James serves Mae with divorce papers.
The episode opens with Mae and Grace having breakfast with Sophia. The three engaged in awkward small talk which Sophia ended quickly.
Things get worse when Maricel brings Mae paperwork, which sinks her mood even more. The title page of the documents reads, “Dissolution of Marriage.”
Grace tries to ask her about the papers, but Mae shuts her down angrily.
“Seriously? After the way you spoke to me the other night? If you weren’t family, you wouldn’t even be living in this house.” – Mae
She then haste-fully removes herself from the table, leaving Grace flabbergasted.
Lady Mae runs out of the house to her car and speeding away. Meanwhile, Bishop James’ perplexed not to see Lady Mae.
Charity wants to preach instead of sing, thanks to Kevin.
James walks into his office with Charity waiting on him to talk about Kevin. She tells James she wants to preach and left the tour. James thinks Charity should stick to just singing.
Despite that, Charity says God spoke to her and wants her to preach.
“The call to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ is not anybody’s plan b.” – James
Charity leaves her father’s office in disgust. Afterwards, James is angry he still can’t get in touch with Mae.
Grace receives a large check from one of Rochelle’s friends, Ms. Lawson. Ms. Lawson swears by Rochelle’s money managing skills. When her friend leaves, James stops by Grace’s office. He wants to know where Mae is, and she doesn’t know.
Grace tells him she received a letter and it angered her very much. At this point, James revealed what the letter was.
Jacob learns from Tasha someone’s stealing from the offerings.
Meanwhile, Jacob received news from Tasha about someone possibly stealing from the collection plates. He tells her to call a meeting with the ushers before service.
Mae’s new lawyer warns her about Pastors divorcing First Ladies.
Mae heads off to see Mrs. Davison, a lawyer, about the divorce papers she received. Mae told her about James cheating on her with Mavis, and possibly having a relationship with Rochelle Cross.
Mrs. Davison asks if he’s a pastor.
“Shepard of 4,000 souls.” – Mae
Mrs. Davison calls the details of Mae’s potential divorce juicy. Mae asks if she’s a Christian, and Mrs. Davison says she is not.
“And you’ll be thanking Jesus I’m not one when it’s over” – Mrs. Davison
Once Mae hands over a $10,000 retainer check, she receives a warning about Pastors divorcing First Ladies.
“I don’t care if you smiled every Sunday and shook the old folks’ hands. Hosted every party, taught every class, preached your pretty sermon to your ladies once a year. Once your Bishop is done with you, It’s Cinderella time. Midnight. The party’s over.” – Mrs. Davison
Later on, his secretary checks on James and he struggles to ease her worrying.
Mae ventured to a Memphis blues club, heading to the bar. The bartender in the club is amazed by the specific way Mae ordered her drink. When he goes off to fix it for her, Mae finds a table to sit alone.
Charity’s also doing her own thing sitting at a piano when she calls Jabari. She misses him and tries to vent to him about Kevin and James. However, Jabari cuts the call short. When he hangs up, he moves in on another woman taking Charity’s place.
Grace steps in Mae’s place to interview with the newspaper.
Darius calls Grace to apologize for what happened at his place. She tells him James served her mom with divorce papers. Grace gets word that Mae’s supposed to be available for an interview.
“Today’s not the day for the first lady to do an interview.” – Grace
She meets with the journalist who’s doing a story about women in leadership. Grace gets asked to do the interview instead.
James heads over to Jacob’s church to ask about Mae. Jacob hasn’t heard from her and this worries him. James told him a story of how he followed Mae after she told him no after he asked for her hand in marriage.
This story led to James telling Jacob he filed for divorce. James says he was just trying to scare her.
Charity heads over to Kevin’s place early to get her son. Kevin’s not there so Aaron answers the door. Aaron wanted to talk to her with Kevin present to tell her he’s moving in with Kevin.
Charity openly wears her frustration with this on her face, despite doing her best to play it off. Aaron can see this news angered her.
Mae reveals what she left behind marrying James.
Mae’s on her second drink from Vernon, the bartender, and she wears a happy mask when he’s present. As Vernon walks away, Mae’s true feelings of anger return.
Jacob’s venting to Kerissa about his parent’s divorce and even she’s shocked.
“…But a world where Bishop and [Lady Mae] aren’t together… Well, that’s a world I don’t understand.” – Kerissa
Meanwhile, Mae’s mask is breaking down as she asks women to join her at her table.
At dinner, Zora’s eager to leave the table and get her computer back. After she does leave the table, Jacob tells Kerissa that he feels Zora’s the collection plate thief.
While Mae’s loose from the drinks, she tells the ladies of how she gave up going to Howard’s School of Divinity with her friend Maxine Patterson for James.
In the story, Mae met Maxine in that same bar and told her she could not go to Howard, the night before they were supposed to leave together. She seemingly accepted James’ proposal.
Now, she’s telling her new friends at the bar a man took her life away.
As Mae’s telling her side of things, James talks to Sophia, who’s waiting on Mae for dinner. Mae’s too drunk to drive home. She asks Vernon about the hotel next door and calls Sophia.
“I just needed a little me time.” – Mae
James managed to get Mae on the phone but she hangs up in his face. While disappointed, he wears a good face for Sophia, acting like they’re talking normally.
Grace is with Darius and she tells him the divorce is because of Rochelle. Darius offers to get his police buddy to do research on Rochelle. Grace agrees.
Charity’s driving with her son in the car stressed and the baby crying.
Mae made it to the dance floor to dance the night away. She later stumbles to her motel room, struggling with the key. Eventually she made it inside, managed to change to a night gown and stumbled to the bed.
While in the bed, a commercial for Pastor Maxine Patterson’s church plays in the background. It soothes her to sleep.
Jabari officially breaks things off with Charity.
Charity managed to head to Atlanta where Jabari’s group is performing with her son. She walls into their sound check and sees her replacement on stage singing her parts.
Jabari sees Charity and heads towards her, stopping rehearsal.
“I’m done caring about what Kevin will or will not let me do.” – Charity
She tells Jabari he doesn’t need her replacement. But Jabari tells her that he won’t break her contract. She then says she could come along, but Jabari shuts that down too.
“I thought you loved me.” – Charity
“I did.” – Jabari
Charity breaks down crying when he breaks things off with her and sends her home.
“Go home.” – Jabari
“They don’t want me at home.” – Charity
“Well I don’t want you here.” – Jabari
Tasha’s reminded of Rochelle’s plan for revenge.
Rochelle and Tasha are talking at the bar. Tasha’s amazed in Rochelle getting her friend in the IRS to reopen James’ tax case. Rochelle tries to give Tasha praise for tricking Jacob into buying jewelry, but Tasha wasn’t running game.
“I was just trying to help.” – Tasha
“Whose side are you on?” – Rochelle
Tasha asks Rochelle if she’s worried about her soul seeking revenge on James.
“James Greenleaf killed my father by burning down his church for a check.” – Rochelle
She says this to demand Tasha not to ask her about her soul anymore.
Charity’s on the phone with Kevin talking when he asks her where she is.
“On tour.” – Charity
Mae sobered up and left the motel in the morning. Meanwhile, James prays at his desk.
Jacob meets with his ushers and tells them he sees what they’re doing and it doesn’t go unnoticed.
Zora looks nervous.
Meanwhile, Darius heads over to Calvary to give Grace news about Rochelle. He tells Grace doesn’t have dirt on Rochelle, however, someone at the IRS has been cutting deals with pastors regarding not paying taxes on their personal income. James and Mae were at the very top of that list.
Jacob finds Zora’s hidden stash of money
After reviewing the list of ushers from the previous church service, Jacob comes to only one conclusion: His own daughter is the culprit.
Jacob comes home in a rage and searches through every nook and cranny in Zora’s room until he comes across a little black box. There, Jacob finds Zora’s hidden stash of stolen offering money.
Cash in hand, Jacob looks over to Kerissa, showing her that he was right to suspect Zora.
“What did I tell you? What did I tell you? She stole that money!” – Jacob
Then, Jacob turns to his daughter. His face fuming from anger and disgust, he points a finger in Zora’s face.
“You lied to me!” – Jacob
Mae’s ready to move on with her life.
After about 24 hours with the notice, Mae finally runs into James in his office. Before walking in, Mae notices Grace on the front page of the newspaper. She’s told the reporter had a deadline and Grace stepped in to help.
Mae than takes the paper into James’ office.
Once inside, Mae thanks James for actually filing the divorce. James tries to tells Mae that he was trying to scare her, but Mae thanks him for filing.
She’s ready to move on with her life, becoming a pastor of her own church.
“Lets just start over.” – James
“We can’t.” – Mae
“It’s just my fault…” – Mae
“Don’t do this.” – James
“I have to. It’s time to go.” – Mae
The episode ends with both James and Mae in tears.
What are your thoughts on the episode?
