EPISODE 244
Written by: Bre L. Drew
July 10, 2023
Last Time on Town and Country
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Jai and Louise resumed their engagement, which they revealed to their families; however, Aaliyah didn't take the news well, which resulted in Lynn calling her a "Bitch."
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Aaliyah hasn't hidden her feelings regarding wanting her parents back together.
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To seduce Emma away from Will, Jacques has been flirting with Courtney to get under his ex-fiance's skin, which Courtney is hiding from Steven.
FRANKLIN FARM: MAIN HOUSE
"I'm so glad that you and Jai were able to work things out." Sarah Lynn Saunders addresses Louise Saunders Lockhart.
The Saunders matriarch and her eldest daughter in the kitchen of the main house on Franklin Farm this morning.
"Me too," she says wholeheartedly. "But I wish a certain someone had your optimism about the two of us,"
From what she had been told and gathered, Sarah Lynn knew she was referring to her soon-to-be stepdaughter.
By now, the pair are at the table.
"I'm trying my best, but Aaliyah is still hesitant about Jai and me getting married, all because of her desire to want him and Mala together again. I'm at my wit's end, Mom."
Sarah Lynn takes a hearty sip of the last of her tea.
"Sweetheart, to be frank with you, all you can do right now is make her feel inclusive in the family and that you have no intention to hurt her or anyone else; that's all you can do."
"I guess," Louise says in response. "But I don't want to enter into this marriage and have to tiptoe to say the right thing or pick up her mood every time Aaliyah and I are in the same room."
Concurrently, Sean Lockhart enters the house through the backdoor, overhearing the conversation.
His footsteps make Sarah Lynn and Louise turn to face him.
"Am I interrupting?" he asks them.
"Nothing that hasn't already been said multiple times, chapter and verse," Louise notifies.
Sarah Lynn stands up from the table.
"I'm going to go call around and find somewhere to hold your engagement party."
"Mom, you don't have to do that."
The older blonde woman stares at her daughter.
"Let me do this, okay?"
Though with the pleasantness in her voice, Louise knows not to argue with her mother, especially at this moment,
With a nod from her, Sarah Lynn exits the kitchen, tossing her former son-in-law a look that you're free to speak without her present.
HOME FARM: GUEST HOUSE
"What should we do today?" Lorenzo Vidal poses for Aaliyah Gupta.
The young couple is huddled in his bed upstairs in the guest house on the Home Farm estate, where he resides and where she spent the night.
"Excited for Nashville?"
"Yeah,"
Martha had invited them and their friends to attend the weekend music festival in Nashville, where not only she and her band will perform, but as the content creator for them too, Lorenzo will be there capturing footage for their socials too.
"I don't know," she sighs exasperatedly.
"Maybe see a movie, bite to eat?"
"I don't care,"
Lorenzo scans his girlfriend's face, automatically knowing what is on her mind. "Lemme guess this has to do with your father and Louise, right?"
She had already filled him in on the breakfast that ended with Lynn calling her a bitch for not being enthused about their parent's future trip down the aisle, not to mention still wanting her parents to reunite, believing they should.
"I love my dad, but Louise won't put my father first. Look at how close she is still to Sean, and they've split too many times already, and they haven't even set a date for the wedding. So, I'm not going to pretend that I want Louise to become my stepmother."
THE CHATEAU
Contemporary smooth jazz music plays within the fine dining establishment this summer morning as diners consume their meals before heading to work, including Steven Sullivan and Courtney Covington Sullivan. The husband and wife are sitting across from each other at the table, eating breakfast, and in the middle of a conversation.
"You know, we have to do this more often," Courtney declares charismatically.
Steven proudly grins at his wife as he sips his coffee. "You're telling me," he replies. "I can't believe half of the year is over already, and before I know it, Evan is going to be a back-talking teenager."
Evan is Steven's now ten-year-old son from his first wife, Lorraine, who lives in Orlando.
"How is he liking camp?" Courtney asks her stepson.
Steven takes a bite of his French toast, then swallows.
"Last time I talked to him, he was on his way to play Capture the Flag. From the excitement in his voice, I take it he's happy to be there. And Lorraine is out of the country with her boyfriend visiting his family in Italy."
His ex-wife has been dating Giovanni, a fellow teacher at the performing arts high school, for some time now.
"Well, there is someone for everyone," Courtney mentions dryly.
The businesswoman still recalls how, when they were first getting serious, she caught her nearly kissing Steven, which she later found out was at the behest of her father, who wasn't keen on them being together.
"Look, everything has worked out the way it should," he tells her wholeheartedly while clasping his wife's hand, which makes Courtney glare intently.
Near the rear of the restaurant, where people usually select to be away from people, Deirdre Covington sits in the booth drinking her mimosa, wearing a designer headscarf, when an associate approaches her.
"We've got to stop meeting like this." Jacques Laurent states while sitting on the other side of her.
"Well, I'm questioning whether or not we still have anything to meet at all," the wealthy widow expresses.
Deirdre had lured Jacques back to town to seduce Emma away from Will Jackson in exchange for money to rescue his family's shipping company. Yet he hadn't succeeded in that department, much to her frustration.
"You should know by now that your daughter is one stubborn woman, and whether we like it or not, she is attracted to that jailbird," he says.
Deirdre gives a slight nod, somewhat agreeing with what he said.
"Do what you have to do to get my daughter away from that ex-con who's not suited to her."
"Give me more time, okay," he says. "I promise I will have Emma coming back to me soon enough."
Deirdre picks up the glass flute. "You better, or you can kiss our transaction goodbye."
Much as Jacques wants to use the information of Deirdre's affair with Jimmy Saunders all those years ago, he knows he must keep it until necessary. But at that moment, he sees Courtney standing with her husband at a table closer to the center of the room. He is also using her to get close to Emma, knowing how much his former fiancee is envious of her niece.
HOME FARM: GUEST HOUSE
"I get why you feel like that, but c'mon, we shouldn't spend my day off from work on something making you upset, Aaliyah."
Aaliyah runs her hands through her long brown hair.
"I don't mean to sound childish; it's just growing up. My parents balanced each other out when they were married, and I'm not saying they never had their problems because they did. But my dad was the one who could balance my mom's type-A personality. And she was one of the people who believed my dad could do more than work for his family, which eventually got him to open J&M. And remember he came to town initially was to reconcile with her."
Lorenzo sits up, trying to find the precise words to say to her.
"I just don't want you to get hurt when Jai and Louise do get married."
Aaliyah places her hand on the side of her face. "Don't worry about me, but I know that my dad won't be happy with
Louise, and when that does happen, he will truly see it."
She gives a peck on his lips while she gets out of bed for her carryall bag, where she has a change of clothes, and heads to the bathroom.
Lorenzo recognizes the same determination in her eyes when she is working on something for school or even doing the simplest tasks, causing him to doubt whether to tell him not to worry about her.
FRANKLIN FARM: MAIN HOUSE
So, you and Jai patched things up, no thanks to me," Sean notes.
One of the reasons they temporarily halted their engagement was because of Jai's dislike of Sean being a constant presence in Louise's life.
Louise places her hands on her hips. "About time, huh?"
"Well, if he hadn't, Jai would've been a bigger fool, and from now on, I will try to talk to you about my issues only at the workplace," Sean states straightforwardly.
"How is it going with you and Tricia?" Louise changes the subject.
Sean emits a deep breath while scratching the back of his neck out of habit rather than actual need. "We're saying more than two words to each other if that's any indicator."
For the longest, he and his second wife have been dealing with several marital issues, which include his closeness with Louise and the sudden death of their baby son Dylan.
"At least you two are talking,"
"Don't worry about us; we'll be fine," Sean says passively. "This is your time to be happy."
The gravity in his voice confirms he does mean it.
"Thanks,"
Sean pivots his head toward the door. "Well, I better get back out there, but like I said, you deserve this, and I wish I could say Aaliyah will come around, but from my experience, it doesn't always work out that way, but remember, you're going to be spending the rest of your life with her father, not her, okay?"
"I'll keep it in mind," Louise conveys.
Louise watches him walk out the door while Sean goes outside, and he quickly turns to see inside the kitchen through the door at her still standing while he glances at her attentively.
THE CHATEAU
Steven and Courtney finished their meal mere minutes ago, waiting on the waiter to return with their bill. And then they will be off to work.
"We've got to do this more often," Steven points out meaningfully.
"I know, and we will," Courtney says assuredly, knowing that with their demanding jobs, they come home at different times, which leaves them hardly many hours to spend.
The waiter returns to the table.
"You're all set," he informs them, causing them both to be confused.
"There must be some mistake," Steven remarks.
"Everything's paid for," the waiter says casually.
The spouses are both curious as to who would do so.
But when Steven is about to question the waiter, he has already taken off.
"I guess we should do what my grandpa Jimmy used to say: don't look a gift horse in the mouth."
Happening to turn behind her, Courtney notices Jacques standing behind the wall, discreetly waving at her. But before trying to dismiss him, Steven also spots what is occurring. It is obvious to the businesswoman that he was the one who footed the bill.
"What is that all about?" Steven inquiries.
Comprehending she can no longer hide Jacques's flirtatious nature towards her, she exhales before responding.
"Steven, it is something; I have to tell you, but not here."
"Courtney, what is going on?" he demands." And what does it have to do with Emma's ex-fiancé?"
"Not here, okay."
Peeved, Steven leaves the table with his wife, exiting the restaurant; Jacques keeps an eye on them, mainly on Courtney, smirking at not only obtaining the money but also getting Emma back in his life again too.
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END OF EPISODE
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Steven confronts Courtney over Jacques.
Tricia reflects on the state of her marriage.
Daniel and Tommy have a heated conversation.
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