01x126 - Episode 126

[bunniefuu]

Really, though, next time
you need a favor,

do not hesitate.

Yes. Thank you so much. Okay.

Wow. You, uh, look like hell.

Long hours
debating appropriations.

You have been on the Hill
since yesterday.

And as usual, your powers
of deduction remain unmatched.

We haven't really talked
about Chelsea.

That was my colleague just now,
the one that I asked to dig

into Allison's background.

I wish your colleague
came through

before we used all of that stuff
from Joey Armstrong.

Now we're indebted to the guy.

Maybe he'll write it off
as a good deed.

No chance.

He has a ledger in his head
longer than the Constitution.

Eventually, he's gonna try
to cash in that favor.

If and when he comes knocking,
I'll deal with it.

But for now,
I have more pressing issues,

Such as?

My parents
are getting a divorce.

You're using Chelsea's ordeal.

I know you didn't just
say that to me.

That's a convenient way to push
me away while your whole family

circles the wagons.

You are reaching so far,

you might actually
pull something, Ted.

The second I do something

that might actually
help this family, you bury it,

so I stay in the doghouse.

You have some nerve.

Some genuine, world-class,
award-winning nerve.

Okay, you pulled some slick move
to con your baby mama

out of moving in
across the street.

The same baby mama
that you brought into our lives,

but I digress.

You need applause. Here you go.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Ted Richardson,

the master manipulator

who finally uses
his powers for good.

Can't win with you, huh, Nicole?

Maybe we should
throw him a parade

or name a street after him.

How is "Bare Minimum Boulevard"
sound?

I'd vote for "Too Little
Too Late Lane," personally.

We are all grateful
for what you did with Leslie,

but that doesn't mean
I owe you anything.

What about the years
we committed to this marriage?

Doesn't that mean we owe each
other a chance to start again?

Chelsea.

Do you understand
what I just went through?

I spent days
with no real voice of my own.

I have something to say to her
and I'm not leaving here

until I get my message across.

Okay, but keep your hands
to yourself.

-Or don't.
-Be quiet.

Finish what you need to say.

I know you think you won
some moral victory,

that you broke me.

You didn't.

You are nothing
but a footnote in my story.

I'm gonna go on
with my life and thrive,

and you are going to rot
in a cell

like the crazy, unhinged,

pathetic excuse
for a human being you are.

Oh, I know you'll thrive.
In fact, I'm counting on it.

Sometimes, the drama finds you,

but sometimes,
you have to find the drama.

Content is content,
and your girl stays ready.

What did you just say?

Words from your Instagram live
last month.

And what was your engagement
that day?

Uh, 50,000 likes? 100,000?

Oh, but, baby, I bet you're
trending worldwide right now.

Don't you try to flip this.
You straight-up kidnapped me.

How could you possibly think
I wanted any of that?

I just gave you what you were
working so hard to get and keep.

Clout.

I never, not for one minute,

gave any of my followers
the slightest indication

that I wanted
to be treated like that.

You're a celebrity, Chelsea.

The worst thing
that anyone could ever do

to a celebrity is ignore them.

I mean, your entire act
is based off of it.

Those late-night lives,
your "get ready with me" videos,

your confessionals where
you pretend to bare your soul

just to convince
your devoted groupies

to hang on to every word,

to make them feel like
they know you,

like they're a part
of your life.

That's not true.

And then, you sell them whatever
you're marketing that week.

Your clothing, your skin care,
the lifestyle, the purses.

How can you resent me

for taking your
social media come-on

to their logical conclusion?

Total and complete obsession.

How dare you.

-Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
-Jacob, let me go!

-Chelsea.
-Congratulations, Chelsea.

You've made me who I am today.

-Your perfect, devoted follower.
-No!

All right, we're done here.
Madison, take her.

-Come on, Chelsea.
-And then don't forget
to post about this.

Chelsea, wait, please.

All right, post-PT checklist.
You know the drill.

Lay it on me. It's not like I
got a five-alarm to rush off to.

How are you feeling mentally
after today's session?

Like I'm ready to haul up


Next question.

Pain levels
compared to yesterday?

And don't downplay it this time.

Upper body's screaming.

Lower body's still giving me
the silent treatment.

Well, with how hard you're
pushing yourself in therapy,

I can't believe that you're
not gonna see results soon.

- Yeah?
- Right?

We will reassess tomorrow.

Rest today. I mean it, Derek.
Actually rest.

So you need anything?

I'll get you some water,
an extra pillow?

I just need my legs to remember
what they used to do.

Yeah.

Building a life,
raising children.

Does that not count
for anything now?

Those years are exactly why
I don't owe you anything.

You cashed in those chips
the moment

you decided that my trust
wasn't worth honoring.

One chance, huh?

One chance to prove
that we can weather this.

I couldn't help but overhear
your little tit for tat.

You know, Ted,
you know you're my guy.

But I know a losing battle
when I see one, bro.

So...

I got ten on Nicole.

Are you serious right now?

Well, as much as it pains me to
agree with Bill about anything--

and Lord knows it pains me--
front me, baby?

Always.

I will see your ten...

...and raise you 20.

On my daughter.

Oh, are we doing this?

We are not doing this.
This is our marriage.

This isn't the Kentucky Derby.

Count me in. On my sissy, obvi.

Sorry, Ted, baby.
You don't stand a chance.

Mom sounded confident
in her decision,

but I'm not so sure it was for
the best for either one of them.

I'm sorry to hear
that she's following through

with the divorce,

but I'm also kind of surprised
that you're upset.

I'm not heartless, Smitty.
Why wouldn't I be upset?

I'm pretty sure
you were ready to flip a table

when Leslie hijacked
your parents' anniversary

and outed herself
as your dad's side piece.

That's putting it mildly.

I was ready
to burn down the world.

And y'all wouldn't even tell me
what hotel he had booked in

because you knew I would go
down there and rip into him.

But all of that
rage and darkness,

it just wasn't because
of my father's betrayal.

It was because of my own.

But now, I have
a better handle on my emotions.

I'm glad that therapy
is helping.

And I'm just trying
to understand.

Are you saying
that you being upset

with your dad
was misguided anger

because of your own situation?

That's only part of it. I...

As upset as I was with my dad,

and as much as I don't blame
my mom for kicking him out,

I didn't want her
to divorce him.

Especially since...

I'm in the same boat.

So you're saying
this is about us?

I kept secrets from you,

just like my dad did to my mom,

and you kicked me out of the
house, just like she did to him.

And I certainly
don't want you divorcing me.

I love you, Smitty, more than
anything in this world,

and I don't want
to lose you, ever.

What are we doing, Martin?

I'm trying to make love
to my husband.

-Martin.
-I want us back.

I wake up every morning

reaching out for someone
who isn't there.

-It has been a long time, but--
-No buts.

I miss you. I miss us.

Don't you miss us, too?

I was just on a work call,
and I heard everything.

Sorry, Uncle Ted. Family first.

Speaking of family,
I should head to the station.

I want to make sure that Jacob's
gotten Allison properly booked,

and that her crazy
hasn't rubbed off on him.

-Make sure you thank him for us.
-I'll walk you out.

I need to go check
on Chelsea anyway.

Should I come with you?

I should go alone.
We don't want to crowd her.

Mother. I take it
you'll keep us apprised

-of the, uh, situation? Okay.
-Of course.

Now, correct me if I'm wrong,

but it's not technically a wager

if there's no opposition.

That's just...

Well, the terminology
escapes me.

What is it, then?

A unanimous vote
of no confidence?

I believe the Vegas term
for it is dead money.

You people.

"You people"?

You heard me.

Yes, you people.

The Duprees.

You guys stick together
no matter what, huh?

Even when
it makes no damn sense.

It's like you're part
of some exclusive club.

If you're not born a Dupree,

you're just an outsider
trying to crash the party, huh?

You want to play?

That's fine.

Let's play.

It's not your legs that are
the problem, it's your head.

You have a serious hero complex.

It's like you always
have something to prove.

Damn.

I didn't mean that as an insult.

Oof. I guess maybe
it was, a little,

but I didn't intend it that way.

No, you're right.

There's just...
something about helping others.

Not just helping them,
but getting credit for it.

Seeing the look on their faces
when they realize

that someone cared enough
to risk everything for them.

I know it sounds shallow,
superficial, but...

I love to feel needed.

Well, that's a truth b*mb
if I've ever heard one.

It's not shallow, Derek.

It's human.

Yeah, well, here's another one.

I really want
to impress you, Ash.

Now more than ever.

Chelsea? Madison?

You went to see Allison,
didn't you?

When I got here and saw you
were gone, I knew right away.

Hey, just turn it off.

What is wrong with us?

I-I don't understand, baby.
What...

Why do we need the likes so bad?
The views? The-the followers?

Why don't we try so damn hard
to make people feel like

they're part of our lives
and then act shocked

when they actually believe it?

-We?
-You were a model.

I mean, you built your whole
career based off of your looks.

Every magazine cover,
every runway show.

I mean, you were selling
the fantasy, too.

Well, the Internet
wasn't what it is today.

I didn't have social media
to contend with.

But you had fans, people
who thought that they knew you

because they saw you strutting
down the runway in a bikini.

And they thought that they had
the right to your-your time,

your-your body.

When the cameras were rolling
and the lights were on,

that part of me
belonged to the public.

But the second
I stepped off that runway,

no one got access
to my real life

unless I chose
to give it to them.

There was a doorway,

and I controlled
who walked through it.

It's not like that anymore, Mom.

My door is always open.

Every second of every day,
they want content.

They want authenticity.

Right? Keep it real,
stay connected,

show them the real you.

Be-be vulnerable,
but be perfect.

Be relatable, but aspirational.

And I thought... I thought
I had set up boundaries,

but somewhere along the line,
I must've led Allison on.

Oh, my God, I could've died

because I needed the engagement.

The fault is Allison's,
not yours.

She would've fixated on you
whether you had ten followers

or ten million.

-But was she wrong?
-Of course she was.

Do not take responsibility
for her delusion.

No, I mean about me
being an attention wh*re.

My analytics
are higher than ever,

and what does that say about me?

What does that say
about us as a society

now that trauma
can be turned into content?

Well, that is incredibly sweet.

And if it was anyone else
saying how much

they wanted to impress me,

I'd think they were
trying to seduce me.

Good thing that's not me.

One thing I have never needed

is to be more impressed
by you, Derek.

It's about the effort for me.

The intention behind the act,
not necessarily the result.

See, I can never
get behind that.

It's not enough to just
try and win the race.

I want to win the race,
smoke the competition.

Fourth quarter, tie game,
two minutes left.

This is where you find out
who's put in the work,

who wants it more,
and who's willing to dig deeper

when there's nothing left.

Sometimes, that's
the most important thing.

You know,

just showing up--

like you do every day
in physical therapy,

even when it hurts, even when
you're tired of trying--

that is the kind of excellence
that matters to me most.

Any more money on Ted?

Other than himself, of course.

The hell with this. Screw this.

Now, come on,
don't be so sensitive, man.

Can't you take
a little family fun?

The hell with you, Bill.

The hell with all of you.

I made one mistake during a very
trying time in our marriage.

Afterwards, I dedicated myself

to being a loving husband
to your daughter,

a doting father
to your grandchildren,

for the better part
of three decades,

I showed up for this family.

And yet, you paint me
with the same brush

that you paint Bill with.

-Hey.
-Who divorced
your younger daughter,

dumped her for a younger model,
never looked back.

His daughter's
best friend, no less.

Okay, you know what?
I'm gonna let that slide

because your feelings are hurt.

But you better
watch yourself, Ted.

And then had the audacity
to rub it in their faces.

Showing off your new bride
like the trophy wife she is.

You done lost your mind.

Let him get it out.

Bill humiliated Dani.

Humiliated all of you. Mm-hmm.

But yet here he stands,

eating your fancy cookies,
drinking your tea,

like all is forgiven, while
I'm the one insulted and mocked.

You tell Chelsea I am so sorry
for what happened to her.

And if there's anything I can--

You know what? Forget it.

I will tell her myself
that I'm her uncle forever.

And I will love her forever.

No matter what some court rules.

I guess we hurt
someone's feeling so much

he had to throw a hissy fit.

It's not funny.

You trying to build a career is
not an invitation for violence.

Some psycho decided
that your content was about her.

That's not on you.

-But what if Allison's right?
-She's not.

Being visible
is not a crime, Chelsea.

What do you prescribe, Doctor?

Food, sleep, and

someone to hold her
when the nightmares come.

And I assume
you can handle that?

Yeah, don't worry. I got her.

I love you, Chelsea.
Your whole family loves you.

Just... promise me
that you'll call if you need us.

Can you do that for me?

Okay, sweetie.

-Really?
-What?

Was I bothering you?

Silly me, I was just
getting carried away

with wedding thoughts.
I didn't realize I was doing it.

You really want
to play this game?

I thought it was the humming
that you didn't like.

Is there a list of approved
musical expressions

I should be aware of?

Let me break it down for you.

You humming: annoying.

You whistling: annoying.

You: extremely annoying.

It just helps me concentrate.

Keeps my mind focused
in stressful situations.

And I find being separated
from my wife very stressful.

You need to concentrate
on finding yourself a lawyer

because you're
about to be arraigned.

And trust me, you're gonna need
all the legal help you can get.

Oh, look,
here comes my lawyer now.

And you're just
in the nick of time.

Tell me you're not seriously
representing her.

Has hell frozen over?

No. I'm here to make sure
they throw every book

in the Banneker
Law Library at you.

You don't want to be my lawyer?

What could possibly
make you think

I would ever represent you?

-Chelsea is my sister.
-And I am your sister-in-law.

Isn't that what
the Duprees are about--

taking care of their own?

Chamomile tea, extra honey.
Just how you like it.

Thank you.

Wait, you probably
haven't eaten since yesterday.

Should I whip you up something?

Did that woman even feed you
while she had you there?

Well, ironically, Allison
was a pretty attentive host.

She researched all my
favorite foods on my socials

and planned
this elaborate feast.

And then there was
the wedding cake.

The wedding cake.

Yeah, she put on this
whole production of cutting it.

Right before, um,
she tried to...

consummate our marriage.

What's wrong?

The, uh, the kids
could be back any minute.

Tyrell is at college prep,

and Samantha is at the movies
with Keesha.

We have the place to ourselves
for at least another hour.

Martin. Martin, stop.

Okay, okay, I can take a hint.

But when you did your thing
like that,

I mean, you can't blame a man
for wanting seconds.

-What are you doing?
-Just taking my stuff upstairs.

And why would you do that?

Isn't it obvious?

My couch duty is terminated.

I am reclaiming the bedroom.

Like hell you are.

Maybe we were
a little too hard on him.

Don't get me wrong,
I'm still furious.

But he did make
some decent points.

You mean like me being
the villain in this family?

Well, if the Ferragamo fits.

Yeah, I guess I deserve that.

I'm just more upset
that I didn't win any money.

Hold up, you the banker, now?

Just safeguarding.

Somebody's got to be the
responsible adult in this room.

That'll be a first.

How's Chelsea?

She went to the station
to see Allison.

I really wish
she hadn't done that.

That woman's carved enough scars
in our baby girl's life.

And that's not the worst of it.

Chelsea has gotten it
in her head that, somehow,

this whole nightmare
is her fault.

That's absolutely ridiculous.

And I told her exactly that.

I-I'm just hoping Madison
can talk some sense into her.

Where's Ted? What'd I miss?

More of the same.
We gave him a hard time,

he held his own,
released some tension.

I could use
some of that right now.

You know,
there's probably somebody

coding in the ER or something.

Are you trying
to get rid of me already?

Never. I just...

-don't want to waste your time.
-My time, my choice.

Oh, God! I'm so sorry.
Derek, are you...

All good.

Silver lining
to being paralyzed--

clumsiness is forgiven
by default.

Not like I can feel anything
down there anyway.

Well, maybe you're right.
I, um...

I need to get back
to my patients.

So, um...

-Try to get some rest, right?
-Yeah.

I am absolutely not
representing you.

And for the last time,
you and Chelsea are not married.

Not in this life
or the next one.

Our ceremony
was completely legit.

Not when one person
is chained to the bed.

What part of "kidnapping
and false imprisonment"

do you not understand?

But she looks so pretty
when she's tied up.

How about I whip
your delusional behind

so hard your ancestors feel it?

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.

You think those handcuffs
are tight?

Just wait till you feel
my hands around your neck.

Hey. She's just trying to get
under your skin, babe.

You know better than that.

Go get some water,
take a breather. All right?

You're right.
Her sorry behind isn't worth it.

So you're saying
she actually performed

some kind of twisted ceremony

and expected you
to carry it out to the...

the very end?

Look, I'm-I'm sorry.

Look, talk about it
if you... if you want to,

or you need to,
but n-never feel like

I need to be filled in
on the details.

Okay? I'm just glad
that you're here, safe,

after everything
that you went through.

Yeah.

I can imagine what
you're imagining right now.

The... Whatever horror story
is playing in your head,

it was....

it was so much worse.

What Allison
did to me was monstrous.

What she tried to do to us?

That's what kept me up at night.

She didn't just
try to take my body.

She tried to destroy something.
Something sacred.

I should've found you sooner.

Knowing you were out there,

knowing that you
wouldn't stop looking for me--

that meant everything.

Not enough
to stop Allison from...

Listen to me.

No, listen.

You don't need to say it, okay?

I-- It wouldn't change
how I feel about you.

And I really appreciate that,

but I need to say it.

And you need to hear it.

I did not sleep with Allison.

I would never.

It sounds like Allison wasn't
giving you much of a choice.

She wasn't.

But even when she had me chained
and she was threatening...

I knew...

I knew I couldn't give in.

I knew that
I had to save myself.

For you. Okay?

After what we just did,
I assumed...

That because we had sex,
everything's fixed?

Well, sort of.
We haven't been together

in any sense of the word
since you asked me to leave.

And then you suddenly invite me
to sleep on the couch.

And then we connect again.

Doesn't that mean
we're finding our way back?

Sure, but...

What happened upstairs is not
an automatic reset button.

And it's not a-a promise
that everything's okay now.

I was making love to my husband
because I love you.

I love you, too.

Then explain to me
why it feels like, on one hand,

you're giving, and then the
other hand, you're taking away.

What I'm saying, Martin,
is I love you.

But I don't know
if I can trust you.

If you can't trust me,
then why did you sleep with me?

Needing you and trusting you
are two very different things.

You lied to me for years.

The people around us knew,

some of them
practically strangers.

Martin... I'm your husband.

I'm supposed to be
your safe place.

-I told you I didn't want--
-We took vows.

In good and in bad.

-And I kept those vows.
-Did you?

I saw you suffer through
nightmares, drenched in sweat.

I saw you carry
this burden by yourself,

all the while,
pulling away from me.

I didn't want
to burden you with that.

And that was a choice you made
that excluded me.

That compounded
with all the lies.

Martin, you lied to me
so many times.

And even when our entire family
was in danger,

still then, you couldn't
tell me the truth.

And now...

Now, I don't know if I trust you
to ever give me that.

Okay, fine. The next time

I accidentally k*ll someone
on the side of the road,

I'll call you first.

-That's not funny.
-I wasn't trying to be.

I'm just trying
to figure out what you want.

I can't change what happened.

I can't go back and-and
make a different choice.

So tell me,
how do I earn your trust back?

Tell me, Smitty.

I know I messed up,
and I should've told you

the truth the night it happened.

I told myself that I was
protecting you and the kids,

but there was more.

-I felt ashamed.
-Go on.

I let myself be victimized.

Even with all this power
and all these connections,

I still lost control
when it mattered the most.

A part of me was scared

if you really knew
what happened,

you would see me differently.

So what you're saying is
you didn't trust me

to love all of you.

Even the parts
you were ashamed of.

And what I'm saying is
I can't trust you now.

At least not the ways I need to.

I get it. I do.

But just tell me,
how do we get back?

It's gonna take time.

And until then,
you're sleeping on the couch.

And we should probably
mind ourselves around the kids.

I don't want
to get their hopes up.

Not like I did yours.

Yeah, well...

Hayley's wondering where I am.

I guess I've been MIA
longer than expected.

You better go then.
I'll walk you out.

I-I got a million things
to do anyway.

I'll keep you posted on Chelsea.

Please let her know
we're here for her.

Yeah, that girl needs all the
support she can get right now.

- Love y'all.
- Love you, too.

They seem awfully chummy.

Although, I guess
it makes sense.

Crises tend
to bring people together.

Well, let's hope
that's all it is.

The last thing we need
is for her to get hung up

on that man again.

I almost forgot.

-Did you forget something else?
-What's that?

I didn't see Naomi's money
on the table.

It's nice to see
that you have her back.

Especially since
she definitely has yours.

What's that supposed to mean?

Well, our daughter was concerned

that I might be
taking advantage of you.

Naomi has nothing
to worry about.

I'll never
let that happen again.

Are you making passes at
your workplace now, Detective?

That's what I forgot to give you
when you walked in.

Besides, I have to make sure
my wife feels appreciated,

especially after watching you
handle Hurricane Allison.

Just hearing her name
makes my skin crawl.

I can't believe Chelsea dealt
with that level of delusion.

Well, she's gone now. At least
from our immediate space.

She's got her public defender,

and she's being arraigned
as we speak.

Can I be in that courtroom?

I would love to see her face
when they deny her bail.

Your blood pressure's
already through the roof,

and I don't need to be
explaining to your mother

why her daughter collapsed
at an arraignment.

Well, then my
"fine as wine" husband

can just nurse me
back to health.

Or... I could throw you
in a hospital bed

next to Derek to keep him
some company.

-Come on.
-What?

I'll be right by your side, just
like how Ashley is with him.

And I'll make sure
I bring you some of those

nasty hospital Jell-O cups.

It's amazing, isn't it?

Even with all their issues,
Ashley's still standing by him.

Yeah.

Hey, you got a minute?

There's something
I need to tell you.

Of course.

Before Derek's accident,
him and I were getting close.

And even after discussing
pursuing a relationship,

-I--
-I know.

-Shanice, you don't--
-Girl, don't act brand-new

'cause I know
you were wondering.

After the accident,
I told him straight-up,

I'm not about to be
some stand-in

while he's pining for you.
That is not my ministry.

So, we agreed.

Just friends.

Was this your decision or his?

This is your decision, Ashley.

Mine?

-No, I don't want--
-Girl that is your man,

point blank, period.

You push, he falls back.

You reach for him, he's there.

His whole heart
is sitting in your lap.

And this seesaw y'all got
going on back and forth?

It is wearing me thin.
Y'all need to figure that out.

I'm just here to say,
I'm not in it.

Okay, well, I wouldn't
want you to do that

-just...
-What? To make you feel better?

Child, please.

I ain't built to put my joy
on the back burner for nobody.

And when it comes
to good loving,

I want it front, center,
and with my name on it.

Clear?

-Clear.
-Good.

Speaking of our patient,
how's he doing? Like, really?

Considering I just nearly
wiped out

and stumbled on his legs.

God, and then
I felt like a complete turd

for apologizing
when he can't even feel it.

Okay, Ashley,
don't beat yourself up.

I'm sure Derek understood
it was just a mistake.

I just don't want him
to feel worse

by calling attention
to what he can't feel. God.

All right.

Let's try this again.

I felt something, I know I did.

Good one, Derek.

This is what you get
for getting your hopes up.