03x06 - Delicate and Strangely Made

[bunniefuu]

[NARRATOR] Previously, on Queen Sugar.

Thirteen years ago I had an affair.

- Charlie, I have a daughter.
- Get out.

- Just listen to me.
- Get out of my house.

Get out! Get out!

- What you doing this weekend?
- I'm off on Monday.

- Monday it is.
- Cool.

Your dad and I are not getting married.

You said forever.

- [SNIFFLING]
- I'm so sorry.

You deserve to be with someone
who wants to be with you.

Not Nova the activist, just Nova.

[CELL PHONE CHIMES AND VIBRATES]

[CELL PHONE RINGS]

- Hello?
- [VIOLET] I need you down here

at the fellowship hall
as soon as you can.

Rhonda's kid's sick,

Hollywood's in Baton Rouge
with his mother,

and I got a big order to fill today.

Well, I got writing to do, Aunt Vi.

It's my job, I can't just...

try Rah or Charley.

You know you the only one
that can follow my recipes.

- [CELL PHONE CHIMES]
- Baby, I wouldn't be asking

if I didn't need it.

Nova?

Nova!

Yes, ma'am.

- I'm on my way.
- Thank you, baby.

[SIGHS]

♪ 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 ♪

[CELL PHONE RINGS]

[FOOTSTEPS]

You going to work today?

No, I...

just need a day off.

You know, I'm glad you met my friends.

It feels like I'm getting
settled in at St. Jo.

[BOTTLES RATTLE]

Micah, we need to talk about your dad.

[SIGHS]

We're out of milk.

I can grab some from the store.

It's fine. I'm going to school.

Are you okay?

Yeah.

Yeah. Have a good day.

[DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Okay.

Okay, you have to go in now.

Okay.

Baby, you have to go in.

I'll see you soon.

Promise?

Promise.

- Okay.
- Have a fun day at school.

Okay.

- Love you.
- Love you.

Miss Sutton, I was hoping to catch you.

Is everything okay?

Blue had another incident

with a student a few days ago.

We talked to Mr. Bordelon,

but I wasn't sure if you two talk...

- What kind of incident?
- [SCHOOL BELL RINGS]

Blue pushed Xavier off a swing.

- You sure it wasn't an accident?
- I'm sure.

I couldn't get him to open up
about why he did it...

I'll talk to him.

[SIGHS]

Please, if anything else
happens, you'll let me know?

Of course.

I'm glad you're back.

I know Blue really missed you.

I should get in there.

- Thank you.
- Okay.

- [DOOR CLOSES]
- [NOVA] Aunt Vi?

Oh, good.

I need you on the chess pie,

the sweet potato and the lemon icebox.

You do remember I'm just a writer, right?

Nova Bordelon, you grew up
in my kitchen on my hip.

I taught you everything I know.

This ain't going to be no time
for standing around.

I need you to finish whipping that cream.

Wash your hands.

Can I help you?

I'm here to see Ralph Angel.

Yo!

Check all that out.

What you doing here, Darla?

Why didn't you tell me

that Blue pushed a kid
at school the other day?

Because I handled it.

Let me talk to him.

I said I handled it.

He's fine.

[SIGHS]

Ralph Angel...

let me pick him up from school
and talk to him.

I'm just asking for a little trust here.

I've been respecting your space.

I'm not asking to keep him overnight.

Just after school, so that we can talk.

Mother to son.

All right.

Just get him back before bedtime.

Appreciate it.

[PHONE VIBRATES]

[CAR DOOR CLOSES]

[LAUGHS]

[CAR STARTS]

How are we looking?

[LAUGHS] Wow!

[DARLA] Okay, slow down.

- Whoa! Oh, my gosh!
- [WATER TURNS ON AND OFF]

That bathtub is huge.

[SIGHS]

I love your house already.

It's your house too.

I'm going to have so much fun here.

- Want me to make some snacks?
- Just no nuggets.

Because me and Uncle
Hollywood got sick off nuggets.

- No nuggets. Got it.
- No nuggets.

What's in the fridge? Let's see.

Carrots?

[SOUL MUSIC PLAYING OVER RADIO]

My head's spinning just watching you.

I can do pies in my sleep, baby.

It's running a business that's work.

Look how well you're doing.
Business is booming.

I waited my whole life for this.

Was this something you always wanted?

Mama raised me to be a wife and mother.

Thought that was what
I was supposed to do.

But it just wasn't me.

I wanted my own dream.

What was it?

[LAUGHS] That was the problem.

I didn't know at the time.

I mean, Ernest?

He always had that land.

Always was so sure about it.

Might as well have been born

with a stalk of cane in his hand.

[CHUCKLES]

All I knew is that I needed to survive.

Surviving and dreaming,
two separate things, baby.

Hold on, I got to write this down.

Girl, I am just talking.

I know, but can I record it?

[LAUGHS]

So, what kinds of things
you be writing in that book?

Kinds of things you're talking about.

Black folks and their struggles
with the land,

our dreams, our family.

Okay, go on.

[SIGHS]

Well, despite it all,

those fields, that cane...

ended up bringing me
and your daddy closer.

We always knew no matter what,
we had each other.

See? And that what I'm hoping

for you and your brother and your sister.

Y'all hardheaded as all get out.

So how'd you find your dream?

I guess it found me.

I mean, I always knew I had good pies.

I couldn't keep y'all out the kitchen.

But I ain't never really thought

that I would wind up
owning my own business.

I realized...

I never dreamed big enough.

Didn't give myself permission.

Well...

this is my legacy now.

Your wrist still bothering you?

Mm.

[SIGHS]

- Here, do this.
- Yeah?

How do you do all this and manage lupus?

Oh, no.

We're not talking
about that in your book.

Why not?

Women should hear your story.

Having it all and managing an illness.

I am a black woman running a business.

People don't need to know
that I got a weakness.

I understand all that,

but so many women of all ages
can be inspired by you.

Get back to work, Nova.

[CELL PHONE VIBRATES AND CHIMES]

And don't be overworking that dough

with whatever it is you're
struggling with over there.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Damn, dude...

your daddy was doing a whole lot
more than just balling, huh?

They're just kids looking
for something to gossip about.

You see the way everybody
is looking at me?

They'll be moving on
to something else by lunch.

[BELL RINGS]

I got to get to class.

Mr. Evans deducts points
when you're late.

Meet me at my practice after school.

We can talk about it.

Keep your head up, okay?

So I'm thinking about a green wall there.

Okay.

- A yellow one there.
- Okay.

And then a purple one there.

And then planet light stickers
for all of them.

What about that wall?

You can leave that wall empty,

so I can draw on it all the time.

Drawing on your walls? My goodness.

Oh, and don't forget about my bunk bed.

Okay.

I want it right...

here.

- There?
- Yeah.

That's a good one. That's a good place.

I wish I could stay here with you.

Got to get your room set up first.

I could sleep with you tonight,
so you don't get lonely.

That's very sweet of you,
but we can't tonight.

Soon, though, I promise.

She'll keep you company.

Aww, thank you.

That's very, very thoughtful.

Slide forward for a second.
Let me talk to you. Come here.

You want to tell me
what's going on at school?

What happened with Xavier
on the playground?

- Let's go see the backyard.
- Okay, we can,

but just not right now.
Come here for a second.

- Please!
- Please, Blue. One second.

One second, so we can talk, please.

- Come on!
- Blue...

[DOOR OPENS]

Come on!

- [CAR STARTS]
- [RADIO ANNOUNCER] Fans, listen up,

Donkey of the Day is going
to NBA bad boy Davis West.

He is out here, continuing to move

the culture of debauchery forward,

because allegedly he is a new dad

to a -year-old daughter,
and it ain't by his ex-wife.

- We want to have a word with...
- [SNAPS RADIO OFF]

[CELL PHONE RINGS]

Hi.

Excuse me.

You from the EPA?

Can I help you?

Oh, yeah, we met at the bar.

With Jacob.

Are you guys from the EPA?

This land belongs to a friend of mine.

Prosper Denton.

Oh, yeah, with Mr. Boudreaux.

No, ma'am, we're a surveying firm.

I thought there were environmental issues

with the land.

No, I don't know anything about that.

I think Mr. Boudreaux would know more.

Well, what are you
surveying the land for?

I can't disclose that information, ma'am.

Can I get a business card?

It's just a business card.

Can I please just have a business card?

All right.

Thank you, "Trent McCallum".

Ma'am.

Thank you!

Yo, what you doing up here?

Are you good?

I'm all right.

Sometimes you just got to let it hurt.

That's what my mom says.

We're going out after school.

You should come.

You know, hang out.

Get a good shrimp po'boy.
Get your mind off things.

What do you say?

Yeah.

Yeah, all right, I'll hit you up.

Cool.

[NOVA] The diet's not so bad, right?

You want that on record?

You might ask Hollywood that question.

[BOTH LAUGH]

I already know.

Hollywood lives for Vi and her cooking.

Yeah, well, it's been an adjustment.

The diet, the business.

His mind's all over our wedding,

and he's getting upset that mine ain't.

I got this big dinner
with Rawlings tonight,

and I just don't have time for all this.

The realities of having it all

means you got to figure out how
to balance it.

Hmm. What they say?

Be careful what you wish for?

[CHUCKLES]

Living the dream means staying strong,

being superhuman
and not letting folks know

that sometimes you just want
to crawl in bed

and pull the covers over your head.

One thing I do know:
that man's real proud of you.

Loves you more than anything.

I know.

I love that man more than words, but...

I just...

didn't know that I deserved
all this good coming,

and I want to take it.

That ain't wrong, is it?

No, ma'am, it ain't.

[CELL PHONE VIBRATES AND CHIMES]

You take it.

Now who's that got you
so captivated over there?

Why you say that?

Because I know you
like the back of my hand.

And whoever it is must be serious,

the way you been fretting all day.

It's complicated.

It always is with you.

Baby, I just want you to be open to love.

If all this is coming to me,

I know your happy's out there.

Just got to give yourself permission.

[TRINH] There were these
squirrels in the public garden

that were crazy huge.

I mean, bite-off-your-face huge.

- I didn't see none of that.
- I do not kid.

- This is incredible.
- Yeah.

I can't believe I've never
been to this part.

Mom used to bring me when I was little.

Way different now.

Didn't have all these statues and stuff.

I love all this.

I majored in Business

because I knew I'd eventually
take over the plant,

but I minored in Art History.

You draw and stuff?

Nope.

I just admire and appreciate...
and stuff.

Thought I'd curate at some fancy museum,

like MoMA in New York.

But I always knew I'd take over

the family business eventually, so...

I feel that.

Ever since I was a kid,

I knew I'd be working on the farm.

I was real good at track in high school.

Coach said I could probably qualify

to be an Olympian
or something like that...

- Oh, wow.
- ...had I stick to it.

- Seriously?
- That's what he said.

Me and my boys would just
hit the meets in the city,

sneak into all the college parties.

[LAUGHS]

Sneak in, get drunk

and get all the girls.

That's how I went.

How old were you guys?

[CHUCKLES]

- Sixteen.
- [LAUGHS]

You were those kids.

Them kids. Them kids.

Real stupid, I will say that much.

Excuse the mess.

My ex-wife used to keep
this place spotless.

So my dad's friend Prosper gets a letter

telling him to vacate
because of EPA issues.

But just now, there's a team
of surveyors on his land

who know nothing about
any environmental concerns.

And not to mention
I'm losing farmers at the mill

who keep having to move last minute.

Farmers who lease from Landry.

That sounds like Landry
needs his land cleared.

Did you get anything from Jacob?

Yeah, he knows the surveyors.
They're on contract with him.

I'm telling you,
there's something going on.

And we'll find it.

Look, in the meantime,

I have got plenty of a*mo
for you to look over.

You come over here looking
all chewed up and spit out.

I'm worried about you.

I know that look.

Same one I had.

And I lost everything.

I just want the truth.

Is that so much to ask?

For everyone to just stop lying?

I'm real sorry.

I saw it on the news.

Thirteen years.

I didn't see it on his face.

Not once in years.

You need to realize,
you can't change what Davis did.

You can only find peace with it.

I signed up for a class. Like you.

You're going to school too?

I am. But not all day like you.

I'm taking accounting.

It teaches me how to be good
with numbers.

Like my math class.

Exactly.

And it's important that when
I'm in class, I'm well behaved.

That's like my school.

[DARLA] Mm-hmm.

Did Xavier say something or do something

to make you push him the other day?

It's okay. You can tell me.

I won't get mad.

He said you left because
you didn't love me anymore.

[BLUE SNIFFLES]

I'm sorry he said that to you, Blue.

But you know that's not true.

Yeah, I know.

Look at me.

I love you more than anything
in the entire world.

And nothing...

there is nothing that's going
to stop me from loving you.

Do you understand?

Just...

the other kids say stuff.

And when you were sick...

I just wasn't sure
if you were coming home.

I just didn't know.

I was really sad when you went away.

I know, baby.

And I am so sorry.

I'm never going to leave you again, okay?

I'm never going to leave you ever again.

I'm going to be right here.

[BLUE SNIFFLES]

Appreciate you coming down with me.

I had fun.

I needed it.

Me too.

[BOTH LAUGH]

Me too.

Between work and Blue,

it's hard to find time to break away.

Yup.

Half the time I am running from the plant

to my aunt's restaurant,

and either way I smell like I'm
catching fish or cooking them.

Mm, you smell good to me.

[BOTH LAUGH]

- Okay.
- No, for real.

I like how much you're there
for your family.

It's nothing.

It's not unlike you running the farm.

Working at the fish plant.
Taking care of Blue.

Most people leave, don't come back.

You did.

My parents, they put up a front.

Khanh told me things
haven't been the same

since the oil spill.

I think I was just naive.

You know, I thought,

give it a few years.

The fish'll be back.

The community will rally
like they did after Katrina.

I think I just trying to justify leaving.

So now I'm just doing what I can
to make things right.

Sorry, we're on a date.

We're should be talking about
favorite movies and worst jobs.

Nah.

I get it.

- Making up for lost time.
- Yeah.

Taking care of the ones we left behind.

You know, I spent some time in prison.

I know.

It's in your paperwork.

I was a whole different person back then.

I understand if it makes you
feel some type of way.

You know, us hanging out.

I get it.

Why would I be here if I did?

I don't know.

Good question.

When I got back I thought
everything would be the same.

And it's not.

It's different.

I'm different, you know?

Yeah.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

- [TRINH] Thank you for today.
- [RALPH ANGEL] Uh-huh.

[TRINH] It was really fun.

- [HIP-HOP MUSIC BLARES ON RADIO]
- Hey! Hey!

- Okay.
- Hey! Hey!

All right, all right.

[LAUGHTER AND CHATTER]

All right, all right.

[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICK]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

- All right, guys, guys, guys.
- [CELL PHONE RINGS]

All right, all right.

[LAUGHTER]

[ROCK MUSIC PLAYING OVER TRUCK RADIO]

What the hell y'all doing in here?

This is our spot.

Minding our own business.

You might want to keep it moving.

That's the problem with you people.

Think you can make yourself
comfortable anywhere.

- "You people"?
- You heard me.

This here's our country.

Around here, white lives matter.

What is wrong with these assholes?

They ain't gonna do sh*t.

What you say? Huh?

You better speak up, black bitch.

Excuse me?

No, what did you say?

No, say it again, dude.

Say it again.

[HORN HONKS]

What do y'all think y'all doing?

Huh? Huh?

Y'all need to get off my
property before I call the cops.

I don't want to see you kids
back here, understand?

Go on, now. Get.

- That was dope, man.
- [CAR DOORS CLOSE]

♪ Trust me, what'll it be? ♪

♪ Face it or run ♪

♪ Even if we're missing ♪

♪ From the beginning ♪

♪ I know when we all
Gonna find it again ♪

[CAR ENGINE STARTS]

Everything looks so beautiful.

[LAUGHS]

Thank you for this lovely meal.

Well, Jarrett goes on and on about you.

I feel like I know you already.

[LAUGHS]

That's sweet.

And I'll have you know,

Jarrett would eat your pies
for breakfast,

lunch and dinner if he could.

All right.

It's true.

It is true.

[ALL LAUGH]

Well, I just appreciate him
putting my pies in those stores.

I know good food when I see it.

It's an occupational hazard.

[CHUCKLES]

Susy, she's the...

she's the brains of the business.

Oh, stop.

Seems like y'all have a good
business team.

I think so.

Yeah.

Shall we say grace?

Yes.

Thank you, Lord,
for this meal you put before us

for our wonderful visitor, Miss Violet,

and all the blessings that you
bestow upon us all year long.

Amen.

- Amen.
- Amen.

All right.

When we first started out,

Rawlings looked more like
a convenience store

than a grocery.

I was the checker,

bag boy and quality control
all rolled into one.

When Susy and I got married,
we finally had two checkers.

Ain't that the whole truth.

Well, I my niece was on pie duty today.

Yeah, that's one of the reasons
I see so much in you, Violet.

You remind me of my mom.

Jarrett, I ain't that much older
than you.

[ALL LAUGH]

No. I mean...

her determined spirit.

I see that same spirit in you.

That ability to create something
special out of nothing.

Well, thank you.

She sounds like a wonderful woman.

Indeed.

Which is why I want to invest in you.

I couldn't make her dreams come true,

but maybe I can help with yours.

I see Vi's Prized Pies
in every store freezer.

Your face on the box.

You'd be huge.

[LAUGHS]

You're not talking about putting my face

on pancake boxes
like Aunt Jemima, are you?

[ALL LAUGH]

I can assure you that is not what I mean.

No, we'd both benefit
from your expansion.

In your favor, of course.

This is your business,
your recipes, your ideas.

I just want to use know-how

to help you become bigger
than you've ever dreamed.

Just have to iron out the terms.

The split will be more than fair.

I can have my attorneys
start on the paperwork.

[LAUGHS]

Okay.

Let's do this.

- Okay.
- Let's do this.

[ALL LAUGH]

Let's do this.

Can we eat pie now?

[ALL LAUGH]

I'm not waiting for you.

[KEYS JIGGLE]

I heard. I'm so sorry.

I don't want to talk about it, Nova.

And I don't need a lecture.

I'm not going to. I'm here for you.

Well, I don't need you right now, okay?

I'm tired, Nova.

Just go home.

[KEYS CLATTER]

[SIGHS]

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

[MAN ] Playing ?

Mm-hmm, yeah.

[MAN ] I know you ain't got nothing.

[MAN ] sh*t, you don't know that.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Ralph Angel!

[MAN] Who that?

Where's Ralph Angel?

[MAN] Who?

- Hey, Benny.
- [BENNY] What's happening, man?

What are you doing in here?

I'm staying here.

Few of my homeys
came to see me, stopped by.

They're going to be on their way
as soon as they finish this...

Oh, hell, no, man! That's cheating.

[GLASS SHATTERS]

[DARLA] You all need to get out!

Get out of this house!

Get out!

[DOOR OPENS]

[RALPH ANGEL] Yo! Benny!

What the hell is going on?

We was just playing some spades, man.

And I'm going to take care
of all this mess, I promise.

You got to go.

You got to grab your sh*t and go.

Now.

All right.

Blue, go to your room.

What the hell were you thinking?

You were letting
that random guy stay here,

and you're worried about me taking him?

[LAUGHS] Are you kidding me?

I was trying to help the brother out.

You know what I'm saying?

I'm just trying to do the right thing.

Why don't you start
by doing right by your son.

[SCOFFS]

What's that supposed to mean, huh?

You're working all the time.

This house is a wreck.

You've got strange men living here.

Blue's acting out in school, Ralph Angel.

And you lying ain't got nothing
to do with that, huh?

You just in and out his life.

And now all of a sudden
you know it all, huh?

I have spent the last three years

repairing my life for our son,
for you and for our family!

For me? And look where
it got us! What family?

Don't talk to my mommy like that!

- [RALPH ANGEL] Blue, not now!
- Ralph Angel!

No!

Ain't nobody asked you
to come out your room!

Take your ass back in there!
Ain't nobody asked you!

- Ralph Angel!
- I want to stay with Mommy.

[MUTTERS]

You want to...

okay.

You happy now?

Go pack your bags, Blue.

You can stay with me tonight.

I want equal stake in my son's life.

[FIRE CRACKLING]

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Time is just the melody Of fate ♪

♪ I'm a second hand
In a secondhand exchange ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Please don't tempt My heart again ♪

♪ Weakness is a poor defense ♪

♪ Please don't ♪

♪ Please don't ♪

♪ Please don't tempt My heart again ♪

♪ Love like yours Ain't innocent ♪

♪ Please don't ♪

♪ Please don't ♪

♪ I can feel your eyes ♪

♪ Looking for another way To my body ♪

♪ Temptation is the game
You always play ♪

♪ The house will win
The rules will never change ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Please don't ♪

[SIGHS]

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Please don't tempt My heart again ♪

♪ Weakness is a poor defense ♪

♪ Please don't ♪

♪ Please don't ♪

♪ Please don't tempt My heart again ♪

♪ Love like yours Ain't innocent ♪

♪ Please don't ♪

♪ Please don't ♪

♪ I can feel your eyes ♪

♪ Looking for another way To my body ♪

Go Ree Ree.