EPISODE 35
Written by: Bre L. Drew
Last Time On Town and Country
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To make Shauna jealous, Antoine invited Nichelle Austin to dinner.
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Courtney called Shauna a opportunist to Max which he did not like at all.
THE WATERFALL BAR: JACKSON APARTMENT
Notwithstanding his self-assertive personality, Antoine Hall rarely boasts his prowess in the kitchen. Right now he is putting the finishing touches to the shrimp alfredo he is making in the apartment. Soon he will be entertaining Nichelle Austin he had invited her yesterday afternoon partly as thanks for not being upset for him backing into her car a few weeks ago. But he asked her to be with him tonight because he wants to make Shauna jealous. Since she is now taken up with Max Covington, in spite of knowing she has feelings for him too.
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Dressed in a faded denim blue long-sleeve polo with jeans, this is the most well put together he has been in he doesn't know how long.
Shauna Jackson scurries into the apartment on the phone ending her conversation. She doesn't hide her frustration by groaning.
"Rough day?" Antoine asks
"You have no idea, I thought when Daniel hired me, I was going to be an actual interior decorator, but for the past week or so now I've been everyone's personal errand girl, get me a coffee Shauna, make sure XYZ get this email blah fuckin blah." Shauna replies with her grievances.
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"Don't let them see you sweat Shauna," he says truthfully.
Shauna looks around the apartment, seeing that it is clean since she left out this morning. "It smells good in here." Shauna states
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She retreats into her bedroom in order to put her things in there then comes back out of it.
Antoine folds his arms on his muscular chest, he nods. "What you up to now?"
"Nothing much, thank god I'm off for a few days because of Christmas, so I'm going downstairs to keep grandma company. "
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Shauna pulls the knob to open the door as she is about to step forward when Nichelle Austin reaches to the doorway. She doesn't hide her confusion of this chick taking off her winter coat.
Nichelle is wearing a rust color wrap front bodycon dress with black strappy heels, and her hair is hanging down giving her even more of a classy look. She is carrying a brown pleather shoulder bag.
As Antoine makes the introductions between his ex-lover to his new friend, it becomes obvious that his plan is working.
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MILLER INN: COURTNEY'S SUITE
Between conflicting work schedules and other obligations, Courtney Covington and Steven Sullivan finally have made up for lost time. The couple is now in bed in minimal clothing where a few minutes ago they were in a state of passionate sex in Courtney's hotel suite.
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Courtney sees him paying particular attention to his phone screen.
"Hey, what's going on?" she asks her boyfriend.
Steven lifts his head towards her direction. "One of the dogs, I regularly treat is having some sort of emergency which means I need to go down to the clinic."
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"Poor thing"
Steven gets out of bed in search for his pants that are in a heap on the floor.
"So are we still exchanging gifts on Christmas Eve? " Courtney wants to know.
Steven puts his shirt on. "Yeah"
Courtney tosses her mane off her shoulder. "I just hate that we are celebrating our first Christmas together apart."
Knowing that Steven wants to be with his family for the holiday and since members of his family wouldn't accept her coming out to the farm with him they decided that they will meet up to have dinner then give each other their gifts on the night before Christmas.
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Now fully dressed, he goes over to Courtney who is lying down in bed now holding her iPhone.
"Go ahead, call him you know you want to." Steven says, he kisses her when she watches him walk out of the room.
Courtney goes to her contacts to automatically dial the person she wants to speak with. She puts the phone to her ear waiting for the person to answer.
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THE WATERFALL BAR
Downstairs in the bar, the place is exhibiting a crowd mostly wanting to forget about their troubles this holiday season. Donny Hathaway's classic This Christmas is slightly putting Mae Jackson more into the mood since the day is nearly a week away. She is behind the bar in the middle counting change in the register as her granddaughter is finishing up her glass of red wine.
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"I can't believe it has been two years," Shauna says
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"Me neither, it still seems sometimes that your grandfather is still here with us." Mae sighs
"Do you know about that girl that Twon invited to have dinner with her? " Shauna poses the question.
Mae explains how Antoine initially had that minor fender bender leading to him asking her to have dinner with him.
Shauna seems a bit miff what she is told about what all occurred.
"I'm sure this girl has low self-esteem like the others."
Mae knows that in the past that Antoine has been with several girls who only lasted one or two nights before they disappear without a trace. But something about Nichelle makes her think she is different.
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"Well, I'm glad that Antoine is seeing someone else, bout time he did so," Mae says defending her surrogate grandson.
Shauna rolls her eyes as she clutches onto the newly poured glass of wine.
Max Covington approaches the bar he greets both Jackson women before laying a kiss on Shauna's lips.
"I'm gonna to give you two some privacy," Mae tells them, she dashes over to a set of customers at the end of the counter.
Shauna looks at him intensely it seems like he has only gotten better looking since the last time she saw him. Even if he still looks the same perhaps his sudden burst of swagger.
Max takes a seat beside her on the stool. "How have you been?"
Shauna smiles widely. "Better since you're here."
"What are you doing for Christmas?" Max asks
"Uh--I don't really know, this time of the year is hard on my grandmother because of my grandfather's death but why you ask? "
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"My father and I would love for your grandmother and yourself to attend dinner at Home Farm," Max replies
"Really? are you sure I know we only started dating but---.
Max puts his finger on her mouth to silence her.
"Don't think about it just say yes."
Shauna puts his hand down from her face gently. "Yes"
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A voice awkwardly calls out "Hey."
The pair of them turns to see Courtney standing there in an embellished silk hunter green V-neck camisole with a black blazer and charcoal pants holding onto her green clutch.
THE WATERFALL BAR: JACKSON APARTMENT
Nichelle isn't hiding her pleasure even as she tastes the shrimp alfredo. The two of them are sitting at the dining table partaking in their meals.
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"Antoine this is good."
Antoine grins a bit. "I know a thang or two in the kitchen." He then takes a swig from his beer bottle.
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She licks her lips. "To tell you the truth, I was a little resistant coming here at first but glad I stayed."
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"And you're cool yourself, you don't hide behind all of the bullshit you real," Antoine says straightforwardly.
"You know everything about me, I am one semester away from completing law school, Detroit born and raised, and my parents still our embarrassingly lovey-dovey towards one another. So what about yourself?"
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Antoine takes a few bites of his entrée. "Nothing much to tell, not from around here, moved around a lot comin up, the Jacksons took me in."
She nibbles on a garlic stick. "You don't like talking about your past do you?"
Antoine sighs impatiently. "I like to focus more on what I got now that's all."
The two continue to eat in cumbersome silence.
THE WATERFALL BAR
When Courtney had reached out to Max, he was on his way over here, so he told her to meet him at the bar. She hadn't expected Shauna to be so receptive when she requested to speak to her brother alone. Then he mentioned he hadn't told her about how she called her an opportunist to his face a few days ago.
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She receives her glass of Zinfandel wine so she wouldn't be just sitting here without contributing to Mae Jackson for insulting her granddaughter.
"Look, Max, what I said about Shauna the other day I was out of line.
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Max's facial pronouncement portrays him thinking he wouldn't hear any type of apology from his little sister.
"I am not going to stand by letting you think you're better than her for the reason of us being from privilege and she is not. I have gotten to know her she has worked her ass off to get where she is at today."
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Courtney runs her finger over the rim of her glass. "She is working at Covington now." she says even-tempered.
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Max nods,
"You're my brother I don't want you to get hurt."
"I appreciate that, but Court, I'm a big boy, I don't need your protection when it comes to who I'm seeing." he defends himself. " Though I do miss my little sister," he remarks.
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Courtney takes a drink. "Must say not a fan of not being able to talk to you too."
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Max puts his arm around her in a familial way. "I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I'm sure all of us would want to see you at the house for Christmas."
She lets out a long exhausted breath thinking of how her father tried to control her life by trying to split her relationship with Steven.
"I will see," Courtney tells him. She then takes a gulp of her beverage.
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THE WATERFALL BAR: JACKSON APARTMENT
Noticing how quiet the two of them were finishing their dinner. Antoine is trying to salvage the rest of the night in spite of Nichelle putting on her coat.
"If I sounded like an asshole earlier lemme say I apologize."
She puts the strap of her purse on her shoulder. "I get it."
"Nichelle, you a cool girl if you want we can redo this date this weekend?"
"I can't."
"Oh?"
"No, it's not you, it's just that, I am flying home tomorrow to celebrate Christmas with the fam so I won't be back into town, till the new year but when I get back we can hook up."
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Antoine begins to grin hard. "You serious?"
"If I wasn't, my ass would've been outta here a long time ago." she laughs.
And he does the same too.
Shauna comes through the doorway where she spots the glimpse of Antoine giving Nichelle a kiss on the cheek.
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"I'll call you later Antoine, nice meeting you Shauna. "
Nichelle heels click as she moves out of the door to the stairs.
Shauna follows behind her former friend with benefits into the kitchen where he is putting dirty dishes and cutlery into the right side of the sink.
"You didn't run that girl off, did you? " Shauna partially jokes.
Antoine swivels his head to her. "At first I thought I did, but we gonna hang out when she gets back to Radcliffe."
"Max invited me out to Home Farm for Christmas."
"Good for you."
"Yeah, he is so sweet, I feel safe with him you know."
You can be safe with me. Antoine thinks to himself.
"I know what you're doing Shauna."
Shauna places her hands on both of her hips. "Whatever am I doing Antoine?"
Antoine faces the girl he still wants more than ever in his bed so she can forget about that skinny white boy.
"Because I am doing the same thing to you."
He trails off leaving her behind with so many emotions which makes her shake her head refusing to let him get to her.
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END OF EPISODE
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
It's Christmas Day In Radcliffe!
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