RA takes Hollywood’s advice about the second job.
Ralph Angel is out in the yard, washing off his boots. Darla walks outside and wipes off his brow. He is working an extra job at the shrimp processing plant. Darla tells him they have enough money, but RA scoffs at it. He feels the extra income will make a nice wedding possible.
Despite the extra job, he still offers to pick up Blue from school. He also reassured her that working the extra job won’t hurt him.
Aunt Vi is at her doctor’s office. She receives news that she tested positive for Lupus. This news shocks her, as she silently sits through the doctor’s explanation of the illness.
Meanwhile, Remy stopped by with good news about the festival. The attendees loved it so much, they want Charley to throw it every year. Remy then invites her out to diner to celebrate.
“You are who I want. Know that.” – Remy
Vivian struggles with the diagnosis.
Aunt Vi is at home with books about lupus on her bed. She picks up her cellphone to call Darla to tell her she is unable to host her dinner for her parents. She instead offers a takeout dinner from the High Yellow and one of her Key Lime pies. Darla accepts the apology and offer.
Nova is sitting with her friend, recapping the breakup with Robert. As they are talking, she sees her married ex-boyfriend and detective, Calvin, walk into their restaurant.
He walks over to her and they exchange hellos. Sierra, shocked by their connection, introduces herself to Calvin. Nova tells Calvin to call her later and he says okay. Sierra asks who that was, and Nova says, “The past.”
“Some things are best left in the past.” – Nova
Later on, Charley and Nova stop by the farm and RA’s house. He delivers the good news that the soybean crop brought in 20% more than Prosper estimated.
As everyone is celebrating and dancing, Aunt Vi arrives with a few of her pies.
After 6 long years, Darla reunites with her parents Darlene and Quincy.
In his room, Blue is nervous about meeting Darla parents. He really wants his grandparents to like him.
When Darla’s parents Darlene and Quincy arrive, Darla has Blue and RA outside waiting on them. They all exchange hugs and pleasantries. Her parents start crying after Blue lovingly hugs Quincy.
At dinner, RA prays over the food and dinner goes off without a hitch. Quincy praises Charley and Nova about their achievements but seems to get a little shady about Darla’s past. RA interjects and tells them that Darla has done so much to rebuild her life.
Later on, Aunt Vi and Darlene are getting Blue’s things together to spend the night at Vi’s. Darlene asks Aunt Vi how Darla’s past hurt Blue. However, Aunt Vi assures her that Blue did just fine, and Darla is now a great mother.
Charley and Nova hit turning points in their romantic relationships.
At home, Nova gets a visitor. This visitor is unsurprisingly Calvin. He asks if Nova wants to talk, and she responds by letting him into her home. Calvin starts by telling her that, “Hard feelings stick.”
Nova tells him that she’s been at war with herself.
“What do we have to do to find the peace, together?” – Calvin
He then tells her that he will do what ever she tells him to do.
Meanwhile, Charley greets Remy at her condo with a black robe covering matching lingerie. When she lets him in, she doesn’t say anything. She instead leads him to the bedroom, sitting him on the bed, and removes her robe.
Remy could only say, “Damn.”
He finally finds the right words.
“You’re so beautiful. I could look at you forever.” – Remy
Before they get any further, Charley stops everything and says they aren’t on the same page. This whole thing throws off Remy, who asks if she wants to get married again and if she wants to have any more children.
She tells him that she hasn’t thought about either.
“Is this something you could think about?” – Remy
“I’m not sure I want to.” – Charley
Calvin is on his knees pleading to Nova that he doesn’t want to lose her. He goes on about how his family forced him to join the force, and getting married.
“I did what everyone forced me to do, until I met you. Being with you was the first time I could be me.” – Calvin
He then tells her that he loves her, and she tells him she loves him too.
However, she then says no.
“You want freedom. For me, you’re prison.” – Nova
She then gets up, walks over to the window and sheds a tear. Calvin wants to know why she said he is a prison.
“I can’t be all of myself when I am with you.” – Nova
She then finishes her thoughts by telling Calvin that she could never be who she wants to be; a person fighting for her people when she’s going home to a cop. He tells her that he never stopped her. She replies, “You never asked.”
“Just because you wish something is meant to be doesn’t mean it is.” – Nova
When Calvin leaves, he kisses Nova on the lips as what seems to be the last time.
Darlene and Darla make amends.
Darla is on the front porch with her mom Darlene. Darlene is impressed with how Darla’s taken to the community. Darla calls everyone family here. Darlene asks her if she still remember her other family. It was at this point Darla was reminded of how her numerous phone calls to them went unanswered.
“Just because you say the words, doesn’t make it true.” – Darlene
Darlene makes it clear that distance doesn’t mean they stop caring about her.
Darla says, “You’re right.”
Darlene then recounts the times Darla called home high, asking for help, only for her not to be around when they came by.
“Eventually, we had to create some distance for our own sanity.” – Darlene
Darla apologizes for everything she did and she now knows how Darlene feels as a mother. She then pleads with tears that she is clean.
“I believe you.” – Darlene
She then tells Darla, “When you can make amends with everyone, then you can truly be free.”
Charley and Remy are talking and contemplating their relationship. Remy tells Charley that they have time to figure everything out.
“There’s no rush.” – Remy
Darla’s father pushes her to be honest with Ralph Angel.
Darla is having a conversation next with her father Quincy. She tells her father that she will stay clean and be a good mother and wife to Blue and Ralph Angel.
Quincy tells Darla that she needs to be honest with Ralph Angel. She takes his advice, and greets RA cleaning his boots of the grime from the shrimp processing plant.
She tells RA that when she first met him, she got high and slept with someone. It happened at a party with friends from high school and she was high from a hardcore drug.
As a result, Blue may not be Ralph Angel’s son. Ralph Angel is devastated by this news, as he slowly backs away from Darla and lowers himself to the ground in tears.
What are your thoughts on the episode?
The ending was just heartbreaking.
I hope Vi will be ok.
This episode was so heavy. I really do hope Ralph Angel will still see Blue as his son. He’s the only father he’s ever known.
So this explains why Darla has been so sneaky to me. I couldn’t put my finger on it but I never trusted her.
I’m so glad Nova didn’t sleep with her married ex boo again. That’s real growth.
You know sometimes I just can’t take this show. Ralph Angel just can’t be happy, huh? And Vi needs to tell everybody she has Lupus sooner than later. That’s something people need to know ASAP. She gets on my nerves when she’s all secretive about what’s going on with her. At least tell Hollywood. Damn!