AN:
THIS STORY WILL HAVE THE SAME TIME LAPSE AS The Fight, SO THAT NOTHING GET CONFUSED FOR ANYONE. HOPE THAT YOU LIKED THE PROLOGUE, NOW IT'S DOWN TO BUSINESS. THE ROBINSONS ARE ABOUT TO BRING YOU SOME DRAMA.
TerriAshFlow
"Joy, would you hurry up?" Alex called out to her step-daughter. "I need to be at work just like you need to be at school."
" I'm almost ready." Joy yelled from up the stairs.
"Everybody knows that almost doesn't count." Alex chuckled at herself using Brandy's lyrics. "Let's go! You better bit give your teachers any excuse about you being late except the fact that you have be dime glamor girl for class."
" I dominate that school. I have to look good." Joy walked down the stairs with flashing her kicks of the day."
Alex found it crazy how much of a sneaker head Joy is. It seemed like she and Drew were always buying her new sneakers every week.
"Why won't you wear the new Nikes we got you the other day? " asked suggested.
"These go better with my outfit." She mentioned.
Drew appeared in the foyer, "hey, babe." He says to Alex , "Remember you're picking up Zach today."
"Oh yeah." She snapped her finger. "Thanks for reminding me."
Joy tried to scurry to the front door so that they don't bring up the situation.
"Joy, get back here and come get this stuff." Alex called out before Joy made it to the door.
Joy dragged herself back to where Alex and Drew were standing, picking up Alex's etra bag.
"I should make you catch the bus to get your brother, since you totaled your car." Drew said.
"I said I was sorry, daddy." Joy whined.
"Oh, I know." He said. "But it's okay. You're about to be working so, hey, you can use that money to buy your own car." He said.
Joy sucked her teeth, rolling her eyes. "Ugh."
"Watch your attitude, girl." Alex said as they walked to the front door together. "It's too early in the morning an attitude."
Alex wasn't a morning person at all. She was almost like a ticking clock. Before a certain time, there were specific things that couldn't happen. No arguing, no attitudes, nothing that includes noises.
"Why do you always bring all this stuff home only to take them right back to work?" Joy complained.
"Because, my work is that important that I must bring it home to work on it. Almost like you having homework, which you think that I believe that you actually do it everyday before you come home."
Joy 's face showed guiltiness.
"But we'll discuss that in the car." Alex flashed a smile. "Tell your dad you'll see him later."
"Later daddy." Joy yelled for her father to hear her as she headed to the door.
Alex looked at Drew and shook her head. "See you later, baby." She and Drew shared a hug, followed by a kiss.
"I love you." Drew said to her.
"I love you too." They shared another kiss.
"See you two later."
Drew always makes sure he leave the house after Joy and Alex. He has to make sure that his house is in order before he leaves.
It was Tuesday and every Tuesday before work, he's stop by Shirley's house.
"Ma." He called out as he walked into the house. He found her in the living room where she sitting on her sofa, watching tv.
"Morning, baby." She greeted him with a smile.
"How are you feeling?" he hugged her and then sat next to her.
"I'm alright. I'm alive to see another day, so I can't complain." She said. "You doing alright this morning?" She asked.
"Yea, I'm fine. I have a meeting this morning with some big time people about a new project, but I had to stop by so that I could see my third favorite woman in the world." He grinned.
"Don't be kissing up to me."
He laughed. "What I need to kiss up to you for?" he asked.
"I don't know. That's what I need to figure out."
"I just wanted to make sure you're good. I'll probably be back over here later this evening."
"I don't think you want to do that." She suggested.
"Why not?" He asked with a slight frown.
"Trice is supposed to be stopping by."
"I thought she was out of town." he said.
"No," she shook her head, "she doesn't leave until tomorrow."
"Well, I'll give you a call."
Suddenly they heard the door knob jiggle and then turn. The lock unlocked and LaTrice walked in once she opened the door.
"Mama, who's car is that in-" she paused once she saw Drew. "What are you doing here?"
"Just visiting." Drew answered.
Suddeny, LaTrice began to act a bit nervous. "Did you guys want me to fix some breakfast?" She asked. "I can make sme frittata really quick." she sat her purse down on the chair.
Drew loved frittats and didn't want to pass up the chance to have some, but he knew LaTrice was up to something. "No, thank you. I had breakfast earlier." He kindly rejected.
"You sure?" She asked.
"Positive." He looked at Shirley. He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "I'll talk to you later on ma." He stood up and headed for the door.
"Okay honey." Shirley said and watched him leave out the door. Once he was gone, she shot a look at LaTrice.
"Frittatas?" She questioned. "You need to leave that man alone and let him go."
"He hadn't let me go yet, so I don't think I need to do the same." LaTrice said with a slight smile.
"Drew is married." Shirley reminded her. "He has a wife and is a changed man. He certainly doesn't see you other than anything than his daughter's mother." Shirley explained.
"I'm his first love, mama. That man will always love me. Just like he love having frittatas for breakfast. I bet his wife doesn't make those for him. She probably doesn't know how to make them." She giggled.
Shirely shook her head. "Trice, stop. Drew loves his wife and doesn't want you. Stop trying to seduce him."
"Mama, you don't understand. You don't see the way he lookds at me. I know the looks he gives me."
Shirley rolled her eyes. "He's married."
"And?" LaTrice frowned. "What does that mean to me?"
"That you should remember how it felt to be married to someone and you felt when that someone cheated or when you went after that married man that didn't leave his wife for you? Do you really think you have any luck with Drew because I certainly don't."
Shirley could tell by LaTrice's silence that she got to her by bringing up her past situation with Brent, the father of her son, who swore he was going to leave his wife for her and they'll get married.
"You didn't have to do that." LaTrice said.
"Yes I did. You need someone to tell you that. You've been out of control these last few years and I'm not about to sit back and let you make a fool of yourself again." Shirley explained.
"I'm going after what I want."
"Well honey, I don't know how many times I've told you from the time you were a child up until now, that you can't alway have what you want. He's your ex-husband for a reason and he's happily married. Don't go stirring yourself in other people's marriage. You should know better than that." Shirley warned. "I certainly didn't raise you to be that way."
LaTrice sucked her teeth. "Listen, I know that what happened between Brent and I didn't turn out too well, but I know there's still something between me and Drew."
Shirley shook her head, disappointed that LaTrice wasn't getting the picture. "You know what, I'm going to sit outside on the front porch." Shirley got up and walked to the front door.
.....
Pouring herself a glass of wine, LaTrice's cell phone buzzed on the countertop. Looking at the caller ID she saw that it was Brent calling.
"Hello?" She answered the phone.
"Hey, what day are you going to come out here to pick up Brice?" he asked.
"Pick him up? You told me that you were going to fly him out here." She said after sucking her teeth.
"I can't quite do that right now." He said.
"Don't worry about it then, I'll do it." She said with an attitude. "Better yet, I'll just drive out there and pick him up myself."
"You don't need to make this drive alone."
"There's a lot of things I shouldn't be doing alone, but I do them anyway." she commented.
He sighed, "Trice, can we not do this right now?" He asked.
"Do what?" She asked. "I'm just letting you know that I'm coming to pick Brice up tomorrow." She ended the call quickly. Letting out a deep breath as she rolled her eyes. All she could think of is everything that Brent put her through.
When she left Drew, she was going to be with Brent, but when it came down to Brent leaving his wife or choosing her, she was devastated that he'd chosen his wife. Being with one man she loved, going to another that she loved more, she was going to be loved regardless.
She and Brent faced a tough battle, but she'd lost just like she lost the battle with Drew. LaTrice's life wasn't going too wel because she was prengent with Brent's baby and he made promises to her that he wasn't close to keeping.
At one point, LaTrice was torn between two men, but now she couldn't stand one and wanted the other one back. It was already hard for Drew to come around to even sit in the same room as her, but he was re-married now and she knew getting to him will be a piece of cake because he's cheater and according to LaTrice, once a cheater is always a cheater.
That night, LaTrice was on her way to Tennessee, where Brent lives. She hated the drive, but she not a fan of flying, and her son Brice loves long car rides.
Finally making it ot Nashville, she met Brent at a hotel. Whenever she goes to Nashville to drop off Brice or pick him up, she never go to Brent's house. She and his wife, Kendra, don't see eye to eye so it's best that she doesn't come to the house.
She checked in a room for the night just before Brent and Brice shows up.
"Mommy!!!" Brice was excited to see her.
"Hey, baby. Did you have fun with daddy?" She asked as she hugged and kissed him.
"Yep. Daddy said I can come back in another month."
"Do you remember how to count a month like mommy taught you?" she asked.
He nodded. "Yep."
LaTrice glance up and saw Brent approaching her.
"Baby, let mommy and daddy talk for a minute okay? Go in the room sit your suitecase somewhere and watch tv." She said when he ran into the room and disappeared.
"Hey, glad you made it safe."
"Yea, me too." she said. There was brief silence. "So, he's coming back next month?" she clarified.
"I actually wanted to talk to you about that." He said, "Could I come in?"
"It's that much to talk about?" she asked.
Brent's looked became serious. "Really, just give me a few moments to talk to you." he said.
"Okay," she widened the door to let him in. "please make this quick, I do have to be on the road tomorrow."
"I won't take up too much of your time." He assured.
He walked in and they both spotted Brice on the bed, with his eyes glued onto the tv screen. That's one thing that'll keep him still and occupied.
They sat on the sofa, that wasn't too far from the bed and they began to talk.
"I want come out there to New Orleans and spend some time with you guys."
"Spend some time with us?" She raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, spend some time with us?"
"I don't want to have you come out of your way just to come out here to drop him off or pick him up. I need to start doing that."
"Will that be okay with your wife?" LaTrice asked.
"Let me deal with that."
They caught each other staring at one another, but didn't want to look away.
"I feel like I have to make it up to you from what I put you through." He explained. "I didn't want to-"
She cut him off, "You didn't want to leave the woman that you say you weren't in love with to be with the one you were in love with."
"The one I still am in love with." He corrected. "I never stopped loving you." He confessed.
"You never started, but don't worry, you had your cake and you ate it. I'm not gonna try to come between you and Kendra again. That was a huge mistake."
"No, it wasn't. I mean, it shouldn't have happened, but it all happened for a reason." He scooted close to her. "I believe it all happened for a reason." He grabbed her hand and squeezed it.
LaTrice quickly stood up, "And I believe that it's time for you to head home. I don't need her calling you and accusing you of something that's not happening." she walked to the door.
"You're right," he stood up and looked at his son, "See you later little man." He walked to Brice and rubbed his head. Then turned around and walked back to the door. "See you later," he reached out to give LaTrice a hug.
She embraced the hug. It's the first hug she'd gotten in a long time and it felt great to be wrapped in someone else's arms. Brent pulled away from her and looked at her and then suddenly leaned in and kissed her.
Getting deeper in their kiss, he pulls her into the bathroom and shut the door.
Although her thought of a cheater always being a cheater was set in her mind about Drew, she sees that Brent is definitely proving her statement right.