We're back from last week's shocking news from Darla: That Blue might not be Ralph Angel's son. As expected, Ralph Angel is not trying to discuss this situation, and storms off. Darla calls Charley and asks for the day off from work so she can decompress, but doesn't tell her boss exactly what's going on.
As they're getting off the phone, Charley receives a visit. Two local farmers tell her they can't mill with her because Landry is threatening to suspend their lease on his land if they do. Charley is ticked. She calls up Martin Bennington, Landry's distant cousin — you remember, the one she spoke to at the golf course who actually hates Sam Landry, even though they're related. (Well, supposedly — not sure if I trust him yet.) Anyway, sounds like Charley is hoping he can help her. After she calls to set up a meeting with him, Remy drops by and agrees to cover her responsibilities over at Ralph Angel's farm while she meets with Martin. Remy hopes she knows what she's doing, and I hope so, too.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Nova's friend Red drops by for a visit to pick up something; turns out it's some of Nova's jewelry, including the pearls Robert had given her. He's going to sell them for her, because she's decided it's time to move on. He also invites her to a party. Later, when she arrives, one of Red's friends attacks her for peddling "alternative facts," with her story and interviews about the risk of Zika in the ninth ward. She defends herself by saying that change is necessary, but tells her that she can't be in the board room and the community. This clearly hits home for Nova, as earlier in the episode, she got a visit from Mother Brown, a local activist who informs her that the ninth ward has received a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services. Nova is debating whether or not she wants to join the board of this effort; she's more used to working in the community directly.
Violet gets home with a bag full of pills — and she's surprised to see Hollywood there, who's just made her lunch. She tells him the bag is full of supplements and vitamins, which is obviously a lie. Hollywood tells her that he was just deposed for the explosion that happened at the rig last year, and they're trying to push for a whole lot of money in a lawsuit. He hopes that happens, so he can spoil her rotten. These two are so cute. Now if only Violet would open up to him about what she's going through...
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Welp, she doesn't, at least not before Hollywood ends up finding out himself by going through her bags. Violet's upset, of course, but he tells her he knows something is up that she's not telling him. She reveals that she has lupus. Of course, he's very upset, and asks if she's going to die. But she says no — that she's going to live with it, and manage it the best she can. He says "we gon' manage it together." But she says there is no "we," because she doesn't want to be like his ex wife, another sick woman who's a burden on him. But Hollywood is adamant that he ain't going nowhere, and he's gonna be with Violet for the rest of her life. Even though these two aren't married, they are truly in it forever, in sickness and in health. And he also tells Violet that she's got to tell the family — because the Bordelons have had enough secrets, and I agree.
Back with Charley, she gives Martin a sales pitch for her mill. And then the moment I coming a mile away arrives: Martin asks her out on a date. When she responds that she's seeing someone, he asks if it's serious, so soon after her divorce? Shade. But he says he's only speaking from experience, after his own divorce, and if the only way to get her to dinner is to discuss business, then he's fine with that.
Micah's at his private school when he notices a confederate history display in the hall. He calls over a classmate and asks how this can exist, and his peer tells him that while Micah sees hate, he sees history. Pieces like that are just a reminder of how far we've come, he says. Micah is not liking that (ridiculous) answer. He talks to Keke after school, who reminds him that a lot of confederate statues have recently been taken down in nearby New Orleans, thanks to protest, and she encourages him to make some noise himself.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
At home, when Micah's watching coverage about the statues on TV, his mother makes a passing comment about how she hasn't really been keeping up with that news because she's been so busy. He then gets defensive and tells his mom that his school has the sword of a confederate general on display, and that sometimes, he hates living down there. Charley admits that he's right, that there is a lot of pain down South — but there's also a lot of community, and love. When Micah tells her she sounds soft, she says "Maybe. But whatever is here, it's real, and I want to take a chance on it." Micah sees right through her: She's talking about Remy, not St. Josephine! She mentions to Micah that the other day, Remy brought up the possibility of kids, and she looks to Micah to ask for his reaction. "That's cool, I guess..." he answers in typical teenage fashion. "Remy's a cool guy. I like him." That's pretty much all the blessing Charley needs to move forward.
Later, she's opening a package full of expensive liquor that Martin sent over as a "thank you" when Remy walks in. He's clearly jealous she's getting overpriced gifts from another man, and Charley says so. She tells him that farmers have been canceling left and right, so she needs him for business, but Remy tells her to not put all of her chips on Martin's table. Charley reassures him that she knows how to deal with men like him. We'll see, because we all know that as much as we love her, Charley's made some suspect choices in the past.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
This whole time, poor Darla has been blowing up Ralph Angel's phone. He finally picks up, but is quiet. She begs for a reaction: She wants him to yell, be angry, anything. She asks him to come home, and he says "What home?" Ouch. I can't say I blame him, though: Everything this man has known, everything he's sacrificed over the years, could potentially have been for nothing.
Back at the farm house, Darla's mother is there for her, encouraging her that Ralph Angel will come back. She tells her there were nine times that she and Darla's father came down to look for her when she was strung out and they hadn't heard from her. She also reveals that after 23 years, all of the stress started her drinking again. So addiction runs in the family, it seems, but Darla's mom is adamant that this doesn't have to be the end for Darla. Later that night, Darla admits that she regrets the night she hung out with her high school friends and had that random hookup — you know, the one who might have ended in the, um, existence of Blue. And she also admits that she doesn't know whether there was more than one guy, because she wasn't herself then. Darla's mom lets her know that she can come home if she needs to; her and her father are capable of supporting her and Blue. "Thank you for forgiving me, but I can't take him away from the only family he's ever known," Darla says. But her mom tells her that a little space from Ralph Angel and the family might actually be a good thing. I wonder if she'll take them up on that.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Meanwhile, it looks like Ralph Angel has been coping by getting wasted. (Though perhaps a better mechanism would have been a paternity test? Just sayin'. Okay, sorry, let me know be so hard on the guy, I know he's going through it.) Hollywood drags him into Violet's house, and the next morning, Violet says a prayer to God that whatever all this negativity is in their family, she wants Him to take it all back. RA is over at his father's grave searching for answers when we end then get to the end of the episode: A shot of Blue playing in the flowers. That's a powerful reminder that at the center of all of this crazy adult trouble is one young, innocent little boy, a fact that often gets lost in family drama — Bordelons included.
We'll have to wait to see how all of these chips will fall until next Wednesday. See you all then!