EPISODE 125
Written by : Bre L. Drew
March 29, 2021
Last Time On Town and Country
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Elijah has been working himself to achieve higher grades this semester.
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Lynn has been struggling to inform Tanner about Tommy getting Jordan pregnant when they were all in Oahu last October.
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Jordan hadn't informed either of her parents about her pregnancy.
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Aaliyah reluctantly agreed to attend dinner with her mother's boyfriend Daniel Covington to be in attendance.
SAMPSON UNIVERSITY : STUDENT UNION
Despite not having eaten anything of nutritious value since breakfast this morning. Nothing considered edible appealed to Elijah Barker while peaking at today's menu on the wall where other students were obtaining dinner this evening. Since he got back to his room after classes. He decided to grab something to eat so he can go back to his homework. Concluding the lack of findings; he grabs a granny smith apple from the fruit bowl. Then grabbed a large paper cup to go to the soda fountain to fill it with coke and ice. On his way out of the crowding union, he looks up to see his father Nathaniel Barker walking in; which surprises him since he knows that the last class his father taught was hours ago.
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"Hey, dad, don't tell me mom's cooking is worse than what's in there?" Elijah points behind him.
The fifty-eight-year-old English Literature professor is wearing a blue oxford shirt over a green wool sweater with a pair of blue jeans.
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"No, I was just getting some coffee before I headed home I had some grades to put into the computer," he answers
"Well, I 'll see you later then, bye dad," Elijah says
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As he moves two steps his father follows him out of the union into the hall the leads to the doors that lead outside.
Elijah hadn't seen much of his parents since they confronted him over being disappointed in his lackluster grades this past semester. Since then, he has been breaking his back to make sure not only they will be higher but working at Jojo's as well as putting time in as a student rep on campus too.
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"I hear you are doing well in all of your classes this semester. I'm proud of you son,"
Elijah maintains his possessions in both of his hands. "How do you know?"
He hadn't told his parents about how he was doing.
Nathaniel chuckles nervously. "Son, I had a meeting with your professors."
"You went behind my back to talk to them?" Elijah says a little louder than he anticipated.
"It isn't we don't trust you son."
From the unwillingness, upon his face, he can see perhaps it isn't so.
"You could've come to me dad, I better get going. I have a chapter of comparative politics calling my name."
With that, he turns his back on his father which in a way feel good to him; making his way out to the brightly spring evening.
JOJO'S CAFE
A small amount of customers is inside the café at the moment when Lynn Lockhart enters the establishment. She then heads over to one of the tables near the large window overlooking Main Street where her twin sister Tanner Lockhart is sitting with her purse and a drink on the table.
On the sound system, Sunset Lover by Petit Biscuit is playing in the background.
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"I hope you weren't waiting long, you know how traffic on 64 can be a bitch at this time of day," Lynn informs her.
Tanner easily shakes her head. "I've only been here for about ten minutes," she replies.
Lynn had been the one to invite Tanner to Jojo's to talk to her personally about her boyfriend knocking up their ex-friend. Having found out the truth from Elijah for months now. She had been going back and forth from keeping it from her. However, as her twin and someone who knows her sister deserves to know she got up the gull to be the one to tell her.
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"How's work?"
Lynn takes a sip of her drink. "Good, I had to clean out the barns." How's school going?"
Tanner takes some of her long brown hair to tuck behind her ears. "The same, I got a meeting with an advisor so I can finally declare a major."
She had been talking a while now about making this move which took a year. Since she didn't get into Berklee for music, Tanner hadn't felt confident to study anything of interest until now.
"So you're really going to major in biology?" Lynn inquiries partly curious and partly impressed.
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Tanner takes a drink of her cold foam cold brew. "Yeah, I mean it makes sense other than the violin. I've always loved being around animals, especially horses you know. Maybe with this degree, I can become a scientist, maybe a teacher, or heck even a veterinarian like Steven."
"I'm sure you're going to kick ass. Uh, Tanner, there is something you need to know."
Yet, Tanner's attention is elsewhere, which makes Lenny turns around to see their stepmother walking in the café along with Jordan in tow.
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Settling in over in the lounge area of the café the ladies sit down on the sofa. Tricia is mindful of her stepdaughters being approximately six feet away.
"You don't think Lynn would tell Tanner about my situation?" Jordan queries
"I doubt it, and anyway if she did Tommy is still the asshole, and you -
"Will be known as the slut of Radcliffe," Jordan interjects
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"No, you aren't, and anyway let me see if I got this all straight. Daniel would use his connections in the modeling world in exchange you would have to sign away your rights?"
"Pretty much,"
A few days ago Daniel encountered the young mother to be by essentially getting his future grandchild under his roof by giving her what she had dreamt of which is a chance to model professionally. She swore to herself and her baby she would never give it up to anyone.
Tricia crosses her legs. "You know I'm here for you, but Daniel Covington isn't going to drop this. What are you going to do?"
Jordan sighs exasperatedly. "I have no idea, but I'm not letting him get my baby, that's for damn sure."
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"I know you don't want to hear this especially right now, but you have to tell your parents because if this turns into a nasty legal battle. They at least need to know what you all will be up against," Tricia says seriously
Jordan slightly pinches her nose not wanting to tell her parents about this baby yet know she can't hide her growing stomach anymore under sweats and baggy clothing. "I wish I had a choice but you're right I need to tell them."
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VICTORY COTTAGE
Aaliyah Gupta uses her key to unlock the door to the two-story cottage her family has lived in for nearly a year now. She hadn't spent much time here since she primarily lives on campus. But stepping foot inside of the house the fusion of cayenne pepper, cumin, and onions throughout the air instantly makes her think of many family dinners over the years in Chicago and London. Not to mention; the loud Bhangra music playing from the kitchen courtesy of her mother's Spotify playlist.
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She sets her purse on the credenza before she goes further inside of the entryway. Since Aaliyah doesn't have a car she took a cab over here from college.
The first person she sees is luckily for her is her older brother Samuel Gupta who is in a long-sleeved navy blue polo sweater with dark slacks.
He goes to puts his arms around his little sister to welcome her home. "You made it,"
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"Yeah, I bet you thought I wouldn't come, didn't you?"
Samuel had come to her room at Sampson to play the buffer between their mother and herself to get her to come to dinner with Mala's beau and his family. She hadn't taken the divorce well and had misgivings about showing up here this evening.
Samuel lets go of her. "Well, you're here now," he says gently
The clicking of heels makes the two notice Mala heading in their direction.
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"Aaliyah, I'm so glad you came," the older woman tells her daughter.
"Hi, mommy,"
Samuel watches the two most important women in his life getting along makes him less
Mala takes in her daughter's dress, a pink crochet lace, and satin long sleeve mini. "You look beautiful,"
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Aaliyah doesn't hold back from hearing that statement. Normally her mother sometimes questioned her fashion-sense. She decided not to challenge her this go-round.
"I like your ensemble too,"
Mala had on a red wrap dress that exhibits her curves. "Thanks,"
Before anything else is said the doorbell rings indicating their guests have arrived.
Mala touches her hair then straightens her dress. Then she saunters to open the door.
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Aaliyah gives Samuel a look of here goes nothing when Daniel Covington along with his three children Max, Courtney, and Tommy the latter a friend of hers, and Max's wife Shauna all cross the threshold into the cottage.
"It smells incredible in here," Daniel says warmly.
"It sure does," Courtney says in agreement.
Mala nods approvingly. "That'll be the tandoori chicken, basmati rice, cucumber salad, grilled corn, and if you have room left over there is kulfi for dessert."
Still standing there near her brother. Aaliyah does not miss her mother putting her lips onto Daniel as the two of them kiss each other. It makes her want to turn away, however, it causes inner rage to brew in her too.
JOJO'S CAFE
"What did you want to tell me?" Tanner seeks out
She heard Lynn mentioning she had something to discuss with her when her focus made her spot a growing Jordan who isn't so naturally thin anymore. Of all people she thought who would end up pregnant when they were still young, she wouldn't have crossed her list.
Lynn who is now uneasily unsure of herself makes a quick gaze over to Jordan and Tricia who are in a deep conversation then back to her.
"I wanted to know if you and Tommy wanna go to the movies with me and Elijah this weekend?" Lynn lies
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Tanner doesn't shield her confusion feeling that her twin sister had something else of more importance to say to her. "Is that would you had to tell me?"
"Yep,"
"Yeah, that's fine,"
Lynn excuses herself to use the restroom while sauntering over she rolls her eyes at Tricia and Jordan. She was all ready to drop this serious bomb on her sister who needs to know her boyfriend hadn't changed. Though she realizes it isn't up to her to be the one to break her heart.
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VICTORY COTTAGE
Other than a courteous greeting Aaliyah decided to stay clear from Daniel so she wouldn't have to overly think about her mother making out with him.
Although, her mother had ended up calling her into the kitchen to help her get things plated so they can bring them out to the table as everyone else is in the peripheral of the dining room at the minibar.
Mala is putting the last of poultry onto the serving plate. "You like Daniel don't you?"
Aaliyah looks up from the bowl of the colorful salad wishing she could be invisible to avoid responding. "Yes, why do you ask?"
"I know it hasn't been easy with everything happening with your father and me. And I want you to get to like Daniel too he means a lot to me," she says
Aaliyah snorts which Mala doesn't miss.
"I wonder does dad feels the same way about Louise?"
Mala moves her head ever so slightly to hear what she just said. "What are you talking about?"
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A twinge of guilt hits her stomach, however, her mother hadn't considered her feelings of separating from their dad five years ago either.
"Dad and Louise are seeing each other, it's new but they're together."
The look upon Mala's face is taken-back from finding out like this. Many thoughts race through her mind at the moment.
Mala takes hold of the chicken platter. "Grab the food, we'll discuss this later, you hear me?"
In the dining room, the conversation between mother and daughter becomes audible.
Samuel is about to go into the kitchen until Daniel himself puts out a hand to prevent it.
Ambling into the dining room Mala puts on her charismatic persona. "All right, everyone, let's dig in,"
"Can you say awkward?" Shauna whispers to her husband as they take their seats at the marble table.
Courtney begins conversing about plans for her upcoming wedding on Christmas Eve to break the ice. Tommy considers speaking to his friend after dinner about what she said.
Daniel also has a past with Louise as they were teenage sweethearts. Last year he wanted to pursue another go of a relationship but she turned him down. Now she is seeing his current lover's ex-husband as something that makes him reach for the glass of red wine.
Quickly, Samuel shoots his sister an expression of What the hell were you thinking?
Aaliyah who is seated in between him and Tommy shrugs her shoulders while she watches her mother gawkily begin passing food from the head of the table.
THE ALLEY
Elijah's run-in with his father made him lose all interest in going back to his room to hunker down to read anything having to do with political science. He soon found himself behind the wheel of his car heading out of city limits.
When he strolls into the bar he can't help but feel he is about to get away with something illegal which he is. Though he needed something to take the edge off. Taking a seat on the stool at the bar he sees the burly bartender who served him, Tommy, and Lorenzo the first time.
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"What can I getcha?" the guy asks.
"Can I get whatever is on tap? Thanks,"
The bartender leans in meaning he had to see the college freshman's id, which Elijah hands his driver's license. Determining its authentication he not only does give it back but gets on fixing him the drink he requested.
He remembers Lorenzo being the one stating this place let people under 21 drink albeit having to show ID. The burly bartender puts the glass of the beer.
Lifting the glass, he puts it to his mouth trying to forget his problems.
END OF EPISODE
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Jordan informs her parents of her pregnancy.
Everyone at Franklin Farm isn't keen on having Will staying there.
Emma flaunts her new image.
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