Queen Sugar (2016) s02e04 Episode Script

1 Violet: Previously on "Queen Sugar" Nova: I'm worried about him.
He's not talking.
Did you know Micah wet himself the night the police took him? I need to be in St.
Jo's with you.
You matter most.
- Man: Let's get it and get out of here.
- Man #2: Let's go! Hurry up! Henry Lee: He sent me to join the collective so he could see what y'all was doing.
If you come after one of us again, you come after all of us.
- Is that a threat? - Yeah, it is.
I'm no lawyer, but it should stand up in court as a will.
- My sisters won't sue me.
- You sure? (music playing) Micah! Let's go! Breakfast is ready.
Breakfast mean eggs and bacon? Don't act like you don't like these.
- (chuckles) - (door opens) - Right? - It's good.
- Mm-hmm.
- Darla: Good morning.
- That what I think it is? - Yep.
I mended some of your clothes for you.
Thanks, but I meant the other thing.
Blue, come see your surprise! - Do you need help? Are you good? - No, I'm good, thanks.
- Where's Blue? - He was still in bed when I got in the shower but gone when I got out.
Maybe he's hiding somewhere with my calculus binder.
- You can't find it? - No.
I think I may have left it at Dad's.
Or maybe it's at Aunt Vi's.
I know things have been tough lately, but I put a deposit down on that rental that we liked.
It'll be ours in two weeks, promise.
Me and Kenya decorated it for you.
I told you to stay out of my stuff.
We're late.
Let's go.
Come on.
- What's this? - See if you can guess what fun thing we're doing today.
- Fishy toy.
- Mm-hmm.
- (gasps) - Both: Swimming! - Bye, Pop.
Let's go.
- Bye.
- Bye, Pop.
- Bye.
We don't have enough time to waste! Okay, okay, okay.
(grunts) (theme music playing) Dreams never die, take flight, as the world turns Dreams never die, take flight, as the world turns Keep the colors in the lines, take flight Dreams never die Keep the colors in the lines Keep the colors in the lines, take flight.
- (wrench squeaks) - What you doing down there? - (music playing) - Hopefully fixing this disposal.
Can you turn on the water? Hit the switch.
- (water rushes) - (disposal whirs) (both chuckle) Hopefully, like there was a doubt.
Never know.
Could be losing my touch.
So, what's next? Mm.
Mwah.
No, no, no.
What's next on the "honey do" list? Nothing.
You're done.
What you mean done? I mean you've been here three weeks now, and the house is perfect.
No, no.
I never finish that list.
You must be forgetting something.
Normally, you go back to the rigs, and then the list grows while you're gone.
So what do I do now? Just sit around waiting for stuff to break? Some people call that "relaxing.
" - You should try it.
- (sighs) What, baby? You don't know how? Here's how.
You take your behind and you sit it on that seat out there.
You put your feet up on the table, and you watch that TV.
And oh, hold on.
You drink this.
For how long? Until I come home from work, and then we I know what we do then.
That's right.
(both chuckle) Rest up.
- Hi.
- Ma'am, sign.
Thank you.
The control panel is that way.
- You'll need hats.
- Man: Yes, ma'am.
They're setting up our eye in the sky one room where we'll monitor all the parts of the process, which means we'll be able to locate and fix problems quickly.
Add that upgrade to our short-retention clarifiers, which process in 45 minutes instead of three hours, and our new spectrometers which analyze cane sucrose levels in less than a minute.
And I hope I've been clear our focus is on efficiency.
Well, your daddy used to say farming is waiting and waiting is farming.
- (men chuckle) - That's true, Mr.
Webb.
But my motto for the mill is another old saw time is money.
I keep my costs down, those savings go to you.
These fancy machines are only as good as the people that run them.
You don't have any experience with that.
True, but Remy here has helped me recruit Joe Rodriguez as operations manager.
Joe has over 20 years of milling under his belt, and he's even consulted in the development of some of those fancy machines.
So you've seen for yourselves how well the renovations are going.
Come harvest, this mill will be more than ready for business.
I hope I have convinced you to give me yours.
That's very impressive, young lady.
Thank you.
- Hope to get your business.
- Thank you Thank you so much.
Thanks again.
Man: Nova Bordelon, we meet at last.
Mr.
McDonald.
Welcome to the "Daily News.
" Steve, please.
Uh, sorry.
Just getting settled in.
Been reading a lot more than decorating.
Read your bail piece.
It's tough, solid.
Great work.
Thank you.
That said, I'd like to put a pin in it.
The story's important.
No one writes about social and criminal justice as in depth as this paper does.
As I do.
(sighs) I agree, and I fully support your series on mass incarceration.
I just want you to cast your net a little wider.
You know, help us balance the coverage of the issues.
I can tell you, Steve, it's hard to find balance in NoLa.
A lot is broken around here.
Yeah, but not everything.
And our readers wanna see what's working.
So we're also gonna profile areas of success, like diversion, re-entry programs.
Due respect, you just got here.
You know what our readers want? I know 100 newspapers have gone out of business the last 10 years.
And we could be next if our readers go looking elsewhere for good news because we only write about problems, not solutions.
Just give my plan a shot, Nova.
We can do great things together.
Free for lunch? Absolutely.
We can celebrate the contracts that Byron Webb and Cardale Stewart signed.
That's 1,500 acres of cane between them.
I know.
And you brought them in, which is why I'm buying.
Thank you.
(chuckles) What do you see here? Cobwebs? (laughs) Possibility.
Queen Sugar will be a major brand someday.
This could be a flagship retail space.
(cell phone chiming) Hold on.
Hi, Nadine.
Am I getting the keys early? Uh-huh.
Yeah, yeah, I can do that.
Okay, thanks.
- Unbelievable.
(scoffs) - Hmm? I found the perfect rental, and the current tenant just decided not to move out.
My rental agent wants to show me another listing right now.
All right.
Raincheck, then? Unless you want to take a look at it and we can grab a bite after? I mean, you seem to be pretty good with second opinions.
Already? I'll see y'all soon.
Soybean seed set aside for us.
- (chuckles) - Mm-hmm.
You know what? I'm trying to plant them in the ground today.
- That don't look right.
- (flies buzzing) What's wrong? (flies buzzing) That whitefly? (sighs) Upstairs has four bedrooms, each with its own bath.
Wait until you see the master.
And this is the reading salon.
Has plenty of natural light, but it feels like a private oasis in the home.
It's lovely.
Nadine: And there's a home theater.
- (cell phone chiming) - Oh, sorry, excuse me.
Hey, what's up? We got a big problem.
You see that? Ew, wait, what what is that? Whitefly.
Might not kill the cane, but could make it worthless.
How much of the crop is affected? About 30 acres.
- I'm ready to start scrubbing now.
- Charley: Scrubbing? Yeah, cleaning and removing the contaminated leaves.
Well, how how long will that take? Enough people, a day.
Be faster to do an aerial application.
It's fast, but it ain't cheap.
How not cheap? At least five grand.
My FSA check came in today.
No, no, that money is for you, for the soybeans.
I'm paying for the spray.
Thanks.
Make it happen, Prosper.
- All right.
- Yeah.
- (baby cooing) - (singing in foreign language) May you never be thirsty.
May no enemy slow your growth.
May your life not be ordinary but fulfilled with flavor, happiness, and substance.
Like salt, you will preserve all that is good.
May you live a long, sweet, and happy life.
May these blankets warm and protect you as you were warm and protected in your mother's belly.
Sierra: Look at you.
You know you're a natural.
Even with your daddy passing, you don't wanna have a family of your own? I got Rah, Charley, Aunt Vi, my nephews, and a great big community of brothers and sisters I fight alongside every day.
That's all the family I want and all the family I ever need.
Meanwhile, there's plenty of work to keep me busy.
Mm, and how is saving the world going? When am I gonna read your next bomb piece, Miss Ida B.
Wells? - (groans) - What? I don't think my new editor and I agree about what stories to cover.
He killed my piece on bail bonds after he told me how great he thinks I am.
Well, then tell him you quit unless he runs it.
And what if he calls my bluff? I lose my paycheck and my platform.
So, what are you gonna do? Only thing I can do.
Go along to get along till I finally win him over.
(plane buzzing) Look at that! Pop! What is that? Sugar's so sweet, it's already attracting flies.
We gotta get rid of them.
- I want Kenya to see it.
- All right, go get her.
- How was it? - It was good.
- Crowded.
- (chuckles) Did you know that Blue can't swim? I can barely swim myself.
I mean, just enough to jump off my daddy's boat.
Why? You swim? Mm-hmm.
I was named all-state junior and senior year.
- Damn.
- You should be impressed.
I didn't know you did all that.
(chuckles) (sighs) I saw a flyer for swimming classes at the pool.
I think it'd be good for Blue.
How much that cost? I could pay for the lessons out of my paycheck.
I told you, I don't want you doing it.
(sighs) But it'd help.
I appreciate it.
(music playing) If this doesn't work, I'm about to lose $1 1/2 million worth of cane.
How's that factor into your decision about the house on Chesley? I could I'll swing it.
That place is almost perfect.
I don't love the fixtures in the guest bath, but It's just you and Micah.
You'll probably never even be in that guest bathroom.
Listen, your rent money is better spent around here.
But there is closer to Micah's school and classmates.
And, yes, it's a lot of house, but after everything he's been through, he needs some normalcy.
Your normal sure is different from mine.
You say that like it's a bad thing.
Charley, you're asking farmers to take a risk by grinding at your mill.
What do you think they're gonna think when they see you living large right down the street from the Landrys? That I have worked hard to get here, that I'm doing right by my son.
Mm-mm, that you believe that you can't do right by your son right here.
- No, that is not fair.
- Now, you say that your mill is a way to uplift the community? You want to lead the people, baby, you gotta show that you love the people.
Fair or not, that's what's always been required in black role models.
Being a role model means living by example and showing that if you work hard, you can enjoy the fruits of your success.
What is so wrong with black success looking like white success? Why does white have to be the model for our aspirations? Okay, so waving my black card when I'm choosing my home means being okay with having less? Really? There are plenty of white people out there trying to tell me where and how to live.
I don't accept that from them, and I won't take it from black people either.
- I'm not asking you to - Hey, you two, what's shakin'? Hey, Wood! - (laughs) - Ah! What you been up to since you got back? Well, you know, a little bit of this, a little bit of that.
- Hey, baby.
- We can't make breakfast when the eggs don't get here till noon.
- All right.
- Man: I had engine trouble.
That's your problem and your distributor's, not mine.
So we gonna have to talk about discounts to make up for this next quarter.
Betty Ann! Eggs are finally here.
Betty Ann: Come on back.
Welcome, baby.
Go on, take a seat.
Somebody will be right with you.
Um, ladies' bathrooms? Nasty.
Supply closet.
You want me to do it? Make me proud.
Hey, baby, what you doing here? You run out of beer? No, just bored, and I missed you.
Can't a man come see his lady? You can see her all you want, but I can't entertain you while I'm working.
No problem.
Hello, Grandma.
(laughs) I hear that Tonya had a little baby boy.
Isaiah, after my favorite verse.
"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
- They will soar - Both: on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not be faint.
" Ah.
Name like that, he blessed for life.
Hope so, but we still gonna christen him day after tomorrow just in case.
- Violet: No, that's right.
- (both laugh) And actually, I was hoping you could make some pies for the reception.
Oh, baby, I only do that for Juneteenth.
- Why not? I'll pay? - No disrespect to Isaiah or the Lord, but this place here? It do make me grow weary.
Hollywood: You know I can help.
Now look, I done seen you bake pie a thousand times.
Just write down a list of everything we need and trust I can handle the rest.
Oh, come on, Vi, how you gonna turn down both these faces? Well, it looks like I'm not gonna get any peace unless I say yes.
- Yes.
- (chuckles) If we stop the whiteflies from spreading, but lose the infested 30 acres, that's still 10% of our yield gone.
We plant some of them soybeans, we can make some of that back.
Your current commodities report shows that soybeans are behind sugar.
- I'm also worried about the mill.
- Yah! (Blue whimpering) What the hell is wrong with you, huh?! Get off him! - You okay, Blue? - Get off of him.
Don't ever lay your hands on my son again.
You take your hands off of my son now! I won't.
It was an accident.
(Blue crying) Stop! It's okay.
Come on.
Shh, shh, shh.
- It's okay, buddy.
It's okay.
- (sobbing) Let's go to sleep.
Let's go to sleep.
- Can I sleep with you tonight? - Absolutely.
- You okay? - I'm fine.
I just wanna do my homework.
Micah I'm sorry.
It was an accident.
Don't make it right.
Neither was what you did.
Micah's going through a hard time.
I thought you of all people would understand that.
What you mean me of all people? Come on, Rah.
He's been a wreck since he got arrested.
I know you ain't saying we had it the same.
His four hours in custody, and my four years in prison? No, of course not.
I I'm just asking you to I'm asking you to understand that it messed him up.
You and Davis messed him up.
Micah even know any people who ain't famous or kin? (scoffs) Micah's soft.
And it's your fault raising him like that.
Your money don't make you safe here, Charley.
It just make you forget who you really are.
It's not all bad news.
I don't see any live whitefly.
Oh, thank God.
But fungus could set in if we don't wash these leaves.
Well, what do we use for that? Elbow grease.
So, all those acres we sprayed, we gotta clean them all by hand now? Yep.
That's the only way.
I'm gonna go buy supplies.
All right, good.
I'm gonna call the collective, see who can give us a hand.
All right.
(car door opens, closes) - Hey, John - (engine starts) (scoffs) Don't worry about it.
Us field negroes can deal without you.
(music playing) Hey, my baby! How was work? It was, uh What is going on here? I got a triple batch of dough chilling in the refrigerator, - and these strawberries are - No, baby! You're gonna burn your mouth.
Here.
Here, here, here, here.
Go, go, go, go.
Mm, mm, mm.
That's pretty good.
Honey, would you separate the eggs for custard? (cell phone chimes, buzzing) Ralph Angel want me to come over.
Said there was a problem with the sugarcane.
Well, if he's calling, you should go.
Oh, no.
Are you sure? 'Cause I wanna stay here and help for when Sheena comes.
Baby, go.
They need you more.
I'll come by after I finish up here.
And recidivism is down by 5%.
Every way you look at the numbers, we're keeping nonviolent offenders out of jail.
The statistics are definitely impressive.
But I wanna get past the numbers, talk about the people, the participants and counselors that make the program work.
You can drop the act.
What act? When's the last time you didn't take our office, the police, the courts, all of us out to the whipping chair? I'm tough, but I'm fair.
Give me a success story and I'll write it straight.
- You know me, Tara.
- I do know you.
So I know what happens when I tell you that the DOJ cut Diversion funding by more than 30%.
Or are you so intent on scoring points with your new boss that you're giving the administration a pass on that? That's what I thought.
This is why no one else from the office will talk to you on the record.
Thank you for your time.
Good luck with whatever you're trying to do here.
(door opens, closes) (beeps) (cell phone ringing) Hey, what's going on? Dealing with these damn whiteflies.
What about the spraying? Still got a lot of work to do.
Any chance you can come by? (sighs) Um It's that bad? (sighs) Yeah.
I need you.
I'll figure it out.
Hi.
Didn't know I was paying you to make personal phone calls.
I'm really sorry.
Um, there's kind of a emergency.
Would it be okay if I leave? - I can find someone to cover.
- Emergency? - Mm.
- Your kid? No, he's, uh he's fine.
It's, um it's my boyfriend.
No.
You deal with your love life after your shift ends.
Remy: First step is washing.
This is dish soap, vinegar, and water.
Nothing to be afraid of.
You spray it and you scrub it.
Now, once the leaf is clean, then you wanna check its health, okay? If it's withered, we wanna cut it.
We wanna put it in a bag.
- Bag get full, we wanna seal it up - (car door closes) and run it to the truck for disposal.
- Mama! - Baby! Remy: And last but not least, we set traps.
Thanks for coming.
Thank you for asking.
Blue, the traps.
All right, yellow attracts the flies.
And the Vaseline gets them stuck.
All right, grab your equipment and fan out.
(chatter) I can't thank you gentlemen enough for coming out.
Yeah, well, Ernest was always there for me.
We do for each other or not at all.
Of course, we had a bet whether you'd be out here ruining your manicure.
- You owe me 30 bucks.
- (laughs) (mouths words) (clears throat) Whoo.
- (door closes) - (clears throat) (laughs) Is this is okay for you? Or you got even fancier stuff in the fridge? Give me that water.
(laughs) Let me ask you something.
You still think I'm a bougie bitch? Charley, I don't think that.
- We was just disagreeing.
- I know.
But it came from somewhere.
And where is this coming from now? A bunch of stuff.
That bet between the farmers.
Stuff Remy said.
Stuff Rah said.
You letting Rah get to you? You don't know the half of it.
You know he had Micah up against the wall last night? - What? - You believe that? Y'all too close for comfort around here.
You and Micah are more than welcome to come and stay with me.
I appreciate that, but this house is ours as much as is his.
I'm not gonna let him run me off.
Now I know you not a bougie bitch.
That's a straight-up hood attitude right there.
Man: I'll bring it up right here.
Violet: Ah, looks like you could use a break.
I made some extra apple pie.
Come on in and get yourself a piece.
I'll eat when we done.
Ralph Angel, I am trying to be uplifting here.
- Thank you, Aunt Vi.
- Hey, baby.
How much more y'all got to do? We just finished the first Be out here at least another three hours.
Excuse me.
I thought y'all been getting along.
Yeah, well she always say something to let you know she a whole lot better than you.
And I'm doing her a favor.
She staying in my house on my farm.
She has a right, Ralph Angel.
It's her farm, too.
Your daddy made that clear.
Yeah, he made it clear, all right.
What is going on with you? I found a letter a couple of months back, a letter Pops left to me.
A letter? All this? He said he left it to me and Blue.
And Charley don't even know.
I wasn't ready to tell anybody before.
But now I want Charley to know so she'll get up out my face.
Oh, Ralph Angel.
You don't want this.
Trust me, this can hurt y'all up something bad, something you can't come back from.
You want me to hold on to it? For how long? I expect you're gonna do what you wanna do.
But I'm telling you right now, you can let your mouth and your pride write that check if you wanna, but you best be ready to cash it, you hear me? Yes, ma'am.
- Hey, kiddo.
- Hey.
How was Econ Club? Not as exciting as what went on here all day.
You heard about that, huh? Yeah, Aunt Vi posted a bunch of pictures on Facebook.
What you looking at? How would you feel about staying closer to the mill and the farm? I mean, we won't exactly find what we're used to, but That's fine.
I mean, I know we won't.
Nothing here is like back home.
I know.
And I'm gonna find someone to help us talk about all that, okay? - (knock on door) - I'll get it.
Mom? Yes? Can I help you? We're looking for Ralph Angel Bordelon.
That you? - (police radio chatter) - (clears throat) I'm Ralph Angel.
What's this about? Parole violation.
(police radio chatter) What you mean I violated my parole? We received a complaint about gunshots - coming from this property.
- What? Do you have any weapons on this premises? I do.
Well, my father did, and he left it to me.
I've been staying with my brother.
- Here? - Yeah.
You fired it? Yep.
Unfortunately, it's still a violation to be in the house with a weapon.
I didn't even know it was here.
Charley: And I didn't know it was a problem.
I'm moving out tomorrow to my own place, so it'll be gone anyway.
It's not that simple, Mrs.
West.
I understand.
You know, this whole move from LA has been a little challenging.
I mean, I'm just not used to snakes and rats and everything else out there that rustles around when I'm trying to sleep.
You know, I honestly don't even know how you all do it.
Well, you just be sure you take it with you.
- You folks have a good night.
- Mm.
Guess I better start packing.
You going back to Aunt Vi's? I'll figure something out.
Charley Thanks.
No matter what you think of me, Rah, I will always have your back.
(distant train horn blaring) (sighs) (chuckles) I remember when you was born.
You about as much younger as me as I am from Nova, so I thought you were kind of like a little brother.
(chuckles) Except for Charley never really brought you around and I never made my way to Cali, so I don't know how you grew up.
But I know it's way different from Louisiana.
Hey.
All I'm saying is I been through some shit.
For real.
So, you ever need someone to talk to now that you're here, I'm about it.
I got you.
All right? Yeah.
I'm sorry I hit Blue.
Tell him.
Thing is, man, being inside it's normal for folks to act like animals.
Hell, they practically force us to.
But out here? We human.
Can't never forget that.
I'm sorry I put my hands on you.
Hey.
I'm sorry.
Get some rest.
(door opens, closes) (music playing) I'm sorry I made such a mess in your kitchen - that you sent me out - (both laughing) to do backbreaking work just to get rid of me.
You fool.
Maybe I ain't all that.
Sorry.
It felt good to do an honest day's worth of labor.
You know, I think I might go out and try to find a job.
You're just restless, baby, that's all.
Shoot, you busted your rump for 20 years.
You got money in the bank, more on the way, so take some time.
Don't rush into something else.
Baby, I like working.
I know.
I do, too.
But they got us thinking that we're supposed to work until we die.
And if we don't, we the problem.
Well, that ain't my American dream.
Is that yours? Nah.
Do you know what my dream is? This.
Waking up beside you every morning, going to bed beside you every night.
How we fill in the rest of the time, it really don't matter.
Of course it does.
What, and you think you ain't wasting your time at the High Yellow? I see the look on your face when you running around.
That ain't the look of love.
It's the look of determination.
I worked my butt off for that promotion.
I know you did.
But I always see you at your most happiest when you in your kitchen.
So tell me, what does your dream look like? What does it look like? I guess it it looks like me making people happy with my food my pies.
I guess it's me having my own business.
You saying that like it can't happen.
Look let me figure out what to do next.
But I want you to figure out the same thing.
We ain't too old to get ours, baby.
We ain't.
I didn't touch anything.
That's okay.
Um, I wanted to thank you for sharing your room with me.
Look, I'm sorry I hit you.
It was an accident, but that doesn't make it okay.
I just want you to know that I will never hurt you again.
I'm sorry, too.
I didn't ask you if you wanted to play.
You never have to ask with me, ever.
Ooh, I got you something.
(gasps) For you and Kenya.
Now you can make a masterpiece.
(music playing) (squealing) (chatter) Charley, did you leave anything in the store? Well, we basically came here with the clothes on our backs.
Takes more than that to make a home.
Well, whatever you have back in storage in Los Angeles, I don't think any of it's gonna work in here.
(Remy chuckles) She's right.
I don't see a home theater.
You sure about living at the mill? Well, you can't get much closer to the community than this, right? (chatter) What's this? Grandma got that on a trip to Egypt.
Gave it to me when I left for college.
It's sort of a good luck charm.
Think it works? Baby, if you're uncomfortable with this, just say the word.
I can always undo a crazy last-minute decision.
No, I'm tired of moving around.
Besides, it'll be fun to watch you rough it.
Anybody wanna bet how long it'll be before Mom decides to move out? - Four days.
- Two months.
- A couple hours.
- Violet: Y'all give Charley a break.
And the answer is she won't last through the first week of harvest.
- (laughter) - Violet: It's okay, baby, because you're always welcome home.
(kisses) I'll just tell Hollywood he has to remember to put on his drawers.
Okay.
(laughter) I'm glad you and Charley made up.
- She told you about what happened? - Enough.
She thinks it was the Boudreauxs called the cops on you.
She probably right.
They're dangerous, Ralph Angel.
You gotta be more careful.
It was nice seeing Darla yesterday.
- Mm.
- She good for you, little brother.
Tell me something I don't know.
- Oh, heard.
- Mm-hmm! Your final paycheck.
What? I specifically told you not to leave, and you did anyway.
You're fired, effective immediately.
This job is part of my recovery.
Please give me another chance.
I will stay late.
I will pick up more shifts.
Please.
Part of recovery is also being accountable for your actions.
You made a decision.
These are the consequences.
Now leave the premises or I'll call security and have them escort you out.
(music playing) Come closer Don't leave my side Let me love you.