When you want something done right,
go straight to the top.
Glad to know I still measure up. How are you, Anita?
I'll be better once I solicit your help.
What's the problem?
I'm concerned about Leslie Thomas.
She's still on our radar.
Jacob is like a dog with a bone. He's not letting go.
How can we help now?
How are you at making people disappear?
Not as good as some, but better than others.
I tried to keep an eye on her myself
by letting her help with WinterFest prep.
-Mistake? -Category 5.
And since we're honoring her birth mother this year,
she's insisting on being there.
And you're worried it'll get ugly.
It already has.
You remember Laura Peterson.
Young victim involved in the incident with the motorcycle.
Nicole's assistant.
Leslie's harassing her.
So can you put her on a short leash?
Unfortunately, that's a job for club security,
not the police department.
I will gladly pay any off-duty officers.
I want as many eyes on her as you can spare.
[laughing]: Whee!
Isn't this better than staring at those blank walls, huh?
Now, listen, a change of space will do you good.
Oh, Peaches, do you remember
that album that we used to listen to every Christmas?
[laughs] We played that thing so much,
I thought that we were going to wear it down to nothing.
What was it called? Groovy...
Groovy Funky Christmas Forever.
-[laughs, coughs] -All right, all right,
Calm down. Calm down, I got you.
And you know what the doctors say.
[sighs]
What we writing here?
"Waste of time"?
As much as you love Christmas?
Oh, no, honey, let me tell you something.
We are going to deck every hall that you are in, okay?
-[coughs] -And I will be
your Secret Santa, your happy elf,
or I can even be your Grinch if you want me to.
-You want me to be your Grinch? -[coughs]
Just the person I was headed to see.
Good afternoon, Miss Evans, Miss Thomas.
Good afternoon. So, the clinical trial,
when will it start?
Because she's having problems speaking
and her vocal cords are irritated or something.
We should be able to start next week.
All you've got to do is just hang on in there with me.
-Can you hang in? -[wheezing]
Doesn't matter.
Gonna die anyway.
I am so proud to stand here and see what happens
when we gather driven, dedicated people together.
People who share a vision.
D.C.'s best, Maryland's strongest,
Virginia's finest.
That's how we change the tide.
Thank you for joining us here
for the Dupree Heritage Foundation's annual...
[phone buzzing]
You, sir, are one of the lucky few
who gets to interrupt me while I am working.
Oh, no. Is everything okay?
Of course. I hate to hear that, but I totally understand.
Family comes first.
Sure. Uh, just call me when you get back into town.
We'll make up for WinterFest.
Safe travels, Carlton.
And just like that, our non-date self-actualized.
♪ ♪
JUNE: You're a natural.
It took me about three shifts
before I mastered refilling that.
I love problem-solving.
Next time you need help,
I'll be your secret weapon.
Aw...
Hi, sorry it took me a while to get here.
Ah. Can I get you anything?
Uh, a coffee would be fantastic.
-Thank you. -Yes.
I was afraid that you'd be too busy.
Never. What's up?
I need some help.
And I didn't want to go
to anyone else in the family with it.
You're living in a house full of men,
you need a woman's perspective.
Exactly.
And I love that you never talk down to me.
You treat me like we're equals.
That's because we are.
So, what do you need, fam?
Money.
Is it too early in the day to make a toast?
There's always a reason to celebrate
if you look hard enough.
Little Mary Sunshine.
Well, if you had the vacation Tomas and I had,
you would still be on cloud nine, too.
Uh, it was nice? The B and B?
We found new ways to give thanks.
Kat made me a very grateful man.
Maybe we should remember
what's appropriate to discuss over lunch.
Did you not have as much fun as we did?
That must have been our missing ingredient,
making it about just the two of us.
Because my big mistake was
letting Chelsea anywhere near my mother.
okay, this is trippy, helping the Duprees.
But if my little niece needs cash,
then it's hers, okay?
So, how much are we talking?
$20?
$40?
Are you good with wiring funds?
-Hundreds? -Of thousands.
And maybe beyond.
Okay, Samantha,
what kind of trouble are we talking about here?
The best kind.
It won't be easy finding somebody
to step in at the last minute.
I wouldn't ask if it wasn't imperative.
Well, WinterFest is important enough
to the community to...
Christmas came early.
Marcel, a second?
How you doing?
How do you feel about doing Mrs. Dupree a solid?
What do you need?
Extra security at WinterFest.
Well, I-I... this is so considerate of you, Elon,
but we hardly need a detective.
-Is there anyone else? -No.
Holidays, last minute, so...
Leslie Thomas will be there.
You're familiar with her case, right?
Suspect in the hit-and-run motorcycle accident
Jacob was investigating.
They need eyes on her.
To make sure Laura Peterson is safe at all times.
And just generally
keep Leslie from engaging in inappropriate behavior.
Mrs. Dupree, it would be a pleasure.
[coughing]
-[catching breath] -All those medications.
She... she doesn't know what she's saying.
That's not like her, okay?
The Peaches that I love,
she would never say things like that,
and she would not stop fighting.
Well, she's a very sick woman.
Yeah, but she wouldn't just give up like that.
I mean, she starts getting ready for Christmas
the day after Thanksgiving.
She alone is the reason that I love this season.
So what do I need to do to bring her back?
Is there anyone she goes to for help, outside of you?
A minister, or a counselor?
I'm all she has.
If you'd like me to refer some names to you, I could.
You mean like a shrink?
Who's well-versed in treating patients facing chronic illness.
[knocking]
Come in.
Dr. Dupree.
Someone found this in the restroom
and returned it to the nurses' station.
Uh, Mr. Jones is your patient, right?
Yes. I'll get it back to him. Thanks.
Don't mention it. You okay?
You're melting Frosty with this mood.
-Is it that obvious? -It's all over you.
You had a tough session with a patient?
No, that I could manage.
First, it's this speech. I can't seem to get it right,
and it needs to be perfect.
And I'm just not connecting with it the way I need to.
And Carlton-- Dr. Fitzgerald-- called
and now he can't accompany me.
Oh, I'm sorry.
About Dr. Fitzgerald, not the speech.
Everybody in D.C. knows you're the best.
It's only a matter of time
before you connect with your muse.
Did he say why he can't come?
Family emergency. He has to get on a red-eye tonight.
So that leaves me going solo
to an event that my family founded,
an event where everyone is used to seeing me as part of a duo.
And this year you'll be without Ted.
And that will be all anyone ever notices.
"Oh, look at that divorced Dupree daughter.
The picture of success in every area except for romance."
Okay, anybody with half a brain knows that's not true.
I don't want to go by myself.
I am sorry, that was both
inappropriate and unprofessional.
It's okay, Nicole.
Besides, we are way past the point of formality.
And I am very easy to overshare with.
That you are.
It is a great trait to have.
What... what are your thoughts on blind dates?
I don't know.
I've been with one man since my 20s,
so I never really had an opportunity to explore.
Well, a woman with your pedigree
can't just be seen with any old man.
No scrubs allowed.
But, there is someone I would love to introduce you to,
if you're open to it.
And at the very least, you'll have a WinterFest date.
Can I think about it and let you know?
Of course.
And while you're thinking,
I'll just go ahead and get the ball rolling.
"We can't do what we do without you.
"Our better angels,
our hundreds of drops of water in the ocean..."
"Drops in the ocean"?
[knocking]
Mother, come in. I wasn't expecting you.
I came to check on some test results,
and thought I'd stop by since I was here.
Sorry to interrupt your workflow.
No, you are never an interruption.
Besides, it's been an entire afternoon of them anyway.
Oh. How so?
Carlton called.
He suddenly can't accompany me to WinterFest.
Family emergency.
Oh, I thought we were finished with Carlton.
We were going as friends.
-Mm-hmm. -Just friends.
That doesn't matter anymore anyway.
And now Shanice wants to introduce me to somebody,
but I don't have the capacity for some mystery man.
It was hard enough to convince myself to open up
to the idea of Carlton.
Who is just your friend.
Exactly.
And this speech, it is driving me up the wall.
I just, I can't seem to find the right tone,
no matter how many drafts I do.
You'll find your way, just as your father always does.
Well, it seems wrong to rely on good genes
and history for my speech-making skills.
Comes from within,
can't be diminished...
even when you're trying to slap it together at the last minute.
Let me have a look.
[phone beeps]
What is it?
It's Dr. Ahn.
She told me the, um... the test results
would be released into the portal.
It looks like it just came in.
Everything's okay, though, right?
That remains to be seen.
[laughing]: I got you, girl.
A free clinic?
Wow. Okay.
Dreaming pretty big dreams for a high schooler.
Where'd this come from?
When my mom was unhoused,
she had a health crisis that could have killed her.
If she had access to healthcare and regular check-ups,
she could have avoided being in the hospital entirely.
She got lucky.
Good luck isn't enough.
People deserve reliable care,
and I want to help.
That's really admirable,
but what do you think I can do?
Your father's a congressman...
Yeah, Pop already turned me down,
talking about red tape and committee approval.
Oh, no, so you're one of those kids who digs in harder.
Pop told me to get creative,
so now I'm armed with facts.
Grandpa Ted told me that when one of his patients
was denied medical coverage,
you and your mom stepped in and paid.
True or false?
My mother paid, but true.
Good, because-- stay with me--
here's our next steps.
I have it all mapped out.
It's just so funny to me
how two people can participate in the same experience,
yet have two diametrically opposed reactions.
Wow, big words.
And you think I'm stupid now?
Well, let's see.
You agreed with my mother
about how the antioxidants in her rutabaga concoction
are a cure-all for every disease known to Western medicine.
Yeah, that made me wonder.
Okay, funny.
What wasn't funny was comments like,
"if your mind is healthy, your body is too"
and "all you have to do is make lifestyle choices
and you'll be right as rain."
I do believe that, within reason.
Veggies are good for you. A healthy mind is good for you.
It's hard meeting a significant other's family.
It sounds like you were just
trying to make a good impression.
I was the perfect guest.
All the Duprees are raised to be that way
by the time we're five.
You were right there with her.
Buying everything she was selling,
endorsing her very particular, very toxic brand of crazy.
What kind of crazy could the mother of a neurologist be?
My mother firmly believes that all diseases
come from bad karma and can be cured with positive thinking.
So how does she feel about your life's work?
You mean Western medicine and widely accepted science?
To her, I'm a complete and total fraud,
ignoring the natural rhythm
and order of nature and the universe.
Got a tumor? Have a crystal.
She's a freethinker.
And, you know, I get why a neurologist
would have a problem with that, because her beliefs...
Have nothing to do with truth or science.
Yes, I have issues with her values.
I've seen what happens when messages like that
get to the wrong audience.
People could die.
All right, Kat. You have opinions, let them fly.
I have to go and hop on that call with the manufacturer.
Kat...
[sighs] Okay.
I was just thinking,
I know what it feels like to be the whistleblower,
to be the one who knows the truth,
but no one believes you,
the voice in the wilderness.
Every family has baggage,
and sometimes that keeps us
from being able to see things objectively.
Then maybe step back and accept that I can handle my own.
Anybody interested in dessert?
I wish, but I really do have to go.
Call me later?
TOMAS: Count on it.
See you two.
Be nice to each other.
-We could share a-- -How wild is it
that Kat just gets me with no effort at all,
and the woman I love needs an instruction manual?
I'm sorry you think I haven't been supportive enough.
Listen to this:
She actually got in touch with my mother behind my back.
-Not maliciously. -Without my consent.
I thought it would be helpful.
You crossed a line.
Tomas, have you ever just picked up the phone
and had a chat with Ted or Nicole?
Look at the time. I do have an appointment to get to.
Don't bail on us now when you can help.
What do you think?
TOMAS: Tell you what.
I'll pay for this lovely lunch, and next time--
I don't know why this is so difficult for you to understand.
Because I understand every other part of you,
but this makes no sense.
It doesn't have to. It's my life.
And on that note, I hope to see you both soon.
I hope we didn't run you off.
Yeah, thanks, Tomas.
Like we tell our clients:
you could be right, or you could be happy.
Choose happiness.
So, because I don't hate your mom,
you have to hate me?
That's a leap.
No one's parents are perfect.
I just wanted to get you in a better place with yours.
Why was that so wrong?
Because, Chelsea,
it proves you don't trust me.
Let me see.
Well, according to your bone density scan,
you're in the normal range.
So now I don't have to worry about you
breaking a hip out on the dance floor tomorrow.
[laughs]
I am being the most dutiful of patients.
Dr. Ahn has me taking every test under the sun
and I am passing with flying colors.
Aging is not for cowards.
Oh, stop it.
You are not aged.
You are well-seasoned, and my hero.
Don't be ridiculous.
When I was sure that I could not recover
from what Ted did with Leslie,
I would think, "What would Mother do?"
Well, what would I do?
You would put on your grandmother's pearls,
wear them like a shield,
call on the ancestors,
and face the problem head-on.
I like that.
I'll remember that.
So, what do you do
when you need a little extra ego boost?
Well, I remind myself that if I can raise
two beautiful, strong-headed girls
who aren't afraid of forging their own paths in this life,
then I can accomplish it all.
Look at us.
The Dupree women can withstand anything.
Including perfecting this speech.
[rapid knocking on door]
-Leslie. -Nicole,
I have an emergency.
Never thought we'd be withstanding so much so soon.
You didn't have to take that WinterFest security gig.
I was just busting your chops, man.
Eh, no sweat.
You know, the Duprees had a tough year,
and it makes sense they want to make sure
everything's handled with kid gloves over there.
Sounds like you got a whiff of the Christmas spirit.
You okay?
What can I say?
Anita Dupree's third solo album
went triple platinum in my living room.
And they do good things with that charity.
Listen to you. Milk of human kindness.
So you mean to tell me you're working that security gig
out the kindness of your heart?
Fine.
Sheilaneeds a new engine.
Of course.
That boat is a money pit, man.
Tell me about it.
If she keeps falling apart on you,
you'll retire when you're 90. [chuckles]
I got to admit, a clinic where sick patients
can walk in without worrying about
being handed a bill when they walk out sounds incredible.
Mm-hmm, and I haven't even finished
all of my bullet points.
If we give free annual check-ups and urgent care visits,
it could free up the ER at Garland Memorial
for the more seriously ill and injured patients.
Unintended benefits, forward thinking.
Mm-hmm. Someone with a sore throat
could get diagnosed with strep throat
and get prescribed free antibiotics.
What do you think?
I don't know. It sounds big.
But that's what it takes if you're going to save lives.
So you like my idea?
Pediatrics,
help for new mothers and fathers,
mental health clinicians...
-I'll see what I can do. -You will?
Sure. It's no big deal,
asking for money for a good cause.
I was worried you were going to ask me to chaperone
you and your friends on a trip to Cabo,
or talk about tricky birth control questions.
What? Am I being pranked?
Samantha, if you need to discuss birth control,
all you'll get from her is bad advice and grounded for life.
I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important.
Shall I call security?
Please, just hear me out.
What is it?
The woman who raised me, Peaches.
We met at the country club.
Well, she's not doing very well.
And I did get her a clinical trial,
and it could prolong her life,
but her situation, it's messing with her head.
It's-it's messing with her emotions,
and it's-it's starting to make her give up.
If you need names of therapists, I could...
I want you. All those awards.
I mean, kept me from leaping off the ledge that night.
Don't you dare go there with me, Leslie.
You were impersonating a woman in need.
What I can do for Peaches is refer her to
someone who specializes in terminally ill patients.
Don't call her that.
Don't see her that way.
I need you.
With you, I mean, she wouldn't be a diagnosis.
She matters to me, and I matter to Eva.
And I'm-- I'm just hoping that, in all that math,
maybe just...
a little bit, they will matter to you.
Now, look, I know you don't...
like me. I know how you feel.
But Peaches is different. She's good.
And selfish me needs her to be around
just a little bit longer. So please, Nicole.
Please talk to her.
Okay, this is going to be the funniest story.
It's no joke when a barely-there relative
tries to dive into conversations you're not ready to have.
Stay in your lane, Eva.
Once again, you have no idea what you're talking about.
I've seen the pathetic way
you're trying to worm your way into the heart of the family,
but trying to win points with a high schooler?
Guys, please.
Is everything okay over here?
Just Kat, jumping to conclusions once again.
I have reason to believe
that Eva's trying to coerce Samantha
into making bad decisions.
-That isn't true. She... -KAT: You're young.
You don't understand what she's really doing.
This is my aunt. Your half sister.
Sharing a father doesn't make us family.
It shouldn't be a competition, Aunt Kat.
Don't waste your breath, sweetie, okay?
Look, she wants to hear what she wants to hear, all right?
Look, I'm going to talk to my mom about your idea
and I'll get back to you. Okay, niece?
Samantha...
It's okay, June. Thank you.
Trust me.
You'll understand people like Eva when you're older.
I never want to be that old,
when it's okay to be mean to someone
who's only trying to help.
Or look at other people like they're beneath me.
I'm here trying to build something important,
and you almost ruined it.
I have been with you, lockstep,
in every battle you wage--
your father, your business, whatever.
Why couldn't you be on my side when it really mattered?
Stand up for me like I do for you.
That's ridiculous.
So you say your father's arrogant, egocentric,
thinks he knows all,
but you're cut from the same cloth.
That's not fair.
Oh.
As fair as it was for you to be my mother's apologist?
Her propaganda minister, feeding me her lies,
explaining her to me as if I'm new?
Give me a break.
You are in nursery school with her.
I have graduated, gotten multiple degrees
in that woman, moved out, made my escape,
and I'll be damned before I let you bring me back.
Peaches, this is the award-winning
Dr. Nicole Dupree.
We met. It's nice to see you again, Peaches.
Maybe we could spend some time alone?
If that's okay with you, Peaches.
You're the professional.
Look, I know...
...you don't like me very much, but...
she's innocent.
-[coughs] -And she's everything I have.
Okay.
Now, you behave yourself in here, you hear me?
[chuckles]
How did I know you was going to be here
when I didn't see you in Peaches' room?
Shh! Gosh, girl,
can't you tell when somebody's eavesdropping?
What's wrong with you?
"Therapy is for soft, rich ladies
"with too much time on their hands.
Leave me alone."
Tomas? Everything all right?
Yeah. Right after I left Uptown,
I got a call about a new personal injury client.
Oh. Glad you're okay.
Did you and Chelsea work things out?
I'm feeling so lost.
That's natural.
When you love someone and you're used to being in sync,
it hurts when you're out of step.
So you're saying you're good at this relationship stuff?
Never let that be said.
No, no.
Kat and I burned bright and burned out,
but now we're trying
to grow something different in its place,
'cause we know what we almost lost.
Science can barely comprehend the brain.
How am I supposed to understand the human heart?
You just have to understand Chelsea's.
[sighs]
You're good people, Madison.
You'll figure it out.
Oh, you're the best, Gran. Got here in record time.
Well, I am a woman in demand today,
but no one could stop me when I received an SOS
from my favorite grandchild.
We can't all be your favorite.
-Yes, you can. -[chuckles]
Tell me everything.
I don't even know what happened.
Well, you had Thanksgiving with another family, for one,
which I won't take personally, but... [chuckles]
How'd it go?
Well, Madison's mom, Willow, has her quirks,
but she's really nice,
and I thought that Madison was being too hard on her,
so I said so, and now I'm the bad guy.
She said I don't respect her opinion
and I'm basically an egomaniac
who thinks they know what's right for everyone.
I see.
I was just trying to do the right thing, Gran.
Which you usually do.
But I hate to tell you, sweetheart,
this one you played all wrong.
"Doctors lie."
You've had negative experiences, I'm sorry.
Let's discuss that.
"Tell truth about Dana."
Yes, I know Leslie-- Dana.
I am speaking with you as a favor to her.
"Friends"?
Leslie and I?
Uh... farthest thing from it as two people could be.
That woman tests me.
And not just me, everyone that she knows.
Has she always been like that?
[coughs]
Oh, I'm sorry.
Are you okay?
[coughs]
Now, you know that I am not just saying this to please Dana,
but from my brief conversation with Dr. Wilkes,
I do believe that this clinical trial
can improve your quality of life.
And you deserve that.
You've already faced your fair share of challenges.
And by challenges, I mean Dana.
[chuckles, coughs]
I know you're strong, Peaches.
You had to be to raise that one.
Why don't you let her spoil you
and repay you for all of your hard work?
You can spend the rest of your golden years
with her footing the bill. How's that sound?
"Not like any doctor I know."
D.C.'s psychiatrist of the year, huh?
She's good, right?
Always keeps it real and meets people on their own level.
We'll see if it works,
because when Peaches gets an idea in her head, girl...
[chuckles]
Join us.
How'd it go?
Peaches has agreed to go through with the trial.
Thank God. Oh!
Thank you, Nicole.
Thank you, thank you so much.
I didn't do it for you.
I did it for Peaches.
And you.
Did I ever tell you about my first Christmas
with Vernon's family?
An OG Dupree story? Tell me.
Well, I learned everyone's name before I got there.
Ate all the food, laughed at all the jokes.
But Vernon warned me about Aunt Melba.
There had been an incident years before Vernon and I met,
and Aunt Melba was not to be trusted.
But when I met her Christmas Day,
she was friendly and charming and sweet as pie.
So I thought, "Well, I'll just give her a chance."
Same as I did.
But, as the night went on,
I watched how everyone engaged with her,
and how unsettled Vernon and his mother were around her,
and I realized it was better to hold my tongue
and trust my partner.
They wouldn't have been uncomfortable without reason.
So what happened?
Well, I married the man, didn't I?
Now, the point is, it doesn't matter what the incident was.
I still don't know, to this day.
But for Vernon, it was important,
and I had to respect that.
Do you love Madison?
More than anything.
Family is baked-in indoctrination.
Those stories have evolved over generations,
and you can't judge them
based on the ten minutes that you experienced.
I just still don't get it, Gran.
Honey, it's not for you to get.
It's for you to sympathize
and trust Madison enough to work it out.
What do I do?
She knows your heart, doesn't she?
I hope so.
Make sure of it.
I won't apologize for being the voice of reason.
No one gets to take advantage of you.
I don't care if it's a random wannabe like Nathan
or so-called family.
Eva wasn't trying to take advantage of anything.
That's what I've been trying to say.
Then why were you talking about birth control?
We weren't.
You heard two random words and went off.
We were talking about this.
Bullet points for the free clinic?
I don't understand.
It's the pitch that I made to Eva.
I wanted her to help me figure out a way to fund a free clinic
to give people a chance at a better life.
Samantha...
I am so sorry.
It's going to take a lot of work and money,
but Eva didn't just pat me on the head
and tell me to talk to someone else.
She's interested,
and I think that she may actually be able to help.
Then I barged in.
Don't take this the wrong way,
but when we first became a part of this family,
you were always my favorite
because you were always helping me
feel like I was already at home.
You were so small and precious.
I wanted to give you the world.
Hello? ChelseaKat?
You've already given me so much.
But you've changed.
And I hope whatever's wrong, I hope that you fix it.
Because I really, really want that Aunt Kat back.
I want you to be happy.
Eva, hey.
Hey.
You okay?
Peaches-- my grandmother-- she isn't doing too well,
but I'm not giving up.
I have faith that it's gonna work out in her favor.
Good.
That's totally anti-Eva, anyway.
Giving up?
You know, when we first met,
you said that I look like I could lead a revolution
because of my combat boots.
My opinion remains unchanged, boots or not.
I think you're right.
They might as well put a plaque right here,
because I'm gonna change the world.
Can't wait to witness it.
Are you going to WinterFest?
With Kat.
Well, I hope you guys have a blast.
Maybe we'll see you there.
You never know.
I do have a world to save and all.
Haven't I seen you someplace before?
Detective Malone.
Here solving crimes?
Just dropping by to see a colleague
who got hit in the field.
-Oh. -He'll pull through.
Well, thank God. I'm sorry.
How about you?
I'm here for a family member.
For a time, she's all I had.
I'd say you're both lucky people.
Hope everything works out.
Me too.
Maybe our paths will cross again.
You take care.
You too, Detective.
Headed out?
I am.
Thanks again for listening earlier.
Don't mention it. I'm glad I caught you.
I hope you don't mind, but I went ahead
and texted that contact I was telling you about.
-Shanice... -I heard your hesitation
loud and clear on the whole blind date sitch,
and you should be able to make as informed decision
as possible. I hope I haven't overstepped.
Dr. Rollins, you made it.
This is Dr. Nicole Dupree.
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