If Beale Street Could Talk

In his cell, Fonny dreams of the uncertainty he feels during his first effort to create a sculpture out of a piece of wood. He wakes up from this dream. He is tired, smells bad, and feels a growing sense of despair. He masturbates to pass the time. Tish comes to visit him that evening, and she notes with concern how ragged he looks. Tish tells Fonny that his trial date is coming up and that the baby will soon arrive as well.

Tish also updates Fonny on Hayward’s progress on his defense. Victoria is likely to break under the pressure of questioning on the stand, and Hayward has uncovered that she is a sometimes sex worker. In addition, the decision to place just one African American man—Fonny—in the lineup probably tainted the identification enough that they can get the case thrown out. There is also the accusation that Bell killed a little boy. Fonny is not reassured by these bits of news.

After Sharon returns home from Puerto Rico, she tells her family that the last she heard of Victoria was that the woman had a miscarriage and suffered a complete psychological breakdown.