EPISODE 190
Written by: Bre L. Drew
June 27, 2022
Last Time on Town and Country
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Daniel was determined to get Jordan out of the lives of his son and grandson.
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Esther was informed by Steven that there may be a way to find out if Emma is the product of an affair between her father and Deirdre.
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Jordan didn't take kindly to the news that Presley and Tanner were now seeing one another.
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Sean encouraged his daughters to get closer to Tricia as the impending birth of their brother loomed.
HOME FARM
"Good morning, everyone." Daniel Covington greets members of his family that surround the table in the expansive dining room inside the main house on the Home Farm Estate this afternoon.
Various pleasantries are said by them as he takes his place as head of the table,
Daniel looks to his sons and daughter-in-law. He gets his glass of orange juice. "Before we proceed with the rest of the day. I want to tell you all how grateful I am that we were able to stick together through all the trials this family has been through recently. But we are stronger for it."
"How touching," Max Covington mumbles to himself; while Shauna stifles her laughter,
The family partakes in their breakfast, but in the next few minutes, the click-clack sounds of heels penetrate the room.
"Has anyone seen my keys?" Jordan McKnight asks aloud.
"Can't say that I have," Max retorts.
"Do you remember the last place you put them?" Shauna inquires.
Jordan sticks a loose strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. "They were on top of the armoire last night, and now they're gone."
"I don't mind taking you wherever you need to go if you can't find your keys," Tommy Covington says voluntarily.
"Yeah, okay," Jordan says, less unsettled.
"Oh, I'm sure they will turn up." Daniel reaches for his cup of coffee on the table.
FRANKLIN FARM
Esther Saunders, along with Steven Sullivan, walks on their family's dairy farm. While the farmhands around them were working despite the impending heat this summer day.
"I thought it was best we discussed this away from everyone else." Esther verbalizes to her son, who came over before going to work.
"The best way to see if you and Emma, our sisters, will be able to do a siblingship test."
The other day, his mother came to see him to see if perhaps she could find out if she and Emma were our half-sisters. As a result of the affair between Esther's late father, Jimmy, and Deirdre over thirty years ago,
They pass one of the longtime workers, pushing a wheel barrel.
"So, how on earth do I get this test?" Esther asks curiously.
"Well, you two would have to submit your genetic material to a lab for testing," he informs us straightforwardly.
"How the heck am I going to get that?" Esther wonders. "Last time I checked me, and Emma weren't exactly bosom buddies."
Steven chuckles at the thought. "It's definitely a long shot to get hair, blood, or a cheek swab from her, but it is the only way you'll get the answers you want no matter the outcome."
Esther sighs heavily at the task ahead.
"Asking her is completely out of the question, besides something 'tells me she would tip Dee off." And I ain't giving her the chance to spin another of her webs."
"You really don't like her, huh?" Steven asks sarcastically.
Esther remains silent, deciding quickly to change the subject altogether.
"Anyway, I notice the renewed pep in your step. I'll take things out better between you and your wife, "
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"You don't miss anything, do you?" Steven grins.
Esther puts her arm around her offspring. "You know the answer to that by now."
WHEELER BUILDING: APT #424
Tanner and Lynn Lockhart both stand outside the door of his father's apartment on the fourth floor of the Wheeler Building near downtown Radcliffe.
"We're doing a good thing, right?" Lynn verifies with her fraternal twin sister.
"Of course," Tanner remarks good-naturedly.
"Here goes nothing," Lynn says while tapping on the door.
The two hear shuffled footsteps approaching on the other side of the door and when it's open, they find Tricia Lockhart standing in the doorway, somewhat surprised to see her stepdaughters; nonetheless, she allows them inside.
Tricia is now in the last trimester of her pregnancy, and it is evident Tricia is moving slower while going into the kitchenette.
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"I thought I heard your voices," Sean Lockhart expresses happily when he sees his daughters.
"Hey, dad," Lynn greets him.
It suddenly dawns on Tanner regarding the reason why they came over the person. "Oh, we had wanted to give you this for the baby since Tricia decided against having a baby shower; we both thought you needed these things."
She then lifts a medium-sized light blue and brown bag with zoo animals on it into her hand.
The mother-to-be accepts the gift with a courteous half-smile.
"It's nothing much, just onesies, receiving blankets, things you need when you bring the baby home from the hospital," Tanner informs both her father and stepmother.
Tricia replies graciously, "Thank you."
Tanner exchanges amazement with Lenny at their stepmother for having a rare honest human emotion that didn't involve an insult.
While Sean seemed to approve of the gesture, since he wanted his daughters and wife to get along better, he knew they would never be ideally close; it has come a long way since the conflict between them.
"Do you girls have plans for breakfast because I'm making my pancakes and I know how much you love them?" he enquires authoritatively.
"Sure, we can stay," Lenny replies warmly.
Sean seems more than satisfied as he goes into the kitchenette to get things together for breakfast.
Tricia places a hand on her hip. "Do you two want anything to drink?"
While Lenny says a coke, Tanner can feel her iPhone vibrating in her purse, so she quickly retrieves it out of there and finds a text on the screen from
Presley, whom she had gone out with yesterday on a date.
I had a good time last night. I hope we can do it again.
The two had ended up back at his house, where he surprised her with dinner for two, and they ended up dancing.
She proceeds to fire out a rapid response.
Tricia notices the happiness on her stepdaughter's face. "Someone is making her smile,"
"It's about time someone did," Lynn remarks,
FIRST STREET METHODIST CHURCH
"I hope you weren't too busy with work," Thora McKnight says to her only living son in his office at the local Methodist church.
Presley McKnight generously embraces his mother. "Actually, you are saving me from a case of writer's block with my sermon for Sunday."
He then gestures for her to take a seat across from him at his desk, which she complies with. "How are you doing?" he asks. "Last time I spoke with you, I knew things between you and dad weren't good."
Thora exhales somewhat deeply. "Unfortunately, things aren't any better."
Their marriage had been in disarray as a result of various problems, including resentment and poor communication. Let alone the nonexistence of intimacy,
Presley chose his words carefully, knowing that if his parents' union did end, it wouldn't be the worst thing, especially for his mother, who he believes deserves better than the man his father is now.
"Mom, whatever you decide, I will be there for you,"
"Thank you, "she nods. "Anyway, enough about me. How did your date go with Tanner? I take it went well. "
A tell-all smile creeps upon the reverend's face. "I have no complaints; Tanner and I had a good evening." I look forward to seeing her again.
The McKnight matriarch knows she has to be upfront with him about telling Jordan about him spending time with Tanner last night. And when she revealed that she hadn't known, which caused even more strain between them,
However, a small pound on the door disturbs her chain of thought.
"Come in," Presley declares.
Reverend Joel Friendly steps inside the room in a black shirt with his sleeves rolled up and dark jeans.
He spots his associate pastor in the room with his mother, who also happens to be his childhood friend. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."
"No, that's all right." Thora makes a remark to him.
Presley stands up from his desk.
"I just remembered I need to make a call, but please feel free to stay."
He heads out of the room, leaving the two there.
Joel glances over to his friend, who seems to be trying to put on a brave face in front of him. "Come on now, I've known you for too long. What's going on, Thor?"
She shakes her head while he clasps her as she becomes a little more vulnerable towards him. "I think my marriage is over Joel,"
JOJO'S CAFE
Customers were populating the air-conditioned establishment to escape the sweltering summer heat.
Stevie Wonder's "Part-Time Lover" is currently playing on the sound system.
"I never knew how one person could do so much shopping," Tommy says to the mother of his son.
The two sat at the table near the large window that overlooks Main Street. He had taken her to the mall in Hudson Lake, where she shopped for a few hours.
"Well, it's an art form that not enough people appreciate," Jordan replies enthusiastically.
"I can't believe Jeremy is turning one year old already," she adds incredulously.
Tommy nods his head, recalling that a year ago, he and Tanner were together and about to have sex with one another, yet he revealed to her that he had gotten Jordan pregnant and was in labor during their Fourth of July getaway.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Jordan queries him, noticing he looked miles away.
"Nothing, I was just thinking about...
"Let me guess, Saint Tanner." She guesses correctly. "Trust me, when you find out what she's been up to."
"Jordan, I know Tanner and I aren't together anymore, but please don't talk about her like that,"
"Well, I hate to tell you this, Tommy, but last night she was on a date with my brother. But don't worry, I think she hasn't lost her angelic halo yet."
"What are you talking about?"
"My mother came over to the mansion to "see how I was doing," and she let it slip that Presley and Tanner were spending time together.
In spite of the words coming out of her mouth, Tommy could not comprehend it. He thought even though they had broken up, there would be a chance for them to get back together one day.
RADCLIFFE RECEIVING HOSPITAL
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Dr. Pierre Toussaint is in his office inside the hospital reading a patient's file when his phone buzzes. He answers it after the third ring.
"Hello... uh, no, send him in," he tells one of the unit clerks at the front desk outside the room.
He hangs up the phone as the person who is there to see him makes their presence known by entering the room. "Are you in need of mental health assistance, Mr. Covington?" Because I assure you, I can appoint you to any number of my colleagues," the psychiatrist says, using dry wit.
"You may be onto something," Daniel Covington reacts.
He had spoken with the doctor the other day regarding the current status of Jordan, whom Toussaint is treating for postpartum depression.
"Look, I don't have much time to talk. I have a patient arriving in ten minutes."
Daniel takes a determined gaze at the doctor. "Well, I only need five. And don't worry, it is not anything with you going against doctor-patient confidentiality. He follows up. " I need you to convince Jordan that she isn't necessarily making the progress she thinks she is."
Dr. Toussaint sways his head in disbelief. "Despite how unethical that would be, why would I do that?"
The wealthy businessman sticks both of his hands into the pockets of his slacks. "I'm sure the hospital board would love to hear that their esteemed psychiatrist was once romantically involved with a patient that was involved in an attempted suicide attempt."
Dr. Toussaint's expression changes more into a serious one. "How the hell do you know about that?"
"It doesn't matter, I know, and I will go to the board right now if you don't cooperate."
Daniel had his private investigator, Murph, look into the good doctor.
"Why do you dislike Jordan so much?"
"She is a little opportunist who will ruin my son and my grandson's lives eventually, and I will not have that."
"How on earth can I convince her of this?"
Daniel smiles sheepishly. "Don't worry about that I have it under control."
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END OF EPISODE
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Emma receives a warm welcome home.
Martha impresses Mala.
Thora and Ernest have it out.
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