Original subtitles

[woman] Previously on Greenleaf:

In the event that things between your parents

take yet another turn for the worse,

the deacons may ask you to step up.

-Step up? -Take over as head pastor.

I'm divorcing James. I wanna start my own church.

-Girl, you already got a perfectly good one. -Which one?

-Calvary, honey, I could really slap you. -Go ahead.

-Do it! -Girls!

-How much more space do you need? -You shouldn't be here.

If I was your money manager, I would definitely advise you

to make sure you're protected.

I'm thinking it might be wise

for us to sit down with my money people.

Stop. Don't be mad.

I'm not. I'll call you later.

Ma'am, are you Charity Greenleaf? I need you to come with us.

Zora's room!

Oh, Lord.

-Babies. -[intercom beeps]

[Karine] First Lady?

-Yes? -Nana Clara's on line one.

Wonderful, wonderful, thank you, Jesus.

Clara, hello!

Oh, yes. We've been expecting your call.

I cannot tell you how much Bishop and I appreciate your generosity.

You...

What...

Clara is not giving us the money.

I know, I just got off the phone with her money manager.

What a piece of work that man is.

And what reason did he give you?

He supposedly has a problem with the tax bill being

a personal and not an institutional debt,

but I've got a funny feeling that he's just hanging onto every penny,

thinking that when Clara dies, he'll cash in.

What did she say?

That she heard that you and I were having troubles

and she wouldn't feel right, down the road, supporting a church

with a divorced bishop.

Who told her we're having troubles?

Well, she said Connie, but James, everybody's talking.

Look, it's just money. I... I'll handle it.

Oh, like you did the last time?

Mae, Mac was your brother,

he's the one that got us into this mess!

No, you both got us into this mess.

And Mac failed to get us out.

And you weren't there every week when we collected

those offerings, when we paid for those cars in cash?

You told me that those offerings were not taxable, and I believed you!

-And I believed Mac! -Oh, look, everybody knows we're having problems.

-And you have to do something about it. -Like what?

Tell the church, like adults, that we're getting divorced.

And then you'll step aside and I'll take over.

-Excuse me? -You heard me.

-Take over what? -Don't you dare act like you didn't know when you met me

that I had a calling on my life from God.

And I dumped it in the dirt and followed you, and what did that get me?

Chanel and Tiffany.

James, step down. Walk away.

Let me raise the money for the IRS, it won't be your problem.

Now, that is my offer. And you won't get better.

I applaud your desire to reclaim what you left behind. I really do.

But, sadly, it's based on a sorely mistaken idea.

If we divorce,

it's you who will exit the building. Not me.

That's nature's way.

[theme music plays]

[knock on door]

-Yeah? -[Mae] Yes.

-Yes? -Bible study in 15 minutes.

-Did you hear me? -Yes.

-Thank you. -[moans]

It's just the hope in this passage, it's so inspirational.

Morning, Zora.

-Zora. -Morning.

-Good morning, Grandma. -Morning.

-Have a good run. -Thank you.

So, Zora, why don't you read the next verse.

[sighs]

"For I have briefly abandoned you,

but with deep compassion, I will bring you back."

And he will.

He will bring us back.

[knock on door]

Hey. Can I come in?

-What do you want? -Just seeing if you're okay.

Why wouldn't I be?

Isn't Kevin coming this morning to pick up Nathan for the week?

Yeah, and he wouldn't be if you had just stayed out of it.

-I asked him not to call the police. -And he just wouldn't listen?

I got arrested at the Four Seasons, Grace.

And I made sure that he didn't press charges.

Not before I was in handcuffs!

Do you have any idea how humiliating that...?

If you called me, I could have come and got you.

Get out! God, leave!

-[sighs] -I'm sorry.

Hey.

[yelps, pants]

[moaning]

-Karine. -Good morning, Bishop.

-Get me Percy Thompson, please. -Right away.

Bishop?

I just want to say I'm sorry about Nana

not giving you the money.

Don't be silly. God will provide.

Can't wait to see how.

Wow. Jacob has to sign all of these?

-You have a problem with that? -No. I...

Um, what are they?

Well, most of them are just a bunch of legalese nothing,

but there is a form in there that authorizes the opening

of a bank account for the Real Church.

Real... Real Church doesn't exist anymore.

Child, lean over like you know how and get him to sign,

and believe me, he won't be looking down.

All right.

-You going to Calvary? -Hm!

After the way Bishop talked to me at that Round Table party?

He gonna have to look for me. And with his IRS troubles

all over the front page news, you can bet your ass he is.

-Hm... -Mae, you wanted to see me?

Yes, please come in, close the door.

I am so concerned, as I'm sure you are, Connie, about this IRS scandal.

-But it's going to be okay. -I have no doubt.

Please.

Now, I've already spoken to Bishop about stepping aside.

He hasn't assented to it yet, but I know he will,

because he, as well as you and I, Connie, want what's best for Calvary.

Well, this is such a relief to hear.

And the good news is I am ready to step up and take over.

Mae, we've... we've had this discussion before.

Well, this time it's not a discussion.

Mae, it's my feeling,

and the Deacon Board shares this feeling,

that the best hope for a stable future

is if a disinterested third party takes over the pulpit.

And who on earth would be disinterested?

Why, Grace.

[Sophia] Okay, walk straight a couple steps.

Okay, stop. Turn to your left.

Yes. Now, keep going straight, keep going straight.

A little the right, a little to the right. Oh, there we go.

We saved you. Now, turn around.

Okay. Slowly sit down.

Good job. [laughs]

Okay. So that's what it means to have faith.

Just like Gavin trusted me to lead him, we trust God to lead us.

Even when we can't see where we're going and it's super scary.

Make sense? Okay. Good.

So I want everybody to help clean up.

-Hey. -Hey, stranger.

You're so good with them.

I think they're good with me.

What are you doing after this?

-Why? -I was thinking we can grab something to eat.

Someone wants to apologize?

For starters.

Sounds like you got what Gil Scott-Heron calls the double blues.

-What's that? -Oh, that's the "I got no money, neither no woman" blues.

That's not so funny when you actually have those blues.

You had some trouble with the IRS a few years back, didn't you?

Indeed I did. Rolled up to my funeral home

and found a padlock on the door and a sign hollering, "Negro, get me my money."

-How'd you handle that? -Well, got me a lawyer.

Robbed Peter to pay Paul. Borrowed this. Sold that.

-I didn't owe no millions. -Well...

This is a deeper hole than I done ever been in, that's for sure.

Well, you got a way to dig yourself out of that hole. You just too scared to use it.

-How you say that? -That pretty little bunny you had

-prancing around your party. -Ms. Cross, yeah.

So why you talking to me when you need to be talking to her?

Percy, there be dragons.

The thing about dragons is they got pots of gold.

Now, hat woman handles more than hedge funds and stocks.

She's into crypto-currency and apparently doing quite well.

-Crypto-what? -Crypto-currencies. Z-coins, bit-cash.

-Never heard of it. -Well, it's a whole new market.

It's growing faster than bad grass.

-How'd you hear about it? -Her website.

-What you doing on her website? -And what do you care?

Oh, just give me the lawyer's number.

Well, get me her number.

You know, you ain't nothin' but trouble.

Yeah, but good trouble.

-[knock on door] -Hey, Pastor, got a minute?

Yeah, sure, come in, Tasha.

-Oh, smart. -Oh, I can come back.

No, no, no. You're just in time to witness my crushing victory.

Okay. Hey there, handsome.

-[both laugh] -He looks just like you.

That's what they tell me.

All right. There's my move. What's your move?

-Checkmate. -What?

Is that... are you kidding me?

You see that? How'd you get to be so smart?

You get those smarts from me? Huh?

-Um, you know, I should go. -No, no, no. Hold on. It's cool. Hold on.

-Is that for me? -Oh, it... it can wait.

I mean, it's okay. I could use a win

after the stomping I just took from the little master here.

[chuckles] Um, I... I just...

You know, it's the silliest thing, the A/C in my office,

the little venty thingy, it just blows on full blast all the time.

-Okay. -I talked to Craig in the maintenance about

-turning it down, but... -Well, you know what? I'll give him a call.

Well, I mean, if you see him. It's not a big deal.

-I'll take care of it. -Okay.

Um, well, y'all have fun.

Okay? All right.

-Bye. -Bye.

[knock on door]

Good afternoon, Mama.

So I spoke to Connie, and I know about this little coup of yours.

-Coup? -You spoke to her about taking over?

She spoke to me, I said no.

Well, how conclusively? Because she seems to think that you're still available.

-Then I'll tell her again. -If your father ever knew that you were conspiring

with Connie to steal his church from underneath him...

He'd be misinformed.

For your information, Mama, you two are losing this church all on your own.

You want Connie off your backs?

Forgive each other and move on. Put an end to all the rumors. Lead.

Don't you think that if I could put this mess back together I would?

Do you honestly think that I would cut off my own nose

to spite my face with so much on the line, our whole family?

I don't know. I don't know where the pride ends

and the weakness begins with you two anymore.

I don't want the church.

Good. Because you'll never get it.

[baby coos]

-Is everything okay? -You tell me.

I'm just waiting on that account authorization form.

Oh, yeah... um...

You couldn't get him to sign it?

No, I just, um...

You know, it really wasn't the right time.

-Do you wanna see Basie again? -Of course I do.

Then make it the right time.

Because until we can start shifting money into that account,

we have nothing on him or Bishop.

And you and Basie ain't ever getting

Triumph back, understand?

Yeah, I... I'll get him to sign them tomorrow.

Do.

Miss Connie.

-You spoke to my mother. -I assume she spoke to you.

She did.

Look, I know you're up against it, we all are.

But I'm not sure my taking over the church is the right thing.

Last summer when I preached, the offerings actually went down.

And you and I both know that my politics aren't exactly in tune

with you and the Deacon Board.

Well, I thought we might be able to find a middle ground,

that is if by politics, you mean Open and Inclusive.

There is no middle ground with Open and Inclusive.

But it's more than that.

If I take over, I'm gonna want to move this church forward.

To a place they may not be ready to go.

Are you really willing to just stand by

and watch this church die?

First of all, I'm not standing by and watching anything die.

I am on my knees day and night

praying that my parents will find a way to work through this,

-or that God will work it out. -I pray for that as well.

And no, I'm not willing to march in place and call it progress

just to keep the Greenleaf name on a letterhead.

-That's not church. -And what is church to you?

Jesus's word.

Love. Unconditional love.

And change.

Well, change is coming.

Your mother has it in her head to try and stay on after the divorce.

What planet she heard that works on, I don't know.

I look ahead and I see schism, scandal,

and a big ol' "For Sale" sign out front.

That'll be a change, all right.

But it won't be church.

Hm.

Bishop Greenleaf.

As I live and breathe, I never would have expected you

to darken my doorstep again. Did you come to chide me for not coming to service today?

I feel badly about how we left things at the party. I...

...came to offer my sincerest apology.

-Hm. Is that all? -No. You were right.

I have been inconsistent in my responses to you.

And of course you felt used. Who could blame you?

I hope you can forgive me.

Well, I'm a Christian woman first and foremost. So yes, I do forgive you.

-Thank you. -Is that all you came to say?

Well, I could use a little advice.

-About? -This IRS mess.

You've read the paper, I assume.

-Me and everyone else. -Indeed.

We thought we had it covered, but we don't.

I didn't want to bother you, but I prayed on it...

You prayed and it brought you back to this Jezebel?

Is that how your Jesus works?

You just show up and say I'm sorry and I'm supposed

to whip up some cash for you? [laughs] Bruh...

It wasn't like that. I...

I thought you wanted to help. I...

Now, why would I want to help you?

No.

You're right. I'm sorry.

You just can't throw me out on the street and come back begging for favors.

If he comes back calling again, Fred, don't tell me.

I don't want to know.

[Sophia] You've been doing some digging.

You taking it back, huh?

My iPod was confiscated.

I just went through Faith's old stuff,

and now I'm vibing out to some Ice-T, pre- Law and Order.

I didn't know there was a pre- Law and Order Ice-T. Sign me up.

Wanna go to Zaxby's?

-Wanna go to Zaxby's? -I'd rather eat my socks.

You know, I don't especially wanna hang out with you either.

I'm just trying to be nice.

[gasps]

-What's the matter with you? -Nothing.

I just keep getting this pain in my side.

Maybe you're pregnant.

[gasping, sobbing]

Are you sure you don't want to?

-Take over Calvary? Yeah. -Mm-hm.

Some church someday? Maybe.

Would you wanna be First Gentleman?

-[laughs] -Oh!

-Is that what they call it? -Uh-huh.

First Lady, First Gentleman.

Huh. I don't know.

I couldn't be First Boyfriend?

Not in any church I'd be running.

No, they wouldn't have it. And really neither would I.

That's good to know.

[phone vibrates]

-Mm. It's my mother. -Mm.

Okay.

She's just calling to yell at me.

Hello?

[siren wails]

[monitor beeping]

-Hi. -Here, you acknowledge this is an exploratory laparotomy,

and you consent to treatment for conditions discovered during surgery.

-Perfect. Thank you. -Thank you.

We're gonna have the nurses come in and prep you for surgery now.

-Okay? -I'm scared.

It's gonna be all right, sweetheart.

-Will you stay with me? -After we get you prepped,

she can come back in and sit with you.

I'm gonna be right down the hall.

-I love you. -I love you.

-Any word? -She has an ovarian torsion.

They're gonna untwist it, try to figure out what caused it.

-Oh, my Lord. -Poor baby! Being sliced open is not fun.

Speaking from experience.

Have you been drinking?

No. I had a little wine.

But Gigi, I know what it's like to lose a daughter.

So if this thing goes south, just know I got you.

Listen, why don't we just sit down, huh?

-I don't want to sit! I want to help Gigi through her grief! -Shh!

-We're ready for you, Mom. -Thank you.

Where do you think you're going?

-I'm coming with you. -I'm good. Thank you.

That's what she do. She ruins everything.

Please drink some water.

I'm just trying to help, Mama.

-[both chuckle] -It's all gonna be okay.

Oh. She's on something, I assume?

Mm-hm. I'm on a lot of something.

Oh, congratulations. [laughs]

-Do you want to pray, baby? -No.

-I want to tell you a secret. -Hm...

[whispers] Roberto wants to marry me.

-He said that? -Mm-hm. Yeah, today at lunch.

-He proposed to you? -No.

But he apologized for a fight we had the other night,

and said that he respects me for setting boundaries and he could see a future.

-[laughs] -That's wonderful he loves you like that,

-that you love each other. -In a future!

-That's great. -We're gonna get married,

with a big wedding and a house

and a mailbox and a puppy and kids and...

[phone vibrates]

Excuse me, can you tell me where the chapel is?

-It's right down that hall, to the right. -Thank you.

So how's everything going at your grandmother's?

It's fine, I guess. I've been gaining weight

and it's only been, like, a week.

-But thick is kinda in. -You look great, honey.

Whatever. It's fine. How's things going for you guys?

I bet it's nice and quiet without the juvenile delinquent.

Now, why you wanna act like that, huh?

You kicked me out of the house.

How else am I supposed to act?

Princess, you told us

you didn't wanna live there anymore.

You know, this is why I didn't want to talk.

You're always picking at me, all the time.

-Hi. How's Sophia? -She's in surgery now.

Okay.

Hey, honey. How you doing?

Fantastic. Early morning Bible study, no TV, no computer.

You know, I'm turning into a regular American Girl doll.

Wasn't that the plan?

If you want to come home, come home. Okay? You can come home.

I'll be good.

Y'all really messed her up bad.

-Excuse me? -Don't get mad.

You got Winkie. You could still have at least one good kid.

-[laughs] -Are you okay?

Why's everybody asking me that? I'm fine.

Everybody need to chill.

Oh, come on! Hand it over!

Charity, what are you doing?

It won't let go of my Whatchamacallit!

-Your what? -My Whatchamacallit!

-My candy bar! -Okay, here. Let me get you another dollar.

What is the problem?

I'm getting ripped off!

You picked the wrong one! Not today, honey!

Give me my candy bar!

-Charity. I don't know. -Is she drunk?

It seems like it. Charity, calm down.

-Charity, here's another dollar. -I don't want more money!

I want what I deserve! I want my candy bar!

[screams]

Oh, my God!

Can we get a nurse?

I'm gonna need stitches.

Somebody gonna need a lawyer.

-What is she on, did they say? -Oxycodone.

Where did she get it?

-Leftover from her caesarean. -Oh...

Look, Mae...

Look, these kids need their parents.

I mean, Grace, Charity,

Jacob with this Zora mess.

They all need us.

What are you proposing, James?

Please.

Let's put this behind us.

I wish I could. But I don't see how.

I've reached a point in my heart where going back

would be an act of disrespect to God Himself.

I'm sorry. I wish it could be another way.

But it's time to tell the children, the church, and move on.

[Charity] What happened?

[Mae] You got upset about a candy bar.

James, you're not wrong.

These children do need their mother, and their father.

But I don't think they'll ever have their parents again.

-No, I can walk, Mama. -All right.

Oh! My head hurts.

I'm sure it does. I'm sure that's true.

[moans]

-[mumbles] Sorry, Mama. -That's all right, baby.

James.

James!

[indistinct PA announcement]

[door opens]

Our Father, Who art in Heaven,

-...hallowed... -...hallowed be thy name.

[all] Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,

on earth as it is in Heaven,

and give us this day our daily bread,

forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

-[phone vibrates] -[all continue praying]

Amen.

-[doctor] Mrs. Greenleaf? -How did it go?

During the surgery, we discovered the cause of the torsion.

Sophia had dermoid cysts on both ovaries.

-Is that a cancer? -No.

They're typically benign cysts that develop in utero.

They're kind of strange,

they can be full of strange things like hair or teeth.

In Sophia's case, they had grown quite large and were causing

significant organ displacement and necrosis.

And once we removed them, there wasn't enough healthy

tissue left to preserve the ovaries.

So you...

-You took them out? -We had no choice.

Oh...

She's not gonna have children?

Not of her own. I'm sorry.

Pastor, I have some papers here that need your John Hancock.

All right.

-What is this? -Oh, the same ol', same ol'.

Payroll approval and purchase orders

for the streaming cameras, blah, blah, blah.

All right. You know, Tasha, if I haven't said so enough already,

thank you so much for stepping up around here.

Spent the night in the hospital with Sophia and Charity.

-Are they okay? -Thankfully yes.

But, uh, I don't know.

Between Zora being a handful,

Kerissa stretched super thin over at her school, and...

I mean, I don't know, us trying to get our streaming up and running,

it's just... it's just super appreciated how much help you've been.

-Oh, it ain't no thing. -Oh, no. It is a thing.

And I told Craig not only to turn up the heat in your office,

but if you ever... if you ever ask for anything and you don't get it immediately,

he's gonna be looking for work.

-You did not have to do that. -Oh, yes, I did.

You know why? 'Cause you're family.

-Thank you. -Thank you.

Just... yep.

[sighs] All right.

[monitor beeping]

Mom?

Hey, honey.

Be careful. The nurse said not to move too much. Okay?

Okay.

-You slept here all night? -Of course I did.

I didn't want you to wake up alone in some strange place.

Am I okay?

Ultimately, mm-hm.

You're gonna heal from this surgery.

You'll be back to your normal self very soon.

Then why do you look so worried?

There was a complication, sweetheart.

They had to remove your ovaries.

What does that mean?

I can't have children? Ever?

If you decide you want to be a mama, you're gonna be a mama.

You have lots of options. You can adopt...

Oh...

I know, I know.

I know it doesn't seem like it, but it's gonna be okay.

God has got you. God has got you.

You can lean on Him.

Why would He let this happen?

Why?

I wish I had the answer.

-May I? -Of course.

How can I be of assistance?

Um...

It's not what I want, but I hear you.

And having heard you, and having prayed on it myself,

well, I too now see...

...no choice.

-What's this? -It's a draft of what I think we should tell the church Sunday.

Feel free to make any changes you see fit.

I trust your judgment.

And Mae...

...I'm sorry.

Please close the door behind you.