Episode 102: “First Date”
Now that Ruby knows Yasir has fallen for Nuri, he has to go. I don’t blame her. He couldn’t lay on my couch whispering and giggling with another woman either. But you know how some people only become attractive or more attractive when someone else wants them? Well, Ruby caught a case of that foolery. Suddenly, she wanted his help. You know – a friend favor. She had an important business venture on the table and wanted him to join her at dinner with her client from Brentwood who has a rich husband, money to blow, and a dream to open a business that includes a yoga studio. Because the client would like to do some naked yoga poses with Yasir, Ruby is hopeful to have a leg up on the other yoga instructors vying for the opportunity if he attends. He agreed to let her pimp him out; but once she told him the day, he needed to change the plans a bit. He could only do drinks because he was attending the jazz concert. Ruby wasn’t feeling that but agreed anyway. Knowing she was competing with Nuri, she asked Yasir to help her pick out an outfit for dinner. She even threw in how she always loved what he picked. Mmm hmm. The fashion show took place in her room and almost led to sexy times. Once Yasir turned down her advances and said she was right about him moving out, she rescinded her invitation for the next day. Just like that, he was off to live in his car.
Meanwhile, life is great for Nuri. Her skillful comedic writing caught Marvin’s attention, and she was able to join him for dinner at Georgia’s, an exclusive restaurant for the black and bougie. But Norman reminded her of the flip side to Marvin seeing her and expecting her to deliver. If she didn’t deliver from that point on, she could be back outside, looking in. She was excited to share the news with Yasir, who reciprocated her excitement on the other end of the phone. While out at Georgia’s,she ran into Keith, who couldn’t get in that night, and moments later, Will. Because she’s comfortable in her own skin, the exchanges with her two play thangs weren’t awkward.
Unfortunately, Nuri’s dedication to work and Yasir’s lack of cash flow led to communication issues. When he tried calling during the day, she was at the job. When he actually called her at work, Will blocked and didn’t give her the message right away. When Nuri finally got the message and tried to reach Yasir, his pager was out of service. And after calling the house, Ruby informed her that he did not live there and politely asked Nuri to lose her number.
So, Yasir and Nuri had no solid plan for concert day. She’d exhausted all her options after her phone call to Ruby, and he exhausted his after reaching out to his pager’s service provider to see if they could retrieve her number for him. Nope. They didn’t want to hear from him unless he had one hundred-plus dollars. After Sean found Yasir asleep in his car in the parking lot, he took him back to his place. His advice: get back with Ruby and stop obsessing about Nuri. Sell the concert ticket for three times the price, and keep it moving.
On the night of the concert, Nuri was at work. Though she still hadn’t spoken with Yasir, she couldn’t stop thinking about him. Finally, she asked her friend, Angela, to cover for her while she went to the concert to meet her potential boo. Yasir had been there for a while, waiting outside for her. Just as he was about to sell his ticket to a gentleman who asked if he had an extra one, Nuri arrived. **Insert all the feels here.**
This show is so beautifully written. It’s funny. It’s romantic. It’s sexy. It’s nostalgic. It’s human. The characters are perfectly flawed and perfect for each other. I crave the next episodes! If you haven’t checked out Love Is _____ yet, get to it. Catch up and then tune in Tuesdays at 10pm EST on OWN.
RUN THAT BACK with PORTIA 