I'm trying to take inspo from both the comics and the show for this fanfic, so hopefully it'll mesh well without being too inconsistent, lol. Anyway, I also wanted to incorporate Shauna into this plot somehow, since I think a "hoe" like Cristal would be an interesting character for her to interact with, considering for all intents and purposes, Shauna isn't a "hoe", especially since she's 14 here.

Also sorry for taking waaaay too long updating, I got way too into the Stardew Valley 1.6 update, and well... Yeah, lol.

It was another Saturday, and the Freeman family were at the Woodcrest Market, a high-class grocery store that sold, among other things, "male enhancement" drugs in the vitamin isle. Robert Jebediah Freeman, aka "Granddad" was certainly enjoying the more diverse options than in his old neighborhood of Southside Chicago.

Of course, with more choices comes a lack of choice, as the octogenarian man was having a hard time choosing the "male enhancement" best suited to his needs, each touting phrases like "enhance", "enlarge", and "endure". His search for the right enhancement pill was interrupted by a screeching from the next isle, "I! WANT! CAAAANDY!", followed by a glass jar shattering on the terracotta tile floor.

The screeching came from a little boy no older than five, yelling at his poor, overworked mother, "DAMMIT, I HATE YOU! YOU'RE RUINING MY LIFE!" With her pathetic attempts to plead reason into him, "Herbert, remember our agreement about how we behave in a store-" but her pleas fell on deaf ears as customers from all over the store were staring with disdain and the overworked mother covered her hands over her eyes, beginning to cry.

Robert Freeman walked to the next isle, finding a sense of sympathy for the woman, and spoke to her while the young boy was still throwing his tantrum, "Hmph, sure looks like a handful..."

"When he gets like this," she sobbed out, "I just don't know how to make him stop..." and watched in horror as the boy knocked over a shelf in in his tantrum. The old man asked the mother bluntly, "Y'ever try beatin' his ass?"

And she looked shocked at this revelation, as if it had never occurred to her to have some sort of discipline for her child. Oh sure, she'd tried all kinds of different types of things to get her little boy to behave: therapy, positive reinforcements, negative reinforcements, but this new information came as a sort of godsend for her as the older man removed his belt, much to the shock of the boy, asking "what's with the belt?"

Taking to the belt instantly, the mother charged at her errant son, spanking him while scolding him for his behavior, making Granddad, and the rest of the customers, quite pleased, all feeling a sense of relief when the bratty boy what given what was coming to him.

As the Freemans walked down another isle, the cries of the boy still in the background, a pretty young woman in a low-cut tank top and shorts with her own grocery cart walked up to the older man, commenting "Not many men would step up to help a woman in need..."

The old man got a good look at her, eyeing up her fine, young body as he spoke, "Well, uh...hehe... I guess I hate to see a child go unbeaten..."

The young woman held out her hand, "I'm Cristal, like the champagne..."

"I'm Granddad." He took her hand eagerly, feeling how smooth it was and almost didn't want to let it go as Cristal noticed the two boys, introducing herself with a cheerful "Hello, cutie!" and held out her hand to Huey.

Huey, somehow able to tell her kind of "character", took a step back as she introduced herself to the boys. Huey then pointed out bluntly, "that sounds like a stripper name... Cristal like the champagne, might you be a stripper?"

Cristal (like the champagne) only giggled and asked, "And just what do you know about strippers, little man?"

"Not much, but I do know they're usually named after liquor – OW!" Shauna had elbowed him, whisper-yelling, "You don't ask someone if they're a stripper upfront, be polite!" And Riley snickered at his brother's expense.

"Oh, you remind me of me when I was your age!" Cristal (like the champagne) looked at Shauna, who was holding the cart, "Little brothers are such a handful, aren't they?"

Shauna smirked, "you don't know the half of it, Cristal...oh, uh, like the champagne." The small party then walked to the cash register, where Granddad let Cristal (like the champagne) pay for her groceries first.

Cristal (like the champagne) sighed and chatted happily, "I just love grocery stores in rich neighborhoods. Much better stuff." She bent forward, giving the old man a good view of her cleavage as she pulled out a can, "Check out this special French whipped cream" as she squeezed the nozzle, the cream filling her two fingers and licking it off with her tongue erotically, and whispered huskily, "it's edible..." Granddad wasn't sure to make of this, but was not displeased, even as he watched the rest of Cristal (like the champagne)'s groceries be rung up, everything from honey and chocolate sauce to phallic shaped foods, and even condoms and petroleum jelly. Huey, Riley, and Shauna could see what was going on and what Cristal (like the champagne)'s character was, but it didn't matter to their grandfather, clearly enamored, or perhaps desperate for companionship.

When everything was rung up, the cashier asked "Will this be cash or charge?" Cristal (like the champagne) pulled out a was of money from her tank top, and handed off five dollar bill after five dollar bill to the cashier. Before even paying for the groceries, Granddad took Cristal's groceries out of the store, holding all three of her bags, leaving Shauna and the boys to fend for themselves to pay for their own groceries.

"You're such a gentleman," Cristal (like the champagne) smiled, "You didn't have to carry all my bags..." Granddad smiled back, "It's my pleasure, Cristal like the champagne."

"Well, see you around," Cristal (like the champagne) started to walk off, but turned around to look at the Freeman family patriarch, smiling as the old man started to feel the primal desires that continue to populate most species, gulping hard as Cristal (like the champagne) approached him, "I mean.. I don't know if... Would you like a...date?"

Happy he didn't have to ask first, the old man proudly boasted "Just so happens I have coupons for Red Lobster, cutie-pie!" Cristal (like the champagne) was a little confused but agreed with an enthusiastic, "sure!" Cristal (like the champagne) walked to the bus stop as she waved back at her date, both smiling.

Driving back home, Granddad was in a state of bliss until Riley, ever observant, asked, "You do realize that light skin-ded hoe was a hoe... Right, Granddad?"

"Don't cuss boy, watch your mouth!" the older man scolded.

"I didn't cuss, I said 'hoe'."

"Don't think cause I'm driving don't mean I can't come back there!"

"I don't see what the big deal is just saying 'ho-' OW!" Riley was interrupted by Granddad's discipline, smacking him over the head repeatedly. As Shauna attempted to separate the two, Huey took control of the wheel, seeing as the old man was more focused on hitting his grandson than the road, and yelled, "Stop, or we are going to die!"

Eventually, the hitting stopped and Granddad was back at the wheel, "Now... I bet'chu won't say it again..." Having learned nothing, Riley mumbled out a quick "hoe..." before being smacked again as Shauna and Huey yelled "Watch the road, Granddad!"

Somehow, the four of them made it back home alive, and that night, Granddad was preparing for his date with Cristal (like the champagne), dressing quite nicely as Huey and Riley sat on the bed watching him.

"Granddad," Huey asked, "have you asked yourself why a 20 year old girl would wanna go out with a man your age?"

"Because I laid my game down quite flat," was the only answer the boy got. Riley, asked "What'chu know about the game, Granddad? Takin' women out to eat, givin' 'em free meals. What part of the game is that? You takin' her to Red Lobster with the cheddar biscuits. The fam ain't eatin' cheddar biscuits but this random broad is eatin' cheddar biscuits!"

Looking back at Riley, he only said "I know the game, your granddaddy knows the game."

"Game recognize game, Granddad!"

"I recognize game, your granddaddy recognize game!"

"Game recognize game, and you kinda lookin' unfamiliar right now?" To emphasize this point, Riley glared and asked, "Where's Granddad? Can I help you sir?"

Tired of this conversation, Granddad stood up, "I ain't got time for this, I got a date!" As he walked out of the room, Riley grabbed his legs, sobbing "No! Don't feeed her the cheddar biscuits!" Huey only watched, shaking his head in disbelief and disappointment. At who, even Huey didn't know.

"Shauna!" Granddad yelled, "Grab your little brother off my legs! Don't need him ruinin' my suit!" Reluctantly, Shauna picked up her brother with ease, though he still clinging to the pants as he pleaded in vain.

The date with Cristal (like the champagne) was going well, though Grandad had to admit he didn't expect his date to scarf down plate after plate of food. She clearly enjoyed herself as was still nibbling on a coveted cheddar biscuit. "They just melt in your mouth," she bragged as she seemed to genuinely smile, "Thank you for the meal. It's so romantic, like Sex and the City or somethin'."

Stunned at his date's appetite, all he could say was "I've never seen a woman eat like that... or a man, actually..." He had to admit, even with the appetite, she was very appealing in her low cut golden dress and silver jewelry, her hair done up...

Cristal (like the champagne) let out a girlish giggle before suggesting "You ought to bring some food for the kids"

"I dunno, if you feed em', they'll never leave"

"Oh, stop, they're sooo cute. You must love havin' them around."

"Well, not real-"

Cristal (like the champagne) interrupted him, putting her hand over his and smiling, "You should let me babysit sometimes, give Shauna some time off..." Not knowing the sweet touch of a woman in who knows how long, the old man couldn't help but smile, enamored by Cristal (like the champagne), not really paying attention to the waiter asking "Doggy bag?"

Slyly, Cristal whispered to him, "Doggy bag is $90, tea bag is $50. But you actually have to 'scuse me right now. See I'm kinda, y'know, on a real date."

Shauna made herself and the boys oven-baked fish sticks while the three talked about their grandfather's date, and his love life in general.

"You know, now that I think about it I never saw Granddad with a woman. There was a time when I was three and thought he was gay, but now I just think it's just bad luck," Huey mused as he held a fish stick in his hand.

"Come on, Huey, Granddad ain't gay... prob'ly," Shauna ate a fish stick as she was texting, "He was prolly married at some point, otherwise none of us would be here..."

Riley spoke his two cents, "Well, I don' see what the big deal is with hoes anyway."

"Riley, you finna ain't be callin' me a hoe," Shauna glared at Riley over her phone as he explained himself, "Well, you ain't a hoe yet, but girls like you act like hoes when they get a man."

"Riley, all women are not hoes. We're taking 20... 25 percent tops."

"Okay, but if they not all hoes, why I gotta pay to take 'em out t'eat then? I mean, I'm payin', That's payment!"

"I dunno... cause that's just what you do," Huey explained the best he could reason, "You meet a girl, you take her out to dinner... But you're not paying the girl, you're paying the restaurant."

"But I'm payin'. Which makes her a hoe. Why don' I just give her the money I was gonna spend on dinner, and that hoe can go grocery shoppin'?" Both Huey and Shauna looked at their brother stunned at his attitude.

"And what do you do again?"

Cristal (like the champagne) looked a little uncomfortable as she answered, "I'm in, uh... sales. You could call it sales..." She looked into the fountain, "I don't really like to talk about work. I'm not really fulfilled at my job."

"Why not?"

The two started to walk around as Cristal (like the champagne) made her compalints, "Well, the hours are long, the boss is a real jerk, and the clients? Don't even get me started on the clients."

"Why do it?"

"Basically, I'm in a transitional period..." And Cristal (like the champagne) explained all of her dream jobs and the barriers that kept her from them. She sighed dreamily, "Wish someone could swoop in and save me... Like a Captain Save-A-Me... From... y'know, work."

Granddad was smitten, and slyly asked, "Know where I could buy a cape?" Both were blissfully unaware of the stares they got from various men, either through envy or disbelief.

The three Freeman children, having eaten dinner, were sitting in front of the TV, somewhat bored as Riley continued explaining his beliefs about women, "That's how it starts, y'know... Takin' bitches out to eat and whatnot. Next thing you know, you wake up in a rest haven for hoes, a sanctuary for scandalous sceezers and studs."

"You're jumpin' to conclusions. It's just a date."

"What if he marries her? What if we end up with a hoe for a grandma?"

Huey clicked his tongue, "Riley shut'cha dumb ass up..."

"What if we have a hoe for a grandma and she comes to school on career day? What if they have kids?! We'd have a brother or sister that's half hoe!"

"Riley, shut up!" Shauna tossed a couch cushion at her youngest brother as the front door opened.

"This is your home? It's beautiful!" Cristal (like the champagne) walked in, smiling quite happily as she jumped over the sofa, "heyyy boys!" Sitting between the two brothers, "I love this place, I never wanna leave!" She then stood up as she asked, "got anything to eat?"

The Freeman brothers stared in disbelief while Shauna, ever the dutiful oldest sibling, offered a few choice selections from her candy stash. Huey, for his part, wanted this relationship to work for his grandfather's sake, but not one to ignore the obvious, thought about how foolish is was to, as the lyrics of one song goes, "turn a hoe into a housewife."

Most in the Freeman household found sleep elusive that night, for one reason or another, and the next morning, Cristal was going through Shauna's closet as she woke up.

Perhaps Shauna would have been angry, but Cristal spoke up, "Oh, you have such cute taste in clothes. Where'd you get these?" as she held up a somewhat modest violet dress, clearly meant for church or some other place where looking respectable was important..

"My aunt Cookie sent them," Shauna sat up, still in her pajamas, "I don't get a lot of money for clothes, so she sends me stuff from her church donation box, and-"

"You know Shauna, we oughtta go shoppin' together later. I can help you pick out cute stuff. Must be rough on you, livin' with only guys..."

Shauna nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I ain't even get paid for watching my brothers," She tossed the blanket off of her as she got out of bed.

Being easily enchanted by Cristal, Granddad was convinced to take both her and Shauna to the Woodcrest Mall for a shopping spree. Store after store was perused, and it seemed ever receipt was just getting larger and larger, Cristal, of course, got the majority of clothes, accessories, and other things for herself, but when she saw Shauna in an outfit that would be quite scandalous to wear at her age: a red skintight leather mini-dress that left very little to the imagination, clinging to Shauna's body in a way that

Granddad, for his part, expressed his concerns, but those concerns quickly evaporated with Cristal's almost pleading voice, "Oh, but she looks so cute in it!"

"I dunno-" the old man's concerns were extinguished with a kiss from Cristal, and he allowed the dress, along with a few others, all while he admired Cristal's own outfits as she tried them on, letting Cristal buy what she wanted, and as long as she was happy, so was he.

"What's up now?"

"Why you keep doin' the same move?"

"Where yo' game at, where yo' gaaame at?"

Huey, Riley and Cristal were sitting in the living room, with Huey on the sofa while Cristal and Riley were playing some sort of boxing game while Riley protested his inadequate gaming skills, "My X button ain't workin'."

Cristal dismissed Riley's complaints with a "Whatevah, n*ga..."

"Aye, I'm pressin' it! You see me pressin' it!" Riley protested, "you cheatin'!"

"Bitch, yo' game is garbage!" The knockout bell rung and Cristal sprung up in victory, "I'm Cristal, bitch! Who's next?" Riley, on the verge of tears, muttered spitefully, "Fake-ass Mariah Carrey!" before running out of the room, so no one would see him cry.

Cristal smirked and boasted "That's how nasty my game is son! I send n*ga's runnin' away!"

Eventually, the boys confronted their grandfather about Cristal, and Huey spoke up first, "Granddad, that woman has got to go." Getting angry, Granddad defended his woman, "Miss Cristal is my beautiful baby-boo and you will show her some respect"

"We don't know anything about Cristal." Huey pointed out, "I mean, we know she spends all your money. We know she eats more than a black hole..."

"We know she cheat at PlayStation!" Riley was still bitter over losing earlier that day.

"But where does she live?" Huey kept interogating, "What does she do for a living?" A quick "she's in sales" was all Granddad was willing to say.

Riley scoffed, "Pff, hoe sales..."

"WHAT?!"

Huey was determined to prove a point and asked bluntly, "Granddad, does she duck under the table everytime a dude in a purple suit walks in?"

"A lot of people do that!"

"Can she run really, really, really fast in high heels?"

"I dunno, average speed I guess..." He then remembered back to their first date, when Cristal sugested racing to the car, racing quite fast as the old man sheepishly admitted, "Maybe, uh... little above average"

"Does she keep askin' if you're a cop?"

"No!"

As if on cue, Cristal came in, wrapping her arms around him as she told him, "You know, you have to tell me if you're a cop or else it's entrapment," ending with a kiss as she mumbled sweetly, "My cute boys..."

When Cristal left the grab something, Grandad smiled, "You boys don't know Cristal like I do, she's a wonderful woman. She's in my heart, she's in my soul, I just wanna be her everything." He then smirked triumphantly, "And for your information, children, I had relations with Cristal last night-"

"Ew! come on, Granddad!"

"Oh God, please, why would you share that?!"

"And she didn't charge me a dime!" Cristal came back, kissing him on the cheek as she asked "Ready to go shopping again?"

Lost in love, the old man let out a cheery "You betcha!"

After they came back, Huey found the guest room a mess, with shopping bags and clothes all over. Taking it upon himself to clean up, Huey was about to wash a load of Cristal's laundry.

Cristal saw Huey walking with the laundry basket, putting her bra in it as she was about to walk off somewhere, wearing only a somewhat sloppy oversized sweater.

"Okay Cristal, I think we need to talk." Huey led her into the living room as she spoke, ploping down lazily onto the sofa, half covered in treasures from her shopping sprees, "Before you talk, I just wanna tell you how much fun it's been hangin' out with you guys. Think of me as the big sister you always wanted."

"I already have a sister," Huey pointed out, completely deadpan, "And don't take this the wrong way, but you need to get the hell up outta here."

"Any particular reason?"

"You're kind of a lazy hoe?"

Cristal wasn't even offended at being called a hoe, and mumbled "Yeah, I could see that..."

"I don't get why my granddad can't see it."

"To be honest, me either. I mean, it's so obvious. But it's okay because, see, I'm in this transitional period-"

"Ah, ah, ah! I don't care. You gotta go," As Huey pointed at the door, Cristal lit a cigarette, taking a drag before side eyeing the boy as she said "I can't do that."

"I'm sorry?"

"You guys have the life, and I want the life too."

"Yeah, but it's our life, we're his family."

Getting offended, Cristal stood up, "Oh so now we get to what this is really about. I'm not one o' y'all. I'm not 'in the family'. I don't carry his genes, so I have to go?"

"Uh, yeah. Plus, you're a lazy hoe."

Now taking offense, Cristal corrected him, "'Ho' is a strong term. Right now, I'm somewhere between 'anatomical sales associate' and 'high maintenance girlfriend'. Can't you be positive about my growth?"

"Cristal, every part of you bein' here is unacceptable. You're turning Shauna into a mini-hoe, and do you realize I'm doin' prostitute laundry? Do you have any idea how disgusting that is?!"

Cristal put out her cigarette and smirked slightly, "Look, this is an adjustment for everyone, bur it's what your grandfather wants. You can't get ridda me. I can do things to persuade your granddad that you can't do."

"Like what?" Realizing what he asked, Huey immediately backtracked, "Never mind, I don't really wanna know."

The next day, Cristal took the car keys out to run some errands, as well as dropping off Shauna at the movies, since she and her new friend Nalia were seeing a re-release of that Phantom of the Opera movie.

Cristal dropped Shauna off in front of the movie theater, and the girl wore the new leather red dress, along with a butterfly chain belt, white boots and a matching cropped jacket, smiling as she waved to her more modestly dressed friend, "Hey, Nalia!"

Nalia, for her part, looked confused and asked bluntly, "does your grandfather know you left the house dressed like that?"

"Yeah, his new girlfriend got me this outfit. How do I look?" Shauna twirled and smiled, blissfully unaware of how men that walked by were staring at her with lustful desire. Nalia, for her part, felt it best to be honest with her friend, "You look like you only have five dollar bills in your bra."

Shauna, realizing what Nalia meant, folded her arms in slight annoyance, "very funny, Nalia..."

"Well, it's true. And-"

"Hey how much, cutie?" A man walked up behind Nalia and offered Shauna a $20 bill. Nalia, annoyed at being interrupted, kicked the man in the groin without even turning around, continuing as the man doubled over in pain as he limped away, "It's not that you can't wear whatever you want, it's a relatively free country, but a lot of guys will get the wrong idea about you. You see it all the time, you know?"

Shauna sighed in resignation, "I guess you're right... Is that why you wear that... head scarf thing?"

"It's called a hijab, and sort of... I'll explain it later, let's just get those tickets." Nalia smiled as Shauna showed off the candy she packed into her purse.

Unknown to both Shauna and Cristal, Huey and Riley had made plans to show their grandfather the kind of person Cristal was, sneaking into the car just before Cristal took Shauna to the movies.

Just after dropping her off, Cristal parked the borrowed car and got out, and when she was a safe enough distance away, the two boys followed her, taking incriminating photos of her giving money to a "n*ga in a purple suit", entering the House of Cheeks strip club (of course being children, they couldn't actually see what she was doing in there, but they made their assumptions), and running away from two cops.

When they got home, Huey presented the evidence of Cristal's "hoeness". Granddad, having fallen in love with the girl, was in denial, but he was clearly shaken as Cristal and Shauna walked in, having just come back.

"Cutie-pie, what is this?"

Cristal got one look at the pictures, her eyes widening, as she defended herself, "That's not me!" She turned to the boys and scolded, "I can't believe you would digitally alter pictures of me!"

The old man's face changed from shock to anger as he defended his girlfriend, "Boy, that ain't nothin' but Photoshop. Get that out of here!" Cristal started to cry crocodile tears and ran to the old man for comfort, pleading as Granddad hugged her close "Why don't they like me? I try so hard with them!"

"Haven't I done enough for you two? Y'all don't know what it's like to be old, to know you don't have many days left. Crystal makes me happy, why would you want to take that away from me."

Though he initially came up with the plan to break Cristal and his grandfather up, Huey had to admit he felt a little guilty about what he'd done after hearing how lonely his grandfather had been, even if it was for the better good.

The doorbell rang suddenly, and Riley, not wanting to be in the room of uncomfortable silence, went to answer it, announcing "It's a n*ga in a purple suit!"

Crystal gasped and hid under the table, looking helpless as the old man went to the door, seeing a aformentioned "n*ga in a purple suit", demading "who are you?"

"My name is A Pimp Named Slickback, and I belive I've misplaced some merchandise at this residence." A Pimp Named Slickback got a glimpse at Cristal and demanded, "Bitch, I hope you got the monies to cover this little vacation you been takin'."

Granddad attempted to intervene between the two, "Now, hold up, Slickback-"

"No, that's A Pimp Named Slickback," The pimp corrected him.

"That's what I said: Slickback"

"No, no, it's A Pimp Named Slickback, you say the whole thing, like A Tribe Called Quest."

"Crystal who is this person?"

"N*ga, are you deaf?! I'm A Pimp Named Slickback, say it wit' me now!"

Unable to hide her true profession anymore, Cristal confessed, "He's my pimp."

"Y-y-your pimp? So you really are-"

"Yes, she's a hoe!" Huey, Riley and A Pimp Named Slickback said at the same time, then the pimp demanded, "Come on, bitch. Now!"

"A Pimp Named Slickback, could I please have a minute?" Cristal asked, genuinely wanting to sort things out, but the pimp was unsympathetic as he scoffed, "Let us now pray the Pimp's Prayer," Walking closer to his hoe as he mock-prayed, "Lord, please pray for the soul of this bitch, and guide my pimp hand and make it strong Lord, so that she might learn a hoe's place. Amen."

"Yeah!" Riley added before Shauna smacked the back of his head.

Cristal braced herself to be hit by A Pimp Named Slickback, but looked up in shock as the old man had whipped off his belt, holding the pimp's hand at bay, "You ain't gon' hit no woman in my house!"

"What woman, sir? This here's a hoe."

"Not in this house she's not." Granddad narrowed his eyes as he loosened the belt on the pimp's wrist, "Why don't you just wait outside?" While admittedly impressed at his skills with a belt, he still let his displeasure with the situation be known, as he called the old man "Indiana Jenkins".

Of course, he looked at Shauna behind her brothers, walking up to her and offered, "A bitch like you could make a good amount of money bein' a hoe."

Granddad was even angrier as he yelled "She's fourteen!", while Huey and Riley got between the pimp and their sister. Knowing when to cut his losses, A Pimp Named Slickback gave the girl a card, "Call me when you wanna make some extra money." He then yelled back at Cristal, "Bitch, you got fourty-five seconds and I'm leavin'!", counting down as he walked out side.

"I'm sorry for not tellin' you," Cristal walked up to Granddad, "I thought you knew."

"How would I?"

"I mean, I don't see how you couldn't have known." Cristal smiled a little, "I mean, there were so many obvious signs-"

"Alright, alright, I got it! Cristal, I don't care what you've done in the past as long as you're ready to start fresh," He made an earnest plea with Cristal, "You can stay here. Maybe get a job, go back to school. We can make it work."

Cristal looked down, ashamed of how she'd treated him as a personal piggy bank before, "I dunno, Robert... I'm not really cut out for school, and... jobs..."

"But you'll be able to stay here with us."

"Yeah, that does sound nice. Lemme just go get rid of A Pimp Named Slickback, then maybe I'll get some applications..."

As A Pimp Named Slickback was still counting down, Granddad and Cristal walked out the front door as he asked, "You're comin' back, right?"

"Of course," Cristal smiled sadly as A Pimp Named Slickback yelled in her direction, "Time's up bitch, I am leavin'!" and started his car.

After hugging the old man, Cristal whispered "thanks for trying to save me", leaving with one last kiss before running after her pimp, pleading with him to wait for her as he drove off, her running not far behind, leaving Granddad on the porch, while his grandchildren came out to check on him.

"She'll be back," he insisted. Perhaps he was in a state of denial about the woman who despite everything he'd genuinely fallen in love with, that maybe she'd come back, though he turned to Shauna and ordered, "Girl, get changed outta that dress."

That night, Shauna and Huey went downstairs to check on their grandfather, who'd fallen asleep at the dining table, candles lit and a tissue box next to him. Shauna shook him away and he jolted up, asking "Did she come back? Don't blow out the candles, she'll think nobody's home."

"It's alright Granddad..." Huey comforted him, "maybe she'll be back tomorrow." Huey put the candles out as Shauna helped the old man to bed.

As Huey watched Shauna help Granddad up to bed, he thought to himself, "I guess deep down, all grownups wanna find that special someone that'll guarantee they'll never be lonely again, and I still believe Granddad will find his someday..."

Shauna looked sadly at her grandfather's bedroom door for a minute before going to her own room. After she'd buried herself under the plush comforter, holding her beloved plush rabbit close to her, thinking "I know it was ten years ago, but he probably still misses her... Still hurts after all this time." She looked at the rabbit and smiled, remembering the day she was given the stuffed animal.

"I miss her too..."

Next Chapter; Black Little White Girl. Cindy McPhearson makes her debut, while Jazmine starts to question her racial identity. Also the debute of my OC Avery, a sweet boy with two moms.