02x06 - Line of Our Elders

[bunniefuu]

Hollywood: Previously
on "Queen Sugar"...

Give it to me.

Bitch, I said right now.

I saw your face!

Ralph Angel found a letter.

Leave the farm to him alone.

No Nova, no Charley.

I just don't want to see him fail.

Do you feel that there
was emphasis on failure

when you were Micah's age?

Micah: I never felt like that...
at someone else's mercy.

Can't stop thinking about it.

Would you be interested
in being my office assistant?

I just got a job.

It's with Charley.

(bell tolls)

♪ Don't run ♪

♪ Don't hide yourself... ♪

Our family.

- ♪ Love will comfort you... ♪
- (Ralph Angel sighs)

♪ Comfort you ♪

♪ I will comfort you ♪

♪ Comfort... ♪

I'll send a picture to Charley.

- (clicks)
- Why?

So she could see it.

♪ Trust yourself... ♪

Uh-huh.

If she wanted to come,
she would've made time.

Our sister's making history today.

Here, sign this so we can go.

♪ Love will comfort you ♪

♪ Comfort you ♪

♪ I will comfort you. ♪

(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. ♪

(machine whirring)

Micah: Grandpa would be so proud.

Thanks, honey.

I just want everything
to be perfect today.

Oh, really? Just today?

(laughs)

Go get dressed.

Do you know where
the certificate is, Rah?

(sighs)

Groceries supposed to go
inside the fridge.

Ain't that... right?

Pops should've been had
a new refrigerator

a long time ago.

You hear of Stratto Enterprises?

They sent Daddy a paycheck.

- It's for $ and change.
- No.

Don't know nothing about it.

Except it's enough for a new fridge.

- Rah.
- I'm just saying.

(knocking on door, door opens)

Darla: Charley, your appointment's here.

Thanks.

Ben Harrison.

It's a pleasure to meet you.

I... I'm sorry. I was expecting Adam.

Right. Right.

Well, Adam's in San Francisco

profiling some tech billionaire.

I can see you're disappointed.

No, I'm just, um...

Adam wrote a piece on my husband

for "Esquire."

We have a shorthand.

Look, Mrs. West, I'm not Adam,

but I'm good at what I do.

My editor wants to run you
in the next issue.

Okay.

You mind?

- Fire away.
- (recorder beeps)

St. Josephine Parish...

is a long way from Los Angeles.

(chuckles)

Why the abrupt change?

Why flee LA for rural Louisiana?

You're direct.

I like that.

My father, Ernest Bordelon

passed away unexpectedly.

I made a promise to him.

That's what this is about.

His death coincided with
your husband's involvement

in a sexual as*ault.

That's a lot to handle.

It was a difficult time.

But my being here
is about my father and my family.

It's about legacy.

And for the record,

Davis was never charged.

But you know that.

- Of course.
- Mm-hmm.

But you did settle the civil
case with that woman?

Melina Galoudian.

Yes, we did.

It was tough, but we
came out of it stronger.

So, now a fresh start.

- (chuckles)
- New team, new city.

How's your family
handling the transition?

Well, we have a place in New Orleans

and we're renovating the old
barracks here on this property.

Hmm.

Where's Davis?

He's in Miami at
an endorsement appearance.

It was booked before we knew
what today would be, so...

That's too bad.

The opening, all the
work you've put into it.

Such a shame your husband
has to miss it.

(knocking on door, door opens)

Sorry to interrupt.

They said they can't
bring the evaporator.

(continues indistinctly)

I can clear out.

Yeah, would you mind us
picking up a little later?

- That's fine.
- Okay.

- Thanks.
- Yeah.

(recorder beeps)

Mrs. Bordelon-West.

Hi, there.

(music playing)

(Hollywood sighs)

Violet: Hey, hey. Did
you get everything?

Woman, who is you talking to?

Now, when was the last time

you sent me out to get
you something you need

and me come back empty-handed?

All right, now.

You can talk that talk
if you can walk that walk.

- Oh, I can walk it, now.
- Mm-hmm.

Three bottles of almond extract.

- All right.
- Three bottles of lemon.

- Mm-hmm.
- And three bottles of vanilla.

What about the rum?

- Ah!
- (both laughing)

What, you nip into it?

And face Pearl and her church ladies?

I ain't that brave.

(laughs) That's right.

I think chocolate rum pie
is how they get they fix.

Well, since y'all going
to mark Ernest's grave,

I can deliver them for you.

Nope.

I can do it.

That'll take half a day.

I said I can do it

'cause I'm not going to the cemetery.

Chère. Now, what's this about?

You need to go and pay your respects.

Yeah, well, we buried him once.

I don't see no need in doing it again.

I called Stratto Enterprises,

the payroll service.

They gave me your number.

Mr. Ernest had the respect
of the men he worked with.

No one knew what to think
when he stopped turning up.

I found his things.

There wasn't much in his locker.

What was his job here?

He was a custodian.

I didn't know.

(sighs)

It's called imbibition.

And it's where we made
our biggest investment.

It increases the yield %.

Which means farmers get
more in their pockets.

They're already getting a higher return,

thanks to Charley
breaking up the monopoly.

This is a big deal, for black farmers

in this community especially.

Boy, you two have your act down.

It's an exciting time.

So, Remy, have you been involved

from the beginning?

- With the mill?
- Well, you tell me.

Sounds like Charley and her husband

don't have a lot of
experience in the endeavor.

So I just want to make sure I understand

who does what.

Well, I'm more of a consultant.

Remy's a professor

in LSU's Agricultural Department.

So, you met professionally?

- Well, actually...
- We met through the family

because Charley's daddy, Ernest,

was one of my best friends

and kind of a father figure to me.

Mmm.

Got it.

So, you're more like siblings.

- Yeah.
- Something like that.

(music playing)

Gotta have your milk today.

- How much is it?
- It's two-dot-one-nine.

That's right. Come on.

My teacher says
I'm so good at numbers...

- Oh, yeah?
- ...that I can go to Mars.

Yeah, just don't leave me yet.

(laughs)

Oh, my God.

I lost my job because of you.

I... I ain't never met you before.

Don't lie!

(gasps)

Come on, Blue.

Come on, come on.

Can you at least try?

(man mumbles on phone)

Right, okay, look, but you just said...

I'm not trying to hassle...
look, just let me check.

One... sh*t.

sh*t!

(sighs) I'm sorry, no, no, no.

No, sir, I wasn't...
I wasn't talking to you.

Ugh. I'm really sorry.

We'll get back to you
about that, all right?

sh*t.

I noticed you didn't say
anything about divorcing Davis.

We won't announce the divorce

until it's final

in a couple months.

In the meantime...

I got some advice from a friend.

Hmm.

Before I get too wrapped up
in anything or anyone else...

I should take some time.

So, I took my friend's advice to heart.

I've even seen a therapist.

- Wow.
- Mm-hmm.

It's good to have friends.

(door opens)

- Darla. What's up?
- Hi.

Congressman Cartwright's
office is on your phone.

Go to the barracks and
find a change of clothes.

- No, Charley, these clothes are...
- Don't be silly.

Go.

Thank you.

(door closes)

(footsteps approaching)

- Sorry.
- Your mom sent me to change.

She's telling you what to wear, too?

She's helping me out.

How do I look?

Not bad, but hold on a sec.

This.

Ooh.

Where'd you learn how to tie a tie?

My escort to cotillion one year.
(chuckles)

Cool.

- (phone buzzing)
- Um...

Mom. She's probably
wondering where I am.

Probably.

- Thank you.
- Of course.

Thanks.

Hello? Hey, Mom.

Yeah, I'm on my way.

Ben: Let me ask you something
that might be thorny.

There've been no black male owners

in this state.

How do the other male
owners feel about you?

I don't concern myself with that,

but I do know how my father would feel,

and he'd be pleased to have a choice

on where to mill.

Okay, let's try this.

In LA, you had it all.

Celebrity, power, image.

Call me crazy,
but is this really enough?

Honoring the memory of my father?

(scoffs)

It's more than enough.

So, this is how it's gonna be?

I'm not sure I follow.

No matter what I ask,

you steer me back to the party line

you're spinning about your father.

There's no party line.

I'm just speaking my truth.

(chuckles)

There's more.

I really am opening this mill

to honor him.

That's the story.

(music playing)

Hollywood: Have you told them
you're not going tomorrow?

Not yet.

Too busy for the dedication, but
not for the mill opening, huh?

Would you stop minding all of
my business and mind your own?

Have you even thought about
what this will do to the kids?

I am not their mama.

And they ain't kids, they grown.

You said so yourself.

I know you're not their mama,

but you are Ernest's sister.

Remember that.

(mumbles)

(chuckles)

These just came for you.

They are so gorgeous.

Charley: Are these from my mom?

- Her apology for not being here.
- (scoffs)

"Welcome to the club.

Sam Landry"?

- Mm, mm, mm.
- Man, Charley.

Oh, always exciting when
the first crop comes in.

Yeah, well, I hope mine come in good.

Oh, you don't worry about your...

(both chuckling)

- Nova.
- What's going on?

Hey.

Y'all need a minute?

- Uh...
- No.

It's okay.

You were Daddy's friend.

Did you know Daddy
was working as a janitor?

Janitor?

That's where the check came from.

But why didn't he tell us?

You were living with him, Rah.
How could you not know?

How am I supposed to know?
It ain't no...

It's not Ralph Angel's fault.

I knew Ernest was moonlighting,

but he wouldn't tell me where.

He was ashamed not to be farming.

(scoffs)

(exhales)

(crowd chattering)

A mill doesn't run without cane.

And cane doesn't grow without farmers.

I wouldn't be standing here

if it weren't for one special farmer...

my father.

(women vocalizing)

Ernest Bordelon.

And now I...

and my sister Nova...

and my brother Ralph Angel...

carry the torch by farming
the land he left us.

♪ And you will see
, years before I grow... ♪

I know he's looking down on us.

♪ And I'm a lost cause
as far as causes go... ♪

And I dedicate the opening
of this mill to him...

and thank him

for this journey of the heart

that has brought our family together.

- Man: Amen.
- (applause)

I see the beautiful faces
of my daddy's friends.

Farmers who worked
the land with dignity.

We honor you...

by creating a place
that treats you fairly.

Man: Whoo, yes!

Louisiana Congressman Cartwright

and Parish President Thomas Arthur,

I invite you

to cut the ribbon with me.

(mouthing words)

♪ And I'm a lost cause
as far as causes go ♪

- ♪ Open my heart, I need to show...♪
- (cheering, applause)

♪ I'll never get there
without you dear ♪

♪ Been on my own so long... ♪

I have asked our farmers

to bring some of their crop

to put in the hopper

as a symbol of unity.

And mingled together,
the fruits of our labor

- will launch this mill.
- Man # : Hear, hear!

My brother Ralph Angel

and his son Blue will start us off.

You excited, Blue? (laughs)

- Excuse me.
- ♪ I can see the time run out ♪

♪ I can see my soul escaping ♪

♪ They will always hunt you down ♪

♪ Can you be my salvation? ♪

♪ I can see the time run out ♪

- ♪ I can see my soul escaping... ♪
- Let's fire it up!

(crowd cheering)

(music playing)

- Really appreciate it.
- Thank you.

Oh, I remember when you
were just a little girl

running through the summer grass.

Look at you now.

Mm, mm, mm.

(both chuckling)

(gasps) Hello!

Can I have a balloon?

Yes, you can have a balloon.

It's right over there.

What?

You're working for her

and now you're wearing her clothes?

Ralph Angel...

I spilled coffee on myself.

I had to change.

She was just helping me.

You do look good. (chuckles)

Come on.

(laughing)

Your daddy would've been proud.

Thank you, Mr. Prosper.

- (mouths) Yeah.
- (chuckles)

(alarm blaring)

(crowd murmuring)

- What is it?
- Pressure feeder.

And?

Remy: Too much cane went in the grinder.

- We have to shut down.
- (machinery stops)

We have over guests out there.

Press from all over the state.

We can't shut down!

Charley, it's just a choke. It happens.

Not today.

Give them time, they'll clear it.

Man: We're just gonna have
to clear it up by hand.

Fine. Fine.

- Let's do that. Let's do it.
- Charley, no. No.

(panting)

Remy: Charley, come on.

Hey, this is off-limits.

Sure.

- (whining)
- Let them do their job.

Don't tell me what to do.

(crying)

Listen.

Come on.

Come on, sis.

They got this.

Come on.

Okay.

(gasps)

Everything was supposed
to be perfect for Daddy.

You know how he didn't
like to ask for help?

But he did.

Last time I talked to Daddy...

he asked me to come.

And I didn't come.

You were dealing
with your own life crisis

with Davis.

I was so stuck
in the middle of his mess,

I didn't even get to say
goodbye to my own father.

You didn't know.

I thought if I could just...

I could just put together this mill,

then... then maybe I could just...

I could make it right.

I don't remember the last
time Daddy and I spoke.

When I got there...

he couldn't talk no more.

(footsteps approaching)

She okay?

Man, she just lost it.

(sighs)

This isn't just another
business project for her.

This is about you

and your grandpa, the farm,

all of us.

She put her heart in it.

And you know your mama.

Failure is not an option.

Yeah.

But she did it.

First black woman to own a mill
in the state of Louisiana.

Hmm.

I feel that I can reach out

and touch his skin

like he's for real.

I miss him.

I do, too.

But he's not your papa.

That's right.

He's my brother.

(band playing)

- Doing okay?
- Absolutely. (sighs)

Why don't you have a drink in your hand?
Let's, uh... let's fix that.

Are you sure?

You saw that?

It was a little more private than

marching into the middle
of a basketball game, but...

It was private.

And it's off the record.

It happened, and I witnessed it.

Okay, this is a big day for my family.

Can you just stop being
a reporter for a moment?

No more than you can stop micromanaging
every aspect of your image.

I told you that I made
my father a promise.

What I didn't tell you is
that I did it after he d*ed,

to make things right.

Which is why today is so important.

That is my story.

No, that's a story.

What I see is a woman who's used to
projecting perfection and control...

but is actually putting her family
back together without either.

It's human,

and that's what I wanna write about.

Tell the story of the mill,

of my father...

without the choke...

and I'll give you something else.

I'm listening.

I'm divorcing Davis.

Do a story on the mill...

and I'll give you the exclusive.

(door closes)

Everyone's been paid.

Did you have dinner?

There are some leftovers
from the caterer.

I'm fine.

Today was good.

I don't know.

That choke threw me off.

I really lost it.

Everyone does sometimes.

- It's okay.
- You haven't met my mother.

You haven't met my dad.

Well...

we did it.

(both chuckling)

Darla, I'm sorry.

Uh, I'm so tired, I... I forgot.

- You want some iced tea?
- That'd be great.

Okay.

I'm... I'm coming up
on two years clean and sober.

There's gonna be a little ceremony.

Ralph Angel's coming.

Would you be able to?

I'm flattered you'd ask.

Of course I'll be there.

You gave me this chance.

This job.

Having a regular schedule really...

it really helps with my sobriety.

Thank you.

I'm glad you're here.

Sounds like it's a win for both of us.

(birds chirping)

Hello, Mama.

I know you're here.

(singers vocalizing)

♪ Yeah ♪

- ♪ Yeah... ♪
- Mama didn't want a stone.

She's free.

I miss her, too.

♪ I will be true ♪

- ♪ And I will seek... ♪
- (bell pealing)

- ♪ Yeah ♪
- ♪ Gave away my pain ♪

- ♪ Yeah ♪
- ♪ And all their chains ♪

- ♪ Yeah ♪
- ♪ 'Cause I'm no sl*ve ♪

- ♪ Yeah! ♪
- ♪ Yeah... ♪

Pastor: We bless this stone
at the final resting place

of your servant, Ernest.

♪ For all I am ♪

♪ My ancestors tell me... ♪

May perpetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace.

- All: Amen.
- ♪ ...it tells me so ♪

♪ My being tells me so ♪

♪ For all I am ♪

♪ For all I am ♪

♪ My ancestors tell me so ♪

♪ My blood, it tells me so... ♪

We are all here, Daddy.

- ♪ Yeah ♪
- ♪ For all I am ♪

♪ My ancestors tell me so... ♪

We've respected your wishes...

done as you asked.

♪ My being tells me... ♪

We will pour our labor and love

into the land and keep the farm going.

♪ For all I am ♪

- ♪ For all I am... ♪
- You can rest in peace.

(bell ringing)

Because we will live
out the legacy you left us.

♪ Yeah... ♪

(door opens)

Blue.

(door closes)

Blue.

(chuckles)

Blue.

Hey.

You ain't hear me callin'?

This isn't Kenya.

It look like Kenya to me.

She had a birthmark here.

I gave it to her myself.

But now it's gone.

(sniffles)

You sure about that, buddy?

Do you know where she went?

(sighs)

Kenya got thrown away.

- (gasps)
- So we got you a new one.

I'm sorry, Blue.

- Did she... she do something wrong?
- No.

No.

It was just a mistake.

Did I do something wrong?

No.

You ain't do nothing wrong,

you hear?

Come here.

Come here.

- You good.
- (sniffling)

Okay?

Why did the lady at the store
call you a liar?

I... I ain't lying no more.

I ain't lying no more.

- Nova: This redfish looks so good!
- (all chuckling)

Vi, you never disappoint.

- Charley: So true.
- Violet: Thank you.

Well, this is a feast fit for Daddy.

Mm. Ralph Angel,

you wanna say grace?

I'm good.

Ralph Angel, please?

Violet: Come on.

All right.

(all exhaling)

Ralph Angel: Um...

(clears throat)

Lord, we thank You.

We thank You for this food
we're about to receive...

and for the nourishment of our bodies.

You remember Pop.

A good man.

An honest man.

Every time I looked at him...

I could tell he wanted me
to be a better man.

And that's what I'm gonna do now.

(exhales)

I ain't been telling y'all the truth.

Ralph Angel, finish saying grace.

Truth about what?

Daddy had a lockbox
hid up in his closet.

There was more to the will.

He wrote it by hand.

More?

The farm...

he left it to me.

Just me.

I... I mean, it's all in the letter.

Y'all could read it for yourselves.

He said it's 'cause I needed it most.

So you've been lying to us.

Mycah, ahem, take Blue outside, please.

Go on, now.

Come on, Blue.

Let's go outside.

You knew, too, Aunt Vi?

How long have you known?

Baby, it wasn't like that.

When did you find this letter?

A couple of months ago, after Pops d*ed.

I uprooted my life, my son...

all because of a lie?

And now with the mill...

Do you have any idea
what I did to get that mill?

You act like I knew
from the start, Charley.

Well, I didn't.

Well, you were more
than happy to use my money.

You see? (scoffs) There she go.

- All right.
- Don't turn this around.

You were using me.

- I ain't using you.
- That's not fair.

It's not what he's been doing.

You knew about this, too?

It's best we stay out of this.

Daddy cleaning floors
and scrubbing toilets

to keep your son in clothes

and food.

What?

He was working as a janitor...

before he d*ed.

What are you talking about?

I found out yesterday.

I didn't tell you 'cause I
didn't wanna rain on your day.

Dear Ernest.

He worked himself into the ground...

gave up farming to clean up
after other folk...

for you...

Ralph Angel.

So y'all are just gonna put this on me?

Huh?

You was living large in LA.

Yeah, and, Nova,
you was only miles away,

- but you hardly ever passed by...
- How would you know?!

Most of those years,
you weren't here neither!

- Yeah.
- Violet: All right, y'all. Okay.

Yeah, you fighting for every brother
in prison except your own, huh?

You're the one
who put yourself in prison.

- You can't blame Nova.
- All right.

I know y'all ashamed of me.

- Okay, no.
- The truth is out now.

I'm trying to make this right.

- That's what you're doing, huh?
- Violet: Okay, stop it!

Stop it!

- I think we just did.
- Violet: No, uh-uh. Nova!

Uh-uh. Nova, no!

No!

You are not leaving yet.

You can't stop me, Aunt Vi.

You're not leaving.

Nobody is leaving...

until we settle this mess.

♪ To the feet of swine ♪

♪ It need not cast its pearls ♪

♪ Lonely, lonely, lonely ♪

♪ Lonely, lonely world... ♪

(singer vocalizing)

♪ Lonely, lonely, lonely ♪

♪ Lonely, lonely, lonely,
lonely, lonely... ♪