EPISODE 181
Written by: Bre L. Drew
April 25, 2022
Last Time On Town and Country
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Steven and Courtney finally agreed to move into Hope Cottage.
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Deirdre received Emma's power of attorney, meaning she is in charge of her personal affairs, including The Cliffe.
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Presley McKnight moved back to Radcliffe when he received the associate pastorship of First Street Methodist Church.
HOPE COTTAGE
"I think that's the last of everything," Steven Sullivan says while entering the residential cottage he and his wife are moving into this spring afternoon.
"Hallelujah," Samuel Gupta replies in relief, carrying a heavy cardboard box.
Behind him are Martha Saunders and Courtney Covington Sullivan, each carrying a box from the U-Haul truck parked outside the house.
Courtney places the box along the wall in the foyer. "Thanks again, you two, for helping us,"
"No problem," Samuel remarks in a friendly manner.
Steven puts his arm around his wife. "Yeah, we appreciate it,"
Martha gazes at her boyfriend, who seems to know what she is about to say. "I think it's time we crack open that bottle of champagne we got for y'all to celebrate moving into your first home."
"Shoot, I forgot it at the house. I'm going to pop over next door to get it." Samuel states.
"Bring some glasses with you," Steven calls out to his friend, heading out of the house.
Walking along the curved walkway to get to his house, he sees a black Ford Fusion pulling up behind the U-Haul. At first, he doesn't pay too much attention, but when he sees the particular individual getting out of the vehicle, he casually nods to the person.
Tricia Lockhart cordially waves to him.
JOJO'S CAFE
The cafe is somewhat crowded with Sampson University students getting in some last minute studying before their finals start tomorrow.
Currently, "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles is playing on the sound system.
Over in the lounge area, Tanner Lockhart, Elijah Barker, and Aaliyah Gupta were all conversing with one another in between studying.
"I can't believe we're about to be juniors. "It still seems like yesterday we were those lost little freshmen, and now we're more than halfway done with college," Aaliyah says to her friends.
Tanner half-looks up from her anatomy and physiology textbook. "My mother did say college does go by quicker than you think,"
Elijah takes a sip of his Coke out of the tall plastic cup. "Well, I'm feeling; more confident about taking these finals than last semester."
Elijah was worried about not being able to keep up with school since he had spent so much time outside of his classes dealing with his alcoholism last year.
"But look at you now, Elijah. You're six months sober; that's an accomplishment you also should be proud of," Tanner says encouragingly.
Aaliyah nods in agreement. "Tanner is right, Elijah; we're proud of you too."
"If it wasn't for his friends and his girlfriend leading the charge to help him get to stop drinking, he might've ended up in prison or dead if he was going any faster in his car on the night of Halloween, possibly dead. It was then he realized for himself that he couldn't go on hurting himself, let alone the people he cared about.
Tommy Covington walks into the establishment with his backpack on his back. He heads over to his friends who all greet him, including Tanner, who has her glasses on her forehead. He couldn't help but grin at her since he is still attracted to her despite their breakup.
FIRST STREET METHODIST CHURCH
Presley McKnight is in his office at First Street Methodist Church at his desk working on closing remarks for Sunday service. He types a few more words onto his laptop when a knock materializes on his door.
"Presley, can I come in for a few minutes?" Reverend Friendly's voice vocalizes from behind the barrier.
"Please come in,"
The reverend enters the room wearing a black Henley long-sleeve shirt and blue jeans, which is quite a shock at first for Presley since he is used to seeing him dressed in his collared clergy shirt and slacks, so seeing him in casualwear still takes him by surprise.
The reverend gazes around the office, impressed at the state of it.
"I must say you've done a good job with this office," he says. "A month ago, this place was used as another storage room."
Presley recalls how he was assigned here; he spent a lot of time cleaning the dust and cobwebs and removing several objects, including chairs and tattered bibles.
"Let's just say I'm used to making more with what I have," he says to his supervisor and family friend. "Is there anything I can help you with, Reverend?"
The minister strolls closer to the desk.
"Presley, I know it comes out of respect, but please call me Joel. "I've known you since I christened you as a baby," he casually informs him. Yes, I want to speak with you regarding the church youth group."
The younger associate pastor closes the laptop screen to give him his undivided attention. "I wasn't aware we had a church youth group, sir," Presley tells him.
Joel tilts his head. "Well, it's new, but we need someone to lead it."
Quickly comprehending where this conversation is heading, Presley nods understandably. "And since I'm the associate pastor, I would be the most qualified to do so, right?" he asks knowingly.
"It is up to you; I don't want to force anything onto you that you do not want to do," Joel says sincerely. "But since you're young, it would perhaps benefit the children to have someone they can relate to."
"Sure, I'll do it," Presley permits. "Thank you for the opportunity, Rev... Joel."
He wanted not to get off on the wrong foot with his superior since he is new here and possibly wants to lead the church one day.
Reverend Friendly rubs his hands together.
Joel checks his watch on his wrist. "Good, and if you can come up with activities in and out of the church that are affordable yet enjoyable," he tells him. "I better get going; I have a home visit with a sick parishioner."
With that, he walks out of the room, leaving Presley somewhat overwhelmed. He gets out of his chair and grabs his bag and laptop, also making his way out of the room.
THE CLIFFE
Will Jackson is behind the desk in the office upstairs from the nightclub, going over the recent earnings of the nightclub on the iPad. Despite the numbers being down, it wasn't a huge enough loss to start worrying, but he decides to be more observant about it, remembering that he told Emma in her hospital room he'd take care of the club in her absence. He also remembers he'd be heading to the prison to see if Jerome Hawkins was behind the accident tampering with his car brakes, which resulted in Emma being unable to get out of the semi truck's way, eventually colliding into them. He hadn't told anyone about what he was doing, knowing someone would talk him out of it.
"What do you think you are doing?" asks a feminine voice.
He glimpses Deirdre Covington, wearing a black fringe-trim jacket and black straight-leg pants, clasping onto her clutch bag and moving up to him.
"I can ask you the same thing," he says, putting aside the tablet on the desk. "Is there anything I can help you with, Deirdre?"
Deirdre inspects the atmosphere before her focus lands on the man she blames for her daughter's condition, though it was her who paid the person to cut his brake line so he would be the one hospitalized, making Emma realize she is making a mistake by getting involved with an ex-con.
"You help me?" she asks, a little haughtily. "That will be the day. No, I came to inform you. I currently hold my daughter's power of attorney."
Hearing the condescending tone in her voice, she often uses him.
"Meaning what? He challenges her.
Deirdre picks up a framed photo of her daughter on the desk in happier times, standing in front of the Eiffel tower, taken during the years she resided in Paris.
She then puts it back. "Oh, that's right, you're only familiar with terms relating to the wrong side of the law. It means until my daughter recovers, I'm in charge of her affairs, including The Cliffe. From this moment forward, you will answer to me."
At first, Will doesn't take her seriously, but something instinctively tells him she is being serious.
"No offense, Deirdre, but you have no experience running any business, let alone a bar or a nightclub."
The red-haired woman strolls toward the door; she turns to her employee.
"Will, please don't ever overestimate me, and by the way, your job is safe ... for now." She winks at him, stepping forward.
The affluent widow walks out of the room with Will leaning back in the chair, unsure of his next move but knowing one thing, he will be damned if Deirdre Covington gets rid of him.
JOJO'S CAFE
"Oh My God," by Adele, plays in the cafe while the gang decides to take a break from acquiring information.
Tommy and Elijah were sitting next to each other on the leather couch, talking to one another.
"When was the last time the two of us just hung out?" Tommy asks his best friend.
"It's been a while; it seems like between school, work, and parenthood, there isn't a lot of time," Elijah responds.
"I never thought this would be my life when we were in high school." Tommy verbally reflects
Elijah takes a drink of his soda.
"Something tells me you're not only talking about fatherhood at nineteen."
Tommy confesses, "I'm still in love with Tanner and Elijah, and I never stopped feeling that way about her." And a part of me knows there isn't a chance in hell that she would want me back. Honestly, I can't blame her. I hurt her so much when I kept the truth about what went down with Jordan."
Elijah glances at his friend with understanding.
​
***
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Both Tanner and Aaliyah get out of line with their beverages, going over to the coffee bar.
"There's so much management accounting I can interpret without caffeine," Aaliyah declares
"Tell me about it,"
Tanner checks the incoming text on her iPhone, which she quickly shows to Aaliyah.
The young designer looks at her friend's phone and smiles widely, seeing a photo of her brother holding Tanner's aunt while she has a cardboard box in her hands near the moving van outside Steven and Courtney's new house.
"They're so cute," Aaliyah says. "I'm so glad that Sammy is with someone who makes him happy."
"Me too," Tanner replies agreeably.
Aaliyah turns her head towards the entrance of the cafe. "And speaking of cute, look over there."
Tanner does what she is instructed, but the person entering grins at her while heading over to them with a messenger bag.
"That's Jordan's brother, Presley, I was telling you about,"
"If I didn't have a boyfriend or be afraid of being disinherited by my ancestors, he would make me almost want to convert religions."
Tanner snickers. "Okay, down, girl,"
"Hey, Tanner, it seems like we keep running into each other here," Presley mentions to her.
"Yeah, I know," Tanner says cheerily.
Aaliyah can't help but form an expression of, there is more going on here, and aren't you going to introduce me?
"Presley, this is my best friend Aaliyah Gupta; this is Presley McKnight."
Presley and Aaliyah shake hands casually.
"Nice to meet you, Reverend McKnight,"
Presley waves his hand dismissively.
"You don't have to call me reverend; you two hangin' out?"
Tanner shakes her head. "Not exactly; us, Elijah, and Tommy, are here studying... finals time is upon us."
When Presley heard Tommy's name, he automatically knew it was the father of his nephew, whom he had never met. "Well, I'll let you two get back to it. Good to see you, as always, Tanner; and nice to meet you, Aaliyah." The man of the cloth moves away from them, leaving the young woman standing at the coffee bar alone.
"I think he likes you," Aaliyah whispers.
​
***
Presley walks over to Tommy and Elijah, who were in the middle of laughing over something said by one of them.
Elijah's eyes land with instant recognition.
"Oh man, Presley, I heard you were back in town,"
Presley goes over to him as Elijah gets off the couch for a brief hug.
"Last time I saw you, Jordan, Lenny, and Tanner were all taller than you," he says, as he and him are the same height now.
"Please don't remind me of my past shortcomings," Elijah says, somewhat embarrassingly. "Presley, this is Tommy Covington."
Presley gives the boy who got his sister pregnant a look of caution.
"I know my sister can be a handful, but I'm telling you to ease up on her because she is trying, and if I hear you or your family giving her a hard time when it comes to the baby, or I mean anything else, we might have more than words. You understand me?"
Tommy remains silent as the reverend tells Elijah he'll see him later as he proceeds to go to a table.
HOPE COTTAGE
"Hey, I wasn't expecting you to come over today," Courtney says while hugging Tricia.
The two ladies let go of one another while they proceeded through the unobstructed home.
"Well, I thought my doctor's appointment was going to take longer. But thankfully, I made it out of there with enough time to see you and give you this."
She gives Courtney a dark blue gift bag, which she graciously accepts.
"Thank you,"
Courtney sees her friend's stomach has expanded even more through her gray cowlneck top since the last time she saw her. She still can't believe that in four and a half months she will be another far cry from her being unreceptive to the idea a year prior.
"How have you been?" Courtney queries
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"Actually, I've been doing pretty well, other than the cankles and sore back."
"How has Sean been with everything?" Courtney asks concernedly.
She knows that before she found out she was pregnant, the two were having problems in their marriage.
"He's been amazing. I mean, between work and getting the nursery together, he's been really good to me. I think we're in a good place now."
​
"That's good to hear," Courtney says, supportively. She places the bag on top of the black wood-plated steel credenza.
"Court, do you see the box marked "Office?" Steven shouts out from upstairs.
She scans the room before her sight lands on the exact box she scoops up from the floor near the staircase.
"Found it," she announces before heading up the stairs.
Tricia wanders into the practically barren kitchen, seeing Martha on her iPhone.
Martha peeks up from the screen, somewhat unenthused to see the woman who contributed to the breakup of her sister's marriage.
"I know that my showing up here is probably uncomfortable for you," Tricia comments.
Martha puts her phone on the counter. "And why would that be Tricia?"
Tricia is surprised that she isn't more dumbfounded than she anticipated she would be. "What happened between me and Samuel? I just want you to know that we're friends, that's all."
Martha shakes her head and purses her lips. "Oh, you thought because some forgettable kiss you and Samuel shared even before we got together was going to break me down, as you did with Sean and my sister, you're sadly mistaken."
"From what I hear, you aren't close to Louise,"
"You're right, me and my sister aren't close, but I'll be damned if I let you say anything bad about the woman whose marriage you came in between, causing holy hell for not only Louise but my nieces too."
"I'm just looking out for my friend," Tricia says defensively. "That's all."
"If I were you, I would concentrate on my own marriage and that baby. I can take care of Samuel just fine,"
Tricia does her best not to look disconcerted by the verbal attack on her even when Samuel returns with the items in both hands.
"I got the bottle of champagne, and I brought club soda for Tricia,"
"Thank you, Samuel," Tricia says pleasantly.
Martha rolls her eyes as she volunteers to help pour the liquid into the glass flutes.
By now, Steven and Courtney had come downstairs, where they accepted a drink from Martha.
"Here's a toast to all of you for being here as we make this newest journey as homeowners together as husband and wife," Steven speaks.
Consuming their drinks commences as Steven and Courtney kiss one another.
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END OF EPISODE
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Will visits Jerome Hawkins.
Shauna seeks attention from Max.
Ernest receives more unsettling news.
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