Yeah I fucking wrote my heart out on this chapter. Mild Trigger Warning, also my story is not proper mental health advice.


*drip* *drip* *drip*

Candles melt in the dining room, petals were laid out across the floor, the lights were dimmed, and the table is set. All he needs is the guest, the woman of his late dreams, the insatiable, the luscious. His woman.

*drip* *drip* *drip*

This night will be perfect, he had his head waxed, he had his favourite tie on, and he's even prepared talking notes. He gazes around the dining room, taking in the fruits of his labour. A three-course meal, two delicious plates of grilled porkchops, a soft silky creme brulee, a tasty side of burger sliders, and more. And how could he forget his 2004 bottle of French champagne.

*drip*

He finishes pouring the wine. A wine that old needs every drop to be counted, that sweet sweet nectar of the gods, only the best for his lady.


A week has passed since Huey and Jazmine fought. They still haven't said a word to each other, only brief glimpses as they watch other from their respective sides of the street. She can't be there for him, she hurt him and between her parents fight and her emotional integrity at the moment she is not at the best emotional state to apologize to him.

Jazmine knows she is in the wrong but her heart races whenever their eyes meet, she's afraid that he'll reject her, that he'll say the same nasty things that she said to him.

I hate you!

She's afraid that she is choosing her parents over him, that he is going to be bitter about it, that he is going to push her away. Truthfully if she comes any closer to Huey and she might just have a panic attack.

Huey looks out the window from his shared bedroom, still pondering, still with the scowl on his face. He knows her mental health isn't good and yet he is in conflict with his own mind if he should check on her. He wonders what her reaction could be, if she really did mean those things, or if he really is at fault for all this. Huey hates that feeling, that feeling of being helpless, that feeling where he doesn't know his next move, he has always been sure of himself, sure of everything and yet thanks to her, he realizes that their future isn't actually set in stone.

But Huey Freeman is not a man of emotion, he is a man of action, of sheer will, of strength, of fortitude. He buries himself in work, building his dream, his organization. He needs to be strong, he needs to be the man that they all want him to be. And neck deep in papers, fatigued out of his mind, seeing numbers hallucinate into his vision. This is what he is meant to be.

His 30 second break of staring out his window is over. He goes back to his desk and resumes work. Yet he can't shake off the sinking feeling, that sinking, flooding, engulfing feeling of helplessness.

All he wants to do is scream but after all Huey Freeman is not a man of emotion.


Robert Freeman takes one final check. He adjusts his tie, sprays one last squirt of cologne, he even hums to himself, he rarely hums to himself. Then he opens the door.

"Angelia."

"Robert."

There she is, his woman, his everything, she looked so much like her. Her dark ebony skin wrapped like a gift under that long flowing white dress. Robert is mesmerized, her voice is like a siren's call, the one that sailors chase, the one that compels you forward and end up drowning under her beautiful melody. He finds himself kissing her, not wasting any time. From the moment he opened that door and they exchanged names, his lips are already on hers.

"My oh my Robert, that's certainly a way to greet a woman."

"Come inside Angelia, let's not keep the food waiting."

They sit at the table, across from each other, she gazes on his eyes, he gazes on that neckline. He hasn't felt this feeling in a long time, that feeling when you know she is the one, the one who can finally steal his heart, a heart that yearns and desires, she is the one. After spending half a million on gifts and handouts, after hundreds of Cristals, Lunas, and Ebony Browns he finally find an Angelia. Someone who accepts him and warms his old heart.

"I love it! MmmMmm Robert you have outdone yourself! Wow the creme brulee is out of this world!"

"Thank you kindly!"

They clink wine glasses, share stories, some fake some true, then they depart. Not to the front door, but to the bedroom. She walks ahead of him, her curves in clear view as he walks up the stairs behind her. She is going to thank him, for the creme brulee, for the wine, for the quirky rose petals on the ground, for his love. A love that is different from the love he gives to hookers, she has recieved a love that has only been reserved for an other girl.

"Make yourself comfortable." He gestures to his bed.

"Thank you."

"I will be back to spruce myself up in the bathroom. Then we can get busy sweetcheeks..."

"Where are your condoms?"

"In my drawer, be right back."

Angelia is excited, she digs through the bedside table to look for the rubber. Instead her polished manicured fingers find something else. A photo.

Robert comes back, shirtless, ready, full of desire, his w-

"Robert. Who is this?" Angelia holds up the photo.

"Where did you get that?"

"In the drawer."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Who is she?"

"I don't want to talk Angelia."

"Robert... if you're going to sleep with me, I want to know the photo that's in your drawer!"

"She was my wife!"

Robert, for all his gusto, for all his demeanor, he had put on this persona of being a loud mouthed grumpy old man to his grandkids. He has never talked about his wife, if anyone ever asked about his wife he would just take out his belt, yell, and beat the nigga until he can't talk anymore. But he can't hit her, she just wants to know the truth, at the end of the day his wife is dead and he is trying to clear the memory of their love by fucking other women.

People call their past loves as ex-wives. But not Robert, to him, they are still together, they are still in love. Everytime she is brought to mind he can't help but feel ashamed as he knows that he is betraying her memory when he chases other women.

But Angelia needs to know the truth. Unlike the women he lusted, this is a woman he loves, she deserves the know the truth.

"Her name was Dory. Dorothy Freeman."

"I-I'm sorry... for your loss."

"She was beautiful...the way she walked, the way she spoke, the way she would look into my eyes and it would twinkle. She was a wonderful woman and a great mother to my handsome young boy... I'm sorry Angelia I- I- I ca-

"I'm so sorry... Robert..." She kisses him in the forehead.

"She is the grandmother of those kids... that fake story where I adopted their father... it's a lie... I didn't want to scare you or lose you... I'm sorry."

Angelia gets ready to tell her own truth "I had lost someone too. Someone I loved, he divorced me... he left me... yet everyday I can't forget the time when we were together..."

Robert sheds a single tear "T-then perhaps we're on my bed... trying to run away from our pasts."

She kisses him in the forehead again "Yes... I'm sorry I didn't tell you too."

Two lonely souls, two people recoiling from tragedy, who were ready to drown their sorrows in a lustful stupor. Two souls who had lost their love and want to forget it through a rebound. And yet while their bodies are ready to offer themselves to each other, all they could do is cry.

Tears ruin her makeup and looking around the room for a box of tissues. While Robert put on a new shirt and sits there staring at the picture of Dorothy Freeman. Looking back at her eyes once again, hoping she would twinkle.

The next moments later, Angelia is in his arms, kissing each other, trying to drive the pain away, trying to find every remedy for the pain that just won't go away.

"R-Robert. I can't do this."

"Me neither. I'm sorry Angelia." He's still gripping the picture tightly, holding the small piece of paper as if it was his ticket to heaven.

"Can you put the picture away?"

"Why?" Robert says defensively.

"I'm worried it will get ruined. If this is your only picture of her I would hate to see anything happen to it..."

He sighs "You're... right." He sets it down on his bedside table. "Who was your husband?"

"He's in Jamaica... we lived such a happy life, we had a son together, living in a nice home... Then one day, she knocked on our door. It was his childhood friend, she begged him, pleaded him to come back to her, I was standing there with our 8 year old son, watching her insult me in front of his face... but he still loved her and when he had to make a decision, he chose her! He chose her instead of us! I loved him, I still love him, and yet every night he came home smelling like sex, covered in sweat and the smell of their lovemaking."

Angelia begins to cry profusely, washing away whatever makeup she still had on her face.

"I left Jamaica, bringing my son with me. We moved to America, always moving, never finding the right job. I just wanted to get out of there, I can't keep seeing the love of my life having sex with another woman."

"Angelia that's terrible..."

"That is why I am thankful for you. Thankful for everything, for your grandson who gave me a job, for your hospitality, your kindness, your companionship. I love you Robert but... if you love someone else then that is okay..."

"I do."

"Please... don't ruin her memory... she is a wonderful woman Robert. You can't ruin her memory by fucking other women... that is not how you find your peace. I found my peace with my ex-husband a long time ago through the son that he gave me. I am ready to have another relationship, I don't want to be alone anymrore but Robert... you haven't found that peace yet have you?"

"No... no matter how many women I met... I can't replace her..."

"Then don't replace her Robert. Live your life as she would have wanted. Find your peace and maybe one day you can finally reunite again." She kisses him for the final time. She hugs him "I should go... I love you Robert... please be happy for my sake."

"Yes. Thank you Angelia... for everything."

"I hope you find your peace."

She heads out the door, revealing to Robert a teary smile. But without saying another word she leaves.


Peace

Robert clings on to his photo. The black and white photo of that woman with those piercing eyes. Wearing that flowing summer dress and smiling for her picture. He never forgot the color of those eyes, they were a deep reddish-brown, almost like maroon.

He had changed into his pajamas, he is under his covers under the moonlight, still gripping on to that picture. He doesn't know why but he feels happy. He feels happy that he didn't have sex with Angelia, he feels relieved that she wants him to be happy. He doesn't want to be with other women anymore, he wants to find his peace with his long lost love. Instead of finding another young girl to take his bed, instead of disgracing that spark he had all those years ago.

"I-I'm sorry baby" Robert cries alone.

"I'm sorry I ruined our marriage... I was so lonely... I was so hurt... Dory- I miss you so much my baby..."

I hope you find your peace

He stares back at her eyes, to the woman he loves. He wants to meet her again someday, he wonders what she will say, if she will be disgusted or accepting, or if they can meet once more on a hot Alabama spring and fall in love with each other all over again.

find your peace

He stares back at her eyes. He knows the answer, she's been trying to tell him the entire time. Robert felt his whole body ease, a soft smile on his face as he lays on his bed, and for once in a very long time he has found peace.


The next day, a knock can be heard on Jazmine's door.

She opens the door, he says "Hello?"

The look on her face, still crying, it's still early in the morning.

"What are you doing here Caesar?'"

Caesar responds "I have to drop off some stuff to Huey. And my mom said that you're fighting Huey?"

Caesar has a stack of papers on his hand, all the documents that Huey and Jazmine used to work on, Caesar is going to deliver them to the Freeman's.

Jazmine's eyes begins to tear up "I don't want to talk about it. My parents are getting a divorce and I'm not ready to fight Huey."

"Fight Huey? Divorce?!"

"You jerk! Stop rubbing it in my face about my life falling apart!"

Jazmine is about the slam the door shut. Caesar yells out "Wait! I'm sorry! I want to help!"

"What do you want? What makes you think you can help me?!" Jazmine shouts, the only person who can help her is him.

"Jazmine I know what happens when your parents divorce, it happened to my mom, it happened to my family, and I want you to know that you are not alone. That divorce, changed my life for the worse. I don't want the same thing happen to you!"

"Well good news because I guess we'll have something in common soon!" Jazmine cries.

"If I had a time machine and could go back in time that day, I would've stopped them, I would've knocked some sense into my dad and told him to never abandon my mother. I felt so guilty, I still feel guilty, for a long time I thought the divorce was my fault. But for everyone's sake, you need to hold your chin up high, you can't keep beating yourself up for nothing, you just need to carry on, and know that there are people who still care about you. Jazmine, you are not alone."

The early morning breeze, the morning dew, the sunrise. Jazmine can't help but feel so helpless and there is that boy, telling her that she's not alone. All she wants to do now, is hug him.

Jazmine rushes towards him and hugs him "Oh Caesar!" He almost dropped his stack of papers.

"Whoa please don't tackle me."

The morning sprinklers are turning on, the birds chirping, the leaves had grown back and are swaying in the breeze. Jazmine takes a look at the Freeman house, it looked so horrible, she almost heard it scream at her, she could hear so much yelling in the background, was it her imagination?

He interrupts her thoughts while she's still wrapped around him. "Where's your mother?"

"She left Woodcrest... she's been gone for a week..."

"Jazmine you need to go find her, check on her... do you know where she went?"

"I think I have an idea..."

"Jazmine I don't have a time machine, I will never get the chance, but you do."

"Y-you're right! I-I gotta... I gotta save my mommy."

She looks at the Freeman house again. There he stood.

Huey

She broke away from Caesar's hug, embarassed, ashamed. Caesar shouldn't be the one to comfort her, she wants Huey to do it, and yet Huey stood there while she was in Caesar's arms.

"Good morning." Huey says.

Riley is screaming, he's yelling, tears in his eyes, he's wailing into the streets, and knocking garbage cans over.

"Hey bro." Caesar replies back.

"Give me the papers."

Huey and Caesar look at each other eye to eye, Caesar looks so nervous like Huey is going to squeeze the life out of him. And yet, Huey took the papers and he left. Something is wrong, something is definitely wrong, when he has emotions he would always share it with her, when he has something in his mind she can always tell through his facial expressiions.

But she sees nothing, Huey is blank, like his soul is completely empty.

"H-Huey?" Jazmine calls out.

He doesn't respond.

She tries to whimper out a sentence "C-can you help me? I'm going to find my mom... I need you-

"I don't care." Huey responds.

Jazmine is shocked, tears stream down her cheeks "W-what?"

He doesn't respond again, he's just walking back to his house.

Something broke inside Jazmine, maybe her heart, mayber her soul, the floodgates opened and she snapped "Huey Freeman! I want you to help me find my mother and save my parents' divorce! You don't care!? You promised to be there for me! You promised you would help me!? To be at my side!"

Riley is still screaming, he's breaking the windows, he's kicking all the plants, something is wrong.

"I hate y- I- Fuck you Huey! Fuck you! Why can't you be there for me!? I need you and you're just going to run away from me?!"

Jazmine gets her car keys and she runs to her car. She sees Huey ignoring her, he is just standing there, watching Riley wreck their house, screaming from the top of his lungs, something is wrong.

She turns her head to him one last time, tears in her eyes, she softly mutters "P-please Huey... I love you..."

"Go Jazmine." He responds.

"F-fine! I hate you!"


She almost crashed on the way to her mom but thankfully there weren't that many cars in the morning. She drives to the hotel, the Woodcrest Chateau Hotel, she has cried at the car, she cried at the entrance, she cried at the lobby, and eventually drags herself to the reception desk.

The receptionist says "Hi? I'm sorry can I help you?"

Jazmine tries to speak between her tears "I-is there a- Sarah Dubois who checked in?"

"I'm sorry but I can't tell you... it's invading our guests' privacy."

"Please... you have t-t-to help.. I'm her daughter..." She is sobbing uncontrollably and making a scene.

The reception ponders a bit, pitying the crying girl and eventually decides to make an exception "Alright... she is at room 314... sorry miss."

"Th-thank you."

She shuffles to the elevator, she screamed at her boyfriend, her parents are still separated, she probably hurt his feelings by making him jealous. She feels like her life is falling apart. Just a week ago, she was cuddling him, they were at their apartment, holding each other's arms, sitting on the wooden floor and planning their future together.

Do you want a slow dance?

Maybe next time Huey okay?

I'd like that.

The elevator door dings and when it opens she steps inside. She really wants that slow dance right now.

Jazmine calmed herself in the elevator, collecting her breaths, readying herself to confront her mother. She realized how Caesar rushed her into this, how going here has been such a hasty decision, her hair is still a mess, she's still in her morning clothes, and she has no idea what to say to her mother.

She needs to be like Huey, he's always so calm, so sure of himself, she needs to find her composure. However she can't help but feel like something is wrong, something wrong with Huey.

She has to shake the thoughts about him, she needs to focus on her mother. The elevator door opens and she looks for room 314. Her breath quickens as she walks down the hallway.

302

304

306

She passes a man in the hallway, she notices him checking out her body.

308

310

312

She breathes calmly, in a steady pace, just like he thought her. He told her that the secret to being so calm is to breath.

314. She knocks on the door.

"Jazmine?"

Sarah is looking at her daughter. She's scowling at her, glaring at her, with those determined emerald eyes.

"What are you wearing mom?" Jazmine asks.

"I- I-" Sarah is in a dress, one that reveals everything and shows too much cleavage. She smells booze, her hair in a mess, and she looked like she had a hangover.

Jazmine pieces the clues together "You went to the nightclub last night." She almost sounded like him.

"Sweetie why are y-

She cuts her off "Did you cheat on dad?"

"I- I met someone and..." Jazmine sees the hickies on her neck.

"Did you cheat?"

"I- I didn't sleep with anyone... we just made out."

"This is your version of alone time? Leaving us for a week and going to clubs and seeing other men?"

"Jazmine, don't do this."

"How dare you mom?! How dare you!? I just want us to be happy and here you are cheating on dad!"

"I'm- I-" Sarah tries to stutter a few words.

"I yelled at Huey because of you! I pushed him away because of what you did to me! You're not hurting dad, you're hurting both of us!"

Jazmine cries, she can't maintain her composure. Jazmines continues yelling "What's it gonna be mom?! Find another man and satisfy your black man fetish and abandon your family?! Abandon me?!"

Sarah breaks apart, she feels like the walls are closing in on her "N- no... no... it's not that simple..."

"Try! I know dad isn't the easiest man to love! I get it mom! But I want us to be happy!"

"It's not- it's not that simple sweetie..."

Jazmine exhales loudly, calming down "I don't want to force you mom, I don't want to force you back together. But if you want to leave because you have your eyes on a better man then that is absolutely disgusting. You still love dad and you're just going to sleep with other men, just to hurt him... th- that's disgusting."

"I- I know Jazmine... I'm just hurt..."

"Why mom?"

"Because I always dreamed of a perfect man... he would be tall, he would be dark-skinned, he would be strong, dependable, and provide for everything... Your father, he used to be like that."

"You don't give dad a chance... you always fight him, you always make him jealous... how can he be all those things when you belittle him and make him insecure..."

"I- I... Oh Jazmine I- I made a horrible mistake."

The two embrace, still in tears. Jazmine still wonders if there's anymore tears left for her to cry. For days she has done nothing but console her parents, to cry with them, to share their sadness, this week has been a living hell for her. Yet finally at long last, she can finally find relief, she can finally breath as the chokehold fades away.

"Mom... let's go home. Daddy really misses you."

"Okay sweetie... thank you."

Jazmine helped her mother pack her things and they checked out at the hotel. Sarah and Jazmine came in two different cars so they are going to drive separately.

As Jazmine walks up to her car and she gets inside. She feels relieved. At least one thing in her life is going right. She still has to talk to Huey, apologize for all the things she said. She didn't have the confidence while her life was falling apart with her parents but now, she can finally find the courage to talk to him.

As she starts up the car, she checks on her phone.

32 missed calls

Not from Huey. But from Cindy. She has been trying to call her 32 times. Jazmine panics. Something is wrong.

Jazmine calls her number. Then she speaks into the phone "Hello? Cin?"

"Jazzy? Where the hell are you!?"

"Wh- what's wrong?!"

"I was on m-my way to see Reezy! And he- Mr-" Cindy stumbles on her words.

"What's wrong Cindy?!"

"Mr. Freeman is dead."


Robert Jebediah Freeman died in his sleep at the age of 94. He didn't die from a heart attack or a hidden disease or choking on his own spit. He just died peacefully. No signs of struggle or failure in his body, it almost seemed like he lost the will to live. That he just decided it was his time.

Huey and Riley knocked on his bedroom early that morning. They were wondering why there wasn't any breakfast made. After they didn't get a response, Huey broke the door with a hammer. They saw him laying there, his lifeless rigermortis hands still clutching on the photo of their grandmother.

Riley punched him, one soft punch, then a hard punch. Riley didn't believe it, he was in denial, the old man was just playing a sick joke right? And then Huey checked his pulse and he coldly shook his head.

"He's dead."

Riley ran outside, he ignored Cindy standing at the door, in fact he even pushed her. Riley kicked garbage cans, he punched trees, he screamed at the top of his lungs, he punched on so many things that his fists started to bleed. He loved his grandfather, he loved the only family he still had left, and now they're alone.

Alone

Huey stood outside, with unfeeling eyes and a blank mind, he watched as his brother tires himself out and makes sure he doesn't get himself injured. He knew the moment would come when his granddad would die, he prepared himself mentally. What he didn't prepare for was Jazmine embracing Caesar, his hands around her waist, her face crying into his shoulder.

Good morning

Hey bro

Give me the papers

His grandfather is dead, another family member dead. His family just can't catch a break, all his life he's never been much of a wisher, or a prayer, but how he wished he wasn't in that moment. He wished he could just leave and just run away.


Graduation passes by. Huey Freeman was a valedictorian, he was supposed to give a speech, Jazmine wrote that speech for him. But when his name was called up, he didn't came. Jazmine sat there alone, keeping her distance from Caesar, in her graduation gown and hat. She has a spare hat for him, she's holding the hat in case he would sit beside her. But to Jazmine it is just wishful thinking.

A divorce or a death, what is more important? Her parents are fine now, still a couple more fights but no longer a hint of divorce. They understand that they need to make their daughter happy, especially at a time like this.

Where was Jazmine when Huey faced the saddest day in his life. Where was she when Huey came looking for her while his brother was wailing and breaking the street?

She was crying on another man's shoulder, the promise she kept that she would depend on him was broken. She didn't had any feelings for Caesar, she just needed a shoulder to cry on and of course she wasn't cheating, and yet Huey was at his most vulnerable, at his most weakest, and there she was, hurting him.

Cindy had been there. She learned that Cindy slapped the shit out of Riley, she yelled at Riley, punched him, trying calm her boyfriend down, to put some sense into him. And when he finally came to his senses, they embraced, they hugged each other, he cried on her shoulder like a little baby.

Meanwhile Huey was inside the house. Alone. Already preparing for the funeral.

Alone

She should've been there, she should've been at his side, and yet when she learned the news and raced back to Huey's house, he was gone. He had taken his grandfather's body to the morgue. She stood there in that empty house, alone.

"Jazmine Dubois? Hello is Jazmine Dubois in the audience?"

She almost forgot how to walk, she got so lost in her thoughts. The principal hands her the diploma, she smiles, she threw her hat in the air, she had her picture taken, then she heads home.

She runs back home. Through the same streets that Huey and her used to take. She runs across the Woodcrest suburbs, passing their cars, passing their Freeman house. To their hill.

Her legs beg her to stop, she just needed to climb the hill with the oak tree on top. She wants to see him, she really does, she wants to hug him, she wants to tell him that everything is alright.

But he's not there. Jazmine has checked the hill every single day since he died.

She's at their hill. Alone


The funeral is underway, Huey had planned everything, he invited the guests, he setup all the ceremonial matters, he had the grave, the coffin, and the tombstone. At least this time, he can bury his family properly, instead of a half-assed cremation ceremony for his parents.

Granddad had always wanted an extravagant funeral. He would always mention how everyone is gonna miss him if Huey and Riley gave him a heart attack or how the whole town would be there if his grandsons killed him through stress.

Huey spared no expense, a grand church organ was rented, he had portraits of his granddad in those large picture frames, he had all his trophies and WW2 medals in display. He would've been proud of what Huey has done.

All of Woodcrest didn't exactly come to his funeral. Granddad would say that all the bitches he had ever dated would cry at his funeral, yet no bitches came. He said that all his illegitimate children he's had over the years would come to his funeral, yet no people claiming to be his children came.

It is just the Dubois family, a couple distant family members, Ed, Rummy, and a random guy he met at the park.

They all sit at the church pews, waiting for everyone to be seated while the church organ plays. Riley and Huey sit at the front, gazing at the coffin, never taking their eyes of off their grandad.

"Hey."

"Hello." Huey replies back.

Caesar walks up to Huey while his mom vists Robert's coffin.

"I'm sorry if I did anything wrong... Jazmine was having a hard time and-

Huey cuts him off. "We're cool."

"Really?" Caesar looks in shock, he was fully expecting Huey to yell at him.

"I don't really care anymore."

"Really bro? I-"

"Is that all?"

"My mom... she had a date with Mr. Freeman... before he died."

"I see." Huey responds with a blank stare at the coffin.

"She said that he was at peace."

"You can leave now. You and your mom will still have a job at NPB." Huey sighs.

"I'm sorry." Caesar says.

"I said you can leave."

Riley and Huey continue to stare at the coffin. Huey looks emotionless, Riley looks half-dead. They have been like this ever since. The death of Robert Freeman has had a resounding effect on the boys. And yet they really did not have any family left to turn to. They were alone.

Cindy walks up to Riley "Can I sit next to you, Reezy?"

"Sit." Riley says.

"Hey." Jazmine walks up to them shyly.

...

...

...

She looks at his face, he's still staring at the coffin "Huey I'm sorry."

"I accept."

"I- umm... really?" Jazmine looks surprised as well.

"I don't care anymore. You can leave Jazmine."

"Don't push me away Huey."

...

...

...

For the first time in the entire day, Huey's eyes move away from the coffin. For the first time he can finally see the church filled with people. He can see the flowers he bought already starting to wither and the decorations everywhere and the portraits of Robert staring back at him. He can see her.

Huey gave the coldest, cruelest, pained scowl at Jazmine. The one that looked like he had a burning fire in his eyes. He is angry, in pain, in grief. He showed her the void that is his heart, the blackest night that is his eyes. And when Jazmine stared into the void of her soulmate, she could see no one. Huey Freeman is gone, what is left in his body is just a shambling husk of himself.

She stared into the void and she blinked.

Cindy interrupts their silence "Jazzy I think you should go."

And Jazmine left, she went to her seat and she sits down, terrified. He looked like death itself.

Uncle Ruckus went to the front, beginning to make his eulogy for Robert.

"Dear friends, family, and other assorted nigga-friends of Robert. Robert was a good nigga and the only black man I would call my friend. We shared many years of companionship and in the end I would like to say goodbye for all the memories and hardships that we have shared together. Thank you."

Ruckus walks down, keeping his speech brief. Huey stares at him with those deathly eyes, the one that pushed him to walk away faster. Ruckus had more to say but with the man staring down at him he knew that he was on death's door if he continued to speak.

Huey stands up, his posture commanded respect, he stands with so much composure. Everyone turns their head to watch him, as his heavy footsteps emenate and echo in the church. Some gape their mouths open, some look on in fear of what he may say. Huey has never spoken more than a sentence ever since his granddad died, no one knows what to expect from his speech. Huey never cried and he never showed any emotion, that is why when Huey stood to the front, a single tear was on his eye and at that moment, the world stood still.

"Good afternoon." His deep voice silences the entire building.

"Thank you to our friends and family for coming. I appreciate the respect and gratitude you have given us to honor his memory. Robert Freeman was a great man, with many flaws and had many dreams, he was a father, a husband, and our guardian. My brother and I shared a connection with him unlike any other in the world, he was the roof that sheltered our heads, he was the father that we had lost, and he was the man who gave us a second chance in this world. I owe my life to Robert Freeman and I will carry on his memory in everything that I do. To my grandfather I wish to say that I love him, I- I had never expressed that gratitude to him or thanked him for all he's done. And with his death, my wish to say those words to him will never be fufilled. However while his body lays to rest, surrounded by his friends and family, all I can say is that you will be missed. Your laugh, your smile, your patience. Your presence in our lives can never be replaced and to that I will say, you will be missed."

They bring his coffin outside, the crowd of suits and black dresses follow them through the graveyard. Huey and Riley walks side by side. They are going to bury another one of their family members, the sad truth is that they have already done this before. While the priest says the final words, the coffin is slowly getting set down, an-

"Sarah! Be respectful!"

The entire crowd looks at the Dubois family.

"Tom can you be quiet!"

"Did you seriously just try flirting with Robert's friends?! Are you serious!?"

Jazmine panics "Stop fighting!"

The priest stops talking, the descent of the coffin halts.

"Mom! Dad! Why are you doing this!? Stop fighting!"

...

...

...

"Jazmine." Huey turns to her.

"Huey I- I'm so-"

"Get your family out."

"I-I can't." Tears begin to well in her eyes.

Huey and Jazmine look at each other. Angry, helpess, and alone. As her parents continue fighting and disrespecting his granddad's burial, Huey has had enough. He has had enough of being patient, he has had enough of being calm. This time he needed to act.

"All of you can leave! Everyone! Go!" Huey shouts. The entire crowd stares at Huey.

"Huey-

Huey interrupts her harshly "Did I stutter?! Every single one of you can leave!"

"Don't push me away.. Please..."

"Jazmine Dubois. Fuck your promise, you said you'd be at my side and yet you left me to mourn alone. I want all of you to leave and let us mourn alone!"

The priest got so frightened that even he left, the entire crowd almost ran away in fear in fact. Some stayed at the church, others fled to their cars, and there she was, Jazmine Dubois, the saddest woman on Earth staring at the saddest man from afar, with tears flowing out like it was going to make her eyes bleed.

Huey and Riley Freeman stood there alone as they lower the coffin themselves, they removed the rope and the harnesses, they say their final goodbyes. They stood there for hours, they waited for the crew to fill the grave with dirt, and when the men arrived, they grabbed shovels and they helped them fill the grave.

Once they finish, Huey reads out the tombstone. Here Lies Robert Jebediah Freeman 1925-2019.


This is the end of Act 1 for Our Future Revolution. Yeah I went with the funeral and yeah Granddad's car is named after his wife Dorothy. Act 2 will be posted in a couple days while I do a little hiatus. It will still be posted as the next chapter so please follow and fav the story to know when it comes out.

Thanks to all the people who gave me feedback when I posted chapter 10. Only 3 people gave reviews when I asked for feedback but still:

Juey: Yeah I really iike the characters in the show, especially Huey and how he would react to situations much differently. That's why I really try to keep the characters as close as possible as the dynamic Huey has with people is really fun to write. Thanks for the review and for reading my story.

And to the guests: Shoutout to the guy who's here for the lemon. Yeah we'll get there.


Before I end the chapter and "Act 1", I'm going to leave a new description/story summary for Act 2:

The death of Robert Freeman signifies a turning point in ther lives as Huey and Riley handle his loss at the worse way possible. But Huey is ready now, ready to shake the foundations of the world, whether or not institutions wishes to work with him or against him, nontheless Huey Freeman's only restraint, his love, his emotion, is gone. We follow Huey's life with a part of him missing, a part that he had pushed away, for the boy who would rarely smile is gone. There is only Huey the Revolutionary, and hope for him is with the girl he had pushed away, the girl he still loves.