EPISODE 149
Written by : Bre L. Drew
September 13, 2021
Last Time On Town and Country
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Feeling sorry for Samuel, Tricia ends up kissing him in a crowded The Waterfall, later realizing she is once again jeopardizing her marriage to Sean.
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Lorenzo's father lost his job, meaning his family was struggling to make ends meet.
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Tanner is trying to move forward after her painful breakup from Tommy.
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Elijah was one of the ones who found about Tommy impregnating Jordan, but kept quiet.
WHEELER BUILDING : APT # 424
As Tricia Lockhart makes it to the front door of the fourth-floor apartment she resides in from her morning run, she could not stop thinking about the kiss she shared with Samuel last night at The Waterfall. The move was supposed to be mainly for his benefit since he had been upset about being rejected by a girl who turned out who was interested in Antoine. She never had any romantic feelings towards him. Instead, she considers as a brother. It didn't help matters that it was done in public, though she didn't care about that so much as she knows this is another factor affecting her already precarious marriage.
"Tricia, get a grip," she tells herself. She then turns her key into the hole to unlock the door, where she moves inside.
She looks up to see her husband Sean Lockhart heading towards the door, dressed in a blue plaid flannel shirt with a well-worn pair of jeans.
"Hey," he says uneasily.
"Morning," she says uneasily, back to him.
The two had been tip-toeing around their home since it all came out about her knowing about Tommy impregnating Jordan. And despite telling him why she decided to withhold the truth from him, he referred to her as selfish the other day.
Tricia places both of her hands upon her slender hips. "So, what did you do last night when I went out?"
"I invited Tanner to come over last night, and we went to the gym, which led to her taking her anger out on the bag; it worked," Sean informs her.
Yesterday, Tanner had taken out her emotions on the punching bag that led to her breaking down into Sean's arms, making him aware that she hadn't properly moved on until now, hopefully,
"I know I've caused some of her heartbreak, which I'm sorry for, believe it or not, Sean."
From the look upon his face, Sean expresses a somewhat benefit of a doubt at his wife.
"And with everything happening, it got me wondering whether this marriage can be salvaged?" Sean admits
​
JOJO'S CAFE
Inside JoJo's Café, the morning rush begins as students and professionals populate the establishment, obtaining their various needs. Amongst the crowd were Samuel Gupta and Max Covington. In between appointments, Samuel decided to meet up with his friend before heading back to the hospital. The two received their coffees from the counter; before heading to the table near the large window overlooking Main Street.
"A Sky Full Of Stars" from Coldplay is currently playing on the sound system.
"Sounds like you and Shauna had a good time, spending your anniversary; aboard the yacht, you two got married on you did good, my man," Samuel compliments him.
Max takes a small sip of coffee. "We had a good time," he replies. "And thanks again for referring us to that marriage counselor, by the way."
Max and Shauna had been experiencing various issues in their marital relationship, so he queried his friend for a referral; Samuel gave him the name and number of a therapist in Hudson Lake.
"No problem, I hope it helps,"
Max sees a bit of distress on his friend's face. "Hey, what's wrong?"
Samuel leans in a bit in his chair; so no one else overhears him. "Last night. I kissed someone."
Max picks up his cup of coffee, trying to decipher why him kissing someone would be a bad thing, due to the hesitant pitch in his voice.
"And this is a problem because?"
"Cause -- it was Tricia,"
Samuel's revelation makes Max nearly choke on the piping hot caffeinated beverage.
​
SAMPSON UNIVERSITY : STUDENT AFFAIRS BUILDING
"Mr. Vidal, thanks for getting here so quickly. I know with this being the first week of classes, things tend to get hectic around here."
Lorenzo Vidal is sitting across from Betty Garnett, a black woman in her mid-fifties woman who is the financial aid representative of Sampson University. He had been contacted by her twenty minutes ago, which he came from his dorm room.
He nods, unsure of what he is doing here.
"I wanted to bring to your attention you owe a remaining balance of $1500. Will that be paid by credit card or by check?" Betty inquiries nonchalantly
Lorenzo shook his head, uncertain of what is she even referring to, "I don't know what's going on here. My tuition was paid about two months ago."
Betty peers over her large-framed eyeglasses like she is stunned he would dare to accuse her otherwise.
She then looks onto the paper and then back onto him. "Apparently, the attempt to pay your tuition occurred in insufficient funds with a credit card. Your mother contacted the office pleading with us to give her time to come up with the payment, well; we gave her enough time based on your economic hardship."
Lorenzo recalls his mother telling him she would pay it. Despite it being rough on his family financially, since his father lost his job and he hadn't been lucky in finding another job that pays enough for his years of experience as an electrical engineer.
"Are there any emergency grants or scholarships I can apply for?" Lorenzo asks in an unconfident manner.
"With your grades, I'm sorry you won't qualify," Betty replies promptly. "With your family's hardships, I think it might be best if you transfer out of Sampson. Maybe you can attend community college in your home state, which I'm sure is more affordable than going to an out of a state school."
He couldn't believe what is going on here, let alone feeling like he is being treated like some poor Puerto Rican boy who can't even afford to attend a school in the country.
"If we don't have payment in the next two weeks, we will have no other choice but to terminate your enrollment, meaning you won't be able to attend classes nor reside in the dorm."
Lorenzo remains seated, not knowing how in the world will he get that kind of money, as the financial aid representative remains silent, expressing sincere doubt.
​
SAMPSON UNIVERSITY : KLEIN HALL
Several pupils, including lifelong best friends Tanner Lockhart and Elijah Barker, were walking the hallway of Klein Hall, which houses several classes on campus.
"Call me crazy, but I'm actually looking forward to being back here," Tanner says enthusiastically.
"I wish I could say that I did not miss having classes on top of working. Which, by the way, I have to go to after class." Elijah retorts
Tanner squeezes by a freshman who located her classroom. "I think I just want a fresh start after everything that happened in the last few months."
Elijah knows she is citing what went down by finding out Tommy had slept with Jordan, which resulted in her pregnancy, which he did for nine months. It also doesn't help that he and Lynn had known about this yet decided to keep it from her; he couldn't help but feel blameworthy since he has known her most of his life. Recognizing she didn't deserve to be left in the dark by anyone of them.
The two of them found the room at the end of the hallway. This year the two sophomores will be taking "Living With The Arts," an elective that involves studying the history of art, music, and theater.
Making their way into the classroom, the pair of them see a few other sophomores they previously had classes with last year, as well as other students they hadn't seen before. They sit on stools alongside each other.
Tanner turns her to face the front of the room when she sees a familiar individual coming in the door.
Tanner taps Elijah on his arm delicately. "Did you know about this?"
Elijah directs his observation to see his father entering the room, putting his bag onto the desk where the teacher occupies.
"What the hell is happening?" Elijah replies.
His father teaches English Literature, which Elijah and Tanner took his class last year.
Nathaniel clears his throat purposely to gain the consideration of the room. He also silently acknowledges his son and Tanner before giving the class his undivided attention.
"Good morning everyone, I believe some of you are all wondering where in the world is Professor Hillard?" he proposes. "Well, she unexpectedly went into premature labor last night. "Don't worry, though; both she and the baby are fine, but she won't be teaching this semester. So that is why I volunteered to take over her class. Now, please be kind to me; it's been a while since I have had anything to do with a humanities course."
He then takes a black dry-erase marker to write Professor Nathaniel Barker on the whiteboard.
"Did I mention how I much hate this yet?" Elijah whispers to Tanner.
The din of someone entering the class gets most of the group to turn their heads.
Tommy Covington goes over to a stool near an easel in the corner, lying his backpack on the floor.
Tanner isn't keen on seeing her ex being in the same class with her this semester.
Elijah looks at Tommy, then at Tanner. "Are you going to be all right, Tanner?"
Tanner slowly exhales. "Did I sometimes mention I hate living in a small town?"
​
JOJO'S CAFE
Max had just heard the whole story regarding how it came to Samuel and Tricia got into that lip lock at The Waterfall last night.
"I wasn't expected to hear that this morning," he straightforwardly tells him.
Samuel takes a sip of his coffee. "Well, try being on the receiving end of kissing a married woman."
Max narrows his eyes on his friend. "A married woman whom you used to want to get with."
Samuel reflects on when he first met Tricia here at the café; she was attractive to him. Though she quickly put the kibosh on his intentions of pursuing since she was engaged to Sean at the time. And since, they have only remained good friends.
"Yeah, I once had feelings for her, but I know nothing cannot happen with her; she is trying to get her marriage back on track."
The chorus of LeAnn Rimes' "Can't Fight The Moonlight" plays on the speakers while Max expresses his reply.
"Did this bring up any old feelings back for her?" Max asks.
Samuel is uncertain on how to answer the question since the kiss did in a way; however, he knows he can't act on those feelings since he hadn't been raised to break up a marriage, no matter how fractured it might be at the moment.
"Yes, it did, but our friendship is more important, and it has made it even more complicated."
​
SAMPSON UNIVERSITY : ABRAHAMS DORMITORY
Lorenzo returned to the dorm room; he also shares with his good friend Elijah Barker to immediately call his mother to find out what happened regarding his tuition not being paid for this semester.
"Ma, Ma, what am I supposed to do?" --- "Yes, I know bills come first, but if you would've told me about this. I wouldn't have registered for classes and would've flown home."
He hears his mother Rosa going on about how she thought she would have more time to come up with the money to pay. And then stating she is getting fed up with his father about not taking freelance work in the meantime to help out.
"I don't know where I'm going to get $1500 from?"
Outside in the corridor, Aaliyah Gupta has overheard her boyfriend not being able to afford to stay in school. She waits until he gets off the phone with his mother before knocking on the door.
Lorenzo opens the door to find his girlfriend there.
"Hey,"
"Hey," she greets back.
The two of them exchange a quick peck as she comes into the mostly tidy bedroom.
Aaliyah places her hand on the strap of her purse. "I stopped by to see did you want to get breakfast at the cafeteria before class,"
Lorenzo shrugs while putting both hands in his pants pockets. "Sure, why not."
"Are you okay?" Aaliyah asks
"I'm okay, just trying to get back into the swing of being back in school, that's all." he lies.
Aaliyah wants to bring up his situation; however, she decides not to while they head out of the dormitory.
​
WHEELER BUILDING : APT # 424
Tricia folds her arms onto her chest as she looks at her husband without much complication. "Baby, of course, our marriage is salvageable. I know I wasn't upfront with you and Tanner about Tommy and Jordan. But you have to know I love you. And I believe we can make it work."
"How do I know if you're going to keep the truth away from me again?"
Tricia considers her sharing the kiss with Samuel again, which she pushes away from her mind.
"I promise you I will not do anything to put our marriage at risk again."
The compassionate tone in her voice somehow gives Sean some absurdness.
"And I'm sorry for pressuring you to have a baby; whenever you're ready, it'll be up to you," Sean asserts
Another reason for their marital distress was Sean trying to convince her to have a child when Tricia wasn't ready for motherhood.
He wraps his brawny arms around his wife as Tricia takes in her husband. Silently promising herself, she will never do anything to make him question her loyalty to him, knowing she won't be revealing her momentary lapse of judgment to him.
​