The doorbell rang and Mr and Mrs Johnson opened the door to find their daughter Elizabeth standing with a man who looked to be at least three times her age. His dark skin and muscular build made him stand out like a sore thumb in their quiet, suburban neighborhood.
"Mom, Dad, this is Leroy, " Elizabeth said with a nervous smile. "My boyfriend."
Mrs. Johnson's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. Mr. Johnson took a step back, his jaw slack. "”Sup mom and pops?” Leroy said, a gold tooth flashing through his smile.
Elizabeth looked at her parents with a mix of excitement and apprehension. "Isn't he cool?" she asked, her voice quivering slightly. "He's like one of those rappers from TV" she said and giggled childishly. "Yeah" Leroy said grufly and wrapped his muscled arm around her tiny waist.
Mrs. Johnson managed to compose herself enough to speak. She wanted to tell her precious daughter to run or call the police but she was kernly aware that there was nothing technically illegal going on and didn’t want to look racist.
"Well, come in, " she said with a forced smile, her voice trembling as she stepped aside to let them into the house. Mr. Johnson followed, his eyes never leaving Leroy's hand on their daughter's waist.
As they settled into the living room, the tension was palpable. Leroy sprawled out on the couch, his large frame taking up most of the space, while Elizabeth perched nervously beside him. She kept glancing at her parents, looking for some sign of approval or acceptance, but all they could do was exchange horrified glances.
"So, what do you do, Leroy?" Mr. Johnson asked, his voice strained.
Leroy leaned back, his hand casually resting on Elizabeth's thigh. "I'm into a bit of this and that. Music, you know, the scene." He winked at Elizabeth, who blushed and giggled. "And I take care of business."
Mr. Johnson's eyes narrowed, and Mrs. Johnson felt a chill run down her spine. She knew all too well what that could mean. They had read about men like Leroy in the newspaper, but never imagined their little girl would be involved with someone so... dangerous. They struggled to find the right words, their brains racing with the implications of what they were hearing.
“Leroy said he loves me mommy and daddy” Elizabeth said, beaming a smile at them.
Mrs. Johnson’s heart felt like it was in a vice. She swallowed hard, trying to form words. "That's... that's very sweet, honey, " she said weakly, her eyes darting from Elizabeth's innocent face to the smirk on Leroy's...