Season 4, Episode 2
It’s morning and Charity has come to Grace’s room to apologize for acting like an azz the night before. She even asks for a job as the Minister of Music (even though she doesn’t want that job) at H&H. She lays it on real thick and it’s all a part of her sinister plan. She is now working for H&H, so nothing Charity says to any of them is truth. This episode has been on for 4 minutes and I am already done with her and whatever she is going to do next.
Lady Mae is taking her granddaughters out to have a Lady Mae style day. Shopping and lunch. Grace can’t go because she has things to handle, but tells Sophia that they will have plenty of time to talk and shop when she takes her to HAMPTON. Say whattttttt? Sophia is taking her talents to Hampton! That makes my heart happy. Go, Pirates.
Grace heads to the church for a day of work at Harvest and Hope Ministries. She is bombarded with H&H meeting dates and tired of Bob always wanting to see her every morning. She puts one of the meetings off on Jacob – since he is employed there now, too. Grace can’t handle any of the meetings on her Outlook calendar because of one very important appointment. Noah is there to see her. Grace doesn’t know how to even start the conversation and goes with, “how was your flight?” Yeah…that’s probably not the right question. Noah can’t believe that’s what she wants to know about. Why didn’t you tell me we have a son? She knew that if Noah had known, he would have wanted her to keep the baby. Noah cannot understand why Grace wouldn’t tell him. Grace had just told Bishop and Mae about Mac and Faith, she was 18 and she was about to leave home. She wasn’t about to have a child. Grace attempted to get an abortion, but could not go through with it. So, she had the baby and gave him up. She never said a word. Noah is married to Isabelle now, and he told her that he was in Memphis visiting family. Noah tells Grace that if Isabelle knew about AJ, she’d leave him. They have been unsuccessful at starting a family, so this complicates things. Grace’s son, AJ, has been in contact with her before. After he turned 18 he found her. At the time, Sophia was 12 and Sophia’s dad, Ray, was always trying to find a way to take Sophia from her. She couldn’t let AJ in her life because of her situation…the same way that Noah says he can’t tell Isabelle about AJ now. Grace says that it was all too complicated, but she wants to make things right and Noah tells her that’s exactly what she should do. AJ will be released tomorrow. Her chance is here.
While Lady Mae is out with the girls, she gets a message saying she owes the church over $30K for outstanding expenses for “A Day with Lady Mae.” Mae is LIVID and throws her phone at the mirror. The devil is a liar! Lady Mae returns to the mansion to let Bishop know about Connie’s latest shenanery. Mae doesn’t care about the amount, she is concerned about the audacity of this “paper cut out of a woman” who thinks she can bully her like this. Mae cannot believe how Connie’s no class arse is flaunting her new power. Lady Mae is on one and Connie better watch out!
Kerissa is on a mission to get the hell out of Lady Mae’s house. She visits a house that her realtor friend is showing. The house is out of their budget, but realtor friend suggests that Kerissa’s in-laws help them. Kerissa said she’d rather sell plasma. Lawd. Kerissa initially tells the realtor that they cannot afford it, but by the end of the conversation she says that she might be able to work something out. Jacob meets with his new mentee (and I am still tryna understand why Jacob has this life fixer role.) Jacob’s mentee takes him to play basketball and offers him some extra money (in addition to what the team is paying him) but the money is basically a bribe so that Jacob stays in his lane and doesn’t become ole boy’s snitch – especially when he’s trying to have fun and throw away his money in the club. He offers 10K and Jacob refused it. Jacob tells him to slow his roll. He has wasted a huge part of his life making huge mistakes and thinking the check would never come – but it does come. Mentee says he was just testing Jacob to see if he was holy for real. I am not sure if that was entirely true or not, but mentee is already on my nerBs. I wonder how much the team is paying Jacob to fix this kid’s life? Back at the Greenleaf mansion, Kerissa is still obsessing over the house she saw earlier. Jacob wants to know how they are going to buy that and Kerissa suggests that they sell the land that they purchased for The Real Church. Jacob doesn’t want to. Jacob understands that Kerissa wants out of Lady Mae’s house asaptually, but Jacob’s outing with his mentee got to him. He feels like he got through to the kid and by doing so, he also felt something within. He wants to use the land to create something for kids like him. The land is the only solid thing they have left. Jacob asks Kerissa for a week to pray on it. Jacob does what he says he’s going to do and goes to the Father in prayer. He wants and needs a sign about what to do next.
The Greenleaf snitchspy, Charity, is having lunch with her “boss,” Phil. But, she is having second thoughts about screwing her family. Bishop had some kind words for Charity earlier and reminded her that she is the heart of the family and that God has a plan for her. Phil knows Charity is weak. He asks Charity if Bishop’s actions reflect what he has told her. And then he starts going in on Bishop’s record. Bishop is the only pastor that Phil know of that has been accused of arson, negligent manslaughter and still owes the IRS $2 Million in back taxes. Phil tells insecure Charity that he is offering her this deal, not to ensure her loyalty, but because he sees a beautiful child of God, who is in a family that doesn’t value her. Phil lays it on thick. He sees her and he likes what he sees. And Charity is falling for it all.
After his lunch date with Charity the Spy, Phil heads back over to the church to bother Grace. He wasn’t pleased about Grace sending Jacob in her place earlier. Jacob had gone because Grace was dealing with Noah. In that meeting, Phil told Jacob that H&H would not be funding summer camp at Blue Lake for Calvary’s kids. Jacob told him that the kids needed that camp and that Calvary had been sending kids there for 20 years. H&H is more concerned about diversity and Blue Lake is melanin-rich. It’s not in H&H’s business plan to allow black kids to go to an all black camp and this is coming from the brother that H&H put in charge. After hearing about Phil’s foolery, Grace told Jacob to reserve the spots and she would pay the difference. So, Phil is here to find out why a non-refundable deposit was made to Blue Lake, without his approval and he’s the HNIC. Grace tells him to pump the breaks because SHE paid for it. Bloop. And she is well aware of how much it will cost – nearly $100k. Hmph. Do you have that kind of cash? Why, yes, Phil, I do. Phil agrees that H&H will pay the rest, but she has to clear it with Bob. She also tells Phil that Charity is interested in coming on as the Minister of Music and she assumes that he will not agree, but he gives a quick approval on that one. He can tell Grace is surprised and he tells her that he is an agreeable person, if people give him proper respect. Bye, Phil.
Zora has made herself at home in Noah’s former cabin. She is obsessing over her dad’s new job with this fine football player that she already has her eyes on. Sophia is in her feelings about everything and tells Zora that she thinks she’s going to stay in Memphis for the summer and not go to pre-college at Hampton (Go, Pirates!) She is just going to go in the fall. She needs more time with Zora and Grace.
In the dead of night, Bishop meets Karine with the Tea in the church parking lot. Karine works at the church so she usually has the piping hot Lipton. She hands over a folder and tells Bishop to keep this on the low and to not tell anyone where he got it from – not even Lady Mae. Karine was out there dressed in all black like the omen with an Inspector Gadget hat. I cackled. Bishop happily provides Mae with the evidence she needs to nail it to Connie. H&H IS paying her off to wreck Calvary. But Mae isn’t happy. She wants to know how he got the information. All that matters is HOW he got the information. She comes to the fast conclusion that it was Karine with the Tea. Now…I thought for sure that Mae would be all over this information, but she’s not. She tells Bishop that it’s stuff like this that gives the congregation reasons to not trust him. This is trash. Bishop is like…ma’am…I am tryna get this church back fo YOU and this is what you got for me? Mae says that God just spared him (remember he almost died) and she needs him to think long and hard about that and quit his foolish ways before the same God that restarted his heart stops it. Whew, chile. For Lady Mae, this is NOT the way. God is working on Mae and she wants to get Connie, but this is not how they will win. They will not win by power or might or by sneaking and plotting. They will win by God’s will. They have to get their hearts and houses in order or they will lose everything. Mae takes the evidence and tells Bishop she is about to save him from this abyss that he doesn’t even know he’s in. She heads on out to fix this.
Sophia comes back to her quarters late because she was moving stuff down to Zora’s cabin. They are planning to spend the summer together there. Sophia immediately feels that something is going on with Grace. Is something wrong? Ultimately, no. But, Grace has some news. She tells Sophia her secret. Sophia is floored and conflicted. How could Grace have spent almost her whole life complaining about how Bishop and Mae weren’t there for Faith, but abandoned her own child? Grace believes that sending AJ money is good enough. Sophia tells her that what AJ wants is his mom, not her money. Sophia no longer wants Grace coming with her to Hampton. She will drive herself. Grace tells her that she can’t drive all the way to V-A by herself and Sophia tells her that she can do WHATEVER she wants. Uh oh. Grace tells Sophia that there is way too much on the line right now and basically Sophia has to keep this secret, too. Sophia leaves, but not before calling her mother a hypocrite. Welp.
It’s before dawn now and Sophia is packing up her car to head to Hampton. Grace tries to talk her out of it. It’s too far for her to go alone. But Sophia has made plans. She called her dad and she is meeting him at the airport. THEY are driving to Hampton. Grace tells Sophia that she loves her. Sophia has no response. And she’s off. Just like that.
I told yall Karine had all the piping hot tea and she doesn’t mind sharing it. She was about to give some tea to Charity about Noah being there when Lady Mae interrupts. Mae has summoned Karine and they go for a walk. Lady Mae gives Karine a warning. Karine knows what this is about. She thought about calling Mae, but she didn’t. Mae understands…kinda. Lady Mae tells her that she actually may need Karine one day, so she needs to do her best not to get fired. Got it? Mae gives Karine a sealed envelope that is to be delivered to Connie before the board meeting tonight. Mae tells Karine that it is payment in full for the remaining costs for Lady Mae Day. And since Karine is always spilling tea, make sure sure to let anyone who inquires know that Mae done paid her bill. But why do I not believe Mae? I feel like there’s more in that envelope besides a check?
Grace receives a call from her son, AJ. She finally accepts it. AJ can go to a halfway house once he is released and doesn’t know what he’s going to do next. Grace tells him that he will need money and a permanent place to live. AJ wants to know if Sophia knows about him. He wants to know if Grace is going to help him out or nah? Grace says she will. All he says is, “ok, cool…thank you…bye.” What’s that about? Something tells me that AJ gon be a whole mess.
In other news…
Jacob is bout tired of Kerissa. He actually called her a “headache” when he spoke to Noah and then tried to play if off like it was joke. He knows he was dead serious.
Grace has money. Jacob was surprised. I am assuming that the money she is using is the money that Lionel left to her. Interesting.
Bishop WAS planning a trip/honeymoon for them. He really wants to get their marriage back. But after Lady Mae’s rant about how he needs to get his heart right and his house in order, he might be backing off from that idea.
Sophia is taking her talents to Hampton U, my alma mater! Yayyy! Shout out to OWNTV for the HBCU love.
What next…
Will Sophia keep Grace’s secret? Will AJ contact Sophia? How will Grace and Noah move forward with their son? How will knowing that AJ exists impact Sophia? Will Kerissa get her house or will Jacob’s new dream prevail? Does Phil really like Charity or is this all a part of his plan to take the Greenleafs down?
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