With each bite of the season opener, viewers rejoiced in our reunion with our favorite OWN TV family. Once again we were deep in the drama of the Montgomery family. Now that wedding plans have been postponed until Tim and Jenae’s five-year anniversary, the family was in full celebration of Miss Robbie’s grand opening of the Upper Crust…well, most people. We all know that the Montgomery family is tight, but sometimes it is hard to tell.
Tim focused on keeping the restaurant running while his mother wrapped up the last minute details for the “soft” opening she was throwing. Throughout the scenes of dealing with a difficult contractor and a new cooking staff, Robbie was alone. Tim was arm-deep in chicken while lines of people wrapped around the building all looking for a good meal. For the first time, Tim was thinking of the restaurant as his own. He wanted to be successful…it appeared to be at any cost.
As his mother’s dreams were coming true, there was a noticeable absence from the son, a son that she would do anything for. We all knew that the plan was for Tim to be there for support while Jenae tended bar, but as the day got closer both her and Tim alluded to the possibility of not showing up. Finding a babysitter and the desire to keep the restaurant open to make money seemed to be tripping both of them up. We were certain it was simply a ploy to make for good TV. It had to be. Certainly Tim would be there for his mom. However at each turn he seemed to be sabotaging her. First it was the contractor he hired to finish that all important patio Tim insisted on. Then it was a childish change of passwords on a computer to protest his mother taking the office computer for the Upper Crust. Only to be followed by complaints of her taking pots and pans and some of the staff. None of this was a surprise to Tim. He knew it was coming but his attitude left us questioning his character. Maybe he and his mom had a lot more distance between them than we had realized.
As the opening got closer and the excitement built, Miss Robbie stopped into the old restaurant and told the crew she wanted all of them to be there for the opening. Flyers were placed all around the building informing the customers that they were closing early, inviting them to the opening of their newest venture. The staff worked through their day excited about the new beginning. However they could tell early on that something seemed off with Tim. Of course Jenae showed up early for Miss Robbie ready to mix drinks and show her support. We all knew she would. But Tim’s choices surprised many of us.
He tore down the flyers and informed his staff that no one was going to the opening. He was making a statement. Making money was a priority over supporting his mother. In that moment, we realized it wasn’t a ploy. He really didn’t get it. The Upper Crust was his legacy too. Even if it wasn’t, he should have stopped for a few hours to honor the woman who gave him life…and a job. Although they are now partners, his mother brought him in to a business that she started and built for her family. Whether he was looking to prove he could run the place or simply trying to establish his authority, his actions appeared ungrateful and his priorities were all messed up. But his absence didn’t stop the celebration. Friends and family filled the room to show their support…and let’s be honest. They also showed up for the great food!
Somewhere the lesson was lost. Money means nothing without family. Nothing. The opening was one of the proudest moments for his mom and Tim was purposely absent. As viewers, we envisioned scenes of Tim holding little T.J. with family and the crew standing around laughing and smiling. Finally Miss Robbie’s dream was coming true. A dream she would one day pass down to her son and grandson. But that wasn’t the way it played out. Instead what was supposed to be a day filled with love and happiness ended up being a day tainted by disappointment and hurt. It was a fresh new start for Sweetie Pie’s but at the price of another scarred path for Miss Robbie and her son. Tim and Miss Robbie’s next therapy session is certain to reveal the hurt and betrayal Miss Robbie felt. What so many people forget is that even though you pull out the knife, you still leave a wound. Hopefully Tim will have his “A-HA” moment before he does any more damage to his relationships. We have to wonder if moments like this make Jenae think twice about the person she is planning to marry.