Good (2020) Movie Script
-Ah.
-Here you go, sweetheart.
Two eggs over easy, side of bacon.
What would I do without ya?
Ah, you're so welcome.
-I was talking to my eggs.
-Oh.
I'm just kidding, sweetie.
Haven't seen you here in a while, baby.
How ya doing?
Yeah, I know, it's been a while.
-Oh.
-It's been kinda hard, you know,
coming here without her,
it's just this is our spot,
so, um, just, you know, I miss her.
Wish she was still here.
I know.
Thank you.
What are you talking about, son?
Your mom?
My grandmother.
Mm.
We all end up alone.
At least somebody loved you.
Hey.
Hey, how's it going?
-Oh.
-Oh.
How'd you do on the test today?
Second out of the whole class.
-Second?
-Yes.
-Out of the whole class?
-Yeah, out of the whole class.
My gosh, second place.
Second out of the whole class, yes.
-You...
-Oh, my gosh.
-What do you wanna do?
-I wanna celebrate.
-Yeah?
-Yeah.
-Okay.
-Let's go out.
How about that place
my friend Vanessa mentioned?
Their fillet mignon
is supposed to be amazing,
and champagne.
I want champagne.
Yeah.
Whatever you want.
What happened?
Mm.
My job ended today.
Yeah.
Well, um,
you know, um,
these things happen,
and you know when they say,
"Oh, you did a great job,
but we didn't have
enough room in the budget,"
they actually mean it.
No, what that means is I'm not worth
-more than 13 bucks an hour.
-Oh, my God, Payton, no.
-Shannon.
-Hey, hey, hey, no.
That is not what they mean.
I know you hate hearing this,
but I can take care of things...
-Mm-mm, no.
-...right now, I can
-cover things here and you can...
-Shannon, no.
No.
I appreciate that, but I'm...
You know, I'll figure something out.
We'll be all right.
Yeah.
Second place, you're so smart.
You really are a lonely one, aren't you?
And you're not?
Uh, I'm an old man, son.
Old men eat at diners.
You're the lonely bastard.
No, I just got a lot
to think about, that's all, man.
Well, I got a lot of time.
Gregory Devereaux.
Payton.
Payton.
Payton who?
Payton Poitier.
Oh.
Any relation?
To... to Sidney?
Nah, I wish, man.
Come over here, come on, sit over here.
Join me.
Well, I...
I guess your grandmother raised you well.
I don't know if she'd be
too happy right now.
That depends on what you did.
Well, can't be worse
than anything I've done.
You like bourbon?
Um, I'm probably
more of a scotch guy myself.
Look, son of a bitch,
you... you need a drink.
I got a bottle of 30 year old
with our names on it.
Right now?
We'll go to my place.
We'll be watching
"In the Heat of the Night."
Come on, oh, don't act like
you got anywhere to be.
-Come on.
-I mean, I probably should
get home to my fiance.
Come on.
Come on!
-Where?
-There.
Oh.
I can get my own door, Goddamnit.
Move, go on.
What kind of shit is that?
Make yourself at home,
I... I gotta go to the bathroom.
All right.
-Hey, you all right?
-Ugh!
Get... get away from me!
I just wanna help you out, man.
What are you some kind of fucking faggot?
-Here.
-Get out of here!
-Get the fuck out of here!
-Just trying to
-help you out here.
-Get the fuck out of here!
Excuse me, who are you?
I'm Payton, ma'am,
I just gave him a ride home
-from the di... the diner.
-Okay, don't move.
It's okay, no, it's okay, he...
He came with me.
You drove him home from the diner?
-Uh, yes.
-And he let you?
Yes, ma'am.
Do me a favor.
Come by and see me tomorrow.
Come by and see me tomorrow.
See yourself out.
Look, he gave me a ride home.
-Come in.
-Hi.
Hey, have a seat.
Yes, have a seat.
Four nurses.
My father has managed
to kick out four nurses.
The last one didn't even
get through the front gate.
But, you, you got through the front gate.
So, I'm not in trouble?
It's Payton, right?
Yes, yes, ma'am.
I would like for you
to be my father's caretaker.
Oh, well, I'm... I'm not
a trained nurse, ma'am.
You don't need training
to clean up a little piss.
Well, I'm not a trained piss...
Pisser-cleaner-upper either.
For $5,000 a month?
My father really needs someone,
and it's clear that he has
taken a liking to you.
Yeah, so this lady comes down the stairs,
and she's like, you know, "Who are you?
What are you doing here?"
And I just told her,
"Hey, I just, you know...
"I'm bringing him home," you know?
A lady, who?
Well, it was his daughter,
turns out it was his daughter,
and I met with her for a meeting,
and she ended up offering me a job
to work for her father.
Kay, doing what?
Well, she wants me to be like, uh...
Like... like caretaking almost,
basically, she said.
You know, she said
they fired a bunch of nurses,
and they couldn't keep anybody,
and if I could keep him company
and spend some time with him,
'cause he likes me.
So, you know,
I'm probably gonna take the job.
What?
I think that it is great
that you have your own
opportunities, Payton,
but this seems a little shady.
Like out of the blue at least.
Look, look, I know that
you don't wanna use
my family's connections,
but there are other jobs out there.
I'm not being offered
other jobs, Shannon.
It's... it's a good opportunity,
and it's my money.
It'll be my money.
Okay, so you are going to be a nurse now.
I don't think I'm gonna be
nobody's nurse.
Wait.
Barbara Devereaux.
Barbara Devereaux from
fucking Devereaux Capital?
Payton.
Payton.
-Hey.
-What?
You didn't tell me
it was Barbara Devereaux.
I told you I had
something good happening,
something good going on.
Okay, well, yeah.
What...?
-What are you gonna do, Jenetta?
-I don't know.
I mean, how do you feel?
I mean, I feel like
I've been broke my whole life.
I got like $1,000 to my name right now,
and like, no, it's just not a good time.
I mean, I'm... I'm about to move
to New York in a month.
I'm not... I can't raise no fucking kid.
I just remember all the things
that my grandmother
had to go through
because my father wasn't around,
'cause he wasn't ready to have a child,
and I don't want that for myself.
So what, you'd do that to me?
Jenetta, please, I'm just asking you
to be realistic about this, that's all.
I'm just asking you to be realistic.
I'll figure it out.
My break's over.
-Hello?
-Uh, yes, hi, uh,
Gregory, how are you?
-This is Payton.
-Who?
Uh, Payton Poitier from the diner.
Your... your daughter Barbara, she hired me
to come work with you.
Work with who?
Uh, you, sir.
Hello?
Hello?
Yeah?
Uh, I thought we were gonna watch.
"In the Heat of the Night."
You don't want to anymore?
You asking me on a date, boy?
You know what they call me, right?
Hm?
They call me Mr. Tibbs.
What?
You want some Pibb?
No, uh, no, Mr. Tibbs.
Mr. T?
Mr. Tibbs, no, Mr. Tibbs.
So, you do want some Pibb?
No, they call me Mr. Tibbs,
from the fucking movie, man.
They call me Mr. Tibbs.
You know, you do look like your daddy.
-They call me Mr. Tibbs.
-They call me Mr. Tibbs.
Oh, I love this movie.
Oh, man.
Do ya love her?
I said, "Do you love her?"
Yeah, of course.
Of course?
You... you ain't God Almighty,
Knower of all things.
You never know what's going on
inside a person.
Yeah, you're right, you don't.
Checkmate.
What?
Oh, set 'em up again.
Again, you wanna do it again?
Okay.
Ah.
What is that?
Uh, those are bell peppers.
I don't eat that.
No, okay,
well I'll take 'em off for you,
I'll scrape 'em off for you.
Okay, no bell peppers.
I don't eat that either.
Spinach, okay, you don't...
You don't eat the spinach?
-Nah.
-Okay.
I'll get rid of that spinach.
All right.
Nice omelette for ya.
I'm not hungry anymore.
It's a... it's an egg.
Then, you eat it, Goddamnit!
Told you I'm not hungry, what the fuck?
This motherfucker here.
All right, Gregory, how are you feeling?
-Okay.
-All right, I just wanted
to go over some blood work with you.
...which seems fine,
and everything else
seems pretty normal.
Yeah, good job, we, uh...
-I'll see you next week then.
-Mhm.
-All right.
-Thank you.
See ya.
Hey.
-How'd it go?
-Good.
Let's go eat.
-Yeah, all right.
-Yeah.
The doctor didn't say anything
that you need to know, okay?
-Damn it.
-That cough doesn't sound good.
Hey, Gregory, if you're so rich,
why do you eat at this diner here?
Why do you always eat here?
My grandmother.
She used to bring me here after service.
Mm, she passed?
Yeah, two years ago.
-Mom, dad?
-No, I didn't know
my father at all growing up,
he... he wasn't around.
And, uh, my mother died of breast cancer
when I was 6.
My grandmother,
that's who raised me.
That's who taught me,
you know, to be a man.
She taught me to...
To do good.
Well, she sounds like my kind of lady.
I spent, like, every last dime
I had burying her.
It was, like, all I could do for her.
Kind of been climbing out
of debt ever since.
Well,
I eat here because the gravy is thick,
and the waitresses
call you by your first name.
That's where it's at.
Took me 80 years to realize it,
but, that's where it's at.
That's where it's at.
Hey, drink some water, drink some water.
-Hi.
-I'm keeping the baby.
I've decided.
Jenetta.
You can't... you can't
decide that on your own.
I have family, I can.
And look, I'm not trying to
mess up anything you got going.
What the fuck are you talking about?
First of all, do not curse at me.
Second, I did not come here
for your permission.
I just wanted to come and let you know
what I have to say,
and that I apologize
for our misunderstanding.
Okay, listen, I respect you, Jenetta,
and I respect your body,
but do I not have a say
-in any of this?
-Go ahead, you got a say.
Do you just expect me to, you know,
fucking throw
my whole life away right now
because, you know,
you're deciding to have a baby?
I'm gonna go.
Look, Payton.
If you wanna be in this child's life,
you have that right.
But, we both know what you're gonna do.
So, here's your permission.
Well, what's going on with you?
Clearly there's something going on.
I fucked up, and I got my ex pregnant.
Oh, here we go.
And I don't know what to do, man.
You know, things are just
turning around for me, Gregory.
If Shannon found out about this now,
-we'd be done for good.
-Well, she's gonna find out
as soon as that child support kicks in.
Well, that's the one good thing
is that Jenetta,
she's not tripping, but Shannon
is a whole other kind of situation.
You're not gonna raise your own child?
I mean, Jenetta has...
Now look, I'm not asking you
about fucking Jenetta.
I'm asking you, are you gonna
abandon your own baby?
Abandon my own baby?
I... I mean, are you...?
Are you telling me that your own child
is not as important
as some rich girl's pussy?
-Don't talk about her like that.
-Oh, here we go again.
Another young Black man
making babies he won't raise.
-Fucking around.
-You don't know
-what you're talking about.
-And won't own up,
-won't be a man.
-Fuck you!
Oh, fuck me? Fuck me?
Hey, hey, hey, hey, you okay?
Oh, my God, oh, my...
Hey, all right, come on, we gotta get...
We gotta get you to bed, we gotta...
Okay.
All right, you lie down,
lie down, lie down.
Come on, you should lay back.
-I'll get you some water.
-Okay.
Get me the album.
Get me the album.
Okay.
Hold on a second there.
-Here you go.
-Open it.
Okay.
Here you go.
-Is this Barbara?
-Yeah.
This is Barbara's mom?
Yeah.
She passed.
Look here.
I still remember,
she scored three times.
She's always been a badass, huh?
I don't know.
-Well...
-I wasn't around much.
You're a busy man.
I guess.
Put it back.
Get me...
Get me a drink.
Would you like to like
to be alone for this?
Oh, no, no.
He can stay.
Well, the test results
from the biopsy came back,
and, uh, the cancer has metastasized
further than we anticipated.
You have maybe five months.
Thank you.
I'm sorry,
I'll give you guys some time.
Ms. Barbara.
He's your father, I mean,
do you not wanna be there?
Do you not wanna take some time off work?
-I mean...
-Yes, I know he's my father,
but I pay you to take care
of him so that I don't have to.
Do you need more money, Payton?
Because that's no problem.
He's very fond of you, okay?
He doesn't have a lot of time.
So,
that's why I'm asking you
to stay onboard.
Okay.
Ah, baby, look at our little girl.
Oh, she's so beautiful.
-Think you look great.
-Yeah, you do, too.
You look beautiful.
Get a little closer.
-There ya go.
-I can't believe it.
-She's...
-They look great to me.
Uh, hey, let's get
Shannon's solos now, okay?
-Uh, okay.
-You guys look wonderful.
Wonderful, okay.
Wait till he gets this.
You guys look great.
Oh, thank you, she... she looks great.
Mm, no.
You clean up well.
Oh, thank you, ma'am.
It's almost like he's proposing.
-Yeah.
-That's pretty good.
Yeah, those are great.
-Yeah, let's do that.
-Yeah, you girls go ahead.
We can get the dishes, right?
-Absolutely.
-Okay.
All right.
All right, all right.
All right, I wash, you dry,
or how you wanna do this?
-Or you pass 'em, I'll dump 'em.
-Okay.
Sounds good.
Let me tell you something, Payton.
Something that you need to get used to.
You gotta do the dishes
while she's showing off
the jewelry that you bought her, okay?
-Just remember that.
-Well, I don't know
if they're just
showing off jewelry back there.
They're probably deciding
our fates, you know?
This is not some stupid infatuation.
I'm not childish enough
to throw my life away
on something like that.
Shannon.
-I'm not saying that, but...
-But what?
This is another pet project of mine?
You don't think so?
That is so classist of you.
Some men rise above their upbringing,
and some don't,
and he hasn't.
What he's done,
he'll probably do it again.
Well, all I'm trying to say is...
Oh, no, no, we got this, we got this.
That regardless what
reservations I had about you,
I'm glad you're part of the family,
and if you guys ever need anything,
don't be afraid to ask.
Well, I appreciate that,
I appreciate that very much.
-Okay?
-And I want you to know that
I'm, uh... I'm gonna work very hard
to give Shannon the life she deserves.
Promise you that, how's that?
Yeah, but we'll help.
The service was nice.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
You just gonna stand there,
or you gonna sit down and eat?
Good night, Dad.
Oh, wait, wait!
I'm gonna be dead by June.
Can't you just sit down
and fucking eat with me?
There's onions in this.
-So what?
-I don't eat those.
Well, I don't want you just
sitting there watching me eat.
If you aren't gonna eat,
well why'd you sit down then?
Because you told me to.
You don't do what I...
You don't listen to me.
Here I am a dying old man.
You're barely in my fucking life, I...
Sometimes I...
I think you'd be happier
if I were gone for good.
Now you want me in your fucking life?
All right.
You have never been there for me.
Mm, dinner was so good.
-Yeah.
-Yeah, and, uh,
you look so good.
-Mm.
-Mm.
-Yeah.
-Yeah?
I, uh... I think I might slip out of this.
Ooh, okay, well I'm right behind you.
Hello.
Hi, yeah.
Really... really, right now?
Uh.
Okay, I could be there
in about 20 minutes.
Okay, all right, thank you, bye.
Who was that?
That was Ms. Devereaux.
She said my direct deposit
ain't going through,
and she wants to give me a check.
Uh, now?
Yeah, I mean,
she was pretty insistent, yeah,
and I've been waiting on this check.
So, you're gonna go all the way
to her office on a Sunday night?
To her office, yeah, I am, I mean...
I mean, I guess I could
just wait till tomorrow, but...
No, no, no, you, uh...
You work for them.
I can wait.
Okay, all right,
I'll be right back, bye.
-Hi.
-Hey, come on in.
Okay, thank you.
Do you want some wine?
I was drinking a little earlier.
I don't know if I should, uh...
Okay, well, indulge me.
It's just a little taste.
Okay?
Oh, and, um, here's your check.
This is much more than... than usual.
I appreciate everything
that you've been doing,
so that's a little bit of a bonus.
Well, thank you,
I really appreciate that.
-That's sweet.
-Um, do you have anything else
that you need to be doing?
Well, good, come have a drink with me.
Here.
I mean, you're always
drinking with Gregory, right?
Well, I think he does most
of the heavy lifting for us,
you know?
I'm just there to keep him company.
Mhm.
You know, um, my mom used to tell me
that he's very charming,
and handsome, and funny even.
I mean, I don't see it.
Do you?
Well, I don't know about handsome.
No, but he's, uh...
He's... he's a good person.
He's sharp.
Hm.
What happened...
What happened to your mother?
Cancer.
She died.
I was 19.
I was there for the whole thing.
I saw the whole thing.
And, um...
And then she was gone.
Next thing I know, I'm working
for Gregory's company.
Is that why you're so distant,
because, you know,
he reminds you of your mother?
Hm.
It's a little bit
more complicated than that.
We're more like business associates.
We're not nearly as close
as you two are.
So I guess that makes me
a little jealous.
No, I just think he sees
a little bit of himself in me.
That's all.
What, charming, funny?
Handsome.
Oh, uh...
I don't think we should do this.
Are you sure?
Yeah, I don't think
this is a good idea, Barbara.
I don't think we should do that.
That might get kind of complicated.
I think I should go.
I think I should go.
I'm sorry.
I'm in love with someone else,
and I think this would be a mistake.
Don't forget your check.
Goodnight.
I'm sorry about your friend, Gregory.
There's always something
in this life you didn't do.
Always something you didn't do.
I was surprised that Barbara
took you to the service.
That was nice of her.
She didn't do it for me.
Why you guys beefing, man?
Excuse me?
Why do the two of you have a problem?
That's none of your business.
Has she ever been married before?
Who, Barbara?
She's too bitter of a woman.
Where the hell you going?
I'm off, and I got
a couple errands I gotta run.
You all right?
I'm fine.
All right.
Just fine.
Thanks for letting me come by.
It's no problem.
Look, Jenetta.
I don't want it to be
like this between us.
We've got history.
And I know you can handle
everything on your own, but...
I don't wanna run away.
So you're not moving to New York?
Here.
I thought you might want it.
Payton.
Hey.
How you doing?
Uh, all right.
Yeah, you okay?
Yeah, um, just tired.
Yeah?
Well, I wanted to take you out
if we could go out tonight.
I wanted to show you something.
No, I'm just... I had a really long day,
-I'm just really tired.
-Just for a little while.
I just wanna take you somewhere
and show you something.
Just come with me, please?
Just come with me, please?
Fine.
Come on.
It won't be long.
You know, my grandmother,
she's still a mystery to me.
She'd bring us out here
when I was little,
and we would just stare out
at the lights for hours.
And I never knew why.
And when she was dying,
I remember her telling me, "Payton,
make something of yourself.
Be somebody.
Get out of here."
And I'm gonna miss it here,
but not as much
if I didn't have you, Shannon.
And I know that.
And I can't wait to marry you, baby.
But I have to tell you something.
-Shannon...
-I know you've been
cheating on me, Payton.
What?
I checked your phone.
Been seeing Jenetta again.
-Shannon, I haven't...
-I saw the texts, Payton.
I know that you have.
Look at me.
I haven't been seeing
Jenetta again, okay?
Then why are you still talking to her?
Because she's pregnant.
And it's yours?
Shannon.
How do you know?
Hm?
What do you mean how do I know?
That baby could be anybody's.
-She's not lying.
-She doesn't have anything,
Payton.
You are finally making real money.
Wake up, she is using you!
Using me for what?
To support a child that she cannot!
That's fucked up.
No, what's fucked up
is that you are just now
telling me she's pregnant.
I'm sorry.
Sorry.
You have to get a paternity test.
If you don't...
we're done.
My first child is not
gonna be somebody else's.
I just wanna get out of here.
What I'm gonna ask her for
is a paternity test.
Well, we all know the answer
to that, don't we?
I love Shannon, Gregory,
and we're getting married, all right?
All I'm asking is
for you to be there for me.
That's it.
Is your newborn baby gonna be there?
Are you gonna be there or not?
I'll be goddammed
if I show up to that wedding.
You're making a terrible mistake, son.
Gregory, you don't know me.
I know you better than your own father.
He chose not to be in your life.
He chose not to do the right thing.
Don't make the same mistake, son.
You're not my father, either.
No, I'm not.
You never had one,
and now neither will your kid.
-Hello.
-This is Barbara.
Sorry I missed your call.
I'll get back to you soon.
Oh, shit.
I came as fast as I could.
I'm so sorry.
Is he all right?
He'll probably die a lot faster now.
Oh, my God, man.
I don't know what I done.
Don't be emotional, Payton,
it's unattractive.
What?
It's my problem.
It's my father,
you made that perfectly clear
by vanishing in the middle of the day.
We got into an argument.
Grumpy, shitty old men
give their nurses hell all the time.
I pay you to take it.
Is this about the other night, Barbara?
Don't flatter yourself, Payton.
Well then what the hell is your problem?
-My problem?
-Yeah.
I mean, he's dying in the other room
and you're sitting here
talking about him like that.
There's no compassion
or loyalty or love.
Anything.
I don't owe him any of that.
-But he's your fucking father.
-He's my fucking father.
He's my fucking father.
You spend a few months with him,
have a couple of drinks,
and now all of a sudden
he's the father of the year?
Well, guess what?
He was never there for me.
He knocked up a waitress,
bought her a house
as far away from everyone as possible.
I didn't even meet him until I was 19.
And my mother is dying.
In walks this man in a glorious suit
who says to me, "You're smart,
you can be something.
Oh, and by the way,
you're my daughter."
I guess he didn't have a son
worth saving.
I changed my name to Devereaux
when my mother died.
So I don't owe him nothing.
Gregory.
You finally made it.
Is it true?
I couldn't reach the albums.
Is it true what Barbara just told me?
An old man can't do nothing anymore.
Did you abandon her?
What?
Did you abandon her?
Everything she is
is thanks to me.
Oh, you're the same, Payton.
Can't keep your dick in your pants.
Fuck you and all your moral bullshit,
-Gregory, okay?
-Listen.
No, I'm not some fucking millionaire
riding around here banging waitresses
-and leaving 'em.
-I'm just trying to keep you
-from making the same...
-No, you're a liar,
and you're a hypocrite,
and you're a cheat.
And you're looking for somebody
to handle all your old sins,
and it's not me.
Get out.
I'm done, man.
Get out.
I mean, yeah, you're moving on now
and you got the money,
but Payton, the last thing you need to do
is be yelling at some old, dying man.
Especially this one
who does a lot for you.
I think you should go back.
-Jenetta.
-What is it?
I want a paternity test.
Yeah, I mean, it's not that
I don't trust you or anything,
but I think there's a lot
of legal liabilities with this,
and it'd be best
if we both just knew for sure.
-Did she ask you this?
-No.
-She told you to ask me that.
-No, I'm asking you that.
I wanna ask you that.
It seems like it's coming
from out of nowhere.
That's why I don't...
Okay.
Fuck you, Payton.
Jenetta.
Jenetta!
Jenetta. Jenetta.
-Don't talk to me.
-I'm trying to talk to you,
Jenetta, come on!
-Jenetta, stop fucking...
-Do not touch me!
I'm not trying to talk to you,
not anymore.
Oh, really, you don't wanna talk to me?
-No.
-You don't wanna talk to me?
You text me every single day
asking to come see me
and asking me to feel your baby bump.
That's because I want you
to be in his life,
and I'm trying to give you
the opportunity.
No, you're trap...
I'm not... what you gon' say,
I'm trying to trap you?
You're trapping me
into being a fucking father.
You're guilt tripping me
into being a father.
I'm not ready to be a father, Jenetta.
Did I do this shit myself?
Is that what you think?
-I don't want to be a father.
-Wow.
Well, get the fuck off my car.
Get the fuck off my car.
Get off my car!
You coming at me like I'm some whore,
and you known me longer than that.
And your grandma would be
so ashamed of you right now.
You don't even fucking care.
You know, I hate you.
Get on my nerves.
No, just run, that's what you be.
Fuck this shit.
Fuck you, Payton.
I got the test.
Really?
Yeah.
And it was negative.
-Yeah?
-Yeah.
I'm so sorry, baby,
'cause I know I fucked up.
And I love you, Shannon.
I love you, too.
I love you.
Shit.
Piss.
You shouldn't have to do that.
Yeah, well, stop driving
every fucking nurse away.
Help me.
Help me, can't you see I'm dying?
Where's... where's Payton?
Where's Payton?
Why isn't he here?
We had an agreement.
I never fired you.
I never said that you can go,
I never let you go.
And he's asking for you,
'cause he says that I'm not you.
Payton, please call me back.
Man, I didn't realize
they have so many problems.
So you're gonna go, right?
It's the least you could do, Payton.
It would be the right thing.
-Yeah.
-Yeah?
I'm sorry.
That's what I wanted to say.
I'm sorry, too.
Well, good.
You should be.
So...
You're still gonna marry that girl, huh?
Maybe it'll work out.
It's worth taking a shot.
I met Barbara's mother...
in a little diner
called the Serving Spoon.
She called me by my first name.
Smiled a big smile.
Her name was Diana.
I wonder what she thought about
when she was dying.
I wonder if she...
if she was afraid.
If she blamed me.
I abandoned her.
I didn't give her a thing.
Are you afraid to die?
You gotta give to get, Payton.
You're a good kid.
You might be a good man, I don't know.
It doesn't have to be like this.
You don't have to be sorry.
You don't.
Is it weird to beat yourself?
You guys figure out your shit yet?
You coming back?
I'm moving, Barbara,
I'm getting married.
I see.
And you came here knowing all that?
Well, it wasn't about that.
So what?
You feel better about yourself
for letting him fall?
For leaving when he needed you?
Barbara.
He's sorry.
No, he's not.
He's never been sorry
for anything in his entire life.
Well, what if he is?
What if for the first time
in his life he is sorry?
Wouldn't you love that?
Isn't that what you want?
For that old motherfucker to be sorry?
Just come in and see him, Barbara.
You know?
Just come in and just see him.
You like seeing me like this, don't you?
It makes you feel good.
She's seen it before, Gregory.
Oh.
Of course she has.
She's held it over my head for decades.
Like I killed her mother.
I didn't give her cancer.
I didn't do that.
Just tell her what you wanna tell her.
He's not gonna say it.
This is the last chance.
He'll die before he does.
You're not gonna have another chance.
I wasted my life.
I wasted my life not loving you.
Not being there for you.
And it's my loss.
I lost my whole life.
I'm sorry to you.
I'm sorry to your mother.
Barbara.
Barbara, I'm dying.
You don't have to forgive me.
I don't forgive myself.
But pl...
Please.
Stay.
Please.
Hey, son.
Feels like the real thing, huh?
Oh, it sure does, it sure does.
Have a drink.
It's gonna take them a couple
more hours to get ready,
and we'll head on over.
I'm actually gonna get a cup of coffee.
-Do you wanna join me?
-I'm good.
Hello?
Hey.
Um... he's gone.
Dad's gone.
Were you with him?
Yeah.
The whole time?
Yep, the whole time.
I'm just glad that I was able to be here
to walk him through.
Did you guys get to talk?
Yeah.
Hey, thank you for everything.
Thank you so much.
Good luck with your wedding.
Thank you.
Payton, what are you doing here?
I need to talk to Shannon, please.
Do you really need to do this now?
I need to talk to you.
Okay.
Just give us a sec.
Is everything okay?
What's going on?
Gregory passed away.
Oh, baby, I am so sorry.
I'm here, though, I'm here.
Okay?
-Shannon.
-Yeah?
-I love you.
-I love you, too, baby.
And I wanna... I wanna do right by you.
Okay.
I lied about the baby.
It's mine, and I know it's mine.
What?
And I love you and I wanna marry you,
but I also wanna be in my child's life.
-No.
-No?
No, you...
You have to choose, Payton.
It is either me
and the family we're gonna have together
or that.
I want a life with you.
-That's all I want.
-I told you I cannot...
I can't have... I can't have
a child that is not mine.
No!
And I can't have a child
that I'm not there for.
No, this is supposed to be us.
What are you talking about, Payton?
I didn't have a father!
I can't do that to my kid!
Don't you understand?
I can't abandon my child.
It's not fair.
I didn't have a father, Shannon.
That hurt.
That hurt!
And I'm not gonna do that, I'm sorry.
What?
This is our day.
This was supposed to be you and me.
What are you doing?
What are you doing?
How could you do this to me?
I did...
I did everything for you.
This was all for you!
How could you do this to me, Payton?
How could you do this to me?
Now, one thing to remember, Gregory,
is to always leave a good tip.
You always say that.
Well, when you gonna start doing it?
Don't you think it's time
maybe you get a job?
I'm only five.
That's true, that's true.
All right, well, let's get going.
I gotta take you back
to see your mama, okay?
Mhm.
All right.
-Thank you.
-You're welcome.
-Would you like a refill?
-Oh, no, I'm okay,
but thank you so much.
Thanks, Payton.
We'll see you again soon.
Okay, we'll see you.
Uh-oh.
What color?
Woo!
Blue.
-Here you go, sweetheart.
Two eggs over easy, side of bacon.
What would I do without ya?
Ah, you're so welcome.
-I was talking to my eggs.
-Oh.
I'm just kidding, sweetie.
Haven't seen you here in a while, baby.
How ya doing?
Yeah, I know, it's been a while.
-Oh.
-It's been kinda hard, you know,
coming here without her,
it's just this is our spot,
so, um, just, you know, I miss her.
Wish she was still here.
I know.
Thank you.
What are you talking about, son?
Your mom?
My grandmother.
Mm.
We all end up alone.
At least somebody loved you.
Hey.
Hey, how's it going?
-Oh.
-Oh.
How'd you do on the test today?
Second out of the whole class.
-Second?
-Yes.
-Out of the whole class?
-Yeah, out of the whole class.
My gosh, second place.
Second out of the whole class, yes.
-You...
-Oh, my gosh.
-What do you wanna do?
-I wanna celebrate.
-Yeah?
-Yeah.
-Okay.
-Let's go out.
How about that place
my friend Vanessa mentioned?
Their fillet mignon
is supposed to be amazing,
and champagne.
I want champagne.
Yeah.
Whatever you want.
What happened?
Mm.
My job ended today.
Yeah.
Well, um,
you know, um,
these things happen,
and you know when they say,
"Oh, you did a great job,
but we didn't have
enough room in the budget,"
they actually mean it.
No, what that means is I'm not worth
-more than 13 bucks an hour.
-Oh, my God, Payton, no.
-Shannon.
-Hey, hey, hey, no.
That is not what they mean.
I know you hate hearing this,
but I can take care of things...
-Mm-mm, no.
-...right now, I can
-cover things here and you can...
-Shannon, no.
No.
I appreciate that, but I'm...
You know, I'll figure something out.
We'll be all right.
Yeah.
Second place, you're so smart.
You really are a lonely one, aren't you?
And you're not?
Uh, I'm an old man, son.
Old men eat at diners.
You're the lonely bastard.
No, I just got a lot
to think about, that's all, man.
Well, I got a lot of time.
Gregory Devereaux.
Payton.
Payton.
Payton who?
Payton Poitier.
Oh.
Any relation?
To... to Sidney?
Nah, I wish, man.
Come over here, come on, sit over here.
Join me.
Well, I...
I guess your grandmother raised you well.
I don't know if she'd be
too happy right now.
That depends on what you did.
Well, can't be worse
than anything I've done.
You like bourbon?
Um, I'm probably
more of a scotch guy myself.
Look, son of a bitch,
you... you need a drink.
I got a bottle of 30 year old
with our names on it.
Right now?
We'll go to my place.
We'll be watching
"In the Heat of the Night."
Come on, oh, don't act like
you got anywhere to be.
-Come on.
-I mean, I probably should
get home to my fiance.
Come on.
Come on!
-Where?
-There.
Oh.
I can get my own door, Goddamnit.
Move, go on.
What kind of shit is that?
Make yourself at home,
I... I gotta go to the bathroom.
All right.
-Hey, you all right?
-Ugh!
Get... get away from me!
I just wanna help you out, man.
What are you some kind of fucking faggot?
-Here.
-Get out of here!
-Get the fuck out of here!
-Just trying to
-help you out here.
-Get the fuck out of here!
Excuse me, who are you?
I'm Payton, ma'am,
I just gave him a ride home
-from the di... the diner.
-Okay, don't move.
It's okay, no, it's okay, he...
He came with me.
You drove him home from the diner?
-Uh, yes.
-And he let you?
Yes, ma'am.
Do me a favor.
Come by and see me tomorrow.
Come by and see me tomorrow.
See yourself out.
Look, he gave me a ride home.
-Come in.
-Hi.
Hey, have a seat.
Yes, have a seat.
Four nurses.
My father has managed
to kick out four nurses.
The last one didn't even
get through the front gate.
But, you, you got through the front gate.
So, I'm not in trouble?
It's Payton, right?
Yes, yes, ma'am.
I would like for you
to be my father's caretaker.
Oh, well, I'm... I'm not
a trained nurse, ma'am.
You don't need training
to clean up a little piss.
Well, I'm not a trained piss...
Pisser-cleaner-upper either.
For $5,000 a month?
My father really needs someone,
and it's clear that he has
taken a liking to you.
Yeah, so this lady comes down the stairs,
and she's like, you know, "Who are you?
What are you doing here?"
And I just told her,
"Hey, I just, you know...
"I'm bringing him home," you know?
A lady, who?
Well, it was his daughter,
turns out it was his daughter,
and I met with her for a meeting,
and she ended up offering me a job
to work for her father.
Kay, doing what?
Well, she wants me to be like, uh...
Like... like caretaking almost,
basically, she said.
You know, she said
they fired a bunch of nurses,
and they couldn't keep anybody,
and if I could keep him company
and spend some time with him,
'cause he likes me.
So, you know,
I'm probably gonna take the job.
What?
I think that it is great
that you have your own
opportunities, Payton,
but this seems a little shady.
Like out of the blue at least.
Look, look, I know that
you don't wanna use
my family's connections,
but there are other jobs out there.
I'm not being offered
other jobs, Shannon.
It's... it's a good opportunity,
and it's my money.
It'll be my money.
Okay, so you are going to be a nurse now.
I don't think I'm gonna be
nobody's nurse.
Wait.
Barbara Devereaux.
Barbara Devereaux from
fucking Devereaux Capital?
Payton.
Payton.
-Hey.
-What?
You didn't tell me
it was Barbara Devereaux.
I told you I had
something good happening,
something good going on.
Okay, well, yeah.
What...?
-What are you gonna do, Jenetta?
-I don't know.
I mean, how do you feel?
I mean, I feel like
I've been broke my whole life.
I got like $1,000 to my name right now,
and like, no, it's just not a good time.
I mean, I'm... I'm about to move
to New York in a month.
I'm not... I can't raise no fucking kid.
I just remember all the things
that my grandmother
had to go through
because my father wasn't around,
'cause he wasn't ready to have a child,
and I don't want that for myself.
So what, you'd do that to me?
Jenetta, please, I'm just asking you
to be realistic about this, that's all.
I'm just asking you to be realistic.
I'll figure it out.
My break's over.
-Hello?
-Uh, yes, hi, uh,
Gregory, how are you?
-This is Payton.
-Who?
Uh, Payton Poitier from the diner.
Your... your daughter Barbara, she hired me
to come work with you.
Work with who?
Uh, you, sir.
Hello?
Hello?
Yeah?
Uh, I thought we were gonna watch.
"In the Heat of the Night."
You don't want to anymore?
You asking me on a date, boy?
You know what they call me, right?
Hm?
They call me Mr. Tibbs.
What?
You want some Pibb?
No, uh, no, Mr. Tibbs.
Mr. T?
Mr. Tibbs, no, Mr. Tibbs.
So, you do want some Pibb?
No, they call me Mr. Tibbs,
from the fucking movie, man.
They call me Mr. Tibbs.
You know, you do look like your daddy.
-They call me Mr. Tibbs.
-They call me Mr. Tibbs.
Oh, I love this movie.
Oh, man.
Do ya love her?
I said, "Do you love her?"
Yeah, of course.
Of course?
You... you ain't God Almighty,
Knower of all things.
You never know what's going on
inside a person.
Yeah, you're right, you don't.
Checkmate.
What?
Oh, set 'em up again.
Again, you wanna do it again?
Okay.
Ah.
What is that?
Uh, those are bell peppers.
I don't eat that.
No, okay,
well I'll take 'em off for you,
I'll scrape 'em off for you.
Okay, no bell peppers.
I don't eat that either.
Spinach, okay, you don't...
You don't eat the spinach?
-Nah.
-Okay.
I'll get rid of that spinach.
All right.
Nice omelette for ya.
I'm not hungry anymore.
It's a... it's an egg.
Then, you eat it, Goddamnit!
Told you I'm not hungry, what the fuck?
This motherfucker here.
All right, Gregory, how are you feeling?
-Okay.
-All right, I just wanted
to go over some blood work with you.
...which seems fine,
and everything else
seems pretty normal.
Yeah, good job, we, uh...
-I'll see you next week then.
-Mhm.
-All right.
-Thank you.
See ya.
Hey.
-How'd it go?
-Good.
Let's go eat.
-Yeah, all right.
-Yeah.
The doctor didn't say anything
that you need to know, okay?
-Damn it.
-That cough doesn't sound good.
Hey, Gregory, if you're so rich,
why do you eat at this diner here?
Why do you always eat here?
My grandmother.
She used to bring me here after service.
Mm, she passed?
Yeah, two years ago.
-Mom, dad?
-No, I didn't know
my father at all growing up,
he... he wasn't around.
And, uh, my mother died of breast cancer
when I was 6.
My grandmother,
that's who raised me.
That's who taught me,
you know, to be a man.
She taught me to...
To do good.
Well, she sounds like my kind of lady.
I spent, like, every last dime
I had burying her.
It was, like, all I could do for her.
Kind of been climbing out
of debt ever since.
Well,
I eat here because the gravy is thick,
and the waitresses
call you by your first name.
That's where it's at.
Took me 80 years to realize it,
but, that's where it's at.
That's where it's at.
Hey, drink some water, drink some water.
-Hi.
-I'm keeping the baby.
I've decided.
Jenetta.
You can't... you can't
decide that on your own.
I have family, I can.
And look, I'm not trying to
mess up anything you got going.
What the fuck are you talking about?
First of all, do not curse at me.
Second, I did not come here
for your permission.
I just wanted to come and let you know
what I have to say,
and that I apologize
for our misunderstanding.
Okay, listen, I respect you, Jenetta,
and I respect your body,
but do I not have a say
-in any of this?
-Go ahead, you got a say.
Do you just expect me to, you know,
fucking throw
my whole life away right now
because, you know,
you're deciding to have a baby?
I'm gonna go.
Look, Payton.
If you wanna be in this child's life,
you have that right.
But, we both know what you're gonna do.
So, here's your permission.
Well, what's going on with you?
Clearly there's something going on.
I fucked up, and I got my ex pregnant.
Oh, here we go.
And I don't know what to do, man.
You know, things are just
turning around for me, Gregory.
If Shannon found out about this now,
-we'd be done for good.
-Well, she's gonna find out
as soon as that child support kicks in.
Well, that's the one good thing
is that Jenetta,
she's not tripping, but Shannon
is a whole other kind of situation.
You're not gonna raise your own child?
I mean, Jenetta has...
Now look, I'm not asking you
about fucking Jenetta.
I'm asking you, are you gonna
abandon your own baby?
Abandon my own baby?
I... I mean, are you...?
Are you telling me that your own child
is not as important
as some rich girl's pussy?
-Don't talk about her like that.
-Oh, here we go again.
Another young Black man
making babies he won't raise.
-Fucking around.
-You don't know
-what you're talking about.
-And won't own up,
-won't be a man.
-Fuck you!
Oh, fuck me? Fuck me?
Hey, hey, hey, hey, you okay?
Oh, my God, oh, my...
Hey, all right, come on, we gotta get...
We gotta get you to bed, we gotta...
Okay.
All right, you lie down,
lie down, lie down.
Come on, you should lay back.
-I'll get you some water.
-Okay.
Get me the album.
Get me the album.
Okay.
Hold on a second there.
-Here you go.
-Open it.
Okay.
Here you go.
-Is this Barbara?
-Yeah.
This is Barbara's mom?
Yeah.
She passed.
Look here.
I still remember,
she scored three times.
She's always been a badass, huh?
I don't know.
-Well...
-I wasn't around much.
You're a busy man.
I guess.
Put it back.
Get me...
Get me a drink.
Would you like to like
to be alone for this?
Oh, no, no.
He can stay.
Well, the test results
from the biopsy came back,
and, uh, the cancer has metastasized
further than we anticipated.
You have maybe five months.
Thank you.
I'm sorry,
I'll give you guys some time.
Ms. Barbara.
He's your father, I mean,
do you not wanna be there?
Do you not wanna take some time off work?
-I mean...
-Yes, I know he's my father,
but I pay you to take care
of him so that I don't have to.
Do you need more money, Payton?
Because that's no problem.
He's very fond of you, okay?
He doesn't have a lot of time.
So,
that's why I'm asking you
to stay onboard.
Okay.
Ah, baby, look at our little girl.
Oh, she's so beautiful.
-Think you look great.
-Yeah, you do, too.
You look beautiful.
Get a little closer.
-There ya go.
-I can't believe it.
-She's...
-They look great to me.
Uh, hey, let's get
Shannon's solos now, okay?
-Uh, okay.
-You guys look wonderful.
Wonderful, okay.
Wait till he gets this.
You guys look great.
Oh, thank you, she... she looks great.
Mm, no.
You clean up well.
Oh, thank you, ma'am.
It's almost like he's proposing.
-Yeah.
-That's pretty good.
Yeah, those are great.
-Yeah, let's do that.
-Yeah, you girls go ahead.
We can get the dishes, right?
-Absolutely.
-Okay.
All right.
All right, all right.
All right, I wash, you dry,
or how you wanna do this?
-Or you pass 'em, I'll dump 'em.
-Okay.
Sounds good.
Let me tell you something, Payton.
Something that you need to get used to.
You gotta do the dishes
while she's showing off
the jewelry that you bought her, okay?
-Just remember that.
-Well, I don't know
if they're just
showing off jewelry back there.
They're probably deciding
our fates, you know?
This is not some stupid infatuation.
I'm not childish enough
to throw my life away
on something like that.
Shannon.
-I'm not saying that, but...
-But what?
This is another pet project of mine?
You don't think so?
That is so classist of you.
Some men rise above their upbringing,
and some don't,
and he hasn't.
What he's done,
he'll probably do it again.
Well, all I'm trying to say is...
Oh, no, no, we got this, we got this.
That regardless what
reservations I had about you,
I'm glad you're part of the family,
and if you guys ever need anything,
don't be afraid to ask.
Well, I appreciate that,
I appreciate that very much.
-Okay?
-And I want you to know that
I'm, uh... I'm gonna work very hard
to give Shannon the life she deserves.
Promise you that, how's that?
Yeah, but we'll help.
The service was nice.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
You just gonna stand there,
or you gonna sit down and eat?
Good night, Dad.
Oh, wait, wait!
I'm gonna be dead by June.
Can't you just sit down
and fucking eat with me?
There's onions in this.
-So what?
-I don't eat those.
Well, I don't want you just
sitting there watching me eat.
If you aren't gonna eat,
well why'd you sit down then?
Because you told me to.
You don't do what I...
You don't listen to me.
Here I am a dying old man.
You're barely in my fucking life, I...
Sometimes I...
I think you'd be happier
if I were gone for good.
Now you want me in your fucking life?
All right.
You have never been there for me.
Mm, dinner was so good.
-Yeah.
-Yeah, and, uh,
you look so good.
-Mm.
-Mm.
-Yeah.
-Yeah?
I, uh... I think I might slip out of this.
Ooh, okay, well I'm right behind you.
Hello.
Hi, yeah.
Really... really, right now?
Uh.
Okay, I could be there
in about 20 minutes.
Okay, all right, thank you, bye.
Who was that?
That was Ms. Devereaux.
She said my direct deposit
ain't going through,
and she wants to give me a check.
Uh, now?
Yeah, I mean,
she was pretty insistent, yeah,
and I've been waiting on this check.
So, you're gonna go all the way
to her office on a Sunday night?
To her office, yeah, I am, I mean...
I mean, I guess I could
just wait till tomorrow, but...
No, no, no, you, uh...
You work for them.
I can wait.
Okay, all right,
I'll be right back, bye.
-Hi.
-Hey, come on in.
Okay, thank you.
Do you want some wine?
I was drinking a little earlier.
I don't know if I should, uh...
Okay, well, indulge me.
It's just a little taste.
Okay?
Oh, and, um, here's your check.
This is much more than... than usual.
I appreciate everything
that you've been doing,
so that's a little bit of a bonus.
Well, thank you,
I really appreciate that.
-That's sweet.
-Um, do you have anything else
that you need to be doing?
Well, good, come have a drink with me.
Here.
I mean, you're always
drinking with Gregory, right?
Well, I think he does most
of the heavy lifting for us,
you know?
I'm just there to keep him company.
Mhm.
You know, um, my mom used to tell me
that he's very charming,
and handsome, and funny even.
I mean, I don't see it.
Do you?
Well, I don't know about handsome.
No, but he's, uh...
He's... he's a good person.
He's sharp.
Hm.
What happened...
What happened to your mother?
Cancer.
She died.
I was 19.
I was there for the whole thing.
I saw the whole thing.
And, um...
And then she was gone.
Next thing I know, I'm working
for Gregory's company.
Is that why you're so distant,
because, you know,
he reminds you of your mother?
Hm.
It's a little bit
more complicated than that.
We're more like business associates.
We're not nearly as close
as you two are.
So I guess that makes me
a little jealous.
No, I just think he sees
a little bit of himself in me.
That's all.
What, charming, funny?
Handsome.
Oh, uh...
I don't think we should do this.
Are you sure?
Yeah, I don't think
this is a good idea, Barbara.
I don't think we should do that.
That might get kind of complicated.
I think I should go.
I think I should go.
I'm sorry.
I'm in love with someone else,
and I think this would be a mistake.
Don't forget your check.
Goodnight.
I'm sorry about your friend, Gregory.
There's always something
in this life you didn't do.
Always something you didn't do.
I was surprised that Barbara
took you to the service.
That was nice of her.
She didn't do it for me.
Why you guys beefing, man?
Excuse me?
Why do the two of you have a problem?
That's none of your business.
Has she ever been married before?
Who, Barbara?
She's too bitter of a woman.
Where the hell you going?
I'm off, and I got
a couple errands I gotta run.
You all right?
I'm fine.
All right.
Just fine.
Thanks for letting me come by.
It's no problem.
Look, Jenetta.
I don't want it to be
like this between us.
We've got history.
And I know you can handle
everything on your own, but...
I don't wanna run away.
So you're not moving to New York?
Here.
I thought you might want it.
Payton.
Hey.
How you doing?
Uh, all right.
Yeah, you okay?
Yeah, um, just tired.
Yeah?
Well, I wanted to take you out
if we could go out tonight.
I wanted to show you something.
No, I'm just... I had a really long day,
-I'm just really tired.
-Just for a little while.
I just wanna take you somewhere
and show you something.
Just come with me, please?
Just come with me, please?
Fine.
Come on.
It won't be long.
You know, my grandmother,
she's still a mystery to me.
She'd bring us out here
when I was little,
and we would just stare out
at the lights for hours.
And I never knew why.
And when she was dying,
I remember her telling me, "Payton,
make something of yourself.
Be somebody.
Get out of here."
And I'm gonna miss it here,
but not as much
if I didn't have you, Shannon.
And I know that.
And I can't wait to marry you, baby.
But I have to tell you something.
-Shannon...
-I know you've been
cheating on me, Payton.
What?
I checked your phone.
Been seeing Jenetta again.
-Shannon, I haven't...
-I saw the texts, Payton.
I know that you have.
Look at me.
I haven't been seeing
Jenetta again, okay?
Then why are you still talking to her?
Because she's pregnant.
And it's yours?
Shannon.
How do you know?
Hm?
What do you mean how do I know?
That baby could be anybody's.
-She's not lying.
-She doesn't have anything,
Payton.
You are finally making real money.
Wake up, she is using you!
Using me for what?
To support a child that she cannot!
That's fucked up.
No, what's fucked up
is that you are just now
telling me she's pregnant.
I'm sorry.
Sorry.
You have to get a paternity test.
If you don't...
we're done.
My first child is not
gonna be somebody else's.
I just wanna get out of here.
What I'm gonna ask her for
is a paternity test.
Well, we all know the answer
to that, don't we?
I love Shannon, Gregory,
and we're getting married, all right?
All I'm asking is
for you to be there for me.
That's it.
Is your newborn baby gonna be there?
Are you gonna be there or not?
I'll be goddammed
if I show up to that wedding.
You're making a terrible mistake, son.
Gregory, you don't know me.
I know you better than your own father.
He chose not to be in your life.
He chose not to do the right thing.
Don't make the same mistake, son.
You're not my father, either.
No, I'm not.
You never had one,
and now neither will your kid.
-Hello.
-This is Barbara.
Sorry I missed your call.
I'll get back to you soon.
Oh, shit.
I came as fast as I could.
I'm so sorry.
Is he all right?
He'll probably die a lot faster now.
Oh, my God, man.
I don't know what I done.
Don't be emotional, Payton,
it's unattractive.
What?
It's my problem.
It's my father,
you made that perfectly clear
by vanishing in the middle of the day.
We got into an argument.
Grumpy, shitty old men
give their nurses hell all the time.
I pay you to take it.
Is this about the other night, Barbara?
Don't flatter yourself, Payton.
Well then what the hell is your problem?
-My problem?
-Yeah.
I mean, he's dying in the other room
and you're sitting here
talking about him like that.
There's no compassion
or loyalty or love.
Anything.
I don't owe him any of that.
-But he's your fucking father.
-He's my fucking father.
He's my fucking father.
You spend a few months with him,
have a couple of drinks,
and now all of a sudden
he's the father of the year?
Well, guess what?
He was never there for me.
He knocked up a waitress,
bought her a house
as far away from everyone as possible.
I didn't even meet him until I was 19.
And my mother is dying.
In walks this man in a glorious suit
who says to me, "You're smart,
you can be something.
Oh, and by the way,
you're my daughter."
I guess he didn't have a son
worth saving.
I changed my name to Devereaux
when my mother died.
So I don't owe him nothing.
Gregory.
You finally made it.
Is it true?
I couldn't reach the albums.
Is it true what Barbara just told me?
An old man can't do nothing anymore.
Did you abandon her?
What?
Did you abandon her?
Everything she is
is thanks to me.
Oh, you're the same, Payton.
Can't keep your dick in your pants.
Fuck you and all your moral bullshit,
-Gregory, okay?
-Listen.
No, I'm not some fucking millionaire
riding around here banging waitresses
-and leaving 'em.
-I'm just trying to keep you
-from making the same...
-No, you're a liar,
and you're a hypocrite,
and you're a cheat.
And you're looking for somebody
to handle all your old sins,
and it's not me.
Get out.
I'm done, man.
Get out.
I mean, yeah, you're moving on now
and you got the money,
but Payton, the last thing you need to do
is be yelling at some old, dying man.
Especially this one
who does a lot for you.
I think you should go back.
-Jenetta.
-What is it?
I want a paternity test.
Yeah, I mean, it's not that
I don't trust you or anything,
but I think there's a lot
of legal liabilities with this,
and it'd be best
if we both just knew for sure.
-Did she ask you this?
-No.
-She told you to ask me that.
-No, I'm asking you that.
I wanna ask you that.
It seems like it's coming
from out of nowhere.
That's why I don't...
Okay.
Fuck you, Payton.
Jenetta.
Jenetta!
Jenetta. Jenetta.
-Don't talk to me.
-I'm trying to talk to you,
Jenetta, come on!
-Jenetta, stop fucking...
-Do not touch me!
I'm not trying to talk to you,
not anymore.
Oh, really, you don't wanna talk to me?
-No.
-You don't wanna talk to me?
You text me every single day
asking to come see me
and asking me to feel your baby bump.
That's because I want you
to be in his life,
and I'm trying to give you
the opportunity.
No, you're trap...
I'm not... what you gon' say,
I'm trying to trap you?
You're trapping me
into being a fucking father.
You're guilt tripping me
into being a father.
I'm not ready to be a father, Jenetta.
Did I do this shit myself?
Is that what you think?
-I don't want to be a father.
-Wow.
Well, get the fuck off my car.
Get the fuck off my car.
Get off my car!
You coming at me like I'm some whore,
and you known me longer than that.
And your grandma would be
so ashamed of you right now.
You don't even fucking care.
You know, I hate you.
Get on my nerves.
No, just run, that's what you be.
Fuck this shit.
Fuck you, Payton.
I got the test.
Really?
Yeah.
And it was negative.
-Yeah?
-Yeah.
I'm so sorry, baby,
'cause I know I fucked up.
And I love you, Shannon.
I love you, too.
I love you.
Shit.
Piss.
You shouldn't have to do that.
Yeah, well, stop driving
every fucking nurse away.
Help me.
Help me, can't you see I'm dying?
Where's... where's Payton?
Where's Payton?
Why isn't he here?
We had an agreement.
I never fired you.
I never said that you can go,
I never let you go.
And he's asking for you,
'cause he says that I'm not you.
Payton, please call me back.
Man, I didn't realize
they have so many problems.
So you're gonna go, right?
It's the least you could do, Payton.
It would be the right thing.
-Yeah.
-Yeah?
I'm sorry.
That's what I wanted to say.
I'm sorry, too.
Well, good.
You should be.
So...
You're still gonna marry that girl, huh?
Maybe it'll work out.
It's worth taking a shot.
I met Barbara's mother...
in a little diner
called the Serving Spoon.
She called me by my first name.
Smiled a big smile.
Her name was Diana.
I wonder what she thought about
when she was dying.
I wonder if she...
if she was afraid.
If she blamed me.
I abandoned her.
I didn't give her a thing.
Are you afraid to die?
You gotta give to get, Payton.
You're a good kid.
You might be a good man, I don't know.
It doesn't have to be like this.
You don't have to be sorry.
You don't.
Is it weird to beat yourself?
You guys figure out your shit yet?
You coming back?
I'm moving, Barbara,
I'm getting married.
I see.
And you came here knowing all that?
Well, it wasn't about that.
So what?
You feel better about yourself
for letting him fall?
For leaving when he needed you?
Barbara.
He's sorry.
No, he's not.
He's never been sorry
for anything in his entire life.
Well, what if he is?
What if for the first time
in his life he is sorry?
Wouldn't you love that?
Isn't that what you want?
For that old motherfucker to be sorry?
Just come in and see him, Barbara.
You know?
Just come in and just see him.
You like seeing me like this, don't you?
It makes you feel good.
She's seen it before, Gregory.
Oh.
Of course she has.
She's held it over my head for decades.
Like I killed her mother.
I didn't give her cancer.
I didn't do that.
Just tell her what you wanna tell her.
He's not gonna say it.
This is the last chance.
He'll die before he does.
You're not gonna have another chance.
I wasted my life.
I wasted my life not loving you.
Not being there for you.
And it's my loss.
I lost my whole life.
I'm sorry to you.
I'm sorry to your mother.
Barbara.
Barbara, I'm dying.
You don't have to forgive me.
I don't forgive myself.
But pl...
Please.
Stay.
Please.
Hey, son.
Feels like the real thing, huh?
Oh, it sure does, it sure does.
Have a drink.
It's gonna take them a couple
more hours to get ready,
and we'll head on over.
I'm actually gonna get a cup of coffee.
-Do you wanna join me?
-I'm good.
Hello?
Hey.
Um... he's gone.
Dad's gone.
Were you with him?
Yeah.
The whole time?
Yep, the whole time.
I'm just glad that I was able to be here
to walk him through.
Did you guys get to talk?
Yeah.
Hey, thank you for everything.
Thank you so much.
Good luck with your wedding.
Thank you.
Payton, what are you doing here?
I need to talk to Shannon, please.
Do you really need to do this now?
I need to talk to you.
Okay.
Just give us a sec.
Is everything okay?
What's going on?
Gregory passed away.
Oh, baby, I am so sorry.
I'm here, though, I'm here.
Okay?
-Shannon.
-Yeah?
-I love you.
-I love you, too, baby.
And I wanna... I wanna do right by you.
Okay.
I lied about the baby.
It's mine, and I know it's mine.
What?
And I love you and I wanna marry you,
but I also wanna be in my child's life.
-No.
-No?
No, you...
You have to choose, Payton.
It is either me
and the family we're gonna have together
or that.
I want a life with you.
-That's all I want.
-I told you I cannot...
I can't have... I can't have
a child that is not mine.
No!
And I can't have a child
that I'm not there for.
No, this is supposed to be us.
What are you talking about, Payton?
I didn't have a father!
I can't do that to my kid!
Don't you understand?
I can't abandon my child.
It's not fair.
I didn't have a father, Shannon.
That hurt.
That hurt!
And I'm not gonna do that, I'm sorry.
What?
This is our day.
This was supposed to be you and me.
What are you doing?
What are you doing?
How could you do this to me?
I did...
I did everything for you.
This was all for you!
How could you do this to me, Payton?
How could you do this to me?
Now, one thing to remember, Gregory,
is to always leave a good tip.
You always say that.
Well, when you gonna start doing it?
Don't you think it's time
maybe you get a job?
I'm only five.
That's true, that's true.
All right, well, let's get going.
I gotta take you back
to see your mama, okay?
Mhm.
All right.
-Thank you.
-You're welcome.
-Would you like a refill?
-Oh, no, I'm okay,
but thank you so much.
Thanks, Payton.
We'll see you again soon.
Okay, we'll see you.
Uh-oh.
What color?
Woo!
Blue.