter?" "Now, Everleen, you know better than that... this is going to be a family dinner." "Okay." "Are you sure they won't know you did the cooking?" "I'm withholding some of the ingredients, they'll think it was you." "Auntie Katie." " Hi, Clover." " We've been waiting grace for you." "What are you all doing here?" "Can't we have a quiet, family meal without havin' to explain it?" "No!" "Please say grace, Jim Ed." "Heavenly Father, we want to thank you once again for the bounty you've given our family, and allowing us to share it together under this roof, and we thank you for the love of our departed brother," "husband, and dear friend, whose spirit resides here with us." "We say these things in Jesus' name." "Amen." " Who cooked this?" " I did." " No you didn't." " Where are your manners, Clover?" "This is a beautiful meal, Sara Kate." "There are a lot of cookbooks out there, if you can read, you can cook." "Have you been reading anything interesting in school these days, Clover?" "You know, just the usual." "Pass the potatoes." "You've been doing a nice job with the house, Sara Kate." " Thank you, Gideon." " What have you been reading in school, Clover?" "Just dumb stuff." "And if you need any help with the rain gutters, you know I can always help out." "I haven't seen much of you at the peach shed, Clover, what've you been doing with yourself after school?" "Miss Kenny keeps me a lot..." "after school." " Well, that's interesting news." " Pass the beans." "Because I ran into Miss Kenny today and she said she hasn't been keeping you after school." "Oh, pass the gravy." "She said you haven't been at school for the past two weeks." "Pass the peas." " You mean you been cuttin' school all this time?" " Let her be." "Where have you been, Clover?" "What have you been doing?" "Pass the corn., pass the salt." "Now that you have all the food, would you care to tell us what you've been doin' with yourself for the past two weeks?" "When did you get on her side?" "When I found out you were using me as an excuse to cut school." "Damn, I'm disappointed in you." "What would Gaten say?" " I'm sick of Gaten!" " Now, Girl!" "And you have been lying to me" " all this time" " I have NOT been lying!" " Now..." " I haven't been lying," "I told you the first day, I told you," "I'm not gifted, I'm not talented." "The only reason I'm in that class is because Gaten's dead." "I cannot do the work, and I'm NOT going back to that school." "Clover." "Clover." "Clover!" "Clover?" " Should we..." " Just keep your seat." "Have some more peas." "I told you to leave my room alone!" "Where have you been?" "What have you been doing?" "You won't believe me if I tell." "Where have you been, Clover?" "I've been in the woods talking to Gaten but he's not there and I can't find him anymore." "Well, of course he's not, do you think Gaten would do anything to keep you out of school?" " I won't go back there." " What happened at school, Clover?" "They wanted me to write this composition." "I told them I can't write this composition." " And nobody's listening to me." " I'll help you." "No, you can't nobody can." "What is it, Clover, what is it?" "You want to know what my composition is?" "It's:" "What I Did on My Summer Vacation." "And while everybody else is getting up and saying," ""I went camping", "I went on a fishing trip"," "I'm gonna have to get up and say," ""I buried my father", "I got a new mother"," " She's white, she can't cook good," " Go ahead." " She likes salads," " Good, go ahead." "and she's gonna marry a white guy who's got a jock for a daughter, and she's gonna forget my father." "I'm gonna be the only one who remembers him, and everybody goes on like nothing happened, and everything that was supposed to happen, didn't, and everything that wasn't supposed to happen, did!" " What should have happened?" " No, I'm not gonna..." "What wasn't supposed to happen?" "The wrong person died, thewrongpersondiedinthecrash." "Go ahead, say it, say it and have done with it." "I don't mind, who should have died in that car accident?" "Me!" "I shoulda died!" "It was my job to take care of Gaten." " I didn't die." " You!" "I thought you wanted me." "Not everything is about you!" "It's okay, it's okay, cry, let it go." "I don't want to let it go" "Everything is changing... and I can't stop it." "I tried to stop it, I tried to stop me." "But I can't." "I'm too scared to go to Gaten." "Now, you listen to me." "Your father does not want you to die, he wants you to live, he told me that, he told me he didn't want to die himself and he feels bad that he left you." "Do you hear me!" "He wants you to live." "Gaten?" "Gaten?" "I miss you." "I tried to go with you." "But I can't." "I have to live, Gaten." "I don't want to." "I'm sorry, Gaten." "Bought me a new bike, Gaten." "But I don't want a new bike." "I want you, Gaten, I want you." "They started school without you." "But I don't know how to stop them." "I tried." "But I can't." "I can't." "I can't, I can't." "I can't, I can't." " It's gonna be okay." " I can't." "I can't." "It's gonna be okay, Clover." "Gaten knows it'll soon be over." "Don't ya, Gaten." "Oh... yes... he wants you to live." "Do you know what I think?" "I think that's gonna be one hell of a composition." "You ready for some dinner?" "Who cooked that dinner?" "Aunt Katie." "I'll be right along." "That is quite a woman inside that little girl, Gaten." "Quite a woman." "Yeah, I look forward to knowing her." "She can't finish grieving as long as you're here, Gaten." "It's time for you to go." "I'm sorry... but it's time for you to go." "Oh..." "Now, how did you find your way all the way over here from my house?" "It's okay, Gaten, we're all gonna be fine." "Oh, don't be afraid of goin', besides... you have t' get a place ready for me." "Now, I wanna tell you all one thing," "You needn't look for me to come back and visit." "I've worked hard in this life." "I intend to sleep through the next." "Talk to The Good Lord about rain for The Orchard." "I will." "Watch out for the bees." "Marryin' that white girl wasn't the brightest idea you ever had, Gaten, but... we'll keep her in line." "I'm never gonna look behind me, Gaten." "Never again." "I'm just always gonna know you're there." "Good girl." "Well bye." "I love you, Gaten Hill, I love you." " Till death do us part." " Longer." "Much longer." "Promise me something, Gaten, promise you'll never leave me." "I promise." "Won't even go to work anymore." "Let 'em find a new principal for the school." "I love you so much." "I love you so much." "Goodbye, Sara Kate." "Goodbye, Gaten." "Goodbye." "♫ I'm looking over a four leaf clover ♫" "♫ that I've overlooked before. ♫" "♫ One leaf is sunshine, the second is rain ♫" " Goodbye..." "Whatever it says is all right." "Okay, okay, okay, okay." "Clover and I are out right now..." "Let me help you out if we're recording the message, duh." " Well, you do it then." " Okay, okay" "My mother and I are here now, because we're recording this message." "But, maybe if we don't pick up when you call, then we're probably out." "So, we'll call you as soon as we get back, okay?" "And... we look forward to seeing you soon." " Real soon." " Yeah, see you soon." "We promise." "We'll call." " We promise." " We won't forget." " Love you." " Miss you." " Bye!" " Bye!" "♫ I'm looking over a four leaf clover ♫" "♫ that I overlooked before. ♫" "♫ One leaf is sunshine, the second is rain ♫" "♫ Third is the peaches that grow in the lane ♫" "♫ No use complaining, the one remaining ♫" "♫ is somebody I adore ♫" "♫ I'm looking over a four leaf clover ♫" "♫ that I overlooked before. ♫"