Keeping It In The Family

• prologue..

2014

"Well, I hope everyone enjoyed today's broadcast. I would want to express my gratitude to the iconic Toni Braxton and my special guest, the outstanding Mary J. Blige. Thank you all, see you next week!" Crystal said as she closed her show.

Crystal Thompson had come a long way from being just a pastor's daughter from Memphis. She had an Ivy League degree, was a successful businesswoman, and hosted a talk show that was rapidly rising to the top of the national ratings. Some would say she had it all, assuming they didn't know her past.

"How was that?" Crystal asked Danielle, her assistant. "Perfect as always sis!" Danielle answered.

Danielle was Crystal's first friend when she arrived in New York. She was Crystal's confidant, right hand lady, and all around best friend. She was the only person Crystal trusted, so it just made sense for Crystal to hire her as her assistant.

They sat down in Crystal's dressing room and began to go over her schedule for the rest of the month. "So I have a surprise for you," Danielle said with a smile on her face, "I got a call from Essence Fest and they want you to host this year's Black Women Empowerment panel!" she said shaking Crystal with excitement.

"Oh my god! D don't play with me right now are you serious?" Crystal asked bubbling over with excitement from the news. "I'm as serious as a heart attack, I told them I would bring it to your attention but they're going to need an answer as soon as possible." Danielle replied.

"Danielle call them back and tell them I said yes before we have a problem!" Crystal said causing both of them to laugh. "Anything else?" Crystal asked. "Oh yeah I completely forgot, your mother called for you." Danielle responded.

Crystal and her mother Christine hadn't spoken since she their argument before she left Memphis seventeen years ago. The two has had a strained relationship due to mysterious circumstances that only they knew.

"What the hell does she want?" Crystal said with a grimace look on her face, "She didn't say, she just said it was urgent and to have you call her when you had the time" Danielle replied.

"Did she leave a number?" Crystal asked in which Danielle gave her the number. After much deliberation Crystal decided to respond to her mother's call.

"Hello?" Christine said in a somber tone on the other end of the phone, "Hello momma, it's Crystal" Crystal responded. "Hey Crystal, how are you?" Christine asked. "I'm fine, look i'm busy right now so what is it?" Crystal said getting irritated. "Crystal I'm sorry to have to tell you this over the phone, your father passed away earlier this morning" Christine blurted out.

Crystal instantly went numb.

"Crystal? Crystal are you there? Crystal?" Christine repeated after Crystal grew silent. "I'm here momma" Crystal finally said after coming back and words began to form. "I'm sorry to hear that, i'll get on a plane to Memphis and be there by tomorrow" Crystal said before hanging up the phone.

Shortly after leaving the studio, Crystal went home, packed her bags, and headed for the airport. She couldn't believe after all these years she had to return back to Memphis, a place of misery and painful memories from her childhood.