44

AUNTIE MAMA, RUBY and VIVIAN burst into peals of laughter. 

DOROTHY’s face is a wooden masque.  She is utterly unconvinced by AUNTIE MAMA’s plain-spoken admonition.  Her deepest intuition states otherwise.  Right then and there, she makes a solemn vow to herself: I, DOROTHY JEAN DANDRIDGE, will prove to be the exception to the rule.  One day my face shall grace the cover of Photoplay.  

AUNTIE MAMA, still laughing,rolls down the car window…

                      AUNTIE MAMA
        And, as for this—say good riddance
        to this trash.

…She tosses the PHOTOPLAY out the window.

DOROTHY slumps back into the rear seat, the wind knocked out of her sails.  Her eyes become moist and she bites her lip to keep the tears from falling. 

Then she angrily scoots closer to the rear window, putting distance between herself and VIVIAN, who is gloating with elation and amusement.

                         RUBY
       …Back to your homework, girls.
 
                     AUNTIE MAMA
                (pointedly)
       And focus.

EXT. MODEL T—RUNBY SHOT. DAY.

The Model T BLASTS past a colorful STATE BORDER SIGN: 

WELCOME TO GEORGIA
THE PEACH TREE STATE 

STAY TUNED