THE LOGAN LEGACY
                                                    by Allison
 

EXT. KENTUCKY- MORNING

Marita is walking down a tree lined dirt road.  A man is in the background following  her.

Marita places her hand on her stomach.  She is deep in her thoughts.  Her eyes are tired and stressed.  The man behind her quickens his pace.  The closer he comes, the better we can see who it is, Sean

SEAN
Good morning.

MARITA
(Startled)
You scared me.

SEAN
I can see that.

MARITA
What are you doing up so early?

SEAN
I actually came to walk with you to work.  But apparently I was too late.

MARITA
That was sweet.  What did I do deserve such an honor?

SEAN
You always deserve such an honor.  No really, actually I wanted to talk to you.  We haven't had much time to talk and well I miss you.

MARITA
I was not the one who has been busy.

SEAN
I know that and I am sorry.

MARITA
No apologies necessary.  How is your guest doing?

SEAN
You mean Pa's guest.  She is fine.

MARITA
That's good.  Weren't you going to walk me to work?

SEAN
Why yes I was?

Marita wraps her arm around Sean's and they continue to walk down the road.  The house comes into focus.

INT.  LOGAN HOUSE-- ROOM-- AFTERNOON

Marita is sitting at her desk writing something.  The door is closed.  Outside you can see that the sun is setting.

There is a knock at the door.  Before Marita can even respond the door opens.  Sean walks in and quietly closes it behind him.

MARITA
This is becoming a habit.

Marita puts her quill down and looks up at the young man who has entered the room.

SEAN
Am I bothering you?

He leans across the desk intentionally covering the page that she had been working on.

MARITA
If I said yes would you leave?

SEAN
No.

MARITA
Has anyone ever called you stubborn?

SEAN
Not today.  How much longer do you think that you will be?

MARITA
Just finishing up.

SEAN
Good.  Can we can go for a walk?

MARITA
Sure.  Give me a minute.

Sean sits down in a chair that is directly in front of Marita's desk.  She picks up her quill and continues to write.

After several minutes, Marita blows on the paper in order to dry the ink and then puts it in a folder.  Sean jumps up and grabs her shall.  As Marita stands up he places it around her shoulders.

EXT. THE LOGAN'S HORSE FIELD -- NIGHT

Sean and Marita are walking along the fence.  She always seems to be one step ahead of him.  The frustration on his face is beginning to show as he keeps trying to catch up to her.

SEAN
What is wrong?

MARITA
What?

SEAN
What is wrong with you?  You seem so distant lately.  Are you okay?

MARITA
I'm fine.

SEAN
That's it.

MARITA
What?

SEAN
That's all you are going to say.  Marita you know that you have been distancing yourself lately.  Now I want to know why?

Sean grabs Marita's arm and turns her around so that she is facing him.

MARITA
Nothing is wrong.  Okay.  Trust me.

SEAN
I have missed you.

Sean moves down to kiss Marita.  She turns her head so his kiss lands on her cheek instead of her lips.  Marita turns her whole body away from his, tears are forming in her eyes.  Sean wraps his arms around her and squeezes her.

SEAN
You are scaring me.

MARITA
Please don't worry it is not your problem.  Really, I just having been feeling well lately and its got me kind of moody.

SEAN
You know that you can tell me anything, right?

MARITA
I know.

Marita turns around and faces Sean.  They both hug.  The tears once again are welling up in her eyes.  Sean pulls her tightly.  He knows that something is wrong.  That is not necessarily what scares him so much, what scares him is that she doesn't want to talk about it.

After their embrace, they continue through the field with their arms wrapped around each other, silent.

INT.  LOGAN'S HOUSE -- THE STUDY -- NIGHT

Ned Logan is sitting in his chair watching the fire.  A DOOR CLOSES in the background.  Ned looks up.

NED
(Calling)
Sean, could you come in here for a moment?

Sean comes through the door into the study.

NED
Close the door.

Sean closes the door and proceeds to sit in the chair opposite of his father.

SEAN
You wanted to talk to me?

NED
I was wondering if you might know what is wrong with Marita?

SEAN
Pa?

NED
Issac was talking to me earlier today and he was worried about her.  Apparently she has been keeping to herself a lot, lately.

SEAN
I know she has.  Actually I walked her home tonight, with the hopes that she would tell me what was wrong with her.

NED
Did she tell you anything?

SEAN
No, just that she hasn't been feeling well and that it was the probably the reason for her moodiness.

NED
You haven't done anything to hurt her, have you?

SEAN
No.

NED
Good.  I appreciate you following my advice and staying away from her for a while.  You are only going to hurt each other if you get too close.

SEAN
Is that all?

NED
Yes.  Thanks.

SEAN
Good-night.

Sean gets up and leaves.  Ned turns towards the fire and proceeds to light a cigar.

INT.  SEAN'S ROOM -- NIGHT

Sean enters his room and closes the door.  He goes to his bookshelf and pulls out a book.  He opens it to a certain page.  He pulls out an envelope from the book and takes out its contents, money.  He starts to count.

SEAN
One hundred ... two hundred and fifty ... four hundred eighty ...

Sean then pulls out some money from his pocket and adds it to the stack.

SEAN
Six hundred twenty dollars.

He then puts the money back in the envelope and puts the book away.  He then goes to one of his drawers and pulls out a letter that he has already written.  It is addressed to Marita.

SEAN
(talking to himself)
I hope that everything is okay with you.

FADE IN:

INT. MARITA'S ROOM -- NIGHT

The room is dark, the moon is shining in from the windows, it is the only light in the room.  You can see that the room is painted white and a full four poster bed is in the middle of the room.

Marita is lying in her bed, looking up at the ceiling.  Her eyes are moist from crying.  Someone knocks at the door.

MARITA
Come in.

Marita wipes her eyes and turns toward the window and away from the door.

ISSAC
Just wanted to say good-night.

MARITA
Good-night Dad.

Issac turns to leave, but changes his mind.  He walks toward her bed and sits down.

ISSAC
You know when you were little you used to sit on my lap when you were upset and tell me everything, while I held you.

MARITA
I remember.

ISSAC
I promised that you could tell me anything and I would never get mad at you.  We never had any secrets.  Is something wrong, honey?

MARITA
No nothing is wrong?

ISSAC
You would tell me if something was and we would deal with it no matter how bad.

MARITA
I know.  I am fine.  Just tired.

ISSAC
Okay then, I love you.  Good-night.

MARITA
Good-night.

The tears stream down her eyes.  She sits up and walks over to her dresser and pulls out a train ticket.  She proceeds to pull a bag out from under her bed.  She then starts to pack some clothes.  When she is done she takes a long look around the room and sighs.  She then creeps out the door and silently walks out of the house, tears are running down her face.

INT.  LOGAN HOUSE - DINING ROOM - DAY

The Logans are all sitting around the table eating their breakfast and talking about what they are going to do.

LEXIE
I was wondering if I could practice jumping a little bit after my classes?

NED
Sure.  I should be done around three.  Better yet, talk to Marita she’ll pencil you in.

LEXIE
Cute.

CLAY
I need to go into town.

SEAN
I thought you were going to help me in the fields today?
 

CLAY
I never said that.

SEAN
Yes you did.

CLAY
No I said I might be able to, but something better came up.

SEAN
Something better like what?

JEREMY
Like who?

CLAY
Shut up.

ALICE
Who?

At that moment, the front door slams and Issac runs into the dining room.  It is obvious that he has run the whole way and he is out of breath.

ISSAC
She's gone!

NED
What?

SEAN
Marita?

ISSAC
She must have left sometime last night.  She left this.

Issac pulled a note out of is pocket and gives it to Ned.  Ned reads it.

NED
Do you have any idea of where she could have gone?

ISSAC
No, we have some family up north and out west.  She's never met any of them.

SEAN
Wait, I don't understand that isn't like Marita.  She wouldn't just leave.

ISSAC
You had no idea that she was going to do this?

SEAN
No.  Why would I have known?  Besides not like this.  She wouldn't not tell anyone.

Ned gives the letter to Sean.  He reads it and begins to walk out.

NED
(calling after him)
Where are you going?

SEAN
To find her.  The train may not have left yet.

Sean leaves and you hear a door slam.

NED
He didn't know anything about this and he doesn't know what was wrong?  I talked to him last night.

ISSAC
Forgive me, but I still think that he has something to do with this.  I am going to go with him.

CLAY
I'll go talk to some of the servants and see if they know anything.

Alice has kept her head down throughout the entire conversation.  When Sean leaves, she looks up at everyone.  You can tell that she knows something but isn’t sure what to tell and what not to tell.

ALICE
Pa?

NED
Yes, Alice.

ALICE
Her train left at eight o'clock this morning.

NED
And how would you know that?

ALICE
Because I bought her ticket.

ISSAC
What?

ALICE
I offered to help her, so I bought her ticket.

ISSAC
Where did she go?

ALICE
I can't say.

NED
(yelling)
Alice!

ALICE
I can't.  I promised that I wouldn't.  She said that she will wire us when she gets there to let us know that she arrived safely.

ISSAC
Wait, you helped her.  So you know what was wrong, why she would do this?

ALICE
I can't tell you.  Please Pa?  She has her reasons and they are good, that is all I can say.

NED
I don't believe this you know why and you won't tell us?

ALICE
She did what she thought was best for all concerned.  She went to stay with family, Issac, her mother's family.

ISSAC
She went out west then.  Aunt Jeanie.  She went to see Aunt Jeanie.

NED
Who's Aunt Jeanie?

ISSAC
She was Marita's mother's Mammy at Sugarfield.  When Marita was young she helped take care of her.  She moved to Kansas to live with some family.

NED
I hate to say this Issac, but Marita is a grown woman and maybe she does have a good reason for leaving.  You said yourself that we have to let them grow up.

ISSAC
Just sit here and do nothing?

NED
Yes.  Just wait until she needs you.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

INT. KENTUCKY- MORNING

Ned and Issac are watching a couple of horses out in the field.

It has been about five weeks since Marita left and things are getting back to normal.

ISSAC
I think that she is a winner, Ned.

NED
Too much spunk.

ISSAC
Just enough spunk.

NED
Do you think that she will ready in time?

ISSAC
Yes, I think that she will be ready.

Behind their backs Sean walks into the barn and after a few minutes comes out riding a horse.  He runs down the road.

NED
He is still upset.

ISSAC
I haven't seen him in the fields for a long time.

NED
I don't know what to do.  I was thinking that maybe we should tell him.

ISSAC
No she doesn't want him to know.

NED
I know.   I just think that it would bring him out of it.

ISSAC
You told me when she left that maybe I should back out of it.  This is their problem not ours.

NED
I know.  It 's just hard.  He loves her so much.

They watch as Sean is out of view.

INT. THE LOGAN HOUSE -- NIGHT

The family is sitting around the dinner table.  Their plates are all finished.  One seat is empty though.  The silence in the room seems to echo Sean's absence.

It is about seven months since Marita has left.  The family still seems to be wrong without her.

The silence is broken by the slamming of the front door.  Sean walks into the dinning room obviously drunk.  He proceeds to sit down at his place at the table and eat his cold food.

NED
Where were you?

SEAN
In town.

NED
Lexie would you please go up to you room?

LEXIE
Yes, Pa.

Lexie gets up and walks out the door.  The rest follow her.  Sean and Ned are alone in the room.

NED
I do not appreciate you coming here late and drunk.

SEAN
I don't care about your appreciation.

NED
You will not talk that way to me as long as you are under my roof.

SEAN
Well maybe it is time that I am not your roof.

Sean gets up and slams his silverware down.  And walks out of the room and the house.

NED
(yelling)
Sean!

Ned follows Sean out the door.  Both are heading towards the door.  Sean runs into the barn and comes out with a horse.  Ned is yelling at him.  The next thing we see is Sean trying to jump a fence.  The horse misses and Sean falls off.

NED
(yelling)
Sean!

INT.  THE LOGAN HOUSE - MORNING

It is the next day, early in the morning.  All of the Logan family including Issac is sitting in the study, soberly.  Ned and the doctor come down the stairs.

NED
Thanks doctor.

Ned walks the doctor to the door and shakes his hand.

THE DOCTOR
Get me if something changes.

The doctor walks out the door.  Ned returns to the study.

NED
Well he said that Sean was lucky, the fall could have broken his neck.  Instead it just hur his back, however, he can't feel his legs.  The doctor says that it could be permanent or that it could be temporary.  We just have to wait and see.

CLAY
How is he doing?

NED
Not good.  Every since he woke up he has been staring at the ceiling.  He hasn't said a word.

ALICE
I think Marita should know.

ISSAC
I agree.

NED
I will wire her today.

INT.  THE LOGAN HOUSE - AFTERNOON

Alice is walking down the stairs with a tray in hand.  Clay runs through the door.

ALICE
Clay!

CLAY
She's coming!

ALICE
What?

CLAY
She's coming.  She just wired us.  Marita is coming.

ALICE
When?

CLAY
Her train come in on Friday.

ALICE
Friday!

CLAY
Where's Pa and Issac?

ALICE
I think that they are at the barn.

EXT.  TRAIN STATION - DAY

A train is coming in.  Ned is waiting at the side.  He looks anxious.  The train finally comes in.  People start getting off.

Marita steps off from the train she has a baby in one hand and a bag in the other.

The baby is beautiful.  A close up is seen.  She is about three months old and is intently staring at everything.  Every once and while she smiles at something.  Her skin is light, but her hair is dark and curly like her mothers.  Although she is young she still has a mass of curly hair around her head.  She looks at someone, Ned, and we can see her eyes are blue.  She smiles.

Ned sees her and walks over before Marita sees him.  She is looking around and finally sees him.  They both walk towards each other.

MARITA
Hi.

They both give each other a hug.

NED
Thanks for coming.  This must Anna.

MARITA
Do you want to hold her?

NED
I would love to.

Marita gives the baby to Ned.

NED
Hi, honey.  How are you?  You are a cutie.  Marita, she is so beautiful.

MARITA
Thanks.  I kinda think so.  But I think that I am biased.  How is he?

NED
Not good.  He is not eating anything.  Thank you for coming.  It hasn't been the same since you left.  I think seeing you really will help him.

MARITA
Or it might send him over the edge.

NED
Let's get your bags.

The two walk over towards the luggage.  Ned hands Anna back to Marita and picks up her trunk.  They both walk over to the carriage.  Ned helps her in and they go off.

INT.  THE LOGAN HOUSE - SEAN'S ROOM -- AFTERNOON

Sean is in bed.  He is just lying there.  He has begun to grow a beard.  Alice is sitting next to him with water and a razor.  Both do not look happy.  Half of Sean's face has already been shaved.

ALICE
Sean, if you would just turn your head it would make this a lot easier.

SEAN
I don't know why I need to shave.  It is not like I am going anywhere.

ALICE
Sean, you need to look respectable.  Plus you don't know you might get a visitor and you don't want to look like this when you see her.

SEAN
What visitor?

ALICE
I was just supposin'.  Now turn your face and let me shave it.

SEAN
Fine.  First you make me get a bath and know you shave my face.

ALICE
You smelled.

SEAN
I did not smell.

Clay and Issac walk in.  Both are dressed up.

CLAY
Alice you were supposed to be finished twenty minutes ago.

ALICE
I would have been if I had some cooperation.

SEAN
What are you two doing here?

ISSAC
We have come to get you out of this room and bring you downstairs.

SEAN
Why?

ALICE
Why do you ask so many questions?

SEAN
Because I am being treated like an invalid.

CLAY
Maybe if you stop acting like one, we wouldn’t treat you this way.

ALICE
Done, now see doesn't that feel better.

SEAN
No.

ALICE
I give up.  You are utterly hopeless.

A servant knocks at the door.

SERVANT
There is a carriage coming.

ALICE
Thanks Sarah.  She's here.

ISSAC
I will go down and meet her

SEAN
Who is here?

CLAY
You will find out.  Now do you want to stay up here and wait or would you like to come down.

SEAN
I will wait.

CLAY
You are such a baby.  Oh well it is up to you.

Everyone leaves and Sean is sitting there all alone.  He eyes a pair of crutches.  But continues to sit there.  He finally grabs them and proceeds to feebly get to the window to look out.  Unfortunately he can't see anything out of the window.  He sits in the chair next to the window and stairs outside.  The frustration is building in his eyes.

INT. LOGAN'S HOUSE -- THE STUDY -- CONTINUOUS

Alice, Clay, Jeremy and Issac are all waiting for Marita to get out of the carriage.  Ned is holding Anna.  Marita runs up to Issac and they hug.  Both have tears in their eyes.

NED
Issac would you like to meet your granddaughter?

Ned gives Anna over to Issac.  Anna is just staring at him.

ISSAC
Well hello, little one.  How are you?

MARITA
Honey this is your grandfather.  He is my father.

ISSAC
She is beautiful.  She looks like you when you were little.

Marita wipes her eyes and turns and sees Alice.

MARITA
How are you?

Both hug.  She then gives Clay and Jeremy a hug.

JEREMY
It is good to see you back here again.  We have missed you.

MARITA
Thanks.  I have missed you guys too.  Where is Lexie?

ALICE
In classes.

With that Lexie comes running out the door and straight into Marita's arms.

LEXIE
I have missed you so much.

MARITA
You too, sweetie.

Lexie continues to hold on to Marita.

NED
How is doing?

ALICE
Stubborn

CLAY
He wouldn't come down.

MARITA
Is he that bad?

ALICE
Depends by what you mean?  He just sits there like he is in some trance.  He doesn't care about anyone anymore.  Lexie even went to see him last night and he didn't say a word to her.

MARITA
I am going to go and see him.

Marita kisses Lexie's head and unwraps her arms.

MARITA
Could you watch Anna for a little while?

ISSAC
I think I can manage it.

LEXIE
Can I hold her?

MARITA
Of course you can.  Ned he's in his room?

NED
Yeah.

Marita gives Anna a kiss on the head and then smiles at her father she then heads inside.  She walks up the stairs.

INT. SEAN'S ROOM

We see Marita's head poking through the door.  Sean is sitting in the chair by the window.  He has thrown the crutches to the floor.  Marita sees that there is also a wheelchair in the room, which has obviously not been used yet.  Sean is sulking.

MARITA
Didn't your mama ever tell that if you make a face like that it might stick?

Sean looks towards the doorway.  He is staring Marita down.  She sheepishly enters the room.

SEAN
(yelling)
Get out!

MARITA
Nope.

SEAN
(yelling)
Now!

MARITA
I came here to visit you.

SEAN
Why?  Because I'm a cripple!

MARITA
No.  Well not because you are a cripple anyways.  I was worried.

SEAN
Why?

MARITA
Because I was.

SEAN
I don't want you here.

MARITA
Fine, then I don't have to be here.  But I came back because I was worried about you.

SEAN
You weren't worried about me when you left.

MARITA
Is that what this is about?  My leaving.

SEAN
Yes.

MARITA
Good because for a minute there I thought that you were pitying yourself.  You think that I wasn’t thinking about you when I left.  You think that it wasn't the hardest decision that I had to make.  To leave my home without saying anything.  You think that I could leave you like that.  That it was easy.

SEAN
You know I don't care how hard it was for you.  You gave up.  You left.

MARITA
I did not give up.

SEAN
What do you call it?  You walked out on us.

MARITA
Sean, was there ever going to be an us?  Could there have ever been an us?  Did we have a future?  Would you have married me?  Truth.

SEAN
Yes.

MARITA
That's not true.  If it is then one day you would look at me and there would be no love left.  It would have been destroyed by the hardship, by the looks that we got, the names you were called.  You would have lost everything.  You know that and I know that.  So I left.

SEAN
That is not true there could have been a way.  I was . . .

MARITA
You were what?  Planning on having me be your mistress.  Planning on having me sit through your wedding.  Planning on going from one bed to another, hoping that tonight you would leave your wife and lie with me.

SEAN
It wouldn't have been like that.

MARITA
What would have been like?  Sean you almost married Vivian, remember.  From the time you were little I remember hearing stories about your legacy.  I would have destroyed that.

SEAN
Marita.

MARITA
I probably already did destroy that Legacy but at least I spared your family the pain of losing their good name for what we had done.  I left so you could marry and create a legacy without any ties, no guilt.

SEAN
Then why are you here?

MARITA
Because you fell off your horse and it scared me.  My heart hurt when I got the wire.  Because I knew that you hated me.  I was so scared that you would die.  That you would die hating me.  That you wouldn't know why I left.  That you would be alone.  I came so that you wouldn't be alone.  Before anything else you and I were friends.  You told me once that I was the only one that you could really talk with.  You need that now.  I will not let you give up Sean Logan.

SEAN
What is the point?

MARITA
The point.  What is the point of living?  You want to know the point?

Marita turns around and leaves the room, wiping the tears from her eyes.  She comes back a minute later carrying Anna.

MARITA
You want to know the point Sean.  This is the point.  She is the point.

Sean just stares at Anna as Marita brings her closer.  He can't say anything.  Tears are welling up in Marita's eyes.

MARITA
She is why I left Sean.  I thought that I could do it alone.  That I could raise her without you.

Anna I want to met your father.

SEAN
She's mine?

Marita kneels down by Sean.  He is cautiously touching the baby.  Anna looks up at him and smiles.  She then practices her new grabbing technique and grabs one of her mother's fingers and puts it into to her mouth.  Sean and Marita both laugh.

SEAN
I don't understand.  Why didn't you tell me?

MARITA
Do you want to hold her?

SEAN
No.

MARITA
You won't break her.

Marita places the baby in Sean's arms.  Tears are streaming down his face.  He kisses Anna's forehead.

SEAN
Hi little one.  God, you are so beautiful.  I can't believe it Marita, we have child, we made a child, she is ours.

MARITA
I know.

Marita is crying by this time also.  Sean touches her cheek.

SEAN
I am sorry.  Oh god, Marita, I am so sorry.

MARITA
Why?

SEAN
I promised that I wouldn't ever hurt you.  I hurt you.

MARITA
No you didn't.  She did not hurt.  What hurt was not being able to share her with you.

SEAN
I love you.

MARITA
I love you too.

Marita sits up and kisses Sean.  While they are kissing Anna notices that no one is paying attention to her and starts to cry.

SEAN
I love you, too, honey.  I have a daughter.  I have a daughter with you.

MARITA
So does she give you a reason?

SEAN
Marita.

MARITA
The doctor says that you could still walk again.  You just have to practice and work at it.  I am here to help you.  To be anything that you need.

SEAN
And what if I can't?

MARITA
Then you simply can't.  It doesn't change who you are.  It might change what you do, but it does not change who are.

SEAN
Yes it does.

MARITA
Sean I don't want to fight again.  So just agree with me.  I have been on a train for three days and I am tired.

SEAN
Do you want to lie down?

MARITA
Yes, you want to join me.

SEAN
Marita, I don't know if we should...

MARITA
Just to refresh your memory, everyone downstairs has met Anna.  I don't think they would mind us lying together.

SEAN
True.

Marita picks Anna up and lies her on the bed.  She then proceeds to help get Sean up and back over to the bed.  She then proceeds to take her hair down and take her shoes off.  She then places Anna on Sean's stomach.

MARITA
She likes to lie on my stomach.

SEAN
She looks like you, you know that?

MARITA
I actually thought that she looked a little like Lexie did when she was little.

Marita gets into bed and under the covers.  She then cuddles up to Sean.

MARITA
So how much can you feel?

SEAN
Marita?

MARITA
It was an innocent question.

Marita looks up at him with lazy eyes.

MARITA
I love you.

SEAN
I need to tell you something.

MARITA
What?

SEAN
Before you left, I knew that something was wrong.  I guess somewhere in my mind I knew about Anna.  Because ever since we first made love I started saving money.

MARITA
Saving money, why?

SEAN
So that we could leave.  I had it all planned.  I would go out and get everything set up and then you would come out.  I even wrote the letter explaining the whole thing to you.

MARITA
Really?

SEAN
It is still in my drawer.  I guess I wanted you to know that I had planned that no matter what happened, you and I would be together.  I was planning on marrying you.  So no matter what happens I need you to know that.

MARITA
Okay.

SEAN
Whatever happens, we will solve it.  Together, not individually.  Together, okay

MARITA
Okay

SEAN
As a family.

MARITA
A family.

Marita yawns and places her head on Sean's shoulder.  She closes her eyes and falls asleep.

SEAN
I love you Marita.  You know, Anna, you have a wonderful mother.

Anna smiles at him.

SEAN
I love you both and I will not let anything happen to you.  I promise.

Sean closes his eyes and squeezes Marita closer towards him.  Anna is the only one awake.  She is smiling at her parents.
 
 
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