Recap Renegade

Queen Sugar – Where My Body Stops or Begins

June 27, 2019
Photo courtesy of OWN

Season 4, Episode 3

CHARLEY + MICAH

At Charley’s house, Micah is all in Nova’s book. Charley walks in and does a double take. Remember, Nova gave Micah a shiny hard copy for his leisurely reading. Charley realizes that he is reading THEE book and a quiet panic ensues. She busies herself in the kitchen, but when Micah realizes she is there (he has earbuds in), he immediately joins her in the kitchen.  She tells him that after school they should talk about what he’s reading. But, nope. Micah isn’t waiting. He knows that his dad did what he did, but he had no idea about what Charley did. Charley told him that she did it to protect him and their family, and their privacy.  She asks Micah to remember that what’s black and white in a book is very often grey in real life. Micah scoffs. Whatevs. He says that he’s not judging her (really?), but he doesn’t understand her sometimes.  Charley wants to know if he believes everything he reads. He doesn’t. BUT, this book was written by somebody he trusts. *gut punch* Charley wants to know if Micah trusts her. He wants to change the subject.  I am still mad at Nova (for a variety of things) because she had to know that this would go down this way.  At the very least, she could have told Charley that she had given Micah the book.

Charley is back in business mode and calling Frances Boudreaux’s office to find out why Jacob is attending board meetings.  They have the same amount of shares, and according to the by-laws, he shouldn’t be there.  Frances isn’t taking calls, so Charley leaves a hot message for Ms. Frances.  And, then she heads on over to Landry Enterprises to get her questions answered. 

In a true Charlotte Bordelon (gotta use the gubment name when she’s being a badazz) entrance, she rolls up on Jacob at the office, slams some papers down on the table and demands he tell her what’s going on.  A consultant, who knows her name, is there, too. Charley wants to know how he knows her name. Jacob reminds her that she’s famous (oops, forgot) and that the consultants are familiar with all of their primary shareholders.  She reminds him that she is not primary and neither is he, so how is he attending these meetings. Sam combined his shares and changed the bylaws (shocker) so that family could attend. Charley keeps the tirade up, but Jacob sends her a text message. They need to take the convo outside. The consultant is listening.  Jacob tells Charley that he likes her and he is trying to help her. He thinks its best if she doesn’t ruffle any more feathers.  Charlotte tells him she doesn’t respond to threats. Jacob keeps at it – you know what the family is capable of. They will not stop. Shutting down the prison didn’t slow things down, they are still at it, but that’s all Jacob can say.  Charley tells him that she really doesn’t trust that he cares about her and wants to know where Frances is because she has been MIA (I have been wondering, too). Frances is in DC taking meetings to expand Landry Enterprises (more foolishness, I am sure). What kind of expansion are we talking about here? Jacob can’t say, but Charley is cool. She doesn’t mind working to find out. Then Jacob goes into a sob story about how he is an outsider because he is not like them and how Charley is lucky because she has love of family. The Landrys don’t work like that.  He is trying to “look out” for Charley. Charley isn’t buying it.  He wants to know why Charley can’t just sit back and enjoy the dividends and she tells him it’s the same reason that he can sit back and enjoy his privilege.  Charley tells him that at some point you have to make your own decisions. He has chosen to go along with the Landrys and their shenanigans, so he can keep the sad story.  So…do yall think that Jacob is actually somebody she can trust? Jacob creeps me out, but I started to feel like maybe…just maybe…he is telling her the truth. And, maybe he wants to see his family go down for the way they have treated him. I don’t know…

Charley has been digging in the Landrys’ business (per the usual) and has spotted a $1.5 million purchase for land. She asks her girl Vicky (the PI from last season) to investigate. She is walking through the park as she talks to Vicky and meets a smiling Romero under some beautiful trees. Hey, boy…hey. He has setup a nice little lunch for them. He even had flowers on the table, chile. Charley is impressed and thankful. Romero has also checked on RA’s worker and he will be fine. He tells Charley that RA is taking good care of his men and that’s rare.  He has heard and seen some terrible things as it relates to migrant workers in St. Jo.  Charley presses him for more info, and he cites a specific event. There were 2 farmers that were killed on a farm in the parish a few years ago because they were forced to work in a storm. Uh Oh. Do yall remember that? *Back in Season 1, when Charley wasn’t Charley 2.0 and brand new to the farm life, she asked the workers to stay longer even though a storm was coming. She eventually did let them leave, but the next morning she (along with Remy and RA) stumbled upon the bodies of 2 of them. After an investigation, it was determined that the storm did not kill them, a meth addict did. In the same scene where Charley confesses to Nova that she leaked Melina’s name to the press, she was also questioning her humanity with regards to the migrant workers. Nova told her that it wasn’t her fault that someone else killed them.  The Bordelons met with the remaining workers to break the news and to learn more about the workers who had been murdered. Charley then told Nova that she would pay to have the remains sent back to their country because it was the right thing to do.* So, Romero thinks that it was the storm that killed them. It wasn’t. But, I was extremely disappointed that Charley didn’t take that opportunity to tell him the truth. This was her chance. I know this will come up again. I wonder if it was in the book.  Romero said he wouldn’t read the book, so he won’t stumble upon it there, but still…Charley missed an opportunity to be honest.  Anyway, Charley tells him that he clearly cares a lot about the community and he’s doing good work. He says he’s only one man and Charley asks him if he could do more, what would he do. He says he would open a clinic. All he needs is a clean and safe space, volunteers and supplies. Charley tells him that she has space – the barracks at the mill and that she will buy the supplies. Romero is in disbelief and he is thankful. *le sigh* I am happy that Charley is doing her part by funding this clinic, but I need her to confess to Romero asaptually.

After school, Micah comes across some mail addressed to him. It’s a death threat! He takes the letter to Charley. Hmmm…that’s interesting, especially considering the fact that he just told Charley this morning he doesn’t trust her. He should have trekked on over to the 9th Ward and gave it to Nova. I digress.  Charley takes the letter calmly reads it and tells him she will deal with it, fix it and she’s on it.  Micah wants to know how Charley plans to fix a death threat? Charley asks Micah why she can’t seem to do anything right by him. Micah let’s her know that he is accepting the fact that they are two different people, with two different views of the world.  Welp…it’s time for Micah to learn a few things about WHY they see things differently. Charley unlocks her file cabinet and pulls out all of the other death threats that she has received for Micah to see. The first one came a week after his speech at the rally.  They kept coming. She then decided to send him to Paris for the summer AND had hired security detail that he never knew about. Micah is floored.  After Charley displays all of the letters, she wants to know how Micah feels. He is angry.  Charley tells him that she doesn’t have time to be angry. She is too busy being afraid for him. So if they see the world differently, it’s because she is committed to doing whatever she has to do to keep him safe. If she has to send him away, ask for his trust, whatever…she will do it. Protecting him IS her job. Whew! I felt this scene.  The Mama Bear in me felt this scene. And now I understand what my mom meant when she said, “I am not one of your lil friends.” A mom doesn’t have time to be your friend. We are too busy being everybody else you need. Parents do so much for their children without them even knowing. There is a constant worry, fear, need to protect and desire to fix all that is wrong. But Micah can’t see any of that. God I hope this changes his attitude and his perception of his mother. I also hope it makes him get some act right because I am so over his attitude and his antics. And may he always remember that it was his mom he ran to, not his aunt.

NOVA

Nova is at the house getting ready for an interview she is doing with psychology students and therapists. You know…because her book is healing people. Her publisher calls with some fantastic news! She got a glowing review, a “love letter” from the New York Times. Her book is connecting with people. Yes. This is amazing. *insert side eye here* Nova is ecstatic and overwhelmed. 

At the interview, Nova is sitting down with two families that have been healed by her book. The mom and daughter have Nova/Charley-ish issues and they want to know how Nova and Charley were able to break through all of the hurt feelings. Nova gives an answer about confronting her feelings and no longer suppressing them, but I have big problems with this. So Nova gets to go around and give some Iyanla Fix My Life advice, while she hasn’t dealt with any of the feelings, issues or fallout with her OWN family.  If the whole goal of this exercise is to not have secrets, embrace honesty, and heal as a family, hasn’t Nova just done the opposite? She needs to disclose to all of the people she encounters that she hasn’t done any of the work with her own family. She has not healed and neither have they.  Will there be a point when someone calls her out? I am silently hoping Charley gives an interview about how this whole thing went down. If she keeps this up, this is pure fraud and hypocrisy at its finest.

RALPH ANGEL

Back at the farm, RA is having a tough time.  The generator is busted, it’s harvest and he is dealing with his emotions about the book.  He tells Prosper that things just ain’t going his way, but Prosper tells him he is doing just fine. RA tells Prosper about the book and about what Nova wrote about Blue. Prosper shares with him that the man who raised him wasn’t his real father, but he was his daddy. He found out about it when he was in high school but it didn’t make a difference. His father took good care of him and that is thicker than blood. A book doesn’t change that. On a side note, Prosper wants to know if Nova wrote about him, too. LOL. But, RA STILL hasn’t read the whole book, so he wouldn’t know (I need him to gon head and read that book because he still doesn’t know that Darla is in it).  After Prosper came through with a good fatherly word, one of RA’s workers tells him that Ignacio (his main migrant worker) is sick. When it rains, it pours.  RA calls Charley to tell her he is going to miss his appointment because he has a sick worker. Ignacio can’t go to the doctor. He is a migrant worker. But because Charley is the fixer, she tells RA she knows someone who can help with that. Boo thang to the rescue. Hey…Romero. Hey, boy…hey. 

RA and Deesha have a lunch date at Vi’s spot.  They talk about her work as a Public Defender and his busy schedule during harvest.  They talk about co-parenting – and how RA is at a good place with Darla, but Deesha doesn’t have the same situation with Joie’s dad.  RA decides to come clean and tell Deesha that he has a record. But, Deesha already knows (not surprised or mad) because she ran a background check. To RA’s surprise, she is not swayed by his file. She knows that people are more than their file (that’s a word).  Looks like Deesha and RA will be a thing. Stay tuned.

RA drops Blue off at Darla’s and breaks that news that Nova wrote about Blue in her book.  They will have to sit down and talk to Blue. Darla is livid and asks the million dollar question – did she write about their past, too? How could she have written about Blue and not them? Well, yall know RA STILL hasn’t read the rest of the book, so he couldn’t tell her that she is the subject of one of those chapters. I need for Darla to know before she gets blindsided. RA…read the book.

AUNT VI + HOLLYWOOD + JIMMY DALE

Aunt Vi stayed up all night reading NBOS and she is struggling this morning.  She is trying to encourage herself to be strong and pull it together, but it’s not working.  Hollywood knows she is riding the struggle bus, and he tries to help. Vi tells him that she has called Nova THREE times this morning, but Nova isn’t answering. Wonder why? Anyway, she left a message for Miss Nova. She better come look her in the face by the time the sun goes down. If she has to go to the Ninth Ward looking for Nova, she will. Oh…I know she will. How could Nova do this? Vi is still in shock, but she is ready to push on and she’s back in bawse mode. While she is readying the diner for a new day, Jimmy Dale comes in. My heart was beating soooooo fast. Vi has her head down, but she immediately recognizes the voice. And then…she passes out.  Jimmy Dale catches her. Hollywood and Jimmy Dale render aid, but as Vi comes back to life, JimmyD leaves. Hollywood doesn’t know who this man is yet.  Vi takes the day off because there’s way too much going on.

Vi is literally sick. She is throwing up, not eating, not talking and Hollywood is concerned.  I am actually surprised they haven’t had to take Vi to the hospital yet.  Vi tells Hollywood that that dude at the diner was JIMMY DALE. What? The dude who caught you when you passed out? He put his hands on you? And then tipped out? Oh, HELL NAW. Hollywood is ready to confront Mr. JimmyD.  Vi begs him to play it cool because JimmyD ain’t nothing but trouble. Yall know Wood doesn’t care. Nobody messes with Vi on his watch. JimmyD came to town to get something started, but Hollywood said he’s going to finish it. And I believe it.

JimmyD goes back to the diner and Hollywood confronts him there.  Wood tells him that he knows who he is and what he’s about and to save the Showtime at the Apollo act. LOL. He let’s JimmyD know that he is married to Vi. JimmyD says he’s not here for drama, things didn’t work out with Vi and it’s old news.  Wood told JimmyD he needs to bounce. Gon head and raise on up because no one wants you here.  JimmyD thinks this ish is funny, until Wood reminds him of what Ernest did to him before. Wood promises him that he will deliver part deux of that arse whoopin if JimmyD doesn’t get his “goofy azz” out of town. Don’t catch these hands, JimmyD. 

Apparently, JimmyD has a hard head and he shows up at the house. His house (he is still claiming it). Vi looks like she has seen a ghost. Jimmy tells her to open the door so they can talk and she does. Why, Vi….why? I hate how we could see Vi temporarily shrink in his presence, but she got some strength back and told him that was HER house.  JimmyD then decides it’s a good idea to go in on Hollywood, calling him a “boy.” He starts pontificating, but Vi tells him he needs to get out of her house. JimmyD isn’t ready for this assertive Violet, but tells Vi that she still has that “spice.” And then, Nova shows up.  JimmyD says it’s good to see her AGAIN. Again? Nova says she can explain. Fix it Jesus.  Vi told her that whatever she did to bring this to her doorstep, she can’t explain. JimmyD, who clearly has a death wish, tells them there’s nothing to explain, he just wanted to see how Vi has been and then says she looks good, besides having a little pooch and has the audacity to touch Vi. Nova goes into rage mode telling him not to touch Vi. Vi jumps between them and starts beating him out of the house but right outside is Hollywood and he is ready to take this to the next level.  Hollywood wore JimmyD out and gave him Part 2 of that Ernest beat down. When JimmyD got up to leave his clothes were all muddy and he was in shambles (I cackled). JimmyD tells Vi that he already took stuff she can’t get back (was he referring to a baby she may have lost?) and belittles her. JimmyD should have known better than to come to the house, but he won’t ever make that mistake again – I hope.

After the dust settles at Vi’s house, Vi is taking care of Wood’s injuries, while Nova attempts to explain her foolery.  She reached out to JimmyD to get his side of the story for her book. She was exploring redemption (there she goes with her themes again). She realized after talking him that he was still trash and left his point of view out of the book.  Now…why is it that Jimmy Dale got a courtesy that her family did not receive.  He actually had the opportunity to explain his side of the story, but Nova never extended that chance to the family she wrote about. I don’t get it. *le sigh* I guess she felt like she knew their truths, so no need to give them a chance to explain. I guess.

So, Nova continues and says that her intention wasn’t to hurt anybody. Ok, Nova. And then Vi cuts Nova with her words. Usually it’s Charley with the razor tongue, but today, it was Vi.

“You have done some things in your day, child. But this…you daddy would be ashamed. And your mama? You mama would do what I’m about to. You need to leave. Right now. I don’t want to look at you.  I don’t want to talk to you.  Not right now, not tomorrow.  Way I’m feeling, even ten years can’t put enough distance between us.  Don’t darken my doorstep.  Don’t bring no flowers to my grave. I don’t need you disturbing any more of my peace.  This is the last time I let you in this house, Nova Bordelon.” And with that, Nova does an about face and heads out looking shooketh and in tears. I have ZERO sympathy.  Those words were sharp and cut deep. Vi doesn’t even want her at the fune. It will be a long while before these two can find their way back to each other.

In other news…

Keke has been ignoring Micah’s texts. She is over Micah just like I am.  She doesn’t like the new Micah West. She doesn’t approve of the fight or how Micah was quick to engage in a fight like some “new age thug.” Keke gets him straight and Micah promises to behave and to always respect her. Have I told yall how much I love Keke? Micah needs her and her teenage wisdom more than he knows.

So what’s next?  Nova’s book is out and the people love it, but Nova has a huge secret. She hasn’t made peace with her own family.  How can she go on these Iyanla tours without having her own healing session with her family?  The Landrys are up to no good, per the usual, and Charley is on the case.  What land did they buy with that $1.5 Million? Will Micah’s attitude change towards Charley? Will Charley tell Romero about those workers or will Romero find out on his own? Oh…and it looks like trash arse Davis is back next week and we might be meeting Tia soon.  Will RA finally read the book and let Darla know she and all of her secrets are in it or will she find out whilst watching TV? And Vi…poor Vi…let’s just pray that she can bounce back from all of this. And how long will it be before Nova can come to the cookout AND get a plate?

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8 Comments

  • Reply
    Karin Y. Coger
    June 27, 2019 at 1:38 pm

    Nova isn’t getting invited to anyone’s cookout, anytime soon. How did Nova know that Jimmy Dean was going to see Vi? He must have reached out after Hollywood ran him out of town. I was mad at Vi for letting him in but I guess we needed to see her gain her strength. And Hollywood, Hollywood, Hollywood …. if a man doesn’t love me like Hollywood; I don’t want him!

    “He put his hands on you?!?!”

    I need Micah to grow up. I need people in that family to appreciate Charlie. I need Charlie to tell the truth. Thank you for these detailed recaps!

    • Reply
      Natalie
      June 27, 2019 at 1:49 pm

      I don’t think Nova knew Jimmy Dale was at Vi’s house. Remember earlier in the episode that Vi told Hollywood she wanted to lay eyes on Nova before the end of the day. Nova was came over in response to Vi’s calls.

      • Reply
        Kay
        June 27, 2019 at 2:00 pm

        I agree. I think she was surprised to see him there, too.

  • Reply
    Saun
    June 27, 2019 at 10:43 pm

    I’m here for Charley. She’s the most misunderstood character in my opinion. I hope that her new relationship works out and that they can withstand all the family chaos, she deserves something reliable, steady and uncomplicated. I feel her hurt and Lord knows I feel Aunt Vi’s pain. Nova wronged her on a level that makes no sense to me. The woman who raises you and was the consistent maternal influence in your life gets betrayed deeply. How can any of them ever trust Nova? You can’t have family discussions around her, it may become part of her sequel. I’m almost at the point where I can’t use Nova’s name, I may have to call her something else…you’re good at co big up with names, help me out here.
    Your recap is phenomenal per usual, got me worked up again! I had forgotten JD’s comment about Aunt Vi’s pooch and how he touched her….makes me hotter than fish grease!!!

  • Reply
    Kay
    June 28, 2019 at 12:20 pm

    Nova’s betrayal just goes deeper and deeper. Every week adds a layer. How she could even think to go find Jimmy AND even consider that he might need to have his side of the story considered is beyond me. Why didn’t her family get that consideration. I think that speaks to her righteousness. She KNEW their truth, so she didn’t think hearing from them was even necessary. I am really struggling to understand her and I do question her motives, no matter how much she claims that her intentions were pure. Plus, Jimmy is dangerous. Vi could have gotten beaten again by him. Nova and Hollywood just happen to show up. This is just another thing that she didn’t think through.

    I will try to think of a name for her. Last season I was calling her Noble Nova…because she was being mad judgmental whilst messing with Charley’s ex. SMH.

  • Reply
    Saun
    June 28, 2019 at 4:54 pm

    True , what and who is left for Nova to betray? She told embarrassing, personal stuff from Aunt Vi (probably Ernest too) to innocent Blu. I forgot about Noble Nova…it needs to change cause you now know she is way more than just a judgmental person, she’s lowdown and disconnected from her family’s feelings and portrays herself as trying to save the world through her self entitled American family. Wth

    I think we may see JD again, I can see him going after Hollywood or connecting some more with Nova.I agree he’s dangerous, Can you imagine JD holding a press conference?? Omg, that would be awful and completely Nova’s fault. I have no love for Nova…zero!

  • Reply
    Bre
    June 29, 2019 at 3:00 pm

    This episode was SUPER charged. Nova is out in them streets lying about reconciliation with her “sister”, knowing full well that she’s destroyed her family and her place in the family just to sit on that stage. That book is filled with her bleeding heart politics juxtaposed over the secrets of her family. She didn’t need to reveal her family’s secrets to talk about rape culture or colorism or redemption. She could have used her own damn life. Nova needs to face whatever she has conjured up in her head against her family and come to herself.

    I love Charley! At least what you see is what you get! She makes no apologies for her lifestyle and success and she shouldn’t. What she has done is hang around a backwards town with the purpose of uplifting the community financially through business equity and inclusion. Where has Nova been?

    • Reply
      Kay
      July 1, 2019 at 8:47 pm

      There are so many things Nova could have written about and I am sure that her family thought that she was writing about those things. The last person I remember her interviewing was Prosper, so I did assume that this book would be about Black farmers in America, legacy, etc. But, it was the essay she wrote on Ernest that made her follow this path. She became an overnight sensation, and that got her. I, too, struggle to understand the correlation between what Nova says and what she does. She fights for those who are in the system, but not when that person is her brother. She feels the ancestors deeply, but she has no part in the things that keep her father’s legacy alive – the farm (and the mill). She is a journalist (a modern day Ida B. Wells), but didn’t attempt to write about the police who assaulted her nephew. She is an activist, but she did nothing to fight against the prison coming. I stay confused.

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