[Renee] I married a private equity manager,
not Ja Rule's former intern, for a reason.
Apparently he's been floating the entire band,
paying for studio time, equipment, all of it.
No! My marriage is over.
[person] We'll be pitching L'Oréal.
Keith Mumford will run point.
I quit.
Start your new company
and pitch L'Oréal.
It'll be your first act as CEO of your own firm.
[Sondi] I'm fucking my thesis advisor,
which could get him fired and me thrown out of school,
which makes our communication about me
fake step-parenting his daughter easy and effortless.
Yeah, I kept my apartment.
Matthew's place is great,
but this is the Holy Grail of university housing.
You plan on telling Matthew about this?
- Fuck no. - [Baptiste] So you're here
because you need a new advisor
or you're going to have to leave the program, correct?
There's a big difference between being an influencer
bloggy-person and an actual author.
[Ella] This is my job, and I'm trying to be good at it.
Yeah, and your job is wack.
You know that. You're better than this.
[Whitney] I love Ola so much.
I didn't cheat on him
because I have doubts about him or us.
It's just Ola is literally the only person
that I have ever been with before this.
I can't stop thinking about it.
You have to tell him.
I slept with someone else.
But I--I love you so much.
You-- you fucked some other dude.
That's betrayal.
Ola, you asked me to show you my whole self,
so here I am just begging you
to forgive me for making one terrible mistake.
Please don't call off the wedding.
[Ola] To be honest with you,
I wasn't sure we'd make it here.
Well, life can test your faith in yourself,
in others, in love,
but there is no one else
I'd rather spend the rest of my life with.
You are my perfect girl, and I will love you forever.
So I do.
[officiant] By the power vested in me,
I pronounce you husband and wife.
[Felix Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" playing]
[cheers and applause]
[laughs] Ready? One...
[both] Two, three.
[Ola grunts]
No!
[Sondi] Oh, my God.
Are you okay?
Well, I thought I was,
but I'm coming home from a girls' trip
instead of my honeymoon.
And I just had the dream again.
- Uh-oh. - [Sondi] Our greatest fear.
Sending a brother off to the land of the Beckys.
And I woke up just after he jumped the broom.
With a white woman.
Dream Ola ain't shit.
One time, I dreamt that Jason got married
to the Progressive chick,
and I changed to GEICO the next day.
I'm not ready to go back.
Ella had the right idea.
I should've stayed with her in Tulum.
- Mm-mm. - Let's be clear.
Ella is staying an extra week to work on her book,
not escape reality.
I'm not escaping.
Taking time off to be inspired
is Ella's bag, not yours.
But we are not gonna pretend like this isn't hard.
You're not alone.
We got you.
[soft jazzy music plays]
♪ ♪
[Matthew] Hey.
I missed you and Amari so much.
And I have the greatest news.
Baptiste agreed to be my thesis advisor.
At first I was scared that it wasn't gonna happen
because the notes on my paper were so much longer
than the actual paper itself, but I honestly--
Love that. That's amazing, baby.
But listen, there's something I gotta tell you.
[Amari] Mommy's back!
[Sondi] Oh, my God.
Amari's never called me "Mom" before.
- [Matthew] Sondi, wait. - [laughing] Amari, hi.
Hey, Sondi.
Welcome back.
You too.
Mommy got a house in New Jersey,
and I'm getting another room!
A-a new assignment?
Mommy quit the Navy.
We're not quitters, sweetheart.
I was honorably discharged.
Yeah, her assignment is over.
Found a place in Ridgewood.
Well, um, congratulations.
- [Amari giggling] - Yeah, that's--
that's what I wanted to tell you.
- Hey, surprise! - [Amari giggling]
[jazzy piano music plays]
♪ ♪
[siren wailing]
Thanks for letting me crash here.
I just don't want to go home yet.
Of course, girl.
[sighs]
Hey, you can't keep it off forever.
And I don't know what Mama Gwynn could say now
that she didn't say two weeks ago
when Ola called off the wedding.
I never heard a woman over 50 say "fuck" that many times.
[inhales sharply, groans]
Okay, turn it on.
- [phone buzzing] - [notifications chiming]
Oh. Oh.
Um, it won't stop. It won't stop!
- Make it stop! - Damn.
I ain't never seen a three-digit text count.
How long you had it off?
Since the flight to Tulum.
Okay.
Ola says he's staying with a friend
and to let him know when you're back.
Oh. Okay. Well, that's encouraging.
It's not, "I overreacted and made a huge mistake,"
but I'll take it.
[chuckles]
Well, have you watched Love in Escrow?
I got hooked on this shit
that one day it rained in Mexico.
Mm.
It's real estate porn with Black women running shit.
You'll love it.
- [upbeat music plays] - [person on TV] Hey, y'all...
I don't think I can do it.
Look, I know Black women bickering
for the camera can be a little cringey,
but the petty in this show is pretty mild.
And no one's sleeping with anyone's man.
- Yet. - No, no.
I'm--I'm talking about work.
I--I don't think I can do
the--the looks, the stares, the questions.
You don't have to answer shit.
I've never fucked up this big.
I've--I have a goal.
I make a plan. I stick to the plan.
What's the plan for leaving the office engaged
and coming back without wedding photos?
Well, just come up with a new plan.
But the first one was perfect.
Okay.
Okay, I get it.
Starting over in our 30s.
- No man, no job. - [Whitney sighs]
[sighs] It's gonna take some time
to get back what we lost.
I just don't want anyone thinking I'm sitting
at home on my couch, sad and pathetic.
Well, you're not.
It's my couch.
If you need more time, take it.
And don't feel guilty about it.
Everyone's always making Black women feel bad
about taking a break.
Don't do it to yourself.
You're right.
Put on the damn show.
There we go.
[person on TV] Nuh-uh. I'm not doing it.
[jazzy music plays]
Go back with a better offer!
[person on TV] I can't believe it.
Where else are you gonna find another claw-foot tub
on heated floors next to a built-in vanity?
Down the street. It's Georgia.
Don't give up. Write a letter.
They love letters. That's yo' house!
This is scripted, you know?
Tamika's gonna get a house.
She should give up on her dream home
because somebody's gonna outbid her?
That's bullshit. Bullshit!
[groans]
Ugh. I'm hungry.
- [person on TV] 100k... - You got any more chips?
Um, no, but I can go get us some food.
[Whitney] Oh, Thai.
[person on TV] 50k but--
If it isn't too much trouble.
[person on TV] Nuh-uh. I ain't doing that.
No. No trouble at all.
[person on TV] But let's be real.
I can paint my room any color I want.
I was thinking...
[both] Lavender.
[giggles]
No matter what color you choose,
it's gonna be perfect.
We almost done?
[Amari] Yep.
Now, don't stay up to late while I'm gone.
Yes, ma'am.
I promise we are gonna go straight to bed.
You ready?
[Amari] Yep.
Bye, Daddy. Bye, Sondi.
[Matthew] Bye, baby.
[Naomi] Come on.
[Amari giggles]
Hope you two have a great night.
Muah! Let's go.
[funky music plays]
♪ ♪
♪ Mm, work, play ♪
♪ Lotion, hey ♪
♪ Work, play ♪
♪ Lotion, hey ♪
Nice little setup.
Don't hit me with the "little."
I just want to see where my savings went.
♪ ♪
[sighs]
♪ Work, play, lotion, hey ♪
Uh, where's the little button so I can talk to the singer?
Right here?
Hi. Uh, what's your name?
Brandon.
You might need a vocal coach.
You're pitchy.
Enough.
[Renee] Are you always this cranky at work?
Mm.
Just trying to help him out.
Damn.
You kicked me out through a text,
don't ask how I'm doing, where I'm staying,
and now you show up to my job,
which you only halfway care about,
to talk about someone else's relationship problems.
Not just someone. Our best friends.
They can't end up like us.
What, single and petty?
Who's petty?
You dropped me from your health plan.
You know I can't get the good inhaler without insurance.
You and that damn asthma.
Shh.
I'll see what I can do, okay?
That's not why I'm here.
I'm worried about Whitney.
What's Ola saying?
Not much.
We haven't talked about Whitney
since he pulled the plug on the wedding.
Are you serious? What do y'all talk about?
Basketball, mostly.
Well, Ola is the only thing on Whitney's mind,
and she's crashing on my couch 'cause she's scared to go home.
Can Ola stop ignoring her and talk to her?
Should we get involved?
How can you say that? You were his groomsman.
How he handles this is his business.
Well, she still loves him.
I can tell by the way she's yelling at Love in Escrow.
I love that show.
Did Tamika get her dream house?
Wait. Yeah, don't tell me.
Jason, please.
Can you talk to him?
Fine.
Maybe I'll hit up Anderson.
We can see what's up together.
Whatever you gotta do.
Thanks.
Is that it?
Yep.
Thanks.
[tense music plays]
♪ ♪
Let's go again.
[singer] ♪ Just a little lovin' ♪
♪ Early in the morning ♪
♪ Beats a cup of coffee ♪
♪ For starting off the day ♪
♪ Just a little lovin' ♪
♪ When the world is yawnin' ♪
♪ Makes you wake up Feelin' good things ♪
♪ Are coming your way ♪
♪ This whole world Wouldn't be half as bad... ♪
Oh, I've missed you.
[singer] ♪ It wouldn't be half as sad ♪
♪ If each and everybody In it had-- ♪
- [Whitney] Oh, shit! - [vibrator buzzing]
She is gonna be pissed.
What now?
[Whitney] Ooh, Misty just found out
that the buyer for her listing
is Alex's client.
This is about to get good.
[person on TV speaking indistinctly]
Oh, my bad. Were you sleeping in?
Are you?
Uh, today's Monday.
I thought you were gonna go back into work.
Uh, yeah, I had a few more sick days to use.
Well, um, it's been nice hosting you
these last few days,
and you know how much I love you,
but, um...
[person on TV speaking indistinctly]
No! Were you trying to get off?
Well, two things can be true.
Okay.
Look, I'm not gonna pretend
to know what this is like for you,
but you gotta go there are reclaim that space.
Make it yours again.
You're right.
I can't expect you to host me forever.
Sorry.
[sighs] Well, look,
if it gets weird, you can always come back.
But in the meantime, you know, maybe you want
to go get yourself a smoothie or something?
I'm a multi-o girl.
Okay.
[soft jazzy music plays]
Okay.
- Oh, like right now. - [Renee] Mm-hmm.
Okay.
♪ ♪
I cannot believe that place delivers mimosas.
There is nothing that you cannot get in Harlem.
And this is why everyone is moving here.
It has been a while
since we've had some alone time together.
I know, right?
I love this for us.
[Naomi] Knock-knock.
Oh.
Hope I'm not interrupting.
We just came by for her--
Swim goggles. Right.
How did you get in?
- Amari's key. - [door slams]
Do you know where my--
- Under your bed. - Thank you!
I was thinking about enrolling her
in summer swim classes.
Oh, nice. Yeah, she'd love that.
[Naomi] I'll let you know the schedule
so we can coordinate.
[Matthew] Sounds good.
Found them. Thanks, Sondi!
Thanks again. See you later.
Mimosas. Hmm.
[soft piano music plays]
All right. Another round?
♪ ♪
[Ola] Thank you for finding this place,
the movers, all of it.
You're welcome.
I mean, I don't know. This...
this just feels different.
Feels like home.
Why, 'cause you got your own sink?
- [chuckles] - I love you,
but your beard products
needed their own time zone.
Okay.
Like you don't have more skin creams
and face masks than Sephora?
[both laughing]
[Alicia Keys' "If I Ain't Got You" playing]
[Alicia Keys] ♪ Some people live... ♪
Our song is on.
[Alicia Keys] ♪ ...just for the fame ♪
[laughs] Come here.
- Mm. - Oh.
- [laughs] - Yeah. Hmm.
Hey, the offer still stands
for you to take those piano lessons.
And if you climb up on that thing like she did...
- Calm down. - ...I'm gonna--I don't know.
- I don't know. - [laughs]
This is nice.
- Yeah. - Our song.
Our song, our sinks....
our life.
Doesn't get any better than that.
[Alicia Keys] ♪ Some people want it all ♪
♪ But I don't Want nothing at all-- ♪
[phone keys clacking]
[jazzy music plays]
♪ ♪
[indistinct chatter]
So are you just gonna hold that cigar,
or are you actually gonna light it at some point?
- [laughs] - I don't even smoke.
Ola picked this spot.
Well, you wanted to see what I've been up to.
This is it.
How you doing?
I--I'm okay.
At least she stopped texting me, man.
I don't know what--
what does she even want me to say?
Well, you know she's back from Mexico, right?
You talk to her?
She cheated on me.
There's nothing to talk about.
So you're done with her completely?
Yo, part of me wishes she never even told me.
There are a lot of happy dudes out there living a lie.
Look at that guy from Family Matters
that married Superhead.
That nigga's always smiling.
[laughing] Hey, look.
I know how it looks, you know?
But men cheat all the time,
and women take them back all the time.
You know, maybe you two could push past this.
Okay, Anderson, would you marry Ella
if she cheated on you?
I mean, I didn't say all that, but--
Yeah, yeah, that- and that's what I thought.
That's what I thought.
[Jason] We're not here to tell you what to do.
We just want to make sure you're good.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm good. I'm good.
I have to say, there is something special
about a woman who wants to be honest with you.
Renee never cheated, but if she had,
she definitely wouldn't have told me.
My whole life, I have never been this mad...
...and I hate it.
I hate being this mad at her.
Sounds like you still love her.
[mellow music plays]
♪ ♪
[door opens and closes]
About damn time. So how'd it go?
Whose apartment is this?
It's Sondi's grad apartment.
Whitney's attached herself to my couch,
so that's why I couldn't meet you there.
Does Matthew know about this place?
Jason, please, we don't have time
to explain all that.
How'd it go?
Well... [clears throat]
I think he still loves her,
but I don't know if it changes anything.
[coughs, clears throat]
He's still pretty heated.
Are you okay?
Yeah. Fine.
Any luck with the insurance, though?
No.
Come on, Ren.
I thought we were better than this.
I left Eclipse.
Oh.
New agency?
Yes.
Mine.
And I know you're thinking this is the same thing
as you quitting your job to pursue your dream,
but it's not.
How?
How is it not the same?
I couldn't actually grow at Eclipse.
I had to go out on my own.
Well, good luck.
[jazzy music plays]
For real.
♪ ♪
Oh, I'm not gonna do you like you did me.
Nah, I hope your company thrives.
I hope you make millions.
And I hope you find people who support you,
because it's really fucking lonely
when you have to do this on your own.
[solemn music plays]
♪ ♪
[door opens and closes]
♪ ♪
[pop music playing]
[singer singing indistinctly]
♪ ♪
He didn't take all of his things.
- Who? - Ola. Are you okay?
I need a shot.
I don't know why you need a shot,
but I need one too.
Naomi is back.
- [Whitney] Amari's mom? - What?
For how long?
For life.
She quit the Navy,
and now she's over me playing mom to Amari.
Wait, can you quit the Navy?
Or got kicked out. I don't know how it works.
Mmm.
[Whitney] So what does it mean that he took
some of his clothes, but not all?
I'm not sure.
This is where Ella would say something esoteric.
Yeah, when is that bitch back?
- I need her here. - [phone buzzing]
Oh, my God. It's him.
I gotta go. I gotta go!
- Okay, okay. - Oh, okay.
You're not good at running in heels.
Gather yourself.
I am honestly terrified for her.
[Renee sighs] Me too.
I'm gonna eat her wings.
[soft piano music plays]
♪ ♪
Hi.
I missed you.
If you want to go back to the pastor
or do couples therapy, whatever.
I want to know why.
[Whitney] I don't know.
I know that it won't happen again.
[Ola] How?
If you don't know why?
Because I don't want to hurt you.
All that time in Tulum,
that's the best you could come up with?
You're gonna have to do better, Whitney.
I--What else do you want?
I mean, I--
I gave you time and distance,
and you canceled the wedding.
I--wasn't that enough?
You--you think that makes us even?
[scoffs]
[chuckles, groans]
I'm not gonna beg again.
[Ola] Well, I'm not gonna speed past you not knowing
why you fucked another dude
just 'cause you're trying to move on.
I apologized.
And I meant it with everything in me.
That should be enough.
After ten years, that should be enough.
It's not.
What are you doing?
I'm moving out, Whitney.
[somber music plays]
♪ ♪
I-I'll let you know when I can come back for the rest.
[notification chimes]
♪ ♪
[singer vocalizing]
♪ ♪
"...formally submit my resignation
"to the Hot Tea Digest.
"I could not be more grateful
for the opportunity you gave me when I needed--"
I knew it.
I knew that bitch was gonna quit on me.
My God.
As soon as that caramel Casanova
came back into the picture, it was just a matter of time.
Ooh, this generation is doomed.
Doomed.
They worried about climate change?
Fuck that.
These Millennials and their fucking dreams.
[upbeat music plays]
♪ ♪
She couldn't find one coffee shop in Harlem
to write her Black girl magnum opus?
She gotta finish it in Tulum?
- [Sondi] Mm. - [Renee chuckles]
Oh, where are her strappy flats?
Got us packing up her shit like the help.
You know, I knew Ella could be selfish sometimes,
but damn.
[sucks teeth]
Oh, did you remember to pack her vitamin C sunscreen?
Six months on a beach. You know what?
This book better be fucking best-seller.
- Mm-hmm. - I'm talking Oprah's list,
Michelle's list.
Oh, should we pack her Nikki Giovanni?
Good idea. Pack that.
And at the worst fucking time too.
Is there really a bad time to choose yourself?
Thanks, ladies.
I tried to help,
but I didn't know what jeans she wore
to that spring break you lost Sondi at Señor Frog's.
- [laughs] - Do I want to know?
- No. - No.
Take care of our girl, okay?
I will.
All right, that's the last of it.
So you're just gonna go to Mexico?
What about your job?
I let my job get in the way the last time.
Not gonna let that happen again.
That was a good answer.
- All right, I'll hug you. - [Anderson laughs]
It's never gonna be the same.
You talking about Ella or Ola?
You gonna tell us what he said when he came over?
Basically, he didn't like my answers
to his questions.
- Sorry, Whit. - Sorry.
We need a toast.
We need a drink.
Yes. We've been through too much.
Okay. All right.
To Ella.
[glasses clink]
To us.
No matter how we move
or when we move,
there's only one direction.
[all] Straight ahead.
[laughing]
[singer] ♪ We're running We're running, we're running ♪
♪ We run the world We run the ♪
♪ ♪
[woman] Whoo-hoo![giggles]