EPISODE 148
Written by : Bre L. Drew
September 5, 2021
Last Time On Town and Country
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While shopping in Hudson Lake with Aaliyah, Tanner was upset when she saw Tommy since their breakup.
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Tricia's attempt at a reconciliation with her marriage Sean hit a dead end when he accused her of lying about Jordan's pregnancy, which equates to her not wanting a child.
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Two years ago, Max and Shauna married aboard his yacht with friends and family in attendance.
HOME FARM
Shauna Covington walks out of the mansion on the Home Farm Estate that she resides with her husband and his family.
Above her, the darkening skies indicate that summer is drawing near though the warm temperature makes her content with her outfit choice, which consists of a burgundy sleeveless halter dress,
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And despite the problems in her marriage, she still cannot believe that today marks two years since she and Max tied the knot on Labor Day Weekend 2019.
Do you, Shauna Latrice Jackson take Maximillian Daniel Covington as your husband, to love him, to cherish him, nurture him, and support him in times of joy and in times of difficulty? Do you promise to remain by his side regardless of what trouble befalls you, and in the presence of temptation to forsake this love, do you promise to remain steadfast and true? Do you promise with all your heart and soul to honor this vow till death do you part?
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When her reflection of one of the happiest times of her life ends, she sees the black stretch limousine the family usually rides in pull in front of the mansion.
She sees the driver get out of the vehicle to open the passenger door when her husband walks out of the mansion himself wearing a gray stretch wool suit, a far cry from his typical casual clothing.
"Ready to go?" Max Covington inquiries
Shauna raises an eyebrow. "Max, what are you up to?"
In spite of him telling her, he had something planned for this special day. She hadn't managed to get any clue out of him to where they are going this evening.
Max smiles the same devilish grin he used to have when she first met him.
"Shall we?"
Max designates her to put her arm through his, which Shauna does before they approach the limo.
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THE CHATEAU
Smooth Jazz plays courtesy of a local saxophonist on stage inside the fine dining restaurant of The Chateau. Among the patrons partaking in conversation over their meals were Steven Sullivan and Courtney Covington.
"Don't forget about the meeting we have with the realtor on Thursday?" Steven reminds his fiancée.
Courtney picks up her glass of red wine to take a sip. "I remember,"
The engaged couple was beginning to take the next step by looking for a place to call home after getting married on Christmas Eve. Currently, both of them are still living at home with their families.
"A home with at least three bedrooms and a big backyard will suit me just fine. How about you -- Court?"
Courtney looks up from her salad. "Call me delusional, but maybe moving into our own home right now isn't the best idea at the moment."
Steven meets his fiancée's objection with a strong hint of confusion. "What's next; are you going to tell me you don't want to marry me?" he says half-jokingly.
Courtney nods.
"I would never have second thoughts about marrying you. I don't like the fact I will be leaving Tommy, who needs help with taking care of Jeremy."
While suffering from post-partum depression, Jordan decided to leave Jeremy in Tommy's care. Courtney had been one of the ones who have been helping to care for her nephew.
Steven swallows bits of medium-rare steak.
"I'm sure your brother appreciates your pitching in, but you shouldn't put off moving because you think your brother needs assistance taking care of his child."
"I'm not talking about for an indefinite time just until he can find a suitable nanny."
Steven exhales before asking the next question.
"Have you talked to Tricia?"
Courtney immediately frowns at hearing those words.
"Not since she not only kept the truth from me but decided to accuse my father of having less than honorable intentions. "
Steven's silence becomes deafening, confirming to Courtney that her friend had an actual point about her father.
"You can't be serious. I know my father has done things which have been questionable. But he has been a doting grandfather to Jeremy since Tommy brought him from the hospital after having a life-saving operation."
"All I'm saying is don't let your blinders for your father cloud your judgment," Steven advises his fiancée.
THE WATERFALL BAR
The upbeat melody of Janet Jackson's "All For You." is blaring through the speakers inside The Waterfall this evening. At the bar, Tricia Lockhart is sitting beside Samuel Gupta. The two friends were having drinks while conversing about how problematic their lives our at the moment.
"I mean, how does me not wanting a baby compares to me keeping something that technically wasn't his business in the first damn place," Tricia says.
She then takes a drink of her mojito.
Last week, Tricia and Sean had fought over her hiding the truth about Jordan being pregnant by Tommy from him and Tanner. And despite her apologizing, he still wouldn't give her any leeway for another chance.
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"I understand Sean's feelings about what you did, but it seems he isn't trying to meet you halfway," Samuel says sensibly.
Tricia takes another drink of her alcoholic beverage.
"Nope, I'm just the bitch who once again caused hurt and pain for his precious Pretty Princess."
Samuel takes a drink out of his beer bottle. "Well, you can't blame him; Tanner is his daughter."
Tricia's expression flashes into more frustration. "And I am his wife,"
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to take everything out on you. So that is why I am changing the subject because I can't afford to lose another friend." Tricia concedes
"How are you?" she follows up.
"Let's see. I'm almost thirty, with a demanding but rewarding job, but no one to come home to at the end of the day to complain about it to." Samuel says somewhat mockingly
"Hey, don't sell yourself so short, they're plenty of women would go out with you."
Samuel shrugs with an uncertainty of his friend's declaration about him.
"Hey, y'all need a refill?" Antoine Hall queries from behind the bar.
Samuel shakes his head, while Tricia asks for another mojito.
"Hey, Antoine, you wouldn't know any of these women are single, would you?" Tricia interrogates
"Antoine, ignore her," Samuel retorts
The bar manager chuckles.
"Yeah, I'm sure a few would be interested."
Then a black woman in her mid-twenties sitting at the end of the bar with a practically see-through dress winks down to them.
"Was she staring at me?" Samuel asks curiously
"No, man, I think she was looking at ya boy," Antoine responds arrogantly.
Tricia evokes a playful smile. "Boys, it's only one way to find out."
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THE WATERFALL BAR : JACKSON APARTMENT
Mae Jackson is sitting in the living room on the sofa of her apartment above The Waterfall, watching Vanna turn the letters on the board on Wheel Of Fortune on television. Just as soon she is about to figure out the puzzle, she could hear someone rapping on the front door.
When she gets up to answer it, she is surprised to see her son standing there.
"Hey, Momma, you ain't busy?" Will Jackson asks behind the threshold.
Forming a grin, Mae allows her son inside the apartment he once called home. "No, come on in,"
The two settle into the living room as the Jackson matriarch uses the remote to turn the volume on the TV.
"So, how you been doing?" she asks graciously.
"Keepin busy, gettin things together for the club and still workin on the farm."
A part of Mae wishes he forgets about managing the nightclub that Emma Covington is opening and move from the farm back here. But she had gone without much communication with him since he felt passed over by her since it came out his former cellmate was responsible for Shauna's abduction.
"That's good to hear,"
Will snatches a glance of a commercial for male erectile dysfunction medication before giving his mother his full attention.
"Who knows, maybe, when this place is up and running. I can afford to get my own place."
"You don't mind working for Emma?"
"At first, we couldn't even agree on a spot, but now we agree -- on most things." Will answers sincerely
Mae couldn't help noticing a lightness in his tone regarding the Covington heiress.
"Enough about me, Momma, how you been feelin'?"
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WHEELER BUILDING : GYM FACILITY
When her father had invited her to come over to his apartment, Tanner Lockhart hadn't known he would also tell her to come in her sweats. Though she reluctantly complied with her father's request. And now they both enter the empty gym on the first floor of the apartment building where assorted exercises equipment, including treadmills, elliptical machines, weights, and a punching bag.
The two of them were putting on heavy bag gloves on their hands that belong to him.
"Dad, is this your way of telling me I need to lose some weight?" Tanner questions her father.
Sean Lockhart smiles at his daughter, undoubtedly. "Absolutely not; you're beautiful as you are Pretty Princess," he replies. "With everything that happened recently, so I thought we both get out our anger in a healthy manner."
She knows he is referring to her ex-boyfriend Tommy and his wife Tricia, keeping that Tommy got Jordan pregnant and didn't tell them until the baby was born.
Tanner turns to see the black punching bag hanging, unsure if she should entertain hitting it.
"I show you," Sean says
He begins striking the bag with enough force to make the bag swing a bit.
"All right, your turn," he relents
Tanner rolls her neck to get herself moving.
She takes one hand to punch the bag, which she does better than she had initially anticipated.
"That's my girl," Sean cheers aloud.
Tanner keeps hitting as she thinks more intensely about Tommy and Jordan.
"She's not bad,"
Sean turns around to confirm that it is Jai Gupta who is the person complimenting his daughter.
"Yeah, it's her first time,"
The awkwardness between the ex-husband and current lover of Louise Saunders Lockhart is slightly evident between them. The two hadn't been close since the former had been worried about his ex-wife moving on with Jai. Despite living in the same building for months, they hadn't run into each other until now.
Jai, who is in his blue Nike athletic t-shirt and dark training pants, nods. "I think we all can agree she has a lot of pent-up frustration."
Sean recalls that Jai's ex-wife had been dating Daniel Covington, who also knew about the baby.
"Tell me about it, and all because those damn Covington's once again putting themselves first over everybody else."
"I'm just glad Mala decided to end things with Daniel,"
"Smart move," Sean emphasizes.
Jai realizes he should start his work-out on the treadmill. "Well, I better get going. I guess I see you around,"
"Yeah, you too,"
Sean watches him going over to begin his workout, somewhat taken aback by them getting along.
He approaches his daughter, who is known for kicking the bag while punching it steadily.
"That's for lying to me," she cries out.
"That's for making promises you didn't keep,"
Sean smirks at his daughter, but realizes tears are coming down her face.
"Tanner, are you okay?"
Tanner ignores her father as she punches the bag harder.
"That's for screwing the girl who used to be my best friend."
Before Tanner could move, Sean wraps his arms around her as she sobs onto his chest.
"Why did he hurt me so much, daddy?"
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"It's all right," he repeats.
The two of them remain in a supportive embrace.
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ONE AND ONLY
After being escorted out of the limo by Max, Shauna becomes aware of their current location when she sees his yacht One and Only on the waters of Lake Hudson.
"I should've known," she says flirtatiously.
Two years ago, they exchanged vows on this ship in front of their friends and family.
Max smirks wickedly. "Follow me,"
The two of them walk onto the vessel, where she sees the dining quarters set up with fine china, lit candles, and music playing in the background.
They both can feel the yacht starting to move across the lake.
"I thought we spend our anniversary in a place that holds many memories for us."
"We had our first date here," she says wistfully.
The two of them take a seat across from another at the table.
"It's also where you made me an honest man."
Max had inherited the yacht from his late mother Keri when she passed away.
The male steward approaches them with their entrées which both thank him.
"Max, all of this ...
"Isn't going to improve our problems. I get that, it's just we have to start somewhere, don't we?" Max says reassuringly
Shauna begins consuming some food on her plate. Then, when she looks down at the table, she sees a seafoam green box on the table.
"Is this for me?"
"Yeah," he answers swiftly.
Shauna opens the box; she is stunned to see a circle pendant diamond necklace. "This is beautiful, thank you, Max,"
He nods appreciatively.
Shauna searches through her carry-all bag. "I got you something too,"
When she locates it, she immediately gives the wrapped item to her husband.
He shreds the wrapping paper off and finds a book in his possession.
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"101 Wonders Of The World!" he reads distinctly.
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"Yeah, I know how much you love wandering around the world, so I thought one of these days we will sail the Ocean blue by going to these places."
"Thank you," he replies. "Maybe for our next anniversary, we can go to the 99th Wonder."
Shauna sees how much the gift means to him.
"I apologize for not being supportive of you when you took the job at Covington. I thought you were happy with photography, but I hadn't realized you weren't."
Max sighs, not knowing how to respond to his wife's acknowledgment of what made him abandon photography for the corporate world, which he had claimed he would never do, mainly due to the pressure his father put on him to do since he was young.
"All I know is that I love you, and I couldn't stand to lose you," he admits greatly.
Max pours two flutes of champagne before he gives one to Shauna.
"For the rest of the night, let's focus on us and only us, and leave our problems behind. What do you say?"
Shauna crosses over to him by sitting in his lap.
The two begin passionately becoming intimate with one another.
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THE WATERFALL BAR
Samuel returns over to the bar where Tricia is skimming something on her phone.
"Tell me, is there something seriously wrong with me? he asks. "Honestly, I think I'm a decent-looking man, but that seems it isn't enough."
"I guess that wasn't my best idea, but at least you know now," Tricia says somewhat remorsefully.
On Tricia's suggestion, both Samuel and Antoine went down at the end of the bar to see which of them were the object of the young woman's affection. It seemed the latter won out as she said she wanted to get to know him better.
The pair of them steal a glance down the counter to see Antoine behind the bar, still chatting it up with the young woman in the see-through dress.
Tricia consumes the last of her drink. "Forget about her; you're a good-looking guy. Anyone would be lucky to be with you."
"You're my friend; you're supposed to say that shit to me." Samuel says nonchalantly.
"No, I'm serious,"
Tricia moves closer to her friend. "Let's show her what she is missing out on."
Her lips informally brush upon his as the two of them kiss one another. Samuel explores her mouth with its sweet and tangy sensation from the mojito.
Some of the patrons were observing the making-out, including the girl in the see-through dress and Antoine.
Getting enough attention, he stops it from going any further.
Unsure of what to say next, Samuel shoots his friend a look of curiosity while Tricia herself couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt from once again putting her marriage at risk once again for a few seconds of pleasure.
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END OF EPISODE
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
The gang starts their sophomore year at Sampson University.
Tricia is between a rock and a hard place.
Samuel confides in Max about the kiss he shared with Tricia.
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