EPISODE 283
Written by: Bre L. Drew
April 1, 2024
Last Time on Town and Country
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Jacques was informed by ICE that he only had sixty days to seek citizenship or face deportation. Though his solicitor informed him that marrying an American citizen would be the simplest solution.
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Max and Shauna continue to struggle with the accident that rendered him in a wheelchair and caused Shauna to miscarry their child, which Daniel's actions of gaslighting caused.
MILLER INN: SUITE 330
A consistent week of spring has finally dawned in Radcliffe, Kentucky. When it isn't raining, the sun is shining bright like today. However, the forecast is the least of Jacques Laurent's concerns as he examines himself in the mirror of his third-floor hotel suite. Despite his handsome exterior, he couldn't stop dwelling on the possibility of being deported back to France since he didn't have the legal documentation to remain in the country.
Not to mention, according to his solicitor, there is a five-to seven-week backlog of applicants for visas and green cards, leaving him without many options.
His solicitor then informed him that to retain his residence here, he could marry an American citizen to remain in the States. However, he is unsure whether or not Emma would want to do that since they only rekindled a short time ago. He didn't need anything to rock the boat because he couldn't bear losing her again.
His thoughts are interrupted by the din of knocking on the door, which he goes to obtain.
A twenty-something white guy from room service is in the doorway with a food cart. "Where should I put this?" he asks.
"Just by the table, thank you," Jacques says while he moves out of the way while the employee does what he's told.
By now, the billionaire shipping heir takes out a crisp fifty-dollar bill from the top pocket of his suit.
"Here you go."
"Thank you,"
As the hotel employee departs the suite, Emma Covington stands in the doorway, holding onto her handbag with a cordial smile.
"You requested my presence," she says with intrigue and coyness.
He had contacted her earlier to have her come over to have brunch.
Jacques takes off her coat, which reveals a multi-color rhinestone-strap sequin dress.
"I must say I'm glad I did because you look incredibly breathtaking," he compliments while giving her a peck on the nape of her neck.
She gazes at the food cart and then at her lover. "So what is this all about?"
​
Jacques puts her coat on a hanger in the closet. "Do I have to have an ulterior motive for wanting to spend an afternoon having a meal with the woman I adore?" he remarks in his French accent.
Yet Emma couldn't think something was behind this but, not necessarily, couldn't put her finger on it.
HOME FARM
Grunting in the process, Max Covington uses all of the strength he can summon to push himself up on the parallel bars. At the moment, he's challenging himself in the room equipped for his physical therapy needs inside the mansion on his family's estate. His best at the moment is five, but despite his therapist's warning to take it easy, he decides one more would not hurt.
While gripping the bar with his right hand, he lost his balance, driving him to the ground hard. He tries to use his hands to get himself back to his chair; the workout has taken a lot of his energy, and he curses himself for not being able to use his legs anymore, in addition to feeling emasculated in more ways than one.
Concurrently, Daniel Covington goes by the room and halts. When he notices the sight of his son, he instantly goes over to assist him.
Yet Max raises his hand to stop him.
"You should not be doing this alone; let me help you," Daniel remarks concernfully.
"I'm fine," Max lies.
Daniel gets him back into his chair, even though Max isn't grateful for the assistance.
"Next time, call out for somebody to help you," Daniel cautions him.
"Or, how about next time we think before we gaslight?" Max denotes sarcastically.
Daniel raises himself to his full height, trying not to let his son's harsh words affect him even though they have, as he knows he is using Jordan's postpartum depression against her, blackmailing her psychiatrist into purposely overmedicating her on her sedatives so she could appear to be an unfit mother so Tommy could take custody of their son Jeremy away from her, yet a mentally unbalanced Jordan lost track of Jeremy and got in the middle of the road while simultaneously Max and Shauna were heading down the same road. To avoid hitting her, he swerved his vehicle into a ditch, causing his paralysis and causing his wife to lose their unborn child.
Shauna Covington enters the room, having heard Daniel and Max going back and forth with each other from down the hall.
"What the hell is going on here?" she says, which gets both men's attention.
"Max lost his hold on the bars, and he fell," Daniel informs. "So, I came to help him get back into his chair."
A look of concern appears on her face. "Are you all right?"
"Just peachy," Max replies sarcastically. "And I was just telling the man responsible that he has already done enough."
"You shouldn't be trying to overdo things," she says warningly.
"Maybe I shouldn't do anything at all and let you, him, and the staff do every fucking thing for me. How does that sound?!" Max facetiously retorts.
Daniel witnesses his daughter-in-law's facial expression, which conveys her hurt at the comment made to her.
Shauna takes a strand of her dark brown shoulder-length hair and tucks it behind her ear.
"You know I was looking for you because I got a call from Courtney telling me she changed her mind and wants me back at Covington, and I thought we could go out to celebrate, but I can't be in the same room with you right now."
She strides out of the room, leaving father and son together.
THE WATERFALL BAR
The sultry vocals of Chanté Moore fill the local establishment this afternoon as "Love's Taken Over" plays on The Waterfall's sound system. Antoine Hall and Mae Jackson stand near each other behind the bar while the latter's beau, Gus Hewitt, sits across from them at the bar, finishing his lunch, which consists of a corned beef sandwich and fries with a Sprite instead of beer since he's on his lunch break from work.
"Every day on the news, they tell you cancer is on the rise for young people, but you never think about it until it's someone you know." Mae voices.
The three were conversing about her best friend's great-niece being only in her twenties and being diagnosed with leukemia, which stuns her since she had watched her, and her twin sister grow up. She also told Esther that if there is anything she can do, please don't hesitate to let her know.
"It's messed up," Antoine chimes in.
Gus uses a paper napkin to wipe his mouth. "Yeah, it is, it's not easy to stand by and watch someone you love go through it."
He and Mae both know that firsthand due to their late spouses passing away from cancer.
"It makes you realize life is short, and you need to spend it with the people you care about," Mae confesses.
Gus grabs her hand, making Antoine see how serious the two have gotten.
Mae then notices a group of customers waiting. "I'll take care of them." She proceeds to walk down the other side of the bar.
HOME FARM
Despite taking a much-needed shower, Max couldn't stop feeling guilty for snapping at his wife. The way that he did it, knowing she didn't deserve it, although between falling and needing his father of people to help him back into his chair, caused him to take it out on her unfairly.
As he comes out of the bathroom in his motorized chair into their bedroom, a terse knock gets his attention.
"It's open!" he announces.
Thinking it's Shauna, he plans to apologize; however, when the person comes in, it already changes his mood altogether.
"What do you want?" Max snipes
"I wanted to see how you were," Daniel says initially. "But I think you need someone to remind you how grateful you are to have someone who loves you as much as Shauna does because the way you treated her earlier is unacceptable, Max."
Max shakes his head while rolling his eyes at him. "I think you're the last person to tell me how to treat anybody."
Due to his scheme, Tommy moved out of the mansion into the guest house, while Courtney made herself scarce to him anymore after being voted in to run the company, and Max hardly speaks to him.
Daniel recognizes the same defiance in him that his son possesses. "I get that I deserve your cold shoulder after everything I've done, but don't forget your wife also lost something in the accident too."
Max is aware he is referring to the unborn child Shauna miscarried at the hospital; it is something they haven't gotten over, as they both wanted that child.
"I will always be remorseful for what you both lost, but if you keep going on this way... I don't know how things between you both can go on because Shauna needs someone to put herself first too." Daniel verbalizes wholeheartedly.
Max recalls how he went to his sister to convince her to let Shauna come back to work at Covington since he knows his condition is preventing them from having sex, which is something else he blames himself for.
"Do you have any more words of wisdom?" Max scoffs.
Daniel shoves his hands into his pants pockets. "I'm done, but at least think about what I said."
As he takes off, Max hits the armrest of his chair. His father feels he needs to confront him with some kind of tough love.
THE WATERFALL BAR
Girl get comfortable (hey!)
We 'bout to do something you never done before (hey!)
Baby, not the usual (hey!)
Tonight, we getting unpredictable (hey!)
​
Jamie Foxx's 2000's hit "Unpredictable" is now playing within the bar as Shauna saunters through the gathering of customers over to the bar, where she notices Antoine and Gus.
"Hey, you two," she greets them.
Shauna takes a seat beside her grandmother's boyfriend.
Gus then looks at the watch on his wrist. "I need to get outta here to get back to the hospital. Can one of y'all tell Mae I will call her later?"
"No problem," Antoine nods.
The hospital custodian gets up from the stool to put on his coat and exits the bar.
"Gus is a good dude; I don't know why your uncle can't see it," Antoine opines.
It's no secret that Mae's youngest child isn't fond of the man that his mother is seeing, and tension between them escalated last Christmas in this very room.
"Well, he needs to focus on his own mess of a life. because if anyone deserves happiness in a relationship, it's my grandmother; at least someone in this family is."
Antoine arches his eyebrow in confusion. "How come I'm feelin' like we're shiftin' gears onto you?"
"I don't know what to do, Antoine," she roughly sighs. "I didn't know being his caregiver would be so damn hard," she expresses. "And you're not going to believe this, but Courtney called to tell me I can return to work at Covington part-time. I still can't believe she changed her mind."
Antoine leans in over to her in a friendly manner. "Cause' Courtney knows you're a good worker," he responds. "And I don't know where things lie between you and Max, but you deserve to have things in your life apart from your husband. And after everything you lost too, you deserve some happiness too."
Shauna is impressed by her friend's and ex-lover's words.
She changes the subject away from her and her husband.
"So, how are you doing?"
"Jobwise, I'm cool," he replies. "But I've been havin' more free time since I'm in between women at the moment."
Antoine has never been one to remain single; however, he's never been one for monogamy.
"Really?" Shauna asks playfully.
"It's been a dry spell lately, but your brotha hopes it won't last long." He responds charismatically.
The comment makes Shauna laugh, which is the first time she can recall doing that in a while.
MILLER IIN: SUITE 330
Their brunch is now mainly consumed. Jacques and Emma sit across from each other at the small table.
Even though Emma is enjoying herself, she can sense something is occurring, and Jacques is trying to conceal it from her.
"I know I'm far from sainthood," she replies. "But if we're going to maintain a relationship, I'm asking for some kind of honesty here, Jacques."
He exhales before deciding how to respond.
"The immigration and customs enforcement seem to have a problem with me staying in the country long-term."
From the seriousness of his face, Emma can detect the reason why. "You are facing deportation?"
He nods modestly.
"Did you get in touch with an immigration attorney? Because if you need one, I can give you the name of one my friend used to deal with her kid's dual citizenship status here and in Australia."
"My family's solicitor referred me to one, and unfortunately, I have to wait almost three months, and that is time I obviously cannot afford."
"Is there anything else that can stop you from having to return to Europe?"
Jacques clears his throat.
"Well, he did say there is a legal maneuver that will remedy my entire situation.
Waiting for him to tell her, Emma picks up her glass of cabernet, but once she sees him holding an object, she takes a hearty sip and puts it down.
In Jacques' hand is a box consisting of a platinum diamond ring.
"I wish this could've been done in better circumstances, even though our engagement wasn't successful before, but his actions were the cause of it. But will you marry me, Emma?"
Finding herself overcome or feeling overwhelmed by this, knowing that he's doing this so he can stay in the country, she can again sense the sincerity in his voice.
"Jacques," she says at a loss of words, an unusual occurrence for the Covington heiress.
"I know it is a lot, but promise me you will at least think about it," he pleads.
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Emma is taken aback by possibly having Jacques' fate in her hands, whether or not he remains in the country, but with her too.
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END OF EPISODE
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Lenny receives her first chemotherapy treatment.
Sean and Tricia have an unexpected run-in.
Emma ponders Jacques' proposal.
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