EPISODE 316
Written by Bre L Drew
November 7, 2024
Last Time on Town and Country
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Joel insisted on a DNA test to confirm if he's Skye's father, but he invited her to stay with him in the meantime
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In a charged moment, Tommy nearly kissed Tanner, but she pulled away, still grappling with her feelings for him
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Lenny's emotional toll deepens as she waits for a bone marrow match in her fight against cancer
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Jacques was displeased to learn he would be working with Tommy at Covington, believing the heir was underqualified.
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Neither Daniel nor Deirdre was pleased to learn that Courtney hired Jacques at Covington, especially after his elopement to Emma.
HUTTON APARTMENTS: APT # 105
The Hutton Apartments sit on the outskirts of Radcliffe, Kentucky, where the rural landscape blends into a growing suburban area. This small complex, with its terraced one- and two-bedroom units, has a worn but welcoming charm. Apartment 105, on the lower floor, has been Reverend Joel Friendly’s home since 2007, a subtle space compared to the rectory he declined after returning from missionary work. It suited him just fine for a life of solitude—until Skye Park unexpectedly came into his life with, he claimed that his romance with her mother created her.
In the snug kitchenette, Joel sets down a simple breakfast of scrambled eggs, wheat toast, and fruit. He glances over as Skye shuffles in, still in her sleepwear: an old, oversized black T-shirt and jogger pants. Her cropped pink hair and silver nose ring added a bit of contrast to the modest apartment.
“Good Morning,” he says, nodding toward her makeshift bed. “Sorry again about the couch. I know it can't be that comfortable to sleep on for more than a couple of days.”
Skye pushes the pull-out bed back into place, her shoulders rising in a casual shrug. “It’s alright.”
Though uncertain of what’s to come, Joel feels a mix of responsibility and curiosity; the chance that Skye might be his daughter has left him with questions only the pending DNA results can answer. For now, he focuses on offering her a small comfort. “Well, grab some breakfast, and we’ll figure out the day from there.”
Skye sits, eyeing the food as she picks up a fork, just as Joel’s iPhone starts to ring. At the same moment, a knock sounds on the door.
“I got it,” Skye offers, heading over. She opens the door to reveal Thora McKnight, who steps in with a warm smile, clad in a gray wool jacket and dark pants, clutching her purse.
“Morning,” Thora greets, waving to Joel. He looks from her to the phone screen—it’s the call he’s been waiting for.
But as he watches his old friend step into the apartment, he’s reminded of the unexpected turns his life has taken and, quietly, he wonders what will come next.
HOME FARM
Emma Covington Laurent descends the grand staircase of the Covington mansion, her heels softly tapping against the polished wood. She’s dressed in a black and pink floral turtleneck and dark trousers, heading to the dining room where she spots her mother, Deirdre Covington, mid-bite of her Eggs Florentine.
The older woman, petite and refined, sports her signature freshly styled red hair, done by her Hudson Lake stylist just two days ago. Emma takes a seat across from her, feeling the weight of the morning as she sips her orange juice, bracing for yet another likely critical exchange.
Finally, Deirdre breaks the silence. “So, will that husband of yours be gracing us with his presence?” Her tone is light, but Emma knows it well enough to catch the edge beneath the question.
“Actually, if you must know, Mother, he went into Covington early,” Emma replies, calm but firm, watching her mother’s barely concealed smirk as Deirdre sips her coffee, the skepticism nearly tangible.
Deirdre isn't keen with the idea that Jacques is involved in the company her late husband founded and believes he is full of ulterior motives. And she’s also aware that he knows of her long-ago affair with Jimmy Saunders though can be at least grateful he doesn't seem to know that it could've bred Emma which she will take to her grave.
Just then, Daniel Covington strides into the room, sharp in a dark blue blazer and crisp white shirt. “Am I going to regret asking what you two are discussing?” he inquires, voice laced with exasperation.
Emma pops a piece of croissant into her mouth, shaking her head. “Just letting dear Mother here know that Jacques went into the office early,” she says coolly. “Though I think she assumes he’s after corporate secrets.”
Daniel settles at the head of the table catching himself before his frustrations spill out. The sting remains fresh—the fact that he lost his position as CEO to Courtney after his plot against Jordan surfaced last year.
Emma decides to twist the moment further. “Well, since you two don’t seem to know, another family member is working at Covington now.”
Both Deirdre and Daniel exchange surprised looks.
“Oh, what is this?” Emma says lightly, amusement flashing in her eyes. “The two of you are the last to know something… Courtney has brought Tommy on board.”
Daniel’s expression shifts as he processes the news, while Deirdre quietly lifts her coffee cup to her lips.
Emma presses her hands together, looking satisfied. “Well, some of us do have gainful employment. I've got to get to the club. Ta-ta.”
She saunters out of the room, leaving her mother and brother to react.
Daniel lets a long breath out. “Did you know he was working at Covington?” he asks Deirdre, still absorbing the revelation.
“I had no idea,” Deirdre replies, sounding faintly hurt. “It’s not as though we’re clued into much in their lives anymore.”
Daniel’s expression softens, a bittersweet smile creeping in. He can’t help but remember Tommy’s childhood dream of working for the company—a dream he’d hoped to guide him through, had things gone differently.
Deirdre studies her son, noticing a familiar spark in his eye. “What’s turning in that head of yours now, Daniel?”
Daniel pours himself a fresh cup of coffee, savoring its warmth in his hand. “Maybe there is a way to get Jacques Laurent out of Covington."
He takes a decisive sip, as the beginning of a plan takes root in his mind.
JOJO'S CAFE
But he's irresistible
Up close and personal
Now inescapable
I can hardly breathe
​
The 2000s R&B-pop rhythm of Irresistible featuring the breathy vocals of Jessica Simpson, fills the air inside Jojo's Cafe this morning. The small crowd after the morning rush, includes Tanner and Lenny Lockhart sitting by the large window overlooking Main Street. Outside, the sky is partly cloudy, with people drifting off to work and other destinations.
The fraternal twin sisters had just arrived from the hospital after another chemotherapy session for Lenny, who is undergoing treatment to combat her leukemia. The effects are still lingering, both mentally and physically; the dosage has been making her more ill lately. However, today she feels the need for a change of pace and a craving for something sugary, a desire that hadn’t struck her in a while due to her lack of appetite.
Tanner glances at her sister, noticing the paleness of her skin. “How are you holding up?” she asks gently.
Lenny leans back in her chair, letting out a mock sigh. "Damn, do I look that rough?"
The brunette shakes her head quickly, not daring to offend her.
Lenny chuckles, cutting her off. “I’m totally messin' with you. I know I look like crap, but I’m feeling less like it today for some reason.”
Tanner smiles, a bit relieved, as she gathers herself, recognizing her sister’s familiar use of dark humor to cope with the struggles of her cancer journey.
The college graduate tucks a strand of her brown hair behind her ear before responding, “Long story short, Tommy came over to the house the other day… and he came this close to kissing me."
Lenny’s eyes widen, momentarily forgetting her craving for something sweet. “And how do we feel about that?”
“How do I feel about it?” Tanner replies, a bit exasperated. “Come on, Lenny, Tommy is married to Jordan. They have a kid. And let’s not forget, I’m involved with her brother.”
Lenny adjusts her Memphis Grizzlies cap over her shaved head, a reminder of her hair loss from chemo, and gives Tanner an understanding look. “Love quad from hell.”
“Exactly,” Tanner agrees. “That’s why I’m not giving in.”
Lenny studies her for a moment before asking, "But do you want to?"
Tanner sighs. “I care about Presley a lot. And he comes with no strings attached.”
Lenny raises an eyebrow, blurting out, “But is that enough, though?”
COVINGTON GROUP
On the twentieth floor of Covington Tower, where the Covington Group's headquarters dominate the downtown Radcliffe skyline, Tommy Covington sits across from Jacques Laurent in his office. The two recent new employees are locked in a heated discussion, going back and forth over a bid involving land just outside town.
“I still think that number’s way too high,” Tommy insists.
Jacques shakes his head, clearly unimpressed. “Sometimes you’ve got to spend money to make even more, Tommy. Just go with it; we’ll make it back after the development is done.”
The tension between them is observable—neither one cares much for the other, whether in business or their complicated family web.
Tommy glances down at his iPad, frowning. “Wait… even with this, the figure’s still too high.”
Jacques chuckles, his tone edged with impatience. “If you’re not even going to hear me out, then what’s the point?”
But before he can finish, a soft knock at the door draws his attention. His temporary assistant—a woman in her mid-40s with platinum blonde hair styled in a French twist and dressed in business casual—pokes her head inside.
“Yes, what is it?” Jacques asks, momentarily forgetting her name, as his previous assistant had only recently retired.
Turning to Tommy, she replies, “Mr. Covington, Elijah Barker is here.”
Tommy had been expecting his friend’s visit—they’d planned to grab lunch together. As Elijah steps into the office, the young executive grins and greets him warmly.
​
Tommy shoots Elijah a brief, warning glance before introducing them. “Jacques, this is Elijah. Elijah, Jacques.”
Elijah offers a respectful nod, his expression steady despite what he’s heard about his friend’s aunt’s husband. Jacques returns the nod, looking mildly disinterested. Tommy decides to postpone the meeting with Jacques, who looks somewhat relieved.
Stepping out of the office, Tommy and Elijah head down the long corridor.
“I just realized that this is my first time here,” Elijah comments, looking around.
“Lucky you,” Tommy teases. They exchange a smirk, and then Tommy asks, “So, how’s it going?”
Elijah sighs, “Between law school and Lenny, it’s a lot. But I’m hanging in there.”
As they walk down the corridor, Elijah glances at Tommy. “So… are we going to talk about how you nearly kissed Tanner the other day?”
Tommy shrugs, his tone edged with defiance. “I don’t regret it. I know she still has feelings for me, even after everything.”
Elijah raises an eyebrow. “Look, Jordan’s not my favorite person either, but you're still married to her. And she’s already insecure about the lack of things between you two. Just… don’t get caught, Tommy.”
Tommy falls silent for a moment as they approach the elevator. “I know things can’t stay like this, but I can’t lose Jeremy. But that'll never stop me from loving Tanner.”
The elevator doors open, and they step inside. Elijah looks at Tommy with a steady gaze. “Then you need to do some serious thinking, man. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.”
HOME FARM
As Daniel and Deirdre finish their breakfast, Max Covington strides into the room—an uncommon occurrence, as he has kept his distance from his father ever since Daniel’s gaslighting was exposed. That betrayal had left Max unable to walk for a year, ripping apart what little was left of their bond.
Max is on his phone, speaking with an intensity that immediately catches both his father's and grandmother’s attention.
“Shauna, it’s me. I know you’re probably screening these calls, but I’m not trying to track you down. I just want to talk. Please call or text me back— I love you,” he finishes quietly, ending the call.
“Son, what’s going on?” Daniel asks, his tone grave. “Did something happen between you and Shauna?”
Max’s jaw tightens, a flash of painful memories crossing his face. Shauna had been unable to bear living here, where every reminder of Daniel’s schemes haunted her—including the heartbreak of their lost child. “A simple domestic situation under this roof?” Max scoffs bitterly. “It's a little more complicated than that."
Deirdre interjects gently, “I think what your father means is that he’s concerned, Maxmillian, that’s all.”
Max’s gaze hardens. “If you two must know, my wife left me without warning because of everything he’s done. She couldn’t handle being here, where his schemes almost cost Jeremy his mother, left me paralyzed, and caused us to lose our baby. But I’m not giving up—I need to talk to her, to try and make things right.”
Daniel and Deirdre exchange tense, worried glances.
“Maximilian,” Daniel begins, his voice strained, “if there is anything I can do…”
Max grips the back of a dining chair, his iPhone clenched in his other hand. “Unless you can turn back time, there’s no, it's nothing you can do!”
Without another word, Max storms out of the room. Deirdre takes a slow, steadying sip of her coffee, while Daniel sits in silence, burdened by guilt, fully aware of how fractured his family has become.
JOJO'S CAFE
The soulful voice of Alicia Creti fills Jojo’s Cafe as “Bleeding Me Dry” plays over the sound system. Lenny takes a bite of chocolate cake, savoring the taste, and looks at Tanner thoughtfully. "Let's be real, what Tommy did screwed up things between you two.,” she says. “But I also know how much you cared about him, and that feeling doesn’t just go away… even though he hurt you by sleeping with Jordan.”
Tanner’s eyes cloud slightly as she recalls the night Tommy confessed, he’d had a baby with Jordan, a revelation that had ended their relationship. “I’ll never forget that” she admits quietly. “But besides, I’m with Presley now, and I do care him too.”
Lenny shifts in her seat, visibly uncomfortable for a moment. Tanner notices and wonders if she’s tired, but then realizes her sister is looking at her closely. “What?” she asks.
Lenny hesitates, then speaks with uncharacteristic earnestness. “Look, this is gonna sound corny as hell coming from me, but… do you actually love Presley?”
Tanner opens her mouth to answer but freezes when she notices two familiar figures entering the cafe—Elijah and Tommy. She falls silent, and Lenny, sensing her change in expression, glances over to see them too.
As the two men approach, Elijah immediately heads over to Lenny, greeting her with a kiss on the forehead. Tanner and
Tommy exchanges a glance, each aware of their near-kiss the other day.
Elijah turns to Tanner, giving her a friendly smile. “Looks like Martha is doing her thing on the West Coast."
The twins' aunt is currently on tour with her band across the Pacific Northwest.
“Yeah, I saw a video of her shows when she was in Seattle.,” Tanner replies, trying to keep her tone light, though she feels Tommy’s lingering gaze.
Tommy pauses beside Tanner, a hint of urgency in his voice. “Can we talk, just for a minute?”
Tanner shifts uneasily, shaking her head. “Tommy, I don't think that’s such a good idea.”
Sensing the tension, Elijah steps in smoothly. “We came to grab a bite to eat,” he reminds Tommy, and you’ve got to get back to the office soon.”
Reluctantly, Tommy lets it go, following Elijah to a nearby table. As they sit down, Elijah leans in, his tone low and serious. “You keep this up, Tommy, and you’re going to lose someone for good."
Tommy looks down, absorbing his best friend's words as he looks down at the wedding band on his hand, he knows he is crossing a line he shouldn't uncross.
HUTTON APARTMENTS: APT # 105
As Joel continues his phone call, Skye and Thora converse.
“Do you want some breakfast? His cooking isn't that bad,” Skye says with a hint of amusement.
Thora chuckles and nods. “I’ll have some coffee.”
“Let me get that for you,” Skye volunteers, moving to the coffee maker as they cross into the small kitchen.
“How are you doing” Thora asks, pouring a mug while Skye fiddles with the coffee machine.
“It’s kind of weird,” Skye replies, her brows furrowing. “It feels like I’m in between two astral planes and can't find my way out.” She pauses, searching for the right words. “I mean, it’s confusing, you know?”
Thora nods, doing her best to comprehend the statement “Yeah, I can only imagine.”
Just then, footsteps sound from the bedroom, and Joel walks out, a look of concern etched on his face.
“What is it?” Thora asks, noticing the shift in his demeanor.
Skye furrows her brow, guessing, “That was the hospital calling with the DNA results, isn’t it?”
Joel nods, his expression solemn yet filled with a fierce conviction. "That was them," he says, his voice steady but charged with emotion. He pauses, locking eyes with her. "And there’s no doubt about it—you’re my daughter."
A heavy silence settles in the room as the weight of the revelation hangs in the air.
Overwhelmed, Joel steps forward and embraces Skye. She leans into him, both comforted and dazed. “We’ll work this out,” he reassures her gently. “We’ll go visit your grandmother and take it from there, okay?"
Since her mother's death Skye had been living with her maternal grandmother Delores in Houston, Texas.
Skye remains in his embrace, the reality of having a father sinking in. "Okay,"
Thora looks on, her heart swelling with happiness for Joel, grateful he finally has this chance to be a father, and for Skye, who will now have a parent in her life.
​
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END OF EPISODE
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Martha's night takes an unexpected turn.
Antoine, Mae, and Gus find out that Shauna left town.
Jai advises Samuel.
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