03x07 - Lift Me Up

[bunniefuu]

[W.C.P.M.'S "MISS V.I.P." PLAYING]

[DING]

So...

Uh-oh.

Why are you saying, "Uh-oh"?
I ain't even said nothing yet.

'Cause I can hear it in your voice.

Well, it's just Dr. P. called yesterday

about that Shea business.

I had to tell her everything
was fine here, again.

You know how much I hate lying to her.

And I hate asking you to, but, Nate...

I know. You want to wait
till after your surgery

and you get your full
pathology results first.

Once I get the results
and I know exactly

what the rest of my treatment
plan looks like, I promise

I will tell her myself.

In the meantime, I found a
really cute menu we can use

- for our early Thanksgiving...
- NATE: Friendsgiving.

Friendsgiving dinner.

It's all healthy, organic ingredients.

So I can't make my deviled eggs?

Child, after this
whole fertility process,

I don't even want to
hear the word "eggs,"

so you will be making
your turmeric apple cider.

You're awfully upbeat for a
person having surgery in a week.

Well, they say attitude
is linked to outcome,

so I am keeping mine positive.

- NATE: I feel that.
- W.C.P.M.: ♪ Everything I do ♪

- ♪ I hit the bass line ♪
- SIMONE: De'Sean!

[GASPS, WHISPERS] Who is...

- DE'SEAN: Yo, wassup, ma?
- SIMONE: Hey.

- How you doing?
- I'm good. How are you?

DE'SEAN: Mm-hmm. [KISS]
Yo, so check it out.

My 3 p.m. section got canceled tomorrow.

- Mm-hmm?
- So I'm thinking maybe I could

slide through around that
time and we can, you know.

SIMONE: Yeah.

- Sound good?
- Sounds perfect.

I'll text you the address to the loft.

- I'll see you tomorrow.
- Mm-hmm.

W.C.P.M.: ♪ Spotlight, strobe light ♪

♪ Soulmate, I lit a
good life, follow me... ♪

[DEEP VOICE] "I'll see you tomorrow."

- [LAUGHS]
- Simone Marie Hicks,

am I tripping or did you
just arrange a hookup?

Oh, please. Meaningless hookups

are what colleges are for.

And no judgment. We've
had our fair share, but...

is now really the right time?

Nate, I just...

I want to be a normal,


doing fun, 21-year-old
college-girl ish while I still can.

- NATE: Get it in!
- BOTH: ♪ Girl! ♪

[LAUGHS]

W.C.P.M.: ♪ Follow me if
you wanna be a beau slide ♪

Yeah, buddy.

I figured you'll eat enough turkey

when you have actual Thanksgiving

with your mom next week.

Mm. This is the b*mb. All right.

So I put together more
age-appropriate activities this time,

like tickets to the Hawks game.

Then I thought we'd cook our own
version of Thanksgiving dinner.

- Sounds good?
- Yeah.

How are you gonna host
everyone in here, though?

Thanksgiving's a family dinner,

so that means family's coming, right?

Well, I'm sorry. Dinner's
just gonna be us, son.

I must have aunts or uncles
or cousins that live nearby.

Noah, no one else is coming.

Oh.

Now eat your food, son.

So? What you think?

Well, there's nothing to say, except...

you k*lled that, Cam.

Ha! No, seriously. I mean,

the piano bit, the way
you layer in the drums?

You ate, no crumbs.

- None.
- CAM: [CHUCKLES] Good. Thanks.

The studio's sending this
out to a new artist next week,

so it's got to be perfect.

Oh, I'd be proud to send
that to any producer.

- For real.
- CAM: OK.

- To the top, baby.
- That's what I'm talking about.

- You ain't know.
- KEISHA: Cam,

I didn't realize you were
sending your track out next week.

- That's amazing.
- Yeah, bro, congratulations.

- You're doing your thing.
- Gee, thanks.

KEISHA: So, what's next?
Do they just bring you in

- and give you a record deal?
- CAM: Oh, so,

now you're interested?

Of course I am.

- Can I hear the track?
- Maybe later.

I got a phone call to make.

[PAPER BAG RUSTLING]

I got some extra needles if you
want to put one in Cam's chair.

KEISHA: Don't tempt me.

- What's going on with him?
- Girl, I wish I knew.

He's been in a funky mood for weeks now.

He claims that he's starting

to feel stressed about this track,

but I'm feeling like it's personal.

Now, what's this?

I'm donating my leftover
fertility meds to the clinic.

Hopefully, someone else
could benefit from them.

- That's really cool of you.
- Thanks.

Just trying to get like Mother Bey,

turn these lemons into some lemonade.

Speaking of which, I need to tell Nate

to get some lemons from the store.

- [GABBY CHUCKLING]
- NATE: Come on, girl.

THEA: I'm still so confused as to
how we got stuck with grocery duty.

Damn, y'all practically bought
out the whole produce section.

We got broccoli,
cabbages, collard greens,

kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.

- JR: ♪ You name it ♪
- NATE: Right.

THEA: Are we really gonna
eat all of this food?

SIMONE: OK, about that...

first, I want to thank you all
for agreeing to move up Thanks...

Friendsgiving family dinner

to avoid conflicting with my surgery.

KEISHA: Of course. We wanted
to send you off on a high note.

And I love family dinners,

as long as I'm not the one cooking.

SIMONE: Which is why I have
paired us up to divide and conquer

this menu, so, Nate and Thea, you
guys will be on drinks and apps.

THEA: Lando is looking like a genius
for leaving early for the holidays.

- NATE: Girl, shut up.
- SIMONE: Anyway,

Keisha...

you'll be with Gabby for desserts...

and then, JR...

and Cam, you guys will
be cooking the turkey.

It's a done deal. We got this.

They don't know about that
Raymond family seasoning.

- CAM: Yeah.
- SIMONE: And these veggies,

I will make into a delicious casserole.

OK, great. Now that we
got business out the way,

I know these past few
weeks have been a lot,

with my doctor visits and
the egg retrieval process.

Yeah, them hormone swings
took us all on a journey.

I know, and I appreciate y'all,

which is why, for dinner, there
will be no mention of the C word.

I just want us to enjoy a pleasant...

- [DOOR OPENS]
- drama-free meal so we can

- truly just enjoy...
- [AMARA SIGHS]

Well, hello... [CHUCKLES] everyone.

I'm back.

AMARA: I was expecting a slightly
more enthusiastic welcome.

- Hi!
- Welcome home!

- What's up, Dr. P.?
- Welcome back.

- SIMONE: Of course we're happy to see you.
- [AMARA CHUCKLES]

We just, um,

weren't expecting to
see you until Christmas.

AMARA: Well, a few meetings got pushed,

which opened up my
schedule, so I decided

- to surprise you guys.
- SIMONE: OK, well, hey.

- AMARA: Hey. [CHUCKLES]
- NATE: Well, you succeeded.

- Hey.
- How long you staying?

- Oh, till Friday.
- Friday.

Are you guys cooking?

I thought for sure by now, you'd
be back to takeout and ramen.

THEA: [LAUGHS]

Oh, sweetie, these need to be put away.

KEISHA: You know what?

Why don't you let us take care of that,

and you can head to your
President's apartment on campus,

- you know, freshen up?
- I am plenty fresh,

- thank you...
- [SCATTERED CHUCKLING]

but why don't you all catch me up

on everything that's been going on?

Oh, well... [CHUCKLES]

- uh...
- AMARA: Thank you, dear.

I would say the usual. Uh, tennis,

classes.

- Pretty boring, right?
- ALL: Yeah, yeah.

JR: 'Cause I'm sure DC way
more exciting than this,

and you know what I thought
about? Let me ask you a question.

- You best friends with the VP yet?
- [CHUCKLES]

- Don't bother, JR.
- Hey, uh...

- all right.
- Y'all think y'all slick,

but I know exactly what's going on here.

All the food,

the nervous looks?

You guys are throwing
a party, aren't you?

- NATE: Oh, my gosh.
- SIMONE: Yes!

KEISHA: I don't know how
you do it. You caught us.

- T.T., how you know?
- I've been around students

too long to pull one over on me.

- SIMONE: Ah, yes, yes.
- JR: We sorry.

- We apologize.
- AMARA: But I know nothing.

Just clean up the Solo
cups and beer cans, please?

JR: Yes, ma'am.

Oh, no, Dr. P. It's
not that kind of party.

We're doing a Friendsgiving
family dinner, since,

um, not all of us will be
here for the actual holiday.

- AMARA: That's so great.
- [SIMONE CHUCKLES]

I thought I'd have to miss Thanksgiving.

Now I can celebrate with you after all.

Yeah... it's wonderful.

Well, Auntie, I think

that you are probably so jet-lagged

after your flight from
DC, so why don't you

- just go unpack and rest?
- JR: That's a good idea.

I'm fine,

though I should check in at the office.

- Yeah.
- JR: You should.

- SIMONE: Yeah.
- JR: Yes, ma'am.

- GABBY: Yep.
- CAM: Yeah. [CHUCKLES]

- Busy, busy. [LAUGHS]
- KEISHA: So good to see you.

- JR: Whoo!
- AMARA: Be good.

- KEISHA: You look great.
- GABBY: Nice to see you.

JR: It's good to see you, Dr. P.

- KEISHA: It's a gorgeous loft.
- JR: You look good, too.

- CAM: Welcome back.
- JR: You smell good.

- JR: Love you.
- Stay safe.

OK.

- [ALL SIGH]
- JR: Whew! Y'all almost got caught.

KEISHA: Who is "y'all"?

CAM: How are we supposed to keep
your diagnosis a secret with Dr. P.

right here, breaking bread?

NATE: Yeah, lying to her
over the phone is one thing,

but I can't do it to her face.

Guys, we just have
to get through dinner,

and she's on the next
flight to DC this weekend.

It'll be fine.

MARCUS: All right, we got F1 racing,

a baking competition,

ah, and we got a dating
show set in the Amazon.

Whatever. I don't care.

We're really back to this?

What's going on with you?

NOAH: It's just, when you invited
me for Thanksgiving dinner,

I thought it meant
I'd finally get to meet

- other members of my family.
- MARCUS: Look, my bad.

I should have been clear
that that can't happen.

Why? Because they not want to see me?

No, the truth is I haven't
told my family about you.

Look, it has nothing
to do with you, son, OK?

The situation is complicated.

My family and I don't even speak.

Mostly my father and I.

Why not?

That's a long story for another time,

but, hey, it'll be great.

OK? Just the two of us.

So, you feeling better?

What you mean? I'm cool.

I figured you must
have bumped your head,

talking to your girlfriend like that.

What's your issue?

[SIGHS]

Look, tell me this.

Do you think Keisha and JR
spend too much time together?

What? No, I don't.

Why?

[SIGHS]

- Look at this. What do you see?
- [HIP HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

Keisha street-dancing.
What's your point?

Look closer.

OK, so JR went to go see Keisha dance.

- So did you.
- CAM: Nah,

this was weeks before
the rest of us even knew

about Keisha's street-dancing.

And look...

it wasn't the only time.

Dude's everywhere she's at,

and he kept the whole thing a secret,

so you don't think
that's a little shady?

I remember this outfit.

JR told me he couldn't come to dinner

because he had a test to study for.

So either he changed his major,

or this fool lied to me.

- MARCUS: Oh!
- AMARA: Ooh! Sorry.

Amara, I thought you were in DC.

I'm, um...

I'm just home for a few days
to check on Simone and the kids.

- All good?
- No.

I can't shake the feeling
they're keeping something from me.

You must be Noah?

MARCUS: Noah, this is
President Amara Patterson.

She runs this place.

Um, Noah, they're giving away free
holiday drinks at the coffee cart.

Why don't you go grab us some?

[PATS BACK]

- Sorry about that.
- AMARA: Oh,

he's a teenage boy.

The fact that he even
greeted me is miraculous.

Uh, it's not that.

Noah thought he'd be meeting my
side of the family on this trip.

He's been icy since I told
him that's not happening.

He didn't know that you
and George don't speak.

Yeah, well, I thought I'd
have a little more time

before I had to get into
that whole situation.

Or maybe rectify it?

Marcus, it's been years.

Maybe it's time to
reach out to your father,

let him know he has a grandson?

After what he did,

that man doesn't
deserve to meet Noah, OK?

AMARA: Your father dealt with
your mother's bipolar disorder

as best he could, and
then he loved her enough

to put her with the people
best-equipped to help her.

Love is keeping your wife at home

and not shipping her
off to some facility

to make her be someone else's problem.

Well, Noah is clearly
searching for a connection,

so maybe you need to figure out
some way to give that to him.

- AMARA: Have a seat, guys.
- THEA: Oh, I can stand.

[CHUCKLES]

OK.

NATE: Is something wrong?

I, uh...

just wanted to check in,

see if there is anything going
on that I should know about?

- Everything's fine.
- All good here.

[CHUCKLES]

Let's try this again.

The past few weeks, during
my calls with you guys,

I've gotten a...

strange vibe.

- NATE: Strange how?
- THEA: Oh.

Like you were holding something back,

which is partly why I
decided to come home,

and yesterday, I got that same vibe.

So whatever is going on,

I need you two to spill it right now.

Yeah, I mean, I...

I don't know what you want
us to tell you, Dr. Patterson,

'cause there's nothing going on.

I'm sorry, Dr. P. I don't
want no smoke from Simone.

- You'll have to talk to her yourself.
- Simone?

What about Simone?

I've already said too much. Um...

[DOOR OPENS]

- [KNOCKING ON DOOR]
- Coming.

I hope you are read...

Auntie, what are you... hi.

Yeah, I couldn't get to
my keys, and can you take

- some of these, please?
- SIMONE: Yes, uh, one sec, yep.

- Oh, whew! Thank you.
- Hey.

Hey. These were in the lobby for you.

What are in these?

SIMONE: Uh, just some
early Christmas presents.

Child, why are you in your underwear

- in the middle of the afternoon?
- SIMONE: You know, I'm just studying.

- DE'SEAN: Hey, ma.
- Hi.

- How you doing? Look at you.
- SIMONE: Ha! Yeah.

- You look incredible.
- Thank you so much, De'Sean.

Baby, listen, we have the
whole afternoon to ourselves.

- SIMONE: We really don't.
- DE'SEAN: We don't got to rush.

AMARA: Ahem!

Ahem.

- Mrs., um...
- SIMONE: No, nope.

- Uh, D-Doctor.
- Mm-hmm.

- Dr. Patterson, what's up?
- Oh,

guess that answers my question.

- Mm-hmm.
- [SIGHS]

I'm sorry, young man.

I don't know your name.

Uh, I'm De'Sean Young.

Yeah, you actually taught
my Media Culture class.

Yeah, I had a B

up until the final, you know,

because I ran out of
time on the essay, so I...

that's why I... I got a... I got a C.

- So, I'mma go.
- SIMONE AND AMARA: Yeah.

- DE'SEAN: I'mma head out.
- AMARA: You should.

DE'SEAN: Yeah, yeah.

- SIMONE: I'll just, uh...
- DE'SEAN: Yeah, do that.

- Yes.
- SIMONE: Bye. Mm-hmm.

Hmm.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Hey... I got your message.

I thought we were gonna be
working on desserts at the loft.

[CHUCKLES] Real talk, Keisha?

Neither one of us can really bake.

[CHUCKLES] My friend works
at the pie shop on Edgewood.

- She gonna hook us up.
- KEISHA: Oh, girl, thank you,

'cause I want to do my part, but

pastry chef is not my ministry.

Exactly. [CHUCKLES]

Save all your energy for street-dancing

and setting up romantic dates.

You was really in your bag
with that one, for real, girl.

I was really happy to do it.

Yeah, JR is great,

but dudes don't have
that kind of vision.

- Mm.
- Like, how'd you even come up with that?

KEISHA: OK, well, quiet as it's kept,

I am a huge romance-novel girlie myself,

so it's really not that
hard for me to come up

with the "perfect Regency evening."

GABBY: Mm. OK.

So, when you did all that,

was it my perfect date
you were setting up

with JR or your own?

So we got a teaspoon of dry rosemary

- and a teaspoon of dry sage.
- OK. Man,

being back at this house again,

working on this project
with you... [CHUCKLES]

got me feeling like I got
a piece of my old life back.

- Is that right?
- And with Lando stepping up,

we might be able to get baseball back.

Bro, do you know that he reached out

to every single KEK bro with a
connection to the board members?

CAM: Why you sound so surprised?

He promised to help out,
and KEK brothers got a code.

- True, that.
- Or have you forgotten?

[CHUCKLES] Bro, what's
that supposed to mean?

All right, real talk, bro?

I need some answers.

Aw, that's me supporting a friend.

Keisha was self-conscious
about trying out a new dance,

so I just went along
as emotional support.

Hmm, then you just kept emotionally
supporting her, for weeks?

- Cam, what is your problem?
- What's my problem?

n*gro, you are. You
think it's cool for you

and my girl to just lie to me?

Bro, Keisha and I are just friends

- and you know that.
- CAM: I know the two of y'all

been keeping secrets,
and that's messed up.

- Even Gabby said you was...
- JR: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Gabby?

Bro, you talked to my girl about this?

Yeah. She see it like I do.

Yeah, that's 'cause you plant suspicion
in her mind for no reason, Cam.

- That's a punk-a*s move.
- Who the hell you calling a punk, bruh?

If you got problems in your
relationship, that's on you.

Don't try to go sabotaging mine, man.

Yo, we got a problem?

Hey, JR, why don't you just leave?

I'll finish the turkey.

[SCOFFS, CHUCKLES]

All right, you do that.

Come in.

Auntie...

- I...
- Mm-mm, you know what?

Uncomfortable as that was for all of us,

you grown.

- That's none of my business.
- Good. All right.

All right. Thank you.

I just hope you're not
using those same condoms

I gave you freshman year.

- Those things do expire.
- SIMONE: Auntie, please.

[CHUCKLES] I'm just
saying, please, be safe.

So, um...

I just wanted to check in,

see how things are going.

I am fine. I told you.

You know you can share
anything with me, right,

- no matter what it is?
- SIMONE: I know,

and if I had something
to tell you, I would,

but I don't. I'm fine, really.

Uh, Keisha texted me a few minutes ago

about some dance
emergency, so I got to go,

but I will see you at Friendsgiving?

I'll bring my sweet
potato pie. [CHUCKLES]

I know that's right. Love you.

Love you, too.

"Atlanta-Fulton Regional Hospital"?

I'll show you something. Ah!

Let's see.

Oh, wow. [MUMBLES]

This here is your great-grandfather.

[CHUCKLES]

I never met him,

but he worked at a
factory in Gatlinburg.

He and Granny had 8 kids.

[CHUCKLES]

Oh...

now, this is my great aunt Evelyn.

Now, in college, she
was arrested at a sit-in.

She kept her framed mug
shot on her wall for decades.

[CHUCKLES]

Nice. She was gangsta.

- [CHUCKLES]
- MARCUS: Oh, yes, she was.

- So...
- This is Ruth Turner,

your grandmother. She
was a schoolteacher.

Second grade.

- She ruled that school.
- [NOAH CHUCKLES]

She also made the best
chocolate-chip cookies.

She's dead?

Yeah...

about 15 years ago.

Who's that with her?

That's my father. George Turner.

Everyone calls him June.

What, he's... alive?

What's he do?

He was a cook.

He worked at this barbecue
joint for 40 years...

but I heard he retired
near Lake Seminole.

He always liked to fish.

Wait, that's not far.

Can I meet him or even
just call or email?

I don't think that's a good idea.

Why not?

Why can't you trust me with this?

Why can't you give me a straight answer?

Because June Turner is
a selfish, uncaring man.

Now, you don't need someone
like this in your life, son.

- He's my grandfather. C-can't I just...
- Stop it, Noah.

You have me.

Now, I'm sorry if that's not enough.

[SIGHS]

["KEEP ON" BY SASHA ALEX SLOAN PLAYING]

SLOAN: ♪ Started crawling in my skin ♪

♪ Looking for a way out ♪

♪ I can feel it happening ♪

♪ So I talk myself down ♪

♪ 'Cause right now the walls
are starting to cave in ♪

♪ Sometimes I wish I was somebody else ♪

♪ When my mind starts misbehaving ♪

♪ Is when I tell myself ♪

♪ OK, baby, you'll be OK ♪

♪ You just gotta keep, gotta keep on ♪

♪ You just gotta keep on movin' ♪

♪ Even on the bad days,
you just gotta keep... ♪

"Just because you're
recovering from surgery

doesn't mean you can't be fashionable."

[CHUCKLES] "I added the goats

because that's what you are.

You got this. Love, Nate."

♪ ... be OK, you just gotta ♪

♪ Keep, gotta keep on ♪

♪ You just gotta keep on ♪

[HEART POUNDING]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[HEART BEATING FASTER]

[WHIMPERING]

[THINKING] No more.

Oh, don't do this, don't do this.

[BREATHING AND HEARTRATE STABILIZE]

[SIGHS]

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Amara, what's wrong?

Is Noah around?

He's in the shower.

What happened?

I found this in Simone's room.

This doctor specializes
in fertility issues.

- Fertility? Simone?
- Exactly.

All she talks about is
school, PKZ, and tennis.

Why would she need a fertility doctor?

- Did you ask her about it?
- [SCOFFS] Please.

Child's been playing in
my face since I got here.

I don't trust her to tell me the truth.

She mentioned getting an
MRI a couple weeks back.

I mean, but I thought it
was for her tennis swing.

[SIGHS]

NOAH: She could be selling her eggs.

The walls in here are pretty thin.

My friend Jackie's sister did
that to pay for law school.

If he's right, then Simone needs money.

For what?

And why wouldn't she come to me?

Look, I don't know.

- Simone's an adult.
- [AMARA SCOFFS]

MARCUS: Look, let her handle this.

I'm sure she'll tell
you in her own time.

How am I supposed to make it through

family dinner tomorrow with
the kids, knowing what I know?

NOAH: Wait, you're
having dinner, tomorrow?

Will JR, Cam, or Lando be there?

JR and Cam will be.

You're welcome to join, of course.

Frankly, I'd welcome the distraction.

- MARCUS: All right.
- [NOAH CHUCKLES]

[SCOFFS]

What's so urgent it had to be in person?

You want to really act
like you don't know?

Gabby confronted me today.

She had the right to know.

To know what?

I told her that nothing was going on,

which I would have told you

if you had just come to me
first, so why didn't you?

So you can lie to me again?

Keisha, you had me out
here looking like a fool.

I was feeling bad that you
felt like you didn't have

anybody you could
share your dancing with,

and the whole time, you had JR on deck.

I didn't have anybody on deck.

JR came as a friend, Cam.

I didn't say anything because I
didn't think it was a big deal.

CAM: If it wasn't a big deal,
you would have said something!

That's my whole point! You lied,

and that tells me all I need to know.

[SIGHS]

This is ridiculous.

Listen, I... I explained to you

why I didn't tell you
about my street-dancing.

I mean, you should be
happy that I had somebody

that I could confide in,
like you have with Gabby.

That's not the same,
and you know it, Keisha.

I'm very open about
what I share with Gabby,

and I would have shared it with you

if you cared to show any interest.

Are you saying that I don't support you?

Keisha, you barely
asked me about my trip

or my songwriting gig when I got back,

so what was I supposed to think, huh?

Well, Cam, you haven't
asked me once about

how I'm doing since Simone
was diagnosed, have you?

Once.

I love you,

and I have always supported you,

and you know that.

Oh, OK. OK, you know what? Um...

this was a bad idea.
I think you should go

before we say something
that we can't take back.

[SNIFFLES]

[SCOFFS] Aight.

Whatever.

[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]

[MUSIC PLAYING]

GABBY: [LAUGHS] Really?

- For real? Wait. [LAUGHS]
- NOAH: Yeah. I swear.

I guess we're both giving
our kids space today.

FEMALE SINGER: ♪ I just want you... ♪

GABBY: It's never, ever, ever that...

Excuse me, baby. Mind
if we talk for a minute?

Why don't you go talk
to your friend? Keisha?

Noah, what do you do to
celebrate Thanksgiving?

NOAH: Usually, it's just me and my mom

and my stepdad at a restaurant.

- GABBY: Oh.
- CAM: No big family gathering?

NOAH: No, my mom's
an only child like me.

I never spend a holiday with a
big group of people like this.

Oh. Well, bro, you are officially

on the family dinner
invite list from now on.

- Cool?
- NOAH: Cool.

All right. [CHUCKLES]

AMARA: He's lonely for extended family.

It's clearly important to him.

Makes me wonder if that bridge
that you burned can't be rebuilt.

MARCUS: I don't know,

but with Noah,

I'll try.

[CHUCKLES]

- Noah, hey, son, let's take a photo.
- NOAH: Hmm.

- MARCUS: Cam?
- Oh, I got you.

[BACKGROUND SINGERS VOCALIZE]

- CAM: All right, now, smile, now.
- [SONG PAUSES]

[CLICK]

- SINGER: ♪ Go where I wanna go ♪
- MARCUS: All right.

- Appreciate it, Cam. Come on, let's go over here.
- CAM: You got it.

SINGER: ♪ Anywhere I stay... ♪

SIMONE, QUIETLY: Thea?

My auntie keeps looking at me.

Mm. [CHUCKLES]

Well, I wonder why.

SINGER: ♪ By the time we run ♪

- SIMONE: What?
- I meant to tell you,

Dr. P. interrogated
Thea and I yesterday,

so I'm pretty sure she's on to you.

- I tried.
- [THEA SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY]

Don't k*ll Nate yet.

It is much too public.

But, hey, it'll be fine, Simone.

Let's just get through this dinner, OK?

Come on.

SINGER: ♪ Be mine tonight ♪

- AMARA: [LAUGHS] Of course.
- SIMONE: Before we eat,

we thought it would be a
great idea if we all went

around the table and said
what we were grateful for.

MARCUS: Well, that's easy.

I'm grateful that my son Noah
came into my life this year.

[NOAH CHUCKLES]

NOAH: I'm thankful to
be here with all of you.

KEISHA: Oh, sweet.

THEA: I am thankful that
no matter how far away I go,

I can always come back
here for good food.

- JR: Ha!
- THEA: And good friends.

[LAUGHTER]

THEA: Don't look at me like that.

JR: Uh, I'm grateful that we
can all get together like this.

It's been a rough couple
years for all of us,

but y'all friendship have
been worth more than gold.

Oh, JR.

Yeah, I'm thankful for friends, too,

especially the ones who
I feel like I can trust.

Mm, well, I am grateful

for people who are upfront
and honest about their feelings

and not playing childish games.

- AMARA: OK, well, I'll go... OK.
- GABBY: Well, I'm thankful for people

who don't pretend to care about me

and then lie to me in my face.

- JR: Excuse me?
- CAM: Yeah, cheers to that.

- GABBY: Cheers.
- OK, does someone want to explain

to me what's going on?

I don't remember hostility
being on the menu, at all.

- JR: I didn't think so.
- KEISHA: Do either of you wanna?

- GABBY: Go ahead.
- CAM: You got it.

KEISHA: Oh. Oh, OK, well,

Cam and Gabby accused
JR and I of cheating.

NATE: I'm sorry. They say you did what?

SIMONE: I'm sorry.

- Y'all don't really believe that, do you?
- KEISHA: Exactly,

it's ridiculous and insulting.

CAM: So then why don't you tell
everybody why we said it, Keisha?

JR, CHUCKLING: Come on, Cam, stop.

Keisha is your girl.

I wouldn't do nothing like that.

KEISHA: And above all, you're
supposed to trust me, so...

CAM: How can I, when your words

- and your actions don't line up?
- GABBY: Exactly.

Guys, you know what? Let's
just take it down a notch.

Oh, so, Gabby, you
just believe Cam, huh?

I get it, so, what y'all want
me to do is just throw away

my friendship just to
satisfy y'all paranoia?

All I know is there's a pattern
of you keeping things from me,

and lately, it always
seems to involve Keisha.

CAM: Mm, y'all see how honesty works?

KEISHA: Oh, you might as well
just get off your high horse,

because what did you do?

You kept this to yourself for weeks,

punishing me with the cold shoulder.

Like, who does that to
somebody they supposedly love?

CAM: Now don't you try
to put this back on me

'cause this is for you and him only...

[DISH CLATTERS]

CAM: Oh, S-Simone.

Simone, I'm... I'm sorry.

- GABBY: Sim...
- JR: Look at you.

- AMARA: Excuse me. Excuse me.
- JR: How petty.

Simone?

Auntie, I have breast cancer.

It's OK.

It's likely Stage 1.

They'll know more after my
lumpectomy next week, and then

it should just be radiation and then...

then I'll be fine.

Yes, you will.

[BREATH SHUDDERING]

- Why didn't you tell me?
- Because I didn't want you to worry,

not until I knew everything, and

I figured you'd tell my mom.

- You haven't told your mother yet?
- Auntie, there's nothing she can do.

She has a great opportunity in Japan,

and I don't want her to
lose that because of me.

She sacrificed one dream to take care

of a sick family member. You know that.

She shouldn't have to give up another.

OK,

- but no more lies, no more brush-offs.
- OK.

[WHISPERS] Come here.

How are you...

really?

I'm terrified.

And I just wanted today to be happy...

and normal...

'cause I'm trying so
hard to stay positive...

and every day closer,
I just get this knot

in my stomach and it just gets tighter.

'Cause what if something goes wrong or

what if it's worse than
they thought, and...

and what is my body gonna look like?

Is that what the...
business with that, um,

young man was all about?

I just wanted to feel
sexy and desirable.

I don't know when I'll
feel that way again

- after all this.
- AMARA: You will.

- No disease can take that away.
- [SCOFFS]

I'm just so angry that I even
have to deal with all this.

I'm 21,

and it's stupid.

It's not fair.

Sorry.

- So petty.
- It is not petty.

It's real.

You want to cry,

cry.

You want to... scream

or throw something or...

hook up with a totally hot,

- but inappropriate guy...
- [SIMONE CHUCKLES]

bottom line is feel all
your feelings, baby girl,

'cause on the other
side of that is freedom.

I'm really happy you're here.

So am I...

and I got you,

the whole way.

[UNLOCKS DOOR]

Thanks for coming up to talk.

- [KNOCKS ON DOOR JAMB]
- Hey.

Can we talk?

Yeah.

[SETS DOWN NOTEPAD]

- Simone OK?
- KEISHA: Yeah, she texted.

She's with Dr. P.

Well, that disaster of a family dinner

made me realize that...

I need to be completely
transparent with you

about me and JR.

Keisha giving me her
bone marrow saved my life,

and a journey like
that, it bonds people.

But not in the way that
you think, not romantically.

No, it's like... I've
never had a brother,

but I can talk to JR like I would

a sibling who's also my best friend.

Keisha and I, we're... we're family,

but you're right; I should have never

told her about baseball before you.

I crossed a boundary,

and I'm really sorry.

And you're right; I
haven't been as supportive

of your music lately, but

I think, subconsciously,
I was a little... jealous.

I was just...

caught up in my
feelings, and I was upset

that you didn't see things
the way that I saw 'em.

Your dream was taking
off, and mine was...

dying on the vine, so
when I found street dance,

I was extra-protective
of it, but I was wrong

to take out my insecurities on you.

Bottom line is

I love you,

and I'm sorry.

I believe you, JR,

and I want to move past all this.

But, JR...

I'm giving you my trust.

Do not make me that girl.

[WHISPERS] I won't.

I want you to feel like...

you can come and talk
to me about anything,

and if something gets
in the way of that, then

- we got to fix it.
- KEISHA: I would like that.

Yeah?

- Yeah.
- Come here.

Hey, thanks for the
dinner and everything.

Had a good time.

MARCUS: Things aren't usually that
out of control at family dinner.

It's cool. It was kind of
like my mom's reality TV shows.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

Listen, I know you were hoping
to meet family this trip,

and I'm sorry if I couldn't
make that happen for you, son.

NOAH: It's OK.

I mean, in a way, I
did meet your family,

just not your biological one.

MARCUS: Right. Ah, come here, boy.

Ah.

- NOAH: All right, man.
- [MARCUS CHUCKLES]

OK, come on.

- See you.
- OK, now.

_

_

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

[SIGHS]

I know.

Hmm.

[SNIFFLES]

After you left,

the kids finally filled me in.

[SNIFFLES, SIGHS]

MARCUS: Oh.

Simone's an athlete.

She eats right, takes care of herself.

She's dealt with so much:

teen pregnancy,

adoption, divorce.

Why cancer?

- There are no good answers.
- [SIGHS]

I told her I wouldn't tell Tina

so she wouldn't give
up her job in Japan,

but honestly...

I just don't want her to feel the pain

and helplessness that
I'm feeling right now.

Come here.

[SIGHS] Come here.

[SOBBING]

Oh, it's gonna be OK.

CAM: Simone, I'm very
sorry about earlier.

I was completely out of line.

It's OK, Cam.

To be honest...

my reaction wasn't
really about the dish.

Guys, the truth is

I haven't been completely
honest with you.

I, um...

I'm really struggling,

and as much love and support

as y'all have given me,
y'all don't really know

what I'm going through, and that is OK.

Auntie is gonna help me find
the resources that I need,

but I called y'all here
because I didn't get a chance

to say what I was thankful for

because y'all have
done so much more than

take me to appointments or pick up meds.

When I get anxious,

Cam, I know that I can count on
your playlists of uplifting songs.

Or Thea,

I can chant one of those
mantras you taught me,

or I can write in the
journal you gave me, Gabby.

And JR,

I can read those damn
inspirational memes

you insist on texting me every day.

[CHUCKLES]

Keisha, you know you
and I do our Tai Chi...

and Nate, I can light
those healing candles

that you have in every
corner of this loft.

[ALL CHUCKLE]

SIMONE: In your own
way, y'all held me down

and y'all got me to this
point, and for that, I...

I am thankful.

I love you guys.

- CAM: Love you, too.
- [ALL CHUCKLE]

- SIMONE: Thank you.
- NATE: Thank you, bae.

[SIMONE AND GABBY GIGGLE]

MAN: Greg, move your head.