EPISODE 270
Written by: Bre L. Drew
January 1, 2024
Last Time on Town and Country
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Will didn't take to the revelation that Emma slept with Jacques so much that he caused a scene at The Waterfall at Christmas dinner while Emma got drunk to mask her pain.
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Presley gifted Tanner a weekend getaway to a mountain resort, while Tommy suggested a honeymoon to Jordan.
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SJ received a puppy for Christmas, but unbeknownst to him, it was from his absentee father, Murray Hirsch.
CAVERN MOUNTAIN LODGE
Cavern Mountain Lodge is about an hour and a half drive outside Radcliffe. Every year around this time, the resort receives a steady flow of guests coming to bring in the holidays, and this year is no exception; among them are Tanner Lockhart and Presley McKnight, who head toward the front desk in the main office, where others around them were checking in or congregating in between their activities.
"I hope this isn't a sign of what's to come in 2024," Tanner notes while holding the malfunctioned electronic card.
The handsome blonde reverend nods his head. "Well, I don't think a defective keycard can indicate what's ahead, but maybe a Yelp review from one of us would," he jokes, which somewhat amuses her.
Presley had gifted Tanner a weekend away to bring in the New Year together up here. At first, Tanner had misgivings, although they mostly vanished when they got here. The two had been out skiing, but once they returned to their cabin, their key had unexplainably stopped working, hence why they were here.
The two make it up to the front desk, where a petite, pixie-cut brunette woman in her early thirties offers to assist them.
Simultaneously, Tommy and Jordan Covington dash inside. Jordan looks around, seeing that the interior is log-theme.
Although this is not her dream honeymoon, she is thrilled they were able to get away after everything they have been through in the last year.
"I'll go check us in," Tommy says assuredly.
But when they get closer to the desk, Presley and Tanner, with their functioning keycard, turn around to leave when they spot Tommy and Jordan across from them.
At that moment, it felt as though the air had somehow escaped as the sordid tension between them all centers, causing them to be silent but all thinking internally of this unfortunate run-in.
It is Presley who decides to break the ice.
"Hey, Sis, Tommy," he says naturally. "Isn't this a small world?"
"And getting smaller," Tommy mumbles to himself.
He hadn't known that his ex-girlfriend, whom he still has feelings for, would be here with her new boyfriend, who also happens to be his brother-in-law.
"Hey yourself," Jordan says. "What are you guys doing here?"
She can see Tanner wanting to crawl out of her skin, which pleasantly elates her.
"I think it's safe to say that probably the same thing brings you two here, Jordan." Tanner finally speaks.
Jordan tucks a few strands of her dyed bark brown hair. "You two eloped too? Because Tommy and I came here for an impromptu honeymoon."
Tanner tilts her head at how her former best friend's voice is dripping with hidden scorn.
They wait until a few others go past them to say anything else.
"I know this is last minute; what about we all go to dinner at the lodge restaurant?" Presley says it invitingly.
Tanner, Jordan, and Tommy are unsure of that for several reasons.
"Thank you for the offer," Tommy begins.
But Jordan interjects him.
"We would have to get change out of these clothes, we'll meet you there," she winks at her husband, which Tanner and Presley catch.
Tanner does her best to remain composed, but she isn't keen on having dinner with her current boyfriend, former boyfriend, and his wife.
THE CLIFFE
Meanwhile, back in Radcliffe, it seems that The Cliffe is again the place to be as the nightclub hosts another soiree to bring in the new year. As people want to forget about their troubles for one night, the deejay plays "Trustfall" by P!nk.
Above the fun is Emma Covington in her office, behind her desk, taking a drink from her bottle of Smartwater. After the last few days of consuming her fair share of alcohol to numb the pain, she's felt over not only sleeping with Jacques but Will finding out. Since then, the lovers haven't spoken to each other.
As she rises to her feet, she exits the room and looks over the staircase, seeing him behind the bar, helping out with the rush. Deciding that it is now or never, she descends in her heels in her long-sleeve bronze sequin mini dress to the bar, where she manages to get behind while the two mixologists work to service the influx of customers.
"Will, I need to speak with you."
Will Jackson throw a hesitant expression before going to the less crowded part of the bar? "Yeah," he says dryly, clearly still upset about putting two and two together about his girl having sex with the guy who had been trying to get in between them.
"About what happened... I never meant for anything like that to occur," she begins.
"You mean like you screwin another man?"
Emma wonders if people are starting to stare at them, but she keeps going.
"If I could take it all back, I would, but I never meant to hurt you, Will."
Will shakes his head, unsure whether or not she is remorseful. "Answer me this."
"What?" Emma says optimistically.
"Do I still got a job here?"
"Of course, you do; why are you even asking that?"
"Because I wanna know can I get back to it," Will says in a tone that he wants this conversation to end between them.
Without saying another word, she watches her nightclub manager assist with a customer's order while remaining there, trying not to be tempted into drinking since she is finally over the hangover from her being tipsy from Christmas.
FRANKLIN FARM: MAIN HOUSE
"Roll over, roll over, Otis," SJ Saunders instructs.
The little boy is in the living room of his home on Franklin Farm, trying to get his new puppy, which he received for Christmas, to do a command. Nonetheless, the black and white border collie lies in the middle of the floor, yawning.
"Come on, roll over," SJ commands again. "Grandma, why isn't he listening to me?"
Sarah Lynn Saunders is sitting on the couch, skimming at the flatscreen TV of Ryan Seacrest hosting Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve in the middle of Times Square.
"I'm sure once he gets used to being here, he'll be doing tricks in no time," she advises.
"Okay, I'm all set, finally," Martha Saunders declares victoriously while sauntering downstairs in her black long-sleeve satin corset mini dress, holding her purse.
"You look pretty, mommy," SJ compliments.
"Thank you, baby."
"You look really nice," Sarah Lynn says of her youngest daughter. "Any last-minute nerves?"
Tonight, Martha will be performing along with her band at The Cliffe.
"Not so much performance ones,"
She then nods to the puppy, which her mother knows is about Murray.
The blonde woman vacates her spot while the boy softly pets the animal.
The two go towards the door so they won't be overheard.
"You tried calling him back?' Sarah Lynn queries.
"About a dozen times, but of course, he doesn't call or text back like any sane person would."
Months ago, she had made contact with him for the first time in years. He made it known he wanted to meet the son he abandoned, but she was adamant about not doing so.
"As long as that dog makes my son happy, then I don't care one way or another about Murray."
Sarah Lynn forms a look of debate, which Martha instantly picks up on.
"Maybe you don't, but I'm telling you that one day SJ will."
Wanting to change the subject, she walks over to her son to tell him that he needs to put his pajamas on, while SJ tells her he's planning to stay up till midnight, although she knows her son will be fast asleep by then.
CAVERN MOUNTAIN LODGE
Tommy buttons the right sleeve of his black-fit cotton-twill dress shirt inside the cabin he and Jordan are staying in for the next two days. The thought of having dinner with his ex-girlfriend fills him with mixed feelings.
He then exhales while he hears the bathroom door open, expecting to see herself dressed to leave; however, once he turns around, catching him off guard completely.
"Do you like what you see?" Jordan asks him suggestively.
His wife is wearing a dark red underwire bra and garter belt thong set, which makes him curiously glare.
"I do," he replies. "But I think you would get everyone's attention at the restaurant."
The comment makes her lips stretch into an amused smile while Jordan goes over to him, wrapping her arms around his body. "Very funny; I'm thinking we could skip dinner and start this honeymoon off right," she whispers seductively in his ear.
"Maybe later," he tells her. "We're going to be late."
Physically, there's no doubt he's quite attracted to his wife, especially how the lingerie clutches onto the voluptuous areas of her body, including her breasts and backside.
A few years ago, he would have succumbed without any reservation, but thoughts of Tanner remain in his mind.
Jordan lets go of the embrace, as she had hoped he would be attracted to her enough to make love to her. But he wants to eat with her brother and the frigid princess, instead showcasing a look of determination.
THE CLIFFE
The party is now in full swing at The Cliffe, while Steven Sullivan and Courtney Covington Sullivan head over to the booth where Samuel and Aaliyah Gupta are sitting.
After a few months of family and professional issues affecting their marriage, they wanted to be together to get out of the house to spend New Year's together with friends and family and, of course, see Martha sing.
As they take their seats, they greet each other.
"Where are Elijah and Lynn?" Courtney asks while she scoots next to her husband.
"Lenny came down with something, so they aren't coming," Samuel informs them.
"I hope it's not anything too bad," Steven says of his cousin.
"Elijah said it was the flu or something; I'm sure she'll be fine," Samuel notifies them.
Aaliyah tries her best not to show any delight since neither she nor Tanner will be here tonight, as they're still mad at her for being the one to broadcast their parents' video at Louise and her father's engagement party. On top of them not getting married, she hopes it will pave the way for her parents to reunite.
She takes a drink of her rum and coke and is finally grateful for being twenty-one so she can drink legally.
"Aaliyah, how's Lorenzo doing?" Courtney asks about her family's former houseguest.
This past fall, Lorenzo left town after receiving a job doing socials for Murray Hirsch's musicians, which entails going on tour with them. He and Aaliyah decide to take their relationship as it comes.
"He went home to Philadelphia to be with his family before the tour for one of the bands starts back up in Cincinnati next week. But he's having a good time on the road though."
Some seconds pass before Will steps onto the stage, going towards the mic. While members of the band were standing behind him with their instruments,
"How y'all doing? Glad to see y'all here at The Cliffe this evening. Before we countdown to 2-0-2-4, it's my pleasure to present to y'all this singer who can sang, and I ain't just sayin' it because she's a friend of mine. She's the real deal. Martha Saunders. C'mon now, give her some love."
A round of applause breaks out as the brunette goes up to the stage to join her band, while she casually hugs her friend as she steps up to the mic.
While the soul-rock music starts to fill the room, Jacques Laurent appears,
CAVERN MOUNTAIN LODGE
About 45 minutes later, the restaurant at the resort was full of several people partaking in eating in its well-lit atmosphere. A pianist is playing some standard that no one under sixty can identify.
The table near the center occupies Presley and Tanner, and Tommy and Jordan are silent when the waiter arrives with their entrees.
"I hear the fireworks are supposed to happen before midnight," Presley tells them as he grabs his fork from the linen napkin.
"It looks like the only ones I'll see before the year's over," Jordan says while sipping her champagne.
She is still unhappy about her and Tommy not spending any quality time together, including sex.
"How have you two liked it up here so far?" Tommy asks while cutting into his medium-rare steak.
"Other than a malfunctioned keycard, I've had a good time. Would you say so, Presley?" Tanner queries.
The man of the cloth is trying to be civil since he's aware of Tommy and they aren't exactly friends.
"Yeah, it's a cool place; there's always something to do," he answers casually.
The awkwardness persists; however, the light ringing of Jordan's iPhone gets their attention as she unzips her clutch bag to obtain it.
"Hello... oh, he can't?"
She takes the smartphone away from her ear. "It's my mom; Jeremy is having a hard time getting to sleep," she informs Tommy.
The two had left Jeremy to stay with Thora while on their trip with Lillith, their longtime nanny, on standby.
As Tommy grows more concerned, Presley also remains somewhat attentive regarding his nephew while Tanner sips some of her red wine.
"Hi sweetie, you can't sleep? I know I miss you too. Yes, Dad is right here."
She passes the phone to him.
"Hey buddy, having a hard time falling asleep? You want Mommy to sing to you?"
"He wants you to sing to him," Tommy notifies his wife while he gives her the phone back.
The young mother sings Nelly Furtado's "I'm Like a Bird," which impresses Tanner since she doesn't remember the last time, she saw her being truly warm to someone.
"Well, just keep an eye out on him and tell him that Tommy and I love him and can't wait to see him. Happy New Year to you too, mom. Bye."
She ends the call. "A mother's job is never done," she cites.
​
"Is Jeremy all right?" Presley says
"He was having a hard time falling asleep, but he'll be fine," Tommy notes.
Tanner takes a bite of her grilled salmon while she notices couples going to the dance floor as a white guy in his seventies with white spikey hair in a gray sports blazer holds the mic while the pianist launches into the beginning notes of "The Way You Look Tonight."
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Someday, when I'm awfully low,
When the world is cold,
I will feel a glow just thinking of you and the way you look tonight.
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"Care to dance?" Jeremy queries his girlfriend.
"I love to."
The pair go out onto the dance floor.
Tommy spots the two, mostly in good rhythm. Also, he recalls how he left things with Jordan at their cabin earlier.
"What about our first dance as husband and wife, Mrs. Covington?" Tommy charismatically invites
Jordan puts down her glass of champagne near her as she takes his hand "Lead the way, Mr. Covington."
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THE CLIFFE
Upstairs in the office, Emma is looking through her friend's Instagram stories, which are mostly abroad, on her iPhone when a light tap on the door doesn't make her lift her head to see who it is.
"What?" she says unenthusiastically.
"How have you been?" an overly familiar voice addresses her.
"You have no right to ask me anything after everything. What in the hell are you doing here, Jacques? I'm in no mood for World War III if Will catches you here."
"Who cares about the felon?" the French man states, shutting the door behind him. "I came to see how you were doing."
"I do. And if it weren't for my momentary lapse in judgment, he wouldn't look at me like I'm crap underneath his shoe. But you wanted this to happen? For me and Will to break up so you can get me back.
"You always deserved better than him."
At her mother's behest, he seduced her away so he would break Emma and Will up so he could get paid the lump sum that would financially assist his family's shipping company and himself.
Emma steps away from her desk, inching closer to him with her arms folded. "So, what you are saying is that I deserve you? The ex-fiancé who cheated and used me."
When they were engaged, she discovered he was using her for her money and was involved with other women.
He shrugs his shoulders. "I never said I was perfect. But I do regret hurting you back then. I never stopped caring about you, Emma."
She resists rolling her eyes, as she can find some sincerity in his face.
​
***
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Clubgoers are counting down to midnight.
10.. 9.. 8.. 7.. 6.. 5.. 4.. 3.. 2. 1.
"Happy New Year's!" the crowd says while the cacophony of horns and cheering overfill the room as Martha sings a rendition of "Auld Lang Syne."
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Down at the booth, Steven plants a kiss on Courtney's forehead as she lies her head on his shoulder.
Also in the booth, Aaliyah's phone flashes up a text from Lorenzo.
Happy New Year's!
She quickly takes the device to wish him the same thing.
​
Behind the bar, Will suddenly remembers that he first met Emma three years ago on New Year's at The Waterfall. But now that even seems like a lifetime ago as he takes a shot of tequila.
Samuel joins Martha on stage as he kisses her while she happily reciprocates while the bandmates continue to play instrumentally.
In Emma's office upstairs, she and Jacques are making out rather passionately on the sofa, her legs intertwining around him.
She then stops trying to make sense of what's happening here. "What the hell am I doing?"
"Me," he smirks smugly.
Perhaps it's being rejected by Will in an hour or the fact that she gave in to Jacques once before. But Emma proceeds to bring in 2024 with him.
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CAVERN MOUNTAIN LODGE
By now, as the new year arrived, several patrons, in their coats to shield them from the cool temperature, were stepping outside on the restaurant patio, where a burst of fireworks exploded into the dark sky; some others watched them from their cabin terraces.
Friends and romantic partners hug and show affection.
Presley wraps his arms around Tanner, with fireworks going off around them.
"Happy New Year," Tanner says kindly.
"Happy New Year, Tanner; I hope good things will come to us," Presley states.
"I do, too," Tanner says agreeably.
Mere feet away, Jordan watches the fireworks in the air while Tommy puts his arms around her, which makes her turn around with him still in her grasp.
"Happy 2024, Tommy," Jordan recites to him.
She quickly reflects on how, in 2023, she thought she was dealing with mental instability thanks to her now father-in-law but now that the year has come to an end, she has managed to survive.
From the corner of his eye, Tommy catches a peek of Tanner and Presley kissing as the reverend puts his arm around her as they take in the fireworks.
He then holds her with her head on his chest, feeling how much, she needs him.
"Happy New Year to you, too, Jordan, and I promise I will always take care of you and Jeremy."
The two remain in each other's embrace, while the illuminations, a few oohs and awes, and other verbal noises from the spectators evoke the optimism of what is yet to come.
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END OF EPISODE
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
Mae apologizes to Gus for their turbulent Christmas.
Tension still remains between Daniel and Courtney.
Martha receives an unwanted surprise.
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