01x26 - Episode 26

[bunniefuu]

-No, Dani. No.
-But I thought...

See, you weren't thinking.

That's the problem.
You're never thinking.

You insisted
on coming here, Bill.

Yeah. On business.

You're the one
pulling out photo albums.

You're gonna blame old photos
on what you felt?

-We got swept up.
-Oh, no.

There's no "we."

Babe, stop worrying.

How can it look like
you're out for revenge

if you didn't create
the situation?

Those women came to you
needing your help

to defend them against Hamilton.

And if it feels good
to get payback with my dad?

Then so be it.

[sighs]

Thanks.

And you're stalling.

I'm recalibrating my moral
compass for my shift ahead.

It's the only way I can handle

possibly having a crook
as a partner.

[winces]

Things they do not teach you
in detective school.

Right.

It's like sometimes it seems
like there is no black or white.

Hmm.

Dangerous neighborhood.

Lucky me.

I've got cops to protect me
from all the bad people.

♪ ♪

I can't believe you did this.

Ash, you've got this confused

with the time I invited
the queen for tea.

It's Andre.

No warning? The place is a mess.

There's only leftovers
in the fridge.

The guy's a jet-setting
photographer.

I'm pretty sure
he's eaten in w*r zones.

I'm sorry, are you comparing
my cooking to army rations?

[chuckles]
It's not about the food.

It's about the company.

This'll be good.

I'll get to know him
and we can ask him

about this doc that's gonna
make you a star.

I keep telling you,
that's just a promotional thing.

Never know
with videos like these.

They take on a life
of their own,

and before you know it,
you're America's sweetheart.

I just hope
Andre and I can come up

with something in common.

-Besides you.
-[knock at door]

We good?

Yeah.
[sighs]

Okay.

Hey, man. Hope I'm not late.

You're right on time. [chuckles]
What's in the bag?

Uh, just some red, white
and beer.

-Nice.
-And flowers for the chef.

Thank you. They're lovely.

Ash and I had
a bottle of this one night

in a new restaurant
in Adams Morgan.

Oh, yeah? Did you like it?

It had some unexpected qualities
that made me sit up and notice.

The green apple. Right?

And honeycomb.
So, you're into wines?

Yeah, I have my favorites. Yeah.

Where did you find them?

Where your organized wife
stored them.

[both chuckling]

Oh, my.

Oh, wow.

So many memories in these
letters and notes.

It'll be a worthy addition
to the Banneker Library.

I wouldn't be surprised

if they asked you to hold
a dozen more seminars.

Yeah, you're biased.

The way you held
those students' attention?

Yeah,
me and four other speakers.

Not one the likes
of Vernon Dupree,

who actually knew the people

those other speakers
only read about

in history books,
who corresponded with them

and has the letters to prove it.

And after all these years,
not one mark on you.

Not one mark, Vernon.

You were and are an inspiration
to the younger generations.

A real living legend.

That's right.

The way you spoke tonight

yanked me back
to when we first met.

Ah, you were fearless,
my darling.

Oh, had to be.

I had fallen for a man who was
helping to change the world.

Glad you joined me for the ride.

Mm-hmm. And I'm not arm candy,

even though I do look good.
[chuckles]

And you sure do.

Come with me
while I drop these off

and... for a drink after.

Are you asking me out,
Mr. Dupree?

I am.

Any preferences?

Only the swankiest place
in town.

I know just the place.

[elevator doors open]

Good evening, Caroline.

I'm here to see my husband.

I'll never get tired
of saying that.

[singsongy]:
My husband.

You're welcome to wait,
but Bill's not here.

Did he know you were
bringing dinner?

I thought he'd be catching up
on his other cases

now that he's not going
to w*r with Naomi.

I'm sorry to report,
that battle continues.

Hmm. Since when?

Well, the last time you saw him,
Naomi came by,

and the next thing I knew...

She's playing hardball,
being so vindictive,

she's blinded by the best
interests of her clients.

Where's Bill now?

I'm not at liberty to say.

[scoffs]

He really does rely
on my discretion, Hayley.

Caroline, I insist you tell me
where my husband is.

I did not consent to that kiss.

[giggles]

What, are you gonna
call the cops?

Have me arrested again?

You know what? Maybe I should
have put up my hand, hmm?

And show you this shiny new ring
placed there by my...

Shiny new wife?

And who's this
performance for, Bill?

The ladies and gentlemen
of the jury?

I was here.
I know what happened.

There's no future for us, Dani.

Do you understand?

Whatever we've been or done
for each other

is dead and in the past, okay?

You poor, misguided man.

I'm in your blood.

-I got a transfusion.
-And yet you're here.

The Rehoboth house...

The charm and c*ck were not
about real estate.

You want something from me.

What is it?

It isn't for me.

It's for Hayley.

[phone chimes]

Just like, hey,
I'm just saying. [chuckles]

-[sighs]
-Mm.

[exhales]

-It's good.
-Mm.

And listen,

you know you didn't have
to run that by me, right?

Hey. You got this.

You really think so?

-It's my biggest case
so far and...
-Listen.

Listen to me. You've been
assigned a fair judge.

You know the facts
backwards and sideways,

and you know
what's most important?

You were trained
to do this, Naomi.

You were born to be an attorney.

You know, fighting for justice,
giving a voice to those

-who will be silenced.
-Oh, Dad.

-Look, I mean it.
-[sighs]

Well, I learned from the best.

[Bill chuckles]

That's my girl.

NAOMI [sighs]:
Okay.

You seem so far away.
Where did you go?

All I know is, Bill took off on
a mission, barely said goodbye,

and he definitely didn't tell me
why he was going to Dani's.

But you must have some idea.

Honestly, Hayley, the last thing
we should do is speculate.

She didn't call?

Summon him over to fix
a leak or something?

Maybe he wants to use her to get
Naomi to drop the lawsuit.

Hmm.

If anything, Dani would
tell Naomi to turn the heat up,

use her as a weapon to
punish Bill for leaving her.

You don't think
she'd really do that?

[scoffs]

Nobody wants to say it,
but, yes, I do.

Every single one of
those Dupree women is unhinged.

Dani's more vengeful
than the others,

and Bill knows
that she's dangerous.

Well, they were married
for decades.

There's a lot of blood
under that bridge.

It's probably just
some other detail

they needed to talk about.

Well, he usually deals
with the divorce issues

through the attorney.

Face-to-face, he can turn on
the Hamilton charm.

You know Bill.

When it comes
to persuading people,

that man is a king.

The great and all-powerful
Bill Hamilton reduced

to running errands
for his midlife crisis wife.

Hayley doesn't order me around.

You miss that, Bill?

-Like I said...
-Actually,

you haven't said what you'd
like me to do for her.

Hayley's treatment
by certain members

of the country club
has been objectionable.

You'll have to take that up
with the club president.

You must have Gabe's number.

Tell your friends
to back off, Dani.

If club members are
freezing Hayley out,

it's because they find her
unacceptable,

not because I have said
anything.

I wish you could see
what you look like

running around here,

playing house
with your child bride.

Yeah, probably happy for
the first time in a long time.

That's probably how I look.

You know, that's what
you find so deplorable, right?

That I found someone else
that makes me feel

the way a man should feel.

Impractical or geriatric?

I'm finally happy.

And Hayley
and I are equal partners,

Intellectually? Physically?

Bill, give yourself some credit.
Or at least be honest.

I am. To a fault.

So you're gonna tell your
new bride that you kissed me?

Okay, so you root
for all the right local teams.

-Thank God.
-[chuckles softly]

What about fantasy basketball?
You in a league?

Yeah, I've dabbled.

Well, when you're ready
to go all in,

I'll hook you up with my guys.

He says his team is casual.

Cutthroat, right?

We're not that bad.

-Maybe he bocces.
-He doesn't bocce.

Bocce ball? You two play?

When we can.

All the first responders,
uh, the good ones, anyway.

All the nurses bring doughnuts.

Flag on the play. No incentives.

Choose whoever you want.
Just don't choose the cops.

Mm. How bad did they beat you?

-It was a fluke.
-Mm-hmm.

We got called in on an emergency
on championship night.

But we play for charity, so...

So it doesn't matter if you win.

Mm, trust us.

-It matters.
-It matters.

[laughs]

You two are, um...

You know,
how would you like to be

a part of this documentary?

[engine shuts off]

♪ ♪

If Bill has allowed someone

to turn his firm
into a hostile workplace,

he needs to own up to it.

Gran, he's out of control.

He met with my clients
without me

and then intimidated them.

They almost dropped
the sexual harassment suit.

Now, that's bold, even for Bill.

I can't let him
get away with it.

What will you do?

My assistant just sent over
the research.

I could have him hit with fines,
get his evidence excluded,

even get him cited
for contempt of court.

Throw in censure
from the bar association.

Well, that's
certainly aggressive.

He sicced his new wife
on me, Granddad.

Hayley threatened that Dad would
bankrupt me with this lawsuit.

So, yeah, it's on,
and he deserves it.

And I owe it to my clients.

Let's...

not be too hasty.

I did not kiss you, Dani.
You instigated that.

Did I beg you to come over here,

demand that you stroll
through the door

and start making drinks?

Well, it never crossed my mind
that you would...

Lie to your wife but not to me!

You miss me, you want me,

and somewhere
in the back of your mind

you know that this
latest marriage was a mistake.

[scoffs]
I love Hayley very much.

When we were sitting
on that couch,

feeling all the feels,
it was Hayley who?

I never asked

for that ridiculous show
of your emotions.

You sure went along with it,
didn't you?

And it felt good, right?
Electricity, fire.

Get a job, Dani. A hobby.

Don't you have a foundation or
something you can micromanage?

Because I'm done playing
this twisted game with you.

You tell your friends
at the country club

to show some respect.

Or else?

Just do as I ask.

I have.

Since the day I met you,

I have been doing
what you asked.

You wanted me to stop modeling
to marry you.

-I quit the catwalk.
-Here we go.

You wanted children?

Gave you the best
and the brightest.

Vacations? We saw the world.

Out of nowhere divorce?
Broke my heart.

But that's what you wanted,
and this is what you get.

You even had the temerity

to demand that I go
to your wedding.

So I dressed up, showed up

just to watch you
marry that child.

Yeah, you showed out
carrying a g*n.

Yeah, I came in hot
and packing heat.

And somehow I'm the only one
who got hurt.

And what was I asking for?

The only thing that I have ever
demanded of you was love.

You broke into our home.

I broke a picture frame!

What she took from me
can never be replaced.

And neither can I.

The deed to the Rehoboth house.

Your pretense for this visit.

Then I guess
we're finished here.

Keep thinking that.

[door closes]

[indistinct radio transmission]

Yo, Pops, you got a minute?

If it's important.

All right. I know you'll say
I should call Internal Affairs,

but I wanted to run it
by you anyway.

Let's talk over here.

-Talk to me.
-All right.

On my way in, I seen
Joey handing Marcel an envelope,

and I'm pretty sure
it had cash inside.

You sure?

-It was dark out.
-Yes, Pops. I know what I saw.

A decorated detective
was receiving cash

from a suspected criminal.

Now I see why
Marcel didn't cuff Joey

when he seen him doing
the same thing

last week with another guy.

They're doing this together.

Am I the only one you told?

-So far, yeah.
-All right.

This ain't going no further.
We got to keep this quiet, okay?

Why? What's going on?

Armstrong is a CI.

-Confidential informant?
-Mm-hmm.

He's working for the cops?

He's helping us nail
a foreign agent.

Malone will use the marked money

Joey handed him
to pay off the guy,

springing the trap

that will hopefully lead
to an arrest.

You follow?

I don't think I do.

We're using a suspected crook
to catch a real one.

-Simple but effective.
-All right, so wait.

-Joey Armstrong works for us?
-Mm-hmm.

-I didn't know.
-No one does.

And I'm only telling you this

'cause I can count on you
to keep this quiet, okay?

Just between us.

Of course. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Just us.

All right.

DANI:
You're not special, Hayley.

You sure as hell
ain't the first.

Remember what they say--
past is prologue.

The fairy tale never tells you

how Prince Charming can
become a real son of a b*tch

once that ring goes
on your finger.

[door opens]

[exhales sharply]

Oh, hey.

I did not expect to see you.

What brings you back here
so late?

My husband's putting in
long hours.

Thought I could offer my help

-or at least my company.
-Hmm.

[sighs]

You look troubled, Bill.

Did something happen?

Oh, traffic.

This dinner?

-It's cold.
-Yeah.

Good thing about Orphey Gene's,
it warms up nice.

I heard Naomi's
moving forward with her case.

Caroline told me
before she left for the night.

And what else did she say?

Before I jump to conclusions,

explain why you went
to see your ex-wife.

Please don't tell me you thought

she could talk
some sense into Naomi

about walking away
from that case.

[sighs]
Dani's so deep in her delusion,

she didn't even know
about the lawsuit.

Oh.
[scoffs]

So, then why was it so important
for you to see her?

Hayley...

Tell me you didn't.

Look, I couldn't let them go on
treating you that way

at the country club. Okay?

I hoped that I could get her
to tell her cronies

to cut back on
the shunning, that's all.

After everything
I've already been through?

After I asked you not to?

-Baby...
-This is the last thing
I wanted.

♪ ♪

You were injured running
into a burning building.

Talk about the care
you received.

You know how much hell
I'm catching at the station

for that picture in the paper?

Hey, I told you
it'd get 'em to talk.

That's only a fraction
of how bad they'll roast me

if there was a video
floating around.

I think you should do it.

It's important
for the patient perspective

to be part of this documentary.

Who better than you?

ANDRE:
Yeah.

Hey, I'm not asking you
to answer right away.

Just think about it.

[phone buzzing]

One second.

[clears throat]

Hey, babe.

-[mouths]
-Yeah, whatever you need.

Be right there.

Uh, sorry.

DEREK:
Got to hit the road?

Yeah, afraid I do.

Wish I could stay
and help clean up.

I don't think he means that.

[chuckles]
Hey, dinner was delicious.

I'm really glad
you could make it.

-Oh, of course.
-See you around.

Yeah, count on it. Uh, night.

DEREK:
Night.

All right, man.

Did he just...?

Rush out of here
for a booty call?

-Oh, yeah.
-Okay.

I'm thinking she's
why he's sticking around.

He's staying in town
for the job.

He's not building a future

with whoever's
on the other end of that call.

Mm...

Trust me, a guy knows.

All right, so we'll just have
to find him a girl

so we can double-
and triple-date. Perfect.

Aw, you can't rest
until everybody's paired up.

I blame you
for making me so happy.

I just want Andre to know
what this is like.

You couldn't get off the phone
with me fast enough.

[chuckles]
I was being discreet.

I hope I didn't steal you away
from anything important.

Nah, just dinner with friends.
No big deal.

You shouldn't feel obligated
to spend time with me.

I go where I like.
And I usually like where I go.

Well, I should limit
my exposure to you anyway.

Someday, not very long from now,
you'll be off

on the other side of the world
on some exciting adventure,

-and I won't see you for months.
-Hmm.

Not to mention the fact
that you are my sister's nephew.

I'm her husband's nephew.
You are not in my family tree.

Well, the point is that
this has an expiration date.

We weren't built to last.

[scoffs]

That is why we should live
each moment to its fullest.

And since I'll be sticking
around for that documentary...

For how long?

I could be here for months.

But as for you and me,

let's just leave it at:
I'll be here when you call.

If I call.

I hope you'll call.

You went to Naomi
about the lawsuit

because you care
about me, right?

You love me, right?
How is this any different?

I knew you would approve
of what I was doing.

I was standing up for you.

It's the same thing.

You threatened to burn
a town to the ground

and put people's heads on pikes.

-Man, a turn of phrase.
-You meant it.

Nobody likes a bully.

If you told me
to stay away from Naomi,

I'd respect your wishes.

I was trying to appeal
to Dani's sense of reason.

Oh! g*n-sh**ting Dani?
Or breaking and entering Dani?

Look, I thought that she had
calmed down and moved on.

Forgive me for being
an optimist.

[scoffs]

What?

Just reminded myself that you're
a master of diversion.

Oh, God, babe,
I just told you what happened.

You told me
why you went to Dani's.

And why don't you fill me in
on what went down between you

and your former wife?

If I didn't know you better,
Granddad,

I'd think you're telling me
to play softball

with Bill Hamilton.

That's exactly
what I'm proposing.

A-Aren't you angry with him
for what he did?

Being a pragmatist
outweighs everything else.

There's been so much conflict
between Bill and our family.

I don't want this
creeping into the news

or gossip around town

that we can't handle
our business in private.

Well, you two are gonna have
quite the conversation

on your way home about
how wrong he is. Right, Gran?

Well, now, Naomi.

No, no, no, no. Not you, too.

You know that I support you
completely.

And I would never advise you
to drop the lawsuit

in favor of a settlement
if you think it unacceptable.

That being said...

...we're just suggesting

you find a balance,

hold Bill accountable without
turning him into an enemy.

You know, this sounds a lot
like when you two insisted

we attend that hellish wedding.

It's like you have
this strange soft spot

for the man who betrayed
his family. I...

We all have firsthand knowledge

of how your father can
overreact when taunted.

When Bill gets threatened,
bad things happen.

-What are you saying?
-ANITA: Sweetheart,

whether you decide to drop
the lawsuit is up to you.

We're just reminding you

that things can get ugly
with Bill.

They usually do.

[indistinct radio transmission]

Next time you do business,
have sense to do it in private.

-Who?
-Jacob. He saw the handoff.

Who'd he tell?

Fortunately,
not Internal Affairs.

He came straight to me.

But this is the second time,
Marcel.

The second time my kid has seen

Joey Armstrong
conducting business,

and the second time he's seen

his upstanding partner
being okay with it.

Now he's even taking part.

My bad.

It's your career,
you screw this up.

You want to spend
your retirement

in the Caribbean
on the Good Ship Sheila,

then keep your hands clean.

My son is too damn wholesome
to ignore corruption.

And here I was thinking

that you just wanted
someone to talk to.

We can talk after
we exorcise a demon.

[chuckles]
What has your ex done now?

Said he had to see me.

So I dropped everything.

He dropped by,

and for one brief,
beautiful moment

I thought that he was going
to ask me for a second chance.

Tell me that his fling
with Hayley had flung

and he would spend the rest
of our lives making it up to me.

He had something else in mind.

Turns out he was
sweet-talking me so that I would

be kind or ask people
to be kind to his reboot.

Why do you even waste your time?

Because he was mine.

And I know...

I need to accept the fact

-that he's never coming back.
-Mm-hmm.

But I was hoping

that you could help me forget

that he's even on the planet.

♪ I'll be your first...♪

Well, uh, the best way
to get over someone

is to get under someone else.

♪ Show me♪

♪ How you like it-it-it-it♪

♪ Show me...♪

That works, too.

I hope you're up
for the challenge.

I got a lot to forget.

♪ Rain, rain down♪

♪ Drip, drip, drip-drop♪

♪ Let it rain, rain down♪

♪ Drip, drip, drip-drop.♪

[sighs]

You aren't jealous, are you?

It's easier
to keep track of your heart

when I know
I'm the only one in it.

You are. Always.

Dani and I just had
some stuff to hash out.

At night,

out of the blue,
when you didn't mention

you'd be seeing her?

-Look, it wasn't that deep,
babe, okay?
-[scoffs] Hmm.

We own a place in Delaware,
and I suggested that we sell it.

Oh, no. I thought we...

Mm, with the intention

of using
my share of the proceeds

to get us a weekend home.

Just for the two of us.

-Really?
-Yeah.

Yeah, it was gonna be
a surprise.

It still can be, but go on.

So, um...

We started talking about summers
we spent up there and...

Something happened.

And then Dani...

...thought that...
[chuckles]

that there was a chance
that I'd go back to her.

[Hayley scoffs]

That's ridiculous.

You never entertained that idea.

Yeah, I know, right?
Of course not.

Okay, so what did you do?

I told her the truth.

I said I'm madly in love
with my wife and that we're...

deliriously happy
and she should move on.

And she refused.

There were tears.

Yeah, lot of tears.

'Cause this time she, um,

she finally believed me.

You've told her that
dozens of times

in dozens of ways.

What was it about this time
that made her see the light?

ASHLEY:
And when Andre finds a girl,

they can do fun couple things.

Like?

Like this.
[laughs]

Having someone to download with.

We get it.

The things we see.

The lives that get lost.

-That's the part
nobody talks about.
-Mm-hmm.

How you carry
that stuff with you.

That's why you should
do the interview.

I thought we'd finished
with this.

You're what Andre needs.

You're serious about the work,

but you're able to find
that balance, Derek.

There are stories
only you can tell.

Or not.

Look, you don't have to tell

Andre anything
that's important to you.

Everything's important to me.

Especially you.

Okay, so

tell him
about being in the hospital

and how knowledgeable
and attentive

and compassionate
your nurse Ashley was.

Mm-hmm,
the smartest person I know.

She chose a guy like me
to fall in love with.

[laughs]
Finally.

A man who loves me for my mind.

Mm, that's not the only thing.

No.

There are at least
a dozen reasons

that I'm keeping
for just between us.

If you got some time,
I'll show you a few.

-Hey, babe.
-Hey.

I was hoping
you'd still be here.

Look, tell me
I'm not losing my mind.

-What's going on?
-Something with my partner.

But we could talk
about that later.

You look even more worried
than when I left you.

What happened?

My grandparents were just here.

And the way they reacted
when I told them

what Dad's done, it wa--

it was odd.

In what way?

They're worried
about retaliation.

What Dad will do if he loses.

Okay. And that leaves you where?

Going after him

with everything I've got.

Thank you, sweetheart.

Mm. [laughs]

So much for a fun night out.

Well, we were right
where we were supposed to be

when we were supposed
to be there.

I'm just glad
Naomi shared with us

so we can nudge her
in the right direction.

I hoped things would die down

once Bill dropped the charges
against Dani.

That man has too much power.

The trouble
he could cause this family.

We can't let him
pull that trigger, Anita.

We need to make damn sure
no one ever makes him feel

like that's even an option.

♪ ♪

BILL:
Come here.

Come on, come, come.

Listen.

Dani realized she had
no chance of winning me back

because you're everything
that I want.

Okay?

She looked me right in my eyes

and realized that nothing
that she and I shared

in our past could compare
to what you and I have now.

-Oh, Bill.
-Yeah.

Look, I know how lucky we are

to have found one another.

I'm not gonna do anything
to jeopardize that.

-Smart man.
-Mm.

One of the many reasons

you adore me.

[Bill chuckles]

Well, this is the perfect time

for you to take me home

and show me
how much you love me.

Mm.

Well, I worship you.

-Mm.
-Mm.

Mm-mm.

Nothing and no one
would make me happier.

-Mm.
-So...

...why don't we get home

and start heating things up?

[chuckles]

[chuckling]

That take your mind off things?

You are
a very sweet distraction.

-Better than chocolate.
-Mm-hmm.

You're not bad yourself.

What am I helping you to forget?

Work?

Another woman?

Nah, this is all about you.

Mm-hmm.

If this is what it takes
to help you forget...

I can forget.

Mm.

But even if Bill promised me
forever in Bora Bora

or flew me to Monaco

for retail therapy
and baccarat...

Baccarat?

...I could never
forgive what he did.

You're not buying it, huh?

[laughing]

Not yet.

Well, maybe what I need

is another dose of distraction.

Ah.

I'd be so happy to provide
that service for you.

The thing is...

I might need a few more doses.

-Mm.
-Throughout the night.

-And maybe into the morning?
-Yeah?

And then some.

There you go.

♪ I'm staying patient♪

♪ Shivers down my spine.♪