EPISODE 7
Written by : Bre L. Drew
Last Time on Town and Country.
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Martha told Peter and Sarah Lynn the reason why she came home from Los Angeles - She's pregnant and decided to keep the baby. Which greatly upsets her father.
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Courtney and Steven agreed that their first date should be somewhere that doesn't serve peanuts.
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Sarah Lynn is adamant about supporting her youngest daughter during her pregnancy.
THE WATERFALL BAR
Regardless of knowing that Martha is a woman. Peter Saunders still has a hard time seeing his youngest daughter, anything but his little girl. He fondly still remembers the day when his wife Sarah Lynn told him that she was expecting her. It was the anniversary of the first year of his father’s passing when he found he was going to be a father again. After the emotional turmoil of Sarah Lynn miscarrying in 1985, and 1989. So when Martha came into this world, Peter had such high hopes for the child who he believes is a miracle. He never dreamt of his little girl being content with her baby’s father not in the picture.
He never understands in this day and age not only how a woman can raise a child on her own. But the fathers not giving a damn about not being in the lives of the person they created can never make sense to him.
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Peter ponders all of this, as he gulps down his pint of beer, at The Waterfall, It is where he has been ever since he had finished working out in the fields several hours ago. He needed to get away after hearing the news about his daughter being pregnant, and Sarah Lynn being fine with it.
He notices his son-in-law Sean Lockhart is taking a seat beside him. “ Hey, Peter, ”
Peter takes another sip of beer “ Let me guess, Sarah started worrying that I didn’t come home, and Mae called her to tell her I was here and you volunteered to go spy on me ain’t that right son-in-law? “
Sean is taken back by the precise accuracy of how he summed up how he ended up coming down here to get Peter to come home. And how Sarah Lynn is worried out of her mind. He had left Louise with her mother, so he can come down to take him home knowing that he is too intoxicated to drive back out to the farm.
Mae Jackson walks back behind the bar going over to Peter and Sean, she knew that she did the right thing regarding calling Sarah Lynn to tell her that Peter is here, and been drinking since he came which is unlike her good friend to do.
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“Hey Sean, what can I get you ?“ she asks with the confidence of a landlady in control of her bar.
“Can I get a club soda? thanks, Mae,” Sean says.
Even though he wouldn’t mind an alcoholic beverage right now. He knows that at least one of them has to get back to the farm sober.
Peter clicks his teeth. “You don’t know whatcha missing.” he then takes a drink.
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HOME FARM
Courtney Covington gives herself a once over in the mirror upstairs in her bedroom. Finally, she decided on the mulberry color sleeveless beaded illusion lace mermaid dress. She wanted to look good for Steven since tonight is their official first date.
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A rapid knock on her door makes Courtney turn head away. “Yes?“ she calls out.
Her brother Max Covington says from the side of the door. “It’s me,”
“Come in,"
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Max opens the door wanting to finish their catching up from earlier. He had only arrived in town this morning. And it seems that the only person who was happy to see him is his little sister. Max was working aboard a cruise ship for six months where he saw most of South America and the Caribbean.
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Courtney gets her brother’s attention by waving.
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So, what do you think? “
She does her best come-hither pose.
“You do know that I’m your brother right? “ Max humorously asks
"Your sarcasm isn't warranted right now. “ she replies. " It’s my first date with Steven tonight, and I’m
“ Nervous," Max fills in.
“Yeah,“ she responds.
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Her older brother sits on the end of her neatly made-up bed.
“So when are you gonna tell Doctor Dolittle your Daniel Covington's pride and joy ?“ he asks
“That was a long time ago beside you know that grandfather had the flair for the dramatics. “ Courtney says
Max shoots her sister a look of uncertainty, knowing those stories didn't just come out of thin air.
“Hey, Courtney, “
“Yeah, “
“ You look nice.“ Max compliments her.
“Thank you, big brother,” Courtney replies, then she looks at herself in the mirror hoping to feel more confident than she feels at this moment,
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FRANKLIN FARM : MAIN HOUSE
In a peculiar turn of events, Louise Saunders Lockhart finds herself in the kitchen making tea and comforting her mother, who is worried that her father is out at the bar getting drunk because he didn’t take the news of her little sister’s pregnancy well.
Louise pours the steaming liquid into two cups; and then gives one to her mother, who is sitting at the counter who thanks her still trying to put on a brave facial expression.
“When Martha told me that she was pregnant, I suspected that she wasn’t keen on telling you two because you thought that you would be disappointed in her. “ Louise confesses
Sarah Lynn Saunders tastes her tea, “And I feel bad that she didn’t come to tell us when she found first found out and your father anger isn’t helping at all.” She sighs "At least Martha is upstairs asleep,"
“Mom, after she told me everything, I told her that the family would support her if she kept the baby. “
Sarah Lynn nods her head.
“Trust me, sweetheart, Martha is going to get our full support because the man that I married is going to get over his anger and realize that as a single mother Martha is going to need all of us. I will not sit back and watch my daughter struggle as a single mother as my mother did. “ I'll guarantee it, "
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THE CHATEAU
Not wanting Steven to find out where she lives, she told him that she will drive herself to the restaurant. As she gets out of her car where the sun is slowly setting. She couldn't stop feeling guilty about keeping the fact that she is a Covington from Steven. Honestly, since she met him, she really enjoys his company and can't help but find him quite physically attractive too.
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She makes her way inside of the restaurant, taking it in since it is her first time coming here. She is rather impressed by the grandeur of this place. The thought of banjo music and red solo cups came to mind when Steven first told her about this place. She approaches the stand where the host a young man who appeared to be college-aged, asks does she need a table.
Courtney informs him that she is here under Steven Sullivan's party of two. Then the host leads her to a table near the bar where a few men wearing collared shirts taking in the baseball game on TV. The host gets her to the table where Steven is, and when first caught a glimpse of her, he shows off his thousand-watt smile. The host kindly pulls her chair out in which she takes her seat. She thanks him as he takes off.
​"You weren't here long were you?" she asks hoping she didn't make him wait for her all-day
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"No, I just got here, and if I must say you look beautiful, Courtney. "
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Courtney finds herself blushing. " You look rather nice yourself,"
Steven had on a blue postman suit, and his hair dark blonde hair is slightly trimmed.
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"Thanks," Steven then sees Courtney with an awkward look on her face. He places a comforting hand on top of hers. "Do you want to know a secret? "
Courtney nods her head before grabbing the menu to hide her face that shows the sheer embarrassment that she is currently feeling at this moment. She was able to speak in a room of hundreds of people in her graduating class at the University of Pennsylvania as Summa Cum Laude. But in this restaurant, she barely can say anything resembling a sentence.
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"I'm nervous as hell too," So let's just take it easy, no expectations all right?" he assures her.
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Courtney shakes her head. "Okay,"
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Then a waitress comes over to the table with a bottle of red wine and a couple of flutes. She then uses the corkscrew to open it. Steven digs in his pocket for a twenty-dollar bill to tip the waitress.
"I hope you don't mind, but I had reserved this bottle of wine." But if it is too presumptuous, then I can ask for someone to take it." Steven says
"This is lovely, thank you, Steven. " Courtney interrupts. She then sees him pouring the wine into both of the flutes.
THE WATERFALL BAR
“ So, Martha is pregnant? “ Sean says as he puts down his empty glass on the bar.
“Mm-hmm,“ Peter murmurs “ My little girl is hell-bent on raising her b-baby on her own without a man. “
Sean narrows both of his eyes on his father-in-law and boss whom he always had a stable relationship for twenty years he never saw him drunk,
“I’m sure that she didn’t make that decision lightly Peter, Martha isn’t the first person to raise a child on her own,“
“I guess you--'re right, but my little girl needs her baby’s father to step up to the plate and be there,” Peter says, then he takes the last sip of his beer.
He then sees Mae coming towards them from behind the bar. “One more beer for the road?“
Mae folds her arms across her chest, “Don’t you think you had enough Peter?“
“When in the hell did you become Betty Ford, Mae? “ Peter asks loudly, causing customers to confirm who is causing the minor disturbance by looking their way.
Mae places both hands on the bar, “Whatever problems you got the answer isn’t going to be staring you back in those glasses. “ she declares
Sean can feel the unwavering eyes on them at the bar, as he escorts Peter out of the bar knowing it has to be more on his father in law’s mind other than what is currently making him intoxicated.
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FRANKLIN FARM : MAIN HOUSE
Sarah Lynn finds herself being caught up in talking about the accomplishments of her twin granddaughters with Louise.
The front door of the house open.
“It’s us,“ Sean calls out from the living room.
The ladies step into the living room. As Peter nearly stumbles over, luckily Sean keeps him from falling over. Mother and daughter give a worrying look to one another.
"Peter had a few too many at the Waterfall, and let’s just say that he didn’t take the news of Martha’s pregnancy not too well, thank god Mae cut him off," Sean informs the women as he helps set him on the couch.
"Oh, God," Louise states
Sarah Lynn shakes her head at the sight of her husband in his current state. In the forty-seven years that she has known him, he has never had more than two beers. She then remembers the promise that he made her a long time ago about not turning into an alcoholic like his father Jimmy.
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"Peter stares at his wife " You ain't gotta stare at me like --- I'm a damn drunk, baby, be on my side for a change,"
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Louise saw the hurtful expression on her mother's face knowing what her father said to her had to sting a little. " Mom, you know that Dad didn't mean it."
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Sarah Lynn strongly believes in the old saying of "Drunk Men Tell No Tales." It was obvious to her that he is still furious at her for choosing to stick by their daughter.
Sarah Lynn then says her goodbyes to both her daughter and son-in-law, knowing she kept them here long enough. As she sees their car getting on to the main road. She watches her husband lying on the couch.
She turns off the lamp, which makes the entire living room drastically dim. She then begins to climb the staircase after landing on the third step. She sees Peter beginning to drift off to sleep. In their forty-five years of marriage, she rarely has slept without him beside her. Yet she knows he is better off where he is right now. Whilst going the rest of the way up the stairs, she hopes that he will wake up sober and come to the realization that Martha needs both of them more than ever.
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END OF EPISODE
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NEXT TIME ON TOWN AND COUNTRY
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Peter faces the repercussions of his actions.
Courtney has an interesting idea.
Someone else finds out Sean's infidelity.
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