Star – Lean On Me

By starrymag | April 23, 2019

By: Gladys Luna

 

Bobby (Harold Perrineau) arrives at Noah’s (Luke James) house just as soon as Miss Bruce (Miss Lawrence) calls him to let him know about his son’s current state. The man is mad at him for not asking him for help before and demands him to stand up from the couch where he is in and get himself together. He assures him that from now on he will be in lockdown until he gets completely sober. Noah doesn’t seem to be pleased with such news since he wants to be part of the ASA’s, but Bobby doesn’t let him get away with it.

 

Simone (Brittany O’Grady), Angel (Evan Ross), Alex (Ryan Destiny) and Derek (Quincy Brown) are decorating Carlotta’s house and surprise Star (Jude Demorest) when she comes back from the hospital.. Alex and Derek get distracted by kissing each other and are immediately scolded by Simone who asks them to hurry up. As on cue, Star and Carlotta (Queen Latifah) walk in the room and the blonde is greeted happily by everyone. Simone is holding Davis so her sister walks straight to her and takes him out of her arms saying that she is now back for good. Suddenly, the baby starts to cry and Star gets a little upset when she is unable to recognize her son’s crying. Simone tries to soothe her down and tells her that he is crying because he wants his binky. Right that moment Maurice (Lance Gross) calls Carlotta to tell her that he needs the girls to be at the luncheon to check on their intro package for the ASA’s. Alex, Carlotta and Simone prepare to go when Star says that she is going with them, too. She feels ready to come back on the scene and although the others don’t feel the same way, they allow her to tag along.

 

The gang arrives at the luncheon and Maurice is surprised to see that Star has decided to join them. He updates them about the ASA’s board recent decisions on their performance and lets them know that they have decided to choose somebody else to perform as a Best Pop Album. As is expected, the girls do not like that idea but there is not much they can do about it now.

 

The new artist name is Amber Drake (Erika Tham) and even though she has just gotten on the scene she’s the chosen one for the job. At that moment Amber’s soundcheck is announced and the girl takes the stage. Star begins to breathe heavily but she tries to explain that is only because of Davis and not because she is in a bad state. The girl continues assuring them that she is ready for the ASA’s and that she needs it since her solo career is falling off. As they are discussing it, Amber jumps in and tells them that she is a big fan of them and also expresses how happy she is to be nominated next to them.

 

Leon (Kia Shine) pays a visit to Cotton (Amiyah Scott) and tries to make a deal with her as he wants her to let Dior (Ashton B. Grooms) and the other girls work at Karma. He would let Cotton (Patti LaBelle) manage them and he will get his money anyway. That way, Cotton will be sure that they are safe and not just in the danger of the streets. Christine shows up at Carlotta’s house and tries to talk to her about all of the arrangements she has made for Calvin’s (Ben Vereen) funeral. She wants her to participate as well but Carlotta refuses. It seems like her mom is still in denial about what Calvin did to her.

 

Star has been trying to call Noah, but he is not answering his phone. Simone walks in and Star questions her about the guy’s whereabouts. At that moment Simone is compelled to tell her the truth about why there is no sign of him anywhere and Star gets mad with her for keeping such big information from her. She also asks Simone to step away and stop making decisions for her and her son. Simone doesn’t take her comments very well and leaves the place.

 

Cassie (Brandy Norwood) walks in Carlotta’s house holding a pound cake that she has been given in regards to her father’s passing. As they are discussing the topic two men walk in greeting the girls happily. Both of them turn out to be Carlotta and Cassie’s cousins that have shown up for the funeral. Luke (Glenn MaGee) questions Carlotta about her decision of not attending to her father’s funeral, something that makes the situation very uncomfortable and even more when the woman asks him to stay out of her business.

 

Star pays a visit to Noah who now is throwing up in a bucket feeling completely bad. Bobby is truly scared about his son’s situation but Miss Bruce tells him that is just part of the process. Star walks in holding Davis in her arms and yelling at Noah for not keeping his promise of taking care of their son. She also assures him that this will be the last time he would see him.

 

The girl goes back to the studio where Alex and Simone are already working on a song. Star apologizes for being late and tells them about what happened with Noah. Everything seems to be back on track now and Star asks them to allow her to voice the lyrics they were working on. She enters the recording booth and when she tries to sing she comes to realize that her voice is not the same. She attempts to sing several times but nothing seems to makes it any better.

 

Jackson (Matthew Noszka) visits Star and Davis. Star has just gotten off the phone with the doctor that had recommended her to rest her voice. The girls comes clean with him about her vocal cords situation and how she’s been feeling misplaced. She believes that she has lost three months without performing, but most of all without being with her son who won’t stop crying because he doesn’t know her. Davis starts to cray and Jackson carries him, which causes the baby to calm down. She expresses how much she’s missed him and that Simone had told her he used to visit her every day at the hospital. The man is visibly uncomfortable now and he confirms to her that for now they only can be friends.

 

Rashad (Major.) is having a conversation with Cotton and recalling stories from when they were kids. He tells her how bad he felt back then when everybody tried to make her act as “Arnold” when all she wanted to be was someone else. Carlotta walks in and Cotton decides to leave them alone. The woman believes that he is there to convince her of attending the funeral but he says that it is sad for him to know that family only gathers when they have to as in funerals or holidays. Carlotta confesses that she has learned that it’s not about with the family you have to be but with the ones you want to be with and that is not always related to blood. He tells her his reason to be there is to pay respect to Calvin as he is grateful for everything he did for him.

 

Cassie and Carlotta meet at Karma where they share a few drinks and continue discussing everything about Calvin. Cassie confesses that she was the one who killed him since every time he denied everything he did to Carlotta it was like a bullet to her heart. The woman also advises her sister to tell the real reason why she is not attending his funeral just so he won’t keep having power over her even now when he is dead. Carlotta is left alone when Cassie goes to get them more drinks. Suddenly, one of the waitresses gives Carlotta a drink on behalf of a man named Randall (Kinyumba Mutakkabir) who sitting at the bar near her. Randall approaches her and throws her a pickup line that makes the woman smile. They talk to each other briefly and the next thing they know they are sharing a bed while having some fun time with each other.

 

Noah has a nightmare about Davis and wakes up screaming and wanting to run away from his bedroom. Miss Bruce, Bobby and an opiate doctor (Dango Nu Yen) walk in to confirm that Noah is now in full-blown withdrawal and he needs to be taken to the hospital immediately. Noah refuses to go and promises his father that he could fight his addiction.

 

Star arrives at Gravity Records with Davis and meets Carlotta who asks her to stop pushing herself and get some rest but, as usual, the girl refuses to do it. Bobby is trying to make Noah have some breakfast when Miss Bruce enters the room announcing that Maurice wants to know if he’ll be attending the ASA’s luncheon. He gets immediately excited, but that is dropped as soon as Bobby tells him that he is not going anywhere until he is fully recovered.

 

Star meets with Alex and Simone. She lies to them by saying the doctor has told her she is good to perform the next day, but Simone has already been informed about Star’s health. Alex lets her know that they have decided to not allow her to perform with them, something that pisses Star off and they start an argument that ends with Davis crying and the other two girls leaving.

 

The ASA’s luncheon day has finally arrived and Star is looking with a hint of nostalgia at a table sign indicating that it is reserved for “Take 3.” Carlotta tells her that she needs to take time and heal herself but, for now, all she has to do is take it easy and celebrate.

 

Alex and Simone are about to perform when Star walks in. They believe she wants to fight with them, but she assures them that she has understood that even though her mind is ready to be back her body is just not. They share a hug and then she and Carlotta watch the other two girls from the side of the stage as they are performing.

 

Carlotta talks to her mother about wanting to leave everything that her father put her through behind. Christine ends up apologizing for not being there for her when she need her and for not believing in her words.

 

The next day the whole family is together again. Rashad and Carlotta have a heart to heart conversation where the woman comes clean about why she didn’t want to be part of Calvin’s funeral. Rashad expresses his sympathy for her and then they start to sing together in front of everybody while we see images of Carlotta being next to her mother while Calvin’s body is taken to the crematory.

 

Later that day Noah shows up unannounced at Star’s door and apologizes again for what he did. She yells at him that she won’t let him become a bunch of apologizes to their son. When he asks her to let him see Davis she hesitates for a moment but ends up saying no and closing the door right on his face.