EPISODE 42
Written by: Bre L. Drew
Last Time On Town and Country
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Martha gave birth to her son Steven Porter Saunders in the back of her cousin Steven's truck on the freeway.
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Louise decided to keep the news of her divorce from Sean to a minimum.
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Elijah and Lynn both felt something for one another other than friendship.
FIRST STREET METHODIST CHURCH
Regardless of Martha Saunders lack of belief in religion over the years, and that her family rarely attends church since she has been alive. however, she decided that her newborn son Steven Jr. would be christened in the church where many generations of the Saunders family, including herself was baptized. She, along with her best friend Shauna Jackson and cousin Steven Sullivan who she selected to be the baby's godparents are all at the altar witnessing Reverend Friendly pouring holy water on her son's head.
After the ceremony was concluded. As a courtesy to the family, Max Covington offered to take photos of capturing moments of what occurred today.
The pictures include Mother and son, the proud maternal grandparents, and godparents together. In addition to the entire Saunders family with Martha holding the baby too.
Standing in the aisle near the double doors, Sarah Lynn, Louise, Martha, and the twins were waiting on Peter finishing up talking to the reverend. Shauna volunteered to put the baby in his car seat in Peter's truck.
"How are you sleeping, Martha? " Louise says
"Actually I've been sleeping great, Luckily he pretty much is through the night too." Martha responds
"Well trust me that doesn't last forever, before you know it, you're going to be up half the night between feedings and changing dirty diapers. "Just take it all in stride." Louise tells her.
Martha has an expression of joyfulness.
"My sister giving me advice without sounding like she doesn't prefer to get her teeth pulled is truly the blessing in here this morning. "
Peter Saunders stroll his way over to them with an exasperated look upon his face.
"You never guess what the good man of the cloth asked me again? " Peter asks bitterly.
In her unbuttoned coat revealing her black floral bell sleeve sheath dress with sage green pumps. Sarah Lynn Saunders inserts her arm through her husband's arm.
"Oh I can guess Sweetheart, " she says intuitionally.
"I tell that man, every time he corners me, I do not want convicts working on the damn farm. " Peter swears
"Dad!" Martha interjects
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Peter looks up in the air silently apologizing to Jesus for him cursing in church.
For a year now, Reverend Friendly has been heading a program to rehabilitate ex-convicts newly out of prison by gaining work experience. And every time he runs into him, he somehow manages to insist on bringing it up.
"Granddad, don't they deserve a second chance to get their lives straightened out? " Tanner Lockhart queries.
"Maybe some of them do Tanner, but it won't be happening on our land."
Peter then turns his attention to his eldest daughter. "I didn't get the chance to ask you where is Sean?"
The four ladies aware of the divorce stay silent for a few seconds not wanting to inform him that they're no longer together at the moment.
"He wanted to be here, but he couldn't make it daddy. " Louise lies.
He looks beside his wife. "That son-in-law of ours have been busy lately, hasn't he? "
"Hey Grandma, did you make your famous oatmeal raisin cookies? " Lynn asks throwing her grandmother a look of diversion.
"Well of course I did, so let's get out of here to continue the celebration of S.J., " Sarah Lynn says encouragingly.
They all head out of the doors of the church on their way back to the farm.
JOJO'S CAFE
The café is currently is playing Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer on the sound system as Elijah Barker is sitting at the table nearest to the window that gives a decent view of Main Street. He looks up to see his newest friend Tommy Covington holding his tall cup of coffee taking a seat across from him.
"How long before we got before we got to be there? " Tommy asks curiously.
Elijah checks his iPhone for the time. " Uh, we got about a few minutes before we need to get on the road."
Tommy takes a sip of his coffee.
"It's bullshit that this town doesn't even have a goddamn movie theatre." Tommy rightfully protests.
Yesterday the boys decided to go to the movies together. And the closest cinema is at the mall in Hudson Lake which is about thirty minutes outside of Radcliffe. Elijah had to ask permission to his mother to let him borrow her car is a mission since she is quite particular of letting him use it.
Elijah uses his straw to stir the ice in his Coke. He prefers soda to coffee.
"Maybe you can convince your father to build one with recliner seats and Imax screens too ? " he says
"I'll get right on it. " Tommy retorts
"So how are those driving lessons going with Tanner?" Elijah inquires
"All right, Man did you hear about her parents?"
Elijah nods
"About her parents splitting up, yeah Tanner told me the other day at school. " It's messed up, but, as I told her, I got her back as usual. "
Elijah straightens himself up in the chair.
"If I tell you this it cannot leave this café. " he says
"Okay -- what is it? "
"I think I might like Lenny. " Elijah answers coyly.
"I like Lenny too. " Tommy says casually.
"No, No, I like might have a thing for her. " Elijah replies
Tommy puts down his cup onto the table in total shock over what he just heard.
FRANKLIN FARM: MAIN HOUSE
In the living room of the house, Steven is holding his cousin and namesake in his arms sitting on the couch. As commentators on the television our speaking at a gentle volume about the prospects of the upcoming NBA game.
Out of his christening gown, S.J. is now wearing a white one-piece with blue sharks on it. He is content as he is opening his brown eyes awakening from his nap.
Steven points to the television. "You see here little man, that is LeBron James, " he says
The baby gurgles like he understands what he is telling him.
"I see you're already filling his head with sports facts." Courtney Covington says
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She is coming out of the kitchen wearing a berry-color Carolina Herrera Draped Elbow-Dress with black boots with a block heel carrying a glass of white wine. She then takes a seat beside her boyfriend and puts the glass down on a coaster. She too was present at the baptism and was invited back to the house by Steven.
"As his godfather, it is my duty to do inform him of sports, that's why we can't wait until baseball season huh S.J.? "
"I must say that you're really good with him." Courtney compliments him.
"Let's just say I have experience caring for a newborn. " Steven answers
Courtney nods knowing he is referring to his five-year-old son Evan who lives with his mother Lorraine in Orlando.
"Wanna hold him?"
Courtney takes a sip of her wine.
"I do not want to drop him, Steven. "
"I'm sure you held Tommy when he was a baby, you're not going to break him." Steven assures her.
Steven delicately passes him to Courtney's arms she remembers when she was younger how her mother instructed her how to properly support the head.
"He smells so good." Courtney says
"They always do at this stage but just wait until you smell them when a blowout happens. " Steven says humorously.
Courtney always thought about having children one day. However, she knows that she too much to accomplish before she even thinks about that life dream.
Esther Saunders walks into the room also from the kitchen catching the sight of her son, and his girlfriend holding her great-nephew in her arms.
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"How Y'all doing? " Esther greets them going over to them.
"We're doing all right momma. " Steven says
"Ain't he precious, Courtney, don't get any ideas okay. " Esther remarks
"Any ideas about what Esther? " Courtney asks curiously.
Esther eyes her directly. "Look at the two of you with my great-nephew you probably thinking of when you're going have a baby with my son, you two only started seeing one another take it slow that's all I'm saying. "
"Momma, that's none of your business." Steven defends
Courtney continues to hold onto the baby.
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"Esther, if we ever have a child you'll be the first to know all right. " Courtney says facetiously.
Esther stands there with a smile on her face not wanting this little girl to see how much she wants to chew her out yet knows she can't with the present company in the room.
Martha, Lynn, and Tanner enter into Martha's bedroom which has changed with a crib as well as various objects belonging to her son. The three were carrying in gifts for the baby.
Tanner holds up a neatly-wrapped gift. "Where do you want this Aunt Martha? "
"Just put it by the closet, thank you two for helping me get everything in here, I didn't expect S.J. getting more presents for a christening. " Martha announces
"Why wouldn't he Aunt Martha? " I'm not really a fan of babies, but he isn't so bad. " Lynn says
"I appreciate your honesty, Lenny. " So how are you guys doing -- I uh know about your parents. " Martha adds
The twins exchange similar looks.
Tanner sits on the end of her Aunt's bed. "At first I didn't handle it well, but someone told me that things can be worse. " she replies
"I think I might -- have a crush on Elijah Barker ." Lynn blurts out spontaneously.
Tanner is stunned into silence as Martha puts her arm around her niece.
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"My little Lenny has her first crush, seems like yesterday you were drooling on my Barbie dolls now you're becoming a woman. "
Lynn doesn't know why she mentioned perhaps she was tired of talking about her parents' separation. She then finds herself telling her twin sister and aunt all about what she felt when she interacted with him at the café.
"You haven't said much Tan-Tan, I guess I surprised you into shutting up huh? "
Tanner sticks some of her hair behind her ear. "Does Elijah know how you feel about him? " Tanner asks
"I'm embarrassed to say anything about it." Lynn divulges
"You have been friends with Elijah most of your life, so if your friendship can't survive you telling him how you feel then maybe it isn't so strong after all. " Martha counsels
Lynn does her best to take in the advice still unsure of what should she do.
JOJO'S CAFE
"Are you serious?" Tommy says like it is the most preposterous thing he ever heard in his sixteen years of life.
"Of course I am, Man, I mean we 've been friends forever, and suddenly one day we were in here, and our hands touched, I mean it felt different I started to feel different, " he adds.
Weeks ago the pair of them were over at a table near the counter where Elijah was working on a poster for the annual canned good drive for the homeless. Lynn noticed how awful his drawing was so she reached over for a marker and then their hands touched. Which sent a wave of uneasiness through him that he never felt before.
"Like you couldn't speak? " Tommy cross-examines
Elijah shrugs both of his shoulders.
"Yeah, plus my stomach felt weird, gosh I sound like a girl. "
"What are you going to do? " Tommy wonders aloud.
Elijah moves his straw up and down.
"I think if I tell Lynn how I feel about her, it's a chance she might laugh at me then punch me in the arm," Elijah says half-jokingly. "Besides, I don't think she even likes me in that way herself. "
Tommy looks out at the window of people walking up and down the street then back to his friend.
"As a person who had his fair share of girls, you gotta be honest with her now rather than later makes things a hell of a lot less awkward when you're around her E."
Elijah isn't sure about the advice Tommy is giving him. He doesn't want to come off like some cliché about having feelings for one of his best friends like in the movies or on TV.
Elijah stands up out of the chair taking his cup of soda. "Let's get going, another M Night Shyamalan "masterpiece" awaits us," Elijah says changing the subject.
Tommy follows him out of the door towards the car that is parked in the parking lot.
FRANKLIN FARM: MAIN HOUSE
Sarah Lynn is in the kitchen placing platters of food on the counter. Courtney had just left, so the house was now only full of family. She chews on an oatmeal raisin cookie whilst Peter enters into the room.
"That grandson of ours is the best ain't he? " Peter says
"He sure is."
Peter rubs his hands together. "What is going on with Louise ? " he inquires.
"Nothing, why you ask Peter? "
"I mean was I the only one who didn't really buy Sean being too damn busy to come to his own nephew's christening? "
Sarah Lynn turns away wanting so much to tell her husband the truth about their daughter and Sean got a divorce. On top of the arrangement, they made where he will able to keep seeing that bimbo of his whilst preserving their family. Although, she knows that she cannot betray her trust.
Soon as Sarah Lynn is about to utter a word. The sounds of pumps can be heard.
"Am I interrupting you two? " Louise says
"You're never interrupting Lou. " Peter says casually.
Sarah Lynn places a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "I'm going to check on the baby, Lou please tell your father. " She then gives her husband a kiss on the cheek before walking out of the kitchen.
"What is your mother talking about Louise? " I feel like I'm the only one don't know what is going on here. "
"Dad"
"Don't Dad me, I want to know what in the hell is going on it's not like you to hide secrets," he says clamorously
Louise scoffs "If you only knew."
"Know what?"
The tears begin pouring out of her eyes.
"Sean and I aren't longer married anymore, we got a divorce a few weeks ago," Louise admits
Peter closes his mouth, he doesn't remember the last time he saw his eldest daughter showing sadness. Though he is taken back about the admission.
"What happened? " he seeks.
Louise wipes the water from her eye. "Does it really matter? "
Internally he wanted to find out why is his daughter's marriage to Sean is over so suddenly? As well as why he didn't know that it was over. Yet he looked at her he knew that he had to put that aside to console her.
"It's gonna be just fine. " Peter says lovingly " It's gonna be just fine, " he repeats to her.
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END OF EPISODE
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Peter has a bone to pick up with his ex son-in-law.
Shauna receives a surprise in more ways than one.
Mae makes her next move.
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