Darla’s not talking to her mom.
The episode opens with Darla waking up from her slumber. She wakes up in tears, crying about everything that’s happened with her mom, Blue and Ralph Angel.
When she gets up, she sees Darlene in the kitchen. Darla just heads to sit down without saying anything. Darlene asks if she’s getting a letter from her AA sponsor for her mediation with Ralph Angel.
She tries to talk to Darla, But Darlene only gets one-word answers. So she grabs her hand and tells Darla, “they’ll get through this.”
Nova receives book feedback from Deborah.
Meanwhile, Nova’s at home, getting her hair done, when Deborah sent her an email. Deborah had a few thoughts on Nova’s book draft.
Nova reads the email and gets visibly frustrated.
Charley learns Micah’s a person of interest regarding the plantation fire.
Vicky, Charley’s private investigator runs into the Queen Sugar mill where she finds Charley. Vicky unfortunately tells her that Micah’s a person of interest in for the sweet bay plantation fire.
“He’s not suspect exactly, yet.” – Vicky
Aunt Vi’s is doing her best to get ready for something special. She’s calling her assistant Rhonda, who’s late, when Noreen walks in. Noreen’s crew is filming for her TV show, which they’ve been really excited to do.
Aunt Vi’s excited about it too.
Charley confronts Micah.
At school, Micah and his friends are still reeling from Ant’s arrest. Their parents have been asking questions about everything, and Micah plants seeds of fear about how Ant’s being treated.
“There’s not telling what they’re doing to him in there.” – Micah
At that point, Micah learns police have been questioning them one by one at home, without much traction. Charley also walks into the school, visibly angry.
When Charley pulls Micah outside from the hallway, he tells her the fire was an accident.
“We were just trying to take a stand…” – Micah
“For what?” – Charley
“For the people.” – Micah
Charley gets visibly angry with Micah, telling him arson, which occurred, is a felony.
“You could go to jail! Don’t you get that?” – Charley
She tries to tell Micah not to hang out with anyone who was involved with the fire, citing a lost of trust in Micah.
However, Micah gets defiant. When Charley tells him to head straight home, he gets on his phone and texts Nova. Micah defiantly tells Charley he’s going to his aunt’s. He feels Charley won’t listen to him.
Aunt Vi’s filming a video promoting her pie company, with Noreen and Rhonda’s arrived.
Noreen’s loving tasting the pie and Aunt Vi gives her a pie to take home.
Nova gets good advice from her friend.
Nova’s receiving feedback from her friend about her book. She shows her friend what Deborah’s notes said about her book’s draft.
The friend agrees. She tells Nova that Deborah and the publisher wants to hear her story specifically.
“…from these notes, she’s not seeing how they affect you.” – Nova’s friend
They then come across a news clipping of a protest Nova held in college. The protest came about after a fraternity hosted a blackface party.
Nova points out that she was scared starting that protest.
“I looked tough, but, man, I was shaking in my boots.” – Nova
Nova points out she’s scared to tell those stories because she’s ashamed of them.
“These are stories worth telling.” – Nova’s friend
“I don’t mind writing about that stuff, I just got some skeletons. These are things only my family knows. Things I’m ashamed of. Lines that shouldn’t have been crossed.” – Nova
“You talking about Calvin?” – Nova’s friend
She tells Nova that those things she’s ashamed of make up who she is. It’s why they want her to write a book, her friend says.
“…Cracks and all. Anyone who’s judging you is carrying their own bones.” – Nova’s friend
The farmers reveal they know about Sam’s jail.
Charley meets the farmers at the High Yellow. They asks about Prosper and she tells them he’s getting better. The farmers bring up the prison the Landry corporation wants built.
They hope Charley can be the one to stop the prison from being built.
Darla meets with her AA sponsor at lunch. She’s reads over a letter her coach wrote for her. Darla expresses frustration dealing with the custody battle. But her sponsor reiterates Darla’s good for Blue.
“I know who you are. You’re a good mother for that little boy.” – Darla’s sponsor
She tells her coach that she doesn’t want Blue to resent her or Ralph Angel to hate her.
Her sponsor tells her to call if things get tough.
Nova coaches Micah on protesting.
Micah makes it to Nova’s home for advice. He doesn’t know what to do or how to feel. He says he tried to take action.
“I’m not you.” – Micah
“I don’t want you to be.” – Nova
She explains that he should’ve stopped and thought everything through, and quarters represented part of their history. Nova also tells them that it also represented who built the plantation and the country.
Micah reveals that he wants to make things right regarding Ant. Nova tells them that they need to learn how to organize. She gives him one more piece of advice.
“You are who you are.” – Nova
Jacob’s mother preps Charley for the meeting with Sam.
Charley meets with Jacob’s mother. Sam’s nervous about Charley getting the shares but she told Sam Charley won’t have a vote.
“Until you vote it down?” – Charley
His sister proclaims that she and Charley will take down Sam side by side.
Back at Aunt Vi’s shop, Noreen asks Aunt Vi asks how she preservers.
“Finding enough ovens.” – Aunt Vi
She brings in Rhonda to demonstrate how she most values helping others. Rhonda says Aunt Vi gave her a chance when she needed it most.
“Changed my life.” – Rhonda
Nova’s still coaching Micah. She asks if he wants to turn himself in, and he says he wants to live in the truth. Nova reveals that her selling weed is what got Too Sweet sent to jail.
She then tells Micah to do things from the outside, not in jail.
Blue’s custody battle gets intense.
Darla and Ralph Angel are at their custody dispute. His attorney gives their mediator a note from his P.O. that he wants to give Ralph Angel early release. When asked who takes of Blue when he’s working, Ralph Angel says Aunt Vi keeps him.
“She’s like a mother to me, since my mother died.” – Ralph Angel
Darla’s attorney revealed he denied a 70/30 custody split, and his attorney reveals he’s seeking full custody. This shocks Darla and Darlene.
Sam throws a wrench into Charley’s plans.
Charley’s at the meeting with Sam and his sister with the county sheriff. The county sheriff is there explaining details of the new jail. Sam mentions that everything’s ready for it to be built, pending parish council vote. Sam’s sister says they should vote on the prison before it’s presented to the city council.
Sam reveals it’s already been voted on 3 weeks prior. This shocks Charley who angrily gets up and asks about the by-laws. Sam tells her they followed the by-laws and she’s not a voting member of the board.
In a somewhat surprising move, Sam’s sister doesn’t put up a fight.
“If there’s nothing more to discuss, I would like to get back to my office.” – Sam’s sister
Micah meets with Ant’s mom.
Micah’s with Ant’s mom and their friends at the High Yellow. Ant’s not eating in jail.
Micah tells Ant’s mom Nova will help them find a community lawyer.
Charley’s meeting with the farmers to deliver the bad news. The farmers want to fight and encourage the parish council to vote against the prison. Charley warns them that Sam has at least a few of them on his payroll. But, they want to fight.
Micah walks in and Charley ends their meeting.
Too Sweet absolves Nova of her guilt.
Nova heads to the library to meet with Too Sweet. She’s proud of him for how he’s doing since getting out. She brings up to Too Sweet that she sold the weed that helped get him locked up.
However, Too Sweet dismisses that, taking the blame for his jail time.
“I don’t blame you, I bought it.” – Too Sweet
She reveals to him next she’s working on a book.
“It’s about time.” – Too Sweet
Davis arrives to the house. However, Davis says Micah isn’t ready to listen to him.
Ralph Angel reveals he isn’t Blue’s biological father.
As the custody battle continues, Darlene brings up paternity of Blue as why he shouldn’t get full custody. But Ralph Angel says it doesn’t matter.
“What makes you think you can get full custody? You may not be his biological father.” – Darlene
“That doesn’t matter.” – Ralph Angel
As Darla’s attorney lists all the reasons why she is fit as a mother, including Blue openly stating he wants to live with Darla, Ralph Angel is quick to counter.
“Because they just be dangling new stuff in front of him,” he says.
Darlene cuts in: “It’s because you’re not economically stable. You’re not what’s best for Blue.”
The conversation then takes a turn when Darlene demands that Ralph Angel take a paternity test. Yet, to her and Darla’s surprise, Ralph Angel reveals that he already has—and he isn’t Blue’s biological father.
“I took it. I took the test. He ain’t mine. But I raised him, I’m on the birth certificate. I did my research. You can’t just take him away from me.” – Ralph Angel
Micah and Davis bond.
Davis is in Micah’s room talking to him. Micah’s dismissive of Davis, quickly responding to everything he says. Davis admits he embarrassed Charley and Micah.
He says that to admit that he doesn’t want Micah to end up like him.
Micah says he’s willing to do anything to prove he’s not like his father. But he doesn’t want to go to jail. Davis tells him that the cop that attacked Micah is losing his job. However, Micah says he’s appealing the ruling.
Overall, Davis is proud that Micah wants to fight for change.
“I want you to think about the things you do, before you act.” – Davis
“I want to fix it.” – Micah
“You can’t. So please, don’t make a bad situation worse.” – Davis
Afterwards, Davis tells Charley Micah’s going to be okay. They then share an awkward hug.
Nova’s at home listening to a recording of Too Sweet. He tells Nova to write his own story.
Darla sets Darlene straight.
Darlene and Darla sit in Blue’s room. She tells Darla that she can hear the pain in her voice.
Darlene says she wants to keep fighting for Darla and Blue.
“But not like this.” – Darla
Darlene understands that Darla wants to figure out things with Ralph Angel, and accepts that she doesn’t want to take Blue out of his life.
Darla tells Darlene that she and Ralph Angel have to be the ones to figure things out. So Darlene packs her things to head back home.
Charley hugs Micah as he sheds tears, knowing he’s fearing going to jail. She begins to cry too.
The episode ends with Darla seeing her mom off.
What are your thoughts of the episode?
