While working as a cashier at the local co-op market, Joan appears in a television news segment about black-owned businesses. Bobby, her boss, publicly declares himself a hero for providing employment to a down-on-her-luck woman who had been forced to go on food stamps. Joan is completely humiliated, and lights into Bobby for sharing her business with the whole city. Bobby insists that he simply wanted to generate good publicity for the co-op, but later apologizes for his insensitivity. Isaiah comes to the store and tries to take back the items Ujamaa is stocked with but Bobby talks him out of it. Tasha is distressed that she cannot attend track meets or hang out with her friends because she must watch Deion every day. He refuses to obey her, and begins to scream and physically attack her at one point. When Tasha takes Deion to a therapy session, his psychiatrist senses her frustration and gives her a chance to get some things off her chest. Tasha is happy when Deion reaches out to h

Tasha is overjoyed when her father, James, unexpectedly shows up for her 14th birthday party; but her mother and brother are less than thrilled. Despite Nicole's pleas, Andre refuses to behave civilly toward his father. Andre confronts a group of gang members who try to crash the party. He is furious when James comes off as the hero by defusing the situation peacefully. Andre tells him off and starts a shoving match. After James criticizes Joan's parenting skills (and suggests that she might be responsible for Marcus's death), she screams at him and throws him out of the party. Tasha follows her father and spends the rest of the day with him. Andre discovers some surprising information; although he had assumed that James abandoned the family, Joan actually ended the marriage. When Tasha returns, Joan tells her that she doesn't have to turn her back on her father, but could show her mother some appreciation.