𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐲

XV. You've Gone Too Far.

THE CROWD is still cheering as John B walks down the aisle, "quiet, please." The mayor demands as John B makes his way to the stand where the cheers now die down. He adjusts the mic, "please state your name for the record." The mayor tells him. "I am John Booker Routledge." He says. "Damn right." JJ nods. "That's it! That's right!" The man in the back shouts, clapping his hands.

"Look, I'm--I'm not a lawyer, by any standard, but honestly, this doesn't make any sense. I mean, we bought the property at auction, and we have a fully functioning business and have had for some time. And--and now you have a motion for rezoning on our property?" He asks as the mayor glances at Lawrence. "And if it passes, we lose our business. And we lose our home." He turns back, to gesture at his friends. "Because of some bullshit!" JJ exclaims, looking up and Jake nods, glancing at him. "The fix is in!" A woman shouts, standing up. "He's right. He's right." A man shouts.

"That's no law!"

"He's got a right!" The man shouted. The mayor hits his gavel a couple of times, "there will be order in this room." He shouts. "Take your seats." He demands as Evie covers her ears. "Sorry honey, I didn't think it would get this loud." Jake sighed, kissing the top of the girl's head. "I want Mama Kie." She looks up and Jake sets her down onto the floor, so she could walk past Sarah who she momentarily stopped at, smiling up at the blonde girl.

"Hi." Sarah said, smiling back at her, turning her attention away for a moment, before the toddler continues past her, gently touching her knees as she did, then touched Pope's, which frightened him, glancing down at the girl who just waves at him. "Sit down, let him speak and shut the hell up!" Mike suddenly shouts and Evie stops, flinching, "it's okay, Evie, just keep going." Pope tells the girl quietly.

She passes by him, touching Cleo's knees now as the girl glanced down, staring at her and Evie just smiles at her. Cleo couldn't help but smile back, glancing back up at John B and the mayor. "Mr. Routledge, you can continue." The mayor says as Evie finally reaches Kie who lifts her up, "hi baby girl." She says quietly, rubbing Evie's back. "Hi Mama." The girl rested her head onto her shoulder, and clearly her mom had heard, Anna turning to look at the two.

"As most of you know, myself and Sarah," John B glanced back to look at his wife who's staring in worry, fidgeting with her necklace. "We both lost our fathers last year. All we are trying to do is rebuild a home." The crowd erupts into cheers as Kie just looked away, to the front of the court room, not daring to look at her mom in the eyes. "That's it." John B adds as The woman now glanced over to Jake, seeing the boy just sitting there, arms crossed, JJ's arm behind him on the back of the bench.

"Sir, with all due respect, we're not looking for a handout. We just want to keep our home, alright? And we don't want to get it taken from us for some stupid club." He raised his voice, as Kie glanced behind her, still softly rubbing Evie's back as the toddler is resting on her shoulder. "I mean, how... how is that legal?" John B asked him. Both sides of the court room had all began shouting, arguing as Kie just continues to rub Evie's back, the toddler covering her ears again due to the loudness.

"Excuse me. Excuse me. Mayor? Mayor?"

"I don't understand." John B exclaims, the crowd still all yelling as the mayor is hitting his gavel. "Excuse me. Excuse me. May I speak?" The man now asks. "Absolutely." The mayor pointed at Mr. Zeasy. "Thank you, Mayor." He turns to the crowd. "There seems to be a misunderstanding. Okay? And I think I can clarify." He tells the room.

"Oh, my God." JJ turns away, rolling his eyes. "Mr. Routledge, you have the floor. Are you willing to let Mr. Zeasy speak?" The mayor now asked John B who leans down, closer to the mic which he turns to himself. "If you can help explain it a little better, Dale." He then glanced at Mr. Zeasy. "Excuse me, son. You can stand rigjt here." The man tells him.