EPISODE 66
Written by: Bre L. Drew
August 31, 2019
Last Time On Town and Country
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The Wedding of Shauna and Max is approaching.
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Tricia found out via text Sean had dinner with Louise.
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Jordan decides to go after Tommy.
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Daniel has feelings for Louise.
MAX'S PORSCHE
Max Covington merges his yellow Porsche into the center lane of the highway. Beside him in the passenger seat is his fiancée Shauna Jackson who is finishing up a phone call with the wedding coordinator who is overseeing their wedding ceremony which is taken place next week.
"Thanks again for lugging me around town, only my luck would have it that my car would stop working when I need it the most," she says
All week he has been dutifully taking her around town to get everything prepped for not only the big day but getting boxes to put her belongings in at the apartment so she will be moved in at Home Farm after their honeymoon. Right now he is dropping her off at the bridal dress store in Hudson Lake for her final fitting which is turning into a small party since her grandmother, Martha, Esther and Courtney will all be there to see her in the dress.
"No problem, do you know if it is worth getting it fixed?" Max inquires casually
Max knew how much that car meant to her since it was willed to her from her late grandfather whom she was close to before his death three years ago. However, he knew that the Lincoln Continental has been giving her problems for a while now, meaning paying too much money for a vehicle that is more than twenty-one years old.
Shauna shrugs both of her shoulders. "Good question," she turns to him with a loving smile. "Our wedding day is coming up, aren't you the bit least nervous?"
Max uses his free hand to straighten his aviator sunglasses on his face. "Ask me again next week," he humorously replies. "How can I be nervous marrying the woman I love,"
"Hallmark needs to hire you to write their cards," Shauna chuckles.
Max maintains his pace on the expressway, realizing he is getting close to the exit in about ten minutes. "Are you nervous?"
Shauna shakes her head with vigor. "Absolutely not, "
JOJO'S CAFE
The hip hop verses of Lil Jon and The Eastside Boyz "Get Low" is playing over the sound system inside Jojo's this late morning. Lynn Lockhart, her boyfriend Elijah Barker and their friend Tommy Covington were sitting at their usual table near the window that overlooks Main Street.
Lynn looks at the piece of paper in her hands. "Great, I got Madame Lee for French again," she complains.
The three of them had just came from Radcliffe High where they and seventy other seniors were in the auditorium for orientation receiving much-needed information from their counselors and a lecture on getting past senioritis from Elijah's mother and school principal Brynn Barker.
"Try having Honors English and Honors Calculus back to back," Tommy says, looking down at his schedule.
"Let's just enjoy the last two weeks of freedom before we have to deal with all of this," Elijah responds.
"Agree," Lynn and Tommy say in unison.
Tommy takes a bite of his chocolate glazed donut. "E, you still pissed about not being hired at the community center?"
A few days ago, Elijah had gotten the call from the person in charge of the children's day camp at the local community center informing him that he wasn't hired to be a counselor. Elijah had been trying his hardest to find a job for him to finally buy a car. So he wouldn't have to keep bugging his parents to borrow theirs when he wanted to get around town.
Lynn pulls a supportive arm around her boyfriend. "You'll find something like my grandma Sarah Lynn says you'll never know what is around the corner."
Elijah leans into her to kiss her on her lips. He rises out of the chair. "I'm going to get a coke for the road,"
He and Lenny were on their way to the movies in which of course she is driving the Fiat to the theatre in Hudson Lake.
Elijah retrieves his medium-size cup of soda over the counter from a barista.
He happens to see a sign on the surface advertising the café is hiring.
"Am I that desperate?" he says to himself as he walks back to the table.
Knowing the possible consequences of him working for Lynn's pseudo-stepmother and how it will affect things between himself and his girlfriend. Then again, he needed somewhere to work to earn some money.
ARDEN BRIDAL SALON
Mae Jackson, Courtney Covington, and Martha and Esther Saunders were being treated to complimentary glasses of champagne whilst they wait for Shauna to show off her wedding dress in the dressing room in the exclusive bridal salon located in Hudson Lake. The room is mostly made up of white décor with a glass chandelier. Also, it has several mirrors on the walls and a platform too.
"When is Ms. Cassie going to make her grand entrance into town?" Esther asks her best friend.
Cassie is the absentee mother of Shauna who currently resides in Miami. She had left her daughter behind when she was thirteen for her parents to raise her so she can live her own life free from the responsibilities of taking care of a child.
"If your only daughter is getting married would you A. Come to see that daughter walk down the aisle ?" or B. Not come because your boo thang is taking you to Turks and Caicos?" Mae propositions.
"You gotta be kidding me," Martha replies in a somewhat serious tone.
It is obvious to both Saunders women, which multiple-choice is true.
"Lord!" Esther exclaims with some disappointment for Shauna and Mae.
Courtney decides to remain silent, mostly due to her not knowing the sordid details about Shauna's mother. She begins to feel bad because she can relate to not having her mother around anymore. No matter how long since her mother's death she still misses her every day.
Mae swallows some of the champagne which tastes too bitter for her liking. "She is my child, and I love her, but she needs to straighten out her priorities."
Forthcoming uproar interrupts the ladies discussion when the sight of Shauna still in her civilian clothes has a look of anger whilst the tall and thin store employee wearing a pencil skirt and heels follows behind her apologizing.
Martha crosses over to her best friend to comfort her and to get to the bottom of the problem. "What's going on?"
Shauna goes over to a side table to shuffle some pages through the local newspaper, and when she finds the specific item, she gives it to Martha.
"I refuse to wear a dress that some "so-called" journalist from The Radcliffe Chronicle was able to somehow get a photo of it to put in that newspaper," she said mostly to the bridal store employee.
The picture of the dress also includes a small paragraph with all of the details about the dress and the location it is from.
"Ms. Jackson, I am so sorry about this mishap, this store will gladly do anything to remedy this situation."
"It's too late for that!" Shauna snaps
"This is appalling," Esther says
Ever since her Uncle Will was charged with his crimes, the local paper hounded the Jacksons which is something Shauna never took well. So even when this is supposed to be one of the happiest events in her life, the press finds a way to destroy it.
"How did this happen to begin with?" Mae demands
The staff member fills the ladies in on possibly another employee being paid off by the reporter to take a snapshot of the mannequin which the dress is on. She promises it will be a full investigation into this manner. Shauna tells them she is going somewhere else.
"Babe, where are you gonna get another wedding dress in a week?" Martha asks
Overhearing everything that has been spoken in the last few minutes. Courtney searches through her contact for an exact telephone number. When she dials it she goes into a corner to speak with the other person so she wouldn't be heard in case if her idea did not come to fruition.
Mae places her arm around her granddaughter. "It'll be all right like I told you making a life-long commitment to Max is the most important thing here."
Shauna nods understanding what her grandmother was saying. Yet she was becoming a Covington this shit should not be occurring to her anymore.
Courtney trails over to the rest of the ladies with a look of anticipation.
"I have some good news, do you know who Amanda Tate is?"
Shauna lifts her head. "Of course, I do, she is one of the hottest up and coming fashion designers out there."
"And she happens to be one of my good friends, we went to Wharton together. "When I told her about what happened here she offered to design you a custom dress in time for the wedding," she eagerly declares.
Murmurs of buzz suddenly uplift the room in which Shauna throws both of her arms around her soon to be sister-in-law.
"Thank you so much,"
Courtney accepts the act of gratitude. "Just righting a terrible wrong,"
"Guess as Maid Of Honor I better step it up for the bachelorette party next week, huh?" Martha says
The rest of the women laugh at Martha's comment.
"Thank you, everyone, for having my back here, I truly appreciate it," Shauna tells everyone.
Mae picks up her purse off the bench she was sitting on. "Lunch at The Waterfall is on me,"
The five women all make their exit out of the dressing room towards the entrance where Shauna and Martha do not miss the chance to make snide comments about the service of the store on their way out.
THE WATERFALL BAR
The smooth sounds of "Focus" by H.E.R. is giving the establishment a soulful ambiance. At the moment, however, for Tricia Meyer, the song is simply background noise. She is sitting at the bar nursing her first glass of red wine. Despite having a good time out with Sean the other day, her mind couldn't stay off the text on his phone from Louise.
Glad we're finally able to see eye to eye. Next time dinner will be my treat.
It is bad enough she is not liked by either of his daughters because of her having an affair with their father, which ruined their parents' marriage and their family. So that is why she is decked all out in black, including an Alice + Olivia Blazer and fedora hat came down to the bar to have a few drinks to numb her persistent issues.
Shaking her head whilst she throws the liquid down her throat. It is also when she feels an unwanted presence close to her.
"Hello, Tricia," Daniel Covington greets her.
The realty property CEO is wearing a navy blue Kenneth Cole suit with a tie and brown Italian loafers on his feet.
"Are you lost Daniel, because the country club is that way," she says bitterly.
He softly chuckles. "Nothing wrong with me being in my local," Are you supposed to be managing the café?"
Tricia keeps her glass in her possession. "I am off today, worried about your business doing without me?"
"At first I admit I had strong reservations about you working in the café, but I guess you have proven me wrong on that front."
Months ago, Daniel had purchased Jojo's Café when it was For Sale, wanting to keep the place open and operating in Radcliffe, not to mention wanting to make it a success. Since he took ownership, the café has been taking in more profits now than in the last two years alone.
After he asks the bartender for a glass of club soda with a lime wedge, he turns to his company. "What's with the long face Tricia, don't tell me Sean already has moved onto someone else already?"
Tricia shoots him a "Don't mess with me" expression.
The silence is all he needs to confirm his suspicion.
Tricia finally moves her mouth. "None of your damn business,"
The bartender passes Daniel his drink when he gives the barman a fifty-dollar bill. "That should cover her next round of drinks and her cab ride home," he insists.
"I am sure your precious Louise can fill you in all the deets," she says sarcastically.
Daniel partially chokes on his soda. "Come again," he demands.
"That bitch wanted a divorce after years of having an open marriage just to find a new way to be involved with Sean,"
"Your hatred of Louise is one thing, but calling her a bitch is something I don't want to hear again, are we clear?" he says defensively.
Tricia crosses her toned legs. "If I didn't know any better I say you have a crush on the bitch -- witch." she corrects herself.
Daniel takes another sip from his glass. "Mind your own business,"
She takes that safeguarding as a yes.
Tricia puts up a finger near his face. "No, no, no, you have feelings for Louise I am right, aren't I," she says excitingly.
For some time now, Daniel has tried to be upfront with his feelings to his former adolescent sweetheart. Yet those attempts were halted. Although, he knows he does want a chance of a relationship thirty years later after their breakup as teenagers.
"I think you should tell you're significant other how you feel about whatever is troubling you about Louise," he informs her. "I have more important things in my life right now than to watch you bash Louise and drink yourself into a stupor."
Daniel gets off the stool onto his feet as he takes one last look at Tricia before taking off back to the office to catch up on some paperwork.
Tricia orders another glass of wine as the wheels in her mind begin turning with an idea.
JOJO'S CAFE
Tommy decided to hang out at the café alone before he had to go home to get fitted for his tuxedo for his older brother's wedding where he will be serving as his best man.
From inside out of the window, he spots Jordan McKnight walking on the sidewalk. She has on a seafoam green and navy blue striped cami jumpsuit and clutching her purse. The wind blows through her long blonde hair.
She enters into the café waving and saying hi to a few members of her cross country track team sitting.
Jordan then makes her way over to the object of her affection.
"In need of company?" she asks in an upbeat manner.
Tommy gestures for the beautiful teenage girl to sit across from him at the table.
Jordan grabs Tommy's class schedule to look at it herself she then whistles impressively at his advanced placement courses.
"Good looks and intelligence aren't we lucky?" she compliments with more than a hit of flirtation.
Tommy grins at her showing off his straight white teeth. "Something like that,"
He hears a chime from his iPhone indicating he had just received a text message. Picking it up the device, he silently reads the text currently displayed on his screen.
Thinking about you and missing you even more.
Love you
❤️
In another message, it is a picture of Tanner in the middle of playing her violin wearing the necklace he got her in a classroom.
"I take it's from Tanner," Jordan responds. Not trying her best not to sound envious of his nerdy girlfriend.
"Yeah,"
"At least you have somebody, sometimes I am all alone," Jordan confesses.
Tommy is caught off guard by her statement because at school she is always surrounded by her friends and half the boys have an attraction towards her, including him.
Jordan places some hair behind her ears. "Since my brother died my parents our hardly ever home, and my brother Presley is at a seminary in Missouri to become a Methodist pastor. So most of the time I am home alone with no one there."
It dawns on Tommy that a lot of what Jordan is telling him our very intimate sensing not a lot of people know how truly sad she is. Something he can relate to since he was sent off to boarding school shortly after his mother passed away.
"Hey are you doing anything next Saturday?" he inquires.
"My calendar is open," she answers freely.
It dawns on Tommy that a lot of what Jordan is telling him is intimate. Sensing not a lot of people know how truly sad she really is. Something he can relate to since he was sent off to boarding school shortly after his mother passed away.
"Hey are you doing anything next Saturday?" he inquires.
"My calendar is open," she answers freely.
"As you probably know my big brother is getting married next week on Lake Hudson," Do you want to come as my plus one?"
Jordan tries to hide her happiness, not wanting to showcase her excitement over being invited to "The Wedding Of The Year" as it is being labeled by the media on television and online.
"I'll be there, thank you for inviting me, So Tanner isn't going to make it to the wedding?"
"No, she wanted to be here, but it didn't make sense for her to fly in and out from Boston with everything she got going on at her program at Berklee," he says a little downtrodden.
"Perfect," she mumbles.
Before he left, he exchanged phone numbers with Jordan so he will be able to text her details from the invitation. Tommy later excuses himself leaving Jordan sitting down at the table, with a satisfied grin upon her face.
"This will be an unforgettable labor day weekend for sure," she states to herself.
END OF EPISODE
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Episodes 67 & 68 will be released together.
The Bachelor and Bachelorette parties occur.
Antoine and Tricia will go to extreme lengths for the person they love.
The Wedding Of The Year takes place.
And Much More!
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