Original subtitles

[Violet] Previously on Queen Sugar...

[Nova] I can't believe this.

I've been short-listed for the National Book Award.

-[woman] It's official. -[Charley] Is it the right decision?

-Candidate Bordelon, I'm with you all the way. -[crowd cheers]

Today I realized that Jimmy Dale coming back

stirred up a lot of stuff in me...

What is it they say?

"For better or for worse."

What I did to ever deserve you, I will never know.

[sighs] I can't remember the last time

a man added to my life without taking from it.

[hip-hop playing]

[singing in foreign language]

Welcome to Lineages.

-Thank you. -Ms. Bordelon, I'm Janice.

I'm your producer today,

and meeting you is a true pleasure.

I'm so excited to be here.

We are thrilled to have you as our guest.

-[chuckles] -Right this way.

Thank you.

Actually, I feel like the lucky one.

So many of us are disconnected from our histories,

our families.

To be reconnected with it,

uh, is really a privilege.

Oh.

I'm so glad to hear you feel that way.

'Cause, tell you the truth,

not everyone's happy with what they find

lurking in their family trees.

Something I need to know?

Oh, our genealogist recently found

new information about your family.

It seems your roots are more complicated than we thought,

and, with your permission, we would love

to include it in the show today.

No, absolutely not.

We agreed my-- the matrilineal side of my family

would be our main focus, not this.

-But-- -There's no way

I'm allowing this into the show.

We need to strike segment four.

Ms. Bordelon does not consent to its use.

♪ Dreams never die

♪ Take flight As the world turns ♪

♪ Dreams never die

♪ Take flight As the world turns ♪

♪ Keep the colors In the lines, take flight ♪

♪ Dreams never die

♪ Keep the colors In the lines ♪

♪ Keep the colors In the lines, take flight ♪

[man] Blessing and Blood,

a stunning piece of work.

Thank you for that.

It includes a harrowing story,

a bit of family folklore about the Bordelons

and their fight to retain their family's land.

You're referring to the lynching of four of my ancestors

by land thieves and murderers.

Crime committed allegedly

by ancestors of Louisiana's

Landry and Boudreaux families.

It's not folklore.

It can't be proven through traditional sources.

But not all truths can,

especially on these matters.

I do, however, have proof

that a different family lore that you write about

may not be as true as you think.

You write that your mother Trudy's

matrilineal bloodline ends with you,

should you decide not to have children.

I am the last living female related to my mother, Tru Bordelon.

Except it turns out you're not.

This-- This is Martha Lavoisier.

She is your mother's first cousin.

"Is"?

She's alive?

She is, lives a bit off the grid

in one of the remote bayous outside of New Orleans,

but we managed to make contact.

What did she say?

She's not gonna be coming on our show today,

but she did confirm what our records show.

She's Trudy's cousin,

and, at one time, they were quite close,

almost like sisters.

Now, what are you thinking right now?

That I've never been so glad to be proven wrong.

[chuckles]

I wasn't sure you would take my calls.

I wasn't sure, either.

As the only woman on the St. Thomas city council,

I've learned to speak plain.

I don't see us working with you to stop the highway.

Your mind's already made up?

How did a highway that St. Thomas did want

mysteriously end up in St. Jo,

where you claim most people don't want it?

Because the Landrys want it.

That's all I know right now.

A few months ago, you were the Landrys,

owning their shares,

profiting from their disgusting greed.

But being duplicitous isn't new for you, is it?

I've read your sister's book.

That's all in the past. I divested my shares.

Maybe, but I'd rather be betrayed by one of them

than one of my own.

Look, our town is dying,

and that highway was jobs,

new businesses, a lifeline.

Joyce, if we get it out of St. Jo,

we can fight to get it back to St. Thomas.

-[sighs] -But the parishes, we--

we have to work together,

or we'll all lose.

Find the real reason

the highway was moved in the first place.

Then maybe we can talk.

[police radio chatter]

What the hell's going on?

Look, I didn't do nothin'. Swear 'fore God,

-I didn't do nothin'. -What happened?

I didn't do nothin'!

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on.

Found 20 bags in your worker's car over there.

Now, this looks like intent to sell meth to me.

Look like some bullshit to me.

You was just driving round, what, decided to search his car?

Uh, we got an anonymous tip.

Oh, yeah. Been a lot of those going around.

Well, this is a known gathering place for a bunch of ex-cons.

It's called a reentry program,

and it got my daddy's name on it.

I saw your little sign over there.

-Yeah. -That's nice.

I don't give a damn what you call it.

You keep talking like that, you gonna end up in the car, boy.

So you forgot I got cameras all around this place, huh?

Oh, yeah, the cameras.

Yeah. You been checking those cameras?

Making sure they're working all day...

every day?

[chuckles]

It's a set up, Rah, you know I wouldn't do this.

I know, Benny. We gonna work it out.

Man, take it easy!

[engine starts]

Damn!

Nova?

Calvin.

Calvin, what are you doing in Philly?

[man clears throat]

Sir, I'll meet you inside.

I'm working.

I'm here for a couple days

and then back to Baton Rouge.

You live in Baton Rouge now?

Yeah. I moved there after the divorce.

I see.

I'm sorry to hear.

Don't be.

I'm not.

Well, I'm here just for a couple days, too.

For your book?

You know about it?

'Course I know about it. I read it.

You did?

Congratulations.

It's really fantastic. It's brave.

Thank you.

No, thank you.

It's not every day the love of a man's life

writes a book and then tells the world

that he's the love of hers.

I said you may have been the love of my life.

Okay.

♪ Why does it come to me In the darkness... ♪

You should get in there.

Yes, I should.

You have time for lunch tomorrow?

Yeah, I-I'll make time.

Same number?

♪ One more time with me

♪ One more time with me

Sometimes you really don't know what you got until it's gone.

Mm-hmm. Is Mr. Hollywood still at his mom's?

He went to see about Willa Mae.

She's starting to feel her years.

[sighs]

And I do wish that he was here

to handle all this foolishness

that I don't feel like being bothered with.

Come on. I'll drop you off.

All right.

[insects chirping]

[lock clicks]

[car doors open, close]

[engine starts]

[door thumps open]

So which one did it to you this morning?

My baby boy. Keeps me prayed up.

Oh, my God.

Baby, call 911.

Yes, ma'am.

-[cell phone clicks] -Yeah, hello.

We have an emergency.

We're at Vi's Prized Pies and Diner,

and, uh, somebody broke in. We need the police.

[gasps]

Ms. Violet.

Maybe you should call Hollywood.

No.

He's with his mama,

and this is not the first wall of shit

I have run into.

-[soft chatter] -[phone rings]

So I'm gonna read it again...

[all laughing]

[whispering] She picked up the book. She picked up the book.

[soft chatter]

[garbage can clatters]

Good morning.

That was so awkward.

[soft chatter]

[dialing]

[phone line ringing]

This is Ralph Angel.

Can't get to my phone right now.

-Leave a message. -[beep]

[beep]

Let's see...

Yes, Ms. Bordelon, I see your reservation.

Just give me a minute.

Thank you. I'm meeting someone.

He should be here shortly.

Am I late?

No, you're not.

Just making sure.

You're juggling this, I know.

Your boss didn't look too happy yesterday.

Not my boss, my client.

I'd heard you left the force,

but I didn't know what you were doing.

I have a small private security company now.

So like bodyguards?

Something like that.

That's really impressive, Calvin.

Didn't even know you were into

having a business and all of that.

I didn't, either.

I didn't know a lot about myself.

Last year was a real roller coaster,

but, all in all, it was a great ride.

-Shall we? -Mm-hmm.

[police dispatch chatter]

I'm fine.

[chuckles]

You'll see. Really, I'm fine.

-Hey. -Hey, baby.

Anything I can do to help?

Well, actually you could grab some of those big trash bags

and start filling 'em up.

Okay.

Ralph Angel will be here as soon as he can.

Is Hollywood on his way?

I-I'm good. I-- You know, I'm fine.

I'm just happy wasn't nobody here when it happened

and nobody get hurt.

Police have a suspect yet?

Well-- [clears throat]

They came in, took a lot of pictures,

but I don't see them breaking no sweat,

because I didn't have any video cameras.

I'd never thought I needed 'em.

Aunt Vi, I promise you this will not stand.

We will get to the bottom of this.

Okay?

Thank you, baby.

My Charley. [chuckles]

What the hell happened in here?

Well, good to see you, too, Cardale,

and, uh, I'm fine. Thank you for asking.

Oh, I'm sorry, Ms. Vi.

-Mm-hmm. -I'm sorry, Vi.

Mm-hmm.

Who would do this?

I don't know.

Good news is it's just stuff,

and I got good insurance,

so we'll be all right.

Ah, this ain't the first time

we've seen this kind of thing, all right,

but I tell you what we're not gonna do

is look at this mess one second longer than we need to.

-[dialing] -Thank you, hon.

Uh, grab a broom, a mop,

some more trash bags, anything you find to clean up with.

[Ralph Angel] First, Charley's office.

Now Benny and Aunt Vi.

You're right.

This all feels intentional, personal...

-Mm-hmm. -hysterical.

It's bullshit...

and the reason I became a lawyer.

But the good news is we were able to get you out,

and it's gonna take more than that cop

to get your parole revoked.

I understand if you don't want to talk...

but you haven't eaten anything, either.

[chuckles]

When I was growing up...

used to think, if I kept my head down,

didn't bother nobody, nobody would bother me.

Now I know that's not how it is.

Yeah, it ain't right this happening to you...

but you can't give up.

I ain't giving up.

Just don't know where I'd be without y'all.

We'll be all right.

Gonna be all right.

[papers shuffling]

[Charley] I have to say, Aunt Vi, you are handling this very well.

Well, crawling into the fetal position ain't gonna help none.

Besides, I've been through this before.

The diner's been vandalized before?

Nope. My house.

A parting gift from Jimmy Dale.

I got through that.

I'm gonna get through this.

What's Hollywood say?

I ain't talked to him.

Are y'all okay?

We're fine.

I'm the one with the problem.

Since Jimmy Dale showed up,

I can't stand to be touched by the man I love

because of the man I hate.

Doctor thinks I have PTSD.

I promised Hollywood I was gonna

get right with myself before he comes home,

and-- and this foolishness happening today

ain't gonna change that.

I'm okay.

I am still strong.

[knock on door]

Come on.

[cell phone chimes]

Oh, hey, baby.

Whatever you need, Aunt Vi, I got you.

I will. It's all right.

Ah, thank you, baby.

Good, Charley?

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, I will be.

Um, Rah, can I-- can I see you for a second?

Something just came up.

Oh, I'm good.

[clears throat]

[chuckles]

I love you.

Love you more.

Thank you for returning my call.

I'm glad you reached out.

I'm just sick about what happened to Violet.

Uh, but...

I have what I think...

you might need.

My pharmacy has three hidden security cameras.

Great. Which one faces my aunt's diner?

This goes back a couple of weeks.

-[file scanning] -Stop.

Uh...

This man with the camera...

he looks like Hank Miller.

Who's Hank Miller?

Jacob Boudreaux's new business consultant.

He's a creepy guy. He's always lurking around.

Wait. Uh, go back.

There he is again.

Taking pictures of Aunt Vi's diner

on two different days.

So he's watching us.

[file scans]

Why?

Got him.

Here's your guy,

red-handed, too,

holding a baseball bat

and running from the shop.

Hey.

That's Joaquin.

-Ignacio's son? -Yeah, Joaquin, Ignacio's son.

I know we gotta handle it, but...

he going through a lot right now, Charley.

Something's off about this.

His brother and his daddy probably gonna get deported.

[sighs]

We can't put this on him,

his mama.

Can't take away another kid from 'em.

I know someone who can help us.

Just when I thought you couldn't get any stronger,

braver, you do.

I don't know that I feel brave.

Things are hard right now.

My family's not speaking to me.

Including your Aunt Violet?

Even Aunt Vi.

So you're on the road all alone,

going though the whole spotlight stuff solo?

Yeah.

I keep saying that it'll smooth out,

that it takes time, and the wounds will heal,

but, as the weeks are turning into months

and no one's returning my calls, I feel like...

I may have lost my family.

I don't think that's possible.

There's too much love there,

and love just doesn't disappear

because we want it to.

Calvin, I said some things in my book...

about you, about us...

and about how I felt then.

How do you feel now?

I don't know.

Do you?

I don't know, either.

I thought I had it all figured out,

that I had to put us behind me.

But when I saw you yesterday,

that went right out that window...

and my world was spinning round.

Me, too.

So this is your spot?

Where you relax? [laughs]

Works for me.

Try it.

I'll do more than try it.

Like this, right?

Sort of.

-Hmm? -Right...

-[ball clunks] -[both laugh]

That's your fault. I'm better than that.

That's what they all say.

Oh. So I'm not the first woman that you brought here.

It's like that?

No, no, no. It's definitely not like that.

I spend a lot of time by myself these days.

Thinking of the one I let get away.

Amongst other things.

So, what's next?

This is the best day I've had in a long time.

Thank you.

[chuckles]

Thought you was coming back later.

About to pick up Blue.

Wanna roll?

I wanted to talk to you first.

'Sup?

I'm hearing from some colleagues

at Public Safety and Corrections

that Benny's arrest is giving them cause for concern.

Your reentry program is gonna go under review,

-and soon. -They gonna shut me down?

They're gonna try, but we're not gonna let that happen,

not without a fight.

How we stop it?

Get witnesses on the day of the arrest.

They'll go over records

and protocols for how you're running the program.

If you have surveillance tapes--

Yeah, I did.

Look, Guidry messed with them.

Then, we'll prove he tampered with them.

If I lose...

They could revoke your grant funding

and kill it.

But first things first.

We clear Benny's name.

We will hit them with everything we can.

If they're gonna take this from you,

they're gonna have to work for it.

It means a lot.

For real.

Appreciate you.

You mean a lot.

Let's get Blue.

Thank you for bringing this

to our attention instead of the police.

[speaking Spanish]

[speaking Spanish]

Didn't wanna do it.

Then this man offered me $500.

I said no.

Then he said he'd do to my mom

what they did to my dad...

unless I threw that brick through your window

and messed up the diner.

I'm very sorry.

Is this the man who threatened you?

He works for the Landrys.

No. I know this man.

I've seen him before.

[Ignacio] Not the Landrys.

He worked for Old World Energy.

The gas company?

He was hanging out at my church a while ago,

trying to get my parishioners to sell their land to him.

At lowball prices, too.

Old World Energy just drills all over the place for natural gas,

so it's probably...

For fracking.

In St. Jo?

Why would somebody from a fracking company

be hanging around my aunt's diner?

Excuse me.

[speaking Spanish]

Joaquin did the damage to the diner. He threw

that brick through my window,

but somebody else put that brick in his hand,

and that's who I want.

It's not a poison chalice, Jacob.

Last time we spoke,

I was rude... and wrong.

You tried to warn me, but I didn't listen.

I apologize.

[chuckles]

I should be held accountable.

You were trying to help,

and-- [laughs]

I pushed back really hard,

so hard, it got me thinking.

What am I really afraid of here?

[chuckling]

I'm not laughing.

We're running against each other.

People make all kinds of arrangements

to get what they want...

or need.

We both know that.

What's the catch?

[sighs]

So, Old World Energy is coming to St. Jo.

Tell me about your deal with Old World Energy, about Hank Miller.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Drilling for natural gas, fracking.

I'm talking about the plan to turn St. Jo

into another toxic ghost town.

What's the highway for?

To get equipment in and out?

A new highway makes new industry possible.

They always do.

It will also bring jobs, money.

That's what you all said about the prison. Was that just a ruse?

When we surveyed for the prison,

we found gas deposits in St. Jo.

My mother teamed up with Old World Energy to lock down the land.

Between the new tariffs and the trade wars,

sugar don't pay what it used to.

And so you diversified

at the cost of an entire town.

This ain't about black and white, Charley.

This is winners and losers.

Big energy won this fight a long time ago.

You just gotta pick a side.

We did.

Eventually you will as well.

I won't just let you make a fool of me.

You know that, don't you?

I think it's a little late for that.

Get out.

Everyone was laughing at me.

You can't think like that.

You don't believe me.

I heard what they were saying.

I believe you.

It ain't about that.

I just want you to think of something else,

good things.

I was doing fine.

I am fine.

[sighs] I was working my steps.

Hey, you're doing great.

Most of us go through this,

our past being dug up in some way.

Her book is a national bestseller.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean

to say it's not a big deal.

It is.

But we can't go back...

not even in our minds.

You need to call Marlene.

I called you.

And now I think you need to talk to your sponsor.

You've come too far--

I'm not weak, Leo.

I'm just upset.

Anyways...

thanks for coming.

I'll call you later?

[Charley] I know you don't want to hear this.

He's here.

The boy who did this?

I know you're upset.

Charley.

I know, Aunt Vi, but, please,

just hear him out.

Ms. Bordelon...

what I did, it wasn't me.

I mean, it isn'tme.

I only did it to protect my mother.

Okay, be quiet.

Don't say nothing else...

'fore I change my mind.

This is how we gonna handle this,

old-school style.

You gonna come here three afternoons a week

and on weekends to work this off.

We clear?

Yes, ma'am.

Thank you.

All right, then. Let's get started.

Come on.

Wh-What is this?

This is St. Jo doing what it does...

coming together for one of their own...

for you.

This warms my heart.

[sighs]

This is something else.

It is.

And I'm starting to think

it's time for everyone to see what we're about.

[Calvin] Well, that was nice.

Yeah, it was.

So...

So, yeah. Um...

I don't know what else to say.

Me, neither,

so I'm just gonna say how I feel.

I miss you.

Writing the book

made me face my part in everything I've done,

and I wanted to apologize to you...

for all the ways I held back,

for all the things I resented...

for all the ways I punished you,

when really I was trying to punish myself.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry I couldn't be your ideal.

Truly sorry.

Hey.

Keep in touch, okay?

I will.

♪ You'll teach me

♪ More than I could use

♪ I used to toil

-♪ On what to do -[elevator dings]

♪ You'll teach me More than I could use ♪

♪ All for you

♪ All for you

♪ All for you

[clock ticking]

[reporter] It's a quiet but momentous morning

in St. Josephine and St. Thomas.

Residents from both communities

have gathered together for a moment of silent protest

in a show of solidarity and resistance.

Wearing both the colors and the motto

of the Louisiana state flag,

"Union, justice, and confidence,"

this morning's action is a push back

against the rumors of a plan to use a new highway extension

to help Old World Energy begin drilling for natural gas,

or fracking, on farmlands throughout St. Jo.

It's a move that Charley Bordelon,

a candidate for city council, says would destroy homes

and upend cane farming in St. Jo

and damage the fragile economy of St. Thomas.

The time has come for justice

and to end corporate greed

and the exploitation of small, vulnerable communities.

We're here today to say we're united.

Defeating us won't be easy.

We won't let you walk over us,

take away our farms and homes,

destroy our livelihoods.

We will keep fighting,

and we're confident we will win.

[applause]

[knock on door]

Hi.

Hey.

I was hoping to catch you before you left.

I'm on the red-eye.

Come in.

Our goodbye didn't feel right...

so I thought we should do it again

or not do it at all.

Maybe we shouldn't say goodbye.

We've changed.

I keep thinking...

could these new versions of us...

do better together than we did before?

To be honest,

I wondered the same thing.

I keep coming to the same place.

I'm scared of us together...

for real, out in the world...

what that really means.

Last time nearly broke me.

Last time did break me.

I was broken

all the way, in every way.

But I would feel that pain again

if maybe, this time, we could do it right.

You and me, we always go all-out,

100% passion,

physical...

less of our minds...

our spirits.

That was a big part of the problem, I think.

Yeah.

I guess you're right.

If you'd be willing to explore with me...

to see if we're on the same wavelength,

that we want the same things,

talk through the things we couldn't work out before...

get to know the new versions of us

before anything else...

I'd be willing to.

I want to.

I'm willing.

[chuckles]

[sighs]

You should see these.

-Yeah? -Yeah.

What you got?

That's what you did.

Wow.

Look at you.

Should use some of 'em for your campaign.

Uh, I don't know.

I don't want people thinking

that's the only reason we made a stand today.

Come on. You killed it today.

I mean, you're sure to get the newspaper endorsements now.

When do they drop?

I'm supposed to be hearing within the week,

but I meant what I said.

What we did today, it isn't just about my campaign.

I know.

But, still...

my mom's a badass.

Hey. Language.

Not that it isn't true.

-Right. -[laughs]

[ringtone playing]

[telephone ringing]

[second cell phone ringing]

No one ever calls our land line.

Hi, Prosper.

Wait.

S-Slow down.

[telephone ringing]

Wh-What?!

-Ma, what is it? -No.

No, no, no.

Mom.

The mill's on fire.

[music playing]

[woman] Go, Ree-Ree.