Queen Sugar (2016) s02e09 Episode Script

1 CHARLEY: Previously on 'Queen Sugar' You want to lead the people, baby, you gotta show that you love the people.
All this, Pops left to me, and Charley don't even know.
I uprooted my life, my son.
- Get out of the car, now! - DAVIS: What happened that night? MICAH: He takes out his gun and he pulled the trigger, Dad.
I like you, Nova.
When you find something good in this world, you best hold on.
I want you for the rest of my life.
Will you marry me? Yes.
[BELL TOLLING.]
RALPH ANGEL: When that girl was like, 'No, no, no, no,' that's when I knew.
DARLA: What? No way.
- That's when you knew? - I mean, I felt it.
- You knew it or you felt it? - I felt it.
Your boy was running at him like a linebacker, and then just goes around him.
Man, that ain't real.
And white daddy's acting all smart, that ain't real either.
Girlfriend acting innocent.
I knew.
I put them pieces together.
- Yes, I did.
Yeah.
- Okay, okay.
Considering you haven't seen a movie in over a year, I will just take pleasure in the fact - Cold shot.
- that I picked one that you liked.
Yeah, you ain't lying.
You always got me watching them weird movies with them white folks not saying nothing.
Whatever.
I love independent films, okay? I'm all for independence, trust me.
All I'm saying is can I see some black folks or something? [LAUGHS.]
Remember we used to go to Audubon? - Mm-hmm.
- Lay up in the park, watching ferries float down the river? You were always wondering where they were going.
[SIGHS.]
You ever miss it? - What? - I don't know, college life? Living in the city? All of it? Do I wish I'd done things differently? Of course.
I wish I'd finished school.
- [SIGHS.]
- Hey.
- You asked, Ralph Angel.
- I know.
Whatever I wish I'd done differently has nothing to do with you.
I think about all the shit I've done, things I told myself to make it make sense in my head, knowing I was dead wrong.
But once we know, we know.
Once we know, we know.
Every moment You're all mine.
[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.
[PHONE CHIMES.]
Another celebrity couple has decided to call it quits, as basketball superstar Davis West and his wife, Charley Bordelon-West, have officially divorced.
They were one of the most powerful couples in professional sports until their storybook romance ended in a shocking scandal.
The divorce announcement comes on the heels of a fascinating 'Gallant' magazine article detailing the former Mrs.
West's new life as a sugar mill owner - in rural Louisiana.
- [PHONE CHIMES.]
- [SCOFFING.]
- [KNOCKING ON DOOR.]
Hey.
All the world knows now.
I feel like I can finally breathe again.
So, what do you say? You and me tonight? Gumbo up to your elbows.
And I promise you, it's so good, it'll make you holler.
You wanna make me holler, huh? [CHUCKLES.]
I understand, and I really appreciate the call.
Thank you.
[SIGHS.]
Go on.
It's not gonna open itself.
A front-page story should be celebrated, and I figured flowers would be too, you know, predictable.
It's beautiful.
Thank you.
[GIGGLES.]
- Was that your editor? - Publisher.
He said the piece is an example of what the paper does best.
[EXHALES.]
It's sobering.
He thought I hit a little too close to home.
Yeah.
'In addition to birth defects, researchers now believe the Zika virus causes retinal damage that can lead to blindness.
An outbreak in the city's all but forgotten Ninth Ward would have a catastrophic effect on the state's public health system.
Experts believe it's not a question of if, but when.
' I got voicemails from city officials, state legislators Not one of them has two nickels to rub together.
Zika is a hurricane by another name.
And believe me, Nova.
You connected the dots.
You basically lived on an airplane these last three weeks.
The research you've shared, your patience I'm so grateful, Robert.
Ah [MUSIC PLAYING.]
I saw in the news that Charley finally divorced Davis.
- Mm.
- Should've left his sorry ass a long time ago.
Well, you know there are some good ones, right? Not everyone can catch a Hollywood.
[BOTH LAUGHING.]
You make it sound like I went fishing, girl.
I just wanna know what you used for bait 'cause I need something on my hook.
[LAUGHING.]
You know, your hair, it's, uh It's falling out a little.
You going through the change, Vi? I went through that a while ago at a very young age.
It 's, um you know, it' s probably a little bit of stress.
You might need to get this checked out, girl.
What? It's probably just my wigs.
You know, I need to stop wearing them so much.
Let the hair rest, give it some fresh air, that's all.
Okay.
- [BOTH LAUGHING.]
- Don't laugh! I'm telling you, I always wanted to be a chef ever since I was a kid.
[CHUCKLES.]
I'm serious.
I used to think that tall white hat was cool as hell.
- And that jacket? Come on, now.
- The jacket? [LAUGHS.]
You know what? - I should pick that up again.
- [SIGHS.]
As a hobby.
- You're serious? - I'm serious.
Like you're not enough things right now.
Let's see professor, irrigation specialist.
- Yeah.
- Seed developer, cowboy hat wearer.
- Oh, jokes.
- I'm just - She thinks she's got jokes.
- I mean, you wear a cowboy hat.
[BOTH LAUGHING.]
This is nice.
- What, being out together? - Yeah.
Being out together.
- [MUSIC PLAYING.]
- [CHATTER.]
- Thank you for dinner.
- Thank you.
- [PHONE RINGING.]
- Oh.
- My mother.
Two seconds? - Okay.
Hi, Mother.
Okay, right.
Right.
Okay, let me just get home and and we can make a plan.
What? In Louisiana? Yeah.
No, no.
Yes, I I understand.
What's up? My mother.
She's here.
HOLLYWOOD: All right, y'all, y'all boys work fast.
Got lunch in 30 minutes, we'll be done with this about 10:00.
So, you go ahead and you grab that.
Take that one.
Go take it back there to the back, all right? Okay.
[CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY.]
Hey, uh, foreman told me to find you, Mr.
Desonier.
Name's Will Roseman.
I think I'm joining your team.
Oh, hey.
Just call me Hollywood.
You ever driven piles before? No, I worked on the Columba Driller as a tool pusher before the bastards at the company laid me off three months ago.
You know, I used to be a driller on the Octa Oleum in Vermilion Bay.
- No shit? - Yeah.
It's nice working with somebody that knows what it's like to be stepped on.
I hear you, brother.
Look here, those guys are unloading the rest of the equipment.
- They could use a couple of hands.
- You got it.
- [MUSIC PLAYING.]
- [CHATTER.]
CHARLEY: Hello, Mother.
You look incredible, as always.
Oh.
[LAUGHS.]
And you look healthy, which is saying a lot considering all you have been through.
Good for you.
It's not easy to hold yourself together during tough times.
[SIGHS.]
Charlotte listen, I really do wish that I could've gotten off that boat sooner, but I was Lauren's guest.
And, I don't know, with her husband having just left her, it really felt like being there for her was the right thing to do just as a friend, and and, honestly, I think I needed that cruise myself.
I mean, I just needed it to process your father, because it, uh it hit me harder than I expected.
So, being out there on the water and on the other side of the world, that was really a blessing for me.
And that's a long way of saying that I really do wish that I I could've come and checked on you sooner.
And I'm sorry that I didn't, but I was just wasn't able.
No apology necessary, Mom.
Really, I understand.
Thank you.
MICAH: Grandma.
Micah? Oh, honey.
Oh! Gosh.
Tsk.
Oh, look how much you've grown.
- MICAH: Yeah.
- Oh, my gosh, I've missed you.
MICAH: Yeah, I missed you, too.
CHANTAL: Zika, Nova? You've been writing about criminal justice and mass incarceration, but now all of a sudden you're an expert in this disease? I've done enough research to know it's naive to ignore the fact that the economic havoc in our community doesn't just keep black people behind bars.
It also puts the most vulnerable of us at the greatest risk of contracting this virus.
No, you don't get it.
People are coming in, and they're scared.
They don't know where to turn.
I understand, they're concerned.
'They're concerned'? Nova, they are freaking out! You know what? I feel like this is just about being provocative.
Like you're trying to scare white folk into some kind of action.
Hey, there.
Everything okay? NOVA: Robert, this is Chantal.
She's with the Health Collective.
- Ah, pleasure to meet you.
- I know who you are.
The number of Zika cases in New Orleans is negligible.
Not one from local transmission.
And you think there won't be? I'm trying to understand what it is you believe in these days, Nova.
[SCOFFS.]
ROBERT: What you're doing the second-guessing, it's not helpful.
Maybe I should've dialed back the rhetoric.
It's not how I work.
Is this about my role? Look, I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't a little worried that my judgment might be clouded by your intensity.
Fair enough.
But don't doubt your integrity for a minute.
Because I don't doubt mine.
All I want to do is quell this this fear that's taking hold.
You once told me that you wanted to save lives.
Okay, that's what this is about.
Don't lose sight of that.
- WILL: So, you were a driller, huh? - HOLLYWOOD: Yep.
- Man, that's damn near management.
- [LAUGHS.]
Working my way up, I guess.
Being away from my girls, that was the hardest part for me.
I do miss that check, though.
Yeah, when those oil prices fell, bottom just went out.
- Nobody was safe.
- Company doesn't want to give up profits, so people be damned, you know? I'm just hoping for something permanent before my benefits run out MAN: Mr.
Royle, this is Hollywood Desonier, the man who got us back on track these last three weeks.
Hey, I can't take all the credit.
The whole team makes it happen.
Well, thanks for the whole team.
We're gonna miss our tee time here, John.
You, uh, boys keep up the good work.
Right this way, gentlemen.
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
[GASPS.]
That's a beautiful picture.
- It's my family tree.
- Oh, yeah? [SIGHS.]
What's going on, y'all? [DOOR CLOSES.]
- I wanna do some sky.
- Sure thing.
- Pop, when was Papa born? - [CHUCKLES.]
Here, I got you.
- 1947.
- And I'm gonna need pictures, too.
- I got plenty of Daddy.
- What about Grandma Tru? We'll find some.
Mommy, this is your branch.
I want pictures of your mommy and daddy.
Of course you do.
BLUE: And what were their names? Quincy and Darlene.
And when did they get married? Let's see, um 1988, I think.
Blue, we have something to tell you.
Guess what.
Me and Mama are getting married.
So, you'll be together forever? - Forever.
- And ever, and ever, and ever.
BOTH: And ever, and ever, and ever, and ever.
- [LAUGHS.]
And ever.
- Right.
Ever, ever, ever! [MUSIC PLAYING.]
[VOCALIZING.]
- Come to your river - Wash my soul - I will come to your river - Wash my soul I will come to your river Wash my soul again Carry away my dead leaves - Let me baptize my soul - [WATCH BEEPS.]
You redecorating? Chantal's arranging a Q&A for folks scared about Zika.
I'm gonna help out, connect with the community in a tangible way.
And you sure she doesn't have some agenda? [DOORBELL RINGS.]
Blue! I haven't seen you in a minute.
- What you been up to? - I have a school project.
- I'm making a family tree.
- RALPH ANGEL: That's what brings us by.
Blue wanted to find out if you got any pictures of Mama.
- This is my brother, Ralph Angel.
- What's up, man? - Nice to meet you.
- His son, Blue.
This is Robert.
He just stopped by while he was out for a run.
- Nice to meet you guys.
- Nice to meet you, man.
- I'll catch you later? - Yeah.
She has big hair.
[CHUCKLES.]
That's called a natural.
She looks like you, Auntie Nova.
Carry away my old leaves Let me baptize my soul [SIGHS.]
She does, don't she? Sink my pains and complains Let the river take them River drown them I appreciate this, Nova.
Of course.
Oh, and, Auntie Nova, Mama and Pop are getting married.
Talk about burying the lede.
Is it true? He ain't lying.
[CHUCKLES.]
Got a big mouth, though.
But it's true.
I'm happy for you, Rah.
- And Darla, too.
- Appreciate that, sis.
[LAUGHS.]
RALPH ANGEL: Big mouth.
I mean, I had considered mauve, but I just feel like gray was a better compliment, and Well, it's, uh, a bit industrial, isn't it? - [SIGHS.]
- So? Lofts are in.
Well, I just mean it doesn't feel homey, that's all I'm saying.
And remember, you are competing with Davis now.
I am not competing with Davis.
Yes, you are, honey.
Even if you don't think you are.
And which house do you think that Micah will be more comfortable in? Micah likes it here.
So do I.
This place, uh, connects him well, both of us to our history.
Sugarcane was a big part of that.
Your hair is so beautiful.
I didn't think you'd like it.
I do.
But there are just so many changes, and all at once.
Your hair and your clothes and the way you live.
Every step of this has been my choice.
Choice or reaction? - I understand divorce.
- Mom I'm happy.
Well, if you're determined to stay here, then at least let me whip these barracks into shape.
And you need a new rug immediately.
Food storage clearly labelled.
Your surfaces are all spotless.
You even got the meat thermometers calibrated.
You really turned this place around.
It's what I do.
Now, I'm gonna send you home some pies.
- Oh, well, thank you, ma'am.
- [LAUGHS.]
All I need is your signature here, here, here, and then just initials on the second page.
Okay, I gotcha.
- You all right? - I'm fine, baby.
Um, show me where to sign again, please? Good work today, gentlemen.
Hey, Hollywood, you never did say why they laid you off from your rig.
Well, they didn't.
I broke the contract with the company.
Decided I'd rather spend my time closer to home with my lady, Violet.
Must be nice.
Thought I'd catch y'all before you were gone.
Turns out we're gonna have more work than we know what to do with for a while, so I'm authorized to make formal offers for you men to stay on permanently.
Hell, yeah.
Hollywood, we sure would like for you to keep running your crew.
What do you say? Why don't you give me a little time to think on that, okay? - [KEYBOARD CLACKING.]
- What are you working on? I'm writing a paper on the Dred Scott v.
Sandford case.
Oh.
1857.
'A negro whose ancestors were imported into this country and sold as slaves, whether enslaved or free, could not be an American citizen.
' - You wanna write it for me? - No, I do not.
[LAUGHS.]
I'm proud of you, man.
- Yep.
- Yeah, I am.
[KEYBOARD CLACKING.]
Micah, listen, um I've been wanting to talk to you about that night.
- [SIGHS.]
Dad, please.
- Micah, listen, listen.
Hey, we have to tell your mother.
- No.
- Yes.
- We don't.
- Yes, we do.
Micah, we can't keep it from her, man.
- Come on.
- She doesn't want to hear about it.
All she wants to hear about is the good things the 'A' on the paper, not Micah, you gotta give your mother a little more credit than that, okay? - She stands by her family.
- Is that why she left you? She left everything.
She brought me down here, like Yeah, but look, man, divorce is hard on everybody.
And your mother, she, um she did stand by me.
But what I put her through was beyond difficult, and [CLEARS THROAT.]
I'm not sure another woman would've stood by me the way she did, so.
Listen, being a parent is not just about the good stuff.
It's also about the harder stuff.
And that is something your mother understands.
LORNA: How many people do you employ here? CHARLEY: About 100.
Wow, well, I like the sound of that.
But, honestly, is this really the best use for your degree? CHARLEY: Well, I'm running a business, exactly what an MBA is for.
Yes, but you were so happy doing what you were doing, negotiating his million-dollar contracts, his endorsement deals.
That seemed like a much better fit than boilers, cranes, vacuum pans.
I'm not married to Davis anymore, if you haven't noticed.
But please, any professional athlete would be lucky to have you as their manager.
Mom.
I'm the first black woman to own a mill in this state.
That's not small-scale.
My question is will you be satisfied with this? REMY: Let's just make sure this thing's chopped up, because if it gets locked down, we're gonna be in trouble.
[COUGHS.]
Lorna Prescott, meet Remy Newell.
Remy, this is my mother.
A pleasure to meet you, Ms.
Prescott.
You raised one hell of a daughter here.
Well, tell me, Mr.
Newell, what is it that you do here? Well, I've, uh, engineered the seed cane that is the basis for the current Bordelon crop and I help out around here as the community liaison between Charley and the Black Farmers Collective.
So, you are the one who is helping Charley expand her business.
[LAUGHS.]
Well, he's the reason I have any business.
Well, Mr.
Newell, that is extreme high praise coming from my daughter.
So, I need to get to know you better.
Okay.
[CHATTER.]
NOVA: I hoped for a larger turnout.
Well, it ain't hard for fear to turn into distrust.
I've been in the community, Chantal.
When a lot of other people moved on, I stayed.
I've been here.
[BOY COUGHING.]
NOVA: And now I'll I'll take questions.
[PEOPLE MURMURING.]
Yes, ma'am? Are there any cases down here? There are about 20 cases confirmed in New Orleans today.
That's all? Ms.
Nova, why did you write in the paper that our neighborhood is a breeding ground for Zika? You're right, it's not a lot.
First, I wrote that because I believe it.
Second, the conditions here make it a real possibility.
WOMAN: It's possible I'll hit the lottery later on today, but that don't mean I should go off telling folks it's gonna happen.
[CROWD MURMURING.]
I mean, she blows into town months after I had to bury my father her ex-husband and and now, she just wants instant access into everything going on in my life.
Well, I'm sure she means well.
Well, then she should've been here, but she sends flowers.
She writes the most beautiful postcards from all of the exotic places she visits - and and - Sounds kind of nice.
No, she's good on the page, less so in person.
[PHONE RINGS.]
[SIGHS.]
Hey, Davis.
Okay.
I'll I'll be right there.
Have you been feeling achy at all, Miles? No, sir.
WOMAN: Well, I thought I heard something about the Zika messing with the eyes.
Yes, it can cause conjunctivitis.
That's, uh, pink eye.
- WOMAN: Oh.
- Okay.
Look straight ahead.
Coming in close.
All right, other side, straight ahead.
- Looks normal.
- [LAUGHS.]
I mean, you know, he wants to go out and play, but after that article, there's all this standing water outside of my apartment.
I mean, I'm just a nervous wreck.
I understand why that article made you worry, but the good news for Miles is there's no reason to believe head up that these are anything more than normal mosquito bites.
Okay, good.
And Zika's preventable, so let Miles go outside and play.
Just make sure he has on repellent.
- Okay.
- All right? You guys are good to go.
- Thanks again.
- You are most welcome.
Oh, oh, here we go.
- [BOTH IMITATING EXPLOSION.]
- [LAUGHS.]
Thank you.
Come on, now.
[BLOWS.]
- Can you fix it? - Yeah.
- [AIR HISSING.]
- [DOOR OPENS.]
- RALPH ANGEL: What up, y'all? - VIOLET: Oh, I know - you're here for something.
- [DOOR CLOSES.]
Don't be like that, Aunt Vi.
- Yeah, I suspect - What up, Wood? there's some babysitting always coming up.
Y'all know how much we love baby Blue - [HOLLYWOOD CHUCKLES.]
- but I just can't It's not why we came.
We getting married.
- [LAUGHS.]
Ah, congratulations, man! - [GRUNTS.]
- [GRUNTS.]
- I appreciate that, Wood.
Yes.
God knows we need some good news around here, so.
- DARLA: Thank you, Hollywood.
- Mwah! Aunt Vi Marriage is forever, y'all.
Aunt Vi, we grown.
I've been working hard running the farm, about to bring in the first harvest.
I've been sober for two years.
I know.
- And we are very proud of you.
- [CHUCKLES.]
[LAUGHS.]
But that's just it, y'all been so good at taking baby steps, you sure you want to go all in right now? Sometimes you gotta just bet on yourself.
- I know that's right.
- [CHUCKLES.]
I'm happy.
[LAUGHS.]
- Oh, congratulations.
- Thank you.
[LAUGHS.]
And I can't wait to meet your folks, Darla.
I just, you know, wanted to make sure you were sure, save you any hardships.
I get it.
Whatever comes our way, we'll face it together.
- That's good, baby.
- That's right, that's right.
- Oh, that's good.
- You're getting married, boy.
[ALL LAUGHING.]
We have to do something.
- Davis, you hear me? - Mom.
We have to call our attorney now.
- I don't want all of that.
- Micah, we have to fight.
Mom, I really want to put this behind me.
Davis, tell him.
We have the resources, we have the contacts.
- Charley, you heard Micah.
- Why are you both okay with this? Charley, it's not okay! It's not okay.
All right? Nobody's saying that.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry.
Micah.
[CRYING.]
HOLLYWOOD: Yeah, so I told Vi that we would just come here and pick her up from here.
And we'll just figure it out after that.
But it don't look like nobody here.
- BLUE: Surprise! - ALL: Surprise! - [MUSIC PLAYING.]
- [ALL CHEERING.]
NOVA: You can blame Aunt Vi.
She got us all to come.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
- [GRUNTS.]
- CHARLEY: Were y'all surprised? Of course.
Thank you so much.
Oh, stop, stop.
I'm happy for you.
- Had to celebrate you.
- I'm happy you're here.
- Did you do a good 'surprise'? - BLUE: Mm-hmm.
- Congrats.
- I appreciate it.
[PHONE BUZZING.]
- NOVA: Hey, you.
- Did they know? We Bordelons know how to make a surprise.
[CHUCKLES.]
Well, I've got one for you.
Remember Timothy North? The, um, philanthropist from Atlanta? Well, he wants to pitch in to help fight Zika in the Lower Ninth.
Seven figures.
That's a big win.
I wish I were there to raise a glass to you.
I wish you were here, too.
Talk soon.
I finally got a clue - Yeah, yeah, yeah - [ALL CHATTERING.]
Cheers.
Congratulations.
- Mm! - Ah.
This is what I wanna know.
- Huh? - [COUGHS.]
What's up with that bachelor party, bruh? - Bruh.
- Bruh.
I already been thinking, right? It's gonna take about a weekend.
[LAUGHS.]
Ain't it supposed to be one night? Oh, hell, no.
No, you ain't going out like that.
All right, first night, this what we're gonna do, we're gonna go to the Quarter, get a little something nice to eat.
I know a couple nice spots.
Then we gonna head on out to Kenner, go to that riverboat casino, shoot some craps, play some cards.
After that, we're gonna hit the after-hours.
Hold on, Wood.
That's the first night? What happened to the traditional visit to the you know? Let the man see a little something shake.
Remy, Hollywood, do not even think about taking my brother out to that strip club at the parish line.
We was talking about bowling.
Oh, come on, come on - Y'all - I gotta get going.
Play it, Joe, yeah [MUSIC CONTINUES.]
- Hey, now.
- Hi.
[SIGHS.]
Ms.
Lorna doesn't seem like one to miss a party.
Mm.
Yeah, I'd say you're right.
But for the record my mother and my Aunt Vi don't mix.
- Mm.
- They're like, um - Oil and vinegar? - [CHUCKLES.]
More like ammonia and bleach.
Ooh! My mom agreed not to come back here a long time ago.
I'm not even gonna ask.
[CHUCKLES.]
You okay, chère? Do I look like there's anything wrong with me? Look, I'm just asking.
So, I got some news.
Job at the scaffolding company, it's supposed to be for three or so weeks.
Well, they wanna give me my own crew full time.
Well, if that don't take the cake.
I ain't surprised.
They see the value in you.
- You want this, right? - Yeah.
It'll help me take better care of you, so I guess I'm glad about it.
Well, then I'm glad right along with you.
- You sure you're okay? - Man, I am fine! Thank you for planning this.
Well, good news deserves a party.
There's been so much going on.
You're right about that.
But family is family, and now we yours.
Thank you, Ms.
Vi.
Aunt Vi, baby.
Aunt Vi.
I'm happy for Rah.
Me, too.
Aunt Vi wants us to sit down with Ralph Angel figure out what to do about the farm.
[SIGHS.]
Sis, I'm not thrilled about it either, but What's eating you? Something happened to Micah.
Come.
From the back of your hand Good omen woman Easy to see Good omen woman and I'm all you'll need Mom? Dad? I called because I want you to know that I'm getting married to my son's father, and I've been clean for two years.
[SNIFFLES.]
I want you to know that I'm good.
And Blue, he's, um he's six.
And he's so precious.
He's filled with goodness.
Nothing but goodness.
I, um I just wanted to tell you that.
[SNIFFLES.]
And I miss you.
And I love you.
You don't need no fire when I'm by your side We're gonna burn like bourbon Slowly breathe like wine Rather walk away Let those sleeping dogs lie [CHATTER.]
[CLINKING.]
RALPH ANGEL: What's going on, y'all? I just want to say Darla and I, uh appreciate y'all being here, for all the love and support y'all been giving us.
We've been through ups and downs, but we here now.
We love y'all.
Thank you.
That's all that's all I got.
[LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE.]
CHARLEY: This is my fault.
But how could you know that this was going to happen? But that's just it.
I should've known.
I spent summers here and know how people think.
And I didn't prepare him for living in the South.
I just I thought I don't know what I thought.
He's smart.
He'll figure it out.
He'll, uh he'll make it work.
I didn't protect him.
- Not like how you protected me.
- [SIGHS.]
Isn't that what you told me when you sent me off to boarding school? You were protecting me.
I sent you away to school because you were a black woman in a white world, and you needed the best education and the best pedigree.
It wasn't enough.
And that is why I sent you to spend your summers here.
So that you would know where you came from and have that identity.
But then I had to go home.
And I felt the opposite at home.
Like I had to manage my blackness, like like there was no room for it.
Like it was something I put on a few weeks of the year.
I know I know you don't understand that.
Why? Because you can't.
You can't understand that.
Because I'm white? Is that what you're trying to say? Well, I did the best that I could by you, and that is what any mother does for their child.
And that is what you have done for Micah.
And he is strong - [SNIFFLES.]
- just like you.
[CRYING.]
[SIGHS.]
Oh, honey.
- I am - [BOTH CRYING.]
I'm here for you now.
[SHUSHING.]
Bound Farewell, I'm bound To leave you, bound Farewell, I'm bound To leave you waiting By the front door.
[MUSIC PLAYING.]