EPISODE 358
Written by: Bre L Drew
September 9, 2025
Last Time on Town and Country
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Jai is shocked when Samuel admits his feelings for Jes.
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Jacques takes out his frustrations on Aaliyah, causing her to confront him about it.
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Aside from Martha and Samuel, Max and Shauna agree to keep the truth hidden—that Antoine is Keri’s biological father—as they are determined to raise her as Max’s daughter.
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Jes received unwanted calls from a mysterious caller.
VICTORY COTTAGE
Mala Gupta stirs a simmering pot on the stove inside the family’s cottage, fully immersed in cooking while singing along to her favorite band, U2, as “Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own” drifts from the record player. The fading sunset filters through the window.
A moment later, Jai Gupta steps inside, weary from a long day—first his checkup at the hospital, then lunch with Samuel, and finally several hours at the store. He strolls leisurely toward the kitchen, where he comes up behind Mala. They share a brief but meaningful kiss before exchanging casual greetings.
“It’s just the two of us tonight,” Mala says, giving the vegetables one last stir before turning fully to him. “Aaliyah’s still at the office, and Jes is out. I figured we could use a little peace.”
Jai nods but doesn’t respond right away, searching for the right words.
“That might be a good thing… after what I have to tell you.”
Mala freezes, her expression shifting. “Jai, what is it?”
THE WATERFALL BAR: JACKSON APARTMENT
Above the flow of patron traffic at The Waterfall, Antoine Hall lies in bed in his upstairs apartment with Jes Choudhury at his side. The two have just finished having sex, their sweat-slicked skin tangled beneath his sheets after what had been a pleasurable yet strenuous encounter.
“Tense, huh?” Antoine asks, glancing at the beautiful woman stretched out beside him.
“How’d you guess?” Jes replies evenly, her tone revealing little.
Antoine chuckles, propping his head in his hand, his well-sculpted torso catching the dim light. “Trust me, I’ve noticed. But hey—I ain’t complainin’ one bit.”
Jes manages a faint smile, though her mind drifts elsewhere. Thoughts beyond their bed begin to surface, leaving Antoine suspicious.
“Look,” he continues carefully, “I don’t mean to be in ya business, and I know we ain’t exactly exclusive, but… what’s goin’ on with ya?”
Internally, Jes flashes back to her night at The Cliffe—the moment she shared with Samuel. Nothing happened, but she can’t ignore the attraction or the shift she feels toward him. The conflict lingers, heavy in her chest.
“Actually, it is,” she admits quietly.
Antoine studies her, uncertain of what exactly she means, but sensing her distance all the same.
THE WATERFALL BAR
Meanwhile, downstairs in the bar, Q-Tip's "Breathe and Stop" pumps through the sound system, giving the lively establishment an easy, relaxed energy. In a booth near the back, Max Covington shows Mae Jackson the newest photos of his infant daughter on his iPhone, while Samuel Gupta sits across from them.
Mae, the baby’s maternal great-grandmother, beams with pride as she stares at the screen. “Is it just me, or has she gotten even more precious?” she asks, lighting up at the sight of Keri bundled in an animal-print baby towel.
“It’s not just you,” Max replies with a proud smile. “That is one adorable little girl.”
“Spoken like a true father,” Samuel notes.
The words land heavily than intended. Though Mae knows nothing, both men are acutely aware that Max isn’t Keri’s biological father — Shauna’s one-night stand with Antoine had led to her pregnancy. Max hadn’t been thrilled when he found out at the birth, but love for Shauna and the baby kept him devoted.
Mae studies another photo more closely.
“You know, I see a lot of Shauna in her,” she muses. “But I don’t see much of you.”
Max and Samuel exchange a nervous glance.
“Well, you know how babies change,” Samuel says lightly, trying to smooth it over. “Next time you see her, she probably will.”
Mae gives him a look of skepticism, but lets it pass. Handing the phone back, she adds, “Speaking of visits, next time, tell my granddaughter to bring that baby over. Before you know it, she’ll be in school.”
With that, Mae excuses herself, leaving Max and Samuel to exchange a look of relief.
“Man, that was close,” Max mutters, taking a sip of craft beer.
“Sorry about before,” Samuel says apologetically. “I should’ve known better.”
“It’s fine,” Max waves it off. “Just something we’re going to have to deal with from now on.” Then, more reflective, he changes the subject. “Anyway—what’s going on with you?”
The psychiatrist takes a deep breath, evasive at first. “Nothing much. Work’s keeping me busy.”
But Max has known him too long to buy it. “Okay. What’s really going on?”
Samuel hesitates, then admits, “I guess it’s not much of a secret anymore. I’ve got my eye on someone new.”
“Who?”
“Jes,” Samuel says quietly.
COVINGTON GROUP
Almost everyone else in the Covington Tower has already gone home for the evening, leaving the office floors quiet.
Except for Aaliyah Gupta. She feels chained to her desk, still working diligently as she has since morning. The consequences of overtime are clear—an empty coffee cup and fatigue setting in. Her eyes strain as she types at her desktop, digging for more information on the Miami land deal. Still, she’s determined to finish so she can go home before it gets too late.
Moments pass before footsteps echo down the hall. Jacques Laurent emerges from the elevator, returning from the lobby with two takeout bags in hand. His tailored suit looks sharp, as always.
“Aaliyah,” he begins in his French accent, his tone meaningful. “The way I conducted myself with you this morning—it was not right. I would like to extend an apology.”
Earlier, he had snapped at her without cause. She’d called him out, and though he softened, she hadn’t let him off easy.
Unbeknownst to her, his foul mood had been tied to the fleeting romantic state of his marriage to Emma—a subject he’d brought up. When Aaliyah accused him of being unsupportive, it pushed him into that hostile manner, which he is now trying to make up for.
Now she looks up from her computer. "I accept your apology. But let’s be clear—I’m not your personal punching bag. If you feel the need to take something out on me, then maybe we need to re-examine our work relationship.”
Jacques nods, almost ready to argue, but stops himself. Instead, he lifts one of the bags and hands it over. “You seem like a shrimp linguine person.”
Aaliyah blinks at the black takeout container, recognizing the logo. “The Chateau? You’d be right. But… why?”
“I know I’ve been keeping you here late. You haven’t had dinner,” Jacques explains, still standing across from her.
She’s used to eating late at home after long hours, but the food smells incredible, and her stomach has growled a few times within the last three hours.
“Look, I have food too. How about we share a meal? I’ll even fetch a bottle of Château Margaux from my office.”
She hesitates, then relents. “Okay, you’ve tempted me. But how did you even get this? You didn’t leave the building, and they don’t deliver.”
Jacques flashes a sly smile. “You’re right. They don’t. But I can get anyone to do anything.”
With that, he motions toward his office for the wine, while Aaliyah pulls a fork and napkin from her drawer, stealing one last glance back at him.
THE WATERFALL BAR: JACKSON APARTMENT
Despite the privacy of the moment, Jes can’t help but feel vulnerable, knowing that what she’s about to tell Antoine could lead to uncertainty.
She exhales deeply, pulling the sheets closer to her bare body. “For a while now… I’ve been getting these calls,” she admits hesitantly.
Antoine shifts beside her, his gaze sharpening. “What kinda calls?”
“From someone I used to be involved with,” she confesses softly.
Although she knows she should’ve been upfront about Samuel, she couldn’t bring herself to let it disrupt her time with Antoine. Still, the calls have been coming ever since she moved to Radcliffe.
“You okay?” he asks gently.
Jes runs her hand through her thick, dark hair. “Yeah… I am.”
“Did ya change your number?”
“My assistant, Nadine, handled the work line weeks ago,” Jes explains. “But I haven’t changed my personal cell. And… I haven’t gotten any more calls from him lately.”
Antoine’s expression hardens protectively. “Well, you need to do that ASAP. Hopefully, you won’t have to deal with that bastard again.”
“I’ll have it changed tomorrow,” she promises.
“Good.” He pauses, softening. “Uh… you hungry?”
“Starved,” she admits, suddenly realizing she hasn’t eaten since lunch.
Antoine slips out of bed, pulling on black boxer briefs and then a pair of sweatpants. “I’ll whip us up something. Be right back.”
He leans down, brushing a swift kiss across her forehead before disappearing out the door.
Left alone, Jes leans back against the headboard, her face softening into thought. She feels grateful for Antoine’s presence, yet burdened by the weight of her unresolved issues.
THE WATERFALL BAR
By now, the music plays mostly in the background, blending with the clinking of glasses and silverware as Max takes another sip of beer. “I mean, to be honest, it’s not really that shocking—knowing how close you are to her.”
Samuel takes a bite of a mozzarella stick, chews, and swallows. “It’s more than that. I haven’t felt this way about anyone since Martha… but she’s with Antoine.”
Max lets out a sharp snort, his tone edged with bitterness. “That never stopped Antoine from taking something that wasn’t his before.”
Samuel quickly realizes bringing up the man who slept with his best friend’s wife wasn’t his best move. He face-palms, silently cursing himself—he knows better as a doctor than to be so selfish with his personal needs.
Max sips his beer again, saying little, his resentment still lingering.
After a pause, he mutters, “Be her friend. Antoine’s attention span isn't exactly legendary. When he gets bored… you’ll be there.”
“And in the meantime? Tell her how you feel,” he adds firmly.
Samuel lifts his bottle and takes a drink before replying. “Oh, I’ve made it abundantly clear to her. But I don’t want to pressure her either.”
“At least it’s out in the open,” Max shrugs. “Why is adulthood so damn complicated?”
Samuel smirks faintly, half-facetious. “Well, when you find out, please tell me. Maybe I can write a book about it and become the next famed self-help guru.”
VICTORY COTTAGE
Mala switches off the record player as the conversation between her and her husband takes center stage in their kitchen.
The successful architect immediately senses a shift in Jai’s mood. “All right, what’s going on?”
“You might want to sit down for this.”
She doesn’t. Instead, concern rushes in. “Is this about your doctor’s appointment?”
“No, I’m fine,” Jai quickly reassures her. “It’s about the children”
“Is it Aaliyah? Did she get fired? I knew I should’ve checked on her more often.” Mala’s British enunciation sharpens her words.
“It’s not Aaliyah. It’s Samuel… and Jes.” Jai’s tone is steady but careful.
“What is the issue?”
Jai clears his throat. “Remember when you wanted me to check in on our son?”
“Yes.”
“Well, after my appointment, I had coffee with him. Let’s just say—he’s over Martha.”
Mala frowns, puzzled. “Okay… but what does Jes have to do with this, Jai?”
Jai sighs, resting a hand on her shoulder the way he always does when breaking hard news. She looks up at him, searching his face.
“He’s interested in someone else... It’s Jes.”
Mala freezes, the weight of her husband's confession colliding with the fact that Jes is her best friend’s daughter. "Really?” she whispers, stunned.
“He has feelings for her—and not in a mate way either,” Jai confirms.
Mala covers her mouth, shaken. “We’ve got to do something.”
“What can we do?”
“Jai, come on. Factor in the reality—not to mention Jes is involved with Antoine Hall. Look, he’s not my first choice for a suitor, but it’s better than…” She stops herself, cutting off her thought. “You know what? I’ll talk to him. Straighten everything up.”
Jai opens his mouth to speak, but she cuts him off.
“I’ve got to finish dinner,” she mutters, turning away, frustration spilling into Punjabi words both of them know all too well.
Jai exhales deeply, steadying himself against the counter as the silence thickens. The aroma of simmering vegetables fills the room, clashing with the storm of emotions now hanging in the air.
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END OF EPISODE
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Martha and Emma have a run-in.
Evan and Skye continue to bump heads.
Trouble comes for Jolene.
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