_
TRAY: Hey, Ma.
♪♪
Ma, where's that little green bag I left in here?
It had my, uh... school supplies in it.
I flushed your school supplies down the toilet.
- What? - And the $12,000 that was in there,
I donated to the church.
No, no, no, no, Ma, you don't understand.
I have to answer for that, Ma.
You told me that you were selling sneakers!
Listen, I knew you'd be trippin' if I told you the truth.
Look, Ma, there ain't no jobs out there
payin' no real money, Ma. I'm doin' what I gotta do.
Even after what happened to your father?
Look, I don't use, I sell.
Get out of my house.
There's your stuff.
Get out of my house!
TRAY: There's nothing stronger than a mother's love
except a mother's disappointment.
And that's the cold, hard truth,
even for an OG.
♪ The Last O.G. 2x08 ♪ Mama Said Knock You Out
- Synced and corrected by Firefly - - www.addic7ed.com -
♪♪
FELONY: Y'all look like some 3rd graders, man.
- Just get a Hallmark. - Hey, hey, don't do that.
I love making my Mother's Day cards.
It says it comes from the heart.
No, it says, "I'm broke".
I just enjoy crafting.
Can you pass me the scissors that make the squiggle?
You mean the edging scissors?
Women like it when you work with your hands to bring them joy.
- Stop making Mother's Day sound so sexy. - ALEJANDRO: What?
This for my baby mama, who has big titties,
just like my mama.
You know what? I envy you guys, man.
Why, Tray? Your mom flat-chested?
Damn it, Alejandro, no!
It's been almost 30 years since my mother threw me out.
Damn, that's a long time, man.
- Long-ass time. - Tell me about it.
I disappointed her so much, man,
she wouldn't return none of my phone calls
or my cards that I wrote her from jail.
I mean, nothing. Nothing.
But, well, I'm sayin', you a changed man now.
You know, dude's doing so much better.
[CHUCKLES] You might be right, you know?
Maybe if she saw me now, turned my life around
and trying to get my food-truck business up off the ground,
maybe she won't be so disappointed in me.
She might even be proud of me.
You need to go see her.
I don't even know where she lives anymore, man.
FELONY: What about your pops?
My pops died when I was a kid.
He was real important to me, too.
But one thing my father always said,
"You know where you can always find your mother...
- in our old church". - Hmm.
She'd never miss a Sunday.
Now that sounds like a plan.
Yeah, she can't yell at you in church.
Yo-ho-ho-ho-ho!
You must not know Roberta Barker.
WOMAN: ♪ What a blessedness ♪
♪ What a joy divine ♪
♪ Leaning ♪
♪ On the everlasting arms ♪
- ♪ Oh, I'm leaning ♪ - Ma, it's me, Tray.
♪ Yes, I'm leanin' here ♪
♪ I'm safe and secure from all alarms ♪
♪ Oh, yeah, I'm leaning, yeah ♪
♪ Yeah, I'm leaning, yeah ♪
♪ Leaning ♪
♪ On the everlasting arms ♪
Yes, Lord!
[APPLAUSE]
- Amen. - Amen.
PASTOR: And I want to wish every mother in here
a happy and blessed Mother's Day.
We certainly have enjoyed hearing
the lovely stories and testimonies
from some of you about your mothers.
Now, we want to move on to the next part of service.
Turn with me...
Pastor, is it too late for me to be a part of this?
Ex... Excuse me, sir?
My name is Tray Barker.
[PARISHIONERS MURMUR, GASP]
And I would like to share my testimony.
Brother Barker.
Come on down.
[APPLAUSE]
This is more than a testimony.
This is a moment to ask for forgiveness.
I remember coming here as a kid.
Stealing my first kiss right over there in the corner.
From Terolyn Bigelow, during choir practice.
I mean, that girl had talent, and she could sing, too.
[LAUGHTER]
Man, let me tell you somethin'.
my head was in the streets.
Slingin' crack was my thing.
I did business everywhere.
I'm ashamed to say, sometimes even on church grounds.
MAN: All right.
Nice to see you, Willie. You lookin' good.
It's Deacon Harris now, Tray.
Deacon Harris has a sweeter ring
than "Slick Stick" Willie.
[LIGHT LAUGHTER]
You know, I did a long time in prison.
It's where I learned to cook.
It's why you see me out here trying to get my food truck
up and running, you know?
And anybody in the congregation, you get 20% of any entrée.
MAN: Yes!
But that's not why I'm here.
I've thought long and hard
about the hurt and pain I caused you, Ma.
Sorry for all the years of pain...
and disappointment.
I'm here to ask for your forgiveness.
[APPLAUSE]
Hell no!
[PARISHIONERS MURMUR, GASP]
[CHURCH BELL TOLLS]
All right.
Well, here we are.
Roberta, I-I see an opportunity here for forgiveness.
You have a real-life prodigal son coming home.
Seems more like a broke son comin' home to ask for money.
You heard him.
Yeah, using the pulpit to promote his food truck?
Doing business in the house of the Lord?
I'm not here to ask for money.
Those shoes beg to differ.
I understand, son.
You know. Why pay more when you can pay less?
[LAUGHS]
So, you want me to forget
that he chose to sell crack over his family, huh?
You're the one that threw me out!
You threw yourself out when you brought drugs into my house.
That was 30 years ago.
When are you gonna stop being mad at me, Ma?
I didn't know there was a time limit on my anger.
Pastor, how long should I be mad?
Now, mind you,
my husband didn't go to Vietnam a junkie,
but he came back one,
which led him to getting AIDS.
And I had to stand there and helplessly watch him die!
And my son, he chose to sell drugs,
the very thing that killed his father.
How many years of anger does that buy me?
Mommy, I just want to start over.
[VOICE BREAKING] It's not that simple.
Sister Barker, let's keep it 100.
If I didn't give everybody in this church a do-over,
this place would be empty, you included.
You know, I don't have anything else to say.
Okay, fine.
I just thought maybe that you might want to meet your grandkids.
I got grandkids?
Why didn't you say that to begin with?
This brother got some explaining to do.
Mommy. Mommy, look.
It's twins.
♪♪
That's Amira and that's Shahzad.
What do you know?
One of each.
[LAUGHS]
Oh.
Now, this don't have nothin' to do with you and me.
But if... if you can arrange...
for me to meet my grandchildren,
I'll be there.
Amira and Shahzad Barker.
- I like the sound of that. - All right.
Well, actually, it's Birkeland.
Oh, a different daddy?
Ooh. Didn't see that one coming.
♪♪
Man, it felt so good to see my mother after all these years.
It made me realize what I missed out on.
I want to get that back.
That's beautiful, Cuz.
So, was she happy to see you, too?
At first, she was colder than day-old Chinese food,
but when I told her she had grandkids,
the polar ice caps around her heart started to melt.
That's like if Tyler Perry made "Frozen,"
she would be the villain.
Bobby, none of that talk around Shay, okay?
Your job is to help me convince her
to let her kids see they grandmother.
What mother wouldn't want her kids
to see their sweet, long-lost grandmother?
Why would I expose my happy, well-adjusted kids
to a woman you said ruined your life?
Well, she didn't ruin my life, Shay.
I ruined my life. I was out there.
I was young and dumb and trying to get some.
She kicked you out when you was 17, Tray.
Back in the days, that's the way moms handled business.
You said her nickname was "Skillet,"
'cause when she beat you, she had a heavy hand.
[LAUGHS] Oh, man.
Auntie Roberta, she had a heavy hand.
Whew! She used to break the toilet handles when she'd flush.
You know what I'm talkin' about?
Oh, man, it was...
I'm gonna... Yeah, I'm gonna go in there.
BOBBY: I'm gonna go in there.
[WHISTLES]
Please, Shannon, this is important to me.
Amira and Shahzad are the greatest thing to ever happen to me,
that I ever been a part of.
Now, I know you and Josh raised them,
but they got some of me in them, too.
If you let my mom see them and she start to love them,
and I know she gonna love them,
then maybe she'll learn to love me again, too.
Hey, babe, I mean, you could at least meet her, right?
That seems fair.
Just meet her?
Okay.
I'll meet her, and I'll make a decision.
But if she's anything like the way you guys painted her to be,
I don't want her around my children at all.
Deal!
Thank you so much.
I'll make all the arrangements,
and then I'll let you guys know, okay?
Until then, I want you two to have a blessed rest of the day, okay?
See you then.
Tray, you forgettin' something.
Oh, you got a nice hairdo.
Uh, no. Take your flunky with you.
- Bobby! - Y'all want an omelet?
Come on! Let's go!
Okay.
Um, I noticed you were missing a few things, so I...
- Bobby, come on! - I'm comin', I'm comin', I'm comin'.
Let's go. Let's go.
- Come on. - I do okay?
Yes, you did great.
Let's go, champ.
Shannon, I appreciate you are very protective of your children.
But you don't have anything to worry about with me.
I don't smoke, I don't drink,
I own my own duplex
in a very safe area off Myrtle Avenue.
It's right across from Kum Kau Chicken.
- Oh. Hey, babe, you love that place. - It's a'ight.
Amira and Shahzad will be in really good hands.
Why don't we just set up some time
for me to spend the afternoon with them?
I was thinking about next week,
- like Wednesday or Thursday. Or Fr... - You know what?
I really appreciate your enthusiasm, Roberta.
Honestly, I do.
But my kids, they have been through a lot over the last year,
and I don't want to rush them into anything.
We're still trying to figure out
how Tray fits into their lives.
And... how can I say this?
I don't want another variable in the equation.
I'm hungry. What... Tray, what are you gonna have?
Why don't you order for me?
I mean, since you're paying for it.
Well, I think it would help the children
to meet their grandmother Roberta.
Let them get acquainted with another member
of the Barker side of the family.
- You know what, Roberta? No disrespect. - Mm-hmm.
I know that it's important to you to meet my kids,
but it's up to me to decide if I think they're ready.
JOSH: There's so... so much on this menu.
Club chicken sandwich looks good.
- I'm not doing bread right now. - What is wrong with bread?
Baby girl...
I've been on this planet a long time.
- Mm-hmm. - And if there's one thing I know,
it's how to raise children.
And I'm certain of one thing...
children need their grandmother.
Oh, my throat is so parched.
Anybody need any water?
Hey, could we get some more agua over here?
You put Tray out when he was 17 years old,
and my twins, they're not that much younger than that.
And you did no more mothering after you put him out.
So, to me, it seems that we have the same amount
of mothering experience,
so your whole, "I've been doing this a long time" routine
isn't cutting it with me, honey.
[LAUGHS] Mommy, she didn't mean it.
It's not as bad as she's making it sound like.
You know what I mean?
She's not judging you. She ain't judging you.
That's not even Shay. She ain't even like that.
Her mother was a crackhead, for crying out loud, yo.
She understands that all mothers aren't perfect.
Oh. Shannon?
Did your mother get to spend time with your kids before she passed?
Of course.
So, a crackhead, dope-fiend junkie...
- Oh, God, no. - ... got to spend time with your kids,
yet I'm the one who's not good enough?
Huh?
- Josh... - Yep, I saw that...
- ... it's time to go. - Yeah.
SHAY: Tray, your mother hasn't changed one bit.
I am not subjecting my kids to the Skillet.
Skillet?
I meant Skillet in a beautiful way, Ma,
like black and beautiful.
Can't recommend the eggs benedict enough.
- The hollandaise sauce... - Josh!
[DOORBELL RINGS]
We're just sitting down for dinner, Tray.
- What is it? - I don't think you're being fair, Shay.
You need to give this thing a second chance.
Even Frazier forgave Ali.
It's not your decision to make, Tray.
Maybe we should let the children decide.
AMIRA: Decide what?
Y'all want to meet my mother?
Of course I want to meet her!
- Me too. - You son of a bitch.
- Why you bringing the kids into this? - It's about the kids.
My mother is the only grandparent they got left.
No, you knew what they would say.
It's like you went ahead and said,
"Hey, I wanted to take y'all to Disneyland,
but your mama wouldn't let me".
I mean, I'd rather meet my grandmother
instead of going to Disneyland.
That's 'cause you can't ride the rides.
Now, look what you done started. Tray, just leave.
JOSH: Hey, whoa, Shannon, Shannon,
I think you're overreacting.
I suggest you stand down.
No, I mean, if the kids want to meet their grandmother,
- I don't see the harm in that. - Josh.
Sorry, kids.
I tried.
Bye, Tray.
[DOOR OPENS, SLAMS SHUT]
♪♪
- [DOORBELL RINGS] - Hm.
Hi, Roberta.
Is this...?
This is Shahzad and Amira.
- Hello. - Hi.
Your grandchildren.
Did Shannon change her mind?
Not really, no.
She doesn't know we're here,
but the kids kept getting caught in the middle of everything,
and I thought they deserved a chance
to at least meet their grandmother.
You're a brave man, Josh.
Sometimes.
Uh, can we come in?
- Oh, I'm sorry. Come. Come in. - Come on, guys.
Wow.
Look at you.
You look just like I did at your age.
And you are the spitting image of your father.
- Mm-hmm. - Poor thing.
I hope you're smart.
Um, yeah.
Okay.
Well, you gonna get the both of us in a lot of trouble.
JOSH: Hey, you let me worry about that.
Just sorry I didn't give you more notice.
Oh, please. Are you kidding?
I've been preparing for this
ever since Tray told me about them.
You were that excited to meet us?
Oh, girl, you have no idea.
I have everything here
from Easter outfits to savings bonds.
I think I went overboard just a little.
That depends.
What kind of interest rate did you get?
- Shahzad. - I mean, thank you.
All right, well, I'll be back in a couple hours to get them, then.
You're a good man, Josh Birkeland.
Not the goofball I first thought you were.
Thanks.
All right, well, you guys have fun.
- Bye, guys. - Bye, Dad.
Okay, first things first.
Have you two been baptized?
- No. - Okay.
Well, we gonna take care of that when he goes.
I'm joking, Josh. Get outta here.
JOSH: I knew you were joking.
Took a big risk, my man. I appreciate it.
But Shay gonna kill your ass, though.
Well, you know what? I did this for all of us.
That's right. That's what you tell Shay.
And you don't be scared.
I'm not scared.
I mean, I... I just don't think it's gonna be easy.
Well, I get that, but this is what you do.
You puff your chest out. Puff it out.
- What are you talking about? - Your chest, bring it out!
- You stand like a man. - All right.
Stand like a man. Broaden your shoulders.
- Am I not? I feel like I am. - All right, and you don't hold back.
No. And you tell her this.
"I know you upset,
but I'm putting my foot down on this one, okay?
I did the right thing for the kids".
Say that.
Listen, Shay, I know you're upset,
but I'm putting my foot down on this one.
I did the right thing, and I did it for the kids.
You did what?
Listen, Shay, I know you're upset, but I...
You what?
I... I'm sorry?
First off, man, the kids deserve to meet they grandmother.
- I know. - Okay?
Okay, you can't punish them for what happened years ago.
- Right. - Can't change nothin' back there.
Okay, havin' they grandmother is a plus in them kids' life.
Yeah, that's... I mean, that's true, you know?
A few days ago, they didn't know she existed,
and they were fine.
- Yeah, that's true. - Admit it, Shay...
keeping the kids from they grandmother
is just another way of punishing Tray for what he did to you.
Yeah, I guess if you...
if you really wanted to punish Tray,
you would ask for back child support,
so maybe that's not what this is about.
That's... I didn't think of that.
Bottom line is,
what's the worst that could happen
by letting Roberta have a relationship with the kids?
Yeah, I guess I didn't think of that, either.
But you know what I just realized?
All these examples that you gave
for getting to know them and leaving,
her being a bad moral influence,
her making promises and not keeping them,
those are all things your mother did.
You don't know shit.
Maybe this isn't as much about Tray and Roberta as it seems.
Maybe...
Maybe you're still dealing with some anger at Ruth.
♪♪
We're going to go get the kids.
♪♪
Oh, I had such a good time with both of you.
- Mwah! - We did, too.
Oh, wait! Wait, wait! Wait. Wait.
Oh, you don't have to do that.
Listen, just remember that our birthday is in June.
It's a deal.
What? What'd you stop her for?
I saw a couple hundreds in there.
- AMIRA: Stop being so greedy, Shahzad. - Josh, thank you.
I can't believe you asked her
if there's a history of diabetes
on her side of the family.
Look, I've been wearing glasses
since I was 2 years old.
I don't want any more genetic surprises.
What about that stuff she said about
Tray being good at math when he was a kid?
- I know! - How crazy is that?
She even has the old report cards to prove it.
- His middle name is Leviticus! - Leviticus.
[LAUGHS]
And don't forget she said she'd make us
- her collard greens next time. - Yeah.
Did she say what she puts in her greens?
- No. - She told me her foot.
Don't you use that, Mom?
- What's that mean? - SHAY: You put your soul in it.
♪♪
PASTOR: Love is patient.
It is kind.
So, open your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 13:4.
You'll see it says, "Love is patient.
Love is kind.
It does not envy.
It does not boast.
It is not proud".
ALL: "And now we three remain... faith, hope, and love.
But of the greatest of these is love".
PASTOR: Amen.
ALL: Amen.
♪♪
- Synced and corrected by Firefly - - www.addic7ed.com -