NELLA: Previously, on The Other Black Girl...
It's about the ending, isn't it?
Of Burning Heart?
DIANA: Kenny was livid and so was I.
- Isn't that why we should publish the original ending?
- Let's do it.
- Hazel. - I have this charity that tutors kids.
It's called Young, Black, and Lit.
- You thought that Ruby was the dumbest person ya ever met
and then ya dated her for three months. - And then we broke up.
Why are you bringin' up old shit?
- I never lived in no Boston. Okay, my girl never lived in Boston.
- Who is Shani?
- I told you about her, Nella.
The one who hated me.
- ...something-- - You have done enough.
You should've left me alone.
[handcuffs rattling]
♪ Sweet Love by Anita Baker playing ♪
♪ With all my heart, I love you, baby ♪
♪ Stay with me and you will see ♪
♪ My arms ♪
♪ Will hold you, baby ♪
♪ Never leave, 'cause I believe ♪
♪ I'm in love ♪
♪ Sweet love ♪
♪ Hear me callin' out your name ♪
♪ I feel no shame ♪
♪ I'm in love ♪
♪ theme music playing ♪
[elevator chimes]
♪ unsettling music playing ♪
- Hey, Nell.
We're all super excited for you to lead the marketing meeting this morning.
- Yeah, thanks.
Can't believe I get a seat at the table, you know, like, literally.
- [giggles] Totally.
Um, and about what happened yesterday,
uh, with you and Hazel, no one is talking about it.
- You're talking about it right now.
- Okay, so people are talking about it, but they're--
- Yeah. Thanks, Sophie.
Hi.
- Hi. - I just--
So, targeting our brand partnerships specifically
to Black-owned restaurants, hair salons, churches,
can help ensure that the rerelease is a cultural event.
[tepid clapping]
[Richard claps loudly, others follow]
RICHARD: Thank you, Nella.
Flawless presentation.
The hell do I pay the rest of you for?
[forced laughter] - Oh, um, sorry. There's just--
There's one more thing.
In the spirit of celebrating Burning Heart's cultural impact,
I was thinking that we could partner with a local literacy charity,
specifically,
Young, Black, & Lit.
They partner with schools
and they're doing incredible work around the city,
and we could donate the first hundred copies of the rerelease,
and make a huge pledge,
a... percentage of the proceeds.
- A percentage?
NELLA: Emphasizing Wagner's new focus on the future.
Burning Heart made me fall in love with books
and I would love to give that to the next generation.
- That is brilliant.
- [softly] Oh, thank God.
I mean... it's all thanks to Hazel.
It's her charity.
- Well, thank you, Hazel. Fantastic idea.
Gonna cost me that second boat, but I've always hated the water.
[co-workers chuckling]
[quiet chatter]
NELLA: Thank you.
[clears throat]
- Uh,
that was, um--
[slight chuckle]
I don't, I don't know what to say. That was, that was so real. Thank you.
- You deserve it.
- You don't know what that's gonna mean to those kids.
- Look, I owe you an apology, and I-- - No. Stop. Stop.
We just, we just need to reset.
And just put it all behind us. - Yeah.
- What are you doin' Saturday?
- Well, there's a Bridgerton watch party, and you dress up,
and--
Nothing... Probably nothing. [Hazel chuckles]
- Oh, you know what? You are gonna come to my place.
I'm havin' a gathering.
Yeah, actually, it's kinda like a--
It's a hair party. - Oh.
- Yeah, it's this thing that me and my girls do
where we mix networking with self-care.
Trust me, it's, it's fun.
- Okay. [chuckles]
Yeah, I'd love to.
- Great.
Mm.
Do you really own... a Bridgerton dress?
- I don't own one... Bridgerton dress.
- Oh, you do. - You know, just for weddings.
- Of course, you do. Nella!
♪ upbeat music playing ♪
♪ Yuh... we came to chill and relax, put your drinks up ♪
MALAIKA: You not goin' alone.
- I really don't see why you're making such a big deal about this.
- Uh, it's not a big deal.
You're goin' to hang out.
I'm goin' to grab intel that proves once and for all
that Hazel is a liar and I'm right.
And then it'll be a big deal when I reveal it to the press
and it becomes a TV show.
- Okay.
I am barely getting her to like me again,
so just please don't snoop around her house.
- Girl, I snoop wherever I want.
- Don't let her get in your head.
You're doin' the right thing.
Even if it means I rented that Bridgerton tux for nothin'.
- Well, maybe you can wear it for when I get back?
- Is that your version of foreplay?
[softly] Malaika, this is not your problem.
One battle at a time.
Well, then mind your business.
We are enterin' the belly of the beast,
keep your phone on.
I'm gonna share my location with you. [phone beeps]
If we need backup, I'll text you.
- Don't make her paranoid. She got enough strangers doin' that.
- Your inability to see that I'm always right really concerns me.
Get it together.
Mm.
♪ Blk Girl Soldier by Jamila Woods playing ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh ♪
♪ See she's telepathic ♪
- [gasps] Ladies, you made it.
- Hey.
- Shut up!
Y'all got a ice cream waffle bowl buffet?
HAZEL: Uh, yeah. - Okay.
Well, maybe I was wrong and this isn't gonna be boring and bougie.
- Hi. - Hi.
[chuckles] Oh, I'm so glad you came.
[lights buzzing] ♪ music distorts ♪
♪ Blk Girl Soldier continues ♪ So, this is Camille, Ebonee, and Kiara.
- Hey, everybody, I'm Nella.
- Oh, we know who you are.
- Do you know how happy Hazel was
to have another sister workin' in publishing?
- She thought she'd be the only one, and we all know how lonely that gets.
- I am so jealous.
- I've heard so much about you, it's like I have a new friend at my job.
- [scoffs] "At my job," like she works at the shoe factory or whatever.
- Ebonee here is the youngest tenure track professor
in New York State.
- That's amazing.
- Ugh, don't let these ladies pretend like they're not also
doing big things, okay?
Kiara is a buyer at Saks. KIARA: Mm-hm.
- And Camille--
- We don't actually know what Camille does.
[laughter] - [sighs] It's chemical engineering.
Okay, I have to say this, like, once a week.
- Ask her to tell you what that means.
I bet we won't be finished before Ruby gets here.
- Ruby?
What's her last name?
- Um, Cropper.
Why?
- Ah, that's not who I thought it was.
Nella, you gotta taste this.
- Yeah. Go on. Go on, get you some. Help yourself.
- So good.
- Ah! - It's exactly who I thought it was.
We gotta go.
- [mouthful] Your ex Ruby? - Yes.
Ruby who got fired from Forever 21. - Pretty good.
- Ruby who stole my Alexa.
Ruby who sent me
this message after I cheated on her.
- [whispering] Okay, I remember, Malaika.
- This hair party is a setup for Ruby to get revenge on me.
Nella, can we go?
- I think it's just a hair party. She might not even come. - Can we go before Ruby gets--
- So sorry I'm late.
- Lord.
- Third round Goldman Sachs interviews are no joke.
[group laughing]
Malaika?
- [stammers] Ruby. - Hey.
- [chuckles] What the hell? Come here.
- So you can stab me? - Ah.
- So I can hug you. Come here. Come here.
[sighs] Ah.
"Solace anywhere more comforting than in the arms of a sister."
Alice Walker.
- Is your bathroom, um, this way?
- Yeah. Yeah. It's just upstairs on your left.
- And, Nella, you gotta go, too? NELLA: Hm?
[Ruby laughs]
It's good to see you, Ruby. RUBY: Hi.
♪ tense music playing ♪
- Sorry. I really do have to pee because, well, Ruby has me shook.
- Why? She's so nice to you.
All these women seem really sweet, actually.
- Girl, the five months ago Ruby would've thought
Goldman Sachs was a deli.
And what was that? [whispering] Alice Walker?
- Okay. She wrote The Color Purple. - Bitch! I know who Alice Walker is.
Trust, somethin's up.
Hazel is surrounded by Fembots and Ruby is the common denominator,
which is why we need to snoop.
Okay, I was just traumatized, so I get to go first.
[door thuds]
♪ ominous music playing ♪
- Nella, there you are.
- Hi. - It's time for hair.
- 'Kay. [both chuckling]
[footsteps tapping]
- Basically, you have to get a SEP-IRA while you're self-employed.
It'll shave down your tax liability better than you shave down eyebrows.
You still do eyebrows, right?
- You're freakin' me out.
- Why, because I'm all grown up? [chuckles]
- Retirement plans?
Girl, when I broke up with you, you stole my license plate
and then locked yourself in the trunk of my damn car.
- [laughs] I totally forgot all about that.
[Malaika chuckles] Ooh! I was big mad.
I wanted the police to pull you over and get you a kidnappin' charge.
- Yes, yes, yes. That's what I'm sayin'.
So, what happened to that chick?
- Hm. She's still here.
She just talks things out in therapy now.
[group chattering] [Hazel clears throat]
- Uh, Nella... why don't you pick which wrap you want?
- Whoa. - You know, you're so striking, girl.
If you just wanted to wear head wraps all the time, you could.
- Right? You are stunning, Nella.
- Thank you.
You guys are so sweet. [Hazel chuckles]
- She's so cute. She's, like, shocked to get compliments.
[chuckles] HAZEL: I know.
- Oh, my God. You know what?
I should hook you up for drinks with my friend, Crystle.
EBONEE: Hm. - Ya know she's a book agent
over there at Folio.
Girl, you would love her.
- Yes. - Wait, Crystle David?
- Mm-hm.
- Um, yes, please. [Hazel laughs]
[group chuckles]
Okay. Not to be weird but, um,
why you guys bein' so nice to me?
[laughter]
- Girl, you have got to learn how to take a win.
- Yeah, I told her that.
- [sighs] We spend our whole week bein' told we're not good enough.
Why shouldn't we be nice to each other when we get the chance?
- Exactly. - Exactly. And plus, we're just--
We're happy to have another girl in our sisterhood.
- Ah, she is not officially in until I get up in this hair.
- Ooh, girl, you know, she got you.
- Yeah. I don't know. It's just--
The only people I've ever let touch my hair
are, like, my mom, and Malaika, but--
- No, I-- It's, it's super personal. I get it.
It's, it's okay if you don't trust me yet.
- No, I do.
Yeah, I trust you.
- Okay. [chuckles] Relax. NELLA: Okay.
- Maybe if you weren't so busy cheating, you would've noticed I was changing.
Honestly, I can't take all the credit for this glow-up.
Hazel, Hazel did a lot.
- [quietly] What, what is her deal?
- [whispers] There is no deal.
Hazel's just real.
She cares.
Everyone's always talkin' about "protect Black women,"
but Hazel actually means it.
- Protect you how?
By getting you an interview at an investment bank?
- Well, I wanted more for myself, and Hazel just helped.
For real, Malaika, it's really not that deep.
Okay? She took me to some parties, made some phone calls.
She even shared her makeup and clothes with me,
so that I looked like what I wanted to be.
♪ peaceful music playing ♪
♪
- [clicks tongue] Owen, pick up.
Somethin' super suss is goin' on in this beast belly.
I think we're gonna need you.
You better not be ignorin' my calls.
Only my mother could do that.
♪ Everything To Me by Empress Of playing ♪
Hey!
What is this?
Why doesn't it have a label?
- Because I make it myself.
- Congratulations.
But even Etsy makes you put ingredients now.
- Well, I'm not selling it, and it's going on Nella's hair,
so why don't we ask her if she likes it?
♪
- It smells pretty.
- Girl, I taught you better than that.
You are on a hair care journey.
Are you gonna throw it out the window for some unknown ingredients?
- I mean,
no? - Exactly.
I think we need to go to the bathroom again.
[Nella grunts]
- Whoa. What?
- Is everything okay? You keep goin' to the bathroom.
- Everything okay with you?
People don't usually ask others about how much they pee.
- People usually pee alone.
♪
- These spanks are kickin' my ass after two waffle bowls.
Takin' them off is a two-person job.
I may ask some of the rest of y'all for backup.
Okay. [giggles]
Relax.
And she gave Ruby clothes just like she did with you.
You know who else likes to dress people?
- Anna Wintour?
- No, David Koresh, Jonestown, the Catholic Church. Cults!
- 'Kay. Oh, I mean, come on.
- They control how people dress.
- Cults don't let people work at Goldman Sachs.
- Capitalism is just a different kinda cult.
Nella, you have to agree that this is mad weird.
- So, Hazel donates clothes and helps people get jobs.
What's so weird about that?
- What about how they all stood up together
like they were in the Thriller video?
- 'Kay, yeah, that was pretty odd. - Weird.
- But before that, it actually felt really nice.
I just felt like I had this weight lifted off my shoulders for two seconds.
I mean, maybe you don't get it. You've always worked with Black women.
You can be yourself all day.
- My job is stressful, too.
Okay? I'm sorry that I don't sit around at a desk
and send emails that say, "Let's circle back on this."
- I know. I'm sorry... I'm sorry.
- Just because those girls went to fancy schools
and have fancy jobs,
doesn't mean they understand you better than I do.
You can always be yourself around me.
Always.
You don't need the, the graduates of
the Candace Owen School of Soft Knocks
to feel like you belong. [Nella chuckles]
- You're right. - I know.
♪ gentle, serene music playing ♪
Now gimme a hug before this special moment makes me uncomfortable.
Come on, quickly.
[slight chuckle] Nah. All right.
Now look, I'm beggin' you,
please go and do some snoopin',
and figure out what the hell is really goin' on.
You're never gonna get another chance like this.
And if you don't find anything, I'll shut up once and for all.
I will.
I really will. - Okay.
- I can do that. - Fine.
- You have 15 minutes.
- W-Whoa, wait, wait. How do I have that much time?
- Ooh! You never appreciate circulation until ya lose it.
Now, who wants to get their eyebrows done?
All right, all right, all right.
Y'all know they call me the [singing] brow lady.
Your shit's overgrown. [laughs]
[normal] All right, girl. I got you. - 'Kay.
- Uh, where is Nella?
- Shh, shh. Ho-Hold still.
- [laughs] Absolutely. - Yeah.
All right.
[Hazel clears throat] - So, you don't use wax?
- I don't know what's in wax.
Why are you all not more concerned about what goes on your bodies?
- Uh, Camille, Ruby, can you go to the hall
and get some more chips?
Because I think we're runnin' low.
- No. No! No.
I just messed up the symmetry.
Um,
it's just hard to maneuver with these press-ons. Sorry.
[door creaks]
♪ tense, dramatic music playing ♪
♪
[quietly muttering]
[sniffs]
- What am I doing?
♪
[gasps] Shit! [bottle thuds]
[whispering] Shit, shit, shit.
What the--
[envelope rustling]
[exhales sharply]
♪
[whispering] What the fuck?
CAMILLE [muffled]: She's not in the bathroom.
RUBY [muffled]: Do you think she's in the bedroom?
CAMILLE: Maybe. We better check real quick.
[Nella panting]
RUBY: What the heck is up with that? CAMILLE: Obsessed with waffle bowls?
Mm. - But, oof, I've never seen anyone
needs us more than Nella.
- [sighs] She is so afraid in her own skin.
You know, Hazel was right to call the full-court press.
[Ruby chuckles]
RUBY: Well, Nella's not here,
so should we get our eyebrows done?
CAMILLE: Ooh, uh-uh.
'Cause I am not lettin' her get waffle bowl all over this face.
Mm-mm. Mm-mm.
♪ tense, dramatic music playing ♪
HAZEL: You sure are thorough.
- I'm very good at my job.
- Ladies, I'm so sorry. I just got a horrible call.
- Oh, God. Are, are you okay?
- No, actually. Not really.
Malaika, we gotta go.
- Oh, okay. Yep. Goin'. We goin'.
- Right now. Right now. [zips bag]
- Uh, you didn't finish my left brow.
- Girl, don't worry, that's my signature.
[Malaika chuckling]
- [whispering] I found something and it's bad.
It's really bad. - Nella, Nella. What's wrong?
- Anything we can help with?
MALAIKA: Nope.
- I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.
I promise, I'll be at the next party. - Uh, it's just--
- I know you weren't leaving without saying goodbye.
- Toodles! [chuckles]
- We wanna help. - Just let us know what's going on.
- As you can see, we take our community very seriously.
We're just really excited about the surprise I had planned.
♪ tense music playing ♪
It'll only take three minutes.
I promise.
Come on. - Okay.
HAZEL: Come on.
MALAIKA [on voicemail]: Owen.
Somethin' super suss is goin' on in this beast belly.
I think we're gonna need you.
[phone beeps]
♪
OWEN: Sorry! First time on a scooter. [tires screech]
HAZEL: Trust me, the surprise is worth it.
NELLA: Maybe you could just bring it to work on Monday?
MALAIKA: I still have my razor.
HAZEL: Cold.
- What?
HAZEL: Keep going. You're cold.
Yep, yep. That way.
Uh-huh. Warm.
Warm.
You're on fire.
[door creaking]
Ugh, stop bein' so weird about this. Come on!
[Malaika screams]
Surprise!
- [laughs] You screamed. So cute.
- What's a party without swag bags?
See, I told you it would be worth it.
Ooh, those are from my girl. She works with the Yankees.
I told her I would send a pic.
Say "cheese!"
[camera shutter clicks]
Oh. Would it kill y'all to smile?
♪ tense, playful music playing ♪
- [groans] It won't take Visa.
All right, try Mastercard.
- Hazel, that's really such a beautiful foam finger. Thank you.
And, um, I'll be sure to give you a call. - Okay.
[latch rattles] - Oh. Hey!
[screaming] - Fuck!
- Oh! - Jesus!
- Hi. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. HAZEL: Hi.
- Um, uh, Malaika, you did not, um, text me back.
- Oh, we were just leaving.
- Yeah. I'm so sorry. I'm s-- I'm sorry about the emergency.
- Yeah, yeah. - Yeah, yeah.
- It is bad. - Yes.
- Okay. What, what's goin' on?
[scoffs] You know that I have anxiety about my stalker.
So, could you j--
I just really need to know-- - Oh, uh, our dog.
Our dog, she's sick.
And, um... she's at the vet.
- She has cancer. [group gasps]
HAZEL: Oh, my God.
- Kept hopin' it was just her white blood cells resting.
- I know. - I'm so sorry.
I didn't, I didn't even know that you had a dog
and I, I was at your place.
- She's new.
- Oh.
- But to know Peanut is to love that little poodle.
I love that dog. That's why I'm leaving.
Don't ask me to stay. I won't.
- Of course. Go. Go be with her.
I mean, you should've told me that it was your baby.
[crosstalk] I-I wouldn't have screwed around with you up there.
I-- I'll see you. Thanks for comin'.
♪
[train whirring]
[brakes hissing]
- Who gives out swag bags at a damn hair party?
- That's not the headline here.
- Well, what the fuck is the headline?
- It's a cult.
We were 10 seconds away from becoming sex slaves.
NELLA: Well, not sex slaves, but--
- What the hell is that?
- It's the reason why I was so freaked the fuck out.
- What does this mean?
What does "voluntary" and "involuntary" mean?
- I think I was wrong about Hazel.
♪
- What's this straw log?
- Ruby, that is called a loofah.
You know, sometimes, just don't-- Just--
Don't talk.
- Somebody's a bit snippy.
- We tried our best.
- Let's just, let's just, uh, just let it all go for now, okay?
Besides, we still have somethin' to celebrate.
Yeah.
We have one more girl joinin' the crew.
[door opens, closes]
Ladies,
this... is Shani.
[Shani slightly chuckles]
- Guess who brought lattes? [Hazel chuckles]
[group softly gasps]
♪ gentle, eerie music playing ♪
♪