Episode 7 - Mumma's Home

 

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 yellow blouse and her house socks. She hugs my back with all her strength.

“Aww baby girl, Mumma miss you too! Are you ok?” Was the first thing she asked me; I hugged her even more. I had to hold back the tears of fear and joy. “I’m just glad you're home.” Mumma looks at me and says, “I’m glad to be home too.” She tucks her hair behind her ears and asked me another question, “Are you hungry?” I smiled at her and sat at the table and watched her finish breakfast in the reflection of the sun glare coming through the kitchen window. My Mumma finally home. All this loving energy has overflowed my body with warmth. “Your brothers still sleep. But you know this food will be gone when they wake up so I’ll make ours now.” Shelly walks into the kitchen. “Surprise!” She looks at me with a big a smile and says, “Good morning Mumma.” with mutual cheek greetings. My jaw drops. “No way! This is ‘what’ you got.. I mean who sis?” Shelly takes her seat at the table. “Well Mumma said you called and she was having trouble getting back so I pulled some strings and voila!”

Mumma chuckles, “She is already a good travel specialist, Don’t you think?

Camren comes downstairs in his pajamas and notice’s Mumma and the rest of the family congregating. He runs into her arms, “Oh my God! I missed you so much! Please stay Mumma! Please stay!” his eyes fill with tears in his mothers bosom.

“Camren, what happened to your face baby!? Who did this to you?! Who did this to my baby?” Mumma begins crying with him and pleading.

Camren continues to sob, “It was Caleo Ma, he’s crazy! You got to do something! He hurts us! Please stay! Don’t leave us again please!.” Mumma holds her baby tighter and strokes his hair. “It’s ok baby Mumma’s home. I’ll deal with it.”

Camilla, Cory, and Shelly sit at the table drinking coffee and eating toast. Shelly begins shaking her head, “I don't understand why that boy is so messed up like that. It’s like he has to destroy everything he touches. Look what he did to Quisha!”

Quisha has two kids with Caleo. They would’ve had three, but when he found out she was pregnant again he beat her until she lost the baby. That’s when she decided to take his kids and leave the state with them. We haven’t seen them since. I fear that he may do the same thing to me when he finds out I’m pregnant. The thought of it rattles my bones.

Cory chimes in, “I know he messed up in the head, but that’s still our brother. He is sick though Ma, like he is off! A couple months ago he pulled a gat on me for being late for a drop. I still aint get over it.” He bites his toast. “He got Camilla on a tighter lock than a slave!”

Camilla side eyes Cory, “I ain’t no fucking slave!”

“Watch your mouth!” Mumma scolds Camilla while cradling Camren in her arms.

“Yea Cory! Watch your mouth!” Shelly jokes.

“Shut up!” Cory claps back.

“Be nice ya’ll! It’s a beautiful day and Mumma’s home now! It’s gon be alright. There is nothing in this house to cook. We're gonna go to the market, get some food. What y'all want to eat?” Mumma asked.

“You know what we want Ma!” Cory claims, “CRAB LEGS!” Everyone said in unison with laughter.

“Yea but y’all know Caleo is allergic to shell fish. What he gon eat?”

Camren looks up at his mother, “Let him starve!” Everybody laughs again.

“I guess I’ll fry him some chicken. Where is Caleo anyway?” Mumma wonders.

“I’m sure he is at Leslie house. Doing her dirty.” Camilla assumes.

“Well, let’s go to the market before he gets back because I need to have a long talk with that boy. I don’t like that he is wrapped up in all this mess.”



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