Waiting to Exhale Page #6

No, no, he hasn't.

Well, then pick up the phone

and call him.

Because, Ma, I just don't know.

I don't know if I can trust him.

Oh, girl, you're so crazy.

Mama, do me a favor, okay?

Yes?

I don't care if it's a knitting class

or a new girdle, anything.

I don't care what it is...

...you just pick up the phone

and you call me, okay?

All right, baby.

And only me, Ma.

Only you, precious.

Bye.

KENNETH:

Hi.

Yeah, sorry I didn't call after I got in.

Oh, continuous introductions

after a very long and tedious meeting.

I was whipped.

Yeah. One thing is certain...

...I'm gonna have to come here a few

more times before this deal's in place.

Yeah. How's my baby girl?

Well, you tell her

that her daddy loves her.

Yeah.

Me too.

Bye.

- Well, good morning.

- Well, good morning.

And how are you today?

I'm here with you. It's all good.

Have your breakfast. I'll be back.

I'll be here.

This is gonna broaden his horizons.

Make him more worldly.

He'll be fluent in Spanish.

I know that.

I don't see why he has to go

all the way to Spain...

...when he's accepted

at Arizona State--

I'm gonna miss him too.

- Who's taIking about missing him?

- Look, he's a man, Gloria.

He knows what he wants.

- Be proud you raised him that way.

- I am proud.

It's just....

- He's my baby. you don't understand.

- I understand. I--

Why you telling me all this?

I thought that since you been coming

over, showing him how to fix things....

He's never known what it's like

to have a father.

You took him fishing.

He looks up to you.

I thought maybe you

could talk some sense into him.

It seems to me Tarik isn't the one

needs to come to his senses.

If you don't mind my saying so.

Well, everybody's entitled

to their own opinion. Good night.

Gloria.

Good night.

It's getting late. I better....

Good night.

Russell called and said

he's leaving his wife for sure this time.

Okay, so, what's taking him so long?

Russell?

Russell, what took you so long?

RUSSELL:

I wasn't gone that long.

ROBIN:

Well, what happened?

RUSSELL:

We talked.

Well, I assumed that much.

So...

...is she gonna sign the divorce papers...

...or what?

You just don't decide to divorce

somebody and sign on the dotted line.

It doesn't work that way.

I wish it did, but it doesn't.

Why don't you get my pajamas.

Pajamas?

Now, that's the first time

you ever asked for those.

Russell, did you sleep with her?

I can't take coming here...

...and being pressured

about what I'm doing with my own wife.

Well, you know we won't have

very much time to spend together.

[PHONE RINGING]

Hello.

TROy:

what's happening, baby? It's Troy.

- I can't talk right now.

- What? Can't talk now?

Look, why don't you just say something

sexy to me, so I can go to sleep--

Who was that?

Savannah.

I suggest you tell your boyfriends

not to call here after 11:00.

He's jealous. what a joke.

What the hell am I doing, anyway?

[CHOIR SINGING GOSPEL SONG]

This Up With People's choir

that's going to Spain...

...is it this good?

You mean the one

You won't let me join?

No.

But they're close.

After that selection, after that song....

After that song,

somebody should say, "Thank you."

ALL:
Thank you!

- Say, "praise the Lord."

ALL:
Praise the Lord!

- Say "praise the Lord!"

- Praise the Lord!

- Turn to your neighbor and say:

- "The Lord is blessing me...

- The Lord is blessing me...

- ...right now."

- ...right now.

- Amen.

- Amen.

At this time, our prayers go out

to Sister Lulu Mae Preston...

...who's had hip surgery.

Church, I want you to know

this morning that God is able!

And because we know that he's able...

...we will continue to pray

her strength in the Lord.

- Amen.

- Amen.

Sister Gloria Matthews

would like the congregation...

...to send their prayers out

for the safe journey of her son, Tarik...

...who'll soon be on his way

to Spain for a year...

...to play saxophone in the

Up With People International Orchestra.

Hallelujah! Amen.

Ah!

Brother Tarik...

...hold on to the Lord's unchanging hand.

As you go on your journey, continue

to trust in the Lord with all your heart.

- Amen

ALL:
Amen.

[CHILDREN SCRAMING]

So, what do you think, Robin?

I've loved this man forever, and now

that we've got another chance...

...I don't wanna blow it by making him

think I don't have faith in him.

Do you know what I mean?

I mean, don't we hear this

on Sally and Oprah every day?

- That's what you sound like.

- I know.

Is that where you get advice?

The TV?

Well, you know, there was

this one woman in your same situation.

This man kept saying

he was gonna leave too.

She got her hopes all up

and everything...

...quit her job,

even moved to the city he lived in.

Right after she got there...

...she found out

she was three months pregnant.

He ended up dumping the woman.

He said his kids would be too hurt

if he left now.

So, what about the baby?

So she had an abortion.

She never, ever told a soul...

...not even her mama.

Hmm.

She never looked at men

quite the same again.

So he left his wife in the end, right?

Take a wild guess, Savannah.

What show was this on?

Sorry...

...I've never been on Oprah.

[COUGHING]

Guess what I got.

- Some tea.

- Guess.

Picture you drew for me?

I don't know, honey. What is it?

ONIKA:

I got the mail, Ma.

- Oh. Thank you.

- You're welcome. I'll be right back, okay?

Okay.

ONIKA:

Mama?

JAMES:
I've waited as long

as I could to contact you.

ONIKA:

Mama, is "freak" a bad word?

JAMES:
I've been thinking

about you a lot, Bernie.

Every day. All the time.

I'm embarrassed

to even write that down...

...but it's true.

Bernie, I fellin love in one night.

Mama, I asked you a question.

No, honey. No, it's not.

JAMES:
You know what's even harder

for me to understand...

...is that what I feel for you...

...has never undercut

the love Ihave for my wife.

Now, how is that possible?

ONIKA:

Tabitha said it was a bad word.

JAMES:

I still watch her every day.

So beautiful. So brave.

I just wanna give her

everything I've got in me.

Every moment.

It's not a nice word.

JAMES:
She's hanging on,

fighting to be here for me...

...and when she sleeps, I cry...

...over how amazing she is...

...and how lucky I've been

to have herin my life.

can I say it?

No. No.

JAMES:
You're the only person in this

world I ever knew I could tell this to...

...and even if this never finds you...

...and we never speak again...

...you've changed my life.

You know what inspiration is?

It's someone who lets you know

life will go on...

...and something beautiful

can be waiting somewhere.

Somewhere when you least expect it.

Mama, what does it mean?

BERNADINE:
What does what mean?

- "Freak."

It means "weird."

You let me say "weird."

Why can't I say "freak"?

- Because.

ONIKA:
Look, Mama.

Huh?

Look at you.

What?

ONIKA:

God stopped crying.

I don't think those

are God's tears at all...

...just his way of making sure

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