KAT: Donnell.
You are my new favorite person.
Okay.
Uh, why?
You agreed to escort my niece to cotillion.
That took a huge weight off of our shoulders.
No, it's okay.
It gives me a chance to take my tux out of retirement.
No, Samantha's... She's pretty fun for a kid.
Uh...
She told me she was working for your new business.
She's like a... a brand rep or something?
-Oh. Our teen brand ambassador. -Right.
And she told me you were in town for the dedication ceremony
at the free clinic.
I think it's really beautiful
that your mom found a way to keep your dad's memory alive.
Mom did that, all right.
How'd it go?
Vinny, anyone asks,
this room's closed for a private event.
-No exceptions. -Sure thing, boss, will do.
Now we can have that conversation you wanted.
I didn't mean it had to happen right now,
although I'm happy that you're taking this so seriously.
Well, clearly, it's been weighing on you
ever since Deanna said...
What were her words, exactly?
That I'm pathetic.
I couldn't go six months without throwing myself
at a man I hardly even know.
Well, she's wrong, especially about the last part.
You know me better than anyone.
More than I'm comfortable with, to tell the truth.
That's what I want. The truth.
Even the details that you think don't matter.
Why, to pass some arbitrary test of Deanna's?
Deanna's comment made it more pressing,
but you're right, it's been something
that I've been wanting to talk about for a long while.
I only held off because I knew it was an issue for you.
But people who are in real relationships know
these kinds of things about each other
and it... it helps them understand each other better.
Are we having the relationship talk now?
Should I be taking notes?
For the next few minutes, I want this to be a no-snark zone.
-Agreed? -Agreed.
Me knowing more about you puts us on more equal footing.
For example, I have no doubt
that you thoroughly investigated my background
when you targeted my business.
You know it.
Turnabout is fair play.
Well, I can't argue with that.
But I will say that I'm not really a believer in fair play.
I play for keeps.
♪ ♪
Well, if it isn't the man of the hour.
I still can't get over how incredible
that ribbon-cutting ceremony was.
-Should have been there, Naomi. -I'm sorry.
I hate that I missed it, but I had a deposition this morning.
But, clearly, the clinic services are in high demand.
The line was wrapped around the block
when I got there later in the day.
The turnout shows that we were able to get the word out
-even better than we'd hoped. -Mm.
Not everybody was able to be seen by a doctor,
but we handled all the most urgent cases
and scheduled appointments for the rest.
Nice.
You know, when Leslie came to me
with the idea for the free clinic,
I had no idea it would turn into something so...
organized and efficient.
She was smart enough to recruit Eva,
who has been a huge help.
-And you. -Eh.
Heard Leslie gave a speech.
And I got to say, it wasn't half bad.
I mean, she really pulled from how tough it was
to try and afford medical care back when she was struggling.
Yeah, I'm sure it was.
So, hopefully, this means she's not gonna just
drop the clinic like an old toy
when something more exciting comes along.
Well, even if that happens, I'm sure you'll be able
to get another donor to replace her.
We could do that?
Well, yeah, if you can show them
the impact the clinic is having.
You know, that they'll get a real bang
for their charitable buck.
And, given your great start, it could be a real possibility.
Well, I'm in the mood to celebrate.
What do you say you, me and Jacob go out?
What-what time's his shift end?
We got to find a better location to do these pickups.
Relax.
Shanice and all the doctors you know
have already gone home from work,
and Ashley just left on her break.
In fact, I'm about to go meet up with her now.
You need to stop wasting that girl's time.
-[door closes] -Hello, Kat.
Wrong Richardson, Granddad.
Oh, well, this Richardson is just as welcome.
And a very pleasant surprise.
Gran didn't tell you I was stopping by?
I called her earlier to see if you two were up for visitors.
She told me to let myself in.
You'll have to forgive your grandmother, son.
I don't doubt she really wanted to see you, but, uh,
she's already asleep
and probably not long after you two spoke.
I'm glad she's getting some rest.
I know how hard that latest round of chemo was on her.
Yeah.
Oh, and if Kat is coming to visit, too,
I can text her and tell her it would be better
-for tomorrow. -No need.
I guess you hadn't heard.
Your sister is our new houseguest.
Maybe Deanna was right, and I should have given her
-a heads-up about my mom and Joey. -Uh, no.
The point of the ceremony was to honor your father,
and that's where the focus needed to be.
And besides, it is not your job
to run interference for your mother.
Also, I'm having a really hard time wrapping my head around
Vanessa being romantically involved with Joey Armstrong.
I mean, is there a chance
you and Deanna misread the situation?
I don't know, every time I turn around,
they're together, and I just can't help but feel like--
-There are feelings going on there? -Yeah, exactly.
You know, I was a little relieved
you didn't know about it all.
I was afraid the gossip would be all over town,
but I guess it's gonna be now,
since Deanna made such a scene at Uptown.
I never thought anything like this would happen.
Yeah, I can relate to that.
I mean, it's not on the same level,
but my parents have started dating other people
since their divorce, and my mom is really
hitting the dating scene hard.
She has, like, this whole new personality.
Nicole after dark.
-Wow -Right.
But I am trying really hard to support her
because my mom has been through it
and she deserves to be happy.
Yeah, same here.
I'm not gonna lie, though,
it is really hard to get used to.
Oh, very same here.
But I feel like even "Nicole after dark" isn't
seeing someone shady, though.
Well, if it helps, Joey does have his good points.
You know, I can never tell Deanna this, but...
I'm starting to kind of like the guy.
Well, I have a new bullet point.
Joey really helped my family when Chelsea went missing.
Deets, please.
Uh, I went to him for some information
on Chelsea's kidnapper, and he gave me some pushback,
but he came through in the end.
Wait, uh, Joey was involved with Chelsea's kidnapping?
Oh, no, no, no, no, no. Um...
The kidnapper had an account with Joey's escort service,
which meant he was able to give us access
-to her payment information. -Wait, uh, uh...
Sorry, Joey has an escort service?
Heart Attach. Get it?
Are you okay?
I'm gonna go grab more coffee.
All right.
Yeah, I'll... wait.
[phone dings]
CHELSEA: Chelsea fam, we have a surprise for you.
You guys went crazy over the ChelseaKat dream bag.
We seriously thought that the site was gonna crash.
We could not have anticipated the outpour of support,
and we can't thank you enough.
We had so many of you in our DMs asking about the next drop.
KAT: You asked, you begged...
CHELSEA: And you shall receive.
Mm! Oh, my gosh.
-Ready? -Yes.
The Anita Baby.
Inspired by our grandmother, Anita Williams Dupree.
This newest addition to the ChelseaKat line
will be available...
-today! -Today!
CHELSEA: In red, white and black.
KAT: So click the link in our bio, uh--
Who am I kidding?
You know what to do.
Love you guys.
JOEY: I've always felt it was unwise
to be too forthcoming about my past.
It's bad for business, among other things.
I had hoped that by now you'd trust
the last thing I want to do is hurt you.
-What do you want to know? -Tell me about your father.
We're not easing into this, are we?
Well, I don't know how long this window's going to stay open.
Point taken. All right.
The simplest way to sum up my father.
Old-school syndicate and proud of it.
-Where? -New York.
What was your relationship like?
I was his apprentice.
While other kids spent their summers playing stickball
in the streets and going to amusement parks,
I was riding shotgun with my father
while he went on his numbers route.
Or I was being schooled
in the fine art of cleansing cash.
Did you enjoy that?
Nobody asked. It didn't matter.
I went where I was taken and I did what I was told.
Until you didn't.
See? You do know me.
So, what happened when you mouthed off?
My, uh, my father
was of the iron fist school of parenting.
At least with his son.
He hit you?
Depended on his mood.
Sometimes, yeah.
Other times it just seemed like I ceased to exist in his eyes.
He would...
leave me at a stop with no way to get home.
-That son of a bitch. -No.
No, my grandmother was a fine woman.
You know, the few times--
and I mean very few times-- that I made him laugh,
that seemed like the highest praise I could ever receive.
That's how desperate I was for his approval.
How long did this abuse go on?
Until I was big enough to put a stop to it.
Permanently.
I won't send Ashley your regards
since you're supposed to be out of town.
Look, man, I meant what I said. Leave Ashley alone.
It's not gonna happen for you two anyway.
You don't know that.
Did she ever tell you why her last relationship ended?
Because she found out Derek was lying to her.
She broke up with him that same night,
and they were engaged.
So what makes you think she gonna put up with your BS?
Well, she'll never know about my side gig. Problem solved.
Ashley's a smart girl.
Sooner or later, she'll see right through you.
Just like your lawyer wife sees through you?
She could.
Which is why I'm staying away until my debt is paid,
and why you need to end this thing with Ashley.
If she finds out what's going on,
it puts all of us at risk.
Look, I'm being careful.
There are plenty of other pretty girls in the DMV.
Find someone else to mess with.
This conversation's over.
You know, I wish we could go out tonight,
but Jacob's out of town doing some specialized training.
Oh, is this that... that-that forensics program
he was telling me about a few weeks back?
You know, he didn't really get into the details with me.
I guess that's why I haven't heard from him in a minute.
Mm.
And here I was, thinking it was because you guys have been
spending all your time with Ash and her new guy.
I did see the two of them recently.
And yes, they are still going out,
if that's what you're really asking.
No, I already knew that.
She... she brought him by the clinic this morning
before the ribbon cutting.
She wants to sign up as a volunteer.
See, I think that's amazing
that Ashley is determined to support you and the clinic.
Yeah, me too.
-It was great seeing her. -Just not with Grayson.
Off the record.
What do you really think of the guy?
How can you be so calm when your company's making so many sales?
Oh, I am nowhere near calm.
Ever since our first purse hit the market,
it never gets old.
Um, I don't say this often, but enough about me.
I might have messed up mentioning Heart Attach.
I know Joey doesn't like to blast the fact that he owns it,
so maybe don't share that tidbit with your mom.
I feel like she already knows.
I was telling her a story the other day
about Heart Attach and...
Well, because some students on campus use it,
and she got all tense.
She said she heard about it from a garden party or something.
Well, that could be true.
A lot goes on behind those gates.
I don't know, her-her explanation felt
a lot more like an excuse to me.
Hmm.
I feel like she might know about Heart Attach through Joey,
which means she must have some idea that Joey owns it.
Is she in so deep with him that she's keeping his secrets?
Well, it could be as simple as she just
really wants you to like her new boyfriend.
It's so weird to picture her with someone
who's the complete opposite of my dad.
I mean, folks looked up to my father.
Well, until they found out what a complete mess he made
of his life right before he died.
Uh-uh.
People still respect your father.
He was a good man and a great doctor.
Those are the only parts of him I ever saw.
My mom and him-- they kept all the gambling
and all the bad stuff hidden away.
Now I feel like she's probably hiding more stuff from me,
like I'm a kid who can't handle the truth.
To be fair, it seems like
your sister's having a hard time dealing right now.
I'm not my sister, though.
And it's time my mother start to recognize that.
When you say you stopped your father permanently...
I didn't kill him.
I'm glad you showed that much restraint.
He doesn't sound like very pleasant company.
Oh, no. He could really turn on the charm
for some people.
Now, with his son, yeah, he was a total hard-ass.
With his wife, he was the boss
but had a gentler touch.
And with my sister?
I tell you, there was nothing too good
for Daddy's little sweetheart.
You never told me you have a sister.
There's a reason for that.
If you've accepted Ashley dating other people,
why the questions about Grayson?
I just want your take on the guy.
You've spent more time around him than I have.
I don't really know him well.
But he really seems to like Ashley,
and vice versa.
You notice anything odd about him?
No, but I get the feeling you have.
I know this is not gonna sound like some huge red flag,
but when Ash brought him by the clinic...
...he wandered off.
You mean he left?
More like went exploring.
Gave himself his own tour of the clinic,
and not just "pop his head inside the door"
kind of thing, either.
When Ash was ready to leave, we...
we had to go hunting for the guy.
Maybe he was just trying to be polite,
give you and Ashley some privacy.
Plus, there had to be other people checking the place out.
Yeah, reporters.
Volunteers familiarizing themselves with the layout.
People with a reason to be curious.
Okay, so what are you accusing him of?
You think he took something?
-No, I checked. -Seriously?
You counted all the cotton swabs?
Thanks.
No, look, I-I know it sounds like
I'm being jealous or paranoid or both.
And, trust me, I have tried to talk myself
out of this feeling I have about the guy.
What feeling?
Just keep an eye out on Ash, okay?
That's all I'm asking.
Of course.
That goes without saying.
Hey, there you are.
Yeah, sorry I'm late, uh...
the elevator got stuck.
Oh, well, remind me to tell you about the time
I got stuck in that elevator.
You bought me a cup of coffee.
I-I need to pay you back.
Just get it the next time.
That-That's what you said the last time.
Is it?
Look, I-I appreciate the gesture,
but I can afford a cup of coffee.
Don't make me sorry that I told you
about my financial situation.
You can get it the next time, I promise.
I always want you to be honest with me.
Of course.
So...
did you hear how the clinic opening went?
Oh, yeah, I was actually just reading about it.
It sounds like it was a huge success.
I'm just so happy for Derek,
and, quite frankly, a little bit relieved.
Sounds like you're worried that he was gonna screw things up.
No, not at all. I just...
I'm glad he has something positive to focus on.
I've been getting worried about him.
So, if I wasn't in the picture, do you think...
you and him would have worked things out?
Where is that coming from?
Was your sister older or younger?
Younger.
Heather was a cute kid.
Adept at getting what she wanted.
Well, I take it your father was completely smitten
and she knew it.
Yes and no.
I think she was a bit too much like him for his taste.
Headstrong. Ambitious.
She wanted Dad to put her talents to good use
for the family business.
He wouldn't hear of it.
Let me guess,
you would have gladly changed places with her.
In a heartbeat.
My mother wanted me to go to college
and study finance and game theory.
I can see that.
My father couldn't.
And my mother always deferred to him, so...
In the end, I wound up studying game theory in my own way.
What happened to Heather?
We lost touch.
You know what happened to my mother.
The plastic surgery. I'm...
I'm sorry you lost her, Joey.
She thought her beauty was
the only real power she had in the world.
She became a slave to it.
And that is about as much family history
as I can take for one night.
I hope that satisfies your curiosity.
I certainly feel like I know you better now.
And?
Your father's lucky I wasn't around back then.
I would have taken that sucker out for what he did to you.
I love you, Joey.
I'm never going to let you go.
MARTIN: Now, I can understand why Aunt Dani's guest house
might feel a little cramped,
what with Madison and Chelsea engaged,
and we certainly don't want Kat moving in with Tomas
for the wrong reasons.
But why Kat did just get her own place
or move back home with Mom?
I could have asked you those very same questions
when you chose to move in with us
when your marriage was on the rocks.
But Gran wasn't sick then.
I think that's part of your-your sister's reasoning.
She wants to be useful
while your grandmother's undergoing treatment.
Now, don't get me wrong, I love my baby sis,
but nurturing she is not.
But she's very good company, and I'm grateful for that.
Mm. Now...
Tell me about how the campaign is going.
I have a problem,
and I'm not sure this is the right time to bring it up.
Oh, please, I'm looking for something
to think about other than cancer.
It has to do with Joey Armstrong.
Has Armstrong approached you with some new demand?
I haven't heard from him since Smitty returned
a campaign donation and told him to back off.
Make no mistake, Joey wants you to win.
Otherwise, his leverage means nothing.
And information on me that he can use whenever he chooses.
Well, it's been true for a while, but it didn't stop you
from going forward with your campaign.
Not this campaign, but I'm thinking ahead.
Don't worry,
I'm not resurrecting my presidential ambitions.
But the party and the support of some hefty donors--
they approached me last week for a possible senate run.
Approached?
They were energized and encouraging.
And you are?
Worried.
They can't afford to lose this seat.
And on the face of it, I'm a shoo-in.
Declining would raise quite a few eyebrows.
And I have Joey Armstrong just waiting in the wings
to swoop in and demand favors.
-Donnell. -Evening, Joey.
I'm going to leave you and your mother to catch up.
Vinny'll see to it that you're not disturbed.
Thanks, you know, for everything.
Think nothing of it.
So, what happened with Deanna?
I-I follow her to Orphey Gene's and tried to talk to her,
but she was too angry to hear anything I had to say.
I hope that anger wasn't directed at you.
Some of it was, yeah.
Um, I mean, she was pretty pissed at me.
I didn't tell her about you and Joey.
I am so sorry you got caught in the middle of this, baby,
especially at a time when you two need each other so much.
She'll calm down.
Uh, eventually.
And then I'll try again.
Where is she now?
Should be back on campus by now.
I made sure she got on the train safely.
You are the best brother.
And son.
I-I just think to myself what Dad would want me to do.
It makes me feel like he's still here,
watching over us all.
Are you worried because I'm volunteering at Derek's clinic?
'Cause, you know, I'm only doing that
because they need the extra help.
I don't have a problem with that, believe me.
But when you...
said how much you still care about him,
it-it made me wonder.
Hey.
Stop wondering.
Derek and I-- we're just friends.
We tried to be something more for a long time,
and we couldn't make it work for...
...a lot of reasons.
You have nothing to be jealous of.
And, as for Derek, he knows better than
to not even discuss you with me now.
Well, what about your other friends?
I mean, they must have opinions about us.
Well, Naomi and Shanice are just glad that
that whole Derek drama is over.
What about Jacob?
Well, Jacob hardly knows you.
Yet, so...
I don't think he has an opinion one way or the other.
He's away training at that work thing, right?
Uh-huh.
But enough about me and my friends.
What about you? How are you?
You went to see your mom last night, right?
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. It's a good thing I did.
They, uh, are super understaffed
at the assisted facility.
They had given her her meal
but, uh, forgot to check on her afterwards,
-so she hadn't eaten. -Mm.
I had to feed her.
The tremors in her hands have gotten so bad
that she can't feed herself anymore.
So...
I'm so sorry that her symptoms are getting worse.
You know, maybe they just need to up
the dosage of her medication, or it could be her diet, too.
Too much protein can really reduce
the efficacy of Parkinson's meds.
Yeah. I mean, I'm trying to stay on top of it,
but I'm picking up an extra shift at the hospital tonight,
and I can't-- I can't even check in on her.
You're doing the best you can.
And I'm sure she appreciates it.
I appreciate you.
I hate that Deanna is so upset,
but I-I don't know what else I could have done.
Short of asking Joey to stay away
from the dedication ceremony altogether.
-Well-- -He offered to stay away
out of consideration for Deanna's feelings,
but, I mean, that would have just been so unfair to him
after all he has given to this clinic,
including cold, hard cash.
It-it was his idea to dedicate the clinic
to your father's memory in the first place.
Please don't keep saying that in front of Deanna.
She doesn't see it as some noble gesture on Joey's part.
In fact, she thinks he's being manipulative.
Well, did you tell her that that's just not true?
No. Because my focus wasn't on defending Joey
but on making sure Deanna could-could get
through this whole situation.
Of course.
Of course Deanna is the priority.
I just... I don't think
she would be taking this so hard
if-if she understood how kind and supportive Joey has been.
If-if you could just explain that to her.
All Deanna sees when she looks at Joey is someone who's trying
to take her father's place in her mother's life.
No one could ever do that.
The experiences that your father and I had...
Getting pregnant with twins,
your and Deanna's birth, raising the two of you...
Those are experiences that...
...will never come again and that could never be replaced.
I hear you.
But I'm not the one with the problem here.
While Deanna may hate any man you're with,
it definitely doesn't help that Joey owns the casino
where Dad practically drank himself into an early grave.
That is not true, and it is not--
Not Joey's fault.
I get that.
But put yourself in Deanna's shoes for one second.
She feels like she's trading in her father,
who she adored-- her hero-- for some sleazy crook.
I'm sorry, am I interrupting?
I hope you won't be insulted by what I'm about to say,
but that concern is somewhat naive.
How so?
Everyone who makes it into higher office
has people that he's beholden to.
It could be an army of small donors
or a small ring of billionaires.
More than likely, it's some combination of both.
The question you should be asking
is...
"who will I listen to?"
"Who will I fight for?"
My constituents, obviously.
Good.
If push came to shove,
would you be strong enough to resist
the political pressure of Armstrong?
I believe I've shown I can and I would.
I agree.
And I think Armstrong's smart enough to know that, too.
Wait, I-I know you're not telling me
I should trust that guy.
The one thing you can trust
is that Armstrong will always
protect his own self-interest.
And right now, that means protecting you.
What does Smitty have to say about all of this?
I wanted to get your opinion first.
If you were strongly opposed to the idea of a senate campaign,
it wouldn't have gone any further.
But don't worry, I will talk to my husband.
I've learned my lesson
where Smitty and secrets are concerned.
Well, there's no rush for the two of you
to make this decision.
First call, I'm guessing-- Scudder and Drayton?
Those were the two party leaders that approached me.
Yeah. Tell them right now you need to focus
on winning your current election.
Which is nothing but the truth.
I'm giving this race everything I have.
[door closes]
Oh, hi, brother.
Hey, sis.
Nice of you to pay us a visit.
I assume Granddad told you I'm living here now.
I just found out.
I wish I would have known sooner.
I would have brought you a housewarming gift, Kat brat.
Oh, well, the only gift I need is you clearing out
that hideous exercise equipment
from the wing where you were staying.
I have much better plans for that space.
Hopefully, sometime soon you'll have time
for more than just a coffee break.
But I totally understand.
You have a lot of demands on your time right now.
Well, soon, you will, too.
I mean, you're gonna be volunteering at the clinic
on top of your regular work schedule here.
We're just gonna have to figure out
how to spend time with each other
wherever and whenever we can.
I like the sound of that.
And I am very happy that you're willing to be flexible.
What else do you like about me?
Well, you are...
-smart. -Hmm.
And you're... funny.
Mm. And you're honest.
That is a super big green flag for me.
-Shall I go on? -No, no, no, no.
-That-that about covers it. -Okay.
I have to get back to Mrs. Klein.
You're on the wrong floor.
And late coming back from your break.
Is this thing with Ashley becoming a distraction?
[soft music playing]
Thank you.
[phone alert pops]
That was fast.
♪ Baby, it's you♪
♪ Baby, it's you.♪
I picked up some sweet treats
for you and Gran from Caffeine Fix.
Oh, thank you, sweetheart.
But with your grandmother's appetite these days--
I know. Which is why I got her
some of their hazelnut mousse.
It's delicious and it's easy on the stomach.
Apple turnover for you?
Aren't you thoughtful?
All right. Well, she's asleep right now,
but I'll put this in the fridge,
and we can enjoy our treats together tomorrow.
-Yay. -Mwah.
-Night, Grandad. -Good night. Good night, Martin.
Ah. I'm surprised you're not off headlining
some campaign fundraiser.
I'm allowed the occasional night off
to recharge and check in with family.
Well, you can rely on me to keep you updated with the Grands.
I will be right here making sure they have everything they need.
Oh, so you're in charge now?
Granddad and I are working on a plan
to get construction to stop across the street.
It's much too disruptive, and Gran needs her rest.
Aw, bless your heart.
I love that you're pitching in and doing your part.
I just hope you're not disappointed
when the rankings never change.
-Rankings? -No matter what you do,
you'll never dethrone the favorite grandchild.
We will see about that.
Donnell was just letting me know how Deanna is feeling.
She's-she's still pretty upset.
Well, of course she is. Grief can rip your heart out.
I think it's more than just grief, though.
Of course. She's dealing with the unfairness
of how her father died, and-and so young.
That's not what I meant.
We're all grieving. We're all mad as hell.
But Deanna's rage was on a whole different level, Mom.
I mean, it was white-hot, and she was so harsh
in a way I've never seen her act before.
I mean, to have made that scene in public like that?
You're right.
Deanna's passionate, but...
she normally hates drawing attention to herself.
Yeah.
That's why I think there might be
something else going on with her.
I would never let my personal life...
...affect my work performance.
I think we both know better than that.
Your personal obligations are the very reason
why you need this job so badly.
So, I suggest you focus
on keeping your employer happy.
Rather than your girlfriend.
I can do both.
No complaints so far, right?
Well...
if there were,
you'd already be dead.
Damn, Gina. I've been starving for weeks.
Well, maybe we should start with the appetizer then.
Stop crossing the line.
DANI: You two are not going to believe
who has been hijacking our wedding plans.
-Who? -Who?
I am a grown woman.
Why don't you give her some space?
And I will leave when I am good and ready.
Tell me what happened. Where is he?
Construction on your house has been shut down.
You better not mean it.
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