EPISODE 12
Written By : Bre L. Drew
Last Time on Town and Country
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Courtney came clean about being Daniel Covington's daughter to Steven.
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Daniel did not like his daughter dating Steven since he is twenty years older than her.
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Esther told Peter she had an idea regarding getting those shares of the farm back.
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Shauna told Antoine she only wanted to be friends and occasional bed partners.
COVINGTON GROUP
Usually for Courtney Covington, throwing herself into work is the best distraction. But for the last half-hour, she has been staring at her computer screen in her office on the sixteenth floor of The Covington Tower. Her mind has been consumed with what happened at The Waterfall Bar a few days ago regarding her admitting to Steven that she is Daniel Covington's daughter. She decided to keep it to herself knowing that her family and his family have been enemies for decades. Yet, she had managed to form a relationship with him.
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"Get yourself together," she says aloud. Courtney then gets back to typing out an email regarding a press release. She then hears someone knocking on her door. Courtney tells them to come in. Her father Daniel Covington walks through the door with a huge grin upon his face.
"The preparations for the gala our currently underway," Daniel announces excitedly. He then stares at his daughter who has a look of disappointment on her face.
"Sounds great dad," Courtney replies somewhat unenthusiastically.
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"I know you're unhappy about what happened, but trust me Steven Sullivan is too old for you. They're plenty of guys your own age that you can date Courtney." Daniel encourages her hoping that she will soon forget about Doctor Dolittle.
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Courtney changes the subject. " I think I know someone that can decorate Home Farm." She then tells him about Shauna Jackson and how inexpensive she will come, Knowing he hadn't been concerned about getting in contact with a decorator in a few days now. She purposefully decided to keep "him" out of the conversation since he was the one to recommend the young woman fresh out of college to give the entire estate a much-needed renovation.
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Daniel says that he will get in contact with her. Then the father and daughter talk more about an upcoming project in New Hampshire which she hardly gives her full attention. Because truthfully she cannot stop thinking about Steven Sullivan.
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FRANKLIN FARM : MAIN HOUSE
It seemed as Spotify were now playing tunes from the smooth jazz portion from his playlist on his iPhone. Steven Sullivan was in the shower in one of the two bathrooms upstairs. As the hot steaming water poured onto his naked body he lathers himself with soap. Trying to remember what he had to today on his day off, which were now very seldom, since the animal clinic has been raking in constant business for the past few months now.
The Dave Koz/Chris Botti collaboration changed to Moment In Love, By Art of Noise. As he opens his eyes, other than the rising steam he notices the curtain gets pulled back. Just as he is about to tell whoever it is that this shower is occupied. Then he sees Courtney enter into the shower with a smile on her face. Not seeing before that she had a shapely figure with her clothes off.
"Courtney, what are you doing here?" Steven asks
" The two of us our au naturale and you're asking me why am I'm here," she says in a sultry manner. She then stands on her tippy toes to place a finger on his lips. "Enough talking Sullivan and more of this." she then takes control and begins kissing him rather intensely. Steven opens his eyes but this time no one was there in the shower with him. And the only sound he hears is the synth-pop beats of the song.
"Son of a bitch!" he exclaims to himself hoping it hadn't been his imagination.
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He finds it quite unfair that this decades-long rivalry between the two families is now affecting his personal life so strongly. Especially, that he wants to be with Courtney. Yet, he knows that his mother will probably hit the roof if he kept on seeing Courtney, Since Daniel has shares of Franklin Farm.
Later he is dressed for the day and is in his bedroom. He knows that he too hadn't been honest with Courtney. Fearing she will not be interested in dating a man nearing forty with a recently failed marriage and a kid to boot too.
He grabs his keys off the nightstand on his way to run his errands hoping to forget the mess, he is currently the star of.
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THE WATERFALL BAR : JACKSON APARTMENT
This morning Mae decided to make steak and eggs which was her late husband's favorite breakfast. She, along with her granddaughter Shauna Jackson and surrogate grandson Antoine Hall was also partaking in chatting and eating too in the makeshift dining room in the apartment above the bar.
"How did that interview go yesterday with that design firm in Hudson Lake?" Mae asks her granddaughter
Shauna places a chunk of steak into her mouth and swallows. "I think it went fine they liked my portfolio but half the graduating class in my college were there too." As she tells this out loud she feels even less confident about her chances of getting the job.
"Don't get your hopes up I'm sure you're going to be interviewing a few more times before you get a job anywhere big time," Antoine says in a condescending way, which makes Shauna pissed off at him even more ever since he told her that he isn't giving up on them being together.
"Just keep the faith, Shauna ." Mae wisely says as she polishes off her eggs on her plate.
Antoine nods "At least you're got the bar to fall back on."
Shauna catches the look that her grandmother gives her knowing she too is caught off guard by the way he is talking to her too. Mae wipes her mouth with her paper napkin and tosses onto her plate " I need to set up downstairs." She then stands up from the chair at the table.
"We got the dishes, Mae," Antoine says
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"Thank you, Antoine, uh when you're done here than I need you to change the beer barrels thank you," Mae instructs him as she then makes her way out of the door.
Shauna scoops up a few dishes and silverware on top of them, she takes them to the kitchen. Then she tosses them onto the counter and turns to her sometimes lover. "What the hell you think you're doing?" she asks him hastily.
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COVINGTON GROUP
Normally, Daniel prides himself on not drinking liquor during the workday. However, with a lighter schedule today he treats himself with a glass of single malt scotch as he sits behind his desk.
He despises seeing his daughter hurting over Steven Sullivan. Truthfully it had little to do with him being a member of the Saunders family. He knows what it is like for Courtney, because he too fell for Louise who too is a Saunders. Nevertheless, his adolescent love was thirty years ago and he has moved on from that infatuation. Daniel isn't keen on their relationship due to the great age span between them.
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The all too familiar sound of his business phone ringing which Daniel picks up from the hook. "Hello," he responds
He then hears the familiar Staten Island accent belonging to his secretary Evelyn who informs him that someone is here to see him. "Let them in," he says then hangs up the phone. His curiosity is peeked as to who it can be who wants to see him?
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Evelyn then opens the office suite door and behind her is the buxom pint-sized blonde aka Esther Saunders or whatever the last name she is using from her three marriages. Also, she is can't miss because of the fluorescent green pantsuit she is wearing.
"Did you come all the way downtown just to check out the building?" Daniel asks sarcastically.
Esther observes the office suite her entire office at the stables nearly can fit into this one room. She sees figurines of the Empire State Building and other buildings the company constructed and redeveloped throughout the years too.
"Sadly, Daniel this isn't exactly a social call. This is about business."
Daniel's face doesn't hide his apparent confusion as to what Esther is referring in the slightest.
As Daniel is about to speak he sees Esther opening up her purse and getting her checkbook out of it.
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"How much you want for em? " Esther says. She then grabs a pen from her bag.
"Is your old age getting to you because I have no clue what are you talking about Esther?"
Esther shakes her head at his insults. "No I'm quite sane, I'm sorry, let me slow it down for you to understand. How much money do you want for the shares of the farm?" Esther speaks slowly just to piss Daniel off even further.
"Can you afford it? " Daniel wonders. He knows that the Saunders have been doing well courtesy of the profits of the farm has made over the years.
" I wouldn't be here if I couldn't Daniel." Now, how much do you want for them?"
Daniel chuckles. "As you can see I don't need your little money." he then gestures with his hands that he owns the entire tower.
"Franklin Farm belongs solely in my family and I have the funds to secure it. I don't need an outsider with a chip on his shoulder thinking he got carte blanche to do what he wants."
Daniel rubs his forehead. "Fine, I will sell you my 20% percent."
Esther begins to take his words at face value then her common sense gets back to her. "In exchange for?"
"What makes you think I want anything?"
Esther sighs. "Because there hasn't been a Covington alive who didn't want anything in return. So what do you want?"
"To keep your son away from my daughter."
Esther twists her mouth. " You do know that our children are grown right ?" I'm not into interfering in my son's romantic relationships. "
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"Well, I guess you and your brother will have to deal with me having a say so when it comes to the farm." Daniel states
Esther sighs. "All right I will do my best to keep Steven away from your daughter."
"And I will get into contact with you when I come up with a sum your checkbook can accommodate." Daniel then pulls out his right hand for Esther to shake.
Esther looks at his hand like it was contagious. "Your word is enough, besides I don't shake hands with the Devil." She then heads out of the door glad that soon she will be out of this building.
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Daniel sits back down at his desk he then picks up his iPhone which he searches for a number in his contacts and once he finds it he hits the number to dial out.
"Hey, I got an assignment for you." -- I need you to dig up everything you can on Dr. Steven Sullivan, he's a veterinarian -- transcripts, birth certificate, parking tickets, the works." Daniel isn't quite sure if he can really count on the Elizabeth Taylor of Radcliffe to take their deal seriously. Plus, like his father always told him, if you want something done then do it yourself.
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THE WATERFALL BAR : JACKSON APARTMENT
" I don't what you're talking about," Antoine claims while he is putting the dishes in the dishwasher.
Shauna rolls her eyes at how dumb she thinks he is being right now. "Were you not just there at the table where it sounded like you wanted me to be stuck here working at the bar for the rest of my life? Or is it because I told you I don't want to be your girl?"
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Antoine remains silent for a second as he places glasses on the rack. He then lifts his head up. "You made it clear you don't want anything but sex and friendship I get it." And maybe I am going to miss working with you I mean it seems you can get away fast enough from me." He is not a fan of showing his vulnerability but when he does he starts to question his own manhood.
Suddenly the apartment phone rings which takes them both off guard at first. Shauna picks up the cordless phone in the living room and answers it on the fourth ring. As she hears an unfamiliar voice over the line she begins to become full of delight. She then spends another minute or two remembering the information.
She then hangs up the phone and hugs Antoine he holds her tightly in his broad arms.
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"What was that for?" he asks
"Your best friend just got a job, you're looking at the new interior decorator for Home Farm Estate." Daniel Covington just called me himself to give me the good news."
"Congratulations,"
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That is the most sincere thing you said to me today." Shauna says
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JOJO'S CAFE
Courtney decided to give the café a try since she had to get out of the office. Her mind was partly still devouring with thoughts of Steven and how much she hates the problem that had surfaced for the both of them. She is sitting at the counter with the green tea smoothie she hardly touched. The rest of her brain was full of last minute things to do before the gala takes place in a week or so.
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Over the stereo system, Des'ree's You got to be is playing at a bearable volume.
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Running her hands through her hair. "Oh god I can't stop thinking about him." she mainly says this to herself. Thankfully she is one of only a few customers in here at the moment.
In between running errands for the day, Steven decides to grab a blueberry muffin and coffee. He sees no one at the counter to take his order, so he decides to sit down not knowing who was beside him.
Suddenly he stops and turns his head to see Courtney taking a sip of her smoothie. She feels someone lingering in on her and she is somewhat stunned to see him too.
"Hi," he manages to say.
"Hi," she replies " Can I tell you something? "
Steven bows his head.
"I'm apologizing for not being honest with you. Look I know I said that if you knew that I was a Covington you would've avoided me. From the first moment I saw you -- I couldn't stop thinking about you. "
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"You know what, I don't care what anyone else says or do, we cannot let people dictate what we do together. Cause frankly it isn't any of their damn business." Steven points out.
Courtney touches his hand. "So where do we go from here?"
"Before everything came out, I think we can consider this our third date?" Steven answers.
She ponders everything he said. "I like that idea."
Although, he does feel rather guilty that he is keeping the fact he is a divorcee with a son he hardly gets to see. Steven knows the most important part right now is that Courtney and he have another chance to get it right for the foreseeable future.
END OF EPISODE
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
The Gala starts.
Lynn and Tanner throw a house party.
Steven and Courtney make their debut as a couple.
Leave your thoughts here, on the T&C forum
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