Original subtitles

Hey,

I gotta go. I gotta go. I gotta go. I gotta go. I gotta go. I gotta go.

I gotta go.

I gotta go.

I gotta go.

Brokenness ain't going to break the rules. I'm your host, Zach Davis. We

amazing show for you today. If you do not want to turn that down, with us

we have our guest, Vivian Sheehy. Hey, y 'all.

Hello.

Hey. Mom left already.

Oh, thank you very much. Good morning to you, too. Sorry.

Yes, sweetheart. Your mom is gone.

So am I. Okay?

Have a good day, babe. Oh, I'll make sure to make you breakfast. Love you.

Love you, too.

Mama, hi. I need to talk to you. Do you have a second?

I forgot to tell you.

Take that skirt off because I know it's way too short.

Mama, it's not too short. Come on.

It's fine.

I do not want you ending up like your little hoochie friend, Yancy. Is that

name? The one that got pregnant at how old?

16, and now nobody loves her, not even her baby. Don't get smart. It's about

keeping your legs closed like I've always told you.

And don't bring her around the house. She can't be late for school again.

That's not a responsible thing to do.

And what have we always taught you? It's a responsible thing.

Asia, are you listening to me?

Good morning, Deputy Winter's office. Please hold.

Deputy Winter's office.

Of course.

Yeah, why not?

Good morning, Deputy.

Will you please sign here, here, and here, please?

Yes, well, the case is not scheduled to go before Judge Gabbard until the 15th.

No, that's crazy.

Ain't no way you're going to tell me that you don't know your wife is a

prostitute. That's crazy.

I don't believe that. How are you going to not know?

That your wife is a prostitute. Your wife? Yes. It says it right here.

They were married, what, like three, four years?

You just don't get it.

Well, a woman will keep a secret, period.

Not my Desiree.

A woman tells me everything.

Yeah. Everything.

Everything. Everything, okay. And she gets close.

Yeah, well, you and your client seriously need to get your story

Get the cover, Lieutenant Lawrence Files Rachel.

I understand that, but the detective is prepared to pay your client another

visit. He should be pulling up at his client's right now. The plea deal I

offered is still on the table, but just until 12 noon, and that's a firm 12. You

get the plea deal folded in the two files ASAP. So what are you saying, that

and your client are prepared to accept the offer?

Well, that's a very smart move, Counselor. Yes.

I'll have my assistant draw up the forms and send them over. Thank you.

You called it, Jonathan.

John, I'm thinking.

Smell out those, please do.

Yes, we can.

You get started. I'll take this.

Are you kidding me? Every woman is a secret -keeping type. You can't say

woman is a secret -keeping type. Man, a woman will take it to her grave. Maybe

in her clothes, a casket, ashes, ashes, dust, and dust. She falls down. Someone

keeping this secret is a woman.

I know what you're talking about, though. We know your woman got it.

No, no, you better get every one of those names out your mouth, okay? I

going to be debating with y 'all. That's fighting word.

Because you got this big promotion, now you don't want to talk to us? Oh, you're

coming forth in the debate with us. All right, big -time lawyer like yourself.

You're too big to hang around with us little folk anymore.

Exactly.

No, seriously, though.

Congratulations, man. That's a big step for you, bro. Thank you, man.

You're kidding me, Tasha. Come on. Okay.

Let's try it again. Okay, okay, okay. Let's try it again.

Ooh.

Ooh. Ooh.

Much better. I like it. So I'll take the high notes. And I'll take the alto.

And I get to be Beyoncé in Paris talking about, mesdames et messieurs, on dirait

que de Saint -Denis, Beyoncé, hi everybody.

Oh, thank you very much. Excuse me, madame. That's going to be a big fat no.

No. How does she even know French?

And why do you got to get up all the time and be extra insane? Oh, shoot, you

guys, I got to go.

Jonathan, just text me and my mom's about to leave.

Jonathan, he's fine, but... Come on, please stop.

Okay. She realizes that we've been auditioning. She's going to take me a

more serious. And then we can take over New York City.

So you got your points together? You know what you're going to tell your mom?

Well, John said I should pace my argument and come up with three main

Wait, wait, wait. Does your dad still feel iffy about you leaving?

He's leaning towards a yes, but I don't want to say anything.

Wait, wait, wait.

Hey,

hey, hey. Here, concentrate.

But I got an excuse.

Look, Dante, excuses don't matter.

And what happened to your slacks and your shirt?

Man, this case ain't even that deep.

You're acting like I caught some serious charge. I was just painting. Okay, I

got this.

Sure. Okay, thank you.

You okay? All right.

Your lottery case is outside in the hallway.

My lottery case?

The one that the DA assigned you via lottery.

This is Mr.

Dante Reed?

Yes, ma 'am. All right, well, send him in. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome.

You're not getting it.

We're about to go into the deputy's office.

It is that serious, and I need you to act accordingly.

All right.

She's ready. Right this way, please.

I will keep this copy. I mean, it really looks like that. I mean, just think.

Good morning. Good morning.

I'm looking over your file, Mr.

Reed.

How many baby mamas do you have? Excuse me? No, baby mamas. Mother of your

children. Three, four, five. Try zero.

Oh, zero.

Okay.

Well, Jonathan, I don't see his rap sheet in here. Can you bring that to me,

please?

Oh, thank you.

Okay.

I don't see your rap sheet. How many priors?

Priors?

Prior. It's previous arrest, probation. Look, lady, you got me wrong. I'm not

that person.

Dante, calm down. I am calm.

Look, I'm a college student, okay?

I'm a senior at Cal State, majoring in graphic art.

Oh. All right.

I'm listening, Mr. Reed. Keep talking.

Like I said, college student. One part -time job, zero baby mamas, zero priors.

I see.

Well, if you have all that going for you...

Why were you vandalizing the Camden building? No, I was beautifying my

neighborhood. Trying to paint over that graffiti with some real art.

It was just an unfortunate police sweep in the urban area. My client here, he

was trying to beautify one of the neighborhood buildings with his artwork.

I see. Here's the problem with that. He actually told the police officer that he

could... If I may, the police officer referred to, allegedly referred to my

client's artwork as one ugly piece of...

Uh -huh.

It's all right there.

Highlighting areas.

Uh -huh. I see that.

So, was it?

No, absolutely not. I would not stack her calendar like that.

No?

No,

you have to reschedule a better time of the day for her.

Just give me a call back when you got it. Thank you.

Bye.

She's in the office with someone.

Well, can we go in your office real quick and...

rehearse or something?

No. We gotta take care of it right here.

I gotta cover the front desk.

Dang.

200 hours of community service.

And... And... Anger management classes.

And what happens to his record?

Well, if Mr. Reed meets all of the stipulations, and I do mean all of them,

can be removed.

That sounds good.

All right. Well, if we're in agreement, then I'll have Jonathan drop the

paperwork. I'm sorry. What did you say?

Nothing. It's good.

Yes, it is.

Okay. Ready?

Yeah. Okay.

What is this? Mom?

Are you going to tell me what it is? Mom?

Going to the NYU Music Conservatory would be a great opportunity for me

because...

I will be in the mecca of the music and theater world.

I'm listening.

All right.

Wonderful.

Dante, why don't you meet me in the reception area?

Wow.

You're Jordan's wife, right?

Yeah, I am.

Plus, Tasha and Jasmine's parents already said yes.

I don't understand what they have to do with any of this.

Just talk louder.

I believe the children are our future.

Me too.

You're just like mom, never staying still for a second.

I don't even know your mama.

Don't I know you?

Yeah, you're Malik's friend, right?

I met you at the student union building, huh?

Dante. Aza, nice to see you again.

Pleasure's mine.

So, uh, you're a musical theater major, right?

Theater chick, that's cool.

Not a chick, but yes.

Oh, excuse me?

Mm -hmm.

You're an artist?

Yes. Okay.

I am too.

Oh, cool.

Yeah, graphic art, that's my thing.

Paint, draw, you know, all of that.

Nice. So what are you doing here, huh?

What are you doing here?

I'm a... I remember you from Tuskegee.

Hey.

Good to see you. You too.

Wow, Jordan would be so surprised that I ran into one of his frat buddies. Oh,

you know what?

Actually, we are having a card party tomorrow night.

You should stop by. He would be thrilled to see you.

That sounds good.

Great. Okay, I'm going to go call him. Okay.

So what's up with you? Got into some trouble, huh?

No, why would I be in trouble?

You'd be sitting in the DA's office. You're sitting in here too.

Yeah, I know.

Asia? Hey, what are you doing here?

And what are you doing?

Yeah,

just chatting.

Okay, well, Samson, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Asia.

Nice to meet you.

Yeah, I went to school with your parents.

Oh, cool, like Dante and I.

Yeah. Listen, I'm going to talk to you at home, okay?

I know that, but you're still talking now, and I want to talk to you at home.

I'm going to talk to you about this forever. I understand that.

But you're not listening to me.

When you get home, I'll talk to you. Okay, baby?

I love you.

Say you love mommy. I love you, but please. I'll see you. I love you.

You're a cutie.

Bye -bye.

Man, we were just talking.

I'm going to walk him outside, too.

Thank you. It was great seeing you. Great seeing you, too. And you know

I'll text you the address.

All right. Bye -bye.

What's next? I don't know.

All right, um, you said, what was his name again? It's a new client.

Avante, right?

No, no, it's Dante Reed. Oh, here it is.

Um, graffiti.

Uh,

was this an arrest?

Are you okay? You sound a little tense. Anything you want to talk about? Don't!

You know what, girl? I will talk to you later. We will talk, all right? Bye.

Dante Reed is back. He needs a document signed. Send him in.

Y 'all, my fault. I totally forgot.

I just need to get you to sign this real quick.

So you have a tattoo.

What does that say?

It says focus.

Oh, focus.

How's that tattoo working for you, though?

It works just fine.

Kind of like a constant reminder, you know?

Keep my head on straight.

I see.

Okay.

That and kind of covers up this old birthmark, you know, turning

into art.

It's kind of my thing.

A birthmark? Can I see it?

Come on. One more. One more. You can do it. Give me a push.

When's your birthday?

July 20th, 1990.

Huh. How'd you know that?

They said that you were adopted.

Yeah.

Look, are you okay, Miss Deputy Winters?

Yeah. Yeah, I'm, um...

I'm fine.

Um, you have a good day.

And can you close the door on your way out, please?

Could you sign the form for me real quick?

Um, yeah.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Have a nice day.

You too.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, okay, baby, careful, all right? Watch your fingers. I got it, Daddy.

You got it?

Can you hear that? Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Oh,

yeah. Yeah.

Come on. Come on. Oh, my God.

Here we go.

Daddy, I told you, nobody does this dance anymore.

Uh -huh.

It's ancient.

Uh -uh. You can bump down low, right?

You can bump up high. See, you're too short. That's your problem.

Come on.

Just slow down.

I ain't got to slow down.

Listen, can I tell you something? You have to learn how to jump in and

improvise. I'll improvise if you talk to Mommy one more time about me going to

New York.

Everybody having fun. You're going to ruin it talking about it. I'm not

it. Daddy, please.

Seriously.

Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to Stay Out of Your Own Way, where we take

people from brokenness to breakthrough.

I know you think it's a good idea, too.

You know that?

Yes. Because I saw you smiling when you read my admission letter.

That's gross.

That's really gross.

And she's struggling with forgiveness, and today we're going to help her solve

her problems on how to forgive.

Gabrielle, I'm sorry you cannot keep this baby.

No, Mom. No, Mama, get him back. You've been holding on to some of these things.

Have you ever forgiven yourself?

But seriously, please talk to Mom. I mean, Desiree and Tasha and Yazzie, they

all said yes, but why not me? I will talk to your mother, okay, sweetheart? I

will talk to Mommy, okay?

Hey, there's my girl. Hey, my best friend.

Somebody please turn down that music

You okay, honey? No, I'm not. I'm tired, okay? So I don't have any bok choy for

you, and I have no cell phone battery for you, okay?

Excuse me.

Yes, ma 'am.

Tell you what.

Apparently she's tired.

I'm going to see about her. Check on my thought. Don't burn it.

Hey. Hey.

What's up, baby?

Nothing. It's been a long day.

Yeah? Yeah.

Did I tell you you are such an amazing man?

No, but you are 100 % right.

I'm the bomb.

That's it.

No chuckle, no teehee, none.

I'll get a teehee out of you.

I like that, I like that.

You know what's going to happen if you keep doing that, right? What? Your sauce

is going to burn. Oh, I like it burnt black and crispy.

Okay, at least let me take a shower first.

Okay, okay, baby. We'll laugh at it and turn it down.

Not good, Dad. Come on. Okay, okay. I'm coming.

I'm going to grab a shower.

All right.

Love you. Love you. All right.

I'm coming.

Don't go.

Did you teach anything at that school?

No, no, no, no. I don't have it on my schedule.

Well, can you just send it over? Baby, baby, get your chair. That's a place,

baby.

Yeah.

Yeah, I'll put it there. Okay. Thank you.

Feeling better, baby?

You know, I'm feeling so much better. You drugged me back, and I appreciate

that. I didn't drug you.

Well,

not today.

Also, speaking of which, I want to apologize for the whole bok choy

Oh, honey, that was nothing. We all entitled one per year. You used up

Thank you. And what about my cell phone battery?

Asia!

I'm just joking.

No, no, no. You know what?

She's right.

I promised you a battery.

I'll give you a better one.

This one's fine, Mom.

Somebody at this table's a spoiled brat. Now, I'm not going to call any names.

When I look, you look.

All right, let's clear the table.

Time to eat. Okay, two seconds.

One, two, time's up. Let's go. I got it, I got it, I got it.

Uh -huh.

See that? You hear that? See, that's mama language for, oh, I know you

My salad bowl just got hot in my hand.

Well, Lord, we thank you for this food we're about to receive, for the

nourishment of our body, for giving my two ladies the most wonderful, handsome,

charming father in the whole world. Yes, and I want to thank you, Heavenly

Father, for my family, for the love that we share each and every day.

You gave them to me, and I am grateful.

Jesus what?

And we all say amen. Amen.

There we go.

Now let's eat up.

Did she really just say Jesus what? Yeah, again.

What's wrong with Jesus what?

You've been saying that since you were seven.

This is delicious.

This is fantastic.

Yeah. Thank you. Anything for my ladies.

Baby, you all right?

Honey.

Um.

Yeah.

I'm good.

I'm good.

Good.

All right. Good.

So how was your day today, little missy?

Dandy.

Dandy!

That's good.

Okay.

Because no one sticks around.

There you go.

Who were you perceived to be?

Good job, everyone. You're all doing a wonderful job. Keep going.

Stay focused.

This is a series of exercises that we will be participating in to help tear

walls and build trust.

Keep focused.

Keep going.

Dante Reed?

Yeah.

Sorry, I'm late. No, save it.

In my anger management workshop.

On time is being five minutes early.

You are court appointed, so act like it.

Yes, ma 'am.

All I'm trying to say is this.

When a man, but not me.

Jeez. It's not, it doesn't necessarily mean.

What? I'm not talking about me.

I'm saying when a man cheats, it doesn't necessarily mean he don't love his

woman. And my point is that there's a reason.

There's always a reason. A reason for what?

There is no reason for cheating, Negro.

No, no.

There's something missing.

There's something missing.

I'm saying he might want a different position.

So have you ever cheated before?

Oh, no. Yes, he has.

Uh -huh, but wouldn't you want to see Mama suffer all of a sudden? No reason.

Why are you asking me that? New York City, baby. Yeah. New York City, baby.

New York City, baby.

New York City, baby.

Stay in yours. I'm in mine. Oh, okay. So we're giving attitude. Is that what

we're doing? A little bit if we have to. New York City. Oh, wait, wait, wait.

You guys, I heard that one of the frats might be stepping tonight.

Yeah, girl. It's a definite.

Good.

Oh, Angie, let me try that color.

Asia, seriously, did you get your mom's okay about the conservatory?

Huh? Stop. Come on.

Huh?

I mean, because you know we're supposed to go to where?

New York City, baby.

New York City, baby. What? New York City, baby.

Shh.

Shh. Shh. Shh.

Shh. Shh. Shh. Shh.

Shh.

Oh, thank you. All right, girl. Listen, I'm going to take this out. See you

later. You are the biggest stalker ever.

Who taught her this?

It's called the language of love, okay? Okay. Something you obviously don't

know. Nobody said I don't know nothing. Oh, what are you talking about?

Oh, see, Chris? You better not be holding that on us. See, Chris?

Are you looking for someone? Mm -hmm. Looking for your shadow. She's always

there.

Who, Monica?

Mm -hmm.

I'm not with her anymore.

We broke up two days ago.

That's good. I'm glad. She wasn't your type anyway. She was bossy, opinionated,

completely not on your level.

Trust me. I know these things.

Listen, the girls are in the back. You go back there. Okay.

Okay. Thank you.

because I don't want my men to be waiting for us. Tasha, he's not your

he is. Don't you see us together?

Ew.

It doesn't matter.

I don't see what you see in him. He's taking it to the party, Tasha. Okay,

make me take my earrings off, okay?

I'm already ready.

That's like talking about the cousin or something. Like, no.

Women are sneaky, okay?

No, they know how to keep a secret.

Number one.

Number one, and they cheat way better than we do. We don't. Huh?

Right. I know you don't. You don't do nothing. I know you don't.

My woman puts God first, I come second, then our children, and then her career.

Isn't that right, baby? Hello.

I understand everything she says in English.

I'm sure y 'all got some secrets.

Are you married?

No,

no, no, I'm not married.

Well, you know, I'm also known as Delilah.

Don't be nervous, don't be nervous.

You better get a haircut.

I'm not nervous.

Don't be nervous.

Does anybody else want to? I do, let me do it for you.

Hi,

baby.

Baby, you know the rules, right? Yes, never touch an unattended drink.

No drinking. No smoking. And you proceed dry.

Ron and I are for the direction. That's what you do.

All

right,

Jonathan, thank you so much for taking care of the girls. Thank you.

All right, Jonathan, don't end up in the literary.

I'm talking to her. Go, be careful. I hear you. Thanks again, man.

Y 'all be careful.

Thank you.

We're going to watch the stigma step, and then we're going to go home. Okay,

lady?

All right? Anything you say.

Exactly. Anything I say. All right, Asia?

Okay, so I'm going to go get us something to drink.

I'll be right back.

All right?

You see how you boosted ego?

I didn't do anything, okay?

Huh? I say I didn't do anything.

That was a whole lot.

These are things that are just genetically in your genes.

Some of that I agree with, some I disagree with. For instance, they may be

adopted by two white parents or two black parents or two Asian parents or

Latino parents.

They still got to be themselves.

I think there's still room for being an individual, don't you think? I know I

came up in an adoption household.

When's your birthday?

July 20th, 1990.

How'd you know that?

Dude, I've known you for 20 years. I didn't know you were adopted.

And it's something that I've struggled with now coming up.

Mother was black and my father's white.

They adopted me and my older brother. My older brother's five.

Kind of covers up this old birthmark, you know, turning imperfection into art.

It's kind of my thing. But what they did was they did a good job of assuring us

that we were loved.

I came up in the suburbs, and the most prejudice I found came from people who

look like me, who couldn't understand.

So did you know you were adopted?

They explained it to me, Mark.

No, I'm saying before they explained it to you, you didn't know? Your dad is

black. And your mama white and your daddy black. My father's white and my

mother's black.

And you didn't know you was adopted.

Well, of course I knew I was adopted. Nigga, you didn't look over and say,

wait. You just didn't look like me. And now you bring up a good point.

you to some of my crew right over here.

Can they come over here?

Come on. All of them have been waiting to meet the star of the spring musical.

Don't tell them that.

You should be proud, girl.

Come on.

Let me show you off a little bit.

Thank God.

And you know what? I'll just wait for my men to jump and say, perfect, perfect.

You know, coming up where, you know, in the suburbs, I went to a predominantly

white school.

And it just, I think where... That would have been all the clues I need.

Well, knowing that you're adopted and then feeling accepted, I think it's a

word to try to overcome in that situation.

I wouldn't have made a better talk.

Hey.

Hey, thank you.

I'm back. Like I said, I will be. Now, where is Asia?

Because I got two drinks. What? I can't.

Wow, the music is so loud.

It's Asia.

She's with Dante. She's with who?

Dante.

Who? Over there.

I'm really impressed, though.

Like, all jokes aside.

Oh, it's time to go home.

No, come on. It's too early. Hold these drinks for me.

I'm going to go get Asia. Relax.

I'll be right back.

Listen, everybody, I just want to say before we get out of here that, um...

Yeah, Ben, I really appreciate you guys stopping by. You mean the world to us,

and we thank you. Bro, I haven't seen you in so many years, and I'm so glad

ran into one another, man. Good to see you, brother. Love you, man.

Absolutely, absolutely.

Honey, talk to him. Tell him you're nice. Get him out of here. Well, we love

him. We love him, but I'm sleepy. I've got to go to bed.

Okay, well, that's another thing.

Some of you already know that I got a promotion at the job.

We're going to have a little dinner party, and I'm inviting every one of you

come back again.

We just love you. We'd love to share that with you. If that's okay with you.

All right.

Good, good. As long as it's catered.

I got to get out of here, man.

Thank you all so much. Thank you. Maybe it's a visit.

Love you, man. Love you, too, man. Good to see you, sweetheart.

Hey, I meant to tell you, I think I want to hang out some more with Dante, if

that's okay.

Yeah, we vibing on a conversation about Oedipus Rex, man. Deep.

Excuse me?

You know the king that scratched his eyes out, slept with his mom? He did a

paper on it.

Greek mythology, man. Get up on it.

Yo, my whip is right out front. I'll be happy to take your own. Yeah, his whip

is right out front.

I'm okay.

Come on. Really?

Seriously. Really? He's an artist. He goes to my school. Why not?

He paints and draws.

Okay. Thank you. Oh, my God. Thank you. Only because I trust you. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you. Listen.

When you get home, you send me a text message, okay? I will. I promise.

Get home safe. Okay. Thank you.

Don't worry, man.

She's safe with me.

Stop it.

Find this chump.

I'm really impressed, though.

Like, all jokes aside.

This is good, but your friends are seriously insane.

My friends? Yes, especially your sister.

She's borderline retarded.

You know that girl ain't right. Uh -oh. Uh -oh. And probably ain't gonna let us

know she on her way home.

No,

no, no. It's actually Jonathan telling me that Asia decided to ride home with

friends. You know what? You're acting like you're jealous of Dante.

Girl, please.

Why would you say such a crazy thing? Yes.

I kind of saw how you've been acting.

And it's like you've been acting so protective of her all night at the

I have been very protective of her. Why? Because.

Asia's mom hired me when no one else would hire me.

As a spy?

No.

As her assistant.

As a future attorney.

I put my resume on throughout the city and nobody would hire me.

I couldn't even afford school for the last two years, but the only way I could

pay for it was because of Asia.

And in those two years, she's not only been my boss, but she's allowed me to be

a part of her family, man. Like, all the dinners, the holidays.

So, yes, I am very, very protective of your good friend, Aisha.

Okay, I'm glad.

Good.

Okay, let me ask you one question, though.

If Dante was to ask me out, I don't want you to ask me no questions. Hey,

listen.

If Dante were to ask me out, you would have been jealous, right?

Right?

You'd be dying inside, huh?

Right?

Of course I'd be jealous, right?

Wait, wait, wait, wait. I think that's her.

Yeah, that's her right there.

Oh, look.

He's opening this door for my baby. The gentleman.

That doesn't mean anything.

Remember the first time I took you out?

You just got hooked on Jordan.

You couldn't wait to wear you a pair of Jordans.

It doesn't matter.

Nothing. What'd you say?

Let me tell you something.

You are never to see that boy again. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?

Why? Wait, wait, wait. Who is this boy? What did he do? He is a criminal.

You let a criminal bring you home? Dad, he is not a criminal. Mom, will you

please tell him Dante got arrested for painting over graffiti. He's an art

student. Here is the point.

You don't see him anymore.

Do you understand me?

I can't wait to get away from you and this house and these rules.

Asia, come on. Hey, you're not going to be disrespectful, Asia.

That's all you're going to say?

What else can I say? I didn't... He's an art student, she said. Are you kidding

me? He is a criminal. I told you that. Since when has art and painting been a

crime? Did you see the art? I prosecuted him. Honey, I wasn't the one who got

arrested. Why are you yelling at me? Because you're not... What?

I told her not to be disrespectful.

What do you want me to do?

Okay, I'll tell you what. Agent, come here.

Daddy wants to tie and feather you.

Better yet, I'm going to beat you into oblivion. How about that?

No, I don't want any blood on these shoes. That's the way it is.

Honey,

honey. You need to. Honey. What?

I'm sorry.

Okay, I'll handle it. Rub my shoulders.

Okay.

Not helping yet? Not yet?

Oh, wait a minute. That was good.

But mom was insane last night.

He went ballistic on me over this Dante thing. You're not allowed to see him.

He's not a good guy.

I mean, how would she know?

Okay, Aja, come on now, all right? Don't make your mom out to be a villain, all

right? No, no. Your mom knows what, you know, she wants what's best for you.

She acts like I'm a hooker, Dad. She acts like I'm walking around on the

sniffing cocaine and giving it to whatever guy I want. Hey, Aja, come on.

Giving it to whatever... All right, I'm going to give you a right hook. You give

it to whatever guy you want to. Stop making your mother out to be a villain.

Well, you cooked these eggs perfectly, as usual.

Man. Well, don't forget to tell your mom it's time for breakfast, okay? Oh, Mom

left.

No, she couldn't have left.

Mm -hmm. Look.

Hey, babe, sorry I can't make it tonight.

Kat has an emergency.

I'll see you later tonight.

And I am going to be late. I don't need you now.

I have two new students to tutor.

But, baby, we have our special day tonight. We do this every week, and

gone. Hey, ask her. I mean, I have to go. I have to go. I have two new

to tutor. Okay.

All right.

Can't believe I let you get me out of bed at this ungodly hour.

Here's the keys to Mama's storage unit.

Why all of a sudden you want to do something with Mama's stuff?

You didn't want nothing to do with it after the funeral.

Why?

Would you stop acting like a 12 -year -old? Would you just tell me what's

on?

Kat, no.

Oh, my God.

You really were serious this morning, weren't you?

You really meant your fun?

When? How? How did this happen? Tell me.

Last week, Samson's client.

Kat, this kid, he had the same exact birthmark.

The birthmark?

Yes.

He had the same birth date.

A birth date and a birth mark, and now you think this is your fun?

Yes. Kat.

He's adopted.

I have to find out if it's truly my son.

Okay. I support you.

Thank you.

What Jordan got to say?

You ain't told Jordan.

Are you kidding me?

Girl, if Jordan don't know about him, why you care about this little Dante

Because he went out with Asia.

Yes.

Now, we got to fix it.

T, thank you.

Thanks. Do what you got to do, baby.

I don't like that answer.

Tell the people out there what it means to be held hostage and in bondage and

this secret that you kept, this thing that you've been holding on to for so

long.

No, you don't understand. My mom flipped when she saw that Dante took me home.

I don't know why.

He's such a gentleman.

He opened the car door for me.

Hang on.

I have to go.

Tutoring session?

English lit?

Did you practice yourself?

Nah. Look, it's all right there.

I'm assigned a tutoring session today, 2 .15, right here.

I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you... Yeah, me either.

For real.

Look, I got to do analysis.

I got to do an analysis on this play, Fences, by August. August Wilson.

Yeah. Love his work.

Perfect. Good play.

Your mom freaked out when she saw me last night, huh?

Freaked is an understatement. She basically tried to murder me with her

Like, literally.

I don't know. I've never seen it. Hey, you guys want to take this outside,

seriously? Yeah, man. As a matter of fact, I'd be more than happy. No, no,

no, no, no, no, no, no. Are you serious?

Wrong, right, and time.

Okay?

I work here.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

We'll be quiet.

We good, man. No worries.

Look, I don't want to cause any more trouble for you, all right? I'm going to

find another tutor.

No.

This is stupid. I'm your tutor.

Let's get to work.

All right.

So, where do we start?

You haven't read it?

Not yet.

So you're going to do a paper on it if you haven't read it.

I don't know, but I'm open to suggestions.

Oh, my God. Stop flirting.

It's tutoring time.

Ooh,

smells good.

Hey, baby. Thank you, tonight.

Out of the border.

I love South of the Border.

Ooh.

Come on.

Salsa with you, Daddy.

No, no, no. Put the bag down. There's salsa better with bags.

Come on. Here we go. Salsa.

This is not the salsa. This is the salsa bump, just because we're eating south

of the border food.

All of your dances coordinate with where our food comes from. Excuse me? No, I

did not. Yes. Greek food, we have the Greek bump. Italian food, we have the

Italian bump. You see? It's a pattern. You know what? You are a hater. So you

ain't learned nothing in school, obviously.

The bump is an international dance.

And your daddy is an international bump.

All right, go ahead and get ready. Your mom should be home soon.

She's parked outside?

Yeah.

Honey was here. Come in.

All right.

Practice the ball.

Come on. I know you kept it.

It's everywhere, Mom.

Dad, are you in here?

Hey, honey.

You in there? I didn't hear you come in.

Listen, my stomach's a little upset.

Okay.

Why is the door locked?

Gabby?

Gabby, did you hear me? Why is the door locked?

Yes. I mean, what?

Gabby?

Gabby?

Honey, why is the door locked?

Listen, I'm kind of indisposed, okay?

Alright.

Call me if you need me.

But I'm going round and round, no answers to be found.

But I know this journey I must make.

Where do I go from here?

Trying to find my path is so unclear.

i need to find my way help me to find my way where do

i go from here where

do i go

from here trying to find my path

is so unclear

i need to find my way help me to find my way where do

i go from here

trying

to

find my path is so unclear

I need to find my way.

Help me to find my way.

Where do I go from here?

Morning, Daddy.

Hey, babe.

Mama again?

I need to talk to her.

Honey, put your dishes in the dishwasher when you're done, okay? Wait, Dad.

I'm sorry, baby.

Have a good one.

Morning, Mr. Winter's office. Morning, morning, morning. It's Jordan. How are

you? Good. How are you?

I'm good. Listen, I'm not coming today, okay? So cancel all my calls. Are you

okay? No, no. I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm good. Thanks. But I just need

some me time. So I am going to turn around, change clothes, maybe get me a

workout, clear my head. Well, as hard as you've been working, you deserve it.

Thank you. Are you sure you're okay? No, I'm good. I'm good. I'll probably go

surprise Gabby, you know, take her to lunch or something. Lucky woman.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Bam! Oh, my God.

A B -plus? This is awesome.

Check out the instructor's notes. You have a keen understanding of the play,

you've articulated it in a powerful and passionate way.

Oh, my God.

Look at you.

I used to just paint with paint. Now I'm painting with my words.

Poetic.

It's all thanks to you, theater chick.

I mean, uh...

No, no, no. Theater tickets, fine. You've earned it. Congratulations.

I'm proud of you.

Earn what?

Oh, what's up, student Ty?

How is anger management going, man? You got your anger managed, bro?

You want to step outside and find out? No, no, no.

Sit down. Lower your testosterone.

Chill.

Have a seat.

I'm his English tutor.

Yeah. I swear.

Don't look at me like that.

Does your mom know?

Hey.

Hey, Jonathan. How you doing, man?

Yeah. Let me speak to Gabby.

Oh, she's not in right now. She's not there?

Really? Where is she? Did she go to lunch break already?

Oh, no, she didn't show up this morning.

All day?

No, she didn't come in, which is very strange because for the last two years,

she hasn't missed not one day, you know?

Well, where is she, man?

Could you hold one more second?

Johnson, don't put me on hold.

Honey,

I'm at work.

I'm at work.

Swapped. Gonna be late.

Then a Friday night. Love you, Kathy.

Gabs, what are you doing?

My confidential files?

Really? You don't understand. Really, it doesn't matter.

This is trouble.

And you're dragging me into it?

Gabby, I'm your friend. How could you do this to me?

I'm not doing anything to you. Stop!

You are the one that arranged this boy's plea deal. Why do you need more

information? This is textbook conflict of interest.

My God, do you realize you could be publicly reprimanded, put on probation,

suspended? Let me just tell you what's going on. You don't understand. You know

I don't understand and I don't know what's going on, but I am your friend.

But whatever it is you got going on, you need to get some help.

But if I find out you've accessed any of that boy's information,

I will personally call the Senior Disciplinary Council.

An investigation will be launched.

I don't know if I need anger management per se. You know, it's like if people

say I talk too much, but you know, I've been trying to like listen quite as much

as I talk. You guys are doing a really good job. I want you to dig deeper.

I'm a fourth grade teacher. I'm science.

I volunteer in a shelter.

Oh, let's see. What else? What else? What else?

Okay, stop.

Now, the listener in the group is going to mirror what the speaker was sharing.

Now, I know I gave you a lot of info, but I probably just went way over the

board, went way over top. I just want to make sure you understood.

Why do you do that? Just ramble on and on like that.

You know what? Forget it. I need to make it.

Dante, wait.

I ramble on and on because if I were to stop for five minutes,

That we flooded with the memories of everyone I've ever loved who's walked

on me.

And if that were to happen, I'd just

fall apart.

Uh, Dante, Annie, is everything okay? Do we need to take a break?

No, we're good.

Look, I'm sorry for going off like that.

I know something about abandonment, how much it hurts.

Listen, we are all here to learn, to lean on one another for support.

Because if we... I did it again, right?

It's okay.

You're a fourth grade teacher.

Science.

That's a wrap for this evening.

All right. Thank you for coming.

And don't forget, your assignment next week is to write the apology letter for

the one person you've hurt the most, okay?

Thank you.

Have a good evening.

A part of me is saying you can't be born gay, but then I remember seeing little

boys in my neighborhood who were really little skipping around and they grew up

gay. I can't believe you can't be born gay. Maybe they were born gay. In a way.

So that's what you're saying, that you're born gay? Absolutely. I don't

it's a choice.

I don't think it's a choice as far as who chooses who they're going to love or

not. Maybe a chromosome break.

So if I want a tax break?

I should just decide that I'm going to, you know, become gay.

Now, you're living with somebody that you care about, that you're sharing a

with. Why shouldn't you get that benefit? You should get privilege.

Definitely get privilege. But you don't get no special treatments because of it.

Why is it special?

I mean, do you choose to love your wife? I should not be penalized just because

I love someone. I'm indecisive. Like, I feel like they should be able to receive

the benefits, but I don't think it should be under a marriage certificate,

know, to be the civil union. I don't, I'm just not for.

Gay marriage and I don't know how I feel about them raising children because I

feel like influence is a big thing in a household.

It's not easy for an interracial couple to raise kids. Less likely for a

homosexual couple to raise children. And it's much better for a child not to

have any parents and just be in an orphanage rather than having two loving

parents that really care about them.

care about them but the reality is we are living in a world where the people

judgmental kids above all are very reality and how we are taught that

whatever people want to do is none of my business if they want to be together

and have a life together and even you know gay people adopt children what like

there's so many children that don't have family everything god created is good

and the moment you tell me that my good is defined based on your good We got a

problem. And I serve a God of love. I serve a God of compassion. I serve a

But this is about a relationship.

I never knew.

I know how much I love this woman.

But I never knew how powerful love was until we had a daughter.

Then it made me understand God's love. That how in the world can you love

something so much even when our baby is wrong. We would tell her hello behind up

when she was little.

We didn't stop loving her just because she was different or because she made a

mistake or because she didn't live the path that we wanted her to go.

So I don't think God stops loving us just because we're different from

else. That's all I'm saying. I believe that people should have the right to

who they are, but I believe the marriage should be between a man and a woman. I

look to the Bible. The Bible, wait, let me finish. The Bible is very clear.

God said, love thy neighbor as thyself. He never said love thy straight

neighbor. He said, love thy neighbor. If your neighbor is gay, that means God

tells you to love him. And he also says, judge not. So we are supposed to love

people and not judge them. That's between them and God. That's what I say.

Yeah, thank you for returning my call.

Uh -huh. I was calling about an adoption.

Yeah. Uh -huh.

Okay, yeah.

Yeah. Carl Jordan, you're in there freaking out. Shh.

Yeah.

What? Oh, wait, you do have a record.

Right, right. I mean, it's like, if you're happy and you know it, clap your

hands.

You know?

If you're happy and you know it, kiss your man.

If you're gay and you really want to show it, if you're gay and you know it,

clap your hands.

I heard him the first time.

Lewis here is my partner.

Got it!

I get it now.

No, yes, well, a baby boy.

Yes. No, no, I checked with them already.

Okay.

Thank you. Thank you anyway.

All right. Bye -bye.

Excuse me. Can you excuse me?

Get comfortable.

Joy, man.

You all right?

You have a problem with this?

I'm good, brother. I'm good, man.

You're my friend, and I love you, brother. I just wish I hadn't found out

this, but... Good for what?

Well, um, Samson just shared with the group that Lewis here is, uh,

is my partner.

You mean your prayer partner?

Y 'all go together, praise Jesus.

Uh, no, no.

Business partner. That's your business. You in business with him.

No.

We're not. It's my life partner.

Lewis is his?

My partner, it's loving.

Uh -huh.

We, uh, we know what, we saw, guess who? Uh, doing a spoken word. Yes.

It was amazing.

So fabulous.

Miko. Miko. Miko?

No,

no, no, no, spoken word.

Oh. No, I'm sorry. Can we hear you spoken word?

Sure, sure. Uh, we'll be happy to.

Look at that.

Give me birthday.

This poem is about my dad. It's about love. That's what we've been talking

tonight. So let's dig on in.

On the front of his red hooded sweatshirt and cheap white iron on

read like a bad joke of his own concoction, it says, I am six foot six,

pounds. I don't play basketball in the weather.

It's fine up here.

This is my father, complete with his own unconventional flair for fashion,

combining sweatpants with, like, everything.

A white man who dared raise three black boys in a city where interracial was a

four -letter word, where whites as well as blacks called him nigger lover for

loving three beautiful black baby boys that black men had abandoned who were

he knew and never encouraged him to love us unequally.

Gabriel, you cannot keep this baby.

segregated community where I was held up to ridicule by brothers and sisters of

the same melanin because my daddy was a cracker and I talked like one. I forced

rotten disillusionment into my veins for years.

My father, he wouldn't let me break.

He told me, son, there are those among us who violently fear that which they do

not understand.

A hundred different forms of fear drives this storm that no man, black or white,

tell you. You are the child of God. I didn't believe him until much later on.

In my teenage years, our relationship began to spoil.

He, unable to spend the time with me that he wanted, and I finally sought to

destroy this fragile thing called me.

Unaware of the waters I was wading in were tributaries in a cursed bloodline,

felt it, saw it coming. It snatched him down in his younger years, but the road

kept him away from me, kept him away from us, his family. He developed a

Now, when he told us, no one could believe him.

How could this man, who seldom raised his voice in anger, be addicted,

with cursed blood, or a shattered mosaic of happier times? Our family was

disintegrating. He held me. He held us. Safe in his seven -foot wingspan like a

condor, and we, his left -behind hatchlings, he went off to treatment.

Told me he'd find a way to beat this thing, said his only goal in life was to

live with us and to die sober.

17 years sober when the cancer came for him told me in his life he was no

superhero he just loved the best of himself each day

and let the rest fly peaceful we were all there with him our faces overflowing

with tears that seemed to stream forever the calming blue and his eyes still

twinkling see he refused the morphine Since the pain made him feel like he

the right decision, he wanted to die sober, he did that. When I close my

can see him in the hereafter. Ever the fashion risk, the cheap white iron -on

letters of his red hooded sweatshirt reading now more like prophecy.

I am six foot six, 240 pounds.

I don't play basketball. And believe me when I tell you, the weather's fine up

here.

Unbelievable, man.

I need to talk to you in private.

Listen.

What's going on with my wife?

She's not showing up to work. She's not what she says she is. Coming home late.

Nothing's going on, okay?

Nothing's going on. Kat, Kat.

You know that I love you, right?

Do an open mic on Friday nights? You are lying and you are protecting Gabby.

No, I'm not. Yes, you are. Listen, ain't nothing going on. Hold on, Jordan,

okay? You just need to relax. You need to calm down.

She having an affair with me?

Look, I have a right to know.

No, Jordan, she's not having an affair, okay? Then listen, just relax, calm

down, all right? I got to go. I'm going to talk to you later.

Thank you for tuning in again to Stay Out of Your Own Way, where we turn

brokenness into breakthroughs. I'm your host, Jack Daniels. We have an exciting

show for you today.

You just heard something from a darkling.

Do you feel blindsided at all?

I do, because I feel like for three years I pretty much have been with a

stranger. I feel like you don't trust me.

And if we don't have trust, then we don't have anything.

Here's what we're going to do.

We're going to take a break and we're going to come right back and we're going

to talk about trust. We're going to talk about being blindsided in a

relationship and what it looks like to have to rebuild that relationship and

that level of trust with one another.

It's so important.

And if someone has been going through the same thing, you don't want to miss

Stay out of your own way. We'll be right back.

I feel like you've been blindsided.

Blindsided? Mm -hmm.

Blindsided. Like... Like you found out some information about someone that

just... I don't know how to say it. Like it just knocks you off your feet.

What do you mean?

I mean, like... Like you've known someone for 20 years, right?

20 years you've known them, but it feels like you discover something that

makes you just feel like they haven't been completely honest

with you.

Completely honest?

Like, honest about a particular part of their lives, you know?

I mean, after 20 years?

Shh.

Samson never told me he was gay.

Not that I have a problem with it. He's cool with me. I think that dude Lewis is

cool. I just, I didn't have a clue.

You know?

I just didn't know.

I wish he would have told me.

I would have, you know, I would have been all right with it. I just, you know

what I'm saying?

Hmm?

I was pregnant when I was 16.

You were what?

I became pregnant when I was 16.

And no one was supposed to know.

And I had the baby. It was a baby boy.

And he was given up for adoption. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Time out. Time the

hell out. Wait, wait.

Are you telling me you had a baby and you kept it from me for all these years?

Yes, but let me just finish what I'm saying. No, I'm not going to let you

finish.

Why didn't you tell me?

You know my mom. She was all about appearances. It was her. You can't blame

on your mom, Gabby. You're a grown woman.

As a woman, you, not your mother. As a grown woman, why didn't you come to me?

George, just stop it. Don't you tell me to stop. I'm not going to stop.

No. Why don't you tell me what else you've been keeping from me?

I found him.

You found him?

Who? The boy? Your son?

Yeah. Well, I think it is him. First, I have to confirm it when I talk to him.

But when I finish, once I figure out... Okay, hold on, hold on.

How do you even know that that's about it?

What do you mean? What are you trying to say? I'm saying how do you know he

wouldn't have talked to you? How do you know he didn't have any resentment in

his heart for you?

I have to finish this. You understand that, right?

Okay.

Okay, then I want you to tell me. Who is this young man that you think is your

son?

Dante.

The boy that... Asia?

The boy that brought Asia home from the party.

Oh, that's wonderful.

Jordan? Where are you going?

Why would you do something like that? Unless there's still something there.

So if you really want to stay out of your own way and do some things to

out exactly who she is and what's going on or what her intentions are.

Look at the cat.

My dog.

Where's Gabby?

Where's Kathy?

Uh -oh. You might need a little some of that. Right here. I'm chopped liver out

here. My goodness.

Hold up, dog. Tell me something. What, what? You are not here to get your book

signed by Dr. Feelgood, is you? Dr. Who? Yeah, Dr. Feelgood. He here saving them

people from they selves and the world. Stop. Stop. You are such a hater. Oh,

yeah. He's such a hater. Okay.

That is psychotherapist Jack Daniels. He's here for a book signing slash.

Q &A session. Really?

What does Mr.

Dr. Phil Cook, what does he write? Oh, uh, uh, the New Testament.

Yeah, yeah. I believe in Jack 316, but Jack so loved the Daniels that he gave

his only to God. Hey!

Stop!

Stop listening to him. No, it's this.

This is what he wrote.

Stay out of your own way. Stay out of your own yet.

And how are you not hip to Jack Daniels? Like, he's everywhere.

Yeah, he's doing it. Radio, TV, internet, everywhere.

Is it okay to keep secrets? I had a reason on the other day. Come on. If I

tell you, it's not a lie. Now, if you ask me, I'll tell you the truth. I'm

telling you the truth. But you don't need to know what I did years ago or

time. Well, maybe.

What do you guys think about this whole thing about, you know, couples having

secrets and things?

What do you think about that? Do you think it's cool?

Depends.

Wait, depends? What do you mean it depends?

It depends.

It depends on the relationship. What could it possibly depend on, Evelyn? I'm

not... Okay.

You're telling me you have no secret?

Not one. At all? No, I don't have any secrets. So you told your wife every

single embarrassing,

disgusting, humiliating relationship incident from your entire life?

I told her everything.

Nah. Come on. I'm serious.

I'm serious.

I'm an open book. My life is an open book. Anytime she asks me something, I

her the absolute truth every time. Nobody said anything about where you

What are you talking about? No, no, no. There's a difference between lying when

you're at something and then not having secrets.

Oh, come on, y 'all. Chumba, we family. I've known you my entire life. I mean,

me not.

All your life, you've known me. I'm not old like you and Tristan. Wow.

I digress.

Okay. Okay.

Our family had one rule.

What happens in this house stays in this house. There you go.

So you can't send me that crap about, you know, oh, no secrets. You can tell

that to Gabby, but not me. I know better.

All God's children got stuff.

You know what?

This conversation. You just.

You pray that when you release it, you got somebody who loves you.

Who loves you enough to just hang in there with you, you know.

No matter how bad it stinks.

I love you.

I love you too.

Oldest cousin.

No, I said second oldest.

See you guys later, okay?

Jordan! What's up, man?

Hey, hey, hey.

What you doing here?

Sorry for stopping by and announcing, man. You all right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

All good, all good.

Good, just, you know, hang out for a minute.

Well, yeah, I'm just doing some yard work in the back. Come on back here.

Wait, wait. This is when you start doing yard work.

This is gorgeous. This is great. It's beautiful. I love it out here.

Finally get to see how you rich folk live. Oh, look at you.

So, Jordan, man, what's going on with you, huh?

What do you mean?

Man, you seem like something's bothering you. Oh, man, I'm good. Come on, man.

I've known you since college.

Something's up.

All right, um... I need to ask you something.

Is hedging on client attorney privileges?

What is it, man?

Dante Reed.

Who? My client?

This kid. He's every... Who is he? Where is he from?

Does he have a record?

Who are his parents? Where does he live? Slow down, man.

Slow down. Relax, man. I can't relax.

I can't relax, Sammy.

This kid is all over my house. He's all over my world, man.

He's spending time with Asia, right? But when Asia tells us he's spending time

with them, Gabby goes ballistic.

But now she's...

Samson, Gabby just told me.

She thinks Don tastes her son.

Oh, wow, man.

I need some answers, man.

I need some answers. I need them now, and I need you to help me get them. You

know what?

Let's go inside.

Let's go inside and talk, man.

I'm sorry for pushing you away to a point where you don't even want to see

anymore. I'm afraid I'm not making my parents proud.

They always say that I don't finish anything.

Forgive me for all the times that you only wanted a hug.

What we did was selfish, cruel, and actually ended up

blowing up in all of our faces.

But compared to my past actions for all the drama that I've caused...

Your mother.

Please have it in your heart to forgive me.

I'll never make the same mistake again.

I'm sorry for crying, for lying, for stealing, for not being able to say

is enough.

I'm sorry for not really being sorry.

Please forgive me and accept my apology.

I love you.

Good job.

Good job.

Give her a hand.

I see your expressions. Some of you are like it's kind of difficult to get

up there and share that part of yourself.

Remember at the beginning of the workshop, I stated that some of you

the opportunity to read your letter to the group, and I had a surprise for some

of you.

Well, the surprise is that I called a few family members and friends, so we'll

have an opportunity to read those letters to that person.

And who does this family member belong to?

Come on up.

Introduce yourself and your guest.

And, yes, I'm going to have you sit here in the middle. This is the hot seat.

Y 'all know me. My name is Dante.

This is my daddy, Rich Reed.

Dear Daddy, of all the little babies in Los Angeles that you could have adopted,

you picked me.

And I never thanked you for that.

You and Mama gave me a loving home, but I was so hung up on being an unwanted

baby that whether or not it was true, I...

I never acknowledged that I was.

Wanted.

My birthday was just a yearly reminder that it was my birth mother's dirty

little secret.

I figured if she didn't love me, why should you?

Or anyone else?

I was determined to reject you and Mama before you two had a chance to reject

me.

It's too late for me to tell Mama now.

I'ma tell you.

I'm sorry for not being honest.

About my feelings.

And my insecurities.

I love you.

Take care of himself.

Yes, sir.

Dante, I gave you my daddy's name for

the first time I saw you in that tiny blue crib sleeping.

I knew you were part of the Reed family and that we were proud of that.

You were never

Not for one minute unwanted, okay?

From the moment you entered this world, you were loved.

By me and Julia, we loved you, son. We loved you.

Patiently, prayerfully, waited for you.

I thank God that your biological mother released you.

I don't care, never cared what her reasons were. You can call it whatever

want.

Abandoned, adoption, given away, left on the church steps. It doesn't matter.

Because we're a family.

And there's absolutely nothing you can do.

Nothing in this entire world that you could possibly do to make me stop loving

you.

I love you, Dad.

Love you too, son.

No,

no, I don't see any reason why we can't.

Come here.

Hey, you got to stop. Come on, come on, come on in.

I don't see any reason why we can't do all this, man.

Okay? Thank you so much, man. I value you, brother. We're going to make this

happen, all right? Thank you. Have a great one. Thank you too. All right.

Hey.

How you doing, man? I'm good, I'm good. How are you looking? How you doing,

Louis? How you doing? Have a seat.

Hey,

so listen.

When I told Louis about your situation, well, I knew we could help. Plus, I

wanted to help. I've been an advocate for mothers for years.

I've seen how secret adoptions can really tear a person apart. That's

what's happened to my wife. Exactly.

Well, I narrowed it down to three sets of parents.

One of these parents adopted Gabrielle's son.

I can't believe you found him so fast.

I took the liberty of crafting the letter on Gabrielle's behalf.

What kind of letter?

It's an introductory letter.

Using the right words and sure not to upset the recipient.

Oh, man.

I'm telling you, Gabby and I...

We were forever thankful, you know? I mean, just thank you, thank you, thank

you. It's not even a problem, man. Hey,

Lewis, do you mind if I speak to Jordan? Oh, yes, absolutely.

Hey, Jordan, it's good to see you again, man.

Thanks again, man. No problem. All right?

I will tell her.

Appreciate you, brother.

No problem. All right.

Just go with that.

No, I was going to say. Okay.

No, you go. No, you go. You go.

Lips are sealed.

I just wanted to apologize, you know, for the way that I broke the news about

Lewis and I.

Oh, come on. You don't owe me an apology for anything, man.

The point is I should have been more sensitive to the way that I broached it.

don't know. I could have pulled you to the side.

Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam, stop.

Stop, man.

It's me.

Dude, we go way back. Brother, you my friend. Brother, man, we family.

Okay? Now, hey, I'd be lying if I didn't say it didn't throw me off a little

bit. But, dude, you are my friend.

That's the most important thing. You're my friend.

Period.

Period.

Period.

All right.

Listen, man, tell Gabrielle I said hello.

All right.

And we're just going to go ahead and claim this. That's right.

Listen, man, if this anything, if you need anything, anything at all, you know

got you, right?

I know that's it.

Get out of here with that, brother. Come on, man.

I love you, brother. I love you, too, man.

Thanks so much. No problem, no problem. You take care, all right? All right,

tell Lewis that thanks again. I'll do that. All right.

Hey, baby.

How are you, baby?

What's that?

Dinner.

Takeout? Yeah, just for the night.

Dad, but you always cook and play music.

What's going on?

I love you.

Dad.

Excuse me. I love you.

Am I being this?

Oh, no, I'm not being this.

Baby. Debbie, get up. Get up right now. We've got to go.

What? What are you talking about? You scared me.

I'm holding in my hand three names and addresses of couples, one of which

adopted your son.

What? That's right.

We've got to go deliver these now.

See, look, they all are right here in Los Angeles. Did you see that? Yeah.

Where did you get these?

Lewis, Samson's partner.

See, he works with teens' pregnancy.

Similar situation to yours. Young ladies who had babies at an early age and gave

them up for adoption.

Are one of these Dante Reed's addressed?

Honey, I don't know that. I just know we got a little time to go deliver these

letters before it's too late. Let's go.

You had a baby?

When you were a teen?

Are you kidding me?

Asia, let me explain. You are such a hypocrite. Hey, Asia, come on, stop it

No, seriously, both of you are such liars. I mean, my whole life you've been

telling me to keep my legs closed, and you've been spreading yours wide open.

Asia, stop, okay? No. No, no.

I said stop it. Now, I know you're hurt, but you're not going to keep being

disrespectful to your mother. And then Dante, of all people, Mom, he might be

your son.

You know what?

Go find your son.

That's it, Asia. No, this is it, Dad.

Gabby, I hope you and your son are really happy together.

Who's she talking to?

Asia. Wait, wait, wait. She done crossed the line now. I know that, but she's

hurt. She's hurt.

Listen, I need you to focus on delivering these letters. I will take

Asia.

Baby, please.

All right, but you need to talk to her.

Talk to her. I will.

Go. Okay.

Hey.

It's all right.

It's all right.

Everything's going to be just fine.

And you're with the D .A.'s office?

Uh, yes, but, uh, this isn't D .A. business.

Because my Michael wasn't a... Angel. Well, he wasn't a troublemaker.

Was it?

Yes.

I lost my Michael.

Two years for Mom.

Ten days ago.

Sickle fell.

Well, I am, uh... I'm so sorry for your loss.

He was a good boy.

Because, see?

That boy could light up a room.

I'm sure he was a wonderful... He was.

I miss him every single day.

You know, he just fell into my life.

Well, how do you mean?

Yolanda, girl at my church, she got pregnant.

And she asked me to raise her son.

Can you imagine?

She wanted me to raise her child.

She thought something very special in you.

No.

She's a special one.

See, Yolanda was a teen mother.

But she knew she couldn't raise a baby.

So she came to me and she said, Miss Maggie, I can't raise this child right.

So I'm trusting you.

Just 16 years old.

And I thought, what a strong, courageous girl to make

such a tough decision.

Can you imagine how much faith it takes to make that choice?

Do people always say, Maggie, you're good to raise this boy?

Mm -mm.

I say no.

The birth mother, she's the hero in this story.

Thank you for that.

I hope you

find what you're looking for.

So do you normally make house calls to your minor cases, or should I consider

myself special?

The art is incredible.

You did all of this?

Yeah.

Like I said, graphic arts major. Remember?

Wow. Amazing.

Thank you.

Hey, Pop.

This is Deputy Winters from the DA's office.

Hi. Rich Reed.

Sorry about the dirt. I'm doing some work out back.

Okay.

So, did something go wrong with my son's case?

I mean, he's almost finished with all the anger management.

Yeah, no, and I heard it's going very well.

I got a couple guys working out back. Can we speed this up? This is, um...

This is a personal matter.

Hmm.

Run it.

During Dante's investigation, I found out some information... Whoa.

You just said this had nothing to do with Dante's case, and now you're

about you discovered some information to investigate?

No, no, no.

Like I said, this is a personal matter. In fact, you might not even want Dante

present during... Yo, anything that you want to say about me, you can go ahead

and say to me.

We don't have any secrets.

It's about Asia tutoring me?

My daughter tutors you?

She's not even supposed to see you. In fact, I forbade her to see you. What,

your daughter's too good to tutor my son?

Lady, you got a lot of nerve coming in here, wasting my time.

You're misunderstanding me.

I found out that Dante was adopted.

We already know that.

What's that got to do with anything?

Because I think some of your anger issues play into that. There could be

something that...

No. You're right.

Dante is angry.

And he has been since my wife Julia passed.

I thought of it before that, Pop.

When I met my birth mother.

What? Hold on.

You met your biological mother?

When he graduated high school, he wanted to do a search, and I helped him.

She didn't even want to meet me.

All my life, I had this picture -perfect vision of what it was going to be like

when I finally met my mother.

When we finally connected, turns out she long forgot about me.

She had her own issues, son.

It had nothing to do with you.

Anger management classes are going really well.

Now I got my son back.

I gotta go.

Thank you. No, no. Thank you.

No, it wasn't the anger management

classes that helped me.

It was Asia.

Not like that.

The other day, we were rapping about haters and all.

She told me that I needed to learn to let go of my anger.

And unless I did, it would start to poison everything in my life.

I wouldn't notice it at first, but eventually, little by little, it'd

everything that I love.

It helped me to really wake up.

I was able to finally forgive my birth mother.

I know she did the best she could.

Thank you for telling me that, Dante.

Bye, Miss Winter.

Please.

Is there any more beans that I can get?

Well, that's it, huh?

Ladies, that's it.

Because all you'll have to say is pass the salt and kind of have some juice.

Okay.

All right, then.

There's something I want to say.

First of all, the two of you need to know that the reason my heart beats

day is because of you two.

30 minutes after I'm dead, I swear I will continue to love both of you.

Asia, disrespect for your mother?

Stop.

Hear me?

Gathering. Secrets.

Keeping things from this family in today.

Today. Am I clear?

Am I clear?

Thank you.

Ladies, we are family.

And we will love one another through the tears and the pain, through the

sickness, and even through disappointments.

We will continue to love one another, and we will never allow anyone or

to come between the bond of this family.

You all understand me?

Understand me?

Yes.

Good.

This family is all we got.

The most beautiful.

And the most precious gift God has ever given us.

Now, Asia, something you want to say to your mother?

I'm sorry, Mom.

Isn't that special?

I tell y 'all that y 'all need to get along, and y 'all get the hugs, and the

love you, and what do I get, hmm?

An ugly child falling down. Well, you know we love you. Y 'all don't know

nothing. We love you, Daddy.

We're sorry for our drama, Daddy.

Whatever.

Neither one of you, don't move.

Hey, hey.

Me too. I was nibbling in angry silence.

I narrowed it down to three sets of parents.

One of these parents, adopted Gabriel's son.

Gabby!

Baby, you may want to come see that.

Look, Gabby.

He has a birthmark on his arm.

Catherine, he's perfect.

Hey, Mama, I want to talk to you about some things, and I

know you can hear me.

You know, I spent most of my life blaming you

and hating you for taking my son away from me.

But I am.

I understand now that you made a decision I couldn't make.

I mean, you knew that I would never say yes to an adoption.

And it was the best option for me at the time.

I mean, you took an incredibly painful decision out of my

hand, and you relieved me.

of a burden purely out of love for me.

I have to tell you, I was so stuck in

my own anger that I couldn't see that at the time.

I just didn't understand.

I didn't understand that you, you were willing to be a villain.

Just to protect me and my baby.

But I understand that now.

And I wanted to say to you, thank you.

Thank you for doing something that I couldn't even do for myself.

I love you, Mama.

Hope you can see That I'm okay now

Your baby is okay

Some people look at me and see all the things I have.

But they have no clue of what I've been through.

Even though I try to convince myself that it's all in the

past. But the pain of the past keeps haunting me.

No more trauma No more anger in my life No more

guilt and no more strife No more guilt No more

trauma No more hurt and no more pain No more

guilt and no more shame Sometimes the hardest thing for us to do

is letting go

Even though the things we hold onto hurts us so.

So I finally convinced myself that it's all in the past.

And released the hold that time has had on me.

No more pain.

No more guilt.

No more pain.

No more guilt and no more shame.

No more anger

in my life. No more guilt

and no more strife.

No more pain.

No more guilt and no more... shame.