EPISODE 4
Written by Bre L. Drew
May 28, 2018
Last Time on Town and Country.
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Louise confronted her husband Sean over his breaking the rules regarding speaking with his "whore" when their teenage twin daughters our home.
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Daniel Covington makes his presence known to the Saunders family at Franklin Farm.
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Shauna Jackson recently graduated from Sampson University. And is ready to take on the world.
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FRANKLIN FARM : MAIN HOUSE
After thirteen hours of working his fingers to the bone on the farm that he inherited from his late father, Jimmy. Peter Saunders isn’t pleased to find Daniel Covington on his property, let alone his doorstep.
“Your old man now, got you doing his dirty work?“ his voice rises due to his impatience.
Daniel’s father, Patrick Covington is one of the wealthiest men who resided in Radcliffe, Kentucky years ago. Twenty-eight years ago, his company, The Covington Group, relocated to New York City. Since then the property development empire has been listed as a top Fortune 500 company for over twenty years now.
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"My father died nine months ago.“ Daniel informs the family.
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The living room goes silent for a moment before Louise offers her condolence to him.
“Thank you, it ’s good to see you, Lou. “ Daniel says sincerely.
He is taken back by how even more beautiful she looks now from when they were both teenagers.
​“What does this farm has to do with you?“ Sarah Lynn Saunders inquires,
Daniel decides to get straight to the point.
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"When my father died I was willed his 20 % of Franklin Farm, and I intend to carry out his wishes. “
Esther Saunders approaches him defensively. “You mean the shares that my daddy gave to your father? “
Daniel remains unfazed by Esther in his presence. “Yes, the ones Jimmy signed over to my father in exchange to give him that loan so you all wouldn't lose everything."
Before the Covington family left for Manhattan, a dying Jimmy Saunders needed money to save the farm from being foreclosed on. Due to Jimmy's alcoholism which ultimately led him to miss managing all of the profits. He reached out to Patrick, whom the family known was not easy for him.
But Patrick knew how desperate Jimmy was to save his birthright. He sought out the loan, however, Patrick being the cunning businessman made a deal that he will give add on additional ten-thousand dollars to the already asked amount. But Jimmy had to give 20 % of his shares of the business to Patrick. But Jimmy, of course, finessed the situation by requesting this partnership was a silent one.
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Peter crosses his arms onto his chest. “Esther and I paid off that loan a long time ago,"
"With interest might I add," Esther chimes in
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"All I know is that I have plans for this business, and you damn sure are going to take them seriously." Daniel interjects
LOCKHART LAKE COTTAGE
Tanner Lockhart enters into the four-bedroom residential lake cottage where she and her family have been living for ten years now. She walks in further in the house she can smell doses of garlic and onion. She then goes into the kitchen she sees her father is the person behind the irresistible aroma.
“Hi, Pretty Princess,“ Sean Lockhart says as he is cutting up green bell pepper on the wooden cutting board on the counter.
“Hey Dad,” she replies. The two of them hug one another.
“So, how was your last day as a sophomore in high school?" Sean asks as he grabs a handful of uncooked pasta noodles from the box then he tosses them into the pot.
Tanner straightens her glasses on her face. “Good, I’m now the first violin, “ she informs him of becoming the first violin in her school’s orchestra.
Sean is wearing a sincere smile on his face. “I told you that you could do it. “
The teenager nods “It was down to me and Randy Peterson,“
Sean looks up from dicing, “Where is Lynn?“ Suddenly noticing he didn't hear her come in.
“She is sleeping over at Jordan’s.“ Tanner says lowly
Sean wipes his hands on a towel.
“Why aren’t you over there at Jordan’s too, Pretty Princess?“
He has known that both of his daughters have been good friends with Jordan since first grade.
Tanner shakes her head. "Dad, I stopped being friends with her since last year when she told me that being in the “Dorkestra” is for losers.“
Even when his girls were younger, it was always evident despite their closeness as twins. The two of them have always had two different distinct personalities. Lynn is more assertive, sociable, and loves getting her hands dirty working on the farm. Tanner is more of an introvert who has a small group of friends and retreats into her music and riding horses.
Sean takes some more items out of the fridge. “Well since your sister is gone and mother is still at the farm why don’t you help your old man out with dinner?“
“Sure let me go put my stuff upstairs.“
Tanner then gets up from the stool in order to retrieve her things and heads into the hallway towards the staircase.
Sean finishes up with the homemade spaghetti sauce. He sees his phone light up noticing that his phone was still on silent.
He places the phone to his ear, his lips stretching to form a grin, "I was just thinking about you, “
THE WATERFALL BAR
Only a few hours ago, Shauna Jackson was walking across the stage of Sampson University accepting her Bachelor’s Degree from the College of Design and Architecture. But like Cinderella, the clock has now struck 12. And now she is back to her reality, pulling pints behind the bar that her grandmother owns. She is still wearing her dress from graduation. Her feet, however, are now in flip-flops long gone the heels she wore earlier in the day.
“There you go,” she replies as she hands two mugs filled with frothy beer to two construction workers who always frequent here, but she never remembers their names.
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Antoine Hall approaches her from behind. “Hey, thought part of graduating college was that you ain’t gotta work today.”
Instead of turning around Shauna wipes off the counter with a towel
“Grandma had to run an errand, and I offered to cover until she gets back."
She then looks up to see Antoine speaking to Burgess about something. A bartender and cook who has been working here for seven years now who hardly ever takes a day off.
Before she knows it, she is led by Antoine by the hand into the stockroom.
“Antoine, what the hell do you think you’re doing ?“ she protests to her best friend and sometimes lover.
Antoine wraps his muscular arms around her slender figure. “Let’s just say that I owe Burgess a favor down the line, anyway, I need to tell you that I enjoy spending time with you.“ he smiles down at her.
“If you wanted me, all you have to do is ask, “ Shauna stands on her feet to give a kiss on his lips.
Both Shauna and Antoine together lost their virginity when they were fifteen. Since then, the two have hooked up sexually throughout the years when things were going good or bad in their lives.
Yet Antoine doesn’t continue making out with her, “ I’m serious, I do enjoy having sex with you too but,"
Shauna has a look of confusion on her face, somewhat realizing that he is trying to tell her.
Antoine inhales then he exhales nervously, “Let’s just stop fuckin around, I want us to be together Shauna, “
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FRANKLIN FARM : MAIN HOUSE
Despite wanting to throw Daniel by that overpriced tie around his neck, Peter remains calm.
“What the hell you talkin about boy?“
Daniel points at the elder Saunders patriarch “Come on Peter even you know that Franklin Farm can do much better than it is besides I have the resources to make this business a fortune,"
Hoping that at least that the Saunders family hear him out regarding the possibility of him taking the role of having more control of the farm. Regardless of him being the one with fewer shares of the business since Peter has the majority and Esther only got 30% from her father when he died.
Having enough of this conversation Louise gets up from the couch.
“If you have done any research Daniel, you would know that this farm is quite profitable, and we’re the leading farm in the entire region of the state so next time when you come here spouting accusations, please come with some facts."
Daniel couldn’t help but still see that after all these years that Louise still has the same fiery personality that made him fall in love with her when they were younger.
"Although your father gave you his percentage of the business, it doesn’t make you an expert to run this farm. “ Esther replies
“She’s right,“ Sarah Lynn adds
She has had enough talk of business for one evening.
Daniel clears his throat, “I have looked into what I needed, and you can be doing exactly what you’re doing now, or you can finally make this place efficient for the future and not like how Franklin Saunders did one-hundred years ago. “
Franklin Saunders is the late paternal grandfather of Esther and Peter. He was the one who inherited the land from a distant relative one hundred years ago.
“Now get the hell outta my house and off my damn property, “
Peter grits his teeth refusing to let this arrogant jackass insult his land nor his granddaddy in his face.
Daniel walks to the door, he turns back to the members of the firing brigade. “If you want to contact me, I’m back living at Home Farm, if you want to have a civilized meeting,“
He then exits out of the front door.
Louise grabs her work bag from the couch she gives her goodbyes to her father, mother, and Aunt before she gets out of the house. She also offers them a comforting look before she heads to her car.
"There is no way in hell we're letting Daniel Covington get his grubby hands on this farm Peter," Esther says
Knowing how important Franklin Farm means to all of them also wanting it to remain in their family for generations to come.
Peter places a protective arm around his older sister, "That is for damn sure." Peter says with much assuredness in his voice.
THE WATERFALL BAR
Intertwining her fingers with his, Shauna for a moment stares up at Antoine, his brown eyes staring right back into her own with so much intensity.
“I wish that I didn’t have to say what I’m about to say, Twon, I love you, but I like what we have between us, “ I mean besides you have been screwing other girls anyway so I don't think you can commit because you claim you want too."
Antoine slowly lets go of her hand. “So you saying is that we can't get together? Until we get ourselves together?“ That’s bullshit Shauna, and you know it.“
Meanwhile, Shauna quickly peeks to make sure that no one out in the bar can overhear them. Luckily it seems that the customers were oblivious that two bartenders were loudly discussing hooking up.
Finally, she can verbally say what she has been thinking for a while now.
“I’m 22 years old and other than you. I haven’t been with another guy. Hell, I haven’t dated anyone before.“ And I just graduated from college too. I want to see more of what the world has to offer me before I become another woman in Radcliffe who just settles with the first guy they get with.”
He walks up closer to her, “When you’re tired of hiding behind the bullshit, let me know OK,“
Antoine walks back out into the bar hoping that Shauna takes his words to heart and realizes that they can get together as a couple.
Shauna keeps herself in the stockroom, knowing deep down that she was honest with him regarding how she felt and what he means to her.
LOCKHART LAKE COTTAGE
Overly consumed with his conversation with her over the phone. At the last minute, Sean remembered that he left the garlic bread in the oven too long. As he opens the door, he did a sigh of relief that the bread is still edible.
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Also, he remembers the policy on not speaking to her when the girls are home. But he figured since Tanner is upstairs and Lynn is sleeping over at Jordan’s house. He figured that he can sneak a few minutes before Tanner comes back from upstairs.
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“One day we're going to be together I promise you that. I love you too.“
Standing behind the wall in the hallway trying to process what she just overheard. But one thing is for certain for Tanner is that her father is having an affair behind her mother 's back.
END OF EPISODE
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NEXT TIME ON TOWN AND COUNTRY
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Louise has a discussion with Daniel .
Martha confides in Shauna about her pregnancy.
Tanner reels from finding out about her father's affair.
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