RECAP: "If The Shoe Fits..."-Being Mary Jane S3, E7

Being Mary Jane was great last night! Picking up from last week, Mary Jane gets more bag options from the stylists, and gets a Birkin bag for herself for her 39th birthday. Meanwhile, Niecy tries to sell expensive flat irons at the mall, where a customer encourages her to do hair. Niecy could really be making some great money. I don't know why she doesn't, really. She talks with other employees in the mall, who help each other out with employee discounts to their different stores.

In addition to the Birkin bag, MJ also gets a new car. While driving home, she sees Mark's house for sale. She ss shocked and upset that he is really leaving for Nigeria, and also that he seemingly forgot her birthday. At that moment, Patrick calls and says that Helen had another fall and had to stay overnight in the hospital. She quickly comes over, of course. PJ comes in too, from LA, and is apparently doing well for himself at his new job, albeit illegal. MJ is suspicious that her brothers and family are planning something for her birthday, but I doubt it. Patrick asks her to come back to help Helen that night, which she takes to mean to come back for the surprise. However, with everything going on, I really think they forgot!




At work, Patrick gets invited for a "donut break," by his boss and a few employees, which turns out to be pills to focus. It works for Patrick, though. His sales have been up, and he's been able to get his work done. However, I see this becoming an addiction slowly but surely.

We then see clips from the events going on over in Nigeria. Back at SNC, Mark gets a great severance package now that he's leaving. Kara tells him to take care of himself out there, and lets him know that she'll be pissed if anything happens to him. Afterwards, Mary Jane reads birthday wishes from her viewers online, Kara brings her a homemade cake for her and the crew. During the celebration, a team member lets MJ know that it has been discovered that Barbara Ling-Cho, the employer that PJ works for, has been openly accused of bid rigging. There will be an investigative report, and MJ is encouraged to take a look at the email sent about it.

Later, Kara and MJ talk in MJ's new Tesla, with Kara's kids in the back. Kara is trying to work things out with John and the kids, and it seems to be working all right. She admits that she's mad that Mark is leaving, because now anchors will be rotated in, messing up the flow of the show. MJ tells that she has plans for a surprise party at her family's house, which Kara wasn't invited to. Kara thinks it's weird that she wouldn't be invited if there was a surprise party going on, but Mary Jane thinks it could just be a family thing.


MJ goes over to the Pattersons', walking around the dark house, thinking she'll be surprised.
However, absolutely nothing is going on. PJ reveals that they forgot, which would irritate me with everything that girl has done for them. Instead of getting too mad, Mary Jane brings up the bid rigging. PJ arrogantly admits he is involved, and Mary Jane states that there is already an investigation on his firm. Regardless of what he does, Mary Jane believes that he will end up being the fall guy on this, warning him to get out while he can. He wants to make this work to set the Pattersons back up for greatness. However, his methods make him a criminal, and it will come with burden and consequences. Mary Jane tells him he can make a lot of money from this, but it doesn't buy peace of mind.

Later, MJ gives Helen a bath, and helps her to bed, giving her medicine and a leg massage. At that moment, Helen reveals she never danced in public, not even at her wedding, out of fear of looking silly. Now these legs won't let her change her mind. Helen encourages Mary Jane that, whenever she gets a chance to dance, to dance, and wishes her a happy birthday. At least someone remembered!

At his job, Patrick slides his co-worker money for more pills to stay up and knock out orders. Meanwhile, Niecy and Paul come home, and we see Niecy did a little shopping with her first check, buying a lot of designer stuff with her friends' employee discounts. She even got MJ a candle for her birthday. Mary Jane calls Niecy for spending up half her check, when she has responsibilities with her kids. Of course, it upsets Niecy, who storms away and takes back the candle. Paul tells Mary Jane that Niecy needs to feel the independence of money, and is somewhat progressing. I mean, for the past two years, I've been wanting the girl to get a job, so yes, that's progress. When I got my first pay check, I spent it up too. However, I was 14 and didn't have kids. Niecy has two, so I understood where Mary Jane was coming from. MJ admits at that moment that she had an abortion, trying to do the reasonable, responsible thing to not be a burden to others. She clearly feels a little bitterness behind the fact that Niecy has been babied by Paul and Helen with her babies in tow, as well as the fact that her family her birthday, after she's worked to help them. She says outright that she could have had a six year old to spend her birthday with if she had known she could've been taken care of like Niecy. Paul grabs her in a hug and comforts her.



At the end of the episode, Mark does his last broadcast, and gives a little speech to the crew, stating
that it's time for the next part of his journey. He gets emotional, and admits he'll miss everyone, thanking them for an amazing five years at SNC. At Mary Jane's, Mark surprises her with a little cake, proving he actually didn't forget her birthday. He reveals he officially sold his house, and has found a crew in London to check out before going to Nigeria. He admits he's scared, but he's more scared to not do what he wants to do, and not live in the moment. Mary Jane and Mark will definitely miss each other, especially Mary Jane since Mark is often her voice of reason. The two of them end the episode with a dance battle to Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock's "It Takes Two." I love their friendship, and will miss seeing that on the show. I'm not sure what is going to happen with Mark's character going forward, but I hope he comes back.

Be sure to check out all new episodes of Being Mary Jane at 10 p.m. ET on Tuesdays only on BET. 

Images via BET