EPISODE 389
Written by: Bre L Drew
May 16, 2026
Last Time on Town and Country
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Courtney admitted she kissed Jacques in Miami before Jai’s call about Evan’s out-of-control party abruptly ended her and Steven’s getaway.
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Despite Tommy telling Jordan he plans to leave their marriage for Tanner and move to Minnesota, Jordan remains adamant about saving their marriage.
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Tricia was stunned when Jolene revealed she plans to move to Los Angeles after being cleared in Wade’s self-defense killing.
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As Micah and Gemma were about to have sex for the first time, Micah pulled away.
HOME FARM: GUEST HOUSE
The Saturday evening is growing later while Jordan Covington lies beside her son, Jeremy Covington, in his bedroom upstairs in the two-story guest house where they reside. The young boy, freshly bathed and dressed in dinosaur pajamas, is already drifting to sleep as she finishes reading The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Winfield Martin.
She closes the book and sets it on the nightstand.
Jeremy’s breathing steadies as he falls asleep.
Jordan leans down and gently kisses his forehead.
For a moment, she sits quietly beside him, her thoughts drifting back to Tommy telling her he wants to leave her for Tanner — the woman who had once been part of their lives for years. The memory clearly hurts, but Jordan steadies herself with determination, vowing not to let her family fall apart.
Just then, the doorbell rings from downstairs.
Jordan pauses, glancing at Jeremy to make sure the noise hasn’t woken him. The boy remains fast asleep, his cherubic face peaceful.
She quietly slips out of the bed and heads downstairs.
Jordan reaches the bottom of the staircase wearing a charcoal gray, drapey T-shirt with leggings. Her blonde hair hangs past her shoulders. She opens the door to find Presley McKnight standing in the doorway, whom she wordlessly lets inside the house before closing the door behind them.
"So, uh, is Tommy here?" her brother questions, obviously not in the mood to deal with his brother-in-law.
Jordan shakes her head and lowers her voice. "Um, Jeremy just crashed, though."
"I hope I didn't wake him," Presley says apologetically.
"No, he was still out when I left his room." She quickly looks over her shoulder at the staircase briefly before turning back to her older brother.
"Mom told me what's going on with you and that 'husband' of yours," Presley states.
Jordan darts her eyes in annoyance. "Of course she did, and let me guess — you're here mostly on her behalf, and some of yours, to tell me to come to my senses and leave Tommy, right? Well, let me tell you, Presley, that is not happening."
The tension between them lingers as Presley studies his sister, clearly worried.
ESTHER SAUNDERS STABLES
The night sky is in scenic view this evening throughout Radcliffe, accompanied by the sounds of grasshoppers and crickets, along with the occasional noises from the horses residing at Esther Saunders Stables, where Tanner Lockhart works, and her great-aunt owns the property.
The young woman, dressed in a dark cardigan sweater and jeans, holds onto her carryall bag as she walks along the familiar trail behind the property—the same place where many important moments between them have happened over the years.
When she reaches the small clearing, she stops in surprise upon seeing what awaits her.
Various takeout containers from Henry’s BBQ, along with a bottle of wine and plastic cups, sit atop the bench while the soft glow of lantern light fills the outdoor space.
Tanner smiles, obviously touched by the gesture.
“What is all of this?” she asks.
Tommy Covington walks over to her, grasping both of her hands. He is dressed in a navy-blue long-sleeved shirt paired with slacks.
“It’s for us, can’t you tell?” he says warmly. “Before we know it, you’re going to be buried in textbooks and lab assignments. We’re not going to have much time together.”
Tanner remains deeply affected by the sentiment, knowing they will soon be moving to St. Paul together, where she plans to pursue veterinary school at the University of Minnesota.
“Hey, let’s sit down and eat,” Tommy adds.
The two sit across from one another at the bench as Tommy pours pinot noir into the plastic cups.
“Did you tell Jordan about us?” Tanner eventually asks, nervously gesturing with her hands back and forth.
Tommy sets down the bottle and the cup in front of the girl he has been in love with since his teens and exhales while nodding.
“How did she take it?”
Tanner already presumes it didn’t go well, knowing how deeply Jordan still loves her husband despite Tommy no longer returning the same affection.
“I think you can guess how it turned out,” Tommy says somewhat sardonically.
Tanner tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Tommy, I know we’ve come a long way, but I’m still adamant about not wanting to come between you and Jordan… I…”
He looks at her firmly.
“Let’s not bring all of that up, okay? Can we just enjoy the moment?” he reassures her.
Tanner does her best to adopt that mindset as she opens a container filled with barbecue chicken, baked beans, coleslaw, and a cornbread muffin. Seeing Tommy already starting to eat his own meal makes her realize he is right about tonight.
HOPE COTTAGE
Despite the party being held downstairs at Hope Cottage, Gemma Grier and her boyfriend Micah Kelley remain upstairs in the bedroom of their friends’ parents’ room, and the atmosphere between them noticeably changes.
The teenage girl’s face is still filled with confusion after Micah abruptly pulled away from her when things were about to go further, and now he is back on his feet, trying to explain himself.
“I’m sorry,” Micah prefaces. “It’s just… I don’t want my first time to happen like this, that’s all. It has nothing to do with me being a Christian, cause I know that’s what you’re thinking.”
Gemma is well aware of how important Micah’s faith is to him, considering he grew up going to church nearly every Sunday.
“Then what is it?” Gemma questions him. “Is it me? Are you not into me anymore?”
Micah can hear the self-doubt slipping through her voice beneath the upbeat personality she usually carries. It makes him wonder if there are deeper insecurities she rarely talks about.
“No, it’s not that. I swear it isn’t, Gem,” he replies reassuringly.
He leans back in and kisses her again.
The two begin making out once more as his hands slowly move toward her dress.
But while Gemma becomes increasingly caught up in the moment, Micah can’t help feeling the opposite internally. Even so, he knows he can’t exactly pull away again now without hurting her even more.
Before turning onto their street, Steven Sullivan and his wife, Courtney Covington Sullivan, are already met with the loud music coming from their home. Their next-door neighbor, Jai, had called to tell them that Steven’s teenage son Evan was throwing a party while they were away.
As the vehicle approaches the house, it becomes immediately clear Jai wasn’t exaggerating.
Music blasts loudly from inside Hope Cottage. Teenagers are gathered outside on the lawn and near the driveway. Some are drinking, others are taking shots, and a few appear to be smoking who knows what.
The couple sits in tense silence for a moment.
Their earlier argument still lingers between them after Steven learned that Courtney and Jacques had kissed in Miami the year before. The revelation, along with the news of their home being taken over by adolescents, ultimately cut their getaway short, forcing them to come home earlier than planned.
As Steven gets out of the car and heads directly for the trunk, Courtney waits for him to open her door, which he usually does. However, he simply grabs his belongings instead. Seeing how upset he is, Courtney quietly gets out of herself after he shuts the trunk, and the two head toward the house together.
The scene inside is pure bedlam.
Teenagers crowd the living room and kitchen. Some are drinking openly; others are playing beer pong at a table set up in the middle of the room.
Across the room, Kier Green laughs loudly with a group of friends.
The chaos continues as music blares and groups of teenagers linger around the house. At one point, Kier casually begins tossing a football around with a few of the guys.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Steven mumbles under his breath, taken aback by what is happening in his home.
The boys pass the football back and forth across the room while laughing.
One of them makes a grab for the ball, but someone else snatches it midair before he can reach it. The unexpected catch immediately gets everyone’s attention.
Standing there holding the football is Steven.
The room grows quieter almost instantly.
One of the boys tries to laugh it off while openly eyeing Courtney up and down.
“Where you been all my life, bae?” he says flirtatiously.
Courtney assumes the high school boy thinks she is around his age or only slightly older because of her youthful appearance; however, she clearly is not in the mood to be hit on by anyone, let alone someone not even old enough to vote.
“Hey, I would be quiet right now if I were you,” Courtney warns him.
The boy tries not to react to being shut down.
“All right! Party over!” Steven shouts.
“Says who?” Kier barks back.
“Says the person whose house this is,” Steven retorts sharply.
Realizing Steven and Courtney are Evan’s parents, the mood shifts, and many of the kids quickly begin grabbing their things and heading for the door. Gradually, the house starts to clear out.
Eventually, Evan Sullivan steps out from the corner where he had been standing earlier. Despite everything, he actually looks somewhat relieved to see his father and stepmother. Even after trying to clean himself up with a towel, his shirt and hair are still soaked with punch after Skye dumped it on him for calling her a wannabe Wednesday Addams.
“Before y’all lose it, I was trying to keep things from getting out of hand.”
Neither Steven nor Courtney buys the explanation.
“You know it’s been one thing after another since you came to live here. First, you’re vaping, and now you’re throwing a party with underage drinking. Do you realize if anything happens to your so-called friends, we’d be responsible?” Steven remarks sharply. “What the hell were you thinking?”
Evan can’t seem to find the words, knowing his father and stepmother cut their weekend trip short because of him.
“I dunno,” he shrugs. “How did you find out about it?”
“Jai called to tell us,” Courtney informs him. “So, we decided to cut the trip short and come home.”
She can feel Steven’s reaction to her wording without him even turning around, knowing it is only part of the truth.
Courtney quietly gathers her things and heads upstairs, leaving father and son alone downstairs.
“Dad, I’m—”
Steven cuts him off.
“You know what? We’ll talk in the morning. Just get this place cleaned up,” he orders.
J&M MARKET
On this particular evening, customers trek through J&M Market. Some are picking up ingredients for a late dinner, while others wander the aisles for a small escape from the night, and a few rush through last-minute shopping.
Over the store speakers, “World on Fire” by Nate Smith plays, adding a country soundtrack to the otherwise quiet store.
Among the patrons, Tricia Lockhart walks through the store wearing a black Friends TV logo graphic T-shirt with a fleece jacket and sweatpants, her brown hair pulled into a casual ponytail. She holds her clutch underneath one arm while carrying a plastic hand basket. Inside are mostly comfort items—chips, wheat crackers, lemon Perrier waters, and a few other snacks.
She makes her way toward the freezer section, scanning the cases as she turns the corner of the aisle.
That’s when she notices someone familiar.
Sean Lockhart stands a few feet away with a basket of his own, already halfway filled with groceries. But before she can look away, he is already locking eyes with her, prompting him to approach.
“Of all the markets, huh?” Sean says good-naturedly.
“Something like that,” Tricia replies.
“You must be on cloud nine with Jolene not facing charges.”
“You have no idea,” Tricia says with relief. “After everything that man put her through, she didn’t deserve to go through a trial.”
Jolene had shot her abusive late husband, Wade, in self-defense after he held both her and Tricia hostage at gunpoint last year. However, the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office ultimately ruled it was not murder.
Tricia quickly decides to change the subject.
“So, how you been?”
“Well, with Tanner leaving for Minnesota soon and Lenny being married now, I’ve come to the realization that both of my daughters are living their own lives,” Sean admits. “It’s led Louise and me to ask, ‘Where in the hell has the time gone?’”
He glances up to gauge her reaction after mentioning his first wife and current partner, fully aware their marriage had partly fallen apart because of his dependence on her.
As Sean speaks, he notices a subtle shift in her expression. Something flickers across her face—an emotion he recognizes from their years together.
“Tricia,” he says more with ease, “what’s really going on?”
HOME FARM: GUEST HOUSE
The two siblings maintain their stance in the guest house living room, with Jordan sighing.
"I already know what you're going to say, so come out with it."
"Well, I'm going to say it whether you want to hear it or not. I do think you need to see that your marriage is over; you deserve better than to continue to live in this kind of limbo."
Jordan immediately responds with, "Here we go again," clearly frustrated. "I thought a man of the cloth like you was supposed to believe in sticking to a marriage for better or for worse."
"Not when it's always been for the worse, Jordan," he remarks candidly.
Jordan folds her arms across her chest stubbornly. "I love Tommy, and he'll come around somehow."
Presley is somewhat bewildered by his sister's proclamation. "If this is about money, I'm sure he'll give you your fair share of alimony and child support. And that way, maybe you can work your way back to some of the dreams you had… remember when you wanted to run in the Olympics? Being an influencer and finding a way to build something for yourself. I just don't want you to lose yourself in the process of trying to keep Tommy, Jor."
Jordan pushes back. "For your information, I haven't lost myself, but I'm not going to see my marriage end without a fight."
Presley remains quiet, admitting to herself that she's starting to.
"You know what? How about you go tell Mom that she doesn't need to worry about me and everything is just fine," Jordan says somewhat sharply.
"Speaking of Mom," Presley says, trying to keep his voice down, "could you try to lay off her? She is just concerned about you… We both are."
"I mean, she came by to tell me that she saw my husband kissing his ex-girlfriend, who happened to be your ex-girlfriend, too, by the way. It must sting, doesn't it?"
"Don't make this about me," Presley says warningly.
"Kinda too late for that."
Presley becomes somewhat impatient, although he relatively maintains his cool.
"You know what? You're right; it does sting a little to find out that Tanner ended things with me because she wanted to get back involved with Tommy, but since then, I've been throwing myself into my work."
"Sounds lonely."
"Are you going to be all right?" Presley says, breezily changing the subject.
"If I tell you that I will be, would that be enough?"
Presley eyes his sister, knowing he couldn't keep going at her, knowing it wouldn't do any good, especially with her mind made up at this late hour.
"I'll take off, but promise me you will at least try to think about what I said about getting your life together without Tommy in it."
"Well, I'll do that when you stop using work as an excuse for living," she notes.
"See you later," the reverend says as he exits the door, not before embracing his little sister, which she accepts.
While shutting the door, Jordan feels alone in the house, although she is even more determined to hold onto her husband and family.
HOPE COTTAGE
Courtney enters her bedroom, carrying her belongings, and reflects on how this room once provided her with intimacy and peace; however, now it feels filled with uncertainty due to her current situation with Steven, making her eager for the night to finally end.
However, the sight of two half-clothed figures on the bed immediately catches her attention, along with the sounds of kissing and moaning. As she walks further into the room, she realizes exactly who they are, prompting her to loudly clear her throat.
The sound instantly grabs the attention of the young couple, leaving Micah and Gemma stunned to see their friend’s stepmother standing there, especially since she was not supposed to be home until the next day.
“Mrs. Sullivan, uh, it’s…” Micah stammers, trying to think of something that doesn’t sound like a lie.
As Micah quickly stands up, Gemma hurriedly makes sure her dress is properly back on.
“We weren’t expecting you to be here, no offense,” Gemma says awkwardly.
“Oh, I bet you weren’t,” the adult woman replies dryly. “And just a heads-up to both of you, the bash is over. Gemma, I think you should get going, don’t you?” Courtney shoots back.
Without another word, Gemma gives Micah one last lingering look. The two had come close to having sex for the first time before being interrupted. She then quietly saunters out of the room.
“Again, I didn’t mean for you to walk in on us,” Micah says, still struggling to find the right words in the moment.
Courtney can tell that deep down, Micah is sincere, yet it doesn’t help that she just walked in on two sixteen-year-olds about to have sex in her bedroom, especially with everything else already weighing on her tonight.
“Micah, I think your pal could use some help downstairs with cleaning up,” Courtney says, the comment sounding more like a thinly veiled instruction than a suggestion to her stepson’s friend, who is also staying the weekend here.
Micah silently nods before quickly dashing out of the room, leaving the married woman alone to gather herself.
J&M MARKET
Luckily, no one can see them, which causes Tricia to become slightly less tense.
“I still hate that you can read me so damn easily.”
Sean gives a small, assured smile. “Don’t you know I’ve become an expert on the women I’ve seriously been involved with? No, but seriously, something is going on. I can see it.”
Tricia lets out a dry little laugh. “Hah… hah.” She softens a bit afterward. “Okay, uh, my mother has been getting herself together by attending therapy, which has her considering moving to L.A.”
“I can understand why you’d feel some type of way about that,” Sean says sympathetically.
She crosses her arms awkwardly while still balancing the basket and her purse in her hands.
“You know, even a year ago, an announcement like that would’ve had me booking a one-way ticket myself. But now, with everything that happened… I don’t know. Maybe I’m becoming overprotective at my big age when it comes to my mother for the first time in years.”
Sean glances back toward his basket nearby before returning his attention to his ex-wife.
“Look, I know my opinion might not count for much with you anymore, but as your friend, I think your mother just wants to distance herself from Radcliffe. I mean, after everything that happened, it makes sense why she’d want to go back to California and start over. Maybe a fresh start isn’t such a bad idea,” he adds.
“Well, she’s not the only one who maybe needs one. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for Thora letting me stay at the rectory, but there’s only so much working with people you live with before you start climbing the walls. I haven’t even been back to the apartment since the shooting, but I know I’ve got to face it sooner or later.”
After a pause, Tricia decides to shift the conversation.
“Anyway, enough about me. What brings you to the store at this hour? Are you finally embracing the bachelor life?”
Sean chuckles awkwardly. “No, not exactly. I was just shopping. Uh… I officially moved back in with Louise.”
“That’s good to hear,” Tricia remarks, sounding somewhat surprised.
But as she looks at him, she can’t help reflecting on the life they once shared together.
“Well, I should get going, but it was good seeing you. And if you need to talk, you know where to find me.”
“Shopping for toilet paper at the market at night,” Tricia fills in.
“Yeah, something like that,” Sean says as he returns to his cart.
She moves toward the freezer and studies the ice cream options, debating between chocolate chip cookie dough and strawberry shortcake.
As she reaches for the cookie dough, she glances back down the aisle and sees Sean turning his cart away and heading toward another section of the store.
“Maybe I do need a change, too,” she mutters to herself.
Then she grabs two pints of cookie dough ice cream and heads toward the register.
ESTHER SAUNDERS STABLES
Tommy’s iPhone plays music at a low but audible volume as they finish eating. The barbecue containers sit open between them while the quiet of the countryside surrounds the clearing near the stables. Above them, the night sky stretches wide and clear, the air carrying the gentle warmth that comes with the season.
Tommy leans back slightly. “I don’t think I can survive another bite.”
Tanner laughs softly, clearly having had her fill of food as well.
“You’re telling me,” Tommy says while wiping his hands with a napkin. He notices how much more relaxed she looks now. “Nice night out, huh?”
“It’s beautiful,” Tanner replies.
“Like you,” Tommy responds smoothly.
Tanner shakes her head modestly. “I don’t know about all that.”
“It’s true,” he remarks charismatically.
He then moves closer to her on the bench.
“After everything we’ve been through, it’ll be worth the wait when we can finally be out in the open together.”
Tanner hesitates before speaking. “I can’t help but feel—”
Before she can finish, Tommy gently places a finger over her lips.
“Nor tonight.”
At that moment, the opening notes of “The Bones” by Maren Morris begin playing from Tommy’s phone.
Tanner instantly smiles, recognizing it as "their song"
Tommy stands and offers her his hand.
“Would you care to dance?”
“I’d like that very much,”
The two begin slowly dancing beneath the open night sky as the music drifts through the quiet evening air.
While they sway together, Tanner looks at him endearingly.
“I love you, Tommy.”
Tommy responds just as softly. “Tanner, I love you too. Don’t ever forget it, okay?”
They continue dancing together in their small oasis, holding onto the moment as if nothing else in the world exists beyond the music and the night surrounding them.
END OF EPISODE
ON THE NEXT EPISODE TOWN AND COUNTRY
Steven lays down the law.
The Covington's react to Emma's pregnancy.
Jordan's determination pays off.
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