01x67 - Episode 67

[bunniefuu]

♪ ♪

[sighs]

Don't get on me
about being late.

I could have slept in
this morning,

if we would've
wrapped this up yesterday.

About that.

I swear, every time I try
to have a conversation with you,

you're checking
or answering your phone.

Look, now that I've agreed

to sign on to the concert,

instead of spending
money on breakfast,

we should've jetted over
to Anita's palace

and have her feed us.

There's been a glitch
in Anita's reunion plans.

A glitch?

What the hell kind of glitch?

I assume you called that agent.

I was about to, but...

there's no point in Jim Price
promoting a concert

that's never gonna happen.

Well, you had since yesterday
to call.

Maybe there's a reason for that.

Despite everything.

♪ ♪

Nicole? Mona?

"Had an appointment.
Feel free to settle back in."

Okay.

ALL: Surprise!

Oh, my-- I thought--

I mean, I saw the note, and I...

Don't you know that we
have been counting the minutes

till you came back to us?

Oh.

[laughter]

I'm glad you had time to meet.

I want to hear about
your new job at the salon.

It's fine, you know?

Mm.

Sorry.

Um, it's actually
more than fine.

You should see some
of the people that come in.

Yeah, it seems like every client
is some D.C. heavy hitter.

Did I tell you Samantha came in
to have me do her hair again?

Yeah, she was blown away
by the place.

You really set me up
with something special.

That all sounds good.

But, Eva, I'm really asking.

I don't want you to just tell me
what you think I want to hear.

Oh...

I want to know
how you really feel.

And if your mother told you

that me helping you find a job
was a bad move,

I want to know that, too.

What did you do
with my helmet and gloves?

Calm down, Mama.

They're hidden in a much better
place than your apartment,

which is the first place
the police will look.

[knocking at door]

Okay.

Leslie Thomas?

Oh, Officer Sexy-Yet-Annoying.

Hi.

I have a warrant allowing me

to search the premises,
unimpeded.

Well, what took you so long?
Get on in here.

Let's have some fun, huh?

Oh, and I can help you.
Anything you need.

I think we can manage.

I need you to stay out the way.
The uniformed officer

is here to make sure
you do that.

You barely walk
through the door,

and you're already
threatening me?

Kat the Brat finds some
ratty old motorcycle jacket,

thinks it ties me
to some random accident.

Next thing,
I'm public enemy number one.

Listen, I haven't given you
any trouble so far, right?

And I don't intend to start any.

Well, thank you
for your cooperation.

LESLIE:
Mmm.

I mean, you could tell me
what you're looking for,

and it might go faster.

I'll tell you when I find it.

Oh, the motorcycle, right?

Oh, wow.

Now, see,
that would be a slam dunk.

Swoosh.

But wait,
where would I stash it?

Hmm, let me think, let me think.

Oh, of course. Silly me.

I could've broken it down

and-and shoved it
into the toilet.

Or maybe put it under the bed?

They do say I'm pretty handy.

Want to check?

Thanks, but I'll check out
the closet instead.

Mm.

Gotcha.

[Leslie clears throat]

Cut to the chase.
I don't have all day, woman.

Well, actually, you do.

Anita's canceling.

You've got to be kidding me.

I didn't want
to tell you yesterday

because I was hoping Anita
would change her mind,

but it looks like she hasn't.

The reunion is off.

And she got Vernon to call you
and tell you?

She didn't have the guts
to tell you herself?

From the way Vernon sounded,
he probably volunteered.

To drop the b*mb
to kick us to the curb? No.

Well, it felt
like he was giving me

some kind of secret message.

He said if we want
this thing to happen,

we'd have to step up

and convince Anita
to change her mind.

Damn that woman
to hell and back!

"Despite everything"?

You mean despite
the grief I feel for Barbara?

My guilt for the way
that I treated her?

Despite Tracy barely being able
to tolerate me?

And the fact that Sharon
has made it perfectly clear

she doesn't even want
to be in my presence,

much less perform with me?

Is that the everything
that I'm supposed to put aside

and push this concert forward
"despite"?

-Here's my math.
-No, no, baby.

Now you're going
to try to reason with me,

and this is not
the moment for it.

Hear me out.

First, Dante Green
convinced all of you

that the price of stardom
was leaving Barbara behind.

That was harsh.

Second, she was lost to you
by her own hand.

That was horribly tragic,
as suicide always is.

And third...

the letter that Barbara wrote
before she took her own life,

it was brutal for you.

But these are all things
that you knew

when you first started
thinking about this reunion.

Proving you can have an idea

without realizing
the impact of it.

I am so sorry
I kept this from you.

My only regret
about not knowing sooner

is that the guilt
you kept inside for so long

caused you enormous pain.

Pain you couldn't
even acknowledge.

But you finally did.

You stopped running away
from something hard

-and met it head on.
-[scoffs]

Meeting things head on
can give you a concussion.

You make excellent points,
sweetheart,

but I still don't see
how all this adds up

to moving forward
with the concert.

If deep down,
you know that doing the concert

won't bring you
any closer to the peace

that you've been searching for,

then maybe it istime
to let it go.

But if even
a small part of you believes

that standing in that spotlight,

just for one night,

could ease
the weight of what was...

so tragic,

then I say let's do it.

What if it makes it worse?

I don't want you,
my beautiful wife...

...to carry around
any more regrets,

especially when it comes
to your work sisters.

You carved out space
in each other's hearts

all those years ago,
made marks...

that time and distance
couldn't erase.

This is your chance
to honor that bond,

to breathe life back into
something that really mattered.

And you can reignite the magic,

not just for yourselves,
not just for Barbara,

but for everyone
who was lucky enough

to witness
what you created together.

And as for the rest of us, well,

it won't be just a concert.

It'll be joy. And healing.

A reminder that even after loss,

something beautiful
can still rise.

You know exactly what to say.

Even when I don't know
what to think.

I was so happy
to reconnect with Tracy.

I knew there would be underlying
tension, and there was,

but we really
enjoyed each other.

To put it in your words,
despite everything.

We laughed and recounted stories
about the old days.

Pushed through
some dark moments.

But being with Tracy,
I-I really started to believe

that this concert
could be something special.

I was already hearing
the old songs in my head and...

hearing the applause,

feeling the energy
being on stage.

Then enter Sharon.

Exactly.

Sharon reminded me
how much water

has flown under that bridge.

And how bad it was when Dante
made us leave Barbara behind.

And how we crushed
and shattered her to where...

she couldn't handle it anymore.

We all make our choices, Anita.

But here's the thing...

When I stepped out on my own,

Tracy and Sharon felt rejected.

And my timing?

Was right after
Barbara's suicide.

So, that could've been better.

We were supposed
to be taking a break

to grieve Barbara,

but I never came back.

And that break turned into
a permanent separation.

And the end of the Articulettes.

I never knew.

I was too ashamed to tell you.

Well, you told me
when you were ready.

If that's not until now,
so be it.

Oh, stop being so kind to me.

I can't help it.

Besides,
why should I flog on you

when you're doing such
a good job of it yourself?

[laughs]
And don't make me laugh.

Laughter is great for clarity.

It's great for the soul.

-You know what else is?
-What?

Music.

And while only you can know

if this concert can
heal you three or not,

I know it starts right there.

I love you so much,
Vernon Dupree.

People say marriage
is about telling the truth.

But it's also about
being able to hear it

when it's told to you.

And you are the only person
in the world...

...who can make me hear

what I need to hear
when I need it the most.

Something on your mind,
Detective?

It's just odd.

This place isn't that big.

Sue me. I'm on a budget.

But you give up
valuable closet space

to store empty boxes?

It isn't empty.

It's where I store
my hopes and dreams.

You know, to love and be loved,

to find happiness.

And most of all, to know...

and also accept

that I deserve that
as much as anybody

beyond those gates.

Careful, or all my dreams
will spill out.

And we don't want that.

And I thought I couldn't be
surprised anymore.

You have no idea
how much we've missed you.

We wish you were never forced
to leave in the first place.

We all know how wrong that was.

Just like we all hope the police

are going to get
the evidence they need

to charge Leslie
for what she did to you.

Oh, how is that coming along?

Well, it's going a lot slower
than I'd like,

but Jacob's working on it.

Jacob's a good man.
He won't forget about you.

And it won't hurt

that I'm constantly
in his face about it.

[laughter]

NICOLE: Ted and I
were the targets, Laura.

But unfortunately,
you paid the price

for being in Leslie's way.

And I don't just mean
on that road.

Well, on the road to Eva
infiltrating our lives...

I thought it was just Leslie
behind everything.

You know,
she scared the life out of me

when she paid me a friendly
visit in my hospital room.

Wish I'd been there
to boot her out.

Eva played her part.

I know she had a huge part
of that awful scene

that happened
at your anniversary party.

But Eva hasn't
come after me personally.

At least not that I know of.

She's sneaky.

It's complicated
trying to figure Eva out.

Yes, she did try to come
to our rescue at the party,

but she wouldn't have had to

if she didn't sign on
to her mother's plan

and lie to all of us.

Mom, it's not that complicated.

Eva was mad at Dad

for apparently abandoning her
when she was a baby.

Then she used Laura's job

to get back at Dad.

Laura and the rest of us
were just collateral damage.

Ted is trying to work out
a relationship with Eva.

He sees the good in her.

There might be something
to that, I don't know.

Well, I have no doubts that Eva
is almost always up to no good.

Kat...

I get that you have
your opinion about Eva.

And I have mine.

But mine happens to be right.

[laughs]

I don't care what my mom thinks
about Serenity Beauty & Hair,

or what she thinks about
you helping me get that spot.

It was a really nice thing
for you to do,

and it helped me out.

All right.
But something's going on.

I can hear it in your voice.

Is there a problem at the shop?

A tiff with one of
the other hair techs?

No. No.

The people
are honestly incredible.

And the energy's just my vibe.

It's chill and fun.

I seriously
couldn't be more grateful.

But...?

You spoiled me.

Well, Nicole and you both.

How so?

Being Nicole's assistant?

Like, every day was different.

And I was responsible
for so many moving parts.

Mm-hmm.

Scheduling and planning events.

And keeping Nicole on track

through this crazy mix of work

and social
and philanthropic engagements.

It was demanding
and challenging,

and I didn't know
I'd be so into it, but...

I was.

I can see that.

I like discovering
how things work in your world.

I hate that I betrayed
your trust,

but I love that you trusted me
in the first place.

Does that make sense?

Yep.

And being trusted with things
that matter to Nicole's patients

and all the other people
that she helps

made me feel...

maybe for the first time
in my life...

...important.

[voice breaking]:
Wanted?

The three of us
became very close

in a relatively short
amount of time.

That's hard to move on from.

Yeah.

And I'm sorry I'm not
the only one who had to.

I'm still trying
to find my way, Eva.

Trying to be a parent to you.

After all the mistakes, I just
want to get that part right.

Is this why you dissed my mom?

I can't blame Dana
for everything.

You know,
when we had our affair,

I was the one that was married.

If I'm missing Nicole,
that's my fault.

I've never seen anybody do that.

What?

Own up like that.

So here's me trying it out.

I can't blame my mother
for everything,

even if I want to.

Say more.

I get that it probably
makes zero sense

why I still deal with her,
but she is my mom.

Eva, you're probably
gonna hear this soon enough.

Laura is out of the hospital.

Taking back my temp job?

You know, part of me
wants to be at the house

to tell her she's
back where she belongs...

...but, uh, I'm not
welcome there anymore,

not by Nicole or Laura.

Her loyalties lie with my wife,

where they should be.

I don't really know Laura,

but I don't think she'll
blame me for what happened.

You don't know how close
Nicole and Laura are.

I doubt she'd be sympathetic
to my, um...

situation.

I know one person who must
be ecstatic to have Laura back.

Oh, my. Things are
a little different on here.

-Everything okay?
-Yeah, it's fine.

I guess Eva just had
her own system for things.

She had a system, all right.

Kat, that is not helping.

Don't worry, Laura.
You will sort everything out.

I just wanted to hit
the ground running, you know?

Make things seamless for you.

And that attitude
is why I am not worried.

You were the best
before the accident,

and you will be best

now that you are back
where you belong.

Eva had her pluses,

but you are the right person
for this job.

Thanks for the vote
of confidence.

I'm still kicking myself
for recommending Eva.

Don't do that.

How could you have known
any of this would've happened?

Instinct, maybe?

How about psychic abilities?

Because that is what
it would have taken

to suspect
that anything was wrong

when it came to Eva,
or even Leslie.

That one
is a master manipulator,

complete with disguises.

She even had me fooled.

She didn't fool me.

And I said so from the start.

A lot of good that did.

I wish I'd listened to you.

I do not want
to rehash any of that.

Laura is back where she belongs,
and everything is normalizing.

In the meantime,
I have some errands to run.

I hate to leave you flying solo
on your first day back,

but I know that you will soar.

Thanks, Nicole.

Kat, you coming?

Uh, I think I'm gonna stay.

Maybe help Laura
get back on her feet.

Oh, that is sweet. Bye, you two.

-Bye-bye.
-LAURA: Bye.

Thanks for the cake
and everything.

Eva really messed things up
for you, didn't she?

Uh, not exactly.
It's just different.

It looks like she downloaded
a new notes program,

but it's linked to the calendar,
so she used it for everything.

And I have to learn it
in order to undo it.

Well, I wish I could undo Eva.

I just don't want
to make a mistake

and let your mom down.

Well, here's my advice.

If you make a mistake,
just blame Eva and move on.

-[laughter]
-[phone chimes]

Oh, I better go.

There's a lot going on.

Sorry I wasn't more help.

It's okay. I'll figure it out.

-Good luck.
-Thanks.

These will be returned to you.

Oh, well, hope you got
what you came for.

Now, how about
that restraining order

that I've been asking you for

from that lunatic
Kat Richardson, hmm?

In my job, I've learned
to read people pretty well.

And it's easy to see
you're the kind of person

who enjoys feeling
like they've got

something over
on the rest of us.

Who, moi?

You'll make a mistake
eventually, Leslie.

And for your sake,

pray you're not in
my jurisdiction when you do.

Mm.

Bonsoir.

[sighs]

[chuckles softly]

Ooh, scary.

Baby, when I'm done with you,

I'm gonna own you and
your whole damn jurisdiction.

I want it,
but wanting it is not enough.

Even if I did say,
"Okay, let's do this thing,"

there's Sharon, who's made
her resistance abundantly clear.

Yeah.

We were successful
as a three-woman group.

To do it right, we'd
have to be that again, so...

...it's settled.

I'm gonna call Jim Price
and tell him the concert is off.

-Hmm.
-[doorbell ringing]

I'll get it.

Vernon.

Leave it to Anita to be
the surprise in the punch bowl.

There is no excuse
for you, Anita.

Oh, no, no, no, no, no.

This is not happening.
Not here and not today.

I am done doing this dance
with you, Sharon.

So you can just take all that
negative energy somewhere else.

How about same time,
same place tomorrow?

Will that work for you?

Since you were always the one
who wanted to be in charge,

why don't you tell me
where and when?

Because this
is definitely happening.

I'm gonna give you some space.

Holler if there's bloodshed.

Chicken.

A word of caution.

I recognize the energy,

and you two
are five seconds away

from a knock-down, drag-out.

So, why don't we not
try to go there

and choose your words?

Fine. But know this:

This is not gonna be a replay
of our last conversation.

You had your moment to dump

all your pent-up anger
and bitterness on me,

and I took it.

And yes, I did some things

that I wish to God
I could take back.

But you're not gonna
march into my home

and tell me
that I'm the only one to blame.

You either, missy.

For the record,
the moral high ground

is something
that none of us can take

from way down here.

[phone vibrating]

Dr. Richardson's office.

Yes, I can confirm
that meeting for you. Hold on.

I'm so sorry, I'll have
to call you right back.

Can I get-- Hello?

Hello?

[sighs]

Not the beach ball of death,
okay.

Oh, I know-- the help file.

All right.

"Stacked notes
cannot be disassociated

"from a new event
if tags are enabled.

"If linked notes share a tag
across platforms,

consult global settings
for conflicts."

Blah, blah, blah.

"Warning,
all data could be lost."

What does that even mean?

I'm sorry Kat has been
so negative towards you.

When she makes up her mind
about something...

Yeah, good for business,

not necessarily
for personal relationships.

I mean, all I did was enter
her life under false pretenses

and try to upend
her parents' marriage.

Like, get over it already.

[chuckles softly]

It hasn't been easy for Kat.

Even if it was Leslie
who was running the show.

This right here,
you and me talking...

I can't ask for more.

Are you sure about that?

Okay, so maybe it'll be nice

to spend even more time
with Martin and his family.

-Mm-hmm.
-To do fish fries

and Sunday dinners
with my father, and my brother

and brother-in-law
and niece and nephew.

I never thought I'd have
anything like that.

Keep going.

Okay,
now this is reaching, but...

...having a relationship
with Nicole again.

And maybe Kat one day.

That'd be great.

But I know I don't deserve it.

I think you deserve more than
you give yourself credit for.

[phone chimes]

Everything okay?

Um... Yeah.

Um, I have to go
do something, but...

Sure, go. We're done.

-Go do your thing.
-Okay.

Thank you.

[Nicole sighs]

You know, I can ask operations
to get you an office.

Pardon my interest.
I want to see justice served.

Those two lunatics
went after my parents.

We've been over this, Kat.

I don't mind
you being interested.

What I do mind is you
sitting at my desk. Come on.

Picky.

Oh, is that from Leslie's place?

Did you serve
the search warrant on her?

Come on, Kat.

Yes, I did.

And she seemed
to be expecting us.

But you won't be
surprised to learn

that we didn't find anything.

Then what's all that?

Just stuff to make her nervous,
make her sweat a little.

Let her know we're serious.

But Leslie's smart.

As she likes
to let everyone know

every chance she gets.

Okay, so that apartment
is really small.

So, if you didn't find
the motorcycle helmet in there--

-If she kept it.
-Oh, she kept it.

Leslie's smart,
but she's arrogant.

If she doesn't
still have the evidence,

Eva helped her get rid of it.

Wait a minute.
That's a big leap.

Or her loyal and shady daughter

is hiding evidence for Leslie

that she didn't want
to risk keeping.

You know I love you, fam.

But sometimes
you're like a brick.

You got to listen to me, Kat.

Back off.

I don't need to do
a ton of work on this case,

only for a judge to throw it out
because you butted your nose in.

Okay, so a judge
never needs to know.

Problem solved.

You remember when
I arrested your Aunt Dani?

Yeah. Traitor.

Nah, it's just a reminder.

I take my job very seriously.

You arrested Aunt Dani because
she was waving a g*n around.

If you arrest me,

family friend of a victim

of a deliberate
road rage incident,

the same victim who was
nearly a hospital fatality,

how you think that's gonna look?

To who?
You want to take this public?

My brother-in-law's a reporter.
Did you forget?

Listen, my bad.

I have no reason
to throw threats at you.

I'm just...
I'm just frustrated, all right?

Me, too.

Sorry.

Same.

But there is a way we can stop

going back and forth
with each other about this.

Stay in your lane,
and I'll stay in mine.

You want justice
for your parents?

Let the police do our work.

We happen to be very good at it.

I haven't seen you since...

That day at the hospital.

Believe me,
I-I got your message.

You're not ready to talk,
but know, I'm still available.

So you said in your card.

You got the flowers.

They're lovely.

Reminded me
of a very different time.

A time that meant a lot to me.

To me, too.

I meant every word, Nicole.

I love you as much now
as the day we took our vows.

I thought
we weren't talking yet.

Yet, here we are,
doing exactly that.

You're doing all the talking.

Sure.

But I haven't heard you
tell me to shut up.

You both could have walked away
when Dante fired Barbara.

If my behavior
was so reprehensible,

you could've started a new group
with her and shut me out.

But you didn't, did you?

You rode the gravy train
that was me

all the way
to the end of the line.

We were all
on that stage together,

night after night,
song after song.

And you took your bows
and cashed your check.

So let's not pretend
I was the only one

who was ambitious and selfish.

And I am not going to stand here

and be your emotional
punching bag.

The version of this story
where I'm the villain

and you're completely innocent,

you can take that and stick it
where the sun don't shine.

Ooh, I guess you told me, huh?

EVA: You are the last person
I expected to hear from.

Well, you're the last person
I expected to reach out to.

Wasn't easy.

I bet.

But I don't get why.

Except maybe
that you want to yell at me

about how what happened to you
was awful and unfair.

It was.

I know the jury's
still out about you,

but I do know that
your mother is a... a...

You know,
I don't even have the word

to describe what your mother is,
but I didn't--

I didn't call you
about any of that, actually.

You didn't?

No, I...

I'm in trouble.

I don't understand this
new notes program you installed,

and I don't have time
to figure it out right now.

I need to keep everything
on track for Nicole, so...

You want a crash course?

Is that asking too much?

I mean, some people think

I should just pretend
you never existed,

while others think
it's more complicated.

I'll tell you what.

I'm here today for whatever.

And if you want to pretend

that you don't know me from Adam
after this...

we're good.

Thanks.

There is more.

One is, I am so sorry
what happened to you.

I didn't do it, but I'm sorry.

And the other?

How to uninstall
that dumb notes program

I put on your computer.

Now, we can surmise...

That's a detective word, right?

"Surmise"?

Either way, I have a theory.

Eva helped Leslie
get incriminating stuff

out of the apartment
before you could get to her.

So what's stopping you
from getting a search warrant

for Eva's hotel room?

Circumstantial evidence
that granted us access

into Leslie's apartment
won't get us into Eva's place.

I just have to think
of another way.

An ill*gal way?

Not necessarily.

All right, let's hypothesize

that you go snooping
on your own.

-I never said that.
-But you were thinking it.

I'm the detective, remember?

And let's further say that
you happen to find some...

incriminating evidence
amongst Eva's possessions.

Then you'd have enough evidence
to lock Eva and Leslie up.

No, Kat.

I'd have enough
to arrest you for stealing.

Listen, I know you're invested
in this, and so am I,

but we have to be careful
and follow the law.

You're right.

It's just better to let Eva
and Leslie go free.

Tell you what.

I'll keep talking
until you tell me not to.

We'll see how far we get.

Ted...

That wasn't exactly "shut up."

Oh, look at this.
The g*ng's all here.

We're in the middle
of something, Dana.

Yeah, the floor
where I was walking.

But now maybe I'll
just stand here and watch.

Let's just go somewhere else.

No reason.

We've said all there is to say.

Ciao, Nicky.

Impeccable timing, as usual.

I'm glad I ran into you.

Call off those police lackeys
that you've bought and paid off.

Get them off my back,
or I'll be forced

to have to take matters
in my own hands.

Firstly, I don't own the PD.

Nobody does. Not in this town.

But can't you
entertain the possibility

that the cops
are investigating you

for their own good reasons?

Secondly? What's the secondly?

I know there's a secondly.

When have you not taken
matters into your own hands?

That's what you used
to like about me, yeah.

I mean, when I think about it,

we completed each other, Ted.

The woman who completes me
just walked out that door.

Mm.

[sighs]

I do not want
to fight with you, Sharon.

That was not my goal
when I asked Tracy

to try to convince you to come.

And I've admitted my mistakes

and tried to make up for them

in ways that you two
will never know,

and that is all I can do.

You never change, do you?

Here you go again,
jumping to conclusions.

Not letting anyone
get a word in edgewise.

If you would just zip it up
for one sec,

I could tell you I came here
to let you know

I changed my mind.

Well, I haven't changed mine.

When you barged in here,

I was about to call that agent
and cancel.

The sad fact is,

the Articulettes
are as dead as Barbara,

and nothing can resurrect them.

You know the way out by now.

We're done here.

♪ ♪