¶¶
By now, you've all read the
headlines.
"Millennials are altering the codes of marriage, and we've
been all warned.
Millennials, dismiss matrimony at your own peril."
I've heard it all, and I call BS.
Look, you can blame our generation for a lot of things,
but if the wedding industry is in a slump, my friends didn't
get the memo.
We are all in, even if we don't know exactly what we're doing.
I should know.
I'm a pro at bridal madness.
No, I'm not a wedding planner.
I'm a real expert, a bridesmaid -- always a
bridesmaid.
Together: Cheers!
- Whoo!
- Here's to lucky number 13.
- Whoo-hoo!
¶¶
Mr. Henry.
Are you hungry?
Yeah, you are.
Okay. Here you go.
Most consistent male presence I have in my life, and you're a
fish.
It figures.
Morning.
- Good morning, Ms. James.
- Good morning, Chanel.
Love that topknot.
- Corina James.
- Terrence.
- Want to hear what I dreamed of last night?
- Not if it has anything to do with me, Cardi B, and a 40-ounce.
- Oh, come on, those are a few of my favorite things.
- Go somewhere.
Good morning.
Good morning!
- Oh, hey, baby.
Look at you.
Oh!
He is waiting for you.
- How are you doing today, Ms. Ruby.
- Same as I ever was.
How was that wedding this weekend?
- Same as it ever was.
- Oh, gosh.
You know, I remember when I was your age.
I was a bridesmaid many a time, too -- never caught a bouquet,
never got a ring.
But I have my health, my worth, my 401, and
King Jesus!
- Won't he do it?
- "Hallelu"!
So I am a-okay.
- Well, I have something for you.
- Me?
- Happy birthday.
You remembered.
- Oh, it's not every day that you turn 25. - Well...
- We need to celebrate these things.
- I just love you.
- I love you.
- Get in there before he starts yelling again.
In my day, it was impolite to
enter an office without knocking, especially one
occupied by the president of the company that you work for.
- Well, my father says life's too short to follow rules.
That's how he built a publishing company from the ground up.
- Largest minority-owned publishing house...
Both: ...in the Midwest.
Yeah, well, as you just said --
- I know, Dad.
You wanted to see me?
- Yeah, um, yeah.
Um, this quarter is proving busier than the fall.
We can't piggyback on beach reads.
We have to slide our heavy hitters in while the book-buying
mode is stable.
- Dad, you know I can't oversee all of that.
My new job starts next quarter.
- Don't be selfish.
Just tell them that you need more time.
- I don't need more time.
- I need an editor, and I need a damn good one, and you're
almost a prodigy.
- There's always Carl.
- Carl is a twit.
- Dad, Carl's your son.
- And he's a twit. Okay?
He's book smart, but he's a damn idiot.
That boy is in Brazil right now, trying to find himself again.
Baby, baby.
I just need you to see me
through this period, that's it, and then you can go be, you
know, a, um...
- Copy editor, Dad.
You know the title.
- Well, I can give you a better title, and I can give you more
money than the Sun-Times.
- Tribune.
- Whatever.
- Downward dog.
Just follow my lead.
- Mm.
- So you didn't say yes?
Didn't say anything.
I mean, it's not like he listens to me anyway.
Classic nesting syndrome.
You stay in a safe, unfulfilling job at your father's company so
that you can place the blame on him for being stuck there.
- Okay, can we change the subject and get off of me?
- That's the problem, girl -- you need someone to get up on you.
- You crazy.
- No, no, no, no, no.
She needs to finally practice radical self-love.
At some point, you have to stop people-pleasing and please
yourself.
- Yeah, girl, when you got a minute to yourself late at
night, run that showerhead full blast.
- Yes. - O-Okay.
Yes, maybe that, but, also, you need to start dating.
- And they're right about you.
Even in college, you were on every sorority committee, doing the most.
- Mm-hmm.
- Trust me, it's okay to say no sometimes for your own sanity.
- When is wedding number 14, anyway?
- This weekend, and I don't keep count.
- Girl, please.
- Pace yourself 'cause my wedding is coming up, and it's
gonna be lit!
- Well, show me some of your
poses you gonna be doing at the party.
- Oh, okay, I got one for ya.
This right here I call "The Lil' Kim."
A good marriage is dependent
upon many things, but the first prerequisite is a strong bond of
friendship...
- Is it me, or is this dress getting tighter?
- I love it.
This fabric's got me snatched.
- Snatched?
I can't breathe.
I can't -- I can't -- - Oh, oh!
- Oh, sorry.
- You okay?
- Just like to make a quick toast.
I have known Kenny for about 10 years -- actually, ever since I
took his starting position on the football team.
My bad, bro.
- It's all right.
- Seriously, man, you've done good.
I mean, you couldn't have found a more beautiful and caring
woman to begin your life with.
So, raise your glasses.
- Wait.
Don't lift your glass yet.
- We wish you all nothing but happiness.
Salud.
- Salud.
- Hey, girl, hey.
- Hey.
- I'm so glad you're okay.
- You saw that?
- Girl, everybody saw that.
You were kind of on display.
- I just need to catch my breath -- literally.
- Good luck in that dress.
- Who's that guy over there, the best man?
- Mm. That's Mark Randall.
Fine, ain't he?
- He's just -- He looks so familiar.
- You know him.
He went to Hampton with us.
- Ohh, really?
- He's an accountant now.
Girl, he making much bank -- I'm talking paid.
He moved to Chicago two months ago, and he already lookin' at
lofts, girl, in the Gold Coast area.
Gold Coast!
- Janelle, how do you know that kind of stuff?
- Girl, I believe in fiscal responsibility.
And your boy secures the bag, okay?
- That can't be her. - Yes.
She and Tracy were in the same sorority.
Now, Corina was the queen of the stuck-up crew.
- Yeah, but not without reason.
I mean, even almost falling on her ass, she still looked good.
- Ohh, you still nursin' that, uh, that crush, I see.
- Negro, please.
I ain't never had no crush on Corina Blakeston.
- Okay, well, I'm-a leave you alone to rewrite history.
- Ha!
- You hear that?
That's my wife calling.
Don't that sound good?
"Wife."
- Do you want me to reintroduce y'all?
- No.
He just looked familiar.
That's all.
- Okay.
¶¶ - Let me get one minute.
Corina Blakeston.
- Corina James, actually.
- Oh.
You're married.
- No, um, I am -- - Divorced?
- No. Single.
Never married, so never divorced.
I go by my mother's maiden name now.
- Mm. Okay.
Why?
- It's a long story.
How are you, Mark?
- I'm --
I'm shocked that you remember my name.
- Yeah, it's been awhile, but I did get some help.
You know Janelle is still the one-stop source for
headline-breaking news.
- Yeah, even Black Twitter can't compete with Janelle.
What's her motive?
- You know, I have no idea.
She told me everything about you, though, except for your
Social Security number.
No, wait, she told me that, too.
I'm thinking of getting a Mastercard in your name.
- Well, please be gentle with my credit.
I wouldn't want that chump Trump blaming me for an economic
slowdown.
So, how are you?
- Ready to get out of this bridesmaid's dress.
I am starting to think this whole bridesmaids thing is a
patriarchal conspiracy.
- Oh, a way of browbeating you into submission.
Eh, they keeping a good woman down, huh?
- I think you might be onto something.
- You are, too.
So what do you say?
Let's toast to the shared disillusionment of modern-day
wedding rituals in the hope that there's something more.
It was good seeing you again, Corina James.
Take care.
¶¶
- My fingers are getting numb!
- Okay, okay!
Why are you knocking on the door like a crazy person?
- Why are you taking so long to answer the door?
- 'Cause this wife of mine is in there trying to
cook vegan, and somehow I got enlisted to being her sous chef.
- Is it too late to fast?
- I heard that.
- But I started it.
- Mm-hmm.
I'm sure he did.
Hi, best friend!
- Hello!
- You look good.
- Thank you, girl.
Damn!
When are you gonna get your new pictures?
- Well, I'm actually gonna put photography on hold until my
next book.
- Ah, my father's gonna be happy to hear that you're
starting a new one.
- Who said that he would be publishing it?
- 'Ey.
- I got your back.
- Can I be the one to tell him, please?
- Who's coming over this late besides me?
- I don't know.
Baby, you expecting somebody else?
- Yes, can you please get the door for me?
- Okay.
Wow. Welcome.
Uh, those are nice.
What the runner-up get?
- Oh!
Yeah.
Like, a pageant, right?
- Sure.
- Leave the jokes to me, Bradley.
- Okay.
Well, welcome. Babe?
- Dawson! - "Tam"! Hi!
- So happy you were able to join us.
- Thanks for the invite.
- Oh, he's joining us?
- Yes, I figured, since he's new to the neighborhood, I would
invite him over for dinner to meet some of our friends.
- Okay, well, only one of our friends is here so --
- Brad, can you go in the kitchen and get that for me?
- Okay. I get it.
- Thank you.
- Yeah. Right.
Yeah. Yeah.
Hi!
- Hi.
- Dawson.
- Corina.
- Yeah.
I squinted, and I said, "That doesn't look like a foot to me!"
'Cause I'm "The Foot Man"! - Right!
No, I say that to say, in all
jest, that you can really tell a lot about a person just by
looking at their feet.
- Oh, no way.
- Corina?
- More dessert, anyone?
Baby?
Guys want a -- - No, no, I'm totally fine.
- You s...
- Don't -- Don't be ashamed.
I mean, you have short, stubby toes.
- Okay.
- No, don't be shy.
Look, my feet, I have really long toes.
You see, the second one says that I'm a great reader.
- Wow.
- Not just the glasses.
I am a great reader because I can elongate my eyeballs because
it's connected to my toes.
- Wow, I never knew that.
- That's not science.
- You learn something new every day.
- That's incredible.
- Yeah, yeah.
I, uh -- I got to say, this was an amazing meal.
I hate to rush off, but I have to catch a flight at 6:00 a.m.
- Oh, no. So soon?
- Yeah, I'm off to Detroit for a-a symposium on the diabetic
foot.
- A symposium!
- Yeah, it's like a whole podiatry thing.
It's like a TED Talk for feet.
"Ped Talks," if you will.
Ped Talk.
- Okay. All right.
Okay, well, let me walk you to the door.
- Yeah, uh, Corina, um...
- Okay.
- It was, uh, totally my honor to meet your acquaintance and
break bread with you.
I'm really looking forward to seeing you again, hanging out,
and getting to know you further.
- Oh, I'm sure Tamala...
arrange something.
- Yep, okay.
Well, let's, uh -- let me walk you to the door.
- All right, yeah, sure.
Okay. I appreciate it.
- Thank you so much for coming.
- Thank you, Tam. Amazing.
And you're right -- she looks way better in person.
Yeah. All right.
Pleasure meeting you.
All right. Thank you, Tam.
- Thank you so much.
You're welcome back anytime.
- Thank you.
- Ped Talk.
Uh...
¶¶
Have you ever been set up
against your will?
- Why, I'm fine, Corina, and thank you for complimenting my
sermon. - I'm sorry, Pastor.
I loved your sermon. - Yeah, yeah.
Who's meddling in your love life? - Tam!
Matchmaking, can you believe that?
I mean, she forced me to date.
- Well, she's probably just concerned about you.
You've been through a lot with your mom's passing and your
strained relationship with your father.
I'm sure she's just trying to help.
That's what best friends do.
- I know, but it's embarrassing.
Why can't people just do what you want them to do?
- That is not how life works, Corina, and you know that.
God gives each of us free will to use as we see fit, and for
the record, that's not a bad idea.
- What?
- Dating.
In all of our sessions, you never mention dating.
Tell me, Corina, do you date?
- Huh?
- Do you ever accept invitations from eligible young
men to have coffee or attend movies?
Do you date?
- Not really.
But, listen, it's not like not dating is the decision that I've
made.
It's just --
Okay.
When I was taking care of Mom, I didn't have the time, and now
that she's gone, I'm just -- I'm just trying to figure it all
out, you know -- life, love, career, just everything.
- I understand.
But you do realize that every day you make choices that affect
your life.
When it comes to love, you're either preparing to be someone's
wife or to remain single.
One isn't better than the other, but dating helps you figure out
which is best for you.
You're in a lot of weddings, Corina.
It may be time to decide if you ever plan on being a wife -- or
not.
- Hi. Excuse me.
I'm looking for Miss Jenkins.
- Ah, bonjour, mademoiselle.
Mademoiselle Jenkins is just getting ready.
- Okay.
Wow.
- Mm-hmm.
- These dresses are...
they're beautiful.
They are our best sellers.
You would look magnificent in one.
- Thank you.
- ¶ Here comes the bride ¶ - Damn!
Oh, my gosh!
You look so beautiful!
- I know!
Girl!
My boobae king sent to get the best.
They had the offer, honey!
This is $20,000, sis!
Check me out!
Are you ready for this bachelorette party?
It's gonna be so lit!
- What do you have planned?
- This time you don't even want to know.
- Uh, yeah, I'm sure I don't, but tell me.
- Just think about this -- the theme is "Lingerie on Fire."
And you got to check your cell phone at the door.
¶¶
- Well, that was an adventure, and I'm glad you made it back in
one piece.
But I commend you on deciding to attend.
You made a choice.
- Yeah, but once again, I felt stupid.
I mean, why do I keep saying yes to these weddings?
It's like I want to punish myself.
- Love is beautiful, Corina.
- Love is hard, Pastor.
And being betrayed by love is even worse.
Like my mom and dad.
I don't think I'm ever gonna get over that.
- Hmm! Well, that'll be unfortunate because your mom
forgave your father, and that was their marriage not yours.
Little girl, you got to get over all this anger and fear if
you're ever gonna heal and learn to love.
- I just don't think this love thing is for me.
- God is love, Corina, so love is for everybody.
¶¶
Corina?
- Nancy!
Do you live in Chicago now?
- I do.
When was the last time we saw each other?
Your sorority mixer before graduation?
- Right, it was the night that you and the dean from the Kappa
line got caught.
- Hey, well, it just happens I married the dean of the Kappa
line.
And congratulations!
How's married life treating you?
- What are you talking about, Nancy?
I'm not married.
- Really?
Well, someone said that they saw your wedding pictures.
Well, weren't you in Sharon's wedding and Diane's and --
- Yes, yes, and probably yes.
- Huh. Isn't life funny?
Who would've thought you, "Ms. Popularity," would still be
single after all this time?
Hmm.
You're 30, right?
- Uh, 29.
- Which, come on, is 30.
Huh.
Life...is...funny.
I don't know.
Maybe you're just perpetually in that unmarried gray area.
- Corina! There you are.
Tam and "D" are on their way.
Hey, Nancy.
- Hey. - Long time, no see.
- Yes.
- Listen, girl, is that your "mom van" outside, because
somebody is keying the mess out of it, and a cop is writing a
ticket, and they towing it, girl.
- Not my X7!
- Oh, yes, your X7.
You better run and get it.
Adiós. Sayonara.
Bye, Felicia!
Bitch.
- Thanks for the save.
How did you know that was her car?
- I didn't.
I just figured she drove a mom van.
Girl, I always got you.
Friends don't let friends get hated on.
- But, Janelle, I don't know.
She might be right.
I'm almost 30, and I'm still single.
I mean, even my cousin "Toy-Toy" got married, and she's doing 20
years to life.
- Gimme your phone.
- ¶ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ¶ - What you doing?
- What you too chicken to do.
Look, if you really want a shot at love, you just got to dive in.
- I didn't say I wanted a shot. - Mm-hmm.
And to answer your question, I'm activating all the dating apps,
linking you into all the meet-up groups, and basically expanding
your social circle.
Voilà. Let the love begin.
- ¶ Ahh ¶ - Now, before I send you out
into the wilderness, we got a few rules.
First, you need a "pop spot," an out-of-the-way place you can pop
in and out of just in case the date goes awry.
- I got one -- right by my office, very little foot
traffic, discreet, quiet.
- Perfect.
Meet them there, and watch out for these traps.
Micro-dating, aka clandestine flirting, is when a man has all
the sauce but he's sharing the flavors with others.
- Oh, that's easy to spot.
- Think again.
- Then there's "love bombing."
It's what I like to call "doing the most."
It's always way too much, way too soon.
The love bomb is Dr. Jekyll, and, sadly, you'll soon meet
Mr. Hyde.
- Mm.
- Then there's the "text-tationship," engaging in
an entire relationship via text.
Yes, people do that.
Don't do that.
And then "sidebar," when a man's more in love with his devices
than he is with you. Beware.
- What y'all over here talking 'bout?
- Girl, I'm just giving her the ins and outs on dating.
- Ooh, she need it, too. - Mm-hmm.
- And last but not least, the "Bergerac," like
Cyrano de Bergerac -- dating by committee?
- I don't get it. - Okay.
So, you know how these rappers hire their homies to ghost-write
raps for them?
We gonna ghost-write your text messages!
It'll still be you.
- That's better.
Four heads are better than one.
- And, also, I'm getting my whole life right --
- Oh, no, I can write my own messages.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
We have a match.
- Girl, your baby daddy!
- Look who it is.
- Oh, no!
He cannot know I'm using dating apps.
- They're ain't nothing wrong with it, though. -Say hi!
- How do I delete my profile? - No!
- Wait, wait, wait.
What did I just do?
- You did the best --
- You just swiped right on that ass!
Is that bad?
If it's bad, it was an acci-- - No, it's good, it's good.
- I didn't swipe right -- I palmed right.
- Same thing.
He calling. Hit answer.
Answer! Put it on speakerphone!
- No, no, no!
- Sexy voice, sexy voice.
- Hello, Corina?
- "Hey, Daddy."
- Hello?
Hello?
- Say hi.
- Hey, Mark.
- So, I just got this notification that we are a
perfect match.
Interesting.
- You know what?
I don't know who put my information on that site.
I don't do that.
Uh, I might be getting catfished or kidney-fished or flat-fished
or some type of fishin'.
- I figured.
So...tell you what.
Now that this catfish has stolen your identity, we need to get to
the bottom of this.
- Ooh, girl.
- Listen, put it on mute.
Girl, listen, tell him that you gonna come over after you had
some coffee.
Tell him to light a candle, to bring Henry.
Y'all -- - Why my fish got to be involved?
- Because you need an audience, girl.
Some people are into that.
- Push the tits up.
I know you ain't got much, but push 'em up.
You look right.
- So y'all got my number, and let's talk soon.
Oh, and don't worry, Corina.
I'll catch her.
Say, "Bye, Daddy."
"Bye, Daddy."
- Bye, Mark.
- Yeah!
- ¶ You goin' on a date ¶ ¶ You goin' on a date ¶
- So, I finished my notes on
the manuscripts, galleys, uncorrected proofs, and ARCs.
And it actually took a lot less time than I thought.
Well, um...
since my time is winding down here, I just...
- You'll be back.
This is just another one of your little phases, like the time you
went away to write your so-called book.
I told you then that you'd be back, and we see what happened.
You're back.
- No.
I came back because Mom was sick and you said you needed my help.
- I need your help now.
- Dad, I need to do this for me.
- Everything you do is for you.
- Are you kidding me?
Nothing I do is for me.
That's the problem.
- You know, the only consolation is, is that your
mama's not here to see you just leave me high and dry.
You know she wouldn't understand.
- You out of anybody should know how understanding Mom was.
- Now, what's that supposed to mean?
- Nothing.
- No, no, no, I want to know what you meant by that
little...statement.
Corina?
- It's just I saw you, okay?
- Saw me -- Saw me where?
- I saw you with her.
The woman?
The one that used to work for marketing, the one that would
always disappear when Mom would come to the office?
- I have no idea what you're referring to.
- It was a work night.
It was late.
You were in your car, and I just...
- Okay, okay, we're not discussing this anymore.
- Mom knew, didn't she?
That last argument before you went to the hospital, Mom knew.
- Okay, Corina, that's enough!
- Dad, she was sick!
Did you even care?!
- We're not doing this!
If you're lucky, you will learn about marriage, okay?
What goes on between a man and -- and his wife --
- And his mistress?
God, Dad.
When I was little, you were my hero.
Now I doubt that they even exist, and that scares me to
death!
- This is over with!
- Yeah, it's over!
You're right.
¶¶ ¶¶
- You did it. - Hey, I know I did.
I told you I wasn't shooting no blanks.
What?
- Hold on, hold on. - What?
Oh, yeah.
- Mickens residence.
- Let me talk to her.
- Wait, wait, gonna put you -- - She my friend.
I want to tell her the good news.
- Brad, Tam, it's Corina.
- Hey. Great news, great news.
Can you guess it, can you guess it?
- Why are you so -- - I'm excited, all right?
We pregnant!
- What?
- We pregnant, girl.
We literally just found out.
You have perfect timing.
- Wow.
I'm -- I'm happy for you guys.
- Thank you.
- I'm so excited.
- Aww! Love you!
- Let's put another in -- - Wait, wait, wait, I'm already
pregnant with your baby.
Corina, I'm sorry, I'm-a call you back, okay?
I think you're -- - This how you make twins.
That's how you make twins.
- So you said you were happy for them, and you really aren't?
- It's not that I'm not.
It just made me feel like I'm going nowhere.
- Love is a choice, Corina.
- I know.
I'm just not good at this dating thing.
I tried.
- "Do, or do not.
There is no try."
- Jesus?
- Yoda!
- Mm.
- Ooh, girl.
It's worse than I thought.
¶¶
- What's up, Terrence?
I'm on a serious deadline.
- Yeah, yeah. Got that.
Uh, Corina James...
I heard that you were going stag to your cousin's wedding this
weekend.
- Were you eavesdropping at my door again?
Didn't I tell you not to do that?
- What? No, no.
See, I was walking by your door, and I overheard you telling Ruby
that you were going alone, so I figured, "Why not let a brother
tag along?" - And why on God's plentiful
green Earth would I do that?
- Because God is good all the time, and all the time God is
good.
Damn, Corina.
Give a brother a chance.
Seriously, how long have I been in your ear?
- Too long. Way too long.
- Good point, but, like "Dolt 45" says, "What do you
have to lose, though?" - Okay, you know that logic
doesn't work on 94% of black women?
I'm in that number.
- Come on, Corina.
It's just one date, right?
I love weddings.
Okay.
I will give you one chance not to embarrass yourself or me.
- ¶ Yeah ¶ Sorry.
Yes.
But I promise you that I will be the best date you ever had.
Believe it.
- Yeah, that doesn't really work, either.
- Ladies and gentlemen!
Homies and homegirls, let's get
this party started!
- The masters.
- ¶ Ow! ¶ - ¶ Keep the light on ¶
- ¶ They're gettin' mad 'cause
I want it now ¶ ¶ We keep the light on, 'ey ¶
- ¶ The light on ¶ - ¶ We gettin' mad 'cause I
wasn't getting ¶ - ¶ Light on ¶
- ¶ Keep the light on ¶ ¶ 'Ey ¶
¶ We gettin' mad 'cause I wasn't gettin' ¶
- ¶ Light on ¶ - ¶ Keep the light on ¶
- ¶ We gettin' mad, gettin'
mad... ¶ - You know, we really don't
have to stay.
I'm usually long gone before all the shuffles and slides -- you
know, "Cupid," "Electric," cha-cha.
- Oh, girl, loosen up, alright?
The night's still young.
Here, drink this.
- No, no, no, I'm fine.
And don't you think maybe you should slow down a bit?
- What are you, my AA counselor?
- ¶ Don't lie ¶ - You have an AA counselor?
- Yeah, it's -- it's part of my probation -- trumped-up
drunk-and-disorderly charges.
- Okay.
How did human resources miss that?
- Proper vetting's a lost art.
- Don't I know. - Mm.
- ¶ She won't leave me alone ¶ - You want some cake?
Cake is great. I'm gonna get us some cake.
How 'bout that?
- Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'm gonna go to the bathroom, you know, go handle some things.
- ¶ Take your clothes off,
clothes off ¶ ¶ Got, got, got to, got to,
unh! ¶ ¶ Get it light on ¶
¶ Keep a light on ¶
- Your catfisher's profile never mentioned you had a sweet
tooth.
- Ha ha.
This is actually for someone else.
- Right. Uh, your...date.
Well, in that case...
I suggest you use two forks.
- I was actually going to get one.
Thank you.
What are you doing here,
Mark?
- Well, my cousin Bryan -- he's the deejay.
Small world, right?
- Tiny.
- Yeah. I, uh, helped him bring his equipment to the
reception...
and I stayed when I saw you.
I'm...
I'm happy that I saw you.
- Is he bothering you, Corina?
- I'm sorry?
- Is this clown in the monkey suit bothering you?
- Wow. I'm impressed.
It's not every day you get the double-barrel
clown-in-a-monkey-suit insult.
I have to shake your hand.
I'm Mark.
- "I'm Mark."
Yeah, well, I'm T-Weezy, brah, and Corina -- I'm Corina's date.
See, what you -- what you need to realize, "I'm Mark," is
when to back up, all right?
This right here -- this is my time, all right?
I've been waiting three years to defrost this ice queen.
- Excuse me?
- And tonight she's my property.
¿Comprende?
- All right.
- Mnh-mnh.
You need a mint and a clue.
I am not real estate.
- Oh, oh, hell, no, all right?
This ain't Blakeston Publishing.
Out here, I'm the man, Corina, all right?
Who you think you talking to?
- All right, look, I think it's time for you to check your tone,
Slick.
- Or what, Mark?
Okay. All right.
- Oh. Oh, no.
No, no. I'm sorry.
I just -- Let me just get -- - All right, look.
- Stop! Unh!
- Mnh. Here.
- Just -- - Excuse me.
I'm gonna save your ass.
- What? Ow!
I bruise easily, man! Come on!
- Damn it!
- ¶ Don't wanna miss that ¶
- ¶ I remember you ¶
¶¶ Aren't I a beauty?
- Yes. Yes.
- Thank you so much for the -- - Oh, you know what?
Don't even mention it.
And three words for you -- "you" "deserve" "better."
Well, this is definitely the drunkest wedding I have ever
been to.
- Yeah.
- I mean, even the bride and groom are lit.
- Yeah.
But that's love.
- Has to be.
- It's not tidy. - Nah.
- Not pretty.
- Oh, definitely not.
- Or politically correct.
- You got that right.
- But it's real.
We are looking at real, true, till-death-do-us-part love.
And I have no idea what that's about.
Uh, excuse me.
¶¶
- So, you swipe right...
but you don't call back...
and you just leave me...
just like that.
Rude.
I'm sorry.
It's just it's been a long day.
My feet hurt.
I'm ready to go home.
And I just realized I didn't drive.
Terrence did.
- Mm.
Well, lucky for you, you have a few options.
- Oh. I do?
- Oh, yeah.
Chivalry is not dead with me. - Okay.
- Option 1... - Uh-huh.
- ...you can wait in the car with T-Weezy while he sleeps it off.
Yeah, I, uh -- I couldn't let him drive home.
Option 2 -- you let me take you home and I come back and pick my
cousin up and his gear.
Or option 3, I call you an Uber.
What will it be?
- Let me think. Uh...
huh.
Uber.
- Well, then Uber it is.
- All right. - T-Weezy?
- T-Weezy.
- Huh.
- Yeah.
¶¶
- Well, the Uber should be here any minute.
- Thank you again, Mark.
Are you sure I never talked to you in college?
Yeah, I'm pretty sure.
Uh...I always took it you were too cool for me.
- No. Uh, no.
I guess I was just an idiot back then.
I'm sorry.
- Oh, you're sorry now?
What, you think that tired little "sorry's" gonna make up
for it?
Girl, you hurt me!
My life took an ugly turn in college.
- Well, if it's any consolation, so did mine.
- How so?
- I don't know.
It's like everybody thinks that I have it all together.
But most of the time, I have no idea what I'm doing.
Not weddings.
Weddings I'm great at.
Uh...my life, you know?
I have no idea what I'm doing with my life.
- Who does? I'm serious.
And if anyone else our age says otherwise, well, they're in
denial.
How's this?
I'm an accountant who hates crunching numbers.
What sense does that make?
- Not much.
- Feel better?
- Uh, no.
Actually, I just feel like we're both crazy.
Well, you got a point there.
Ah.
- Oh.
Uber Black. Impressive.
I owe you one.
- No, you owe me nothing.
Okay, fine. You can owe me once.
Let me take you to lunch or
something, or...
come to a dinner party at my friends' house on Tuesday.
- I don't know. I mean, groups?
- No, no, no. It's just...
those two and us.
Come on, Mark. Say yeah.
- How could I say no?
Let's get you home.
Terrence, I promise, I bought
mace this weekend just for you, and if you --
- Oh, okay.
So you macin' dudes now.
- Wait, wait.
What are you doing here?
I thought you were in Brazil.
- No, I got back on Saturday.
Now, I heard that you have been finally planning on leaving this
place after several false starts.
- Ha, ha.
- You know you're killing the old man, right?
- Oh, he's too old and bitter to die.
- He's threatening to write you out of the will.
- The day I resigned, he told me he was never in it.
- Ooh. That's crass...
- Yeah.
- ...even for Dad.
So...what's the plan?
You gonna bum around the Caribbean?
- Me and whose trust fund?
- You're right.
- No, that's you, bro.
I am actually going to finish writing my first novel.
- Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Write?
Dad said that you were gonna be a fact-checker for the
Sun-Times.
- Copy editor for the Tribune, and why are you asking me
questions if you think you already know the answer?
- Conditioned behavior.
- Mm.
- So, wait. Back up. Back up.
Tell me more about this writing thing.
So, after Dad and I's last
argument about me leaving, um...
I don't know. I realized...
I still wasn't choosing me or what I wanted to do.
So I decided to take a year off and finally finish writing my
first novel.
Yeah.
Writing's my passion.
That's what I really want to do.
- Hmm.
You okay?
- I don't know. I just...
I've been thinking about her a lot lately.
Why do you think she married Dad?
Temporary insanity?
- No, no, no. I'm serious.
- I don't know.
I think maybe she loved him.
- Everybody acts as if that's magic or something.
I think she picked wrong.
And, I mean, is that genetic, you know -- the inability to
pick the right person?
- No, it's not genetic!
Why? What -- What -- What are you worried about?
You ain't getting married.
- Why would you say that?
- Well, 'cause you said it to me once.
- No, I didn't.
- Yeah, you did. I remember it.
You had broke up with some knucklehead, and you was like,
"I am never walking down the aisle."
And, so far, you've been acting like you meant it.
- Corina, all of your focus has been on work and other people.
But, sis, remember, you matter, too.
The book you're writing matters.
And you can do it.
You can do anything you put your mind to -- anything.
Remember that.
- Thank you for saying that.
Hey. Hey. Ha! Ah!
- Ah!
- Hey. Upstairs to the left.
Behave.
Yes. Thank you. It's new.
- I figured you were a tulip person.
- Hi.
Thank you.
They're beautiful.
- Yeah.
- Come in.
- Uh...it's nice.
- You think?
- And you have a fish.
- Yes.
This is Mr. Henry.
Mr. Henry, meet Mark.
- Ooh. You know I'd shake his hand, but he and I just met, and
I like to take things slow.
- Oh, that's a smart move.
He's a prude.
- It's beautiful.
- Thanks. Tam took it.
That's my mom -- Corrine James.
- Right -- the last name.
- I changed it after she died.
I just thought it would make me feel closer to her, you know?
- Hmm.
- We better get going.
They're expecting us at 7:00 sharp.
It's -- It's our ritual.
Come on.
- Okay. "Pompomsity."
There it is -- "pompomsity."
"Pompomsity's" a word.
- That's not a -- What does it mean, Brad?
- It -- - Self-important cheerleaders?
- Okay.
No, okay.
'Cause of the "pompom."
I see what you're saying. Mm.
Let me take that -- - Actually, that's a "W."
- Is it a "W"?
Why are you selling me out, bae?
You're supposed to be on my side.
- My husband, the idiot.
- Okay. Well, look.
It's still a triple word score.
Add it up. Damn!
- Corina, do you want to help me in the kitchen?
- Oh, I'm okay.
- I got you, bae.
- Brad, you can sit down.
Corina can help me.
- Okay.
We don't need the violence, Tam.
- What, is it that obvious?
- "Corina, help me in the kitchen!
Wink, wink!" What was that?
- I couldn't wait.
Corina!
- I know, I know, I know.
- Really, he is articulate.
- Mm-hmm.
- He is...educated.
Has a sense of humor. He's fine.
He's got butter pecan skin.
- And he's pretty sure you two are in here talking about him.
I'm just here under the guise of getting more water to find out
for sure.
- What do you think, Brad?
- Oh. I mean, I think you guys are kind of the gossipy sort,
so, yeah, you probably are in here talking about him.
- She's talking about Mark.
- Oh, oh, Mark?! Mark?!
- Shh!
Yeah, Mark -- he's cool people.
- He better than cool.
- Girl, he fine!
- He fine! Mmm!
- Okay.
- You fine, too, though.
- Thank you, dear.
- Go ahead.
Go back in there with him.
Give him that -- Yes.
- Okay.
You might be doing too much.
- Wow, um...
I mean, you look beautiful.
- Thank you.
That's one of the only bridesmaid's dresses I've worn
again.
- Oh, so what'd you do with the other 30 or so?
- Behave.
- What? I mean, she is in a lot of weddings, right, babe? What?
- Well, I find it admirable that she stands up for so many
of her friends.
- Thank you.
- Game, Corina.
Game recognize game.
- Hey, don't hate the player.
Hate the game, right?
- There it is.
This guy, okay!
- But seriously, you know, I
can't wait to see you in your own white dress.
- How do you know you're gonna be there to see it?
- Well, even if I have to crash it, I'll be there.
- He talkin' a B&E?
- Mark, here are the leftovers you asked for.
- Yes, and thank you. - Thank you.
You are more than welcome to come back. - Yeah.
- Such a pleasure meeting you.
I'm gonna hit the kitchen.
- Yes. Bye, Tam.
- Bye.
- Brown-noser.
- What? I happen to like Tam's macaroni surprise.
- Well, that's only because the surprise hasn't materialized
yet.
Good luck.
Corina, lock up for me, will you?
- I got you.
- You know, this was a lot of fun.
- Yeah.
- We should definitely do this again.
- And? What was your answer?
- I didn't say no.
But I didn't say yes.
- Oh, come on!
- Girl, I'm sick of you.
- What is wrong with that?
- Because you're not negotiating a book deal.
He's requesting a date.
Take that man. He likes you.
What's wrong?
You don't think he likes you?
- Yeah, I do, but...
what if I'm wrong?
I don't want to come across as hard up and starved for affection.
- But you are hard up and starved for affection!
Corina, you are kind, nurturing, altruistic.
- Yes! Big words!
Hit her with the big words!
- But you are running like you always do when it comes to love.
- Yep. Like a sucker.
- It's all complicated for all of us, but you have to just jump
in.
And Mark -- he's a great, luscious, sexy...
- Ooh!
- Okay, okay, okay. Okay.
I know y'all mean well, but I got this.
No, I don't got this.
- Corina, you seem to be in the midst of a personal evolution,
and every worthy evolution is born of necessity.
The need to change, the desire to grow.
But you're in a battle, a battle between faith and fear, the yin
and the yang, the light and the dark, and you haven't decided
which one is gonna win.
So what I am trying to say is don't let past hurts cripple
your future -- your past hurts or another's.
- But what if the past is all you see?
My ex, my mom, my father.
It's -- It's all pain.
And then there's Mark.
It's like...
It's like he's too perfect.
And that scares me.
He scares me.
- What's wrong with being scared?
Scared just means you're facing something that could change your
life, and that's a good thing.
When I first met my husband, I was terrified, but then I
remembered that the Bible says that perfect love casts out
fear.
Corina, you can either open your heart and -- and risk
heartbreak, or you can close it off and risk loneliness.
It's a risk either way.
But one has a greater reward.
Choices, Corina.
Always choices.
¶¶ - Hey, stranger.
- Uh...
- Janelle told me you lived here.
- Is that girl a bounty hunter?
I mean, if not, then she definitely missed her calling.
- So...how are you?
What have you been up to the last couple of days?
The weather's nice.
Yeah. Right.
I should stop babbling and explain myself.
- Yeah.
Why are you here, Corina?
And, please, don't -- don't say, "It's not you, it's me."
- But it isn't you.
It's all me.
- Okay. You do realize that that's what people say at the
end of a relationship, not the start?
- Wait a minute. You -- You see a relationship in our
future?
- Well, if I didn't see one, I wouldn't be standing here right
now.
- Coffee?
- I'm a little overdressed.
- I'll wait.
- Okay. So you got me out of my place.
So what do you say we jump to the juicy part where we lay it
all on the table?
- Okay.
I'm game.
I'll go first.
In my last relationship, I felt we moved too fast.
He lied -- a lot -- and, um...
it ended badly.
And I don't want that to happen again.
- Okay. So we won't let it.
We'll start fresh.
We'll take our time -- see where things go.
Total, complete honestly starting...
now.
So, what's on your mind?
Hey, hey, no.
Don't think about it.
Just say it.
- Okay. Um...
I want to show you something.
It's the Tribune Tower.
- Yeah.
I was supposed to start work there a few weeks ago.
- Mm.
And why haven't you started?
- Because, instead...
I started writing my first novel.
Yeah. This is it.
It's only the beginning, but...
yeah. - Okay. Wait, wait.
Is -- Is this the next great American novel?
I mean, are you the voice of our generation?
- Uh, not our entire generation.
But it is my voice.
- Well, can I read it?
- No. First of all, I can't watch you read this.
And...
I don't know. I just -- Who said I could be a writer?
I mean, who would think that?
- I mean, to be honest, I-I always thought you were gonna be a writer.
I mean, I remember seeing you over at Hampton at the
waterfront, writing in your little notebook.
It was -- It was cute.
You saw me writing out there?
- Um...right.
Well, what I mean is that, um, you know, I no-- I noticed you
and you -- you seemed happy.
Um, all I'm saying is that I'm glad you
continued writing, and I am -- I'm really excited to finally
read your thoughts.
Wow.
Who can say no to that?
¶¶ - Okay.
- Hmm.
Uh...
Oh. Hmm.
Hmm.
- Hmm.
¶¶
- So?
- Well,...
it's good.
You don't have to lie to me.
- Hey, hey, hey. No.
Complete honestly, remember?
Total, 100% truth serum.
Corina, it's good.
- I want to take you somewhere else.
¶¶ - Lead the way.
Tell me more about your mom.
- She was smart, patient, amazingly talented.
Yet she was somehow stuck in a marriage with a man that...
Let's just say my father isn't the easiest person to live with.
- Hmm.
Must have been hard for her.
- I don't know what it is, but the people in my family, when
they get married, they stay married.
No matter what, no matter how hard.
I wonder if I have that in me.
- Well, is that why you never got married?
- Yeah, that's why I'm a spinster.
- Okay, well, first of all, no one said you were a spinster.
And who even uses that word anymore?
'Cause you know I didn't mean it like that.
- Do you believe in love?
- I believe in the possibility of it -- you know, that it's out
there for everyone.
- Oh.
So, you think everyone finds it?
- No. Some people think they want it,
but...they don't.
- Mm. Well, I really don't think it should be hard --
you know, love.
I think we make it more complicated than it has to be.
- Yeah, well, you're probably right.
But...until people start trusting one another --
- Until people start being more trustworthy.
- Who hurt you?
- Ah. Somebody got more jokes.
- Who's joking?
I'm seriously trying to find out who jacked you up.
You coming?
¶¶ - ¶ Give it to me ¶
¶ Give it to me ¶ ¶ Give it to me ¶
- One order for the Jimmy's ghost pepper links for two!
- Oh, thank you.
Oh, um, by the way, Corina, Ronnie, Ronnie, Corina.
- Nice to meet you.
And, uh, yeah, you can put this whole order in front of me.
Thank you.
- Ooh, girl. Are you sure?
- Yeah, I'm sure.
- Okay. Protect her, Lord.
¶¶ - Amen.
- Hey, uh, Corina, listen, Ronnie was not joking about that
hot sauce, so if you're a lightweight, you might want to
focus on the fries.
- Ain't nothin' lightweight about me, okay?
I got this.
- Okay.
Yeah.
Mnh. Mnh-mnh-mnh. Mnh.
Girl, eat the bread.
- Thank you.
- Eat the bread.
- Thank you, Ronnie.
- Whew! Tasty.
Shut up.
Um...all right, Mark.
It's your turn.
- My turn?
Oh, you mean to be in the hot seat?
- Yes, the hot seat.
Okay. So, tell me...
what's the deal?
You seem like a decent enough guy.
- Oh, wow.
The flattery is overwhelming.
- No, no. You know what I mean.
You're a good guy.
Why haven't you been snatched up yet?
- Actually, you're talking to a man that was once engaged,
- So you almost made it to the promised land.
What happened?
- Well, she called it off two months before the date.
- What did you do?
- Whoa! How is it always the man's fault?
- Another girl?
- No. I'm a one-woman guy.
- You got cold feet and she could tell.
- No. When I make my mind, it's made.
I was down. She wasn't.
- Okay. So chivalry is dead.
- Well, so is stupidity.
Her and I dated for three years.
If it was meant to be, it would have been.
I'm a firm believer in what's meant to be will be.
- Every foot has a sock.
- That part.
Anyway, she's now married
with a 2-year-old and another on the way any day now.
- So, you still talk to her?
- Well, yeah, of course.
- And what about your dreams?
You told me that you're an accountant who hates numbers.
- I-I do not hate numbers.
I hate crunching them.
But I do have a plan, though.
In 10 years, I will have saved enough money to start my own
renewable-fuel company.
- Details, please.
- Well, all around the world, we have junk and nowhere for it
to go.
But instead of making more landfills, we could be fueling
the planet with what we're throwing away.
- You believe in turning trash into treasure.
- I believe in seeing the potential in things that others
would be too blind to notice.
Well, Miss Corina, I really had a good time, but...
I got to get going so I can reschedule the appointments that
I missed today.
- You think you'll get in trouble?
- Oh, I'm definitely fired.
But it was worth it.
Life's about choices, right?
What?
- Nothing.
You just reminded me of something.
- Oh.
- Well, if you are fired, you can just spend your days
watching me write the novel no one is clamoring for.
- Uh, tempting.
What's the dinner plan like?
So...
So?
- So...
kiss me.
¶¶ - What?
- I want you...
to kiss me.
Okay. So, what, are we in the,
uh, habit of just asking for kisses now?
- Not usually.
But, um, I'm feeling a little brave today.
- Oh.
- Lucky, even.
- Lucky?
- Yeah.
I'm feeling like I might actually get what I want.
- And what exactly is that that you want?
- For you to kiss me.
- Well...
you know, I think...
I can oblige.
¶¶ ¶¶
Bye.
¶¶ Corina?
Take your ass up to that room.
Yeah?
- Yeah. Thank you -- Uh, good-bye.
¶¶ It was so...
so...
- Stimulating.
- Tam!
- What?
You're the one dripping black girl magic all over my counter.
- I am, ain't I?
- You are.
You think he's the one?
- What does that mean, hmm?
"The one" -- what is that?
- Does he give you butterflies?
¶ Inside, inside ¶
- Yeah, yeah.
- I know he does.
You're about to moonwalk all across my counter.
- However, I haven't had a kiss in -- I don't want to admit
how long.
- Okay. Does he make you laugh?
- Yeah.
But he's a fool.
Everybody laughs at fools.
- Girl, what are you afraid of?
Seriously.
That he's the one and I am two
seconds from blowing this.
- Sis, you're not gonna blow it.
- Yes, I am.
- You're not.
Just let it flow naturally.
And have fun.
- ¶ If I stopped time ¶ - And have faith.
And, plus, you cute, you poppin', and your booty fat.
- Ah, ah!
- Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah.
- ¶ You and me, we go
together ¶ - ¶ Go together ¶
- ¶ Best friends till the end ¶ ¶ Yeah, you're the D to my NA ¶
- ¶ D to my NA ¶ - ¶ You're always up in me ¶
¶ Hey, even when you're not near me ¶
¶ I can't eat, breathe without you ¶
¶ I can't be this good without you ¶
¶ From your head down to your spine, you're all mine ¶
¶ Drip from my lips, splash right there when you smile ¶
¶ If I stopped time, we'd be here awhile ¶
- ¶ While ¶ ¶ Oh, awhile ¶
- ¶ Hey, let's go ¶ - ¶ Really fine ¶
¶ Stop time ¶ - ¶ Stop time ¶
- ¶ If I stopped time ¶ - ¶ We'd be here a damn long
while, a long while ¶ - ¶ If I stopped time ¶
- ¶ Happy birthday to me ¶
¶ Happy birthday to me ¶ - Ooh.
- ¶ Happy birthday ¶
So, what's my surprise?
- Well, it's definitely not a recording contract.
- You's a hater. I sound good.
- No, I'm a hater, but I am a cute hater, right?
- Yeah, you are a cute hater.
- Can we sit?
- Why are you so serious?
- This is serious.
- Okay.
Corina, um...
I love you.
- Mark...I love you.
- I'm serious.
- Should I be worried?
Did somebody die or something?
- No, no, no.
Everyone's alive.
It's just, Corina, um...
Well, you see...
Ohh.
- Yes, Mark?
Corina, I love you.
And I cannot see myself with anybody else but you.
So...
will you please be my wife?
¶¶ Snatch me up?
¶¶ Corina?
C-Corina?
Corina, breathe.
Breathe.
You okay? Water?
Water. It's okay.
Okay. Keep breathing.
Keep breathing.
All right.
Here you go. Here you go.
Take it easy. Take it easy.
There you go. Take a sip.
Easy, easy.
Better?
- Why would you ask me that?
- What?
Wait. Wait.
Are -- Are you saying you don't want to marry me?
- Why do you want to marry me?
I mean, it's -- it's only been eight months, Mark.
It's too soon.
Plus...
I am indecisive.
I'm neurotic.
I've got family baggage that could fill O'Hare. - Stop.
- What are -- - Hey.
Corina, you are beautiful.
You're caring. You're goofy.
You're so, so smart.
I mean, you encourage me to be better.
Hell, you make me better.
These eight months have been the
best eight months of my life.
You inspire me.
Hell, you challenge me.
You -- You make me laugh.
When I first saw you 10 years
ago, a voice in my head told me to step to you.
And like the idiot I am, I didn't.
But that same voice has told me
that you're the one for me right now.
We both know life is hard.
But you make it so much better.
And that's why I want to marry you.
Hmm?
- I can't.
¶¶ I can't do this with you.
You don't really know me.
I'm a mess.
You'll end up hating me, or you'll cheat on me.
Then I'll end up hating you.
- Wow.
You know, I really thought that we were past all of this.
But I get it.
You refuse to be happy, to even consider the
possibilities.
That's your issue, Corina.
It's not your past.
It's -- It's not your parents.
It's you.
You choose to be unhappy, and that -- that's a flaw.
- That's what I'm saying!
God.
I'm flawed, Mark.
Why do you want to be with somebody that's flawed?
- Because I love someone that's flawed.
And when you love someone, you just want to be with them,
flaws and all.
¶¶ - I wish I could believe you.
But you don't know me, Mark.
It's just, if I -- - Stop.
Just stop.
I get it.
- ¶ It's gonna be the ¶ - You said no.
- ¶ Hardest ¶ - This is stupid.
I made a mistake.
- Mark, I love you. Don't -- - Yo, is this a joke?!
You love me?
- ¶ It's gonna be the ¶ - Corina, love is a commitment.
It's a connection, and -- and you don't connect or commit to
anything or anyone.
Hell, you have a pet that you can't even touch.
- ¶ Why do you go when I'm still in love with you? ¶
- Corina, that's not an accident.
That's by design.
- ¶ Hardest ¶ ¶ Hardest ¶
¶ Thing I ever ¶ ¶ Thing I ever had to do ¶
¶ This gonna be the ¶
¶ Hardest ¶
- ¶ Hardest ¶ ¶ Thing I ever ¶
¶ Thing I ever had to do ¶ ¶ Letting you go when I'm still
in love with you ¶ ¶ This gonna be the ¶
- Okay, wow.
Oh, word?
That's wild.
Okay, see you soon, bye.
Uh, babe -- - No, you don't even have to
tell me.
So let me get this straight -- she broke up with Mark two weeks
ago, and when she finally returns our calls, it's about a
funeral for her dead fish?
- Yeah, apparently he's been in the freezer, and now she thinks
it's time.
- Her grief is misplaced.
- You think?
Lord, we ask that you watch over our, uh, dearly beloved fish
friend.
Sorry.
- Continue, Brad.
- Um, Henry was a good fish.
Uh, a loyal fish.
- Mm-hmm.
- A strong fish.
Well, not strong enough, but just a good, good...
good fish.
And, uh, he will be missed.
Amen?
So, should we, uh, deposit
him now, or...
No, let me.
- Of course.
- Good-bye, little buddy.
¶¶
- ¶ Ooh, ooh ¶ - Should we get the tacos for
lunch? - I mean, why not, you know?
- I figure...
- Might as well turn it up.
- Give me another.
And, no, this does not mean you're forgiven.
Lisbeth.
- Lisbeth.
- Hey, you sure you don't want this thing?
- No. I am done with fish.
Well, it'll be nice for the nursery, right, Brad?
- Yeah.
So, what are you gonna get to keep you company now?
- I am done with pets, too.
- Oh. Quitter.
- Procreator.
- That's fair.
That's about right. Yep.
- "Lisbeth" -- it is the derivative of "Elizabeth," and
it means "consecrated to God."
Hey.
- Ooh. That's sweet.
- Oh, you like that?
- Brad, I love it.
- Yeah? - Mushy is not allowed.
I am in mourning.
- Okay.
- Sorry.
Try "Joan."
Ohh.
- It means "God is gracious."
- Uh...
- You love it?
- Mnh.
- Hate it?
- Corina.
- Uh, Brad?
- Hmm?
Oh! Hey.
Tam, is it time?
- I don't know.
- Okay, okay, okay.
What do I need to do?
D-D-Do we need hot water?
Do we need fresh towels?
Oh, my God, I didn't do laundry.
- We're not gonna have the baby here, Corina.
- I got to go.
- No, we can -- we can make it to the hospital.
All right, here.
Hey, take this card. - Okay.
- Call the doctor.
Let her know that I'm taking Tam home, and I-I'll call her when
the contractions are five minutes apart, okay?
- Check. Check.
- Okay.
- I mean, I-I-I got it.
Hey, hey, call me when you're on your way to the hospital.
- Okay.
¶¶
- Paging Dr. Mezure.
Paging Dr. Mezure.
- Hey.
- How much longer?
- Uh, not long.
They're giving her the epidural now.
- I knew she would punk out.
- Dr. Flores, dial...
You nervous?
I'm terrified.
I threw up.
And I shit myself.
Twice.
- Oh, gosh!
- Sympathy pain is real.
- I believe you.
I believe you.
Mm.
- What is it about the big things that stop you in your tracks?
- You're asking the wrong person.
- How you holding up?
- You know, I heard if you try really hard, you can almost
trick yourself into believing your life doesn't really suck.
I think the clinical term is
"denial."
- Oh. - Yeah.
- Is it working? - No.
No.
But, you know, that might be because I haven't mastered it yet.
- Mm.
- How did I blow it, Brad?
- By punking out.
I seen you do that in high school, too.
- Shut up.
- It is a shame, though.
You would have made a beautiful bride.
- Go in there and go help your lovely wife...
...with this horrible ordeal
you got her into.
- I did do that, didn't I?
- Yes, you did.
- Uh, heads-up -- I think you have company coming.
Hey, remember...
you're bigger than your fears.
¶¶
- Dr. Valentino to the O.R., please.
- Hi.
Uh, Brad called to tell me that it was time.
- Yeah. Uh, any minute now.
- Listen, if this is too awkward, I can always come back.
- No, no, no.
How are you?
Cool.
Um, I'm up for a job in Cleveland.
It's kind of a major promotion.
- Wait.
Cleveland's a promotion?
- Yeah.
Geographically, maybe not, but...travel-wise, it is.
- I miss you.
- So, it's a girl, huh?
Yeah, um...
Lisbeth is the name of choice.
I was rooting for Corina myself, but...
- Hmm.
I've always liked Lolonyo.
It's African for -- for "love is beautiful."
- That's...a beautiful name.
- Um...
I heard your fish died, huh?
- He did.
- I'm sorry.
- So am I.
- You know, um...
I'm gonna leave this here for the baby.
Just tell Tam and Brad I said congratulations, will you?
¶¶ ¶¶
I'm gonna go.
¶¶ ¶¶
- Hello?
- Hey.
Sandy, it's Mark. Um...
Actually, you know what?
I'm sorry. Were you asleep?
- No. No, I'm up.
How are you?
- Uh...I'm good.
I just...
Listen, can I ask you something?
- Okay. Shoot.
- Why'd you call off the wedding, Sand?
- Mark, you know why.
We were too young.
- That's the politically correct version.
What's the real?
Listen, I-I can handle it.
Seriously. It's okay.
- I didn't think that we had found "it."
I thought we were really close, but...
- But I wasn't the one for you.
- Mark, you are the right one for anybody.
I just didn't think I was the one for you.
There's somebody out there who will finish your sentences, who
will make you laugh for no reason, who you won't be able to
imagine living without.
She should be your wife.
I wasn't her.
Are you still there?
- Yeah. Yeah.
Thanks.
- Whatever it is, want to talk about it?
- No. No, I'm good.
Hey, uh...tell Danny I said hey, okay?
- I will.
Take care.
¶¶ ¶¶
- Come on, Corina.
- So?
- Hold on.
Just give me a second.
Hmm.
- You hate it, don't you?
- This is...
really, really good, sis.
- I'm sorry, I'm just not used to hearing positive
reinforcement from someone named Carl, so...
- Oh, it's like that? Okay.
- Yeah. - Okay.
- How is it working with dad again?
- Oh, the old man is so desperate that he's almost
acting human.
- You still hate it, though, right?
- Actually, it's the opposite.
- What?
- Yeah, I'm thinking about setting down roots at
Blakeston Publishing.
He gave me the option to acquire new manuscripts, so I have the
ability to sign new talent deals.
- Are you kidding?
- No, I'm not.
You know who I have in mind first?
- No idea.
- You.
- Carl.
- Now, you tell me this -- how often do you get to stick it to
your old man and make your sister's dreams come true
simultaneously.
- Aw, man!
- Come on, all right.
I did good? I did good?
I did good.
All right, get off of me.
- That was beautiful.
Thank you.
¶¶ Oh, my.
- Which one of you freaks gave Marissa that?
- You know it was you.
- Guilty! Ain't nothing wrong with getting
a little buck-wild in the wedding bed, okay?
That's undefiled, Marissa.
Ugambo about to take that ass straight back to Wakanda!
- There you go.
Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
- Thank you.
- Put 'em on right here.
Put your hands up in the air and go just like ride...
- ...my dear friend Corina has thrown for me...
¶¶ - Aww, someone has finally
fallen asleep.
- Yeah. She's so tiny.
I can't believe we were this tiny.
- I can't believe I have a human...
- Yes.
- ...that came out of my body.
- She looks just like you.
Thank God.
- How are you doing?
Did you get to say good-bye?
- What are you talking about?
- To Mark.
Did you get to say good-bye?
Yeah.
- What are you talking about, Tam?
- The promotion in Cleveland.
He leaves tomorrow.
He said he told you.
- Yeah, he told me that he was up for the promotion, but he --
he never said he took it.
- Oh, well, he accepted it last week, and he called me and Brad
to say good-bye.
- So, he's leaving?
- Yeah.
What are you gonna do about
it?
- I guess it's better to have loved and lost than to never
have loved at all.
- Oh, no, it's better to have loved and kept.
- You think I should call him?
- I'm saying that when you ask God for something, you need to
be ready and willing to receive it.
- Jesus?
- Iyanla!
She can fix your life.
I mean, God can do it better, but Iyanla got stuff, too.
- One more, bro.
- Oh, yo, yo, yo, be careful with that box.
That's my mom's old DeBarge albums.
Be sure to put that on the floor in the front.
- Come on, bro.
You know I respect all vinyl, but where are my feet supposed
to go?
- Anywhere but on that box.
- You should listen to him.
He's pretty smart.
- Corina, what are you doing here?
Uh, Corina, this is my
cousin, Bryan.
Bryan, this is my...
This is Corina.
- Wow.
The runaway bride in the flesh.
- Can we have a minute alone?
Sorry about that.
- Yeah, uh...
I deserve that...I think.
Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?
- I told you I might.
- I didn't think you were serious.
Who's serious about moving to Cleveland?
I thought you would have told me when you made the decision.
- Why would I do that?
- Right. That -- That would make you a glutton
for punishment.
So, why are you here, Corina?
- I wanted to tell you that I got a new pet.
It's a hamster.
His name is Smudge.
See, he has this -- this all black fur and --
I wanted to say that I heard you.
I heard what you said.
You know, the thing about me not connecting, the love thing.
I just -- - Corina --
- No, wait. Listen.
Listen.
I -- I'm learning now.
I pick him -- Smudge.
I pick him up. I hold him.
Lisbeth, too.
I am learning how to connect, and I --
- Listen, I'm -- I am happy for you.
Truly, I am.
But I can't do this anymore.
- But, Mark...
I am trying to say -- - I get it. I get it.
You're sorry, and I'm sorry, too --
- No!
I am trying to say that I love you.
And I get it now.
- The funny thing is, I love you, too.
But it's not enough.
You taught me that.
- I was wrong.
It is enough.
- It isn't.
Fear is bigger.
¶¶ - Who's afraid now?
¶¶
Take care of yourself, Corina.
¶¶ ¶¶
- So, that's Corina.
- Yep.
- She sorry?
- Yep.
- Too late?
- Yeah.
- Are you sure?
- Why do you ask that?
- Come on, bro.
It's not like you got the greatest track record when it
comes to fighting for women...
even when you love them.
Uh, can we go?
- Yeah.
Yeah, we can go.
- Let's do it.
¶¶
- Nice dress.
¶¶ You look incredible.
I have a question I got to ask
you, and it's a really important one.
Corina, will you not marry me?
- Yes, I will -- Wait. What?
- I said, will you not marry me?
- I don't understand.
- Will you not marry me...
until you are sure that I love you, flaws and all, and that it
will never change?
Will you promise not to make a commitment to me until you trust
that I will protect, love, and honor you until I die?
Promise not to make a commitment until you know in your heart
that I am the one and the only one for you.
But most importantly, will you promise not to marry me until I
have proven to you that I will love you through any hard times
and any problem that we face in our future or damaged sustained
from your past?
¶¶ Corina Blakeston James...
will you promise not to marry me until then?
- Yes.
I will not marry you until then.
¶¶ Wait, wait, wait.
What happened to Cleveland?
- I got nostalgic for park swings and you.
- Kiss me.
- Absolutely.
¶¶ ¶¶
- ¶ It's just the little things ¶
- Hi.
- Oh, my Lord.
You look the spitting image of your mother.
- Ah. - You're so -- so beautiful.
- Thank you.
- ¶ And whether we're... ¶ - I feel like she is right here.
- Oh, she's here.
- Yeah. - She's here.
- ¶ There's something... ¶ - Corina...
I-I want to thank you for allowing me to be a part of
this.
And I -- I'm -- I'm so honored that you --
you asked me to walk down the aisle.
- Thank you for saying yes.
- ¶ Or convince me otherwise ¶ - Oh, Dad.
We have been through a lot of loss and pain as a family.
- ¶ I know we'll make it through ¶
- But through -- through the prayers and the tears and lots
of therapy...
I have learned a lot.
I have learned that we have a choice...
that we can choose love.
- ¶ 'Cause every... ¶ - I have learned that I can
choose a happy ending.
- ¶ I'm glad we... ¶ - I choose
that with you, Dad.
I choose to forgive,
and I want you there.
- Yes.
- Thank you.
Thank you for being in this part of my life.
Now let's do this.
Yeah?
I love you.
- ¶ I'm sure it's you ¶ ¶ You've been standing here
without anything ¶ - Good morning. Hi.
- ¶ I see every moment's led me right to you ¶
- Yes!
- ¶ But when the cares of life make it hard to be me ¶
¶ I'll remember you were meant to be ¶
¶ The one to set me free ¶ ¶ And I'm sure it's you ¶
¶ Yeah, yeah ¶ ¶ I'm sure it's you ¶
¶ No one can ever change my mind ¶
¶ Or convince me otherwise ¶ ¶ My heart belongs to you ¶
¶ I know we'll make it through ¶ ¶ I'm sure it's you, yeah ¶
¶ That's why I'm gonna say I do ¶
¶ I'm sure it's you ¶
- Ah, thank you, Deacon Matthew.
All right, for the first time anywhere, I present to you
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Randall!
- ¶ So today ¶
- ¶ I give my hand to you ¶ - ¶ And I hope ¶
- ¶ That all our dreams come true ¶
- ¶ Oh, I love, love, love you ¶
- ¶ I do ¶ ¶ I do ¶
- ¶ Ocean blue pants, white collar, blue cufflinks ¶
¶ Wearing blue shoes ¶ ¶ Was the man I fell so deep in
love with ¶
¶¶ - That's right.
¶ Love this good shouldn't be denied ¶
¶ When I see you, it always makes me all right ¶
¶ That feeling that puts me in the sky, yeah ¶
¶ Is so high, it seems I'll never get all right ¶
- Okay, you just want to have some good follow-through with
that, you know.
I've been here before.
Just take my word for doing it --
- Shh!
- Okay.
- ¶ You don't have to worry, girl, it's all mine ¶
- Aah!
Aah!
- ¶ Baby girl, I got it, want it all for life ¶
- ¶ All for life ¶ - ¶ All for life, for life ¶
- Excuse me.
Get out of my way.
This is my moment.
- Aah!
- Move, bitch!
Thank you, God.
- Ladies and gentlemen, can we toast the beautiful bride and
the groom?
- To Corina and Mark!
- ¶ It's good, baby ¶ ¶ I know, I know, I know ¶
¶ I know, I know, I know ¶
- ¶ I got to be yours ¶ - ¶ Ooh, I ¶
¶ Don't you know that it's good, baby? ¶
¶ I'll be good to you ¶ ¶ Your ex will be so easy to get
over ¶ ¶ And I'll be sitting right here
next to you ¶ ¶ Get high on me, you'll never
have to be sober ¶ ¶ Just tell me where
you want to go ¶ ¶ It's fine now ¶
- ¶ Fine now ¶ - ¶ You don't have to worry,
girl, it's all of mine ¶