EPISODE 120
Written by : Bre L. Drew
February 22, 2021
Last Time On Town and Country
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Elijah has been consumed with trying to get better grades while working at the café and maintaining his responsibilities as a student representative at Sampson University.
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Tommy has been keeping from Tanner that he and Jordan had slept together which has produced a child soon to be born.
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Jai is opening a new grocery store in town called J&M.
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​Will is upset over Mae selecting Antoine to manage The Waterfall instead of him.
J&M MARKET
When the news of a new grocery store opening in the small town of Radcliffe. Louise Saunders Lockhart quickly got into contact with the owner to set up a meeting to discuss getting dairy products from Franklin Farm onto his shelves would be beneficial for both parties involved. So she was taken aback when the proprietor wanted her to come to talk to him in the evening instead of the morning. Though Louise agreed to the meeting, so she chose a royal blue button-down shirt and a pair of dark slacks to wear. But when she entered the store it looked more of a construction site with a crew hammering and drilling in certain areas. The smells of dust and other fumes in the atmosphere. Louise then sees Shauna Covington who is telling one of the painters to be careful on the ladder.
She waves at her family friend who waves back before telling the painter something else that sounded important.
Stepping forward to her is a tall good-looking man with brown skin, dark hair, wearing a black hoodie with a pair of denim jeans. He reaches out his hand to shake hers which she does.
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"Nice to meet you," Louise says a little louder than she anticipated. Having to talk over the loud noises in the area.
Jai Gupta lets go of her hand. "I'm sorry for bringing you down here with all of this going on, but I'm trying to get this store up and running by next month."
Louise finds it coincidental that his daughter Aaliyah is roommates with Tanner and is also friends with both her daughters Though this is their first time meeting each other.
"No problem, so how are you liking Radcliffe thus far?" Louise inquires
He smiles charismatically. "The weather here is sure of a hell lot better than Chicago for sure," he says in his casual British accent.
Louise is then reminded of her purpose being here. "Before we let time get away I wanted to talk to you about why a partnership between your store and Franklin Farm."
But before Jai opens his mouth a metal can is accidentally knocked off the top of a ladder it's content of gray paint is splattered upon the bare walls, plastic covering of the floors, and somehow himself and Louise.
LOCKHART LAKE COTTAGE
Despite working an afternoon shift at Jojo's and having back-to-back tests before he left campus to go to work. Elijah Barker made the journey from Main Street out to the lake area to spend time with Lynn. He knows that he hadn't been the best boyfriend lately to her since he has been consumed with work and school.
Lynn leads him into the comfortable living room of the two-story lake cottage she and her mother resides. When he was young this place was like a second home to him and in a way it still does which makes him slightly become more of ease than earlier.
"I was beginning to think you were trying to avoid me," Lynn says jokingly
She takes a seat on the sofa as Elijah follows suit.
"I could never forget you," he says meaningfully
The two of them enter into an embrace and begin kissing each other. Elijah soon pulls away from her to elicit a yawn that cannot be stifled.
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"Excuse me,"
Lynn looks at his face which looks like he hasn't been getting enough sleep for a while now. "Are you okay? want to lie down?"
Elijah grins hearing his girlfriend being caring for him. "I'm okay, he lies. "So how are you doing?"
"I love working on the farm, I'm even driving the tractor now." she excitedly reports.
"That's great,"
Elijah knows for the longest time she had aspired to work on her family's farm for years instead of going to college like her twin sister and himself. Now she is living her dream while he has years of school to go.
"With all that, I can't help but feel like I'm lying to Tanner," she admits
Elijah nods. "You mean with Tommy getting Jordan pregnant?"
"And it's like I want to tell her, I have even gotten close a few times to tell her, then something prevents me from doing something I know I should do."
Lynn had found out her former friend was pregnant through her boyfriend when she and Jordan got into a heated confrontation at Jojo's last year over the truth about the kiss she and Tommy had two previous summers ago. It was when he pulled her to the side to tell him about their one-night together.
Elijah clears his throat. "Yeah, I get it, when I do see Tanner it hits me I'm keeping this secret from her too."
"You know it should be Tanner's actual boyfriend being the one to tell her," Lynn voices
By now Elijah has stood up from the couch his right hand out.
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"What's up?" she inquires curiously
"I think I have found a way we both can unwind," he winks
She takes hold of him as he escorts her upstairs.
THE WATERFALL BAR : JACKSON APARTMENT
"How long we gotta keep this gunk on our faces, darling?" Esther Saunders queries Mae Jackson.
The two best friends are sitting down across from one another in the small living area inside the Jackson apartment above The Waterfall Bar. The ladies hadn't seen each other much so they decided to make it a woman's night. On top of the event, Mae found a recipe online for homemade facial masks that the two have on the green concoction on their faces.
Mae opens both of her eyes. "That website said about ten more minutes."
"So how's the family doing?" Esther catechizes
The bar owner picks up her glass which contains a margarita she takes a drink then she puts it back on the coffee table. "Oh you know - we're hangin in there."
Esther sips her martini. "I take it the battle of testosterone is still going on?"
It was safe to say there isn't any love loss between Will and Antoine whose dislike for one another has intensified since Mae appointed her surrogate grandson to manage the bar. Will has disagreed with that decision believing he should be the manager due to him working hard here.
"And I get why Will will be pissed, but he sure can handle it in more of a mature way." Mae retorts
Esther remembers not to touch her face because of the gunk still on it. "I can relate to your son, I know what it is like to feel like you've been passed on something by your own parent."
Mae knew her friend was referring to her father Jimmy Saunders who preferred her brother Peter to take over the farm. Despite Esther being his eldest child who too expressed interest in running one day when she was younger too. This situation is a mess all around she thinks to herself.
Sensing the tension Esther decides to change the point of conversation. "I hear my niece will be performing live on Friday."
Antoine asked Martha to sing in the bar which she eventually agreed to perform.
"Yes, she is," she answers. "Antoine is doing a good job I'm proud of him," Mae concludes fairly
Both women are unable to see Will Jackson about to enter the apartment. Although, from his expression conveying he has overheard his mother giving praise to the son she always wanted instead of the one she got stuck with. He then quietly closes the door and heads back downstairs.
JOJO'S CAFE
The unmistakable voice of Kurt Cobain chanting about teen spirit on the sound system inside of Jojo's. A lighter than usual crowd populates the café during this later hour. Needing to get out of the house Jordan McKnight is sitting on the sofa in the lounge area taking a final sip of her iced black tea from her paper straw. She is dealing with being pregnant by someone she still can't shake from her soul even if he does not want anything to do with her because he has a girlfriend and believes she should have an abortion which he paid for.
The din of laughter makes her swing her neck at the entryway of the café as somehow fate intervened with her baby's daddy and his virginal girlfriend steps inside from outside the cool February winter. Jordan can overhear her volunteering to get their orders. She then spots Tommy taking a seat at the table behind the large window that has the view of Main Street.
Before comprehending fully what she is doing Jordan is on her feet heading over to the table. She clears her throat loudly to get Tommy's attention.
"What are you doing ?" Tommy Covington asks her in a tone that can be qualified as an annoyance.
"Debating whether or not Little Miss Perfect should know in about five months you, me, and baby will make three?" she replies mockingly
He situates himself in the chair. "Not now," he then peers to see Tanner still in line at the counter. It is no way he would want Tanner to find about him getting Jordan pregnant right now especially in the place where they get their coffee.
"Then when?" she asks amazingly. "When Tommy Junior is three?"
Tommy knew it was too late for him and Tanner to leave to avoid more of Jordan's thinly veiled threats. "We'll talk later,"
The two turn to see Tanner unaware of their ongoing conversation. She is standing there holding her cold foam cold brew and his coffee. "Am I missing something here?"
LOCKHART LAKE COTTAGE
After the two finished having sex in Lynn's bedroom. She and Elijah our sitting on the opposite ends of her now made-up bed getting their items of clothing back on before her mother comes home.
Lynn puts her t-shirt on. "I almost forgot how good we're together,"
Elijah turns to her knowing what she means. "I sense a compliment in there,"
Lynn chuckles suggestively answering his statement.
"If only I didn't have to rush back to campus, but I got to get ready for a meeting with the faculty tomorrow," he reports to her.
"Do you ever slow down?" Lynn asks partially with concern and marvel.
Elijah is a representative on the student council.
"I wish," he says with some seriousness
J&M MARKET
Louise felt so embarrassed being drenched in the wet cold liquid it finally took a few more seconds before she can look up to see Jai who is too engulfed in the paint.
"It was accident," one of the male workers cried out from nearby.
Shauna puts some strands of her curly wavy hair behind her ears. "I apologize for what just happened and I assure you this won't happen again."
She was the one in charge of the interior work of the store so any incidents were her responsibility.
Jai wipes his face with his hands to remove some of the paint from his face. "Nobody got hurt, it's fine," he says diplomatically. He turns to face Louise in which he starts laughing.
Louise frowns at him. "Why are you laughing?"
Jai snickers loudly. "Because you have a little something in your hair," He then gestures with his hand to his head.
Louise moves her head up and down at his response. "Well, you don't look like 007 yourself." she retorts
The two of them laugh at themselves and each other and this entire situation as Shauna returns with two rolls of paper towel. She is surprised to see them even cracking a smile after a can of paint got onto them.
She gives them each a roll. "Here you go," And I'll get accounting in touch with you both to take care of your dry cleaning."
Both of them thank her while they dab themselves with the towels.
"Perhaps we should reschedule this meeting when we look less like a kindergartner art project," she tells him
Jai snatches some more paper to wipe some pain underneath his neck. "No, need, it will be a pleasure to do business with you."
"Thank you," Louise states surprisingly.
"Now that business is out of the way, this might be quite forward of me but how would you like to have dinner with me on Friday?"
Louise is almost wordless as her mind races through many thoughts having not being asked out since her divorce is something she isn't used to.
Jai can see her apprehension. "Well, if you change your mind call me,"
Louise replies. "I better get going,"
The market owner holds out his hand to say goodbye.
As she some paint dripping off her while she heads to the door she can hear Shauna talking to the culprit who is the one behind the accident. Desperately, determining she needs a long hot shower to rid herself of chromatic gray paint.
JOJO'S CAFE
Somehow The Perishers' "Trouble Sleeping" playing through the speakers makes this encounter somber resembling what can be unleashed at this moment.
Jordan looks at her former best friend then looks back to Tommy who is about to be in a world of trouble. "It's no law against two people talking last time I checked."
Tanner hadn't seen her since the two had a confrontation at the café months ago. She notices her weight gain due to her pregnancy where she found out from her friends over a month ago.
Tommy mostly stares at his girlfriend. "I was just telling Jordan we have nothing else left to say each other."
"See you around Jordan," Tanner says in a dismissive way
Tanner indeed had some sympathy for her due to the rumors of her being knocked up by some guy at The Alley who didn't want anything to do with her. Though it isn't any of her nor Tommy's worry.
Without any further delay, Jordan escaped the sensation of feeling like the unwanted "Third Wheel." which she has never felt in her life until now. Part of her wants to glance back but she can't as the cold air hits her while she is heading to her car.
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END OF EPISODE
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
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Louise confides in Sarah Lynn.
Sean romances Tricia.
Mala and Jai close a long-running chapter.
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