02x05 - Becca Evans

[bunniefuu]

[soft upbeat music]

♪ ♪

- So how was Hong Kong?

- Oh, my God, you know,

it's like another billionaire,

another impulse purchase

to add to his collection
of hundreds of bags

that he's saving
for his future wife.

- Hundreds?
- Yeah.

He hasn't even
spoken to her yet.

He's hoping the bags will help

"jumpstart the conversation."
[both chuckle]

- You know, I should hook
you up with my friend Kian.

He's rich; I could see him
doing some sh*t like that.

- Wow, like, hook up-hook up?
- No, no.

I mean, like, connect,
business-wise.

- 'Cause I was gonna say,
I'm, like,

seeing somebody right now.

- Oh? Cool.

- Come on, dude.
- What?

- Don't be like that.
We're friends now.

We're supposed
to be able to, like,

have this conversation.

- Yeah, of course--it is.
We are.

- Besides, you'd like him.

He's chief of staff
for De Blasio.

- Man, f*ck de Blasio.

- Are you seeing anybody now?

- Nothing serious.

- It's really sad that you
and Ola broke up.

We, as a collective,

were really excited
to have you back in the fold.

I mean,
this is a huge loss for us.

You're probably gonna hook up
with some white girl next.

- Nah, nah.

Nah, I'm--I'm off that.

[both breathing heavily]

narrator:
Marcus first met Becca Evans

at the bar at the Palace Hotel

while he was waiting
on one of his authors

to talk about their book.

Subsequently,
Becca and Marcus started

meeting up every few weeks
to spend the night together

at that same hotel.

For the first time
in his life,

there was no pressure,
and there were no stakes.

It was a relief
that this woman,

recently divorced
for the second time,

wanted exactly what he wanted:

nothing.

♪ ♪

- Okay.

How do I look?

- You look good.
- You're a liar.

Oh, my--"you look good."
- No, no, I'm serious.

I mean, you kinda look like a--

- What?

- White girl Prince.

But you look great.

- f*ck you.

I mean, I'm meeting
my daughter for lunch.

She's back
from boarding school.

She's introducing me
to a new boyfriend.

- Ooh.
- Yeah.

Apparently,
this one's name is Jadd.

Like, literally, J-A-D-D,

which I had never heard before.

- Right,
because it's not a name.

- [laughing]
Not a name.

I don't know.

Maybe she just wants

a mom stamp of approval.

- Mm.

Wonder what she'd think of me.

- You never have
to worry about that.

- Oh.
- Oh.

Call me?

- Yeah.
- Great.

- Bye.
- Bye.

- We're promoting you.

Executive editor,
what do you think?

- Oh, wow.

Uh, that's--that's great.

I didn't even know
I was up for this.

- Well, your exceptional taste
and tenacious work ethic

gave me
no other choice, my friend.

- Awesome.

So does the promotion
come with a salary bump?

- Yeah, I mean,
I'm still waiting on HR

to sign off on that one.

The salary freeze,
it is k*lling me.

But I'm almost positive

that we can probably
work something out.

But in the meantime,

this little token
of appreciation

for all of your hard work.

[muffled robotic noise]

It's the "Paris Review" dinner.

Everybody wants these babies,

but I am giving them to you.

They're honoring
Nikki Giovanni.

Figured if anybody wants to see
Nikki Giovanni, it's you.

- Are you giving me
these tickets

because of the promotion

or because I'm the only

Black editor in the office?

- Because of the promotion,
of course.

I mean, I love Nikki Giovanni.
I wish I could go see her.

I love her.
I love Black poetry.

I love poetry, you know?

You know what,
give me the tickets back.

Gimme 'em back.
I wanna go see her.

I mean, you can have them.
You deserve them.

- Let me know about that bump.

- Yeah, no problem.

Congrats, Marcus.
- Hey, thanks.

- Yeah.
- All right.

Yeah, yeah, it's pretty cool.

I even got invited to this
"Paris Review" dinner

for Nikki Giovanni.

- Oh, honey,
I'm so proud of you.

Kirby, get in here.

- Oh, Mom,
you don't have to get--

- Kirby!

Kirby, get in here!

Oh, here's your dad.
I'm gonna put you on speaker.

- Hey, Dad.

- Oh, hey Marcus.

- Marcus got a big promotion.

Executive editor.

- What kind of raise
did you negotiate for yourself?

- Uh, we're still
working on that.

- You accepted a promotion
without a raise.

- Kirby.

- Black men make 87 cents
on the dollar.

If we don't advocate for
ourselves, I mean, who will?

- I'm getting a raise, Dad.

- Next time,
get it in writing first.

- Wait, Marcus forgot
to tell you the best news.

He's got this big invitation
to a dinner

honoring Nikki Giovanni.

That's your dad's
favorite poet.

- I know, I'll, uh,
I'll be sure

to snap a picture
with her for you, Pop.

- Wait, I have an idea.

Kirby, why don't you go?
- What?

- What?
- You have a plus one, right?

- Uh, I--I--I do,

but I'm sure Dad
doesn't wanna come all this way

for one night.

- Then he can
stay the weekend.

- So now Dad's flying out
next month.

- Mm-hmm,
that's Donna Watkins for ya.

- Okay, well,
he's staying with you.

- Ooh, no.
- What, why not?

You and Dad
are, like, best friends.

- I can't have house guests
right now.

My therapist says

that I am giving too much.

- You're back in therapy?

- I am back with Jaleesa.

- No, Ida.

- Listen, I can
take care of me.

You take care of Dad.

- But Dad can't sleep
on my couch.

It doesn't fold out,
he's got that CPAP machine.

- I can't do it right now,
all right?

I need my space.
- For Jaleesa?

- Come on, bro.
- Okay.

- Let him sleep in the bed

and you sleep on the couch.

- [sighs] I just--I just think

that you and Dad have
a way better thing going on.

I mean--
- Oh, here we go

with the daddy issues.

You want the number
to my therapist?

- Your therapist? No.

Look, it is not my fault

that you get along better
with Dad.

- Look, I just talk
to him more.

I call him once a week.

- Once a week?

- Yeah, see, the problem is,

you treat Dad like
he's some type of a chore.

Just open up to him
if you wanna get closer.

- Well, I don't wanna
get closer to him.

I want him
to want to get closer to me.

- Oh, the Y chromosome
is a curse.

- What, am I wrong?

- Fine, whatever.

He can stay with me,
but you owe me.

And get the f*ck
outta my fridge.

- All right, damn.

[phone buzzes]

[soft upbeat music]

♪ ♪

[knock at door]

- Hi.
- Sup?

- Come in.
- All right.

- You look good.
- You look good.

- Thanks.
- Yeah.

- I'm glad you made it.
- Yeah, me too.

- Marcus, Gigi. Gigi, Marcus.

- Hey.
- Hey.

- How are you?
- I'm good.

How--how you doin'?
- Good.

We just opened up the mini bar
Patrón, if you want some.

- Oh, please, yeah,

yes, yeah.
- Yeah, yeah. [chuckles]

- Come on, sit down.
- All right.

Wait, wait, wait,
so how do you--

- [giggles] Sorry.

- How do you two
know each other?

- Well, back when I was
still stuck with f*ckin' Len.

- Wait, Len was f*cking bald.

So f*ck Len.
- That was a bait and switch.

When I met Len,

he looked like Chris Isaak.
I mean, he did.

So don't listen to her, okay?
- Okay. All right.

- So back when
I was still with Len,

I decided to start
taking singing lessons.

Don't laugh. As an outlet.

And Gigi was my vocal coach.
- And she's amazing.

- No, I'm not.
- She's amazing.

- Stop, oh, my gosh.
- She's incredible.

- But the truth is, this one
has the voice of an angel.

I mean, Marcus,
you have to hear her sing.

- What I think we should do is,

I think that
we should finish this bottle,

and then I will f*cking sing
"Wicked Games" for you.

- See, now we have
something to work towards.

A plan.

- Maybe we could even
serenade him.

- Yeah, yeah,
that sounds good to me.

Yeah.

- ♪ Always with
the g*ng, g*ng ♪

♪ Always rep the g*ng ♪

♪ g*ng, g*ng, g*ng ♪

- [chuckles]

- ♪ Always rep the g*ng ♪

♪ g*ng, g*ng, g*ng ♪

♪ Whole lot of g*ng sh*t,
g*ng, g*ng, g*ng ♪

♪ Whole lot of g*ng sh*t ♪

♪ g*ng, g*ng, g*ng ♪

- ♪ She froze up
when that Ghost came ♪

♪ Big body Rolls,
it be hoggin' up both lanes ♪

♪ She lift her nose up
when she want that cocaine ♪

- Kiss. Kiss, kiss.

- Oh!

- Come on.
- All right.

- [chuckles]

- Do you wanna watch?
Take them off.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

- [laughs]

- ♪ And all I want is Huncho ♪

- Oh.
- I'm coming, coming.

- ♪ Pulls strings
like a banjo ♪

♪ And the keys, a piano ♪

♪ Take me back
to the back door ♪

- I want you to f*ck us.

- All right.
[both chuckle]

- [groans]
- Mm-hmm.

narrator:
Marcus had borne witness

to so many threesomes
over the years--

in p*rn,
in bad teen comedies.

- Ah, f*ck, you feel so good.

narrator: But it was surreal
to finally participate

in one himself.

It had been built up
so much in his mind

that it now all seemed

to be happening
in slow motion.

- Oh--
- I want you to f*ck Gigi.

narrator: Though,
not as slowly as he hoped.

- Nah, I'm not done.
Not done with you yet.

- Uh-uh.
- No, f*ck Gigi.

- Just give me one second.

[both giggle]

♪ ♪

- ♪ Won't look down,
won't open my eyes ♪

♪ Keep my glass full ♪

both: ♪ Until morning light ♪

♪ Till morning light ♪

- ♪ Till morn-- ♪
Get it?

- Hi.
- Hey.

- We ordered breakfast.

- I actually

gotta get outta here.

- Oh.

- This, uh, this was fun.

- This was fun.
- This was fun.

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

- Good to meet you.
- Yeah, I'ma dip.

Nice to meet you. All right.

- All right. Okay.

Bye.
- Bye.

- We'll serenade you out!

both: ♪ One, two, three,
one, two, three, drink ♪

- No, no. No, no, no.

I'm not talking about that.
- Oh, bro, come on!

You flew out to LA
for a date with Minka Kelly,

and you're just not gonna
tell us about it?

- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,
you flew to LA

for a first date?
- Mm-hmm.

- Wha--that's thirsty as hell.
- No, no, no.

But with Minka Kelly.
- Thank you.

- Oh, okay, with Minka--

that's thirsty as hell.

- My father came from Iran

to this country with nothing,

and now his son can get
blown off by Minka Kelly,

so that's the American dream

if I've ever heard it.
- Is it?

- Anyway,
it's a good story, so.

- I had a threesome.

- What?
- Yeah.

- Two chicks?
- Yeah.

- Same time?
- Yeah.

- Gimme some details.
- Wow.

- Yeah, um--
- Details, details, details.

- Honestly, um,

I came in, like, a minute,

and, um, just kinda kept going

'cause they didn't--
they didn't realize it, so.

- How's that even possible,
bro?

- Oh, come on, don't tell me

that you've never pretended
not to finish.

- You saying it like
it's a badge of honor.

I can't believe you so proud.
What are you--what are you--

- Listen, listen, listen.

Premature ejaculation aside--

and you should
keep that story to yourself--

I'm happy for you, Marcus.
- Thank you.

- Getting out there, I love it.
- Thank you.

- Ugh, y'all stories, man,

it's making me happy
I got a family, bruh.

I just wanna go home and just
be the man I'm 'posed to be.

Like I'm Simba or something.

- You're welcome.
- Mm-hmm. Thank you.

- You wanted to
talk with me, right?

- Oh, yeah, yeah, wanna sit?

- This gonna be a real talk?
I mean, I really--

I actually have to get going.

- Okay, well,
you don't have to sit.

- I'm already sitting.
- All right.

I just wanted
to follow up about the raise.

It's been about
a month now, so--

- I know, I'm sorry.

It's just, we're gonna have
to table this conversation

till the end of the quarter,
unfortunately.

- This is the end
of the quarter.

- Uh, um, next quarter.

- Here you go.
Oh, and he landed.

He's in a car service now,
headed for Ima's.

- Uh, it's Ida's.

And you put my dad
in a car service?

I told you,
he could just take a cab.

- He's your father,
not a hooker.

Show some respect.

When did you get
a new assistant?

- Six months ago.
- No, that's impossible.

All right, have a great time.

And, um,

you should really invest in,
like, a real tuxedo.

Everybody can tell
when you wear a rental.

- [muttering]
Why don't you pay me?

Then I can go ahead
and buy a tux.

- Boy, you just on time.
I was craving a grape Fanta.

- You hush. I look good.

Hey, Dad.
- There's my boy.

I'll stay seated
it it's all right with you.

The flight made my knees
seize up.

Oh, son, you don't
wear a burgundy

to a black tie event.

- Dad, this is black tie.

- Not in my day, it wasn't.

But like the kids say,
you do you.

- Marcus, you want some?
- Uh, no, no.

We should probably head out.
Traffic is gonna be rough.

- f*ckin' narc.
- All right.

- Well, at least
have some wine.

- Yeah, and if you spill it
on your suit,

no one will be able to tell.

[both laugh]

Oh, Lord, Daddy choking.

You look like you could be
a decorative pillow on my sofa.

- Oh, stop.

[soft piano music]

♪ ♪

- Hi, uh, Marcus Watkins,
Sutton Court.

- Mr. Watkins and your guest,
you're gonna be table two.

- Thank you.

[soft jazz playing]

♪ ♪

- Not bad.

You don't think
we too close, do you?

- Dad.
- Just asking.

So where can we get
some of this wine

I keep seeing everyone with?

I guess you gotta go
find 'em, huh?

- Hey.

He's right there.
- Oh, thank you.

- Thanks, man.

- Is that James Patterson?

- Where?

Oh, yeah, yeah,
that is James Patterson.

- He's a f*cking hack.

- [chuckles] Yeah,
he's a total f*cking hack.

[both chuckle]

- "The heat you left with me
last night still smolders.

"The wind catches your scent

"and refreshes my senses.

"I am a leaf,

"falling from a tree,

upon which I was impaled."

[applause]

- Thank you so much.

Such a fan.

- Thank you so very much.

Thank you, thanks a lot.

- Come on.

It's on our way out.

Ms. Giovanni,
that was phenomenal.

- That's very kind of you.
- Ms. Giovanni, Kirby Watkins.

It is a pleasure
to make your acquaintance.

- I appreciate that.

- You mind if I take a selfie

to freeze this moment in time?

- Oh, I'd be delighted.

- Get in here, son.
- Oh, no, no.

This is your moment.

Enjoy.

- Thank you so much.
- Oh, it's my pleasure.

And thank you for coming.
- The pleasure's mine.

- Thank you, thank you so much.

- Oh, Ms. Giovanni.

- Can you send these pictures
to your mom?

To post on the Instagram,
will you?

- Oh, yeah, yeah.

Done.

You good?
- Yeah.

You know, you don't
brag on yourself enough.

- God, it's amazing
how you can

compliment me and criticize me
in the same breath.

- It's just, I had no idea
you was doin' so well.

- Dad, I literally called you
the second I got the promotion.

- No, you called your mother.

Look, Marcus, I know it seems
like I been really hard on you.

- No, Dad, it's fine.

You know, I'm just glad
that you're here,

that you're having a good time.

- No, no, it's not fine.
And I'm sorry.

But I do worry about you.

- I'm--I'm okay.
- No, no, let me finish.

Does Sutton Court know
how valuable you are?

Do you know
how valuable you are?

It's important
to know your worth, son.

Nobody's gonna give it to you.

And you didn't get defensive.

This is progress.

- I gotta joint in my pocket
if you wanna hit it real quick.

- So you're not a narc?
- Hell no.

- Well, let's do it.
- All right.

- ♪ Pay no attention ♪

♪ Disbelieve them
what they say ♪

♪ As for me,
it could only be one way ♪

- Hey, I had a great time.
- Yeah, man, me too.

- I'll talk to you
in the morning.

- All right, all right.

Get home safe, all right?

- ♪ Heart full of love ♪

♪ Heart full of love ♪

♪ For you ♪

♪ You ♪

♪ Got a heart
full of love for you ♪

[phone buzzes]

[thunder rumbling]

[phone buzzes]

- Hey.
- Hi.

Uh, come on--come on in.
- Yeah.

- Um--
- Wow.

- Yeah, like,
welcome to my crib, or, uh--

Everything okay?

- Uh...

God, there's no easy way
to say it,

so I'm just gonna say it.

I'm pregnant.

- Really?
- Yeah.

I guess it must've happened

that night with Gigi.

- And it--it's mine?

- Yeah.

I mean, I haven't
been with anyone else,

unless it was Gigi
who came in me that night.

- Wow. Uh.
[chuckles]

Whoo, okay.

Um, okay.

[chuckles]

- Okay, listen, I'm sorry.

I--I--God, I know it's a lot.

Um, I didn't want to
tell you over the phone.

- Yeah, this is--this is crazy.

- It's crazy, right?
- Yeah, um--

- Yeah, it is, I know.

I didn't think it could
happen at my age.

- Yeah, me either.

- Um, my doctor
called it a miracle.

- Yeah.

- Can I sit down?
- Yes, please.

Yeah, sorry.
- That's okay.

It's a little stressful
because there are

complications at my age.
- Of course.

- I mean,
I've done it twice before,

so I'll just--
I'll figure it out.

- Yeah, I mean, well, you know,
whatever you wanna do, like--

I mean, I'll--
I'm more than happy--

- Thank you.
Yeah, to, like, come with you.

And obviously, I'll pay
for anything that you--

- Oh, no, Marcus,
I'm keeping the baby.

But I don't need
anything from you, I'm set.

- Uh, um--uh, oh, God.

Oh, my God, how could
I let this f*ckin' happen?

- I'm totally fine
with you being involved

as much or as little
as you want.

It's really, I mean,
it's not that complicated.

- Well, I mean, it is.

For me, it is
kinda complicated.

- Why?

- Okay, Becca,
you can't tell a Black man

that he doesn't have to be
involved with his kid.

- Okay, well,
that seems ridiculous.

What does race
have to do with anything?

- 'Cause people
are gonna judge me

differently than they do you.

Like, that's just--
that's just facts, so--

- Neither one of us
wanted this to happen.

It's gonna be okay.

I mean, come on, Marcus.

It's gonna be
a little mixed baby.

Mixed babies are so cute.

- You know, I don't--
- Better be cute.

- No, no, no,
I don't think that's--

I don't think
that's funny, like--

- Okay.
- I'm just gonna say it.

I mean, like,
is that the reason

why you wanna keep this baby?

Do you want, like,
this trendy little,

you know,
frizzy haired accessory

to, you know,
walk around town with?

You get to be Sandra Bullock
or Angelina Jolie.

You get your progressive
street cred,

like, just f*ckin' cemented.

I mean, like, is that--
is that what this is about?

- f*ck you,
that's not what I meant.

I didn't even
have to tell you, Marcus.

I did you a courtesy.

But you do not get a say

in what I do with my body.

- It's your body, but half
of what's happening in there,

that's--that's me.

And I don't get
any say in that?

Like, none?

Come on, Becca, that's
f*cked up, man, you know it.

Like, this isn't
supposed to be a thing.

Like, I don't wanna be tied
to you for the rest of my life.

- What do you want?
I'm giving you an out.

- No, I don't--
I don't want an out.

- Then what do you want,
Marcus?

[pensive music]

I am going to have this baby,

and it's my decision,

and I'm sorry
if it's not what you want.

[Aldous Harding's
"Imagining My Man"]

♪ ♪

- ♪ I'm going to answer ♪

♪ Protecting ♪

♪ ♪

♪ It can be so hard
to forgive ♪

♪ ♪

♪ It's not what I thought ♪

♪ ♪

♪ And it's not
what I pictured ♪

♪ ♪

♪ When I was
imagining my man ♪

♪ ♪

♪ You are so nervous
all of the time ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Giving the classics ♪