[light piano music]
♪ ♪
- You wanna do the stamp?
- Approved or denied?
- Mm.
Uh-huh.
Your homework done?
Good.
Well, you can...
balance my checkbook.
What? - This check's gonna bounce.
This one too.
- No.
Thanks, baby.
[sighs]
[line ringing]
- Hello. - Leon, it's Suzanné.
- Hey.
- I need a couple hundred dollars.
- I paid my child support this month.
- Yes, you completed your court-ordered bare minimum,
but I had to spend extra money for Mia's birthday party,
which is tomorrow, by the way.
- I know when it is.
Just--I'm a little strapped this month too.
- You know what? Don't even bother coming.
- Hold on. Hold on.
- [exhales]
I'm sorry you had to hear that, baby.
- Dad really can't come to the party?
- It would be better if he didn't.
Your father's trifling.
But you know what?
Your birthday party's gonna be so fun, Mia.
We're gonna go skating,
and I got ice cream cake,
and all your friends are gonna be there.
It's gonna be the best one yet, baby.
- ♪ Working on this dream with you ♪
♪ Oh, baby ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Wanna spend my life with you ♪
♪ Oh, baby ♪
- So, how did I do?
- Oh.
Hell yeah.
Hang on. Stay right there.
- [laughs] Okay.
- This is for the permanent memory file.
I am sending this to the cloud.
- Wait, what else is in the cloud?
- Don't worry about it.
- Wait, don't take a photo here.
That's not funny. - Why'd you come
all the way over here then?
- ♪ You've got a woman ♪
♪ ♪
narrator: Mia Hines had never had much faith in men.
And for the most part, men had proven her distrust
to be well-founded.
Suzanné Hayward had drilled it into her daughter
that men were not only unreliable,
but superfluous.
As an adult, she projected those qualities
onto her boyfriends,
whether or not they fit that description.
Marcus was the exception.
He had been an eerily perfect boyfriend.
♪ ♪
Maybe too perfect.
- ♪ Trust in me, I'll set you free ♪
♪ Come along and follow me ♪ [indistinct chatter]
- Hi, Mom. - Hey, baby.
You have a minute?
- Yeah, I have a couple minutes.
Marcus is actually on his way over.
- Again? Oh.
He's practically living over there now.
- Okay, well, we split our time
between both apartments like a normal couple.
- Mm-hmm.
- Whatever.
How are you?
- Oh, yeah, fine.
Except...
I lost the house.
- Oh, um...
I'm sorry, Mom.
- Yeah, but we knew this day was coming, honey.
- How did this happen?
I thought your Mom worked at a bank.
- So what, Marcus? She has unlimited cash flow?
This may come as a surprise to you,
but not everybody's parents are, like,
responsible black professors.
- That's-- that's not what I meant.
- No, I know.
My mom's never been responsible with money.
Her philosophy has always been, "I should be making more."
Not, "I should be spending less."
- Anything I can do to help?
I can come down if you want.
- I honestly have been taking care of my mom
since I was 10, and...
I got it.
- Well, I-I know you got it.
But you shouldn't be taking this on all by yourself,
and...
I wanna help.
- You're sweet.
Just let me go down there and assess,
and then I'll let you know.
Okay?
- Okay.
[light, sentimental music]
♪ ♪
narrator: Though she came home regularly,
the house Mia grew up in now more closely resembled
an art installation.
One that would soon be broken down and boxed up,
relegated forever to the halls of memory.
- Mia?
Baby. Oh. - Hey.
- I'm so glad you're here.
- Yeah, it sucks it's under these circumstances.
- No, it's fine. It's fine. It's all gonna be fine.
My art's the only stuff I wanna keep.
The rest, just leave it.
Let the new owners deal with it.
- Wait. What about my stuff? - Well, yeah.
Take your stuff too, Mia. Of course.
- To my studio in Brooklyn?
- Are you mad at me?
- No, Mom. Did you buy a new car?
- I had to do it before this showed up on my credit report.
- Are you gonna remember to make the payments?
- I pay my bills, Mia. I'm not an idiot.
I was underwater on this place, sweetheart.
Remember when I refinanced to have money
to help you through college? Remember that?
Well, I borrowed too much, and then they never
gave me the promotion they promised me.
- Mom, I'm sorry it just--
it sucks that you're losing the house
and Dad still has a fast-food empire.
- Well, I wouldn't call it an empire.
- Yeah, but he still has money.
- And I'm happy for him.
[clears throat]
- Damn, Mom. Where are you going?
- Houston's. - With who?
- Nunya. - Nun--
oh, you still doing Nunya?
You're still doing that? - Nunya business.
- [laughs]
- I see you found the fruit punch.
- Don't act like you didn't put this out for me.
- [laughs] [phone chiming]
- Hey, babe. - Hey, Marcus.
- H-hi, Miss Hayward.
- Come on, Marcus. I told you to call me Suzanné.
- I know.
I'm old-fashioned, I guess.
- So old-fashioned that you're shacking up
with my daughter, huh? - Mom.
- Uh, I mean, we--
we don't-- we don't live together.
- Babe, don't even worry about it.
She's messing with you.
- I am.
Kinda.
All right, honey. Muah.
Good to see you, Marcus.
- You too, Miss Hayward.
- Bye, Mom. - Bye-bye.
- She's in a good mood for someone losing her house.
- Yeah, well, that's because I am doing everything.
- I can still come down. - No, it's okay.
I'm using up all my sick days.
I'm gonna try to come back soon anyway,
but I'll call you later.
- Okay, um, bye.
- Okay. Bye.
[instrumental R&B playing]
♪ ♪
[indistinct chatter]
[giggling]
[indistinct chatter]
Dad?
- [whispers] It's just--
- What's going on?
- Um...
Well, I--I came to see you, sweetheart.
♪ ♪
- No, I didn't follow you into the drug store.
I just happened to be going to the same place.
- [laughs] - Okay, I did follow you.
But if you had talked to me when I pulled up to you
at the red light, then none of this would have happened.
- In that big red car of yours? - Mm-hmm.
I looked good, though. - You did.
You did. - So did you.
- You were very persistent. I'll give you that.
[both laugh]
Mia, your father was such a player.
- Ew. - What?
- Mia, how's, um--
how's New York?
- It's good.
- Great. Mm.
All right, I'll leave y'all to it.
[clear throat]
Come here, Mama. - Okay, Daddy.
- All right.
- [giggles]
- Bye, sweetheart. [smooches]
- [giggles] [door shuts]
- What the fuck is going on?
- Mia, don't be upset.
Listen, honey...
[sighs]
Your father and I have been seeing each other
off and on for the last few months.
- Is that what this is all about?
When were you gonna tell me?
- Mia,
I'm on a journey.
- You're always on some journey, Mom.
Oh, my God, is he the guy you met up with at Houston's?
- [sighs]
This is all my fault.
I conditioned you to hate your father.
- Mom, I don't hate him.
I don't know him.
I only saw him, like, two times a year my whole life.
- That's partially my fault too.
Mia, honey.
He just wants another chance.
- My mom is fucking my dad. - What?
- This is, like, the most self-destructive
shit she's ever done.
- Are they back together?
- I don't know. I hope not.
I'm sorry, but my mom just has these cycles, and--
- And she's an adult.
I'm sure she knows what she's doing.
- Jesus.
- If your mom can forgive your dad,
maybe you should give him a chance.
- Hey, the TaskRabbit just pulled up.
I gotta go. I'll call you back.
- Mia, wait.
- Akil? - Yeah.
narrator: The sight of her mother and father together
lingered in her mind.
For the past 23 years, Mia had dutifully supported
and coddled her eccentric mother
and their united front against Leon remained intact.
But now her mother had caved,
and Mia couldn't help but feel betrayed.
- [sobs]
Hey, if it's in a bag, take it.
[car horn honks]
So, 60?
- Yeah.
Are you okay?
- Yeah.
Those were, uh-- [laughs]
Some good old-fashioned cleansing tears, you know?
- If you say so.
- Can I bum one?
- Yeah.
- Thanks.
- You should take my number down.
I mean, just in case you need me again.
You don't have to use the app.
Can save us both some money.
- Sure.
- Take care of yourself. - Thanks.
narrator: Mia hadn't had a real conversation
with her father in about seven years.
The "out of sight, out of mind" method
had been working well for her.
But now, thanks to her mother,
she was forced to face him
and all of the memories she had spent years repressing.
- Hey, honey. - Hey.
- Enjoy. - I can't believe my daughter
deals Birkin bags.
I told my sister about your job and she asked for a hookup,
and I was like, "Well, you better
hook up about 25 grand first."
- Try 100. - What?
- Yeah. - Who's got that kind of money?
[chuckles]
Your mom tells me you have a boyfriend.
- Sounds like she's really filling you in, huh?
- She has.
I'm really proud of you. Always have been.
- Do you remember when you picked me up in that Corvette?
- Yeah.
Suzanné went off of me.
She almost didn't let me take you.
- Then you took me to McDonald's
and I wanted to order for myself,
but you said we should share.
And then you let me have two bites of your burger
and four French fries.
Then I dropped one on the floor and you got mad at me?
- Baby, I think you're misremembering.
- No, I'm not.
Then you drove me to your girlfriend's house
and you left.
And then finally, after an hour,
I told her how hungry I was.
And then she took me to Denny's and the movies.
- Which girlfriend? - Valerie.
- Oh, Va--
Val always liked you.
And you liked hanging out with her as I recall.
- Well, Val was nice to me and she tried to get to know me.
- I didn't try?
I mean, what--
What about all the good things I did?
I bought your prom dress, and your textbooks.
The piano lessons.
I cut that $5,000 check for you when you moved to New York.
- Yeah, but you were never there.
Every visit from you felt mandatory.
Every single nice thing you did felt like
it was on some checklist of things you could do
to not be considered the absolute worst dad.
- Hm.
- And I know some of that is on my mom.
I do.
But even when you were around, you were a selfish asshole.
And now you are sleeping with her,
and you're confusing her,
and I'm fucking caught in the middle of it again.
- I was an asshole.
I wasn't mature.
I'd come to get you and...
it was like I was with little Suzanné.
I could feel her judgment
and her disappointment through you.
I ended up distancing myself from you.
I did that.
And I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
You know...
I borrowed that Corvette from your Uncle Carl.
- I thought that was a lease. - No. [laughs]
I couldn't afford anything like that back then.
Your uncle worshiped that car.
And I knew it was my ass
if he found as much as a crumb in that thing.
- So I have Uncle Carl to blame for my childhood trauma?
- Hey,
I fucked up.
And believe me when I say I want to fix this.
- He doesn't have time for a wife
that's always creating drama?
- Okay. You weren't kidding.
I went to the garage
and I saw that you threw everything away.
- You do not need an Ebony magazine from, like, 2003.
Has there ever been a cover without Shemar Moore on it?
- Yeah, but my Morris Chestnuts?
- [laughs] Him too.
- Larenz Tate, honey. Come on.
That's just wrong.
So I hope you had a good time with your dad.
- Yeah, Mom, why are you seeing him?
- I don't know.
He reached out to me a while ago
and he wanted to talk to you
and I didn't want him playing with your feelings.
So I guess I was vetting him for you.
- Do you think he's changed? Like, really?
- I do. Don't worry.
I'm not trying to be with him again, though, okay?
- You know there's other guys out there, right?
- [chuckles]
[groans]
I never found one. [laughs]
[upbeat music]
- Dang, Mom. What's all this?
- Just a thank you for everything, honey.
All right. I gotta go to work.
And your dad's gonna come by at some point
and get that piano, okay?
I told him he could coordinate with you?
- Yeah, that's fine.
- I like having you home.
Sure you don't wanna move back?
- What, and be your personal assistant?
Uh, no.
narrator: And so Mia waited for her father for hours.
Just like old times.
[phone vibrating]
- Hey. - Hey, your mom keeps
hassling me to come get that piano,
but I don't think I'm gonna make it over today.
- No, uh, don't come. I think I wanna keep it.
- Oh, that would be great, baby.
I owe you one.
W-what are you gonna tell your mom?
- I'll figure it out, Dad. I always do.
- All right, baby. I love you.
narrator: Mia searched for a response
to get out of that uncomfortable moment.
There was only one.
- I love you too.
[sighs]
[line ringing]
- Hi, you've reached Marcus Watkins, please--
[line ringing]
- Hello?
- Thanks.
- Yeah.
You want a beer?
[both laugh]
So you ever gonna come back for this stuff
or am I gonna see it on "Storage Wars" in a year?
- Uh, yeah, I got that bill set up on autopay.
So even if I fucking never come back,
I will not lose that.
- Wow, autopay. - Yeah.
- That's sexy.
That's my dream. - [laughs]
- Are you laughing at my dreams?
- No, it's just--
It's cute.
- You think I'm cute?
- No. I said it's cute.
You heard me.
- Nah. Nah, nah, nah. - Yes, you did. Yeah.
- I heard I'm cute.
- Mm, no, you didn't.
[both laugh] You didn't.
[light, emotional music]
♪ ♪
I have a boyfriend.
- I feel like you say that a lot.
♪ ♪
[music heightens]
♪ ♪
- Sweetheart, I wish you weren't leaving so late.
- Mom, I'll be back in Brooklyn in a couple of hours.
- I can't believe that man didn't show up.
I'm gonna let him have it.
- I think you gotta leave him alone.
- All right, well, tell Marcus I said hello.
Can't wait to meet him, honey. He sounds like a good one.
Of course, my bar is pretty low.
[chuckles]
I'm sorry I didn't find you a better father.
- Oh, Mom.
- I love you, baby. - I love you too.
I'm proud of you.
- I'm proud of you.
- All right, I'm gonna text you when I get back.
- Okay.
Drive safely. - I will.
[Love Apple's "Call Me When You Want Me"]
♪ ♪
narrator: Mia was certain Marcus would know
what she had done, and that once he found out,
he would leave her, just like she deserved.
But when it became clear that Marcus suspected nothing,
Mia locked her secret in a black box
and buried it deep.
She would only hurt Marcus by confessing.
- I hope it's okay that we're just having
a chill dinner for your birthday.
♪ ♪
- It's perfect.
♪ ♪
- I missed you.
- I missed you too.
♪ ♪
I'm sorry I've been such a bitch.
- No, no, no. It's okay.
I'm--
I'm just glad that you got everything worked out.
♪ ♪
- ♪ Oh ♪
♪ My darling ♪
♪ Oh, sweet darling ♪
- We always go to this fucking place.
- I know, but it's just so damn tasty.
- [laughs] Tasty? - Mm-hmm.
- It's damn tasty? - Damn tasty.
crowd: Happy birthday!
- Oh, my God. Wow. Hi.
- Oh, my God. It's so nice to see you.
- We got you.
[laughter]
You the man. You the man.
- Thank you. Hey, Janet. Hi.
- I know, exactly, like-- [laughs]
- You two.
This is amazing.
Well, this-- I mean, this makes me feel like
something good came out of me marrying Magnus.
'Cause you--I mean, you came to my wedding
with Magnus' coworker
and now you're with my old coworker.
That--that's funny. - Yeah.
- Maybe that's not funny. I don't know.
- No, no, no. I mean maybe they'll get together.
- Oh, God. No, no. I wouldn't wish that on her.
I hope he rots. Um--
No, but this is-- this is so beautiful.
Amazing.
- Can I get another of this, please?
- You good?
- Fuck yeah, babe. - All right.
- My birthday. Wow.
- Hell yeah.
[glass clinks]
Hey, everybody.
Thanks for coming. Um...
I would be remiss not to toast the birthday girl--
woman, um,
who has brought so much love into my life.
It's, uh--
it's an honor being by your side.
I am--I am grateful to know you.
Thanks for being born, Mia.
Happy birthday.
I love you.
[applause]
- Kiss her!
[applause]
- Eat your tiramisu, y'all, shit.
[laughter]
- Kids, you know what I'm saying?
- What are you talking about?
- Anyway, man, we gotta go though, all right?
She charges double after midnight.
Like, babysitters is going crazy.
- No. We can afford it.
I was gonna see if y'all wanted to go to
the Dave & Buster's in Midtown.
- Oh-- - Oh?
- No. I'm actually--
I'm really tired. So--
- Yeah, it's--it's-- it's probably a little late
to be going into the city.
- He told you to say that-- - Damn right I did.
- Come on. - Stop begging my friends
to go to damn Dave & Buster's. It's as weird as hell.
- It's fun! - Oh, God.
Anyway, happy birthday, Mia. - Aw, thank you for coming.
- Party was amazing, my brother.
Call you tomorrow. - Hey, all right, man.
- Happy birthday. I'll see you soon.
- See you soon. Get home safe.
- Get your butt over here. - Come on.
Whatever. You ain't no fun.
- You wanna go to Dave--we'll go to Dave & Buster's tomorrow.
- Okay. - Yeah. Psyche!
- Come here real quick.
- Okay. - [chuckles]
[sighs, chuckles]
I still need to give you your present.
- Are you serious? You just threw me a party.
I don't need a present. - No. I mean, come on.
Like, a party isn't a present.
I mean, this isn't either really, actually,
but, uh, I can't believe I'm doing this.
- Don't propose.
- Um...
[chuckles]
I just wanted you to...
have a key to my place, but I guess if I had proposed,
I know what my answer would've been.
- Sorry, it was the--
the reaching into the pocket.
- Oh, so it's my fault that you screamed,
"Don't propose" at me?
I would never propose this early.
I mean, I've already learned that lesson,
but...
I mean, I do think about...
marrying you.
I mean, I do think about our--
our future together.
Should I not be?
- I--no, I-I think about our future too.
And, like--fuck, um...
I don't know.
Okay? Like, if you knew me,
you'd know this party isn't me.
- Wait. I'm-I'm sorry.
If I knew you?
- You know what? Um...
This isn't working for me.
Sorry.
- I don't know what the fuck is wrong with you.
[TV on the Radio's "Love Dog"]
♪ ♪
- You should go.
♪ ♪
- ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪
♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪
♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪
- ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪
♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Lonely little love dog ♪
♪ That no one knows the name of ♪
♪ I know why you cry out ♪
♪ Desperate and devout ♪
♪ Timid little teether ♪
♪ Your eyes set on the ether ♪
♪ Your moon in bella luna ♪
♪ And howling hallelujah ♪
♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh ♪
♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Nameless you above me ♪
♪ Come lay me low and love me ♪
♪ This lonely little love dog ♪
♪ That no one knows the name of ♪