03x11 - Your Passages Have Been Paid

[bunniefuu]

[NARRATOR] Previously, on Queen Sugar.

Why are you telling
your daddy's dirty laundry?

You're the one told me to speak my truth.

Your truth.

What do you want?

Your shares in Landry Enterprises.

I want it all.

I just had a cop and two ladies
from Child Services up in here.

I don't know anything about this.

Ralph Angel may not even be
Blue's biological father.

[VIOLET] I don't give
a rat's ass about no DNA.

He's a Bordelon.

Micah, do you know something?

[SNIFFLES]

♪ This is where I end up ♪

♪ This is where I end up ♪

♪ This is where I end up ♪

♪ This is where I end up ♪

♪ Where I end up ♪

♪ Face down in the cold air ♪

♪ Where I end up ♪

♪ Bloody nose ♪

♪ This is where I end
This is where I end up ♪

♪ I throw it all down
And I give it all up ♪

Are you getting a letter
from your sponsor today?

Okay, good.

I've got a meeting with your lawyer

to go over the mediation procedures,

and I know that letter is critical.

So, please, don't forget.

I won't.

When you get back we'll find
something really nice

for you to wear.

How's work going?

It's fine.

When you see Jeff,
please tell him I said hello.

Hey...

we'll get through this.

♪ And I'll show you how hard
I can throw ♪

♪ 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 ♪

♪ I'm writing so you know I'm better ♪

[CELL PHONE CHIMES]

♪ Grieving far below The pressure ♪

♪ They're sinking further
Than our heart was weaving ♪

♪ Drowning myself Almost every evening ♪

♪ Wishing I had met her ♪

What?

♪ But there's no pressure ♪

[SIGHS]

Vicky?

In the flesh. Unfortunately.

Sorry, they said
that you were over here...

Why unfortunately?

I didn't want to leave this
on your phone.

What's going on?

I just got word from one of my contacts

in the sheriff's office.

Micah has become a person of interest

for the Sweetbay fire.

What? No. No, no, no.

No, Micah had nothing to do with that.

Are you sure? You know where
he was that night?

He's not a suspect, exactly, yet.

But I wanted you to know.

Rhonda, today is not the day
for you to be running behind.

They're going to be here any minute.

- Call me.
- [NOREEN] Hello?

Anyone home?

- [BOTH LAUGH]
- Hi.

You must be the famous Violet Bordelon.

- Well, I am. Welcome.
- Thank you.

Noreen Bontemps. Such a pleasure.

I... I'm so excited to interview you.

This is quite the honor for me too.

Jarrett has been talking you up.

He said we must get you on the show ASAP.

And the whole crew... well, girl,

they're just excited to try your pies.

- Well, I got plenty of them.
- Okay, well, great.

How all this works is we're
going to follow you around,

see how the business runs,
watch you do your thing.

And then later
you and I will have a one-on-one

where you get to share
your sweet secrets.

Well, all right. I'm ready.

My mama's been asking
all kinds of questions.

There's no telling what
they're doing to him in there.

They came to my house.

- What?
- Damn.

Some detective, he tried
asking about everything,

I told him to leave,
because my parents weren't home.

I know my rights.

Man, what if he says something?

- No, he won't.
- We got to help him, y'all.

The cops probably don't got nothing.

They just looking
for somebody to pin it on.

We just got to stay calm. Act normal.

[BOY] Hey, yo, Micah,

there's your moms.

[SCHOOL BELL RINGS]

I need to know right now.

Did you have anything
to do with that fire?

It was an accident.

Okay?

We were just trying
to take a stand, and...

- For what?
- For the people.

- What were you thinking?
- It was an accident, Mom.

Accident or not, you understand
arson's a felony?

You were trespassing,
you were vandalizing...

We were protesting.

You could go to jail, Micah.
Don't you get that?

Yes! Yes, I get it.
The cops came to get Ant,

and now they're looking
for the rest of us.

I get it!

I get it!

Listen to me.

You don't talk to those kids,

you don't see those kids, you don't...

- Those kids are my friends.
- Not anymore.

From now on, you don't know those kids.

That's some bullshit!

You watch your mouth.

I trusted you with this new school.

Look where that got us.

What we did was right.

- It was stupid.
- Oh, so now I'm stupid?

No, Micah, your actions were stupid,

because you knew better.

I raised you better than that.

I want you to drive straight home.

I have a meeting
with the farmers right now,

but we're going to talk about this

when I get...

Micah.

I'm going to Aunt Nova's.

So you think you're grown now?

Calling the sh*ts?

I just need to talk to Aunt Nova.

You don't need to talk to Nova.

I do, because, you know, she...

she actually listens to me,

which is more than I can say for you.

We are not even close
to being done with this.

♪ Baby, what's your name? ♪

♪ Whoo ♪

♪ I don't swing my hips ♪

♪ When I walk ♪

I'm here with the Violet Bordelon

of Vi's Prized Pies,

working on her famous lemon chess pie.

Now, Vi, would you please,

oh, please tell our Wake Up NOLA viewers

the secret to your
confectionary goodness?

Noreen, I don't share my recipes.

But why don't you taste this

and tell everybody what you think.

Mm.

Wow.

Okay, so I'm telling you to run,

do not walk, to Rawlings's.

Oh, Vi, this... this filling.

Mm.

It's good.

I'll give you a pie to take home.

- The whole pie?
- The whole pie.

[BOTH LAUGH]

[SIGHS]

[NOVA] I know, right?

Her notes are harsh.

Well, she certainly had a lot
to say for just a few thoughts.

I know. I mean, did she like anything?

My take?

They want your story.

I see a lot of Ralph Angel,

and Blue, and Charley.

Your dad.

But from these notes,

she's not seeing how they affect you.

What are the choices
you made in your life, hmm?

The ones that haunt you,
that changed you.

The ones that shaped you.

Oh, my God.

I remember this.

[NOVA] We wouldn't leave the
steps of the president's house

until they did something
about those frat boys

running around in blackface.

We went to school
with some real assholes.

And I remember you wasn't
having none of it.

I look tough, but man,
I was shaking in my boots.

- Really?
- When police rolled up on us,

trying to haul us out of there?

Well, you looked fearless.

These right here.

These are stories worth telling.

These are your stories.

No filter.

I don't mind writing
about that stuff, I just...

I got some skeletons.

Girl, who doesn't?

These are things only my family knows.

Things I'm ashamed of.

Lines that shouldn't have been crossed.

You talking about Calvin?

Yes.

And no.

I mean, not just him.

Those mistakes stick with you.

Sometimes they feel like scars
that will never heal,

but that's what makes you human.

That's why your book,
your voice, is worthy.

You showing us
what real strength looks like,

cracks and all.

[BOTH LAUGH]

Anyone's judging you

is carrying their own bones.

Thanks.

Sorry, I'm a little late.

Hey, Miss Charley.

- [CHARLEY] Hi.
- How's Prosper doing?

He's getting the rest he needs.

Should be home as soon
as they run a few more tests.

How are y'all doing?

Ah, hanging in there, I guess.

Okay, what does that mean?

Prosper said that you wanted to talk,

but you didn't say
what you wanted to talk about.

[PARTHENA] You ain't heard?

Everybody's talking about that new prison

they're building on Landry land.

What?

No, no, no, I hadn't heard. That's...

that's horrible.

[CARDALE] Well, town hall's coming up.

Going to get the farmers organized.

Show up for the parish vote.
Maybe you can help?

Absolutely.

I'll look into it
and see what I can find.

And if that Sheriff Guidry
got anything to do with it,

Lord, that man make all kind of money

locking up black people in his jails.

Locked up my only son.

[CARDALE] We're hoping that you
can talk to people like this.

What do you say?

[DARLA] I can't believe you
said all these things.

Thank you.

Well, it's all true.

I just hope it helps.

Me too.

You know, I watched my sister
go through a custody battle.

It's the hardest thing she ever did.

It's like one minute,

Ralph Angel and I
are these amazing parents...

and then the next...

I don't know who we are.

But I know who you are.

You're a good mother to that little boy.

I'll fight to the ends of the earth.

But...

[SIGHS]

...I don't know if this
is the right way to do it.

I don't want Ralph Angel to hate me.

And more importantly...

I don't want Blue to resent me.

It's not going to happen.

All I know is,

when this all gets too hard,

you call me.

Promise me that.

[MICAH] I don't know how I got here.

[NOVA] I do.

Everything y'all did.

You're angry.

"To be a n*gro in this country

"and to be relatively conscious

is to be in a rage almost all the time."

James Baldwin said that.

But he was also a witness
that anger is wasted

if it's not followed by action.

I tried to take action.

I tried, but I'm not you.

I wish I was, but I'm not.

And I don't want you to be.

It's just that things
didn't go as planned.

We can't control results.

But we can be clear about our intentions.

Look, I understand y'all
wanting to say something.

I've been there.

But we have to weigh the cost.

I'm concerned that you destroyed
a piece of history

that's taught generations
about a resilient people.

That fire was a total accident.

It was a mistake.

But what were your intentions?

To stop the tourists
from mocking our people.

Stop them from exploiting our history.

Look, it's not a crazy idea
to keep the plantation

from making money
off the history of the enslaved.

I get it.

But those structures,
they housed our ancestors.

You can go in those shacks,
feel their presence.

I know.

I have. I just...

Then also know that the tourists
and their ignorance

can't change that.

But once the cabins are gone,

you have no reminder

of who actually built that plantation.

And this country.

It's erasing history.

[SIGHS]

I just want to make it right.

I know.

And we need you.

We need your young voices.

We need your fighting spirit.

But if you and your friends
want to grow your activism,

you need to learn to organize.

Come up with tactics
that match your goals.

And none of us can claim to make change

without understanding where we came from.

How we got where we are.

[SIGHS]

You can change the world, Micah.

You are who I think you are.

I have to say, it'll be interesting,

Sam seeing you in Colton's old seat.

Hmm.

I'm sure he'll be beside himself.

Sam's been calling me all week,

trying to gauge what I know.

What'd you tell him?

Does he suspect?

Oh, Sam doesn't see me.

Never has.

But regardless, I assured him

that you have a seat, but not a voice.

I reminded him family's family,

and that the Landrys
still have the deciding vote.

Until we vote it down.

Until we vote it down.

I have sat on this board quietly
for years.

The good daughter.

I kept my mouth shut the day
they read my daddy's will.

The day he gave my undeserving
brother the majority share.

And even in death I'm still
trying to make Daddy proud.

Desperately trying to maintain

the integrity of his land.

And here I am,

still searching for his approval.

[LAUGHS]

The good daughter.

So, yes, we're going to take
my brother down.

Side by side.

[VIOLET] I started making
a little money here and there,

but I never imagined a real business.

[NOREEN] Well, I for one
am glad the secret's out,

because your pies are addictive.

- [LAUGHS]
- Thank you, baby.

So behind every great business
is a story of perseverance.

What's yours?

Oh.

Uh...

Baby, finding enough ovens.

[BOTH LAUGH]

Okay. So, what has been the most
rewarding part of all of this?

Oh, giving others opportunities.

Come on over here, Rhonda.

Can you get both of us in here?

[LAUGHS]

This is Rhonda, my rock.

We have had countless doors
shut in our faces.

And, well, the mission
of Vi's Prized Pies

is to open those doors for others.

It's how we do.

[BOTH LAUGH]

That's beautiful. So, Rhonda,

what is it like for you
working for this amazing woman?

Oh, Miss Violet gave me a chance
when I needed it most.

And watching her fight for her dream,

and working alongside her
pushed me to be better.

Changed my life.

[NOREEN] That's beautiful.

[MICAH] So now we're out here

and Ant's in there,

and it just feels wrong.

You know, like we're living a lie.

You want to turn yourself in?

Be one of the first young men
to fill that new jail?

You're always living your truth, right?

Speaking it in your articles, your books.

I don't want to be the person
who lives in fear

of doing the right thing.

Micah, I'm not perfect.

I've had my fair share of mistakes.

Trust me.

But you're still a leader.

An advocate.

You educate, you inspire.

And I used to sell weed to the th.

Okay.

That's nothing. It's just weed.

It's still illegal.

And because of me,

my friend's little brother
went to prison.

The boy from the article?

It was my weed that got Too Sweet caught.

Sorry.

[NOVA] Look, I understand your guilt.

I carry mine every day.

But you and your friends
should absolutely help Ant.

But do it from out here.

Raise awareness.

Both parties will be later separated

so I can hear individual arguments.

The goal is to settle in
the best interest of the child.

My client's DCFS reports
were found in good standing.

All claims of neglect were dropped.

He's made strides in this community,

he has a strong work history,

and was offered an opportunity
at early release for his parole.

Who is Blue in the care of when
you're working, Mr. Bordelon?

[RALPH ANGEL] My Aunt Violet Bordelon.

Been like a mother to me
since my mama d*ed.

He be with me mostly, though.

Mr. Bordelon has a very
close-knit support system

- in his family.
- That's right.

[DANIELS] Mr. Bordelon had a generous

/ custody offer and declined.

Because we're seeking full custody.

What?

[LAWRENCE] Now, all cells are
controlled electronically

with an intercom system.

This allows staff
communication with the inmates.

And remote-controlled cameras

not only increase staff visibility,

but make escape next to impossible.

Sheriff?

Y'all know I come from
a long line of lawmen

who know how to keep a community safe.

We're going to keep costs low,
people employed.

We're going to boost this economy

and we're going to keep inmates
where they belong.

Now, I assure you this will run
like a fine-oiled machine.

Once you're in,

you don't get out till we let you out.

[SAM] So how long do you think it'll be

before can we break ground
after the Parish Council vote?

Well, we should vote on it first.

[LAUGHS]

[SAM] Didn't you get the memo?

We voted three days ago.

These fine gentlemen are just
showing us what we're getting.

[LAWRENCE] All right,
we'll get out of your hair.

We'll talk timeline soon, Sam. Thank you.

[GUIDRY] Thank you, gentlemen.
Have a good day.

You can't do this.

The bylaws say...

The bylaws say I send a memo.

You don't get that memo,
you don't show up,

well, hell, you don't vote.

That's what the bylaws say,
Miss Bordelon.

[FRANCES] If there's nothing
more to discuss,

I need to get back to my office.

[DOOR OPENS]

[DOOR CLOSES]

[THERESA] He won't eat nothing.

He's barely talking.

Thinks he let his daddy down.

I can't sleep thinking about
what my baby's

going through in there.

Both my boys now.

[ASHA] Miss Theresa,

what'd the police say?

They got his prints
off his daddy's lighter.

Found it in his bag.

So he was in the system?

He got into some trouble
a couple of years ago

lifting cigarillos.

He was just playing around
and got caught.

He idolized his brother is what it is.

So, are y'all ready to tell me

if y'all had anything to do with this?

I know Anthony couldn't have
been out there all by himself.

No, ma'am. We weren't there.

Y'all was as thick as thieves
marching on that game.

And now I'm supposed to believe
this is different?

- I'm so sorry.
- [MALIK] We're all sorry,

Miss Theresa.

We're going to do all we can.

You know, raise money for a good lawyer.

That public defender could give
a rat's ass about my son.

I've already been
through that with Kenneth.

And look what it got him.

I spoke...

I spoke with my Aunt Nova,

and she thinks that she can
help us find a community lawyer.

I'm sorry to say...

the jail's a reality.

The Landrys signed off.

So now it lies
with the Parish Council vote.

And Sam seems confident.

The way the Landrys leaned on us
about Queen Sugar,

feels like they can do
whatever they want.

Well, not this time.

Parish Council's
the next step in our fight.

I'm afraid Sam probably has
a few of them in his pocket.

No matter who they got, Miss Charley,

we gonna turn this thing out.

We gonna make some changes around here.

- And they got to listen.
- We got to get on the phones,

call all the farmers down.

Far as North Carolina, if we have to.

[CARDALE] They're not going
to put the jail on a land

we sweat and toiled over.

Raised our families on.

[PARTHENA] If we can fight
like we did in the ' s,

- we got this.
- [MAN] Yes, ma'am.

[WOMAN] Yes, ma'am.

Yeah, I'll...

I'll make up a list of talking points.

Statistics.

Get some solid background
on this company.

[CARDALE] Yeah, I'll start a dialogue

with council member Barrera.

[MAN] She might be our best
chance of stopping this prison.

All right, everyone,
we'll start making some calls.

[CLEARS THROAT]

- Oh, what you doing here?
- [LAUGHS]

I came to see you.

Oh, all this way?

[NOVA] Look at you.

I'm so proud.

You got the copy of my grades?

[NOVA] I was blinded by
all them A's and B's.

[TOO SWEET] Hey, your boy hit that . .

[BOTH LAUGH]

You're doing so well.

On the real,

I wouldn't have did it without you.

Thanks for investing in me.

I need to be honest with you
about something.

You all right?

You're not sick or nothing, huh?

I can't take that.

Okay.

I'm the one got you locked up.

I sold Rid the weed
that was in that spliff

you got caught with.

I'm so sorry.

I don't blame you, Nova.

I was the one that bought it.

- Yeah, but if I hadn't sold it...
- It was my choice.

I took that risk.

I'm just thankful you were
there when I needed you most.

Being in school has changed my life.

I used to hear folks talk about jail

like it was a badge of honor
or something, when it ain't.

I promised myself
I ain't never going back.

You believing in me
helped me keep that promise.

I'll be here for you whenever you need.

I appreciate that.

[CLEARS THROAT]

I'm working on a book.

About time!

[LAUGHS]

Thank you for coming so quickly.

I know you have other obligations.

Charley, I'm really sorry.

I didn't call you for that.

Let's focus on Micah.

He doesn't want to talk to me.

He won't return my calls,

he hasn't responded
to any of my text messages.

Well, he's not exactly
listening to me either,

so I need you to get through to him.

What makes you think he'll listen to me?

You've made serious mistakes.

I need you to make him see

that some decisions,
they can't be undone.

What makes you think
you could get full custody?

We don't even know if you're
his biological father.

That don't change nothing.

I'm on that birth certificate, right?

So that mean y'all can't just take him.

I'm his mother, Ralph Angel.

I deserve some time with him too.

[DANIELS] My client is fully employed,

has a room for her son in her apartment.

She has strong support
from her mother and her father.

My client's sponsor has raved

about her character and commitment

to staying sober.

The child has openly expressed
his desire to live with her.

Because they just be dangling
new stuff in front of him.

I'm sorry, judge. Mr. Bordelon, please.

It's because you're not
economically stable.

You're not what's best for Blue.

- And she is?
- Yeah.

In and out of his life, huh?

What else you want from me?

I been there even after
she ripped my heart out.

All I want to do is be a daddy
to that boy.

I mean, tell me,

what else I got to prove?

Take a paternity test.

I only want to hear from
the parents and their attorneys.

I just want you to know, Your Honor,

that he has strangers
in and out of his house.

Men, women, bad influences,

even though he's still on parole.

My daughter deserves
full custody of her son.

- Mom!
- [DARLENE] Take the test,

so that we can be done with all of this.

Stop! I will not allow you to do
this to the father of my son.

I took it.

I took the test.

He ain't mine.

But I raised him.

I'm on his birth certificate.

But that don't mean you can just
take him away from me.

I did my research.

You can't... you can't just
take him away from me.

This isn't like you, Micah.

[SIGHS]

I never heard your mother
sound so scared.

What's going on with you?

[SIGHS]

Look, I know you don't want
to talk to me, so...

Why would anyone want to talk to you?

Okay.

That's fair.

But think about your mother.

She thinks you might get arrested.

That's her worst nightmare.

No, you're her worst nightmare.

I know.

I lied.

I embarrassed you, your mom.

And I'm sorry.

I was selfish.

I made decisions

without thinking
about the people around me.

But I don't want you
to do the same thing.

I don't want you to be like me.

Why do you think I'm fighting
for the community?

I made up my mind

to do whatever it takes
to not be like you.

You're willing to get arrested
to prove you're not me?

No. I just...

I'm tired of feeling
like somebody's victim.

Okay? When...

when that happened with the cop,

there was nothing I could do.

[SIGHS]

I hate you went through that.

But that...

that cop lost his job.

He won't be hurting anybody else.

I don't know if you haven't heard

because you're in L.A. or whatever,

but he's appealing it.

No, I didn't hear that.

Yeah.

When that happened, I just...

I felt... powerless

until I realized

I didn't have to feel that way.

I could do something.

And I did.

Then it all went wrong.

Now...

now you're laughing at me, and...

No. No.

I'm proud of you, son.

Now, I'm not saying
that what you did was okay,

but I'm proud you want to make change.

And I'm here for you.

So, I want you to think about

the things you do before you act.

That's all.

I just want to fix it.

Take it from me.

You can't.

So, please...

don't make a bad situation worse.

What happened?

Davis?

It's going to be okay.

Okay?

[TOO SWEET, ON VIDEO]
Behind them walls, man,

I didn't think I was going to make it.

Every day I wondered,

is this the day they gonna k*ll me?

But the day my mama came and got me,

I promised I was never going back.

You got me another chance
with school, with my future.

You gave me that.

You brought me that light.

That's why got to write your own story.

[SIGHS]

I didn't get to see him this time.

I can hear the pain in your voice.

All the stories you've told me

about what's been going on.

Blue's behavior, the women.

I can't.

I can't listen
to everything you've told me,

and watch my daughter's
heart break and do nothing.

It's my job to protect you,

and to protect that child
with every fiber in my being.

I know.

But fighting like this isn't the answer.

After all he's done to you?

He's still Blue's dad,

regardless of blood.

And I won't take that away.

I'm always going to love him.

But he and I...

we have to figure this out on our own.

Together.

I just want to protect my little girl.

You'll do anything to protect your child.

I know.

Please.

I messed up.

[CRIES]

[SNIFFLES]

♪ Take me down to the river ♪

♪ Wash me clean In the water ♪

♪ Take me down to the river ♪

♪ Wash me clean In the water ♪

♪ Take me down to the river ♪

♪ Take me down ♪

♪ Wash me clean in the water ♪

♪ Oh, take me down ♪

♪ Take me down to the river ♪

♪ Wash me clean In the water ♪

♪ Take me down to the river ♪

♪ Wash me clean In the water ♪

♪ No, ain't no chain
Gonna hold you down ♪

♪ Ain't no grave Gonna hold you now ♪

♪ Yesterday Done came and gone ♪

♪ Ain't it time To bury them bones? ♪

♪ Ain't no grave Gonna hold me down ♪

♪ Take me down to the river ♪

♪ Ain't no grave Gonna hold me down ♪

♪ Wash me clean in the water ♪

♪ Whoa, ain't it time
To bury them bones? ♪

♪ Ain't no chain Gonna hold you down ♪

♪ Ain't no grave Gonna hold me down ♪

♪ Yesterday Done came and gone ♪

♪ Take me down to the river ♪

♪ Ain't it time To bury them bones? ♪

♪ Take me down to the river ♪

♪ Wash me clean In the water ♪

Go, Ree Ree.