"Baby, come on." "Eat something." "You'll feel better." "Charley." "Baby, you can talk to me." "Let me help you through this." "What happened at that meeting?" "I don't want to talk about it." "All right." "I understand." "But if you ain't gonna talk to me, talk to Micah." "He don't know what's going on." "I would like to keep it that way." "Charley, this about his daddy." "He has a right to know." "He ain't no little kid no more." "Hollywood's coming home from the rigs today." "I'm gonna go get my feet done." "You let me know if you need anything while I'm out, okay?" "I used to come out here all the time when I was your age." "Hey, why'd you come back without Dad?" "Yeah, he did it, didn't he?" "He raped her." "No, Micah, he didn't." "But it's over between us now." "It's over." "And I'm sorry." "I'm so sorry this is happening to us, to you." "Mom, that's it?" "That's all you're gonna tell me?" "Mom, what did he do?" "Your father's been... paying for prostitutes on the road, at least the one we met with yesterday, for years." "Then I don't want to see him again." "Okay, so what happens now?" "Where do we live?" "Mom, is he going to jail?" "No." "He's not going to jail." "He is a free man." "It's all arranged." "We'll stay here." "At least until the end of the harvest season." "Yeah, when is that?" "Fall." "So, you mean I'm taking my SATs here?" "Going to school here?" "I'm stuck here for the next six months." "Hey, Charley, checking if you're back." "Got a fertilizer delivery coming in at 10:00." "You need to sign for it." "Okay?" "Here we are." "Scoot that over." "Eat your food." "What we gonna do today, Pops?" " Work." " But it's Saturday." "Blue, farmers work every day." "Then I don't want to be a farmer." " That you and me?" " No, me and Mommy." "When do I get to see Mommy again?" "Now, eat your food." "Hey!" "Man, when you said you had a farm, you weren't kidding." "Look, it's kind of messy." "If you called earlier," "I would have tried to clean up and whatnot, but..." "Oh, well, that defeats the purpose of a home visit, right?" "Yeah, you right." "Come on." "Blue, say hello to Mr. Jarvis." " Hi." " Hey, little man." "Give me a high five." " So, what you drawing there?" " Mommy." "Do you know her?" "No, I don't, actually." "But I like what you're doing, though." " Thank you." " You're welcome." "Blue, let's go brush your teeth." "I'll take you over to Aunt Violet's once I'm done talking to Mr. Jarvis." "Okay." "Sorry." "Hey." "All right." "Come on, take a seat." "I'll get some of this stuff up here." "It's all good." "All right." "So, Blue has his own room, huh?" "Sure does." "It's big, too." " Right." " Mm-hmm." "So, he's not living here with you, though?" "Where else he supposed to live?" "With his appointed legal guardian... your aunt." "My Aunt Vi was only watching him when I was inside." "DCFS rule says... she has custody for another year." "Why?" "I've been out for seven months without violating my parole." " I got my own place..." " Hey, listen." "You don't have to convince me." "Convince your aunt." "Now, if she signs that, you'll have full custody of Blue again." "Is Mom back in the picture?" "Hell, no." "She just watched him one time for the funeral." "Seems to have left an impression." " Is she clean now?" " So she say." "Says she got a job with benefits, but I don't know." "You know, speaking of jobs... you want to tell me what went down at the warehouse?" "I got laid off." " I heard." " Mm-hmm." "You know, it's funny timing, 'cause I remember you complaining about that job before you got laid off." "Right before the bust." "You hear about that?" "Nah, what happened?" "I know you know something happened, Ralph Angel, 'cause the Sheriff's Department came out here." "And they didn't find nothing." "Mm." "Well, if you don't know nothing, let me fill you in." "The guys you were working with was running a racket." "They were stealing cell phones and laptops." "And now they're looking at five to 10 years." "So, considering the circumstances," "I'm not going to report you because you're out of a job, but you're going to need to find one fast." "I'm gonna work here, on the farm." "Got it all worked out." "We've gone over this, Ralph Angel." "You need a working business to employ you, something with a tax ID and a DBA number." "The farm got all that." "My sister made sure of it." "Okay, so can your sister make sure that you get paid minimum wage at 40 hours a week, plus health insurance and worker's comp?" "That's not gonna be a problem." "Okay." "Okay." "You have her... do all that you said" "and fill that out." "You can work here for your parole." "Where are you going?" "Hey." "Um..." "I didn't know if you wanted me to hang around all day, so..." "What you want for breakfast?" "Mmm." "I got an interview with an artist I'm profiling later this afternoon in Bywater." "Do you want to roll?" "Yeah." "Yeah, I want to roll with you." "I'm feeling something I haven't felt in a very long time." "What's that?" "Free." "So, Prosper's off with a few guys." "They'll be done planting by end of day." "I'll load the tank up, start fertilizing later." "Charley." "Yo, everything all right with you?" "Hey, you know that don't go on my cane, right?" "This is for the second-year stubble." "We've got organic manure coming in for your cane." "Organic shit?" "I thought all shit was organic." "You need any help tying down the equipment?" "For what?" "There's been a storm warning." "Haven't you heard?" "It's not gonna ruin any of our crops, is it?" "Not if you get all the seed cane in the ground in time." "I mean, unless the root system is damaged, it should be fine." "Hey, which one of you guys are the owner?" " Right here." " Me." " Okay." " Both of us." "Well, just let her know where to put the tanker at." "I guess you'll be the one paying, huh?" " What do I owe you?" " $3,750, ma'am." "All right, thank you." "How are you today?" " Okay." " Good, good." "It's declined." " Just run it again." " Sure." "It's reading "insufficient funds," ma'am." "That's not possible." "I'm sorry." "I can't leave the tanker without getting paid." "Well, can you wait until I call the bank?" "Do I have a choice?" "Sorry, bro." "Give us a second." "It's all good." "Card declined." "Hi, this is Charlotte Bordelon-West." "Yeah, my card just declined." "I'd like to know why." "$10,000?" "To who?" "To All Out Bail Bonds?" "Don't look at me." "Mm." "It's a beautiful garden." "You'll see how much better your omelet will taste with these fresh herbs in it." "I'm happy with these herbs." " Just a sec." " All right." "Charley?" "What are you doing here?" "What's wrong?" "You!" "Nova, you're wrong." "You took $10,000 from me without so much as a phone call?" "Look, I wanted to tell you about it." "Yeah, the bank beat you to it." "I'm sorry, but I had to do something to help Too Sweet." "And after all the shit you gave me whenever I offered to pay for anything at Daddy's funeral." "When it serves your interests, you have no problem stealing money from me." ""Stealing" is a harsh word." "I borrowed that money." "I fully plan on returning it." "Taking money without permission is the definition of stealing, Nova." "However you want to define it, okay." "I am apologizing." "I should have talked to you about it, but I'm not sorry I did it." "What if it had been Micah?" "You would have put down bail money on him instead of wasting $3 million on a trifling-ass guilty man." "Don't bring my family into this and don't count my money." "Everything cool?" "Yeah." "This is my sister." "And don't ever talk to me about anybody's "trifling ass."" " Okay." " Okay." "Uh-oh, I think I got a pair." "I think I got a pair." "You got two?" "Yeah!" "Man, I thought I was gonna win, but it looks like you're beating me." "Teaching that boy how to play Bid Whist?" "Ah... yeah!" "Uncle Hollywood, what did you bring me?" "What, I ain't enough?" " Welcome back, man." " Thank you." "See, that's how you talk to your uncle, all right?" " How y'all boys been?" " Just playing some cards." "Hey, you been trying to steal my cigars again, haven't you?" "Gotta keep my eye on you at all times." " Hey, baby." " Hey, baby." " Mm-hmm." " I missed you." "Oh, I missed you, baby." "Damn, damn." "I missed you." "Mm..." "Oh, yeah." "You said you wanted something, right, Blue?" "Yeah." " Here you go." " Thank you." "Why don't y'all go to the ice cream store?" "Ooh, you want to go get some ice cream?" "Of course." ""Of course."" "Come on, let's go." "Wait..." "Micah?" "You ain't got to hurry back." "Hey, slow down, little man." "Why don't you help me unpack?" "I think we both got some unpacking to do." "Yes, we do." " Hey." " Hey." "Thanks." "Ain't no thing." "So, Nova take the $10,000?" "Let's not talk about it." "I told the delivery guy to come back this afternoon." "Think you can be there to pay him?" "Why not?" "All I do around here is dispense cash, apparently." "How can I help you?" "I'll have the crab cake salad." "Corned beef Benny." "Oh, and go easy on the sauce." "Oh, I'll serve it up any way you want it, honey." "There's something else, Charley." "What is it?" "What?" "We ran out of seed cane?" "The workers are on strike?" "What?" "No, planting's going fine, but... that ain't gonna matter if we don't have no mill to grind it for us." "What do you mean?" "Daddy had a deal with the mill." "Yeah, but he wasn't able to grind last year, so they dropped his contract." "You're just now telling me this?" "Take it easy." "I'm sure they'll renew it." " I'll drive by there after..." " No." "I got it." "You focus on farming." "It's what you're best at, anyway." "You know, about that." "I've been meaning to talk to you about something." "I want to farm full-time." "But the only way I could do that is if you make me an official employee and pay me." "Why would I pay you?" "You're a co-owner." "You'll get your payout at harvest, like Nova and me." "That ain't gonna help my parole requirement." "I need a paystub now." "You have that warehouse job." "Why is everyone doing this?" " Everybody's not..." " What do I look like?" "Chill, Charley." ""Charley's fine with it, because she's got money."" " Yo, relax..." " Why does everyone in this family... think it's okay to take, take, take?" "It's okay, I got it." "I said I got it." "Can I get them orders to go?" "You should not be eating alone, Ralph Angel." "So, you own a farm?" "Sugar cane." "I would love to come and see it sometime." "I ordered water three times." "It never came." "And... when my wife's meal finally got here, mine's cold." "My apologies." "I'll get you a full refund." "How you doing, Dan?" "Missing you, Violet." "Missing you." "I see things are going well." "What do you want?" "My last paycheck, Clive." "I noticed you too cheap to mail it, so I'm here." "How much longer you gonna pretend you ain't coming back?" "I don't know what you're talking about." "I got a man who takes care of me, my own home..." "It's your ex-husband's." "Yeah, well, he ain't coming back to get it, so it's mine." "Either way, don't nobody need this hot mess." "Roberta." "Vi." "Hey, so you coming to Hollywood's crawfish boil tonight?" "Yeah, I'ma be there." "All right." " Hey, Aunt Vi?" " Mm-hmm." "I got to talk to you about something." "Bye, Roberta." "What's up?" "It's about Blue." "Ahem." "On paper, you're his legal guardian still." "I want you to sign him over to me." "No." "What?" "What you mean, no?" "Come on." "Bye, now." "It ain't been a week since I cleared a bunch of stolen cell phones out that shed." "We both know how that could have ended." "But it didn't." "How am I supposed to know there ain't gonna be a next time?" "What would have happened if I hadn't been there for you?" "What if you had gone back in and I wasn't Blue's guardian?" "I'll tell you what... he would have gone to Darla." "The courts don't know what we know." "That Hollywood found her turning tricks in a shed." "Blue, dirty, dehydrated, half near dead laying right beside his mama." "Sweat from the man on top of her dropping down onto that baby." "No, they don't know that." "They don't know and they won't care." "They'll take him from us and give him to her, and I'm telling you right now, Ralph Angel Bordelon, that... will only happen over my dead and buried body." "I mean that." "Now, I told you to stop calling me, all right?" "No, no, no, no." "You stay exactly where you are." "Leanne, listen to me." "Everything's gonna be fine, all right?" "Now, you trust me, right?" "Okay, you got to do exactly what I tell you to do." "Okay, yeah." "Okay, yeah, yeah." "I'll come see you." "Look, I got to go." "Appreciate it." "You guys have a great day." " It's good talking to you." " All right, man." "Thank you." "So, I hope you and Nova got to patch things up." "That is not how Nova operates." "Her apologies are empty because in the end, it's all about her and her self-righteousness." " Well, Charley..." " And now Ralph Angel." "He asked me to hire him today." "Can you believe that?" "He can never hold down a job for more than a month and expects me to put him in charge." "All everybody does is take." "Just take what they want and leave me to pay for it." "That's what I do, I pay... for other people's mistakes." "Well, you know what?" "Screw it." "I'm gonna divorce my liar of a husband and take him for all he's worth." "Then I'm gonna get the hell out of here." "Because I can write checks from anywhere." "Can I say something real quick?" "I'm sorry for all the people who can't say they're sorry." "I'm sorry they're not giving you what you need right now." "But please, don't let anyone... and I mean anyone... steal your joy." "That..." "light." "Your fight." "I mean, that's what makes you you." "Charley, you're an incredible woman." "Believe that." "See you tonight." "Y'all home?" "Oh, back here, baby." " Hey!" " Hey." " Good to have you back." " Yeah." " She putting you to work already?" " She sure is." "Only way to make a man happy is to make him feel useful." "I'll remember that." "Is Charley around?" "She's still out at the farm." " Hey." " Hey." "What you been up to?" "Not much." "Listen, there's an art exhibit I'm doing a story on in New Orleans." "You want to join us?" "Please?" "Well, I mean, unless you want me to help with the lights." "I don't know." "Let me think about it." "Oh, Hollywood, I think we need him." " You think so?" " Mm." "Nah, I think we can manage without you." "Y'all go have a good time." " We'll see y'all later." " All right." "Y'all have a good time." "Ah, ah, no." " No, you're pulling it, now." " Okay, you do it!" "Mr. Odums?" "Hey, peace. "Bmike" is fine." "Nova Bordelon, "New Orleans Daily News."" " Nice to meet you." " Pleasure to meet you, brother." "Oh, wow." ""I am a man."" "But he's so young here." "Who's that?" "I mean, I know..." "I know Trayvon Martin," "I know Mike Brown." "But who are the other two?" "Okay, so, have you ever seen the movie "Fruitvale Station"?" "Yeah, yeah, yeah." "Okay, well, that's him." "That's Oscar Grant." "And this is Eric Garner, the father who was choked to death in New York." "His final words were captured on camera." ""I can't breathe,"" "which is a rallying call to this day." "You ever been?" "To a rally?" "No." "There's all kind of actions and protests taking place in California." "And our comrades over there?" "Yeah, they don't play." "I just..." "I've never been mistreated by police before." "Or anyone, for that matter." "I guess it's because of who my dad is." "Davis West." "It doesn't really matter who he is." "The question is, who are you?" " Hm." " And who do you want to be?" " Yeah?" " Okay." " You know?" " Okay." "All right, okay!" " Don't be scared, now." " I'm not scared." "Come on, let's go look at some more art." "I started off speaking to a small audience." "At least I thought." "I just wanted to speak to the people in the communities I painted in." "I felt like if... especially post-Katrina..." "like if these neighborhoods were sick, then my art had a way of providing some type of healing." "So, I initially thought it was just those people on that block, or on that corner, or, you know, within that neighborhood." "And I was surprised to see that it resonated far and wide, but it was one of those things that, now that more people paid attention," "I had to make sure I was saying something." "I truly thank you for doing the work that you're doing, brother." " Keep it up." " It's all good." "How are things at the farm?" "Let's see." "We're way behind." "Don't have a mill deal." "And all the work and money I put into it may be for nothing if the storm hits us too hard." "But, you know, other than that..." "Well, y'all wanted this." "Yeah, well, I was hoping I would have more help." "Ralph Angel is willing." "Ralph Angel is willing if I pay him." "Doesn't he have that warehouse job?" "Not anymore." "Well, he shouldn't have quit or gotten himself fired." "They were running a crime ring out of that warehouse." "If he had stayed, they would have dragged him right back into jail." "Everything isn't as it seems, baby." "And everyone's not out to get you." "Ralph Angel is trying." "He's trying to be a man." "Listen, Lord knows when it comes to him," "I sometimes am guilty for the same feelings that you're having." "But if his own family don't help him, who will?" "Is Micah here?" "No." "He's in NOLA with Nova." "With Nova?" "Yes." "You're freaking kidding me." "Who told him he could do that?" "Charley, I did." "Hello." "What makes you think you can just take off without a word?" "I asked Aunt Violet." "You're supposed to ask me." "Okay, well, you weren't there." "I have a lot to deal with, Micah." "I don't need you to give me any more grief." "Grief?" "I went to an art exhibit." "Where are you now?" "I'm at Aunt Nova's." "I want you to come home." "Yeah, Mom, and where is that, exactly?" "Come back to Violet's, now." "No discussion." "Hey, Ralph Angel." "I thought I'd take you up on your offer to show me your farm." "I had no idea how big it is." "Ah." "I brought you a housewarming gift." "Mm-hmm." "Is your son home?" "If he was, you wouldn't be here." "Shower's to the right." "Clean up." "And leave all that off." "Mm." "All right, that's great." "Okay, Blue, you want to help me?" "Do you want to get that for me there?" " Hey!" " Hey." " Ms. Violet." "Mr. Blue." " Hey there." "How are you doing, Remy?" " You got a cooler?" " Yeah." "Oh, good." "You feeling any better?" "Or should I ask?" "Haven't you heard enough from me today?" "No." " Hello?" " Be right back." " Micah!" " 'Sup, man?" "How are you?" "Hey." "Calvin, you've got to stop calling me!" "Look, if you want to walk, walk, but don't make leaving your wife about me." "I got to go." "Bye." "So, on top of everything else you're seeing a married man?" "No." "We broke up." "Do what you want with your own life, but the next time you want to take my son somewhere, you call me first." "They're still arguing?" "Yep." "It ain't my business, but somebody ought to tell them they're grown." "Ain't nothing that can't be solved with a little talk." "Okay, maybe you should take your own advice and talk to Aunt Violet about whoever keeps calling you." "What, Leanne, is it?" "You don't know what you're talking about." "I heard you on the phone." "It's not what you think." "Know who you sound like?" "My dad." "Guess that's what happens with grown folk, they start lying." "I just..." "I just thought you'd be different." "Micah." "Micah!" "One!" "Two!" "One, two, three, four!" "Ralph Angel!" "What's up, boy?" "You're late." "I was taking care of some things." "Where's Blue?" "Sleeping." "He eat?" "Of course." "He was outside playing all day." "About wore himself out." "You want me to make you a plate?" "Yeah." " Yeah?" " Thank you." ""Thank you."" " You done with that?" " Yeah." "Something bothering you?" "No, I'm good." "Hey, Vi, Vi, Vi." "Come on, let's show them some moves, baby." "I was gonna make Ralph Angel a plate." "Say, boy, you better make your own plate, partner." " Hey!" " Huh?" "Huh?" "No, that's trash, baby." " Aw, yeah!" " Get it, Wood!" " Yeah!" " Whoo!" "Get it!" "Hey, don't hurt nothing." "I ain't got no insurance out here!" "Dance floor!" "Come on, this way." "Come on, now!" " Come on with me." "Get my drink." " Hey!" "Hey!" "Hey!" "You know what it is." "Here to eat, eat!" "Here to eat!" "Here to eat!" "It's all I can eat." "I was where you are right now." "When my wife, Shauna, passed..." "I felt like I wanted to run." "Just... just pack it all up and run." "Literally." "You can't outrun it, though." "I tried." "Pretty soon, I realized that it would just follow me, because... grief wasn't done with me." "It leaves when it's done." "You're gonna get through this." "Your husband, your father." "You just got to take time to feel it all." "Don't let it chase you, just... sit with it, listen to it, respect it." "It's the only way to survive it." "You got people that want the best for you." "But you know that deep down, right?" "Excuse me." " Go fish!" " Hey, go fish!" "Is he here?" "Is he here?" "Is he here?" " Is he here?" " I don't know." "Is he here?" "Is he here?" "Are you lost, baby?" "You need directions?" "Who are you looking for, sweetheart?" "Hollywood!" "I've been calling him all day." "Hollywood, what's she saying?" "She say your name." "Vi, this is my ex-wife." "Wife!" "Don't you lie to her, Hollywood." "Don't you lie to her." "We still married." "We still married." "I don't know." "I don't know where my baby is." "Hollywood, I can't find our baby." "I don't know where she is." "It's okay, Leanne." "Leanne, she's safe." "Wh-what baby?" "I-I don't understand." "We still Hollywood and Leanne." "Hollywood, you better start explaining." "You should have stayed with me, Hollywood." "Why didn't you stay with me?" "We could have found our baby." "Why didn't you stay?" "You have a child with her?" "No, no." "The first year that we were married she got pregnant and had a miscarriage." "No!" "It's gonna be okay." "It's gonna be all right." "No!" "It's not." "Do you have your medication?" "Is it in your purse?" " Don't you touch him!" " No, don't, Vi!" " Wait, wait, wait." " Vi, Vi, she's bipolar." "She needs her medication." "She's got no business putting her hands on you." "We have every business." "We have every business." "How long we been married, Hollywood?" "How long?" "Tell her." "She needed the insurance." "She would have lost it if we divorced proper." "It's gonna be okay, all right?" "I'm gonna take you back home." "You're gonna be fine." "I'm just gonna take her back to Baton Rouge." "They'll know what to do at the hospital." "Hollywood... this whole time you been back in Baton Rouge?" "Answer me." "When I got back," "I went to see her for two days." "The hospital calls because I'm the only contact." "So, every day you've been gone... you've been lying to me." " So we can..." " Every damn day." "We can talk about this, chère, when I get back." "No." "Ain't no need for you to come back." "You don't mean that, Violet." "You just go on, now." "Go." "Go." "You follow me back with the truck." "Yeah, I got you." "Don't worry, Hollywood." "I got Aunt Vi." "Okay."