Promised Land (2022) s01e03 Episode Script

La Lucha (The Struggle)

1 Previously on "Promised Land" I took the little vineyard and turned it into one of the largest wine producers in the country.
Well, if I ever let it slip Joe Sandoval is a fiction I'm not the only one who's undocumented.
Are you willing to blow up your mother's life? I'm Margaret.
I'm only the mother to three of your kids.
Just hearing "Carlos Rincón" gave Joe a start.
Let's find out who Carlos Rincón is.
"Man got hit by a car.
" I know it was you.
Look, I'm just saying that considering this pitch is for the Heritage House board, pink might be a little too Oh, don't be a boomer and say pink is too feminine, Michael.
Come on.
Boomer? How old do you think I am? Well, you're married to my sister, so you must be ancient.
Check it out.
What do you think? Oh.
Well? On a shelf full of dark bottles? This is really good, Carmen.
Pick it up tomorrow? A marketing recruiter saw my work on Insta, and they want to have lunch with me.
Oh.
Wow.
Yeah.
I'm glad someone appreciates your talent, 'cause I got to say, nobody in your family seems to.
Mm.
Not nobody.
See ya.
Yeah.
I'm here to meet Margaux? With an "X".
Sorry.
I don't know why I spelled that out for you.
Thank you.
Hello, Carmen.
Mom? Are those our new uniforms? Uh, maybe.
This one right here is number 9, the striker's number, so definitely not you.
That's me! I can score goals.
You know that.
I don't think you can.
This is so good for him.
So good.
It's good to be needed.
Gives him a sense of purpose.
Right? You know, I should get going.
My ESL class is about to start.
You're not nervous? Well, haven't taught in years.
You taught me.
Yeah.
You were a good student.
Better than most.
"He went to see a mov" Unh-unh.
"Movie.
" It's time to eat.
There they are! What a fine-looking crew.
I hope you're all hungry.
Beautiful.
Ladies and gentlemen, today we eat together, as a thank-you for all your hard work.
I'd especially like to thank my foreman, Gonzo, who always finds the best workers in Sonoma.
Gonzito! Heritage House bottles may have my stamp on them, but this is a family winery, and I consider you all family, so let's eat.
- iSalud! - iSalud! Salud.
I like this pinot, Daddy.
The blend tastes lighter.
The rainy season? Very good, Margaret.
Anyone else have thoughts about this vintage? Mm! Mm! I think this wine is sweet, earthy, and tasty! Tasty.
What about you? Any thoughts on this vintage? What did he say? "First it tastes sweet, like a kiss.
" "Then the grape kisses you back.
" Well, I'll be damned.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
What's your name, son? Uh His name is Joe.
Joe Sandoval.
Joe.
Salud.
Salud.
- iSalud! - iSalud! Five minutes, Lettie.
Rosa? Juana? 'Cause I think if you say I'm right Yeah then that means you're what? - What? Nothing.
I'm right, as well.
- Ah, good timing.
I'm right.
Veronica, Antonio.
You remember Javi Soto.
Gonzo's son.
Of course.
Hi.
How you doing? I'm good, thanks.
You're going to be seeing a lot more of Javier.
I've brought him on as our new GM.
Our new GM? You don't think you should have mentioned it? I mentioned it.
Didn't I mention it? Ah, well, Javier's been working over in Coombsville.
I can't think of a better replacement for Mateo.
I can.
Got a stack of résumés sitting on my desk.
Excuse my eldest son.
Apparently he left his manners in New York.
Javier grew up on this vineyard.
He knows this place better than I do.
Hey, hey, Joe, it's okay.
It sounds like this came as a surprise.
Uh, there's a big shipment of barrels coming in.
I should go supervise.
What the hell was that? You're sidestepping us.
That man went from working in the dirt to working at a desk in Coombsville.
I know you know that's not easy for a brown man.
Yeah, no one's questioning his résumé, Pa.
I am.
Okay.
Clearly, this was just a miscommunication, yeah? Veronica, you're the new CEO.
Stand up for yourself more than I'm standing up for you right now.
I haven't seen you since you were 16, I think? You're even lovelier than ever.
You did this just to have lunch with me.
Next time, do what you usually do send a generic postcard from one of your hotels.
Okay, I deserve that.
Just please sit and listen.
I think you're very talented, Carmen.
I showed your work to my marketing team, and they agree.
So much so, they'd like to see the rest of your portfolio see if you make sense for Taste of Sonoma.
My hotel is hosting this year.
Okay.
And you'll be happy to know this job pays very well.
I don't care about the money.
I just want respect.
I get that.
My father didn't think a woman could run a vineyard.
And I was proud to prove him wrong.
But then you lost the vineyard to my father.
And then I lost your father to my best friend.
Lettie.
Joe always loved Lettie, even when she was married to your Uncle Billy, and when I realized that was never going to change, I told him to buy me out of the vineyard.
I took that money, I went to Europe.
People said I couldn't start a luxury hotel.
I was happy to prove them wrong, too but at a cost.
I'm a stranger to my own children.
No offense, but if this is your apology, it needs work.
I'm not asking for your forgiveness, Carmen.
Just your understanding.
I can't imagine how my leaving must have affected you kids, but I knew Lettie would raise you well, and at the time, I thought better than I would.
I'm sending you my portfolio.
Been wondering who else knows? What do you mean? Who else knows about you? That you sleep with men.
If you're trying to embarrass me Flaco knows.
And to answer your question, I don't advertise who I have sex with.
I don't hide it, either.
Oh, how convenient.
Does your father know? Yeah.
Better late than never, huh? I never meant to hurt you.
No, you didn't hurt me.
We had a deal.
- We were 18.
- We had a deal, Javier.
We'd go home, we'd tell our families, and then And then what? What, we'd live happily ever after? I held up my end.
I told Joe.
You know how he reacted? Huh? - I'm sure it was unpleasant.
- No, unpleasant? Yes, unpleasant, Antonio.
- Probably yelled at you? - Oh.
- Called you mariposa? - Okay.
Then he sent you off to Harvard and flew you home for Christmas Oh, please, please which I'm sure made for a very unpleasant Christmas You have no idea what he put me through! You want to know what my father would have done? How badly he would have beaten me? I had to wait years to come out to my family.
I had to wait till I could kick my father's ass.
And on the day I told him, I did.
My father who I love.
Look, I'm sorry that I broke our deal and that I got scared.
Get in.
The day I told my father, he said, "Sleep with whoever you want.
Just keep it hidden.
" For a while, I tried to play the part.
In Joe's eyes, it was over.
I'd never be head of this company the one thing I always wanted.
I know your path wasn't easy.
But mine was more than just unpleasant.
So you brought me all the way out here just to tell me that? No.
I brought you out here because I need your help.
You know this place as well as my father does.
He said so himself.
I need you to tell me everything you know about this.
Yes, I have the truck part.
Excuse me, Mr.
Honeycroft? I talk to you five minutes? You've got two.
His His mother is very sick.
Because you said that we are family Because you are a very rich and generous man If you could borrow him $5,000.
I pay you back total, señor.
I promise.
Total.
Took a lot of guts to ask that.
But, um, if I gave you that money, I'd have every Juan, Luis, and Jose asking the same.
Sorry, kid.
Come.
Gracias, Joe.
Veronica.
Wonderful to see you.
Have a seat.
I'll just pull up your accounts.
What's new in your world? You know, same old.
We make the wine, they drink it.
I love to hear that.
So, um, I got your text.
$50,000 is a sizeable withdrawal.
May I ask what it's for? Yeah, I'm, uh, surprising Michael with a dive trip.
It's The charter requires a large cash deposit.
You know how it is.
- He's a lucky guy.
- Yeah.
You wanted this pulled from the ancillary account, correct? Yeah.
Is there an issue? It's just there are no funds in that account.
They've all been withdrawn.
Wait, what do you mean? By who? By Michael.
By my Michael? Did he not tell you? There was a hiccup at the bank.
Yeah, well, I'm sorry.
I don't exactly carry $50,000 on me.
He's testing me.
You know that's what he's doing, right? I have to go.
Antonio, I don't think that's what's happening here.
You and Javier ended a long time ago.
How would Pa even know? Why would I ever tell him about you guys? Maybe for the same reasons you "didn't support me" when I left.
Those were your words.
You think that was intentional? I was first in line to be head of this company, and then I came out, and suddenly, the same meetings I got excluded from, you started getting invited to.
You think you should be sitting in my seat? You think you should be CEO of this company? 'Tonio, don't let him do this.
Don't let him divide us.
Come on.
You know I'll have your back, even when Pa doesn't.
This is how you crush grapes? I thought that there would be a machine.
This is how people have been doing it for 6,000 years.
It was good enough for the Greeks.
Do you want to try? So my family's having dinner tonight.
You should come.
It's a family dinner, Mateo.
They don't want me there.
That's not true, and even if it is, who cares? I want you there.
You should have seen the look your mother gave me when I told her I was staying here.
I don't want anyone to think that I'm taking advantage of you.
I mean, as you can see, I need an extra set of hands.
Besides, I'm the one getting a deal.
You get a place to stay, but I get the best coffee in the world every morning.
It's instant coffee.
Come on.
What do you say? Come with me.
I can't tonight.
I promised my family I would call them.
I'll make you a deal.
You make me coffee tomorrow, and I will come to your next family dinner.
It's a deal.
So, uh, I went to the bank today.
Anything you want to say? Not really.
I mean, I needed to buy some video equipment.
$50,000 worth of video equipment? I pitch Silicon Valley companies, V.
I mean, come on.
I can't walk in there with a tablet.
No, of course not.
Were you planning on telling me? I'd like to think that I don't have to.
I'd like to think that my wife would trust me.
But since we're on the subject, though, V, what did you need the money for? That's my business.
And why is that? It's simple, Michael.
It was my money.
Marta, you outdid yourself.
You say that every time, jefe.
And I mean it every time.
Junior, how's the knee? Physical therapy's going okay.
I'm having a lot of fun coaching these underprivileged kids.
Father Ramos put me up to it.
You like this guy, huh? Yeah.
Yeah, all the kids love him.
It's just tough.
They don't have money for cleats or anything.
Well, keep it up.
I'm proud of you.
So who else wants to share something about their day? Carmen, how about you? Not much.
Saw Mom.
Who'd you see? Your mother is sitting right next to you.
Not like that.
I meant Margaret.
It's okay, cariño.
I know what you meant.
Why on Earth would you want to talk to her? Her hotel is hosting the Taste of Sonoma, and she's putting me up to do the marketing materials.
Listen, that woman's using you against me.
I want you to stay away from her.
No.
What did you say? I said no.
You call it "using me.
" I call it giving me an opportunity, and that's more than Heritage House has ever given me.
Okay, that's not fair, Carmen.
Yes, it is.
Joe, I completely understand why Carmen would want to have a relationship with her mother at least get to know her.
Gracias, Mami.
And I mean, who knows? It's been a long time since we all knew Margaret.
Maybe Maybe she's changed.
¡Oye! ¡Oye! Hey.
What's his problem, huh? Okay? Always good to see you, Joe.
I hope you guys won't mind if I get down to business.
I heard the Alliance is holding this year's Taste of Sonoma event at the Honeycroft Hotel.
I'd like to think I would have gotten a heads up, in light of everything I have done for the Alliance over the years.
Be that as it may, Margaret Honeycroft has launched a hostile takeover of my company.
I'd say that makes her unfit to hold this year's event.
Joe, with all due respect, the Honeycrofts have lived in this valley since long before the Sandovals ever stepped on to a vineyard.
I mean, your people may have elevated Heritage House, but the Honeycrofts elevated Sonoma.
"My people.
" Why all the Honeycroft hate, Joe? Old Oscar was pretty good to you.
Married you off to his daughter, made you GM, and then had the bad fortune to drive his car into the Oro Blanco River, allowing you to take over Heritage House.
They never did find his body, did they, Joe? I have been hearing those whispers for years.
I won't dignify them with a response.
I'll leave it at this.
If you don't move this year's event, I will cut my prices so low, you will be forced to cut yours.
A price war? Which, given my superior market position, I can withstand a hell of a lot better than you can.
You would cost yourself millions of dollars just to hurt us.
He's bluffing.
Try me.
Gentlemen.
- Raúl.
- Señor.
Gracias.
She's a beauty.
Ah.
That's not even her good side.
Hey, I think I told you boys, English when you're on the job.
Joe.
I'm so sorry.
I was, uh You surprised me.
That's okay, Wayne.
Your people never surprise me.
Soon enough, girl.
How have you been, Marta? Oh.
Margaret! - Lettie! - It's been so long.
You look so beautiful.
And so does the house.
Oh, thank you.
I had Marta make us a pitcher of the agua fresca we used to love.
I add vodka to mine now.
Now I remember why we're friends.
Thank you for coming.
I I'll be honest, I wasn't sure you would.
You know, I just don't want us to hide from each other.
I'm not hiding, Lettie.
I'd really love for you to come see the hotel.
I'd love that, yeah.
And I'm so happy for your success.
And I think what you're doing for Carmen is great.
Such a talented girl.
A talented woman.
Yeah, but I'm I'm thinking of the girl right now, you know? The The girl who puts it all out there and then gets hurt too easily.
The girl I raised.
Or maybe if Carmen gets hurt too easily, you didn't raise her right.
I don't know what game you're playing, Margaret, but when you and Joe go to war, it's usually other people who get hurt.
That's not gonna be Carmen.
She's my daughter, Lettie.
When it's convenient.
Tell me, if you care so much about Carmen, why is it that her only real creative opportunity has come from me, not you and Joe? You really think one job is gonna make her forget the fact that you left? I was pushed out.
You abandoned your family.
You stole it, and I was left to rebuild my life from nothing, so don't act so innocent in this, old friend.
Old friend is right.
I will never forget what you did for me, Margaret, but I repaid my debt.
I owe you nothing, and if you hurt my family, I won't hesitate to let you know what kind of enemy I can be.
Oh, I remember.
But, Lettie, you remember this we share our own secret, so if you try to take me down, I won't go down alone.
I know my way out.
You always did.
There was a problem at the bank.
I need one more day.
You need another day, huh? Sonoma County Sheriff's Department.
Yeah, I've got information on a hit-and-run that happened on Route 9.
One moment.
I'll transfer you to the deputy in charge.
I tell them you were the driver, it's over for you.
You sure about that? I'm not the one selling phony work papers.
Look, I don't want to blow you up.
But I have a family to feed.
Deputy Lam.
How can I help you? I'll get you the rest.
Hey, guys.
Hello, uh, Margaret.
Can I steal Joe for a second? Here, take this.
What? You stole? No, no, Margaret, no puedo.
I can't He has three more like it.
Please, I want you to have it.
No.
Mira, Margaret Mi mamá, she's not sick, okay? It doesn't matter what the money's for.
I know it's in good hands.
Cheers.
Only you all haven't signed the Taste of Sonoma contracts yet, so is this a celebration or a consolation prize? I'm sorry, Margaret, but we've decided to change course.
The Ritz gave us a great deal.
If this were about money, you would have let me counter.
You know this contract isn't about dollars for me.
This is about rebuilding the Honeycroft name.
We're sorry.
Our decision is final.
Just curious.
Does Joe keep your balls in his pocket or in the humidor next to your cigars? Now, Margaret, don't get hysterical or bitchy about this.
Oh, I never get hysterical when it comes to business.
Bitchy's another story.
Let me get you another glass.
I think it's gonna make it easier to deal with them.
Maybe bring the bottle.
I never get tired of this view.
Last year, some Silicon Valley billionaire offered to buy this place.
Allende is one of my favorite writers.
She's Chilean, not Mexican, but we can't all be perfect.
Where are you from? El Salvador.
Ah.
I have always wanted to go there.
Most Americans think we're all, you know, one culture.
"Your people.
" Mm.
I know what you mean.
Still there is something that unites us.
Hey.
I need to talk to you about something.
In confidence.
You're mad I didn't consult with you before hiring Javier.
Yes, but that's not what I want to talk about.
This is more important than the company.
Antonio and Javier have a history.
I have to ask, did you know? Are you asking me as Antonio's sister or as CEO? Does your answer change depending on what I answer? Yes, I knew.
For how long? Since I saw them kissing near the Zin when they were 16.
And you still hired Javier, knowing how hard that would be for Antonio.
He's right.
You're just testing him.
If Antonio can't put the company above his feelings, then he's not the man I thought he was.
That's the discipline, Veronica.
That's what it takes.
From my first day on the vineyard, there have been people trying to tear me down, push me around.
Yeah, but right now, the only one tearing down my brother is you, Pa.
So I'm asking you again, are you here as Antonio's sister or as CEO of Heritage House? Both.
There may be times when you have to choose one over the other.
I'm sorry, Pa, but that's not the leader I'm gonna be.
Good luck with that.
Buenos.
Buenos.
Um What have you heard? Thanks for meeting me here.
Sounded like you really needed to see this place.
Yeah.
When I was at my worst, strung out in the gutter, I dreamt about this place.
These vines never leave you.
Well, we had some good times here.
A few bad ones.
But, you know, as I get older, I just try to focus on the happier days.
Lettie.
It won't be easy, but you need to tell Joe I'm back.
When the time is right.
When is that? What are you waiting for? What are you waiting for? How's Junior? Oh, he's great thanks to you.
Even his dad notices a change.
Notices a change in Junior or a change in you? It was so much easier to hate you when you were gone.
How about now? No, no, no.
Lettie, Leticia.
Gracias.
Gracias.
Sí, Señor.
Tell me what Mom just told me isn't true.
Your mother's at church, so I assume you're talking about the woman who gave birth to you.
You sabotaged the Taste of Sonoma.
You took it away from Mom, and you took it away from me.
Your mom left when you were 2 years old.
I think you forgive too easily.
I'm not like Veronica or Antonio.
I don't see things black and white with my parents, and you should be grateful that I don't.
You get too close to Margaret, she'll only hurt you again.
You kept her away so she wouldn't hurt me.
You didn't consider the fact that you might have also kept her away from loving me.
I'm sorry the project didn't happen for you, mija, but I'm gonna make it up to you.
We've got a limited edition release coming out.
The bottle needs to make a statement.
Now, if a Carmen Sandoval original doesn't make a statement, then I don't know what will.
Don't mess with me, Pa.
Hey, you've got a special talent, Carmen.
I love your designs.
What did you think of that leopard design? Honestly? I think it's my favorite.
I love that one.
I never did a leopard design.
That's only $10,000.
What is this, huh? What is this? A retainer.
Retainer? Look, I get it.
You think you can blow me up.
But between my money, my lawyers, my contacts at the sheriff's department and ICE I can do much worse.
So why don't we help each other instead? Find a mutually beneficial arrangement.
So what's this retainer for? I want you to follow my husband.
Antonio: Yes, I understand.
Thank you.
The whispers your father told us about the truck the truth might be worse.
I asked a private investigator to trace the VIN.
The truck was stolen from a house in Bakersfield in 1987, the same year Joe and Lettie got here.
And what? There was a murder in that house.
The police found a man stabbed to death on the kitchen floor.
- You don't think your father - I don't know what to think.
My father has a lot of enemies.
People who'd love to connect him to all kinds of nastiness.
And who knows? Maybe he is connected.
But he's still my father.
And despite everything he's done, despite him pushing me out I still love him.
We're gonna keep this quiet.
I don't know about that, Antonio.
Javier, please.
Can I trust you? Yeah.
Thanks.
Now get back to work.
Sí.
Polvorones.
Now be honest, did you make these, or did Marta? Well, it's my family recipe, but you know Marta.
It's her kitchen.
She hasn't changed.
Oye.
Do you remember when she put sugar instead of salt in the caldo because we had complained that it didn't have enough carrots? Foreman Gonzo accused her of trying to poison us.
Hey, Dad.
Hey, that's not the face of the future Chivas head coach.
Sorry, I-I just got a text.
The kids can't play tomorrow.
The school only has one van, and they're gonna use it for the volleyball team.
This means a lot to you.
This priest, he's really helped you out.
Yeah, I was really messed up, Dad.
You're getting better.
I'm trying to.
I think we should try one to see if she's trying to poison us.
You go.
You first.
You go first.
You're going first.
Hey, let's show those kids how the Sandovals help their own.
- What? - Come on.
- For real? - Get in.
Mm-hmm.
Mmm.
Mm.
You have something Can't wait to see the look on their faces.
Go tell Father Ramos.
He should hear the good news from you.
No, why don't we, uh, go in together? It's your gift, too.
Okay.
Yeah, so I have the soccer balls in the back.
Lettie? Billy.
Hello, brother.

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