Grace goes along with the plan.
Grace and Connie are convincing Clara to vote yes in the next board meeting, giving Harmony and Hope 12 board seats. When the meeting’s over, Grace gets a phone call. It’s Mae. She reveals that she’s in on the plans in light of the stipulation given to Grace.
However, Phil gave Grace an ultimatum of his own; either step down or a tape revealing she lied to keep AJ out of jail will be released. Jacob’s looking to get back into Dante’s good graces. Before he leaves, Kerissa pleads with Jacob to ask Mae about the will. She wants to sell their shares of the house, likely to Fernando. However, Jacob isn’t asking.
James heads to meet with Connie to dissuade her from voting against the board seats. He threatens her that he will reveal the bribe she took from H&H to allow them to take them over. Meanwhile, Karine is stalling from printing out the church bylaws.
Kerissa finally asked Mae about the house and she learns Grace, Charity, and Jacob will be given equal ownership to the home. Grace also confronted Charity about what Phil knows about AJ’s arrest. However, Charity didn’t reveal she had a recording. Grace tries to plead with her but she still didn’t budge.
Judee threatens Phil and fires Karine.
Phil’s berated by Judee in his office about Charity as she claims he’s only with Charity because she’s black. She then tells him to set up a dinner with the three of them if he wants Judee’s help. She also alludes that Bob may select Grace, after all, further making Phil question his standing with Bob. Jacob also meets up with Dante and Jacob apologizes. Dante’s opening up a bar and he’s excited about its prospects. Dante also is willing to invest in Excellence Prep. All Dante wants is a press conference announcing the donation.
Back at Calvary, Phil tells Charity about the dinner with Judee. Charity’s okay with it. Meanwhile, Sophia’s calling AJ with Grace present and she gets his voicemail. She pleads with AJ to talk to them and let them know the truth. When she hangs up, both of them are in tears.
James tells Mae he told Connie he knows about the bribe and Mae berates him for doing it. But before they fight about it, she backs down and opens up, revealing she’s scared that this move may backfire and hurt them. The next morning, Kerissa approaches Grace about buying her and Jacob out of their will. Grace feels this is weird but she’s willing to honor Kerissa’s request.
Meanwhile, Connie pulls in Judee and Phil to let him know about the bribe and to amend the board motion. Connie’s only willing to go with a 60-40 split. Out of anger, Judee fires Karine as she believes Karine’s the mole.
Grace steps down.
Jacob’s surprised at home by Kerissa in lingerie. Nicki vents about Dante not inviting her to his bar’s opening. This irritates Sophia and she leaves. When Sophia leaves, Zora and Nicki decide they’re going to crash Dante’s grand opening.
Judee’s act as the third wheel makes things uncomfortable between Charity and Phil at dinner. Grace goes to James and Mae about Phil and Charity’s plot against her. She admits to James and Mae she would step down if AJ’s guilty. However, Mae demands she doesn’t step down and speaks pragmatically about AJ. AJ is going to have to face the music of his decisions on his own. However, James wants her to still stand in AJ’s corner.
Dante’s club is packed and Sophia’s by Dante’s side. When Nicki and Zora show up, they confront them both and Nicki tries to fight Sophia. This causes commotion and security forcibly throws Nicki and Zora out. Meanwhile, Charity and Phil silently leave the restaurant. Charity breaks the silence and demands to know why Phil kept Judee a secret. He responds by giving her a key to his apartment.
The next morning, Zora confronts Sophia about what happened with Dante and Nicki. Sophia’s nonchalant about what happened and Zora calls Sophia a ho. Before everyone leaves for church, Kerissa gets a call from Fernando with news about James and Mae’s home. At Calvary, Judee arrives in Phil’s office to tell him that they’ll need Charity’s vote in an upcoming board vote. Harmony and Hope are planning to do something with the church but Phil doesn’t know about it.
Finally, it’s time for Grace’s sermon and the congregation listens with an active ear. However, Grace begins to stumble when AJ surprisingly walks in. She diverts and announces that she’s stepping down as head pastor.
What are your thoughts on the episode?
