EPISODE 388
Written by: Bre L Drew
May 4, 2026
Last Time on Town and Country
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While away on their getaway at the Hudson Lake Spa and Villa, Steven answers Courtney’s phone, only to learn her missing earring had been found in Jacques’ suite—giving him pause.
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Meanwhile, back home, with Steven and Courtney gone, Evan decides to throw a house party… one that quickly begins getting out of control.
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Simultaneously at the party, Gemma tries to take her relationship with Micah to the next level; however, Micah becomes hesitant in the moment.
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Aaliyah waits for a response from Jacques after texting him to meet up at the suite where their affair has been taking place.
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But elsewhere, Jacques is left stunned when Emma reveals that she is pregnant.
HOME FARM
Jacques Laurent stands only feet away from the door, coat on, keys in hand, moments away from leaving for the Miller Inn to meet Aaliyah. His mind is already elsewhere when his wife stops him with quite unexpected news.
“I’m pregnant.”
The words hit him mid-motion.
It is entirely unforeseen. He had been prepared for tension, perhaps another argument—not this. The reality of impending fatherhood knocks him back internally, so much so that everything else becomes secondary. The Miller Inn. Aaliyah. The secrecy. Everything else pales in comparison to the immediate impact of what Emma has just said.
After a beat, he asks, “How are you?”
Emma Covington Laurent is somewhat relieved that her husband doesn’t seem upset or disturbed by the news—something she had worried about before telling him.
“Well,” she prefaces, “physically, I’m fine. I think I’m finally over the hurdle of morning sickness, thank God… but mentally, it’s still a lot to process.”
Jacques is speechless at first. He studies her, searching her expression, trying to calculate what this means for them.
Sensing his silence, Emma crosses her arms across her chest. “So… how do you feel about this development?”
HOPE COTTAGE
While the traffic has increased downstairs and the volume of music at Hope Cottage continues to rise as the unsupervised party carries on, upstairs in their friend’s parents’ bedroom, Gemma Grier and Micah Kelley are in the middle of an intense make-out session. What starts as making out quickly turns more serious as they lie on the bed.
Suddenly, Micah pulls back.
Gemma, flushed and caught off guard, looks at him in bewilderment.
“What the hell are you doing?” he asks, his breath uneven—not accusatory, but conflicted.
She blinks at him. “What does it look like I’m doing?”
She has been wanting them to finally sleep with each other; not only have they known each other for most of their lives, but they have also been together for a few years now.
He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I know. I just—right here?”
“Then where?” she challenges. There’s frustration beneath her tone now. “Because it feels like we’ve been avoiding this for months. Why?”
Micah hesitates. It isn’t necessarily about a lack of desire. It’s about timing. About complications. About everything happening around them.
The air between them shifts from physical intensity to emotional tension.
Downstairs, the cottage is growing chaotic.
“Zombie Lady” by Damiano David blasts through the soundbar, vibrating the walls. The party has grown louder and more unruly than planned—drinking games in the kitchen, smoke curling toward the ceiling, and laughter turning sharp and reckless.
Meanwhile, Evan Sullivan moves through the crowd, trying to maintain some semblance of order. He hadn’t intended for things to spiral this quickly.
He spots Skye Park near the wall and makes his way over.
“I need help,” he tells her.
The goth raises a brow. “Why me?”
It’s no secret the two haven’t gotten along, as they both find things wrong with the other.
“Because Micah and Gemma are getting it on upstairs, and this place is wildin’.” He gestures around them. “And besides,” he adds lightly, “it’ll keep you from holding the wall all night.”
She rolls her eyes but nods. “Fine.”
“Thanks.”
Before he can regroup, Kier Green swoops in, already energized by the chaos. He drapes an arm over Evan’s shoulder, the stocky high school starting quarterback presses a drink into his hand and urges him to loosen up. Kier’s eyes briefly scan Skye up and down before he turns his attention back to Evan, pulling him toward the center of the noise.
“Hey, man,” he says to the underclassman. “Looks like the word got around about the party.”
Skye mutters under her breath, “I’m good too,” but Kier doesn’t address her.
Instead, she moves through the house, surveying the damage control—straightening a lamp, steering someone away from a fragile table, opening a window to let the smoke clear.
More people continue to arrive, far more than Evan had anticipated.
HUDSON LAKE SPA AND VILLA
In the suite where he and his wife have been staying at the Hudson Lake Spa and Villa, Steven Sullivan stands near the window, phone still in his hand as he ends the call from the hotel in Miami. His expression is controlled, but his eyes are locked onto Courtney Covington Sullivan.
Unaware of the shift in the atmosphere, Courtney adjusts her plush white robe and then checks the time on the wall clock.
“Steven, we should head downstairs. Our massage starts in five minutes,” she says lightly.
He doesn’t move.
Instead, he asks evenly, “Is there something I should know?”
Courtney pauses, confused by the tone. “Uh, no. Why?”
There is a brief silence before Steven speaks.
“Well,” he says carefully, “it looks like the case of the missing earring has been solved. Apparently, it was found in Jacques’ hotel suite at the InterContinental Hotel in Miami, Florida.”
The cutting words hang in the air.
Courtney immediately understands what he is implying. Her expression shifts—not shocked that he knows, but caught off guard that it has surfaced now, here.
She exhales.
“Okay… something did happen down in Miami,” she admits.
Steven goes voiceless.
He doesn’t interrupt. He doesn’t react outwardly. He simply watches her, absorbing the weight of her confession as the ticking clock toward their scheduled massage suddenly feels irrelevant.
In their room at the Hudson Lake Spa and Villa, the air remains tense after Courtney admits something did happen in Miami.
Steven stands still in his matching robe; however, he starts to feel ridiculous wearing it, especially right now, bracing himself internally for whatever comes next.
Courtney takes a breath. She decides not to soften it or dance around it.
“In Miami, there was a moment… a brief moment between Jacques and me.”
Steven’s jaw tightens almost imperceptibly. He says nothing, but his posture shifts—shoulders squaring, preparing for impact.
Courtney continues.
“We had discovered that the land the company had invested millions in was basically worthless—marshland—and we were both shaken. It was the least self-assured we’ve ever felt, and… the two of us shared a moment… a kiss. A brief kiss in his hotel suite. I must’ve lost my earring there when I left his suite, when I realized what we did,” she finally admits.
Steven exhales sharply and shakes his head in restrained disbelief. Not explosive anger—something heavier. A quiet confirmation of a fear he has been holding.
“You know, I wish I could say I didn’t see it coming, but something inside me knew it would…” he stops himself before more venom comes out.
Courtney steps closer to him, but notices Steven pulls away.
“It was only a kiss, and I know that’s not a strong explanation, but once it happened, I knew nothing further could. I don’t know where it came from, but I’m telling you—it wasn’t love. I have never loved Jacques.”
Steven looks at her differently now.
“Where in the hell did it come from then, Courtney? Lust?”
Courtney’s demeanor turns more resolute. “I don’t know exactly—emotional, confused, vulnerable,” she admits.
Steven waves his hands. “It doesn’t matter where it came from. And it damn sure doesn’t mean nothing, especially since our marriage has been far from ideal lately!”
“I won’t deny there have been cracks in our marriage for some time now,” Courtney says lowly. “There’s been distance and unmet expectations on both sides."
Steven goes quiet again.
VICTORY COTTAGE
Aaliyah Gupta is currently doing the one thing she thought she wouldn’t be doing on this rather uneventful Saturday night: sitting on the couch in the living room of the residential cottage she shares with her family, waiting for a reply from Jacques after sending him a text to meet up, as she needs a distraction despite their ongoing affair.
Though desperately wanting something to come through, she tries not to stare at her phone and instead distracts herself by skimming an episode of the latest season of Bridgerton. The costume design captivates her, prompting thoughts about her unemployment after Jacques’s dismissal from the company.
Not long thereafter, the front door opens, and within seconds, the presence of Jes Choudhury becomes apparent as she enters the living room, having spent a few hours with her boyfriend, Antoine, at his workplace, The Waterfall.
“Hey, you’re still in the same place I left you earlier,” Jes remarks observantly.
The attorney is wearing a faded green V-neck lace tank, light denim jeans, and a black cotton blazer, carrying her designer bag. Her usually perfectly coiffed hair is in a half-up ponytail, with the rest hanging loosely past her shoulders.
“You’re home early,” Aaliyah retorts.
Jes doesn’t let the comment get to her. “Antoine, Esther Saunders, and I are trying to help Mae and Gus see the light regarding their relationship.”
Aaliyah gives a nod that suggests empathy, though she clearly isn’t invested in anyone else’s relationship right now.
Jes grips her purse strap as the noise from the street grows louder.
“I noticed a bunch of cars on the street just now. Do you know what’s going on next door?”
“Not really,” Aaliyah shrugs.
Jes studies her. “Is everything alright?”
Aaliyah sidesteps the question. “Who knows?”
Jes wonders if it has to do with Aaliyah’s ongoing situation with Jacques Laurent, remembering she warned her to stay away from the married man, though she knows now isn’t the time to bring it up.
“So,” Aaliyah says, changing the subject, “what exactly is going on between you and my mother?”
“It was just a bit of a misunderstanding, Aaliyah,” Jes replies.
She recalls that the two got into it the other day over her relationship with Antoine and her growing attraction to Samuel.
“Well, my brother hasn’t been here since New Year’s Eve, when he and Mommy had that verbal showdown, so I thought you would know something,” Aaliyah says, trying to get a reaction from the longtime family friend.
“Like I said, it’s just a misunderstanding,” Jes repeats, a bit more impatient this time.
Before the conversation can continue, Jai Gupta walks into the room.
“I don’t mean to interrupt you, ladies, but Jes, can I talk to you for a few minutes?” he asks.
Jes silently nods and follows him into the kitchen while the music outside the house becomes more apparent. Aaliyah remains in the living room, still waiting for any sign of life from her phone.
“I’m sure you’re missing Mala,” Jes says as the two stand across from one another at the counter. “Her luck—she gets to go to New York City for work, huh?”
Mala had been sent on Covington business to oversee some of the architecture of a property being built.
“That I do,” Jai says casually. “But we’ve been in contact, and she’ll be home the day after tomorrow. I, uh, wanted to see how you’re doing. I know it can’t be easy being under the same roof with what is going on between you and Mala.”
Jes sets her purse down in front of her.
“Look, with all due respect, Jai, I admit that Samuel and I have grown closer, but it’s not like I’m actively pursuing something with him. Besides, I’m involved with Antoine. But even if I wasn’t, it’s not any of her business.”
Jai shifts slightly, trying to relax his posture, knowing the topic is uncomfortable.
“I just want you to know that Mala is coming from a well-meaning place. I know sometimes it seems like she’s trying to intrude on your personal life—she cares deeply, that’s all.”
“Well, Jai, you know what they say about good intentions.”
As Jai is about to respond further, not only does whatever passes as rap music grow way louder, but various voices from outside catch their attention.
“What is going on out there?” Jai queries.
“That’s what I want to know,” Jes replies as the two move toward the window.
Despite the darkness, the house next door—Hope Cottage—is alive with lights. Cars are parked in the driveway and along the street, and teenagers are outside laughing, talking, drinking, and engaging in various activities.
“Looks like someone’s throwing a party,” Jes notes, though she quickly remembers that Steven and Courtney are out of town and that Evan is supposed to be home alone—which clearly isn’t the case.
“Well… not for long,” Jai remarks ominously.
HOME FARM
The tension in the foyer carries into the house before Jacques tries to close it by speaking.
“Uh, it’s just very unexpected, that’s all…” He stops himself, trying to process what is happening. Then, in his potent
French accent, he adds, “How are you?”
Emma gives a facial expression that conveys uncertainty regarding her husband and their future child.
“Again, I’m fine, but Jacques, I want to… I need to know whether or not I will be bringing a child into the world with a father who doesn’t second-guess its existence.”
Jacques reaches for her hand this time and gently guides her further inside, into the spacious living room.
The two of them sit on the sofa.
“Frankly, I never imagined us as parents, especially now with everything going on,” he confesses.
Emma takes a strand of her hair, tucking it behind her ear. “Well, that makes two of us.”
“How long have you known?”
This time, Emma exhales before answering.
“I’ve known for a while… I was trying to find the right time to tell you.”
“You know, I thought when I became a father I would be running my own business or at least employed, which is not the case,” Jacques says, defeated.
He had been voted out of his wife’s family’s company, despite not being the one responsible for the land deal going wrong.
Emma lifts her head, finding some comfort. “It’s not like we don’t have the financial means to provide for this child.”
Jacques nods begrudgingly. “I know, it’s just… It’s not about money. I want to provide properly for my child, to leave their own legacy. No one would say that Jacques Laurent isn’t holding up his end.”
Emma exhales, understanding he is likely referring to her mother and her brother, who are his two biggest detractors.
“Well, I’m sure whatever you do, it will be something great,” Emma says with quiet certainty.
“How are you with this?” Jacques wonders.
“I mean, I’m not exactly a spring chicken. You know, I’ve been doing the math, and I will be forty when I have this baby.
It also makes me think of what could go wrong, but with you by my side, I’ll feel less like I’m going to be the spitting image of my mother…”
Jacques looks at her candidly, the love he has for her evident. “God forbid that you would be Deirdre Covington as a mother. This child is wanted—not only by you, but I’m also one hundred percent on board and I promise you this child will not want for anything."
She gives him a look—searching, slightly skeptical—but ultimately lets it go.
They embrace. The hug is stable, grounding. They share a modest kiss, then slowly pull away.
But as he holds her, he remembers Aaliyah.
And silently, he acknowledges that something will have to be handled.
HOPE COTTAGE
Back at the party, “Disney Princess” by Melanie Martinez blasts through the house. The music is louder than before, and even more people have shown up.
Evan scans the room, having managed to escape from Kier while looking for Micah, but figures he is still upstairs handling things with Gemma, praying it isn’t in his room.
Outside in the backyard, Evan notices a group smoking weed and doing shots in plain view. Panic flickers across his face—if his dad or stepmother finds out about this, he is done.
He rushes outside.
“Y’all can’t do that out here,” Evan proclaims.
They don’t listen.
He retreats back inside the cottage when Kier slides up beside him, throwing an arm around his shoulder, clearly buzzed from drinking. “Relax, man.”
“Six,” Kier says as a sophomore girl with shoulder-length blonde hair passes by with a cup in her hand, without a coat or hoodie despite it being under fifty degrees outside.
Evan stiffens. “What are you doing?”
“Wanna play? The rules are rating girls on a scale of 1 (‘I will never be caught dead with’) to 10 (‘I can’t stop lookin’ at that ass’).”
Kier smirks, then spots Skye nearby. “What would you rate the walking dead?”
“I don’t want to play,” Evan immediately says.
Kier nudges him. “C’mon, don’t be a pussy.”
Frustrated and wanting it over with, Evan snaps. “Look, I wouldn’t rate her at all! Because I’m not into wannabe Wednesday Addams, okay!”
Her expression says she heard everything.
Evan quickly moves toward her, trying to smooth things over as attention slowly shifts in their direction. Kier hangs back, watching.
“Skye,” he calls.
“I didn’t mean for you to hear that; it’s just Kier, and well, you know what he’s like,” he says, somewhat apologetic.
Skye says nothing at first.
Then, in one swift motion, she grabs the punch bowl off the table—the one Evan and Micah had made earlier, now spiked with vodka by Kier—and dumps it over his head.
“How do you like wannabe Wednesday Addams now?” she challenges.
Laughter and other reactions erupt around them.
Without another word, Skye storms out of the house, already pulling out her phone to call a cab.
Kier walks up behind Evan, patting him on the back as punch drips from his hair.
“At least she didn’t cast a spell on you,” Kier jokes.
Evan stands there, soaked and humiliated as the party continues around him.
HUDSON LAKE SPA AND VILLA
Back in their room, the unspoken stillness after Courtney’s confession feels heavy.
Steven looks at her steadily and says, “Come on, be honest; the only reason why you confessed is because you couldn’t get away with lying anymore.”
Courtney immediately shakes her head. “That’s not true—I told you because you were owed the truth."
“If Ramon from the hotel hadn’t called, or you’d intercepted the call, would you have told me?”
That question lingers.
Courtney opens her mouth, about to explain further—perhaps to admit there is more she has been wrestling with—when
Steven’s phone suddenly chimes.
He glances at the screen and answers.
“Hello? Oh—what?” A pause. “No, don’t worry about it. I’m glad you did… no, no, we’re going to handle it. We’re on our way. Thanks again, bye.”
He hangs up.
Courtney asks, “What is it?”
Steven exhales and presses his forefinger to the bridge of his nose, trying to contain his frustration.
“That was Jai. Apparently, Evan threw a party at the house. It’s out of control.”
Courtney’s expression shifts from defensive to alarmed. “Steven, I—”
“Not now.”
The timing couldn’t be worse.
They begin gathering their things quickly, the mood tense and unresolved. The couples massage, the quiet time away, and any hope of repairing things peacefully gone.
As they pack up, it becomes clear their getaway is officially a bust.
END OF EPISODE
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Presley tries to get Tanner to accept reality.
Tommy plans a romantic surprise.
The party ends abruptly.
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