Trouble in Paradise

Chapter 36

"Well if it isn't my estranged daughter." Shirley said as she opened the door for LaTrice. "What brings you by? I didn't think you'd still be here."

"Well I am. Hello, mother, how are you?" LaTrice asked as she walked into her mother's house.

"Hold on now, don't start using that tone of voice with me." Shirley said as she closed the door and followed her daughter into the living room.

"You know, you make it pretty hard for me to talk to you." LaTrice said.

"That's because you've disappointed me." Shirley responded honestly. "I won't sit and pretend to be okay with what you're doing, but I'm not going to pretend like I don't love you anymore. I do and I feel that what you're doing is not the right decision. Divorcing your husband and leaving your daughter to be with his best friend. LaTrice, that upsets me as your mother."

"Mama I'm sorry for upsetting you, but I just feel like all of this is happening for a reason. I belong with Brent. He's the man I'm in love with and for once I feel like I'm doing something right."

Shirley sighed, "So when are you going to let me meet this Brent guy?" she asked. "I need to see about this man that has my daughter losing her mind."

"You could have met him the other day because he was here, but he had a family emergency back in Nashville." LaTrice responded.

"Oh, I know all about those family emergencies." Shirly air quoted.

"What is that supposed to mean?" LaTrice was confused about her mother's comment.

"It means, be careful."

"Be careful about what?" LaTrice frowned at her mother.

Shirley didn't say another word as she left out the room.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"Bible study. You need to be taking your behind to church. You need Jesus in your life, but I won't force it upon you." She said before leaving the house.

After her mother left decided upon calling Brent and got no answer. It had been a few days since he'd left and she hadn't heard from him since then. She called a few more times and the last time Kendra answered.

"Hello?" Kendra answered the phone, knowing it was LaTrice calling.

"May you put Brent on the phone please?" LaTrice said as nicely as possible. She wasn't going to allow Kendra to get underneath her skin.

"I'm sorry, my husband is preoccupied right now," she responded, "he's sleeping in our bed, I'll have him give you a call later on." she said before hanging up."

LaTrice could imagine the smirk on Kendra's face. She was ready to head back to Nashville, because being back home didn't seem like how she'd imagined it being. She did want to see her daughter again before leaving anywhere, so she gave Drew a call.

"Hello?" Drew answered the phone.

"Hey, are you busy?" she asked.

"Not really. What's up?"

"I just wanted to see Joy, could we meet somewhere for me to come get her?" she asked. She found it a little weird that she had to ask to see her daughter.

"Um, give me about another hour, then you can meet me at the house." He said. "She's getting her hair done right now."

LaTrice missed doing her daughter's hair. She wondered who Drew had to do her hair now because he certainly couldn't do it. He can't even brush it into a ponytail. She chuckled at her thought. "Alright. Just give me a call when she's done."