Too pretty. And why does he look like he moisturizes
-more than me? -Never trust a man
with a 12-step skin care routine.
[both laugh]
Hard pass. This jawline makes him
look like he hosts a crypto podcast.
[chuckles]
-Ooh. -Oh.
Now, handsome.
Obscenely tall.
Bad boy vibes.
Doesn't he remind you of somebody?
Oh, now that you mention it, he does.
[gasps] I know.
Izaiah Hawthorne.
Now, he would be a get.
-Of course you would go there. -Wait.
Who were you thinking of?
Uh...
Dani?
What did you do?
Was it something despicable?
No.
Someone despicable.
So, babe, I was thinking Thai.
Unless you're not in the mood for spice,
in which case I can order
from that Mediterranean place you like.
Hayley.
Yes?
You can stop.
-But, Bill, I just want... -No, no, sweetheart.
I'm fine. All right?
If I weren't, I wouldn't be back here at work
trying to untangle this mess left behind
by my so-called staff when I wasn't here.
Now, I love you, but I really don't need you doing
temperature checks every five minutes.
Okay, well, it's for good reason.
I mean, you don't get any points
for pretending it never happened.
I'm not pretending.
I'm focusing on what I can control, which is work.
And in order for me to do that,
I need a few hours without interruption.
All right? I mean, God, between you and the girls,
shoot, maybe dying might be the only way
I get any peace and quiet.
Dying? Look, don't even joke about that with me, Bill.
[indistinct chatter in background]
Mom, Joey.
I know this probably seems random,
me asking you to meet me here.
But I needed...
No.
Mom deserves to know the truth
about what happened to Daddy.
And who you've been sleeping next to every night.
You see, Mom,
Dad didn't just die in some tragic accident.
He was murdered.
And Joey's the one who did it.
♪ ♪
You're right, I can't come in too hot yet.
We're playing the long game.
Mom has to believe I've made peace,
that I'm ready to play happy family.
Then, when Joey gets comfortable,
I go in for the kill.
Are you sure she's okay with us?
With me?
She wants this dinner to be a fresh start.
You'll see. She's finally ready to give you a chance.
Or she's playing the long game.
But we'll find out tonight.
I guess we will.
[soul music playing]
I killed a man.
And I snuffed his life like it was nothing.
And the other...
...what I did to his face...
[scoffs]
...I see it in my nightmares.
It was awful.
And...
...that's why I couldn't tell you.
[sniffles]
[sighs]
You didn't trust me
to love all of you,
even the parts you were ashamed of.
What I'm saying is, I...
can't trust you now.
KAT: Worst-case scenario,
she's quitting her job to start a goat farm.
You think my social justice warrior sister who cried
when she stepped on a snail in third grade
wants to slaughter goats?
Well, she doesn't have to slaughter them.
It could be an ethical goat farm
where she uses their milk to make artisanal cheeses
and organic skin care products.
You know, I'd actually support that.
Goat cheese is fire.
-Exactly. -Mm.
I thought if I escaped to get myself a drink,
you guys would be done talking about this.
I'm sure Naomi didn't call this last-minute meeting
to talk about goats.
Either way, we're about to find out.
NAOMI: Hi, family.
-[chuckles] Hi, cuz. -[chuckles] Hi.
Hi, Martin. Mwah.
Thank you, guys, for coming on such short notice.
Of course, cuz.
What's going on?
Well, I'm not gonna dance around it.
Um...
I've tested positive for the BRCA gene.
I lied to everyone about my results.
Naomi, why would you do that?
And, most importantly, why are you telling us now?
Have you been diagnosed with cancer?
No. No, thankfully. I've been screened.
And for now I'm okay.
CHELSEA: Maybe your body is,
but your mind certainly isn't.
KAT: Hey, let's hear her out
before we pass judgment.
You can't be okay with this.
-And you either, Martin. -I didn't say I was.
But I trust Naomi.
And I know that keeping secrets isn't always black-and-white.
After the liver stuff
and everyone giving their unsolicited opinions
about my body,
I get wanting to keep it quiet.
Gran was fighting breast cancer,
Mom had just found out that she was positive for the variant,
and Jacob went undercover.
And I, I didn't want to distract him
when he was already carrying so much.
Hold up.
You didn't even tell your husband?
Given the situation,
I was worried it'd be too much for him.
Along with what I'm considering doing next.
What do you mean?
Yeah. What are you considering?
You did someone despicable?
Despicable and tall, I'm assuming.
Yeah, it was Bill.
Oh.
This is messy.
And premium content.
Spill the tea.
Every last... drop.
[chuckles]
The night of the tornado,
we were stuck in the elevator.
I thought everyone I loved was dead.
Hell, I thought I was gonna die.
I was spiraling.
I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe.
And, Pamela...
Bill grounded me.
He talked me down.
And turned you on
-while at it? -Yeah.
No. Honestly...
...it's all a haze.
Look, I know Bill is a charismatic mountain of a man.
Six-foot-something of stubbornness
and questionable decision-making.
But...
for you to climb that mountain while the world was
crumbling around you,
ooh, damn, Dani.
More like "damned."
Have you said anything to Andre?
No. And the guilt is eating me alive.
I love my husband.
The last thing I want to do is hurt him.
ANDRE: There he is.
The man, the myth.
Earth to Smitty.
-[sniffles] -[chuckles]
Oh. Andre. Sorry.
Uh...
Damn, I...
I must have drifted.
That was a deep drift.
Deeper than that line drive you hit on hole eight
when it was supposed to be hole seven. [chuckles]
Okay. In any other instance, you would have just clapped back.
So I'm gonna ask you if...
Please.
[sighs]
In-law to in-law, what's up, man?
I'm just thinking about Martin.
Is he all right?
Yeah, yeah. It's nothing to get worked up about.
He's fine.
Now.
But a year ago he wasn't,
and...
I wasn't sure we were gonna make it.
HAYLEY: Fine.
You win.
-I usually do. -Mm.
Who was that?
The country club.
Since you want me out of the way so badly,
I booked myself a last-minute spa appointment.
-You are good with that, right? -Yeah.
If that means we both get
a little uninterrupted personal time, I insist on it.
So go. Have your spa night.
Okay, well, listen, don't get it twisted.
I will have my phone on me,
so you call me if you need anything at all.
You know what, even if you don't, I am going to text you
to make sure nothing has changed.
That part, Bill Hamilton, is nonnegotiable.
Yes, ma'am.
Mm.
-Okay. -You're so good to me.
-[chuckles softly] -And thank you for,
you know, just letting me handle this my way
and not turning it into a whole situation.
-Of course. -I appreciate you.
Good to see you back, Bill,
especially after Naomi swooped in
and started issuing orders like she runs the place.
Okay, well, that sounds like my cue.
I will see you both later.
Okay.
Tell me something, Tomas.
Do you have a problem with taking orders from my daughter?
It's not that I have a problem taking orders
-from your daughter. -No?
Then what is it?
I just assumed I'd be handling things.
-Like last time. -Mm-hmm.
Like when I was in the hospital dealing with my stroke?
Or when Chelsea was kidnapped?
I stepped up.
Both times.
And I did a damn good job.
Yeah, I know.
Which is why I rewarded you with a promotion, Tomas.
You know...
there's still one lesson that you have yet to learn.
When the prosecution throws you a curveball,
you don't run to the judge and whine about fairness.
You pivot
and you stay in the damn game.
I don't have a problem working with Naomi.
I have a problem working forher.
I put in the sweat equity,
earned the trust of the partners and the staff,
went head-to-head with Pauline for that junior partner slot
and won.
But I can't compete with nepotism.
Thanks for coming to dinner.
Wouldn't miss it.
Where's Donnell?
-Running late? -Oh, he's busy.
On campus doing a community service project
with his fraternity.
He wants to video chat with us later, though.
I hate missing him, but...
I love that he's taking his responsibilities seriously.
JOEY: Speaking of serious...
...how is it working with your mother?
I know she can be a bit headstrong
-when it comes to work. -Mm.
Like mother, like daughter.
No, I had no doubt.
Deanna's usually the first one in the office.
I like to be punctual and prepared.
I even took the liberty of preordering our drinks.
JOEY: Did you?
You know my preferences?
You'd be surprised what I know.
Well, now that makes me very curious
about what you have in mind for us tonight.
I really thought I was past him.
I felt past him.
Please, the day that you are over Bill Hamilton
is the day they lower you into the ground.
And even then, you'd probably claw your way out of the casket
just to see if that man was standing there
pretending to mourn.
But I love Andre.
He's thoughtful and he listens
and he's faithful.
And he's everything Bill isn't.
So why isn't that enough?
Why does Bill have this grip on me?
Because you were married to him for more than half your life.
You have kids together and memories and...
Oh, you can finish each other's sentences.
You can read each other's moods without a word.
That kind of connection doesn't just evaporate.
As true as all that may be,
it doesn't justify what I've done.
You thought you were going to die.
Okay? It's natural you reached out to him.
But that isn't romance, Dani.
That's instinct.
It's a mistake.
A horrible one.
-[sighs] -And that bastard
won't let me forget it.
He-he keeps dangling it
every chance he gets just to get under my skin.
That's whose arms I ran to?
A man who is incapable of change?
Who-who lies?
Who cheats and always will?
Pamela, what does that say about me?
[chuckles] I did not mean to be so melodramatic.
I was just thinking back to when Martin and I
-were having some trust issues. -Mm.
It happens to a lot of couples, man.
-You and Dani? -Nah. [chuckles]
Not yet.
-Knock on wood. -[knocks]
When we got back from Vegas, we laid down some ground rules.
So, so far, they've held up for us.
Yeah.
Martin and I started off strong, too.
Trust was never an issue for us
'cause we told each other everything.
But, I don't know,
the daily grind kind of takes over.
-You start talking less. -Mm.
Martin and I are solid now.
Honestly, I've...
never been more in love with my husband.
Speaking of which, I might have to bounce soon
if I'm gonna be on time to meet him.
-You're gonna see Martin today? -Yeah.
Oh, what about?
I'm not sure.
I got his message to meet
once I already put in my order for here.
I guess we'll find out soon enough.
Nice. Well, give him my love.
[chuckles] No doubt.
-All right. -See you.
Yeah.
[soul music playing]
I've been doing a lot of thinking
and a lot of research.
I'm strongly leaning toward a double mastectomy.
Like years from now, right?
Well, I haven't decided when, but,
no, maybe not years.
This is because of Gran?
Watching Gran go through chemo and...
almost losing her to that infection.
If I can keep my family from reliving that trauma,
I'm taking it.
A double mastectomy addresses breast cancer,
but BRCA doesn't stop there.
Right. It also increases the risk of other cancers
like ovarian and uterine cancer.
So are we talking a hysterectomy?
-Because that's a lot. -Right now
I am focusing on one thing at a time.
And what does Jacob think?
I told him yesterday.
And he's been incredible.
He actually came with me to my doctor's appointment,
and I think he had more questions than me.
[both chuckle]
Well, I'm glad he's being supportive.
-Me, too. -Ooh.
I hate to do this, but I have to bounce.
I have a last-minute meeting.
-Mm. -Whatever you decide, Naomi,
you have my full support.
Thank you, Martin.
-See you. -Love you.
Love you, too.
Whew, okay.
Well, enough doom and gloom.
What's new with you two?
Well, if we need a palate cleanser,
-I need to show you my new... -CHELSEA: Hold up.
I'm sorry, Kat.
We're not just pivoting like this is some cute little brunch.
I still have questions.
I'm trying really, really hard not to make this about me,
but this really stinks.
I know it does.
You had something that serious in your body,
and you didn't think we should know about it?
I needed space, Chelsea.
If I had told everyone,
they would have been all up in my business.
-And I moved out of Fairmount Crest for a reason. -[scoffs]
I love our family.
Deeply.
But, come on, you know that we can be a lot.
Mm. Understatement of the century.
I needed time.
To sit with this and come up with a plan on my own.
Not some panic response shaped by everyone else's anxieties.
So you iced me out.
Out of everyone.
I would have shown up for you.
I know.
You always do.
But I needed to carry this my way.
Same way you came out on your own terms
and I respected that.
I was hoping you'd respect this, too.
I hate arguing with you.
It's pointless anyway.
KAT: Facts.
All right.
I'll chill out.
I'm just glad I know now
so I can be there for you.
Yeah.
Come here.
[sighs] Thank you, sister.
-I love you. -I love you.
Love you, Kat.
I love you, too.
Okay, okay, okay. Now we can officially stop talking
about my health.
Kat, you were gonna say something before.
Oh, I just...
got a new condo.
-You what? [gasps] -[chuckles]
Yeah. And I have a roommate.
Uh, well, a part-time one.
Andre, I appreciate you making the time.
Oh, yeah. When a sitting congressman texts,
you show up. [chuckles]
I just ran into Smitty, actually, at Orphey Gene's.
That man has mad love for you.
It goes both ways.
As well as you, my cousin,
who I have a deep appreciation for.
All right. All right.
Sounds like I'm being buttered up for something.
-[chuckles] -Mm-hmm.
Shonda and I have been reviewing the family photos
-you took before the fundraiser. -Okay.
We've been thinking about the general election,
-and November's coming fast. -Mm.
So we want to shift the image a bit.
Ah. How so?
A little less "career politician"
and more "the neighbor you can trust."
Mm. A man of the people.
Exactly. And we need someone
with your eye and instincts, cuz.
-Martin, I... [sighs] -I know your work schedule
is on an international scale,
but I would be an idiot if I didn't ask.
Will you be my official campaign photographer?
Yes. Definitely, Cyn.
I am on track to meet my deadline.
Well, this-this time I want to widen the lens a little bit.
Yeah, specifically with Lia Whitmore.
Well, a former chief of staff doesn't just...
fall from the sky dirty.
Or we can also play the embezzlement angle.
Yeah.
Well, there is one more person.
Uh, Lynette Wise.
She might be a factor, but...
I need more corroboration before I know how much
of a...
You know, let me call you back, Cyn.
I-I might have just stumbled upon something.
Okay. Yeah.
Hey, uh, Hayley.
-Hey. -Hey.
Do you mind joining me for a minute?
Sure. [chuckles]
Please.
So, I'm doing a series on the Red Market ring,
specifically the people behind it.
-Mm-hmm. -And one name just keeps popping up.
Lia Whitmore.
Sorry, I-I won't be much help.
I only met the woman once at a charity function.
Mm-hmm. But her orbit overlaps
with somebody that you knew a little bit better.
Lynette Wise.
Listen, I've been worried sick
since Lynette disappeared.
But maybe your article can bring Lia to justice
if she's involved in any kind of way.
Yeah.
Okay.
Well, uh...
if you think of anything else,
please let me know.
Of course.
-All right. See you. -See you.
[R & B playing]
Solid pick, Deanna.
She knows her wine.
Deanna spent a semester abroad in Tuscany.
I chose this bottle because it was one of your favorites
when you and Dad came to visit.
Joey's been there, too.
He told me all about his adventures.
Y-You two probably hit some of the same spots.
JOEY: Well, I tried to immerse myself.
Local markets,
late suppers.
You strike me as more of a museum and postcard type.
You know, touristy things.
I actually prefer the local stuff as well.
The hill towns near Pienza.
Cafés in Montefollonico.
It's okay if you don't know them.
Don't be embarrassed.
What is everybody ordering?
Baby, the lamb here's incredible.
JOEY: Here's a random thing.
You showed me a, uh...
a Tuscany magnet
when we were going through Doug's things in my condo.
You must have given that to him after your trip?
VANESSA: We're ready to order now.
I'm sure going through Dad's stuff couldn't have been easy.
I'm glad you had someone there with you, Mom.
Thank you for saying that.
It was a lot.
Find anything interesting?
[Joey inhales sharply]
Nothing comes to mind.
Just the usual.
Old papers. [chuckles softly]
A stress ball.
Cardiology textbooks.
Why your dad kept half of that stuff,
I'll never know.
I've seen your cooking videos.
You've got some major skills.
Oh, he's amazing.
The meals Joey's made me are unreal.
I still dream about his ropa vieja.
And the scones.
You've got to try the scones, Deanna.
Well, I'll give you some some morning
to take to work.
To share.
Can't wait to try them.
You don't love a person for that many years and then just stop.
Honestly, I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner.
Wow, thank you for believing in me.
I do believe in you.
That is why I'm not pretending that this came out of the blue.
There have been too many near misses.
Honestly. I mean,
it was bound to happen sooner or later.
Well, it's nice that you're cutting me some slack
because the universe certainly isn't.
I am convinced that because of all my mistakes
Naomi is the one who's paying the price.
If a man temporarily moves into your condo,
is that really moving in?
As opposed to a toothbrush situation.
Girl, if his socks are in your drawer,
that man lives there.
-[chuckles] -Okay.
What the...?
Glad to see I'm not the only one clocking
how hands-off she's being.
What do you mean "hands-off"?
Dad checked himself out of the hospital against medical advice
even after Madison and I begged him to stay.
You're telling me Hayley wasn't there when Dad left?
No. Just me,
Madison, and Dad being Dad.
It's wild the difference a wife makes.
Your mom would have been posted up in that hospital room
-like it was her second home. -Mm-hmm.
Meanwhile, Hayley's out here doing cocktail hour.
Unbelievable.
Ah.
Look at this table of familiar faces.
Okay, then. Guess we're not doing pleasantries tonight.
Why are you here
and not with your husband?
When I told you I was thinking about leaving the firm,
you basically said I was essential.
Yeah. You are.
That wasn't me blowing smoke.
But now Naomi's back in the mix.
And that's what? Now what?
You feel like the sky is falling? Come on.
I'm just wondering where I stand.
I even considered postponing my trip home,
since I wasn't sure I'd have a job when I got back.
[scoffs]
Relax, Tomas.
All right?
Go to Puerto Rico. Have yourself a good time.
Enjoy yourself. You've earned it.
And your office will be right where you left it.
I appreciate that.
I could really use the break.
I've had a lot on my mind.
Oh, yeah, like what?
Proposing to my niece?
Been there, done that.
Oh.
And?
She said no.
Um, hey, I appreciate the offer.
Being the official photographer for your campaign
would be a highlight, no doubt.
But I hear a "but."
Uh, I have to check my schedule. [chuckles]
I already have a shoot in Korea that's in the books.
-I figured. -Yeah.
Your calendar's probably as ruthless as mine.
Yeah. But that being said,
I believe in your message.
I think you're one of the most honest people in politics.
That's high praise.
I'm serious.
I see the way people react to you.
At the fundraiser, at the town halls.
Even your husband said how well you handle pressure.
He did?
Yeah, I-I probably shouldn't have said that, but, um...
But you did.
So finish your thought.
He just said that you guys had a few...
...rough patches.
A year ago.
Mm-hmm.
Issues. Big ones.
Smitty didn't go into any specifics.
And I won't either.
But I will say this because you're family.
When it's good,
when you're in this honeymoon phase
and everything feels easy...
Yeah.
...and you start believing that...
-...bliss is permanent... -Mm.
...that love will carry you through anything.
Mm.
It's like it's some autopilot.
But it doesn't?
Nope.
That's when the real work starts.
[sighs]
I'm hearing you.
I don't want you to think I'm taking anything for granted.
Good. Because love will hold the ladder.
But you, my friend,
you have to climb it yourself.
[chuckles softly]
You know, I feel very lucky to be a part of this family.
For a long time, I-I didn't feel safe.
You know, after my parents died, I ran.
-To Europe, mostly, right? -Yeah.
To London, Berlin,
Lagos. [chuckles]
I remember you sending us those postcards.
Yeah. But what the postcards didn't show you
was how lost I was.
I kept everybody and everything at arm's length.
I figured distance was the only way
to not lose the ones I cared about.
But then I came home.
And, uh, I started seeing Dani.
And now you don't just have a wife.
You have roots.
Yeah.
And I don't want to do anything to mess that up.
Oh. Poor Naomi.
That's it?
[stammers] What were you expecting?
Sympathy.
Outrage.
Of course you have my sympathy.
I am so, so sorry that your family's
having to go through another cancer scare.
That is tragic and unfair.
But I'm not going to indulge this theory of yours
that the universe is doling out karma
because you had a weak moment.
You don't think it's all connected?
If every bad decision came with instant consequences,
the world would have collapsed by lunchtime.
[chuckles softly] This isn't about accountability, Dani.
This is about you finding another way to punish yourself.
So what am I supposed to do?
Just pretend it never happened?
Sweetheart, you know that that is useless.
The harder you try not to think about something,
the louder the voices get.
So don't censor it.
Contextualize it.
What does that mean? [sniffles]
It means that you need to think about the big picture,
the whole story.
Not just the sex but...
the bad times, too.
Remember what it felt like
when Bill sent you flowers and jewelry
and you knew exactly what it was that he was apologizing for?
The humiliation, the gaslighting.
-[sniffles] -Yes, the arguments
that you walked away from feeling crazy
just for asking reasonable questions.
The nights that you felt lonely in your own marriage.
And then remember, my dear,
that you are not in that prison anymore.
You are with a man who sees you,
who listens,
and who doesn't try to make you question your own reality
just to protect his ego.
So I'm supposed to just relive all these worst parts
in order to justify hurting the good guy?
No.
You are supposed to remember the truth
and stop romanticizing this man
who never earned the pedestal that you put him on.
You survived that chapter.
You closed that book.
Do not reopen it just because the cover is pretty.
[sniffles]
You're exactly who I needed today.
[chuckles softly]
My darling friend...
I'm exactly who you need every day.
[both laughing]
Come, come.
-[chuckling]: Oh. -[sniffles]
Thank you both. I'm glad we did this.
I love you, sweetie.
I love you, too, Mom.
Thank you for covering dinner.
And for the dessert.
It's my pleasure.
I'll see you at home for Donnell's call?
Wouldn't miss it.
Well, look, at least Kat didn't slam the door in your face
when you proposed.
She's just not ready right now.
When I get back, we're talking about me moving in.
Considering it a trial run.
Okay. Well, if Kat didn't see a future with you,
she would have never given you a key.
That's what I keep telling myself.
You know, the reason I wanted to propose
-was your stance on family. -Mm.
It's always been on my mind.
Now, wait. Hold on now.
Don't misinterpret what I've been saying.
I won't tolerate you using Kat as a rung on your career ladder.
I would never. That...
Let me rephrase that.
I love Kat deeper than I've ever loved anyone.
That tornado made that crystal clear for me.
Mm. All right.
That's more like it.
You can go.
First...
Bill, you've been a mentor to me
longer than you probably realize.
Even if your delivery can be a little rough,
I appreciate your advice.
I just learned that my dad checked himself out
of the hospital against medical advice.
And you're just fine with that?
-I couldn't stop Bill if I tried. -[scoffs]
He wanted to get back to the office.
Right. Because collapsing during a deposition
is usually a green light to clock back in.
I mean, seriously, are you trying to kill Bill?
I came over here to be civil.
His health scare should be pulling this family together,
not turning it into a firing squad.
Just because you're married to their dad
does not make you family.
Ah.
I see donating part of your liver
didn't upgrade your personality.
You're still catty as ever.
Excuse me, Mrs. Hamilton.
Your aesthetician's ready.
-Be right there. -[chuckles softly]
Wow.
Drinks and spa appointments.
Hmm.
Enjoy your facial.
We'll go check on Dad and make sure he hasn't keeled over
during your exfoliation.
You do that.
[Naomi scoffs]
What does Dad see in her?
I submit exhibit double "D" into evidence.
[sighs]
Hey, babe.
How did the work session go?
Please tell me you found the perfect snowboard model
so I can stop hearing about it.
Mm.
Okay.
Usually that face means that this is not about snowboards.
What's going on?
I just want to say I love you.
You know what's funny?
I've been telling anybody who'd listen that same thing all day.
I love you, too.
And I'm grateful for you.
I'm grateful for how solid this marriage feels.
I don't take it for granted.
Not for a second.
[Dani chuckles softly]
Mmm.
[soul music playing]
-Hey. -How's it going?
Mwah.
Cousin summit go well?
Or... multiple cousin summit?
[chuckles] We can trade war stories later.
I just want to be here.
With you.
You know, it's not lost on me that,
a year ago, this place almost marked
the beginning of our end.
Yeah.
It's been on my mind, too.
But I made a choice not to live in the past.
Same.
Because I know what I want in my present.
And that is?
To go home,
-hug my husband... -Mm.
...and never let him go.
I love that plan.
And I love you.
I did what you wanted me to, Daddy.
I broke bread with the man who made your life hell.
He may have Mom fooled, but he doesn't have me fooled.
[grunts]
[pants]
[exhales]
That went really well.
No tears, no yelling.
I take that as progress.
If you're happy, I'm happy.
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Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org