EPISODE 112
Written by : Bre L. Drew
December 21, 2020
Last Time On Town and Country
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It's been eleven months since the death of Peter Saunders.
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Tanner tore into Jordan about her kissing Tommy last year- Unbeknownst, the two slept with each other when they were all in Oahu during Sean and Tricia's wedding.
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Emma's fiancé Jacques Laurent arrived from Europe, who she wasn't thrilled to see him due to his flirtatious nature.
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Will is trying to make amends with his family for his role in Shauna being held hostage by his ex-cellmate Jerome Hawkins.
HOME FARM
Despite the liveliness; currently filling within the Saunders house on their ancestral farmland this Christmas morning. Memories of past Christmases with the family's late patriarch overcome them; the result of it being their first one without him since he died.
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Martha Saunders is on the floor watching her one-year-old son SJ playing enthusiastically with the Paw Patrol wrapping paper. Instead of the keyboard piano mat. She got for him that it came wrapped up in, suddenly it makes her dwell on one particular Christmas morning during a snow-free winter when she was seven years old. That year her father gotten her first bike without training wheels. With her pink helmet on, she remembers peddling in front of the house. Her father, with his husky southern twang, telling her, You got it, baby girl.
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Now, as a parent, she gets to witness the joy through her son the same way he saw it through her.
Louise Saunders Lockhart hugs her twin daughters for the gifts they have given her. She reflects on this day in 2001 when she and Sean announced to both of her parents the news of them becoming grandparents, remembering her father going on endlessly about spoiling his grandchildren. Most importantly, she still can see the sheer pride on his face.
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Stepping out of the kitchen with a cup of coffee, Steven Sullivan stares at the tall spruce tree. As a grin forms upon his face, he is instantly transported to when he was five years old when his uncle picked him up to place the star at the top of the tree during the annual trimming party. Peter had been so much a second father to him due to his own father being away during his rodeo days. He realized he took for granted his uncle would always be there until when he wasn't.
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In the green wingback chair, her baby brother often sat Esther Saunders; who is wearing her new red satin pajamas with her new robe; her head turns to the same staircase where many years ago when they were kids would excitedly run down those stairs to see what Santa had left for them the night before.
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Sarah Lynn Saunders dwells on the last Christmas she spent with her husband. The two were beside one another as they look to their family, who was happily celebrating it since it was their grandson's first Christmas. She'll forever cherish the words he said to her.
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It's no one else in this world I would grow old with but you, Sare.
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She flashes back to an amalgamation of Christmases of the forty-six years of marriage between them. Memories begin to flood back, making her close her eyes then opening them as if it was some switch to turn it off when it becomes too much for her to handle. Sarah Lynn hastily gets out of the chair to get on her feet towards the kitchen.
It causes concern for everyone else in the room.
Tanner Lockhart adjusts her eyeglasses on her face. "Should one of us go in there to see if she is okay?"
"I'll go," Lynn Lockhart replies. The blonde fraternal twin walks into the kitchen.
"Maybe today is too much for her after all." Martha interposes
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Esther takes a sip of coffee. "It is going to be tough, but she has to get through it; we just gotta remind her we're here for her."
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THE WATERFALL BAR : JACKSON APARTMENT
Christmas Just Ain't Christmas Without The One You Love by The O'Jays is currently, on the stereo, in the small living room in the Jackson apartment above The Waterfall Bar.
Mae Jackson is standing in the center of the room on the phone; with her only granddaughter. Before ending the call, she confirms she and Antoine will be coming over to Home Farm to have dinner. Mae soon puts the cordless phone back into the cradle on the end table near the couch.
She then sees her son coming out of the bathroom dressed in a long gray sleeve top with dark rinse jeans.
The two hadn't been close recently due to Mae keeping him at arm's length since he had been inadvertently responsible for his niece's kidnapping then held hostage by his ex-cellmate, whom he dealt drugs for when they were in prison together. He has tried to make amends for his past misdeeds, but nothing has worked. As he is about to go into his bedroom, Mae decides she has had enough of this unspoken tension between them.
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"Thanks again for the bracelet; it's nice," she tells him.
The two along, with Antoine, already exchanged gifts earlier this morning.
Will strolls over to his mother with an expression of reluctance on his face. "You don't gotta lie,"
Mae sighs heavily. "I'm not lying to you, it's a lovely present,"
"I wish I could've got you something else, but money is kinda tight even with the two jobs," Will says embarrassingly.
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"Your daddy and I raised you and your sister with the notion of; it isn't how much you spend."
"It's how much you care," Will finishes.
By now, Antoine Hall has his door cracked to hear them making amends. He hated the fact his surrogate mother is being taken in by her son.
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Mae put both of her hands upon her hips. "I know it's been rocky between us lately," she says. "I never held any ill will to you at all, but it threw me for a loop when I found out you were selling drugs behind bars on top of fearing for Shauna's life. Taking it out on you wasn't right. I'm sorry," she apologizes wholeheartedly.
"Well, you ain't the first person in this town to have their doubts bout me. Guess I gotta prove everyone wrong, huh?" Will says
She gives her son a sympathetic look.
Antoine comes out of the room in which Mae notices. "We should be getting ready to go soon,"
Will stands there awkwardly, "You need me downstairs at the bar?"
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Shauna had not invited him to come over to the estate to have Christmas dinner with him; due to her belief, he contributed to her abduction due to his association with her kidnapper.
"You're coming to dinner with us," Mae reveals
Antoine arches one of his eyebrows in protest. "I don't know how Shauna or the Covington's is going to take this."
"I think this day we begin to heal together as a family," Mae replies.
Will knows his niece isn't his biggest fan, but he knows not to argue with his mother in this case. Besides, this allows him to have dinner in a big mansion, which he has never done. "All right, I just hope security don't throw me off the property,"
"I would pay to see that happen," Antoine mumbles to himself.
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HOME FARM
With no expense spared when it came to the holiday light company from Hudson Lake to decorate the entire estate for Christmas in a winter-wonderland inspired theme, including the ten-foot tree covered in white ornaments and the white stockings hung along with the fireplace with precision.
Although it seemed his youngest child didn't get the memo because Daniel Covington finds him sitting on the edge of his bed in his bedroom looking as if it is just another day.
Tommy turns around when he views his father coming into his room. "Hey,"
Daniel puts both of his hands into the pockets of his slacks. 'For someone who got everything they wanted this year, you seemed bummed. "
"If I had everything Tanner, and I would be together right now," he says lowly.
The Covington patriarch sits beside his son on the bed. "Son, you can't blame her for being upset you betrayed her trust by kissing someone else."
Tommy is still feeling bad about what occurred between him and Jordan last Labor day weekend. He hadn't told his father, about Jordan and him having sex during Sean and Tricia's destination wedding ceremony in Oahu. Since he knew his father wouldn't be receptive to him, sliding back into his old ways.
"Dad, I know I screwed up, but I'll do anything to make it up to her, I swear."
"I think you know what to do, son,"
The two men glance at Aaliyah Gupta standing in the doorway with her trademark warm smile on her face wearing a beige cable length sweater dress with a brown belt around her waist and similar color over the knee boots. She trades greetings with her mother's boyfriend and friend.
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The Guptas were all invited to have dinner this afternoon at the house. Even though they are of Hindu faith, the family still takes part in the non-religious traditions of the day.
"I'll be downstairs if you need me," Daniel tells them as he takes off.
Tommy gets off his bed with a little more clarity than earlier. "Are you here to yell at me too for being a dumbass for cheating on Tanner?"
Aaliyah tucks a few strands of her long dark hair behind her ears. "Your actions made you a bastard, but I didn't come up here to chew you out," she remarks candidly.
"Oh," Tommy replies surprisingly.
"Actually, I came up here because if I had to continue to listen to my mother bragging to Max, Courtney, and Shauna about Samuel's accomplishments since Preschool. I was going to forget this day is supposed to be holy."
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Tommy laughs, realizing this is his first time doing so in a while. He turns his head towards his desk and then back onto his friend. "Hey, you wouldn't mind coming somewhere with me, would you?"
"As long as it gets me the hell away from my mother, I'm game," Aaliyah responds.
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In about a few hours, the expansive dining room is going to fill up with plenty of family and close friends around the table. At this moment, however, space is only occupied with Emma Covington alone with her thoughts. She unexpectedly received a visit from her fiancé Jacques Laurent. She then revealed to her mother that in Paris, she is labeled by the French media as a trophy whose fiancé has been hitting on other women since their engagement. Seeing him here only; increased her attraction to the billionaire. Yet, she is unaware of his showing up in Radcliffe is altruistic.
"So this is where you've been hiding?" Deirdre Covington inquires
The widow moves closer to her daughter.
"Mother, I'm not hiding from anyone, she counters. "What do you want?"
"You, coming to Radcliffe was your way of escaping, isn't it?"
Emma rolls her eyes. "You always have my number, don't you, mother?"
"Emma, one of the most difficult parts of being an adult; is to know when to make hard decisions."
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"When did you turn into Cindy Walsh all of a sudden?" Emma retorts
Growing up, her mother was more into planning charity balls and luncheons than to give actual parental advice to her.
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Deirdre folds her arms onto her chest. "If you want to give Jacques another chance, that's on you, but if you feel you can't marry him, then be woman enough to tell him so you can move on with your life to someone who deserves you."
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Emma stood there, trying her best to ignore her mother's so-called advice.
FRANKLIN FARM : MAIN HOUSE
Sarah Lynn is in her element, which is in the kitchen preparing and checking on food items in various states of completion, including the main attraction, the turkey, which she estimates has about thirty-minutes before it can get out of the oven. Meanwhile, Lynn, who elected herself to go check in on her grandmother; in the process, she received the task of chopping the veggies on the other side of the counter. Due to it being their first Christmas without her grandad, they all are worried about her. For the last few minutes or so, she has been trying to easily; approach the matter with enough tact not to come off like she is a mental case.
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"How are you doing, Grandma?" Lynn inquiries cautiously
The older blonde woman, wearing one of her many aprons over her clothes, puts her hands to her sides. "Not bad, we should be eating soon enough. I appreciate what you all did for Thanksgiving by taking over in the kitchen, but I didn't realize how much I missed being in here on a holiday until now."
Lynn who is also wearing an apron takes the diced vegetables to transfer them from the chopping board to the blue bowl. "Grandma, I mean -
"I know what you mean, Lynn," she acknowledges. "You don't have to worry about me, and I'm sorry for what you and Tanner saw when I wasn't exactly in my right mind."
Heavy in grief, Sarah Lynn thought she was speaking to the spirit of her late husband in the greenhouse, which both of her granddaughters saw and later told her. It made her feel bad, contributing her to seek help.
You still miss him, don't you?" Lynn asks concerningly
Sarah Lynn starts to feel tears come out of her eyes. "It's not one second I don't think about your grandfather,"
At this moment, her namesake had taken a sheet of paper towel to her grandmother so she can wipe her face.
She wraps her arms around her grandmother. "We all miss him too," Lynn confesses.
Sarah Lynn smiles at her granddaughter when Louise comes into the kitchen holding the household telephone in her hand.
"Mom, Aunt Mindy wants to speak with you,"
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Sarah Lynn takes the phone to talk with her oldest sister, a divorcee nurse with two adult children who lives a few hours away who is taking care of their elderly mother, Betty Lou.
"How is she?" Louise mouths out to her daughter.
"She's getting there," Lynn whispers back.
As Tanner is sitting on the couch debating whether or not to text Tommy. The sound of the doorbell interrupts her decision. She puts her iPhone down onto the coffee table before marching over to answer the door.
"Merry Christmas, Tanner," Elijah, Brynn, and Nathaniel Barker all greet her.
"Merry Christmas," Tanner says to them.
To her, the three look like they stepped out of an ad from Old Navy with their pea coats, scarfs, and hats. Sarah Lynn had invited them to have dinner here since Elijah and Lynn have gotten back together.
She lets them in from the cold weather into the warm house, and by that time, Esther, Louise, and Steven have greeted their guests. Louise takes the large bag of presents Elijah is holding and places them under the already crowded tree.
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Professor Barker clears his throat to get his student's attention. "Technically, I'm supposed to wait until next week to talk with students about their grades, but between us, you should be very proud of your final grade this semester, Tanner."
Tanner winks at him before smirking at herself for her achievement in her first college English class.
Steven puts on his coat from the rack by the door. "Much as I'd like to stay, I better get going,"
He is heading to have dinner with his fiancée and her family at the estate.
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"Tell the Addams Family Seasons Greetings for me," Esther says ruefully.
Steven shakes his head slightly before he waves at everyone then takes off.
Brynn holds up a dish covered with saran wrap. "Where can I take this green bean casserole?"
Esther takes a look at the glass dish with curiosity. "Did you make it yourself, Brynn?"
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"Sure did, this morning, as a thank you for your hospitality,"
Looks of silent humor pass from the Saunders women of the idea of them having this for dinner.
Louise leads her daughter's boyfriend's mother towards the kitchen.
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The doorbell rings again in which Tanner retrieves the door. Yet, she is speechless when the person on the other side is the one she tried to avoid in-person who is standing next to Aaliyah.
"Before you slam the door in my face, please hear me out," Tommy pronounces.
Tanner turns back to see Professor Barker and Aunt Esther, who is in a conversation. Thought it does not stop her great-aunt from peaking over to see that Covington boy here. Refusing to make a scene, she keeps on conversing with him.
Deciding; on a whim to brave the chill in the air without a coat, Tanner steps outside.
"Aaliyah, what are you doing here?" Tanner asks her dormmate and friend.
"To get away from my mother's praises of my brother, but also help the two of you out."
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Aaliyah faces Tommy, who hasn't taken his eyes off his girlfriend.
"What is she talking about, Tommy?" Tanner demands unsurely
Before she gets an answer from him, her roommate presses something on her phone to start playing The Bones by Maren Morris.
"What is going on?" Tanner asks aloud
Tommy takes her hand into his. "I know none of this will be enough for me lying to you about -- what happened last summer. I know it was wrong and I thought if I would've told you about the kiss, you would break up with me."
"Tommy, if you would've come to me with the truth last year after it occurred, we could've found a way to work through it," Tanner says emotionally.
"What about now?" he questions. "Please don't tell me we're over."
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She touches the necklace he gave her when they first started seeing each other. A silver heart charm with the words Life's A Song engraved on it. She hadn't noticed she hasn't taken it off despite their current relationship status.
Unbeknownst to her, the music has the Barkers, her mother, aunt, great-aunt, Elijah and her twin sister all have come outside.
"I don't think I can ever forget it," Tanner discloses
Tommy puts his hands together to keep them warm. "I understand that, but if you take this chance with me. I promise I will never hurt you again."
He gazes at Lynn and Elijah, who are standing next to each other by the porch swing. The two share a similar glance at him. The three of them knowing he slept with Jordan, but neither of them has said a word to Tanner.
"I love you, Tanner Lillian Lockhart," he says strongly.
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Memories began flooding back to her of the good times they shared, such as their first date, riding horses together at the stables, and other precious moments they have had.
Tanner finds herself wrapping her arms around her boyfriend. "I love you too,"
The spectators watch with various reactions as the two are in an embrace as the music continues.
HOME FARM
"You all right?" Samuel Gupta asks his patient and friend Shauna Covington.
"I guess I have to be," Shauna reacts. She then takes a hearty sip of white wine.
The two were standing around the home bar in the living room. As everyone in the room is waiting to be seated for dinner, the roaring fireplace gives the setting even more ambiance. Thirty minutes ago, she came to welcome her grandmother and old friend to her home. Unexpectedly, Will came with them, and Shauna didn't hide her disappointment, but her grandmother told her that they must deal with their issues. Shauna did not take it well and begin thinking about how she feels he contributed to her being held hostage.
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"I know it's the holidays, but I'm available to talk with over the phone or Zoom."
"Might take you up on that offer," she responds casually.
The two glance over at Will, who is by himself off to the side,
Samuel gives her a look of reassurance before taking a drink of his rum and coke.
Daniel is standing beside Mala Gupta behind the couch, also conversing about family dynamics.
"I swear if Will Jackson does anything out of line. I will call security on him so fast his head will spin." Daniel declares
"Well, I'm sure it won't come to that. Mala says assuredly.
Courtney and Steven come over to them in which Daniel decides to be on his behavior when he reaches out his hand for his future son-in-law to shake.
"Is this a holiday miracle in the making?" Courtney comments
She and Mala laugh as the men do their best to maintain composure.
Steven checks his watch on his wrist. "No insult or you encouraging Courtney she can do better; this is the season of hope."
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"Well, this is also a season of charity, too," Daniel says with a mix of truth and sarcasm.
Max Covington is worried about his wife, whom after he tried to comfort her about her uncle. Though she told him she'll be fine, he knows her too well and that she isn't admitting her true feelings about him being here.
He is about to go to her when Antoine approaches him. Max is on guard since the two aren't close.
"Just to let you know him coming with us wasn't my idea,"
Max nods. "I figured that,"
Despite their history of not being friends, he is aware Antoine doesn't get along with him either.
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Antoine gazes at his housemate, who is making himself a drink at the bar. "In all seriousness, keep an eye on your wife; she might tell you she is fine, but me and her been tight for years, and I bet you she is trying not to put a lot on you."
Max wanted to get into him being an expert of his wife but figures he does have a point.
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Gabriella then finally enters the room. "Dinner is now being served in the dining room," the housekeeper informs everyone.
A few of the guests begin to head in the direction to eat.
"Should we wait for Aaliyah and Tommy?" Mala surveys
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"Yeah, where are they anyway?" Daniel expresses
Courtney puts her arm around her fiancé as she reports to her father and Mala about the two of them going out to Franklin Farm to convince Tanner to give them a second try in which he needed Aaliyah's assistance. Mala does not hide her confusion about what her daughter could do to help re-build her friends' relationship. But Daniel is more acceptable to the situation.
MILLER INN : SUITE 330
Emma "borrowed" one of her brother's Porsches to drive into town. As she made her way up in the elevator, she made sure she looked good via her compact mirror from her purse. When she arrived at her destination, she remains confident when the person shows up at the door with a towel around his waist.
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"Emma, what are you doing here?" Jacques Laurent petitions in his heavy French accent.
She does her best not to get caught up in his current physical status of him only wearing a white towel around his waist. His muscular toned chest was glistening with water from what she is guessing is from taking a hot shower.
"Are you going to let me in?" she asks in her honey-dripped voice.
Without any more discussion, the handsome billionaire heir lets her come into his suite.
Jacques closes the door behind him. "Last time I checked, you wanted nothing to do with me, but now you're here,"
Emma has second-thoughts about her even showing up here. "We need to talk," she says
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Jacques spreads his lips smiling; in that charismatic way, only he can. He then intentionally unwraps the towel revealing his entire body, leaving nothing not to be seen.
Her physical attraction to him overcome her desire for him to leave town when she finds herself taking her clothes off, and before she knows it, she falls onto the king-size bed entering into an intimate state.
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FRANKLIN FARM : MAIN HOUSE
Sarah Lynn receives a round of applause from friends and family as she places the turkey in the center of the long makeshift flat surface, which consists of two wood tables to make one long one. The Saunders matriarch gazes at everyone present on this day, and she looks at the other head of the table in the dining area. The empty chair is there out of respect for her Peter's memory.
"My husband is - was usually the one that did the speeches, so I hope I do him justice," she replies. "I'm glad we're here once again in this home, which has been the one constant, especially this year. I believe Peter would say we must live our lives with gratitude, more importantly to tell everyone how much we love them because you never know when you won't be able to that it is what this season is about, so eat, drink and be merry, Merry Christmas, everyone."
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She catches sight of how her words affecting people at the table, which, for the most part, has some resonance with everyone in the room.
"Merry Christmas," they all say mostly in unison.
People begin to start conversations as food, drinks, and laughter begin to overflow the atmosphere.
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END OF EPISODE
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
The residents of Radcliffe bring in 2021 with a bang!
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