Original subtitles

- [Maya] You know that story about how opposites attract?

Well, that's my parent, Royce and Ella.

- Why are you undressing her again?

- Well I'm wanna count all of her toes again.

- [Maya] I know one thing, my pops really

need to change them glasses.

And my mother, Lord, if she changes me one more time,

I'ma lose it, for real.

- Are you sure her head's not lopsided?

- Good Lord, woman.

Yeah. - No, but why don't

you get your ass a job, so maybe you can

support your family?

- [Royce] What's a job gonna do to support

this place, huh?

- [Maya] Here we go again.

- [Royce] You think it's easy out there? It ain't.

- [Maya] I wish my mom and dad

would hear each other out, because when it's good,

it's really good.

When it's bad, it's bad.

- [Royce] Baby girl.

[melancholy music]

- [Maya] Watching my dad drive off,

I had no idea that that would be the last time I'd see him.

[soft percussive music]

♪ I found out

- Come on in.

I made dinner, baby. ♪ A secret about you

Hey.

- [Maya] Hi.

♪ I've seen your superpowers

- You okay, honey?

- I don't wanna talk about it.

♪ Yeah I got proof

♪ We've been taught that superheroes wear a mask ♪

♪ But that's not true

♪ And I found that out when it comes to you ♪

♪ That's the only way I can explain ♪

♪ How you keep me from the rain when it's rainin' ♪

♪ You bring out sunshine

♪ No matter what, you find a way ♪

♪ To come through and save the save ♪

♪ You always seems to chase the pain away ♪

♪ You don't even need a cape

♪ You always seem to chase the pain away ♪

♪ You don't even need a cape

♪ We've been taught that superheroes wear a mask ♪

♪ But that's not true

♪ And I found that out when it comes to you ♪

♪ That's the only way I can explain ♪

♪ How you keep me from the rain when it's rainin' ♪

♪ You bring out sunshine

♪ No matter what, you find a way ♪

♪ To come through and save the day ♪

♪ You always seem to chase the pain away ♪

♪ You don't even need a cape

♪ The only way I can explain

♪ How you keep me from the rain ♪

♪ When it's raining

♪ When it's rainin'

♪ You bring out sunshine

♪ No matter what, you find a way ♪

♪ To come through and save the day ♪

♪ You always seem to chase the pain away ♪

♪ You don't even need a cape

- [Maya] I love Dublin, but now that I'm a young adult,

I'm ready to move on with my life.

I look forward to college, fun, independence.

Yeah. I'm ready to do this.

[phone pings]

- [Trish] My daddy is texting me again.

I'm only going to college in Atlanta

and you would think I'm leaving the country.

He's been acting so nervous.

- Must be nice.

Having a dad.

- I mean, it's all right.

It's not all what it's cracked up to be.

I mean, I love the man and all, but he's just so protective.

- I'd take protective over nothing.

I ain't seen my dad since I was a kid.

- Um...

Look what I got.

Come on.

- You can't smoke that out here, you know that, right?

My mother will flip.

- Come on girl, we are going to college

and you are a grown ass woman

and you are smoking this blunt.

- Okay.

[coughing]

- Uh huh.

- You think Shaggy's a stoner?

- "It Wasn't Me" Shaggy? The reggae artist?

I don't know, he from Jamaica. He probably is.

- Nah, Shaggy from Scooby-Doo.

- Oh, hell no.

He's on a children's cartoon show.

- Yeah, I know but like think about it.

He talks to a dog, him and Scooby always had the munchies.

They lived in the back of the Mystery Machine,

and that's definitely a stoner van if I've ever seen one.

- True.

He never changes his clothes,

he has a goatee, and what sober person says zoinks?

[Maya laughs]

- Yeah, and they be doin' god knows what

in the back of that damn van.

- Exactly.

- No.

[laughing]

We just high. [laughing]

- Oh, we are going to have so much fun at college together.

Hey, you know, Clark is right down the street from Morehouse

and I heard the men at Morehouse are fine as hell.

- Girl, you are so boy crazy.

- Yeah, I sure am.

And what about you, Miss Helpless Romantic?

- I don't find nothing wrong with, you know,

having one good man, settling down, having kids,

and just living a happy life.

What's wrong with that?

- Um, excuse me.

I just think I'd threw a little bit up in my mouth, so uh...

- [Ella] Maya!

- [Maya] Oh shit.

- [Ella] Come here for a minute.

[girls grunting]

- [Trish] Girl, what you doin'?

- [Maya] Girl I don't know.

I'm high, I'm bent.

You ain't got no spray?

Somethin'? - I think I got somethin'.

Here.

- Okay.

[spraying]

Is this vaginal spray?

- What?

I never knew when I might need it.

- You a whore. - It potpourri scented.

- It's cool. - Give it to me.

[Maya grunts]

[spraying]

- [Maya] That's good.

How I look?

I look high?

- [Trish] Open your eyes.

You know, you a little red, but you got it.

- [Maya] Yeah.

- Hey. - Hey.

Come here baby. - Yes.

- I want you to have a seat,

I wanna talk to you real quick.

- Yes?

- What's that smell? - I don't smell nothin'.

- Mm. Okay.

Well look, uh, Maya?

- Mhm?

- I know you're getting ready to head off to college

and I'm so proud of you. - Thank you, mom.

- Okay, but I just want to warn you

about a couple of things, okay?

- Oh no.

- What? - Come on.

Do we have to talk about this right now again?

- Yes, we are going to have this conversation

right now again.

Okay. You know what?

You may be almost grown but you are still

not too grown to be my baby because

you're gonna always just be my baby, okay?

Do-do-do.

- Ah.

[laughing]

I like that joke, that's funny.

[Ella sighs]

- Now let's talk about drugs, all right?

I know there's a lot of kids in college, you know,

they're going to be smokin' weed.

- Yeah. - You know, and it's going to

seem like it's innocent, but baby,

weed is just a gateway drug.

- Yeah. - You know, a lot of times

people put stuff in weed without you even knowing

that they put it in there.

- Oh no, that's extra.

- What's extra?

- Yeah, like when you smoke weed

and you put something extra in it,

like that costs more.

That's extra.

- Well how do you know that?

What, are you smokin' weed?

- No. - Have you been out there

with fast ass Trish smokin' weed?

Look, let me find out.

I'm telling you, she's gonna be a stripper.

She's gonna be a stripper. - A stripper?

- Yes. Her people are from Atlanta.

They don't get down like folks do here in Dublin.

I'm telling you this, it's- - Nah.

- Listen to me. - Nah.

- Okay, all right.

Just keep watchin'.

- Trish is not gonna be a stripper.

- Well, we will see.

Now let me get back to this drug thing.

Now it's not like I didn't experiment with drugs.

I did.

I mean, I smoked a little weed.

Just a little.

It was at an Earth, Wind and Fire concert, girl.

It was with your father and well, boop,

that's how you happened.

Don't do drugs.

Okay? [Maya groans]

- Got it.

Yep.

- All right.

Now...

Let's talk about sex.

[Ella clears throat]

All right?

If you are going to have sex,

not that I'm ready for you to have sex,

because I really think you should abstain

until you're married.

If you do decide to have sex,

I need you to make sure you use protection, okay?

Do you understand me?

- Yes.

- Okay, and don't fall for that just the tip, okay?

It goes right on in there, okay?

- Okay. - And if he tells you

he's going to pull out, he ain't gonna pull out.

I'm still waiting on your father to pull out.

But more importantly, I need you to know

that there are so many STDs out there

and I have Googled every single one of them.

Have you heard of mycoplasma genitalium?

- I'm afraid I haven't.

- Well, I want you to be afraid,

and I want you to be very afraid.

- Yes.

- Use protection. All right?

And it's not just for the STDs, baby.

I don't want you to get pregnant,

because I'm too young to be a grandmother.

- You're not that young, ma.

- Maya. - I'm just kiddin'.

- Okay. Thank you.

All right?

[sighs]

And I know I seem like I'm giving you a lot.

It's just that you grew up so fast, baby,

and I'm not ready for you to leave.

- Don't be dramatic.

I'll be back to visit like all the time.

- I love you.

- I love you, too.

Now can we hug?

- Come here, baby.

Oh.

Ooh.

I smell that vaginal spray.

My baby is here. [squeals]

Oh, Maya.

- [Maya] Mommy.

- Honey, I missed you.

Oh, I missed you. - I missed you too, mom.

- Look at your hair, it's grown.

- Since Christmas?

- Yes, it's growing on me.

Oh.

- All right. - Speaking of growing,

I see those boobs gettin' full and perky,

like you mother's. - All right, all right,

knock it off, ma, you're embarrassing.

Look, meet Dax.

- Oh.

- Hey, it's nice to finally meet.

I've heard so much about you.

- Well I've heard a lot about you, too.

- All right, well, I am starving.

Did you make dinner?

- You know I made dinner.

It's your favorite. - Sheppard's Pie?

- Yes, baby. [laughing]

Get the bags. - All right.

Okay, so Trish is stopping by.

- [Ella] Is she stripping yet?

- [Maya] Ma, she's not a stripper.

- She is a stripper. - She's not.

- [Ella] Well honey, if you dress like a stripper,

you'll be stripper, trust me.

- [Maya] Ma, she don't dress like a stripper.

- Yes she does. - No she don't.

[door closes]

- Mmm.

Mrs. Johnson, this food is delicious.

- It's Miss Johnson.

I'm not married, never have, and never will.

- You're welcome Miss Johnson.

- Oh, please. Will you just call me Ella?

Ugh.

- Okay.

Ella.

- [Maya] My mother is about to eat this boy alive.

- So what exactly is it that you

plan on doing with your life?

- Well, I just graduated with my degree in business.

Uh, I haven't quite decided what field

I want to go into yet.

- Oh.

So no real goals or direction?

- [Maya] Yeah.

My mother is about to really, really tear him a new one.

- No, it's not that I don't have goals,

it's just that I'm exploring my options.

I'm leaning more towards retail.

[Ella laughs]

- Okay.

Wait, did he say retail? [laughs]

You mean like stocking shelves, retail?

Honey, you really didn't need to

get a degree in that, did you?

- Well, it's more to retail than stocking shelves.

You see large companies often offer a chance

to undertake a graduate training program

or a training management program

in order to fast track your position within the company.

- Interesting.

[Dax chuckles]

- Yeah. You know, it's actually really-

- So Trish.

Maya told me that you dropped out of college?

- Yeah, but I enrolled in vocational school,

so I'm studying nursing right now

and I just have one semester left, so yeah.

- Are you a stripper?

- Excuse me?

- [Maya] Now she's startin' with Trish?

- Are you a stripper?

I mean that's what most strippers do,

they matriculate in nursing?

- I wouldn't know because I'm not a stripper, Miss Ella.

- Yet.

- I gotta say somethin'.

Uh, mom.

How about you?

What are you have been up to?

Seeing anyone?

- Hmm, Maya, I really don't have time for that

and I don't know, it's like men really

don't excite me anymore,

and for the record, no, I am not gay.

- Okay.

Well, now that that's on the table,

um, Dax and I been waiting to share

some really exciting news with both of you.

We're getting married.

- Oh!

Girl, let me see that ring.

Oh, it's beautiful.

I love that.

Dax, you did so good.

- See it right there?

It's carat- - Maya.

I need to see you.

Now. Living room.

- [Maya] All right.

- Have you lost your mind?

- What? We're in love.

- You're in love.

You haven't even known him a year.

- I know, but you know that feeling

when you're just meant to be with somebody?

- Oh yes.

It's the feeling I had with your father,

and look what happened.

- Mom, Dax is not Royce.

- Has he cheated on you?

- Yeah, once, but it was...

Ma, we weren't even together.

It was a rough patch.

- Oh, oh, okay.

Well, have you had him checked for trichomoniasis?

- Tricha-what?

- I'm telling you, he's been out there creeping around,

there's no telling what he brought back.

- Yeah, we both got tested and we're straight.

- Mhm.

Have you been checked for the human papilloma virus?

It causes cervical cancer in women, honey.

- Mom, knock it off.

Can't you just be happy for me?

- I wanna be happy, Maya, okay?

I would have been happy if you had brought home

a man with some goals and some intellect.

A real man.

- He is a real man and he's very intellectual

and he has goals.

- Really? - Yes.

- They boy went to college so that he could work at Walmart.

- No, he didn't.

- What kind of grown man walks around

with a name like Dax?

What's happening with you in school?

- I'm gonna take some time off.

- [Ella] Oh god.

- I need to get situated with marriage, it's...

- Maya.

Maya, what has this boy done to you?

What kind of influence does he have over you

where you could even think about dropping out of school?

- Look, ma.

- What?

- I'm gonna marry Dax, whether I have your blessing or not.

- Maya, Maya, please, okay?

Please just reconsider this for me, honey.

Please.

I don't want you to end up like me.

- I won't.

And for the record, there is nothing wrong with you, mom.

You're my hero.

You're my Shero.

- Okay.

Fine.

You have my blessing. All right?

And I'm sure it's going to be a very lengthy engagement,

so it's going to be plenty of time because he has no money

and it'll be plenty of time for you

to change your mind, okay?

- We're getting married next week.

- [Ella] What?

["Wedding March" playing]

- Is there anyone here that object

on these two being joined together,

speak now, or forever hold your peace.

- [Maya] Don't do it.

Thank you.

Phew.

- I now pronounce you husband and wife.

You may kiss your bride.

[upbeat music]

- All right.

[upbeat music]

[clapping] [cheering]

- Mmm, here.

- Mmm, I can't.

- Go ahead bae. Take a sip.

It'll be fine. - I can't.

But you- - Trust me.

- All right.

- There it go.

Girl, I just knew your mom was about to object in there.

- She know better.

She's stuck with this knucklehead.

[laughing]

- I love you, bae. - I love you too.

- Aww y'all are so cute.

I can't wait until I get married.

- Girl, I can't wait for you to get married.

I know one thing, I better be your maid of honor.

- Who else it gonna be? Who?

Thank you.

- Yeah, you right. - Look what I brought.

Mhm.

- This girl stay with some weed.

[laughing]

- You really gonna light that up right here?

- Yeah. Why not?

- I'm good, so it don't matter.

You can smoke.

[coughs]

- Hm?

Come on.

- I really shouldn't

- Uh-uh, y'all not about to do this to me.

- All right, bet I will.

- Hey Ella. How are you?

- Marcus? [Ella scoffs]

- This is my lady friend, uh, Lisa.

- Oh. Hi, Lisa.

Nice to meet you.

Well, dinner will be served shortly.

You know, I am so sorry but we didn't

set up the kids' table, so you're just going

to have to sit with the adults tonight, okay?

- Excuse me?

[Marcus chuckles] - Don't mind Ella.

She and I used to date back in the day.

Dare I say, she gets a little jealous.

- Ha! Jealous, really?

Sweetie, Marcus and I, we go to church together,

and for years, he has been begging me

to go out on a date with him and dare I say

we went out on one date and it was horrible.

- It was not horrible.

- You know what, you're right. It was dreadful.

- I think you're exaggerating it a little bit, don't you?

- As a matter of fact, I don't even remember

you two being on the guest list.

- We're not on the guest list.

Lisa and I are going down to Club Dublin's

to get our little dance on.

Saw all the cars and all the commotion outside,

thought I'd come in and take a look

and see what was going on.

- Wow.

So aren't you a little too old to be going to the club?

- That's what you say because I'm with

a beautiful young lady and I'm a man of a certain age?

- Old.

- You know what they say?

- What?

- Just because there's a little snow on the roof,

doesn't mean there's not a fire in the furnace.

[Ella laughs]

- Well, well, well, how poetic you are.

You know I'm sure all the young girls

down at the community college must really love that,

and they must be dazzled with your charm and your wit, huh?

- Wait, how does she know I went to community college?

- Oh honey, let's just say it's a woman's instinct.

- What's going on?

- Well, since you must know, my daughter Maya

got married today and this is her reception.

- Who's lucky guy?

- He's some future Walmart worker

with no intellect or any real goals.

Actually much like yourself.

- Excuse you?

I never worked at Walmart.

I just retired from Delta after 25 years

and uh, my pension and my SSI about to be lit.

[laughs] - Ooh, okay.

Well I'm sure that Lisa or whatever adolescent

you choose to be with at the time

is going to be felt dazzled because you'll be able

to get them all the joom jooms and the wham whams

that their sweet little hearts can afford.

So guess what, you'll have to excuse me

for a minute because I am quite busy.

Thank you.

- [Marcus] Mm, ugh.

- What a bitch.

- It's just her menopause kickin' in, that's all.

- Mm mm mm.

[laughs]

Well, if menopause was that sexy on every woman, [laughs]

I would post up at every local bridge club [laughs]

all day every day. [laughs]

- And who are you?

- I'm sorry.

I'm Hurbert Humperdinck, attorney at law.

Now listen, if you two decide to get married or divorced,

I'm your guy.

- How do you know Ella?

- Oh, well I did some legal work for her

many, many years ago and ever since she has been

the apple bottom of my eye.

Apple bottom.

You see what I did? [laughs]

Yeah. Sexy.

- [Marcus] So you all dated?

- Oh no, no, no, no. [laughs]

She wouldn't give me the time of day.

That, that right there, that's an ice princess.

Just the way I like 'em.

[Marcus laughs] - I'd call her more like the

wicked witch of Dublin.

- Oh, oh, oh.

You two used to date, huh?

- Eh, we went out a little bit you know, but uh,

it ain't nothing to speak of.

- Yeah.

Well I think I'm gonna hold out.

Hopefully she'll be the next Mrs. Humperdinck.

- So you've been married before?

- Five times.

- Wow. - Actually six,

but the sixth one didn't count, you know,

we were in Mexico and there seemed to be

a problem with the pastor.

He wasn't really ordained.

- Hey, listen, what's your name again?

- Oh, oh, oh...

- Englbert? - Hurbert.

- Hu, Hurbert?

- Humperdinck.

- Humperdinck. - Yes!

- Well listen, Dinck, I mean Mister Humper,

we're gonna go get a drink.

- All right.

All right. - Good to meet you.

- Hey. Nice.

- [Trish] Do you think your mom will ever marry?

- Yeah. If Barack ever divorced Michelle.

Yeah, her standards are too high.

- Is that why she hate me?

- Nah, she pretty much hate all men,

and I mean, ever since my dad, well, Royce,

disappeared on us, I mean, she hasn't clicked with anybody.

It's just been quick and out.

- What does she do for sex?

- Don't think she has a sex drive, no.

- What?

- No, not that.

- Yeah, with that stick up her ass,

it'd be damn near impossible.

She's standing right there isn't she?

- [Maya] Yeah.

[Trisha coughing]

- Dinner is served.

Put the weed out.

- [Man] Yo, yo, yo

You already know what time it is,

John Boyce in the buildin'.

We're going to slow it down in a few,

but before we do, I need all my...

- Um, the food is amazing.

- Yes, I called in a couple of favors

from some catering friends of mine.

- Amazing food from an amazing lady.

- I didn't cook it, okay?

I told you I called in some favors from some caterers.

- So that within itself is amazing.

- Eh, it's pretty good.

I can cook most of this.

- Mm, mm, mm.

- Well, if you can cook most of this,

I'm definitely going to be fat.

[laughing]

- Oh, well congratulations, you're well on your way.

- Whatever.

- You're not fat, babe.

You just got a dad bod, but it's sexy, though.

[clinking glass]

- I'd like to make the first toast here

to the newlyweds.

May you have a full life full of marital bliss

and wonderment, and to the mother-in-law, [chuckles]

may you find love with maybe somebody that's been

right under your nose for all these many, many moons.

Come on, give it to me. [laughs]

Come on.

- Oh, I'm not toasting to that.

- Hey.

- I would like to make a toast of my own.

- Oh God.

- To my beautiful wife who made me

the luckiest man in the world today.

I want to spend the rest of my life with you.

I love you.

- I love you, too.

[Hurbert chuckles]

- You know I'm saving for that divorce attorney.

- Well you already got my number, baby.

- And I look forward to starting a family together.

- Okay, wait a minute.

We're going to slow down. A little too soon.

I'm not ready to be a grandmother.

- Ma, you're not that young.

- Look, look, look baby, you are aging

like fine wine, you know?

Getting better all the time.

- Stop lying to her like that.

She's more like a cougar.

[growls]

- [Hurbert] Oh!

- All right. - Really? Stop.

Dax and I would like to make an announcement of our own.

Dax and I are um...

We're pregnant.

- [Hurbert] Oh! Oh.

- What?

- Shotgun wedding, always ends in a divorce.

Here you go. [laughs]

- Stop. - Stop.

- Yo, that's why you ain't hit the weed?

Um, I mean congratulations, girl, just...

♪ You are the fruit of my heart ♪

♪ You are the fruit of my heart ♪

♪ And I

♪ I'll never let you down

♪ I'll never let you go, never let you go ♪

- You better not drop me.

You're gonna make me kill the baby.

- I'm not gonna kill the baby.

[Maya grunts]

- Damn.

Champagne make you that weak?

- Nah, it's just that you gained a few pounds

since that pregnancy.

- Yeah, right.

- Yeah, for real. I could feel it in my back.

- Yeah, whatever.

Well you better get it together

because we still got to consummate the marriage.

- But you pregnant.

- So?

- So, I don't want to poke the baby in her head.

- Ha, don't flatter yourself.

- Don't flatter myself? What you trying to say?

- Nothing.

Nothing, now come here and make love

to your wife, Mr. Thomas.

- Okay, sure thing Mrs. Thomas.

[phone ringing]

[Maya sighs]

- Can you get off my dress please, babe?

[grunting]

Hello?

Yes, mother.

We made it here safe.

Yes, the baby's good.

Dax, he's right here.

Hold on.

- Hey, Ella.

Yes, we're doing fine.

Yes. The baby's fine.

- [Marcus] Miss lady.

Ella.

- What?

What are you doing around here, Marcus?

- I saw you earlier in church

and then I saw you walking and I thought

I'd stop you to say hello.

- Hello. And goodbye.

- Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Why are you treating me like that?

- Treating you like what?

- What have I ever done to you?

- Nothing Marcus, because I'm not going to let you

get close enough to me to do anything.

Yeah?

- That's cold, you know that.

- You know what? Life is cold, okay?

And where's your girlfriend?

Shouldn't she be at a Girl Scout meeting

selling her milk and cookies?

Hm?

- Ha ha, very funny.

- Yeah. - Her and I didn't work out.

- Oh, no.

I'm just so surprised.

I mean, you two were just so compatible.

I mean, especially on the maturity level.

- You know that ice princess persona that you put up?

- Mhm.

- It's just hiding the fact that you're a hurt

little woman who's afraid to fall in love again.

[Ella scoffs]

You know, I had some from jazz tickets

and I thought about you.

- And why would you think about me?

- Well I remember when we went out, you said you liked jazz.

- You remembered that?

- Mhm.

My god, that was like eons ago.

That's crazy.

- Well, my question is, would you have gone?

- Maybe.

Maybe not.

I don't know.

- Well I'll remember that.

- You do that.

I'll see you at church on Sunday.

- Nice ass.

I swear to god.

- [Ella] I heard that.

Watch your thoughts.

♪ Baby be careful

♪ Baby

- I love our life together.

- Me too.

- We already got one of our 2.3 kids.

- Wait, I thought we were just having two kids?

Where that .3 come from?

- Oh, the average American has two to three kids,

so census uses it as an average.

I learned that a statistics class.

- Mm. Smart and beautiful.

That's why I married you.

- Thank you baby.

You know what?

- What?

- The baby's asleep.

- Yeah, she is.

- So you know that means

- What?

- We can have loud, nasty sex.

- You mean loud, ratchet sex?

- Ratchet sex?

- Yeah.

You know like at first you all calm,

like, ooh, ooh, baby, that feel good.

Then you start gettin' loud like, oh!

Oh, gosh!

Then you start gettin' ratchet, you know, you just oh!

Oh gosh, daddy, spank me! Ooh!

- I do not call you daddy.

- Yes you do.

- All right, so, but what about-

Maybe I do. Maybe I do.

But what about you?

Huh?

Mister come here girl. [laughs]

Come here girl.

I'm about to, I'm about to...

[snoring]

And you go to sleep.

[Dax sucks teeth]

- I did not go to sleep. - What about that?

Yes you do. - All right, maybe I do.

But all this talking got me a little worked up.

- Yeah? - Hm.

- Okay, well we better hurry up before she wake up.

- All right.

♪ We can, we can, we can

♪ Fall in love, ooh

[groovy, sensual music]

[doorbell chimes]

- Hey, sunshine.

No, no, no, no, no.

- Hurbert, how many have I told you

do not come to my home unannounced.

It is unacceptable.

- All right, now look, calm down.

Calm down. Easy tiger.

Look. I brought you flowers.

- I see.

Piggly Wiggly?

- Look, just go out to dinner with me one time.

- How many times have I told you

our relationship is strictly platonic?

- Probably a couple dozen times. [chuckles]

Yeah, but who's counting?

- I am.

- Okay, look. Dinner, huh?

Little Vino, maybe some good conversation?

[birds chirping]

- We will sit at opposite sides of the table.

- Yeah!

Not a problem.

- And you will keep those big hands to yourself.

- Okay. What about my feet?

Yeah, okay. Okay.

Okay. I promise.

- This is not a date.

- I will pick you up on Saturday around eight o'clock.

- No the hell you won't.

I will meet you there.

- Okay.

All right.

All right.

I will see you there, sunshine.

- Hurbert?

- Yeah?

- You won't not call me sunshine.

- Yeah, all right. No, no, no sunshine.

- Goodbye, Hurbert.

- [Hurbert] Yes!

[soft piano music]

- Listen, I um, I just want to thank you

for finally agreeing to go out on a date.

- Oh ooh ooh, this is not a date, okay?

I drove myself here so technically

we are meeting, having dinner as friends.

- Whatever you want to call it. [chuckles]

- I'm just saying that thank you

for finally allowing an old player

like myself to have a shot. [chuckles]

- Okay, well, first of all, I'm not giving you a shot.

- Oh!

- And secondly, there is no way in hell

that I would ever sit down and have dinner

with an old player like yourself.

- Yeah, yeah. I'm old school, you see?

Yeah, and I don't mean player like playing games

or playing a woman.

I'm talking about a bonafide playa.

You know like Ohio Players?

♪ Rollercoaster

- Hurbert. Shh.

Stop it.

- What, what?

I'm just trying to serenade you.

- You're embarrassing me.

- Yes, because I'm a fool in love for you.

- Let's just try and have a civil conversation?

- All right.

- All right. - All right.

That's cool with me. [chuckles]

- All right.

- Can I get you anything else?

- Well, we are just fine.

So please, can you excuse yourself?

Um...

Excuse you. [chuckles]

- [Ella] Uh, Hurbert?

[Hurbert murmuring]

- If you wanna leave, we're trying to...

Yeah, yeah.

That's right.

[laughs]

That was about to get ugly. [laughs]

Now, where were we?

- Dare I ask you this?

Um, have you ever been married?

[chuckles]

- Six times. [laughs]

Well, the fifth one didn't count

because we were married by an Elvis impersonator in Vegas.

Yeah.

Well it turns out that it wasn't honored

in all the 52 States, so I concluded

that the casino was liable. [laughs]

Yeah. - Got it.

Um, I just find it interesting I've known you

all these years and I've never met one

of your six or five, four, three, two, one, wives.

[Hurbert laughing]

- Well um, you know, to be quite honest,

I um, I've never met a woman that could handle all this,

and it's gonna take a whole lot of woman

to harpoon this whale.

- Check please.

[upbeat, funky music]

- Hey. Hey.

Hey.

All right.

All right.

Well, here we are.

- Yes.

We are here.

- Yes.

All right.

- Thank you for dinner.

- Oh, come on.

You can do better than that. Hm?

Yeah.

- What are you doing?

- Aw, come on.

Give big daddy a little sugar.

- Okay, you are not big and you are certainly

not my daddy, okay?

- Aww.

[hits] [Hurbert grunts]

G...- Goodnight, Hurbert.

- Goodnight, Ella.

[whimpering]

Oh, feisty.

Just like I...

I like it. [cars starts up]

[body thuds]

[insects buzzing]

- Ah, full moon.

No wonder Hurbert was acting like a damn werewolf.

[chuckles]

Now who the hell is this pulling up in my driveway?

[hip hop music]

- Hey, miss lady.

- Are you stalking me?

- I was just on my way home

and I saw you sitting out here on the porch.

- You don't even live in this neighborhood, Marcus.

- You in the mood for some company?

- Not really.

- I'll take that as a yes and I'll park.

- Well, I see your midlife crisis has kicked in, huh?

You went out and got yourself a 'Vette.

[Marcus laughs]

Does that come equipped with a Viagra dispenser?

[Marcus laughs]

- You know you got jokes, right?

- Oh yeah. [Marcus laughs]

- Actually, you know, I've had that car for about a year.

Just don't drive it a lot, especially not to church.

The pastor see that, he'll start asking me

for some more tithes.

[laughs]

- You wrong for that.

- So what are you doing out here

this lovely night all by yourself?

- Well I was enjoying the peace and quiet

until you came along.

- You know what you, something else, miss lady.

Everybody needs a little company every now and then

- Needs is a very strong word, and I prefer to be alone

rather than in the company of fools.

- The company of fools?

- Mhm.

- So you calling me a fool?

- No, Marcus.

I'm talking about the food that I had dinner with tonight.

- Who's the lucky guy?

- Mm, look, I don't even want to talk about it, all right?

Shouldn't you be down at Dave and Busters, huh?

Huntin' for prey? [laughing]

- You know what, you really funny.

- No, you funny.

- But you know what?

That's a good point.

- What?

- I've been doing a lot of praying lately.

P-R-A-Y praying.

- Oh, thank God.

- Not they kind you thinkin' about.

And uh, you know, I'm turning over a new leaf in life.

Now I like dating young girls.

- Mhm.

- Until they start acting like young girls.

[Ella laughs]

Last young girl I had at the house,

she started jumping up and down on the bed

talking about let's have a pillow fight.

That was the end of the road for her.

[laughing]

- No more slumber parties?

- No more, no more pillow fights,

no more slumber parties, no more nothin',

And what about you?

How's the dating scene treating you?

- I don't date.

- What do you mean you don't date?

- I don't date. - You just said you

were out on a dinner date. - That was dinner.

It wasn't a date.

I don't date.

- So there's a difference? - There's a big difference.

- Okay. So how did it go?

Your date?

- Well...

Ugh, it was horrible.

It was something I'll never do it again, I'ma tell you that.

- That's a shame.

- Why do you say that?

- A beautiful woman like you, doomed to spend the rest

of your time on earth alone.

- Look, if I don't want to date, I don't have to date, okay?

And there's nothing wrong with being single, all right?

In fact, it's quite liberating.

See, I don't have to put up with anyone's crap.

- Really? - Really.

- Well what about somebody keeping

the other side of the bed warm, huh?

- Well I got my electric blanket and it treats me just fine.

- You know what, you got a smart answer

for everything, don't you?

- Pretty much.

- I was just swinging by just to see

if you might want to go to a jazz club tomorrow night.

- Marcus, look, I, I, I would love to, but I just-

- Listen, listen.

It's not a date.

Just two friends going out to a jazz club,

listening to some jazz and maybe

having a glass of champagne.

- I mean, it sounds nice, but I...

- I'll pick you up tomorrow night at nine o'clock,

what about that?

Come on.

- Perfect.

- See you tomorrow night.

- All right.

- One day I'ma give you a ride in my ride.

[Ella laughs]

- I want to see you get in that little car.

- Girl...

Shut up. [Ella laughs]

- Darling, look, why don't you put Billie

in some dance classes or something like that

and give yourself a break?

- Yeah, I wish I could.

Her father wants her to be homeschooled, so...

- You know what, Maya, I find it very interesting

that Dax does whatever it is the Dax wants to do

but then he puts limits on what you can and cannot do.

- Ma, please. Not right now.

- Okay.

But what about school, hm?

What's going on with that?

- I have to get myself situated.

I can't study and be stressed.

I'm gonna say one last thing...

- Must you?

- Do not lose yourself in this relationship.

Do you understand?

You cannot defer your dreams.

That's exactly what I did with your father

and it took me forever to get back on my feet.

- I understand, ma.

- So how's Dax doing with work?

- He's working on a promotion.

- Hm.

As usual.

What's wrong, Maya?

- I'm fine.

- Maya.

I know you like I know myself

and I know when something's wrong.

What is it, baby?

- I was gonna ask to borrow some money.

- Really?

- Don't be like that. - Don't be like what, Maya?

I told you, marrying that man was gonna be a mistake.

- No, it's not. - Mm.

- Look, mom, I love my husband

and he's doing everything that he can right now.

- Mhm.

- He's working overnight, he's doing doubles.

- Just like your father was, all the time.

- And what is that supposed to mean?

- You know exactly what that's supposed to mean, Maya.

- You know, I kind of knew coming to ask you

for money would lead down this road,

so I'm just going to figure it out.

- I'll transfer the money to your account

this afternoon, all right?

- Thanks.

- Anything for my baby.

And for my baby-baby.

And my baby-baby, ooh!

Ooh, ooh, the baby's gettin' big, huh?

[Ella chuckles]

- I'm pregnant.

- What the hell is wrong with you?

- Your baby's here, Emma.

And try to get some rest, okay?

Okay.

- Mom?

- Yes, baby?

- Why is daddy never home?

- Because he's working overtime

so he can get a promotion so we can

have the finer things in life.

- Like a Playstation?

- Exactly.

- But sometimes he never comes home.

The company makes him work all night?

- I guess so.

Look, try to get some rest, okay, sweetie?

- Okay. - Okay.

I love you.

- I love you, too.

- See you in the morning?

- See you in the good morning time.

- See you in the good morning time.

[gentle music]

- Don't you look beautiful?

- Don't I always?

- Yeah, but tonight you look exceptionally beautiful.

- Well, thank you.

- Your chariot awaits you.

- Ooh.

How do I get in this little toy car?

[laughing]

- You are so funny. - Oh, Jesus.

- Bam.

I saw your goodies, too, but I ain't gonna say nothin'.

- You didn't see anything. - Oh yes I did.

♪ What in the world

♪ What in the world have I got myself into ♪

♪ What good is it

♪ Without your kiss I could never make it through ♪

♪ I just might go a little bit crazy ♪

♪ 'Cause baby that's how you amaze me ♪

♪ What in the world, what in the world ♪

♪ Oh yes, it's love

- Yes. [clapping]

- Thank you, thank you.

We're gonna take a quick break. We'll be right back.

- That was amazing.

Thank you so much for bringing me.

- I'm glad you could come out.

- Well I didn't have anything else to do.

- That really makes me feel special.

- As it should.

[people chattering]

[Marcus scoffs]

- Would you like some more champagne?

- Uh, no, thank you.

I um, I really don't drink that often.

- Neither do I, except in days that end in Y.

[Marcus laughs]

You really should have another drink.

- Really? And why is that?

- It'll loosen you up a little bit.

[Ella scoffs]

- Can I get you anything?

- I'll have a tall bourbon, neat, but hairy,

topped with English lace

and bruised with a smidgen of lime.

- I'll have the same.

- [Waiter] Coming right up.

- You know, for someone who doesn't drink,

that sounds pretty fancy.

- Well, I don't drink often, but when I do,

I want it prepared the way that I want it prepared.

- Oh, so you're a control freak, huh?

- I suppose so.

- I like a woman that takes control.

- Mm, well, let me take more control.

- Wow. - So speaking of control,

I find it interesting that you've

never been married, Marcus.

- Because I don't like institutions.

Prisons, marriage.

- Commitmentphobia, huh? Charming.

- Do you ever let your guards down?

Huh?

My aunt used to say when you have your fist balled up,

nobody can take anything from you,

but they can't give you anything, either

- My point exactly. I don't want to be given anything.

So have you been tested for STDs?

- What did you just ask me?

- I didn't stutter. Have you been tested for STDs?

Mycoplasma genitalia, trichomoniasis,

herpes simplex one, two, three, four, and five.

It just came out.

- We are out on a date listening to jazz.

Why would you ask me something personal like that?

- I'm on a date as well. - Don't you think that's rude?

- No.

- I would never.

You know what?

Why don't we just- - It's table conversation.

- Why don't we just kick back and listen to the jazz?

What about that?

[soft piano music]

[woman scatting] [soft piano music]

[Ella sighs]

- Nice night, huh?

- It's decent.

- You know what?

Why do you always have to be so damn difficult?

- I'm not being difficult, I'm just not being easy.

- That makes no sense.

- Would you care to come in for some coffee?

- No, I wouldn't.

I think I'll stop at a Starbucks on the way home

and maybe talk to somebody that has a heart.

- I have a heart, Marcus. - Really?

Really? - Yes, really.

I'm just not one of those young girls

who just runs and jumps into the arms of someone

just because I like them.

- Oh, so you like me?

- Oh, I didn't say that.

- You know what? - What?

- Why don't you call me when you're ready

to stop playing games?

All right?

Jesus Christ. Waste of my energy.

[gentle music]

- Where you been?

- I had to work overtime again.

- So you couldn't return my calls or text messages?

- My cell phone died. - Again?

- Yeah. What, you don't believe me?

- I'm starting not to.

Is there something that you want to tell me?

- Like what?

- Like the truth, Dax.

I'm not stupid

- Here, don't start this again, man.

- No, you need to get your shit together

and be the man that I married

because I don't know who you're becoming

but I will not tolerate this disrespect.

[Maya scoffs]

I know what you're up to.

- I'm not up to anything.

I told you I was at work today.

[phone ringing] [Dax smacks teeth]

- You know what man?

That's my call, the job is calling.

- Oh.

I thought your phone died.

Yeah.

You can't even remember your own damn lies.

- What, what? - It's every time

I bring something to you...

- You're right in front, you're screaming

and my daughter's right there.

- Dax, I'm raising our children, and I'm pregnant.

- [Dax] That's all you do is sit in here

and watch TV all day. - Is that what you think I do?

How is it possible to work extra hours

and not make any extra money?

- [Dax] 'Cause you keep getting pregnant.

- I'm doing this by myself?

- You see, you see what you're doing, right?

- It's my fault.

- You see what you're doing, right?

- So I see here in your paperwork you are married?

- Yes.

- And your husband is currently employed?

- Yes, but he's not bringing in enough

to make ends meet, so...

- You know, maybe he should look for a better job.

- It's not as easy as it sounds.

- Is there any reason why you're not currently working?

- [Maya] Pregnant?

- I see here that you already have two children?

- Yes, ma'am.

- Well maybe you should consider birth control.

- Excuse me?

- Well you know that you are already struggling,

why would you further extend your family at this time?

- You married?

- [Woman] No, I'm not.

- [Maya] You have kids?

- No.

- Oh, okay.

So when you find a husband and have children,

then you can give me advice on how to deal with mine,

because I don't take relationship advice from single people,

and I don't take parenting advice

from people who don't have children.

[laughs] - You got some nerve.

- No, you got some nerves.

- I think you need my- - No.

- You need me more than I need you, okay?

- I know you mad.

You had that attitude since you walked in here.

- 'Cause I'm tired of you women coming in

with the ones you got and you're popping out another one?

- Trying to treat everybody else-

- So sick of you women that can't

take care of the ones you got. - Ladies.

Ladies, ladies, ladies, hey.

- Oh, wow. - Jonathan Williams.

- Hey.

- I'm the supervising agent on this floor.

I'll take it from here.

Ms. Thomas, this is your file?

Okay, you guys can step right this way.

- [Maya] Okay.

- Miss Woods?

I'll see you in my office later.

- Yes, Mr. Williams.

[Maya sighs]

- So, per your application,

it looks like you're eligible for food and cash benefits.

Just take this downstairs and they'll get you started.

- Hey, thank you.

Ah.

This is, this is really a blessing. I appreciate it.

- No worries.

It's exactly what we're here for.

Also I noticed that per your paperwork

that you have a daughter at Dublin Middle School?

- Yeah.

- So do I.

- Well I'm always up there.

If you ever see me, just feel free to say hello.

- I'll do that.

- Okay.

Billie, did you leave your laundry out like I asked you to?

- Wow. What's going on?

- We're going to stay at grandma's house.

- Why?

- Because we don't want to be the reason

you and daddy argue anymore.

- Aw, baby, you are not the reason

why me and daddy argue.

- Are you going to get a divorce?

- Please don't get a divorce.

I don't wanna have two Christmases.

- Two Christmases?

- Tiffany in class says she had

to have two Christmases and I don't want that.

- Ah, sweetheart, come here.

You are not gonna have two Christmases.

Daddy and I are going to work it out.

- You promise?

- Yeah.

Missing homeworks, classwork, and failed exams?

This is what I have to come to open house for?

You know, you are really in for it, young lady.

- Well maybe if you and dad weren't arguing all the time,

I could focus on my schoolwork.

- So this is my fault?

- I'm just saying, you don't think all that

has an effect on me?

- I'm sure it does and what can I say?

That's what comes with marriage.

- Well, if that's the case, I'm never getting married.

- Don't say that.

Look at me.

I'm sorry that what your father and I go through

affects you and your brothers but I'm trying,

and I'll try my best to make things right, okay?

- Okay.

- Miss Thomas?

- [Maya] Mister...

- Williams.

- Williams. - Yeah.

You can, just, Jonathan.

- Right. - Mom, I'm ready to go.

- One second.

[Maya laughs]

Wow.

- Well, your daughter's great.

- She's the fruit of my heart.

- Well, she takes after her very lovely mother.

- I'm sure she does. Thank you.

- Uh, well, you said if I were to see you around

up here to say hello, so, I'm saying hello.

- Hello.

- Oh.

- Hey.

- Hey. - This is my daughter Imani.

- Hey, hi. She's adorable.

- You ready to go? - Yeah.

- All right.

I'll catch up with you in a second,

I'm just going to say goodbye to Ms. Thomas, okay?

- Okay. - All right.

- All right.

Yeah, so I'ma go.

Gotta do the whole mommy thing.

- Yeah, yeah, me too.

We gotta skedaddle.

- Yeah.

- We should, uh, catch up. Coffee.

- I don't know. - Oh come on.

Just a couple of parents chatting it up

about our kids over Joe.

- Um, I guess, yeah, maybe. - Yeah?

- After I have the baby.

- Okay.

Here's my card.

- [Maya] Thank you.

- And yeah, you got it.

Come on, babe.

- All right. Have a good one.

- Yeah, you too. - All right.

Bye, Imani.

- Tell your daughter it was nice to meet her.

- Okay.

[Maya sighs]

Thanks for lunch.

- [Trish] You're welcome, girl.

- Yeah, I know you're married,

and you moved back to Atlanta, but I miss you.

- I miss you too.

- Yeah.

- You know how this married life is, girl,

especially being married to this man

in high society and whatnot.

All we do is go to cocktail parties, balls, banquets.

- Ew. - I'm tired of this.

I'm tired of being fake.

- Yeah, I bet. I bet you are.

- But you gotta come see me sometime.

- I will.

As soon as I had this baby,

I promise, I'ma come over there.

- Are you sure you don't want me to wait for you?

- No, I'm good.

I'm good.

I just wanted to bring Dax some leftovers

and just check on my baby.

Surprise him, you know?

- Well you had a lot.

I ain't never seen you eat that much before.

I know, I'm eating for two,

so you know, things change when that happens, you know?

But yeah.

- Having a child is a blessing.

- It is. - Yeah.

It is.

- Me and Mike, we've been trying, but, no baby yet.

- Well don't give up.

Don't give up. - Oh, you know me, girl.

I ain't no quitter.

[laughs]

All right, well, I'ma get outta here.

See you later. - I'll see you later, girl.

- All right. - All right.

- Be careful. - I am.

- All right. - All right.

- Bye girl. - All right.

Ooh.

[tense music] [thudding]

What are you doing?

- Wait, Maya, I can explain-

- How are you gonna cheat on me when I'm pregnant?

- Wait, it's not what it seems.

It's not what it looks like.

You didn't tell me she was pregnant.

- What, him being married wasn't enough?

- I never noticed his ring.

- Oh, I'm whoopin' your ass.

Whoopin' ass.

- [Woman] Where is she going?

- Maya! - No, no, wait, no!

No! - Maya, Maya.

Maya, come here.

- Get off of me, Dax! - Come here.

- Get off of me!

[gasps]

Oh.

I think my water broke. - What happened?

- My water...

- We gotta get to the hospital.

Get in the car. - No.

- Get in the car.

- I'm not getting in the car with you.

- Maya, don't be ridiculous.

Get in the car. - I'm not being ridiculous!

Ooh. Oh.

- Maya, you're in labor.

Let me take you in the car.

- Dax, I'm not getting in the car with you.

Call me an ambulance!

[siren wailing]

- [Woman] Now, please, just keep breathing.

- [Dax] Yeah baby.

- Don't baby me, you cheatin' son of a bitch.

Who does somethin' like that?

[baby crying]

I'm taking the kids and I'm going to live with my mother.

- What?

Don't do that.

- You lucky I don't divorce you.

- Maya, look, I can explain.

- Explain what?

Why you was banging your coworker

in the back of our family van?

- Okay, so, your vital signs look good,

and your baby is doing just fine.

- You know if you move in with your mother,

that's the end of us.

She hate me.

- That's an understatement.

It's my turn to hold the baby.

Oh.

Little baby.

Hi, mister.

- You have the audacity- - Yes, yes!

- [Maya] To say that I need to communicate with you?

After you lied to me, cheated on me while I was pregnant?

You know what? Just leave.

- Leave? - Leave.

Leave. - Leave, right?

- [Maya] Leave.

[Dax yells]

- Why are you doing this?

- Doing what?

- Why are you chasing daddy away?

- I'm not chasing him away.

- This is about the guy that gave you

his phone number at the school, isn't it?

- This is not about no guy. - Yes it is.

I can't stand you.

- Billie!

Billie!

- What is going on?

- I don't know but I'ma whoop her ass.

- No, you're not going to whoop her ass, okay?

And you're not even going to talk like that in my house.

I'll talk to her.

Billie?

Billie?

♪ You see I've traveled down that road before ♪

♪ But no, I won't be goin' again ♪

♪ Go-Goin' again

♪ I need to know that I'm your only one ♪

♪ I don't wanna have to share you instead ♪

♪ 'Cause I see behind your walls ♪

- Just do it.

♪ 'Cause there's no love equation that I can't figure out ♪

♪ So if you're trying to hide

- Come on boy, come on. Throw the ball.

What are you doing?

Jesus.

[phone ringing]

Who's calling me?

Hello?

[Ella chuckles]

- Marcus, um, how are you doing this evening?

- I'm good. How about you?

- Uh, I am well, thank you.

- I'm happy to hear that.

So let me ask you a question.

Why, [chuckles] why are you calling me?

- I don't know. I, I guess I was bored.

- That makes me feel real special.

- I want to see you.

- You want to see me?

When are you talking about?

- Well tonight.

- Are you aware that it's almost midnight?

- Well, and?

- Those are what you call booty call hours.

- Well, I can most certainly assure you

that I do not do booty calls.

- So let me ask you a question, Ella.

Do you want to see me with clothes on

or do you want to see me naked?

- Nevermind.

You know what, I knew this was a bad call.

- No, Ella, Ella, Ella.

Ella, I'm just joking. That was a joke.

Come on, relax.

Listen, I would love to see you.

Come over.

- I can be there in about 30?

- I'll have a glass of wine waiting for you.

- Perfect.

- I got something I really want to show you.

- Yeah?

- Bam.

This right here is my bedroom.

- Wow.

Well it's very Wakanda forever.

[laughing]

- And that right there? - Mhm?

- Woo. This right here?

This is where magic happens.

- Oh, wow.

Well please don't ruin the moment.

[laughing]

- I didn't know we were having a moment.

[Ella sighs]

Hm?

- Well what is this?

- That right there is an oil painting

of Sir Billy Dee Williams.

- No, I mean, I know what it is,

I'm just wondering why Sir Billy Dee Williams

is on your bedroom wall.

- Well, you know, he's kinda like an idol to me.

- Mm? - You know,

Lady Sings the Blues when he came in

and he had the hair and all the women

went crazy for him. - Yes.

- I kinda feel like that about myself, you know.

And you know...

- You gonna make my hand fall off?

[Ella laughs]

I love it! - I love that line.

It look like my hand fall off.

Listen, if you look at the bottom,

he signed that copy for me.

- Mm.

- Mm.

- That's classy?

- Mhm, I think so.

- Yeah.

- Makes you kind of feel a certain kind of way, doesn't it?

Who? Billy Dee Williams?

- No, not no damn Billy Dee Williams.

- What? - Me rubbin' your shoulders.

- Okay, Marcus, listen, I,

I didn't come over here to be groped on, okay?

- I'm no groping you. - Well, what is this?

You're a little close. Personal space, all right?

I called you because I just simply,

I just wanted to see you.

- I understand.

- Do you really? - Yeah.

- How much do you understand?

- [Marcus] Oh, give it to me baby.

- Ma? I'm about to take the kids to school and...

[phone ringing]

[Ella sighs]

Ma, where are you?

- Look, I am minding my own business.

- You at Marcus house, aren't you?

- Perhaps.

[gasps] - You dirty little bird.

- This dirty bird got needs, okay?

- Needs?

How was it?

Was it good?

- Mind your business, okay? I can't talk right now.

- Ma.

- Jesus.

[Marcus grunts]

- Hey there.

How you doin', beautiful? - Mm.

[soft piano music]

[woman vocalizing] [soft piano music]

♪ When the sun went dark and cold in my world ♪

♪ You always knew just what to do ♪

♪ Showed me that love was unconditional ♪

♪ You took my hand and I followed you ♪

♪ You faded my bruises

♪ And took all my pain

♪ You're not here but I still call out for you ♪

[phone ringing]

- Jonathan Williams.

- Hey, it's me, Maya.

- Hey, Maya. How are you?

It's good to finally hear from you.

- It's good to be heard.

- Um, so how are you doing?

- I've been fine, and yourself?

- Good now that I'm finally talking to you.

- Phew.

Thank you.

- Um, so how's your family?

- Not so good.

My husband and I separated.

- Well I'm sorry to hear that.

- Yeah.

I mean, I guess that's how it is sometimes, you know?

We've been through a lot over the past few years and...

- Sure, it's tough. Marriage can be hard.

- Certainly is.

Look, I um...

I was calling to see if I'm

still good for that cup of coffee?

- Uh, yeah, of course.

Uh, actually we should upgrade that to lunch.

I know this great little soul food spot in Telfair.

- Just text me the address where you want me to meet you.

- Will do, Maya.

- All right, well I'll see you then, Jonathan.

♪ I thank you

♪ Oh

- Wow. Breakfast was amazing.

- You're welcome. - Thank you so much.

- You're welcome, you're welcome.

Hello.

- Hello.

- Uh, and goodbye.

Excuse you.

- What?

But I just looked at the young lady's smile and said hello.

She's a nice looking lady.

- Well you damn near broke your neck looking at her.

- No, I didn't.

- Oh wow. You didn't?

- You know what? - What?

- I told you how I am.

- How are you?

- I'm not a one woman man.

I told you that.

- Okay. You know what?

And it's fine that you're not a one woman man.

I get that.

But when you are with me, you will respect me.

- Cool? - All right.

I can roll with it.

- Wow.

- Okay.

I apologize, all right?

- It's all good.

It's just...

Okay, you know what?

Now you gettin' carried away.

You're getting carried away, okay?

First you go from disrespectin' to now.

You tryin' to claim a bitch. - 'Cause I'm bipolar.

- Oh no, no, no, you can't do that.

Stop.

That's enough.

We can hold hands and we can walk.

- You didn't say that last night.

[laughing]

You're so- - Oh, well, well, well.

Who, who do we have here?

- Uh, Hubert.

Great to see you, this is uh- - Hurbert.

- Oh, I'm sorry. I know that.

- Yeah. - This is my friend, Marcus.

- Yeah, I know.

We met years ago at Maya's reception.

- Wow. - So um, this is how you feel?

- I'm sorry, feel about what?

- Well, about us.

- Us?

- Well, we go on this lovely date

and then you don't return my phone calls or my texts.

You, you don't answer the door

when I showed up several times.

- Okay.

Well, first of all, you sound like a stalker, all right?

And secondly, I'm sorry, we never went out on a date.

- Well, we had-

- And thirdly, I have been busy.

[Hurbert laughs]

- Busy?

I'm sure you have been.

I see.

- Wow. - Let me just say somethin'.

Why don't you fall back, man?

You don't wanna do this here, okay?

- Yeah, listen. Listen, bro.

With all due disrespect, [laughs] I was talking to Ella.

Me and her.

Right here. - Yo, my man,

let me say something to you.

Why don't we handle this right here, man to man.

- Well, let me tell you something, bro.

I'm a lawyer and I would not be caught dead

in public assaulting another man.

That's how, that's how I roll.

- Assaulting?

- Assaulting, that's what would happen.

- No you're about to be assaulted.

- No, no, no, no, no.

You about to get-

- Fellas!

Hey, hey, hey!

- Ooh! - Ooh!

[Hurbert laughs]

- Yeah! - I'm TaeKwonDoed down, baby.

- Okay, guys. - Let's go, let's go.

- I'm TaeKwonDoed down, baby.

- Hello! - Whoa!

[Ella whistles]

I'm TaeKwonDoed down, baby.

- Can we stop right there please?

Thank you.

I'm sorry, can I speak to you for a moment?

- Certainly.

- I'ma be right here.

- Okay, you be right there. - I got my knife with me, too.

- I got a gun. - Yeah, you gonna need it.

- Okay, you know what? I'm sorry.

Now you have been a wonderful friend to the family

for years and years and years

and I really want to keep it that way.

[Hurbert mumbles]

- I wanna be more than friends.

- Okay, I'm sorry, but it's just not in the cards for us.

It's not in the universe, it's not in the planet.

It's just not gonna happen. - All right, hey, hey, hey.

Never say never. - Oh no, no, no, no, no.

In this case, I will say never.

I will say never will I ever,

never have I ever, Never Land.

Never. Never. [Hurbert laughing]

Never, okay?

It's never going to happen for us.

Clear?

- Okay.

- Thank you, Hurbert. - Y'all done?

Are we done with this cornball?

- We are done.

- It's Hurbert.

- It's Huey to me.

- [Marcus] Fall back partner.

You ain't man enough.

[laughs] - I think I'm in love.

Yeah!

- You eat that?

- I eat.

- Okay. - Yeah.

Get the full experience. - Yeah, I mean I guess.

[laughing]

- I'm glad you finally decided to meet with me.

- Well I mean, it's just lunch, right?

Besides, it's pretty good.

- Yeah. It's one of my favorite little spots.

- Oh, is this where you bring all your dates?

- I wasn't aware this was a date.

- Oh, it was not, it's not a date.

I'm just saying like, when you go on dates,

is this where bring your dates?

- Oh, when. - Yes.

- 'Cause this isn't? - Nah, no.

- Right.

Um, no actually I, I rarely date.

- Why not? I mean, you're handsome, intelligent.

I mean, I'm sure women are throwing themselves at you.

- Um, I'm pretty guarded, actually, ever since the divorce.

- What happened?

- Same old story.

Came home early, caught my wife in bed with a coworker.

- Hm, ironically enough, I can totally relate to that.

- How so?

- I caught my husband cheating with a coworker as well.

- Just find it really hard to believe anybody

could cheat on you.

You're too fine for that.

[Maya sighs]

- I think my husband just finds it hard

to keep his hands off other women

and it wasn't the first time.

It probably won't be the last, so...

- If you were my wife,

the only woman I'd have a problem

keeping my hands off of is you.

[soft music]

You know, I told you I rarely date since the divorce,

but there's something very alluring about you.

- Thank you.

- The first time you came into my office, I knew it.

I felt feelings I thought I'd never feel again.

I know this is gonna come off as really forward,

but I want you.

[upbeat music]

[Maya and Jonathan laugh]

[upbeat music]

- Wait, stop, stop, stop.

- What's wrong?

You okay?

- I can't do this.

- Why not?

- 'Cause I'm still a married woman,

and if I, I just wouldn't feel right.

[Maya sighs]

- I understand.

I do. I understand.

It's okay.

[Jonathan sighs]

- [Maya] All right.

[Maya sighs]

- Is that all?

- I mean, I know that my husband doesn't deserve

the respect I'm showing our marriage right now but

if I do this, I'll be no better than him.

- You are a good woman, and I would be happy

to just get to know you, even if it's just as friends.

- Wow. Mr. Right.

[Jonathan chuckles]

- Do you always have the right things to say,

like, at the right time?

- To the right woman I do.

- Can you hold me?

I really could use a hug right now.

- Come here.

[soft piano music]

- Marcus and I...

- How was it?

- It was so good! [laughs]

God!

That country man had me so close to God, girl.

I'm telling you the way he works his hips.

- All right, ma, a simple it was good will suffice.

I don't need to know all of that.

- No, no, I'm telling you, it was better than good.

Girl, that man had my legs shakin'.

- Mm-mm. - Okay?

- No. - It was too much.

He is amazing.

- [Maya] So where do you go from here?

- I don't know.

Marcus says that he's not a one-woman man,

and you know, I'm just not into that.

That makes two of us.

- Mm.

I may have to cut it off.

- Why?

- Mm.

Because I mean, I'm not trying to get hurt, you know, and...

I don't know, I just, I just can't put myself through that.

- So why don't you give him an ultimatum?

Just you and him or nothin'?

- Maya. Girl, I cannot do that.

Right, okay, so what, if he does that

then honestly, what am I gonna do?

Okay?

I am so scared of commitment.

You know I haven't been with anybody since your father.

- Wow. - Yeah.

- [Maya] So what you gonna do?

- [Ella] I don't know what I'm gonna do.

[knocking]

I tried to shoo him away, but he just insisted.

I'm sorry, honey.

- Can I call you back?

- Ah, ah, we're gonna leave it open.

I'll be across the hall, baby.

- How you been?

- Can we skip the small talk?

What do you want?

- You don't return my phone call, my texts, nothin'.

- What is there to talk about?

- I messed up.

- We know that, all right.

- Look, Maya. We've been going through some stuff.

- And so cheating is the solution to our problems?

- That's not what I'm trying to say.

- So what are you trying to say?

- I'm trying to say that I want you back.

I want my family back.

- You roll in here, you tell me you want me back,

and I'm supposed to pack my things,

get the kids ready, and just come running back to you?

- I'll do anything.

I'll do anything to show you that

this will never happen again.

- And how do I know that?

- Because I'm giving you my word.

- I thought I had your word when we exchanged vows.

[sighs]

Look, I need time to think.

I have the kids to take into consideration.

I don't want them back and forth and confused.

- I feel like the best thing for the kids

is for us to be a family together.

[soft orchestral music]

- You're unbelievable.

- Look, whenever you want to talk, I'm here.

[soft orchestral music]

- Kinda brisk out here. - Yeah, it's a little cold.

I should've worn my scarf.

- Yeah. No.

- Yeah. [laughing]

- Did you like the movie?

- Yeah, the movie was great.

Allen, he kind of resembles you a bit.

- Oh, we all look alike now?

- No, I'm not saying that.

I'm saying maybe it was you.

[Jonathan laughs]

- Well, it's not as good as this

warm apple pie back at my place.

- Oh? - You gonna love it.

- Yeah? - Yeah.

Got ice cream, the whole nine.

- I can't.

I can't.

- What? No, no hanky panky.

It's just, I like spending time with you.

- No, I may be, um, getting back with my husband.

- When did that happen?

- The other day he came by, we had a talk,

and he made some really valid points about our family,

and I don't know, maybe he's changed, um,

besides I promised my son we wouldn't have two Christmases.

- Two Christmases?

- Yeah, it's a phobia of his.

He's a baby.

- I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I'm not.

You're a gem, anybody would be a fool to let you go.

Now if you were my wife...

Look, I'm happy for you.

- Thank you.

I appreciate that.

A true gentlemen through and through.

[laughs] - Don't get it twisted.

If he messes up, you call me.

I'll be right there.

- I will.

- You better.

- Come on, let me get you out of this cold.

- All right.

[soft music]

Some people may not agree with my choices,

especially the choice of taking Dax back

and us being a family, but I'm a married woman.

Marriage is about compromise.

It's about death do us part.

Besides we have children involved.

- Hey, sir. - Yes?

- Do you know where I can find some sandwich bags?

- Yes. All the way down there into the aisle, on your right.

- All right.

[intense percussive music]

Excuse me.

- Yes?

- Don't I know you from somewhere?

- No, I don't think so.

- I think so.

You was hunchin' with my husband in the van?

- Don't hit me.

- I don't want to fight.

I just want to know are you still seeing him?

- I think you should talk to your husband.

- Oh, now I wanna fight.

[car beeps]

I'm not gonna chase her.

I can't believe you're still dealing with this girl.

- I'm not. I told you.

- So what's with her and this ask your husband crap?

- I don't know. You should have asked her.

- I did, and she told me to ask you, so I'm asking you.

- Well, I don't know what to tell you.

- I know, 'cause you're a lying son of a bitch, that's why.

You really had me fooled, thinking that you changed.

- I have, you're not giving me a chance.

[Maya sighs]

- [Maya] Oh boy.

So why are you still dealing with this, what's her name?

- Alex.

- [Maya] How if you're still dealing with this...

- Alex.

- [Maya] Yeah, her.

Sound like a hoe name.

- Listen, I told you I stopped messing around with her.

I don't know why she didn't tell you that.

Wait, so you're ignoring me?

What happened?

- There's a lump in my breast.

- What?

You paranoid.

Let me feel. - No.

Go feel on Alex or whatever her name is.

- Come on Maya, I'm serious.

Let me feel.

- All right.

[soft music]

- You're right.

How long it been there?

- I don't know.

- Well you need to get it checked out.

- You think it's...

[soft music]

- [Ella] Doctor, was the mass malignant or is it benign?

- Unfortunately it's malignant.

I know, ma'am.

We are still running tests,

and we're hoping that it hasn't spread.

- Okay, and what if it has spread?

- Well we'll cross that bridge if and when it comes to it,

but believe me, we're doing everything we can.

- The doctor said that the chemo

is going to make you really sleepy, so how's that?

- That's fine.

- All right.

[Maya chuckles]

- You know you don't have to do this.

- Yes, I do.

- You know, I have a husband and he can take care of me.

[Ella sighs]

- Maya, Dax can barely take care of himself, okay?

And besides, he's got the kids right now

and I want you to focus on you.

- Yeah. - All right?

- Yeah.

- And I'm right around the corner from the hospital.

Oh, and I got a baby monitor.

- A baby monitor?

Mom, come on. - Yes, I got a baby monitor.

- Knock it off, I'm not a baby.

- Mhm, yes you are.

You're going to always be my baby.

[laughs]

Come here, baby.

- Ow, ma, knock it off. - Just come on.

- Knock it off. - Stop, baby.

[Maya sighs]

[melancholy music]

- [Billie] Is she going to get any better?

- The doctors will let us know, all right,

so just remember, don't say anything about mommy's hair.

Understood?

- Okay. - Okay.

[birds chirping]

- Y'all ready?

- What happened to your hair?

- It doesn't matter.

It looks beautiful. - Thank you baby.

Can you stop?

Quit, what do you want?

You don't do breast milk no more.

- You ready to go?

- Yes.

You want grandma?

- Hey. I'll meet you guys there, okay?

Oh. Hold the baby for me.

- Okay, ma.

[baby babbling]

- -Everything's gonna be fine.

Just relax. - I'm trying.

- It's okay.

- Good afternoon.

- Good afternoon. - Good afternoon, doctor.

- Well, the chemo is not working as we had hoped.

The cancer is continuing to spread.

I'm afraid there's nothing else we can do.

- What do you mean there is nothing else that you can do?

- We've tried everything within our power.

It's just that we caught it a little late.

I'm very sorry, Maya.

- [Maya] How long do I have?

- I would say months, maybe weeks.

It's hard to tell.

- Maya. - My babies.

- I will prescribe some more morphine.

- My babies. - Maya, wait.

Maya.

What do you mean there's nothing else you can do?

You had her hopes up.

Right now she is dying.

All she has is hope.

[gentle music]

Look, I'm sorry, okay, but,

my daughter is all that I have right now.

She's all I have.

- I'm very sorry, ma'am.

[sobbing] [gentle music]

- Oh, god.

Oh, god.

Oh, god, no.

[sobbing]

[soft piano music]

- [Jonathan] Dearest Maya,

when your daughter told mine what was going on with you,

to say that my heart was broken

would be an understatement.

It is incomprehensible that something like this

could happen to such a beautiful soul.

I feel for your family, and I'm grateful

to have gotten to know you,

and if there's a heaven, I pray that I meet you there.

You'll forever be cherished and missed.

Forever yours.

Jonathan.

[soft music]

[knocking]

- Come in.

- Tea for two darling.

[chuckles]

- Well I am not wearing that stupid ass hat.

- Oh, this hat?

Yes, I think you are. [laughing]

Just like when we were kids.

[birds chirping]

- How you feelin'?

- Alone.

Scared.

[birds chirping]

- It's understandable considering the circumstances.

- How about you?

- Well, I'm holding up the best way I know how.

- And how is that?

- Horribly.

I cry myself to sleep at night

and then I wake up in the morning and I'm crying again

and I'm just...

- Me, too.

- Look, um, I know we haven't always seen

eye to eye, Dax. - That's an understatement.

- And moving forward,

we need to bury the proverbial hatchet.

- As long as it's not in my back.

- And if you're going to step up

and raise these kids the way that they need right now,

I need you to be the best father

that they can possibly have.

That's the only way they're gonna get through this.

- With all due respect, Ella, I am an excellent father.

Okay, maybe I haven't been there the way

I was supposed to be, but now I know what to do.

- Do you?

- Yes, I do.

- Really?

- No. I don't.

Maya was the center of their universe.

I was just a planet caught up in her gravitational pull.

- That was very well stated.

- I'm not as dumb as you think.

- Well, no, no, no.

I've never said that you were dumb.

Ignorant, shiftless, triflin' maybe, but no, no.

I never said you were dumb.

- Thank you, I guess.

- You're welcome.

I don't think anybody would have ever

been good enough for her.

- Yeah.

She's pretty remarkable.

I kick myself every day for not recognizing

that what I was out there looking for

was nothing compared to what I had at home.

- But you know, hindsight is everything

that's in the past and you can't keep looking back,

'cause right now you need to look forward

and you need to raise these kids,

be the best dad that I know you can be.

- Thank you so much.

- I know you're having a hard time right now, so uh,

if you and the kids want to stay here until

you can get on your feet,

I'd like for you to do that.

- That'd be great.

- I need you to handle my funeral arrangements.

- I can't do that.

- You have to.

My mother doesn't even want to talk about it.

- Neither do I.

I don't know what I'm going to do without you.

- Old and wrinkled and have a trillion grandchildren.

- Yeah, but we were supposed to do that together.

It's supposed to be me and you right there.

- I know.

- [Trish] It's so unfair.

- Life's not fair.

I need you to hear me out on my arrangements, okay?

- Do I have a choice?

- Nope.

[laughing]

[gentle music]

Why does everybody look so sad?

- Do you feel better, mommy?

- Not really, baby, but, it's okay.

- I don't want you to go.

- I know.

I know.

But one day, you are gonna grow to be a

very strong man just like your dad,

and you're gonna make a lucky lady happy.

- Isn't there anything the doctor can do?

- I...

[sighs]

- [Billie] This isn't fair.

- Billie, wait.

- Come on, we gotta let mommy rest, all right?

- No. I got it.

You stay here with her, okay?

[soft, melancholy music]

- I'm, I'm so sorry, baby.

I wish, I wish that I could...

- Shh.

It's okay.

[soft, melancholy music]

[sobbing] [soft, melancholy music]

- [Dax] No, no, no, no, no.

No! [sobbing]

- Let us pray.

Our father and our God, we ask your blessings

upon this family in their time of loss.

Paul says for me to live is Christ,

but for me to die is gain.

Father we ask now the blessings to heal this family.

Comfort them, oh God, in their time of loss.

This is our prayer, in Jesus' name, amen.

We are here to say farewell to Maya.

Our hearts are broken.

We have questions.

The earth has no sorrow that heaven can't heal.

The Bible says that in everything there is a season,

a time to be born and a time to die;

a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted;

a time to weep and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn and a time to dance;

a time to keep and a time to cast away.

A beautiful tribute for a beautiful soul,

but gone too soon.

[soft orchestral music]

- Okay buddy, come here, buddy.

Let me get you together.

All right.

♪ Can't go back in time

- Are you okay, grandma?

♪ I've been lost without you

♪ But every time I think of your smile ♪

- I'm sure your father could use one of those.

♪ I know everything is all right ♪

♪ But I still miss you

♪ And I would give anything

♪ Just to see your face, I would ♪

♪ And all the love that you bring ♪

♪ You are my best friend, oh yeah ♪

- [Maya] You never know how life

is going to play out, because life is full of surprises.

But one thing I know is that I wouldn't

change my family for the world.

After my dad leaving me and never returning,

I always prayed for a man, and I got that,

so I have to say I'm blessed.

I'll never leave my family.

I'll always watch over them

and be in their spirit, for eternity.

♪ But I still miss you

♪ And I would give anything

♪ Just to see your face, I would ♪

♪ All of the joy that you bring ♪

♪ You are my best friend, oh

♪ I won't give on me

♪ I'll keep my head high, ooh

♪ I'll be there to greet you one day ♪

♪ Good morning sunshine

♪ You are the fruit of my heart ♪

♪ You are the fruit of my heart ♪

♪ And I

♪ I'll never let you down

♪ I'll never let you, never let you go ♪

♪ Been through up and down

♪ Like escalators at Coney Island ♪

♪ You showed me love when I was younger, wildin' ♪

♪ You was the first one who started smilin' ♪

♪ I'm glad I caught it out the corner of my eye ♪

♪ Out the side that I was lookin' ♪

♪ Cookin' better than your mama cookin' ♪

♪ That's no gas

♪ Put the brakes on you 'cause I couldn't let you go past ♪

♪ You held me down even when it was rocky ♪

♪ And always you showed me you got me ♪

♪ We locked in

♪ With you by my side, nothin' could stop me ♪

♪ Told me step my game up

♪ So I got keys, property

♪ When I was with you no negativity got to me ♪

♪ Taught me how to calm it down and handle it properly ♪

♪ Plant a seed in your mind, know that I'm smart ♪

♪ Maybe we can

♪ Maybe we can

♪ Ooh

♪ Maybe

♪ We can, we can, we can fall in love ♪

♪ Fall in love, ooh

♪ Ooh-Ooh-Ooh-Oh

♪ Ooh-Ooh-Ooh-Oh

♪ Maybe, maybe we can fall in love ♪

♪ Yeah yeah

♪ Maybe we can show the world

♪ Show the world

♪ How it feels to be in love

♪ Be in love

♪ How it looks to be in love

♪ Maybe we can, maybe that's the play ♪

♪ Maybe we can show the world

♪ Show the world

♪ How it feels to be in love

♪ How it looks to be in love

♪ Maybe we can, maybe we can

♪ Maybe that's the play

♪ Other girls

♪ They might be pretty

♪ But I'll change your whole world ♪

♪ They just rhinestones, boy I'm diamonds and pearls ♪

♪ You gotta hold on me, baby

♪ With hella kinky curls

♪ He's my man, my friend

♪ Better half in the end

♪ Yeah he's the one alpha that could call me boo ♪

♪ And this ring on my hand

♪ Should show you where I stand ♪

♪ And I'ma do everything I promised you ♪

♪ You know it's true

♪ Think I'm ready now

♪ To settle down baby and work on this love thing, girl ♪

♪ Think I'm ready now

♪ To leave that game alone

♪ Come on home, work on this love thing girl ♪

♪ Took me quite a while

♪ Now here's that diamond ring

♪ Gonna change and do that whole love thing, girl ♪

♪ And spend my life with you

♪ Shooby do wop, I wanna spend my life with you ♪

♪ Shooby do wop, I wanna spend my life, girl ♪

♪ Now I'ma be at the house, makin' you smile ♪

♪ Helping with the kids

♪ Takin' out the trash, cuttin' the grass ♪

♪ Handlin' my business

♪ I'ma get a job, ain't no prob ♪

♪ Now I'm trying to live for you ♪

[soft R&B music]