EPISODE 62
Written by: Bre L. Drew
Last Time On Town and Country
July 28, 2019
-
Courtney encouraged Daniel to tell Louise about how he feels about her.
-
Martha performed at the grand reopening at Jojo's Cafe.
-
Tommy and Tanner entered into a romance despite the rivarly between their families.
-
Antoine confessed to Mae that he is still in love with Shauna.
JOJO'S CAFE
Tricia Meyer feels relief that the daily morning rush finally dispersed out of the café. Jason Mraz's, Sleeping To Dream is on a SiriusXM station which gives the establishment calmness before the storm.
Standing behind the counter with an iPad, she is organizing the schedule for the staff next week. Tricia is wearing her multi-color romper by Lilly Pulitzer, and her brownish-blonde hair is in a loose-bun.
"You know the saying about all work?"
Tricia removes her focus off the tablet screen to notice that her lover Sean Lockhart is now in line.
"Dull is one adjective no one could ever accuse me of ever being," she answers coquettishly.
​
Sean has on a plaid shirt with blue jeans which displays his near muscular physique which he has been working hard to keep since his weight gain.
Tricia leans into as she kisses her lover thankful the customers were preoccupied with their tasks.
Well except for one,
"So this is the woman you left my niece for?"
​
Esther Saunders gets the two of them to turn around seeing the petite but buxom older woman standing nearby.
Tricia gaze at her boyfriend conveying, who is this?
​
FRANKLIN FARM
"Louise is an old friend who shouldn't have the woman who aided in ruining her marriage, taking her coffee orders."
"Dad, I'm not trying to say you love her or anything like that, but if you have feelings for Louise, then tell her yourself."
Daniel Covington decided to take the guidance of his twenty-three-year daughter and tell Louise how he feels about her something more than the friendship they had developed since he moved back to town.
Walking on the land takes him back to when he was a teenager deeply in love with Louise Saunders.
He feels guilty because he knows if he never was forced to move to New York City. Eventually, he wouldn't have met Keri and go on to fall in love and share a life with her in spite of it getting cut short due to her death. Yet it dawns on him perhaps she would want him to move on with his life no matter how much of a fight he has put up to preserve her memory.
​
The noisy roaring of a tractor ahead seems to affect his current thoughts.
"Hey, what are you doing here?"
Daniel spots Louise Saunders Lockhart in front of him her hair in a ponytail. Even without much makeup, she still looks good.
"Do I need permission to visit?"
Louise pulls down her sleeves. "I guess not,"
Not forgetting that he has 20 % of Franklin Farm Ltd. Meaning technically, he is her boss along with her father and Aunt.
​
"Our kids are in the house about to have lunch with my parents," she adds.
Much as Daniel wants to say something insulting, he chooses to be silent.
Daniel is about to address his feelings to his first love. Unfortunately for him, the sounds of the engine of the tractor make it quite difficult for him to speak.
"You know what," Louise says. "Let's go in the house so we can talk without any interruption."
FRANKLIN FARM: MAIN HOUSE
Tommy Covington never knew anyone who wanted to spend time with their grandparents. However, he knew his friends and classmates took advantage of their grandparents' homes. Such as throwing ragers in their Manhattan townhouses. Or that one time his friend Jamison St. Clair housesat for his step-grandparents mansion in The Hamptons. He ended up having over so many people crashing that the result was the house completely trashed by midnight.
​
So it was a surprise when Tanner told him that they were spending the day at her grandparents' house on Franklin Farm. Having his own misgivings in which she tried her best to tell him that they won't grill him that much.
His own family and the Saunders aren't exactly close with one another so he can only imagine what they think of him.
​
The two are hanging out in the kitchen by themselves.
Tommy takes a cursory sip out of his can of Coca Cola. "I don't know about this Tanner,"
Tanner, who is closing the refrigerator after obtaining a bottle of water. "My grandparents aren't vampires they won't bite, besides I didn't say anything when we watched a marathon of The Fast and The Furious movies at your house last weekend."
"It's just that I want you to myself before you head off to Boston."
In a few weeks, Tanner will be going to Berklee College Of Music for the rest of the summer for the youth music program. Tommy wishes she didn't have to go but knows this is a chance in a lifetime opportunity for his girlfriend and he didn't want to stand in the way of it no matter his selfishness.
The pattering sound of footsteps moving into the room get the two of them to face her maternal grandparents who were coming into the kitchen.
Tanner situates herself between the two of them before she goes to hug and kiss both.
"Grandma, Grandad, this is Tommy," she introduces himself to the pair.
​
Tommy sticks out his hand at them. Peter looks at it like it contains a strange virus however, Sarah Lynn embraces him like a member of the family. Tanner grins seeing that so far his interaction with at least one of her grandparents seems to be going smoothly.
From afar, he wouldn't think of the older woman to be a grandmother. With her long dark blonde hair and impressive body shape, he can see why his grandfather Patrick fondly recalled her winning Miss Kentucky forty-seven years ago.
"It's nice to meet you, Tommy," she replies warmly.
She is wearing a black top with the same color cardigan and boot-cut denim jeans.
"You too Mrs. Saunders," he says respectfully.
Tanner witnesses her grandfather, not only being quiet but being unenthused by the meeting of her first boyfriend.
"Grandad," she said
​
"Good to meet you, Peter Saunders says finally.
Sarah Lynn goes over to the cabinet to get a bowl. "Well, we all can talk while I make us some lunch."
"I hope it isn't any trouble," Tommy utters earnestly.
Tanner and Sarah Lynn give each other an amused expression.
Tanner puts a hand on her boyfriend's shoulder.
"One thing you got to know about this family is when we get together we eat we eat a whole lot."
​
"Sure do," Sarah Lynn vocalizes from her current station at the stove.
Peter hikes across the room to the two teenagers who are laughing about something.
"Tanner sweetheart keep your grandma company, while I get to know the boy."
Before anyone can protest, he informs he won't cause a scene. He leads him out of the kitchen into the living room.
​
Tommy remains standing when Peter looks him up and down. He rather for him to yell at him right now for supposedly corrupting his granddaughter.
"I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt here, but what I know of your father and your granddaddy it ain't making it easy." Peter vocalizes
"No offense, Mr. Saunders I am not either one of them, I know you care about Tanner, but like I told her father I care about her too."
Peter sucks his teeth, debating whether the teenage boy is telling him the truth or not. "Boy, it ain't no secret why you were kicked outta that private school."
COVINGTON GROUP
On the eighth floor of the Covington Tower in Downtown Radcliffe on another summer day. Shauna Jackson is sitting behind her desk inside of her office she was given with the official title as an interior decorator. A far cry from the cubicle she shared on the same floor when she was an assistant.
Her office is sizable, More than enough for her belongings and it also includes a private restroom too. Skimming through some things so when her phone rings she quickly gathers herself. She picks it off the cradle to answer it. On the other line is the design department secretary Trini informing her that Max is here to see her.
"Thank you, Please send him in," she permisses.
Shauna hangs up the phone when he walks into the office.
"Hi," she says pleasantly.
"Hi,"
He crosses over to her, and they begin passionately kissing one another before Shauna opens her mouth.
​
Max informs her. "Oh I was downtown taking some updated photos of the staff for Trust and Savings Bank, and I decided to come to visit my fiancée. "How are you?" Haven't lost the ring so far have you?" he jokes with her.
Shauna raises her hand, showcasing the yellow-gold ring with the sparkling diamond on her finger. "Not on my watch Covington,"
Max is about to ask her what she is up to before he peaks on her desk of a recent Architectural Digest next to it is some type of wedding magazine that is open to the dress section.
"I never pictured you as someone who refers to the periodicals for wedding tips," Max teases her.
"Believe it or not, I have never been a bridesmaid or a bride." Explaining the reasoning behind Bridal Monthly in her possession.
Max takes a seat on the blackberry crushed velvet sofa. "Since we're talking about our big day I think it is about damn time we pick a date."
​
Between with work picking up and other obligations, Shauna embarrassingly hadn't thought too much of a date.
She gets out of her desk chair obtaining her planner near her. Then plops next to him.
"Any possible days?" he says aloud "Our wedding should be fun and relaxing not stressful."
As a member of the elite on New York's Upper East Side, he has seen more million-dollar weddings last longer than the actual marriage itself. He does not want to happen to the two of them.
"Like a holiday right?" Shauna acknowledges
"Absofuckingloutley!" he agrees.
Shauna flips her planner to find the right date. Her finger then lands on a particular day. "What about New Years Eve?"
Last year on that date they were staying in a ski resort in Sun Valley where they made love for the first time together as a couple. Figuring this date might be special for them.
​
"Do you really want to say I do when its below twenty degrees?" Max points out
"You're right," she turns the pages backward.
Locating the date she gives of a pleasurable articulation on her face.
"If I had it my way I would marry you in Vegas tomorrow," Max declares
"Now, Now, slow your roll Max, I can't wait to marry you either, but I'm ain't in that much hurry," She looks down at the date on her planner. Comprehending what was just said here and what they want in a wedding.
"I think we got a date after all."
"My birthday?" Max responds sarcastically.
"Not even close, Labor Day Weekend," she retorts.
"In a month, I love it," Max responds positively.
​
Shauna positions herself to be in her fiancé's lap. "Come September I will become your wife, We just need to finalize the guest list, invitations, a venue, someone to marry us, who is going to cater all of the food?"
With a good-natured smile on his face, he places his pointer finger on her lips. "Let's just live in the moment, Shauna,"
The engaged duo begin making out with another on the sofa.
THE WATERFALL BAR
The first time Antoine Hall heard Martha Saunders sing was his first week attending an assembly at Radcliffe High School when his mother and himself had moved to the rural town after years of living here and there.
She sang the National Anthem so good it made him look up to take notice of the white girl with the soulful voice.
Years later, as he watches her performance at the grand-reopening of Jojo's on his iPhone. He is still impressed by her talented vocals.
He along, with Martha was working behind the bar during the late morning shift. Luckily, it is a light rush so far, so it was plenty of downtime.
​
With both hands on her hips and a quizzical facial expression. Martha asks. "Does this girl still got it or not?"
Antoine folds his arms on his broad chest. "This girl still got it," he says cheerfully.
Shrieking joyously she threw both of her arms around him as a friendly gesture. Martha had found out that someone recorded a video of her performing on stage at the café online, and currently it has over two-thousand views. And twelve comments ranging from she sounds good to wanting to know if she is single? Martha couldn't believe all of this since only a few weeks ago singing was far from her mind.
"Are you serious Antoine?"
"Like hell, " he replies
He turns around to see his girlfriend walking towards the bar in a dark gray pantsuit. Antoine licks his lips at the sight of her looking fine as usual.
"Hey," they both say in unison.
Nichelle situates herself on the stool then puts her purse in front of her.
Martha comes over to greet her too.
"So what you two getting up to?" Nichelle casually inquires.
​
They inform her about the video of Martha singing in which Nichelle admits she saw it too.
"Martha have you thought about pursuing your music again?" Nichelle says
"I haven't thought about it to be honest with you, but I got this job and an infant to raise,"
"True, but you can't keep using those as excuses to follow your dreams," Antoine tells her.
"At least consider starting small doing open-mic nights or small gigs at bars and clubs," Nichelle advises.
Martha tucks a few loose strands of her blonde hair behind her ears. "Maybe you're right,"
Antoine shoots his friend a look. "Of course my girl is right,"
​
Martha begins to feel like the third wheel, so when a customer approaches her she takes his order.
"So what it is on the agenda for tonight?" Nichelle wonders
Antoine scratches his itchy arm. "I was thinking we Netflix and Chill."
Nichelle exhales like she is doing her damnedest to hold back.
"'What's wrong?"
JOJO'S CAFE
Uncomfortably, Sean clears his throat. " How are you doing Esther?"
Tricia sneers at the elf-size woman. "Who do you think you are?"
"The woman who can make your life a living hell in this town if I wanted to,"
"Esther, I know you're defending Louise, but you can't come in here to threaten Tricia."
Esther crosses her arms under her chest. "Who says they are simply threats," she says point-blank. "And the last time I check this is a public place."
Few of the patrons' ears begin to perk up as the conversation between the three becomes louder.
"You don't even know me," Tricia says defensively.
Esther grabs the strap of her purse on her shoulder. "But you're not that hard to figure out darling, you were single, he wasn't, he told you some sack of bull it appealed to you and before you know it you two were doing the horizontal mambo."
Doing her best not to become volatile, she tells the customers that everything is fine.
"Order something or get out now!" she says harshly.
"A tea with lemon and honey to go," she answers.
Sean leans in so he wouldn't be overheard. "I got to get back to the farm, are you going to be all right?"
Tricia grabs a paper cup to pour into the beverage. "I dealt with worse in my life,"
The couple decides not to show any affection since they didn't want to draw any more unneeded attention.
Sean exits out of the coffeehouse heading to his truck on the street.
"I'll be standing right here just in case you feel like a spit-take," Esther warns her.
FRANKLIN FARM: MAIN HOUSE
FRANKLIN FARM: MAIN HOUSE
Tanner is sitting down at the table in the kitchen cutting vegetables on the chopping board for the tossed salad. She tosses her head over to Sarah Lynn.
"Grandma, you don't think granddad is going to feed Tommy to the cows do you?"
Sarah Lynn chuckles whilst she is flipping over chicken breasts in a pan on the stove. "Even your grandfather wouldn't be that foolish love."
"Why is he so overprotective?" Tanner wants to know.
The Saunders matriarch steps away from the pan. "Good question I put it down to he cares --- maybe too much to a fault."
"This is my first ever boyfriend, and it seems the two most important men in my life our trying to scare him off. "
​
A few weeks prior, Sean had talked to Tommy and also with her twin sister's boyfriend at the cafe reopening to talk to them about respecting his daughters. Later they had told them how it went, and it seemed her dad hadn't made much of an impact that he thought he would.
"As long as you want to be with this boy, don't let anyone get in the way of that." Sarah Lynn strongly advises.
"Thanks, Grandma,"
​
"If you need someone to talk to, I'm always here love,"
The opening of the side door has the two women seeing Louise with Daniel Covington. Daring not to express their curiosity to why those two are together.
"Smells good in here mom," Louise remarks.
Sarah Lynn uses a spatula to flip over the breasts "It'll be done soon, should I set out another plate for you Daniel?"
​
Daniel is about to answer when the voice of Peter's rising gets their attention.
"He got some nerve," Daniel states.
The four continue to hear Peter talking to Tommy harshly, which makes Daniel take off into the living room. With the three Saunders women succeeding after him.
​
Tommy shakes his head not being prepared for him to bring up his expulsion from Wentworth Academy for being caught having sex with his headmaster's goddaughter in her dormitory past curfew last fall.
"Yeah what happened did happen, Look, sir, I'm not perfect I do like your granddaughter, she knows I won't intentionally hurt her."
Peter gets a bit closer to him keeping eye contact with him. "My family means a great deal to me, and I can't shake this feeling you're going to slip up."
Tommy so much wants to counterattack that claim but he can't without sounding like a prick.
​
"That's enough!" Daniel exclaims loudly
He, with Louise, Sarah Lynn and Tanner appear beside each other in the living room.
"What the hell you think you're doing Peter? he asks "I won't let you do to him what you did to me when I was his age."
Daniel too remembers Peter being rather suspicious about him when he was dating Louise when they were kids. He is not going to stand for it thirty years later.
"Granddad, why are you attacking Tommy?"
Peter felt like he was enemy number one with all of the stares aimed at him. He won't stand to be made the bad guy in his own house.
"I was tellin your son he better not hurt my granddaughter,"Don't act like you haven't done the same thing to your daughter and my nephew."
Louise takes her daughter into her arms recalling being that young to deal with a parental figure vehemently disliking your boyfriend. "Dad, Daniel, I think we should let Tommy and Tanner go hang out without us adults." She mentions it in a way it isn't up for discussion.
Tanner apologies as the two of them leave out of the front door.
Sarah Lynn sighs heavily. "There is lunch for anyone hungry."
She turns to her husband with a look of you made a complete jackass of yourself.
Sarah Lynn and Peter go into the kitchen, leaving Daniel and Louise in the room.
Louise is about to open her mouth before Daniel holds his hand up to not say anything at the moment.
"You do not have to tell me that your sorry, I thought after we got that deal with MarketFresh Peter and I would at least be civil, but I guess I was wrong."
"I'll talk to my father about it, you're a good man Daniel, I always knew that."
"But I haven't always act like it though."
Louise notices Daniel has something important to communicate with her.
"I wanted to ask you if---
His statement is cut off when the ringing of his iPhone gets his observation.
She waits on him patiently to wrap up the conversation over the phone.
Daniel seems a tad tense. "An accident happened to one of the workers one of the residential sites."
​
"That's terrible, Is he okay?"
"I don't know, he is in the hospital, I got to deal with this, I will talk to you later."
Louise nods at him with deliverance.
Daniel finds himself outside heading towards his Bentley wanting to go back inside that house to confess to Louise he wants to start dating her again. Nevertheless, he knows his company's image is important to him too.
"'What a damn day," he says to himself before starting up the car.
THE WATERFALL BAR
"Much as I love spending time with you just the two of us - I think let's change up the routine a bit by going out as other couples do."
Antoine knows he is the type of person who prefers staying indoors rather than paying money for some expensive movie or restaurant. A bowl of popcorn, beer, and a movie on Netflix satisfy him greatly.
"We have been seeing each other for a while now, and we been out only one time at The Chateau when we ran into Max and Shauna."
When they first started dating he took her out to lunch in hopes to make the lunch date between Shauna and Max uncomfortable since he was still devoted to making her his.
"If this is about money then I can pay," she says
Antoine wipes the counter with a dishtowel. "You ain't gotta do that all right, Would you be down for The Lion King in and some grub in Hudson Lake?"
"I'm down with that," she says
He stops to stare at Shauna and Max entering into the bar with smiles of delight whilst they're holding hands.
​
Nichelle rotates her head, curious to see what got her boyfriend's awareness.
"Hey, you two," Nichelle says in a jovial tone of voice.
The engaged couple walks over to them each greeting one another. Shauna also waves Martha over so she can also hear.
"We set a date for the wedding," Shauna announces
"Don't keep us in suspense," Martha said.
​
"We will be getting married on Labor Day Weekend," Max informs everyone, yet his eyes do not leave Antoine who looks like he is blown away by the news.
"So soon," Antoine takes note.
​
Nichelle taps her fingernails lightly on the surface-top. "I think it's sweet I mean it's the marriage that is most important not the pomp and circumstance."
"Bingo," Max adds
​
Antoine has a million thoughts in his head some he wanted to mention but knows that he can't with the present company.
Max and Shauna go to the other side of the bar where Martha fixes them their food and drink orders.
"She is really going through it," Antoine blurts out.
"Antoine, why do you sound jealous?" Nichelle rightfully detects.
"I am not jealous, I wish them the best, I'm just saying they gotta lot of stuff to plan that's all."
​
Nichelle arches her eyebrow at him, unsure of her boyfriend's stance on the upcoming nuptials. "I remember you told me you and Shauna used to mess around, the funny thing was you said it wasn't that serious guess you lied not to me but yourself too huh?"
Antoine nearly drops the glass mug out of his hand onto the ground of her accusation.
Nichelle removes herself out of the seat. "When you're ready to have a real conversation , you know where to find me, Antoine."
With one last glance, she trails out of the door into the warm summer afternoon.
"God damn it!" he swears.
The realization that now he royally screwed up, the expensive ticket prices seem irrelevant to him because the woman he came to care about knows that he isn't over Shauna.
END OF EPISODE
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Shauna takes offense to what Mae tells her.
Antoine seeks out some advice from Steven.
And Much More!
Leave your thoughts here, on the T&C forum