Judge Jim Cryer is walking into his office with a court reporter when he stops dead in his tracks. Sending the reporter away, he closes the door and turns to face the prostitute he’s just given $100,000 and a sports car to after she blackmailed him.
Candace is wearing nothing but his judge’s robe. “You have to be a little more careful where you leave your key,” she purrs.
Jim orders her to leave, but Candace says she has a request. “Well, I and my body are requesting that you do the thing you love most,” she says, dropping the robe.
Jim tells her to put her clothes back on. Candace pursues. “Are we going to do this every time? You pretend that you don’t want to, then I have to seduce you,” she says. “I know you want to. I can see from here. Now come on. I looked through your planner and I know you have a schedule to keep.”
Jim can’t help himself. He walks over, pins her against the wall and their affair begins all over.
Back at Jim’s home, his housekeepers Celine and Hanna are beginning their day. When Hanna walks in with a bouquet of flowers, Celine becomes immediately suspicious after Hanna tells them they’re for the woman of the house, Katheryn Cryer. “She is not going to want those flowers,” Celine says. “She has a florist and a rose garden. She won’t want some $1.99 cheapie flowers.”
Hanna is the only person who knows Katheryn’s secret—she’s battling breast cancer. Still, she senses something else is going on with Celine. “You’ve changed. You were all smiles in the beginning and now I come in here and you don’t even smile some days,” Hanna says. “What is it?”
Celine is angry Hanna shined Jim’s shoes. “Look, when it comes to Jim and his closet and his things, you don’t need to go near any of his things,” Celine says.
“I thought we were in this together?” Hanna says.
“We are not,” Celine says. “We have a clearly defined role. I take care of his closet and his bathroom and his personal things, not you.”
Celine is also upset Hanna’s been staying late at work. Hanna says it’s because Katheryn asked her to. “I get off at five and you need to leave when I do,” Celine says. “I don’t want you to talk to her about me behind my back.”
Hanna says she never has.
“I’ve been working here for years and she never even talks to me,” Celine says. “Why is she talking to you so much all of a sudden?”
“I don’t know,” Hanna says.
“I don’t like it,” Celine replies. “Be careful with her.”
Hanna continues about her day, checking on Katheryn in the bathroom. Chemotherapy has left Katheryn nauseous and weak.
“Did Mr. Cryer notice that you were sick?” Hanna asks.
“I have cancer right under the man’s nose and he doesn’t even notice. He doesn’t see me,” Katheryn says. “He hasn’t looked at me in years.”
Hanna asks why Katheryn stays. “Where am I going to go? Who’s going to want an old woman?” she says. “Although sometimes I wonder, ‘What am I doing this for?’ I’m 53 years old. My children hate me. My husband is with me because he has to be.”
Hanna says Katheryn has way more than she does. “No, that’s just it,” Katheryn says. “What’s the point of even fighting the cancer?”
Hanna tells her to stop that talk right now. “Life is worth living Mrs. Cryer,” she says. “But you have to fight for happiness.”
Then, Hanna presents Katheryn with another gift—medical marijuana. “When I was going through chemo I used to smoke this to help my stomach,” Hanna says. “I still had some left over.”
“You are full of surprises,” Katheryn says, lighting up.
Candace and Jim have just finished having sex. “I love angry sex,” she says.
Candace begins to apologize for blackmailing Jim. “I was in a really desperate situation or I wouldn’t have done it,” she says.
“Lots of people get into desperate situations. They don't extort money,” he replies. “What you did was illegal. I could have had you arrested.”
“Why didn’t you?” she asks.
Jim doesn’t answer. She thanks him, but he tells her not to. “So you marked me?” he says.
“No, not really. I met your daughter and she started telling me about you,” Candace says. “So I researched you and found that you tried all these amazing cases and it didn’t hurt that you were handsome.”
Watch part of this scene unfold.
Candace says she went online to find him and feels like it was fate. He tells her they are not meant to be, but she still dreams of being with him. “Jim, tell me that this has not been the most exciting time of your life,” she says. “Tell me that this hasn't in some sick way turned you on.”
“This has got to stop,” he says.
“I know, but you’re not strong enough to do it and neither am I,” she says.
Jim insists their relationship has to end. “I won’t bother you again,” she says. “And for the record, I’m no longer an escort thanks to you. Now I’m a full-time student.”
Before she leaves, Jim asks if Candace has told his daughter about their affair. “No, she couldn’t handle this,” she says. “You might want to check in with her. She’s having a very difficult time at school.”
In the hallway, Veronica Harrington has tracked down her husband Judge David Harrington for a surprise lunch. Veronica has been suspicious David was having an affair with Candace. After David tells her he can’t make lunch, she sees Candace exit Jim’s office.
Veronica turns to leave and David confronts Jim behind closed doors. “Your fly is open,” he says. “Did you just sleep with her?”
“We weren’t sleeping,” Jim says.
David is incredulous. “You have lost your mind!” he says. “Jim, we just paid to get rid of that girl. Are you enjoying this?”
“She’s really, really, really good at sex,” Jim smirks.
David presses Jim on what’s gotten into him. “I know you must think I’m crazy, but I think Candace is right,” Jim says. “When she’s here I feel alive. When she’s around I feel wanted. I don’t get that at home.”
David advises him to stop what he’s doing if he wants to continue to run for governor. “If she wanted to bury me she could. She already has everything she needs to do that,” Him says. “I’m dead. I may as well enjoy it. I’ve already paid for it.”
“It’s that kind of thinking that ruins careers,” David says.
“It’s mine to ruin,” Jim says. “Or is it ours you’re worried about?”
David leaves and calls the detective he’s been working with. “It’s a go,” he says. “Make it happen today.”
Meanwhile, Veronica has followed Candace into the bathroom. “Taking a quick ho bath?” she asks. “It’s when a whore such as yourself has finished her deed. She runs in and gets cleaned up for the next trick.”
“Well, apparently you know a lot about being a whore,” Candace replies.
“And apparently you know a few things about my husband,” Veronica says.
Candace doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Veronica continues. “I know you, with your size two. You think that you can walk into a woman’s life and take the man that she has designed for herself?” Veronica says. “You young bitches think you can just replace us mature women.”
Watch part of this scene unfold.
Candace tells Veronica she’s delusional and tries to leave. Veronica stops her. “I may be Ivy league and refined, but I’m a girl from the south side of Chicago,” Veronica says. “My roots are never too far away. You come within 500 feet of my husband again, I will whip your ass.”
Candace laughs. “Honey, your pathetic husband can do nothing for me at all,” she says. “And for the record, if I was after him, he would already be gone.”
Veronica says she knows about the car. “He didn’t give me a car. He delivered it. There is a difference,” Candace says. “You need to talk to your husband. I’ll accept your apology later.”
Veronica asks if Candace is sleeping with David. She says no. “Good, you need to be with someone closer to your own age,” Veronica says. “Or my son’s age.”
Candace rolls her eyes. “I know you are not suggesting that I meet your son,” she says. “You think your husband is sleeping with me, and you think your son is straight. Lady maybe you need to go back into rehab.”
At Hanna’s house, her son Benny is making himself lunch when the doorbell rings. On the other side is Darci, a woman from church Hanna has been wanting Benny to meet.
Darci is no longer a girl with braces and headgear, and Benny is bowled over by her beauty. As it turns out, Hanna has asked Darci to bring her lunch at the exact time Hanna would be at work. She also asked Darci to make Benny’s favorite foods. They both realize they’ve been set up.
“Would you like to share it?” Benny says.
Darci says she’s only made enough for one. Plus, she has to get back to work.
Before she leave, Benny makes his move. “Can we go out sometime?” he says. “Let me at least buy you dinner to make up for the trick that my mother played.”
“You didn’t look at me twice in church and now you want to go out?” Darci says. “You had better be glad you’re cute Benjamin.”
Darci agrees and tells her she’s free later that day. “Tell your mother I’m going to get her for this one,” she says.
Veronica leaves the bathroom and heads straight to her husband’s office. “I know about the car,” she says.
“I don’t know what you think you know but you’re wrong,” he says.
David tells Veronica he did it for a client. “Do you trust me?” he says. “Then you have to let this go. This is highly sensitive matter. Please don’t make me explain it all to you.”
Veronica asks if he’s sure there’s nothing between him and Candace. He says he doesn’t even know her.
Then, he stops Veronica. “Wait, how did you know about the car?”
Veronica confesses she had him followed. “You had been acting strange for the past few weeks and I had to find out what was going on,” she says. “You know I’m a crazy woman sometimes. I’m sorry. I really am.”
“We’ll talk about this when I get home,” he says.
Back at the Cryer house, Celine tells Hanna she smells marijuana. Hanna feigns ignorance. “First you are trying to clean where you are not supposed to be cleaning and then you are covering for her,” Celine says.
Celine says she’s going to tell Jim when he gets home. “Girl, you can’t run and tell that woman’s husband,” Hanna says. “She is grown.”
“Well, he doesn’t allow drugs in this house,” Celine says.
“This is her house,” Hanna says. “From what I hear she is the one who bought it.”
Celine defends Jim. “That man sacrifices everything for her and she treats him so bad,” she says. “She is awful.”
Hanna tells Celine to stay out of people’s business when her phone rings. It’s Benny, confronting Hanna about her surprise set-up earlier that day. “You know that was very sneaky,” he says. “I wasn’t even dressed right.”
Benny says he asked Darci out. “That’s my boy,” she says. “You are too young to not be out having fun.”
“I hear you. But you know what? One good trick deserves another,” he says. “I’m going to hook you up.”
“Boy, whatever,” Hanna says.
When a high, but smiling, Katheryn enters the kitchen, Hanna is forced to hang up with Benny.
Katheryn asks Hanna to step into the living room. “I can’t feel anything at all,” she says. “This is good stuff. Can you get me some more?”
“No, you need to ask your doctor for some,” Hanna says. “I’m not a pusher and I’m not going to be bringing you dope.”
“You’re such a spoiled sport,” Katheryn says.
Just then, Veronica enters the foyer. Katheryn greets her friend. “Why are you smiling so hard?” Veronica asks.
Veronica proceeds to tell Katheryn she confronted Candace “It was all a misunderstanding. David has a client that had some business with her. But thank God she is not sleeping with David,” she says. “You were right. Thank you for talking me through it.”
Katheryn asks if Veronica would like to stay for tea. She declines. “I have to drive out to the center,” Veronica says. “I need to meet with Jeffery, and I have to get home and make it up to David.”
“Well, get busy repenting,” Katheryn laughs.
At the rehab center, Jeffery is surprised to see his mother—and even more surprised by what she has come to discuss. “It’s time for you to get a girlfriend,” she says.
“Mom, all I do is work around here. I don’t have time to date,” he says. “Where is this coming from?”
With his father running for lieutenant governor, Veronica says it’s time for Jeffery to look the part. “I’ll make some calls,” she says. “What kind of women do you like?”
Jeffery takes a deep breath. “I need to tell you something,” he says.
Watch part of this scene unfold.
Veronica stops him. “I think you like tall women that are busty and smart. Natural looking black girls,” she says. “That’s what you like. And that’s what you will find because that is all your father and I will ever accept. Nothing else.”
She continues. “I’d rather have no son at all than a son that is not attracted to tall, busty, natural looking black girls,” she says. “Am I making myself clear, Jeffery?”
“Yes, mother, very,” he says.
“Good, then I will expect to meet her soon,” she says. “Enjoy the rest of your evening, son.”
