Trouble in Paradise

Chapter 46 - New Home

"I couldn't stay, ma. I just couldn't stay. I feel so stupid about everything. I really thought that he and I were easily going to be together, but I was so wrong and stupid to even think that. I was even stupid enough to get pregnant by him." LaTrice vented to her mother as rested her head on Shirley's lap.

"You made a mistake. You misjudged a situation that got you somewhere you didn't expect to be." Shirley said as she rubbed LaTrice's head. This was the same way she and LaTrice would be when LaTrice was a teenager and was going through something.

"What are you going to do, now?" Shirley asked.

LaTrice sighed before answering. "I don't know." She cried. "I'm moving back here. I can't be there anymore."

"Now, don't you be trifling and keep that baby away from that man. That us still his child, Trice."

"I know, mama. I'm not going to do that. I can't raise a baby alone." LaTrice responded.

"You won't be alone. I'm here. I'll help you."

"Ugh!" LaTrice tried to release her frustration. "Why didn't I just stay married and work all my problems out?"

"All those secrets you were holding from Drew, you still wouldn't be married to him. He was hurt. I just wished you made better decisions through all of this."

"Me too."

LaTrice's cell phone buzzed on the table, and it was Brent calling. She looked at the phone and ignored the call.

"I can't talk to him right now."

"You need to. You need to tell him where you are and let him know that you're okay." Shirley suggested.

"I can't. This whole situation has me so lost. I can't believe what my life has come to."

"Sitting around in disbelief about your life won't help you move on and learn from your mistakes."

"But I don't know what I'm going to do. I mean, I love Brent, I really do, but things just didn't go as I thought they would. We talked it all over before doing anything and everything just went downhill when we started making moves." She sighed. "I guess it just wasn't meant to be."

"Trice, that man is married. You're asking  him to leave his wife and children to be with you." Shirley said.

As true as Shirley's words were, LaTrice needed to hear those words come from her mother so that she could hear how it sounds. "What was I thinking?" LaTrice covered her face in shame.

"Talk to that man, work something out with him because you're still pregnant with his baby." 

"I wish it were that easy."

"It's not hard. It only seems that way because you're making it hard on yourself, which will cause you to stress out and we don't need that." Shirley moved, causing LaTrice to sit up. "Call Brent and talk to him." She stood up and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" LaTrice asked, not wanting her to leave her.

"I have to finish getting ready for church. Drew will be here to pick me up soon." She answered.

"Drew? Since when did he start going to church?" LaTrice questioned.

"A lot has changed around here since you moved away." Shirley chuckled.

"Maybe I can go to church with you guys then. I need some Jesus in my life." LaTrice stood up. 

"I've been telling you that for a while." Shirley mumbled as she finally disappeard.