02x14 - On These I Stand

Episode transcripts for the 2016 TV show "Queen Sugar" Aired September 2016 - current.*
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"Queen Sugar" follows the life of two sisters, one a formidable journalist & activist from New Orleans, and the other a modern woman, who, with her teenage son Micah, leaves her upscale apartment in Los Angeles and moves to the heart of Louisiana to claim an inheritance from her recently departed father: an 800-acre sugarcane farm.
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02x14 - On These I Stand

Post by bunniefuu »

BLUE: Previously on "Queen Sugar"...

Dad, this is my fiancé,
Ralph Angel Bordelon.

- Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Sutton.

- Nice to meet you.

DOCTOR: Considering your symptoms,
I think we can safely diagnose you.

Lupus.

NOVA: I can't be all of me

when I'm with you.

You don't see a future for us?

- I just want to be with you.
- Wait.

Please don't hate me.

DARLA: Blue...

he might not be yours, Ralph Angel.

I'm sorry.

I wish...

I wish I didn't have to say this to you.

I never wanted to hurt anyone.

I just...

I just wanted us all to be okay.

That's all I ever wanted.

Just to be with you.

[CRYING]

And Blue.

I don't understand.

What you saying to me?

Don't do this to me.

I'm so sorry.

[CRYING]

♪ My eyes

♪ My guide

♪ Waves

♪ Waves

- ♪ Waves... ♪
- [SOBBING]

[ENGINE STARTS]

♪ Waves

♪ Waves

- [DARLA SOBBING]
- ♪ Waves. ♪

[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 CLICKING]

[LINE RINGING]

- CHARLEY: Hello?
- Hey, Charley?

Hey, Darla.

- Are you okay?
- Yeah, I'm, um... [SNIFFLES]

I'm fine. I'm...

I'm just not feeling well today.

Last night was a lot.

Believe me, I, uh...

I know how stressful it is
when parents visit.

I admire the courage you showed.

Um, I was wondering that,

if it's not too busy today,
if I could stay home.

Yeah, of course.

Of course. Get some rest.

Things are...
things are running smoothly.

Darla, I have to go.

Feel better, okay?

Apologies for dropping in
on you like this, Charley.

Luther, Rainey, please, have a seat.

We'll stand if it's all the same.

LUTHER: We're gonna cut to
the chase out of respect.

If we mill with you,

the Landrys are threatening
to pull our leases.

Take your land?

Well, they can't just do that.

[SIGHS]

No.

No, no, it's not right.

You have to fight this.

I will help you fight this.

We can go to the press,
get the story out...

We just don't think this is a fight

we can afford having

or one you can help us win.

I'm sorry.

[CHATTERING, LAUGHING]

"For his valiant efforts
to protect the South."

Hi, may I speak
to Martin Bennington, please?

Sure, this is Charley Bordelon-W...

This is Charley Bordelon.

Yes, thank you.

Where you been, Rid?

- Nova.
- [CHUCKLES]

Been too long, brother.

[LAUGHING]

sh**t, I haven't been nowhere
but out here in the th.

Trying to get my paper.

- Ain't a damn thing changed.
- Right.

But you? I've been seeing
you all over my TV.

What's up next for you, Big Time?

Please, it's not even like that.

[BOTH LAUGH]

All right, so you have me over here.

What you pawning?

Damn. Pearls?

This legit, Nova.
Where'd you get this from?

It was a gift.

So, you want me to take it
to my man's and let him know

that you gonna come back and pick it up?

'Cause he'll probably hold it
for about a week for you.

Nah, just, uh... just sell
it straight up, Rid.

It's... it's time to move on.

Gotta move on.

Just meet me with the money
at Trevor's rent party.

I know the brother's gotta be going
through it since he got out of OPP.

Yeah, bet.

Heads'll be happy to see you, too, Nova.

It'll feel good to be seen.

- [CHUCKLES]
- Hey.

- All right.
- All right.

Fantastic.

[KNOCKING]

Okay, I will see you shortly.

Morning, sir.

Good morning, ma'am.

I had a good time talking last night.

And this morning.

Well, the evening ended differently
than I thought it would.

But I had a good time, too.

I realized that we need to talk more,

get into...

this more.

Too grown for games and uncertainty.

Come on, now. Way too grown.

[CHUCKLES]

More to come when the time is right.

When the time is right.

Rainey and Luther come to see you?

[SCOFFING] These damn Landrys.

They're not gonna stop, Charley.

Yeah, you're right,
they're not gonna stop.

Until I stop them.

I just got off the phone
with Martin Bennington.

Are you trying to poach
a Landry for a Landry?

Can you handle Ralph Angel's Brix
test over at the farm today?

Yeah, I got it.

I hope you know what you're doing.

I do.

Hey, pretty lady. [CHUCKLES]

Hollywood,

you better learn how to
make a phone call sometime.

Surprising folks, you're gonna get
a surprise for yourself one time.

Yeah, well, I like your surprises.

Come over here. Mmm.

What you got there?

Vitamins, iron supplements,
nothing special.

I thought you weren't
coming back until tomorrow.

What kind of greeting is that, huh?

"Why you back so early?"
You're a cold piece, Vi.

[CHUCKLES] Oh, I didn't say all that.

I just...

I don't know, thought the deposition
would take a while longer.

They just wanted to know about safety
procedures on the rig that day.

The lawyers think the company
been cutting corners.

Really?

But I think we about to go
up a little bit higher.

See, we gonna take your dreams

and make them bigger and better.

- Bigger and better?
- Mm-hmm.

I'm gonna spoil you

till you can't take no more.

Now, I know you want some sandwich,

so go ahead and eat that.

Louisiana iris.

- Mother Brown!
- Continue.

Pleasure to see you.

Pleasure's all mine.

Time is short,
so I'll get straight to it.

My people at the statehouse and in
Congress have come bearing good news.

The th Ward is getting
a block grant from HHS.

That's amazing!

Thank goodness!

Thankyou.

See, fresh thinking is what we need

to be sure we make the best of this.

I want to see you on the task force

that'll decide how it's spent.

Oh, no, I'm... I'm flattered,

but if you're there, I...

I know things will be fine.

Boardrooms just aren't my style.

But it ain't about your style.

It's about doing what needs to be done

when it needs to be done.

Well, just think about it.

You've done all the work.

You might as well
see it through to the end.

This, dude... have you seen this before?

[SIGHS] Yeah, of course.

Okay, and you understand what it is?

Yeah, man, I... I know what it is.

[SCOFFS] I mean, dude, you're always
talking about how woke you are.

Why are you acting like
this isn't a big deal?

Look, I know you're from out West.

But in the South, these kind
of things are everywhere.

I mean, it's just part of history.

Well, maybe you see history.

All I see his hate.

CHRISTIAN: Okay, well...

what's the alternative?

We erase it?

I mean, my... my take on it is

if we pretend that the
Confederacy never existed,

then we forget how far we've come.

[BOTH LAUGHING]

I'm glad you called, Charley.

Your offer's appealing.

And you are, too.

Would you like a sparkling water?

I'll take a single malt.

- Before noon?
- Live a little.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

Well, some of us can't afford

to mix work and play.

That's not a privilege I get.

- I admire your discipline, Charley.
- Hmm.

- [LIQUID POURING]
- You're self-made.

I wish we were, too, my family.

It would make us better people.

Sam and Jacob do seem
untouched by human empathy.

Well, that's not me.

Sure, I got a boost in life,

but not carrying
the Landry/Boudreaux name

helps me sleep a little better at night.

I think we both understand family.

And their histories can be...

messy,

complicated.

But you can't escape it.

Blood is blood.

But business is business.

It seems we both believe
in progress above all else,

which is what the Queen
Sugar Mill is all about.

So, please...

may I show you
what we have to offer you?

Lead the way.

- [LINE RINGING]
- [MUTTERING] Pick up the phone.

[SNIFFLES]

[PHONE RINGING]

[RINGING CONTINUES]

[LINE CLICKS]

I know you're upset.

Maybe we could, um...

maybe if we just could talk about it

a little bit.

[SIGHS]

Please, Ralph Angel.

Tell me anything. Tell me something.

Ralph Angel, just...

yell at me, scream at me.

Call me names, anything!

Get angry at me, anything!

[SIGHS]

- ♪ Keep your hands on the wheel... ♪
- Ralph Angel, please.

- ♪ Keep your eyes on the prize... ♪
- Please come home.

♪ Time will change the way you feel... ♪

What home?

[SOBBING]

♪ With sun up on the rise... ♪

[DARLA SOBBING]

♪ Keep your doubt for the truth ♪

♪ And your blinds open wide ♪

♪ 'Cause every crater on the moon ♪

♪ Still emits a shine...

[CHILDREN PLAYING IN DISTANCE]

- WOMAN: There she is.
- BLUE: Mom!

Okay, bye.

DARLA: Hey.

Hi, baby. How was school?

- Fun.
- Good. I missed you.

I thought Pop was picking me up.

He was, but something came up.

- Wanna play "I Spy"?
- Yeah!

Okay. Get in the car.

You want to get
some ice cream afterwards?

Yes, but only the winner gets ice cream.

Mmm, okay.

- And I will win it!
- Mmm.

- [CHATTER]
- ♪ So fresh, yes, I'm so blessed ♪

♪ Minor-League thinking
in the way of progress ♪

♪ No stress, Matthew McConaughey
me, driving in that Lincoln... ♪

- RID: Yo, Nova.
- Hi.

NOVA: Hey, hey.

This here is Mia.

- Hi.
- Hi.

- Jasmine, Darius.
- Hi.

- Nice to meet you.
- JASMINE: How you doing?

I volunteered at your Zika clean-up.

Thank you for coming out.

Thank you for everything you've
been doing in the community.

- Okay.
- No cameras with you.

We the only audience you peddling

alternative facts to today?

I'm not peddling anything.

Oh, so you actually believe

that the Lower th was at risk for Zika?

I simply laid out the facts
of what could have happened.

And apologized for the fear
that that created.

You apologized how?

With that sham of a community meeting?

- JASMINE: Mia, come on.
- I think you need to back up off me.

Nova, mothers took off work so that you
and the doctors could examine them

and tell them what you already
knew... that they weren't at risk.

But ACN loved it, didn't they?

Now, can you honestly say

you were thinking of the
community when you did that?

I'm always thinking of the community.

In fact, my work just secured

a block grant program for the Lower th.

Oh, I guess it's a little
easier just to put a hand out

than it is to get it dirty
doing the hard work.

You know, you sound
like a broken record.

In years, you'll be
at the same parties,

spouting the same party language

and using day-old methods
for what has become a new day.

Mother Brown always said that change
requires that we change, too.

I see that now. Thank you.

Nova, you can name-drop as much as you
want to, but know that working for her

still means that you're
sitting at a table somewhere.

And you're making decisions
that affect the rest of us.

You can be in the community,
or you can be in a boardroom,

but you can't be in two places at once.

JASMINE: Yo, this a party.
Stop trying to pick a fight.

DARIUS: Come on, Mia,
that ain't even fair.

I'm so sorry.

I know you didn't just go into my bag.

I never go through your stuff.

I was just...

Yeah, minding somebody else's business.

Vi, baby, you are my business.

Now, look, I know that regular
over-the-counter medication

comes in a brown paper bag.

Prescriptions come in a white bag.

There's something
that you ain't telling me.

Sit down, Hollywood.

I don't like the way you said that.

Doctor says I have lupus.

There ain't no cure for that.

Are you trying to tell me
that you are gonna...?

No, no, no. I'm gonna be fine.

I'm gonna manage it and live with it.

But I'm gonna live
and I'm gonna live good.

We're gonna manage it together.

Oh...

If I meant we, I would've said we.

I'm not gonna be another Leeanne.

I never want to be a burden to nobody.

That situation ain't
the same as this one, baby.

I'm not gonna do it, Hollywood.
I'm not gonna do that to you.

Stop talking out the side
of your neck, chère.

Now, I done left my job to be with you.

Does that sound like somebody
who doesn't wanna be with you

for the rest of their life?

That's not a rhetorical question.

No.

No.

No.

No.

Well, rest in that.

Believe in that, in us.

You said you don't want
to be Leeanne, fine.

Well, I ain't Jimmy Dale.

I'm Hollywood.

And you Vi.

We us.

And they don't matter in here.

I ain't going nowhere.

Trust...

and we gonna be all right.

We're gonna get through this.

All of us.

All of us? No.

No, Hollywood, I can't put this on them.

- They can't...
- You're letting me help you.

And I'm gonna help you tell them.

But we gotta tell them.

You ain't got no choice in this.

'Cause we done already seen what
secrets can do to this family.

♪ This is how it begins.

- [MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]
- [PEN TAPPING]

WOMAN: Yeah, just put it in the washer.

Can you stop distracting me

with all your sighing and fidgeting?

Don't you have something to study for?

I'm trying.

What's the matter?

It's that display.

How did I not even notice it before?

Like, the general...
his face is haunting me.

Well, what are you gonna do about it?

I know you watch the news.

And all these old Dixie statues
being torn down left and right?

They didn't get torn down by themselves.

People did that.

People who were haunted
by them did that.

Yeah, right, but those were
public property, okay?

The city had to listen to a lot of
complaints before they took it down.

So Gardini doesn't have
to listen to complaints?

No, I'm just saying, babe,
like, it's a private school.

You know what I mean? They have a lot
more room to do what they wanna do.

Or what their donors want them to do.

Money doesn't always get you a pass.

Make some noise.

Never know what'll come of it.

And it's cut down our
processing time by %,

so you get to market faster
with higher sucrose content.

That is an A-plus sales pitch.

You were a star in business
school, weren't you?

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

As a matter of fact, I was.

I was not.

Basically spent the two years
traveling on Columbia's dime.

Went to Morocco, Norway,
hiked the Inca Trail in Peru.

I went to Argentina,

but I also studied.

[CHUCKLES]

You free for dinner tonight?

To discuss the terms of your contract?

To get to know each other better.

A date.

[CHUCKLES]

That's, um... that's very kind,

but I'm seeing someone.

Is it serious?

Yeah.

So soon after your divorce?


I'm not being judgmental.

I'm only speaking from experience.

And if the only way to get you
to agree to dinner with me

is to say we'll discuss business,
then we'll discuss business.

- [BELL RINGING]
- [CHATTER]

DARLENE: Has he asked
for Ralph Angel yet?

DARLA: I changed the subject.

Well, you're going to have
to tell him something soon.

No. I don't have to tell him anything.

Not now.

[SIGHS]

What if he doesn't come back?

What if he gives up on me?

I sense goodness in Ralph Angel.

- He won't.
- How do you know that?

Darla, you are blessed.

[SCOFFS]

I don't feel very blessed right now.

Blessed doesn't mean
your life is cherries.

It means even when it
isn't, you keep at it.

Even after you mess up bad,

people still want to see you be okay.

Nine times...

your father and I came
down here looking for you

after you stopped calling.

I searched homeless shelters,

rehabs, halfway houses.

I saw and imagined too much.

I started drinking again.

What?

years sober.

Until I came down here.

- Mom.
- You were too young to remember.

And I didn't want you to know.

With the social circles
your father runs in...

He's a proud man, Darla.

It's not the type
of thing to talk about.

I'm glad we're here.

I'm glad I'm here, I'm glad you're here.

We're blessed because we love each other

and it is that "no matter
what" kind of love.

And Blue is blessed
because of Ralph Angel.

It's the same kind of love.

I can see it in his eyes.

He just needs time.

[SWING CREAKING]

ANCHORMAN: Declared a public nuisance

by the New Orleans City Council,

four Confederate monuments
will come down.

This one is the last...

It's the Lee Circle
from earlier this year.

Oh. Right.

The Confederate monuments coming down.

I've been so busy with harvest,
I haven't really kept track

of all the twists and turns of that.

[NEWSCAST CONTINUES]

- [VIDEO STOPS]
- I know it's important,

what's going on in New Orleans.

Can't live here and not know that.

But life goes on.

Yeah, I remember
when I used to think that.

The way I see it...

to give into that is to live in bondage,

to fear.

It seems like when you're black,

living in fear
is just good common sense.

Okay.

What is all this?

[LAPTOP CLOSES]

Gardini Prep has the sword

of a Confederate general on display.

And every day, people walk
by it like it's nothing.

You know, like it's okay.

Like, they'll look at it
and they see history.

What do you see?

Well, at first I didn't see, but I...

And now that I do, I see blood.

Why do they have the nerve
to put it on display

like m*rder is something to be proud of?

You know, it's the same thing

with, like, that stupid
flag with the "X" on it.

When I look at that,
I see a bull's-eye, Mom,

on... on me, on... on Uncle Rah, on Dad.

Man, sometimes I just hate being here.

Like, I hate being here.

I see why people leave
the first chance they get.

Well, that's not totally fair.

I came back.

But you're right.

Pain is here.

Definitely.

And hate.

But there's also triumph

and community.

And love.

All right, you're starting
to sound a little soft, Mom.

Maybe, but whatever is
here, whatever it is...

it's real.

And I think I wanna take a chance on it.

Are you talking about Remy?

He's helped me in so many ways.

Learning about the sugarcane
business and the community.

[SIGHS] We've gotten close, you know?

And, to my surprise, he makes me laugh.

Are you in love with him?

I'm trying to figure that out.

The other day, he...

he asked me about having kids.

Kids?

[SCOFFS] Really?

Mm-hmm.

- You're kidding.
- It's weird, right?

I don't know.

I mean, that's cool, I guess.

Remy's a cool guy.

I like him.

That means a lot to me.

More than you know.

So, uh...

I guess that means I'll be
somebody's big brother soon.

- Mm-mmm. Way too soon.
- [LAUGHS]

- [RAIN PATTERING]
- [PLAYING]

[SIGHS]

- Blue finally fell asleep.
- Oh...

[PLAYING PIANO]

You remember.

- Just the chorus.
- Aw.

That was my favorite part.

[BOTH PLAYING PIANO]

[PLAYING STOPS]

[CHUCKLES]

It's about time for Blue
to start lessons, huh?

[SIGHS]

Ralph Angel has a lot
to think about, honey.

He needs some space.

And maybe you do, too.

I don't wanna give him space.

I just want him.

[GROANS]

I shouldn't have ever gone home.

It was just supposed
to be one last weekend

with my old crew from high school.

Just one night.

And it got out of control.

I got out of control.

It wasn't even clear to me
what was happening

until it was all just...

happening.

Was there more than one guy?

I don't know.

I really don't.

I wasn't myself then.

I've been there...

standing outside of yourself,

doing things you'd never do,

without an assist from your demons.

And we all have them.

Some of us just do a better
job of controlling them.

You can come home, sweetheart.
You need to know that.

Your father and I
can support you and Blue.

Thank you, Mom.

Thank you for forgiving me.

But... I can't take Blue away

from the only family he's ever known.

We're his family, too.

He should get to know us as well.

It would give Ralph Angel
the time and space he needs.

And you could have a fresh start.

You deserve one.

♪ Come back to this route and take
your heart to higher self... ♪

- HOLLYWOOD: Come on.
- What the...?

Hold it down.

Oh!

Oh... Ralph Angel, what's going on?

He was at True's boat with this.

A whole bunch more out there, too.

What's wrong with you, baby?

- CHARLEY: Come on in!
- [MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO]

Hey!

- Someone likes you.
- Oh. [CHUCKLES]

It's from Martin.

A "thank you."

Really?

Just a "thank you," huh?

He came by for a meeting,
asked for a drink.

Coffee was the strongest thing I had.

So... [CHUCKLES]

It's... it's just a joke between us.

-year?

That's a pretty expensive joke.

Remy Newell...

I believe...

you're jealous, aren't you?

Farmers have been cancelling
on me left and right.

Bennington is...

a necessary evil.

Business.

- He's a Landry.
- And I'm handling my business.

Hmm. Does he know that?

I think you're making too much of this.

Maybe.

But that mind of yours, it...
it's actually one of the things

that I admire most about you.

'Cause you're always
thinking five steps ahead.

And you're also willing
to do the unexpected.

It's how you're built.

Thank you.

- I think.
- Look, I'm just reminding you...

whatever game you're playing,

don't put all your chips on the table.

I know how to deal
with men like Bennington.

[DOOR RATTLING]

♪ Hey, hey

♪ Oh

♪ Hey, hey, hey

♪ When your heart is a stranger ♪

♪ And you know
you didn't treat it right ♪

♪ When your love is in danger... ♪

God, hear me.

♪ And you know you're
gonna need to fight... ♪

Hear me real clear.

Hear me real good.

♪ When you can't learn ♪

♪ When you can't learn... ♪

VIOLET: Whatever this is...

take it back.

Take it all back.

♪ I've given enough... ♪

VIOLET: Please, God, please.

♪ Now you're just rolling the dice... ♪

This...

Please take it back.

Please.

Please take it back.

Please take it back.

Please take it back.

[VIOLET CRYING]

Take it back.

Take it back.

- Take it back.
- [HUMMING]

[HUMMING CONTINUES]

There it is.

[WOMAN VOCALIZING]
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