EPISODE 18
Written by : Bre L. Drew
Last Time On Town and Country
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Friends and both families gather for Steven and Courtney's dinner party out on Franklin Farm. - Courtney was left embarrassed when Steven's ex wife Lorraine and young son Evan showed up.
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Martha decided to let her baby's father Murray Hirsch know she is pregnant.
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Shauna was hired by Daniel Covington to redecorate Home Farm.
FRANKLIN FARM
Two voicemails left, and six text messages sent. It becomes quite clear to Steven Sullivan that too much has happened for her to be able to even hear from him. Deep down he knows that he should've come out and told her the truth about having a five-year-old son whose mother who is also his ex-wife kept him out of his life out of pure spite. Nonetheless, she had to find out at the dinner party out at the farm where both of their families and close friends were in attendance. She had come up with the idea of the get together to show both of their families, that in spite of their sixteen year age difference. As well as the bad blood between both of their family units. The last thing that she needed to see was Lorraine and Evan there. He too was shocked himself, since the last time he saw the both of them was when he moved from Lexington back to Radcliffe about eight months ago. At the table, he couldn't express much vocally. Peter and Sarah Lynn quickly jumped up to get everyone else inside the house so he can explain things to Courtney. However, he saw her whispering something to her father, then went into the house not before giving him a glance that was a combination of upset and puzzled. That was the last time he saw her that night since she and the rest of the Covington's went home.
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He barely remembers talking with Lorraine, Only that she and Evan will be staying at Hotel Cliffe. And when he did drift off to sleep, he only slept for about four hours.
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The sounds of various animals from the outdoors woken him in his bed. Try as he might he couldn't get back to sleep. So he went into the kitchen to make some coffee and it is also where he ran into his uncle who coaxed him into helping build another fence. So now after an hour after dawn, he is outside on this muggy day holding one of the wooden posts, as Peter shovels into the moist soil to place it in the ground.
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"I fucked up, didn't I?" Steven asks
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Peter chuckles. "I wouldn't put it as colorful as you just did but yeah you did boy." Even though there is no love lost between him and any of the Covington clan, he even knows that Courtney didn't need to find out like that.
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"I should've told her the truth but every time. I tried, this fear of her finding me as some older guy with enough baggage that would turn her away. I don't know what to do Uncle Peter."
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His uncle has always been the consistent male figure in his life. Greatly due to his own father Roy Sullivan traveling the country in the rodeo circuit when he was growing up.
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"In all honesty give her some space, let her come to you when she is ready. Your son should come first, go visit him while he is here." Peter advises.
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Notwithstanding the fact he wants to continue to reach out to his girlfriend. Though, he realizes that Evan has been without him for a long time now. Steven knows all too well what is that experience being without a father is like first hand.
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THE WATERFALL BAR
With her black portfolio bag on her right shoulder, Shauna Jackson comes downstairs from the apartment into the bar where she sees Antoine Hall behind the bar cleaning out the ashtrays. She is so glad that she isn't working here anymore so she wouldn't have to be forced to do these minuscule tasks before opening. "Check you out!" Antoine exclaims. He is wearing a gray t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. Is that a new outfit you got on ?" he adds.
Shauna tepidly glances down at her wardrobe today which consists of a mauve stripe tiered sleeve crop top, black capris, and black kitten heels on her feet. "Yeah, it is. "
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Antoine puts down the bottle of cleaning solution on the counter. " So how did dinner go last night ? " he asks. By the time she and her grandmother got home last night, he was dealing with helping out here to ask either of them how it went.
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Shauna exaggeratedly sighs as she takes a seat at the bar, "Where do I begin?" Then she fills him on everything involving Steven's son and ex-wife popping up at the dinner party, In addition to Courtney being straight-up embarrassed then taking off.
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"Damn, that's some messed up shit right there," he replies
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"Well, I'm sure Esther wouldn't mind if you came out to the farm yesterday Twon?" Shauna says sincerely.
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Antoine begins squirting the cleaning solution onto the bar and then wiping it with a cloth towel. "I ain't interested eating with no stuck up rich white people you're working for, besides some of us ain't got no careers we can't take the night off I had to make some dough."
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Shauna could feel the shade he gave her about her new job as the interior decorator for the wealthy Covington family. Not to mention he still isn't over her telling him that she does not want a committed relationship with him at this time in her life.
She scoffs as she gets out of the chair.
"Shauna, I'm sorry. Uh, let's hang out later - nothing sexual, okay? "
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Shauna grins. "All right," she then heads out of the door on her way to her car.
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FRANKLIN FARM : MAIN HOUSE
Truthfully, Martha Saunders had misgivings about telling her unborn baby's father that she is carrying his child. Among other things, she isn't prepared for his reaction either way.
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In her bedroom upstairs she is still in her pajamas holding her iPhone in her hand. She then musters the courage to hit dial.
Two long rings, the other line clicks.
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"Hello," Murray Hirsch says in a groggy voice.
Mentally she curses herself forgetting the three hour time difference between Kentucky and California. Knowing he probably just got home after a night of partying.
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"Hey … it's Martha," she answers.
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"Mar, how have you been?" he asks in his usual tone of bewilderment and carelessness.
"Okay, " she sighs … uh, there is something I have to tell you... it's important Murray." Martha says with a little more force than earlier.
"What is it?" Murray says
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"Look there is no easy way to tell you this I'm pregnant and I'm keeping it." she tells him. She then puts a hand over her stomach which is slowly expanding even more with each passing day.
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Those were the magic words to make him be quiet.
"Is it mine?" he asks with a bit of clarity in his voice.
Part of her can see why he wants to know that. Since the two weren't mutually exclusive, however, if she would've chosen to get knocked up he wouldn't be the ideal candidate.
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"Yes, it's yours." she responds.
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"I can't do this," he said. That was the last statement he told her before he ended the call between them.
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She wanted to call him back but knows that it isn't any use to do so right now. Shaking her head, wishing she would've contacted him when she first out found she was pregnant. Although something instinctual tells her that he would've reacted the same way. Perhaps her baby is better off without him as his or her father.
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HOME FARM : GUEST HOUSE
Pleasantly satisfied with some of the renovations already being taken place inside of Home Farm. Crews of construction workers, painters and electricians were in and out of the estate for the past few hours now.
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The Covington's maid Gabriella informed her that Mr. Covington wanted her to go to the guest house on the property to get started on the redo of the entire kitchen in it. She opens the door to the two-story home. She is way more impressed with the interior of the house than the main house. It has components of an actual 21st-century habitat unlike Home Farm at this present time.
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She crosses into the kitchen and notices that it does need work with taking out the old tiles and newer appliances. Just as she is about to take out her notebook from her portfolio she feels someone's hand on her should which makes her jump back. She turns around to discover Max Covington as the culprit of nearly giving her a heart attack.
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"What the hell is your problem?" Shauna questions. She almost punches him in his arm.
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He whistles. "Someone is paranoid."
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"Next time don't do that, and … no, I am not paranoid," she tells him. as she steps out of the kitchen into the living room her heels clicking behind her.
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"Sorry, I didn't even know anyone else was here. "He goes over to living room too. Max takes a seat on the sofa and begins going through something on his iPad.
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"What are you doing anyway? , Looking at your stock tips ?" she jokes.
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Max rubs his chin like he is pondering whether or not to confess all to her what is he is staring at with so much intensity.
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He passes her the tablet which she takes. Using her finger to slide through the slideshow of the breathtaking photography of the different tourist destinations such as the Machu Picchu, in Peru, The Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, and various beaches in the British Virgin Islands and Grenada.
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"How do you like them?" Max asks like his life depended it on her commentary.
"They're really good … Wait a minute! Did you take these photos?"
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Max reveals a sheepish smile. "Yeah!"
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Shauna thought that someone of Max's pedigree would be lounging around the country estate waiting to go back to some foreign country where he'll hook up with some unattached girl. He didn't strike her as a visual artist in the least.
"Max these are really good," she says as she gives him back his tablet.
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"I've been fooling around with a camera for a while and more and more I think about doing photography professionally, " he remarks like he has second thoughts.
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"Do more than think, Just go out and do it. I mean this my first interior decorating job and so far so good. " Shauna encourages him.
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"Thanks, Shauna, " Max tells her.
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"Don't mention it, " she says to him.
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HOTEL CLIFFE : ROOM 202
Steven strolls out of the elevator into the hallway of the second floor of one of the few decent hotels in town. He didn't have to search hard for the hotel room where his ex-wife and son currently our staying in.
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Steven braces himself before knocking on the door.
In a matter of seconds, the door unlocks, Lorraine holds the handle tightly at the sight of him. She has on a blue Aero New York Pullover Hoodie with white leggings, and her light brown hair is in a ponytail.
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"Is it a bad time? " Steven asks hoping he hadn't pissed her off even further by showing up unannounced.
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Lorraine shakes her head. she then moves her hand to gesture for him to come on in.
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He steps into the standard-size hotel room with two queen size beds a ceiling fan and a small kitchen galley. Their suitcases our strewn around the room.
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"Evan is in the bathroom getting dressed. " Lorraine informs him knowing her ex-husband is mostly here to see him.
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" It's funny when I wanted to see my son you tell me no because you have some performance to dance in or Evan has t-ball or another goddamn excuse you come up with." Steven says. he doesn't hide his irritability.
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She places her arms across her chest not hiding her frustration too. "Hold it there a second, you should be grateful that I came here in the first place. You know I want to make amends for not letting you see him. "
Steven is somewhat taken back by the change of her heart.
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"You're just upset that I interrupted your little dinner party with your girlfriend... By the way, that girl is only seventeen years older than your own son Steven. " his former wife says in a condescending tone with some humor behind it.
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" Don't talk to me about life choices when you not only auditioned for a dance company. But was going to join it without letting your own husband know. " he verbally points out.
In 2015 Steven was blindsided when he found out that Lorraine went all the way to Seattle to audition for a prestigious dance company. And when she did get an offer to join the troupe. She simply expected him to pick up his life and move to Seattle - no questions asked. He didn't relent so she became resentful of him because she thought she wouldn't get another opportunity like this. Which ultimately led to their road to divorce court a year and a half later.
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"We are not doing this here! " Lorraine shouts
" Mommy, why are you yelling at daddy? " Evan Sullivan wonders, he is dressed and is carrying his electric toothbrush in his hand.
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Lorraine goes to comfort the little boy by hugging and calmly apologizing for it.
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"Hey big man you wanna spend the night with daddy? " he offers. He then looks at his former wife for confirmation.
"Yes, " the little boy says excitedly.
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"Sure, go ahead, " Lorraine replies. She goes over to help their son pack a bag for him to take.
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"Can daddy help too?" Evan asks as his innocence of being a kid shines through.
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"Thought you'll never ask big man." Steven says. He goes over to the two of them as he watches his son putting his Batman action figure in his backpack.
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FRANKLIN FARM
Peter and Sarah Lynn our both inside of the fence where the chickens our moving around near the coop. The two of them our giving them their food and making small talk in between.
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"Did I tell you I'm glad you decided to help me out?" Peter questions.
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On the ground petting, one of the chickens before giving them poultry feed Sarah Lynn grins. "Here I thought that you were just happy to have my company." she flirts with her husband.
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Peter Chuckles.
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The two continue to feed the noisy chickens until they both see Martha approaching them. The two step out of the fence so they can address their daughter who has on a graphic tee and a pair of jeans on. Sarah Lynn senses something isn't right since she knows that Martha doesn't venture much out this far out on the land that much.
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"Mom, Dad," Martha says with sadness in her voice. Tears began to stream down her face.
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"Baby girl, what's wrong?" Peter inquiries. he hates seeing both of his daughters sadden.
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Sarah Lynn places both of her caring hands upon her youngest daughter shoulders.
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"I took your advice and I called Murray to tell him about the baby." She couldn't find the words to tell them what happened. Though her parents didn't need to hear that her baby's father does not want to be involved in their grandchild's life.
The two of them lovingly embrace her as Martha begins sobbing.
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END OF EPISODE
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
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Sean confronts Lynn.
Tanner has an encounter with Jordan.
Esther celebrates her " victory. "
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