EPISODE 117
Written by : Bre L. Drew
February 1, 2021
Last Time On Town and Country
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Tommy not only discovered Jordan is pregnant. He gave her money to abort which Jordan told him to get out of her house.
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Will was still upset over being passed up to manage The Waterfall.
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Jai Gupta came into town surprising his children and ex-wife, claiming to have "irons in the fire."
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Due to Emma's out of control jet-setting lifestyle, Daniel froze her trust fund. Leaving her penniless.
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Max was debating whether or not to take the position of Head of Digital Media offered to him by his father at Covington Group,
COVINGTON GROUP
One thing to know about Emma Covington is that she is one woman who beyond, her circumstance, exhibits a hearty amount of confidence. And today is no exception when she is on the elevator to the offices of the Covington Group on the twentieth floor of the Covington Tower in Downtown Radcliffe; among the others in the compartment is her eldest nephew who is standing near her,
"Thanks for the ride again, Max," Emma says appreciatively.
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Since Emma's trust fund was frozen courtesy of her brother trying to keep her from taking off again, so she thought it was best she didn't ruffle his feathers by "borrowing" one of his many cars from his collection to drive here herself. Besides, Max had to see his father but is off to surprise his wife first in her office.
"Don't mention it, Aun -- Emma," he cuts himself off, knowing how his aunt doesn't like to be called that due to them being close in age.
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On every other floor, people get off to the elevator. Finally, the elevator reaches their designated destination, in which the two along, with four others, get out on the office suite.
Max unzips his winter jacket. "Good luck with the old man. I know what it is like to go toe to toe with him."
"Max, I going to walk out of here with access to my trust fund again," she says confidently.
Her nephew makes a right heading to see his wife. While she strolls in her tall boots, Emma sees a few male admirers in crisp suits whom she gathers they're executives working at her family's company; she winks flirtatiously. It also helped that underneath her mink coat; she was wearing her Halston sparkle metallic dress, which is the last item of clothing she purchased before becoming destitute. When she arrives at her brother's office; she pleasantly greets Daniel's longtime secretary Evelyn. The Staten Island native goes on about not seeing her in forever. Emma takes the clearing to let her know she wants to visit with the CEO. In a matter of seconds, Evelyn contacts him to announce her she is here. She is then permitted to enter into her brother's expansive office overlooking the city.
She closes the door behind her.
Daniel Covington is currently at his desk, gazing at his younger sister.
"No, you can't use the jet to go back to Paris," he notifies her. Figuring she had enough of living in Radcliffe.
"Very funny," she retorts. "I came to you to discuss adult to adult about an important matter."
Daniel gestures her to take a seat in front of him. She complies with him and does so.
"Want anything to drink?" Daniel says suggestively
"No, I'm good. I am just going to cut right to the chase save you and me valuable time Daniel, I've learned my lesson and realize I can't keep outrunning my terrible decisions."
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Getting up from the chair, he goes to the minibar to pour himself some club soda. "You're not getting access to your inheritance but nice try, Emmy."
Emma groans loudly. "Why not? it's my money,"
Daniel takes a drink of the carbonated liquid. "That's true, but you were dropping a small fortune when you were living in Paris. When dad left you eighty-million dollars, he didn't intend for it to be gone within five years like you're on track to do if you continue galivanting the world."
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The Covington heiress rolls her eyes, having heard those words before. "God, Daniel, you sound like mother."
Emma knows her fortune is still bountiful despite traveling and shopping during most of her free time.
Daniel then perches himself on his desk. "Look, you get to live at Home Farm. all amenities included I even let you drive the Benz."
Rolling her eyes, she somehow feels like a small child who has to beg for every little thing. "Is there anyhow I can get my trust fund back?"
Daniel sighs, knowing his sister isn't going to give up. "If you at least show any work ethic, then perhaps as guardian of your trust, we can re-open this interlocution at a later date."
​
Emma had never worked a day in her thirty-three years of life. And she does not know why she must be a professional woman now to get the money her late father left for her.
"Can I at least have some money for today?"
Daniel reaches in the pocket of his pants, where he pulls out a small wad of cash. He then gives her a one-hundred-dollar bill, which she gazes at it like it has poison ivy on it.
"Are you serious?" she inquires with contempt
"That's plenty," he says satisfactorily.
Emma removes herself out of the chair, putting the cash in her purse.
"If I didn't need this. I would tell you to shove this Benjamin Franklin so far up your ass you'll be whistling Do Your Ears Hang Low?"
She then exits out of the room; Daniel shakes his head, chuckling at his sister's Drama Queen routine.
​
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JOJO'S CAFE
While others were enjoying their freedom this afternoon as they find refuge inside the café on Main Street. Jordan McKnight is listening to "Turn Off The Light" by Nelly Furtado, which is playing on the Pop2K channel on SiriusXM at the moment. She remembers her oldest brother EJ listening to this song when he drove her around when she was a kid. It also makes her miss him even more, especially now when her world looks so bleak. She is pregnant, and the baby's father doesn't want anything to do with the child growing inside of her. On top of already feeling bad for herself, she could really use his guidance right about now. Knowing she will never hear his advice again because he is dead still heavily affects her. She is then sent back to reality when a friendly face calls out her name.
"I was getting ready to call to check on you." Tricia Lockhart greets her friend.
​
The coffeehouse manager is usual fashionable self wearing a black Monique Lhuillier lace flare-leg jumpsuit. She is standing across from Jordan at the table in the back of the café.
"Well, I saved you two minutes," Jordan says somewhat sarcastically.
Tricia puts some strands of her shoulder-length brown hair behind her ear while she sits down on the other side. "Uh, oh, what is going on now?"
Jordan sighs in a frustrated manner. "Tommy knows about the baby,"
Tricia shakes her head. "And let me guess, you weren't the one to tell him first, right?"
"But that's not what got me upset; it's the way he handed me money to get an abortion so he and Tanner can remain together without any complications."
The older woman's expression doesn't change when she hears the information. "I wish that I was surprised to hear this, but Tommy Covington is a rich white boy who is afraid he might have to be responsible for his actions."
"And the thing is Tricia. I still care about him," Jordan says softly.
​
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THE WATERFALL BAR
Samuel Gupta is thankful for the reprieve from the cold outside as he enters into the warm bar. The space isn't crowded nor empty of customers this late afternoon.
"Bad Habits" by Usher is playing on the sound system.
The young psychiatrist walks to the booth where he sees his father already sitting. The two men had agreed to meet here the other day when his father came into town. The Gupta men hadn't had much one on one time since Samuel moved from Chicago. So he is glad he can do it now. The two men strongly embrace each other as they take their seats across from each other.
"Hope; I didn't keep you waiting long. I was running behind with a patient." Samuel apologizes while he puts his coat on the booth bench next to him.
Jai Gupta casually waves his hand. "Not at all. I just got here about five minutes ago, myself."
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"Ready to order?"
"Let's do it,"
​
Samuel sees Martha Saunders, who is coming back from taking an order nearby. He then motions for her to come over to their booth.
With a bright smile upon her face, she looks great in a dark green long sleeve satin dress paired with black ankle boots.
"Hey, Samuel, how are you doing?" she says cheeringly.
Samuel grins at her too before answering. "Martha, this is my father, Jai Gupta, dad, this is Martha Saunders." he introduces the two.
Jai reaches out to shake her hand. "Nice to meet you, Martha,"
'You too, Mr. Gupta." Martha responds. She can see where her mother's psychiatrist gets his good looks from,
"Please call me Jai," he says casually in his nearly non-existent British accent.
"So, Jai, Samuel, what can I get for you?"
The men list off their drinks and entrees in which Martha tells them she'll bring them back to them quickly as she can.
Jai has a playful smirk on his face. "Are you and Martha involved?"
Samuel shakes his head. "No, we're just friends, he replies. Then he lowers his voice. "Besides, it will be unethical of me to date her while her mother is still a patient of mine. Anyway, let's change the subject. What brings you into Radcliffe other than the irons in the fire you said you have?"
From behind the bar, Will Jackson gives a customer back their debit card. When the patron takes off, he begins to think about his current station, which isn't where he wants to be in his life. Working two part-time jobs resulting in little money. He thinks back to when he was doing well in business for himself selling t-shirts and how good it was going before the recession hit, resulting in him forging checks and even begin; printing money to make ends meet. Though, it all caught up to him when he got arrested for his crimes. And now he is here with nothing to show for anything. His thoughts are interrupted when Antoine calls out to him.
"Did you empty all of the trash cans and change the bags yet?"
Purposefully, Will ignores him as he reaches for a rag to wipe the countertop down. Still pissed off, his mother gave him the managerial position and not to him.
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"I know you hear me," Antoine says under his breath.
Will turns to face him. "I get to it when I get to it. It ain't gonna run away, damn,"
Antoine is about to protest when Mae Jackson walks towards them, having heard the two men going back and forth.
"Will, keep serving; he'll get it in fifteen, all right," she says in an authoritative yet fair voice.
Antoine nods while he moves to the end of the bar. But not without Will giving him a look of victory before getting back to the customers.
Mae folds both of her arms onto her chest. "And you find a way to get along with him because I won't be in the middle of whatever you got with each other, we clear?"
"Long as he don't start nothin, won't be nothin, momma," Antoine declares.
Antoine stops when he sees his friend and co-worker Martha grabbing two bottles of beers. "Don't let him get you down, okay,"
"Easier said than done," he verbalizes
COVINGTON GROUP
According to Shauna's secretary, she is still in a meeting, so Max decided to wait in her office. While sitting at her desk, he is casually staring at a photo of the two of them taken on their wedding day from almost two summers ago. Her beautiful face looked even more radiant complimentary of the sun. And he cleaned up well himself. He would've usually waited until she got home, but this discussion had to be said since it affects her too.
Shauna Covington enters her office carrying her iPad. She is surprised to see her husband here. She looked great in her burgundy v-neck blouse with dark slacks.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" she asks. She goes over to hug her husband and plant a kiss upon him.
Max gets out of the leather padded loop armchair to let his wife take her rightful place.
"My aunt wanted to talk to my father about something, so I offered her a ride," he tells her.
His interior decorator wife takes her seat at her desk, crossing her legs. "And let me guess, you missed me?" she says warmly.
He lightly clears his throat. "Uh, remember when I told you my dad offered me that job last year?"
"Yeah,"
Shauna dips her head acknowledging, her memory of Daniel offering her husband the position of heading the digital media team. She told him to think it over since his work as a photographer was going well. So she thought he would realize he wouldn't give much thought to it since photography is his passion.
Max glances around the mostly purple décor of the room before his attention lands back on his wife.
From the conflict on his face, Shauna already knew his decision. "You're going to take the job, aren't you?"
"I am,"
"Why?" she inquires curiously. "I know how much you hate the thought of working in Corporate America. Although it would be in a creative department, a lot of pressure on top of demands would drive you crazy."
"Yeah, because in photography, clients don't give deadlines," he says in his usual sarcastic manner. "Why does it sound like you're against me taking this job. Because if it is, then maybe we need to be having another conversation."
Shauna remains in her chair as she begins to talk with her hands. "Babe, whatever is your decision. I will support you either way --I have to get ready to go out to a site. "
Max crosses over to the door. "I see you at home,"
Stepping out of her office, Shauna begins to feel bad about her lack of enthusiasm.
Heading to the elevator bank, Max prepares himself to speak with his father about his decision to take the job awaiting his father's lecture of him taking his rightful spot as the eldest son to lead the company into the future. Though, his thoughts keep going back to the unspoken disagreement he had with Shauna. He tries to put it in the back of his mind when the door to the lift slides open.
JOJO'S CAFE
If Tricia had been speaking to one of her other friends, who still have a love for their deadbeat lovers, she would immediately tell them to stop feeling sorry themselves and cut the bastard out of their life for good. Yet, she reminds herself she is dealing with an almost nineteen-year-old girl who is afraid as hell of being a mother with little to no assistance from anyone else in her life.
"So, what are you going to do?"
Jordan lifts her head. "You mean if I'm going to keep this baby or not?" she replies. "I know they're probably a million reasons why I should get rid of this baby. But I can't get rid of something that is mine and Tommy's."
Tricia nods her head understandably. "Seems like you've made your mind up. I want you to know you have to put your child first."
"I know,"
"I care about you, so I'm taking off the kid gloves. You can't force a man to be there for you, and especially for a child if he does not want to be. Trust me, I speak as the product of that type of relationship," Tricia informs her friend.
Tricia's biological father had walked out on her mother Jolene and her when she two years old. It then had the consequence of Jolene marrying her abusive husband, Wade Woods.
Jordan places both of her hands onto her face then takes them down. "I don't know how I'm going to raise this child alone."
Tricia swiftly reaches for her friend's hands to hold them in her own to assure her she isn't alone.
THE WATERFALL BAR
With their beers and food in their midst, Jai was finally getting around to tell his son about his plans when a text message alert chimes making him look at his phone screen.
"Looks like I will be staying in Radcliffe for the foreseeable future. That was my realtor; she helped me closed a deal for an apartment near downtown."
Samuel tries to hide his shock about his father moving here. Knowing he and his mother's marital relationship is tenuous at best due to her filing for divorce. Now the two of them will be living in the same city. And he doesn't know how she will react to finding out.
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Jai takes a few sips of his beer out of the bottle. "Don't worry. I have no intentions to come in between your mother and her new significant other," he states. "Anyway, I'm going to be up to my neck with getting things off the ground,"
​
Samuel starts eating some of his sweet potato fries. "With what?"
Jai takes a drink of his beer. "Your father is finally going into business for himself."
"Wow! that's great, dad,"
Samuel is aware for years how much his father wanted to open his own market. And not just manage stores for members of their extended family.
Jai excitedly begins filling him in on the plans and ideas he has for the store.
Needing to clear her head with a cocktail, Emma had Max drop her off at The Waterfall. So it isn't the Le Calbar in Paris, but the place would do for what she needs at the moment gripping the strap of her purse approaching the bar, but when she sees the person who will be serving her. She immediately wants to dash out of here.
Anita Baker's "Body and Soul" plays above everyone, giving the establishment, even more, a soulful ambiance.
"Look who is back for more," Will teases her.
On New Year's, Emma was in the middle of drowning her sorrows with booze when she discovered her ex-fiancé Jacques Laurent's duplicity had kissed Will. Since then, she tries hard to forget about her momentary lapse in judgment.
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Deciding to sit down at the bar, she purses her lips. "You should be thanking me. I mean, I'm probably the first woman you've been intimate with since you got out of the big house."
Will is resisting the urge to go seven rounds with the spoiled rich princess. "I thought you'll be back in Europe by now to be free from us simple folk."
Emma chuckles ruefully. "I would be, but I'm being given a civics lesson on humility instead."
He throws his hands in defeat. "I won't ask,"
"Good, and I'll take a Moscow mule; you do know how to make it don't you?"
Will goes to make the cocktail in which he returns with her drink. He grabs a beer and opens it with a bottle opener.
"Isn't there some cardinal rule for bartenders not to drink on the job?" Emma says
"I guess it's National Bartender Day," Will replies sardonically. He then takes a swig of the beverage. "I'm tired of being treated like shit around here,"
"I get the feeling," she admits back to him.
​
Will doesn't understand how someone from the wealthiest families in the country can understand someone who is an ex-convict who does the most work yet gets passed up by his own momma to run their family bar all because he made mistakes in his life, but as long as he has someone to commiserate with he didn't care about her white girl problems which probably consist of a broken nail or some expensive item sold out online.
Emma raises her cocktail. "To the people who are trying to keep people like us down, they all can go to hell."
Reluctantly, Will clings her drink with his. Silently, agreeing with her stance.
The two then consume more of their drinks in silence.
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END OF EPISODE
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
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Mala catches up with her ex.
Elijah, Tommy, and Lorenzo venture to a new hang-out in Hudson Lake.
Steven and Courtney make wedding plans.
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