Greenleaf – The Fourth Day

It’s only Day 4 of this Greenleaf journey and I feel like it’s been an eternity.

AJ is being released from the hospital and both of his parents are there for his departure. They have talked and inform the doctor that they feel it’s best for AJ to come home. The doctor tells them that her team believes a treatment center is best for him because he has so many family issues (she ain’t lying). Of course it’s up to AJ. AJ comes in and announces his decision. He wants to go home with Noah! Ummmm…Noah is a tenant at his mama’s house, bruh. And this is your choice? Ok, AJ. Ok.

Back at the Greenleaf Estate, Bishop is trying to figure out why Jacob is such a fool. What would make him think that he is capable of murder? Why didn’t Jacob come to him in the first place. Jacob claims he was trying to protect Bishop and get back at Kerissa – but Bishop points out that all he’s done is put a target on his back. Why does Jacob think that Tara is such a saint? Why does he think that Tara is any different from Basie and Rochelle? Because Jacob is a dimwit. That’s why. Bishop and Mae are trying to get him to see that he has stirred up a whole bunch of mess. Although he didn’t mention the will to Tara specifically, he planted all kinds of thoughts in her head and now they must deal with that. Bishop and Mae are pretty much done with Jacob’s explanations and go straight to their favorite lawyer – Aaron. What does Aaron think about this? He hasn’t discussed it with Aaron yet, but plans to do that later. Mae tells him that Bishop needs to be in that meeting because she doesn’t trust Jacob to handle anything else. I’m with ya, Mae. Oh…and I know I have mentioned this before…but I really want to know how Aaron is the lawyer that knows all about every kind of law. I am a recovering attorney so things like this bother me. But, I digress. Before Mae dismisses Jacob’s arse, she has one more bone to pick. Let’s talk about that wife of yours who set this whole thing in motion. It was her “bony little wrigley hands that set this whole Rube Goldberg device in motion.” Where she at? In the suite that I’m paying for? And then she dismisses Jacob. “I do not pet the head of a dog who eats the food right off my plate. Now go!” Listen. Lady Mae is not playing games with anybody in that gahtdamb house. You hear me?! She turns back to James to ask if he still wants to go to the last church services on Sunday. Of course James couldn’t even remember that they had talked about it. *Le Sigh* James doesn’t want to go back to that building. They decide that they will have church at the house. They will not stop worshipping now. That’s settled. And now…Mae must go pay a visit to Kerissa.

For some strange reason, Charity keeps showing up to do her job at H+H. They are preparing for the final service in that building and Charity has proposed some music for the day, as well as a powerpoint presentation that she prepared that tells the story of Calvary. You know Phil and Judy ain’t tryna hear none of those suggestions. Grace walks up to the office just in time to see what Charity has been dealing with all this time. Judy reminds Charity that this church has a lot of bad history…like her daddy being shot there and her uncle touching little girls. Who wants to remember that. Dayum, Judy. Charity tells ole girl that she’s a Greenleaf and they need her to make this thang go right. Judy says she’s a necessary evil. Charity unleashes a barage of insults, per the usual. Judy is unmoved, per the usual. Charity pulls Phil aside and reminds him that the members of Calvary deserve a moment of reflection before they destroy the church. And then Phil does what Phil always does and sides with Judy. Grace witnessed the whole thing and her timing couldn’t be better. Darius and Grace may have found a way to save the church, but they need Charity’s help. Oh, Lawd. Charity actually has to think about whether or not she will help Grace (shocker) but in the end, she provides Grace with some info. Grace needed to get info on Phil’s father but they couldn’t find any trace of him. Charity tells Grace that Phil’s father was a Black Panther and had to change his name – to Yusef Shabazz. Yusef lives in New Orleans. And that’s the info that Grace needs. Bout time Charity comes thru for her fam. Grace wasted no time and found Mr. Shabazz. Yusef was mad suspicious about the call and provided no tea. Grace ran out of strikes with him by mentioning that she was a pastor (strike 1), his ex-wife worked for Eden Vale Lending (strike 2) and his son Phil (strike 3). Click. Game over.

And now…for the part I had been waiting for since last week’s previews. Mae makes her way to Kerissa’s suite. Is the baby here? Because he don’t need to hear or see what’s finna go down. Kerissa told Mae that she didn’t have time for her antics today because she is prepping for a meeting about Excellence. Mae didn’t waste time. I want you out of the house. Mae tells Kerissa that Jacob has made them aware that she is blackmailing the entire family in order to get a few more extra coinz out of the divorce settlement. But then a strange thing happens. This whole thing turned around. Kerissa doesn’t want a divorce at all. She confesses that she had an affair, Jacob won’t forgive her even tho she has forgiven all of his triflingness for 20+ years. Kerissa starts naming all of Jacob’s women and one of them catches Mae off guard. The former cook? My Lawd. Anyway, Kerissa didn’t think it would get this far. All she wanted was forgiveness. If Mae can get Jacob to forgive her, she will let it go. Otherwise, issa wrap. There’s a tiny problem here, tho. Everything is out in the open. Hasn’t the damage already been done?

Elsewhere in the house, super lawyer Aaron is explaining that the house belongs to them. But in the court of public opinion and possibly a jury of their peers, it could look like the death of Darryl paved the way for this second will. The case wouldn’t be about the facts, it would be about public perception. Aaron recommends that they make peace. Bishop thinks that he can handle it. If he could talk Basie out of killing him, surely is capable of coming to some type of resolution with Tara. Right? I hope so. Bishop wastes no time going to see Tara in the hood. I was high key worried that his car was going to get jacked, but again…I digress. Tara is very surprised to see yet another Greenleaf show up at her door. Bishop tells Tara that he did not make the call and that it was probably Mac. Mac was the one that had arranged to have the fire set at the church. Bishop had questioned why Darryl was at the church after he got the news about his body being found. And then in an unbelievably stupid move, Bishop tells Tara about the will and how the house was originally left to her father. I see where Jacob gets it from.

Next up on Mae’s list of people to get straight is Jacob. After she got some piping hot tea from Kerissa, it’s time to set Jacob straight. She starts off with a flurry of Bible verses about forgiveness and sin. Jacob is able to play name that scripture quite well until verse number 3. Jacob figures out that she talked to Kerissa. Ok. Did Kerissa tell you what she did? Yep. She sure did, but she has endured years of your trifling arse and you can’t forgive her? Mae says she doesn’t take any pleasure in taking Kerissa’s side, but it is what it is. And his unwillingness to forgive her got them all in a bind, so get it together! Jacob really isn’t moved by this and he tells Mae that this won’t solve their Tara James problem. At the moment, Tara James is not the issue. The issue is what he thinks of women, which is ultimately what he thinks of her – his mother. But you never did anything like this, Ma. *record scratch* Mae DID do something like this and has a WHOLE kid to prove it, but once that discovery was made last season, they all decided to continue to keep it a secret. So, a whole nutha fresh batch of drama is coming their way. For a minute, I thought that Mae was going to confess to her sins, but she didn’t. She just says, “what if I had?” And she implores Jacob to go forgive that girl and move on. Jacob goes to Kerissa and he just can’t do it. He just CANNOT forgive her. Kerissa gives him the words that she needs to hear in order for them to keep this family together. All she wanted was to feel seen and to receive the forgiveness she has given so many times. And he couldn’t do it. Kerissa accepts it and agrees to lay off the will, but only because she knows that Mae knows that she is right. But, they are done. Dammit Jacob.

After a LONG day of Greenleaf shenanigans, it’s still not over. Noah brings AJ by the house for him to gather his things. Grace has been researching and gives Noah some info about a doctor she wants AJ to see. AJ overhears and tells Grace this is why he’s not staying with her and she needs to shut up about it. Noah tells her that she will take care of it. SN: AJ GETS ON MY GAHTDAMB NERVES. Of course AJ’s recent actions have put Grace into an emotional tailspin. She takes a walk and ends up meeting Bishop on his way back to the house. He’s in a good mood and has food for everybody. Grace tells Bishop that AJ has decided to stay with Noah and Bishop totally sees Grace’s heartbreak. He tells her that maybe she should let his father handle it. She saved his life and maybe that was her role to play. Now leave room for God to move. And remember that you came back, Gigi. After 20 years, you came back. Selah. Come thru with that good fatherly advice, Bishop! Yassssssss. Let it go, Sis. Upstairs, Zora and Sophia are playing with AJ and begging him to stay. They are really cute and AJ looks like he is considering it. Grace comes by to say bye before he goes. She tells him that he can always come back and then he leaves. But he comes back to give her a quick kiss on the head. I want to get all mushy about this moment, but AJ stays leaning on my last good nerb. Nonetheless, it seemed to help Grace, so I will take it.

Back at H+H, Charity wasn’t ready to let the powerpoint presentation go. She runs into Connie in the hallway and asks her what she thinks about it. Connie continued to be a bish (she’s mad consistent) and told Charity that if Judy and Phil said no, the answer is no. I hate her. Of course Connie went right back to Judy and Phil and told them what happened. Judy wasted no time handling it and immediately fired Charity! Charity went to Phil and of course he agreed with Judy’s actions. No shocker there. Charity had finally had enough and told Phil that he can’t fire her black azz because she quit. Phil told Charity that Judy isn’t gonna press it and then Charity came ready with the clapback. So why don’t you press your face into those tiny little tittles of hers and see if you can get anything like what you couldn’t get enough of a few weeks ago because you will never get anymore of dis! Booyah. And then she called H+H an oreo church that won’t make it past Tuesday. Ha! What Charity said got Phil shooketh. Especially the part about H+H won’t make it past Tuesday. Does Charity have something planned? Judy *tries* to comfort her man, but it ain’t working. She literally kneels in between his legs and Phil stops her. And then we find out that Judy ain’t even legally divorced yet. Say whet? Again, Judy BEGS Phil for some action and Phil dismisses her. Phil deserves to live a miserable life with that bish.

Bishop mentioned to Grace that he picked up some BBQ for the fam and I was like…ohhhhh….I bet it’s good Memphis-style BBQ. Again, I digress. It’s time for dinner at the Greenleaf’s and history has shown us that these family dinners never go right. In fact, they always end up in shambles. I expect that this time will be no different. Bishop is trying to convince Mae that he handled everything with Tara. They prayed and cried together and the spirit made it right. Bishop REALLY thinks this ish is over. Jacob comes down and he tells her that he didn’t forgive her because it had nothing to do with forgiveness…he really doesn’t want to go back into that “thing.” That “thing” he is referring to is his marriage. He really just wants to be out. Mae lets it go since it seems like Bishop has cleared things up with Tara. Charity and Grace join them for dinner and Charity announces that she quit! I really think that’s up for debate because technically Judy FIRED her first and then she decided to quit, but imma let Charity have this. Sophia and Zora join the table. And then Kerissa and Winky. The gang’s all here. Bishop announces that they will have church at the house and Mae will lead the worship. Bishop’s phone rings and it’s Tara. Uh. Oh. Most of the people at the table have no idea who Tara James is. Kerissa has the nerve to ask for an explanation and Mae shuts her arse up real quick – you of ALL people deserve NO explanation. Bishop has to tell the family that Tara wants to talk again….ASAP…about the house. #fixitJesus

Y’all!!!!! I just…Ugh…

What kind of father will Noah be to AJ? Is he what AJ needs? Or will he just be a crutch? And will the two of them block Grace out or will this truly be a team effort?

I get what Jacob was saying, but considering the circumstances, he should have just taken one for the team. And quite honestly, Jacob doesn’t deserve good things. He spent 2 whole decades being a whore…in Jesus name. I just hate that his ways led Kerissa to that will.

Why is Bishop so naive. Or is he arrogant? Why did he think that everything would be/could be solved by simply talking to Tara. Why did he even mention the will to Tara?

I thoroughly enjoyed Mae’s visits this week. She never lets me down. But, that conversation with Jacob is about to cause the next set of problems for the Greenleafs. When Grace found out that she was Lionel’s child and that Aaron was her brother, I wanted them to come to the family and get it all out. But they never did. Now, in the midst of this house and church drama, it WILL come out. Terrible timing. And what will Jacob say now? His mama is guilty of the same sins that he can’t forgive his wife for. Whew, Chile!

Even though there’s lots of drama going on, I have to give a round of applause to the Mae. When we first me Mae, she wasn’t very motherly. We got very few moments of her being a kind loving mother to her children. But recently, she has shown so much grace, forgiveness, care and concern for her kids. Even Charity got some loving moments last week. I live for her dragging folks, but I must give her credit for being Mama Bear.

Well, that’s all I got. What did you think of this week’s episode?

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