1
(SOUL MUSIC PLAYING)
JUDGE:
What is it going to take
to make you heed
the warnings of this court?
It is obvious to me
that you are not
taking this matter seriously.
I will not allow you to continue
to harass these people.
Is that clear?
If you violate this restraining
order, I assure you,
you will spend 40 days
in the county jail.
I mean it.
One more offense.
What is obvious
to this court
is that you're in need
of professional help
and anger management
counseling.
This court has suggested
that you seek counseling,
but since you can't
or won't do it voluntarily,
I am requiring it as part
of your staying out of jail.
Do I make myself clear?
Do I make myself clear?
Melinda?
Yes, Your Honor.
(SOUL MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING)
THERAPIST: So,
do you think you have
an anger problem?
Motherfucking right,
I got an anger problem.
Do you feel that you're
entitled to this anger?
That's like asking me if I'm
entitled to being hungry.
He caused all of this.
All of it.
It's not me.
That son of a bitch owes me.
What do you think
he owes you?
Every damn breath
in his body.
Why do you feel
that way?
You don't know
what he did to me.
You don't know.
Would you like to
share what he did?
Do I have a choice?
- We all have choices.
- (MELINDA CHUCKLES)
Not when some damn judge
is making me sit here.
You know what? This is bullshit, okay?
(SCOFFS)
This motherfucker torments me, and
he gets to walk away free. (SCOFFS)
(EXHALES SHAKILY)
(THERAPIST WRITING)
What are you writing?
Just my notes.
And what do your notes say?
I'm a stereotype?
Is that what you
think you are?
Hell, no!
Sick and tired
of hearing that.
Every time a black woman gets
mad, she's a stereotype.
Ooh, she emasculates men.
(CHUCKLES BITTERLY)
Is that what you
think you did?
Bitch,
are you not
listening to me?
I never did
anything to him.
I was everything
he needed me to be.
I was...
I was strong
when he needed me to be.
I played weak
when he needed me to.
I was pathetic.
I was...
(EXHALES SHAKILY)
Don't tell me I don't have
a right to be angry? Hmm?
Is that what you
think I said?
I really don't give
a damn what you said.
But this is wrong.
All of this is wrong.
Why don't we
do this?
Why don't we just start
from the beginning?
Help me understand
this injustice.
Just tell me
what happened.
How far back
do you wanna go?
I remember every damn day.
(SIGHS)
That's the problem.
Can't forget it.
I can't get it
out of my head.
So...
How far do you wanna go?
Well, let's start
at the beginning.
Okay.
How'd you meet him?
It was raining.
I was in college,
and I was studying late.
It was raining really hard.
I don't know what crazy shit
happens to me in the rain.
Around water.
I was trying to get back to
my dorm, and I ran into him.
- MELINDA: (GROANS) No!
- Damn!
- MELINDA: No, no!
- ROBERT: You can't watch what you're doing?
Move! You the idiot
who bumped into me!
Girl, what's
wrong with you?
Damn!
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
(GRUMBLES)
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
ROBERT: Hi.
Is Melissa here?
There's no Melissa here.
Oh, Melinda.
Melinda's...
What do you want?
- Who's this?
- The asshole.
I'm sorry. Here.
I have some
of your papers.
Great. Just great.
And I think you may have
one or two of mine.
No, I don't. Sorry.
Here. Forgive her. She's really
bad at history, and she had
- a paper to turn in today.
- Sarah!
Goodbye.
Look, I feel really bad
about bumping into you.
I can be in my own head when
I'm working on a project.
I'm sorry.
Okay, yeah. Fine.
But if you don't
mind now,
I have less than 24 hours
to finish my paper.
So, goodbye.
Well, your basis is way off
in the first four pages,
and the facts of the Spanish
American War are wrong.
And Professor Huff will
catch that in a second.
How do you
know that?
I took his class
last year.
I'm sorry for reading
your first pages.
I got an A
in his class.
I can help you
if you'd like.
MELINDA: (GROANS) I was so
mad the first time I saw him
that I didn't even realize
how handsome he was.
Please?
He was beautiful.
Gotta give him that.
The devil sure knows
how to put a package together.
Standing in front of me
was all the things I loved.
He was dark, sexy.
(CHUCKLES)
- It was 1497.
- No!
Look, this is too
hard for me to remember.
Can we take a break?
I don't wanna talk
about this stuff anymore.
You don't have
much time.
It's too much, okay?
I'm on a brain overload.
(CHUCKLES)
So, let's talk
about you.
Those papers you needed,
what were they?
Tell me.
I think I've found a solution
to an age-old problem.
I'm creating a battery
that can recharge itself.
If it works, it can be used
in cars, homes, you name it.
And I'm gonna be so rich.
While saving the environment,
of course.
Of course.
(LAUGHS)
MELINDA:
He was so charming.
So slick.
I just wish to high heaven
someone would have said to me
right then and there,
"Girl, get up and run as fast
as you can
"because this man
will leave you devastated."
How'd you do?
Tell me.
But we studied.
Yo, I'm sorry.
Let me talk to Professor Huff.
Maybe we get you a make-up.
No. No, okay?
I mean, this is all
just a waste of money.
I can't keep
doing this to my mother.
To be honest
with you, I mean,
she was surprised
I was even going to school.
I wasn't as smart
as my sisters.
Come here.
Melinda.
Hey, what are you
doing here?
BRENDA: Mama.
MELINDA: My sisters came to tell
me that my mother had died.
(CRYING)
My mother and I
always been close.
PRIEST: May she rest
in peace. Amen.
MELINDA: I was numb.
I was so desperate
to feel anything.
You see,
that's how this happened.
He was there at the right time
to take advantage of me.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
(CLEARS THROAT)
BRENDA: Hi.
I'm Brenda.
Hey, I'm Robert.
You have a last name?
Gayle.
- Hmm.
- How do you know Melinda?
- School.
- Oh.
Well, we haven't seen
you around here.
Yeah, I'm from Kirkwood.
Oh.
Well, this is a different
side of the tracks for you.
What do you do
for a living?
I'm in school right now.
Oh. That's good.
That's good.
Yeah.
Well, if you don't have a job,
then who's paying for it?
Student loans.
Scholarships.
That kind of thing.
Oh. So you must
be smart.
Or an athlete.
- No, no athlete.
- No? Oh.
Oh. This is
my boyfriend, Casey.
Oh. Hi. Hi, man.
- Hey. Nice to meet you, man.
- Good to meet you, too.
And this is Kalvin,
Brenda's fiance.
- What's up, man?
- Good to meet you.
Good to meet
you as well.
So what are
you studying?
Mechanical engineering.
- Oh. Devon, come here.
- DEVON: Hey.
Hey.
Sorry about your mom.
Thank you so much.
- How are you?
- I'm good.
Oh. I'm so rude.
Um...
What's your
name again?
Robert.
Robert. Robert,
this is Devon.
Devon, this
is Robert.
- Devon is Melinda's boyfriend.
- Nice to meet you.
Ex-boyfriend.
- BRENDA: You know she still loves you.
- JUNE: Mmm-hmm.
Oh, Mel,
look who came!
Hey.
I'm sorry about
your mom.
Thank you.
Oh, uh, Devon, come
with me for a second.
Melinda, we have
to thank the pastor.
- You know him, right? Okay.
- Yeah, yeah.
- I'll be right back, okay?
- Okay.
Robert!
- Hey.
- Hey.
Why are you
leaving so soon?
Well, you have
your family.
I just wanted to make
sure that you're okay.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Of course.
I'll see you later,
all right?
Wait, where are
you going?
To the train.
The train? I mean,
that's a long way.
Did you walk here?
You walked here?
Look, no, I can just...
- No, I'm fine. I'm fine.
- I can drive you.
No, no, look.
I'll get my keys.
I'll be right back,
I'll drive you.
Mel. Melin...
MELINDA: Wow,
is that your house?
ROBERT: No.
That's my house.
You live in there?
Yeah.
Can I come in?
Yeah.
Watch your step.
Thank you.
What kind
of music is this?
Are you kidding me?
What?
This is Nina Simone.
You've never
heard of her?
No. (CHUCKLES)
I need to play something
for you then. Hold on.
- I'll pass.
- No, no, no.
You have to
hear her voice.
Her singing is like
going to church.
Listen.
(SOUL MUSIC PLAYING
ON RECORD PLAYER)
It's kind of sad.
I'm so sorry.
No, no, no. It's fine.
You can leave it on.
So how long have
you lived here?
A while.
I know it's not much, but
my uncle left it to me,
and my aunt lets me stay here
in the driveway for free.
Where are your parents?
My father's in prison.
And my mother left me
with my grandmother,
who raised me until she died
when I was 14.
Then I moved
out here with my aunt,
and I've been living
out here ever since.
I'm sorry to hear
about your mother.
She sounded like
a good lady.
Yeah.
Yeah, she was amazing.
You know, she...
It's okay.
Come here.
I'm sorry.
MELINDA:
There was something about
the way he said he was sorry
that made me believe it.
And the way he held me.
I know this sounds so stupid,
but you have to know,
I was a kid.
He made me feel safe
and strong, and...
You're beautiful.
Beautiful.
My mother wasn't even
cold in the ground yet,
and there I was.
What kind of man takes advantage
of a girl's grief, huh?
I'll tell you.
A low-life maggot of a
motherfucker, that's who.
He had to know that grief
can leave you open
to not knowing yourself at all.
Add that to me being so young.
He had my mind,
my heart, my head
and, let's not forget,
my virginity.
(SOUL MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING)
(MUSIC ENDS)
- (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING ON RECORD)
- (SOUL MUSIC PLAYING)
(SIGHS)
Oh. What are you
listening to in here?
You never heard
of Nina Simone?
Oh. That's
Mama's music.
Or it's that boy's.
You going out
with him again?
Yeah.
And I wish
you would stop saying "him."
His name is Robert,
and I really like him, okay?
And I want you
to like him, too.
Are you having
sex with him?
Well, it's
a fair question.
But what I wanna
know is,
who's paying when y'all going
out on all these dates?
What?
Look, Melinda.
Don't tell that boy
that Mama left you that
money and this house.
- I'm telling you.
- All right.
MELINDA: Ugh. I hate to admit
it, but Brenda was right.
(BOTH LAUGHING)
I had made the mistake of
telling Robert about the house
and the $350,000
that my mom left me.
But that didn't
matter to him, right?
He wanted me.
Right?
So the name of the company is called
Prescott and Howard Industries.
Okay.
And the owner, David Prescott,
is a super cool guy.
Man, he's always looking
for the next big thing.
And he's a tree-hugger
billionaire
always talking about saving
the environment, you know?
So he finds people
who just have great ideas
and he changes
their lives.
You know, he's made millionaires
out of a lot of people
just by investing
in their project.
And it's a lottery.
He goes through
the mail and finds ideas.
But if he likes them, then he
contacts you for a meeting,
and you have to come
right when he says come,
which is pretty cool.
So I send a letter
to his office every week
talking about
my battery idea.
You know
what I call it?
The Gayle Wind.
You know,
my last name.
Okay, but, look.
So is the battery,
like, that powerful?
Yeah.
Yeah, well, I think you should
call it Gayle Force Wind.
- Oh, man!
- Yeah?
- I like that better.
- Yeah.
I love that.
I need to
write it down.
I'll be around
to remind you.
You promise?
What, you planned
on kickin' me out?
No.
Just a lot of
disappointments, that's all.
Mmm. I won't
disappoint you.
And I won't
disappoint you.
We're gonna be so rich.
Look, The Gayle
Force Wind
is gonna allow us to live
in that building right there,
on the top floor.
And we're gonna have
one of those.
MELINDA: What? A tugboat?
ROBERT: No, a yacht.
And I will name it
The Mrs. Gayle.
The Mrs. Gayle?
Yeah, I'm gonna name it after
you when we get married.
You're gonna be
my wife forever.
MELINDA: "Forever."
That's what he said.
Those were his words.
"Forever."
And I believed him.
I trusted him.
I was so in love with him,
I didn't see
the con man for the con.
Man!
MELINDA: We could have our first
kid before, like, the age of 28.
And then we can have one,
like, right after, so
keep this body
in shape.
(BOTH CHUCKLE)
A little baby,
I can't wait.
Look, we're gonna have
all the kids we want
because we have
all the money we want.
- So I sent another letter to Prescott, right?
- Mmm-hmm.
And I was thinking, what if he calls
and I have to wait for a bus?
I mean, I can just
drive you when he calls.
What if you're
not around?
MELINDA:
You see the game?
He had a way of not asking
but suggesting
to make me think
I wanted to do things for him.
And wouldn't you know it?
A few days after he got the car,
the only time I talked to him
was when I called him.
One day, I waited a whole day to see
if he would call me, and he didn't.
So I waited two days,
and he still didn't call me.
BRENDA: Melinda.
We need to tell you that now
that we're all married,
we're gonna be
moving out.
- Okay.
- Thank you, babe.
So, you need to get a job so
you can keep up this place.
Yeah.
Okay.
I'll be right back.
ROBERT: Hello?
Hey.
Oh. Hey, there! How are you?
MELINDA: "Hey, there?"
"How are you?"
Wait. Wait. Why the hell
was he talking to me like that?
I don't know. You tell me.
Oh. Nothing, baby.
I've been working
on my battery.
(SCOFFS) Okay, well, you
haven't called me in two days.
Well, you didn't call me.
I thought you were busy.
Doing what?
I don't know.
But, baby, I need both my hands
for this soldering.
Can I call you back?
MELINDA:
You ever get that feeling
when a man is telling you something,
and you know it's bullshit,
but you just go with it?
Yeah. Yeah.
Well, I knew this was bullshit,
and I tried to go with it.
But as nice as I could be,
there was also another side
to me that he hadn't met yet.
If he was lying to me,
maybe it was time for me to
introduce him to my bitch.
And, I mean,
she's a motherfucker.
Call it women's intuition.
I don't know. Call it whatever.
All I know is that something
made me drive over there.
Not only did I drive over there, but
the same thing that made me drive
told me to park across the
street and not get too close.
After sitting there for almost
an hour, I felt kind of stupid.
I was trying to talk myself
out of the voice
that was deep inside myself.
That was myself.
I started thinking,
"How dumb is this?
"Oh, God.
This looks desperate."
There I was, sitting outside
of a man's house...
Well, RV,
trying to see
if he's lying to me.
I already knew he was lying!
It was in my damn gut!
And here I am trying to confirm
what I already knew.
I'm not doing this.
(STARTS ENGINE)
(WOMAN MOANING)
MELINDA: There is something
about my crazy.
It's blind.
It's not rational.
It rages. It doesn't stop.
It doesn't subside.
It doesn't quit.
It's immediate.
- (TIRES SCREECHING)
- (MELINDA YELLING)
(WOMAN SCREAMING)
WOMAN: Robert, what was that?
ROBERT: What the hell?
I don't know. Are you okay?
(GRUNTS)
(WOMAN AND ROBERT SCREAMING)
This what you do to me?
- (WOMAN YELPS)
- Give me your hand.
Is this what you do?
Is this what you do to me?
- Melinda! Melinda!
- This is what you do to me?
And then you lying
with this bitch!
Melinda!
Yeah!
What you looking
at, bitch?
You didn't tell me you were
in a relationship, Robert!
- Go!
- What you looking at? Yeah!
- Stop, stop! Please!
- Don't touch me!
- Please, what? Please, what?
- Come on, please!
- Please!
- Please, what?
Stop it. Stop it!
- Let go of me!
- Stop!
You're bleeding. We gotta
stop the bleeding.
Christ. Melinda.
Melinda! Melinda!
Fuck!
MELINDA: I had so much
adrenalin that I didn't know
I slammed my body against
the steering wheel so hard.
Internal bleeding.
And worse, ruptured ovaries.
A full hysterectomy,
and I wasn't even 21 years old.
Children, never.
BRENDA: No. No, no.
So you cheat on her,
you take her money,
she buys you a car,
and you do that?
You do that?
She better be all right.
That's all I know,
you know?
- Hey, hey...
- Just get out!
Get out of here!
- Get out of here!
- Maybe it's best you leave.
You're not
welcome here!
- Get out!
- Go.
I'll call you.
I'll call you.
How could he do
this to her?
How could he do
that to her?
MELINDA: I was laid up
for three weeks.
I was in so much pain.
Melinda, you've been
doing this
- since you were a little girl.
- Yes.
You get mad
and nothing matters.
You have to stop
doing that.
I know.
MELINDA:
I did know that.
For some reason,
I couldn't control it,
any more than I could control
how I was feeling about him.
I soon realized that most of my
pain wasn't physical. It was...
ROBERT: Melinda!
MELINDA:
No, no, no. Look,
you have to let him
talk to me.
Please? I just want
to know why.
Baby, sometimes
men don't have a why.
No. They just got
a bunch of lies.
June, can you go get him for me?
Please?
He ain't coming in here
to do nothing but lie to you.
He probably just broke and hungry
and needs some more money.
Why don't you just
let him get it from the whore
you just caught him with, huh?
(ROBERT SIGHS)
Can we have a moment, please?
Please?
We will be right on the
other side of this door.
Okay. All right.
Come on.
ROBERT:
I'm so sorry, baby.
I don't even know
why I was with her.
She didn't mean
nothing to me.
Nothing.
It was just sex.
MELINDA:
And here we go.
How many times has a woman
heard this bullshit?
And I felt so bad because
you been there for me.
I love you. Just you.
I'm sick without you.
I need you.
MELINDA AND ROBERT:
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
I promise I won't do it again.
MELINDA: And somehow,
that shit always worked.
Until it didn't.
After all, he had me
by a four-letter word.
Love.
And I did love him.
And that part, I couldn't help,
no matter what he did.
Love is a bitch when she's
chained to a tormentor.
And when that tormentor is a
con man, well, what do you do?
Just wait for the next con.
What?
What is it?
I lost
my scholarship.
And I don't have
a way of paying for it.
I can't get
a student loan.
It's too late, so...
How much are your
last two semesters?
MELINDA: Yep... (SIGHS)
You heard me.
- My dumb ass paid for his two final semesters of school.
- (CRYING)
I was still with my man, holding him down.
You know. (CHUCKLES)
My lying, cheating
son of a bitch of a man.
- There I was.
- You sure?
I couldn't even
believe I said it.
You don't have to judge me,
I'm my own jury. Okay?
And I had already convicted
and sentenced myself.
I was guilty of stupidity.
So guess what he did when I
wrote that check? (SCOFFS)
You guessed it.
The bastard
didn't even have a ring.
This is temporary.
One day, I'm going to replace
it with three diamonds.
One big one in
the center for our love,
and a yellow one
on this side
to remind us to always
look towards the sun.
And chocolate one on this
side that reminds us
that there may be
dark times ahead.
MELINDA: And then
I heard myself say...
Yes!
Yes! Yes!
(BOTH LAUGHING)
- (DOOR CLOSES)
- That man cheated on you and you almost died.
What happens when he does
something to you the next time?
There won't be...
No, don't say there
won't be a next time.
That man is throwing out
all kinds of red flags,
and now, you wanna
just go and marry him?
I can't and I will not
stand for this!
If you go, and you go and
do that, I won't be there!
I won't.
June.
- This is a mistake.
- Mmm-hmm.
MELINDA: And yet,
there I was,
walking down the aisle
with more questions in my head
than petals in my bouquet.
I couldn't help but look over
at the empty seats
where my sisters should have
been sitting.
I couldn't believe
they didn't come.
But I should have understood,
seeing as how I wasn't
even sure why I was there.
There was Sarah at the altar,
my maid of honor,
cheering us on.
She loved the thought of us.
I guess I did, too.
But the thought of us was
better than the reality of us.
And there was Robert,
standing at the altar, smiling
as I walked, moth to a flame.
PRIEST: I now pronounce you
husband and wife.
You may kiss the bride.
(GUESTS APPLAUDING)
MELINDA: Burned.
Years ticked by like seconds on that
big clock in my mother's hallway.
And with every tick,
there was a subtraction sign
from the account for something.
Something he needed,
supplies for his battery,
books for research, metals,
plastics. Always something.
And as the money got low,
so did his affection for me,
his tolerance of me,
his patience.
Damn.
Did I just say
I was being tolerated?
- (SOUL MUSIC PLAYING)
- (MELINDA SIGHS)
I need you
to see this.
I mean, I'm worried.
Is this right?
Yeah.
Damn!
I'll get a job, bae.
I'll try to help out.
MELINDA: "Try"?
I couldn't believe
that bastard just said "try."
But you know it's gonna be
hard for me to study
and work, and work on this.
But I'll try.
I mean, I will. I will.
MELINDA: For some reason,
I just smiled.
I just need
a little more time.
Okay.
- Hi, Ms. Hilderbran?
- Yes.
- My name is Robert Gayle.
- I know who you are.
Will you please stop calling
and writing letters?
That's not how this works.
It won't get you seen.
It's a lottery system
for a reason.
I know, but could you just...
(FUNK MUSIC PLAYING)
MELINDA: Sarah helped me get a job in
her office as an office assistant.
SARAH: They need these
by morning.
- Sorry.
- Sarah.
It's good overtime.
MELINDA: I was actually
working two jobs.
I would leave there
and clean offices at night.
Anything I had to do
to keep from having
to ask my sisters for anything.
I just...
I just had to get through
the next year, you know?
I thought, "Just work hard,
girl, this man loves you."
- (LAUGHING)
- (MACHINE WHIRRING)
Yes!
Yes!
Yes!
- Robert.
- Baby!
Robert, you have every
light on in this house.
The light bill
was $300 last month!
Baby, this won't
run up the light bill.
This is my battery working.
It's running the whole house.
Robert, did you
talk to an electrician?
Why?
- (LIGHT BULBS POPPING)
- (BOTH YELPING)
MELINDA: Oh, my God!
(TIMER TICKING)
- Sorry.
- (TIMER DINGS)
MELINDA: Not only did he almost
burn down my mother's house,
he burned up all the wiring.
It almost worked.
MELINDA:
Cost to repair? $37,000.
That was it.
We were in the hole.
ROBERT: At least I didn't
break nothing.
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
ANNOUNCER: Thomas Fry.
MELINDA: But then the day came
that I had been waiting for.
ANNOUNCER: Robert Gayle.
(CHEERING CONTINUES)
- (CAMERA CLICKS)
- MELINDA: I was so happy.
I thought for sure that the very
next day, our lives would change.
I thought all of our troubles
were over.
I mean, he had
three job interviews.
Each started
at $150,000 a year.
I was so excited.
But...
How could all three
turn you down?
I mean, they recruited you.
When I was 15,
I was in a gang, and we
robbed a grocery store.
I got charged as an adult,
and I spent
two years in jail.
I thought I could get it
expunged off my record
since I was only 15,
but it's still there,
and no one will
hire a felon.
MELINDA: You have no idea how much
I was looking forward to a break.
Room to breathe, you know?
To relax. Let him
take care of me for a change.
But there I was, hearing this.
A felon.
And now, he tells me?
This motherfucker
says this to me now!
The con game. You see?
Baby, it's not
the end of the world.
(LAUGHS BITTERLY)
Look, I have an idea.
I figured out all the bugs and
now it's even better than ever.
I just need to
get it to Prescott.
I know he'll
love it, okay?
I'm still sending letters.
I'm going by and I'm calling.
And I'm gonna call
his secretary.
I know we're low on money.
But I was thinking,
if we mortgage the house,
we can pay for the rest
of my research on this
and make it top notch,
a new design.
I know it'll work.
Okay.
Mel, look at me.
I know it'll work.
- No.
- Come on.
Don't stop believing
in me now.
Please trust me.
It's gonna work,
I know it will.
MELINDA: What the hell?
I felt like my back was against the
wall and I had no choice, you know?
I couldn't keep doing this.
I couldn't keep
working like this.
Come on.
MELINDA: So I had to
fall for the con.
I was in too deep
to stop and walk away.
So guess what
my stupid ass did.
My mama's house.
A house that was paid for,
that she left to me.
The house that she had worked
her entire life to pay for.
I mortgaged it.
ROBERT: Melinda!
MELINDA: Working to keep my sisters
from knowing what I had done.
And every time I would see him
sleeping in the bed
when I was headed
to one of my two jobs,
I would get mad, you know?
I would get resentful.
And this was
my routine every day.
To the bastard's credit, he did
get odd jobs from time to time.
But they...
They didn't even cover
the utilities most of the time.
How do two people live through
two decades and miss everything?
Every moment of it?
I'll tell you how.
You just feel trapped.
But fuck that.
This trap wouldn't destroy me.
Or did it?
One of the saddest parts
of our lives was that
we were just existing.
No coloring outside
of the lines, no excitement,
no birth of a child
to mark our age,
or his or her first step,
or his or her graduation.
Nothing to be a mile marker for
the years that were passing.
There were no warnings signs.
Eighteen years seemed
to pass like days.
How does that happen?
Diana.
Wow. You look great.
Robert Gayle.
How have you been?
I've been good.
God, I haven't
seen you since...
Yeah, yeah.
She destroyed your RV.
I don't blame her though.
You should have
been honest.
We were kids.
No, but you lied
to me also, Robert.
- I didn't know about her.
- Yeah, I know,
I know, I'm sorry.
Anyway, whatever
happened to her?
I married her.
Okay.
So what are you
doing here?
Yeah, well, get this.
I've been sending letters
to Prescott here for years,
telling him about
my battery.
You remember, in school,
what I was working on?
No, sorry, I don't.
Well, anyway, I've been trying
to get a meeting with him,
and I found out that
Ms. Hilderbran retired
and that you took
her place,
- and congratulations, by the way.
- Mmm-hmm.
So I figured this must be God
helping me out, you know?
No, it's not God.
I can't help you.
What? Why?
No, I can't. We have new policies
now about receiving information.
But look,
Robert, it was really...
It was nice to see you.
Can I take you for a coffee
sometime, maybe catch up?
Yeah, sure,
if you invite your wife.
Look, I do not cheat
on my wife.
I don't do that.
This is strictly
business.
I can't help you.
- Look, I know.
- I'm sorry.
I know, I understand.
I just...
I just need some
advice, that's all.
Okay, look.
Here's my card.
I usually grab
coffee at Q & A
on 52nd Street in the
mornings at about 7:00 a.m.
- If you happen to be there...
- Yeah.
Then maybe
we can talk, okay?
Okay, thanks. Maybe
I'll catch you there.
Okay.
Carly, can you get me
the file on Robert Gayle?
CARLY: You want the file
on the psycho
who's been sending letters
here since before I was born?
That's what I said.
Sure.
Thank you.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello?
MELVIN: Robert Gayle?
Yeah.
My name is Melvin White.
I'm the Head of Security for
Prescott and Howard Industries.
I'm calling to inform you
that you've been put into our
system as a credible threat.
You are not to send
another letter to our office,
nor contact or visit
any one of our employees.
You're not to come within
300 yards of our campus.
If you come near the building
again, you will be arrested.
Fuck!
(GRUNTS)
Damn it!
(ROBERT BREATHING HEAVILY)
What happened?
They won't see me.
Prescott. They won't see me!
Okay? They won't!
All these years wasted!
(ROBERT GRUNTS)
Damn it. I wanted
this for us, baby.
I wanted it to work for us.
I wanted to get you that ring.
The apartment, the boat,
the private jet.
I wanted you to have it all.
I wanted you to have it all.
Have you ever
asked me what I wanted?
I just want you to get a job,
help me out consistently,
that's all.
Now that we know this battery
is not going to work,
we can put it away, okay?
Because that's over.
That's it.
Move on. Let's just move on.
Okay?
I know this could work.
MELINDA: Please.
Please.
Please. Come on.
Just a job.
Okay?
Yeah.
I'll find the best job I can.
Baby.
If you give up on me now,
I got nothing left.
Tell me you love me.
I love you.
I do.
But I'm so tired.
I'm so tired.
MELINDA:
Go, go. It's recording.
Hi, my name is Robert Gayle,
and this is my wife, Mel.
Hi, I'm Melinda Gayle.
And we are excited to show
you my new invention!
It's called The Gayle
Force Wind.
And it's powering
this room right now.
Melinda?
Melinda?
MELINDA: Hey.
BRENDA: Did you know this house
was about to be foreclosed on?
Did you?
That damn Audra
at the bank.
She's not supposed to be
telling my business.
Mel, that's
our cousin.
Did you know this house was
about to be foreclosed on?
Yeah, I was just getting
my battery ready for...
We all know about
that damn battery.
That shit ain't
never gonna work.
It's a joke.
Get a job and help her.
- Baby, that's enough, okay?
- Yes, Brenda, stop it.
We need to be able
to talk about this.
BRENDA: Melinda,
this is Mama's house.
We grew up here.
And you mortgaged
it for him?
His ass needs a job.
Why are you putting up
with this shit, huh?
Why?
- Brenda, let up.
- Move, Kalvin.
The things our daddy did
to keep this house.
And you gonna lose it?
I knew this would happen.
- Okay, okay. Listen.
- I knew it.
We know the problem, and we
know you don't have the money.
So Audra told you that, too?
Mel, we're trying to help you.
Just listen. We have a plan.
Babe, tell her
the plan.
Look, Kalvin and I went to the owners of
one of the restaurants we deliver for.
He will advance us money
for future deliveries
three weeks at a time.
But if we mess this up,
he'll take our trucks.
BRENDA: I do not
like this at all.
Baby, it's all right.
We're just trying to help.
We worked our asses
off for those trucks.
KALVIN: Baby, stop!
Just listen.
Look, man.
All we need you to do is help us
keep the requirements, all right?
You gotta drive and you gotta
be on time to his chains.
That's all.
We can get this paid back
in, like, three months.
But you can't be late.
You can't miss a delivery or a
pickup, or we'll lose everything.
Everything!
- And we can't pay you.
- And we shouldn't do it.
He don't give a damn about
nothing and nobody but himself.
Look, promise us that
you'll do this, Robert.
And you'll do this right.
Promise us.
Yeah.
I'm in.
MELINDA: See, he's in.
I'll see you at the lot
at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow.
I'm there.
And I'm changing the locks.
Mel, we're just
trying to help.
Mmm-hmm.
She gotta want
to help herself.
You're right.
- Have a good night.
- 6:00 a.m.
MELINDA: He'll be there.
Just go.
You know why I know how you
don't love me the same?
You didn't even try
to defend me.
MELINDA: That bastard
actually said that to me.
He actually said that.
(CELL PHONE BUZZING)
Another morning.
No kiss, no hug.
Good morning.
Another night of him
sleeping downstairs.
At first, I was sad about it.
Then I started to get mad.
SARAH: It's good.
Right? I mean, it's good.
At least he's working.
Yeah, right.
He's so mad
at me, though.
- Is he?
- Yeah.
He's not touching me.
He sleeps downstairs.
We haven't had
sex in months.
Really?
Yeah, it's like
we're roommates.
Well... Hey. At least he's
a roommate with a job.
Right.
Yep.
But I know that man.
And he is very sexual.
So if he's not getting it from me,
he's getting it from somewhere.
No, Mel, no.
I don't believe that,
not for one second.
- Are you sure?
- Yes, I'm sure.
I'm sure. He learned his lesson
before y'all got married.
Okay.
If he's cheating, he better pray
to God that I don't find out.
Yeah, for all our sakes.
- Stop it.
- You a little crazy.
- Hey!
- You know it.
I love my wife.
And I just wanna
do so much for her.
She's done so much for me.
And if you can find the time
to just take a look
at the Gayle Force Wind,
- it will truly, truly change this planet.
- (BATTERY HUMMING)
The Gayle Force Wind.
(VOCALIZING)
(SINGSONG) The Gayle Force Wind.
The Gayle Force Wind.
Hey, they need this delivery
by 11:00 am this morning.
- It's a big one.
- Okay.
They're having a corporate
luncheon or something like that.
All the execs will be there,
and they need this fish fresh.
And he likes it an hour
before they open.
ROBERT: Okay.
It's our biggest client,
so you can't be late.
- Okay.
- Look, man.
You've been
killing it around here.
All right.
Keep up the good work.
And don't worry
about the Moore sisters.
They're just close.
Yeah.
Yeah, I know.
Hey.
So, I see. You just not
gonna say nothing to him?
Not a damn thing.
I just need him to work,
like all of us have to do.
Let me see, 9 times 16.
Let's see here.
Let's see here.
Okay.
What is this?
Hi, Mr. Prescott.
My name is Robert Gayle.
I invented this battery,
Gayle Force Wind.
I would appreciate it
if you would consider
reviewing my materials.
Thank you.
Are you still
watching those videos?
Yeah.
Is Prescott in yet?
Let me check.
(CELL PHONE RINGING)
Yeah.
CASEY: Hey, man. It's 9:30.
Just wanted to be sure
you're gonna be there at 11:00.
Yeah.
And I'm tracking you.
It's a lot of traffic.
Yeah. I'm close.
You the man.
Call you when it's done.
Okay.
(CELL PHONE RINGING)
Look, the last letter I sent was
the morning before you called.
You must have just gotten it.
I won't send another.
I won't call your office.
Plus, I threw the battery out,
so no need to threaten me.
DIANA: Well, that's too bad.
I saw your research.
It's brilliant.
I've shown it to Mr. Prescott.
Oh, my God.
He wants to meet with you today at 11:30,but
if you've thrown out the prototype...
No, no, no.
I have it, I have it.
Can you make it at 11:30?
11:30.
Does it have to be today?
Robert, you're joking, right?
Yeah, yeah. Yes, yes.
I'll be there. I'll be there.
Okay, I'll see you then.
Oh, shit.
- CASEY: Kalvin!
- Yo.
Check this out, man.
KALVIN: Where's he going?
Shit.
He's not pickin' up.
Babe.
BRENDA: Hey, Kalvin.
Yeah, you're not
gonna believe this.
- What's up?
- Where you at?
- I'm going to Mel's.
- You with Melinda?
No. Not yet. What?
It looks like
he's heading to her house.
What?
Yeah. Meet us
over there, all right?
- All right.
- All right. Love you.
Come on, man.
Come on.
(HORNS HONKING)
Hey! Hey!
(CELL PHONE RINGING)
Hey!
Hey, hey, hey!
Sorry, sorry.
I need that, I need that,
I need that.
- That?
- Yeah, yeah.
Of course.
- Hey, Mel.
- Mmm-hmm.
Mel, honey,
your sisters are here.
(SIGHS)
This can't be good.
MELINDA: Do you know what the last thing
a woman wants to hear about her man?
Is that he's cheating on her.
SARAH: Wait up, I'm coming.
And the last person in the world
she wants to hear that shit from
is the damn family member
who told her he would.
You're not gonna
believe this!
Fuck is wrong with you?
You're gonna cost us
our biggest client!
- Where the keys?
- Let me show you, man.
Right here.
What the hell is
wrong with you?
- You trying to destroy us?
- Look, I'm sorry!
- KALVIN: Let go, man.
- ROBERT: I'm sorry, man.
Hey, baby, you're not
gonna believe this.
But they called... They
called about the battery.
Prescott called, baby.
What is this?
Why was her wallet
in your truck?
What?
After all these years,
you still messin' around
with her, aren't you?
- Hmm? After all we've been through, Robert?
- No. Baby, no.
Baby, no.
I promise you. Listen.
I saw her.
It must've fallen
out in the truck.
Why was she
in your truck, Robert?
Listen, listen.
Listen, I gotta go.
- You gotta go?
- I promise you it isn't gonna... Listen.
I will explain everything
when I get back, okay?
Robert, if you walk out of that
door, there is no coming back.
Prescott called me. I have to go.
I have to go.
So you're just gonna leave?
You're just gonna leave?
Where you goin', huh?
Where you goin'?
Where you goin'?
Baby, I need my keys!
You ain't getting
a damn thing!
What, you just gonna
just leave?
Baby, I gotta go.
Give me the keys!
No! Take 'em.
Take 'em.
Please, take 'em.
I can call the cops,
I'll have your ass arrested.
- Take 'em!
- Damn it, baby!
You don't understand!
I need to see Prescott!
What? Her?
- No!
- After all these years...
Baby, I didn't do anything!
Baby...
Baby! Mel!
Get off of me.
Get off of me!
- Get your hands off of me!
- Mel, stop!
- Mel, you need to stop!
- No!
- Stop it!
- BRENDA: Melinda!
- Give me the damn keys!
- Melin...
- Get off of her!
- Get off of her!
Get your ass off
of my sister!
No! Get off of me
so I can...
Get off of me!
Don't let him go!
- Come on! Help me!
- Don't let him go!
Don't let him go!
Don't let him go!
You're letting him go!
Why are you letting him go?
You better not come back!
- BRENDA: Go!
- MELINDA: Don't let him go!
BRENDA: Help me, June.
Get her up here. Go!
(MELINDA SCREAMING)
Damn it.
Robert.
What a way to make the
wrong first impression.
- You look terrible.
- I'm sorry.
Gonna be hard to convince people
you're not crazy looking like this.
Follow me, come on.
- Are you okay?
- (SIGHS)
Robert.
(STAMMERING)
My wife...
You're melting down.
You left this
in my truck.
Robert, did you
steal my wallet?
You left it
in my truck.
No, Robert. Is this
what this is about?
Did she find it?
I'm so sorry.
I got nothing left. Okay?
I got nothing left.
Yeah, I risked everything for
this meeting with Prescott, okay?
And I'm not even
sure if I can do this.
Look... Look at me,
Robert! Look at me.
If this is as good
as your research suggests
then your dreams
have come true.
Now you need to put
the personal shit aside
and you go in there
and you own that room.
You got me?
Come on, let's go.
Leave that.
Mr. Prescott,
this is Robert Gayle.
The persistent Mr. Gayle.
Like a Gayle force wind.
All right.
Let's hear this pitch.
What happened?
Did we make it in time?
No.
So we're gonna
lose our trucks?
- We can keep the trucks.
- We lost him as a client.
- He won't give us the money for this house.
- (SIGHS)
It's gonna be
okay, baby.
Is she okay?
No.
MELINDA: I wasn't.
I was in that place that
scares me.
That place between present
and furious.
I had lost all rhyme
and reason.
It's like nothing mattered
but getting even.
I was told I get it from my
daddy, but his was quiet.
Mine...
I would burn a whole house
down with me in it
to get to the motherfucker
that done me wrong.
And the lipo and nickel,
and the Gayle Force Wind...
Okay, I've heard
enough.
Our team has received
your research.
They believe it can work, even
though you don't have a prototype.
We wanna offer you
$800,000 today
for all your notes, and research,
and any plans that you have.
You will have to sign
a non-compete, of course.
$800,000...
You wanna buy...
Buy my work?
Yes.
That's how this goes.
We are prepared to write
you a check today.
(SIGHS) Um...
No offense, Mr. Prescott...
I have no intentions
of selling my work.
I wanna own my copyrights and
license it to you for a term.
And when this thing hits the market,
it will bring billions to your firm.
I only think it's right for me
to participate in that upside.
Yes. But I would be taking all the risk
and spending all the money to perfect it.
$800,000 is my offer
to you, Mr. Gayle.
And it's not changing.
Take it or leave it.
Um...
I'm gonna have to say no.
I'm sorry to have
wasted your time.
Sure. Okay.
- Well, thank you.
- Sorry, Mr. Prescott.
Robert. Robert!
Wait, Robert!
There's no way
I can take that deal.
- It's a lot of money.
- Not for him.
This is my life.
What did I do?
I'm sorry.
Robert, I'm sorry,
especially about the wallet.
Robert. Robert.
Look, first let me
just say this.
I did not do
anything with Diana.
I found out that
she worked at Prescott,
and we went out for coffee
to talk business,
and that was it.
And she got into the truck
because her daddy
was some kind of driver
or something like that.
And her... Her wallet
fell out of her purse.
Look, listen, I know it makes
no damn sense,
but it's the truth.
And the reason why
I didn't make the deliveries
because Prescott
called me, baby,
to see the battery.
They offered me $800,000.
And he was ready
to write that check today.
And I'm sure if I had a prototype,
it would have been a lot more.
$800,000 today?
- Yeah.
- You need to take the money.
Look, I can't.
There is no damn
money. He lying.
Baby...
- Can we talk by ourselves?
- Sure.
Sure.
Just let me
understand this.
Some random bitch that I
caught you with before
just happens to be
in your truck
and leaves her wallet?
This house is getting
foreclosed on.
And you turned down
an $800,000 check
that Mr. Prescott
was gonna write
you today?
Is this the bullshit
you selling me?
Baby, this is
not bullshit.
Then call him
and take the offer.
It's not a good offer.
- It's not a good offer, baby.
- It's not a good offer.
So I just lose
my mother's house?
Baby, I'll buy you
a bigger house.
As a matter of fact,
we're gonna live in a high-rise
building overlooking the city.
And that diamond...
I'mma get you.
And The Mrs. Gayle,
private jet.
We're gonna
make it, baby.
This is it.
No, we're not.
No, we're not
gonna make it.
You had a good woman.
I would do
anything for you.
And I did.
And you lie
and you cheat on me.
You're
a motherfucking loser.
Don't talk to me like
that, baby, please.
I'm done with you.
I'm done.
I need you to get your shit while
you can, and I need you to get out.
I want a divorce.
Mel...
Mel, please.
- No.
- Mel, I love you.
Please.
You're really gonna
do this?
Why don't you go find that
bitch and let her take you in?
- Get out.
- Mel.
Get out!
Come on, man.
You should leave.
I'm not leaving.
You know me.
You know I can be the
motherfucking devil.
MELINDA: Three months later,
I lost my mama's house.
You know, that bastard didn't
even call to see if I was okay.
He didn't even bother.
He was done with me.
He had gotten all he could.
I guess he was off looking
for his next victim.
Not caring that I was
devastated.
I can't believe
I let that son of a bitch...
Damn.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
I was humiliated.
I had to move in
with my sister.
At this age,
living with my sister?
All I needed was
a bunch of damn cats.
Fuck him!
Who the hell took
my damn phone?
MELINDA: I had wasted
too many years with Robert.
Too many years feeling lonely
whenever he was around.
Thought it was time for me
to move on, and so did Brenda.
So she wasted no time trying to
get me hooked up with Devon.
She heard that he was divorced.
So, much to my disapproval, she
called him up and we went out.
My divorce wasn't even final,
but what the hell.
So there I was, out with a man.
A man that could pay the check
and who commanded attention
when he walked into the room.
All eyes on him.
And yet, it felt strange.
It felt foreign. It felt wrong.
It... It was like I was
starting over
and learning how things
were really supposed to be.
And I thought about Robert
from time to time.
Sometimes with sympathy,
but mostly with anger.
Especially when I looked up
and saw his ass.
There he was in the damn
kitchen, washing dishes.
All that money I wasted helping him,
and his ass is in the damn kitchen?
Of all restaurants!
I got mad all over again.
I wanted my $1,234,908.07
And that's with him
paying me back every dime,
and then half of all
the bills for all those years.
Looks like his ass will be
washing a lot of dishes
to pay me back.
Fuck it, I'll cut my losses.
Just give me a divorce.
Sorry, I'm late.
It's a family
divorce, I see.
She wanted us here.
Is your lawyer here,
Mr. Gayle?
I can't afford a lawyer.
No, you can't,
working as a dishwasher.
Ma'am, you're a guest
in this mediation.
Please.
ROBERT: Mel, are you sure
you wanna do this?
I still love you so much.
I do.
We're prepared to let you have
the car and your clothes.
ROBERT: No, no. You keep it.
Keep it all. Everything.
I don't want anything.
I just wanna say this,
and I'm done.
Mel, I am so sorry that
I couldn't be what you needed.
But I...
I never cheated on you again
after I saw what it did to you.
I found out what love is
for the first time in my life
because of you.
I can honestly say with all
my heart that I love you.
I will always love you, Mel.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, Mel.
Please, Mel, just...
Just look at me.
Well...
At least you don't have to give
that bastard another thing.
(CELL PHONE RINGING)
Hello?
- Hello?
- ROBERT: Hello.
Where the hell have you been?
Someone stole my phone. Sorry.
I've been trying
to reach you all week.
I'm sorry.
So Victor called.
He said that you called him
to represent you in the deal.
If there's ever a deal.
Prescott will come back, okay?
You'll see.
Just keep your fingers crossed.
Hey, I asked Victor for your home
address or your phone number,
and he said he had
to wait for you to call him.
What's going on, Robert?
I'm just... I'm just...
We're just between
places right now.
Robert, did she put you out?
Um...
We're... We're divorced now.
I've been staying in the
Genesis Shelter
on 4th for the past 3 months,
and I'm just... (SIGHS)
I'm coming to get you.
No, Diana.
You okay, baby?
She is fine.
More champagne?
She's celebrating
her divorce.
(CHUCKLES)
But my favorite part
is when that bastard said
how much he loved her.
I almost threw up.
You know I never thought
he was lying to you, Mel.
I always believed
he loved you.
BRENDA: You would,
but she didn't.
MELINDA: I did believe him.
I even felt sorry for him.
What is that about us as women?
Why do we feel bad
when we didn't do shit, huh?
And yet, there I was
feeling bad about him.
Feeling sad
that he never made it.
That he was a dishwasher.
Why the hell should I care?
So you know what I did?
I got that tall, sexy thing
standing over there
to take my mind off it.
Can we go back
to your place?
- Now?
- Yeah.
So sorry. Good night, folks.
I'm outta here.
Go on, Devon.
It was nice to see you.
- Get home safe.
- Brenda.
Babe, wait up.
This will do you good.
Thanks.
Sure.
You should have told me
you were in a shelter.
(SIGHS)
Doesn't matter.
Robert, I know you're upset
that you lost your wife,
but listen to me.
It's okay.
Sometimes things just happen,
you know?
I'm a firm believer
that when
someone falls out
of your life maybe...
Maybe they're
supposed to.
Maybe they're not supposed to share
the level that you're going to.
Maybe you're supposed
to leave them behind.
I hate seeing you this broken,
this defeated.
You're a good man, Robert.
You are.
And you're gonna be okay.
I know that you'll be okay.
MELINDA: Devon was just okay
in bed, but he wasn't Robert.
Robert mastered my body.
He knew my curves.
He knew how I liked it
slightly to the left.
Robert would at least
try to hold me.
And the thought of him
being with another woman
still made me jealous.
Good night.
MELINDA:
You know what I found out?
The truth always comes
when a man comes.
When Devon was finished,
he was done.
Good night.
Didn't matter
what I felt.
You gotta take
me home.
You wore me out.
Don't you wanna stay?
No! Take me home.
(SIGHS)
Still asleep?
Shit. Damn it.
I can't believe
I slept this long.
I gotta get to
the restaurant.
I called them
and told them you quit.
What? What?
No, Diana, you have no idea how hard
it is for me to get a damn job.
Why would you do that?
What's this?
Is this real?
Yeah.
This is...
This is the offer?
Yeah.
I begged Victor
to let me tell you.
I'm pretty sure this is
Prescott's best and final.
And this the best
part, Robert,
that this is a license
for the technology.
You still own the IP.
You did it.
You did it.
- Mel.
- What?
Melinda!
- What?
- Look.
What the hell?
- No way.
- Go.
How are you?
I'm busy.
I just need 10 minutes
of your time.
You have two.
Okay.
I just wanted to come here to
tell you thank you for loving me.
You know, there were times
when I doubted myself...
You kept working
and kept me believing.
Um... We are never
getting back together.
- Okay?
- Yeah.
- Never.
- I know.
So what is this?
You borrow a suit, and you
come up here and try to...
(SCOFFS) Impress me?
For what?
My battery. It...
It hit.
Yeah. I signed a deal.
And I'm in business
with Prescott.
Good for you.
Good for us.
I know our divorce is finalized,
but I wanted you to have this
for everything you've done
for me over the years.
I don't know of any woman who
would have put up with me,
loved me, cared for me...
Believed in me.
I don't blame you.
Like I said, I started
to doubt myself.
I'm just sorry that my dream
took so long to come true.
Anyway, look.
You gave me two minutes,
I'm sure it's just about up.
I love you, Mel.
I always will.
Oh. I almost forgot.
Your mama's house.
It's yours again.
Might look a little
different on the inside
'cause of the last
owners, but...
It's yours.
- You're taking all day, baby.
- BRENDA: My partner got it.
It's mine.
- Bam!
- JUNE: Boo.
- That's what I'm talking about.
- I got you on this one.
All right. Let's go,
let's go.
- Hey, sissy.
- Thank you, thank you.
- Hey, Melinda.
- Where you been?
You're late, babe.
- What's up, Mel?
- Yeah, I know.
- Did Robert give you this?
- Yeah.
Along with these keys
and the deed to
Mama's house.
What?
Yeah, his battery hit.
He's in business with Prescott.
I'm calling the bank
first thing in the morning.
I already did, and it's good.
Damn.
He hit like this?
I knew he would.
That dude is smart.
Mel, when did you see him?
He came to my job
to tell me he was sorry,
and that he loved me,
and he wanted to give me that.
Oh, my God.
That is so sweet. We ain't
never had this kind of money.
Wow.
He really did it.
Well,
you always thought he would.
Ten million dollars.
Hell, go cash this before he
changes his mind or something.
He won't.
Well, let's not take
no chances.
Let's go to the bank
first thing in the morning.
That bastard might have
a change of heart or something.
Shut the fuck up.
Why did I listen to you?
I mean, both of you are
some miserable bitches.
Neither one of you are happy
with these bastards,
and I listened to you.
Now you just wait one minute.
No, no.
Everybody in this town knows
Kalvin has a baby in Ellenwood.
And well, Casey, you know
what they say about you.
Melinda!
Devon, you should go home
and never call me again.
You are horrible in bed.
You snore,
and you are too big
to have such a little dick.
MELINDA: Fucking shit.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Hold on.
Hi.
The address was
on the check.
Yeah. Yeah.
And I remembered
the building.
(MELINDA LAUGHING IN DELIGHT)
This is the building you
said we would live in.
You look great.
Thank you.
And this view...
Oh!
This view!
(CHUCKLES)
Top floor.
You said the top floor.
Out of your dreams.
This is just like everything
you described to me.
I'm so proud of you.
Thank you.
And when you said
you loved me,
I realized I still love
you very, very much.
And I should have
believed you
when you said you
weren't with her.
But my sisters, my sisters.
They got in my head.
That's all behind
us now, Mel.
I'm so glad
you said that.
Sorry I'm late, babe.
Hey...
Baby, this is Melinda,
my ex-wife.
Hi.
I'm Diana.
I'm Robert's fiancee.
MELINDA: There she was.
The bitch I tried to kill
all those years ago
standing in my apartment,
wearing my ring.
Looking at me.
That son of a bitch humiliated me
again in front of that same whore.
I can't believe he let me
pour my heart out
and she was in there
all that time.
This bitch was living my life.
The one I bought and paid for.
He would always like
to do it in the shower
because he said it reminded him
of us when we met in the rain.
You see why I hate the rain?
I'm sure he was with that bitch
in the shower.
That was supposed to be mine.
Tasting her.
Fucking her.
Using what I taught him.
Using my tricks on that trick.
And I know Nina
was somewhere close.
(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)
By now, Robert was
spooning her, I'm sure.
Breathing ever so slightly
on the back of her neck.
I can still smell
the slightest hint of whiskey
on his breath.
I can feel it on my neck.
Bitch!
And she just moved in?
No. I don't think so.
I put every jewel
in that crown,
and I was not about to let
another bitch wear it!
(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)
I couldn't believe it.
He could just leave
and walk away.
He said he loved me,
but he moved her into my place
like I never existed.
I couldn't eat.
I couldn't sleep.
All I did was think
about him and her.
I had alerts
on everything I owned.
Every time that bitch posted
something, I knew it.
And you know what?
Everything he said to me.
He would take me to Paris,
and there they were in Paris.
He said he would take me
on our private jet.
And there they were.
Day and night,
I just watched her page.
I couldn't help it.
Her wedding ideas. And her.
She even chose a dress
by the same designer
that I wanted to make mine.
At the same boutique.
- ROBERT: I got you.
- DIANA: Babe...
- I will not let go of you.
- Okay.
Walking. So get ready...
Okay.
Not yet.
- Come on.
- No, just... Right there.
DIANA: All right.
Can I open?
Open them now.
- Look behind you.
- (GASPS)
Surprise.
Oh, my God!
Mrs. Gayle.
I told you I would
buy it for you.
(UPBEAT MUSIC
CONTINUES PLAYING)
- I love this, I love this!
- Mmm.
Oh, my God. I like this,
but in white.
- Hmm.
- Yeah?
How about this one?
As you're waving
goodbye to your guests.
Perfect! I love it.
They're gonna love it!
Hi, John.
Hey, babe.
Look at this.
Okay, what do you think about this with
the bon voyage and I wave goodbye?
- It's beautiful.
- Right? Ain't it pretty?
Listen, baby,
can I talk to you?
Yeah, sure.
Okay, well, John, we'll talk
more about the wedding tomorrow?
Some other time? Okay.
- Okay, thank you.
- Thanks, John.
(SIGHS)
What's...
Melinda, she's...
She's suing us.
She's claiming that the deal
happened before the divorce.
We both know
that's not true.
Yeah, I know.
It's just so sad.
Yeah, I'm gonna
call Franklin.
Yeah, I already talked to
him this morning about her.
What? Why?
I didn't wanna tell you,
but I received, like,
3,300 nasty comments from
somebody named Pissed.
And, of course,
it's Melinda.
I'll talk to her.
- No. No.
- Maybe I can give her
- more money.
- It's not about the money.
You cannot negotiate
with crazy.
- It'll be okay.
- Yeah.
Mel?
- Mel?
- JUNE: Hey, Sarah!
- Hey.
- Hey.
Look, she's not
calling us.
I don't think
we should be here.
Something's wrong.
BRENDA: Guys, I don't think it's a good
idea for us to go in there. Come on!
Where are you going? What is...
It is still that easy
to get in here?
Melinda?
- Melinda?
- Melinda?
Melinda, where are you?
SARAH: Mel?
BRENDA: What is going...
- SARAH: What the hell is all this?
- What?
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God. What is...
We're certain he made the deal with
Prescott and Howard Industries
while he was still married
to my client, Your Honor.
He also received
all the investments
for the Gayle Force Battery
from my client's income alone.
And the mortgage from the
family house, which she lost.
Counselor, I'm looking at all
the dates on these contracts
and the email chains.
And an affidavit from
Prescott and Howard Industries.
They attest that the deal
wasn't offered
until well after Mr. Gayle
and your client were divorced.
And seeing as he didn't ask
for the divorce, she did,
I'm confused.
- Well, Your Honor...
- I'm not done.
After the divorce, he gave your client
10 million dollars voluntarily.
- And then he rebought the family house and gave that to her.
- (INAUDIBLE)
Is that right?
Yes, Your Honor.
And how much are you claiming
for damages?
Well, she invested over
1.2 million dollars
over the course
of their marriage.
And we're asking for half the
value of the Gayle Force Battery,
which deems to exceed approximately
150 million dollars.
Okay, enough.
That's ridiculous.
It is apparent to the court that Mr.
Gayle has been more than fair.
I'm going to dismiss this case.
MELINDA: This is not fair.
I should get half of what he got.
That is fair.
Listen.
This court has spoken.
Don't you understand that he
didn't have to give you anything?
This is one of the most generous
gestures this court has ever seen.
This case is dismissed.
Also, Your Honor, there's
another matter on the docket.
Mrs. Moore has been harassing
the future Mrs. Gayle.
You'll see all the evidence
presented there in front of you.
We're asking for a restraining
order for both Mr. and Mrs. Gayle.
I'm the one who should get
the damn restraining order.
- Counselor, control your client!
- Melinda.
I don't need to be controlled.
I'm not an animal.
Did you send these messages?
This is America.
I have freedom of speech.
These are threats.
You could spend time in jail,
Mrs. Moore.
Do it again, and you will.
Restraining order is granted.
Mrs. Moore,
you are to stay 300 yards away
from Mr. and Mrs. Gayle.
- Do you understand?
- They're not married.
Stay away from both of them.
Is that clear enough for you?
Yes.
Wait, go!
Melinda!
- Go!
- Mel, don't!
- I'm okay, I'm okay.
- Stop, stop, stop.
Let them go.
- Melinda, no.
- Melinda!
This is Melinda, and I
am live on the Internet.
I want you to see this
injustice.
This whore slept
with my husband.
And he left me with nothing...
- Stop it now. Please stop.
- Enough, enough!
Please stop!
Mel, it's not healthy.
I'm serious.
You have to stop the way
you're dealing with him.
I don't want to talk
about him.
Fine, we won't. We'll
talk about your sisters,
and how they love you, and
they're worried about you.
And so am I.
That stuff that
we found in your house.
- It was...
- Wait.
You went to my house?
Yeah.
Y'all motherfuckers
don't wanna help me.
Come back with me,
so we can talk about it.
- Melinda, just...
- No, I see what's going on.
- Melinda?
- Fuck that!
I'm going to June's.
JUNE: Thank you, guys,
for coming.
Look, we're worried
about Melinda.
She has really lost it
over you two.
Now we're gonna try to get a judge
to force her and get some help.
That might be
a good idea.
But in the meantime,
you need to be careful.
- BRENDA: Yeah.
- Yeah.
Both of you do.
We have the
restraining order.
You guys might wanna have
security at the wedding.
- Yeah.
- Seriously.
Look, guys,
I know she's upset.
Like you said,
I know your sister.
She'll be fine once
she calms down.
If you think that,
you don't know her at all.
Oh, my God.
No, no, no.
You two, you cannot be
here right now.
- She's right behind me.
- Oh, shit.
Why the fuck are y'all
still coming in my house
- without my permission?
- Sweetie.
So what y'all
been doing?
- Talking about me behind my back?
- Melinda.
- Go!
- And that's why you brought her here?
No! No!
- Let me talk to her!
- No!
Y'all have to hold me
back! No!
I need that bitch
to know that's my car!
Why would you
bring her here, Robert?
That's my car, bitch!
It's not worth it, honey.
- MELINDA: That's my car!
- BRENDA: No! No!
- Go!
- Get off of me!
I'm okay. All right! Okay!
I'm okay.
I'm okay. I'm okay.
Stop treating me like this.
Why would you let him
bring her here?
So disrespectful! What kind
of family are you, huh?
What about me?
- God!
- Melinda!
Melinda!
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
ATTENDANT: Hi, may I help you?
No, I'm just looking.
Thank you.
WOMAN 1: Here we go.
WOMAN 2: It's really lovely.
Yeah, I love
the buttons.
(ACID SIZZLING)
(ALARM RINGING)
Hey, wait!
FRANKLIN: And she ruined the future Mrs.
Gayle's wedding dress.
JUDGE: This court
apologizes to you.
I shouldn't have
been so lenient.
It's okay, Your Honor.
I couldn't fit the dress
anymore anyway.
This little one's
growing pretty fast.
JUDGE: What is it going to take to make
you heed the warnings of this court?
It's obvious to me that you're not
taking this matter seriously.
I will not allow you to continue
to harass these people.
Am I clear?
If you violate
this restraining order,
I assure you, you will spend
40 days in the county jail.
I mean it.
One more offense.
Do I make myself clear?
Yes, Your Honor.
THERAPIST: Melinda.
Have you ever considered that maybe
there's another way to look at this?
Maybe he did mean
what he said.
Maybe the deceit
isn't what you think.
Would you allow room
for that possibility?
Would you feel better
if he was really being honest
- and he really meant well?
- (SCOFFS)
I am not wrong.
You're just like
everybody else.
See... (CHUCKLES)
I get dogged,
and it's my fault.
That's not
what I'm saying.
That's what you're saying.
I just wanted to know
if you would consider it.
Let me ask you
another question.
Okay.
Have you ever
heard of something
called Borderline
Personality Disorder?
It's when a person has...
You know what?
I'm not doing this.
Fuck you and this bullshit.
I'm not crazy.
What?
Get out of here
with this bullshit.
As a matter of fact, I'm out.
We are gathered here...
MELINDA: That bitch wasted
no time taking over my life.
I just can't believe
Robert married that whore
and gave her my boat. My boat!
The boat with my name on it.
She was living my life.
Fuck her.
Fuck him.
Fuck them both.
Hey.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
JUNE: Melinda?
Melinda?
(SLOW MUSIC PLAYING)
DIANA: It's a beautiful night.
Mmm-hmm.
Mmm-hmm.
I love you.
Look at those stars.
You're that one.
What are you doing?
I meant to start a bath.
Let the staff do it.
No, no. I need to get up.
I need to get sea legs.
You wanna join me
in a few?
You know it.
See you.
Where's my wedding dress?
It was hanging
in the closet, ma'am.
I didn't see it.
I'll check with
housekeeping.
Okay.
(SLOW MUSIC PLAYING)
The bath is ready already?
- No.
- (GUN COCKS)
Sit down.
Mel.
What are you doing?
What are you doing?
What are you doing, Robert?
- Come on, Mel, you know this is not right.
- No.
What's not right is
what you did to me.
What did I do?
Don't act like
you don't remember.
Okay, okay, okay.
Tell me so that I'm sure.
You left me.
You took the best parts
of my life.
And you gave that bitch my ring,
my apartment,
my boat,
my life.
And you promised those things to me.
Didn't you, Robert?
Didn't you?
I did, I did.
I did.
I did.
So why...
Why did you give it to her?
Mel, you divorced me.
You left me!
You didn't fight.
- You didn't fight.
- Mel.
No, you used me to work and take
care of you until you made it.
You never loved me.
- Mel, that's not true. I loved you.
- Then why?
Why did you give it
all to her, huh?
Why are you here
with her and not me?
You promised me forever.
You promised me forever
and she was there all the time.
No, no. That is not
true, Mel.
I never cheated on you.
Then why?
I never cheated
on you, Mel.
Never!
I love you.
I always will.
Good.
Then make her
jump off the boat.
- Mel, Mel.
- Come on.
So we can start
our life together.
No, come on, get up.
Let's go get her.
No, Mel, Mel.
Get up!
Listen, let's just talk
about this, okay?
Come on.
Give me the gun.
Just give me the gun.
(GUNSHOT)
- MAN 1: I heard a shot!
- MAN 2: It came from up top!
WOMAN: What's going on?
Jump!
Jump!
You better jump!
(SCREAMING)
ROBERT: Mel,
what are you doing?
Mel.
Where are you going, huh?
Stop, bitch, before
I shoot you in the...
(GUNSHOT)
(GROANING)
Give me the ring.
What ring?
That ring, bitch!
Give it to me.
You bitches
are something.
The first wife puts in
all the work,
and you whores
reap the benefits?
No, ma'am. Give it here.
Give it to me.
- No!
- (SCREAMS)
Robert!
(WEAKLY)
I need to stop the boat.
Okay. Okay.
ROBERT: Pull the throttle.
(GROANING)
Okay. Are you okay?
I'm okay. I'm okay.
Okay, babe.
I need you to get in the tender,
and I need you to go get the crew.
The crew?
She made them jump.
- Go.
- I'm not leaving you!
Go, baby.
I'm bleeding out.
Robert.
They can help me.
Go!
Be careful.
Hurry, baby.
Hurry.
(ENGINE STARTING)
MELINDA: Robert.
It's all your fault, Robert.
Now look at you.
(ROBERT BREATHING HEAVILY)
(SLOW MUSIC PLAYING)
(YELLING)
(INAUDIBLE)