EPISODE 284
Written by: Bre L. Drew
April 8, 2024
Last Time on Town and Country
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Lynn, Elijah, and the rest of the Saunders-Lockhart family try to process her leukemia diagnosis.
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Jacques informed Emma of his deportation plight, later proposing marriage to her to seek American citizenship.
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Murray was determined to be part of SJ's life, much to Martha's misgivings.
RADCLIFFE RECEIVING HOSPITAL
The seemingly perky brunette nurse escorts Lynn Lockhart, alongside her parents Sean Lockhart and Louise Lockhart Saunders, her fraternal twin sister Tanner Lockhart, and boyfriend Elijah Barker, into the chemotherapy room, which doesn't have any people on the fourth floor of the cancer clinic in Radcliffe Receiving Hospital.
"Typically, only two people are allowed with patients; however, since we aren't busy today, you are all allowed to hang out in here," the nurse pleasantly informs them.
"I will make sure the rest of the family knows that." Louise states while taking some of her shoulder-length blonde hair and tucking it behind her ears while looking over the room.
The nurse in her green scrubs and ponytail shifts focus onto each of them. "So, does anyone have any questions before we start?"
Sean lifts a finger to indicate that he does. "Now, if the treatments are too much for Lynn to take, can she be admitted here as an inpatient while receiving the treatments?"
"Dad!" Lynn interjects.
Louise looks at Sean, which suggests that maybe he is jumping the gun a bit.
It is bad enough for her that she has acute myeloid leukemia that, according to her doctor, can spread quickly. Now, her father is asking if she would be better off living in the hospital.
The oncology nurse smiles warmly, having heard these types of questions before.
"Well, for now, the treatments will be outpatient, but if Lynn becomes too ill, I'm sure her oncologist, will do what's best for her."
"And it's not like Lynn doesn't have a mouth to speak," the small-statured blonde says for herself.
"Okay, someone will be here in a moment to start the procedure. Good luck to you all."
The nurse dashes out of the room, leaving them in the room with five recliner chairs with poles on the side of each of them with partitions, as well as the flat-screen television mounted on the wall with TNT on at a decent volume.
"She's nice," Elijah says observably.
"Everyone seems to be around here," Louise adds.
Lynn chooses the recliner in the middle, taking a seat. "Of course, they're because there's probably a chance they might not see you again."
Silence creeps into the room, knowing that despite her fearless exterior, she's scared of the outcome.
"Does anyone want anything to eat or drink?" Tanner changes the subject.
She already felt bad not being with her sister when she got the diagnosis, but now she is and is going to be there for her through this journey.
"I'll go down to the cafeteria to get everything," Sean volunteers.
Sean and Louise choose coffee, the twins want water, and Elijah requests a Coke.
On his way out, Sean kisses Lynn's forehead, which takes her off guard since he hasn't done that since she was about ten.
He then departs the room and takes the elevator to the ground floor, towards the cafeteria; however, he unexpectedly sees his soon-to-be ex-wife across from him in a black leather jacket, a white v-neck tee, and light blue jeans. Her recently trimmed brown hair is on the fringe, though in a ponytail.
"Hey!" Sean greets her.
"Small world, isn't it?" Tricia Lockhart says in response.
THE CLIFFE
Emma Covington sits behind her desk in the office above the bar of the nightclub she owns. Her thoughts were consumed by the other day regarding Jacques informing her that Immigration plans to deport him back to France within sixty days if he doesn't seek legal citizenship. Having been told by his solicitor that there is a backlog of applicants seeking long-term permanent residence, that isn't the most shocking.
While having brunch in his hotel suite, he proposed to her, informing her that his solicitor advised him to pass all of the red tape so he could marry an American citizen.
She is still taken aback by him popping the question. Even though the ring he had gotten was gorgeous, having reconciled at the beginning of the year, Emma hadn't given much thought to their future. In addition, the last time they were engaged,
Jacques's motives behind it weren't altruistic. Yet she knows, in a way, that she does stand in the way of him staying in the country, yet she is unsure whether she should rush into another engagement.
Her thinking is interrupted when an exaggeration of someone clearing their throat snaps her back into reality when she looks to see Will Jackson standing in the doorway, holding onto some papers in his possession.
"So you can hear me after all?" Will Jackson asks sarcastically.
"Sorry, I was just in deep thought," she replies. "What can I do for you?"
The nightclub manager is wearing a black long-sleeve polo shirt with blue jeans.
"Can you look at these POs before I roll up outta here?"
Emma throws her ex-lover a look of disbelief. "Hot date?" she teases.
Will forms an expression to convey otherwise. "Nah, I'm helpin' out at the farm since Sean and Louise are at the hospital with Lynn. Today is her first chemo appointment."
Since Will moved out of the bar, Sarah Lynn had taken him in on the farm, and he had been helping out now and then to thank her for her hospitality.
Emma recalls that her brother's first love's daughter had been diagnosed with leukemia. "Give them all my best," she meaningfully remarks. "But why suddenly do you want me to look over purchase orders? I trust you when it comes to everything."
Will scoffs at that statement, scratching his neck. "That's funny, cause' I once had that same kinda trust in you."
The nightclub owner is aware he is referring to how he walked in on her and Jacques after they had sex last year, contributing to their breakup.
"Will, we need to talk."
FRANKLIN FARM
"Stay where we can see you, okay?" Martha Saunders yells out to her son, SJ Saunders, who is in the distance on the farm playing with his 3-month-old border collie puppy, Otis.
"Okay!" he exclaims.
The young boy throws the rubber ball, trying to get the dog to fetch it, while the miscellaneous sounds of animals on the farm also resonate.
She turns to Samuel Gupta, who is sitting next to her at the table outside on Franklin Farm. Since it was a brightly warm spring day, she decided to have an impromptu picnic as she prepared sandwiches, vegetables, fruits, and cookies she made using her paternal grandmother's recipe.
"About time spring has sprung; I don't know how many more cold, cloudy days I could take," he expresses.
"Tell me about it," she notes while reaching over to the wicker basket as she takes out the Tupperware, which the various food items are in.
"Getting all of us together today is a good idea," the psychiatrist notes.
"Well, I also wanted to spend it with my two favorite people," Martha says of her boyfriend and son. "Especially today."
Samuel notices a more somber expression appearing on her face.
"I still can't believe Lenny is going through all this," she says of her niece.
"I know it might not be much comfort to you and your family, but Lynn's doctor, Ike Saddleman, is one of the best oncologists in the state. She's in good hands." Samuel tells her.
"How do you do that?" she queries.
"Do what?"
"Calm me down whenever I'm on the ledge."
He chuckles good-naturedly. "It's all part of the trade,"
She smiles at him and leans in for a kiss when the familiar sound of her phone ringing gets their attention as she retrieves it.
"Hello, yeah, I'll get him," she says over the phone. Martha then removes it from her ear. "SJ!" she calls out. "Phone."
By now, SJ runs back to the table while Otis follows behind as Samuel uncovers the Tupperware with the vegetables, taking a bite of a celery stick.
"It's your dad," Martha announces, causing Samuel to be skeptical of Murray's timing, even though logically he knows there's no way he knows he's here.
THE CLIFFE
Emma is on her feet, strolling toward her ex on the other side of her desk.
"Look, I regret very much how things ended between us, and I do not blame you for any ill feelings you have towards me or Jacques. But eventually, I hope we can get to a place of friendship."
Will shakes his head at her sentiment dawning on him that a relationship between a felon from the wrong side of the tracks and the rich girl couldn't have a happily ever after, a part of him is still upset about how she slept with Jackie Boy behind his back, having discovered his lies initially were coming between them.
"I don't know if we can ever get back there," he bluntly confesses. "You screwed another man about whom you've lied to me before. But, hey, don't worry about my feelings. So, let's keep it like we're at now, al'ight? We're two people with a past who work together."
Before Emma can say anything else, she watches Will exit the office, leaving the orders behind.
The petite heiress manages to get up on the desk, sitting on the edge of it. "Another fine mess you got yourself into,"
FRANKLIN FARM
"Okay, I talk to you later; bye, Dad," SJ says, finishing his conversation with his father.
The five-year-old ends the call and skips to the table, where he gives the iPhone back to his mother.
"You're done?" Martha asks her.
"Yeah, he had to go, but he's coming back here after he finishes up in LA," he informs them.
Murray is doing some business with his talent agency in California; however, he has been more determined to be a father to his son despite being absent for the first four and a half years of his life.
"That's good," Martha says, as Samuel can sense her doubt, though she isn't the one to speak negatively of Murray in front of their child.
SJ reaches for the cookies, which Martha instantly spots.
"Go wash your hands in the kitchen, and then you can eat."
"Oh man," he says while he takes off toward the house.
Samuel turns his head. "How about after lunch, the three of us can throw around the frisbee I bought?"
SJ shrugs his shoulders, lifting both of his hands. "What's a frisbee?"
The question proceeds to cause disbelief from the adults.
"He's a good kid," Samuel points out. "Even though he just made me feel old as hell,"
"Tell me about it."
"The best," Martha responds. "I just hope Murray realizes that. I know he's been doing better this year than all of the years before, but I'm still not letting my son go alone with him until I know I can trust him. It doesn't make me sound like an overprotective person, does it?"
"You've been raising him on your own all his life, so it makes sense you're protective of him. I'll say it's better to err on the side of caution with Murray, that's all."
The bartender-singer conveys her appreciation to her lover. "All right then, let's enjoy this beautiful day, shall we?" Martha states.
RADCLIFFE RECEIVING HOSPITAL
"I guess with only one hospital in this town, we were bound to cross paths eventually," Tricia says half-jokingly while people around them go on about their lives.
"Are you all right?" he asks her.
"Just my yearly physical; that's all, and I'm healthy so that's always good."
The two stared at one another, realizing it had been some time since they had seen each other.
"So, what brings you here?" Tricia queries conversationally.
"Today is Lynn's first day of chemo, so me, Lou, Tanner, and Elijah are keeping her company," he informs her.
"Oh, that's right," Tricia says. "I know this might not be much coming from me of all people; I know we never got along, and she is probably cheering that I will no longer be her stepmother, but please tell Lynn I'm pulling for her to kick cancer ass."
"Well, I'll be sure to pass that message on to her." Sean chuckles
"I know this isn't easy on you or Louise," she follows up.
"Yeah," Sean answers. "No matter how old your children get, you never stop worrying about them."
The mention of children makes them instantly think of their late son Dylan passing away as an infant from SIDS, which also contributed to the demise of their relationship.
Tricia holds onto her clutch purse while deciding to alter the tone of their conversation. "I know this might make me sound more of a bitch than I normally am, but you've had those papers for a while now, and I wanted to know if you'd gotten around to signing them."
"With everything going on, I just hadn't had the time to look over them, but I will get to it, I promise."
Tricia had filed for divorce some time ago, having had enough of being put second in their marriage. Although she wants to push him to put his name on his papers, she is aware that this isn't exactly the time or place to do so.
"Please let me know when you get around to it," Tricia tells him. She then saunters away from him, heading towards the main exit of the hospital.
Sean exhales before heading into the cafeteria.
Lynn, by now, had been administered the intravenous infusion for her first round of chemotherapy treatment by one of the other nurses.
"How are you doing?" Louise asks her daughter. The farmer, alongside her other daughter and Elijah, sits in chairs on the other side of her.
"Do you need a blanket or anything?" Elijah asks his girlfriend.
"No, I'm fine," she says impatiently. "Just somebody keeps my mind off this needle in my arm pumping chemicals into my body?"
"Any thoughts on me and Elijah graduating college in a month and a half?" Tanner verbalizes.
Lynn grins at the two of them. "I'm so proud of you two."
"Me too," Louise interposes.
"And then we have more school to look forward to." Elijah mocks exhaustion.
Elijah and Tanner will be going to vet school and law school, respectively.
"Congratulations on getting into Sampson Law, by the way," Tanner congratulates.
The college senior had been accepted into their alma mater for law school, which is small but competitive.
"Your parents must be thrilled," Louise says.
"Oh, they are, you know, they never wanted me to go to school out of state anyway. This way, they get me around the house for a few more years while I get to save enough for a decent place."
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Tanner herself dwells on the fact that she too has applied to some out-of-state schools for veterinary medicine; however, she hadn't heard from any, as she knows her sister's welfare is the most important thing.
Lynn isn't so sure about what is ahead of her due to having cancer; however, as long as the people she cares about will, that's all that matters to her as she fights this disease.
Sean's footsteps get their attention as he returns a cardboard tray of coffee, soda water bottles, and snack items from the cafeteria.
"Sorry, it took me a while, but I didn't know what to grab, so I just grabbed some stuff as he passed the items to everyone.
"So, what's going on here?" he surveys.
"Talking about the future," Tanner informs her father.
"As long as Lenny's is cancer-free, that's the most important thing," Sean says, making Louise nod.
"You and me both," Elijah says in agreement while grasping his girlfriend's hand supportively.
Lenny takes a sip from her bottled water. "I know I come off as I don't appreciate it, but I'm glad you're all here."
"We wouldn't be anywhere else, sweetheart," Louise proclaims as she takes her daughter's other hand.
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Lenny doesn't let go of their hands as she closes her eyes, willing that treatment will do what it is supposed to do, too secretly terrified that this all might not be for nothing.
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END OF EPISODE
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Deirdre gives Emma a warning.
Jacques and Will get into it.
Thora advises Jordan.
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