Yolande Trueman - Storylines

Storylines

Yolande arrived in Albert Square on 16 September 2003, as Patrick Trueman's holiday romance. They had met during Patrick's visit to his homeland of Trinidad, where the middle-aged couple enjoyed a steamy affair, much the contrary to Yolande's boring marriage to a strict, uptight, and religious Victor, whose traditional customs included viewing women as objects to bear and raise children.

Before long, Yolande realised that all Patrick wanted was a fling, and prepared to leave the United Kingdom, but Patrick persuaded her to stay after admitting he had fallen for her. Her husband arrived to take Yolande home, and gave a tempted Patrick £10,000 to allow him to do so. After refusing, Yolande caught Patrick with the money in his hand (he was about to return it), and she got the wrong end of the stick, believing that he had accepted this payment, and left, taking the money with her. After Victor returned to Trinidad, Yolande returned to Walford, sharing the money with Patrick.

They eventually settled down and married in 2004, ran the bed and breakfast and fostered a little girl. Yolande co-ran Albert Square's shop, the Minute Mart, with Patrick, which he bought as an expansion to their little empire.

The Truemans met grief when Patrick's stepson Paul went missing at Christmas 2004 after being involved in drug dealing as part of Andy Hunter's scheme. After several weeks of searching, Paul's body was discovered, although the causes and circumstances of his murder were uncertain. Patrick realised that Andy was involved in this, and set about attempting to avenge the dodgy businessman/gangster. His prayers were answered when Andy was thrown off a bridge (to his death) by Johnny Allen, whom he'd tried to rip off.

Yolande was involved in a very minor storyline when she thought her husband Patrick was cheating on her, which resulted in Honey Edwards' arrival in late November 2005 as a honey trapper to try to fool Patrick. However, Honey mistook Billy Mitchell for Patrick, so the plan didn't work. The same night, Yolande drenched Patrick with his pint of beer, and then forgave him.

Yolande then struck up a feud with Pat Evans when she nosed in at Trueman's Motors. Their rivalry took the next step when Pat began an affair with Patrick, but Stacey Slater, who they had employed at the Minute Mart, caught Pat and Patrick kissing and chose the wedding reception of Joe Macer and Pauline Fowler to tell Yolande. This resulted in a brawl in The Queen Vic. Yolande attempted to play Patrick at his own game. She went to a club intending to pick up a man and have an affair. She came onto Kevin Wicks, he reciprocated, and the pair arranged to go back to his place for sex. Fortunately, Yolande was left alone for a few minutes whilst Kevin went to move his car. She started to touch up her make-up, but her conscience kicked in and she backed out. Kevin had half expected this to happen. The next day, she confessed to Patrick that she had almost cheated on him, and, albeit reluctantly, gave him another chance. Soon afterwards, in October 2006, Yolande then had a supposed drunken one-night-stand with Aubrey Valentine, one of Patrick's old friends, . This resulted in Patrick throwing her out, but when they called Aubrey's bluff, the couple reconciled.

On 4 December, she and Patrick went on holiday to Dorset, along with the Wicks and Fox families. She then helped Bert Atkinson look after his grandson Jay after they moved in with the Truemans. Eventually Bert's lazy ways and Jay's trouble making caused her to announce, in fury, that she was kicking the pair out. She forgave them but still insisted they move out and when they did, she helped them settle into their new home.

In September 2008, Patrick accidentally turned off the chiller cabinet at the Minute Mart and then sold unchilled food to customers which gave Dot Branning (amongst others) food poisoning. The resulting complaints meant a visit from an inspector from the Minute Mart head office. He was so impressed with Yolande's efforts to clean up the shop that she was subsequently offered a job at the Minute Mart HQ in Birmingham. Yolande accepted with delight and busily prepared for the move, however Patrick was less keen, and when confronted, Patrick indicated that he wanted to stay in Walford.

On 3 October 2008, Yolande left Albert Square for a new life in Birmingham. She surprised everyone at her leaving party by announcing that she was leaving alone. But as Denise and Patrick waved Yolande off at the tube station, Patrick told Yolande that once he sold their house, he would follow her to Birmingham. It was later revealed by Denise on 27 October that Patrick had gone to visit Yolande for the week and see how she was settling in.

Since then, it was revealed that Patrick and Yolande had broken up. On 19 May 2009 Yolande and Patrick received their divorce papers.