I'd like to tell Eva about our complicated friendship.
Once the name "Joey Armstrong" is rung,
you can't unring it.
I'm about to be really direct.
-Oh. -I want to give you the key
to everything.
I can only be pushed so far.
I have only begun to push.
I'm glad to see you, Bill.
BILL: You know, when I first saw you today--
I got to be honest--
it threw me.
Hit me hard.
I know I should have called first.
If you had, I probably wouldn't have answered.
Well...
that's exactly why I didn't.
So, what happens next?
Dollar Store Don Juan storms in,
squawking about boundaries,
trying to kick me out?
My husband is out of town.
Great. Means I can speak freely.
Not that freely.
Under my roof, you come correct when referring to him.
It's funny how selective your policies are,
because I don't remember the same maturity
when you stormed into my house calling Hayley every name
but a child of God.
At least I called her a child.
Regardless, my place, my rules.
Andre is the man of this house.
Respect that, or there's the door.
-Noted. -Great.
So, now that we've got the ground rules established,
what has got you so shook
that you needed to pop by unannounced?
I just needed to talk to someone who gets it.
Gets what?
I stopped by your parents' place earlier.
And I saw Anita.
Oh.
It's bad, isn't it?
Yeah.
It is.
The saddest...
[sniffles]
The saddest...
Damn it!
Anita?
Baby, are you all right?
I keep dropping it.
Oh, no harm done.
It didn't break.
Don't bother.
I thought reading some of my favorite poetry
would lift my spirits,
but I can't even hold the damn thing
for more than a few minutes.
Well, then, we'll hold it together like we always do.
-Mm. Here. -Uh, don't!
I'm sorry. I-I didn't--
No. No, it's not you.
It's... it's this damn neuropathy.
It used to just feel numb, but now it feels like
somebody lit a match under my skin.
Then tell me what I can do.
There has to be something.
There is.
You can put me out of my misery.
♪ ♪
Did she phone you?
No call, no text, not even a heart emoji.
My baby's gone radio silent on me.
Expensive vintage. You should save it.
Days like this, it's wasted on me.
I don't skimp when it comes to you.
You get the best I have to offer.
So, drink up, girlfriend.
This is really good.
And what are you whipping up in there?
Pastina.
From scratch.
You know, the healing power of pastina is legendary.
I'm afraid magic soup can't even fix this.
Deanna and I, we...
...we've never been farther apart.
Girl, you look like somebody's about to commission this
and hang it in a museum.
You think so?
Naomi went with me to the dress fitting
and I was worried it was gonna be too extra.
Well, isn't extra the point?
You are going to outshine every last one of those debutantes,
especially that Little Miss Rude Francesca.
Ugh...
You ever wear something like this?
I had Sunday dresses, sure,
but gowns? Nah.
While the social butterflies were dreaming about tiaras,
I was the moth, hiding out
with the Most Likely to Drop Out crew
behind the bleachers.
So you never had your Cinderella moment?
No, but I've got something better now.
I get to live it through you.
Mm. You and your brother
are going to light up that ball.
Homework while I make my rounds.
JUNE: All right, well, I'll give you
a moment to look over the menu.
In the meantime, what would you ladies
like to have for beverages?
-Rashad... -You can call me Jacob.
Nobody's around right now.
Mm, better safe than sorry.
Last thing I want to do is blow your cover
and then have to explain to the rest of the family
why you're never coming home again.
I wanted this, Smitty,
from the second you told me about the red market.
It's my shot to prove myself, to be more
-than just the chief's son. -Yeah,
and putting these monsters behind bars is important,
but at what cost?
Wait, you want to walk away?
No, I'm not getting cold feet.
I'm just...
I'm just in my head, okay?
Every day that you're out here, you're risking your life.
Max, too. And I'm the one
who guilted him to stay.
And then I'm keeping secrets from my family.
And Naomi's going through all the cancer stuff
while her husband's a ghost.
I'm sorry, man. I didn't...
I didn't mean to throw that at you.
I was with her a couple nights ago.
You were?
Yeah. I booked a room, man.
I just needed to feel normal for a minute.
Believe in her again. It...
it damn near broke me.
Yeah, I've been trying to check in on her.
Light touches, so she doesn't suspect anything.
I got her wrapped up in cotillion stuff,
so she has something else to focus on.
I appreciate you, man.
Yeah, well, we are in this together.
[phone buzzing]
Who is it?
I don't recognize the number.
Hello?
WOMAN: Mr. Smith?
This is Garland Memorial Hospital.
You're listed as the emergency contact for Max Rodriguez.
What happened? Is Max all right?
What's that look?
-What look? -"What look"?
A minute ago, you were enjoying the wine and the music.
Now you're stiff as a board.
I know this pattern.
The wine, the music,
the pretty little box.
-The tools of seduction. -Yeah.
Guilty as charged.
More like your breakup accessories.
This is what you do.
You make everything perfect,
wrap it in a bow, then...
and then drop the bomb and walk away feeling noble.
Is that how you see me?
Some kind of emotional hit man?
Trust me, if I wanted out,
I wouldn't bother with the good wine and the playlist.
I'd just... ghost you.
Or make you one.
Not funny.
Thought I'd match your ridiculousness
with some of my own.
Not so ridiculous. You are selfless.
That's a new one.
But true, when it comes to me.
If you thought my life would run smoother without you,
if you believed I'd be safer...
happier, that my life would be less complicated
without you in it,
you'd walk away in a heartbeat.
Like when I wanted us to go public.
And yet, here you are.
You came back.
I'll always come back.
The thought of you not being in my life
makes me feel like...
like I can't breathe.
That selfless man you think I am?
He died the day I fell for you.
Now I'm just selfish.
I just want to hang on to you.
No matter the cost.
Oh, looks like you're stuck with me.
"Advanced Placement Statistics"?
Yeah, if I get my college math credits out the way,
then I don't have to worry about them later.
Plus, AP looks good on applications,
along with cotillion and volunteer work.
Mm. What happened to just being smart?
They want the whole package now.
Be good at everything or...
you're nothing.
Look at me, Samantha.
Now, I love your ambition
and how hard you work,
but don't you let this world trick you
into thinking you have to bleed yourself dry
just to prove you fit in.
From the day you were born,
you were already worth something,
simply for being you.
Thank you.
Mm-hmm.
Mwah.
I-I couldn't believe it.
Anita Dupree, the iron queen.
You know, "fragile" is the last word
that I would ever use to describe her, but...
I mean, when I saw her, it just
looked like if I breathed too hard,
she would just shatter.
-Couldn't help but think of-- -Your mother.
Yeah.
You know, watching her waste away.
I mean, different circumstances, but the same damn helplessness.
I just hope Anita doesn't share the same fate, you know?
That she's...
still here years from now,
giving me hell.
-Amen to that. -Yeah.
I got to be real with you, you know.
My mother wasn't the only woman who came to mind.
-Bill... -Hey, look,
I can't help it, okay?
You don't just...
You don't just move through the world.
You move it.
You're fire in heels.
But when I saw Anita in that condition, I-I just...
All my thoughts went straight to you.
And that damn...
...that damn variant that you inherited, man, it's like a...
Ticking clock.
Y-You know what?
-I-I think I should go. -Hey.
Come here.
Maybe if Rowena heated up
-some of those grits from Orphey Gene's... -Sweetheart,
I-I can't.
The sores in my mouth,
it makes it feel like I'm swallowing glass.
Well, how about that medicine
that Monica McCormick recommended?
It's been a while since you took it.
Is it helping at all?
I can't keep it down.
Whether it's food or medicine.
Even when I force it down, it just comes right back up.
We'll call Monica and let her know.
No. No. So what?
She and Dr. Bauer can insist
I be admitted into the hospital?
-If it'll help. -No.
Damned if I do, damned if I don't.
-Oh, Anita, my love... -No,
darling, I'm done.
-You don't mean that. -Yes, I do.
I'm all out of strength, all out of courage,
all out of whatever it takes to fight this thing.
I don't want another round, another pill,
another IV drip or doctor's promises.
I just want peace.
And you will have it in due time,
if you just hold on.
Hold on to what?
One more dose of poison...
...to burn me up inside?
Choke down more medication
to hollow my insides out?
You know that's not what I--
I know. I know, sweetheart.
I know that's not what you mean. But I'm-I'm just...
I'm just so tired.
It's time to admit the truth.
I have loved you with everything I have.
I have raised our children.
And I have fought the good fight.
But this is a battle that I cannot win
and I am tired of trying.
How dare you?
How dare you even fix your face to say that to me?
I'm sorry, Dani.
That's... I shouldn't be here unloading all this on you.
Where else would you go?
Who else could understand?
Cancer has shifted the ground under our feet.
The invincible Duprees.
Brought down by a silent enemy none of us saw coming.
Mm...
I mean, I would shoulder
the entire burden myself, if I could.
Trust me.
If I could Dani Dupree my way out of this,
I would.
But my scorched-earth tactics are no good here, either.
-So what do you do? -Show up?
Make her laugh when her faith slips.
I, uh...
...hold her hand when the side effects are too much.
Sometimes that has to be enough.
But I heard you managed to give her some comfort,
in your own way.
-Daddy texted me. -Yeah.
Leslie Thomas's "shouse."
[both laugh]
Turns out that monstrosity was just one inch over the boundary.
Just enough to shut her whole circus down.
You sly dog.
Thank you. That was, uh...
Racket was driving my mother crazy.
I'll do whatever I can to help.
You'll remember that, won't you, Dani?
To reach out if you or anyone else needs me?
Promise.
Well, at least there's one bright spot
in all this darkness.
Our girls did not inherit that gene.
Thank God for that.
Max is in the hospital?
-Stabbed. -What?
-How? -I don't know. The nurse said
the doctor's still examining him.
Max listed me as his emergency contact,
and I'm the one that convinced him to stay in
when he wanted to get out.
This whole thing is on me.
-Smitty, breathe. -No, no, no.
Do not try to minimize this.
I might have just signed this guy's death warrant.
Or maybe it has nothing to do with the red market.
It could be anything. Jealous boyfriend,
random beef, bad luck.
Do you really believe that?
We can't believe anything until we know for sure.
Then I need to go to Garland.
I need to see him for myself.
All right, well, go as a friend,
not as a reporter sniffing around.
Keep it quiet, keep it clean.
And then afterwards, we'll regroup.
My main focus right now
is to make sure Max is all right.
And mine's making sure no one who's actually innocent
ends up in the same place.
What are you thinking now?
Isn't it obvious?
-No. -[chuckles]
Well, after I left your parents' place, I just...
you know, I just drove. Just drove around.
No destination.
No podcast, no music.
Just me flashing back
to the first time I ever laid eyes on you.
I know you remember the party.
-Like it was yesterday. -Mm-hmm.
You in that pinstripe suit at a football party.
Well, I-I had to work that day.
I didn't want to miss it.
But you were the only one who made such an impression on me.
Nobody else did that.
You know, shoulders back, attitude for days.
And all the noise just cut out,
and all I could hear was my own heartbeat.
-You are so dramatic. -Hey, I'm just
painting the picture, okay?
Every other woman in that room disappeared,
and you were a vision.
Yeah, I was a nobody.
I was just some young assistant D.A.
hustling to get a seat at the table.
And somehow I found the nerve
to walk over and say something to you.
And to my shock, you didn't brush me off.
Your suit didn't completely repel me.
Hmm.
I keep remembering you telling me
about all your fears.
You know, you told me how you were worried
that the cancer would change you.
It would change how Andre looked at you,
would change how anyone looked at you.
[sighs] You know, I said all the right things then,
but the truth is, I still didn't get it.
Not until I saw Anita.
And I saw what that disease could do
to such a strong woman.
And now I understand.
I understand, and I'm terrified
of what that illness might take away from you.
Here I am again,
weighing you down with all my baggage.
No, Bill.
When it comes to you and me...
...the truth never needs an apology.
I didn't mean to blow up like that.
I... I just can't listen to any more of this defeatist talk.
-Vernon, I... -No.
No, you think I don't see
what this is doing to you?
I'm living every ache, every wince,
every gasp of pain right alongside you.
But it's happening to me, Vernon.
To me.
Watching what's left of my hair slide down the drain.
Standing in front of the mirror,
looking for the woman who used to be there.
This treatment, as cruel as it is,
is a necessary evil.
It buys you time with your loved ones.
Time to watch you all tiptoe around me?
For our daughters to play nursemaid
when they should be living their lives?
For our grandchildren to look at me with pity?
I can't do it, Vernon.
I thought I was strong enough, but I was wrong.
We'll figure this out.
What's your pain level right now?
This is not the pain talking.
This is me.
We didn't raise our family to fear death.
I can't hear this.
Vernon, please try to understand. I...
I'm not choosing...
to surrender.
Then what are we talking about here? Hmm?
If you need more meds, I'll go get 'em.
If you need to be in the hospital
on a constant morphine drip,
I'll take you.
Just tell me what you need.
I need to know our family will survive.
Of course they will.
Not without you.
If this disease takes me,
you can't let it take you, too.
It won't.
But you...
you always say you can't imagine a world without me in it.
Thank God I'll never have to experience that situation.
It's because...
...one day the world may have to go on
without Anita Dupree.
But you will live inside of me forever.
That was...
well... heaven.
Pastina magic.
You're lighter now.
I'd love to take a bowl to Deanna.
While she's eating, I could tell her about us.
Why I've earned the right to my own happiness.
That I don't have to choose between
loving you and her and Donnell.
Make her see that...
I can have it all.
What would you say to Deanna right now?
I'd explain...
how Doug and I went from
teenagers to newlyweds
to the parents of twins.
One baby is a storm, but two is a hurricane.
[chuckles]
I was Mom 24-7,
and I loved it, but...
...somewhere in the shuffle of diapers and scraped knees...
...I lost myself.
And when they went to college?
My personal life floundered even more.
I did have my business to occupy my time.
Yes, but success can't hold you at night.
It doesn't ask you how your day was either.
I went home to an empty nest and...
...a husband who felt more like a roommate.
I was like, um...
I don't know, a jigsaw puzzle?
With missing pieces.
Fractured and incomplete.
And then?
[sniffles]
You came along.
Like...
...the final piece sliding into place.
Someone who asked my opinion and actually listened.
Someone...
who lit me up.
Made me feel like a woman again.
So, um...
Sometimes I wonder if...
...I'm really lucky to have found this or if it, um...
...this is...
a dream that you wake up from
right when it gets good.
♪ But you're right here with me♪
Let's find out.
♪ Baby.♪
Sorry my work call lasted so long.
Some of my clients think 24-7 access comes with my retainer.
It's cool.
While you were fighting the good fight,
I gave June a digital fashion show with my pictures
and I knocked out half my homework.
Wow, talk about being productive.
Mm-hmm.
Quick question for you, Naomi.
Mm-hmm. Shoot.
In your line of work, do you use
binomial or geometric distribution more?
Oh, my gosh, can we not?
I am wiped. Let's talk about literally anything else.
Like boys, perhaps?
Mm! Now we're talking.
-[laughing]: Okay. -No, we not.
My main man Rashad.
You seem scared.
What's got you spooked?
Early tomorrow, partnership breakfast,
-then a meeting with the mayor. -Mm-hmm.
The day after, you're meeting with Batman
about his issues with Commissioner Gordon.
Mm. Yeah. That should be fun.
I also squeezed you in with Wonder Woman
to discuss representing her in the divorce.
Okay. Whatever works.
All right, what's on your mind?
Since it's clearly not your calendar.
I'm paying attention.
That's why you just agreed to represent Batman?
Batman? I...
I thought you said Bartmans. It's just...
It's the Duprees.
The Duprees or one in particular?
Dani is a part of it, yeah.
Her whole family's in the fight for their lives right now.
Yeah, I saw Anita's interview.
Is that what's eating at you?
Yeah.
You know, I went by their place to let them know
that I stopped the construction on Leslie's house,
and I thought I was bringing them some peace
while Anita's going through her treatment.
-That's kind. -Yeah.
But...
Man, when I saw her...
I'm-I'm so used to her firing barbs at me,
but this time she could barely muster the aim.
Well, if she needs a stand-in, I've got a few zingers ready.
Years of material.
I solve problems, Caroline.
You know? That's what I do.
You know, I bend the world until it breaks my way.
But this?
I can't negotiate with cancer.
I can't intimidate it. I can't charm it.
If I can't fix this,
and if she can't fight it...
Enough about the future.
Let's make each moment the best that it can be.
Hmm?
Why don't we do something
that we rarely experienced before?
No energy for that, my love.
I'm talking about you telling me
what you feel will make this moment better.
Can I help you upstairs?
I'm looking for a clue, my love.
Oh, here is fine.
The less I move, the bet... [sighs]
I was going to say "the better,"
but there is no better, it's just less bad.
Then how about some of that
prescription lotion for your hands, hmm?
[phone buzzing]
Dani.
Hey, Daddy.
I'm just calling to check in.
I didn't want to call Mom's cell in case she was resting.
Yeah, she's, uh...
She's having a rough day, but we're managing.
I'm optimistic things will get better.
You know, you don't always have to be
the pillar holding everyone else up.
You can lean sometimes.
You want me to stop by?
No need. No need.
We've got Kat and Rowena.
We have more than enough hands.
Okay.
That's great. Um, then just...
tell Mom I called and that I love her.
I'll pass it along.
[monitor beeping steadily]
[door opens]
Max...
[groaning]
Easy.
I-It's just me.
I thought Ren sent someone to finish the job.
Ren did this?
Nah.
He's too slick to get his hands dirty
on a low-level like me.
But the guy he sent made sure I knew exactly who it was from.
Why would Ren need to send you a message?
I tried to get out.
Nah, I'm straight.
I just heard about Max.
And how'd you do that?
DeShawn hit me up.
Said there might be some extra shifts
since Max was out of commission.
What else he run his mouth about?
That's it.
I'm-a have a talk with that motormouth.
At least he knows when to shut up.
Max got himself into a little situation.
Why you ain't call me?
I could have motivated him, same way I did the other fool.
Nah, this was more of an exit interview.
And I got specific people for that.
Max wanted out?
Can you believe that?
After all the food I put on his table.
He give you a reason?
Maybe he's found religion.
Maybe he's gone soft.
The why doesn't matter.
Ain't nobody leaving this business.
Only way out is in a body bag.
So he's dead.
Not yet.
I drove by the clinic earlier.
I hate that I missed the grand opening,
but I saw the line was around the block.
It was incredible, Naomi.
Even Leslie's speech had me low-key tearing up.
And that is saying something.
The clinic's been buzzing all week.
Folks been calling it a blessing.
And seeing how serious you are about it, I...
I don't know, I just want to do more
than just clap from the sidelines.
You want to volunteer?
I think I'd be good at outreach,
talking to folks, making 'em feel seen.
I could be proof that there is light on the other side.
And they would be lucky to have you.
Mm. If I could help just even one person,
it would be worth it.
That's what you and Jacob did for me.
We should volunteer together.
Change the world while spending quality time.
I would like that...
a lot.
[laughs]
♪ Give me that sweet♪
♪ Summer love♪
♪ Give me that sweet summer love♪
♪ Give me that sweet...♪
Dishes done, and I didn't even break
your favorite wine glass.
Your favorite. I've never claimed ownership
over any glassware in this place.
Everything in here becomes your favorite
as soon as you touch it.
That's how it works.
♪ Summer love♪
♪ Give me that sweet♪
-♪ Sweet♪ -♪ Summer love...♪
Oh, Joey, this-this is too much.
I told you, I don't skimp when it comes to you.
Give me your wrist.
♪ Summer is back again♪
♪ Take your coat off, let it warm your skin...♪
It's perfect.
-Yeah. -Fits perfectly.
As I knew it would.
Vanessa, when my wife cheated...
...I swore I'd never open my heart again.
Never put it on the line.
I shut down.
I built...
impenetrable walls.
And then you blew into my life like a tornado.
[laughs]
You never have to worry that I'll walk away.
-♪ Give me that sweet♪ -♪ Sweet, sweet♪
♪ Summer love♪
♪ Give me that sweet.♪
You can't fix every problem
or heal the world's suffering.
I mean...
I mean, I have done the impossible
once or twice in the courtroom.
Ah, and you did it with such confidence and swagger,
which seems to be missing today.
Yeah, well...
this thing has me facing my limits,
and I must admit, I am not a fan.
[sighs]
And you're also a lot of other things.
Gentle, bullish, bombastic.
And you're also human.
So maybe cut yourself some slack.
No one's expecting you to perform miracles.
Now, this isn't an instant cure, but...
...maybe it'll ease the pain for a little bit. Hmm?
Ah!
Uh-uh. Uh-uh.
-That painful? -Mm-hmm.
Let me take you to the hospital.
No. No hospital.
It might avail you of the care you need.
Oh, just the thought of them taking even more tests.
That will be able to heal you.
I feel like a guinea pig.
At least here I'm not some kind of human pincushion.
So you think hiding out is gonna make it better?
You're hiding out from less pain.
You're hiding out from a, a miracle cure
that could zap all of this away.
[sighs] You won't know until you can ask.
And, Anita, if you die because I let you talk me
into keeping you home, it'll destroy me.
-That's not fair. -None of this is.
[huffs]
I hate watching you hurt
and knowing I can't fix it.
But that shouldn't be on you.
And you are the only one who can choose to stay.
Please tell me you'll try.
-JACOB: How's Max? -Stabbed in the abdomen.
It could be worse.
The blade missed his organs by millimeters.
-Damn. -Yeah.
And Ren ordered the hit.
I know.
The bastard practically bragged about
making an example out of him.
He said the only way out was in a body bag.
So what do we do?
-Stay the course. -Are you serious?
-Smitty, listen. -No, you listen.
We said if this got out of hand,
if this got dangerous, we would pull the plug.
Well, Jacob, it's dangerous.
Yeah. That's why I want you out.
You think I'd bail on you?
The only way I go is if you go, too.
I'm so close.
I need time to map out who the real players are.
The job isn't done.
Well, how many more Maxes are you willing to sacrifice?
The longer this goes, the more people get hurt.
And if we move too soon, the heavy hitters slip away
and rebuild somewhere else.
The number of victims goes even higher.
And the people they've already hurt, like Max?
Collateral damage.
Listen.
We take more precautions to protect Max.
But I can't stop now, not when we're this close.
But I understand we're coming at this from different angles.
So you should pull out.
I already told you no.
[sighs]
Be careful.
These people will not hesitate
to kill anyone who gets in their way.
If they find out we're trying to cross them...
They won't.
VERNON: "The saddest day
"will have an eve.
The darkest night, a morn..."
Oh, wow.
Oh, you can sit wherever you like.
Thank you.
VERNON: "Think not, when clouds are thick and dark,
thy way is too forlorn."
JUNE: Oh... Okay, okay.
VERNON: "For ev'ry cloud that e'er did rise..."
[sniffles]
"...to shade thy life's bright way..."
"...and every restless night of pain
"and every weary day,
"will bring thee gifts thou'lt value more
"because they cost so dear.
"The soul that faints not in the storm
emerges bright and clear."
Captioning sponsored by CBS
Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org