EPISODE 357
Written by: Bre L Drew
September 2, 2025
Last Time on Town and Country
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Jacques grows increasingly frustrated with the lack of physical intimacy in his marriage, while Emma accuses him of failing to support her since the revelation of her parentage, deepening the tension between them.
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Tricia convinces Jolene to leave Bakersfield and return to Radcliffe with her, recognizing the abuse Jolene suffers from Wade and knowing he will inevitably try to reclaim her.
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Evan felt disappointed when Steven was called away for a work emergency, ruining their plans to spend time together.
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Meanwhile, Courtney picked up on Evan's adolescent rebellion since moving to town after refusing to relocate to Boston with his mother and new stepfather.
COVINGTON GROUP
A few hours into the weekday morning, as work hums along the twentieth floor of the Covington Tower in downtown Radcliffe, tension lingers in Jacques Laurent’s office. It stems from the earlier blowout at Home Farm, where he and Emma clashed yet again over the lack of intimacy in their marriage.
Standing rigidly behind his desk, Jacques barks toward the hallway. “Aaliyah, in here—now.”
Seconds later, Aaliyah Gupta enters in a crisp white button-down tucked into a suspender's pants set with black heels. Her dark hair hangs past her shoulders, and she is caught off guard by his sharp tone.
“So… where’s the fire?” she asks lightly, hoping to ease the tension.
“I do not have time for any of your American colloquialisms right now,” Jacques snaps, his French accent sharpening with agitation. “Get the reports—the zoning, the environmental studies for the Miami land deal—everything. Do it now, dammit!”
Taken aback, Aaliyah crosses her arms. Calmly but firmly, she replies, “You really need to calm down.” Then, after a beat, she adds pointedly, “Or maybe you need to start looking for a new assistant.”
Without waiting for his response, she strides back to her desk.
Jacques exhales, the weight of his personal and professional pressures pressing visibly upon him.
RADCLIFFE RECIEVING HOSPITAL
Although he has the reprieve of having no psychiatric appointments this morning until later in the day, Samuel Gupta still arrives at Radcliffe Receiving Hospital at his usual time. He is currently occupying the nurse’s desk on the third floor near his office when one of his favorite nurses' approaches with her usual calm and professional demeanor, a patient’s chart in hand.
“Livia, hi,” the psychiatrist warmly greets her.
The nurse, Livia Kelley—a Black woman in her mid-forties with dark brown shoulder-length hair and beautiful facial features, wearing dark blue scrubs—smiles.
“Hey, Dr. Gupta. Elle Lowell needs her medical referral signed. Everything’s noted in their chart.”
Samuel nods and takes the document to quickly review it before reaching for a pen, which he realizes he left in his office.
Livia hands him one, and he uses it to sign his name.
“All set,” he tells her.
“Thanks,” she remarks.
Samuel then looks up—his expression shifts when he sees Jai Gupta standing a few feet away.
“Dad”
“I’m not interrupting anything important, am I?” Jai asks.
Livia, recognizing him from a prior brief visit, greets him: “Hello, how are you?”
“Well, I’m alive, so that’s always a positive,” Jai notes.
“Absolutely,” she replies.
Livia nods and exits gracefully, giving father and son space as she takes the chart with her.
Samuel is still surprised to see his father, since he doesn’t normally come to the hospital, despite their closeness. “Not that it isn’t good to see you, but what brings you by?”
“Just got done with my annual physical. Nothing serious,” Jai informs him.
Samuel nods, visibly relieved. “Glad to hear it.”
Jai’s expression softens. “Do you have time to catch up?”
Samuel glances at his phone to check the time before responding. “Yeah, I’ve got some time before my first patient.” His lips curl into an amused smile. “Come on, let’s brave the cafeteria.”
The older man chuckles as Samuel places his arm around his father, and they head toward the elevator bank.
JOJO'S CAFE
The late morning hum of the café feels inviting, mixing with the soft duet of Norah Jones and John Legend’s “Summertime Blue” drifting overhead. Tricia Lockhart and Courtney Covington Sullivan sit across from one another, mid-conversation.
Just as Tricia is about to make her point, her gaze shifts to the entrance—and she stops cold.
Through the door walks her mother, Jolene Wood. The sight catches her completely off guard. Tricia hasn’t seen Jolene venture out since bringing her back from California, where she was hospitalized due to the injuries she sustained from her abusive husband.
Before Tricia can react, Jolene spots her and waves enthusiastically, making her way over. Tricia mutters a quick “Get ready” across the table. Courtney glances toward the approaching woman, quickly piecing it together.
Tricia rises, uncertain, as her mother closes the distance.
“Hiya, baby doll. I know I shouldn’t call you that at your job.” Jolene beams
The woman is dressed in a denim jacket over a leopard-print blouse, dark pants, and her purse slung over one shoulder.
Tricia forces a smile. “Mom, this is my good friend Courtney. Courtney, my mother.”
Courtney offers a hand. “Nice to meet you—I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Nice meeting you too. Funny, my daughter never mentioned much about you.”
The line lands a little too sharply. Courtney covers with a polite laugh, shifting her eyes toward Tricia, who is already guiding her mother aside.
“What are you doing here?” Tricia asks, low-voiced.
“I just told you—I wanted to surprise you at your job. Besides, I was getting tired of being cooped up in your place. So I got in a taxi, and seventeen dollars later, here I am.”
Her tone is even, but beneath it lies something fragile—a mix of restlessness and quiet defiance.
Tricia exhales, caught between concern and affection, still searching for the right words to emote.
Meanwhile, behind the counter of the café, Thora McKnight quietly observes the newest barista, Skye Park, assisting a customer. When the customer departs, clearly satisfied with how Skye has handled her first couple of days here.
Thora gives an approving nod to the teenage girl. “Good job. You can go ahead and take your fifteen now.”
Skye wipes her hands on her apron. “You sure?”
Thora smiles reassuringly at her beau’s daughter. “Yeah. You’ve earned it. And it looks like you need it.”
“Thanks,” the young woman says as she removes the apron from around her waist. She decides to take her break outside, stepping beyond the café’s walls, stretching, and drawing in a deep breath.
Out of the blue, she spots a teen boy about her age leaning against the wall, nonchalantly smoking a vape.
She makes a face of disgust. “Why does anyone use those things?”
The boy, surprised and slightly annoyed, looks up and notices the girl in her “Wednesday Addams attire.” “Excuse me?”
“Do you know the statistics on the dangers of vaping?” she tells him. "Not to mention all those toxic chemicals and causes of lung disease and seizures," she adds.
He laughs a little, casually dismissive as he blows smoke from the pen. “You sound like one of those cheesy 90s PSAs I saw on YouTube.”
Skye holds her ground, crossing her arms as she notices foot traffic on Main Street picking up. “I’m just saying, put that thing away before anyone sees you.”
The boy smirks. “And who’s gonna make me? You?”
COVINGTON GROUP
Jacques sits at his desk, reviewing paperwork but clearly distracted, which isn’t typical for him. He exhales, stands, and walks out of his office.
Outside, he spots Aaliyah steadily working at her desk, typing on the desktop computer.
He clears his throat softly to get her attention. She looks up, her expression neutral yet alert. Noticing the space is free from anyone else, he finally speaks.
“It’s been a rough morning for me.” he admits.
He decides not to open up about his personal issues, unwilling to discuss them openly—especially with his assistant, who believes that work and home should remain two separate worlds.
Without skipping a beat, Aaliyah replies, “You’re not the only one, but that doesn’t mean you get to take it out on me.”
He nods, then adds, a bit reluctantly, “Look, I didn’t mean to take it out on you. I don’t say ‘sorry’ often.”
“Oh, I figured that out rather quickly,” she quips.
Jacques chuckles, genuinely amused at being put in his place—a rarity.
They share a brief but rare moment of mutual understanding.
Aaliyah glances at her screen and reminds him, “You have a meeting in ten.”
“Thank you,” Jacques notes appreciatively.
He returns to his office, the atmosphere lighter than before. Aaliyah notices the shift in his mood, seeing him in a slightly different light, before turning back to her task.
JOJO'S CAFE
Among the light bustle on Main Street in front of Jojo's Café, Skye and the teenage boy are still in disagreement over his vaping outside.
"Who the hell put you in charge of this place?" the boy snaps.
Skye crosses her arms across her chest. "Actually, I work here."
Evan shrugs, taking another drag from his vape. "Cool. Doesn’t mean I can’t stand out here. No rule against it."
Skye rolls her eyes. "Fine. Do whatever you want. It’s your lungs you’re poisoning."
Just then, Courtney walks out of the café, making Evan quickly lower the vape and shove it into his pocket.
“Courtney?” he blurts, startled at the sight of his stepmother. He thought she would be at work by now.
Courtney stops short. "Evan?"
Skye steps aside, uncertain about what’s happening.
Courtney glances between the two. “Skye, this is my stepson—Evan Sullivan.”
Skye, stunned, nods politely.
Courtney continues, “Evan, this is Skye Park."
Then, turning back to him, she adds, "Hey, I thought you and your father were spending time at the batting cages today?"
Her husband had taken the week off to be there for her son, who had only recently moved to Radcliffe.
“He had a call-out emergency at one of the farms, so I stole a tractor and drove out here," Evan says sarcastically.
Courtney gives him the look—that unimpressed, try-again expression.
Evan relents with a sigh. "No, seriously, I took a cab. This town is so backwards, there aren’t even rideshares available here."
Skye slips down Main Street to enjoy the rest of her break, needing some distance from the awkward exchange.
"I guess she won’t be hard to miss," Evan mutters, half amused.
Courtney softens. “Do you want to come inside? I’ll grab you a smoothie or something before I head to the office.”
Evan drops his shoulders.
A couple passes them and enters the café before Courtney continues.
"Do you at least need money to get back home?" she asks, digging through her purse.
But Evan raises a hand. "I’ve got enough, thanks anyway."
Courtney recognizes the edge in his tone—an attitude mostly reserved for her.
"All right then," she says evenly. "Just make sure you get home at a decent hour, okay?"
With that, the businesswoman saunters toward her vehicle, leaving Evan to sigh before shoving his hands into his pants pockets.
RADCLIFFE RECIEVING HOSPITAL
The low buzz of activity in the hospital cafeteria on the entry level consists of staff and visitors scattered around the room, including Jai and Samuel, who sit across from each other with their coffees, opting not to select any of the desirable food the cafeteria sometimes provides.
"Just to give you a heads up, your mother thinks you and I should talk," Jai confesses.
Samuel exhales exasperatedly before speaking. "Let me guess—she's worried about me."
Jai tilts his head, confirming his son is right on the money. It isn’t surprising—Samuel has always been the one with the strong perception in their family.
"Well, you can’t blame her; you’ve been distant lately since your relationship with Martha ended. Look, what you tell me about it will stay between us. I promise," Jai says, gesturing with his fingers to seal his words.
"It’s true that I still miss things between Martha and me, and I had also gotten closer to SJ. But what can I do? She wanted to end things to give more attention to her son. I can’t blame her for wanting to put him first. You can tell Mom that I’m coming around and she doesn’t have to worry about me, okay?"
"Good luck with that. Once you become a parent, the worrying doesn’t stop," Jai informs him matter-of-factly.
"And if you must know, there might be somebody else I have my eye on." Samuel gives him a look, hinting he’s letting his father in on something personal, which makes Jai even more curious.
"Jes and I have gotten closer recently," Samuel admits, which makes Jai’s face form an expression of shock.
"That’s a development," Jai says after regaining his ability to speak. "I thought Jes is seeing Antoine."
It hangs in the air—Jai doesn’t say more, but the subtext is clear.
Samuel replies calmly. "I know. But knowing Antoine… it won’t last. And when it ends, I’ll be there."
The supermarket owner tries to form a counterargument—he starts to speak, but pauses. His expression shows concern, but he doesn’t voice it.
Sensing the tension, Samuel pivots to another subject, not wanting to get into it at his place of work.
JOJO'S CAFE
Simultaneously, inside Jojo’s, Tricia and her mother continue their interaction.
“Tricia, I get that you’re concerned about me, especially after everything went down, but I’ve decided I’m going to live my life the way I intend to. I can’t stay holed up in that apartment all day.”
Tricia resists mentioning that her mother’s bastard of a husband severely injured her—his way of hurting her for far too long. She doesn’t want to draw more attention to it; it already feels like too much is on them.
“You need real support—therapy, Mom. And distance from Wade,” Tricia says gently but firmly.
“And that is what I’m doing, baby... Tricia, but I’m not talking to no shrink.”
Jolene hitches her purse strap over her shoulder. “What I do need right now is one of those icy, caffeinated things you sell.”
The older brunette smirks and heads to stand in line. From her mother’s tone, Tricia knows it will be an uphill battle to get Jolene to consider the help she needs to heal from years of abuse.
MEADOWS FIELD AIRPORT - BAKERFIELD, CALIFORNIA
Approximately two thousand miles away from Radcliffe, Kentucky, a commercial airplane sits on the tarmac of Meadows Field Airport. Among the passengers waiting onboard is Wade Wood, seated by the window, quietly focused on his phone.
On-screen: a GPS tracking app showing Jolene’s location—enabled by a tracking device he installed on her phone, a phone he still pays for.
“Still worth the money,” he murmurs with satisfaction.
He has tried to be patient, giving his wife time to see some sense and come back home. But so far, no luck. And as a man who lacks patience, he decides to do what he has to do.
An attractive late-twenties blonde flight attendant pauses beside him with a professional smile. “We’re about to depart, sir. Please secure your device.”
“Sorry, guess I got caught up with this thing,” the white-haired man cackles.
Wade flashes her a charming, flirtatious smile. She nods politely and steps away, moving down the aisle to begin her announcements.
Over the intercom, the flight attendant says, “Welcome aboard. We’re departing from Meadows Field Airport to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
As the plane taxis, Wade smirks and looks out the window, as he will be laying over in Atlanta for a few hours before making his final destination to Radcliffe.
“I’m on my way,” he mutters under his breath.
The plane lifts off, and the shot holds on his satisfied expression.
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END OF EPISODE
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Jai stuns Mala.
Jes makes an admission.
Max and Samuel confide in one another.
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