05x01 - The First Day

[bunniefuu]

[James] Previously on Greenleaf.

What finally brought
you back, huh?

I'm gonna turn myself in.

I want you to join with me
in bringing H&H into the future.

You'd make yourself
an ornament on the arm

of this white criminal?

I have already said yes.

- Will you marry me?
- [chuckles]

Jacob, there is really
no easy way to say this.

I have chlamydia.

- Get out!
- I ain't going nowhere!

I want the board
to meet tomorrow

and I want the vote
to go our way.

I'll make sure
you get it, Daddy.

[James] In the event of a tie
among the deacons,

it can be broken by a vote
by the highest-ranking member

of the Greenleaf family
still employed by the church.

[Kerissa] It looks like your
parents had Mrs. Davis k*lled

and basically stole
this house from her.

There's not gonna be a wedding.

What are you talking about?

I'm gonna marry Judee.

Well, Bob is gonna be
calling you.

I'll be running H&H with him
going forward.

You and James have a lot
of personal belongings

at the church.
You might wanna get those out.

We're gonna demolish
the church in a week.

Hey, Serena Alvarado here

with your Harmony and Hope
"Sunday Best."

We're in Memphis today,

just seven days away
from the start of construction

on H&H's magnificent cathedral
and world headquarters.

- Who are these people again?
- It's H&H.

It's like a news channel
they put on their website,

and I guess some
of their churches play it

before service.

[James] Like the church
is a movie theater.

[chuckles] Anything to get folks
in the door, huh?

But for what?
More entertainment?

They can get that anywhere else.

[sighs]

Why did you make us come here?

Doesn't that just break
your heart?

Gigi, I learned a long time ago,
it's better to be there

when something passes away.

If you don't see it happening,
there's always a part of you

that thinks it might come back,
whatever it is.

And that's the part of you
that keeps you from seeing

what God's gonna do next.

What?

Now that makes me sad.

To see a cross
handled like that.

Like it wasn't the skeleton key
to the mansion of being itself.

Maybe you're right, Gigi.

Maybe this was a mistake.
Let's go.

♪ Amen ♪

♪ All right ♪

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Well ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

- ♪ Amen, amen ♪ - ♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

[birds chirping]

[Maricel] At least
let me make you some tea.

This hot water and lemon,
it's depressing.

No, Maricel.

I am fasting and praying
until my God tells me

what to do.

What if it takes 40 days?

Wha... Look what Jesus did
with that 40 days!

He saved the whole human race.
I should be so blessed.

Oh, there she comes.

Little Ms. Benedictine Arnold,

traitor to her whole family.

[sighs]

- Good morning.
- Whatever.

Oh, Aaron, uh... sit here.

Please forgive me. I'm fasting.

I'm quite weak. I, uh...

- Save your strength.
- Mm-hm.

- May I get you something?
- No. No. I, uh...

I'm with her, thank you.

All right, Aaron,
why are you here?

I'm here to see Grace.

Aaron, can I tell you something?

Please don't tell anyone.

But right now, I don't even want
that old church back.

Mae, is this fast
making you loopy?

[chuckles]
Listen, after working so hard...

and so long to get back
that church...

I finally see that perhaps
it wasn't the proper aim.

You know,
your father was blessed

that he didn't live to see
what was coming ahead,

and I wouldn't be surprised
if you told me

that Harmony and Hope
was offering stock

on that S&P 500

- or whatever it's called, but...
- Aaron. How are you, son?

I'm well, Bishop. How are you?

- Nice to see you.
- Great to see you.

[chuckles]

He's upset with me
about a misconception.

Son, just pray for him.

- I'll do that.
- Oh.

Oh, no. This is... Hallelujah.

Hmm.

[clears throat]

So, what's this news?

A.J. should hear it too.

So, tell me one more time
what you think this means,

this will?

Never mind
what I think it means.

What you should be worried about
is what a jury

is gonna think it means
once they see

what your parents did
to steal this house and estate

out from up under
that helpless old woman.

You know this revised will
is no proof of anything right?

Mac's name
is on there as executor,

and that's good enough for me.

So, where'd you got this sh*t?
Latin lover, Fernando?

It doesn't matter
where I got it from.

Yeah.
So, you got it from Fernando.

Good to know.

He's passing out wills
and chlamydia. Great.

And can you please
keep your voice down

when it comes to my health?

So, if I don't what
about this will

you're gonna what?
Just so I know.

If you don't take care of me
in this divorce

like no woman in the
state of Tennessee

has ever been taken care of,
well, find out.

Okay. All right.

Get your attorney
and you make your proposal.

[door slams]

[sighs]

- [pants]
- [cell phone rings quietly]

Hey, you.

So, what's up?
When can I see you again?

How's six o'clock tonight?

[Dante] Okay. Cool.

Yeah, I'll pick you up.

Uh... Actually, no.
I'll just... I'll come over,

'cause, you know, I don't want
Zora and Nikki to, you know...

Nikki's still staying there?

Yeah, she's pretty dug in.

Wow. Okay.
Uh... We gotta figure that out.

Yeah. Please. Figure that out.
Okay.

All right.
I'll see you tonight, baby.

Can't wait.

- God is good.
- All the time.

So, are we cool
for this meeting?

Oh, we're cool.
I'd say ice cold.

- Because if we're not...
- Permission to speak freely?

You're my boss,
I need permission.

Permission granted.

My family hates me.
I have no love life.

This job as associate pastor,

which you were kind enough
to grant me

after you dumped me
like a bag of sh*t in the trash,

is literally all I have left
on this earth.

So, I'd never do anything
to endanger it.

Trust me.

It's just...
This is our first time

meeting the staff, and,
you know, the original deacons.

I just want us to present
a united front.

Oh, it will be united.

And it will most
definitely be a front.

Give Judee my best.

I know you two
will be very happy.

[sighs]

- So, the case is closed?
- That's what Ellis said.

They caught the guy
they think did it.

A.J. is no longer a suspect.
Case closed.

- Who do they think did it?
- This guy. I looked him up.

Are you sure?

[Aaron] Why?
Is something the matter?

- Who is he?
- Just some guy

who'd, basically,
been cutting a swath

through the county.

Robbing pharmacies,
selling dr*gs.

He d*ed last night
in a sh**t at a store.

Right near here, actually.

And he matches
the video surveillance

they took at the pharmacy
that A.J....

- Where they thought A.J....
- [Aaron] To their satisfaction,

yeah.

As for you, if that's
what you're worried about,

Ellis knows you were covering,

but now that it's all
wrapped up,

he's letting it go.

Should I call the cops
and have them re-open the case?

I thought you two
would be relieved.

Thanks for letting me know.

[sighs]

What's the matter, Grace?

Nothing, I guess. I don't know.

[Aaron] Look, I know
this is strange, considering.

And the fact the guy
they're blaming is dead

is heavy.

But he did rob
these other stores.

It's basically a miracle.

He should be thanking God.
We all should.

I'll talk to him. Thank you.

Can I keep this?

Sure.

Aaron! Aaron!

- Just the man I wanted to see.
- What's going on?

[chuckles]

Here.

What do you think about that?

[Darius] Yeah,
this is Darius Nash.

If Mr. Whitmore would be willing
to give me a callback.

I know he's busy.

Yeah. Please have him call me.

Bye.

Tell me you're not
my new editor.

I'm not your new editor.

Thank God.

It's okay for me
to say that now, right?

Now that you're no longer...

If you knew what I've been
through in the past few months,

you wouldn't make
jokes like that.

If you knew what I've been
through in the past few months

you wouldn't show up
unannounced.

Why? What have you been through?

Getting over you.

I need a favor.

And I wasn't sure
you would see me

if I called first, so...

Well, you were right
to be unsure.

You wanna get a little coffee?

I know
what it looks like, right?

But, you know, if you wanna
see it that way...

Well, based on what I've heard
about Mac,

- it definitely looks that way.
- Yeah,

but it's not really
proof of anything, is it?

I mean, how could it be?

Legally, you're probably right.

But what I would want,
if someone tried to use a will

like this against me,
is the will that

this one superseded.

So, I could see if somebody else
was the beneficiary.

- If not, no problem.
- Okay. All right. Thank you.

Anytime.

But I'm gonna pray you and
whoever's stepping you with that

come to peace in the meantime.

That's unlikely, but thanks.
Prayers are always welcome.

- Got you.
- All right.

Bye.

[birds chirping]

Uh... Hey, Siri,
call Joyce Meyer.

[cell phone beeps, dials]

[Alexa] Hey, you got me.

Leave a message
and I'll call you back.

Alexa, it's Jacob.

Call me.

[Phil] We found
a wonderful place

to worship during construction,

that's about a mile from here.

Is it gonna be
wheelchair accessible?

[Phil] It is. Yes.

Uh... It's not gonna be perfect,
I won't lie,

but if the Spirit
shows up when we do,

- I'm not gonna complain. Amen?
- [all] Amen!

[Phil] It's only a year,
then we're gonna be back here

better than ever,
swimming in blessings.

A lot of you
are probably wondering

who's gonna be preaching.

Who is gonna be feeding me that
word and wisdom I hunger for,

and that will be me.

And me,
the other three weekends.

It's very much a team effort,
is the point.

And I've got a
whole series prepared

called
"The Cornerstones of Faith."

It's about the forgotten history
of black women in the church.

So, if you've ever felt
rejected, huh?

Have you ever felt forgotten,

or just stalled on the side
of God's superhighway,

you are gonna wanna show up
every Sunday for that one.

Every fourth Sunday.

Just make sure
you're in the building, ladies,

because AAA is on the way.

[chuckles]

- Amen?
- [all] Amen!

So, let's get back to packing.

We've got less than a week
before the move.

- Amen!
- [staff] Amen!

[chatter]

I see what you're doing.

All I'm doing is ministering
to the sheep in my flock.

When your great
white ho shows up,

and half the church is white,
she can preach about vanilla,

white Jesus, and snow.

But until that day comes,
it's me.

[sighs]

[knocks]

Hey.

Uh... Thanks a lot
for letting me come by.

- Well, I had to, didn't I?
- Why is that?

I'm still a Christian.

You coming in or not?

You've got a kid?

Yeah.

Look, her nap time
is almost over,

so what do you need?

[Darius] So what are you
gonna do for work?

[Grace] Hmm, I'm not sure.

But, you know, right now
what I really want...

is help with this,
if I can get it.

The "Drugstore Cowboy" story.

Yeah.

What do you wanna find out
about this?

- Well, basically, who he is.
- Why?

[sighs]

So, I was at Faith's grave
yesterday,

and this guy walked up,
said he just wandered

onto the property.
I think it's him.

- Seriously?
- Yeah. And according to this,

they haven't IDed him yet,
and I just thought...

maybe you'd know someone
with inside information.

Yeah.

I can reach out to my guy
who covers the DA's office

- right now.
- Thank you.

Hey, Grace,
I just want you to know...

- it's good to see you.
- It's good to see you, too.

[knocking on door]

Praying!

Can you put Jesus on hold?

I actually need
to have a word with you.

Yes. Come in.
What did I do wrong now?

Ooh, is that the mood we're in?

Because maybe
this isn't the best time.

For what? Just say it.

This day can't get any worse
than what it is.

I didn't put in 25 years

at the school
of good old-fashioned gospel

to serve up Pinkberry hymns
every Sunday in a gym.

- You're quitting?
- Honey, I have to.

- H&H? Uh-uh.
- So, it did.

It got worse. Wow.

Well, hey, hey, hey.

We will still see
each other socially.

I know. It's not that.

- Then why are you crying?
- I just wish I could quit, too.

But you're finally AP.

I mean, this is what you have
wanted your whole life.

[girl chattering]

Seems like you guys
are doing okay.

Does it?

What do you want, Jacob?

Look, I just wanted to know
if you knew

where Mac's old papers ended up.

He had all those boxes.

[Alexa] That's why you called?

[Jacob] Yeah.

You get me fired,
thrown out of my church,

and then my next church.

I'm sorry about that.

If you were really sorry, Jacob,
you wouldn't even think

you could show up here
asking for anything.

[girl chattering]

What?

Nothing.

What are you looking for anyway?

I have all these people now
who think I knew what Mac did,

calling me out all the time,
asking me things.

I'm like, "I was his assistant!

He didn't bring
these girls to work!"

Look, I'm just looking for some
legal stuff about the house.

Kerissa and I
are getting a divorce.

And, uh... I gotta dig
everything from the vault,

sort it all out.

So, she finally got sick of it?

It's, uh, something like that.

You idiot.

But... I'm sorry to hear it.

It's not easy with kids.

Hell, I've heard.

[girl chattering]

Oh, thank you.

Thank you. Mama's thirsty.

- More?
- I'm good. You drink up.

You married?

- Here.
- Thank you.

Do you see a ring?

Guess not.

- Is, uh... Is she...
- Yours?

I wouldn't have kept yours.

- [clattering]
- [girl] Uh-oh.

Well, thanks anyway.

He kept a storage locker
at that place over on Union.

I don't have a key
and I've never gone there.

A, it's not my stuff.

B, I'm too scared to see
what I'd find.

But you might
wanna check it out.

Thanks.

What?

The way things ended with us...

it was nothing like I wanted it
to be when we met.

I screwed up.

[sighs]

Maybe it wasn't all up to you.

Either way, I'm sorry.

Yeah.

Me too.

What you doing over here?

Are you making a big meal
for Mama?

[pounding]

- Got a sec?
- Yeah.

I guess.

I hope Mama didn't hear that.

[sighs]

You're pretty good at that.

I had a lot of practice.

You're not going back to jail.

Yeah, I know.

Then what's the problem?

God has given you a way
out of this.

- Can you not accept that?
- No.

- Why not?
- Because it isn't real.

I did it. We both know I did it.

And when they figure out
I did it...

The case is closed.

I went to go see a friend
of mine today

who hooked me up
with the DA's office.

No one knows who this kid is
who got k*lled,

but they are solidly
convinced that he...

you know...

So, for whatever reason,

it's over.

So, you think maybe we can
go out tonight as a family?

You, me, and Sophia?

And do what? Party?

A little. Yeah. You're free.

And this guy paid the price.

I know.

Look, A.J., I'm just trying
to break through to you, okay?

And I know that I don't always
say the right thing.

But you are free.

I can't pretend I'm not
incredibly happy about that.

Okay.

Let's go out.

- Yeah?
- Mm-hm.

All right. I'll let you know
when I talk to Sophia.

- Okay.
- Gonna be fun.

- [chuckles]
- Fun. You hear me?

[laughs]

[bag thuds]

[sighs]

Connie never indicated
to anybody that

they were planning
on tearing down the building

- and starting over.
- If she had, I never would have

voted for all these H&H pastors
on the board.

Now, why did Grace advise me
to vote for that?

She was just trying
to keep the peace, Clara,

while Mae and I were working
behind the scenes.

Well, it didn't work.

And I'm not going to church
in a gym.

Nor should you.

Not that gym, anyway.
Not with this leadership.

Yeah. I know some
wonderful white folks,

but these Whitmores
are not them.

What are we going to do, Bishop?
We can't let this happen.

We got to take our church back.

I know what to do.

But, first...

let us talk to God, shall we?

Give him a chance to weigh in.

Heavenly Father,

we come to you this day
with concerns,

concerns that only you
can answer.

Let us accept thy will Lord.

1058. This is it.

[clanking]

Wow.

[Coleman] This is
what's owed on the contract.

Two years.

I'm gonna need that paid
before you pack out.

Uh... Yeah, of course.

Um... Sign me up
for six another months.

You got it.

Mm-hm. 7:45 for three.

Grace Greenleaf.

No. I'm no longer pastor,
but yeah, that's me.

[line beeps]

You know, I have a call
on the other line,

can you hold on just one second?

Thank you.

Darius, what's going on?

[Darius] I just did an interview
with Bob Whitmore.

Are you available for a little
unattributed confirmation?

[Grace] Sure. Go.

Yeah,
I'd rather do it in person.

Why? What's going on?

Grace, I know why they're here.

Bob. H&H.

I know why they're here.

[sighs]

[knocks on door]

- Hey.
- Hey, baby.

What's wrong?

What is she doing here?

You told me to figure it out.

So that's what
we're trying to do.

Are you getting back together?

- You know what...
- No. No. We are...

We are not
getting back together.

We're not.

You don't know that.
Just admit it. You don't.

I know it's not gonna get
figured out today.

I know that much.

Can I... Can I just please
call you when she leaves?

- Don't.
- Sophia, please.

Look, I'm...

I'm hurt...

but I'm not mad.

Nothing ends that quickly.
It always takes time.

Goodbye.

[James] May I?

[sighs]

If you're going to
chastise me again

for daring to try
and save the church

by working with Bob,
please don't, for your own sake.

I might eat you.

Maricel told me about this fast.

And don't discourage me.

I am waiting for a sign.
I need one.

I need you.

Misty and Clara finally see
the light about H&H.

Hmm.

And now they're begging me
to lead the charge

- back into that briar patch.
- Oh, don't do it. Don't do it.

Not in a million years would I.
It's over. I see that now.

I saw that cross of ours
tossed in the back to the truck

- this morning.
- Hmm.

That seed has been buried.

But the new plant
is ready to grow.

Please, James, before you go on,

I beg you, I can't bear
another disappointment.

It's not a master plan.
It's not a grandiose plot.

It's just a day-by-day journey
to take one step at time,

together.

- To where?
- A new church.

Our church. Together.

Mae, ever since I saw
what you were able achieved

at that last
"Day with Lady Mae,"

I've been on the run.

And folks think that I had
that heart att*ck

because of Basie,
but that p*stol was nothing

compared to seeing what you were
able to do in that pulpit.

What I was no longer
quite able to do.

But I got that old
feeling today, Mae,

when Misty was looking at me.

These sheep need a shepherd.

It's not about you
and me anymore.

It's about them.

We have to deliver these souls
to their Redeemer

in their totality,

with all their
dignity and pride.

And that is something
that Harmony and Hope

will never be able to do.

We need to start
a brand-new church.

Well, how do you propose
we do this?

Well, the first thing
I thought we'd do,

- if you agree, of course...
- Hmm.

...is go right down,
right now to City Hall...

and get married.

And... then eat.

[chuckles] You're crazy.

No. At my age,
the word is "demented."

Now...

how is that for a sign?

[doorbell rings]

- Sorry to bother you.
- No. It's, uh... It's no bother.

[clears throat]

I just thought you should
have this back.

Go ahead. Take it.

You're gonna need it when you do
your magic on Judee.

Do you think
I'm happy about this?

Phil, I don't know how
you feel about oxygen.

I mean, I assume you like it.
You're breathing.

Are you not happy? I don't know.

- Take the ring.
- No. Come on. Keep it.

As what? A consolation prize?

As a reminder
that I still love you.

I will always love you, Charity.
So, please keep the ring.

If you love me,
why are you doing this?

Why would you do this?

Oh, baby...

Bob is making me do it.

If I don't marry Judee,
I don't get the job.

I know it's wrong.

Baby, I've worked
for over 20 years for this,

and, uh, I don't...

I don't know how to let that go.

But you know how to let me go?

I guess you do.

Where it got strange was,
whenever I would ask Bob

why he'd leave Phoenix

or why he'd ever move
his operation to Memphis,

- he'd just get vague.
- Mm-hm.

I mean, we never understood

why Calvary was so important
to them either.

And then Bob,
he never answers anything

clearly, ever.

So, I did a little digging.

Oh, yeah?
What's the scoop, Scoop.

I find out he bought a house
in Hunter's Hollow

over a year ago,

and according to the neighbors,
it was empty the whole time.

- Like to set up residence?
- Yeah. Let's assume.

He also made a ton of donations
to a lot of local charities.

The way people do
when they're forming

- an exploratory committee.
- Exactly.

- So, what? Is he gonna run for...
- Senate.

And as Republican Senate
candidate

with a big multi-racial church
in his back pocket...

It'll make him
one hell of a unicorn.

Basically unbeatable.

- [sighs]
- What?

I wish I'd known that
before I lost my job

and my sister head of the church
over to H&H.

Yeah. But if we can prove
this was his plan all along...

But it's a good plan.

No one can say that they don't
like racial harmony.

But if that's why he did it,

it's the most
cynical thing ever.

They're literally tearing down
the church next week.

Maybe not.

Have a little faith.

- [cell phone chimes]
- Oh.

- Oh. Whoa.
- What happened?

I just got invited to a wedding.

- When was this wedding hatched?
- About an hour ago.

Mom wanted to do it alone,
but Pop wants us all here.

I spoke to a lawyer.

She's writing up
a basic template

of what I'm going to need.
We can meet with her tomorrow.

Unless you wanna get
your own lawyer,

- the you can bring your...
- No. One lawyer's fine.

You got me where you want me,
Kerissa.

No sense in
wasting money on a fight.

Not mine, anyway.

Yeah, I think that's very smart.

[James] Now, be sure
to post these on Instacart.

I want everybody
in Calvary to see this.

[chuckles]
It's Instagram, Grandpa.

[James] You know
what I'm talking about.

Oh, you got my message.

[Sophia] Sorry. I'm so late.

There was kind of a lot
of traffic coming from downtown.

It was a nightmare.

- Where were you coming from?
- Roberto's.

Mm-hm.

Do you mind
if I just run upstairs

and grab jacket real quick?

- Skank.
- Would you stop it?

What is the problem
with the you two?

- Nothing.
- Nothing.

- Come on. Come on.
- Okay. Okay.

Well, hurry! It closes at 5:00!

And add a skirt to that.
The girl is naked.

Any advice for the happy couple?

What's wrong with Mom?

- Let it go, baby.
- Let what go?

Look, my advice
is just let it go.

Let it all go. Everything.

Okay. Well, sorry to bother you.

- Where's Aunt Charity?
- Uh... She's on her way.

Hey! [chuckles]

- Wow.
- Hey!

What's happening now?

Thank you.

Gone for an hour,
and suddenly there's a wedding?

Well, that's the Greenleaf way.
You never know what God'll do.

[Grace] I guess. Where's Sophia?

Uh... She's in the house.
She should be...

Ah, here she is.

- Okay.
- Hey, baby,

where's your brother?

He needs to be here
more than anybody.

Can you go get him from me,
honey?

I just checked for him
in his room, he wasn't there.

[James] We thought
he was with you.

Um... I'll be right back.

[Mae] All right.
Get in the car now.

- Yeah.
- Come on. Come on. Get in.

I told you we should
keep this simple,

- just the two of us.
- What this ritual will achieve

for this family
is worth a little anxiety.

- Just settle down a bit.
- Well, don't tell me

to settle down,
I've still not eaten anything.

We'll get you something.

Ah.

Finally.

I just got it.
So this is not a joke?

- No.
- No.

Your mother and I
are getting married.

Charity, get in the car.

Well, you really want me
to come?

Charity.

Get in the car.

[chuckles]

- Go on, baby.
- Okay, okay.

[James] All right.

Ready?

[Mae sighs] Yes.

A.J.!

A.J.!

Baby, you in there?

A.J.?

A.J.!

Oh, my! Honey!

Help! Help!

I need an ambulance!

Somebody get me
an ambulance right now!

[sobs]

Baby. Come on. Come on.

Why did you do this? A.J. [sobs]

Why did you do this?

Why did you do this?

Help me! Help me! Help me!

Help me!

God!