EPISODE 111
Written by : Bre L. Drew
December 14, 2020
Last Time On Town and Country
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Every year the Saunders family has a tree-trimming celebration out on Franklin Farm.
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Lynn found out from Elijah that Tommy and Jordan had sex in Oahu.
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Sean called out Tricia for not standing up for Tanner when she and Jordan got into a heated confrontation.
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Emma avoided questions about her fiancé from Deirdre.
FRANKLIN FARM : MAIN HOUSE
For Esther and Peter Saunders, growing up, Christmas was always a joyous occasion within their household that both of their parents made it special for them. And apart of the celebration is the long-standing is the tree-trimming party, which takes place a week or so before Christmas; all of the family gathers to take part in the yearly event. It was no question this year it wouldn't take place despite them losing Peter in March. They knew he would want the next generation of the Saunders' to experience the tradition even if he can't be with them.
Currently, Johnny Mathis is crooning; It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas from Steven's iPhone on the speaker dock sitting on the mantel in the living room where at the moment, it is in festive preparation. Most of the decorations were already lying out throughout the room and the rest of the house.
Steven Sullivan is holding his namesake SJ Saunders in his arms while he begins placing the ornaments onto the branches of the seven-foot spruce tree that is standing tall in front of them. But mostly, Steven's excitement was the innocent joy his cousin and godson are having by staring at it like it holds all of the magic in the world.
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"Twee, Twee, Twee," the one-year-old keeps chanting adorably.
"It's a big tree, isn't it. buddy?" Steven replies to him.
Standing nearby is Esther, who is beaming in delight. Seeing her great-nephew's happiness made it worth having the celebration today.
"That's right, SJ, all of this is for you, so one day you can pass it down to your children," Esther says proudly.
The baby nods his unbeknownst of what the older woman means.
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A moment later, Martha Saunders ambles; out of the kitchen with a tray of cookies, she baked herself. As she lets her cousin and aunt try one, she waits until she gets their opinion on them. For the past two years, she has been the one baking them from the hand-written recipe her late grandmother Rosemary Saunders used for over fifty years.
Steven chews on a candy-cane shaped sugar cookie. "These are good,"
Esther chews hers, which is in the shape of a Christmas wreath. "Mm-hmm, momma would've loved you taking over this tradition, sweetheart."
"You think so?" Martha inquires.
Knowing her grandmother was the sweetest person she knew, but when it came to cooking, even she had her lofty standards that her loved ones could never reach.
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"Yes, I do," Esther answers back.
Martha sets the tray on the coffee table. "Is Courtney still coming by?"
Steven, who is letting her son put up an ornament with his assistance, nods his head. "Yeah, she should be on her way,"
Esther makes a face of disappointment mainly for the fact a Covington who is engaged to her son will now be spending holidays here. "As long as that home-wrecking grandmother of hers doesn't start coming here, everything will be fine."
"It's not the day to start this," Martha says
"Martha is right; look, whether you accept it or not Courtney, is going to be part of this family soon," Steven says defensively.
Esther puts a hook through a bulb. "I understand that, but I don't that woman in my house,"
"Finding out grandad had an affair with Dee hasn't been easy on us, but Courtney nor the rest of her family had nothing to do with that," Steven remarks candidly.
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Steven had informed his mother all about the same hand-writing that matched the letter and the card with the flowers Deirdre brought over to Sarah Lynn the other week. Esther has known the truth for over thirty years now. She also knew he and Martha figured it out because she saw them at the top of the steps. Esther does not want the rest of the family to be aware of the truth. At first, she was against Sarah Lynn being in on this but realizes she wouldn't tell anyone grateful for her loyalty over the years.
Thankfully no one else is here to overhear them.
The front door opens, which makes them drop the sordid conversation now. Louise Saunders Lockhart along, with her twin daughters Tanner and Lynn Lockhart, come in greeting one another as they hang up their coats.
"Where's mom?" Louise asks
She hadn't seen her mother's purple Chevy Malibu outside.
"She went to pick up the food," Steven replies.
The twins go over to their baby cousin, whom Tanner takes into her arms.
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THE WATERFALL BAR
As the holiday draws, near more of a crowd populates within the bar.
The Four Tops Reach Out I'll Be There. is playing on the sound system.
Sarah Lynn Saunders is at the front of the line waiting to pick up takeout, which has been part of the family's tree-trimming tradition for twenty years now. She is glad to see Will Jackson at the bar. They have become close since he came to work part-time on the farm.
"Hey, how are you, Sarah Lynn," he greets her casually. He is wearing a dark grey soft crew-neck t-shirt that displays his biceps.
"Not too bad,"
Mae Jackson also who is behind the bar, greets her good friend.
"$78.57," he verbalizes her total.
Sarah Lynn takes her wallet out of her purse to hand him the cash in which she tells him to keep the change she would be receiving back.
The Jackson matriarch obtains multiple bags of takeout food to give to her.
Sarah Lynn throws up her hand. "Thanks, I see you next week, Will, take care, Mae,"
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Mae tells her thanks to her as she departs out of the bar. She then looks at her son, whom she hadn't had a meaningful conversation with since the kidnapping of her granddaughter, whom he was inadvertently responsible for since it was his ex-cellmate who took her.
"Momma, are we gonna keep ignoring each other it's gettin tired; we can't go on like this,"
"What do you want me to say?"
"That you don't blame me for what happened with Shauna,"
Mae scratches her forearm. "It's funny this time last year, every morning and every night. I would get on my knees, to thank the lord you came home."
"Momma, I know what I did in prison was wrong, but I'm telling you I'm different now."
Will hastily walks off, leaving Mae with her own thoughts.
Samuel Gupta had an early exit from the hospital today. Since it is the holiday season, more patients were coming to see him due to it being a time of loneliness and depression. So when he realized his afternoon was free, he immediately left the office to come to have a drink at the bar before he does some shopping. Even though his family isn't Christian, they still celebrated the tradition of giving gifts on the 25th.
He takes another swig of beer out of the bottle when the sound of heels clicking on the floor gets him to look up from his beverage.
"Long time no see," Tricia Lockhart addresses him excitedly. She looked amazing, in a teal satin one puff shoulder top with boot cut jeans.
"Hey, welcome back; how was the wedding?" Samuel counters
Samuel would've gotten up to hug her but knows it awkward since he didn't make it a secret he had begun to develop feelings when she was engaged. Now that she is married, he wasn't willing to cross that boundary.
"Is this seat taken?" Tricia asks him.
The empty stool beside the doctor had nobody on it. Samuel gestures with his hand; she is free to occupy it. "Sit," he says invitingly.
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He listens as Tricia goes on about scenic destination wedding in Oahu, Hawaii. Samuel adds commentary when needed and laughs at things that deserve his amusement.
"Seems like you're still in your what my dad calls it honeymoon phase." he assumes
Tricia's whole demeanor alters more into a form of hesitance, especially in her eyes.
"I stand corrected,"
"You don't want to hear about my marital problems Samuel,"
Samuel takes another drink out of the bottle. "I promise I won't charge by the hour."
Tricia opens her designer clutch. "All right, but first, I need a cocktail."
HOME FARM
Courtney Covington descends the sweeping staircase, all set to head out to the farm where she will be celebrating her first Saunders family tree-trimming. She is almost out of the door when she sees Emma walking in holding multiple shopping bags in her possession.
"Do you do anything else but buy things all day?" Courtney challenges her aunt.
"Did you sleep on the wrong side of the bed again, Court?" Emma Covington shoots back.
There isn't any love loss between aunt and niece who grew up together due to their closeness in age.
Courtney ignores her dismissive crack.
"Come on, be nice to me because one of these bags may or may not have a present from me," Emma says snidely.
"Much as I would like to stay here and go toe to toe with you, I'm off."
"Don't let the door hit you on your ass on your way out." Emma teases
The Covington heiress carries her items to the couch, where she sets them down.
The resonance of the chime ringing alerting someone is at the door.
"Gabriella! Gabriella!" Emma yells out for the family's housekeeper.
"Where can that woman be?" she says to herself.
The bell sounds off again.
"Keep your thong on! I'm coming!" she replies aloud.
Pulling the barrier with more force than intended, she nearly stumbles at the sight forefront of her.
"What are you doing here?"
The individual flashes their trademark casual smile. "Hello, bébé," Jacques Laurent says in his native Parisian accent.
FRANKLIN FARM : MAIN HOUSE
The party is now in full swing as the tree is halfway decorated. And the comforting vocal stylings of Andy Williams is going on about silver bells.
Sarah Lynn comes into the house with takeout from the bar. When she sees Lynn coming in her direction asks her if she can take the food into the kitchen. Lynn obeys her grandmother by doing so but not before glancing at Tanner, who has the baby on her lap while she and Martha. She couldn't help but feel guilty withholding the fact Tommy slept with Jordan, preparing herself to ease into telling her. Yet, every time something pulls her back at the last minute. She shuffles onto the task she was given.
"He gets even more handsome every time I see him," Tanner says to both her baby cousin and her aunt.
Martha nods agreeably. "He is going to be a little heartbreaker when he gets older for sure."
She evaluates the state of her niece, who has received her first heartbreak. "You know I'm here if you need to talk."
Tanner, whose finger has been captured by SJ's chubby hand. "What else can be said about Tommy keeping the secret he kissed Jordan from me for a year."
"I admit it's been a while since I've been in an actual relationship."
"Where is this going?" Tanner asks curiously
"You're going to have to decide whether or not you can get past this hurt. And find a way for you and Tommy to come out of this together. Or you have to be mature enough to end what you two have." Martha strongly advises
Tanner was afraid of that next step. At the same time, she is more than aware it does have to happen.
Steven, Louise, and Esther all our decorating the tree with ornaments old and new.
"So where is Evan going to spend Christmas this year?" Louise queries
Evan is Steven's eight-year-old son who currently lives in Orlando, Florida, with his mother, Lorraine.
"He and Lorraine are going to visit her dad and Bette in Bethesda this year," Steven responds.
Esther puts a bulb on the tree. "I thought that woman and her stepmother didn't get along?"
"They don't, but now with Hank finally retiring from the government, he wants to bring all of them together," her son reports.
Lorraine and her stepmother Bette haven't gotten along in years, and it caused conflict within their family.
Steven puts the horse ornament; his father had gotten his mother over forty years ago on the center of the tree.
"Life is short, so I guess it best to try to make peace the best you can," Louise says wisely.
Steven nods his head as Esther can't shake off Dee and her father sleeping together over thirty years ago.
Tapping on the front door gets everyone's attention.
"It's Open!" exclaims most of the people in the living room.
A few seconds later, Courtney comes into the house. She places her coat onto the rack near the door.
A flurry of greetings come her way as she returns them to the rest of the Saunders family. Swooped up in the arms of her fiancé, in which Esther flashes a look of nonchalance.
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"Anything I can do?" Courtney volunteers. "I have never been to a tree trimming party before."
"That does not surprise me in the least," Esther mumbles to herself.
Steven picks up an ornament from the top of the box on the ground. "Hang this one," he winks.
Courtney receives the commemorative décor is a photo of the two of them together on the beach in Oahu after he proposed to her. And underneath the photo has the caption of Merry Christmas.
"You're part of this family now," Steven says proudly.
Courtney enters into his arms again as they look with wonder at the tree.
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In the kitchen, Lynn decided to take a break from the family festivities to be alone. The knowledge of Tommy sleeping with Jordan still is weighing heavily on her mind. As well as the last conversation she had with her twin sister's boyfriend.
I thought you at least cared about my sister?
I do care about Tanner. I love her, Lenny,
You got a hell of a way of showing that love by screwing another girl.
I'll try to make it up to her,
You sound like you forgot her birthday or misplaced her textbook. You slept with Jordan!
You're not going to tell, Tanner, are you,
Why shouldn't I?
Because I love your sister, and I want to avoid anything that would break her heart.
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"Damn it!" Lynn swears
She can her grandmother's voice calling everyone into the room to have lunch.
She witnesses her family members entering the kitchen, talking and laughing.
"Coke?" Hey, do you want a coke?" Tanner inquiries multiple times
"What?" Lynn asks
Tanner has two cans of Coca-Cola in her hand. "I said do you want a coke?"
Lynn puts her hand on her hip. "Yeah, thanks,"
"Hey, what's up?"
The words of I have to tell you something are on the tip of her tongue. Yet the wormhole of guilt makes her swallow the statement.
"Uh, nothing, let's eat," Lynn says
Tanner displays a skeptical gaze upon her face but lets it slides.
The twins gather around the table where food is at the center of it.
HOME FARM
"Are you going to let me inside, Cheri?" asks her in his charismatic way
Before Emma can tell him either way, Deirdre Covington comes down the stairs asking who is at the door?
Deirdre ends up standing next to her daughter, seeing the guy standing at the door, instantly recognizing him as Emma's fiancé.
"Emma? What are you doing; let him in," she says excitedly.
Jacques winks flirtatiously at Emma while he steps foot into the mansion.
"This is a nice home,"
"It's my brother's," Emma answers in a tight-lipped manner.
Deirdre smirks widely at the fine Frenchman in front of her; she takes him in physically. He is tall, olive skin, dark brown hair, smelt of expensive cologne and not to mention him in an Armani suit in which she prices around two-thousand dollars.
"Your mother is beautiful, Emma," he compliments
"Merci, and since you're marrying my daughter, why don't you tell me about yourself. Usually, the mother of the bride meets the groom shortly after the engagement instead of six months later," Deirdre retorts
Emma stares up at Jacques. "Yes, tell my mother all of the whores you have flirted with or, better yet, tell her what the press has labeled me in Europe -- oh yeah, fiancée trophée."
She grabs her purse off the chair to take off, leaving behind her "fiancée" and her mother.
END OF EPISODE
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
It's Christmas for the residents of Radcliffe!!!
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