02x07 - I Know My Soul

Episode transcripts for the 2016 TV show "Queen Sugar" Aired September 2016 - current.*
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"Queen Sugar" follows the life of two sisters, one a formidable journalist & activist from New Orleans, and the other a modern woman, who, with her teenage son Micah, leaves her upscale apartment in Los Angeles and moves to the heart of Louisiana to claim an inheritance from her recently departed father: an 800-acre sugarcane farm.
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02x07 - I Know My Soul

Post by bunniefuu »

Nova: Previously on "Queen Sugar"...

I ain't been telling y'all the truth.

There was more to the will.

The farm, he left it to just me.

- You were using me.
- That's not what he's been doing.

You knew about this, too?

Daddy cleaning floors
and scrubbing toilets

- to keep your son in clothes.
- What?

He was working
as a janitor before he d*ed.

You was living large in L.A.

- And, Nova, you hardly ever passed by.
- How would you know?!

Most of those years,
you weren't here neither!

You're not leaving until
we settle this mess!

He wouldn't have done this.

He wouldn't have just given you
the farm, not like this!

Yeah, he would. And you know how I know?

- 'Cause he did.
- Get off your high horse, Rah!

Y'all act like Daddy wanting to leave
something for me and Blue is wrong!

Like him sweeping floors to
hold onto the farm is my fault!

Y'all could've did something
to help him out.

Both of you!

So you didn't know that Daddy
was working as a janitor?

I would've done it for him if I could.

Mm-hmm.

But I didn't know.

You the one he was calling.

Maybe had you done what he asked,

he'd never have to do that.

You ever think about that, Charley?

That's not fair. I was on my way down...

When you was good and ready, right?

And you wasn't no better.

You right on the other side of town.

Nothing. Nothing.

Why'd you wait so long to tell us?

I... I was waiting for the right time.

(scoffs)

You knew you wasn't trying to hear me.

I knew it.

I was trying to do this right.

I told my parole officer and he said...

- Wait a minute.
- Charley: What?

Ralph Angel: He said
Daddy's letter is real.

It's a good, enforceable will.

Wow.

- Wow? (scoffs)
- Mm-hmm.

Okay, everybody slow down.

Nova: No, Aunt Vi.

We're okay.

Oh, yeah.

But I'm tired of talking about it!

I need to see this letter for myself.

Now!

(theme music playing)

♪ Dreams never die, take
flight, as the world turns ♪


♪ Dreams never die, take
flight, as the world turns ♪


♪ Keep the colors
in the lines, take flight ♪


♪ Dreams never die ♪

♪ Keep the colors in the lines ♪

♪ Keep the colors
in the lines, take flight. ♪


- Darla: Put your card...
- Blue: Kings.

- Go fish.
- (Hollywood chuckles)

(door opens)

Hollywood: Micah, do you have a ?

(chuckles)

What happened? Are we leaving?

I'll be right back.

(scoffs) They wanna
see it to believe it,

so I'm gonna show 'em and be done.

See you, boy.



It would be nice to see you, too,

but I don't think I can get
to Atlanta right now.

I've got a family situation.

Actually, I should go.

I'll give you a call later.

(door closes)

So?

What do you have to say about all this?

What is there to say?

End of the day, the farm was Daddy's

to do with as he pleased.

Yeah?

But the way you're acting
can't all be about the farm.

You never even cared about it that much.

So what's really going on here?

It was always the same
thing with me and Daddy.

Didn't matter what it was.

We always found ourselves
right back in that same place.

You know?

No, baby, I don't know.

You...

are gonna have to let me in.

"When you gonna settle down?

Girl, where my grandbabies at?"

Could never seem to just let me be...

me.

Well, baby... (chuckles)

your daddy was just...

doing what fathers do.

You didn't have to pay that no mind.

That's what I thought.

Then Charley gave him one.

Then Ralph Angel.

After that, he stopped asking.

I thought he was satisfied

with who I am.

But cutting me out of the farm?

Feels like he's judging me.

(voice breaks) Pu... punishing me.

Ben on phone: Photographer landed
in town a couple of hours ago


and should be joining us tomorrow
for the rest of the interview.


Sounds great.

So, we were thinking

we should do it at the family farm,

really tap into the legacy
angle you're pushing.


- The farm.
- Uh-huh.

Actually, let's start at the mill.

The updates I've made
alongside the older equipment


will make for a, uh,
apt visual metaphor.

Can't argue with that.

See you tomorrow.

(beeps)

"To my dear children...

I, Ernest Bordelon,

in sound mind and body,

am revising my last will and testament.

I hope no one needs this
for a long time.

And I hope I can do this
in person one day.

But if I can't...

this paper will have to stand in for me.

I've made the decision
to pass this land...

land of my mother
and her father before her


and his father before him,

to the child of mine who needs it

and loves it most...

Ralph Angel.

You, Ralph Angel,

are more than you know.

You and your sisters
are the moon and the sky


and the stars to me.

Each of you.

But this land is yours.

Whatever happened,

whatever you've done in the past,

never forget that you are
better than you think,

that you are smarter than you think.

You are stronger than you think.

Take this land.

Build a home here.

Build a family for you and Blue here.

Build our cane here...

stalk by stalk.

Build a good life here, Ralph Angel,

so when you get to the end,

you can look back and be proud

of your days on this earth
and on this land.

It's all yours, son.

Do right.

I know you can.

Until we meet again.

Pops."



(sighs)

(paper rustling)

But he never took it to his lawyer.

Don't matter.

His meaning is clear.

Is it?

Only thing that's clear

is Daddy wrote this
right after you got out.

Charley: He was in a state then.

Nova: Maybe it was some
fantasy he was toying with.


I mean, he didn't tell anyone about it,

including you.

Exactly.

Wanting to believe you're
capable of doing all this

and actually doing it
are two very different things.

Just 'cause you two
only see my mistakes...

it don't mean Pops felt the same way.

Huh?

Hi, Remy. What's up?

It's the Jack Duvall situation.

- I don't know what that is.
- Oh, I'm sorry.

I thought Joe had spoken to you.

Jack's a local farmer.

He cut his cane
and brought it to the mill.


- Without an agreement?
- Yeah.

Joe says that he can fit Jack
into the schedule tonight

and still handle the rest of the
inflow if you're okay with that.

Sure, as soon as we get
a signed contract

and a deposit from Mr. Duvall,
Joe can handle the rest.

I'm vouching for this man.

I appreciate that,
and I hope you can appreciate

that right now I prefer to do business

with all the "I"s dotted
and "T"s crossed.

- Mr. Duvall's at the mill now?
- Yeah, but listen...

Great, great, I'll handle the paperwork.

Okay, bye.

(door closes)

I need you to go to the office

to prep a contract for a
farmer named Jack Duvall.

He's waiting to grind.

You know where the paperwork is?

Yes. I'll get right on it.

No. What are you doing?

I need you here.

Nova: She can go.

This is a family matter anyway.

She Blue's mom and my lady.
She is family.

She's also my employee,

and I need her to handle an emergency.

Ralph Angel...

this is apples and oranges.

I ain't never heard
of no paper emergency.

Nah, she mixing stuff up,

trying to send Darla away
so y'all could g*ng up on me.

- That's not what I'm doing.
- Yeah, it is!

(scoffs)

Go, please, before Mr.
Duvall's cane sours.

- Okay.
- No, Darla.

Stay.

You a part of this.

When they couldn't stand
to look at you, I was there.

When they treated you
like nothing, I stood by you.

- Why can't you do the same?
- I'm right here.

Running off to the mill to help Charley

is the same thing as taking her side!

It's my job.

Look, Charley and me, we ain't
seeing eye to eye on this thing,

and I need you to stand by me.

Please.

I ain't got nobody else but you, Darla.

You can't go, Darla.

I can't go?

- Listen to yourself.
- Listen to me.

I went to work for Charley

because we needed money.

We needed money because
I lost my parking lot job.

And I lost that job
because I missed work

to help scrub flies off of your cane.

(scoffs)

You can see this as betrayal,
but I see it as love.

(keys jingle)

And I would never do to you

what you're doing to me right now.

Never.

(engine starts)



♪ You've got those grey, grey eyes ♪

♪ For a sunrise ♪

♪ Mmm ♪

♪ All of that rain that fell a while ♪

♪ We could hum to ♪

♪ Mmm ♪

♪ But I'm letting it ♪

♪ Yeah, I'm letting it go ♪

♪ My mind is on fire, mind is on fire ♪

♪ As hard as I try, still can't rewind ♪

♪ I can't and I can't turn back time ♪

♪ Yeah, and I'm so scared ♪

♪ The change I thought we've made ♪

♪ Gets washed away ♪

♪ What if we never find
a better place? ♪


♪ Under the stars I always trace ♪

♪ What if we never find a place? ♪

♪ I don't wanna go, no ♪

♪ Just to let you know ♪

♪ I'm already home. ♪

(door opens)

- Hollywood: Hey, baby.
- (door closes)


I'm gonna lay him down in our room.

Did he hear anything?

He knows something's wrong,
but he'll be okay.

We'll make sure of it.

Hey, Mom?

Hmm?

I'm gonna head to Dad's,

give you some space if that's okay.

Yeah, okay, yeah.

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

- Bye, Auntie.
- Bye, baby.

(door opens)

(closes)

You knew.

And you didn't tell me.

Baby...

I didn't ask for none of this.

I know.

I just... I just didn't expect it.

When I would come down
here for the summers,

you were the one
that made everything okay.

I mean, I didn't even have
my own room at Daddy's.

But you kept one for me here.

You always made sure
that I felt like I belonged.

I wasn't just Daddy's
other daughter to you.

Never.

That meant a lot.

This was the first home that I had here.

I know that. I remember that.

But since I got back,
it's all about Ralph Angel.

All day, every day.

And no matter what it is,
we're just supposed to...

bend over backwards for him.

'Cause you help the people
who need help.

I need help, too.

Ralph Angel went to prison
because he did something

to make that happen.

But what did I do

to deserve what I'm going through?

Yeah, everyone thinks that I'm just...

I should just be okay.



(voice breaks) I want
someone to fight for me.

♪ They say time heals all wounds ♪

♪ I don't agree... ♪

Baby, I'm sorry.

♪ They're all over me ♪

♪ They remind us where we've been ♪

♪ And they teach us where to go ♪

- ♪ If you haven't forgiven...
- (footsteps approach)

♪ It's time to let them know ♪

♪ I know you're lost ♪

♪ But it's okay ♪

♪ We've all got scars ♪

♪ You are not alone ♪

♪ Don't turn your back... ♪

Come on.

♪ Don't look away ♪

♪ I know your heart ♪

♪ It's time to carry on... ♪

No disrespect.

But how are you gonna run the farm

if I don't fund it?

I'll do what I gotta do.

What's that mean?

I'll figure things out,
just like Pop did.

Daddy never figured it all out.

Don't talk about Daddy like that.

I loved him just as much as you.

I'm just dealing with what is,

not with how I want things to be.

- I'm talking about specifics.
- (door opens)

Sooner or later, you have
to be in the real world.

- I've been in the real world, Charley.
- I didn't mean...

You ain't gotta worry about
how things gonna get done.

I'll do what I need to do.

Look, I won't be asking you for nothing.

Landrys might charge me
an arm and a leg,

but at least he don't
waste my time like this.

What was it Ernest used to say?

The only thing more frustrating

about always having to
do things Charley's way

is usually having
to admit that she's right.

(chuckles)

Mr. Duvall, I'm so sorry
to keep you waiting.

(sniffles) Please look those over

and let me know
if you have any questions.

Hey.

- You okay?
- Yeah, I'm fine.

It's just been a really long day.

I don't know what you want
from me, Charley.

I ain't got no magic wand.
I can't just change the past.

It's not the past I'm worried
about; it's the future.

I'm doing everything I know how to do!

I'm picking up some classes from
LSU, learn what I don't know.

- And I'm gonna find some extra work.
- You keep saying that.

But you're running a full-time business.

You don't have
unlimited amounts of time.

A man can only work so much!

If I say I'm gonna work,
then that's what I'll do!

- (door opens, closes)
- (sighs)

Y'all need to start trusting me.

- It's not about trust.
- Nova: We need to trust you?

"I'm passing this land
to the child of mine

who needs it and loves it most."

Why do you think Daddy said that?

Man, I don't know
what she talking about.

It's not a trick.

I'm just saying why did Daddy
say you needed it the most?

I think it's because you're
the one who messed up the most.

- Nova...
- We're all thinking it, Aunt Vi.

Rah wants us to trust him
when he's the one who's proven

over and over again
that he can't be trusted.

I can't be trusted?

All right, that's your brother
from the crib to the grave.

That's enough.

The real surprise
is that we're surprised.

Daddy was always gonna do
something like this.


- What the hell that mean?
- Doesn't matter what Rah did.

It never changed the fact that
all Daddy ever saw was you.

You can't put that on me.

It's been that way
since before you were born.

Daddy didn't even commit to Mama
until she was pregnant with you.

- You wanna talk about Mama now?
- Fine. Fine!

You wanna talk about people not
doing what they supposed to do?!


- Talk about it.
- I was when Pops told me

I ain't got a mom no more!

But he said I got the next best thing.

A big sister.

But you left.

Soon as you could.

Took your ass to New Orleans
and never turned around.

She was my mother, too.

I got through the best way I could,

so what happened to you is on you.

Okay, so now you both done said...

I'm sick of being looked down on!

- We're not doing that.
- The hell y'all ain't.

Ralph Angel, do you honestly, honestly

think you can run the farm

and not lose it before the season's out?

You're not ready.

You don't have the experience.

You don't have the means,
not by yourself.

I think that's why Daddy
never filed this letter.

He was waiting for you to...

grow up and sh-show up.

I hate to say it, baby.

But Charley might be right about this.

Ernest didn't mean to,

but he put too much on you right now.

You need your sisters.

No, y'all are just mad

I see what you see when you look at me.

Just some dumb convict.

- You're wrong.
- Ralph Angel: No.

You don't get to tell me how I feel.

And you don't get to tell me what to do.

Not anymore.

(paper rustles)

(door opens, closes)


Ralph Angel...



♪ Beauty in the dark ♪

♪ Where can I find you? ♪

♪ Making grace
with the sweep of your hand ♪


- ♪ Beauty in the dark... ♪
- (door opens)


Micah: Hey.

♪ You speak so softly ♪

♪ Have you caught another man? ♪

Thought you could use this.

Thanks, honey.

Is that coffee, too?

It's a housewarming gift.

♪ I do not wonder if you are coming... ♪

You didn't have to do that.

Look, I'm gonna...
I'm gonna go check on Keke.

- Yeah. See you later.
- Hey.

Thanks for everything.

- You know I got you, man.
- Yeah.

All right.

- Okay.
- (door opens)


(door closes)

Wow.

You got it looking pretty nice in here.

This really wasn't necessary.

Yeah, I know.

Open it anyway.

An ice cream maker.

I've always felt bad about
talking you out of putting it

on our wedding registry.

Well, anyway...

it's for your new beginning.

Thank you, Davis.

Since you're here, I should tell you.

I'm doing a piece
with "Gallant Magazine."

Charley, that's huge. Congratulations.

I told them about the divorce.

Why is that you get to flip the script

whenever the hell you feel like it?

Listen, we can go back and
forth about this all day,

but it doesn't change anything.

This is what's happening.

The article won't be one-sided, Davis.

I promise you.

You'll get fair coverage.

That's nice of you.

Thanks.



♪ Home, where the neckline blue ♪

♪ Live and die in a mile ♪

♪ A little something for the back pain ♪

♪ Then another for the mind, though ♪

♪ Can't grow on frozen ground ♪

♪ Can't see through the pines, nah ♪

♪ Forget about it on the weekend ♪

♪ Need to get up out it for a while ♪

♪ I feel, oh ♪

♪ So numb ♪

♪ Numb... ♪

What's that?

You tell me.

All day, you sat there
listening to us argue

over who owns this land.

You never say anything about the fact

that you used to own this farm.

Used to.

I sold my half interest
in the farm to your daddy

over years ago.

You just... gave it up?

(chuckles)

going on stupid.

Took up with a no-good,
good-looking man.

Uncle Jimmy?

Your daddy hated him.

Said he was bad news
and forbid me to see him.

Forbid? What did you do?

What any -year-old who thinks

she's the first girl in the
world to fall in love does...

I moved in with him, married him.

Bought this place.

Things between Ernest
and I weren't the same.


And over time, got so we barely spoke.

At your grandmama's funeral,

we literally did not say
one word to each other.

I didn't know that night
whether I was crying


because my mama was dead and gone

or because my brother
was alive and gone.

What happened to Jimmy Dale?

Ah, Jimmy Dale. (snorts)

Drink, dr*gs, and disappointment.

Then he started getting rough with me.

I kept that to myself.

When your daddy found out...

it didn't matter
that we weren't speaking.

He came back from California

and took Jimmy Dale fishing.

(laughs) When they came back,

Jimmy was packing his bags.

(laughs)

That sounds like Daddy.

(sighs)

When I filed for divorce,

I...

sold my half of the farm to your daddy,

bought out Jimmy
and paid up my mortgage.


But you had to give up your
family inheritance to get it.

Mm-hmm, and I would do it
again in a hot second.

I was angry at your daddy for years.

Then...

he apologized to me...

(voice breaks) for not protecting me.

I never got over that.

(clears throat)

He was right. I was wrong.

But when it counted, he was there.

Yeah, I lost the land,

but I got back my freedom, independence,

and, most important,
I got my brother back.

So, frankly, I got the
better part of the deal.


Baby...

compared to family,

that land ain't nothing
but a mess of pottage.

Love always comes first.

And in the end,

choosing the only thing that matters

is what matters.

- (chatter)
- (phone ringing)


(footsteps approach)

Hey.

(sighs)

That reporter's sniffing
around about your divorce.

I know.

I had to give him the story.

Had to?

It was a strategic move.

Control the narrative.

Hmm.

What?

You know...

I had heard so much
about you before we met.

Every time the farmers got together,

your dad had at least one story
about your last success.


Folks would say, "Well, of
course, 'cause she's so smart."

And Ernest said...

"smart" was the wrong word.

- No, he insisted on "thoughtful."
- Hmm.

So when you decided to buy this place

and stand up for the farmers,
that made sense to me,

'cause it was both smart and
considerate of your community.

- It was thoughtful, right?
- Mmm.

But now I wonder...

if I misunderstood your father.

Yeah, maybe...

maybe "thoughtful"...

meant "calculating."

You're using my father against me

because you don't approve
of a choice I made for my life?

I'm just trying to figure out how...

a woman who's using her divorce
as a part of her business plan

is the same one
that he was bragging about


for all those years.

Makes me wonder what else
you're being thoughtful about.

I mean, the mill? Farmers?

Me?

You need to walk out.

Please go.



If you're mad at me
for leaving last night...

I can deal with it.

You can deal with it?

Why you here?

Because I'm not gonna let your anger

get in the way of me seeing Blue.

If you're not gonna
let me in the house...

I'll take him swimming.

So this is how it is now?

Whatever you want?

Never mind my feelings?

You're not just punishing
me, Ralph Angel.

Blue!

Put your swimming trunks on!

I'll wait in the car.

♪ 'Cause if you really rock with me
the way you say you rock with me ♪


♪ Then rock with me the way
you say you rock with me ♪


- ♪ Yeah... ♪
- (woman giggles) All right, baby.


♪ 'Cause you gonna have to
make it up to me... ♪


(line rings)

- (beeps)
- Nova: Hello, sir.

Choosing to take you up on your offer.

♪ Who's gonna hold you tight like me? ♪

- Nova: I'll see you soon.
- ♪ Who's gonna stick around like me? ♪


♪ After everybody left,
you walked alone ♪


♪ Who helped out like me? ♪

♪ Why you gotta lie to me? ♪

What you say there, young blood?

Brought you a cold one.

Aunt Vi send you?

I don't need her to tell me
to come see my partner.

She tell you about
what happened last night?

Enough.

All Daddy wanted...

was for me to raise
my family on this land.

But it seem like everybody against me.

(scoffs) Even Darla.

- I don't know if we still together.
- Oh, don't say that.

Everybody goes through rough patches.

Nah, Wood. This feels different.

Everything Pops thought
I could be is falling apart.

I don't know what to do.

You're gonna wake up every day.

You're gonna work this land.

You're gonna be a good father to Blue.

You gonna do what every other
farmer around here does.

And in due time,

this too shall pass.



♪ It's hard to take
all of this hate... ♪


It's less about
reinvention than it is...

It's less about reinvention
than it is about evolution.

The real goal is to help
this community realize...

Hey, Charley, I thought
we'd just continue

with the interview
while they finish setting up.

Okay, yeah.

(recorder beeps)

How would your father feel
about you reinventing yourself

as a budding agricultural industrialist?

Well, I'm not reinventing myself

as much as I'm...

I'm, uh... I'm using my...

Um...

I'm using my, uh...

uh...

♪ Join with me, oh... ♪

You asked what my father
would feel, right?

♪ So, it's on me... ♪

I don't know.

♪ So, it's on ♪

♪ Instead of something to break apart ♪

♪ Instead, it's just broke apart ♪

♪ Help me out, on me ♪

♪ Help me out. ♪
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