EPISODE 243
Written by: Bre L. Drew
July 3, 2023
Last Time on Town and Country
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Everyone reacts to the announcement of Tommy and Jordan marrying at Max's homecoming party at Home Farm.
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Jai and Louise decided to resume their engagement.
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Jordan received proof from the law office handling Dr. Toussaint's estate that he and Daniel gaslit her.
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Mae agrees to go on a date with Gus Hewitt.
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Max and Shauna have been both physically and emotionally affected by the accident.
LOCKHART LAKE COTTAGE
"You think this impromptu family breakfast isn't a mistake?" Louise Saunders Lockhart queries.
She and Jai Gupta are standing near one another in the expansive kitchen inside the lake cottage this summer morning.
Jai takes the bacon strips from the pan and puts them on the aluminum tray.
"We have to share the news with the kids eventually that we're resuming our engagement and the wedding is moving ahead; we might as well feed them in the process."
"My mother is going to be thrilled; she's been wanting to plan our engagement party for some time now."
The two had finally expressed their feelings, as their relationship had been in limbo due to Jai's issues with Sean's constant presence in his fiancée's life as an employee and his coming to her with needing advice on his turbulent marriage to Tricia. However, they decided to give it another go as they both still loved one another.
"Who knew Michael Bolton still had the power to bring two people together?" Louise says while taking a pitcher of orange juice out of the refrigerator.
On the radio, "The Best Of Love" had played, which became their song throughout their courtship, and both had heard it, convincing them to reach out to one another.
Jai wraps her arms around her as she beams toward him. "Don't give that man all the credit," he winks.
The two then start kissing one another intently, and as they let go of one another, they become aware of someone standing there with a hint of confusion.
"Does this look like what I think I'm seeing?" Lenny Lockhart asks.
The young woman is wearing a black 'Cherry Coke' graphic tee and dark blue jeans, and her long blonde hair is in a sufficient ponytail.
Both adults don't hide their happiness from her.
"You're the first one to know this, but Jai and I are back together," her mother announces.
"Finally, some good news!"
Lenny had been one to want them to reunite for her mother's sake, knowing how much Jai does mean to her.
"Thanks," Jai nods.
"What do you mean, finally, good news?" Louise asks inquisitively.
Lenny crosses her arms, surprised they hadn't heard since Radcliffe is a small town where gossip is a pastime sport.
"During Max's party yesterday, Jordan, the drama queen; that she is, told everyone there that she and Tommy got married the other day."
Jai and Louise's exchange baffled glances at the information.
"I know Daniel is not too happy about that," Louise says of her friend and first love.
The doorbell rings, and Tanner Lockhart runs down the stairs to retrieve it.
Tanner walks into the kitchen with Samuel and Aaliyah Gupta.
"Are you all right, Tanner?" Louise replies caringly.
The brunette young woman could sense that her fraternal twin sister had informed them of her ex-boyfriend's marriage to the mother of his son.
"Like I told Tommy, it has nothing to do with me; it's his life, and I'm happy with Presley. Let's all move on, okay?" she states.
With the silent agreement of everyone else in the room, they march over to the table with various sets of food, plates, and glasses on it.
"Lynn already knows this, but Louise and I are going ahead with the wedding," Jai divulges while grasping her hand, which Aaliyah doesn't miss.
"That's great to hear; welcome to the family," Tanner praises.
"Thank you, and welcome to ours," Jai says meaningfully.
"Congratulations!" Samuel tells them. He gazes next to him as his sister doesn't move, as it hasn't been a secret that she still desires for her parents to get back together.
Louise picks up her fork, as everyone starts eating, unsure if her soon-to-be stepdaughter will accept them together.
HOME FARM: GUEST HOUSE
Tommy Covington is about to knock on the door of the two-story guest house on his family's property known as Home Farm when it swings open with Lorenzo Vidal behind it, wearing a backpack on his back.
"Hey, man!" Tommy addresses his friend, who resides in the house. "Is Jordan in there?"
"Yeah," Lorenzo replies casually. "I had to wake up about an hour earlier to get in the shower because, you know, it tends to use up all the hot water."
Due to his father's gaslighting the mother of his son, Tommy arranged for Jordan to stay in the guest house with Lorenzo for the time being.
"I appreciate you helping me out here," Tommy says.
"Well, I have a free roof over my head, so if there is anything I can do in return, it's fine. I need to get to work. See you later, man."
"Yeah, later."
Tommy stands there for a few seconds to watch his friend walk outside in the bright and warm summer morning to the 2003 BMW sedan his father is letting him drive to get back and forth to work.
He then enters the house, closing the door behind him.
Tommy hears footsteps descending the stairs, where he sees Jordan Covington in a black satin robe with her wet hair wrapped in a towel.
"That new salon in Hudson Lake, schedule was booked, until I gave them my new last name, suddenly the red sea parted, and they had a "last minute cancellation" for next week."
While she approaches her husband, it's obvious he could care less.
"What the hell was that yesterday?" he questions.
HOME FARM
Tommy and Jordan's spontaneously trading vows had become the topic amongst the Covington family as they occupied the grand dining room of the mansion on the Home Farm estate while being served the first meal of the day by their housekeeper Gabriella.
"Perhaps one of us can convince Thomas to annul this farce of a marriage." Deirdre Covington suggests sitting at the other end of the ample table. "I'm sure Frederick can have it done before the end of the day."
Frederick Pyne is the family's longtime attorney.
"Well, wouldn't that only work if they didn't consummate their marriage?" Emma Covington imposes, and she proceeds to ingest her orange juice.
The wealthy widow doesn't shield her repulse at that statement from her daughter.
"Well, there's always a legal loophole for everything."
Meanwhile, Daniel Covington, who had been partaking in his food, lifts his head.
"It's not much we can do," he boldly admits, which takes his mother and sister by surprise since he's been adamant against about his youngest son getting involved with Jordan despite them having Jeremy together. "And if history speaks for itself, she is going to make Tommy miserable enough. I doubt they will make it to their first anniversary."
He recollects him manipulating the mother of his grandson, wanting her out of his and Tommy's lives by making her lose her mind, which worked for some time until she went into Stonecrest and that medication got out of her system that shrink of hers he blackmailed gave her.
"Besides, the shareholder's conference is my top priority at the moment,"
"I just hope I can keep my eyes open because it's been a struggle in the past," Emma says sarcastically.
Despite her surname on the company's website, she had never been quite interested in the politics of the property development business her father started fifty years ago.
"I believe in you," Daniel mocks.
The penetration of movement inhabits the room as Max Covington directs himself in his wheelchair while his wife, Shauna Covington, steps beside him. But when they approach the table, an extra chair is there; Max stares at it while the rest of the family realizes it hadn't been moved since they're still getting used to him being paralyzed after the accident.
"I guess the staff forgot to remove it," Daniel says regretfully.
Shauna then retrieves the chair and places it out of the way near the wall.
"I think I could've scooted it out of the way myself." Max asserts while moving himself into the space where the piece of furniture once was.
"I was just helping," Shauna comments in a lowly manner.
THE WATERFALL BAR: JACKSON APARTMENT
You are the one who makes me feel so real
Ooh, what am I supposed to do when I'm hooked so on you?
And then I realize you're somebody else's guy
​
The distinct, robust vocals of Jocelyn Brown can be heard within the upstairs residential apartment above The Waterfall this morning as "Somebody Else's Guy" plays on the stereo system from the living room.
While in the kitchenette, Mae Jackson and Antoine Hall set their dishes in the sink as they finished breakfast.
As the bar owner; sips her coffee, Antoine couldn't help but notice a certain ease on her face.
"Somebody's happy," Antoine mentions good-naturedly.
"Every day waking up should make you feel that way." she matter-of-factly remarks while consuming her caffeinated beverage.
Antoine shakes his head while grinning shamelessly. "Nah, I'm talkin' about since you became friendly with a certain hospital janitor, I've noticed a certain glow and a pep in ya step."
For some time now, Mae has gotten to know Gus Hewitt, whom she first met at the hospital when Max was in the ICU. She found herself unexpectedly confiding in him about her family's struggles, and he was able to console her.
Mae softly chuckles while placing the mug on the counter.
"Don't be a wiseass," she says teasingly.
"I'm just messin' with you," he replies. "So when are you two going out?"
"That's a good question," Mae says. "But we're taking things one day at a time, and anyway, it's not like we're rushing to jump over the broom at our age."
The gentleman asked her on a date, which she eventually agreed to.
As soon as either was about to speak, a knock on the door got Mae's attention, so she went to see who it was. Though within seconds, a familiar-sounding voice makes Antoine roll his eyes.
"It's so good to see you," Mae responds proudly.
"Good to see you too, momma," Will Jackson nods.
The club manager is wearing an Army green knit t-shirt and jeans while holding his keys.
"I'll leave y'all to talk," Antoine says, preparing himself to get out of their way since it's no secret the men don't get along and never will be due to their dislike of one another.
Mae is about tell him that he doesn't have to leave and that this is home too, yet Antoine leaves the apartment to get things prepped for business today.
"Glad he is out the way." Will retorts. "How are you doin, Momma?"
"Better with you here,"
Since her youngest child decided to move out of the apartment to the farm because Mae gave the managerial position to
Antoine, she doesn't see him as often as she wants to, so it's making her grateful for visits like these.
"The families have been going through a lot, hasn't it?"
"Yeah, it has," she sighs. "Between Shauna losing the baby and Max's paralysis, it's been a difficult summer for all of them."
"Tell me about it; between that and finding out that Tommy and Jordan are married, let's just say that party wasn't boring."
Yesterday, Will attended the homecoming party for Max with his lover Emma, where it came out that the young couple eloped.
"There is something else you should know; I'm kinda seeing someone," Mae confesses.
​
At first, Will thought she meant a doctor and was about to show concern; however, she grins eagerly, causing him to realize what she is talking about.
"You're movin' on from Pops, huh?"
COVINGTON GROUP
On the twentieth floor of the Covington Tower of the Covington Group in Downtown Radcliffe, Mala Gupta is one of the few employees present at the moment,
Behind her desk in her office, she makes notations with a pencil on a blueprint for a shopping center in Frankfort that the company is constructing.
Yet her mind was partly on something else, more like someone else.
Sorry to come over here confiding in you about my issues.
We might not be together anymore, but that doesn't mean I stopped caring about you; you're the father of my children, and we were married for half our lives; you will always mean a hell of a lot to me; besides, you know what I went through during my wild-child adolescence and never judged me for it. I cannot ask for a better ex-husband if I tried.
You mean a lot to me too.
"Oh god, what am I doing?" she proclaims.
Knowing that she is reminiscing about her ex-husband shouldn't be occurring, not only because of their divorce but because Jai is marrying Louise.
"All right, get ahold of yourself, Mala."
She then turns her attention back to her work, fully hoping to give her concentration to it.
THE WATERFALL BAR : JACKSON APARTMENT
It doesn't take long for Mae to gain her composure with her son; she then gestures with her self-manicured finger at him.
"First of all, it's just dinner, and second of all, how dare you bring your father into this? If he were alive, there would be no question that me going out with someone would never happen, but your dad is gone, and he wouldn't want you to be like this or me to be alone for the rest of my life."
Will conveys a countenance displaying he's listening to her but still has misgivings.
"Momma, it's just that you're one of the few people in my corner, and I don't want anybody, especially no man, mistreatin' you."
Mae goes over to her son and places her hands on his arms.
"I get that, I do, but it's my job to look out for you and your sister, wherever she might be, and Shauna and Antoine, and
Gus is a nice man who too knows about losing someone they love."
She recalls yesterday that she misjudged the situation with him wearing a wedding ring, but he told her he lost his wife Geraldine some years ago and still wears it in fear of letting go, yet he asked her out, and she could tell his sincerity about it.
Will looks at his mother, recognizing he can't talk her out of it.
"A'ight, but if this brutha hurts you, he's gonna have to answer to me."
Mae embraces her son with an amusing smile on her face.
HOME FARM
Despite only eating a little of his breakfast, Max tosses his linen napkin on top of his plate.
"I better go get ready for physical therapy. I think I'm learning to move one of those big bouncy balls around the room." he speaks cynically.
"Do you need any help with anything?" Shauna asks her husband.
"I think I can still do some things on my own,"
Max navigates himself out of the room, leaving Shauna and her father-in-law still at the table as everyone else had left for the day.
Daniel notices how distressed Shauna is at the moment.
"I like to apologize for my son's behavior," he says apologetically.
"He's going through a lot," she says, taking a bite of her omelette.
"And what about you?"
"What about me?"
Daniel remembers Jordan ending up at Lake Hudson due to his gaslighting when she lost track of Jeremy and had her in the middle of the road. Max and Shauna were on their way to a cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway when he swerved his car to avoid her, but it rendered him paralyzed from the waist down. And Shauna lost his unborn grandchild, something that still disturbs him.
"You're grieving the loss of your baby, and we know it comes in waves, but I also know how incredibly strong you are, and I think you're probably putting your emotions aside for Max, but if you need someone to speak to, I've been known to be a pretty good listener."
Shauna gives a lukewarm smirk at the businessman.
"Thanks, Daniel; I appreciate it."
LOCKHART LAKE COTTAGE
Now everyone is finishing their food, as conversations are happening with most of everyone except for Aaliyah, who takes another bite of her scrambled eggs.
"So, in a few months, I'll move in here, and if you want, I can sublet the apartment over to you if that's what you want," Jai says to his son.
"If that's what I want?" Samuel asks. "Heck, yes, I have a place of my own, and I don't have to do the strenuous work of going around town to find an apartment."
Jai largely grins while he looks at his daughter, who takes a napkin to wipe her mouth.
"Aaliyah, I just want you to know that you can always consider this place your home too. I know it isn't easy with things changing, but you're entitled to your feelings." Louise comments wholeheartedly.
"Sure, whatever," Aaliyah says dryly.
Tanner gets out of her chair and grabs her plate and silverware off the table. "Samuel, do you want to help me with the dishes?"
"Sure, why not?" the psychiatrist replies.
The two grab the soiled items and carry them to the sink.
Lenny, also sitting at the table, heard the conversation between her mother and her friend.
"You don't have to like the news about our parents. But can you be a little less of a bitch right now?"
"Lynn!" Louise exclaims.
"No, Mom, you're being nice to her, and all she can do is think about herself."
"Well, you don't have to worry about this bitch messing it up for you all," Aaliyah retorts.
With that, Aaliyah departs from the table and exits the kitchen.
Jai obtains his fiancée's hand once more, giving her a supportive gaze as they realize the breakfast union of their families didn't go the way they wanted.
HOME FARM: GUEST HOUSE
"Did you have to announce to the world that we were married at the party for my brother, who was coming home from the hospital, for which they think you were solely responsible? How selfish can you be?"
Despite seeing glimpses of humanity in his new bride, Tommy senses the return of the young woman who often puts her needs ahead of her own.
Jordan returns from the kitchen, sipping from a bottle of smartwater.
"You're acting as if everyone, including your father, wasn't going to find out. And anyway, did you see the look on that man's face? It was worth it," she admits. "I feel terrible for what happened with your brother and Shauna. I still remember last Christmas when she talked to me and actually made me feel like I wasn't alone in that house, and if there's anything I could do to go back and change everything, I would've done it, but I can't."
Tommy sits on the sofa in the living room. "For now, on, we've got to play it cool." he insists.
The two are aware that Daniel not only gaslit Jordan but used her late therapist, Dr. Pierre Toussaint, to do so by blackmailing him by giving her an overdose of sedatives to mimic symptoms of a mental breakdown. Although nothing concrete to prove anything except for the blood test run by Samuel when she was at Stonecrest,
Placing the water bottle on the coffee table, Jordan walks over to her husband and positions herself on top of him with her legs around his waist. Tommy is confused as to what she is doing.
"What are you up to, Jordan?"
Jordan flashes a smirk, knowing what Daniel did to her, as she had gotten evidence from the thumb drive Toussaint left for her of him and recordings of interactions between him and Daniel, though she is keeping it to herself.
"Something tells me your father is going to get what he deserves soon enough,"
"What are you talking about?"
"Just trust me, okay," Jordan whispers flirtatiously in his ear.
Even though Tommy still has feelings for Tanner, he can also notice how attractive Jordan is and always has been, especially intertwined around him.
"I think we should... she murmurs. "Go to get something to eat, just the three of us as a family. It's not like I'm exactly welcome up at the house; besides, I'm starving."
Tommy scoffs abashedly, believing she was about to suggest something entirely different, as she gets off him to get herself dressed.
"I'm going to get little man ready, okay," he says while he follows her upstairs.
​
END OF EPISODE
​
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Steven discovers Jacques's infatuation with Courtney.
Aaliyah's determination concerns Lorenzo.
Louise receives support from Sean.
​
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