EPISODE 121
Written by : Bre L. Drew
March 1, 2021
Last Time On Town and Country
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Mala gave Jai divorce papers in which he told her he needed time before signing them.
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Jai asked out Louise on a date on which she didn't give him an answer.
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Tricia has been helping Jordan coping with her pregnancy.
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Sean got promoted as manager of Franklin Farm.
VICTORY COTTAGE
The guitar hook of U2's "Mysterious Ways" comes through Mala Gupta's iPhone in the kitchen of her residential cottage while she is washing dishes; she begins singing aloud slightly off-key with Bono,
It's all right, it's all right, it's all righhhhhht
She moves in mysterious wayyyyyyys
When Mala gets done with her task she turns around stunned to see not only Samuel standing across from her but so is her soon-to-be ex-husband Jai Gupta in a black grid long-sleeve button-down shirt and a pair of dark jeans. She can view amusement creeping up on both of their faces. If she had heard the doorbell she wouldn't have been belting out 90's music. Reaching for her phone she instantly pauses the song.
"She moves in mysterious wayyyyyyys," father and son impersonate her lack of vocal skills though their dancing is more on rhythm.
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She then hides her laughter by pursing her lips.
"I'm glad that despite everything I'm still able to bring humor into your lives," Mala says sardonically with a hint of comedic flare.
Jai lifts his hands in surrender. "No, in all honesty, I came by to have that conversation we should've had long ago."
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The resonance of his words makes her aware he is being serious.
Samuel can indicate his parents needed to be alone. He snaps his fingers then points outside into the hallway with his index finger. "I'm going to catch up on WandaVision."
He then exits out of the room.
Mala notices Jai is holding something in his hand that she now sees that it is a manila folder that he is opening. He gives her a familiar document for her to possess.
"These are the divorce papers," Mala replies
"My lawyer looked them over, but they're signed and dated," Jai remarks candidly
"How are you feeling?"
He folds his arms onto his chest. "Signing those papers was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Then again I realized I couldn't keep us hostage in a nonexistent marriage anymore."
FRANKLIN FARM : MAIN HOUSE
"So let me get this straight, a bucket of paint fell on you, and Samuel's father?" Sarah Lynn Saunders poses her eldest daughter
"Hearing the word paint is too soon for me, but yes," Louise Saunders Lockhart informs her mother.
The two were standing across from each other at the counter in the kitchen of the main house on Franklin Farm. Louise had been offered to eat dinner with the family which she did. Now they were talking about the incident that took place at J&M when she came to discuss with Jai Gupta getting their dairy products on his shelves when his store opens yet one of the workers accidentally knocked the can from the ladder onto them in which they were covered in chromatic gray that a long shower had to fix.
"And to top it all off he asks you out on a date?"
Louise bobs her head.
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Sarah Lynn takes strands of her blonde hair behind her ear. "And what did you tell him?"
By the look of Louise's face, she can tell her daughter she turned the guy down.
"I didn't say anything, he put it together that I wasn't interested,"
Sarah Lynn raises her eyebrows due to her curiosity being piqued. "Call it my mother's intuition but my hunch is that you're interested in this man."
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WHEELER BUILDING : APT # 424
Sauntering out of the bedroom she shares with her husband. Tricia Lockhart finds her apartment engulfed in darkness albeit with lights from the office building outside of the window. As she gets closer she begins to observe why Sean spontaneously wanted her to drape on her new black cocktail dress with spaghetti straps. Also, she put on a pair of her black stiletto pumps too.
The small dining table is decked out with two entrees of grilled seabass, lemon garlic rice, and asparagus. A bottle of sauvignon blanc in an ice bucket besides two toasting flutes. In the center were two long white candles that are lit.
"Is this for us?" she queries coquettishly
"It is," Sean Lockhart answers
Going over to him she can't help but be turned on by him in his black tuxedo. He guides her over to the table where he begins pouring wine into their glasses.
"What brought this on?" Tricia asks
Sean smirks at his gorgeous wife. "I know with work and everything going on in our lives we hadn't had much time to be together so I thought tonight we correct that issue."
Tricia picks up the glass to put it to her lips realizing with Sean now managing the farm and she managing the café along with being there for Jordan who is dealing with a pregnancy that her stepdaughter's boyfriend is partially responsible for but does not want any part of which is, of course, a secret only she, Jordan, Barker, and Lynn knows the truth.
"Something on your mind?"
Tricia realizes she has drifted off away from her husband. "Oh sorry, I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have someone in my life like you."
Sean uses his fork to put rice on it. "You know by saying that you get dessert."
Easing herself away from her friend's issues for one night she begins eating her entrée.
FRANKLIN FARM : MAIN HOUSE
Louise takes a sip of the tea her mother made.
Sarah Lynn puts her hands around the warm mug as steam leaps out. "What's going on?"
Louise sighs heavily. "I don't know -- maybe after being in a complicated marriage with Sean for all those years I guess I'm afraid of getting hurt again -- that's probably why I could never give myself fully to Daniel."
Daniel had wanted to rekindle the relationship they once had when they were teenagers. But Louise wasn't quite in the headspace to start over with him. Now he is involved with Mala who happens to be Jai's ex-wife.
"Sweetheart, what I've learned in the last year with your father now being gone and me being in therapy is that sometimes you have to get out of your own way."
The sound of a toddler crying from the baby monitor lying on the counter which Sarah Lynn picks up. "I better see what is keeping little man from his sleep."
As Louise watches her mother walking out of the kitchen to tend to SJ. Louise takes a hearty taste of tea letting the words soak into her consciousness.
WHEELER BUILDING : APT # 424
The two ate their meal where they talked and flirted with one another in addition to dessert which was strawberry cheesecake. Tricia was leaning behind the cabinet in the small galley kitchen watching Sean putting the last of the silverware into the dishwasher.
He shuts the door to the appliance then he turns the machine with the whirring noise starting.
Stepping to close the gap of distance between themselves Tricia wraps her arms around her husband's broad frame."Thank you for doing all of this."
Sean lifts his head triumphantly. "You're welcome,"
She smiles broadly. "I want to show you my appreciation."
Tricia starts kissing him lovingly which he also reciprocates. Their passion leads them to their bedroom where they proceed to take each other's garments off.
VICTORY COTTAGE
Mala and Jai had been separated for five years now. It wasn't until she got serious in her relationship with Daniel is when she finally got the nerve up to file for divorce. It had taken him a while to get around to the papers she thought she would have to fight him on it some more yet she hadn't known he was bringing them over tonight.
"I don't want you to think I'm a heartless bitch, Jai, she retorts. Being with you for twenty-eight years is something I will forever cherish."
He stops himself from going to her to put his arms around her telling himself that isn't his role anymore.
"Like you said we got to move on with our lives. I'm sorry it didn't work out for us. I'm glad however we were able to make a life together and I want to thank you for bringing our children into the world."
Mala could feel the dampness in her eyes. "Hey, don't make it sound like we're never going to see each other again. It's not like any one of us is dying."
Jai nods empathically. "I better get going,"
She wipes her own tears from her eyes. "I make sure you get a copy of these," she informs him. "See you around," she adds
Her ex-husband walks out of the kitchen leaving her by herself hearing the front door close. Part of her is relieved that he signed them meaning they can get on with their lives without the black cloud of them still being tied together in a marriage that hadn't been strong in a long time. Although it doesn't stop her from the memories flooding back to her from their first meeting, their wedding, births of children, and the day she left him when their union couldn't compete with her career goals or his pressure his extended family built on him. Closing both her eyes shut then when she opens them tears begin streaming realizing that the last chapter of their lives together is over.
FRANKLIN FARM : MAIN HOUSE
Louise digs through her purse to retrieve her iPhone where she goes through contacts until she finds the specific number.
Four long rings in which she hears Jai's voice.
"Hello," he greets her somewhat despondent.
She could hear that he was driving somewhere due to his window being open and could hear herself on the speaker in his car.
Nervously yet boldly Louise decides to step out on faith. "Hello, is that offer for dinner still on the table?"
She remains on the phone hopeful she didn't blow her chance with him.
END OF EPISODE
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Louise goes on her first date in over twenty years.
Martha performs at The Waterfall.
Jealousy turns violent
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