The Robinsons

Chapter 18

Drew was on the phone with Joy while he was on his way home from work.

"And he's always trying to step in like he was my daddy or something. I don't like him, daddy." She complained.

"Where's your mom?" He asked.

"She's in her room."

"is he there?" He asked.

"As if I really care."

"Joy, lose that attitude real quick."

"I'm sorry, daddy. I just don't want to be here."

"I know you don't, but there are some things you have to get over and let it be. You'll be over there for a while, so you may as well get settled there."

She sucked her teeth and let out a dramatic sigh.

He could see her rolling her eyes.

"Let me talk to your mom."

"Hold on." She went to find her mom and handed her the phone.

"Hello?" LaTrice answered.

"Hey." He responded.

"Let me guess, your child been complaining, yet again." She said in a sarcastic tone.

"Yea, I just want to know what's been going on because Joy sounds really upset."

"Joy is always upset and you have her like that."

"She likes to express herself a lot. That's what it is." He said.

"What's the problem?" she asked.

"I should be asking you. She's telling me that Brent is always getting in the mix between the two of you. It's one thing that I don't like the man, but I don't want him trying to be some father figure in your house."

"WHo the hell are you to tell me what you don't want someone else doing in my house?" She questioned.

"Trice I'm talking about when it comes to someone else trying to handle my daughter."

"Somebody needs to handle her because this lil girl is getting out of control."

"She's not that bad. She's just reacting to things."

"Oh really, well let me tell you how she reacted one day for some reason. All that complaining she does, I bet she didn't tell you when I caught her in bed with some boy when I got home from work."

"Mama!" Joy gasped.

"Shut up and go to your room." LaTrice demanded.

Drew sighed. Coming to a red light, he rubbed his face. "All I'm saying is that I don't want him telling my daughter anything. He has nothing to do with her, therefore anything concerning her, isn't his business." He explained.

"All I'm saying is that anything that's going on inside my house, is my business and not yours."

"When it's concerning my daughter it's my business." He said.

"You don't need to worry about that."

"If Joy calls me again, complaining about this, then I'm gonna take her back home."

"Oh, where she runs the house? I don't think so."

"Why do we always have to argue over this?" He asked. "It's always the same thing."

"Because you're always complaining to me about the same thing." She responded.

"How about this?" He said in a calm tone. "You and I sit and have a talk with her? I don't want things getting more out of control than it already is. As her parents, we really need to come together and be on the same page with this."