Ralph Angel goes back to school, and Hollywood thinks Aunt Vi needs to slow down.
The episode opens with Charley giving Nova advice about what to wear on camera. After a brief glimpse into her closet, Charley thinks they need to go shopping. No expense should be spared in the outfit she’s wearing on TV.
Darla congratulates RA for taking an Agriculture class, and for agreeing to go through the pre-marital counseling. When they get to their counseling session, the pastor digs into their pasts.
Darla gets a bit apprehensive as she talks about her parents’ relationship. RA tells the pastor that his mom passed away when he was 10. They are then given an assignment to complete before they can schedule another session.
Aunt Vi and Hollywood are up getting ready for their day. Hollywood thinks she needs to slow down a bit but Aunt Vi isn’t ready to slow down. As she is trying to figure out how to bake pies in bulk.
Charley continues to inform Lorna that profits aren’t the only goal behind the Queen Sugar mill.
Charley is showing Lorna and Remy the park where here she is having her ceremony for the black farmers. Lorna still feels she needs to go after the white farmers in the palms of the Landry’s.
However, Charley is still going to go through with her plans because this goes beyond money.
“Some things are more important than money, mother. The Landrys and the Boudreauxs can’t dictate what has value, and what doesn’t, in this community, forever.” – Charley
Remy gives Charley her a smile and nod in agreement.
When she leaves Remy and Charley, Lorna stops by Aunt Vi’s restaurant and meets with Keke and Micah. She tells them how she met his grandfather. They were in San Diego when they met on the military base. Lorna also asks about Keke and her art.
Keke is seemingly drawn to Lorna.
Nova gives Robert the cold shoulder, and Lorna is persistent in getting Charley more farmers.
Nova is shopping for her TV outfit when Robert calls. He asks about the hotel room that was booked for her. Nova tells him she wants to make use of the room since she’s not paying for it, and gets put off when Robert suggests he stays with her. This signals that she is starting to have second thoughts about him and she cuts the conversation short, which worries Robert.
Charley and Lorna are out playing golf. The country club they are playing at never admitted black players, and Lorna gives Charley the idea to apply for membership.
Lorna introduces her to a distant relative of the Landry family, who is also a farmer. He has a 20,000 acre farm but doesn’t get a “family discount.”
Ralph Angel feels disrespected by Remy in class.
RA is in the class that Remy is teaching. He feels a bit apprehensive answering Remy’s questions about when it’s best to spray weed killer on the farmed land. He gets angry after he answers the questions correctly, but still gets lectured by Remy in front of the class.
Hollywood is talking to his oil rig colleague as they are leaving their work site. They make small talk and Hollywood finds out his colleague’s wife and kids are out-of-town. Hollywood invites him over to watch the football game between Georgia and LSU, although they are cheering for rivals.
Hollywood tells Aunt Vi about the invitation, and she tells him it’s cool. She then tells Hollywood about the struggles she is having baking at home. He notices that her hand begins shaking. However, she takes him into the bedroom to show him that he has nothing to worry about.
After class, Remy asked RA how the class went for him. RA ended up telling Remy he was a know it all, after he expressed displeasure being called out in class.
He walks out the class angry, not allowing Remy to explain his actions.
A startled Nova learns more about Ernest and her mother.
Nova stops by Charley’s condo for more advice about what to wear on TV. However, Nova’s mood changes when she sees Lorna. Nova is initially disgusted by Lorna’s presence, and mentions that she despises her.
Lorna apologizes for being there and then brings up Ernest and her mom. She tells Nova that her mother broke things off with Ernest before she met him in San Diego.
Lorna also tells her a startling revelation about her mother and Ernest.
“It was the love of his life that sent him away. He told me that Trudy was a free spirit. She wanted a more, free-flowing relationship. He didn’t want that. He wanted tradition.” – Lorna
Nova begins to tear up as Lorna then tells her that Ernest went back home when he learned Trudy was pregnant with her. However, Trudy still didn’t want a relationship with him.
This devastated Ernest as he wanted marriage and a family. Lorna was somewhat caught in the middle, and became pregnant with Charley.
Nova realizes that she is a lot like her mother when it comes to love.
When Aunt Vi gets home, Hollywood introduces Will to Aunt Vi. When he leaves, Aunt Vi tells Hollywood she isn’t comfortable with him hanging out with a white man.
When she tells him that this is a reminder that they are from “two different generations,” Hollywood tells her, “that ain’t what it is.”
RA is still stewing about his time in Remy’s class. He crosses paths with Remy in Aunt Vi’s restaurant. RA tells him he felt disrespect in the class, and doesn’t want to go back.
Remy, however lets RA know that he should stay and he will have his back. Remy tells him:
“You got a case. A big case, that you gotta carry around… most of the time, actually. But brother, you should know when you’re with me, you can put that down, because I just want the best for you.
If you can’t put it down… I’ll carry it with you, because you’d do the same for me.
RA and Remy then hug it out and embrace one another.
Aunt Vi confirms Lorna’s insight into Ernest and Trudy.
Nova and Aunt Vi hang out, with Nova bearing joints as a gift. Aunt Vi asks about Lorna and Nova tells her she saw her. Nova takes this as a way to ask how her mom felt about Lorna. Aunt Vi tells Nova that Lorna did not break up Ernest and her mom Trudy. She also tells Nova thatTrudy broke up with Ernest before she went to California.
“It just got complicated.”
Nova tells her she got her feelings about Lorna from Aunt Vi and it was wrong to feel this way about her.
“I think I should make up my own mind about her.” – Nova
Not feeling the conversation anymore, Aunt Vi ends it and prepares for a bath.
The next day, Aunt Vi stops by Charley’s condo and runs into Lorna. Lorna tells Aunt Vi she really did love Ernest and didn’t mean to hurt anyone.
“We don’t meant to, but it happens anyway. That goes both ways.” – Aunt Vi
She then leaves Charley’s and Lorna begins to cry.
Hollywood gets another bad feeling about his new job, Nova has a breakthrough.
Hollywood is at the bar with his friend and he learns that his crew is getting another job offer to work at another site. This is because Sam Landry is investing heavily into the project. Despite this, Hollywood tells Will that he can’t take the offer, but doesn’t explain why.
He simply tells Will he cannot work for anyone in the Landry family.
In Atlanta, Nova surprises Robert at his home. She tells him she used the key he gave her. She apologizes for how their last phone call ended. However, she expresses how what she learned about her mom and dad.
“I am tired of pushing you away.” – Nova
The episode ends with Robert telling Nova, “I’m right here.”
They embrace.
What are your thoughts on the episode?
The writing on this show is perfect.