The Paynes (2018) s01e07 Episode Script

1 What do I have to do to get you to consider staying here? Uh, baby.
I don't think she wants to stay.
Curtis, stop it! Baby, can you please just get out of this conversation? I would love to, but the walls are so thin.
It's termites.
They're eating through 'em.
You're not helping.
Oh.
Didn't know I was supposed to be helping.
- Curtis.
- What? Can you just stop acting like you don't want her to stay here? I'm not acting.
She needs help.
Can't you see that? Yes.
Then why are you acting like that? 'Cause I don't want to be the one to help her.
Go on! Get out of here! This is my house, Ella! - Uh-oh.
- Here we go.
I live in it! I bought this with my blood, my sweat and my tears, and my muscles.
Can I get an "amen," somebody? - No.
- This a church No.
I don't need you anyway.
I own all of this! I know you don't want to talk about this house.
Why not? Okay.
You're already in the dog house because of this house.
Excuse me.
I'm sorry.
Is there a ladies' room? Oh, yeah.
Right.
Go down the street, the gas station around the corner.
Go ahead and take the kids with you.
Baby, it's right back there, first door on the right.
Thank you.
Oh, you mean that one? Hey! That window don't open.
It's locked from the outside.
Sealed with paint! Will you hush? - Will you?! - Don't tell me to hush, Ella.
What if she try to run off again? Hey, leave the door open! Will you stop it? Curtis.
You know what this remind me of, don't you? What, Curtis? Come on.
You know what it is.
What, baby? [INHALES.]
[EXHALES.]
Will you just stop it? We went through this with Janine.
Who's Janine? The crackhead of the family.
ELLA: Okay.
Janine had a very bad drug problem.
- JOANN: Oh.
- Yes.
And she might, too.
She does not have a drug problem.
Then why is she with that crazy man? Curtis, I don't know.
That's what we're gonna find out! You always do this.
You always do this, Ella.
You always get me into something! Ha! And I'm sick of it! Nah, man.
You actually got her into this.
'Cause I sold you the house.
And you didn't even tell her.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
I know you not talking about me getting you into nothing! One of these days.
.
me and you.
One of these days.
Oh, that's what I say.
One of these days.
- And it won't be long.
- One of these days.
It won't be long.
[DOORBELL RINGS.]
I'll get it.
Hold on! You don't get the door unless I tell you to get the door! Well, go get the door! So dramatic.
Thank you.
Who is it? Some dude.
It's Kendrick.
It's Kendrick.
Who's that? I said his name was Kendrick.
Well, who's that? Curtis, that is the so-called man who's been hitting Nyla.
- Yeah.
- What? - Want to have a seat? - No.
Where's he going to sit? - Baby, calm down.
- Ha.
Let me get this, okay? Curtis.
Don't look her in the eyes.
Okay.
Can we help you? Yes, sir.
I'm just looking for my girl, Nyla.
Oh, Nyla.
Nyla just went over to Nyla? - Anyone here named Nyla? - ELLA: Mm-mmm.
Is there a Nyla in the building? I don't know her.
There's nobody around here by that name.
Ms.
Joann, you know you know her.
Y'all work together at the church.
Oh, Nyla.
I thought you said Myra.
Nope, Nyla.
Is she here? Well Curtis, can you please handle this? Ella, let me do it.
Will you let me do it, please, baby? - Well, you're taking your time.
- Can I do This is my cool approach, Ella.
I'm not playing with you, Curtis.
Excuse me.
Where is she? [DEEP VOICE.]
What do you want with her? I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to come in here like that.
She called me, told me to come to this address.
I'm supposed to pick her up, take her home.
Where's home? My house.
[SINGSONG VOICE.]
That's not an address.
345 Biscayne.
That's a nice area.
Yes, sir.
Yeah you know it.
Yeah, I know it.
I used to know this girl lived over there, apartment 19.
You know Melinda? Delinda! Yeah, that's who I'm talking about.
How you know Delinda? Oh, that's my sister.
I don't know who you talkin' 'bout, at all.
- Ryan.
- Yes, ma'am.
If you're going to talk to him, take it out on the porch.
You want to go play outside? We can do that, too.
Curtis.
Ella, I got this.
Can I get this, please? God! Women, man! - Women, man! - Right? Right.
You tell him.
No, you tell him.
Something else.
Ah, something else! Yep.
No matter how hard I try, I just can't understand them.
Hey, I hear you.
- Not at all.
- Not at all.
That's why you got to keep them in line.
Got to keep them in line! Shut up.
You do? Yeah.
Don't you keep yours in line? - [SNORTS.]
- Heh.
Heh.
No.
But, I mean, what do you mean by that? What I mean is, you have to think for them.
You know what I mean? You have to make sure that, when you tell them something to do, that they do it, or else there's consequences.
Oh! Wow.
Yeah.
- Is that right? - That's right.
Hmm.
How do you do that? Well, I mean, Nyla and I, we Just say that we have a understanding.
What's that? It's none of your business, but she does what I tell her.
Oh.
Oh, okay.
Hey, you know what? What? You sound dumb as hell.
Excuse me? I-I'm just saying, you know, this whole vibe you got, it's like, you know, it's like something straight out the '70s or something.
It's like you sound so ignorant.
You're, like Ignoramus.
- I don't get it.
- I'm sorry, man.
I don't what? You heard me, cat daddy.
That was out the '70s.
Okay, look here, man.
I'm gonna go get my girl, and I'm leaving.
All right? I don't think she's going to go with you.
- Oh! Oh, no? - No.
Hey, we'll see about that.
Hey, hold hold on.
Hold on, cat.
Where you going, partner? I'm going to get my woman.
[LAUGHS.]
You's not going in my house.
Man, look here.
You got one thing right.
I am a man.
And I'm a man that's not going to let you go in his house.
You don't seem like you're used to dealing with a man.
You looking at me like you want to put me in my place, and I'd love to see you try it.
Oh, dude.
I ain't got a problem with you.
Yeah, but see you hit on ladies, so I have a problem with you.
Are you serious? I'm serious as pallbearers.
You got any in mind? I see how this is.
Yeah, I'm glad.
Nah.
You want her for yourself.
- Man, get out of - No, no, no, no! No, I see how it is.
You want her for yourself, right? You see this sexy little thing.
You think you can handle her? You're too broke to be her sugar daddy.
I want you off my property.
I want to get in there, get my girl.
Wow! This is going viral! [CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS.]
I can't believe you just did that! Wow, uncle C! There's this kid in the 10th grade, his name body count.
He been taking my vanilla-cream cookies for the past month.
Teach me that! Please, teach me that.
I'm going to give him one of those.
I always wanted to say this.
Man, you got knocked the Hey! Too much? - Too much.
- Okay.
Is he alive? Get out the way.
[GASPS AND SPUTTERS.]
Man! Just go.
You can't let her go back with him.
Hmm.
No, seriously.
She can't go back there.
You're gonna let her stay, right? Can you believe he just gonna pop up over my house? Unh-unh.
Hey, baby.
Can I talk to you in the kitchen? Uh, Curtis, not right now, baby.
Was that Kendrick? Yeah, he was here.
He's gone now.
- Where did he go? - To the E.
R.
Home.
Well, I better get going.
He'll be mad.
Nyla, wait, wait.
- Let me talk to you.
- Why? Nyla, just let me talk to you.
Joann, Ryan, can you all give us a moment? Mnh-mnh.
- Joann.
- Huh? Please let me talk to her in private.
Mmh.
Okay.
Mmh.
Mmh.
Uh, hello?! Ryan! It's okay.
One moment.
I got one more.
Curtis.
Thank you.
- It's okay, really.
- Just one One moment.
I know my husband.
Please, Curtis.
- Nyla, look at me.
- Yeah.
Look at my in my eyes.
Yes.
What is wrong with you? What do you mean? You are worth more than this.
Ms.
Ella, I appreciate this, but I have No, no, no.
Listen.
Just hear me.
When someone hits you like that, they do not respect you, and they do not care for you.
No, you're wrong.
Hmm, well, how do you think I'm wrong about that? - He loves me.
- Nyla.
He does.
Nyla, that's not love! Look, no one has a perfect life, right.
No.
No one does.
Okay, well, mine is not perfect, either.
Okay.
Well, wait a minute.
Hear me when I say this There is a difference in not having a good life and having one where you're putting yourself in harm's way.
- You don't understand.
- Yes, I do.
I understand that you are setting an example for these children.
- You are.
- They're young.
- They're young - Yeah.
and they are watching.
Ms.
Ella, I gotta get going.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Wait.
I have seen this before.
I've seen it.
I have seen kids that parents think are not paying attention, and they are, and their lives are ruined.
No.
My kids are fine.
Oh.
Have you asked them if they're fine? Yes, all the time.
Okay.
And what do they say? They tell me they're fine.
Well, do you mind if I ask them That's not gonna be necessary.
Oh, it's not gonna be necessary.
Let's just see.
Please.
- Okay.
- Okay.
- I'm telling you - Fine is fine.
they're fine.
Uh, Lynn, Kenny! Can you come in here for a moment, please? Have a seat by your mother.
What? [CHUCKLES.]
You say "Yes, Ma'am" when I call you, okay? - Yeah, okay.
- Hey, hey, hey.
Show some respect.
You know better.
Ha! You need to hit him upside the head.
That'll get him straight.
Lynn, don't say that.
What? It'll make him shut up.
Ah! This girl.
Why do you say it will make him shut up? 'Cause when Kendrick hits you, you just get all quiet, so hit him.
Kendrick doesn't hit me.
Yes, he does.
How do you know that? We know.
Have you seen it? No, we hear it.
Wait.
Wait.
Look, can we just go home? Do you want to go back to Kendrick's? - Yeah.
- Okay.
Wait, wait, wait.
Why do you want to go back there? 'Cause we got food to eat.
- Sometimes! - Better than nothing.
Well, I like it here.
We are not staying here.
Yes, we are.
So if we gotta put up with him, at least we get to be in a nice house.
Is that what you think, Kenny? Yeah.
I'm sorry.
Okay.
Okay, you kids go back and let me talk to your mom.
Wait, didn't you just call us in here? Yes, and now I'm asking you to leave.
Make up your mind.
Ah, ha ha ha! I'm gonna help you make up your mind, to show you how to talk to adults.
- Keep it up.
- Yes, Ma'am.
You see what I mean.
No, I don't.
Nyla, you're intelligent.
You see it.
Ms.
Ella, you don't know.
Okay, well, then tell me what I don't know.
I was out on the streets, okay? My mama kicked me out of the house.
We had nothing.
We were sleeping in an old van, and I was doing what I had to do to feed them.
Mm-hmm.
Now I found someone that is not that bad all the time, and he is not.
Nyla, hitting you upside your head when he gets upset is bad all the time.
He should never put his hands on you.
All I have to do is just do what he asks.
I can't force you to stay here.
I can't.
But I can ask you to consider this You almost hurt him real bad.
You thought you were going to prison.
Maybe my kids are better off without me.
Children need their moms.
My kids deserve better.
Stop it.
Just stop it.
I can't do that.
I'm not doing the pity party.
I'm sorry.
I can't.
I'm not doing the "feel sorry for me" thing.
You have a choice.
You have someone standing here before you, offering you a way out, and you won't take it.
That has nothing to do with them.
If your kids deserve better, then why don't you give them better? Why are you being so nice to me? Because I'm a balance-keeper.
What does that mean? Nyla, there are people in this world who only want to do harm to people or only want to give because of what they can get.
But then there are people like me and my hus Band Well, people like me, who who only want to give to others, to try to keep balance in this dark, dark, dark, dark, dark, dark world.
That's a lot to give.
Yeah, but I'm not the one with the problem giving, but you're the one with the problem receiving.
Take this gift.
Take it! You promise that this is okay? Yes, this is okay.
Are you sure? I am sure this is okay.
What about him? Has he been standing there the whole time? Yep.
Curtis.
Baby, have you been standing up there the whole time? I've been keeping the balance.
Okay, baby.
Would you tell her that it is okay for she and her kids to stay here? Huh? Can you tell her it is okay for them to stay here? Don't play with me right now.
Sure, okay.
That's fine.
Are you sure? Sure about what? Are you sure you want me and my kids to stay here? Mm.
Oh.
Uh, y'all want to stay here? Curtis, you heard her.
Ella, you know I've been struggling with this ear.
Sure, okay.
It's fine.
And my kids? Ki Curtis.
You asking a lot.
This is what I mean, baby.
I'm the balance-keeper.
I have to balance him.
Tell her it is okay if they stay here, please.
Huh? It's okay for you and your kid to stay.
I have more than one.
The boy can't stay, Ella.
Curtis! Preferably the cute, little girl.
[CHUCKLES.]
Boy, I tell you what You gonna owe me.
Okay.
The boy can stay, too.
[SQUEALS.]
Yes! Good lord! I can't breathe! [SQUEALS.]
Yes! Yes, yes, yes! Okay, so now who's gonna tell 'em? You.
You should do it.
Okay.
I will.
Curtis Thelonious Payne, I'm proud of you.
Baby I'm proud of me, too.
Baby, thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you for letting them stay here.
[SIGHS.]
Balance-keeper.
I like that 'cause the balance be like Be like The balance And then you do that, and then it do like this - Curtis.
- and then you do that.
They got two weeks.
Curtis.
I don't know about that little boy.
We gonna have to have a meeting.
I tried to told you.