The Secret Life of Bees (2008) - full transcript

Deborah?

- Where you been?
- I'm sorry. I'm sorry, T.

- Are you cheating on me?
- No, no!

- I'm not cheating on you.
- What?

Stop it!
What are you doing?

- Please!
- You ain't leaving me!

- Stop it!
- Who is it?

Nobody!

It's you! I hate you!

- T Ray, just let me go!
- What's this?

No!



T Ray, damn it! Get off me!

Lily!

I killed my mother when
I was four years old.

That's what I knew about myself.

She was all I wanted,
and I took her away.

Nothin' else much mattered.

- T Ray!
- What?

There's bees in my room!

Hundreds of 'em!
You've gotta see!

- What is it?
- They're in my room!

- You must come see.
- Jesus Christ, Lily!

What?

Goddamn it, Lily.
This ain't funny.

But, they were here.



They were flying everywhere.

You wake me again,
I'm gonna get out the grits.

You hear me?

Goddamn it.

The bees came the summer of '64.

The summer I turned 14,

and my whole life went spinning off
into a whole new orbit.

Looking back on it,

I wanna say they were sent to me.

I wanna say they showed up
like the Angel Gabriel...

appearing to the Virgin Mary.

I know it's forward to compare
my small life to hers, but,

I have good reason to believe...

she wouldn't mind.

So, um,

my birthday is tomorrow.

Most girls want one of them little...

silver charm bracelets they have...

down at the mercantile.

But, I was just thinking...

you could tell me about
my mother instead.

All you ever said
is she's from Virginia...

and she's an only child like I am.

I don't even know what
her favorite food was,

and what she liked to do,
and nothing.

You wanna know about your mama?

Mm-hm.

She used to spend hours...

luring roaches and whatnot...

out of the house with graham
crackers and marshmallows.

Swear to God.

She was a lunatic
about saving bugs.

Here you go.

Hey, Lily!

Nice ass!

Oh!

Gotcha.

Rosaleen,

look at this thing fight.

What you doing with that?

Catching bees to show T Ray.

He thinks I'm making it up.

Get yourself stung,
don't come crying to me.

Come fix this.

What'd they do?
Drop the atom bomb or something?

Hush.

It does say that there are those...

who are equal before God...

shall now also be equal
in the polling booths,

in the classrooms,

in the factories,

and in hotels, and restaurants,
and movie theaters.

- Holy shit.
- and other places...

that provide service to the public.

Today, July the 2nd, 1964,

President Johnson signed
the Civil Rights bill into law.

15,

16, 17, 18,

19, 20,

21, 22.

When's my hair gonna look like yours?

I bet mine used to drive you crazy,

the way it goes off
in 11 wrong directions.

I bet you used to brush it
a hundred times a day...

just to get it to lay down.

I bet you did.

Lily!

Lily!

Lily!

- Who you out here with?
- What?

- Who's out there?
- There's nobody...

here but me.

- It's just me.
- Get up from there.

Get in here.

No!

You think you're grown?

Huh?

Out there doing God knows what.

You'll get yourself pregnant
and then what? Huh?

Huh?

You can go.

Morning.

How long your dad
keep you on these grits?

Hour.

Look at you.

Happy birthday!

I didn't know you made me a cake.

Of course, I did.
It's your birthday.

- How big a piece you want?
- Real big.

You should be in the stand already.

It's a big peach day.

Taking her to town with me.

What for?

She needs a training bra.

She gots to get measured.

How much something like that cost?

Happy birthday.

So, what's in town anyway?

I'm registering to vote.

Rosaleen,

news said a colored man in
Mississippi was killed for doing that.

Good thing we ain't
in Mississippi then.

I saw you scribbling one of
your stories in the stand yesterday.

Go on. Tell it.

All right.

But, she blocks the oven and she says,

"I'm the lead singer, and...

it's done when I say it's done."

So, I don't know what to do.

The Supremes are having
a fight in my kitchen.

- But, then suddenly we hear--
- Hey.

Ain't you Terence Ray's little girl?

Yes, sir.

Lily.

Your daddy know
you out here with her?

Rosaleen works for us.

Whole lot of niggers been
coming through here today.

You wouldn't be going to that
secret meeting, would you?

Well, hell, we ain't gotta
worry about this one.

Can't register to vote if
you can't write your own name.

Tell me, Lily.

She a smart nigger,

or a dumb nigger?

- Please, mister, we really need--
- Answer me, girl.

R-O-S-A-L-E-E-N.

No!

- Rosaleen! Stop!
- Put her there!

- Apologize!
- Rosaleen, just apologize!

- Help!
- Apologize!

- Somebody help!
- Quiet.

Your black ass gonna apologize
one way or the other.

Thank you, Sheriff.

You have to help her.

- Get in the goddamn truck.
- I ain't resting...

till your nigger apologizes.

- I'm sorry, Frank!
- I promised her!

Get in the goddamn truck.

She dumped snuff juice
on a white man.

On Frank Posey, for Christ's sake.

I wouldn't be surprised
if he flat-out kills her.

You don't mean that.

He wouldn't really kill her.

Sheriff's gonna take her
to the hospital, she'll be fine.

Goddamn it.

What the hell were you thinking?

Don't you leave this room, you hear?

- I gotta settle payroll with--
- You don't scare me.

What'd you say?

You're a coward.

My mother would never
let you touch me!

That goddamn woman
give a shit about you.

She loved me.

- I hate you!
- Knock it off.

Now, you listen here.

Truth is,

your sorry mama,
she ran off and left you.

On the day she died,

she come back for
the rest of her things.

Not you.

That ain't true.

It's not.

Dear T. Ray,
Don't bother looking for me.

P.S. People who tell LIES like
you should rot in hell.

Dr. Cash, please call the page.

Dr. Cash, please call
the page operator.

Rosaleen.

They beat you again?

We gotta get you out of here.

I can't get out of here.
I'm in jail.

You shouldn't be.

That's gotta go.

Rosaleen.

- This is crazy.
- Oh, it'll be all right.

It'll be all right.

Shh.

A white girl come by here?

Uh, no, sir. Nobody.
I ain't moved from this spot.

You gals be careful now.

Let me get this straight.

You got us going to Tiburon...

'cause your mama got a picture...

with that town written on the back?

That's it?

T Ray said, my mother left me
way before she died.

Well, it's not true.

He only made it up to punish me.
I know he did.

Knowing your daddy,
he could do a thing like that.

And my mother could never do
what he said she did.

I get it.

You ran off because of
what he said, didn't you?

It ain't had nothing to do
with me being in jail.

And here you got me worrying
myself sick about you...

getting in trouble because of me.

So, what you fixing to do?

Go door-to-door asking folks
about your mama?

- That's your bright idea?
- I don't exactly have a plan, all right?

Well, you sure had one
back at the hospital.

Coming in there and saying,

we gonna do this,
and we gonna do that.

And I'm supposed to follow you like
some dumb nigger, like they said.

Well, you are dumb pouring
your spit on that man's shoe like that.

And dumber not to say you're sorry
if saying it will save your life.

That man was gonna come back
and kill you or worse.

And I go and I get you out of there,

and this is how you thank me?

Well, fine.

Are you all right?

I feel like I've been
beaten with a stick.

You have been beaten,
remember?

But, not with a stick.

I know you can't understand.

Apologizing to those men would've
just been a different way of dying.

Except, I have to live with it.

If I can find someplace open,
I'll buy us some food.

What we gonna do for beds?

Find a motel, I guess.

Lily, there ain't gonna be a place
that'll take a colored woman.

Well, what about
the Civil Rights Act?

Ain't nothing
but a piece of paper.

Excuse me, sir.

Are you serving food today?

Oh, yes, ma'am. We have
a Sunday plate special:

Barbecued pork.

Um, we'll take two of those,
please, and two Cokes.

I don't believe
I've seen you before.

I'm not from here. I'm,
I'm just visiting my grandmother.

Your daddy's gonna be so proud of you.

- Afternoon, Carol.
- Hi.

Why, don't you two look smart.

- When we get home--
- You come on in,

and I'll wrap those up
for you to go.

Miss, you change your mind?

Where did you get those?

Oh, I know what you mean.

Virgin Mary's pictured
as a colored woman.

But, see, the woman that makes
the honey is colored herself.

Best honey in South Carolina.

What is her name?

August Boatwright.

Do you know where she lives?

Darnedest house you ever saw.

Painted like Pepto-Bismol.

Your grandma's probably seen it.

What do you think's going on?

Look like they dressed for church.

You think one of them's August?

Whoever she is,
I hope she make honey...

better than she picks out paint.

I like it.

Now, don't go getting
your hopes up, all right?

They got nowhere else to go.

Yes?

Are you August Boatwright?

No.

I'm June Boatwright.

August is my sister.

You came to see her?

Hi.

I'm May Boatwright.

I'm August's sister too.

Is she expecting you?

Um, I just saw some honey at the store,

- and the man said that--
- You come for honey?

Why didn't you say so?

Come into the parlor.

I'll go get her.

Then after that she gonna go
get September and October.

Who we got here?

I'm Lily and this is Rosaleen.

We need a place to stay.

You see, my mother died
of tularemia when I was little,

and my daddy just got killed
in a tractor accident...

on our farm in
Spartanburg County,

so me and Rosaleen,
she's our housekeeper,

we're on our way to Virginia
to stay with my Aunt Bernie.

Except, I don't have money
for a train ticket or a motel,

and not that anyone would
take in a Negro woman,

even though it's a violation
of the Civil Rights Act.

Looks like you've been beaten.

She fell down some steps
when we were leaving.

Must've been a lot of steps.

May, honey,

go on out to the wall
and finish your crying.

Is she all right?

I'm sorry.

We can't help you.

We can't have 'em living
on the side of the road.

Why don't you call your aunt,

see about her sending you
some train fare?

I would, but she just had
a real big operation...

and she's still staying in the hospital.

So maybe, Rosaleen and I could
just work for the money,

and then just be on our way.

Well,

I guess Rosaleen can help
May in the kitchen,

and you can help me
and Zach with the bees.

August.

We have the cots
in the honey house.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

I hope y'all like the smell of honey.

It can be a bit overwhelming at first,

but you'll get used to it.

Zach and I sleep out here
come in December...

when we harvesting honey
round the clock.

It can get hot out here,

so you wanna keep that on.

You'll have to use
the bathroom in the house.

We never lock the door,
so just come on in...

whenever you need to.
There you go.

This ain't charity.
I'll pay you back for it.

Oh, yeah, you can work it off.

I imagine y'all two wanna rest up.

If you get hungry,

there's some sweet
potato biscuits on the stove.

They're May's specialty.

Thank you again, Miss August.

I'm sure sorry to hear about
T Ray, Aunt Bernie too.

I know it wasn't right to lie,
but I didn't have a choice.

How come you ain't say
nothing about your mama?

Or show that picture? Ain't that
why we're here in the first place?

If they knew I ran away, they'd
have to call T Ray to come get me.

Then they'd find out you a fugitive
and they'd have to call the police.

I feel like I'm where
I'm supposed to be.

I really do.

I just need some time to figure out why.

So, don't say anything.

It's your secret.

You do what you want with it.

They're so cultured.

I never met Negro women
like them before.

Just us dumb ignorant ones.

That's not what I'm saying.

Guess I never met Negro women
like them neither.

How much land did she say they got?

Twenty-eight acres.

It's like it's got
its own spot in the world,

where the outside don't come in.

Well, that's a good thing.

We'll be safe here, right?

This is bullshit.

You know she in
some kind of trouble.

Well, who's gonna
take 'em in if we don't?

No one around here.

So what if that trouble follow 'em?

I need to do this, all right?

Birmingham, Sept 15th.
4 Little angels Dead.

You gonna break my car?

No, I'm not gonna break your car.

I'm just asking 'cause you're
looking a little confused.

It is hotter than a pot of rice, and
you got nerve to give me a hard time?

Give me that wrench.

- No, you get it.
- Not gonna play, June Bug?

You gonna play?

- Come here.
- No. What?

- Come here now.
- What are you doing?

- You know what we doing.
- I don't dance.

- Oh, you're dancing now.
- No, I don't.

I don't dance.

- No, no. Get off.
- Come here.

- Come on, June.
- Don't you pick me up.

Stop it. Stop it.

♪ Place a beehive on my grave ♪

♪ And let the honey soak through ♪

♪ When I'm dead and gone ♪

- ♪ That's what I want from you ♪
- Oh, thank you.

♪ The streets of heaven
are gold and sunny ♪

- ♪ But I'll stick with my plot ♪
- Morning.

Morning.

- You sleep all right?
- Yes, ma'am.

Come on.
Grab yourself a chair.

- Okay.
- Hey.

This one's yours.

Thank you.

Who's, who's that man out there?

Oh, that's Neil.

He teaches at the school
where June teaches music.

He's sweet on her.

Seems like she's sweet on him too.

Yeah, but she won't say so.

He tried every which way
to get her to marry him, but...

- she won't.
- How come?

Too scared.

May,

June might think
that's a little personal.

Hell, I'll tell any folk that'll listen
I threw my man out.

Put his brain in a bird and
the bird will fly backwards.

Mm.

How come y'all got
names from a calendar?

Our mama loved spring and summer.

We had...

an April too, but...

she died when she was little.

You ain't gonna fix that car.

I'm gonna fix it.

What set May off?

She upset because
you won't marry Neil.

See that? You should go on and marry me
and quit upsetting your sister.

Get out of here.

No, woman, you promised me pancakes,
and I ain't leaving till I get 'em.

You must be Rosaleen.

Neil.

- And you must be Lily.
- Yes, sir.

What's burning?

Don't worry.

We'll just make you another one.

Or how about some grits?

No.

Thank you.
That's, that's all right.

I'm just not really hungry.

Then let's get to work.

Check on May.

I'm going to the NAACP offices.

We're canvassing voters this morning.

Uh, wait.
What about my pancakes?

The batter's right there
by the griddle.

Now, how could beauty be so evil?

I've been stung so many times,
I have immunity.

They barely even hurt me.

But since you don't,

you need to know
beeyard etiquette.

Beeyard etiquette?

You see,

the world's really
just one big beeyard.

The same rules...

work in both places.

Don't be afraid,

as no life-loving bee
wants to sting you.

But, don't be an idiot.

That's why we wear
long sleeves and long pants.

And don't swat.

Don't even think about swatting.

And above all,

send the bees love.

Every little thing
wants to be loved.

Let's go.

Now, we'll constantly
be checking the hives.

We have to make sure the queens
have enough room to lay their eggs,

otherwise we get swarms.

What do you mean, a swarm?

When you get a queen...

and a group of independent-minded bees...

that split off...

and look for another place to live,

then you get swarms.

And I lose my bees.

So,

what we have to do is...

we take out the frames
filled with honey...

and put in empty ones.

Now the smoke,

it calms the bees,

and it masks the alarm scent
released by the guard bees.

Why, you ain't scared a lick, huh?

I love you. I love you.
I love you. I love you.

I love you.

All right.

Easy movement.

See right there, Lily?

That's the queen.

The large one.

That wall behind the house,

why does it have little
pieces of paper in it?

Oh, well, that's May's wall.

She made it herself.

I guess you noticed
she a little different, huh?

She sure gets upset easy.

She had a twin sister, April.

- The one who died?
- Mm-hm.

It's like the two of them were...

one soul sharing two bodies.

If April got a toothache,

May's gum would plump up red.

One time my father used
a belt strap on April.

I swear, welts rose up
on May's legs too.

When April died,

it was like the whole world
became May's twin sister.

And we tried for years
to get her help, but...

the doctors just kept
telling us to put her away.

So June and I come up with
this idea of the "wailing wall."

What kind of wall?

The "wailing wall,"
like the one in Jerusalem.

The Jewish people go there to mourn.

See, they write their prayers
on tiny pieces of paper,

and then they tuck 'em in the wall.

And that's what Miss May does.

Those bits of paper are...

all the heavy feelings
May carries around.

Seems like the only thing
that helps her.

Poor Miss May!

Yeah.

Poor Miss May!

That's Zach's car.

He must be in the honey house.

Why don't you go in
and say hello.

All right, this one's dedicated
to all my honeys.

Oh.

Don't worry.

You my honey too.

♪ Baby I need your loving ♪

♪ Got to have all of your loving ♪

♪ Baby I need your loving ♪

♪ Got to have all of your loving ♪

I was, I was just singing.

I'm Lily.

I'm staying with Miss August
and them for a while.

Oh. Well, um,

I'm, I'm Zachary Taylor,

her godson.

Zachary Taylor was a president.

Yeah, so I heard.

Come here. Look.

See?

"Zachary Lincoln Taylor."

Uh,

Miss August told me about
you being here helping out.

She didn't mention anything
about you being white.

Maybe, she didn't notice.

Ooh.

- Mm.
- Just put it in.

Miss August, you know
I got stung today, right?

Did you? Where?

Right there.
Probably can't see it much.

- But, you got to see it--
- No, I'm telling you that...

they don't intend on voting.

Go. Let it go.

- Hear the popping?
- Yeah.

It's from capping.
Now you try.

Whoa. Whoa.

I'm sorry.

Put the uncapped frames
in the spinner.

Pushes out all the honey.

Miss August says you can
run like Wilma Rudolph.

Yeah, in a championship game
I was running everywhere like--

Uh, hey, hey.

Oh, no!

Hm.

You want me to light your candle?

Yes, ma'am.

You all enjoy.

Thank you, Miss May.

She calls it a candlestick salad.

She's been making 'em for me
since I was little.

- It looks like--
- Yeah. Yeah, I know.

I know.

So,

what's your favorite subject in school?

English.

I was planning on being a writer.

I don't really think I got
much of a future now,

being an orphan and all.

Don't writers,

like,

just imagine things you don't see?

You should imagine
yourself having a future.

That's what I do.

Playing professional football?

Why do white people always think...

sports is the only way
we could be successful?

I wanna be a lawyer.

I'm sorry. I just thought
'cause you were good at it.

I've never heard
of a Negro lawyer.

You never heard of
Thurgood Marshall?

No.

Forget it.

All right.

I'm picturing you as a lawyer.

Take the case of a girl who's
wrongly accused of hurting somebody.

At the very last minute,

you get the truth by tricking the real
bad guy on the witness stand.

You bust his ass with the truth.

Yes.

Zach,

the ass-busting lawyer.

Oh. Thank you, May.

- Here.
- No gravy.

- Smells good.
- Mm-hm.

So how are things coming
with you, Lily?

Things are coming fine,
Miss June. Thank you.

- I made banana daisy--
- You've been here almost a week now.

Your aunt must be worried.

If you want us to leave,
me and Rosaleen will be on our way.

Oh, heavens to Betsy, Lily.

Nobody wants you to leave
till you're good and ready.

Why do you put a Negro Mary
on your honey?

You mean why is she black,

or why is she on the honey?

I guess both.

Tell her, August.

I'm Sugar Girl.

I'm Cressie.

I'm Doll.

And I'm her daughter, Violet.

And I'm Greta, Zachary's mama.

Mm-mm, I love Sundays.

What the hell kind
of church is this?

It's been a while since
we told the story of our Mary.

Mm-hmm.

And since we have visitors here
who've never heard it,

I thought we'd tell it again.

That's right. Tell the story.

- Mm-hm.
- Mm-hm.

Back in the days of slavery,

our people would go
to the praise house on Sunday.

And ask the Lord
to send them rescue.

One day, a slave named Obadiah...

was loading bricks onto a boat.

And he saw something that
had washed up on the shore.

Moving closer,

he saw that it was
the wooden figure of a woman.

Her body was growing
out of a block of wood.

- A black woman.
- Mm-mm-mm.

With her arm lifted up
and her fist balled out.

Mm-hm.

And to his shock,

he heard her voice clear as day.

Mm-hm.

She said,

- "It's all right."
- "It's all right."

- "I'm here."
- "I'm here."

- "I'll be taking care of you now."
- Mm-hm.

And Obadiah knew at that moment
that God had sent her.

Now, everyone knew the mother
of Jesus' name was Mary,

and that she was strong,

- Come on.
- and constant,

and had a mother's heart.

And here she was,

sent to them...

across the same waters that
had brought them there in chains.

Seemed like she knew
everything they suffered.

Everything!

And so, the people went up...

one at a time,

and touched their hand
to her chest,

wanting to grab on
to the solace in her heart.

Mary filled their hearts
with fearlessness.

She filled their hearts!

And if they ever grew weak,

they had only to touch
her heart again.

Touch her heart!

- Touch her heart.
- Touch her heart.

- Touch her heart.
- Whoo!

- Touch her heart.
- Touch her heart.

Touch her heart.

Lily.

Hail Mary,

full of grace,

the Lord is with thee.

No!

- I'm your husband!
- Lily!

And blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.

Just let me go!

No!

Pray for us sinners now,

and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

Lily!

No!

June, what's gotten into you?

- Oh!
- Oh!

Lily. Lily!

Lily!

Girl, since when
you started fainting?

Could I get some water?

Of course.

Wait. Um,

Rosaleen, could you get it, please?

This your room?

Blue is my favorite color.

Mine too.

Birds of a feather.

Sorry, I messed up your church.

Oh, that's all right.

We go on all day
if somebody don't stop us.

I just hope you all right.

I think it was the heat.

Felt like it was
90 degrees in there.

Yes,

the heat.

♪ I've made my reservation ♪

♪ I'm leaving town tomorrow ♪

♪ I'll find somebody new ♪

♪ And there'll be no more sorrow ♪

♪ That's what I do each time ♪

♪ But I can't follow through ♪

♪ I can't break away ♪

♪ Though you make me cry ♪

♪ I can't break away ♪

♪ I can't say good-bye ♪

♪ No I'll never ever ♪

♪ Break away from you ♪

♪ No no no no ♪

♪ No no no no ♪

♪ No no no no no ♪

Who can think with all that?

Well, there's your problem.

You think too much.

Try going with your feelings
once in a blue moon.

You won't believe what
people in town are saying.

Saying Jack Palance
is coming to Tiburon.

And he's bringing
a Negro woman with him.

What in the world?

Who's Jack Palance?

He's a movie star, a white one.

I ain't never heard--

I, I have never heard of him.

They say his sister lives here.

He's coming to visit her.

And he intend to take this woman
to the theater on Friday.

White folks talking about
standing guard outside.

And these idiots are determined
to fight this law till they--

Shh, shh, shh. Shh.

- Miss May?
- Mm-hm?

I saw how nice you did
Rosaleen's hair, and...

I was wondering if maybe
you could help me with mine.

That'll be easy.

Hm.

It's ironic how white people
hate us so much...

when so many of 'em been
raised by black women.

You think something being an impossibility
makes you think about it even more?

Like what?

I don't know. Like...

kissing.

That ain't impossible.

When I was 15,

I made a 7-UP cake for this boy.

After that,

he kissed me all the time.

What'd it feel like?

Like I was gonna burst.

Miss May, I know
you get real sad sometimes.

My daddy never feels.

He never felt anything.

I had rather be like you.

A worker bee weigh less
than a flower petal,

but she can fly with
a load heavier than her.

But, she only lives
four or five weeks.

Sometimes, not feeling is
the only way you can survive.

You want me to help you
make a 7-UP cake?

Hold that.

It's purple.

Yeah.

When the weather turns hot,

the flowers,
they start to dry up.

The bees, they start sucking
on that elderberry.

That makes purple honey.

There.

See?

People will pay...

two dollars a jar for purple honey.

You all right?

She'll be fine.

Because you know why.

Why does it always have...

- to come back to this?
- Because I love you and you love me.

- Neil, I don't wanna get married.
- That's what people, when they in love,

- I don't wanna get married, Neil.
- That's what people in love do.

- I don't wanna be married today...
- Come on.

- or tomorrow or ever.
- It's about that time!

- What are you so scared of?
- I'm not scared of anything!

Then you are the most
selfish bitch I ever met.

What?

What did you just say to me?

- Oh, Lord.
- What did you just call me?

How dare you call me that, Neil.
Neil, I'm talking to you.

You better turn around
and listen to me right now.

You better come back here
and apologize right now!

Don't you ever plan
on coming back then!

I don't even need you in my life!

How dare--?
Don't come back!

Don't worry, May.
Come on.

Don't come back!

I bet they'll be back holding hands
on the porch swing tomorrow.

I don't know, Lily.

Some people rather die than forgive.

And June is one of 'em.

She still hasn't forgiven me
for painting the house,

and that was 10 years ago.

Well, how come,
if your favorite color is blue,

you painted the house so pink?

That was May's doing.

She was with me the day
I went to the paint store, and...

she latched onto this sample
called Caribbean Pink.

Said it made her wanna dance
a Spanish flamenco.

I thought it was the tackiest color
I ever seen in my life.

But if it could lift May's heart,

then I guess she ought to live in it.

Well, that was sure nice of you.

Well, some things don't
matter that much, Lily.

Like the color of a house
and whatnot.

But lifting someone's heart,

now that matters.

Were you ever in love?

Of course, I was.

But, you didn't love him
enough to marry him.

Well, I loved him enough.
I just loved my freedom more.

I can't think of one thing I'd rather have
than somebody loving me.

Where are all the bees?

You hear that?

They're cooling the hive.

That's the sound of 100,000
bee wings fanning the air.

People have no idea about...

the complicated life
going on inside a beehive.

Here, let me help you with that.

See, bees have a secret life
we don't know anything about.

Yes!

Well, if this ain't the living end.

Now, you come over here,
you gonna get wet.

Oh, Lord, Lord!

Would you keep it down?

Keep it down!
I'm practicing.

You come over here,
you gonna get wet.

Oh, damn it to hell!

- Run, Lily!
- Oh, damn it to hell!

How dare you?

- You out of your mind?
- All right now, June.

- Oh!
- Come on, June.

- Where you going, June?
- June?

Come on back.

Oh, Miss May.

Got thirsty.

I saw a roach.

The roaches will follow this...

right out the door.

Works every time.

Miss May?

Did you know a Deborah?

Deborah Owens?

She's a white woman from Virginia.

It would've been a long time ago.

Oh, yes.

Deborah Owens.

She stayed out in the honey house.

She was the sweetest thing.

Think I'll go out
to the wall for a while.

Zach!

Come back here!

Thank you.

Hey. Lily,

come ride with me.

Uh, I gotta drop some honey off
to Mr. Forrest. I want you to meet him.

Oh, I gotta talk to Miss August.
You know where she is?

Uh, she went to Columbia to go
pick up a new blade for the spinner.

Oh.

Thought a new notebook might...

help you start writing again.

Whoa.

My mother stayed in
the honey house, just like me.

What?

When?

I don't know.

I don't know anything about her.

Maybe, it was before I was born. Or...

maybe, she left me like my daddy said.

So, wait.

You mean to tell me,

all that stuff about your aunt,

and,

and just passing through,

you made that up?

Why not just tell the truth?

Because I'm afraid the truth
is gonna wreck everything.

There he is.

And who might
this pretty young lady be?

This is Lily.

She's staying with Miss August.

You staying in her house?

Yes, ma'am.

Well, Miss August is
a good friend of mine.

I hope you're enjoying yourself.

- Yes, sir.
- Look what he gave me.

I'm starting my law library.

That's nice.

Hey.

Lily, I know you're scared
the truth is gonna wreck things.

Finding out the truth is only half of it.

It's what you do with it that matters.

Right?

When was the last time
you seen a movie?

I don't remember.

Come on. We gonna go see Surf Party.

- But, what--?
- But nothing.

Come on. Let's go.

- One adult, please.
- Oh, sure.

- Here you go.
- It can't hurt, you know?

- That makes sense.
- You will, Bernie.

One adult and one child.

- Everybody waxed up?
- Uh-huh.

- This is a surfboard.
- You're kidding.

This is the nose.

The sides are called rails.

- Thank you.
- This is scary.

- The first step is running--
- Come on!

Hey, boy!

- We're gonna teach you a lesson, boy!
- Hey! It's not his fault!

- I could do what I want!
- Let him go!

- Shut up!
- Shut your mouth, nigger lover!

Hold him!

- Where are they taking him?
- Get him in the truck.

We're just trying to
gather up all the pieces.

You're wasting time!

- You know who took him.
- Is that right?

- Yeah, that's right.
- All right. Now, hold on here, folks.

Soon as we know anything,
we'll get back to you.

Neil, counselor, ladies.
Come on. Let's go.

I'm gonna get some men together.

We'll look ourselves.

If you'll have me,
I'm willing to help.

May doesn't need to know about this.

Nah, it'll be too much.

Black boys don't come back, August.

He's gonna be found,
and he's gonna be all right.

How could you say that?

I have to.

Please, let him be okay.

Lily's gonna look so pretty in this.

August,

where are your scissors?

Uh, in my room.

Hey, Greta.

- Hey, May.
- You been to see Mary?

Zach is still missing.

We have to pray, May.
You understand?

We got to pray, May.

Who was at the door?

May, was somebody at the door?

Greta.

No news on Zach.

Why didn't you tell me?

You all right?

May?

May!

Answer me, May.
You all right?

What's happened to her?

I never seen her like this.

- May?
- May?

May.

I'm all right.

Glad to see you can talk.

Come on, Sister.

We gonna run you a nice hot bath.

I need to go out to the wall.

May?

Where's May?
Her bath is ready.

She's still out there.

May?

May?

May!

May?

May!

- May?
- May!

May?

May!

Come on, May.

May?

May?

June?

May!

June!

June!

May! May! Oh!

- Oh, my God.
- Oh, my God! August!

August.

Let's get here out.

Okay? Okay?

No! Oh, no, no!

- Oh, no!
- Oh, May.

We gotta get her out.

We gotta get her out.

May!

- Why you do that?
- Oh, May.

Sweet Mary.

Zach!

Zach.

Oh.

I'm so sorry.

Miss May did what
she did 'cause of me.

Come on, now.
It was May who did it.

It's all right.

She wouldn't want you blaming yourself.

It's gonna be okay.

It's good.
It's good.

Dear August and June,

I'm sorry to leave you like this.

But, I know Zach is okay.

My heart is telling me so.

I hate you being sad, but...

think how happy I'll be
with April, Mama, and Papa.

I'm tired of carrying around
the weight of the world.

I'm just gonna lay it down now.

It's my time to die,

and it's your time to live.

Don't mess it up.

Love, May.

♪ Place a beehive on my grave ♪

♪ And let the honey soak through ♪

♪ When I'm dead and gone ♪

♪ That's what I want from you ♪

♪ The streets of heaven
are gold and sunny ♪

♪ But I'll stick with my plot ♪

♪ And a pot of honey ♪

♪ Place a beehive on my grave ♪

♪ And let the honey soak through ♪

Hm.

I see you liked yours.

Mm-hm. It's the last one.

- Mm.
- Mm, girl, you did all right.

Aw.

- I'm the eldest.
- And the slowest.

I'll make some more.

- You hear that, June?
- Hm.

Think we might need
to change your name, Rosaleen.

From now on,

we gonna call you July.

Hm.

I concur.

Some more of these.

Mm.

Sure you gonna be all right
in here by yourself?

I don't mind sharing May's room.

Just wanna be near her spirit.

I'll be fine.

See you in the morning then.

Hey, Lily.

This is my mother.

I know, honey.

Your mama was
Deborah Fontanel Owens.

You've known all this time?

I knew she had a daughter.

But, I thought...

it couldn't be you.

But one look at you,

all I could see is Deborah at your age.

You knew her when she was little?

I took care of her.

Why didn't you tell me?

Something told me you wasn't
quite ready to know about her.

I just wanted to give you
a chance to...

get on solid ground first.

T Ray,

he told me that my mother...

He told me my mother
left me and ran away.

I don't have any
memory of her, but...

I know he's lying 'cause
some things aren't possible.

Children just don't have two parents
who refuse to love 'em.

Is that what made you leave?

I know what I did was wrong.

I just seem to do all
the wrong things.

I don't mean to be a bad person,
but I just can't help it.

So, that's why I gotta go.

I brought the outside in here.

And what happened
to Zach and Miss May.

If I'd never come here,
it would've never happened.

- Lily.
- I wreck everything.

- Lily, that wasn't your fault.
- Yes, it was.

They were fighting and screaming.

She grabbed a gun,
and he took it away from her.

And I just wanted to help her.
I just wanted to give it back to her.

- And I killed her.
- Who, Lily?

My mother.

I killed my mother.

I'm unlovable.

Oh, Lily.

You listen to me now.

That's a terrible, terrible thing
for you to live with.

But you're not unlovable child.

There's love all around you.

Gimme your hand.

I started taking care of Deborah
when she was nine, back in Virginia.

Over seven years.

Till my grandmama died
and left me this place.

That's why June resented you at first.

She never got over me
working in your mama's house.

So my mother came to Sylvan,
met T Ray and got married.

That's right.

But, what I don't get
is why she married him.

I think Deborah liked the fact that
he was decorated in the war.

She thought he was brave.

Said, he treated her like a princess.

It's not the same T Ray.
I can tell you that right now.

You know, Lily?

People can start out one way,

and by the time
life get through with 'em,

end up completely different.

I mean, I don't doubt that
he started off loving her.

Fact, he worshipped her.

But, after about six months or so,

her love wore off.

But if the love had worn off,
why did she marry him?

Honey,

Deborah was pregnant.

That's why.

She called me soon
after you were born.

I got letters and phone calls,
mostly about you.

How you were sitting up and...

taking your first steps.

Playing patty-cake.

But then, the letters start
coming less and less.

And one day she called me up,

and she said,
she was leaving T Ray.

- Thank you.
- Yes, ma'am.

When I picked her up
from the bus station,

she didn't even look like herself.

She had gotten so thin.

I was with her when you picked her
up from the bus station, right?

She brought me along, didn't she?

No. She came by herself, honey.

Why?

Why didn't she bring me?

All I know, Lily,
is she was falling apart.

Depressed people do things
they wouldn't ordinarily do.

It was easy for her to leave me 'cause
she never wanted me in the first place.

Lily.

After she was here
for a few months,

and started feeling better,

she, she start talking about
how much she missed you.

Then she went back
to Sylvan to see you.

She was just coming for her things.

I believe she came back for you.

I'm going to bed.

Lily!

Now, your mama made
a terrible mistake.

But I believe she tried to fix it.

Good night.

Damn it, Deborah.

I hate you!

I hate your guts!

Why didn't you love me?

Tiburon.

Hi.

Hi.

I brought some
of your mama's belongings. See?

It's just a handful of things
your mama left...

when she went back to get you.

Been in this box...

10 years, I guess.

You really loved her.

It was complicated.
But, yes, I did.

How was it complicated?

I was her nanny.

Things were different
in her world than mine.

We like to think that
love is pure and limitless.

But, love like that can't exist
in a hateful time.

But, she made me love her anyway.

There is no perfect love, Lily.

Your mama's pocket mirror.

If you look in here,

you see your mama
looking back at you.

Well, I'll be.

She was wearing that pin
the day she got here.

There's just one last thing.

Hey.

Hey.

- What happened to you?
- What about it?

It changed you, didn't it?

Sometimes,

Lily, I--

I get so angry.

I just want to kill something.

The men that took you,

they're angry like that too.

Makes 'em mean.

You have to promise me, Zach,
that you won't be like them.

I don't want to.

Me either.

No way I'm not
becoming a lawyer now.

I'm gonna be one of them
drum majors Dr. King talks about.

I know you will.

Um,

10,

maybe, maybe,
15 years from now,

we'll be at your book signing.

So don't forget our story,
all right?

I won't.

I have you know I am now
a registered voter.

Really?

I'll be casting my vote...

for Lyndon Johnson
and Hubert Humphrey.

I love you, Miss Rosaleen.

Neil.

Hello, ladies.

Hi.

Hi.

Didn't you call me here to talk?

I'm a little busy.

You ain't the only one
who's busy, Neil.

So I'm just supposed to stand here
and watch how busy you are?

No.

I was--

I was wondering if you'd
be willing to ask again.

Ask what?

This supposed to be funny?

June Boatwright,

will you marry me?

Yes.

Yes?

Yes? Yes?

Yes.

She said "yes".

- Oh, my God!
- Good for you.

Come on. We're going to
the jewelry store right now,

picking out a ring before
you change your mind, all right?

What? You don't
already have one?

Girl, come on.

How come you don't have one?

Well, well, well.
Look who's here.

Won't you come in?

Well, all right, goddamn it.

You wanna pretend I'm making
a social visit, we'll pretend.

I'm gonna take you out of here
nice and quiet or kicking and screaming.

Don't matter which one to me.

Have a seat if you want to.

So, you been here the whole time?

With colored women?

Jesus Christ.

How'd you find me?

That map on your wall.

Came here,
started asking around.

Some old lady secretary at the law office
was more than happy to fill me in.

Where's Rosaleen?

She took off a long time ago.

Where'd you get that?

- Miss August gave it to me.
- Don't you lie to me.

I'm not lying.

She said it belonged to my mama.

I gave that pin to your mama
on her 22nd birthday.

Now, you tell me right now.

- How'd this August woman get it?
- You gave this to my mother?

- Answer me.
- You did?

This is where my mother came
when she ran away from us.

She was wearing it
the day she got here.

Miss August used to take care
of her when she was a little girl.

I looked for her
everywhere I could think.

And she was right here.

Jesus Christ,
she was right here.

Goddamn you, Deborah!

You ain't leaving me again!

Get back here!

T Ray, it's me, Lily!

Daddy!

You,

you look like her.

My whole life's
been nothing but a hole...

where my mother should've been.

It left me always aching.

But, I never thought about
what it did to you.

We're going home.

I'm staying here.

You think I'm gonna walk
out of here and leave you?

I don't even know
these damn people.

I know them.

And August Boatwright
is a good person.

Now, what makes you think
she'd even want you here?

Lily can have a home here
as long as she wants.

Lily said, you'd run off.

Well, I guess I'm back now.

Well,

I don't really care where you end up.

But, Lily's coming with me.

Everybody all right?

We all right.

This is Mr. Owens,

Lily's father.

He came here for a visit.

Mr. Owens,

you'd be doing Lily and us
a big favor by leaving her here.

I made her my apprentice beekeeper,
she learning the whole business.

We love Lily.

We'll get her started in school.

We'll take care of her.

I promise you that.

Well,

good riddance.

Stop!

Stop!

The day my mother died,

you said she was only
coming back for her things.

Is that true?

No.

No. She was coming for you.

Why did you lie?

'Cause she didn't come for me.

I still tell myself...

that when T Ray drove
away that day,

he wasn't saying, "Good riddance."

He was saying, "Lily,

"you are better off there
with all these mothers."

I have more mothers...

than any three girls off the street.

They are the moons shining over me.

I guess I have forgiven myself.

Although sometimes in the night,

my dreams will
take me back to sadness,

and I have to wake up
and forgive again.

But, Mary is always there.

I feel her at unexpected moments.

She will suddenly rise.

And when she does,

she does not go up into the sky,

but further inside of me.