EPISODE 85
Written by : Bre L. Drew
July 6th, 2020
Last Time On Town and Country
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During an intervention with her family, Sarah Lynn agreed to go to therapy to deal with her grief of losing Peter.
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Lynn and Elijah had entered into a "Friends with Benefits" type of relationship after their break-up.
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Will is being blackmailed for $10,000 by his former cellmate Jerome Hawkins.
RADCLIFFE RECEIVING HOSPITAL
It takes every ounce of strength for Sarah Lynn Saunders to remain sitting in the waiting room on the third floor of Radcliffe Receiving Hospital. Physically she is fine, but mentally, however, that's a different story altogether. It is the reason why she had ventured out of the house and away from the farm for the first time since her husband's death. Recently she suffered a mental breakdown in front of her family. Their emotional pleas made her realize she needed to talk to a psychiatrist, so that is why she is here. Nonetheless, being in the same building that Peter passed away in is slightly bringing back memories of losing him. Yet, she had promised her daughter Martha she would go see someone who can help her. And Radcliffe is such a small rural town they aren't many psychiatrists with their own practices. So that is why she had to make an appointment with one at the hospital. If this wasn't important, she would be glad never to step foot in this damn place again.
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She hadn't found any magazines of interest lying on the table beside her. So her attention has been mostly on the television on the wall showing a rerun of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Occasionally she heard pages for various doctors and other hospital personnel over the intercom.
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"Sarah Lynn," the psychiatrist calls out casually.
She stands up from the chair in which she was the only patient in the waiting room. Passing by the front desk where the over-friendly receptionist gives her an overzealous smile. Usually, Sarah Lynn would find it endearing. But right now she wanted to slap her for being too perky,
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"Hello," she greets her psychiatrist who is a tall male of Indian descent wearing a blue polo oxford shirt with a navy tie and a pair of black slacks.
He reaches out his hand to shake hers. "I'm Samuel Gupta, nice to meet you," he greets her, "We can go in when you're ready," he says cordially.
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Sarah Lynn grips the strap of her purse tightly before she follows him into his office in the back to begin her first therapy appointment.
THE WATERFALL BAR : JACKSON APARTMENT
Michael McDonald's distinctively soulful voice fills the Jackson apartment on what a fool believes courtesy of the portable FM Radio sitting on the shelf in the living room. Mae Jackson leaves the kitchenette towards the dining table carrying a plate of homemade pecan belgium waffles she prepared this morning, in the center of the table were other items for breakfast including, bacon, scrambled eggs and a bowl of strawberries, sliced cantaloupe, and pineapple.
Will Jackson exits out of his bedroom rubbing both of his hands together, impressed at the sight in front of him. "Dang Momma, did you win the lottery or something?"
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"Not even close," Mae laughs. "I'm so proud of you for working two jobs, which I know isn't easy,"
"It ain't, but I'm dealing with it the best that I can,"
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Seconds proceed when Antoine Hall sees Mae and Will talking and laughing with each other. He can't help but feel a tad envious. When Will was in prison, he and Mae built a close bond. And now it seems it is going to change since her son is back home.
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"Good morning," Antoine says
Mae by now noticed Antoine make a gesture towards the table. "Morning, I made breakfast,"
"Thanks, Mae," Antoine replies. He stares at Will, who rolls his eyes at him. Now he wishes he would've gone to the gym earlier so he wouldn't have to see him over his waffles.
The three were now eating when Will's cell phone rings. The youngest Jackson sets his fork onto his half-eaten plate. He fishes the device out of his pocket. "Hello,"
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Mae looks up at him to see her son answering his phone during breakfast with general curiosity.
Antoine, however, spots Will's entire demeanor changing on his face to more of an unrelaxed state. It made him wonder is this the person Shauna was talking about who was behind the mysterious call she saw downstairs the other day.
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Will quickly excuses himself before he heads into his bedroom. Closing the door behind him his voice raises slightly,
"What do you want?"
"I'm gettin out in a few weeks, and I want my money," Jerome Hawkins tells him,
This call from his former cellmate was expectant but thought he at least would be getting out in a month or two not now, in which he didn't have the ten-thousand dollars he wants. He gives him the money, or he will tell everyone what happened during his years behind bars.
RADCLIFFE ANIMAL CLINIC AND SHELTER
The veterinary clinic and animal shelter is located on the corner of Keller Street near the park is where Steven Sullivan has worked for the past three years now. He is presently in the office area inside the small one-story building writing his signature on a prescription for antibiotics for a golden retriever whose owner is coming by in a few hours to pick it up.
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A feminine voice gets his attention, which he sees belongs to Pamela, who serves as the clinic's veterinary technician who also serves as a front desk receptionist a few days out the week due to the clinic's lack of funds.
"Dr. Sullivan, it is someone here to see you."
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Before he could ask who it was, the person steps forward in a dark floral sundress holding a designer monogram bag.
Steven thanks Pamela for the task of accompanying the person there.
"Hey," he addresses his visitor.
"Hi, -- I think it's time we settle things for once and for all don't you," Courtney Covington states.
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He tells her she can have a seat beside him, which she takes.
The two hadn't seen much of each other since they both disagreed whether if marriage is in their distant future or not. Steven has already been married before, so he been there with the trials and tribulations of a union. Whilst, Courtney who is considerably younger, still sees marriage as the ultimate goal and what is expectant of her due to her coming from an upper-class family,
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Courtney realizes this is her first time coming to the clinic since they started dating. She also can't stop looking at a poster behind Steven, with a dog and cat, and with the caption underneath it, Have your pets spayed or neutered today!
"It's clear you want marriage and you know where I lie on that topic, so where do we go from here?" he asks her candidly.
BARKER RESIDENCE
Elijah Barker opens the front door to find his best friend Lynn Lockhart behind the threshold in a black v-neck t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. Without any spoken words, she enters into Elijah's arms.
"How is your grandmother?" Elijah inquires thoughtfully he closes the door,
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Lynn runs her hand through her long wavy blonde hair and drops it at her side, "She's doing okay, today she has her first session with her doctor, fingers crossed it will help her." She does the movement with her fingers.
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She confided in him about her grandmother's struggles with the loss of her grandfather. And how she and Tanner witnessed her having a hallucination of what she thought it was her husband in the greenhouse out on the farm.
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"My family is so screwed up right now between my grandmother's mental breakdown, my mom not wanting to talk about it and my dad marrying that woman," she stops herself when she begins crying,
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Elijah wraps his arms around her again this time though Lynn stands on her toes to reach his lips, she kisses him gently. He pulls back from her wiping his mouth trying not to give in. "You know if we continue this, you know what is going to happen right,"
She inches closer to him, "That is exactly what I want," Before they can fully comprehend their actions they were heading upstairs to his bedroom.
THE WATERFALL BAR : JACKSON APARTMENT
When Antoine and Mae got done eating their breakfast, the two went into the kitchen where he is running water on their dishes whilst she is drying them.
"Whoever is talking with Will must have a lot to say?" Mae says as she takes the dish towel to the wet plate.
"Must be," Antoine murmurs
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Mae places the plate in the drying rack and turns her head to face him. "I know you and Will aren't close, but I appreciate you making an effort to live under the same roof without commotion,"
Antoine passes her some silverware to dry-off.
"I'll do anything for you Mae," he says genuinely.
He will always be appreciative of Mae taking him into her home and making him apart of her family when his mother couldn't.
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She gives him a swift side hug then puts a glass in the rack. "I think Will is changing for the better," she says with optimism.
He lets the water run on another plate contemplating his words carefully since he still believes he is still up to no good.
"How did you get my number in the first damn place?"
"That lawyer of yours need to put a passcode on his phone,"
The possibility of his former cellmate exchanging some form of goods and services to some poor hapless guard so he can get his lawyer's phone to get his phone number from his contacts gets into his mind.
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"Jerome, I ain't got that kind of money," Will tries to explain to him.
"Well baby boy, you gonna have to get it some kinda way, cause if I don't I will let it slip as to how you got a man near death," he says harshly
Will closes his eyes and opens them praying he would wake up and this is a nightmare in disguise. He thought when he came back to town he could make a new life for himself. Nonetheless, he is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
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"What if I don't give you the money, you think you deserve so damn bad?" Will demands
Jerome's husky laugh rings into his ear, which sounds like he is hearing a comedian delivering his punchline on stage. "You funny, you know that" he replies. "It's ten G, or I will make your life a living hell,"
Will is the one who is chuckling this time,
"What the hell so funny baby boy?" Jerome inquires briskly
He sits on his bed, slowly letting his muscles loosen up. "What I did was wrong, but you got no proof if he landed in the hospital because of me or not,"
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Will took the silence as something Jerome didn't expect. Somehow he got the strength to stand up to him some more. "I'm not giving you one cent you got that Jerome, and by the way kiss my ass and don't call me again,"
He rapidly presses the end call button on his phone. Will knew Jerome could be dangerous when provoked, but he knows he wouldn't risk going back to prison for not getting some money.
BARKER RESIDENCE
Elijah and Lynn were lying down next to each other in his bed. Once again after they had sex Elijah looked up at his ceiling in his bedroom, He thinks it is a coping mechanism to avoid asking her if she wants to get back together with him since he is aware of her answer,
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Lynn props herself up in bed and turns to him.
"Thank you for taking me away from everything,"
Elijah looks down the upper surface and onto her seeing how naturally beautiful she is, "You don't have to thank me, it comes with the friend territory,"
Lenny gives a small grin at him as she takes a few wavy strands behind her ear.
"Elijah, I'm home," Brynn Barker's voice calls out from the hallway.
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"Oh no," Elijah thought he had the whole house to himself with his father teaching summer classes at the university, and his mother running errands. The last thing he needs is his mother coming into his bedroom right this second.
It was too late, Brynn enters into the room which sends Lynn speedily under the sheets. "Can you help me with the groceries?" Brynn asks before she stops to see her son in bed.
"Mom, I can explain," But Elijah's plea falls on deaf ears as Brynn's eyes survey the room. She walks around the bed observing items of clothing on the floor,
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"Lynn Lockhart, I know it's you under the bed, your car is parked in front of the house,"
She watches as Lenny reveals herself by removing the covering from her face.
"Hi, Mrs. Barker," Lynn says somewhat awkwardly, she sees Elijah has turned red from embarrassment.
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Brynn folds her arms tightly. "Elijah, when you're done uh --- get dressed and come outside to the car," She shakes her head at the sight of her little boy in bed with the girl she had known most of her life. She wanders out of the bedroom like it was the last place she wanted to be.
"Oh my god! I'm so mortified," Elijah remarks, he then is shocked to find Lynn laughing hysterically. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he asks.
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"I have done enough crying, and anyway when was the last time anyone was able to make Brynn Barker stop in her tracks?" she cackles
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Well, Lenny did have a point since Elijah's high school principal mother often gets the last word in every discussion she has had.
"I better get dressed and get the hell outta here before your mother comes in here with a shotgun like some disturbed housewife," Lynn insists
Even though he didn't find what just happened funny as she does. It was good to behold Lenny in a good mood after months of torture. Who knew his mother was going to provide that relief?
RADCLIFFE ANIMAL CLINIC AND SHELTER
"What do you have against marriage?" Courtney asks aloud
"Nothing, look I've been through it and it didn't work out, in the end, the only good thing came out of it is my son," Steven responds,
Courtney stands up and paces away from her boyfriend. "I'm tired of us going back and forth," she says exhaustively
"Me too,"
Courtney remembers when she first saw him two years ago at his mother's office at her horse stables when she came to sign up for horseback riding lessons. It was when she was keeping her identity of being a Covington from him. His good looks, great smile, and charismatic nature drew her to him.
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She walks a few steps to be nearer to him. "I think we forgot why we fell in love with each other,"
Steven scoffs as he puts both his hands in his pockets. "I haven't forgotten, have you?"
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"I couldn't even I tried." she answers wholeheartedly.
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"Then you know what let's focus on that then and who knows what the future might bring,"
"Let's start fresh," Courtney suggests
He wraps his arms around his girlfriend, forming a clinch between the two. For the past few weeks now witnessing his aunt going through the hell, he recognizes he has to hold tight to the ones he loves.
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RADCLIFFE RECEIVING HOSPITAL
"Sarah Lynn, what do you want most out of your sessions?" Samuel queries straightforwardly.
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Sitting across from him in his office, Sarah Lynn couldn't help but feel like she is being put on the spot despite it being only the two of them. She takes in his degrees from Northwestern University on the wall and one miniature flag of the United States and another miniature flag of the United Kingdom on his desk.
"Not to feel like I'm losing control of my life," she informs lowly.
Samuel scribbles a few notes on his yellow legal pad before lifting his head again. "Then let's focus on your life than from the beginning,"
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Sarah Lynn doesn't know how dwelling on her upbringing is going to help her deal with the loss of her husband. Perhaps it was some therapy technique he studied in med school.
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She summarizes her upbringing in a town forty-five minutes outside of Radcliffe as well as being the middle child who grew up in a trailer park with her mother and the rest of her siblings. And how she has gotten into the pageant circuit starting when she was six years old.
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"You don't have to answer this question Sarah Lynn but was your father apart of your life,"
"Are you really asking me this?" Sarah Lynn blurts out
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Samuel seems unfazed by her counterattack since he has been evaluating patients for years now. "Well, I'm asking you about your life and from your reception I gather you two didn't have the best relationship,"
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Sarah Lynn puts her hands on her lap before getting on her feet. "I don't think this is going to work out," She retrieves her purse from the other chair next to her.
Samuel remains sitting as he watches his patient walking out of his office. Outside in the hall, she tries to compose herself second-guessing why she chose to go see a therapist in the first place.
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END OF EPISODE
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Tricia asks the twins to be her bridesmaids.
Tommy gets some much-needed advice.
Max is welcomed home by Shauna.
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