EPISODE 78
Written by : Bre L. Drew
May 18, 2020
Last Time On Town and Country
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Will got a mysterious phone call from the Hudson Correctional Facility.
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Tricia was still dealing with her insecurity over Sean's relationship with Louise.
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Martha is dealing with running the household in the wake of her father's death.
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Antoine is suspicious of Will.
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Tommy and Jordan shared a kiss this past summer.
THE WATERFALL BAR : JACKSON APARTMENT
Esther Saunders is warmly greeted by her best friend, Mae Jackson, with an embrace. The two were about to embark on a women's night-in. It's been a while for these longtime buddies to catch up over food and alcohol. And what better place to hold the festivities than above a bar.
"Help yourself, as always," Mae says generously.
Esther puts her carryall bag on the coffee table. "Don't mind if I do," she replies
She goes into the kitchen to see a makeshift taco bar with trays of soft and hard shells, shredded chicken, and pork, an assortment of toppings and sauces. The women go compile their plates with food and head for the dining table where a pitcher of lemon margarita and two glasses are in the center of it. They both sit down and begin socializing.
"How is it going?" Mae asks, "I know it ain't been easy," she adds
Mae knows from personal experience from losing her husband four years ago. No matter how long they have been gone, their loss will be forever felt. So she knows her friend and her family our only just now putting themselves together.
Esther sighs before responding. "Trying to hold up best as we can."
"How is Sarah?" Mae asks. She takes a bite of her taco.
Esther sips her cocktail out of the glass. "Not good, she is still in her room unwilling to get out of the house."
"It'll take some time,"
"I guess that saying my daddy used to say is true about how you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink," Esther says
"Like I said, it's gonna take time for her to find her feet again." Mae states
Esther changes the subject. "Enough about me and my kin what's going on with you and yours?"
Mae tells her about The Waterfall doing well, her granddaughter's marriage doing great, and she finally lands on Will wanting to take on more responsibility serving the people downstairs. Mae had him on kitchen duty this past week due to her cook being on vacation, and before that, he was in charge of dishwashing. And how upset he was when he claimed she was embarrassed by him because he spent three years in prison for fraud.
Esther listens but remains silent which Mae calls out.
"What?" it's not like you to be quiet for this long Esther Saunders,"
THE WATERFALL BAR
Another night, another crowd occupies the interior of The Waterfall in Radcliffe on East Anderson Road. Antoine Hall is putting clean glasses on the barrack as The Doobie Brothers were crooning about black water over the speakers.
Not far from him, Martha Saunders is repeating a patron's takeout order on the establishment's cordless phone. Thereafter she gives the total which concludes the call. She takes the ticket to the window where Burgess grabs it to begin preparing the meal.
"Hey, thanks again for coming in on your night off," Antoine says. "I know you rather be at home,"
Martha shakes her head, "It's no problem - in fact, I'll rather be here than at home at the moment,"
Antoine knows how rough it's been on his friend since her pops death. And how she has been trying to run the household in wake of that.
"Who's got SJ?" he inquires caringly.
"Steven," she answers.
"Remember if you need anything, and I mean anything I got ya back Marty," he says assuringly
An expression of gratitude appears in Martha's grin. "Thank You, Antoine,"
The slamming of the tray onto the counter interrupts their conversation.
"We can see you, Will, " Martha says
Will Jackson is standing over the bar in a gray graphic tee and denim jeans. He is on the humiliating task of collecting dirty dishes and silverware from the tables.
"Unfortunately," Antoine mumbles.
From his observation, Antoine overheard the argument, he had with Mae over him not being given more responsibility because he thinks she is embarrassed by him due to him spending years behind bars. If only Will knew how much Mae spoke about him when he was away, maybe he wouldn't take his mother for granted.
Will's eyes dart over to his niece's best friend.
"Martha, can I holla atcha you for a minute?"
She didn't hide her reluctance on her face wondering what on earth he wants with her.
"Whatever you need to say to her you can say it right here, " Antoine remarks,
"He's right," Martha agrees
Will knew he didn't have much choice not to comply, so he crosses his arms.
"If you wanna go home see your baby, I can take over here," Will says
He knows Martha came in on her night off, and he wanted to prove to his momma, he has what it takes to run the bar. Perhaps it will give him more shifts interacting with the people, and more importantly, getting more money.
"I would, but I got to work so I can earn a living to take care of my baby," she retorts
Martha didn't have to tell him she, her sister, and her mother got half of her father's estate. Nor her son getting $25,000 when he turns 18. Besides she is attempting to be more independent since she is a single mother.
Antoine points at an empty table with dishes on it. "Will, I think you're needed over there,"
"If you change your mind," Will says, somewhat downtrodden.
Both Martha and Antoine exchange glances of relief, as he leaves them to run the bar.
"Dammit," Will swears to himself.
He thought he could convince her to go home early so he can take over her shift.
As he grabs a fork covered in mustard, he feels his iPhone vibrating on him. He uses his free hand to accept the call.
"Hello," he answers cautiously.
The feminine automatic voice informs him.
This call is from the Hudson Correctional Facility, will you accept the charges?
"Not this shit again,"
He checks to see if anyone is looking at him as he leaves out of the bar to go outside into the sunset to have some privacy,
"Yes,"
A few days ago, someone called him from the prison he resided for three years. That call no one said nothing, but this time he wouldn't get off this phone until someone did.
The operator connects to the second party.
"Who is this?" he asks. "You better answer me right now," he demands
Silence is once again accompanying the other line.
"I'm serious... stop being a punk and be a man tell me who you're," he says harshly.
He hears the phone being placed on the hook, which automatically ends the call. He knows he could call back, but figures it won't do him any good.
​
THE CHATEAU
Light piano music fills the restaurant with the right amount of ambiance. The hostess dutifully escorts Sean Lockhart and Tricia Meyer to the table situated near the center of the dining room. After giving them their menus, the young lady dashes back to her post.
"May I say you look fantastic Tricia," Sean compliments her.
Tricia was wearing a sleeveless black asymmetric dress with three-inch heels. Her brown hair was hanging past her shoulders, and she had on an expensive foundation that displays the glow of her skin.
She lifts her head from the menu to focus on him. "I guess you're officially off the clock meaning I exist again," she says
Sean picks up the menu but hardly pays attention to the words in it. "Do we have to get into this right now?" he inquires exasperatedly
Tricia sets her menu aside onto the table, refusing to end this conversation.
"Look, I'm not insensitive about the current situation that Peter's death has on the farm," she replies. "But that doesn't mean Louise and the rest of the Clampett's have to keep taking advantage of you, Sean,"
Sean is more than aware he has been putting in extra hours to keep the farm going without the leadership and expertise of his former late father-in-law. And as a farmhand with seniority, it means that he can handle the work. Nonetheless, it does mean it is more for him to do.
"As a former flight attendant, I thought you more than anyone can understand unpredictable hours."
"Oh, I understand about the unpredictable hours," she retorts. "But I didn't work with any of my exes every day."
"And this is what is really about Louise," he says. "I'm with you I don't know what else I can do to prove to you I'm not going anywhere Tricia," he remarks
Tricia spots the waiter heading their way.
"Well we are here now so let's just have dinner okay," she says evenly
JOJO'S CAFE
In another eatery across town on Main Street, JoJo's Café is finally experiencing a lull of activity due to it being the evening now.
The cafe's satellite radio was playing On Chill by Wale featuring Jeremih.
Tommy Covington, Tanner Lockhart, and Lynn Lockhart were at their usual spot in the lounge area with the comfortable couch waiting on Elijah to finish up his shift.
"What time this movie starts again?" Tommy asks
Tanner, who is sitting beside him on the couch, checks the time on her iPhone. "In forty-minutes, which should give us plenty of time to get to Hudson Lake," she replies
"Promise me, you guys, won't be making out through the entire film," Lynn says warningly
Lynn isn't envious of her sister's relationship with her boyfriend, but she didn't want to watch a two-hour movie with two of the four will be playing tonsil hockey.
"No we actually, want to see the movie," Tanner says. "Don't we, Tommy?"
He nods his head emphatically. "I've been looking forward to seeing it too."
In all honesty, Tommy knows Tanner isn't the type of girl who will make out in public. They have made out several times when they're alone. But that spontaneity isn't something they thrive on... well she doesn't thrive on.
Elijah Barker trek over to his friends with relief written on his face. "I'm a free man at last," he says victoriously. "Let's get out of here,"
He has been working for the past six hours, and with the money he is saving up, he should have his car before he starts classes at Sampson this fall.
The three stand up from the areas they were on. Tommy scans over his shoulder to catch sight of Jordan sitting at the table near the counter.
He fishes for his keys in his pants pocket giving them to Tanner. "You guys get in and wait for me I got to use the restroom," he says weakly.
She holds his hand and forces him to look at her. "Don't take too long," she says. She kisses him on the cheek.
Lynn, Elijah, and Tanner exit out of the café towards Tommy's Lexus SUV parked on the street.
As he walks towards Jordan, he felt a ping of guilt for lying to his friends and especially his girlfriend, but they wouldn't be understanding if he confessed he was going to talk to their former friend. It's true over the few years he made a connection with her. Though they have been avoiding one another until now.
"Hi," he says somewhat uneasily.
Jordan McKnight's attention lies away from her smartphone onto him. Tommy couldn't tell if she was elated to see him or was being curious? He equates it to somewhere in the middle.
"Hi," she greets him.
Neither of them would admit it, but the tension between them is an awkward line, and it is because they shared a kiss last summer on the yacht during his brother's wedding reception. She was drunk, and they wanted to go further but realized he couldn't take advantage of someone who is incapacitated.
​
"How have you been?" Tommy asks, hoping to take away some of the nervous energy.
"Let's see uh I graduated from high school, told my parents, I wanted to take a gap year before going to college to pursue modeling." she starts.
"Did they say no?"
"They're giving me six months to get work as a model, and if I don't have to apply to Sampson for the winter semester."
"That's great,"
He knows Jordan had been wanting to model professionally for some time now so he knows that this chance is beneficial for her.
She holds up her device to show him some selfies she took of herself in different poses and expressions on her Instagram page.
"I'm too short to be a runway model, but that doesn't mean I can't do print or commercial," she informs him. "But there is nothing worth mentioning yet, but I'm not giving up, you know how stubborn I am," she concludes confidently.
Standing there, Tommy nearly forgot he had to be somewhere.
"I have to go, it was nice talking to you Jordan,"
"You too, Tommy," she says meaningfully.
She watches him head straight out of the café, exhaling gradually at what was said and also wasn't.
THE WATERFALL BAR : JACKSON APARTMENT
Esther waves her hand.
"Sorry, darling, I know you aren't ashamed of him, but it's okay to have some misgivings about your son."
"He was so upset I don't know what to do."
Esther finishes the rest of her margarita.
"Well, Will hasn't been in any trouble in all these months, since he has gotten back home just give him a trial run part-time behind the bar." she advises,
Mae nods her head understandingly. "That sounds like a good idea,"
Suddenly, a figurative light bulb turns on in the blonde businesswoman's mind. "I think I have another solution to Will's underemployment situation."
A look of optimism appears on Mae's face.
"Two of our farmhands have quit, and we need a laborer you'll think Will could do it?" Esther asks seriously
"I'm sure whatever it is, he'll be able to do it," Mae answers
"I'll also give him a trial run and see how it does."
Will enters into the apartment forgetting until he saw her that his momma's best friend is over visiting.
"Hey," Esther says
"How you doin Esther?" Will addresses, he is about to head to his room, trying to think what he is going to do when that person calls him back.
"Esther has a job offer for you," Mae tells him,
"At the stables?" Will inquires
"No, at the farm, if you take it, it will require dealing with livestock, assist with deliveries, things of that nature," Esther informs him.
Will has a look of uncertainty; he doesn't know anything about working on no damn farm. Then again, no one in Radcliffe, Kentucky, is willing to hire a black convicted felon. Besides, he is tired of having to beg his momma for cash like a teenager.
"I'll take it, thank you," Will says as nice as possible.
Mae gives her friend appreciation verbally and then throws her son a look of Don't screw this up. Please!
THE CHATEAU
The waiter quickly returns with their bottle of red wine and a basket of rolls back to their table.
Tricia hadn't eaten since early this afternoon, so she grabs a small saucer and then unravels the white cloth covering the bread. She didn't expect to find a black suede box inside of it as well. Lifting her eyes out of the basket onto her lover who has a playful grin on his face.
"Open it," he whispers.
Tricia hesitates for a split second, but she does what he commands. Inside the box is a silver diamond ring.
She starts to feel some of the diners getting a glimpse of her holding the box and Sean smiling like a Cheshire cat out of Alice In Wonderland.
"Tricia Meyer, will you do the honor of marrying me?" Sean proposes
Sean had decided to marry her this Christmas when they discussed their plans for the future which included marriage and possibly children down the road. And shortly after Peter passed away, it got him to realize he can't let another day go without her being his wife. So he arranged a surprise proposal a week ago by informing the restaurant staff he was planning to propose to his girlfriend.
"I've never known you to be at a loss for words,"
Tricia's expression on her face reads I didn't expect this at all.
"Yes," she says. "I will marry you,"
The newly engaged couple enter into a clinch, and their lips come together in a kiss as noises of applause and happiness from strangers were flooding in the atmosphere in celebrating their engagement.
"I love you," she murmurs in his ear.
"I love you too don't ever forget it," Sean says
​
END OF EPISODE
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Tricia shares news of her engagement to Courtney.
The Gupta's moves into Victory Cottage.
Max & Shauna celebrate each other's accomplishments.
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