EPISODE 346
Written by: Bre L Drew
June 8, 2025
Last Time on Town and Country
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Elijah officially proposed to Lenny before their surprise wedding ceremony, which she happily accepted. Surrounded by their family and close friends, married on Franklin Farm.
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Emma visited Lenny at the hospital, as Louise had invited her to attend the wedding as a gesture of gratitude for donating life-saving bone marrow to Lenny. However, Emma declined the invitation due to the devastation of recently discovering her biological connection to the Saunders family.
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Presley became upset with Tanner's inability to admit her true feelings for Tommy. This emotional conflict led Presley to walk away, leaving their relationship in limbo, while Tommy stepped in to comfort Tanner.
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After several years, Tricia returned to her hometown of Bakersfield, California, upon learning that her mother, Jolene, had been hospitalized due to abuse at the hands of Wade. Despite Tricia’s heartfelt attempts to convince her mother to leave him, Jolene refused. Unbeknownst to Tricia, Wade had threatened Jolene with harm to Tricia if she left him.
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Samuel has developed romantic feelings for Jes, but she remains unaware. Meanwhile, Jes is preparing to have dinner with Antoine, unaware of Samuel's emotions.
HOME FARM
Throughout the expansive living room inside the mansion on the even more expansive Home Farm Estate, Deirdre Covington takes it all in for the first time in a long while. Memories surface as she recalls the first time she stepped inside the house—forty years ago, when her late husband, Patrick, purchased the property. His company, the Covington Group, was finally in the big leagues after years of hard work, determination, and sacrifice. They finally had something to show for it.
She remembers Daniel running through the halls as a boy, and music filling the home when she insisted he take piano lessons. That only lasted until Daniel’s uncooperativeness became too much. The silence that followed left Deirdre with a lot of alone time. Yes, she had her charity committees and weekly lunches with Esther when they were best friends. Still, the loneliness—Patrick pouring more time and love into building a Fortune 500 company than into her—made her feel neglected, something she’s known since her parents died in a tragic house fire when she was seventeen.
To be clear, Deirdre never set out to have an affair—especially not with her best friend’s father. But he became a father figure to her, especially after her own perished. And Rosemary, Esther’s mother, was always so kind—opening their home to her afterward. Even though it didn’t work out between her and Peter, they still saw her as family.
He was someone who didn’t let his profession come between them. Despite the age difference, Jimmy Saunders was still attractive—tall, broad-shouldered, and in good shape thanks to farm work. His commanding voice, presence, and care all pulled her in. Perhaps he needed someone, too—physically and emotionally.
By the time it ended, she discovered she was pregnant. Patrick knew about her infidelity and made his anger known, although he reluctantly acknowledged the child as his—legally, at least.
Now, in the present, Deirdre approaches the black Steinway & Sons piano. Mostly for show, it holds a few framed photos.
Her signature red hair is newly styled, and she wears a dark pink satin long-sleeve dress with black pumps.
The photo had been taken at Emma’s sixteenth birthday party, held at the Plaza Hotel in New York. Over a hundred guests attended, but the focus of the photo is Emma in her off-the-runway dress, embraced by Patrick—a rare moment, as he was actually in town that day. It brings the smallest of smiles to Deirdre’s face. It’s now public knowledge that Patrick wasn’t Emma’s biological father; she is the result of the affair.
The front door closes. Footsteps ascend. A part of her wonders if it’s Emma, ready to speak—despite their fraught relationship.
But when she turns, it’s the last person she wants to see.
“Getting sentimental in your old age?” says Jacques Laurent, her son-in-law.
In a tailored suit, the French opportunist doesn’t waste time insulting the woman he knows despises him.
Deirdre places the photo down and turns fully. “Don’t you have anywhere else to be?”
“It’s not my fault you’re feeling further ostracized from, well… anyone with sense.”
Hands now on her hips, she glares. “We all know you’ve used my family—first me, now my daughter—to get under this roof and into my late husband’s company, which belongs to my son.”
Jacques scoffs. “Let’s not do this song and dance again. I’ve earned my position. And I’ll continue to succeed.”
Deirdre steps closer, keeping just enough distance. “I admit I’ve hurt my daughter’s trust. But we both know when it’s all said and done, you’ll do far worse than I ever could.”
Jacques smirks as she turns and ascends the stairs—thankful their quarrel is over, for now.
FRANKLIN FARM
Meanwhile, on this sunny and warm spring afternoon at Franklin Farm, the atmosphere is festive. Just moments ago, close friends and family watched Elijah and Lenny exchange vows and be officially pronounced husband and wife.
Guests begin snapping photos of the newlyweds near the barn, where the reception is already underway. Music drifts from inside as people laugh, toast, and celebrate love.
A short distance away, Will Jackson—who lives at the main house and attended the ceremony—holds his iPhone to his ear, waiting for Emma to pick up. He knows she’s still trying to process the shocking truth: Patrick Covington isn’t her biological father. Jimmy Saunders is. And the way the truth came out was just as hard.
But instead of her voice, he gets voicemail. Sighing, he leaves a message just as his mother, Mae Jackson, quietly walks up beside him.
“Hey, Emma, it’s me. I, uh, just wanted to check-in. See how you’re doin’. I’ll holla at you later. Bye.”
He hangs up and offers Mae a hug.
“That was a beautiful ceremony, wasn’t it?” Mae says warmly, referring to her best friend’s great-niece tying the knot.
“Yeah, it surely was. After everything they’ve been through… that whole family deserves some happiness,” Will says, his voice thoughtful.
Mae doesn’t miss the weight in her son’s tone. She knows exactly who he’s really thinking about.
“You’re talking about Emma, aren’t you?”
Will gives a small shrug, sensing the caution on her face.
“After everything that girl’s done to you, and you still care?” Mae asks. “Will, maybe it’s time to reconsider that friendship.”
“Momma—” he begins, but she gently cuts in.
“You’re a handsome, hardworking young man. Don’t waste your energy on someone who hurt you.”
“She’s a friend,” he says, quietly.
“Then let her be. Give her space to figure herself out. Meanwhile, you focus on you. One day, I’d love to attend your wedding,” Mae adds with a soft, teasing smile.
Will glances over her shoulder. Not far away, Martha Saunders holds his niece’s newborn, smiling. He watches, conflicted.
Maybe out of curiosity—or maybe out of a need for some kind of connection—Emma Covington Laurent maneuvers her red Bentley convertible onto Franklin Farm. It doesn’t take long for her to hear the unmistakable sounds of a celebration; the wedding is clearly still going on.
She turns off the ignition and sits behind the wheel for a moment. Though she had been invited to the ceremony by Louise while visiting the great-niece she never knew she had until recently—the same one she donated bone marrow to help her recover from cancer—Emma turned down the invitation. She had cited her new reality of being biologically connected to the Saunders family, a family her father couldn’t stand for decades. Now, she finally understands why. Still, the thought of going home or to the club doesn’t appeal to her. And she isn’t exactly in the mood to drive all over town.
With a deep breath, she grabs her purse from the passenger seat and walks up the steps to the crimson-red front door. As she’s about to knock, she tests the handle and finds it loose—it opens easily.
She steps inside the house for the first time since discovering her blood ties to the family, courtesy of her considerably older half-sister. Before, she hadn’t taken in the home’s details including the tasteful decor spread within the lower level of the house.
But now it’s clear the place has stood for over a century—though it has seen renovations. She quietly observes old photographs, souvenirs, and trinkets before making her way into the kitchen, where she’d once felt an unfamiliar sense of ease.
Now, a subtle nervousness rises in her chest. She’s about to pull her phone from her bag when the kitchen’s side door opens.
A part of her wants to flee before she’s seen—too late.
Sarah Lynn Saunders catches her gaze.
“Well, hello. How are you?” the blonde woman greets warmly.
“Hi,” Emma replies, nervous. She still can’t believe she has a sister-in-law—alive. Her previous one, Keri, passed away years ago. Though they hadn’t been close, there was always mutual respect.
“Do you want something to eat or drink? We’ve got plenty.”
“Whatever you have to drink is fine.”
Sarah Lynn silently grabs a pitcher of iced tea from the fridge, pours two glasses, and hands one to Emma, now seated at the table.
“Too bad it’s not spiked,” Emma jokes—half serious.
Sarah Lynn laughs, surprising her.
“That sounded like something Peter would've said,” she says, referring to her late husband.
“Do you miss him?” Emma asks suddenly. She hadn’t planned to extend the conversation, but her nerves were talking.
A quiet solemnity settles over Sarah Lynn. “Every day,” she says. “Especially today.”
“Because of Lynn?”
Sarah Lynn nods. “That… and today would’ve been our 52nd wedding anniversary.”
Emma feels a twinge of guilt. “I didn’t mean—”
“It’s nothing to apologize for,” Sarah Lynn assures her. “It feels good to talk about Peter with someone who he has a tie with.”
Emma takes a longer sip. “I wish I could say the wedding’s the only thing that brought me out here.”
"I think sometimes we go to places hoping to find a little peace.” Sarah Lynn discloses.
PADRE HOTEL, BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA
Thoughts of how things were left with her mother still plague Tricia Lockhart’s mind as she lies in bed in her room at the Padre Hotel. One of the few cosmopolitan hotels in her hometown of Bakersfield, California, she’s been staying here since her childhood neighbor, Mrs. Montez, called to say her mother, Jolene, is in the hospital again—courtesy of her abusive husband.
The visit didn’t go well. It never does when it comes to him. Jolene still refuses to leave the man. Despite the bruises, the hospital stays, and the years of damage—she’s determined to go back.
The comforts of the cosmopolitan hotel mean little. Though Below Deck plays on Bravo in the background, Tricia grabs her iPhone from the nightstand and crosses to the window overlooking 18th Street. She scrolls through her contacts and dials the person she wants to hear from.
Four long rings.
“I was just thinking about you,” says Samuel Gupta.
Over a thousand miles away in Radcliffe, the psychiatrist stands in his parents’ kitchen cleaning up after Chinese takeout.
“I guess that saying about perfect timing is true sometimes… How are you?” Tricia says, her voice a mix of relief and weariness.
“I’m doing all right,” he replies. “How’s your mom?”
Tricia exhales. “You mean before or after she refused my help—again—to leave that violent butthole? Samuel, I don’t want to sound like this, but I just want to book the next flight back to Radcliffe. Does that make me a terrible person?”
“No. It makes you human,” he says.
“But?”
“You already know this. It takes people several tries to leave an abuser. Your mom’s been trapped for a long time. Wade controls everything—emotionally and financially. It’s not easy for her either.”
Tricia stares out at the midday traffic below. "So, what the hell am I supposed to do?”
“Give it one more try. And if she still won't leave, you’ll know you did your best. But Wade will show up again—and that won’t end well for her.”
“I know,” she murmurs.
Then she hears something in his voice—something held back.
“Samuel, what’s going on with you? And don’t say it’s nothing. I know that’s BS.”
Now it’s his turn to be on the receiving end.
FRANKLIN FARM
The barn doors are open, revealing the ivory and sage green wedding setup—tables draped in white cloth, small green goodie bags for guests, and designated spots for the bride, groom, wedding party, and close family. Music filters through the speakers as guests mingle, awaiting the return of Elijah and Lenny from their photo session across the farm.
Martha Saunders, dressed in a navy-blue lace overlay gown, spots Will and walks over.
“Hey,” they say at the same time, chuckling at the synchronicity.
“About the other day… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to come off like a bitch,” Martha says. “When it comes to Emma, I’m just not ready to acknowledge her as a family.”
The other day, Will had asked if she’d been invited to the ceremony. Their conversation escalated over Emma’s place in the family—not just because of her biological ties, but also because she had donated bone marrow that helped save Lenny’s life.
Will stuffs his hands in his pockets. “Maybe I came at you the wrong way.”
“I think I did too.” Martha replies.
“True dat,” Will nods.
“So, can we let that moment slide?”
Will offers his hand, which Martha takes with a smile—just as applause breaks out across the barn.
Elijah and Lenny reenter, followed by Tommy Covington and Tanner Lockhart. Tanner grabs the mic.
“Everyone, let me be the first to introduce Elijah and Lynn Barker!”
Cheers erupt as the couple walks in beaming. From their table, Sean and Louise Lockhart exchange proud glances, grateful their daughter made it to this moment.
Tommy takes the mic. “We all hope you have many happy years ahead. And now, the newlyweds will take their first dance.”
As Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” plays, Elijah and Lenny take the floor, slow dancing as she rests her head on his chest.
“Will the mother of the bride join me?” Sean Lockhart asks Louise Saunders Lockhart with a warm smile.
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” she replies, taking his hand.
At another table, Brynn Barker, wearing a sleeveless black wrap dress and her vibrant red hair cascading to her shoulders, taps her husband’s arm.
“Think we should show everyone how to cut a rug?” the high school principal teases.
“Let’s get this party started,” the English literature professor grins, rising with her.
Across the room, Max Covington looks to Shauna Covington, who’s holding their sleeping baby, Keri.
“Want to dance?”
“I would,” she says, gesturing to the baby.
“I’ll hold her,” Martha offers.
“You sure?” Shauna asks.
“Absolutely.”
As the couple dances, Martha watches them with a quiet smile, though a flicker of loneliness crosses her face—her relationship with Samuel is still over.
Esther Saunders appears with SJ Saunders in tow.
“Martha, SJ has something to ask.”
The boy smiles shyly. “Mom, will you dance with me?”
He’d told his great-aunt no one should be alone tonight.
Martha chuckles. “I’d love to, sweetie—but I’m watching the baby.”
“I’ll take her,” Esther offers, already reaching for the baby. “It’s not my first rodeo, darling.”
Moments later, Martha and her son sway to the music.
Nearby, Jordan Covington watches the dance floor, a trace of envy in her expression. Then Tommy appears beside her.
She sips her champagne. “Looks like our little ring bearer is knocked out.”
They glance at their sleeping four-year-old son, Jeremy.
“Yep,” her husband agrees.
“So, are you going to ask me to dance?”
“Maybe later,” he replies, taking a sip of his drink.
Jordan rolls her eyes and downs the rest of hers.
From across the room, Tommy watches Tanner, aware she’s likely thinking about Presley. And despite himself, he aches to comfort her again.
PADRE HOTEL, BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA
“I forget how much you know me,” Samuel murmurs. “I’m ready to move on from Martha—with someone else.”
The single mother had broken up with him, believing she needed to focus on her young son instead of their relationship. Her ex had come to town under the pretense of reconnecting with their child, but in truth, he only wanted her.
“Hallelujah!” the café manager says excitedly from her hotel room.
“Well, I guess I don’t have to ask how you feel about it, huh?”
Tricia turns away from the window and takes in a bit of the reality show playing on screen.
“No offense, but you can do better than the singing bartender. And let’s just say I’m not keen on that sister of hers either.”
She’s thinking of how her marriage ended—partly due to the feelings that never went away between Sean and Louise.
Samuel does his best not to let Tricia’s comments rattle him as he stands behind the sink.
“Is it someone I would know?” she asks.
“Uh, yeah… it’s Jes,” he admits.
“Well, I’m not exactly surprised. It’s pretty obvious it’s more than friendship.”
“Too bad she doesn’t think so.”
Tricia places her free hand on her hip. “Why is that?”
“Because about an hour ago, she accepted Antoine’s dinner invite for tomorrow night.”
“Oh, I see,” Tricia replies. “Look, you know I think the world of Antoine just as much as I do of you, but let’s be honest—Antoine isn’t exactly known for long-term monogamous relationships. More like situationships, if you catch my drift.”
“No, I don’t, but I have a feeling you’re about to explain.”
Tricia snickers and continues, “Don’t expect anything serious between them. That’s when you tell her how you feel. If she’s wise, she’ll reciprocate. If not—well, like you told me, at least you’ll have gotten it out in the open.”
Samuel reflects on the fact that the bar manager is secretly the father of his friends' daughter—something he’s sworn to secrecy as a therapist. Besides, it happened before he and Jes even met, so it wouldn't hold much weight.
“That’s something to consider then,” he says.
“Well, of course, it is,” she replies, somewhat sarcastically. “I’ve got to go, but thanks for picking up. I know sometimes I can drive you insane with my problems.”
Samuel smiles. “All in a day’s work… No, but seriously—I feel the same. Let me know how everything goes.”
“Okay.”
“Bye,” they both say in unison.
Tricia returns to the window, trying to absorb her friend’s advice, while in Radcliffe, Samuel slips his iPhone into his pocket, doing the same.
FRANKLIN FARM
An upbeat soundtrack now takes over the barn as casual dancing begins to fill the floor. Meanwhile, Steven Sullivan can no longer take the weight of the awkward silence between him and his wife since he returned home from Orlando.
“Being back here reminds me of our wedding,” he says.
Courtney Covington Sullivan quietly reflects on that day—Christmas Eve years ago—when their original venue had fallen through at the last minute, and the family offered the barn for their reception. It was far from their first plan, but none of that mattered when she stood beside the man she loved.
“I can’t stop thinking about that day,” she admits, “but I also can’t stop thinking about how things are between us now.”
Steven knows what she means. He hadn’t told her about Emma’s true paternity until recently, and now, on top of that, he’s dropped the news that his son from a previous marriage is coming to live with them for the summer. It’s left Courtney feeling invisible.
“You’re still not keen on Evan coming to stay with us, huh?” he asks.
“It’s not that,” she replies, her voice calm but firm. “It’s just—you could’ve told me over the phone instead of dropping it in my lap.”
“I don’t consider my son something to just drop,” he says, a little too defensively. “I’ve missed too many years not raising him day-to-day. He’s a teenager now. He needs his father.”
Steven has offered Evan the chance to live with them in Radcliffe while his ex-wife and her new husband move to Boston.
“That’s not what I mean, Steven… This just feels like a pattern between us.”
“A pattern?”
Courtney lowers her voice, not wanting to ruin Lenny and Elijah’s reception. “You do or say something big, then disappear, and expect me to just forgive you.”
Steven sighs and nods. “You’re right. I should’ve called about Evan. I’m sorry for how I’ve handled things. I’ll do whatever it takes to repair what’s broken between us.”
She hears the sincerity in his voice. It won’t be easy—but it’s a start.
“I accept your apology,” Courtney replies softly. “And I’ll do everything I can to make Evan feel welcome when he comes.”
Steven reaches for her hand, and she lets him take it—an unspoken gesture of amnesty.
Over at the open bar, Reverend Joel Friendly and Thora McKnight each stand with a drink in their hands.
"You know what I just realized?" the reverend says.
"What's that?" the barista asks, taking a sip of her cocktail.
"Technically, this is our first date," he notes with a grin.
The two had been trying to find the right time for a proper date, and it seemed that the day he officiated Lenny and Elijah’s wedding—and she came as his plus-one—had become just that.
"I mean, free food and drink—it’s not a bad thing," she says, though it’s clear something heavier is on her mind.
"Hey, what is it?" he asks gently. "I’m a pretty good listener."
She smiles cautiously before replying. "It’s just… I can sense things aren’t going my children’s way. Between Tommy’s infatuation with Tanner and Presley being MIA… I don’t want them carrying this kind of pain."
Joel places his free arm around her shoulders. "It’s understandable to feel that way. But Jordan and Presley are adults now. They’ll have to face these things head-on. All you can do is be there for them."
"I guess it comes from the guilt… the kind of mother I was to them after EJ died, and Ernest cared about that damn police station than his own family. I just don’t want them to keep getting hurt."
"I get it," Joel says, nodding. "I’ve only recently become a parent myself. Found out I had a teenage daughter I never even knew about until last year. The last thing you want is for them to go through any kind of hell—but you can’t stop it, no matter how badly you want to."
"Trust me," Thora says, her voice softening, "don’t wish away any of these years you have with Skye. They go by so fast.
Before you know it, she’ll be grown and making choices you’ll have no say in."
"I enjoy spending time with her," Joel replies. "But I’m also proud of the independence she’s building. Right now, she and her friend Gemma are probably ordering pizza and settling in for a horror movie binge."
"Oh, what I wouldn’t give to go back to those days," Thora says wistfully.
She remembers how she used to give Jordan free rein of the house to throw parties in high school—more out of guilt for emotionally checking out after EJ’s death than anything else.
"It’ll all work out," Joel says with quiet reassurance. "Just trust and believe."
Thora sets her empty glass on the bar top, doing her best to let his words sink in.
Needing a moment to rest after dancing, Sean and Louise settle back at their table, both watching their fraternal twin daughters moving rhythmically to a pop song—one neither recognizes by artist or title.
"I guess you've officially reached middle age when you don’t know who’s singing what," Sean declares.
"Speak for yourself," Louise teases, prompting him gently. "I love seeing them like this again. After everything this family has been through, we all deserve a little happiness."
"I still sometimes can’t believe both our daughters are grown and living their own lives now," Sean admits.
"Me neither," Louise agrees. "And I think it’s time we make time for ourselves. How about dinner tomorrow night?"
Sean forms a sincere smile. "I’m up for that."
FRANKLIN FARM: MAIN HOUSE
Back inside the farmhouse, Emma and Sarah Lynn sit quietly at the kitchen table, glasses of iced tea in their hands.
Emma breaks the silence not wanting the moment to be any more uncomfortable.
“So, what’s next? Henry Louis Gates is going to come out to explain the Saunders family tree to me for the next season of Finding Your Roots?” she asks sarcastically.
Sarah Lynn smiles softly. "Well, I suppose he might be more interesting than me and my homespun psychology, right?"
Emma looks down into her glass, stirring the ice. “I just… I don’t know. I thought I had a pretty good handle on who I was. But lately, it’s like I’m walking around in someone else’s skin.”
Sarah Lynn sighs, nodding. “That doesn’t go away with age, you know. Some days I wake up and wonder how I got here—who I am now, even after all these years.”
She flashes back to how she felt when she first started seeing Peter, how she never believed she belonged here because of her modest upbringing in a trailer park with her single mother and siblings. The image shifts to the raw grief after Peter’s death, and how long it took—with her family’s support and counseling from Samuel—to find her footing again and start living without the man she loved.
There’s a pause before Emma adds carefully, “I guess I still have that to look forward to. Yay!”
Sarah Lynn hesitates, then gives a soft shrug. “Families are complicated. Sometimes you find it in blood. Sometimes you don’t. All I know is, you’re always welcome here. No matter what.”
Emma’s lips twitch into the smallest of smiles. “Thanks.”
Suddenly, Sarah Lynn’s memory dawns. “I should probably get back out there,” she says, rising. “You think you’re ready to come out too?”
“You go ahead,” Emma says gently. “I’ll stay here a little longer.”
Sarah Lynn gives her a knowing look. “You sure?”
Emma nods. “I just… need a minute.”
With that, Sarah Lynn squeezes her shoulder and leaves through the back door.
Emma pulls out her phone and sees two missed calls—one from Will, and one from Jacques. She stares at the screen, then slowly sets it down without calling back.
She lifts her glass and takes a sip of the sweet tea.
The house feels still around her, almost like it’s waiting. For what, she doesn’t know. But sitting there, surrounded by a history that isn’t quite hers yet somehow is, Emma begins to feel the stirrings of something she hasn’t felt in a while—maybe not peace exactly, but the possibility of something else close to it.
FRANKLIN FARM
As the party continues, Lenny stands near the table when Brynn approaches her.
The women first stare at each other before Brynn decides, albeit awkwardly, to give her a brief hug.
They then part.
"I didn't get the chance to formally congratulate you on your marriage," Brynn says civilly.
"Oh, don't worry about it," Lenny replies, waving her hand flippantly.
"I know I haven’t always supported your relationship or your engagement over the years, because I thought my son should be focusing solely on his education and sobriety. But now I see how much you two mean to each other, and I won’t stand in the way anymore."
Lenny is taken aback by her declaration.
"You know Elijah has always wanted to make you proud."
"And he's done that, and what I'm saying is Nathaniel and I are happy to accept you as our daughter-in-law."
"Thank you," Lenny responds softly.
Brynn nods her head, bearing their talk.
Sarah Lynn walks into the barn and heads over to her eldest daughter.
“Hey, where were you? You missed your granddaughter’s first dance as a married woman,” Louise informs her mother.
Sarah Lynn is about to tell her about Emma being here but decides not to, unsure if she wants Louise to know despite having somewhat reached her.
“Oh darn, please tell me someone recorded it.”
“Don’t worry, it has. Are you all right?”
“Yeah,” Sarah Lynn indicates. “I just need to give the newlywed couple their gift,” gesturing to the gift bag in her hand.
Louise puts a hand on her mother’s back. “Mom, it’s okay, I know what today is, and I miss him too.”
The two women silently acknowledge their feelings for Peter before Sarah Lynn wanders to the table where the bride and groom sit.
“Congratulations, my sweet girl,” she says as she moves to embrace her namesake.
The two lean in as she smiles at her new grandson-in-law.
“I want you two to have your gift right now.”
She passes them the bag as Lenny and Elijah peek inside to find two ivory-green square boxes.
“Can we open them now?” Elijah asks.
“Yeah, open them! Open them!” Sarah Lynn urges.
The young couple do as they’re told, and both discover a key inside each box, somewhat confused by the token.
“Those are keys to the main house. I know with everything going on, you two don’t have a place to live. So, if you want, I’m asking you to move in.”
“Grandma, we just hadn’t expected this,” Lenny says, surprised.
“You’d have the attic, and Will has already agreed to help me move everything so you can put your belongings there. I know newlyweds need their privacy.”
“Well, I’ve always loved this place,” Lenny says. “It’s why I want to be a farmer.”
“And why we married here today,” Elijah adds.
“And Elijah, you’ll be a lot closer to campus too,” Sarah Lynn notes. “So, what do you say? Settle down in the place where generations of Saunders have lived. Call this place home!”
Elijah is attending law school at his alma mater, Sampson University.
Elijah and Lenny turn to each other and both say, “Yes.”
They hug Sarah Lynn, grateful for her gesture of love.
The electronic beats of Kylie Minogue's "Tension" saturate the room as Martha and SJ dance together, her son spinning her around as she lets him lead.
Will walks over to them.
“Hey, SJ, do you wanna take a break so I can get a moment with your momma?”
SJ looks at his mother, waiting for her signal, which she gives with a small nod.
“I’m getting something to drink and resting my feet,” SJ says with all the bravado of a fifty-year-old man in a child’s body.
The two adults laugh as they watch him walk off.
“Ginger ale!” she calls out after him.
“That kid is a trip,” Will says.
“He is, but I wouldn’t trade him for anything in this world.”
She thinks back to how becoming a single mother wasn’t on her bingo card when she came home from Los Angeles years ago. But now, it’s one of the biggest highlights of her life.
“I see some of those moves you’ve got—let me see some,” Will says.
“How about I see some of yours, Jackson?” she fires back.
The two begin dancing in near sync to the pulsing music.
At the same time, Emma stands in the archway of the barn. She had decided to leave the house and head toward the party, but the sight of
Will and Martha's dancing stops her in her tracks. Even though they likely aren’t seeing each other, she remembers how close she and Will were before they hooked up.
She glances down at the wedding ring on her hand, then looks back at the barn full of people who belong—people she doesn’t feel connected to. She doesn’t even know why she tried to force herself to fit in, especially today of all days.
In an instant, Emma turns on her feet and heads quickly toward her car before anyone can see her.
The music continues to pulsate in the background.
Needing some air, Tanner walks out of the barn to have a moment to herself, all while Tommy and Jordan are dancing—though a lack of intimacy between them is apparent.
"You're a good dancer, Mr. Covington," his wife tells him.
However, Tommy is mentally in another world, having seen Tanner slip away.
"You're not so bad yourself," he replies somewhat distractedly. "Uh, I'll be right back."
"Where are you going?" Jordan asks. "Jeremy is spending the night over at the rectory with my mother. We have all night together."
Tommy isn’t in the mood to continue dancing. Still, he doesn’t want to spark any arguing between them, especially not here, not in front of familiar faces—and certainly not on his best friend's wedding day.
"I’ve need to go to the bathroom," he lies.
"Oh, okay," Jordan says, unaware of his true intention.
"I'll be back."
Before she can say anything else, the youngest Covington sibling is already out of the barn and into the night, scanning the farm grounds and trying to figure out where Tanner might have gone. Then, almost instinctively, he heads in the direction he believes she would be.
About five minutes later, Tommy enters the horse barn on the farm. It doesn’t take long for him to spot the object of his affection—Tanner—gently stroking one of the thoroughbred horses in its stall.
She notices him and raises an eyebrow, curious. “How’d you know where I’d be?”
He takes a few steps forward. “Your love of horses always brings you here or to your aunt’s stables.”
“You remember?”
“When it comes to you, I remember everything.”
Tanner tries to mask the flattery in her expression as she gives the horse one last, contemplative pat along its back.
“You still feel bad about what went down between you and Presley earlier. But he had no right to go off on you like that.”
Tanner turns toward him, tucking a strand of hair behind one ear. “If only it were that simple.”
“Then say what you’re feeling—for starters.”
“Why is it so hard to do? And not for everyone else?”
Tommy folds his arms across his chest. “Because you give a damn what people think. But no one else is here—just you and me. It won’t leave this place, I give you my word, Tanner.”
Tanner exhales, slowly forming the words.
“What do you want me to say? That I still care about you? I do… I never stopped. Try as I might, I still care about you, Tommy.”
A smile spreads across his face—equal parts smug and endearing at her confession.
“But nothing can come from it,” Tanner says. “It’s complicated—Presley and I are still…and you’re married to Jordan. I can’t be responsible for tearing a family apart.”
“What if I told you I never stopped loving you?”
“I already know that, Tommy.”
“Then let me show you.”
Before she can respond, he pulls her into a kiss. She doesn’t fight it. Somehow, it deepens as it goes on—though they both know they won’t cross any further line for now.
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END OF EPISODE
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Elijah and Lenny's wedding celebration continues
Tricia seeks advice.
Drama occurs at the reception.
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