Ralph Angel’s still angry.
The episode begins with Charley learning Ralph Angel read the chapter about him. Ralph Angel is sad and angry about Nova writing about Blue’s paternity and his prison struggles.
Charley tells him that she has a plan to stop the book from coming out. She’s also going to have everyone confront Nova about what she did. However, Ralph Angel’s too stricken with anger and sadness to respond much.
A man is assisting a woman with her car on the side of the road. He’s very charming and leaves the woman very happy for helping him out.
Meanwhile, Aunt Vi catches Hollywood in the office but doesn’t catch him reading the copy of Nova’s book.
Back at the farm, Ralph Angel’s still reeling from reading the book with Blue pointing out his sadness.
“You got that look.” – Blue
Ralph Angel responds by telling him that no matter what anyone tells him, he loves Blue.
Nova’s confronted by Ralph Angel.
Nova’s at home when Ralph Angel stops by in anger. Despite Nova telling him that his story will help so many others, Ralph Angel’s anger isn’t stemmed.
“I ain’t your research Nova.” – Ralph Angel
Nova apologizes and offers to sit down with him and Blue to talk about this. That just makes Ralph Angel angrier. Before he leaves, he leaves a stern message.
“Don’t you ever go near my son again. Superstar.” – Ralph Angel
As he leaves, photographers and Nova’s editor show up for photos, and Ralph Angel is told his chapter brought her to tears.
Aunt Vi overhears Charley and Hollywood talking with Ralph Angel about the book.
Back at the diner, Charley meets with Hollywood and Ralph Angel when Aunt Vi overhears them talking about something serious. Ralph Angel says it is about Blue getting picked on at school and Aunt Vi moves on. They’re concerned that Aunt Vi will completely go off on Nova if she ever reads what Nova wrote about her. When Ralph Angel leaves, Hollywood tells Charley that Nova wrote about the night Hollywood found Darla and Blue after one of Darla’s drug binges.
Ralph Angel takes Blue to his friend’s birthday party when they run into Joie and her mom. Joie wants a playdate with Blue and Ralph Angel sparks conversation with her mom.
Micah returns with a new look and attitude.
Micah’s back in town and Charley’s there to pick him up. At the airport, girls notice Micah and ask him for a selfie. Charlie’s taken back by Michah’s newly-found celebrity. Micah also came home from Paris are this hair out and is growing a beard.
Nova calls Micah and Charley’s put off.
Back at the diner, Aunt Vi’s pressing Hollywood about his conversation with Charley and Ralph Angel. However, Hollywood doesn’t waiver, not telling her about information in Nova’s book.
Meanwhile, Nova’s cleaning up when she calls someone asking if they’re free to talk.
When Micah comes home, he meets up with his other activist friends telling them about the trip to Paris when Kiki arrives.
Ralph Angel and Darla go on separate dates.
Back at the mall, Ralph Angel and Joie’s mom are getting to know one another and the two of them seemingly hit things off.
Nova meets up with her friend and former dealer, confiding in him.
The man from earlier is putting the major charm on a local restaurant chef while he’s on his way to see Aunt Vi.
Ralph Angel gets his first massage at the mall with Joie’s mom and makes plans to see each other again. Darla’s out on a date of her own. The man’s she’s with is also recovering from an addiction. Darla’s contemplating being a sponsor for someone else and her date’s encouraging her to.
Her date has been sober for 5 years now.
Hollywood tells the truth.
When the diner closes, Aunt Vi finds Nova’s book. While she thinks it’s just about Ernest, Hollywood reveals that it’s not just about him.
He urges her to read the book.
At home, Charley’s bonding with her Romero, talking to him about the book. He tells Charley that a legal fight could bring more attention to the book and this may be something she’ll have to live through.
That night, Micah’s with Kiki at a football tailgate when a white guy tries to bully him by taunting him about “Black Panther.” However, Micah slugs him and repeatedly punches the bully’s friend on top of a car.
After their time out, Ralph Angel takes Blue home when he sees Darla ending her date. She gets a kiss goodnight and she tells her date she wants to take things slow.
Nova’s nursing Micah’s wounds and she’s impressed by everything he learned while in Paris. She then gifts him a signed copy of her book.
Darla and Ralph Angel isn’t ready to talk about one another moving on.
At Darla’s, Darla and Ralph Angel are having a civil conversation with Darla telling him she’s proud of his growth. He then asks about her date. However, she’s not comfortable talking about this to him.
“I don’t think I’m ready for that.” – Darla
“To be honest, I don’t think I’m ready either.” – Ralph Angel
Micah defends himself and Charley goes off on Nova.
When Micah returns home, Charley’s shocked and angry at his actions earlier that night. During this conversation, Micah tells Charley that Nova was there for him the night he was assaulted by the police. She even saw his pants were soiled by urine and gave him a sweater to cover up. That sent her over the edge.
Charley later angrily confronts Nova about her “poisoning” Micah with her words.
She reads aloud to Nova what was written about her in the book. This includes how Nova feels Charley’s light skin protected her and gave her privilege.
“This is 300 pages of you telling the world how much you hate your only sister!’ – Charley
Nova defends her actions by telling Charley just about everything was public knowledge.
“You and Davis represent a classic story about the insidious nature of r*pe culture.” – Nova
Charley responds by screaming at Nova and telling her to stop with her book themes.
Nova also reveals she wrote about Too Sweet going to prison because of the weed she gave him.
Charley pleads that Nova stops the release of the book before Micah reads it and Nova says it’s too late.
The episode ends with Charley tearing a photo of her and Nova together and Aunt Vi finally opening up the book for herself. She gets upset when she reads the passage about her past abusive relationship with Jimmy Dale.
The man from earlier makes it to a hotel. He asks about Vi’s diner. When the front desk attendant asks him his name, he tells her his name is Jimmy Dale.
What are your thoughts on the episode?
