Original subtitles

I was kidding about the popcorn.

I wasn't. Got to meet the moment.

Mike should be arriving shortly.

He's been fuming since he got notice of our motion to compel.

Yeah, no doubt.

But what makes you so sure he'll show up

in person to object? You know?

I mean, he can call or email

or even try to work the Tomas angle again?

-No way. -Hmm?

The only play Mike has left is to leverage

your long-standing friendship.

Mike is definitely showing up in person.

But I'm happy to share my popcorn with you.

Nah. It isn't seemly to gloat when you have the upper hand.

-More for me. -Hey, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Is that cheddar jalape�o?

Can Anita Dupree sing?

You know me too well. Come here.

Yeah.

-[plays piano] -[hums]

? A river rushes to the sea?

? I see eternity?

? My mind is wrapped up...? [clears throat]

? In the glow of love?

? That's washing over me...? [clears throat]

? Dwee-dum, dwee-dum?

? Dwee-dum?

[clears throat] Mm.

[doorbell ringing]

Oh. Rowena's running errands.

You keep practicing. I'll get the door.

Oh. Good morning.

Good morning.

We heard Anita singing when we got to the door,

so we just stood there for a moment listening.

-Oh. She sounds divine. -[Anita continues singing]

Which is why I'm not gonna let you interrupt her.

What do you want?

Oh, I'm so sorry, Senator Dupree.

You weren't expecting us, were you?

-W-We'll go. -Uh... Hush, Eva.

Anita and I are partners,

and we are working very hard on a very important project,

so I'll just take a few minutes of her time.

If I recall, the deal was for you

to be a silent partner.

In the studio, yes.

Are we there yet? No.

And the only reason that this rerelease

is happening at all is because I agreed

to allow the Articulettes

to reinstate my mother's vocals,

which I can revoke at any time, Vern.

Something to think about, huh?

? ?

I can't believe I have to go back to work.

The day before you return to campus

should be a national holiday.

I'm rethinking going back.

You are?

I might take a semester off and stay home.

Is that your mom's idea? I'm sure she loved having you

around to work with her this summer.

My mom wants me to stick to the schedule

and graduate on time, but it's my choice,

and no one else gets to weigh in.

You know, I don't have kids,

but I was one once,

and I swear I would take advice from anyone but my parents.

That's Deanna.

And I know she likes Izaiah.

JOEY: Well, everyone likes Izaiah.

Don't they, kid?

I wouldn't say everybody.

Thank you for stopping by.

Yeah, no worries. Uh, how can I help?

I know you must be busy with a new semester starting,

and hearing from helicopter parents

is probably your least favorite thing.

Oh, it goes with the territory.

What's going on?

I need you to do me a favor.

I get Deanna's reluctance to go back if she's still

wrestling with her grief.

You said we're approaching the anniversary of her dad's death?

She adored Doug.

Of course, Donnell loved him, too,

but there's a special bond between

fathers and daughters, and

-Deanna's always been... -High-strung?

Sensitive.

She feels things deeply, and then she-she keeps them

bottled up inside until she can't anymore,

and then they explode.

Is that what happened?

Not quite.

She was doing well this summer,

working at my real estate office,

and she's been seeing someone

and seemed happy about that.

I was hoping that she'd come to terms with Doug's death

and was ready to go back to her happy student life,

but she wants to take at least one semester off, maybe two.

Yeah. That's unusual for a senior.

Well, I think one reason she wants to stick around

is because the guy she's dating lives here.

-Yeah, I've-I've met Noah. -VANESSA: No, I asked her,

and she has promised me that the reason

she wants to stick around is to be close to me.

Which really means that she doesn't want to leave you

here alone with me.

Deanna's not a fan.

I'm aware.

And I completely get why you're concerned, Vanessa,

but I need to be clear,

I'm an academic advisor, not a therapist.

I know, and she already has a therapist on campus

that she likes, which is another pro in the Banneker column,

but Deanna likes you.

She trusts you, so I was hoping that

maybe you could try to get through to her?

Since I haven't had any luck.

Yeah. Yeah, I'm-I'm happy to reach out,

but can't make any promises.

Uh, bottom line, Deanna's confused

and, frankly,

we're afraid that she might go down the wrong road.

I thought you'd be the perfect person to talk to her because...

well, you've been there.

You really want to take a break from school

when you're just a year from being done?

It was so tough for me last year after everything happened.

I got through it because my teachers cut me slack,

but I can't count on that this year.

Still, they got you, though, right?

Deanna, we both know how losing a parent messes you up

in ways you can't even imagine,

but there's nothing to do other than roll with it.

Hmm. It sounds like you think I should go back.

I'm not trying to tell you what to do.

My dad put all kinds of pressure on me to stay in school

and get my business degree in case music didn't work out,

and that was super annoying, but he ended up being right.

I can't go to my dad for advice.

But you might have some idea of what he would say.

Before my dad died,

he was big on me getting an education

because that's what changed his life.

But if I could talk to him now...

...I think he'd want me to stay home

and be here for my mom.

What now, Leslie?

Don't get all twisty, 'Nita. We'll just be a minute.

I'll hold you to that.

Eva asked if I'd ever heard any tracks

with Barbara singing, and then I realized

I'd never thought to ask for that.

Well, I'm sorry. You're gonna have to wait

until we're in the studio.

Anita, please.

This is so important to me and to Eva,

especially since she never got a chance

to hear her grandmother's voice at all.

I mean, I have, of course, but

since I was a baby when Barbara gave me up, I-

Do you think I have 50-year-old music masters

just sitting on a shelf in my basement?

How would I know?

They are in a secure, climate-controlled,

fire-resistant vault in Pennsylvania.

You don't have any digitized versions?

Those are with the archivist who's restoring them.

Look, the bottom line...

I don't have ready access.

Well, thank you anyway for taking such great care

of the recordings.

I really look forward to hearing

my grandmother's voice at some point.

So do I.

Now, if you don't mind...

Eva...

Leslie...

Have a seat.

I'll be right back.

I'll shoot Deanna a text when I leave here.

I get her circumstances are unique,

but sometimes rising seniors start to question themselves

and their goals.

And Banneker has a lot of support to offer in that regard.

I'll make sure she knows it.

Thank you, Izaiah.

-I'd really appreciate that. -Thanks, kid.

Yeah, absolutely.

I'll do what I can.

Reassured?

I'm glad you suggested giving him a call.

Glad I could help.

And it was really sweet of you to put in the effort

for Deanna when she's so distrusting of you.

Oh, I'm nothing if not pragmatic.

Oh. I knew there was self-interest involved.

I won't deny it.

I'd like to get back to some profitable money laundering

once Deanna goes back to school.

Can't keep that on hold.

It's not my main concern, though.

-What is? -You.

Always you.

I can see how this setback with Deanna is weighing on you.

It's that obvious?

Vanessa, I will do whatever I can

to bring you both peace of mind.

-Later? -Sure.

And Deanna... You do you, okay?

DOUG: Deanna.

I'm sorry, Dad.

I know I let you down when I gave Mom crap about Joey again.

Our goal was to get Joey to drop his guard.

I know.

If he doesn't trust you...

you'll never get close enough to find something

we can use against him.

I couldn't help it.

I'm so disgusted that she's with him,

I just can't hide it.

Yeah. You have me to blame for that.

Why?

I died before I could steer her away from him.

So what do I do?

I mean, Mom's probably already told Joey

that I never accepted their relationship.

Stop worrying.

Now that you're in town, we have enough time

to come up with a new plan.

Okay. Sounds good.

It may be too late for you to save me, but

it's not too late for you to save your mother.

It took me a minute to find this.

That's all right.

Vernon was nice enough to bring us refreshments.

-Mama? -Uh, yes, thank you.

So what have you got there?

When I was 17 years old, I had a birthday party,

and Barbara was there,

and she sang to me.

And we recorded it.

You have a tape of her?

It's not a professional recording,

but it will give you some idea.

Go ahead.

[knock on door]

Come in.

Caroline wasn't at her desk, so I came on back.

-Hope you don't mind. -No. Not at all, Mike.

Looking good, Bill.

Glad to see you're back on your feet.

I'd never know that you've been in and out of the hospital.

Mm. Well, thanks.

And I appreciated that tasty get-well basket.

Great.

So what do you need, Mike?

I'd like to get back to being on better terms.

Your health scare put things in perspective, you know.

Mm. Well, I can only assume you mean that you're here

to officially notify us that your client

is dropping her lawsuit.

No. Ms. Harcourt's standing on principle.

[snorts]

Sorry. Please continue.

I've managed to persuade my client

that her interests would be best served

in an out-of-court settlement.

Hmm.

Well, Naomi brought it to my attention

that you were eager to negotiate,

and that was before we filed our motion to compel.

I don't know, Mike.

You must be practically desperate now.

Of course I understand. Yes, we will stay in touch.

Well, the Beale family isn't moving out of the DMV.

You've had cancellations before. Why so glum?

It has been in the works for 18 months.

Now I have to cancel all my showings

that I had scheduled for today.

Like I said, what else is new?

What's really going on?

I don't have anything else to

keep me from worrying about Deanna.

Oh. Well, you could remind yourself that Deanna is an adult

responsible for her own decisions.

Hmm. Can't. My imagination is too vivid.

I spent most of last night thinking of all the ways

Deanna's leave of absence from school could go wrong.

Deanna might never get a degree.

She could fall in with the wrong crowd.

She could wind up mired in a black hole of depression.

You sure she didn't learn to fixate from you?

What do you say we put your creativity to better use?

Get your mind out of the gutter.

What I'm thinking about is entirely wholesome.

Thanks for meeting me here last minute.

Better than meeting in some stuffy office.

I mean, the coffee here is way better.

So, I guess you want to talk to me about

my class schedule, right?

Sure. Among other things.

Mm. Time waste.

I'm actually thinking of dropping out of Banneker

for the semester.

Maybe even the whole year.

I've heard.

My mom talked to you?

That's so invasive.

She thinks you could use a sounding board, that's all.

Mr. Hawthorne, she wants you to talk me out of it.

Look, I'm not here to talk you in or out of anything, Deanna,

but if you have concerns about the upcoming semester,

I can help address them.

Even things that aren't specifically my domain,

like accommodations.

Like more time on tests or whatnot?

My needs aren't in your lane.

What I need right now is...

Tell me.

I need my mother to end her situationship

with Joey Armstrong.

You know about him?

Uh, I've heard the rumors.

Yeah, well, he's a total mess.

You think I'm being dramatic.

You're allowed.

Well, trust me, my mother thinks

the love of her life is some sleazebag.

I'm not worried about a motion to compel-

which I have to assume was your doing, Naomi?

What gave it away?

With all due respect,

it was obviously crafted

by someone without much experience

in malpractice litigation.

Oh, do go on.

It was a blatant fishing expedition.

Overly broad in scope,

unduly burdensome to my client,

an egregious violation of her right to privacy.

Well, I guess we'll have to see

whether Judge Meyers sees it that way.

There's no question.

My client would like to put all this behind her

and focus on her family.

She understands that means that she'll have to settle

for less than the full amount of $40 million

that she's entitled to.

That was never gonna happen.

There's also some wiggle room

on the admission of guilt.

She's not out to destroy Dr. Montgomery's career.

Are you saying she was unaware

of your scorched-earth smear campaign?

She'd be willing to sign an NDA if that helps move things along.

Oh. Okay, well, that'd be nice.

Except I'd never know what's on your client's laptop

and cell phone.

-Now, Bill... -The more you're bringing to the table,

the clearer it becomes that there's something

truly incriminating on your client's search history

or text messages.

[phone chimes]

Oh, hey, Dad. Good news.

Judge Meyers just granted us a hearing

on the motion to compel.

Oh. I guess he didn't think

it was so egregious after all.

BARBARA [over recording]: ? Happy birthday?

? To you?

? Happy birthday?

? To you?

? Happy birthday?

? My Anita?

? Happy birthday?

? To?

? You?

? To you?

? And many more.?

Wow.

That was incredible.

Peaches always said that Barbara had a...

a beautiful singing voice.

She did.

Dante Green was a damn fool

for disrespecting her talent.

She was so close.

So close to achieving her dream,

and he just ripped it right out of her hands.

Anita, I am not lashing out at you, all right?

Because I know you're doing your best

to atone for your sins.

-Do you think we can get a copy of that tape? -Yeah.

I will see to it,

and I'll get it delivered

to you, Leslie, at your hotel.

Mama, I think we should go now.

Anita, thank you.

This means more to me than you can ever know.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Ugh. I always feel like I need a shower after seeing Mike,

but this time, it was truly worth it.

Yeah. I just hope the case gets dismissed.

And Madison can go back to planning

-her wedding with Chelsea. -Mm-hmm.

Uh, wait, you have to rush off?

Did you want to go over some of the other cases

I covered for you?

No, no, we don't need to do that.

I mean, you're nothing if not thorough. I just...

I was hoping we could talk about Hayley.

Dad, I know that it's your dream that someday

we'll all get along, but...

I put too much pressure on you to get past

what she and I put you through.

That was wrong of me. All right?

And I'm sorry, Naomi.

-Really? -Yeah.

You know, I can only imagine what it was like for you

to have a friendship like you had with Hayley

and then be deceived.

I mean, how do you come back from that?

Where is this coming from?

I haven't heard that tape or Barbara's voice

in decades.

And it made you sad.

It...

stirred up all kinds of memories,

some wonderful and some...

devastating.

Well, I guess you should brace yourself.

For?

For what it's like to be going back into the studio with

Sharon and Tracy and listening to all those

master recordings from your early days.

It might be harder than any of us were expecting.

As I recall, there were broken hearts all around.

Yes. Yes, there were.

But that doesn't change the fact that Barbara

deserves recognition and gratitude from us.

It will be hard because we won't be able

to avoid thinking about the loneliness and betrayal

that Barbara lived with,

died with.

Especially not with Leslie being there,

bearing witness.

All that boast and bluster.

Maybe...

Maybe she's been

carrying Barbara's hurt inside her.

Even though, only until recently, she...

-she had no idea where it was coming from. -Hmm.

You saw that just now, didn't you?

I did.

Barbara should've been able to sing "Happy Birthday"

to her daughter, just like

I've been able to sing to Dani and Nicole.

On the other hand,

Barbara knew she wasn't capable

of being a mother to Leslie,

and so she made sure she was in good hands

before she died.

Cold comfort.

The Barbara I grew up with

would've been an excellent mother.

But...

...being rejected by her best friends,

losing her dream...

...it changed her.

It crushed her.

I get it.

You feel protective of your mom.

I know it looks like my mom has it all together,

but inside, she's a mess.

My folks had that in common. I just didn't realize it

with my dad until it was too late.

And what bothers you the most?

That I can see the track that she's on.

And I'm really scared about where she's going,

but I can't get through to her and nobody else is even trying.

Well, you can't force people to agree with you, Deanna.

And sometimes, when you try, they only dig in further.

Well, I tried to back off so Mom wouldn't push me away,

but I just can't watch her make this mistake.

I can't stay quiet.

You know, that's, uh, that's real close to what

she said to me about you.

Ironic, right?

I guess. I don't know.

It seems to me like you two are getting your wires crossed,

but you both obviously care about each other a lot.

It doesn't feel like it.

It feels like I'm losing the only parent that I have left.

Look, this in no way compares to your loss, but...

years ago, I left the DMV

after constantly butting heads with my dad.

Yeah, I felt like I was giving up, losing,

but it was actually the first step toward building the life

I have now, which I love.

Do you still talk to your dad?

Things are getting better between us.

Yeah, now, I think he respects that I've become my own man.

What you're going through, Deanna, is hard,

but it's totally normal.

I'd love to feel normal again.

And you'll get there.

Okay? You will.

Hey, hit me up?

-Let me know where you land? -Okay.

I will. Thank you.

Yeah.

What do you think?

These recipes, Joey, there are thousands from everywhere.

Italy, France, Spain, the entire Black diaspora.

Is there anything you can't make?

Yes, I can't make you sit still for more than a few minutes.

You're always moving, planning, running a show.

It's what you love about me.

It's what got your casino redecorated

and why you're making me this thank-you dinner.

I see your point.

What are you in the mood for?

Oof. It is between the coq au vin blanc

and the beef bourguignon.

Is that too time-consuming?

No, the idea is to pamper you no matter how long it takes.

But if you're leaning toward French,

we could veer into... Cajun?

I could do barbecue shrimp.

Or maybe a Creole redfish gumbo.

There is a recipe for shrimp and grits that looks delicious.

Shrimp and grits it is. What about the wine?

I saw a dry ros� in your wine fridge.

Excellent. Dry ros� pairs perfectly with

-your lips. -Mm.

Dessert?

-You. -Always.

But there's that delicious thing you make.

What-What's it called? A crostata.

It's an old family recipe.

Heather mentioned it was one of her favorites.

-Vanessa... -Why don't we invite her to join us?

Since she didn't get an invite

to that family dinner we discussed.

Does that mean your conversation with Heather didn't go well?

About Nicole's request

that she not be around her grandkids?

Was Heather upset? Did she take it out on you?

Let's just say I could use this distraction tonight

just as much as you.

You are so good to me.

And for me.

Deanna will have to see it eventually.

I wouldn't count on that.

I think Deanna sees things the way she wants to.

Keep on keeping on, Deanna.

I'm counting on you.

I don't know what else you want me to do.

I've checked Mom's business records

for evidence that Joey was up to something shady,

but I don't even know what I'm looking for.

I'm not an accounting major.

Joey's overconfident. He'll slip up eventually.

I know it's hard,

but it'll be worth it to save Vanessa.

But you couldn't do it.

What makes you think that I can?

-Ouch. -I'm sorry, Dad.

I just don't want my whole life to become me hating Joey.

I want to go to school and see my friends.

I want to graduate.

I understand.

You're mad. You think I'm being selfish.

[phone chimes]

What was it like for you to hear Barbara's voice?

I have to admit, I was overwhelmed.

In my mind, Barbara was this ethereal creature,

like a guardian angel.

But that voice?

It belonged to someone real.

And warm.

And human.

Did it sound familiar to you?

I don't think so.

You sure?

Because, to me...

she sounded exactly like you.

-You really believe that? -Yeah.

Like, when I closed my eyes,

it was like I was a little kid again

at one of my own birthday parties

with you singing "Happy Birthday" to me.

To think that I

inherited something so beautiful from my mom.

Not just regrettable tendencies of...

...trusting all the wrong people.

[phone chimes]

It's Izaiah. Is it okay if I ask him to join?

Oh, no, baby, you go ahead and you meet with him,

and, um, I will see you back at the hotel.

-You okay? -Yeah. Yeah, Mama's fine.

-Okay. I'll-I'll check on you later. -All right.

Mwah.

I'll admit that I have been a bit defensive about Hayley.

Yes, you have. But why?

Well, I felt bad about the position I put her in.

It's been tough on her.

My heart bleeds.

Well, I shouldn't expect you to see Hayley

the same way I do, you know?

And I'm sorry if I came down on you too hard for having,

you know, your guard up where she's concerned.

Are you having your own doubts about Hayley?

Did you catch her in a lie?

Nobody's perfect, you know?

Least of all me.

And I'm not looking for excuses to walk away

from another marriage, if that's what you think.

Well, that wasn't an answer, so let me rephrase.

If you did catch Hayley in a lie,

that wasn't the first,

and I know that for a fact.

? ?

-Hey. -I wanted to let you know in person

that I made my decision about school.

And I'm going back tomorrow.

How come you don't look so happy about it?

I felt closer to my dad here.

It's hard leaving his memories behind.

I get it.

When my mom died, I wanted to be in every room that she was in.

Her smell, my memories made me feel closer to her.

Anyway, I bet your mom's happy that you've decided

to go and finish school.

You got the 411 before she did.

-Should I be honored? -Mm. It's whatever.

Well, I got to get back to the clinic,

but you want to do dinner later?

You can pick the place.

Mm.

How about the Bowman

and we order room service.

Wow.

-Well, I'm not a cheap date. -Uh, I got the funds. I...

With you leaving tomorrow, don't you have to pack or...?

Yeah, but I don't know how long I'll be away for.

It's not like you're being stationed overseas.

Banneker's not that far.

Mm, are you saying you want to come visit?

-Unless you don't want that. -Oh, no, I'd love that.

So, Deanna was still thinking through her decision

when I left, but seems like I might've made an impact.

I'm sure you did.

I bet you have convinced a lot of kids who are on the fence

to just hang in there and get their degrees.

It can be a challenge,

especially when I first started working.

Yeah, at first, I was working with mostly FLI kids.

FLI?

Sorry, shop talk.

First-generation low-income.

They don't always feel like they belong.

I can't relate to that at all.

No wonder why you're so good at giving me pep talks.

You do it for a living.

Anybody ever come back to thank you?

Yeah, a few times.

Those are the real good days.

It must feel amazing

to know that you're doing what Joey did for you.

It is.

Uh, how'd it go at the Duprees?

Oh...

First, it was kind of rough because, of course,

Mama said we had an appointment when we didn't.

That tracks, sadly.

But turns out Mrs. Dupree didn't even have the recordings

that Mama wanted to hear.

But she came up with this old recording

of Barbara singing "Happy Birthday."

Damn, vintage.

It was so powerful to hear my grandmother's voice,

which sounded so much like my mom's.

There is no doubt Mama is Barbara's daughter.

What was that moment like for Leslie?

She was deep in her feels.

I mean, we all were.

Vernon, are Tracy, Sharon, and I, are...

are we gonna regret this?

Allowing Leslie to be involved?

It's going to dredge up a ton of-of...

conflicted memories.

It may,

but you will be giving tribute to Barbara,

and it may bring you all some peace.

I've said this before, but it bears repeating.

You were all so young.

Any decisions you made then are eminently forgivable.

But are they?

How could a trio of teenagers

stand up to Dante Green, hmm?

Were you expected to reject his offer

just to keep your group intact?

And if you had, who's to say what would've happened?

The road not taken, huh?

Your fledgling girl group might've never

gotten out of Chicago.

Barbara might've still sunk into a deep depression.

And then, you'd have never been invited to attend

that civil rights march where we met

and fell in love.

Life is like dominoes, isn't it?

Yes.

And not everything that came out of that decision was bad.

Hearts break, over and over again.

But that's how the light gets in.

Chelsea has already come to me with her suspicions

about Hayley and Sammy.

Is that what you're getting at?

I honestly have no idea what's going on between Hayley

and Randy, which is the guy's real name, by the way.

Are you sure about that? How do you know that?

D.C. can be a small town.

People know the guy as "Randy."

"Sammy" is an alias.

And Hayley's aware of this?

I don't know, but look,

there is a long list of things Hayley could've lied about,

but I know one for sure.

What's that?

Hayley never had an ultrasound done.

Naomi, that's ridiculous.

-I saw the sonogram. -Dad.

That was a fake she printed from online.

Why... Why would she do that?

She said that she was scared something might be wrong

with the baby and she didn't want to find out.

-And Hayley admitted all this to you? -Yes. She did.

I swear. Plus, it's right there on her medical record.

She refused an ultrasound.

How did you know what's in her me-

You know what? Never mind. I can guess.

What exactly did she tell you?

She said, if she didn't see a sonogram,

if the doctor didn't see one,

then no one could tell her she was gonna lose her baby.

Which... what sense does-does that even make?

But this is what she does.

She uses her emotions so you don't question her logic.

Well, why didn't you come to me with this right away?

I don't know.

The timing was... really, really bad.

I found out the same day Hayley had a miscarriage,

and you were really upset,

and she begged me not to say anything.

She was worried that you would blame her

for losing the baby, and I just thought

telling you would make things worse.

So what else don't I know about?

That's a really good question, Dad.

And I hope you stop taking what Hayley says

at face value, because she does not deserve your trust.

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