Is it possible to put your own family behind you and choose another?
Or are you chained to a cycle thats been pre-determined by your genes?
We open at Camillas funeral so turns out she actuallydiddie last week.
Credit: Chuck Hodes/Fox
Rhonda will assume Camillas role as creative director of the Antony & Cleopatra fashion line (that was convenient!
), and shes successfully gotten Andre to the doctorandon a new dose of meds or so Andre says.
Lucious, for his part, takes plenty of glee in rubbing Camillas death in Hakeems face.
I want to commend you on getting rid of Camilla like that, he says.
Thank god you killed her.
On a lighter note, Cookies about to celebrate her first birthday in 17 years as a free woman.
What kind of time-slowing wormhole is this?]
The major part of this episode revolves around Lucious video shoot.
(She is a mom, after all!)
Eventually, Freda walks up, and Jamal asks if she wants to record something together.
Freda refuses, saying if they have beef with Lucious, it doesnt involve her.
She doesnt know, yet, that Lucious cut her verse from Boom Boom Boom Boom.
As Becky puts it, This is bad.
This is Keyshia Cole vs. Black Twitter bad.
Not only is everyone happy, but the trio debuts a hot new song (as usual!)
to fight off the rumors.
Okay, I lied just a bit: Tiana doesnt seem 100 percent happy.
When she sees Laura and Hakeem kissing, she looks a little forlorn.
Cant Tiana find someone to love?
Hakeem meets Lauras warm, wonderful parents in Lauras dressing room.
Thank you for believing in our girl, Lauras father says to Hakeem.
This hits a nerve for poor Hakeem.
My family aint like that, he says quietly.
Its nice, though.
Freda, for her part, still feels held back by her fathers chains even though hes dead.
NEXT: Will Cookie get her peaceful dinner?
Later, at Lucious house, Cookie shows up for her birthday dinner.
Earlier, Jamal realized that Cookie is falling for Lucious again, but warned her to be careful.
All I wanted was a happy birthday dinner with my family, Cookie tells Lucious now.
Cant do that because you managed to piss off all my sons!
Well, she thought wrong, at least in one very important case.
Was my grandmother bipolar?
I aint no doctor, Lucious answers coldly.
Back then, we didnt have a name for it, Lucious concedes.
But yeah, I guess you could say she was bipolar.
This whole time you knew, Andre says, seething.
You made me feel like I was some freak you didnt even recognize.
The truth is, youve got mental issues, Lucious says.
I sent you to all those fancy schools, let you marry Rhonda…
The truth is, my mom was a nutjob.
I was embarrassed by her.
Same way Im embarrassed by you.
So much for a peaceful birthday dinner for Cookie, right?
I thought you were at your moms birthday!
It made me want to come be here with you…
I had fun with you and your family, Hakeem says.
With my family, everyones always at each others throats…
I want to build my own family as beautiful as yours.
Im curious to see where Tiana goes from here: Will she find a new love interest?
give a shot to get revenge on Laura?
Leave the label for good?
Hakeem isnt the only one left at the end of his rope after that dinner.
Rhonda, too, cant take it anymore so she callsAnikato come get her.
I just need a day or two to look out for myself.
Anika, all sweet and friendly, says Rhonda can stay with her as long as she needs.
Thank you, says Rhonda.
It will be nice to be around someone sane for a change.
Oh Rhonda, I hope youre not making a huge mistake.
Will she find out that Anikas pregnant while shes staying there?
Does Anika plan to hurt Rhonda further?
They mention his engagement and seem to approve (but also Cookie doesnt seem to care that much?
), and Freda is also unexpectedly sweet, calling Cookie Miss Cookie and being super polite.
They go back in the studio to finish the verse, where Freda name-checks her father, Frank Gathers.
Lets hope Fredas too busy cranking out hits to crack down on the case for now…
