Swan Song

The narrative returns to the present.

Zara and Ed speak to Kacy, assuming she might know something about Coco’s background. However, everything Kacy knows is from Coco’s screenplay. When Zara asks about Coco’s romantic life, Kacy hesitates to answer.

The narrative flashes back to the past.

The Richardsons throw a Fourth of July party aboard Hedonism, inviting fewer than half the guests from their first one. Delilah makes the cut, to her relief. Sharon and Romeo are also both invited, but Sharon is declined a plus-one when she asks if she can bring her sister Heather. Heather is happy to stay home so Sharon can attend. Eric and Avalon decline.

The Richardsons’ names sound familiar to Heather. She looks them up and realizes that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)—a regulatory body in charge of all companies that offer stock—did a preliminary investigation into Sweetwater Distribution, the company Bull owns.

The party is in full swing aboard Hedonism. Coco, who is tired, can’t wait for it to be over. Lamont has been avoiding her since the island visit. As the fireworks begin, Coco spots Leslee giving him a back rub to landscaper Benton at the stern gate.

Ed feels unsettled during the party, worrying about the amount of work the police usually have on holidays like these. On the drive here, he spotted a silver Range Rover with the license plate “BEAST” speeding, the second time he had seen the vehicle do so. Aboard the yacht, as he wanders restlessly, he also spots Leslee and Benton; the latter immediately jumps up and walks away sheepishly.

Coco fumes as she watches Leslee turn her attentions to Lamont for the rest of the yacht ride. Later that night, however, Lamont comes over to Coco’s apartment in the middle of the night, unable to stay away from her any longer.

Sharon takes Romeo to the club for lunch. Busy sees them and makes disparaging comments about Romeo’s background; while Sharon is furious, Romeo is entirely unbothered.

By mid-July, Coco falls into a comfortable rhythm. During Lamont’s early morning visits to her apartment, they talk about their lives and struggles: Lamont’s experience being the only Black person in most sailing spaces, including the Field and Oar; the financial struggles Coco’s family faced growing up, coupled with her mother’s volatility. Lamont even takes Coco home to meet his mother, Glynnie; the two women immediately take to each other and spend the whole evening chatting.

Kacy and Coco hang out as well. When Coco asks Kacy about the screenplay, Kacy is embarrassed that she hasn’t read it yet and promises to do so. That evening, she calls Coco, effusive with praise; she was moved to tears by the beautiful story Coco penned. The very next day, Coco works up the courage to give her screenplay to Bull. Bull is taken aback but promises to read it.

In the present, Kacy tells Zara and Ed that Coco and Lamont were seeing each other in secret, because of the Richardsons’ rule against staff dating. Kacy and Coco had a falling out a couple of weeks ago and haven’t talked much since. However, when Kacy invited Coco to Ed’s retirement dinner, Coco texted back that Leslee had tried to kill her over Lamont.

Lamont confirms his relationship with Coco to Zara and Ed. Lamont believes Leslee probably found out about them the previous day, when she unexpectedly found him in Coco’s apartment. Leslee didn’t act any different though, so Lamont kissed Coco and told her he loved her on the yacht. Zara and Ed wonder if Leslee and Coco had a physical confrontation that resulted in Leslee pushing Coco off the boat.

The narrative flashes back.

When Andrea, Delilah, Phoebe, and Leslee play pickleball again, Andrea also mentions Leslee’s volleying from the kitchen. To Delilah’s fury, Leslee pretends she didn’t know she was doing it. After the game, Delilah chooses to ignore Leslee’s cheating, and instead invites her to meet the executive director of the food pantry. At the meeting, Leslee is charming and interested, to Delilah’s surprise. She promises a generous donation of $175,000.

Heather calls Sharon with a warning about the Richardsons. Not only is Bull being investigated by the SEC for environmental fraud, but he is also on the IRS’s radar regarding taxes. For the first time, Sharon doesn’t repeat the news to anyone. Her own life has become interesting enough that she doesn’t want to talk about other people.

Coco returns home with groceries to find Leslee making crepes for Lamont while they both share a glass of champagne. Bull has been unexpectedly called away to Indonesia for a week. However, Leslee tells Coco not to cancel any events, insinuating she will be taking Lamont as her escort to them. A fuming Coco looks through Bull’s study and finds his password written on a sticky note taped to his computer screen. Coco realizes Bull has taken her screenplay with him.

Coco refuses to let Lamont into her apartment the entire week and leaves his texts unanswered. She is slightly mollified when he sends her roses but is furious again to discover that he and Leslee are going away overnight on the yacht. Coco texts Kacy that night, asking to go out.

Isla texts Kacy out of the blue—something is going on with Rondo. Kacy doesn’t respond, choosing to go out with Coco instead. They bar-hop, and Kacy takes pictures with Coco at every place. At one bar, they spot Addison and Eddie deep in conversation. At another, they see a man dedicate a song to Sharon.

Addison tells Eddie that Bull is insisting they use off-island contractors, because they are cheaper. Eddie counters, reminding Addison of the costs of transporting these contractors, who won’t address issues that may pop up post-construction. To Eddie’s anger, Addison has already agreed to Bull’s demands, as Bull is helping Addison’s son get into a prestigious boarding school.

Walker, Sharon’s ex-husband, unexpectedly turns up at the Club Car bar, where she and Romeo are enjoying a night out. He dedicates a song to her and asks a stunned Sharon to dance with him. Walker claims that leaving Sharon was a mistake; he wants her back. Romeo asks Walker to leave Sharon alone, but to his incredulity, Sharon agrees to talk to Walker.

At the final bar of the night, Kacy takes more pictures with Coco. When Coco takes Kacy’s phone to text the pictures to herself, she is shocked to see that Kacy has been texting the pictures to Isla along with insinuating messages.

The next morning, an extremely hungover Coco struggles through her errands. Bull returns from his trip, but Leslee and Lamont are not back yet. When Bull is furious to discover the garden work has not been completed yet, Coco reveals no workers have come by the entire time Bull was away.

Bull has read Coco’s script; while it was well written, he doesn’t think any producer will make it, as the story is too small. He wants the next script he invests in to be a big moneymaker, as his previous films were all flops. A desperate Coco tries to come onto Bull, but he rebuffs her, asserting he is married. When Coco points out that Leslee doesn’t let that stop her, Bull agrees but claims that he loves her despite it. Coco rushes out of Bull’s study in tears, running into Leslee, who has just gotten back home.

The narrative flashes forward to the present.

Harbormaster Lucy Shields tells Ed that Coco’s clothes have washed up on a nearby beach, but there is still not sign of her. Ed and Zara speak to Leslee, who thinks Coco burned down their house and ran away because she was jealous of Leslee. Leslee knows Coco and Lamont were together, but she also thinks Coco was in love with Bull, remembering seeing her leave his study in tears once. Leslee claims the last time she saw Coco was when the latter was clearing champagne glasses after the vow renewal.

The narrative flashes back to the past.

Sharon’s hopes that she and Walker could reunite and be a family again are quickly crushed as Walker turns condescending, disparaging her relationship with Romeo and her writing. Sharon also learns that Bailey dumped him. She asks him to leave, texts Romeo that things are over between her and Walker but receives no response.

The Richardsons throw a spontaneous Asian-themed lunch with cocktails. When Leslee learns that Romeo is no longer with Sharon, she drapes herself around him. When Sharon arrives, she is shocked and heartbroken to see Leslee and Romeo together.

Delilah’s husband Jeffrey refuses to attend, so Delilah arrives with Andrea and Ed. She approaches Leslee and tries to bring up the food pantry, which has still not receives the promised check, but Leslee brushes her off. Bull approaches Benton about the incomplete work in the garden, and the latter reveals that Leslee has still not put down a deposit on his work.

Coco, who has reconciled with Lamont, is angry with Kacy. When Kacy asks why at the party, Coco reveals she discovered the text thread with Isla. Kacy is deeply embarrassed. She apologizes for sending the pictures to make Isla jealous, since Coco is the only friend Kacy has this summer. She begs Coco’s forgiveness, but Coco walks away, unsure of what to say.

Kacy then bumps into Busy, who offers to set Kacy up with Busy’s daughter, Stacy. With nothing to lose, Kacy gives Busy her number.

Leslee finally tells Delilah that she has decided not to donate to the food pantry as she is instead making substantial donations to Phoebe and Busy’s favorite causes. Delilah realizes that Leslee is trying to buy her way into the Field and Oar Club, as both Phoebe and Busy are on the membership committee.

Delilah decides to leave, grabbing a couple of takeout boxes of noodles on the way. Sharon, who is also leaving, offers to drive Delilah home. As they pass the garage, Delilah discovers that Leslee has left one of the windows of her car rolled down. Delilah dumps the contents of the takeout boxes all over the driver’s seat.