EPISODE 126
Written by : Bre L. Drew
April 5, 2021
Last Time On Town and Country
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Jordan decided to inform her parents of her pregnancy.
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Aaliyah told Mala that her father is seeing Louise, which Daniel overheard.
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Sarah Lynn let Will stay at Franklin Farm when he left home due to him being upset about being fired by Mae.
MCKNIGHT RESIDENCE
While she steers her convertible onto the overly-familiar rural tree-lined street she grew up on. Jordan McKnight's mind keeps racing back and forth over a hundred times about whether she should tell her parents of her pregnancy. There is part of her who wants to keep it a secret for a little while longer until she can get more clarity on the situation. Then again, she realizes by avoiding the matter in a way she is stating she is ashamed of the baby growing inside of her; and there is something she isn't in the least. Pulling the silver Miata into the driveway, she parks behind her father's police cruiser and her mother's older-model Ford Edge.
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Finally choosing not to debate with herself any longer, she gets out of the car into the still sunny evening where the temperature was beginning to cool down. She uses her key to open the front door of the one-story rustic ranch. Jordan can see her father in his police chief uniform albeit out of the leather jacket drinking a beer, meaning he is off shift, which is part of his unwinding from his thirteen-hour shift.
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He looks up to see Jordan walking in. "Hey, Jor, how was your day?"
"Had a few classes, went to Jojo's," she says honestly
Jordan places her tote purse on the end table in the living room.
"Dad, there is something I need to tell you and mom, "
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Ernest McKnight puts down the bottle on the same end table where his daughter's bag is. He is about to ask what is this about when his wife Thora McKnight enters from the laundry room where she had been transferring clothes from the washer to the dryer.
Thora examines her daughter's facial features. "Honey, you look tired, you should go get some rest or at least get some cucumbers on them before you develop bags,"
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From the time she was young, her mother has made remarks about her looks. Usually, Jordan brushes them off without much thought, but at this moment she promises herself she would never do that to her child.
"There is something Jordan has to tell us," Ernest informs his wife.
She nods giving their youngest child the floor.
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Jordan decides to remain to stand, to be taken more seriously. "First of all, I'm not failing school nor have any plans to drop out,"
"That's a good thing to hear," Chief McKnight replies easily
Despite the nerves, she proceeds to get it all out in the opening.
"I'm pregnant,"
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VICTORY COTTAGE
At this exact moment, Mala Gupta thought she and Daniel's families were going to have kulfi and coffee for dessert. Instead, she is in her kitchen inside of her residential cottage, trying to keep from getting upset; while washing the dishes. Beside her is her lover with his sleeves rolled up, drying the dishes with a towel. The two had heard from her daughter Aaliyah that Mala's ex-husband is now seeing Louise Saunders Lockhart shortly after their divorce, which surprised them both since they hadn't known themselves.
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After dinner, his family went their way leaving the Gupta's and Daniel here.
"You know you did not have to stick around," Mala says over the running water of the sink.
"I don't mind, he replies casually. "How are you?"
At first, Mala is rinsing off a fork but then shuts the faucet off deciding to get back to cleaning later.
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"I guess I could've accidentally burned the food, or the entire house could've ended up in flames," she says, in a self-deprecating manner.
Daniel sets both of his hands on her arms, attempting to bring comfort to her. "I know it was hard for you to have to find out that way."
Mala raises her shoulders slightly. "It was bound to happen, and anyway who am I to pass judgment we started dating when Jai and I were still legally married."
"True, but you and Jai were over years ago,"
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Mala touches the countertop with one hand. "I'm sorry this dinner didn't go as planned. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"
Daniel smiles genuinely. "What about the two of us take my jet to go to Santa Barbara for the weekend?"
She sighs heavily, putting her arms around her beau. "That does sound amazing. But first I need to handle things with my progeny. I call you later, ok,"
She walks him out to the door, where she plants him a strong kiss goodbye. Then Mala braces herself, preparing to go speak with her daughter.
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THE WATERFALL BAR
"Well, that was one hell of a dinner," Max Covington notes aloud.
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He, his wife, and sister were all sitting in the back of the booth in The Waterfall.
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The three of them had left after having dinner at Mala Gupta's residence where they all overheard her daughter telling her that her ex-husband is now seeing Louise Saunders Lockhart, who was Daniel's, teenage sweetheart. Making the evening gone quite different than initially anticipated.
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Alicia Keys' Unbreakable is currently on the speakers as customers come in for their evening nightcap.
Shauna Covington takes a sip of white wine. "It was nice your father to stay behind, although I don't know his presence is going to make things any easier on the situation."
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"Maybe, Aaliyah will get the hint that dad and Mala will continue to see one another whether she likes it or not." Courtney Covington remarks candidly
"You can't blame her though," Max counters
"All I am saying is that sometimes we don't get the things we want no matter how much we think otherwise." Courtney snipes covertly.
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Max shook his head knowing it was directed at him because of him getting the position of heading digital media at Covington. The two hadn't been close like they have been when the two of them got into it in his office over the situation.
Shauna takes another sip of her wine as she is divided by also feeling her husband jumped into working for the family company because he had hit a creative snag in his photography. Nonetheless, she wasn't going to keep letting her solely accuse her husband of taking something away from her since Daniel is the one who offered him the position, to begin with.
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Steven Sullivan arrives at the booth where he greets his future brother and sister-in-law before embracing his fiancée and planting a kiss upon her then he takes a seat beside her.
"I hear you have a guest staying with you at the farm," Shauna converses to Steven.
Will had been staying on the farm after having a fall-out with Mae over her firing him for his actions toward Antoine.
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"I love my Aunt Sarah Lynn dearly, but sometimes even she has too much of a big heart," Steven says
"Going that good, huh?" Max sarcastically inquires
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FRANKLIN FARM : MAIN HOUSE
"Dammit!" Martha Saunders swears audibly.
She thought she was going to be able to grab a shower before leaving for work at the bar. However, by the time she made it to the bathroom upstairs the door closed in her face. Martha didn't have to see the person going in there since that same individual has been hogging the room since he had been staying here.
Sarah Lynn Saunders wanders next to her. "Martha, what's going on?"
"Our house guest once again is taking over the bathroom," she replies. "Some of us have to get to work," she shouts
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For a few days now, Will Jackson has been residing here at the main house on Franklin Farm due to his leaving his home because he was fired from The Waterfall for locking out Antoine among other kinds of trouble since he got released out of prison last year. Sarah Lynn took him in temporarily until he can find a permanent place. Though it did not stop him from hogging the bathroom like he is an actual resident of the house.
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"Will just got done working in the fields all day. I'm sure he needed to shower way more than you." Sarah Lynn says
Will still retains work as a farmhand on the farm.
Martha rolls her eyes when the door to the bathroom opens with the person of interest exits with a white towel wrapped around his waist, revealing his muscular chest glistening with water which she tries to look away from.
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"Bathroom is free," Will announces
"About time," Martha mumbles.
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Sarah Lynn stares at her daughter then on her houseguest. "When you get changed I want you to help me with dinner."
Will throws up both of his hands. "I'm not much of a cook, even though my momma tried to teach me for years."
"Well, it's never too late to learn," Sarah Lynn advises
Sarah Lynn turns around to go back downstairs leaving the younger adults nearby each other.
"If you excuse me I need to get ready for work,"
Martha then makes her way into the restroom slamming the door behind him.
"She knows this house got two bathrooms right?" Will says to himself.
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THE WATERFALL BAR
Emma Covington saunters into The Waterfall in her suede stiletto pumps. Despite this establishment not being below par in her honest opinion. She had no other choice to come here since she is essentially penniless, albeit her brother taking pity on her by giving her a meaningless allowance due to her being cut off from her trust fund due to years of spending wildly. So after weeks of feeling sorry for herself, she decided to hop in the car to get out of Home Farm.
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She holds onto her purse while she makes her way up to the bar, where instead of seeing Will she sees another black guy behind the bar who she forgot his name but had seen before here.
Antoine Hall looks up at her and smiles charismatically. "What can I get for ya?"
Emma opens her purse to obtain cash to pay for her drink. "A long-island iced tea,"
He fixes the cocktail right in front of her.
"Is Will working today?" Emma petitions
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Antoine's facial expression alters from friendly to disinterest in hearing his name. "He's no longer working nor living here,"
"Really?"
He passes the drink to Emma while the money is given to him, and in seconds she receives her change from the register.
"Nope, he was fired,"
Emma tastes the alcohol from the beverage via her straw, surprised to hear how someone can be fired from their own family's business.
"And if you're here because you want to be involved with him. I wouldn't do it," Antoine warns her.
"Where he is now?"
"If you're desperate enough, he is staying out at Franklin Farm,"
By now, she has seen her nephew and niece with their significant others "I'll be the judge of that, thank you,"
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Heading over to them she listens to Shauna being impressed by Courtney and Steven having a wedding on Christmas Eve.
"You all talking about the event of the year?" Emma interrupts them purposely
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"Oh, hi, Emma," Courtney says dryly
Emma and Courtney hadn't been close in spite of them only having a small passage in age between them.
"Do you want to sit down?" Steven says invitingly.
"No, I'm here just for a drink and I probably do some shopping,"
"Must be hard having nothing to do to occupy your days other than going to the mall." Courtney condemns
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Emma uses one of her hands to smooth out her designer black crepe-cold shouter jumpsuit. "Are you sure you're engaged because it sounds like you have a stick up your ass?"
Shauna nearly cracks into laughter while Max snickers leaving Courtney somewhat heated.
"Enough of this you two," Steven says defensively.
"Toodles," Emma concludes. The Covington heiress places her empty glass full of ice sitting on the end of the table. She treks her way from the area leaving the four of them speechless with her antics.
"Sometimes I can't believe I'm related to her," Courtney admits
"Is it just me or does Emma look a little different than usual?" Max expresses
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FRANKLIN FARM : MAIN HOUSE
"How is it going?" Sarah Lynn asks her male houseguest when she arrives in the kitchen holding her grandson SJ Saunders on her hip; excitedly saying giraffe while carrying his stuffed animal,
Will is sitting down at the table shucking corn from the fields on the land that was picked a few days ago. "So far, so good,"
He gazes at the toddler, who is enthusiastically waving the toy around. "Whatcha got there little man?"
"My giraffe,"
"Yeah, Shauna got it for him when he was a few months old." Sarah Lynn fills him in.
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Will nods placing the husks of the vegetable into a bowl in front of him.
"She's my godmutter," the two-year-old mispronounces with the conviction of being correct. "You know her?"
"Yeah I do little man, she's my niece," Will says
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SJ looks at him trying to determine if he is serious but then goes back to playing with his giraffe as if the conversation hadn't just happened.
The Saunders matriarch focuses on her friend's son. "I'm going to put him to bed and when I come back. I will be showing you how to properly cook bass."
"Okay,"
When she leaves the room Will finds himself for the most part liking his stay here.
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VICTORY COTTAGE
Aaliyah Gupta hardly spends in her bedroom due to her primarily living on campus. Her room consists of her mother's impeccable interior touch with Aaliyah's flair for colorful but tasteful décor including the watercolor butterfly peace design bedspread, she is currently lying on. Much as she wanted to get in a cab to go back to Sampson, she knew couldn't leave.
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When she reaches over to the nightstand to grab her iPhone. Someone taps on the door getting her full attention since she knew it was her mother.
"Come in,"
Mala opens the barrier between them as she traipses in closing the door behind her.
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"We need to talk,"
Aaliyah tucks strands of her long dark brown behind one of her ears. "Tell me how much you're disappointed in me,"
Mala remains standing in the center of the bedroom folding her arms onto her chest. "Be quiet, when I'm talking to you." She warns her. "I understand you're upset about your father and I aren't together anymore. But that does not give you the right to lash out because you want to. And let me tell you it isn't cute nor warranted."
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The teenager can hear the certain strong cadences in her mother's British accent that comes out when she is upset. Her mother's anger gets her to put down her phone. "I get it! I screwed up! I'll try to stay out of your business, ok."
Mala takes a seat next to her daughter on the bed. "Pyara, (Punjabi for Sweetheart) I'm fully aware of this ordeal isn't easy and perhaps I haven't been there for you like I should've been during this transition but that was something I could've found out from you at another time."
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Aaliyah is about to move her eyes to the back of her head but decides partially out of her own life not to. "It's not that I don't like Daniel or Louise, but it seemed ever since you and daddy got separated, you two hadn't dated other people. And now when we left Chicago; then you two couldn't wait to shake things up."
Mala cracks a grin at shake things up. "Look whatever happens to our relationship; just remember your father and I care about you and Samuel the most."
"I love you too, mom, and next time I'll see Daniel. I will apologize."
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"Good, now how about we have some kulfi, and if you want to, you can spend the night here and I'll drop you off back at school on my way to work tomorrow." Mala offers
"All right," Aaliyah says
Mother and daughter stroll out of the room together to head downstairs.
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MCKNIGHT RESIDENCE
Jordan finally said those two words and neither her father had a heart attack from the shock or her mother is going on about her vanity. Instead, her father paces some trying to collect his thoughts while her mother puts her hands upon her hips.
"How far along are you?" Thora asks in a manner between concern and horror.
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"That's all you can ask me?" Jordan responds. "I'm almost six months," she reveals
"Oh my god, and you just know telling us this, " Thora states disappointedly
Eventually, her father turns to face her. "You're not keeping this baby."
It doesn't take long for Jordan to be taken back by what he said to her.
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"Ernest!" Thora exclaims
"It's too late for an abortion, but adoption is your best bet because I tell you something you're not ruining your life by having this baby while you're still living under my roof."
Jordan sneers trying to holding back tears. "This is why I didn't want to tell you two because it's who gives a damn what I want."
"Let's calm down, so we can discuss rationally," Thora says authoritatively.
"Who is the father?"
Tommy's name is on the tip of Jordan's tongue but something keeps her from verbalizing it. "He knows, and doesn't want anything to do with me or his baby."
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"Adoption is your best bet then,"
"Ernest, it's a human being, not something you use as collateral at the race track," Thora ripostes.
"Dad, I don't know if you remember probably not because you spent more time at work than you do here but I will be turning 19 in a few weeks you don't get to dictate whether or not I can keep my baby."
Jordan touches her growing belly that feels bigger since she told them the truth.
"Getting smart with your father isn't helping," Thora tells her.
"And yelling at me is?"
Ernest has turned red from the anger of this. "Either you place the baby up for adoption or you can get out of my house because I will not let you ruin your life by bringing up a child on your own."
Thora eyes her husband with tears. "You don't mean that Ernest? Tell her it'll all work out."
Though Jordan can tell her father wouldn't change his mind because they wanted him to. She hastily grabs her purse from the table. "One day I will become a success while still being the best mom I can be. I'll be back for my stuff."
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She gives her parents a parting glance before turning towards the door.
"I hope you're happy, because of you we might've not only might lose another child but our first grandchild too,"
Ernest takes a hearty sip of beer deciding to be silent while Thora walks away refusing to be in the same room as him.
Meanwhile, Jordan is inside her car crying with so many thoughts through her mind. Knowing she had to leave before she put herself or her baby in an unneeded stressful environment.
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END OF EPISODE
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Lynn and Jordan put pressure on Tommy.
Mae pleads with Will.
Sean cautions Jai.
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