EPISODE 169
Written by: Bre L. Drew
January 31, 2022
Last Time On Town and Country
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Ernest discovered that not only had Thora been in contact with baby Jeremy, but also that Tommy was the father.
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To the chagrin of Deirdre, Will and Emma were growing closer.
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Samuel and Martha bonded at Steven and Courtney's wedding.
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Steven and Courtney were at odds regarding whether or not to move into Hope Cottage.
FRANKLIN FARM: MAIN HOUSE
Emma Covington pulls her Jaguar convertible into the front of the main house on Franklin Farm. Getting out of the car, she quickly dusts off her ensemble. In her viewpoint, she sees her friend and employee, Will Jackson, nearby, standing by a car.
"Hey, what is going on?" she asks, somewhat urgently.
Will had texted her to come out here this afternoon.
"Did you rush out here for me?" he says in an amusing manner.
"Oh, shut up. What is it about?"
Will gestures toward the late-model charcoal gray Chevrolet Impala that is parked. "After years of borrowing cars and even paying for a cab because this backward ass town still doesn't have rideshare, I was able to finally buy myself a new car—well, a used-new car."
"Will, that's great,"
Typically, Emma would've made a joke about him driving a previously owned vehicle that isn't vintage. But knowing how much this means to him,
"If you hadn't given me a chance and gave me that job managing the club, I wouldn't have this. So, thanks. "
Emma pulls her coat closer to her, partly to shield her from the wintery wind. "Don't get all sappy on me."
The two glare at one another, recalling their decision not to take their relationship of business and pleasure into anything else more serious.
"Say we get outta this cold and we go take this baby out for a ride," he offers.
Her eyes lay upon him in a friendly motion. "Sure, why not?"
The two end up in his car, as Will soon starts the car, rap music playing on the stereo, heading down the main road.
HOME FARM
The grandiose resonance of the doorbell gets the Covington housekeeper. Gabriella, to the front door of the mansion. She finds Ernest and Thora McKnight standing in the entryway with differing facial appearances on their faces.
"We're here to see Tommy right away," Ernest commands authoritatively.
Gabriella swore she saw Thora rolling her eyes after he said that.
She is about to come up with an excuse when she hears someone approaching them.
Tommy Covington sees the paternal grandparents of his son. "It's okay, Gabriella, I can take it from here,"
The housekeeper exchanges worried looks with the young man, a cautious one with Ernest and a sympathetic one with Thora. Before long, she saunters away, leaving the three to themselves.
Thora had warned Tommy over the phone that Ernest now knows about him being the father of the grandson he didn't know existed until recently.
Soon the two enter the mansion; he closes the door behind them.
"I thought it was about time I talk man to man to the little boy who knocked up my daughter," Ernest voices.
Thora holds up a hand to try to diffuse the situation. "Ernest, please don't do this."
Ernest ignores his wife. "I think there have been too many damn secrets going on that I don't know. First, Jordan kept her pregnancy a secret from us for months; now she has disappeared for months, and now my wife has been hiding the fact we have a grandson who you be happening to raise."
Tommy knows that partly the chief has every right to despise him since he hadn't been supportive of Jordan during the pregnancy that he should've. But he doesn't know how much longer he can take being insulted in his own home.
"I'm sorry for what happened, and if I can change it, I would. But we both play a part in Jordan's depression as well as disappearance."
"Will it be possible for me to see Jeremy?" Thora asks kindly.
"He's asleep in the nursery, but you can sneak a peak in," Tommy responds.
"That will not be happening," a relentless voice calls out.
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The three individuals look above to see Deirdre Covington standing atop the grand staircase.
THE WATERFALL BAR
The lunch crowd begins to gather inside the bar as Erykah Badu's "Back In The Day" plays on the sound system, giving the establishment a soulful atmosphere.
Samuel Gupta enters the bar, deciding to eat lunch here this afternoon. Taking a seat at the booth, he grabs the menu in front of him on the table to peruse it but knows he will always order his usual.
"Hey," a familiar female voice welcomes him.
As he puts down his menu, he sees Martha Saunders standing adjacent to him in a dark ruby-printed dress with black cowgirl boots, with her wavy brown hair hanging near her shoulders.
"Hey, how are you?" he asks her.
She nods. "I'm doing good; how about yourself?"
"I'm doing good," he answers truthfully. "Oh, Happy New Year, by the way."
"Same to you,"
The last time they saw one another was at Steven and Courtney's wedding. The two ended up dancing together at first to get her mind off Will, whom she is trying to get over since he has no interest in her.
"Are you working today?" Samuel queries
"Yeah, I'm on my break, though,"
"Do you want to have lunch with me? He asks her invitingly.
Martha places both hands on her hips. "All right,"
She takes a seat across from him in the booth while a smile spreads across her face.
HOPE COTTAGE
When Courtney Covington Sullivan sees her husband coming towards her, she already detects the disinterest throughout his body.
"I know, I know, you would rather be anywhere but here."
The two are standing outside Hope Cottage, the residence in which her father purchased it for them to live in. However, Steven doesn't want to move in. partially due to Daniel once again getting involved in their relationship.
"I hadn't said anything negative, so I'll agree to look around. That's all. Steven Sullivan tells her somewhat fairly
Courtney tilts her head, determined to make him see that this home is for them.
The pair make it up the curved walkway, entering the residential cottage; situated in the middle of the three cottages. Victory is on the left, where the Guptas reside, and on the right, Blossom, the smallest of the three homes.
Soon, they step into the two-story home, which exhilarates Courtney but doesn't do much for Steven.
"Well, I will take the downstairs here while you can explore the upstairs. Maybe it will give you a change of perspective."
"I'm sure it will," Steven mumbles under his breath.
About ten minutes later, Steven walks down the stairs simultaneously; Courtney walks out of the kitchen with a luminous smile.
"Please tell me you have changed your mind?" she queries optimistically.
Steven puts his hands into his jacket pocket. "It's not bad,"
Courtney can glimpse him admitting to her, like a patient having teeth pulled by a dentist, "What is the problem, then?"
"With your father buying us this house, it seems like he will have a hold over us."
It doesn't take long for her to interpret what he is saying.
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"Oh, I get it; since you weren't the one who bought the house, you think my father would have some type of control over us."
Steven doesn't open his mouth nor make any sudden movements, confirming his wife's assumption.
"Buying a house is a big step for any couple, and I wanted to make it together," he discloses.
"Steven, please stop talking all around the subject. The real reason why you don't want this house is because you feel like if you accepted it, you would be less of a man. "
The veterinarian is about to say something when Courtney crosses her arms.
"You win; I will tell my father we don't want the house. Courtney replies in frustration. "And I suppose we will be staying at the farm indefinitely too." she says sarcastically.
Stepping out of the front door, Steven groans at himself for making things ten times worse in their new marriage.
THE WATERFALL BAR
Samuel is currently staring at photos of Martha's son SJ on her iPhone, taken over the weekend during his Toy Story-themed birthday party.
"You're right; he's adorable," Samuel says as he returns the device to his lunch companion.
"He is the light of my life. I never knew anyone would fill the space that I used to have only for myself, but now it's nothing I wouldn't do for my son, "Martha says
The psychiatrist wipes his hands on the paper napkin. "So, how is your music coming along?"
Samuel remembers when he saw her perform live with her band last year.
Martha smiles and nods. "Actually, it's going good; we're trying to get a video together for a song I wrote."
"Martha, that's fantastic!" Samuel says, excitedly. He is then reminded of Lorenzo, his sister's boyfriend, who is a budding videographer.
"You know, Lorenzo could shoot it for you if you wanted," he suggests.
"I forgot he was into that. I'll talk to him and see what he can do." She takes a sip of her Diet Sprite. "I thought by now I would have a record deal and be on my second album."
"Well, life always doesn't go as planned, but Martha, this could be the start of something big," Samuel says encouragingly.
He then checks the time on his Apple Watch on his wrist. "I better get back to the hospital. Hey, do you want to get together again?"
Martha smirks. "Samuel Gupta, are you asking me out on a date?"
Samuel stands up from his seat. "Is that a yes then?"
"You don't see me running off back to work, now do you?" she says flirtatiously.
Samuel cracks a genuine smile on his face. "Where would you like to go?"
Martha winks at him. "Surprise me,"
HOME FARM
All eyes were on the wealthy matriarch descending the stairs in a red-gold silk printed silk dress paired with gold heels.
"Grandmother, it's okay; Thora is always allowed to see Jeremy," Tommy informs the older woman.
"This isn't any of your concern," Ernest barks at her.
Deirdre's eyes narrowed on the cop. "My family, my concern,"
She kindly pats her youngest grandchild's shoulder.
"Why don't you put all this pent-up frustration into finding your daughter instead of going off on my grandson, who has been Jeremy's only parent since Jordan left him hours after he had a serious operation in the NICU."
Thora fights back her tears. Through clenched teeth, she says to her husband, "Come on, let's go."
"If Tommy would've manned up and been there to support Jordan, she wouldn't be gone for months," Ernest counterattacks verbally.
Deirdre chuckles ruefully. "Let's not act like you two are paragons of virtue yourselves, okay? I mean, it's no wonder why your other son and now Jordan left without any contact. What does that say about the two of you?"
By now, Ernest's whole face has turned red from anger.
"Thora, let's go,"
The McKnight matriarch remains, still glancing at both grandmother and grandson.
"I will tell Jeremy that his grandmother loves him," Tommy says
"Thank you, and I will be in touch about the christening."
Thora follows Ernest out of the door. He nearly runs into Emma, who is at the same time entering the mansion.
"All right, then what is up with Popeye and Olive Oyl?" Emma questions her mother and nephew.
Suddenly, Tommy walks past his aunt, walking out of the house.
Deirdre waves her hand dismissively. "I was simply telling a few home truths, that's all. So where were you? "
"I was with Will,"
Deirdre quickly showcases her displeasure at hearing the ex-con's name. It was still bad enough that she found out the two of them had been sleeping together.
"Oh mother, lighten up; he called me out to the farm to see his car."
Dee gives her a look that says, "You better not look at her daughter like this."
Emma rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "It's not like we are heading to Vegas to elope."
"I wouldn't put it past you."
"Anyway, if you excuse me, I have things to do before I have to be at the club tonight."
Deirdre watches her only daughter walk up the staircase. I was wondering, how is she going to tear apart her daughter away from Will Jackson?
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END OF EPISODE
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Drama unfolds at Jeremy's christening.
Mae warns Will.
Leave your thoughts here on the T&C forum
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