Cards & Cognac (2025)

[bunniefuu]

(monotones ring)

(car door shuts)

(man claps)

You must have been super zoned out

if you ain't hear me coming up.

Damn, man, you scared

the hell out of me, man.

You know me.

I'm trying to get a drink.

(car door shuts)

Man, what's good, bro?

[Marcus] Sup, good. (Groans)

Are you good?

Yeah, come on, man.

Let's get us a drink.

All right, man.

(man knocks)

- h*.

- What up?

[Marcus] Come on,

man, I'm getting a drink.

- What up with it?

- What's up, bro?

All right, chilling.

Come on in here and get this a*s whooping.

(car pulls up) (door shuts)

Just like clockwork.

- What's up, Adam?

- What up?

Man, you just got to be

the last one, don't you?

[JO] The best is always last.

- Come and give me a hug.

- Whatever, man.

Watch out, man.

Keep all that soft sh*t over there.

[JO] You know you love it.

(upbeat R&B music)

All right, fellas.

So how's the other guy?

Huh?

It's nothing.

Now brother, you do know

that that's the point of all

of this, right?

All right, now starting tonight,

every third Friday is going

to be tradition.

So left eye, why don't

you break the ice, my guy?

(dramatic electronic music)

(upbeat R&B music)

(door shuts)

(phone dings)

The hell wrong with you?

Check your phone.

Check my phone for what?

Check your phone.

So let me guess, that's old,

then nothing happened,

or better yet, that's not you.

Say something.

What you want me to say, Tameka?

I want you to explain why some b*tch

is sending me a picture

of your face in her a*s.

Nothing?

Tameka, that's an old picture, all right?

We done already been through this.

She just trying to stir mess back up.

Okay. (Chuckles)

(phone rings)

- Who you calling?

- Hello?

- Hey, this Tameka again.

When did you say that you last seen Marcus?

[Woman On Phone] He came over last night

when he got off work.

See, he told me that he worked over.

[Woman On Phone] Look, like I said,

I didn't know he was married

until my home girl told me she knew you.

That's why I had her reach out.

I don't do married men.

Now what's happened has happened,

but I just wanted you to know.

Okay, I appreciate you.

I just needed some clarification, thanks.

Look, Meka, baby.

Marcus, I don't wanna hear it, I don't.

You are so embarrassing.

I just, I don't, I.

You know where you need to stay tonight.

(sad orchestra music)

Old girl sent her this? (Laughs)

I'm glad you amused, bro.

I'm glad somebody could

find humor in the situation.

I'm just saying, man,

we all get caught up,

but I ain't never seen nothing like this.

Bro, you literally got a face full of a*s.

I mean, I ain't gonna lie, man.

You got a good woman.

She a duck, but she's a great woman,

because I don't know

nobody that'll let your a*s get

away with this.

How long ago was this?

It's about two weeks ago.

You know what?

Ain't this the fifth time you got caught?

Hey, you gotta stop playing with fire, man,

or you going to end up like

me having to work 40 hours

of overtime just to make a decent check.

Man, child support whooping my a*s, man.

You better chill out.

I know, dog.

I know, it just like,

God put all these beautiful women here.

We gotta have one?

I love Meka, bro, and these

other chicks don't mean nothing

to me, nothing at all.

Sometimes I just can't help myself.

Okay, Mr. I can't help

myself, man, take your phone

so I can stop laughing

at your a*s. (Laughs)

(door opens and closes)

What's up, Mimi?

- Hey, Jerry.

- What you about to cook?

Oh, just a little pot.

You gonna stay and eat some?

Well, nah, I'm about

to get up outta here,

but you can make me a plate.

Nah, you know I can't

promise you nothing.

You know these kids

gonna right to this kitchen

when they get in from school.

I understand, the baby's first,

but you know what?

I'm about to get up outta here.

- All right, my brother.

- Look, man, be good.

Catch you later, Mimi.

All right, Jerry.

Baby, mind if I holler

at you for a second?

Look, I've been taking

you for granted a long time

and seem like I invent ways to mess up.

Just want you to know I'm sorry.

I know my words don't

hold no weight to you,

especially now, but I promise

you I'm gonna do better.

I talked to pastor, and I'm gonna get help.

Robert used to deal with

some of the same issues

and we touched bases at the church,

and he agreed to be my

accountability partner and all that.

I'm trying, baby.

I'm really trying.

Well, I'm glad to hear

that you're taking the initiative, I am.

(sad orchestra music)

(upbeat R&B music)

When you start coming home for lunch?

Excuse me.

I'm not got out further,

but where you going?

[Tameka] I'm just going

out with some friends.

Some friends, when were you playing this?

[Tamkea] Today, just

going out for some drinks,

kick it with the girls.

Where our kids at?

(dramatic piano music) -

Mama came to get them.

Is there a problem?

I was just wondering.

Oh okay, I'll see later.

(door closes)

(Marcus sighs)

You do know it's five

in the morning, right?

Okay.

When'd you start staying

out at five in the morning, Meka?

Boy, don't do me, because

I don't never question

what time you get in when

you and your boys hang out.

But you know when we going

or where we at ahead of time.

Every time your friends

wanna go out, you blow 'em off.

Now you coming in at five in the morning?

Is there a problem, Marcus?

Lemme smell your drawers.

Boy, shut the hell up talking to me.

I'm going to bed.

(dramatic piano music)

All right, I'll see you tomorrow.

(dramatic electronic music)

- Hey, daddy.

- Hey, my babies.

Y'all go to y'all room

so I can talk to mama.

So you didn't go to work today?

- I called in sick.

- So you sick?

Sick of your a*s lying.

What?

Where you go out

when you left work today?

I went by Mama's

house to pick up the kids.

No you didn't.

I drove by and you weren't there.

So you called in, drove by mama's house,

but didn't pick up the kids?

I believe I asked you to question, woman.

No, you don't get to question me.

I didn't question you when you was running

around town making me look like a fool.

Now all of a sudden you all insecure?

Yeah, baby, don't worry about me.

Keep doing you, and I'm

gonna do me in the meantime.

The hell that supposed to mean?

(dramatic piano music)

Tameka, Tameka, Tameka!

All right, bet.

Gonna be a long night, brothers.

They set. (Laughs)

Sorry, bro.

So back to you.

So you took the whole week off?

Nah, I went back to work.

Just kinda feeling like

she was doing on purpose,

you know, messing with my head.

sh*t, I got off work, came home,

(whimsical electronic music)

She fell asleep watching

YouTube on the phone.

All I had to do, bro,

was just now turn it off,

put on the charger.

Something told me to look.

So I be here.

She got a text from grandma at 10:45 PM.

It's a instant red flag, right?

She only got one grandma that's alive,

and when the sun set, that lady in the bed.

So I know damn well she

ain't texting her at no 10:45.

Now that I think about it.

Her name ain't even say it

on the grandma on the phone.

Some dude had sent her a picture.

Now the light was kind of terrible.

So at first, it was like a sticker,

but I don't know hat they

doing, coupon matching?

sh*t, but I looked harder,

and it was a picture of a n*gg*r d*ck.

- Oh.

- Damn.

Man, they brought me to my knees.

I'm in the kitchen hyperventilating.

All I could think about

with this dude putting all

that in my wife.

I'm having a full on panic

attack tripping, you hear me?

(guys laugh)

- That's funny.

You thought it was a stick of bologna?

Come on, guys, it's not that funny.

All I'm saying it was that big?

- Damn.

- Okay, all right, all right.

All right, so how'd you get the bruise,

and please tell me you

didn't put hands on her.

No, I was mad as hell,

but I ain't even wake her up.

I knew she was gonna say something smart,

and I was gonna lose, then end up in jail.

So slept on the couch,

kept my emotions in check.

I just planned to make my

next move my best move.

- You take off work today?

- No, why?

I was gonna kick it with a coworker

after work for a while, but

mama don't mind keeping the kids

for a few extra hours.

I'll see you later.

Now she really gonna try to

play me for a fool to my face?

Yeah, all right, bet.

(inquisitive electronic music)

Nah, I'm like ask fool, 'cause

I ain't losing her this time.

I gotta find out.

She done drove all the way to Cado.

Cheds was tight, offered me to swallow.

By the way she was acting, I

knew it was a dude or nothing.

Got to the front door, seen the ring cam,

but I'm like ain't no turning back.

I didn't know if she cheating for sure.

(couple moans in the next room)

What the?

Oh my God.

[Man In Bed] What the f*ck?

Man, who the f*ck are you?

Who am I.

Damn, Meka, you ain't

told your little boyfriend

about your husband?

Marcus, what you doing here?

I mean, damn, where you're ring at?

You just over enjoying yourself, huh?

He better than me?

Marcus, you need to leave.

I need to leave?

Yes, you need to leave now.

What?

Man, you heard what she said!

Now get the hell outta my house.

(suspenseful orchestra

music) - Straight up?

Well, come get me up outta here then.

Hey, hey, hey, y'all, don't do that.

(man punches Marcus) (Marcus groans)

Yeah, yeah.

(Man stomps on Marcus)

In my f*cking house.

You want to come into my house?

That you wanna do?

Man, he beat my a*s and nurtured me, bro.

Gave me a Ziploc bag of ice

and sent me on by my way,

but the crazy part, he

ain't even call the police.

I ain't been so embarrassed in my life.

[Rakeem] Man, that's crazy, man.

So when this happened?

Tuesday.

All right, so what happened afterwards?

- What you mean?

- With you and Meka.

I'm at my auntie house at the moment.

She want to talk, but I'm

not trying to hear none of it.

I feel you, bro.

So this is the first time you

caught her cheating, right?

Yeah, it's like knowing

about it is one thing,

but seeing it, I can't shake that, bro.

Yeah, I feel you brother.

That is a different type of pain.

That's betrayal as raw as it

gets, but lemme ask you this.

What if she had cut you off the first time

she caught you cheating?

Huh?

I'm just saying, bro, we can dish it,

but we can't take it.

Now, Marcus, you been

cheating on that girl ever

since y'all been together, brother,

and I'm just gonna keep

it real with you, man.

I'm surprised that it took her this long.

I'm surprised it took her this long?

Like come on, Adam, damn.

Who's side you on here?

- Hey now, brother, hey, look,

now you my boy, all right?

Like I love you like my own brother,

but I would not be a good

friend if I did not call you out

on your bullshit.

Wow.

Think about it, bro.

You have literally slept

on every single one

of our couches at least one time since you

and Meka been together,

but then also think about this.

How many times she let your

black a*s back in that house?

[JO] He ain't lying, man.

So JO, you can talk?

I mean, look, I know I

get around, but I'm single.

You the married one, my guy.

Now brother, you got the right to feel

however you wanna feel.

However, once you get out your feelings,

and I mean really put

your emotions to the side,

everybody at this table

knows Tameka would have

to get her lick back four or

five times over just to break

even with you, because the least you can do

is have a conversation with her.

And if you stand when you pee,

you don't stand a chance in

child support or divorce court.

They act like you made

the baby your damn self.

Now if you have a sliver of hope

that y'all can work this out, do it.

That's just my 2 cents, plus

the taco soup she be making,

(chuckles) I'm just

saying bro, I might have

to break the bro code if y'all split.

Me and Mimi gonna have to stay like this.

Have you ever had her taco soup?

- No, man.

- Fire.

It's not that good, man.

Look, bro, all I'm saying is just think

about it, all right?

Look, don't make a decision

while you're mad, okay?

Let the pain take its course

and just make your

next decision with clarity.

There ain't nothing in this world worse

than regret, my brother.

I can dig it.

Now so my brother don't

feel like we ganging up on him,

I guess I'll go ahead and

throw myself on the fire next.

What?

sh**t, man, I'll toast to that.

(glasses clink)

You know the whole Greg situation,

I really took it to heart, man.

I really felt like I could a did more.

Hey, bro, don't do that, man.

Man, I know, I know,

but this is how I felt

at the time, man.

You know, Greg came to see me that night.

The same night?

Yeah, I just didn't want tell anybody,

'cause I blamed myself.

I feel like I could have

been a better friend.

I could have stopped him,

and before you say anything,

Dr. Phil, I know, okay?

So just let me cook.

Man, I ain't no ugly a*s boy.

I wasn't finna say nothing.

I felt it

Now I ain't gonna lie.

Adam, I definitely thought

you were gonna say

Now y'all know I don't

do the phone calls real well

and I don't get back with people,

[Marcus] Yep.

But after the funeral, I made emphasis

to start calling people

back and getting back

with everybody no matter how busy I was.

I didn't never wanna feel that way again.

You know I got a cousin, man.

He been my best friend

pretty much all my life.

I went to University of

Memphis, and he stayed behind.

He started calling me afterwards

and begging me to come down

there and hang out with him,

but I never did, 'cause I felt

like we were in two spaces,

two different spaces,

but one day, I took off,

cleared my schedule, and I

went back home to see him

and kick it with him.

(upbeat pop music)

(door shuts)

(door knocks)

[Cousin] Cuz.

[JO] What's up, player man?

- What's going on?

- Good?

Good to see you.

Come on here.

Damn, it's like dejavu, man.

Looks the same way the last time I came,

but you know, everybody didn't get rich

and make it out the hood like you, cuz.

Well, for one, I went to college, two,

I work for the state making $70,000 a year.

Far from Rich, my guy.

That's good.

What you trying to get into, though?

I mean, honestly, I'm just chilling, cuz.

I'm good.

Hell nah, fool.

We gotta turn up.

You could have chilled at the house.

(phone rings)

- I mean.

Hey, man, guess who's back in the hood.

- Who that, fool?

- JO.

(whimsical orchestra music)

[Man On Phone] You

talking about little Jerry?

[Cousin] Yeah, fool.

[Man On Phone] Oh

hell, I'll come through.

Bet, come through.

(door knocks)

You expecting somebody?

[Cousin] Man, I'm so

tired of this dumb b*tch.

Say what?

Where she at, man?

I know you got somebody in here.

Man, you're crazy a*s.

Ain't nobody in here.

And who is you?

Who are you?

- Man, this Lil Jerry.

- Who?

Man this my family from Memphis.

We just here kicking sh*t.

You tripping.

I'm sorry, babe.

I saw your car outside.

You wasn't answering the phone.

Can I make it up to you, please?

Hey, cuz, gimme a minute.

Cuz, you know what?

I can come back another time.

Man, hell no.

Sit down.

I'll be right back.

This m*therf*cker.

Remember why you came,

remember why you came.

(door opens)

Where he at?

Excuse me?

Where the f*ck he at?

You know what?

I ain't playing with your a*s today.

[JO] Playing with who?

[Woman In Brown Dress] Oh hell no, b*tch!

(people tumbling in next room)

- Hey, man!

Damn!

You know what, you can his sorry a*s.

- f*ck you looking at?

- Get the f*ck of me.

- You ain't sh*t.

- Stupid.

Y'all are tripping.

Where you going?

Go to hell. (Car door shuts)

You wanna get something to eat, cuz?

How you doing today?

Come on with your order.

Eh, let me get the 10

piece honey gold extra sauce,

and I'm gonna get some fries with that too

with extra seasons, you feel me?

Is that all?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, and get my cuz too.

Cuz, get whatever you want.

- It's on me.

- For real?

Be my guest.

- Okay.

- You ain't got

to pay for nothing, cuz.

- Okay, all right.

- Take care of my family.

Let me get a 10 piece as well,

lemon pepper with the onion rings.

Okay, that'll be all?

[JO] That's it.

Your total is $28.62.

All right, $28.62, 28, cuz.

(chuckles) All right,

guess I'll pay for it.

We'll let you know when it's ready.

Okay, thank you.

Damn, cuz, I had to pee bags.

Yeah, you already ordered your food?

Yeah.

Man, you must'a paid for it already.

I mean, I kind of had to.

My bad, cuz.

I'm gonna get it back to you.

I'm gonna get it back to you.

What up?

[Man On Phone] Hey, man, where you at?

I'm at Umbridge.

Where you at?

[Man On Phone] I'm at your crib, fool.

I told you what I was going do.

Man, I had to get out there.

Keke and Tasha came through, man.

It got crazy over there.

[Man On Phone] (laughs) For real.

Bet, I'm about to pull up on you.

Okay, bet, swing through.

[Man On Phone] All right.

Y'all order ready.

Yeah.

Those wings busting, ain't it, cuz?

Pretty good.

I already know you ain't get

no food like this in Memphis.

(intense orchestra music)

Hey fam.

Hey, man.

Hey, what you doing?

(woman yells) Man, I'll m*therf*cking.

Damn, man.

The f*ck?

What the hell you doing bro?

[Cousin] Stupid b*tch

put sugar in my tank.

You didn't start it up, did you?

[Cousin] I caught her

while she was doing this sh*t.

Oh man. (Inaudible)

Come on in.

I'll be your ride home back.

Damn, man.

Come on, fool.

Cuz, what you waiting on?

Come on.

[Driver] Hey, that's

like the third car Tasha

done f*cked up, man.

(whimsical orchestra music)

Hell nah, that's the fourth.

Man, she the one set

the road master on fire.

I loved that car too.

So you saying that's the fourth time?

Listen, that's my baby, though.

She just be tripping sometimes.

So you're telling me that

you not about to leave her

after this?

Hell nah, I can't leave her, cuz.

I kinda love that toxic sh*t.

You feel me?

Hell no.

You crazy as hell, bro.

[Cousin] What's crazy about it?

Man, that's disfunctional as hell.

Dis-what?

The man done went to college,

and now he talking like these white folks.

Having the vocabulary of

a functional adult does not

equate to being white, if you asked me.

- You hear him?

- Y'all go crazy as hell, man.

Damn, bro, there's 12 behind us.

- f*cking 12?

- Yeah, man, I'm on paper.

- What?

- You straight, ain't it?

Yeah, no, the cops stole it.

- Hold on, what?

- Yeah, yeah.

Come on, bro, we can't do that sh*t.

Damn, bro.

f*ck, man, I should

have knew that car was hot

when I ain't seen no keys in the ignition.

[JO] What, are you for.

Hey, keep your mouth shut, man.

We don't know nothing.

No matter what these folk

ask, you don't say nothing.

We don't know nothing, f*ck.

All right, man, listen up.

Not gonna sugarcoat this, all right?

- Okay.

- The car is stolen.

We found a satchel full of

marijuana and Percocet pills.

Oh, and the other guy in

the car with you, guess what?

He don't no nothing.

So you all gonna tell me the truth

or you both can take a

ride for it, your choice.

Ride, as in jail?

Yes, as in jail.

I need you to get your

pen and pad out right now.

- All right.

- I don't usually tell,

but I'll tell you, look, now.

[Detective] Talk to me.

I left Memphis approximately 10:00 AM.

I arrived a little after

noon at my cousin's house.

His name is Emmanuel Johnson, AKA Manman,

M-A-N-M-A-N, Manman.

I just recently lost a friend,

and I've been trying to keep in touch

with all my friends and family now,

you know, just touch bases with everybody.

Me and my cousin, we were really tight,

really close back then.

So I thought I'd come back

home and touch bases with him.

Now soon as I get there,

there's two women just pop outta nowhere,

fisticuffs ready to fight on site.

I should have listened to

my voice in my head then,

and I should have left, but I stuck it out.

I stuck it out.

Actually it took me to this

little wing spot out east,

great lemon pepper wings.

Now I noticed there was a

lot of cameras around there.

Now you should be able to get the tape

and confirm my story, okay?

Now long story short, one of

the hood rat h*ifers took a bag

of sugar and poured it in Man's gas tank.

Now I'm almost certain

that that car is still out there.

So you can go find that now.

I don't know anything about a stolen car

that his partner actually picked us up.

He picked us up, and

we got in the car with him,

within this car that now I know is stolen.

Now I didn't know the car was stolen.

I had no idea, and I

definitely don't know anything

about drugs.

Now I heard my cousin

speak a sudden utterance

about not knowing

about the stolen car either,

but he's too hard to tell you that.

Now I don't care nothing

about no street code.

I am not of that life, and the

street code does not pertain

to me, okay?

Now honestly I think

the street code is stupid.

It's so stupid that why would I do time

for something I ain't do?

Stick to your damn story.

Come on now.

The guy that was driving the stolen car,

they call him Candy Mane.

Now that's all I can

tell you about him now,

but if you put him in a lineup,

I will gladly point his a*s out.

You feel better?

Yes, now if you could

please gimme a cheeseburger,

large fry, and a tajis treat.

Now if you don't have a tajis treat,

I'll take a Sprite, please.

Uh-huh.

Now if you wanna know anything else,

I got plenty of stories for you.

When I was five, I repeated...

I think you said enough, all right?

All right.

You just wait right there.

Hell just happened?

[Rakeem] So did you get locked up?

Not really, man.

They kept me in the

precinct for a couple of hours,

but they let me go after that.

What about your cousin?

Honestly man, I have no idea.

They sent me to my car, and I bounced.

I felt bad about it.

So I called up there

and tried to burn him out,

and they said he wasn't even there.

So I called him.

He never returned my calls,

never answered the phone, so.

[Marcus] Damn, that's crazy.

What's your take on it, Dr. Phil?

Oh, so we want my opinion now, huh?

[JO] Yeah, you gonna

give it to us anyway.

Well, I mean, some

people just can't be in your life

always, and some

relationships are long lasting.

Some are seasonal,

and that's fine either way.

You all are just on two

different wavelengths, okay?

He's comfortable in a

place that you grew from,

and there's no reason to feel guilty.

You know, Greg got us

all second guessing a lot

about ourselves, man.

Now could we have done

some things differently?

Yeah, yeah, we could

have, but at the same time,

we don't know that that

would've changed a damn thing.

You can't provide happiness for nobody.

That's something that

people gotta find on their own.

Now we all been boys

a long time, all right?

Now have we been consistent?

No, all right, but I do know this.

If I was to call on either

one of the people at this table,

no matter how long it's

been since we've talked

to each other, I know that

each one of y'all would show up

for me, and Greg knew that too.

Look, brother, we have

got to break the chains

of obligation, okay?

We are grown.

We got our own lives.

You can't be there for nobody 24/7.

We got enough on our shoulders as it is.

So don't carry that

weight if you don't have to.

What about you, Keem?

What's that?

What's weighing on you, brother?

What makes you think

something weighing on me?

Brother, you ain't said

two words since you've been

in the room.

Hell, everybody at the table can sense it.

(sad orchestra music)

(door shuts)

[Rakeem] What took y'all so long?

I don't know.

I think mama forgot.

She didn't forget.

Go ahead, baby.

- Hey, Jaleah.

- Hey.

Pizza here?

Yeah, they delivered it,

but it might be cold by now.

Baby, go ahead and wash

your hands, get ready to eat.

She acting crazy again?

You know it.

Well, she's here now.

So don't let that woman steal your joy.

All right.

(appliance clatters in next room)

What happened?

I was just trying to

grab some paper towels,

and then the iron fell.

- You hit your face?

- Yes.

Oh, baby, don't worry about this.

Can you just get a a band

aid outta the first day kit.

Come on, baby.

All right, baby girl.

(car door shuts)

All right, gimme a hug.

All right, see you next weekend, okay, bye.

- Love you.

- Love you.

(phone rings)

Come on, Monica, I know

you see me calling, damn.

She's been doing this off and

on since our divorce, officer.

I mean, what good is it

having a parenting plan issued

by a judge if there are no repercussions?

And you filed reports in the past?

Yes sir, and that hadn't changed a thing.

Look, this is my weekend

to have my daughter,

and I want my daughter.

Look, I understand, all right?

I got an officer over there now

so we can get this thing worked out.

You got kids, officer?

Yes sir, I do.

You ever deal with anything like this?

Yes sir, I have.

[Man On Radio] 540 to 512.

512, go ahead.

[Man On Radio] Hey, somebody here,

but they won't answer the door.

I've been knocking for a while.

All right, ten-four, I'll let him know.

Okay, so what now?

I'm taking a report for you, okay?

You can follow up with PIU using this card

and officially filed charges

for custodial interference,

or you can petition a judge

for a child custody hearing

because she has failed

to follow the plan issued

by the judge.

Sir, the officer said that

she's in there right now.

You can't forcibly go in and get my child?

This is kidnapping.

No sir.

You can't kidnap her if she lives there.

This is custodial interference if anything.

Okay, well, arrest her

for that then and go in

and get my daughter.

Custodial interference is

a misdemeanor, all right?

A warrant has to be signed

and sworn by a judge to make an arrest,

and you're not gonna get that until Monday.

I follow the law to

the T, officer, to the T.

She does whatever the f*ck she want.

Excuse me, she does whatever she wants

and nothing ever comes from it.

I do everything right, man, everything,

and I get no justice for it.

Brother, I enforce the law.

I don't write it, all right?

Trust me, I feel you, I do,

and if there's something

I could do, I would.

Look, I'm gonna do

my part to file this report.

You gotta do yours and play the game.

You can't play a game when the winner

is already decided, sir.

(somber electronic music)

I thank you for your help, officer.

(door knocks)

Hey, what's up, man?

What's up, bro?

Saw Melanie at the store this morning.

[Rakeem] Oh yeah, probably

after she left the house.

You good?

Man, just dealing with

Monica and all this BS, man,

and she called DCS on me, bro.

Damn, for what?

Jaleah hit her face the other day

when she was at the house,

got a little cut on her jaw.

Monica told them folks I was abusing her.

How old is Jaleah?

And they didn't talk to her?

Monica told them folks that

she was lying to protect me.

So now what?

Well, I went down and

filed for a new court hearing.

Well, what about the police?

I'm not even gonna waste my time.

I could care less about her going to jail.

I just want my baby.

Damn, man, I truly

hate that for you, brother,

I really do.

Bro, it's like I try to do

everything right, live my life.

Married this chick, try to have

a family the right away just

for her to flip a switch

and do me like this.

Like even now, I do everything

by the book and I still lose.

It's like folk who try to

live their life right, Man,

I always end up with

the worst of everything.

Right, I feel that, brother.

Man, you good?

It came back.

Oh man, bro.

Man, I'm sorry, bro.

Man, I'm sitting here

bothering you with all my BS.

Hey, hey, now don't

you dare pity me, all right?

I mean, if this is how

it's gonna end for me,

at least it'll be on my own terms.

Damn, what you mean by that?

Ah, nothing, man.

Look, you ain't got to

worry about me, all right?

I beat it once.

I beat it again.

(sad orchestra music)

I think about that day a lot, man.

Just like you, JO, I feel like

it was something I could have

done just instead of just

worrying about my own problems.

I just hate the fact

that my last interaction

with Greg was me filling

up his ears with my bullshit,

and seeing him in that

casket, Bro, that was hard, man.

That was just the tip of

the iceberg for me, man.

If I knew then that sh*t was

about to be way worse for me,

I would've envied him.

She gonna love it.

I'll put it in for you.

I can't believe I'm famming.

What?

I wouldn't be mad if I

didn't shop again for a while.

Melly, it wasn't that bad.

Rakeem, it feels like we went

to every department store in the city.

Well, I promise I'll

make it up to you, baby,

and thank you for coming up with me today.

Well, no, it was actually

kinda sexy seeing you go all out

for your daughter like this.

Oh sh*t.

I'm just hoping that I get

something for my birthday too.

Girl, I got something

for your birthday right now.

- You so nasty.

- Get a taste of your

little gift right now.

- Come on.

- Well, come on, girl.

- I'm hungry.

- I'll feed you, girl.

Come on, get in the car.

There you go, baby.

- Thank you, baby.

- You welcome.

I haven't seen you smile

this much in two months.

What?

I'm just looking forward to Tuesday.

So you get to sit here Tuesday?

I don't know.

My lawyer said that the

judge, at the very least,

will reinforce the original parenting plan

and according to the original,

my weekend is coming up

and Saturday is Jaleah's birthday.

So that makes it even more special.

I'm just ready to spoil my baby.

I am so proud of you, Rakeem.

Proud of me for what?

I mean, you could have lost your cool.

You could have played right

into her hands during all this.

You know I hate when women

use kids as a get back to 'em,

and I hope Karma makes that

judge grant you full custody.

Baby, look, I'mma

apologize to you in advance,

because if that judge

grants me full custody,

I'm kissing the judge, okay?

I'm kissing the judge, okay?

Man or woman, I'm kissing the judge.

- You are not.

- I'm gonna kiss them

in the mouth. You're not kissing...

- Just a little bit?

- No.

- Just a little bit?

- No.

Okay.

(phone rings)

Hello?

[Man On Phone] Yes, Mr. Morris.

This is he.

[Man On Phone] Morris, this is Greg

with Parkering Law Firm.

Oh, good morning, Greg.

Ms. Parker wanted me to

contact you and let you know

that Judge Hart is ill and continuing all

of our cases scheduled

for today till the 21st of May.

What?

No, no, no, no, no, no.

Can't we just move to another judge?

[Greg] Unfortunately not, no sir.

It's already been continued.

Look sir, you don't understand.

This hearing has to happen.

I have a lot riding on this hearing.

(sad orchestra music) -

I understand, Mr. Morris,

but until the judge returns,

there's nothing we can do.

Hey, baby.

- Happy birthday.

- Thank you.

Come out to the car.

I got something for you in the car.

Hey, I got the meat ready

and on the stove for you.

I'm about to go take Jaleah to

mama house so everybody get.

All right, what about

the decoration though?

sh*t, the balloons is in my room.

Let me get the cake

ready, and I'll text you

when we're headed back so you can light it.

All right, you doing

that in front of her?

[Monica] She out front.

She mad, 'cause she

think we forgot her birthday.

All right, I got you.

[Rakeem] What's wrong, baby?

- Nothing.

- Your mama in the house?

Yes.

Well, I've been calling and texting you.

My mama took my phone.

She say it's because of my grades,

and my grades aren't even bad.

Like, oh, I hate it here.

I know, baby, and I'm sorry.

Okay, you know I love you.

There's some grown up

things going on right now,

and people are trying to

keep me away from you,

but I need you to know

that I love you very much.

No matter what anyone says,

I'm gonna always be here for you.

You understand me?

Yes, sir.

[Rakeem] Come on

get your gift, birthday girl.

(ominous orchestra music)

You got some nerve

bringing your a*s to my house.

Jaleah, get away from

him and get over here.

Look, she's coming.

She's just getting her gift first.

What you even doing here?

Look, this is my daughter too.

No matter how many games you play,

you're not gonna stop me

from taking care of my daughter.

I'm gonna call the police,

'cause you ain't got

no business being here.

Here, baby, just get your gift.

Nah, she can leave all that

Look okay, just look.

This is hers, okay, for her birthday.

Jaleah, get in the house now.

See that's where you messed up at,

'cause you put your hands on me.

I'm sorry, baby.

You going to jail,

because you touched me,

and you trespassing.

Monica, you are the worst, I mean,

a f*cking horrible person.

I'm not finna stay here

and give any energy to you.

Yes, my baby daddy over

here and he just assaulted me

and he trying to take my daughter.

- What?

- What the going on?

That n*gga put his hands on me.

Zeke, you know good damn

well I didn't touch her, bro.

I came over to bring Jaleah

her gifts for her birthday

since she won't let me see my daughter.

You know I didn't put my hands on her, bro.

Come on now, you know how your sister is.

Look, bro, you need to just

go and get up outta here, man.

Okay, all right, cool, bro.

- Yes, his name was Rakeem.

- Bye, baby.

He's still here.

- The cops right here.

- I love you, baby.

(car pulls up)

- He right here, sir.

Here he go.

(door shuts)

(sad electronic music)

(door shuts)

What happened, Rackeem?

I did not hit that woman, okay?

I went over there to give Jaleah her gifts.

That's all.

She reached for the bag.

I knocked her hand out

the way, okay, that's it.

That's it, okay, but of course,

it's her word against mine, right?

I'm the one that goes to jail.

I'm the one with the no contact order.

I'm the one that's always losing,

but I don't deserve none of this sh*t.

I'm tired of this sh*t.

Melanie, I'm tired of this sh*t.

I'm tired of this sh*t.

I'm tired of this sh*t. (Cries)

A couple of days later, Sheriff's served me

with an order of protection.

I can't contact Monica or Jaleah in any way

or else I'll go to jail.

Now to the courts, I'm unstable.

Like I'm a danger to my daughter

on the bogus abuse report

that she made, all the

BS allegations and sh*t,

I might as well did it all.

All the f*cking money

I'm paying to this lawyer,

bond money I'm not

gonna get back, court fees,

just so I can have the

rights I already have,

just so I can see my baby, man.

Child support already coming

outta my check every month.

I gotta work two, three days overtime just

to pay my f*cking bills, man.

I ain't gonna lie, man.

Sometimes, I understand Greg.

Like what's the point?

What's the point, bro?

Hey, look, brother, I feel you, Rakeem,

like I really do, brother,

but that is not the right

decision, and it never will be,

but even still, nobody at

this table is going to judge you

for how you feel.

You know, I haven't been

through what you've been through,

but I definitely understand.

I feel you, my brother, for real.

You know I'm gonna child support for two.

So you know I get it.

The courts are not in favor for us, man,

and the fact that she is

weaponizing the courts

to keep you from your kids is crazy, bro.

Man, make me pissed off right now,

and I'm being a jackass

for my little situation.

I'm mad because my girl

pushing the kids on me.

So she can go live her life,

and you here can't even see yours.

That's crazy, man.

Okay, so what's the lawyer say, right?

Look at that.

How do we get this all back right?

As long as this order

of protection is active,

there's nothing she can do.

I gotta get that dismissed

before she can do anything, man.

[Adam] Damn, that sh*t crazy, oh.

Look, man, I ain't gonna lie, man.

I thought about k*lling her, man.

Like I seriously considered it.

Man, I feel like I got

nothing to lose, man.

Feel like I'm not gonna see Jaleah again.

You know, she just going to grow up

thinking I'm a deadbeat father.

sh*t, man, look, the only

justice I thought I was gonna get

a man to pulling a

b*llet in the b*tch's head

for all the sh*t she doing to me, man.

Look, man, I know I sound crazy, man.

I hate to even say that sh*t out loud.

No, no, no, this is exactly

where you need to say

that out loud and get it

off your chest, all right?

Ain't a man at this table gonna fault you

for feeling like that, my brother, okay?

Again, that is the reason for all of this.

Now y'all were married.

Why is she acting like this,

if you don't mind me asking?

I don't know, bro.

All we did was ever argue.

There was never any peace in

at home when we were together.

So I thought the divorce was mutual.

Then soon as male come into the picture,

I guess it's probably that, man.

sh*t, I don't know.

Look, brother, you

are a great father, okay?

And don't you for a second think otherwise.

Ain't how many women it is out here dealing

with these weak, spineless men.

I bet most of them wish that the fathers

of their children were half the man

that you are today, all right?

I guarantee that.

Matter of fact, your situation

kind of reminds me of

what it is that I want

to bring to the table.

I've been thinking a lot about my father.

You know how many

sleepless nights I caused him?

Hell, they even live up

to his expectations for me.

All right, everybody at

this table has been open.

So I'm gonna be open too.

I've been struggling a

lot since my father passed.

(ominous orchestra music)

Mom, mom, mom, mama, where is he?

Where is he, where is he?

Oh, he's in the ambulance

on the way to the hospital.

Okay, wait, wait, wait, wait.

What do you need?

Tell me, tell me what you need

Son, Look, just prepare yourself.

Prepare yourself, son.

I remember exactly how

I felt hearing those words

from my mother.

She knew, I knew.

My father wasn't an openly emotional man.

That's why I remember the

first time I saw my father cry

standing at my grandfather's grave.

I didn't understand the

concept of grief at that time.

Death, I didn't quite understand it.

The next time I saw my father cry again,

I didn't quite understand why.

I remember thinking it's not that serious.

That was the second and last time

that I would ever see him

show that much emotion.

My father wasn't big on PDA.

He loved my mother because

no matter how much she fussed,

he tried to make her happy.

My father never told me he loved me,

at least not from what I can remember,

but I mean this sincerely

when I say he never had to.

I knew he did.

I remember seeing my father

sit at the dining room table,

television on and him paying it no mind,

just staring into space.

Then I didn't have a single clue as to why,

but now I totally understand.

The world was on his shoulders,

the weight of being a

husband, a father, a provider.

He sat there at that

table trying to figure it out,

and even when he didn't know

how, he always found a way.

My father wasn't a perfect man.

He had his flaws.

He specialized in holding grudges.

He would forgive, but

he would never forget,

and saving money

wasn't his best strong suit.

Even when he didn't have

it, he would go into debt

to get it sometimes because

he just wanted to see us happy.

The family was all he had.

My father was a prideful man.

He'd do it all by himself

before he allowed someone

to brag about lending him a hand,

realizing his body was failing

him and he could no longer do

so many things he took pride in doing

was a sobering sadness

his words can't explain,

but sometimes that pride led

to stubbornness beyond repair.

Even he couldn't do certain things.

He still tried.

One night, I saw a look

in his eyes I'd never forget.

He was tired.

I watched my father take his last breath.

Through the weeping and praying around me,

I just remember staring at him

with a pure sense of mortality.

I've experienced death many times before,

but this was different.

As a man, losing your father is different.

Who can I call now

when I can't get the faucet

to stop leaking no matter

how much I tighten it

or hear some of the wisdom

that I once took for granted?

The man who made me a man is gone now.

Right then more than any

other time, life became real.

Was blind but now I'm free

[Adam] As a father

myself, if I could say one thing

to him right now, I would simply apologize.

I'd apologize for all the stress

and the hurt that I caused

growing from a child into a man,

because at this point in my life, I get it.

I find myself staring into space a lot now,

wondering if I've done enough trying

to figure this thing out

as a husband and a father,

understanding now that you

can only hope your children

listen and take what you've taught them.

Knowing now why my father

broke down at that table,

the sober realization that

you truly can't control any

of it, and how one day when

they're grown and I'm gone,

my boys will get it to.

Damn, that was deep, bro.

I love you, brother.

Love you too, man.

Love you too, JO, and you too, Mark.

It's getting a little soft in here,

but I love you fellas too.

I just wanna say all y'all

like a brother too, man,

and Adam, I appreciate

you for putting this together.

Definitely much needed, bro.

I agree.

I mean, I wasn't feeling it at first,

but I'm looking forward to it next time.

Yeah, man, I feel lighter.

I mean, thank you for starting this, bro.

Man, thank you all.

Man, sometimes, man, we,

as men, have this tendency

to wear this S on our chest.

I mean, like we never want

anybody to perceive us as soft.

Man, if you can't talk to

your brothers, your wives,

there's somebody that you can trust, man,

this sh*t will eat you alive.

I just really wish we had done this sooner

before Greg thought the decision

that he made was the right one.

To Greg, cards, and cognac.

- Greg.

- Greg.

(glasses clink)

- Drink.

All right, fellas, I

think we had a great day

and I'm looking forward to do this again,

but all this sentimental sh*t

just got me all thrown off.

I think we need to play

one more game, okay?

(upbeat pop music)

(dramatic electronic music)