[narrator] Previously, on Queen Sugar.
I need you to make him see that some decisions,
they can’t be undone.
Take a paternity test.
I took it. He ain’t mine. But I raised him.
That don’t mean you can just take him away from me.
If you and your friends want to grow your activism,
you need to learn to organize.
We’re going to take my brother down,
side by side.
Didn’t you get the memo? We voted three days ago.
-You can’t do this. -You don’t show up,
you don’t vote.
What gets me up in the morning
besides my family and my Hollywood:
the work.
The work is everything.
It’s what gives me life,
what gives me purpose, what gives me joy.
And I am filled with gratitude
-to all of you out there... -Hey, how are you doing?
...who are enjoying a taste of what I love to do.
[female host] We thank you for coming on our show.
[turns TV off]
Aunt Vi said the orders are coming in like wildfire.
Got to run over there in a few.
[Prosper] No, I’m fine, yeah.
Yeah, I appreciate the offer,
but we’re going to be getting my house back soon,
so-- yeah, I promise.
Just tell the kids they better come visit me this summer.
[Prosper laughs]
Yeah, kiss Lila and Joseph for me.
Bye.
-How’s she doing? -Oh, she’s good.
She’s got a big project at work keeping her busy.
Can I get you some breakfast before I go?
Oh, I’m okay.
I’m meeting some folks at the High Yellow in a bit.
Council vote is in two days,
and we got to talk about our next steps.
Mm-hmm.
Speaking of which,
the parish meeting’s tonight,
and me and the farmers,
we’ve been talking.
And we think you should speak in front of the council
on our behalf.
Oh, wow.
Wow, that’s, uh...
that’s very kind, but...
I don’t know.
Uh...
I mean, you’re already working on the talking points.
And I know you’ve done the research.
I mean, you could really talk some sense into these folks.
I would love to represent the farmers, I would.
Just...
I don’t know if that’s the best idea.
Why not?
Because...
I sold the mill.
I sold Queen Sugar to the Landrys.
They’re letting me continue to run it, but--
[stammers] I don’t get what you’re saying.
You and I both know, Sam’s not going to stop
taking everybody’s land.
I sold the mill as leverage
for the farmers’ security,
their stability,
their livelihood,
their freedom.
From Sam.
But you’re in business with the devil, Charley.
That’s only way they’re going to see it.
♪ Dreams never die ♪
♪ Take flight As the world turns ♪
♪ Dreams never die ♪
♪ Take flight As the world turns ♪
♪ Keep the colors In the lines ♪
♪ Take flight ♪
♪ Dreams never die ♪
♪ Keep the colors In the lines ♪
♪ Keep the colors In the lines, take flight ♪
Mom!
Hello, my sweet prince.
-You ready for school? -[Blue] Yes.
I’m going to be right back.
Come on, Blue.
Go get your bag.
Say bye to Uncle ’Wood and Aunt Vi.
[clears throat]
Find a helmet for his bike?
I did. And kneepads.
Okay, love you.
Ralph Angel...
come help me load that stuff in my car.
[Ralph Angel] Give me a second.
You not going to show me no love?
Be good.
Your mom still by your spot?
She went back to D.C.
I told her that I’d be handling things from now on.
[clears throat]
All right.
I should get him to school.
Y’all be safe.
Hey, y’all be easy on them bikes, Blue.
[Darla] You got it? Okay.
-[Blue] You ready? -[Darla] I’m ready.
I wasn’t sure if these were the ones
you were asking me for,
but I printed them up.
Where is everybody?
We went radio silent.
Nobody’s talking or texting.
Don’t want it used against us.
But we were cleared.
Till they find something else.
Look, man...
everybody’s scared.
I am too.
But we’re going to get through this.
All of us.
We’re all going to get through this?
Yes.
Micah, Ant’s on house arrest.
Yes. I know that.
He’s already caught up in the system.
We can’t just say, "I’m sorry"
and walk away from that.
You don’t think I know that?
I’ve been working on this track scholarship too.
And with all this...
Okay, so...
we got to do something.
We got to say something.
We?
What?
No offense, Micah, but you know damn well
you ain’t never going to be in Ant’s situation.
And even if you are,
house arrest at that big house of yours?
Ain’t that bad.
That’s not fair.
Neither is what happened to Ant.
This...
this isn’t about fair.
This is about surviving.
And for you...
for you, surviving is taking this picture
instead of being in it.
Really, KJ?
I’m in this with you.
We got to keep our heads low...
till we can get out,
escape to college.
[school bell rings]
[Charley] And all your help at the hospital, thank you, really.
Charley, get off that phone.
[sighs]
Sorry, I have to go.
No, my aunt’s swamped with pie orders,
so, duty calls.
Can I give you a call a little later?
Okay.
Yeah, bye.
[phone beeps off]
I thought you had a whole host of pies to get out the door.
I do.
But I need to finish this seating chart
so Hollywood can order
some special invitations from Morocco.
I tell you, that man.
Oh, no, no, no, no.
We got to keep those two far apart.
Uh, Charley, you and Micah,
if you sit with Rah and Blue...
Well, actually, I could use an extra seat
for a plus-one.
I might bring someone.
I’m just saying, I’d like the option.
That’s great, Charley. Really.
What about you, Nova?
You bringing that mystery man or woman of yours?
[Nova] I’ll be coming alone, Aunt Vi.
I don’t have nobody to bring?
I don’t need anyone to prop me up.
What?
Nothing. Nothing.
You lock in a caterer yet?
Uh-uh. Uh-uh. Uh-uh.
What’s going on with you two?
I’ve seen how you been all formal
and delicate with each other lately.
You have a tiff or something?
No. Not exactly.
Well, what, exactly? Speak.
Nova?
It was something. Now it’s nothing.
It’s over.
I was seeing Remy.
It’s over.
It wasn’t right, so I ended it.
You ended it?
When did that ever start?
While y’all were together?
No! You know me better than that.
Now, I’m not sure I know you at all right now.
Aunt Vi...
You okay with Nova being with the same man
after he’s done with you?
And you,
I never took you to be one
who would be interested in your sister’s sloppy seconds.
[Nova] Don’t make it sound cheap.
Oh, so now you concerned about how it looks and sounds?
[Nova] It wasn’t like that. I thought it was something real.
Otherwise I never would have done it.
Aunt Vi, have you never done anything in your life
that you’ve regretted and then tried to take it back?
First it’s the story about your daddy, now it’s this.
You doing a lot of extra things, Nova.
But that’s all right. You can, ’cause you grown.
I’m just disappointed, that’s all.
Got to go to my kitchen.
[door opens and closes]
It’s not important.
[Charley] You can tell me.
They felt you were serving your own interest instead of theirs.
Cardale even called you a...
damn hypocrite.
They’re the ones who bailed on me last year.
So in return you lied to them?
I appreciate you telling me.
It doesn’t mean we stop fighting.
I’m still here with you.
-Hey, Mom? -Yeah.
Sorry to interrupt.
Uh, I just wanted to tell you I’m heading out.
I’ll be back later.
Wait.
Where are you going?
To see Ant.
Micah, we’ve discussed this. I don’t want you going there.
-He could go to juvie. -Micah!
I said no.
He could be going to juvie because of all of us.
And for an accident? Come on.
Trespassing, vandalism.
Those weren’t accidents.
You know, if it was me that got caught,
you’d be outing every kid that was there.
-That is not true. -Yes, it is.
He shouldn’t be going through this alone.
[sighs]
[indistinct chatter]
The turnout’s bigger than I thought.
Yeah.
A lot of people showed up.
Miss Bordelon, I just wanted to say hello.
It’s always good to see you.
[indistinct chatter]
Why Nova sitting way over there for?
[Charley] Just leave her be.
What happened with y’all?
Y’all messy.
[Isabel] Hello, everyone.
I’m Isabel Barrera,
from the St. Josephine Parish Council.
If you can all get settled, we’ll get started
to discuss the upcoming vote on the new correctional facility
proposed to be built in St. Jo.
Let’s get in and out of here on time, folks.
[Isabel] All right, then. Let’s begin.
I lost my job when the Watkins Mill shut down.
Been out of work ever since.
This jail could be the change folks like me
need to turn it back around.
Y’all have my full support bringing it here. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing that.
And not only that,
but the MPTE Group has a five-step plan
that’ll unfold over the next several years.
We plan to clean up the contaminated land.
We plan to build schools
that’ll service the growing families
that’ll move here to work.
Your school ain’t nothing but a Band-Aid for a broken arm.
-[man] Yes! -[woman] You said it.
[applause]
-[man] That’s all it is. -[Lawrence] Okay.
Well, not just a school.
We’re also in talks
to build shopping centers
and more housing to bring even more life
to St. Josephine.
We already have lives!
Y’all trying to take them away.
-[man] That’s right. -[woman] We don’t need that!
[applause]
With all due respect, sir,
we don’t need anyone to come here and build our community.
No, sir, you’re deliberately trying to break something
so that later you can say you fixed it.
-[woman] That’s right. -[applause]
You ain’t going to say nothing?
[Lawrence] No, I hear you.
-I do. -Say something.
[Lawrence] But, you know, it’s not what I have to say.
It’s what your friends, and your neighbors,
and your fellow citizens have to say about it that matters.
"My boys have jobs
"and are building towards their retirement.
Don’t know what they’d do without it."
Now, this is from Lauren.
She’s a mother from Mobile,
and all of her sons work at the new correctional facility
we built just a few years ago.
What about the mothers of the sons you locked up
so Lauren’s sons could have a job?
You got any letters from them?
Or do you just go from town to town,
reading these same generic quotes
over and over and over again?
-She got some nerve. -[woman 1] I know, right?
[indistinct murmurs]
-[woman 2] That’s right. -[man 1] Sit down.
[man 2] You a damn liar.
[scoffs]
I have seen so many families
kicked off of their land under false pretenses.
Forced to take their kids out of school.
Is building your jail really worth
more farmers giving up their livelihoods?
Their dignity?
[Cardale] Oh, big talk now.
What’d you think would happen
when you sold your mill to the same family
that’s trying to kick us off the land?
-[man] Tell it, Cardale. -You one of them, Miss Charley.
-I made a deal. -[Cardale] For you.
No. For you. For you.
[woman] Yeah, right!
I tried to keep farmers working.
I gave up my mill to leverage fair rates for you,
to keep you in business.
They were going to keep coming at us.
I did it so we could all live to fight another day.
But this prison...
this prison, if they build it,
that day will never come.
They’ll make sure of it.
What kind of wages are you paying, Mr. Callahan?
Most of your facilities,
they pay just above the minimum?
Isn’t that right? The minimum.
Not to mention the free labor
you’ll get from the prison inmates.
-[indistinct murmurs] -Yeah.
[applause]
[Lawrence] All right, all right.
We’re more than prepared to offer competitive wages
to all the staff, Miss Bordelon.
Oh, really? I guess there’s a first time for everything.
Your company’s history doesn’t suggest that.
-Am I right, Mr. Callahan? -[applause]
And let’s not forget,
when legislative boundaries are redrawn,
prisoners are counted as residents,
but they can’t vote.
So who does that benefit? Is it us?
Is that the town winning?
Or is it politicians who gain
off population growth during re-elections?
[applause]
Mr. Callahan, the soul of St. Jo isn’t for sale.
I don’t know what you mean by that.
[Charley] Yeah, I think you do.
All you want is to put more bodies in more prisons...
to make a profit off your backs.
Our family, our friends,
the people we love.
That’s who they want to lock up.
Then they want you to work to get a dime out of every dollar
they’re gonna squeeze out of this community.
[woman 1] That’s right.
[woman 2] You tell them.
[man] Tell them, Charley.
So why don’t you just take your bags
and take your snake oil and go someplace else,
because we are not buying it.
[applause]
♪ Yes, we’re twisting And we’re fighting ♪
♪ But we won’t let it go ♪
[phone rings]
-[Rhonda] Hey, Miss Violet. -Oh, good.
Jarrett called with even more orders.
Says the phone is ringing off the hook.
Extra business is good for everybody, right?
Got that right.
So now, Rhonda, I’m going to need you
to run point here with these ladies.
I’m late for this doggone prison foolishness.
Yes, ma’am. Last thing we need around here is more jail cells.
For sure.
[Rhonda] You okay, Miss Violet?
-What’s wrong? -My chest is tight.
-[coughs] -[Rhonda] My God. Miss Violet.
Okay, okay, okay, okay.
I got you. I got you.
You okay? Just breathe.
Just breathe, okay? I’m right here.
You okay?
Need me to take you to the hospital?
Jesus. We’re going to the hospital.
Grab my keys and get my purse, okay?
Come on, I got you.
I got you. Come on, put your arm around me. Come on.
The doctor said it’s pneumonitis.
Just a minor inflammation of my lung tissue.
Well, that sounds serious.
What does that mean?
I mean, did they run tests and everything?
Did they say anything else?
No, they said I’m going to be fine.
Gave me some medication,
and I go follow up with Dr. Badami next week.
I brought y’all all out here,
because Vi got something to tell you.
It’s not just pneumonitis.
I have lupus.
What?
For how long?
[Violet] Months.
It’s okay, baby. I’m fine now.
Why didn’t you tell us before?
Because I didn’t need y’all worrying.
Nova’s been helping me eat better.
[Ralph Angel] Aunt Vi, we all want to know
what’s going on with you.
I mean, what if something worse happened?
But it didn’t. I’m fine.
Not if you keeping your health issues from us.
Look, we’re glad that you’re okay.
But this is something that we need to know about.
What if one of us were with you and something happened?
I understand where you’re coming from.
I do. I do.
Y’all know now.
Right this moment, all I can think about
is how I’m going to fill all them Wake Up, NOLA orders
that are flooding in and I’m just sitting here.
[Hollywood] Now you know Rhonda and them ladies
are back at the kitchen working.
I’ll go over there. I’ll help them out.
-We’ll all go. -Mm-hmm.
We’ll handle it.
Thank you.
[water dripping and splashing]
♪ You douse the whole place In kerosene ♪
♪ The skin and the coats And our heresy ♪
♪ And we make you Static electricity ♪
♪ I need you To surround me ♪
♪ Until you feel Responsible ♪
♪ In this little city ♪
♪ There’s only room For one soul ♪
-[Darla] You ready? -[Blue] ready.
-Don’t let go. -Okay, just keep pedaling.
-I am pedaling, don’t let go. -I’m not letting go.
Just keep pedaling, and don’t hold the brake.
Don’t brake. Don’t brake. Don’t brake.
I didn’t mean to.
I just thought you let go.
No, I didn’t. I’m right here.
Let me know when you’re ready.
-You ready? -Ready.
Okay.
You’re doing really good.
You got it, you got it. Relax.
-Aah! -Let me see.
You okay?
Let me look at your hands.
Let me see, baby. Let me see.
Did you hurt yourself?
You’re not doing it right.
You’re okay.
Let’s try one more time.
Don’t quit.
-Just put it back on. -I don’t want to.
Come on, just give it one more try.
Where are you going?
Blue, come on.
Me and you, we got this.
[sighs]
This feels a little like Pops, don’t it?
Overworked.
Keeping it all to himself till it’s too late.
I ain’t trying to go through that again.
She’s just as prideful as Daddy was.
So, what does lupus do, anyway?
Basically, your immune system starts attacking healthy tissue.
She says it’s like running a marathon while battling the flu.
Glad you and Hollywood were there for her.
[knock on door]
-[Charley] Hey! you came. -Hey.
Raced right over.
What can I do?
This is Romero, my friend.
-How you doing? -Romero.
I thought we could use some more help.
This is my sister, Nova.
-Good to meet you. -Romero. Pleasure.
Why don’t you just help me take these pies out to the truck.
-Okay. -Okay.
-You got it on your side? -Yeah.
-Okay. -All right. Is this good?
Yeah. Um...
thank you.
But you didn’t need to rush all the way down here.
We still get pie at the end though, right?
I just assumed that,
you know, we would get a pie or something...
-Yeah, yeah. We can... -...out of this.
we can probably make that happen.
I like the lemon.
Okay, yes. One lemon pie.
[laughs] Sure.
Why don’t just read off the ones on your side
and I’ll check them off.
-Yeah. -Okay.
So, two...
two cherry tortes.
Three pecan pies.
Why don’t you come over.
And I’ll cook for you, one of my famous recipes.
My chicken mole is exquisite.
You don’t have to worry about anything.
All you have to do is show up.
I think I’d like that.
Yeah?
-Yeah. -Good.
That works.
-I see lime. -[laughs]
-No lemon. -I don’t see lemon on this side.
I hope you have a lemon on that side.
-Is that a dealbreaker? -I...
Can I still get that mole
-if there’s no lemon pie? -Oh, yes.
-Yes, you will get the mole. -[laughs]
[gunfire on video game]
[knock on door]
I’ve been calling you, dude,
to see if you was all right.
When’s the court date?
Sometime this month.
My mom knows.
What’d the lawyer say?
Says I can get about six months.
Six months?
Whoa.
Going to miss junior prom.
I was supposed to go to this LSU summer program
for college aid,
but I guess I’m not doing that now.
You know, this is all our fault.
No, they found my lighter.
So...
The whole thing is just stupid.
No, it wasn’t stupid.
We made a mistake, yeah,
but what we were trying to say...
it wasn’t stupid.
Look, it’s better that they only found one of us, all right?
No, it’s not fair that you’re taking the fall for all of us.
I know. I know.
That’s just how it goes.
I remember you said,
"always fight for what you believe,
no matter who it makes uncomfortable or who it scares."
I remember that.
Hey, and plus, you know, when I get out...
the girls, they’re going to be all over me.
[laughs]
You know, they love a bad boy.
Like Killmonger or some shit.
Yo, I’m going to be there.
No matter what.
I’m going to be there for you.
Thank you.
How are you holding up?
Seems like this decision is taking longer than normal.
And I just...
I don’t know what to think.
If those council members have any sense at all,
they’ve been considering every word you said.
But then again, Sam has half the council in his pocket, so--
Of course he does.
How do we find justice these days
when it seems like it no longer exists?
The hope now lies in the other council members.
There’s one, Council Member Ward,
who may be the deciding vote in our favor.
You seem sure.
Ward usually plays it straight.
We can only hope.
My father always led us armored with hope.
Even in his darkest days.
But now I’m starting to think it was all just fairy tales...
made up to protect us
from the evils just outside our door.
[door opens]
[indistinct chatter]
Thank you. Thanks.
Thank you.
♪ Always walking A vicious circle ♪
The Council has voted on the construction
of a correctional facility in the St. Josephine Parish.
I’ve been given the ballots,
and I’ll read the corresponding votes out loud.
Isabel Barrera: against.
Council Member Halbrook: for.
[woman] No surprise there.
[Isabel] Council Member Heath: for.
Council Member Barr: against.
-[man] All right. -[woman] Yeah! Yes.
[Isabel] Council Member Abbott: against.
[indistinct chatter]
[man] More, baby, more.
Council Member Green: for.
[indistinct murmurs]
And the seventh and final vote.
Council Member Ward...
for.
[all gasp and shout]
The result of the votes is as follows.
Four votes in favor, three votes against.
This gives approval to the MPTE Group,
from the Parish Council,
for the construction of a correctional facility
in the St. Josephine Parish,
and concludes our meeting.
Thank you all.
[inaudible]
[Ralph Angel] This ain’t the end to all this.
♪ Always walking A vicious circle ♪
[inaudible]
[indistinct chatter on TV]
♪ We all get Our feelings hurt ♪
[phone line rings]
♪ Talking to each other ♪
-[woman on phone] Hey, Dad. -Yeah, hi.
What’s going on? You okay?
I’m fine. It’s just...
things getting a little shaky for your dad.
Yeah, yeah.
Probably time you come down.
Time to come get me.
♪ I saw a woman playing drums ♪
♪ And I thought she might Be our savior ♪
♪ She smiled so big It made me think ♪
♪ I’m going to change My behavior ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ There’s no end To being scared ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ Top or bottom ♪
♪ Of the stairs ♪
♪ Every bullet is a test ♪
♪ A wider fence Makes me a mark ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ There’s no end ♪
♪ To being scared ♪
[car door closes]
It was awful.
Couldn’t be that bad.
Blue!
Come on out here.
-Come on, come down here. -What?
We’re going to try this again.
You know what we don’t do?
What?
Quit.
Put your helmet on.
Let me set this for you.
Everything working fine. You ready?
All right.
You got it? You ready?
Don’t let go until I say so.
All right. Get on the bike.
-Seriously. -Seriously, get on the bike.
-Ready? -Can both of you hold on?
[clears throat]
Focus. Now you got to focus.
Keep your eyes straight ahead.
Don’t let go.
Don’t let go yet.
We’re going to let you fly.
You got it.
You all right?
Don’t let go.
Well, you got to trust us.
You got to trust yourself, all right?
Come on, let’s try it again.
Just keep pedaling.
Just keep moving.
Come on, focus.
Just keep on pedaling. Keep moving, keep moving.
Keep moving. There it is.
Just like that, Blue!
That’s what I’m talking about, buddy!
You got it, Blue!
Good job, Blue.
Good job.
[clears throat]
-Yeah, Blue! Keep on going! -[Darla] You got it, Blue!
[Ralph Angel] That’s what I’m talking about.
[Blue] Look at me, Pop.
-Look. -I see you.
[both laugh]
♪ I cried on you ♪
Maybe we should just split the time.
50/50?
All right.
[clears throat]
Thank you.
Couple months, when I’m off parole,
free and clear.
Going to take Blue out to the Gulf.
Show him something different.
He’ll love that.
I just want to show him places.
Where else do you want to take him?
Disney World.
[laughs]
Cali.
Disneyland or Disney World?
Both. Shit, all of them.
I just want to show him everything.
Be a free man.
For real.
That’ll be the day.
It’ll be a beautiful day.
[sighs]