Original subtitles

[door opens]

That's a dangerous amount of brooding.

I thought you were ghosting me.

You know how sad that would look-

me dancing solo like some

-rejected telenovela hero? -[laughs]

Oh, please.

And miss my chance to channel my inner Celia Cruz?

Mira.So you know la Gran Se�ora.

S�, papi.

I went through a whole Latin phase, it's...

not worth getting into.

But I want to apologize for my tardiness.

I had a situation with my closet.

I wanted to get this right.

Well, you definitely did that, for sure.

[laughs]

Thank you.

Now, I hope this dance instructor lives up to the hype.

My mom didn't spend all those years entering me

in cotillions for me to learn subpar salsa.

Well, from what I hear, she's supposed to be the best.

Hmm.

June is Samantha and Tyrell's mother?

All this time?

But Jacob, this isn't some small secret we're sitting on here.

You're thinking we should tell June?

If she were less upset about having to give them away

or less concerned about where they've ended up,

I wouldn't even consider it.

But she's wrecked by this.

To spend the rest of her life not knowing is...

we have to run this by Martin and Smitty first.

It was a closed adoption.

The final decision about any information

we share with June has to be theirs.

Yeah, but think about what this news could do to them.

They're already barely holding it together

after what happened with that busboy.

Hell, Martin isn't even living in the house.

Yeah, and Smitty's been super protective of the kids.

He and Martin fought like hell

to give Samantha and Tyrell a good life.

After everything they've been through,

there's no way they won't feel some type of way about this.

This news could destroy their family.

All right, Samantha, one more book and we put them to bed.

-You ready? -Born ready, Pop.

I thrive on any team that I'm on.

-[soft laughter] -No way they got this.

Peep this, Dad. We're about to go viral with this move.

I've been watching the board.

Now who's talking across the table?

[laughter]

[Tyrell grunts]

-That's how I do it. -MARTIN: Mm.

Oh, no, whatever shall we do?

SMITTY: Oh, good job, Tyrell,

'cause I got nothing.

Sorry, Tyrell.

Ooh! Should have saved that big joker, big brother.

-[grunts] -MARTIN: Hey!

Another book.

-Game over. -[squeals]

-[laughter] -BOTH: Hey!

Man, I hate y'all.

Okay, uh, it's getting late,

and, uh, you guys have those school forms to fill out.

Come on, we're not even in the school year yet.

That feels like homework. One more game.

Yeah, Tyrell and Dad need to redeem themselves.

Well, mainly Tyrell.

How about a game of charades?

A game that you can actually win?

You hear the disrespect?

Come on, Dad, she's throwing down the gauntlet.

Well, I guess you have no choice than to pick it up.

Maybe you guys can get a head start on your chores

and help us with the dishes.

-Does it have to be now? -Please.

You wash, I'll dry,

and we will give Pop and Dad time to...

discuss the rematch.

Look at them, Smitty.

They miss this. We miss this.

That is exactly why I was concerned about

you coming over in the first place.

Why are you so resistant on me wanting to see my family?

Because I know exactly what you're doing, Martin,

and it needs to stop.

? ?

Oh, so I'm "bae" now?

[laughs]

There's my favorite doctor.

Hi. How was work?

You look way too beautiful for me to waste time

talking about my day.

Well, thank you.

I wasn't sure you were gonna come.

It just feels like we're doing this elaborate dance lately.

Yeah, I felt it, too.

The distance starting to creep in.

Madison, I don't want us to drift apart.

Well, good.

Look, we'll diagnose it

and figure out what's causing this,

and we'll make it better.

I mean, that is my specialty, after all.

[laughs]

KAT: There's no one else here.

Maybe I should have been following the hashtag?

Do you think she canceled class?

I doubt it. From what I hear,

this Santi lives and breathes salsa.

Apparently, she's like the Beyonc�

of the Latin ballroom scene.

But what if we're the only ones that signed up?

I am not trying to be the girl

that shut down salsa class at Uptown.

Then you, mi amor,

will have the privilege my undivided attention.

Santi is here, mi amor,

and tonight, we make magic.

-[kisses] -TOMAS: Wait, you're Santi?

-But the guys at the firm made it seem like... -Like what?

That Santi has the best hips in D.C.?

Hmm.

Your coworkers weren't exaggerating.

We lucked out.

Tonight, it's about you.

Are you two ready to work those hips

like your love life depends on it?

You want my what? My Social?

[scoffs]

Oh, now you want my birthday?

[laughs]: Oh...

My mother's maiden name, too?

Oh, no. Mm-mmm. Child, please.

I ain't new to this, baby. I am true to this, all right?

And no smooth-talking and recycled lines

is enough to play me.

Oh, no, you listen to what I have to say,

because I don't have to tell you anything about a damn thing.

What you think about that?

[grunts]

Stupid.

Told you that was pointless.

All that work you had me do for nothing.

-[salsa music playing] -SANTI: Cinco, seis,

siete, vamos.

Left foot, right foot.

Smooth and natural.

Feel it in your body like waves crashing on the shore.

S�.Forward, back.

-Hips rolling like honey. -Ooh...

[music stops]

No. No, no, no, no. No.

Where's the passion?

Hmm? The fire?

You're dancing salsa, you're not filing your taxes.

Okay?

Now, again, before I question my career choice.

[music resumes]

I thought you said you've done this before.

I have, but salsa is about partnership.

You have to trust my lead.

I would if your lead made more sense.

My eyes cannot take this anymore.

Stop.

-[music stops] -Stop!

Before you hurt someone.

Can we just have a minute?

I could give you a lifetime and it still wouldn't help.

-[salsa music playing] -Do you want to do this again?

Look at you, mi reina.

Such natural grace, such fire,

being wasted on a partner who moves

like he's got cement in his shoes.

Let me show you what it feels like

when a real man leads.

[laughs softly]

I feel like I'm on lockdown,

and I'm only allowed to visit my family during visiting hours.

I need you to respect our boundaries.

I have boundaries, too,

and they involve seeing my family.

[phone vibrating]

It's Naomi.

She only calls when something's up.

-I probably should take this. -Do it.

And then, afterwards, I think it's best

that you say good night to the kids.

-Fine. -Fine.

Hey, 'cuz. Is everything okay?

Where are you?

At home with Smitty and the kids.

I mean at Smitty's.

Good. I need to see you, ASAP.

Both of you.

What's going on?

Just be there, together.

Naomi's on her way over.

Picture this: a full social media rollout.

Influencer packages, pop-up shops

and Kat's marketing strategy is insane.

She's got all of these viral challenges planned.

Okay, show me the hospital tote again.

The one with all the secret compartments.

-I've been thinking about it during rounds. -[laughs]

For all your doctor essentials, of course.

You see, this pocket is perfectly sized

for your stethoscope.

[sighs] Oh, my God, I'm already picturing it.

I get to work, and all the doctors are gonna be like,

"That bag is everything," and I'll get to say,

"Mm, sorry, you can't have one.

My girlfriend designed it just for me."

You would tell them that- about me being your girlfriend?

Of course I would.

Chelsea, I'm so proud to be with you.

Well, then I better make it extra special.

I can't have my girl carrying anything less.

ALLISON: Aw.

That's so sweet.

Allison. Last I checked,

a membership here was exclusive.

How'd you get past the gate?

Don't be so elitist, Chelsea.

Some of us have connections, too,

and my trainer Diego was kind enough

to get me a guest pass, so...

you'll be seeing a lot more of me around here.

Let's be clear about something.

A trainer's guest pass is not a connection,

it's a courtesy.

And yours is about to be revoked.

I'm texting management about

-staff overstepping their priv... -Okay, before you do that,

I'm trying to offer you

an amazing marketing opportunity, Chels.

Look, okay, I know the investor of the next social media site

that's about to blow up,

and I can get you in for an exclusive deal

before anyone else.

Let me make sure I understand.

You crashed my date,

interrupted what was a lovely evening,

to pitch me, what?

This is big, Chels.

You really think I'm desperate enough

to take advice from someone who can't lock down a meeting

or send over a simple prospectus?

This isn't personal, Allison,

it's business,

and you are clearly not ready to operate at this level.

Now, you can either leave on your own

or I can have someone escort you out.

Either way, this conversation is over.

How long before they get here?

You're that desperate to get rid of me?

You know how hard this is on the kids.

I can't let them think things are just gonna go back.

I'm not gonna give them false hope.

You mean about you ever forgiving me?

About us ever being these people again?

Don't worry.

I'm not expecting forgiveness.

Not anymore.

But you can't blame me for wanting more moments like these,

or just pretending that, one night, I still have my family.

-[knocking on door] -That's Naomi.

I'll get it.

Right, because this is not my home anymore.

Can you please just stop with the guilt trip, Martin?

Seriously.

[door opens]

-Hey. -Hey.

-Thanks. -SMITTY: Yeah. -JACOB: How's it going?

Glad to see you two spending time together.

Everything good?

SMITTY: As, uh...

yeah, as good as can be expected.

What's up? Why'd you need to talk to both of us?

Are the kids around?

They probably shouldn't overhear.

They're upstairs, probably lost in their playlists.

I was actually just headed out, so...

There's so no way to ease into this.

We found Tyrell and Samantha's biological mother.

I did all the work. All of it.

Got- H-Hit up my friend, got the whole game plan,

then tried to help you help yourself.

Here we go.

What did you do?

You just dialed a phone number,

then you gave up before it even got started.

Questions and empty promises

about some magical pot of gold

waiting at the end of a fake-ass rainbow.

Girl, please. I've been through and around the block

way too many times to know better than that.

I was standing right here, listening to every word.

When I said be careful

about giving away sensitive information,

I didn't mean treat them like they were trying

-to steal your soul. -Oh, for the love of...

Nothing I do pleases you.

Hmm? No matter what it is, it's wrong.

It's always wrong.

-But Mama, you couldn't... -Oh, don't you dare "but Mama" me.

I don't even want to hear it, honey.

I did what you asked me to do,

and I picked up the goofy phone and made that phone call,

and now it's over.

And so is this.

Mama.

No.

[salsa music playing]

Follow my body, princesa.

Let it teach yours what to do.

You see how it's done?

When you dance like this,

a woman feels it in her soul.

Oh. Wow.

You're a really good teacher.

Oh, some of us are blessed with rhythm in our blood,

but not everyone can understand the language

of Latin dance.

Just hear me out, okay?

I really think this marketing opportunity

would be incredible for your launch.

Do you really think I'm that naive

that I can't see whatever game you're trying to play here?

You are literally the last person on earth

I would take help from, the absolute last.

I am just trying to contribute, Chelsea.

You're not trying.

You're plotting.

This is just another one of your calculated,

pathetic attempts to drive a wedge between Madison and me.

But here's what you don't understand.

We're real.

We're solid.

And whatever manipulation you're trying to run here,

it's not going to work.

Look, I get you're angry with me,

but how could you be so cruel?

You know, Craig is doing a fine job of that on his own.

[phone buzzing]

Please don't go.

No, I'm not going anywhere, babe, okay?

I'll be right back. I just got to take this work call.

It'll be a few minutes, tops. Okay?

I still got your back.

You really don't care, do you?

How Craig's treating me?

I don't understand.

Why were you looking

for Samantha and Tyrell's biological mother?

That's the thing, Martin. She wasn't.

June found me.

A closed adoption means closed.

We didn't spend a small fortune on lawyers

so our past could come knocking.

Best laid plans, right?

June, Huh?

Who is she?

What's her story?

Do you remember that homeless woman I came to you about,

and you so generously helped me find her a hotel room?

That's June.

And I can't believe that it was by coincidence.

-Not for something like this. -SMITTY: Homeless.

Can't say I'm surprised, given what I saw.

I was doing a story on the foster care system.

And it was just an assignment, just like any other.

And then I met those two kids.

Their mother's addiction had stripped everything from them.

Everything except for...

what they had in each other.

And the way that they... they looked out

for each other was something else.

Especially Samantha. She was...

She was like this little princess,

standing guard over her big brother,

like she was nine feet tall instead of nine years old.

And she's still a miniature mama bear

when it comes to protecting Tyrell.

SMITTY: I went looking for a story,

and instead, I found the missing pieces to our family.

They didn't need parents. They needed us.

And they still do.

[salsa music playing]

Mind if I cut in?

Ready?

You've been holding out on me.

Just took me a little time to get warmed up.

What's this really all about, Eva-

you being too good to lend your mama money

now that you got your little fancy job

with Papa Ted Richardson?

You forgot where you came from that quick.

Mama, if you needed $100 or $1,000,

I'd Cash App you before you can even finish the sentence.

You know why? Because you are my mother.

Then why are you acting like this?

Looking at me all sideways and side-eyed

like you weren't raised right?

Because what you're asking for isn't regular money, Mama.

It's so much that I have to go to Ted.

Well, that man has more cash than the devil can offer him.

Probably spent more on lunch than what I'm asking for.

Do you know how many nights I spent

staring up at the ceiling, wondering about him?

Wondering if he ever thought about me?

Imagining him showing up at my graduation,

or that-that little father-daughter dance

when I was 12.

And now...

Now I finally have what that little girl wanted so badly.

A chance to know my father.

And to be his daughter, not just his mistake.

I know that's what you wanted, baby.

And-and I'm the one that helped make that happen.

But just when we're starting to build something real,

something that feels like family,

you want to come in here with all this...

This what?

Mama, all this Leslie drama!

And you...

you drop it in the middle of everything like a bomb!

Leslie drama?

Yes.

Oh, no, baby, you must have for...

[phone buzzing]

-[phone buzzing] -Unknown caller.

Not even ten minutes since I told these scammers

to kick rocks.

But don't you at least want to see if...?

No, I don't. No. All I want

to do is finish talking

about why my daughter chooses Ted Richardson

over her own mother.

Mama, this isn't some kind of competition.

Is this about Nicole?

You still blame me for everything

that happened with her family, don't you?

I love Nicole.

And yes,

I feel bad that her family has been going through it.

Why are you always making me choose sides?

Because there is only one side to choose.

You love Nicole.

I carried you for nine months.

I raised you by myself, since Alan was worthless as a father.

You got all these bougie-ass people in your life.

But in the end, little girl, you know what?

It is all about you and me

-against the world. -Against the world.

Yeah, that's right.

And that's the way it's always been.

[phone buzzing]

Now, since you're so good

at handling other people's problems...

...maybe next time I'll give them your number.

For real, though, where'd you learn to move like that?

My family used to get together all the time.

All my t�os,my primos.

Even the ones that couldn't stand each other.

Hmm.

I love hearing about your time back in Puerto Rico.

Abuelitawould be in the kitchen all day,

starting at sunrise.

Sofritoand garlic would fill up the whole block.

Then Abuelitowould bust out his vinyl collection.

The real stuff.

Not that commercial nonsense Santi was playing.

I'm talking H�ctor Lavoe, El Gran Combo,

music that speaks to your soul before your feet.

Speaking of which...

Abuelitaused to say,

"When you find the right partner,

you don't need music, just chemistry."

Maybe your abuela was onto something.

Yeah, that lady never lied,

and neither do I.

Here's what you need to do.

Go to therapy, go to your friends, go anywhere else.

But you need to stop coming to me with this.

I am not your emotional support human.

How can you be so cold?

You know, after everything that Craig has put me through?

Don't you care?

Girl, I obviously care.

But you've got selective memory.

I told you exactly how to handle him.

-You told me to get out. -Yes.

That was my advice then and that's my advice now.

But you don't want advice.

You want attention.

You know, leaving is a lot easier said than done.

And it's not fair for you to judge me

when you have no idea what I'm going through.

You know what's not fair?

You showing up here, trying to manipulate your way

in between me and Madison.

[phone buzzing]

I got to take this.

And when I come back, please be gone.

Your timing is everything.

I needed an escape from this Allison situation.

She's still playing games?

You already know, but forget her.

Why are you calling so late? Launch stuff?

Actually, I was thinking of having Tomas over,

and wanted to see if you'd be home.

Why would you need to know

if I was home?

Unless...

Katherine Richardson, are you and Tomas about to...

Can you not be so loud about it?

But since you asked,

I'm considering it.

We just had this salsa lesson, and it changed everything.

The way he moved, the way he held me-

it was like seeing him for the first time.

That's amazing, Kat, for real.

And there was this moment when the instructor was trying

to show off, and Tomas just stepped in,

not on a ego trip, but pure confidence.

Oh, and the way he looked at me while we danced.

Sounds like you caught more than just rhythm, huh?

You caught feelings.

I know, I know.

But this time felt different,

like maybe we both were trying too hard before.

And now...

I got to go. Just don't overthink it.

Relax this time, and you'll be fine.

Sometimes, the second time hits different

with all the first-time jitters out the way.

Thanks, Chels.

Go handle your business.

I love you, cousin.

And, um, text me the details later.

Okay.

How'd that emergency business call go?

-Crisis averted. -That was quick.

Well, I think I'm gonna call it a night.

All that dancing made me sweaty. I need to shower.

Well, how about you shower at my place?

Why are you telling us this now?

What do you hope we'll do with this information?

It wasn't an easy choice, trust me.

We debated about it.

The last thing we want to do is bring any more problems

to your family.

Lord knows you already been through enough.

And when we figured it out, we knew we had

to come to you first before mentioning anything to June,

since it was a closed adoption.

JACOB: You all didn't plan to be faced with this possibility.

And because you are Samantha and Tyrell's parents,

it has to be your call.

Well, what exactly do you want from us?

Would you consider letting the kids meet June?

Uh, no. Knee-jerk reaction, no.

We don't know this woman, and what we do know...

Our family right now is very fragile.

Take your time.

There's no pressure to make any decisions tonight.

Yeah, family decisions like this shouldn't be rushed.

I'm not completely opposed to the idea,

but we need to discuss this together.

We need to talk to the kids about it first.

Of course. Of course. We completely understand.

Think on it.

We're here, whatever you decide.

Thank you.

I'm sorry.

Don't be.

-Thanks for telling us. -Of course.

Um, how much did you guys hear?

They... found our mother?

SMITTY: I want you to know that this blindsided both of us.

Just as much as you, maybe more.

We thought that we had all the time in the world

to prepare you for something like this.

Prepared for what? For our mother to finally decide

-we're worth knowing? -SAMANTHA: Tyrell,

-maybe we should just... -Maybe we should just what?

Go look for our mother who literally abandoned us?

When she had me taking care of you,

growing up way too fast when I was only a child myself?

When she should have been there doing that?

Nobody, not me, not your dad,

no one is pushing you to do anything.

You two are old enough to make your own choice yourselves.

And with everything our family has been through,

the last thing we want to do is to add more pain.

And whatever you decide-

either or both of you-

we are still here, okay?

We are your parents.

And nothing or nobody is going to change that.

Not even her.

Can Samantha and I talk about this alone?

Of course.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

We'll... we'll give you some privacy.

I have to say, the way you handled Allison earlier-

so composed, so clear-

it was like watching a surgeon with a scalpel.

You would know.

I'm so sorry this evening got hijacked.

I mean, tonight was supposed to be about us.

No, you don't need to apologize.

You have got to be kidding me.

Now, what are you still doing here?

Last time I checked,

the country club wasn't named

after the Duprees or the Hamiltons.

And don't get it twisted, Chelsea.

I'm not here for you. I'm here for her.

-Me? -Yeah, you seem like

you have a good head on your shoulders,

so I figured I'd do you a favor.

A little PSA before you get in too deep.

You know, Chelsea is a selfish, two-faced bitch,

and she'll dump you the second it serves her.

Hey, she's not worth it.

Remember who you are, remember where you are.

Don't worry, babe. I'm not about

to let this psychodrama queen make me lose my cool.

But keep coming at me,

and I will get a restraining order.

And trust me, with my family's pull,

-it'll stick. -ALLISON: A restraining order?

For what? Trying to save your new girlfriend

from making the biggest mistake of her life like I did?

If I'm such a terrible mistake,

-why are you always... -Because.

Because you and I are meant to be together, Chelsea.

You don't know what you're missing.

Don't worry. You'll find out soon enough.

Ooh.

That woman isn't just messy.

She's actually unhinged.

Certifiable.

What are you gonna do?

I don't think we should do it.

We deserve answers, though. Don't you want

-to know the whole story? -What story?

That our mother could just abandon us like we were nothing?

Well, maybe that's just how it seemed and not how it was.

Maybe we meant more to her than what we think.

Then where was she?

No letters, no calls.

It's been years of nothing from her.

These are the people who showed up,

chose us, period.

I dream about her sometimes.

Not the villain that we built up in our heads,

but just the woman that was going through it.

That's how I try to think of her.

She left us, Samantha.

Okay, well,

Maybe she thought she was doing the right thing.

And look at our lives now.

We have June to thank for that.

You can't be for real right now.

Pop and Dad gave us everything.

-They als... -Not her.

Okay, well, they also taught us about grace and understanding.

Don't you want to at least know the whole story?

Maybe there's more to it than what we know about.

Or the truth can be worse than we imagined.

I don't know what we should do.

Me either.

[Kat giggles]

Best idea ever.

That shower was exactly what my body needed,

though some of my muscles are still tense.

-Oh, I know how to fix that. -Mm.

And here I thought

all your talents were on the dance floor.

KAT: Mmm!

Did you learn that move

at those family dance parties?

Nah, this is a private performance.

Invitation only.

KAT: Mm.

Madison, I am so sorry this night turned into

-a total disaster. -No. Hey, look at me.

You don't have to apologize for Allison's hurricane of crazy.

And tonight was perfect.

I got to be with you.

And the way you stood up to her?

That was something else.

I won't let Allison come between us,

not when I have finally found something real.

MADISON: Something real, huh?

I love being with you, Madison.

When I'm with you, it's like everything,

all the noise, all the drama- it just fades away.

I love being with you, too, Chelsea.

And I love being the woman you love.

Damn, that was something else.

It certainly was.

God, you're so beautiful.

And the way your body moves with mine.

It's like we never left the dance floor.

Yeah, it was great.

Mm. If you knew what you've done to my life.

Complete invasion.

I can't get you out of my head.

All I want is to rush back here for more of you.

Really?

You should see me sitting in meetings,

picturing us like this.

I never want to stop touching you.

Your skin.

Intoxicating.

God, you drive me crazy. You know that?

Yeah?

Is everything okay?

You're kind of... quiet.

Oh, what could be wrong?

I knew I must have been imagining things.

Because we're so on the same page. You feel it?

Who wouldn't? We're so... close.

So close, we're having

-the same thoughts. -[giggles]

-Are we? -And I concur.

Round two coming up.

You want to do that again already?

Uh, where'd they go?

Outside.

This late?

You know, whatever they decide, we have to support it.

You understand that, right?

Yeah, I do.

We have to be prepared.

And we will be.

Martin, we have spent years

preparing them for every possibility.

And sure, this one came out of nowhere,

but... we'll deal.

There's something else.

What if they meet June and have this sudden connection,

this biological pull that we can't compete with?

What if they forget about us?

That is not going to happen.

Are you sure?

-I mean, they're not actually... -Don't!

Do not finish that sentence.

They are actually ours

in every single way that matters.

Well, with you, they have a special bond.

Samantha always comes to you for advice,

and Tyrell- he lights up

when you're proud of him.

But for me...

Sometimes I just wonder if I'm not just the other dad.

[door opens]

Okay, after some

intense debate,

we reached a decision.

Samantha and I agreed.

We want to see our mother.

Captioning sponsored by CBS

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org

Repair and Synchronization by Easy Subtitles Synchronizer 1.0.0.0