Queen Sugar (2016) s02e08 Episode Script

1 Micah: Previously on "Queen Sugar" Daddy's letter is a good, enforceable will.
I need to see this letter for myself.
Now! Violet: Compared to family, that land ain't nothing but a mess of pottage.
Love always comes first.
I want someone to fight for me.
Running off to the mill to help Charley is the same thing as taking her side.
- You can't go, Darla.
- I can't go? Do you honestly think you can run the farm and not lose it? You need your sisters.
Woman on P.
A.
: This is announcement for flight 2374 passengers.
This is your final boarding call.
- Flight 2374 to Los Angeles - The cold this is your final boarding call at gate C-17.
We spent the night On the floor With the great old pines And I closed my eyes And you cut your hair Then you broke the mirror The one that we shared And I was still shaking With the words that you said - When you told me that we - Even when we lost you would always be friends I knew you'd always come back.
(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.
(music playing on radio) Um, I was surprised by this.
Surprised myself.
Well, sometimes that's good, you know.
Shake things up a little.
Yeah.
It's a humble place, Nova.
I just I want you to know.
- I'll be happy to be at your place.
- Good.
'Cause I want you there.
I want you there, I want you right here.
- (seat belt unbuckles) - (radio turns off) (music playing) We weren't supposed to dance this long You said right here.
But our connection was just too strong - (talk radio playing) - (phone chimes) (chimes) It's just natural, Micah.
Something different.
- It's no big deal.
- It's nice.
What? It is.
Something else on your mind? Well, yeah.
I read your interview.
It's pretty good, you know.
It doesn't mention anything about you and Dad breaking up.
Are you two thinking about? We're releasing a joint statement soon, honey.
Yeah, that's what I thought.
Just making sure.
You know, whatever.
(phone buzzes) - Morning, Ralph Angel.
- Morning, Aunt Vi.
I don't mean to bother, but, um I'm just wondering, you heard from Charley? I've been calling Nova, too.
I tried to help the three of y'all, and didn't nobody want I ain't trying to push you in between nothing, Aunt Vi.
Well, good, 'cause I'm done with it.
Aunt Vi I got bills to take care of around the farm.
I need to have a conversation with Charley about what's next.
What's next? You told her that you would do whatever you needed to do to make it happen.
You told her to trust you.
I think that conversation's been had.
It ain't.
It ain't been had.
Look, telling them the truth didn't mean they could just drop the farm like that.
Plus, I still need a payroll check to stay working full-time on the farm.
- I didn't mean everything - You didn't mean? (scoffs) Well, baby, you're here now, so what you meant don't matter.
I'm done with it, Ralph Angel.
Now, you can keep trying to reach out to her.
That's the only advice I got for you now.
Goodbye.
(phone beeps) They still at it? Ain't nobody talk to no one.
You know, I maybe I should reach out to Charley for him just How they ever gonna learn if you keep trying to fix things for them? I don't want you getting worn out.
I'm all they got left.
And what you mean "worn out"? - You saying I'm worn out? - No, woman.
What I'm saying is you're stubborn as a mule.
You got a life outside them children.
I ain't worn out.
You're just gonna take one thing and run with it, huh? - I ain't worn out.
- (sighs) - Okay, well, we'll talk soon.
- Hey.
- Bye-bye.
- Got something to show you.
Okay.
"St.
Jo's Press" picked up some quotes from your big interview.
Really? You get a chance to read it? - What did you think? - Yeah, it's a good article.
But some of the black farmers in the collective got wind of it and they wanna talk.
Do you know what the problem is? (sighs) Look everybody knows you've had a lot of pieces to pick up this year, but all that stuff you said in the article not knowing why you're here, finding yourself, or knowing how you feel about the work Honest answers about my adjustment.
Okay, so what are they supposed to think? Their farms are on the line while Charley goes looking for Charley? (sighs) Now, you know we don't waste food, Blue.
What's going on? How come Mommy doesn't stay for dinner anymore? She made you dinner the other night, remember? - After the park? - Yeah.
But that was just me and Mommy, not you, me, and Mommy, all together.
Did I do something bad? No, Blue.
You didn't do nothing wrong.
I don't want you to think that, okay? Okay.
I miss Mommy.
I'm telling you, the track, it's incredible.
- (woman chuckles) - Incredible, really.
Listen, your vocals and my dunks? Just watch, when this thing hits the air, it's gonna take the Stingers' preseason hype to a whole new level.
- I'm telling you.
- (chuckles) - Well, I'm happy that you liked it.
- I did.
Seriously, I I know you didn't have to take my call.
Hi.
Thank you.
- A little wine while the sun's still up? - Mm-hmm.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
So, Davis West, the gentleman of the league.
Always doing right on the court.
Sponsors throw money.
Fans swoon.
And it all comes tumbling down.
And what's left? You.
You're all that's left.
And I'm interested in knowing who that is, 'cause it doesn't feel to me like the gentleman was an act.
Some people would disagree.
And they may be right.
You've made mistakes.
So have I.
Maybe we could be each other's second chance.
(radio playing in background) Are we okay, you and me? I don't know, to be honest with you.
I'm challenged by the fact that you knew about the will and didn't tell me.
I feel like I was ambushed at that dinner and you just stood by and let it happen.
I'm finding it hard to extend trust now.
That's the truth of the matter.
So, no no, we are not okay.
I understand and apologize for the way that I made you feel.
It wasn't purposeful.
It was just (sighs) It wasn't my truth to tell, Charley; it was Ralph Angel's.
And to talk about it with you wouldn't have been right.
I'm going to keep doing my best here until you tell me not to.
I hope that day doesn't come.
A change A change will have to come - (music playing) - (chatter) So, they're old friends.
They're cut from a different cloth, so - What? - Just be open-minded.
- Be patient - DuBois is here! The party can officially begin.
Hello, hello.
How y'all doing? Dr.
Evan Melber, please meet Don't you full-name me, Bobby DuBois.
Hi.
I'm Nova Bordelon.
And it's very nice to finally meet you, Ms.
Bordelon.
DuBois: Nova, this is the lovely Laurie Melber.
She sits on the Eleventh Circuit Court.
No resumes tonight, just a gathering of good people worth listening to.
Though, I do need to borrow you, Bobby.
There is someone here you'll absolutely hate.
Come on.
The Nova Bordelon.
- Ms.
Bordelon, it's a pleasure.
- Thank you.
- But just Nova is fine.
- Oh, don't be shy.
I saw you with Dr.
Cobb at the symposium.
It's impressive, especially for someone I had never heard of.
(chuckles) And from the Bayou, no less.
I'm sorry, you work for Robert and his foundation? - (men laugh) - No.
Never.
DuBois is a hardcore blue now.
Deep blue.
Yes, and I bat for the red team.
I'm a proud deplorable through and through.
I'm Timothy North, - contributing editor - "The Real American.
" I know it well.
Ah.
Well, these parties would be no fun if I only invited people that I agreed with.
(both chuckle) Evan: Now, Timothy, I didn't take you for a martini man.
You've softened up on me a little, haven't you? - It's for the olives.
I love the olives.
- I see.
Keke: So, what did you get? I got "Three Musketeers" by Alexandre Dumas, so why are you laughing? I've always liked the idea of having brothers.
And Dumas was sort of an undercover black dude, so.
What? Ain't no such thing as a sort of a black dude.
Either you are or you aren't.
- Low-key.
He was like - (police siren chirps) (police radio chatter) Officer: Move along.
Step aside.
Got an ETA on transport? Latisha: Yo, should we stay? Make sure that goes down okay? Yeah, girl, just in case.
Micah.
Hey, man.
What's up, dude? - You good? - Yeah, I'm doing good.
Christian, this is my girlfriend Keke and this is Latisha.
Ah, so this is Keke.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
(chuckles) Look at you, trying to be all cool, man.
He talks about you all the time.
- All the time? - Sometimes.
Sometimes.
Hey, so we're kicking it around here till my mom picks me up later.
There's a new movie at the Zydeco.
Y'all wanna hang out? (police radio chatter) No, I think I think we're cool.
We're cool, man.
I'll see you at school tomorrow.
- Yeah, cool, cool.
- Yeah.
Peace.
See you later.
- Bye, ladies.
- Bye.
(siren wailing) (quiet chatter) Thank you for coming out tonight, Ms.
Charley.
We appreciate it.
The lot of us thought it important to get everything out in the open.
I I understand.
We're trying to sort out if you're in this for the long haul or not.
We're not partial to being a pit stop on your personal makeover tour.
Byron: Farming's already a risky business, but we still took a chance on you.
Cardale: Most of us have been grinding cane with the Landrys for years.
Now, if you end up deciding milling ain't for you, close up shop in a year or two, where does that leave us? Back at the Landrys', begging to get the same prices we used to.
- (farmers agreeing) - Man: Yep, that's right.
(man clears throat) My daddy started bringing me to spend the summer here when I was four years old.
I loved it.
But even though this was my blood, I never forgot that I was just visiting.
So when I got older, I stopped coming.
And then I had to come back.
For the worst reason imaginable.
But Daddy being gone forced me to see with new eyes, with his eyes.
At first, all I could see was the land.
Then I looked closer.
And I saw love and I saw community.
I opened this mill because I finally found the pride that I never let myself have because I didn't think St.
Jo's was mine.
But now I understand that this place, it's it's part of me.
It's home.
I am in this for me for Daddy and for all of you.
(farmers murmur) Y'all satisfied? (farmers murmur) 'Cause it's clear as day to me that this child has been called to do this work.
Man: Pray on it.
We smell the promise of a fresh beginning.
We sense Your present, Good Shepherd, - as we work the land that's Yours.
- Man: Yes, Lord.
And we ask You to lift this Charley Bordelon in her new home.
Fill her anew, Lord, with Your spirit and give her strength when she feels tired and weary.
In Jesus' name we pray.
And all the saints said - Man: Hallelujah.
- All: Amen.
We know things have been a little different lately.
We're not a family anymore? Of course we're a family.
Mommy and Daddy just had an argument.
There's another reason why I haven't been around much.
You know how you have a schedule? You take your bath at 7:00, then you go to bed at 8:00? Yeah, even when I don't need one.
Well, I have a schedule, too, a really strict one.
That's how I take care of myself.
When you were a baby I was really sick.
Blue: You're not sick anymore.
Darla: No, I'm feeling much better.
But that really strict schedule, it's my medicine.
Yeah, so when Mama's not here with us, it's 'cause she don't wanna get sick again.
But if I could, I would spend every day, all day with you and Daddy.
Blue: Can we hang out tomorrow? Um, tomorrow I have a very important event to go to.
It's kind of like when you graduated from kindergarten.
That's tomorrow? Your two-year ceremony, that's tomorrow? Blue: Can I come? - It's just for adults.
- Okay.
- (line ringing) - (police siren wailing) - Hey, Micah.
- Hey.
Dad, me and Keke are downtown.
I was gonna bring her through the check out your loft if that's cool.
Yeah.
Yeah, sure.
Anytime.
I mean, it's your home, too, so it's good.
Listen, I'm not home, though.
I'm at a marketing meeting, so I'll see you tonight.
Cool.
All right.
(beeps) - Hey.
- Hey.
- (piano music playing) - "Send me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse.
" That's who we were.
And that's who we need to become again.
(applause) Well, open immigration was a nice idea, but now our our beacon attracts not only those who wish to work the land, but, as President Trump says, those who wish to rape it as well.
Selection.
Selection that's the only way to go.
And not just for immigrants, but for citizens who don't or can't fulfill their end of the deal.
I mean, I say to hell with those unfit and undeserving of the American dream.
Who decides who's unfit and undeserving of the American dream? Leaders, educators, doctors.
Doctors? Why doctors? Yes, well, you eliminate illegal immigrants and we eliminate the strain on healthcare and our financial, educational, and law enforcement systems, which frees up money for that public health program you wanted for New Orleans.
- God knows they're gonna need it soon.
- What does that mean? Just one word Zika.
- What? - Zika.
Dilapidated housing in New Orleans since Katrina and the Louisiana climate means that the 9th Ward is the ideal breeding ground for the virus.
That's a conspiracy theory forced by racists, and you know it.
Okay, okay.
Well, we can't save everyone, so choose.
Immigrants or the inner-city poor.
We can't sustain both without controlling for their growth.
Controlling growth? Selection? The unfit, the deserving? Those are all code words that turn immigrant into criminal and inner-city into disease.
But why stop at selective immigration? Let's sterilize all those lowlifes with low SAT scores.
Let's force abortions and drug testing on the poor.
All right, all right.
Well, if you say so.
You're sitting here talking about a new eugenics movement, an American holocaust for anyone who can't pass your fitness test.
I'm not the first to reach these conclusions, Ms.
Bordelon.
Am I, Bobby? DuBois: I saw the light a long time ago.
(Timothy laughs) Is that right? Besides, we're just talking.
Nova: Until someone gets hurt.
People like you with power talking in rooms like this with hors d'oeuvres it's how the world gets carved in little pieces, isn't it? If you'll excuse me, please.
- (man clears throat) - (guests murmuring) Hey, so, what were you saying? I was gonna ask where the best place in New Orleans is - to get a snow cone.
- Ooh, we gotta go - (music playing) - (chattering) Micah, is that your daddy? Oh, my God, is that Tamar? I love her.
(Latisha laughs) (laughter and chatter) (chatter continues) - So, you're the new one, huh? - Hey, Micah, wait a minute.
- Hey.
You owe her an apology.
- Man, you don't waste time, do you? Hey, Micah, there's no need for you to be rude to her.
And you need to calm down.
We're in public and you know better.
Oh, yeah, right, right.
Smile, be respectful, be a gentleman.
Man, you're none of that.
You're none of that.
You're a liar.
You lied to Mom.
You lied to me not even an hour ago.
- He'll lie to you, too.
- I'm sorry.
Wait, come here.
Micah.
- Charley: Thank you.
- Bye, now.
Charley: Thank you.
Good to see you.
Really appreciate it.
Thank you.
(chuckles) All right, I'll see you later.
Man: Is that Davis West? Man #2: Is that Tamar with him? - (thuds) - (glass shatters) - Vi! - Aunt Vi? - Aunt Vi.
- You okay, chère? What happened? We're staring down a loaded gun No refuge found I'm gonna take you to the hospital to get you checked out.
No, uh-uh, uh-uh.
I I've been I've been running around town all day.
I I just hadn't eaten enough.
- I'm fine.
- Aunt Vi, listen to Hollywood.
Something could be seriously wrong.
Only thing wrong with me is you.
And your hard-headed brother and your runaway sister.
Work it out with Ralph Angel and Nova, and I mean that.
(Hollywood sighs) You scared me.
The whole world's sitting on a ticking bomb.
Thank you for putting Tim in his place.
Tim? Sounds like you used to be in the same place as Tim.
I didn't know a soul when I first started out, so I walked through the doors open to me until I could choose where I really wanted to be.
I love our people.
Deeply.
I would do anything for us, so I don't apologize for playing the game when I had to.
I can't treat people's lives as sport, as a game.
People who say they're trying to save the world up in here breaking bread with people who want to destroy it.
Nah, that's not me.
You don't have to be anything other than who you are.
At least that's what my friend at the end of the table says.
She's connected with a producer at CNN, and, Nova, she would love to put in a word for you.
I didn't come here to audition.
You don't care about getting your work to a larger audience? - Come on.
- It's not how I do things.
Maybe it's how you should do things.
Nova, none of us are beyond growing.
My favorite part of this program are days like today.
Today we have three people in this room who are celebrating their sobriety birthday, and we're incredibly proud of them.
- Jojo's been clean and sober 90 days.
- Woman: All right.
Marlene: And Kamau's been clean and sober for six months.
And Darla, at two years, clean and sober.
- (people cheering) - Marlene: Come on up here, please.
Thank you.
- (Marlene chuckles) - (cheering) I'm guessing you're the boyfriend.
- I'm Marlene.
- Ralph Angel.
- Darla's sponsor.
- Nice to meet you.
I'm glad you could make it today.
This is really huge for her.
Yeah, I know.
It's a lifelong thing.
But you know that, right? Yeah, I do know that.
I hope you're good for her.
I hope you can support her, 'cause her battle's not over.
If you don't think you can do it, you should leave.
I don't want her slipping because you didn't (sighs) because you couldn't be what she needed.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
You know, your job will help me stay in a good place.
I'm really grateful.
Kamau: Hey, Darla.
We've gotta get a picture.
- All three of us.
- Okay.
Your hair looks different.
It's nice.
Thanks.
So, I I got your messages.
Yeah.
(sighs) I was wondering if I'm still on the payroll.
I know how you feel and I know what I said about doing what I gotta do.
I'm asking you to at least give me that payroll check so I could be good with my parole.
I wouldn't just drop you like that, Ralph Angel.
Yeah, well, how am I supposed to know that? You know because you know.
Because we're your sisters.
Nothing can change that.
Yeah, ain't nobody been talking to me.
So, I didn't know.
Look, I I don't have any definitive answers about the farm but I'm not losing my baby brother over it.
(sighs) So, I was sitting across from the devil himself.
I thought better of DuBois to be into people like that.
Did he say you was? He told me to hate the game, not the player.
I swear, every time I think I've found someone Nova, hush.
From everything you say about that black man, he's fine.
Smart, successful, kind.
Shoot, if I was young and single, I'd break him in two like a chocolate biscotti.
- Aunt Vi.
- I'm just keeping it real today.
You're gonna walk away from a good black man because of a party you didn't like.
- It's not that simple.
- No, you're what's simple.
You were miserable when you left here.
Didn't tell nobody where you was.
But you were happy enough to be with him, cooped up.
Until you can find something wrong with him.
I don't know what you mean.
I mean you run away from your problems at home.
And then you find a problem where you ran away to.
Baby when you find something good in this world, you'd best hold on.
With love, not desperation.
Tomorrow ain't promised to none of us.
Yo, Mama used to say - You better have your block - (knocking on door) Do 'em before them lights go I play them corners by myself, a'ight, so Even when the block was blazing, I was ice-cold If life a game of craps, let the dice roll 'Cause I was zonin', focusing on gettin' out Better with younger, really on some pimp And I was never good at math, but I could add - What? - "What"? Boy, you lock me out of your room all day and that's how you greet me? Don't you ever talk to me like that.
Turn that off.
- And sit your ass up.
- (music stops) Oh, so you're "Father Knows Best" now? - You're a day late and, like, $10 short.
- Oh, maybe.
- But I'm what you have and I'm here.
- Okay.
Listen, whatever we have to do for you to get back to you, we're gonna do it.
I want my son back.
And that shit at the restaurant yesterday, that's not you.
And, yeah, you can be mad at me being on a date, although it did start off as a marketing meeting, but you are not going to embarrass me and yourself like that.
You understand me? I want you back.
Well, I want my family back.
Everything that's mess up here is because of you.
Okay? We had to leave home because of what you did.
Mom's getting a divorce because of what you did.
The only reason I got that damn car I got pulled over in is because of what you did.
Micah what happened to you? Micah? Hey.
- Hey, wait a second.
Wait, wait, wait.
- Move! Move! - Plea I gotta go out.
- No, Micah.
What happened that night? I don't want I'm fine.
I'm fine! I can take it.
No, I know, but you don't have to.
- Not by yourself.
- (exhales) Hey.
- What happened? - Stop asking me that! (objects clatter) - Stop asking me that! - (glass shatters) (sobbing) So (sobbing continues) He put me in the back with cuffs on, right? And he told me he was taking me in.
He was being nice to me, sort of.
You know, talking to me.
I tried to tell him that I was your son, but he didn't believe me.
And then he drove past the police station.
Said we were going for a ride.
Yeah, that's when he stopped being nice.
Out of nowhere, he said that he hated fancy-talking niggers.
You know, that I sounded like I grew up with a silver spoon in my mouth.
So So we pull up in an alley somewhere.
And it's dark.
And he gets out of the car and he says he says, "I'm gonna take that silver spoon out your mouth, boy.
" He kept saying that.
"I'm gonna take that spoon out your mouth, boy.
Put something else in it.
" So (sobbing) So, he gets out of the car, he opens the door, he takes out his gun, he pushes me down, and he puts the gun in my mouth.
And he pulled the trigger, Dad.
Come here.
Come here, come here.
Come here, come here.
It's all right.
Come here.
(sobbing) He didn't have to do that.
I know.
Come on.
(switch clicking) Damn.
I forgot to get an extension on the electricity bill.
- Gotta find some lanterns.
- Okay.
- You got him? - Yeah, I got him.
I'll put him down.
Cutie, come on.
I know.
There we go.
- (knocking on door) - Only seeing pale reflections of the night That turn a city into starry sky I see what it is and what it breathes Honey, I got the blues Got home from work and you're just gone.
I wasn't feeling it.
Oh.
I understand.
And I agree.
I have something for you.
May I? What's all this? My early days in the game weren't in vain.
Knowing how they think is how we win.
For ourselves, but mostly for our people here in the 9th.
Look, the Timothy Norths of the world are complete asses, but even a stopped watch is right twice a day.
You got an idea? From him? I know, but we can get the attention and the funding the 9th Ward needs.
No more skimpy fundraisers for you, no more waiting on foundations to deny grants for me.
We can make a difference, and we're going to use that closet racist's own words to do it.
You could have called.
You didn't need to come all the way to Louisiana.
Honey, I got the blues I also needed to see you.
You got to see, rid of that groove blue And see colors in places you haven't before.
Hey.
Got your message.
Hey.
Thank you for coming by.
I was looking for you after the potluck.
Wanted to say thanks for helping me out with the farmers.
But you rushed out pretty quickly.
Yeah, I had to get to a class.
Remy, please, talk to me.
It's obvious something's bothering you.
(sighs) Okay, I lied.
I read your interview and I didn't like it.
Why didn't you mention your divorce? Micah asset protection but mostly because one of the most important things a woman can control is her own story.
And I don't want anyone trying to say that you're my rebound guy.
Come on, Charley.
- Don't play with me.
- I'm not.
I'm not calculating with you.
What's real is is how I feel about you.
Don't you want to be with me? - I don't know.
- Can you can you try? I'm asking you to please forgive me for treating you like this, like like like this between you and me is a given.
And if you if you just try, if you just please.
(music playing) Hush, you don't have to worry, no Rush, though the lines are blurry Just trust What's all this? I wanted to do something for you.
I loved seeing you up there today.
Felt like the first time we met.
We've come a long way, haven't we? (both chuckle) Thank you for all of this.
Um, I don't want to distract you from whatever you think it'll take to stay on the right foot.
I just wanna ride with you as long as you'll let me do that.
And I promise I'll do my best and help you do your best.
Always.
You asking me to stay the night? Yeah.
Yeah.
(chuckles) And the next night.
(sighs) And the next night.
(crying) And the next.
I want you in this house, by my side, next to me for the rest of my life.
Darla will you marry me? (gasps) Yes.
- I love you.
- I love you.
Always.