ToughLove Series

Caleo storms into the house like a raging fire screaming at the top of his lungs, “Mumma! Mumma you home?” “I’m here Caleo!” Mumma stuffs her pint of liquor under her seat cushion. “I’m in here baby.” Caleo walks into the living room, “Ma!” and graces his mother with a big hug. They hold the embrace for a while. “Hi baby…talk to me what's going on?” “Nothing much. Chilling.” Caleo responds nonchalantly. “Chilling? What does that mean?” His mother looks at him with concern. “Holding everything down since you left us. I should be the one asking questions, like where have you been all this time. Why did you leave like that?” Caleo says with an attitude. “You know why I left. That girl can’t take care of the kids by herself. You forced the hand Caleo! You fucked up!” She pushed his forehead down. “There you go! Always blaming me! You never choose my side! You never have my back!” He clenches his fist while defending himself. ”You left me here with all this shit over that bitch!” “That ...

  We arose by the elbows in each other's face and terrible morning breath from the snack attack. We didn't even wrap our hair. Shelly opened her eye with sun sensitivity and said “Eww. Why does your nose whistle like that in the morning?” I playfully kicked her, “Eww. Why does your breath smell like that?” We both laughed. “Bitch!” We said in unison. I turn my nose up and take a whiff of the air; popping my head up “Do you smell coffee?” I questioned. Shelly rolls over pulling the blanket tighter and responds, “Every got damn morning. What time is it?” I jump out the bed slipping into my house shoes and ran downstairs...I hear pots clinking as I get closer to the kitchen. Then someone says, “You were always the first one up.” I hear my Mumma’s voice and my heart skips beats. I slide into the kitchen and run straight into her arms. “Mumma! When did you get here? I miss you so much” I squeezed her and smelled her cotton fresh scent. Her hair had grown so long. She was in jeans, a...

Buzz buzz buzz. Buzz buzz buzz. Buzz buzz buzz. I look at the caller ID that reads Shelly. Oh that’s my girl, I gotta answer this. “Girl! Whats Up! How was Miami?” I am excited to hear the stories she has come home with. “Girrrlll! I got home two days ago but I lost my phone so you know I had to replace it! But the trip was lit! I am on my way to your house to kick it! Are you there?” “Yes I’m here just text me when you are outside!” I encourage her. She pauses. “...is ya ugly ass brother there…” She asks with disgust in her voice. “Eww girl which one!” I made a joke. I know she does not like Cash at all and she does her best to avoid bumping into him. Especially because she has brothers too that don’t agree with our friendship because of him. “You know who I’m talking bout...I'm talking bout ‘Trash’..” She puts emphasis on it. “He is at Leslie house. Just hurry up and get here.” I rushed her a bit. “Bet! I’ll be there soon.” She hangs up. I yell for Camren. “Camren!!...Camren!!” I...

Danell hangs up her phone after checking her voicemails. Her heart racing a mile a minute and her head starts to ache. She can feel she’s going to another drink. “What's wrong baby?” Lamar asks while rubbing her arm in a comforting motion. “It’s the kids…” She stares at the wall. “It must be bad, cause they never call. Is everything ok?” he asked softly. “My eldest son is sick and everyone is worried about him.” Danell’s voice starts to tremble. “You've been gone a long time baby, maybe you need to go home and check on them.” “I didn't want to go back ..like ‘this’.” She says nervously, reaching for her drink. Lamar grabs her hand over the glass. Their eyes meet as they read each other's energy. “Well, the drink ain't going nowhere.” Lamar says with a chuckle. “But ya kids now, no matter how grown they get, they always need their Mumma. Now I know it's been hard since your husband passed on, but we have a new chapter together; and I’ll be by your side for whatev...

  I walk up to the house and notice Caleos car isn’t outside. He must not be home. I tiptoe upstairs to my room just in case Cory is out with the car. I get in my room and notice that the sink is running and my bathroom light is on… Camilla: Cam is that you? I put my stuff on the bed and walk towards the bathroom. Camren: Yes its me twin. I look at my brothers face; lip all busted and nose broken and bruises on his body. Camilla: UH UH!! WHO DID THIS TO YOU? I walk up to him gently grabbing his arm, examining him. Camilla: Who did this twin? He snatches his arm back and faces the mirror, applying his make-up. Camren: The one and only Caleo! He beat me cause you weren’t here. Camilla: OH MY! WHAT THE FUCK! UH UH! Why you think he would do that for? He had to be mad at something else. What the fuck twin! Camren: I’m telling you Milla he is out of control. Like dead ass. I didn’t even fight back cause it’s like I’m so tired of the bullshit with him. This is the second time he did this...

Shot: Damn baby why you got that big ass, bright ass purple hoodie on? I chuckle, he always makes me laugh. Camilla: It’s not big Shawn. I like this hoodie. It's my favorite. He starts driving. Shot: I like how them thighs lookin plump in them jeans. He smirks at me and grabs my thigh. Camilla: Will you watch the road?! I say laughing at him Shot: You hungry lil mama? What you want to eat? Camilla: Yea. Anything really. He keeps looking back at me. I think he can tell. Oh god. Shot: Why you so quiet? Camilla: I’m just hungry. Shot: Why was you ignoring me for a whole week? You was that mad that I left? Camilla: Shot you was gone for a month and didn’t tell me where you was going. I snap my neck at him. He chuckles. Shot: Yo ma, you know what I be doing I can’t tell you everything. And you was fine until last week you just stop answering your phone so that doesn’t make sense. He starts getting annoyed. Camilla: I was sick. Shot: That’s all you gonna say is you was sick? Sick how? Di...

Camren sits in the living room watching television, eating BBQ potato chips. Those are his favorite. He hears the back door slide open. Caleo is home from running errands. Cash: Who was using the fire pit? That shit stinks! I can smell it all the way from down the street. Camren: I was burning old pictures of me and Vanessa. Cash: I told yall about using the fire pit to burn shit. That's not what it’s for. Camren rolls his eyes and chomps the chips loudly as to drown Caleo out. Camren: Well Caleo, your not the only one who likes to burn shit in the pit. I didn’t think it would be an issue, but I see that it is. Cash: Don’t get fucking smart! And stop calling me Caleo, that’s not my name!” Camren: Denial! Cash: Fuck you right now “Carmen”. Wheres Milla? Camren rolls his eyes cause he knows Caleo just wants to keep her locked up in the house with no life, no friends, no anything. Camren: She went to the mall to return some jeans that didn’t fit. Cash: With who? When did she leave? Ca...

  Camilla: I’m so scared twin. I hold the pregnancy test box in front of me. Camren: Listen twin… you need to take this test so we can know for sure. This is the only way, so sit down and do what you have to do. I mope as I sit on the toilet. My brother is right. I can’t do anything until its certain. I pee on the stick and put the cap on it. Camren: The easy parts done now sis. Just gotta wait and see. Camilla: Ahhh twin what am I gonna do? I can’t get rid of Shots baby, I can’t do that… I refuse for that to happen. Camren: Sis, Shot is smart he won’t let anything bad happen to you or the baby. You have to be brave. Camilla: We gonna have to leave. I don’t know where we gonna go but we are going. I stare into my twin brothers eyes. Camren picks up the test and smiles. Camren: Girrrrrl. Camilla: What? Let me see. I snatch the test and read it. Camren: I’m gonna be a uncle! YOU gonna be a mommy sis. I palm my face as he dances around the bathroom in celebration. Camilla: Shhh. Stop ...

ToughLove is a story about four siblings surviving abandonment. Their father passed away from dug addiction and the mother, traumatized by the death left the eldest brother Caleo (age 21) responsible to run the household. They experience a daily struggle of abuse from the eldest brother Cash/Caleo, who is a gang-banging drug dealer. The main character is Camilla, who is the only girl and her secret relationship to Cash's best friend, Shot. What will happen when Camilla's secret is exposed? Who will save them from the dysfunction inside the home?