The siblings may not be ready to hear out Rita and Kadeem and Kadara had an altercation.
Iyanla brings back the siblings to their “family table.”
Kadeem’s missing conspicuously and his twin Kadara says, “I didn’t notice.”
Apparently, the twins had an altercation that turned physical in Kadara’s house.
During their conversation, Iyanla asks if they want anything to do with Rita. None of them have an interest in forming a relationship with her.
At this point, a doorbell rings. It’s Kadeem and Iyanla knows they gotta work out their differences before they can even address their mother.
Rita shows up.
Next, Iyanla brings up how she possibly gave them up because she was unable to take care of them because of their addiction.
However, the kids aren’t buying that. Multiple siblings bring up how Rita would always choose a man over them.
Next, as Iyanla goes to meet with Rita, she has Rita’s children write down questions they want to ask her.
Rita wants to reach an understanding with her kids. When Rita walks in, she sees the family table and Iyanla says she has to earn a spot at the table. Iyanla then asks her about her addiction.
Firstly, Rita agrees with Iyanla about not being able to take care of her children due to the crack addiction.
Rita details her addiction to crack. She also then details when she gave birth to Shalimar. She was 16 and dealing with her mom who put men over her. As a result, her mom’s boyfriends beat and molested her.
So she ran away from home at 16 and began making money on the streets as a prostitute.
When she had Michael and William, the state took them because she was “late” picking them up from school one day.
At the end, Iyanla cuts it to her straight that her kids want nothing to do with her at this point.
Rita tears up as she says, “All I can do is say I’m sorry.”
“Your sorry ain’t enough. You’re gonna have to come up with something else.” – Iyanla
Kadeem and Kadara must hash out their differences.
Next, Iyanla meets with Kadeem to talk about the recent stint of domestic violence between him and his twin Kadara. Kadeem says this issue begins with Kadara not having a ride from the airport.
During their altercation, police were called by Kadara and Iyanla shows him a video Kadara recorded of the incident. Kadeem and Kadara were yelling at one another. He was apparently throwing her property and destroyed the mailbox. He also punched a hole in the door.
A breakthrough happens when Kadeem says he doesn’t like when Kadara makes him feel worthless. Iyanla explains that energy is just a symptom of lacking to heal from the trauma he suffered with Kadara when they were younger.
He breaks down in tears as their talk continues.
Afterwards, Iyanla meets with Kadara with Kadeem in the room. At the start of the conversation, Iyanla puts pillows between them as a make-shift barrier.
Kadara says she feels disrespected when he puts his hands on her. And apparently, it’s been happening for years.
Iyanla gets her to see that they’ve never worked through what they did to survive as children.
So Iyanla forces them to talk about their trauma. She takes them into a room away from the cameras to have a private chat. Afterwards, the twins are holding each other’s hands and hug it out.
Rita hears the pain each child suffered due to her addiction.
Afterwards, they go sit with the rest of their family. It’s the first time Rita’s been with all of her children at once.
First, Shalimar reveals she was molested by people Rita knows. Rita reveals to her children that Shalimar’s grandmother allowed the same thing to happen to her. As Rita’s talking, Iyanla places cards over the table that help explain her story.
Shalimar begins to cry as she says Rita lied when she said she came around. Rita even missed her mother’s funeral.
Rita says she tried to crack due to the stuff she went through with her own mom and dealing with the molestation. Rita’s kids looked stunned when she revealed she was selling her body and selling drugs. She had all 5 kids before she turned 20 and didn’t smoke crack while pregnant.
At this point, Iyanla cuts it straight about Rita’s inability to take care of them.
“Your mama was a crackhead.” – Iyanla
Next, Iyanla has each one tell Rita about the trauma they suffered. Rita gets stunned when she hears that they had to perform oral s*x on one another to eat real food.
“I was a s*x slave from 5 through 13.” – Kadara
“That’s why your sorry will never be enough.” – Iyanla
Each of the kids pick a card of their mom’s story that means the most to them. Kadara reads a card about wanting to be saved. William reveals how he doesn’t want anything to do with her.
Michael finally begins to let go of his trauma as Rita’s by his side.
Next, Michael reveals how he was hit upside the head with a cast iron skillet and put on a diet of bread and water.
“Beat on constantly— that’s where the epilepsy comes from; due to the blows to the head.” – Michael
As Michael continues to talk, he appears to have another episode and the medic checks in on him, taking him aside.
Iyanla takes Rita to check in on him. Eventually, he speaks, telling Rita he’s tired of holding in his feelings.
Iyanla gets Michael to reveal how he really feels; Rita broke his heart.
When everyone comes back together, Iyanla lays it straight; Rita doesn’t know how to be a mother. At the end, Rita pleads with her kids for a second chance.
“She wasn’t there. Done! Where do we go from here?” – Rita
The episode ends with Rita hugging most of her kids.
What are your thoughts on the episode?
