EPISODE 178
Written by: Bre L. Drew
April 4, 2022
Last Time On Town and Country
-
After being questioned by the police regarding the head-on collision, Emma slipped into a coma.
-
Jordan saw Tommy and Tanner hugging one another.
-
Will was questioned by Chief McKnight but didn't agree that it was someone from his past that tampered with his brakes.
RADCLIFFE RECEIVING HOSPITAL
Surprisingly, Deirdre Covington retreated into the hospital chapel to seek solitary. She hadn't been religious since she lost both of her parents in a house fire when she was seventeen. After more than four decades, she found herself needing some spiritual enlightenment if possible.
Deirdre thinks back to being so fed up with Will Jackson that she contracted someone to tamper with his car brakes so he would be removed from her daughter's life. Unbeknownst to her, she never imagined Emma being the one behind the wheel of the car, let alone a truck driver who got into the wrong lane, which is the reason why her daughter, who had consciousness two hours ago, is now in a coma.
She looks above at the ceiling in a way that is praying and, in a way, confronting God.
"It was bad enough when you took my mother and father in that terrible fire, leaving me with no one, but now this... Emma should not have to pay for what I've done,"
Then she gradually realizes what she was taught in church as a young girl, and as a woman of the Upper East Side of New York City's elite; she herself had to work hard to achieve her goals.
Deirdre takes her iPhone out of her purse. After dialing the specific number, she waits for three rings to hear the person's voice come on the line.
"You need to get out of town... Unless you want the boys in blue to come after you, I suggest you leave now."
After hearing confirmation, she ends the call. Feeling more determined, she strides out of the chapel.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Managing to talk his mother into driving him to the hospital, Will Jackson steps off the elevator, carefully trying not to aggravate the pain of the injuries he got in the head-on collision last night. However, he knows he didn't receive the brunt of it since Emma is still in the ICU.
Not far behind him is Mae Jackson, who is somewhat cautious since she knows her son isn't exactly liked by the rest of the Covington family.
He goes toward the nurse's station, where he sees a plump white nurse in her twenties with brown hair in a ponytail.
"Are you here to see a patient?" she asks in a friendly manner.
Will bows his head. "Yeah, I am Emma Covington,"
The nurse looks up from the computer at him as if he knew of her latest condition.
"Is there anything wrong?" Mae says, stepping next to her son.
"Ms. Covington is in a coma," the nurse informs them.
"What?" he asked abruptly.
"Dear lord," Mae states,
He had contacted someone on the floor earlier who said she was in serious but stable condition. But now it seems that has changed.
​
"Can I go see her please?"
The nurse is about to object at first, but something about the unfortunate situation causes her to reconsider.
"Sure, go ahead,"
Will is given a sympathetic glance from his mother before he proceeds into the room where he sees the woman he has gotten to know lying in bed, helpless.
​
​
​
WHEELER BUILDING: APT #424
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Tricia Lockhart yells out to whomever is knocking furiously on the door of her fourth-floor apartment this afternoon.
Far enough into her pregnancy, she is somewhat moving slower, though she is quite thankful she isn't in the waddling stage just yet. She answers the door to find her friend Jordan McKnight with a familiar look of dissatisfaction on her face.
"I know you're probably sick of me, but I needed to talk to someone."
The cafe manager allows the younger woman to step into the apartment while she closes the door behind them.
Tricia puts her hands on her expanding hips. "Let me guess this somehow involves that baby daddy of yours?"
RADCLIFFE RECEIVING HOSPITAL
With his father leaving and his grandmother needing to be alone, Tommy Covington decided he couldn't be in the ICU, knowing his Aunt Emma had slipped into a coma not that long ago. As a result of the injuries, she sustained in the head-on collision she was in last night, he can't believe that this is happening to his family. He was so glad when Tanner came off that elevator; before he knew it, he went to hug his ex-girlfriend. But when they let go, he wondered if he'd overstepped, though Tanner hadn't said anything.
They are now sitting across from each other at a table in the sparsely populated cafeteria downstairs.
"I know nothing I can say will bring you any comfort," Tanner says nicely. "But is there anything I can do?"
Tommy shakes his head.
"You being here is enough."
Tanner nervously puts a few loose strands of her long brown hair behind both ears. She couldn't help but feel weak in the knees, knowing she still has feelings for him. Though not wanting to act on them because she doesn't want to get hurt again,
Tommy clears his throat. "Emma and I have never been that close, but I always liked how she wasn't afraid of anything and was one of the few people who could stand up to my father and get away with it."
Tanner chuckles, which makes Tommy smirk.
"I still remember her arriving in town in a helicopter at your dad's birthday party."
He says half-jokingly, "Me too; even now, she has to make it all about her."
"Sometimes comas can be a way for the body to rest, and chances are she will come out of this stronger than ever." Tanner says, encouragingly.
Tommy sighs laboriously. "I hope so,"
He stares intensely at Tanner, noticing how beautiful she looks. But wishing he had never cheated on her, he nevertheless slept with Jordan, and Jeremy wouldn't have existed.
Tanner glances up at the clock on the wall, informing her of the time.
"I need to get back to campus for class. Are you going to be all right?"
Tommy and she both get onto their feet.
"I think I will be I'm glad you were here."
Tanner winks at him. "Anytime,"
He then watches her walking out of the cafeteria. A second later, he is on the phone.
He tells Lillith, "It's Tommy; I'm on my way home, so you can leave as soon as I get there—I want to spend the day with Jeremy," he tells his son's nanny.
COVINGTON GROUP
On the twentieth floor of the Covington Tower in downtown Radcliffe, Max Covington and Courtney Covington Sullivan see their father sitting behind his desk in his office suite in a black polo shirt and khaki pants. This was a far cry from his usual work attire.
"Dad, Evelyn told us you wanted to see the both of us," Courtney says curiously.
Daniel doesn't do much to shield the look of despair on his face.
"That is why I wanted to see the two of you," he tells them.
"How come I have this uneasy feeling that whatever this isn't good? "Max assumes.
Daniel exhales laboriously while he stares at the two of them. There's no other way to tell you, but your aunt slipped into a coma a few hours ago."
Courtney covers her mouth in shock as Max tries to make sense of what was said.
"I thought she was recovering," Courtney says of her aunt. "How did this happen?"
"Apparently, blood vessels ruptured in her brain, which has now made her incapacitated," Daniel informs
"How is Grandmother taking this?" Max queries. "I know she is not handling this well."
Even though the relationship between mother and daughter is civil at best, he knows that his grandmother truly cares about Emma.
Daniel makes his way to the minibar to pour himself a glass of scotch, which is a rarity since he prides himself on not drinking during the day. Nonetheless, he needed something to take the edge off.
"Your grandmother is one of the reasons why I'm taking a sabbatical from the company. She needs someone to be there for her."
Both siblings exchanged confused expressions since they thought their father would never take any time away from the company.
"How long for dad?" Courtney queries
Daniel takes a drink of the brown liquid. "That remains unforeseen, but that is also why I called you both here. I have selected someone to be in charge."
Max sticks a hand into the pocket of his slacks. "This sounds ominous."
The CEO sets aside his glass on his desk.
"I'm appointing you two to be in charge of the day-to-day operations."
From the looks on their faces, Max and Courtney are surprised to hear what was declared.
"Are you sure about this?" Max asks his father. "Courtney would probably do a better job solo than I would riding on her coattails."
"When I took over this company from your grandfather, I had wanted my children and me to work side by side until the day you take over. "
Courtney remains silent despite being rewarded with a coveted temporary position.
Daniel continues. "Besides, I figured with her moving off the farm with Steven, she would need the assistance."
Courtney rolls her eyes, which her father hadn't seen. She cannot believe her father thinks she would be so preoccupied with changing addresses that she wouldn't be able to run the company single-handedly.
Daniel takes another hearty sip of his scotch. And, of course, Mala will also be here if you have any questions about any upcoming projects."
"I promise you we won't disappoint you, dad," Courtney says forcefully.
"Good," Daniel says as he walks away. "I know you won't."
WHEELER BUILDING: APT #424
By now, the expectant mother-to-be had heard the latest on Jordan, walking in on Tommy being consoled by her stepdaughter at the hospital. The young mother wanted to check in on him before heading to her first appointment with the therapist to get treated for her post-partum depression. The young woman was able to catch a cab in front of the hospital, which is how she got here since she rode to the hospital with Tommy.
The two ladies were occupying the small kitchen, each with a bottle of lemon-Perrier water.
Jordan takes a sip of the seltzer water. "I don't get why; I'm so jealous of seeing those two together,"
Tricia throws her friend a refutable countenance.
"Please don't bullshit me, Jordan. You still have feelings for Tommy?"
"Maybe I do,"
Tricia takes a hearty sip of the beverage. "Please don't forget how he treated you when you told him you were carrying his child. For months, he didn't want anything to do with you.
Jordan recalls how Tommy gave her money for an abortion and how he was dedicated to not wanting anything to jeopardize his relationship with Tanner.
"Ancient history, and anyway, you aren't there to see him with Jeremy. He's such a good father. "
Tricia crosses her arms over her chest. "Jordan, I care about you a lot, so please don't take any offense. Instead of going to your therapist's office to work out your issues with not being able to be the best mother you can be to your son, you're here to confide in me about Tommy Covington."
"Why does it sound like you're setting up to call me a selfish bitch?"
Tricia sways her head at her.
"I'm not ... it's just that I want you to be there for Jeremy. Because I don't want your child to resent you because you haven't dealt with your own emotional baggage, because I know what that is like firsthand, "
Jordan absorbs the advice she has been given for a mere few seconds.
"You're right — I guess I should call to reschedule with Dr. Toussaint."
"And while you do that, I'm going to order us a pizza because I'm starving; I swear this baby has a tapeworm," Tricia says.
Jordan nods approvingly while she tries to get her mind off Tommy and Tanner getting close again.
RADCLIFFE RECEIVING HOSPITAL
Despite her stillness, Will sits alongside her bedside, trying not to make sudden movements. He had never seen her look so fragile in all of the time he had known her.
Will thinks back on him having too much to drink as the two were at the farm where he had invited her over to celebrate their success at the nightclub they ran together. It was then that one of the bartenders called to inform her that a fight broke out at the club and their presence was needed. Emma had volunteered to drive, but instead, the breaks weren't working, so she swerved the vehicle out of the way as the semi-truck came into their lane, colliding with them.
"It should be me in this bed."
He takes in the routine beeping from the various machines that she is connected to, collecting her vitals.
"I'll make you a promise. I will look out for the club for you. I know it's my job and everything, but I know you wouldn't want the place to suffer while you're here."
By now, Deirdre had been peering behind the doorway, watching the one person she was trying to lure out of her daughter's life by paying someone to tamper with the brakes of his car. But in some wicked turn of events, he is still here, minorly scathed, while Emma doesn't have any physical function.
The wealthy widow saunters into the room, which makes Will feel like he's been caught seeing someone he shouldn't.
He stands up out of the chair. "I don't want no trouble. I just wanted to see how she was doing."
"All of this should never have happened," Deidre says vehemently.
Will is somewhat caught off guard by her unusual demeanor of despair.
"We can agree on that. I still don't understand how my brakes gave out like that. I mean, I had only bought that car... I feel like this is all my fault."
As much as Deirdre wants to concur, she knows she can't since she is the one partially responsible for this matter, knowing the truck driver played a part in Emma's fate too.
Mae finds herself stepping into the room, unsure of how Deirdre will react to her son being in her daughter's room since, in the past, she hadn't been keen on Will getting closer to Emma.
She is dismayed to see such a young woman lying in bed.
"Is everything all right in here?"
"Yeah, everything's fine, momma," Will responds.
Mae turns to face Deirdre.
"I'm so sorry for all of this and if there is anything I can do, please let me know."
The petite older woman nods.
"Thank you, Mae, take care of yourself, Will... And I hope whoever is truly responsible for this will pay dearly.
Will and Mae walk out of the room, leaving Deirdre alone with her daughter.
"I will make sure no one finds out what happened. But you see, I'm doing this to protect you from that no-good ex-con. "
She caresses the side of Emma's face delicately, feeling more protective than before.
​
END OF EPISODE
​
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Ernest and Presley run into each other.
The investigation into the head-collision takes a turn.
Samuel and Martha take the next step in their relationship.
​
Leave your thoughts here on the T&C forum