Mary Jane Paul does not want to win. I’m all for women dating multiple men so as not to put all the proverbial eggs in one basket, but M.J. has Sheldon, who is damn near perfect. Why she’s watching movies and sipping wine with Mr. Cutty Buddy baffles the hell out of me. A woman does have needs, but pillow talk with the booty call about Sheldon is not how any of this works.
A little girl talk at one of M.J.’s favorite boutiques reveals that Sheldon likes his women young. The law student/boutique worker who’s had him has no qualms about disclosing Sheldon’s kinky ways, refusal to ejaculate, and roster of women he keeps in rotation. M.J. is not his “usual type,” at almost 40. When you go looking for spilled tea (over champagne), Mary Jane, this is what you get.
Kara thinks that M.J.’s feel-good story about gardening is advocacy as opposed to actual journalism. Her producer friend wants her to ask harder questions. M.J. gets all in her feelings and accuses Kara of saying this because her guest is African American. M.J. comes to her senses after realizing that she could’ve done a better job with follow-up questions.
Kara feels as if M.J. has pushed her out of a dream that was once theirs. M.J. sees the change in their dynamic as her taking the lead for the first time. Kara wants to jump ship to save their friendship. “This might be the most mature breakup I’ve ever had,” M.J. says. It’s like a legit breakup when Kara hits her with the “I hope we can still be friends” line as they both shed a tear.
Paul’s investor backs out on his real estate idea because David is out, but there is an opportunity in Cali for him as a project manager on foreclosed properties. He’s set to gain $25 million if he cuts a few illegal corners. This Ponzi scheme is going to get him locked up. Let us pray. His pops comes to him with a $30,000 job offer, but you do the math. No one is even considering, let alone accepting, a $30K-a-year job when $25 mil is on the table.
M.J. has the audacity to question Sheldon about his past while she has the Cutty Buddy on speed dial. At lunch, she’s getting so paranoid that she asks Sheldon if he dated the waitress. Mary Jane is always so damn difficult. Sheldon doesn’t deny his past. He was focused on his career, not looking for anything serious.
As for his refusal to ejaculate? It prolonged his arousal and engagement. Sheldon remains in control while M.J. sits there picking up her jaw. “When you’re ready to hear me, let me know,” he says. This is what she needs in her life!
Over lunch, Valerie talks to Lisa about her friendship with M.J. She believes the childhood friends should reconcile. Lisa wants to have a chat with M.J. that lays everything on the table, but Valerie advises against it. Lisa accuses Valerie of trying to protect M.J. Valerie makes sure Lisa is still taking her meds; she is. Lisa feels as if she’s sinking and no one wants to go down with her.
M.J. has her shot at the big leagues: prime-time news. Cynthia is out for the evening, so M.J. fills in because of Kara’s recommendation to the executives. Kara tells her to forget everything she said last night; it was just her emotions talking. The dynamic duo is back.
Of course M.J. goes rogue. It’s Mary Jane Paul. She took Kara’s critique of her not being a journalist to heart, and her guest pays dearly for it with hard questions she wasn’t prepared to answer.
Producers yell at Kara and tell M.J. to get back on topic. And things get real when M.J. takes the earpiece out. I sure hope M.J.’s savings account is flush because this heifer is headed to the unemployment line. Unless the ratings were through the roof.
When M.J. gets home, she realizes she messed up. “I love my house, Kara. I don’t want to lose my house.” Girl. When you were prime-time anchoring off-script, you were not thinking about those floor-to-ceiling glass windows.
Sheldon calls to make her feel better, but mostly to tell her she can’t just shut down on him. M.J. is afraid of getting hurt. Cutty Buddy comes over while she’s midconversation with Sheldon. While Sheldon’s on hold, she decides to part ways with Cutty.
Surprisingly, he’s in total agreement with the decision. “You’re crazy; that’s probably why the sex was so good,” he says. At this point M.J. should have had phenomenal sex with him one last time, but I guess all those eggs are now officially in the Sheldon basket.
Sheldon has waited patiently for M.J. to come back to the phone to finally admit that she likes him and wants to go slow. And that’s how you know it’s real. “Going slow” is basically the woman’s equivalent of “You got me, baby. Just don’t screw up.”