01x145 - Episode 145

[bunniefuu]

NICOLE:
It was exactly what Doug
would've wanted.

Your eulogy was perfect, Nicole.

And thank you for lightening
the mood, Dani,

with that story you told
about Doug and the kids.

He would've loved the
entire town talking about him.

But let's be honest,
Doug would've tried to turn it

into an actual party.

And insisted on being the DJ.

I used to move
those place cards around

so I could sit next to you and
Doug at those hospital dinners.

We doctors can be stuffy
and all medicine all the time,

but Doug...

I never met somebody
so gifted with his hands

who was also so gifted
with his bedside manner.

We loved him so much.

-I just wish...
-DANI: Hey, Vanessa.

Mm-hmm?

You met that man in high school.

You fell for him,
and you were his, always.

The fact that things
got complicated at the end

must make this feel
even more devastating.

-It does.
-But one thing
that is not complicated, V,

is that he loved you.

I thought I needed
someone to talk to.

And I called the only person,
the one person

that was guaranteed
to make it worse.

The one person

who could break
what little heart I had left.

You deserve each other.

I will never forgive myself.
I just...

wish I'd held on to him tighter.

I... Instead of...

I was, I was his tether,
me and the kids.

Vanessa, you can't tether
someone who doesn't want to be.

Remind me of that, please.

Carlton. Thank you for coming.

Doug-Doug really respected you.

And we just kept
missing each other.

I should've tried harder
to make time to get together.

-He was a fine man.
-He knew.

[laughter]

That room was filled with love.

But we are here for you
and the kids today,

tomorrow, the next day,

and every day after that when
everything starts getting quiet.

I'm counting on that.

-I love you.
-I love you.

-I love you.
-I love you.

You are also great.

[sobs]

Wasn't appropriate for me
to come to the service, but...

I had to get eyes on you,

if I can't put
my arms around you.

I-I'm fine.

You're not, but you will be.

I-I can't lean on you here.
My son is...

Wh...

Where-where is he?

-What is it?
-Yeah, what-what happened
to Donnell?

Donnell?

I'm so sorry I couldn't
make it to the service.

I've been chained to this desk.

Everyone had a lot of respect
for your dad, including myself.

He left us too soon.

Yeah, well, th--
that's why I'm here.

I have... questions.

♪ ♪

I feel all kinds of bad.

We saved ChelseaKat
from a production mishap

that would've
set us back a year.

But I did want to be there
to pay my respects to Doug.

Me, too.

And Donnell and Deanna,
they're younger than we are.

They just lost their dad.
I feel awful.

Just about that?

Are you seriously comparing
Doug McBride's death

to me blurting out to Tomas
that you love him?

You didn't even apologize.

That is not the way I wanted us
to say it to each other.

Okay, I'm sorry.
If I could un-blurt it, I would,

but I couldn't keep letting him
dismiss your feelings

as an excuse to him sleeping
with your half sister.

But maybe I've already
said too much.

Since when do you edit yourself?

-Remember Becky?
-Yeah. Why bring up that skank?

Well, she dumped us
after she got back together

with her cheating ex.

I don't want that
to happen to us.

Nothing will ever
come between us.

Plus, I'm not mad at you.

I'm mad at me.

I wish I didn't love him either,
but I do, Chels.

And I can't make myself stop.

Maybe we should go.

Do you see Kat Richardson
draped all over him right now?

No, he's wide open.

You go over there
and you make sure

that he knows
you are not mad at him

for carrying a torch for her
even after he slept with you.

But he picked her.

Yeah, he wants her because
he knows he can't have her.

Just like Ted wants Nicole.

Okay, you casting me as you

and, um, Ted as Tomas is gross.

If the ego fits...

Now, you need to make him know

that if he chooses Kat,
he is choosing an ice queen

instead of a warm heart

and a passionate body. Mm?

You mean manipulate him,
like you would?

Oh, honey, please.

Playing dirty
is the price of admission.

So, play nice
and be honest if you want.

Once you have him.

I don't know, Mama.

Girl, go get yours, okay?

You do that while
I am going to go out there

and give our condolences

to Glinda,
the good real estate agent.

You barely even know
Vanessa McBride.

Well, I know her well enough
to feel something

for real estate Barbie
when she loses her Ken.

Honey, she handed us
the keys to our queendom.

Go. Play it right,

and maybe you'll be sharing
the Eva and Tomas wing

at the Thomas estate. What? Ow.

Toodles.

I think it's time
we finish what we started.

CHELSEA:
How was the service?

Makes me want to hug
both of you tighter than ever.

I just hate that we didn't know
how much Doug was struggling.

He must've been so far gone
to drink and drive.

We are all a heartbeat away
from everything we want

or losing it.

And one choice
can change everything.

Not just for you, but
for everyone you love and touch.

Baby, I know that you hate
that you missed it,

but Vanessa recorded
the livestream. We can watch it.

Are you okay?

There's somewhere I have to be.

-I composed a text.
-You didn't send it.

I thought you'd never want
to talk to me again.

I was hella hurt, Tomas.

I didn't set out to do that,
Eva, for real.

It didn't come out right.

And I just kept talking
and making it worse.

All I heard was how
you played both sides

and decided to go
with polished over real.

The words that are burnt
into my guilty conscience are,

"So I was just
a sexual experiment

to prove that Kat
was the problem and not you."

Oh. That hurt your feelings?

Good. Meant to.

I'll probably mess this up, too,
but here's the truth.

Yes, I came in hot
with a bruised ego about Kat,

but I didn't sleep with you
to prove my manhood.

I'm attracted to you,

and I really do care
about you, Eva.

You're the whole deal.

But Kat's a bigger one.
You feel more for her.

I feel different for her.

But I never lied
to either of you.

I value what you and I have.

It's just on a different level.

A lesser level.

Lesser makes it sound like

you're not important to me
when you are.

And this is what I want
to get straight with you, Eva.

The mistake I made

when I crossed the line
I shouldn't have.

You have been so good to me,

caring and understanding.

I took advantage
of your feelings for me

and your friendship.

At least...

I hope we're still friends.

You're just saying all that
because you think I regret it.

That I want to take it all back.

But even knowing
what I know now...

...I don't regret
a minute of it.

There, there.

Mm. Let it all out.

That gorgeous husband of yours
must've been

a good man if he landed you.

I don't believe that, uh,
we've been introduced.

Yeah, I'm still
getting around to meeting

all of the members of the club.

-Oh. Oh, I-I don't belong here.
-You sure look like you do.

Mr. Armstrong's
my business partner.

Oh, handsome.

You know, you look like
you belong on TV

in front of a camera instead
of scoping out dusty houses,

-Mr. Armstrong.
-[Vanessa clears throat]

Vanessa and I
are more interested

in commercial properties.

And, please, call me Joey.

I almost certainly will.

Oh. Pardon me, dear.

Uh, I'm sure that

a lot of those people out there
that came to the service

still want to talk to you.

So, again, my condolences.

-Thank you.
-You're welcome.

-She's a live one.
-Mm.

The Duprees' euphemisms
are less kind.

Have you seen Donnell?

-Where was he last?
-Right over there.

Well, maybe he spilled something
and went to clean up.

Well, his shoes were all muddy
when he came in,

but he was late to the service.

-I-I didn't want to make a fuss.
-Muddy?

It's not raining.

That's what threw me.

His-his shoes looked
like he had been

tromping through the woods,

but he-he-he-he was supposed
to be coming straight from home.

Did your mom or sister
come with you?

Uh, Deanna stayed at school.

She's got a bad case of the flu,
on top of...

well, everything else.

She's watching the livestream
with her sorority, though.

I hated not being there
with her, but...

-...but I had to be here.
-Sure.

You had to be at the service
with your mom.

No, not just the service.
I had to go where my dad...

Uh, where it happened.

It was the last place
he was alive.

Last time
he breathed in and out.

You went before the service?

It must be pretty muddy
out there after the rain.

I just wish
you hadn't gone alone.

I've been in the car with my dad
driving down that exact spot

how many times?

With my homework on my lap
or a basketball

or a field hockey stick
while I was trying to figure out

what my thing was,
and he'd take out my earbud

and turn up his ancient
rap music playlist.

And you know what he'd say?

"Now, this is music."

All while trying to...

tell me some life lesson.

You just summed up
your dad right there.

Did you find what
you were looking for out there?

What do you need, Donnell?

DONNELL:
I mean,
could your report tell me

if he knew what was going on?

Time to think about us?

I don't need it sugarcoated,
but just...

Did he suffer?

You want to know what
his last moments were like?

Excuse me.
Just grabbing this.

New case?

JACOB:
Marcel, this is Doug McBride's
son, Donnell.

-Donnell, Detective Malone.
-Oh, man.

Rough one. Condolences.

You handling my dad's case, too?

No, you're in Detective
Hawthorne's capable hands.

We're just waiting
on a few things

to close the file
on the accident.

Okay.

Answers don't always
bring comfort.

Dad would want me to take care
of my mom and Deanna,

so I made myself go out there

and look at the scars
on the ground

and the burn
from the fire on the tree.

I'm sure that was hard.

Could he have been saved if
someone had driven by in time?

I mean... could he still
be with us right now?

Survivor's guilt's real,
Donnell.

You start spinning scenarios
in your head,

like, what if you were there?

Or what could you
have done to save them?

But answers don't change facts.

We can't be with
our loved ones every second

trying to prevent accidents
from happening.

I know that in my head.

Look, I'm not a medical examiner
and there will be reports,

but I've seen my fair share
of accidents in my day,

and based on
the tremendous force

that the car hit the tree with,

no one could've survived that.

I believe he died on impact.

There's nothing me, you,
or anyone else

could've done to save him.

[phone buzzing]

Do you need to take that?

Hey, Mom.

Donnell. Baby,
I was worried about you.

Sorry. I'm fine.

Uh, I'm with Jacob.

At the station?

I didn't want you
to have to deal

with any more of this today,

so I went to the source.

VANESSA:
What did you need to know?

Never mind. I'll... You-you
can tell me when I get there.

-I need to...
-Get your boy.

He's upset with me.
He's covering.

Why would you think that?

He knows there are things

I haven't told him
about his father.

Maybe I should've told him.

At least he would've
been prepared.

He's mad at the world, not you.

Why go to the police?

He can't make sense of this
new picture of his father.

One who's gambling, drinking,
got in that car.

That is not the steadfast
good man he grew up with.

He's looking for some boogeyman

who set Doug on the path
to ruin. I just...

I just hope the villain
that he finds

and blames in the end isn't me.

Doug did this, not you.

I wish I could
hold you right now.

Joey...

You know how,
sometimes, funerals

are inspo for people
to do it like bunnies?

That's weddings, baby.

Uh, I can
give you ladies some...

Oh, you don't
have to go, Carlton.

There's tea.

I thought we were furious
with Tomas.

Well, half of us still is.

The other half's open
to second chances?

Yeah, and I might've given them
an unintentional assist.

I let it slip to Tomas that Kat
is still hung up on him.

Well, honey,
you don't know that for sure.

You saw the look in her eyes.

Like she's in love.

Like she really wants something.

I don't like the idea
of Dupree women

getting cheated on
becoming a theme.

-Same.
-Then why didn't you stop her?

You try getting in between
Kat and what she wants.

Plowing in and asking questions
later is a family trait.

Why are you both looking at me?

Kat is grown enough
to make her own decisions,

and she's got us to back her up.

Best case, this Tomas thing
runs its course.

-And what if it doesn't?
-We burn his house down.

Ooh.

[phone buzzing]

Oh, that's the hospital.
I'll take it in the office.

We really shoved you
into the Dupree deep end.

Well, I'm not scared.
Maybe a little in awe.

-You really like Aunt Nicole.
-Everyone likes Nicole.

I wanted to be there today
for Doug and for Nicole.

And did you feel Ted's eyes
burning a hole

into the back of your head?

I did.

But there's nowhere else
I would've been today.

No matter how awkward
it was then

or now in this living room
she used to share with him.

You don't blink, Carlton.

-We like that.
-We do.

So, tell me, where do you
see this thing going

with my big sister?

I didn't screw up
our friendship forever?

That day in my apartment
was top-shelf amazing.

It was.

And...?

I know how to take
the good when it happens,

even if I don't get to keep it.

Are you saying you're
ditching our friendship?

I'm saying we've both been
with other people, Tomas,

but this was different

because I know you,
and you know me,

and we took
all that knowing into bed.

We just made it different.

We don't have to dissect it.

If you want us to be friends,

I need to talk about
what happened with my friend.

Can't argue with that logic.

The difference
between you and Kat

and me and you
is that we are real.

What you had with Kat wasn't.

-I disagree.
-That's why
you don't connect in bed.

Because she isn't there for you.
She's there for her.

She's there
to keep you away from me.

You picked the perfect time
to enter our chat.

Eva...

You did everything you could
to keep us apart.

Gaslit this man
into doubting himself.

Eva, stop this.

EVA:
But all you did
was push us closer.

And not to mention
that the proof

is in the connecting.

-We handled that.
-That's enough.

You... [laughs]

...never even came close.

Leave her alone, please.
This whole situation's on me.

Kat never gaslit me.
She never lied.

And the truth is, Kat and I...

we love each other.

You think you love her,
but how about her?

She did you
for revenge against me.

That's why she doesn't
feel anything real

when you're in bed.

Some things
you just can't fake, Tomas.

So how can you buy those
three little words from her?

Because Kat never told me
she loved me.

She told her cousin.

I wouldn't even know
if Chelsea hadn't

accidentally blurted it out.

Accidentally?

I thought things
were done between us.

I thought you weren't coming.

I gave up all hope
until I talked to Chelsea.

But now, you're here and

I just hope this means
we have a chance.

My only regret
is hurting you, Eva.

You said that we have to
hold on to what we want, right?

Even if it's messy,
even if it's hard.

Kat's who I want.

Right.

Oh.

Are you okay, half-sis?

Nah.

I feel cold.

Standing next to you,
I feel... frigid.

You said it.

You love me.

Are you really asking
my intentions with your sister?

What can I say?
I'm a sucker for tradition.

Okay, I'll play.

Now, this started decades ago,
because I met Nicole before Ted.

-Wait, I thought...
-No, long before.

-Kindergarten? First grade?
-That can't be right.

And there I was, working up
the courage for decades

to ask her out before she went

to that damn conference
in Hawaii.

And then,
she came back with Ted,

who happened to be
my buddy in med school.

Who you also thought you knew
from grade school.

You know, Carlton, if you didn't
want to answer the question,

-you could've just said...
-Butt out?

I got to admit,
his sarcastic story

was classier and more fun.

Well...

Nicole's family
is important to her,

and I don't want
to insult you, but...

You don't want
to explain yourself to us.

Or speak for a woman
who is perfectly capable

of speaking for herself.

Now, I don't know
how Nicole feels about me,

but how I feel about her?

I think she should be
the first person to hear.

I am kind of curious
about where you were going

with that line of bull
you were handing us.

By coming clean, of course.

I was gonna tell you
about how all that time spent

waiting for Nicole
to be available

led me to today,

where I could finally
be close enough to walk in here

and have what I really want.

-My sister.
-No.

This vase.
I mean, it is a sight to behold.

Keep that sense of humor
when dealing with our family.

You're gonna need it.

All of that was my
really awkward way

of saying that I like this vase.

I should've warned you.

Well, I hope
I passed inspection.

I am the only approval you need.

Noted.

I've got to get back to surgery.

Thanks for the tea.

You couldn't leave him alone?

I prefer him
to the cowardly lion.

You're vetting my relationships

after you ran off with my nephew
on a whim and married him?

Then doubled down on your
mistake by sticking with it?

Why did you leave the service
without saying anything to me?

When I checked in with Deanna,
she didn't...

I didn't want to take you
away from everyone.

Everyone was clearing out.
But... Why are we here?

Donnell had questions
about his father's last moments.

-Ah, Donnell...
-Mom, I needed

to know if he hurt.

If it was quick... or not.

Jacob's gonna
show me some photos.

You can't unsee
that wreck, Donnell.

Well, you don't have
to stick around.

If you are doing this, you...
you're not doing it alone.

All right.

We're ready.

JOEY:
Stop there.

Looks like I'll have to make

Detective Marcel Malone
disappear.

Andre and I are not
the first couple to go to Vegas

and come back hitched.

You make it seem like
you were using sound judgment,

not drunk out of your minds.

You have to be
to get married in Vegas.

Geez, I thought maybe
I'd get a pass today

in light of Doug's passing,

but no rest for the judgy.

Do you really expect me
to sit by while you use him?

Use?

All you had to do was follow
through with the annulment.

Now, you're dragging him
through this

prolonged sham of a marriage.

Why? Why do that to him?
To yourself?

Playing house
when your heart's not in it?

How do you know
where my heart is?

Maybe our marriages didn't
measure up to the holy grail

that we grew up with,

but why is Andre
being married to me

the worst thing
in the world for him?

He's not a little boy.

He's a grown, successful man
with miles on his own heart,

and he chose me.

I knew you would
get your back up.

You always do that
when you're in the wrong.

And you're the arbiter
of right and wrong, right, doc?

Forget about me.
What about the girls?

What is this marriage
doing to them?

They are still processing.
Isn't that right, Chelsea?

I was glad Andre was getting Dad
out of your system.

I just didn't think
it'd be long-term.

See? Surprised.
Still processing.

I love having "live out loud"
mom back, but, um...

I didn't expect it
to be so deafening.

-That bad?
-It started out strong.

It felt like something shifted,

like he was open
to the possibility of us.

Until?

This always happens
when I stop trusting myself

and start stupidly trusting you.

I told Tomas the reason
it didn't work with Kat

is because she's actually
not that into him,

that she's trying to stop him
from being into me.

Ooh, I like it.

Because it's a Leslie line

designed to push
all the right pressure points.

-And it didn't work?
-Does it ever?

Gosh, it's awful advice.

Where's your man, Mama?

Nonexistent. So why the hell
am I trying to be a mini-you?

Kat, I'm so sorry.

I didn't expect
that Eva would go there.

Stop.

-Rewind.
-What?

To the fact
that you say you loved me.

This wasn't the way
I was gonna tell you.

I'm done chasing
perfect moments.

That's how we got in this mess
in the first place.

You're not mad?

How could I be mad at you
shutting her down?

I couldn't let her
say those things about us.

I really didn't know
where we stood until...

Until Chelsea talked to you.

I was so mad at her
for telling you.

As mad as you were at me for
telling Eva about our problems?

Look, I know we have to talk
about her, but right now,

all I care about is the fact
that you said it

and that we both feel it.

Maybe it's time
we say it to each other

and not to other people.

I love you, Kat.

I love you, too, Tomas.

-You feel that?
-I'm still feeling it.

-Let's go with that.
-My place?

No. No time.

Uh... How about two steps
to the left?

We have a crisis counselor here.

Uh, I'm okay.

Uh, we'll-we'll talk to Nicole
if we need someone.

Thank you for everything, Jacob.

You can close Doug's case now.

-Not quite.
-What do you mean?

We're waiting for forensics.

Your mother told me Doug was
headed to gamble that night,

so I'm headed to the casino
to obtain security footage.

Is this you just doing
your due diligence?

There's anything
I can do for you on this day,

it's save you some time.

Any questions you have for me,
Detective, I can answer.

Mr. Armstrong, you don't usually
visit us without an invitation.

I should've come before.

I wasn't at the casino
the night we lost Doug.

Until Vanessa told me
that Donnell was here,

frankly, it didn't occur to me

that you would need my help
in this investigation.

Donnell, the fact that you're
trying to fill in the blanks

of your father's last moments,

when you have no moments left,
touches me deeply.

I can't give you
your father back,

but I can give you this.

But I got to warn you, kid,
it isn't pretty.

Well, what's this?

My guys made a copy
of the night in question.

I was just about to
head over to get this.

We rolled back until we found
Doug at the tables.

Thanks for coming forward.

Haven't you had enough
for today?

No, I want to look at it now.

Okay, Jacob.

Okay.

Here we go.

You're just as loud as I am
most of the time,

but when you're upset at me,
you go quiet,

and right now, you're giving
silent treatment on max volume.

This isn't the first time I've
seen you and Aunt Nicole fight.

I haven't forgotten about what
you're going through, Chels.

And I don't want to add
a second more drama

when you are still recovering

from what that maniac
put you through.

But I'm me,
and when I do things,

I do them big
and feather-ruffling.

And I realize that
that is not an excuse

and-and it's also
not much of an apology.

You are who you are.

Chaos is your brand,
and I usually love it.

Why is this hitting you so hard?

The stakes are higher
since Allison and now Doug.

I mean, we shouldn't spend

another moment
of our lives playacting.

Especially not with love.

Your love with Madison is real.

I still believe for you.

I had my time
with your father, but now,

companionship's what I need.

Although, I could've been
more discreet.

CHELSEA:
Yeah, since I'm your kid,
and I could've used a heads-up

rather than a Google alert.

Sometimes, I don't even know
what I'm doing

until I'm doing it,
but I hear you.

I know that what I have
with Andre isn't traditional,

but it's a safe, fun place.

I trust him.

I've never had that before.

I don't think you can actually
keep a marriage casual, Mom.

Well, that's
future-us's problem.

But right now, I'm good, baby.
I'm-I'm happy.

I get it.

You were in Vegas, you were lit,

but you made a promise.

And you get to treat that
like it means something,

because it does.

[Kat giggles]

[Kat moaning]

[squeals]

[giggling]

[Kat moans in pleasure]

-[phone buzzing]
-Oh, it's my hubby.

I should get that.

It's what a good wife
would do, right?

Now you're asking?

Hey.

So...

She's happy.

She is.

I didn't really have
"Andre as a stepdad"

on my vision board
for this year,

but you can't stop Mom
from being Mom,

no more than you can
stop gravity.

And we will never stop worrying
about her or about Kat.

I just wish there was
a better guy for my coz.

I agree. I wish she did.

But just like you did
for my mom, I said my piece.

I'm gonna be there for Kat,

and for her sake,
I hope it works out.

-I think I just
got you in trouble.
-Let 'em talk.

I'm gonna scream it
from the rooftops.

I think you just did.

Kat, are you sure you...?

I did.

So is that what
everyone's been talking about?

Uh... Excuse me.

Can you find out
what those two were having

and make an order to-go for two?

If there's ever a next time,

I'm going to be me with Tomas,

not some Leslie remix.

I'm not gonna try to twist him
around my finger.

Blame it all on me,
why don't you?

I mean, it's not the first time,
and it sure won't be the last.

What is that supposed to mean?

I mean, you've been judging me
since we came to town.

I rode shotgun,
and I won't apologize

for not co-signing
attempted m*rder.

I digress. Okay?

Now, we're not the same person,

as much as it pains me.

Maybe I taught you
this lesson too late.

But, honey, this life
is still tough as hell.

And if you give up,
that man as good as gone.

You don't know that, Mama.

Maybe he'll see
that we're meant to be.

Oh, you think he's gonna
come back to you? No.

Eva, you have to fight.

Okay? Clean or dirty,
my way or the other way.

Because Little Miss Kit Kat?

Oh, baby, she's got
her nasty claws all up in Tomas,

and she does not care
if you think

that you deserve his love.

DONNELL:
No, Dad.

That watch
was supposed to remind him

that time was precious

and-and he-he was
supposed to spend it with us.

[Vanessa sniffles]

That's the last time
anyone saw him alive.

After that, he was all alone.

I'm sorry, baby.

VANESSA:
I'm sorry.