Trouble in Paradise

Chapter 31 - Work It Out

LaTrice and Brent were settled into their new place. Their two bedroom, luxurious apartment he rented out for them. She'd received a package in the mail from her lawyer, and she knew exaclty what they were. She sat on the sofa to get comfortable in before she opened the envelope.

The manila envelope made the corners of her mouth turn up and form a smile, she pulled out the papers and got straight to the part where she needed to sign. Her eyes scanned across the words, Drew Robinson requests full custody of child(ren) Joy Oliva Robinson, and her smile immediately disappeared.

She didn't want to give him full custody of their daughter.

She picked up her phone and called Drew, but there was no answer. She called again and still go no answer. She felt herself becoming upset, but she knew she had no room to be. All LaTrice wants to do is to talk to Drew and hopefully compromise on joint custody of Joy.

It's been months since she'd last talked to Drew and Joy. The truth is she rarely called them and she knew the only way she could talk to Joy is if she could reach Drew.

Surprisingly enough, her ell phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and saw that it was her sister calling.

"Hey, YoYo." She answered the phone.

"I'm calling to get confirmation that you actually left the state to be with some other man." Yolanda said with disappointment.

LaTrice sighed, not knowing how to explain to her sister what's going on.

"What's going on with you?" Yolanda asked.

"Yo, it's really hard for me to explain all of this."

"Okay, explain how does a wife and mother, just up and leave her family for another man? A married man? LaTrice, mama raised us way better than that."

"Is mama the one who told you?"

"Does it matter?" Yolanda asked. "Did you hope that I wasn't going to find out, so I wouldn't be another person who would jump on your case about your actions?"

"Actually, yes."

LaTrice could hear the disappoinment in Yolanda's voice. Her sister was one person she'd hate to be mad at her. 

"I don't know what to say about you. Mama is pissed and so am I. I don't know what's going on with you, but what ever you have planned, won't pull through. This is just wrong." Yolanda said.

"Yo, please don't start lecturing me." LaTrice said. "Just let me be."

"You're absolutely right. I'm going to let you be, you be careful, Trice." Yolanda said before ending the call.

Sitting the phone on the coffee table, LaTrice laid her eyes back on the divorce papers in her hands. She really wanted to talk to Drew about joint custody of Joy. She wanted to leave her marriage with compromise and peace, but with Drew wanting full custody, she doubt if that'll happen.

Brent came out the bedroom with only a pair of boxers on. "Hey, beautiful." He kissed her cheek then sat next to her. "What you have here?" He glanced down at the papers.

"Um, my divorce papers." She said.

"Oh, you signed them?" he asked. "I'm waiting on Kendra with ours. I'm ready to officially start my life with you." He leaned closer to her and kissed her neck.

"He's requesting full custody of Joy." She said in disbelief. 

"She is with him," he mentioned, " and you're all the out here in Nashville. How could you have full custody?"