04x07 - Chapter Thirty-Five

[bunniefuu]

[brakes squeaking]

♪ Mmm ♪

[engine shuts off]

♪ Mmm, mmm, mmm ♪

♪ Mmm, mmm, mmm ♪

♪ We came forward ♪

I still don't think
it's safe for you to stay here.

If someone wants me,
they're gonna find me wherever I am.

Mijo, you need anything,
you call me. Any time of day.

♪ Somehow we made it ♪

♪ Although jaded ♪

♪ Was it worth it all? ♪

As soon as I'm done with school,
I'm gonna come see you and my niece.

Can't wait to meet her and your family.

They're your family now too.

♪ At least I'm with my baby ♪

♪ We can't get any higher ♪

♪ We can't get past Messiah ♪

[sighs] And one more thing.

♪ But we're still chasing ♪

♪ For that feeling ♪

[Isabel] Take this.

Put him to rest
somewhere his daughter can visit.

No.

I can't do that.

[exhales]

Why?

Because the only person
your brother loved more than me was you.

- What's next?
- Um... you can toss the toss pile.

Hmm, I thought the point
of moving Arlyn out

was to make room for your stuff,
not to get rid of it.

- Maybe we should move the baby back in.
- No.

[chuckles] Oh, wait.

One more thing.

- You wanna toss this?
- Yeah.

Your mom's book? Why?

Mm-mm.

You know, the time might not be now...

but someday you might wanna know
what she had to say.

Keep it.

Even if you bury it away.

[door closes]

[somber music playing]

So what are you gonna do?

I don't know.

How do I honor Oscar's life
in the right way

by dumping his ashes somewhere?

I shouldn't be the one to do this.
I'm gonna mess it up.

No, you're not.
Just have to trust yourself.

Well, I don't.

I can't stop thinking about
all the mistakes I've made.

All the people I put at risk.

You know what happened with Oscar
wasn't your fault.

I'm not just talking about Oscar.

I loved you so much

that I never thought
I'd ever put you in danger, and I did.

I never meant to hurt you.

I'm so sorry, Monse.

I am too.

[inhales deeply]

I still haven't forgiven myself
for losing you.

You didn't lose me.

We're burned into each other's DNA.

[both breathing heavily]

♪ Hey? ♪

♪ Yeah? ♪

♪ Been a minute since I last seen you ♪

♪ So can we talk? ♪

What?

♪ Hey, hey ♪

[softly] What are you thinking?

♪ Can we go back to what we once had ♪

[Monse exhales]

You're still the same...

♪ ...caught up in the past ♪

...and yet different.

- ♪ Thought it would be cool to meet up ♪
- [chuckles]

♪ Conversation ♪

♪ I know that we lost touch ♪

♪ Hey, stranger ♪

♪ Can we link up ♪

♪ Tell me what you wanted ♪

♪ Spark a li'l one ♪

♪ Build a fire ♪

♪ Try to keep in touch ♪

♪ Hey, stranger ♪

♪ Can we link up ♪

♪ Tell me what you wanted ♪

[sighs]

- [door opens]
- [grunting]

[door closes]

Guess I was right. You are my problem.

Hey.

- Vero...
- Don't! Don't even!

[door opens]

[door slams shut]

[Jamal] I don't want your sloppy seconds.

[Ruby] Sorry, I thought
we were doing family-style.

You know the only time I swap spit
is when I'm spitting game.

What am I supposed to eat now?
I'm starving.

Is it safe to be here?

No. It's not safe,
but it never was. [sighs]

Different day, same sh*t. Waffles?

When did you get so domestic?

Not that I'm suggesting
that your place is in the kitchen.

Your place is wherever you want it to be.

I toasted frozen waffles.

- [beeping]
- What's that?

Hash browns. Microwaved.

[exhales deeply]

- Dude, why you acting weird?
- Because...

I have a b*ner.

Ew! We all get boners, man.
No need to announce it.

This is different.

[inhales deeply] This one's for Monse.

- [gasps]
- And it's not the first one.

[gasps] Oh my God.

All this time, I've been hating her.

Have I actually been in love with her?

[Vero] You're not in love with me.

Don't say that. I do love you.

Do you regret it?

Good to know.

- I regret hurting you.
- That it?

- That's really all you have to say?
- No. I'm just...

- I don't know how to explain this.
- I knew this sh*t was gonna happen.

I had a feeling. Ever since we saw her,
you've been different.

You say you're done, but you're not.
You probably haven't even gotten started.

- Vero, come on. Just...
- Just watch.

[phone disconnects]

Are you done?

What?

Why are you staring?
Is something on my face?

Yeah. Uh...
why are you staring at her, Jamal?

[chuckles]

Yeah, you actually do have
a little something right in there.

Okay, hold on. Is it gone?

- Never mind, it was just your 'stache.
- [chuckles] Jealous?

These wisps are gonna sh**t out
any day now. Wanna know why?

'Cause they've been well fertilized
over the last few years.

- From all the butt you've been eating.
- No.

From 'stache serum.

- Butt's not on my menu.
- Don't knock it till you've tried it.

[door closes]

Oh. Hey.

I invited them.
I figured you could use reinforcements.

- Don't you all have school?
- Abuelita wrote me a note.

Yeah, my dad called in sick for me.

As class president,
I gave myself the day off for...

- [cabinet opens]
- What exactly are we here for?

[sighs]

I have Oscar.
And I need to figure out where to put him.

How about a DIY hourglass? That way,
he'll be around keeping you on schedule.

Or we could send his ashes into space.

That's the death spread of choice
for billionaire tech mogul Noel Aroma.

- Is that what he's gonna do?
- Mm-hmm.

- What it must be like to be rich like him.
- And as weird.

Yeah, Noel Aroma is really weird.

If by weird you mean brilliant?

Okay. Well, I have a crazy idea.
What about the cemetery?

Eh, an urn in a graveyard
feels like a hat on a hat.

Pimp Lane?

- No. What?
- The ladies loved him.

It's like burying an athlete
in their hall of fame.

I'm not spreading his ashes at Pimp Lane.

Yeah, I guess. You go there for a night,
not your whole afterlife.

If you think about it, there's probably
already a lot of him there.

Gross.

Why are we even debating this?
I mean, let's just do this here.

This is where he lived his life,
conducted his business,

intimidated me from across the street.

It's perfect.

We'll sprinkle a little of him
on the porch, on the grill,

ashes to ashes.

Ruby's right. This was his home.

And the last place he wanted to be.

I don't want this place.

[exhales]

- You can have the house.
- I don't need anything from you.

- Where you gonna go?
- Wherever.

I'll stay with Sad Eyes.

- What's it matter to you?
- What's it matter to me?

You matter to me.

Really?

I matter to you so much
that you had them jump you out?

Now you're bouncing?

Mano, I meant what I said.

- Come with me.
- [sighs]

Let's go to Bakersfield. Stay with Ray.

And do what?

- I have no life there.
- You have no life here.

[scoffs]

Don't confuse me with you.

I got a family.

I got a purpose.

And now

I got a house.

Congrats on surviving.
Now get your a*s out of here.

[groans]

[sighs deeply]

We can't put him here.
This isn't where he'd wanna be.

Okay, well, what about his car?
He was obsessed with that Impala.

He sold it. [sighs]

- And I have no idea to who.
- But we all know someone who can find out.

Red lowrider isn't gonna cut it.
Do I look like Jasmine in a bottle?

I need a VIN or a license plate.

There's gotta be at least one pic
of the car.

While you do that,
I'll search the make and model.

- What year was the Impala?
- '66.

- What are you doing tonight?
- I have to check my schedule.

Oh, that's right. 'Cause you got
d*ck appointments to juggle.

I gotta wait my turn... like a good boy.

- Are you hanging out with him tonight?
- Well, I...

Wait. Don't tell me.

I don't wanna know if you are.

Keep me in the dark,
[whispers] blindfolded,

so the rest of my senses are sharp.

[gasps] I need some space...
so that I can focus on the... the search.

- Of course.
- Yeah.

God. Who knew danger and duplicity
would make me so horny?

- What was that?
- Nothing.

Really? Oh, because it looked like
he f*ndled your face.

- [sighs] Okay, I caved.
- Ugh.

- I gave in and gave it up.
- I thought you were about self-care.

There was a bit of that in the beginning.
He likes to watch.

Just 'cause I'm taking care of myself
doesn't mean he can't take care of me.

Well, that is a sad justification...
Girl, I fell off the wagon too.

And onto the D? With who?

Who else do you think?

- Jamal?
- No! Jamal... Never Jamal.

Hate to break it to you. I heard lots
of girls said "never Jamal," then...

Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. Cesar?

- What about his girlfriend?
- What about her?

Girl, don't play with that sh*t.
She's scary.

I am not scared of her.

You don't have to be
to get your a*s whupped.

That's not gonna happen. But I feel guilty
that she doesn't know he's not into her.

Right, because he was in you.
That doesn't mean anything.

- Do you think he could still be into her?
- Wait, are you back into him?

- [Jamal] What are you guys talking about?
- Nothing.

- Monse looking different to you?
- Mm-hmm. She's got that glow.

[gasps] Oh, good.

You see it too. I'm not the only one.

- She does have a glow, doesn't she?
- And so does Ruby, which is a problem.

Agreed. We can't keep up this ruse.
When are we gonna tell him?

Never. We're gonna keep the secret.

Indefinitely? I don't think
I've ever kept a secret indefinitely.

I don't know if my body can handle it.

[sighs] I don't want to give up the me,
but I miss the we,

so this is how I get both.

He doesn't have to know we're friends
and that you're the other guy.

I'm not and never have been the other guy.
I've only been the guy for other girls.

- Then you can sleep well at night.
- Look... this isn't just about me.

I mean, it is about me, but...
think about Ruby.

[whispering] Don't you feel bad
we're lying to him?

Eh, I think it's subjective.
Now get on board or defriend me.

- I don't wanna defriend you.
- Great, then shut up!

[text tone]

[text tone]

Everything okay?

- [text tone, phone clicks off]
- Um...

No.

[sighs]

Okay. I found it.

The license plate is D45AAO.

Bingo. The car's in Reseda.

[man] Have at it.

- You sure?
- Absolutely. It's a beautiful car.

So well taken care of.
I'd want my own ashes spread inside too.

Okay. Any thoughts?

Driver's seat. Oscar was always confident
and in control behind the wheel.

I vote backseat. A man should be spread
where he did his best work.

How about the engine?

No. He'd just fall onto the ground
when the car starts moving.

- [Ruby] Trunk?
- [Jamal] Yes!

It's dark, soundproof, private.

And if we put him in the spare tire well,
he will never be disturbed.

- Mm-hmm.
- Okay. Done.

[mouths] Cool.

Wait.

Aren't you gonna say something?

[Cesar] Uh... Right. Let me think.

- Oscar was...
- [whirring]

Oh. Sorry about that.
Accident. Please continue.

- What's that for?
- Your friend.

After you spread him,
I gotta vacuum him up.

Hey, is it just me,
or is that car lurking on us?

Nah. Student driver.

This feels impossible. I can't focus.

Hard to figure out what to do with him
while trying not to get capped.

- No one is coming after you.
- You don't know that.

Okay, then let's put this off.

No, I wanna do this now.

I need to do this now.

There's no rush
to figure out where to spread him.

- I'll tell her where to spread 'em.
- What'd you say, Jamal?

Um... I was just... agreeing with you

that a good spread of a*s... ash

Uh...

is hard.

Or makes you hard.

Ugh. Is that new or the same one?

I don't know. They're just coming
in waves at this point.

Well, stop making me look at it.
Tuck it in your waistband.

I don't wanna be complicit
in your objectification.

- [Jamal] You...
- You know what?

Let's just drive around Freeridge
and inspiration will strike.

Maybe we shouldn't be searching
for the place, but...

the place will find us.

Let's go.

[Jamal chuckling]

[Monse] Um...

- What happened?
- Someone jacked your car!

[Cesar sighs]

Not someone.

Vero. sh*t.

- She has keys to my car.
- And your house.

I assume.

I have no idea
when we'll get the car back.

[Jamal and Ruby sigh]

Find Abuelita, tell her to meet us
in the car. I gotta make a call.

[door closes]

Did you talk to Vero?

[sighs deeply] She won't pick up.

Oh, I'm sorry.

[chuckles] It's not your fault.

Hmm, if it wasn't for me, she probably
wouldn't have stolen your car.

Hey.

- I didn't do anything I didn't wanna do.
- [Jasmine] I don't wanna do this anymore.

Is this a scene? Are we role-playing?

[Jasmine sighs] No, this is real.

The other guy said something
that made me think, and...

now I'm feeling guilty
because I haven't been honest with you.

I'm using you,
and I don't like the way it feels.

I mean, I do like how it feels,

but... not in an emotional way.

I understand.

You're a very honorable woman,

but I'm a big boy,
and it takes two to tango.

Or, in our case, bone. I... I've made peace
with being your sidepiece.

That's not what I'm saying.

- I need to tell you the truth.
- Okay, baby girl, tell me the truth.

Oh, damn it.
Why do you have to "baby girl" me?

Ruby...

I'm going to Berkeley.

So this sidepiece setup
has an expiration date.

Oh.

So, we should probably just
end it now, right?

Or we could just get it in a lot
before you go, while the gettin's good.

Okay. Works for me.

[phone disconnects]

Abuelita, I have something major
to tell you.

I'm starting to develop feelings.

Dirty ones.

For a woman I thought
I would never look at in that way.

- And I feel disgusted.
- [scoffs]

Jamal. You're not the first
and won't be the last man

to have feelings about me.

What? I'm talking about Monse.

- What does she have that I don't? [scoffs]
- Abuelita, focus.

This is a hostage situation.

- Baby J is the hostage.
- [scoffs]

And he's being turned on against his will.

- Fine. Here's my advice.
- Mm-hmm.

Don't get your meat
where you get your bread.

- Don't pee in the pool.
- What?

Don't stick your d*ck in the company ink,

and don't put your hand
in a kangaroo's pouch.

- Not all pickles should be in vinegar.
- I know.

- I need to be careful.
- Mm-hmm.

And you need to get up.
We need you to drive us.

We have Oscar's ashes
and need help to spread them.

For future reference...
I don't want to be spread.

- Words I thought I'd never say.
- Ugh!

I don't know why
people have sad memorials.

Why not have a big party instead
and celebrate life?

[door opens]

- Abuelita, are you ready to go?
- No.

Take my keys. You can drive.

[Ruby] There's something off
with Abuelita.

Really? She seems the same to me.

I... I don't know.

She's been acting weird for a while,
and she drinks so much Ensure.

Well, chewing is overrated.

She sleeps, like, all the time.

What is being a senior citizen

if she's not allowed to nap
at all times of the day?

Let's not rob her of that privilege.

What about this?
She never lets anyone drive her car.

Especially not me. I only have my permit.

Why are you overanalyzing this?
You get to drive.

Okay, that works. Where are we going?

[chuckles]

[Cesar exhales deeply]

Baseball. Oscar's secret passion.

Okay, so, what are we thinking?
Home plate, behind the dugout,

or just... run the bases
and pour him out along the way?

- What position did he play?
- [Cesar] Uh...

- I don't know.
- Why don't we spread a little everywhere?

Mm, no, we need to figure out
exactly the right spot.

It's his final resting place.

Yeah, if we don't,
he could come back to haunt us,

and I cannot take that risk.
We need to give him a clean send-off.

- [sighs]
- [Jamal] I'm just gonna say it.

I'm not sure this field is good enough.

This grass is raggedy.

The mowing patterns are uneven,

and don't even get me started
on the soil texture. It's like...

Jamal's right. This place is rinky-dink.

We need to think bigger.

- What about... Dodger Stadium?
- [Jamal] Mm.

- Did he ever go to games there?
- I don't know.

- I'm sure he did.
- Yeah.

Was he a Dodger fan
or an Angels fan though?

- Which one was he, Cesar?
- I don't know.

Are we even sure
he liked baseball that much?

I've never seen him wear a baseball hat.

That's just, like,
a Santos dress code issue, right?

I don't know! All right? I don't know!

The only thing I do know is
I shouldn't be the one doing this.

Did I even really know my own brother?
I don't know!

All right? I'm not worthy of this.

He should've left while he had the chance...
but he stayed because of me.

And he died because of me.

[shaky] What if I hadn't gone to see him?

What if he had just left sooner?

What if I had just
listened to him from the get?

It's my fault.

It's all my fault.

I can't do this.

Cesar. Cesar. Cesar.

We'll help you.

Go.

I'm done.

Should we go after him?

Nope.

[inhales] Let him cool off.

I'll be in the car.

Wow.

Exactly.

[Jamal] Look how she's walking. Mmm.

She got good posture
and a purposeful stride.

[Ruby] She's carrying an urn.

I love a woman
who knows what to do with an urn.

It's literally on my list
of nonnegotiables for a wife.

Okay. You're having mixed emotions
about Monse

because it's been so long
since you've had a platonic girl...

notice the pause... friend.

No, in fact, she's the only platonic girl...
notice the pause... friend you've ever had.

That's not true. I hang out with Jasmine
all the time. She's my secret...

- I mean, I wish she was my sec...
- Oh my God.

sh*t.

- You're the other guy.
- No! I'm not the other guy!

I mean, I am the other guy,
but I'm really more like the other friend.

I went over to convince her
to get back with you,

and we really connected
on the self-care journeys.

Keeping each other accountable, you know?

It started off as just some light texting,

and then that turned into
regular morning walks,

and then that turned into
evening yoga sessions.

But... Well, now we have
a shared Costco membership.

But we're just friends!
It's strictly platonic.

- You're just friends.
- Mm-hmm.

Just friends.
Oh my God, this makes me so...

Mad? I know. I'm sorry.
I'm the worst. Going behind your back...

No!

Relieved!
Oh, this is exactly what you had to do!

You had to go behind my back
to have my back.

Exactly. It was all for you.

- Now we can three-way in the light of day.
- Ugh.

Okay, that came out wrong.

I need to make my move
before it's too late.

No, I haven't been fighting for her
because I didn't think I stood a chance.

But now that there's no opponent,
I know I can win!

Amazing.
You can get back together with Jasmine.

I can get with Monse,

and we'll be double-dating
and double-dipping in no time.

Off chips and dip, not each other.

- [engine starting]
- sh*t. Did she just start the car?

Monse! No one can drive that car but me!

[phone ringing]

Great news. Feel free to thank me.

Ruby knows about us, and he's not mad!

He's excited!

Now we're officially friends.

I'm one secret lighter,
and you can get back together with Ruby.

Girl, we really can have it all.

[Jasmine] I don't wanna get back together
with Ruby right now.

I'm busy.

I'm in a relationship with myself,
and I am a lot of work.

- So you'll have to take it all back.
- I can't take it back.

Once a secret's been set free,
it takes on a life of its own.

Then you'll have to tell him
I don't wanna get back together.

- Why me?
- It's your loose lips that got us here.

My loose lips? No.

Your loose lips
are what got us into this situation.

Don't blame me
just because you don't have the guts

to break Ruby's heart.

Yeah, I said it.
Ruby's going to be crushed.

And you'll have to be the one to deal with
the look on his face when he finds out.

Not me!

sh*t.

[Sad Eyes] Yo, Lil' Spooky.

Where you been? You okay?

No, I'm not okay.

I trusted you instead of my own brother...
and look what happened!

You all failed me
just like you failed him.

I want out.

Jump me out.

[Cesar breathing heavily]

You guys say you're a family,
but families don't hold each other back.

You guys are a joke.

Just a bunch of pussies.

Look, I know what you're doing.
But that's not how we're doing this.

You want out?
You're out. Your debt's been paid.

Bullshit. I pay my own debt.

Come on!

[in Spanish] Come on, man! Hit me! Do it!

Why do you think Spooky almost died
the night he got jumped out? Huh?

He wasn't just taking punches for himself.

Why would he do that?

- Didn't he know I'm not worth saving?
- No, no, you got it all backwards.

Spooky never felt worthy of you.

Go on. Get out of here.

It's not safe.

The tide's coming in.

The tide.

He always wanted to leave Freeridge.

He was never free there.

But he felt free here.

This was the first place he came to
after he got out of prison.

This is where
he'd want his daughter to come visit.

Oscar.

I'm gonna finish what you started
and become the man that you wanted to be.

I'm going to build the life
that you deserved.

[upbeat music playing]

♪ You're not alone ♪

♪ Like you think you are ♪

♪ You're not alone ♪

♪ Like you think you are ♪

♪ We all have scars ♪

♪ I know it's hard ♪

♪ You're not alone ♪

♪ You're not alone ♪

♪ We all have scars ♪

♪ I know it's hard ♪

♪ You're not alone ♪

♪ You're not alone ♪

Oscar kept telling me
to reach out to you guys.

I never listened.

He knew we needed each other.

I wonder if he sent us those letters.

To bring us back together.

'Cause he was always looking out for us.

[somber music playing]

Who's gonna look out for us now?

[Ruby] You will.

All that time you spent looking up
to Oscar... he was looking up to you too.

To Oscar.

To Oscar.

[somber music continues]

[gasping cough]

Damn, that sh*t is strong.

[techno music playing]