04x12 - Mr. Right Now

[bunniefuu]

Zoey: This is Nomi and Phil,

a seemingly average
pair whose relationship

was unconventional,
to say the least.

But it hadn't started that way.

The first time they
met went pretty well.

[ Down‐tempo music plays ]

The second time they
met went even better.

♪♪

But it was after those
two magical evenings

that things between
them changed forever.

This is your daughter, Luna.

Oh.

And the hurt Nomi felt from
Phil's silence never went away.

The idea of having a living,
breathing human being

depending on me was...
starting to freak me out.

[ Inhales, exhales deeply ]

But I did think about
her every single day.

It's really nice that you
thought about her, Phil.

Look, I know that I handled
things wrong, and I'm sorry.

But I want to try and
do the right thing now

and be a father to my daughter.

[ Indistinct conversations ]

I need to meet her first
to do that, though.

So... can I?

And with that question,

it felt like Phil was trying
to steer the relationship

out of the unconventional,
right his wrongs,

and bring them into
the functional.

♪ Watch out, world,
I'm grown now ♪

♪ I'm grown ♪

♪ Learn something
new every day ♪

♪ I don't know, so
I'mma feel my way ♪

♪ Got the weight of
the world on me ♪

♪ But no regrets,
this is what I say ♪

♪ Watch out, world,
I'm grown now ♪

♪ I'm grown ♪
♪ You can tell me ♪

♪ My heart b*ating so loud ♪

♪ Mama, look, I'm grown now ♪

♪ I'm grown ♪

Okay. Let me just fix this.
Okay. I think that looks good.

Okay, baby girl.

Now, you make sure you
smile for your daddy, okay?

Let me see that smile.

Let me see. Yeah!
Just like that.

You know, they say the first man

a little girl ever falls
in love with is her father.

And for some of
us, it's our uncle.

Yes, it is. Phil: Hello?

He's here. Okay. Good luck.

[ Whispering ] Thank you.

[ Birds chirping ]

Hey.

Phil, this is,
um... this is Luna.

Luna, this is your f...

Phil.

Hi.

It's so nice to meet you, Luna.

I brought you something.

It's mine?

[ Down‐tempo music plays ]

Mine? Hi!

Hi.

[ Laughs ]

♪♪

Wow. This trench
coat is amazing.

Yeah? I really don't
know what came over me.

I was just so inspired, I guess.

You know, I can run downtown,
if you like this sketch,

to get some fabric and make
a prototype of the design.

You got a company card?

No. Uh, there isn't one.

Petty cash?

I have some cash in a
safety‐deposit box in Brussels.

Okay. What do you do when the
company needs to buy something

for the company in America?

Well, typically, Doug
and I just overcharge

for one of our parties,
buy what I needed,

and just hope there's a
little surplus left over.

But I'm off Doug.

Then what's the
alternative, Luca?

Because I really
don't understand

how we're gonna make
this company operational

if we're broke.

Broke is a state of mind, Zoey.

♪♪

I cannot believe I sacrificed
my relationship for this.

[ Register beeping ]

I just don't understand
why it's so weird

to sit on the same
side. [ Sighs ]

Listen, if you want
to sit next to me,

we can go to the
counter, but customarily,

two men don't sit next
to each other in a booth.

You know what?
How about you talk

to your new co‐workers about
this in the break room tomorrow?

Too controversial a topic.

I don't want to draw
any attention to myself

at this new gig,

seeing as I lied on my
résumé to get in there.

Ah! God. I have
so much anxiety.

Maybe I made a mistake.

You need to let that go,
man. Anxiety for what?

So you lied about a
misdemeanor. It happens.

You realize that the
system is designed

to work against people of color,

especially those who have
been in legal trouble.

So you did what you had to do.

Yeah. You're right.

It's not about how I got the job

but what I do when
I get in there.

Exactly, so you go in there

and you show them
who Vivek Shah is.

Mm‐hmm. All right?

Who is Vivek Shah? Me.

Right.

Is that rhubarb?

There.

[ Mid‐tempo music playing ]

Imagine how much easier
that would've been

if we were seated next to
each other, thigh to thigh.

You know what? Screw it.

You and the rhubarb,
get over here.

Quickly. So no one sees.

♪♪

[ Cellphone ringing ]

[ Down‐tempo music plays ]

sh*t.

Okay. That was a wake‐up call.

We need to get out this bed.

[ Chuckles ] Yeah,
but I can't help it.

I just like having
you all to myself.

Mm. [ Laughs ]

I want to take you
out, show you off.

How about you come with
me to the track banquet?

I want you by my side to
celebrate the end of the season.

[ Chuckles ] Um...

But, you know, but wouldn't
that be, um, a little weird,

being around my old teammates?

Oh, come on. Everybody
misses you anyway.

Don't make me beg.

[ Chuckles, sighs ]

Fine. Fine. I'm in.

Hey. Okay. It's
gonna be amazing.

I promise. We're gonna
‐‐ We're gonna drink.

We're gonna dance.
We're gonna turn up.

We're gonna be
dressed to the nines.

It'll be a night
you'll never forget.

Oh, I'm sure I won't. [
Down‐tempo music plays ]

♪ In my house ♪

♪ Everybody's... ♪

So, as time went on,

Nomi gradually found
a way to let Phil in.

They had fallen into a routine,
with trips to the park,

story time at the library, and
family picnics in the backyard.

Okay, so, I'm, um,
actually in the process

of planning Luna's
second birthday party.

And I was wondering if
maybe you wanted to come

and, like, invite
your family or ‐‐

Absolutely. Yeah.

Yeah?

When were you
thinking? Uh, the 14th.

Her birthday ‐‐ you know, the
day my body changed forever.

[ Luna shouting indistinctly
] sh**t. The 14th.

Yeah. Is that a problem?

Uh, no. [ Footsteps
approaching ]

Well, actually, y‐yeah.

I'm ‐‐ I'm gonna be out of town.

It's something that's
been planned for a while,

but I already booked
my flight, so...

Is there any way we could do
it, like, the weekend after

or even the Monday after?

I get back late Sunday
night. Yeah. No.

This is also something I've
been planning for a while ‐‐

like, since her first birthday,
and I'm kind of a stickler

for celebrating a birthday
on a birthday, so...

No, no, no. Totally.
I‐I‐I totally get that.

But, um, I promise I'll
get her a great gift.

Cool. Hey, honey.

And of course I'm happy
to go half on the party.

No. It doesn't even matter.

I mean, she's probably not
even gonna know the difference.

I'm gonna get you more
juice, okay, baby?

Yeah. Okay. I'll
be right back.

[ Speaking indistinctly ]

Mm. I snapped photos of you
guys through the window.

Super adorable. Hang
on. Let me find them.

Oh, there's one of Phil
giving Luna a piggyback ride

that you could totally use
for your family Hanukkah card.

Okay. Ana, just stop.

It's weird and it's stalkery,

and we're not even close to
the family‐holiday‐card stage.

Oh, but look how
cute. [ Luna crying ]

Oh, my God. What happened?
What happened? What happened?

It's okay, it's okay, it's okay.

I was checking a
text, and she fell.

It's just a bump.

I promise she's fine.
What are you thinking?

You can't take your
eyes off of a toddler.

It was a mistake. I'm
sorry. No. You know what?

This whole thing is
a mistake. Just go.

Just go. Just go. What?

Just go! Phil, go!

You're serious?

I'm serious. Go.

[ Crying continues
] It's okay. I know.

I know. I know.
I know. I know.

I know. I know.

You're tired.

And how long do you plan
on keeping Phil on ice

for a simple accident?

Mm, probably until
she forgets who he is.

Gosh. Nomi, come on.

He is trying.

It was one little accident that
could've happened to anyone.

Aren't you being just
a little ridiculous?

Okay. Ana, seriously.
What's wrong with you?

Are you my best friend or
are you his best friend?

That's a stupid
question. Is it?

It doesn't really
feel like it, because

ever since I got pregnant,
you've been riding for this guy.

Obviously, my loyalty
is to you and your baby.

But part of that
loyalty is being honest

and to encourage you to do
what's best for all of you. Mm.

Look, after seeing how
much happier you've been

as a little family rather than
a single mother, I‐I‐I just ‐‐

Look, I think you're
making a mistake

with this whole Phil situation.

Look, I hinged the fate of my
graduation on this internship,

so I am coming to you for help.

But why?

Because you're the person
that could really bridge

the gap of communication
between Doug and your brother.

But why would I do that for you?

Obviously because you're
a strong Black woman

who wants to see another strong
Black woman succeed, sister.

Mm. Okay. Uh, Zoey...

Mm‐hmm?

Please don't race‐card me.

Mm‐hmm. Also, I've
noticed a pattern

where you're constantly dragging
my brother into your drama,

and now you're trying to do
it to me, and I'm just ‐‐

I'm not down with that, so,
um, you can go find yourself

another strong Black woman
to guilt into helping you.

Well, a little birdie told
me that somebody named Kiela

played a pretty big role

in why Doug and Luca
aren't cool right now.

So I guess we're
both responsible

for dragging your
brother into some drama.

I'll be borrowing
these. Thank you.

[ Mid‐tempo music plays ]

♪♪

Okay. Here's what happened.

The new job was going
great ‐‐ until it wasn't.

♪♪

Ding‐dong! What up, boy‐boy?

You Vivek? Yeah.

I'm Matt, your new supervisor.
Just wanted to introduce myself.

Cool. Um, nice to meet you.

I'm excited to be part of
the User Interface team

and code for you guys.

Wait. Do I know
you from somewhere?

You do not.

Oh, Ding Dong definitely
knows his boy‐boy ‐‐

from the copious
amount of drug‐dr*gs

I'd previously sold him.

Ding Dong boy‐boy?

What kind of workplace
is this, man?

One where it seems my past
is gonna keep haunting me.

I don't see how, though.

Listen, if this guy
figures you're the one

that sold him dr*gs, right,
what can he even say?

He bought the dr*gs. So
you cancel each other out.

You're right.

Yeah. I know.

[ Gasps ] Okay.

Now, this is giving me
"cover of GQ" vibes.

This would be perfect
for the banquet.

Mm, I don't know.

I am thinking of something
more along the lines of this.

Mm. That look is so overdone.

I feel like all the guys

are gonna be wearing
dresses that night,

and I feel like wearing pants
would make more of a statement.

[ Laughs ] Y‐You're kidding,
right? I don't know.

I think you should
go a little more GQ

and a little less
Glamour magazine.

Okay.

This is an odd conversation I'm
sensing has a little more to it.

So what's the deal? Seriously.

Uh, okay.

I really was trying
not to say anything,

but the night when we hung out
and you showed up in a dress,

that was very surprising for me.

And usually surprises
are a really good thing,

but in that case... it was
a very confusing thing.

Got it. You had a
problem with my dress.

I did.

I do.

And ‐‐ And ‐‐ And I know
that's really messed up.

I‐I just have really
conflicted feelings

about dating a guy
who wears a dress.

Look, this is my issue.
This isn't your issue.

I just need some more
time to plow through it,

and I'll be fine.

[ Mid‐tempo music plays ]

All right. Cool.

If it makes you
more comfortable...

I'll wear the suit.

Seriously?

Yeah. It's not a big deal.

Oh, thank you. I
really appreciate it.

Thank you. [ Laughs ]

Broccoli?

[ Knock on door ]

Hold on a sec.

Hey.

What are you doing here?

Uh, I came here to see Luna.

[ Luna laughs ]

Without asking me first?

Don't do that.

I called you. I texted you.

You didn't respond. Oh. Okay.

I'm sorry I wasn't able to check
in and validate your schedule.

I don't really have a lot
of time as a single mom.

Not that you would know,

but I have to get her
ready in the morning,

put her to sleep at night,
um, plan her birthday party.

So that's what this is about?

The fact that I can't be
here for her birthday?

No, it's not.

It's about the fact
that you're choosing

not to make it to
her birthday party.

You don't just get to
cherry‐pick as a parent.

You have to show up
every single day.

And so far ‐‐ so far, you've
been really bad at that.

Well, I think we could
agree that part of that

was you keeping her
a secret from me

for the first six
months of her life.

Oh, okay.

So should I just not, you know,
depend on you for anything,

let you off the hook from
all your responsibilities,

and never depend on
you for anything ever?

[ Luna coughing, choking
] Wait. Is she choking?

What? Luna.

Luna! Luna!

[ Whimpers, coughs ]

♪♪

[ Exhales deeply ] It's okay.

You're okay? It's okay.

Shh.

[ Down‐tempo music plays ]

[ Knock, door opens ]

Hey. How's my
sweet little girl?

Nomi: She's good.

Good. And how's Luna?

It was really scary, and...

I was an assh*le
to Phil and to you.

And I'm sorry. Oh,
sweetie, it's okay.

You're always an assh*le.

Oh.

I hate seeing you like this.

She's good.

Okay. [ Sniffles ]

So, it says here we can
make some serious money

just letting strangers
on the Internet

watch us eat a large
spaghetti dinner.

Sounds legit.

Yeah.

Hey. Luca: What's up?

We need to talk.

Hey, uh, can we have
the room for a minute?

Yeah. I should probably
be heading out anyway.

And, uh, Luca, I'll grab those
antacids for spaghetti dinner.

Yeah? Okay.

Thank you.

Can I ask you something?

So, do you just,
like, not want to win?

[ Sighs ] What are
you talking about?

Doug and I are having,
like, this little fling,

and you're just not gonna
make the money you need

to operate your company?

I mean, I still got
this Brussels thing.

Luca, come on.

I‐I'm sorry for the part
I played in all this.

But you got to stop letting
these petty differences

get in the way of
you and your bag.

Give me your phone. What? Why?

Just give me it. Come on.

[ Down‐tempo music plays ]

♪♪

It's that easy.

Just hit "send."

♪♪

[ Cellphone chimes ]

♪♪

So, how'd it go at the job?

Did homeboy realize you
were his dealer or what?

Sure did, and to
make matters worse,

he wants me to
hook him up again.

Mm. Sounds like something
boy‐boy would do.

Right? Yeah.

And I thought my biggest
issue was lying on my résumé.

Now I have the added wrinkle

of my supervisor wanting
me to sell him coke.

Well, why don't you just
tell him you're out the game?

Yeah, right.

I don't think it's smart to
make an enemy out of my boss.

What if he starts poking around

about why I took this
modestly paying desk job

instead of dealing dr*gs and
making racks and racks of dough?

Mm‐hmm. He'd immediately know

I was lying on my résumé
about the misdemeanor,

about the degree, about
my proficiency in Excel

and my fluency in Cantonese.

It's like a house
of cards, man. Okay.

So, I mean, there's only
one option here. Clearly.

I have to sell him
a bad batch of dr*gs

and hope his heart stops.

Or just, you know, come clean.

That's what I was gonna say.

Just go to him, be the nice
little brown boy that you are,

and say, "Hey, look, the
odds were stacked against me.

I had no choice but to lie,"
and he will totally understand.

Mm.

What am I saying? You're
right. You got to k*ll him.

Yeah.

[ Down‐tempo music plays ]

♪♪

Des: What's good?

♪♪

[ Music stops ]

[ Indistinct conversations ]

Hey. Uh, I...

I‐I didn't think ‐‐

I know what you thought.

And I really, really
wanted to wear

that tux you picked out for me

and to show up to the
formal with you on my arm

and for us to have
an amazing night.

But putting on what
you wanted me to wear

instead of what I wanted to wear

took the amazing
out of everything.

And as much as I'm feeling you,

I don't think I could be with
someone who doesn't accept me.

It's just... I
have one hang‐up,

and I‐I said I'm going
to be working on it.

But I'm good with who you are.

Look, I know you're good with me
being into all types of people,

but... it's the dress thing
you seem to be so stuck on.

And that's also a part of who
I am and how I express myself.

And... I'm happy
with all of me,

a‐and I don't want to wait
for someone who isn't.

Des, I‐I think you're taking
all of this the wrong way.

Fine.

If I am...

come with me to the
banquet like this, as I am.

[ Down‐tempo music plays ]

I'm s‐‐ I'm sorry.

That's, uh, that's
what I thought.

You ‐‐ You really do
look beautiful tonight.

♪♪

♪♪

[ Birds chirping ]

♪♪

Hey. Hey.

Thanks for stopping by.

What time's your flight?

Uh... actually, I'm not going.

Uh, can I help you with these?

Look, I wanted to
apologize for everything.

I, uh, should not have
flipped out on you

over what was seriously
just an accident,

and, um, it was ‐‐ it
was way out of line.

I appreciate that,

but I was being stupid
about the birthday thing.

Obviously, I'm... I'm
not a good parent yet,

but I'm trying.

Yeah, I know.

And honestly, I
could see you trying.

You know, the last few weeks
together felt really nice,

like a weird little
family, which... scared me,

'cause I was like,

you know, "What if I get used to
this and ‐‐ and it goes away?"

So I did what I always do,
which is... I lashed out.

Look, I get being scared.

I mean, this whole situation
is freakin' terrifying.

Yeah, it is.

What's this?

That is Luna's birthday gift.

You got her a... studio
apartment on Riverside?

No, I got me a studio
apartment on Riverside.

That way, I can practice
being a dad day to day.

[ Down‐tempo music plays ]

This is Nomi and Phil.

So after a sexy one‐night stand
followed by a baby b*mb drop,

a yearlong rift, and
then a few rocky weeks

of getting reacquainted,
Nomi finally got it right.

She learned how to
step out of her own way

and give her and her daughter
a chance at happiness

by allowing Phil in

and letting the three of them
become their own little family.

♪♪

Okay. You ready? Yeah.

We don't have to "Lady and the
Tramp" this stuff, now, do we?

Oh. No. Obviously not.

They'd have to pay extra
for that, which they didn't.

So forks up. We
are going live.

Okay.

[ Siren wailing, horns
honking in distance ]

Mmm!

Wow. This spaghetti and
meatballs is so delicious!

Yeah. [ Clears throat ]

I'm very much enjoying
this dinner you've made me.

[ Computer chiming ]

[ Down‐tempo music plays ]

♪♪

[ Whispering ] Hey, Luca.

I think this is kind
of sexual for them.

Yeah. Of course it is.

So you gonna rub that
meatball in my face or...

♪♪