The Green Guardian

Chapter 29: Three Boops on the Nose

Song: "All Is Found" - Evan Rachel Wood

        Mateo's attention deviated from himself to Maria and his baby when he and the others met up with Ms. Julie and Ms. Brook in Paperblank Village. Ranger Krysta was also there, as well as Evergreen, the witch doctor, and an ambulance. The vehicle's lights flashed, temporarily blinding Mateo.

He slid off Joey's back, huffing and puffing. He attempted to hide both his physical and mental pain. Euphorbia had not woken up yet.

Ms. Brook hurried to her son. She tossed herself into his chest. "Mateo Waeo!" She patted his cheeks. "Oh, baby, you look horrible."

Mateo scoffed. "Gee, gracias."

"I'm sorry. That came out wrong." Ms. Brook blushed.

Mateo waved his hand. "Just forget it."

Two paramedics climbed out of the ambulance. They rolled a gurney to the young man. They tried to sit him down, but Mateo pushed them off. He returned to Maria. "I'm more worried about Maria than me."

"Babe," she said, but Mateo held his index finger up to her lips.

He rested his hand on her belly and begged the medics, "Please, she's pregnant. She had a rough fall during the battle. I want to make sure she and the baby are all right."

Ms. Brook started to take him away from his fiancée, but Mateo refused.

Sam handed Evergreen Euphorbia. "Take care of her, like you did me," he said.

Evie, John, Ben, and Ms. Brook followed Mateo to the hospital. While one half of it was medieval-like, the other was modern-styled. The waiting room in that part of the building looked like any other waiting room at a doctor's office: a line of chairs with some tables that had magazines on them.

Mateo nervously paced back and forth in front of his family and friends. He almost knocked down the table between them multiple times. He obsessively rubbed his hands together and sweated.

Before long, the waiting room's door opened. Maria and a young, modern doctor stepped out of it. The doctor wasn't as tall as Mateo, but he had a very doctor-like appearance to him. He even wore the white coat and a stethoscope.

Mateo quickly came within reach of Maria. "Dr. Kato, is she all right?" he asked.

Dr. Kato ran his fingers through his short brown hair and smiled. "Oh, she's fine. We did an ultrasound, and I have to say, your child is one of the healthiest babies I've ever seen. Take a look." He pulled a piece of paper out of his coat pocket–the printed results of the ultrasound.

Mateo's deep brown eyes observed the tiny child growing in Maria's belly. Its legs and arms were almost fully formed.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Mateo cracked a small smile. "Aw! She's beautiful."

Evie, her friends, and Ms. Brook chuckled.

Mateo kneeled to Maria. He placed his ear on her belly. "I can almost hear her heart beating." He put his arms around Maria's waist.

Ms. Brook lost her smile. She took a deep breath and approached him. She patted Mateo's back. "Sweet cakes, now that you know Maria is all right and that your baby is healthy, let Dr. Kato look at you."

Mateo still refused. He tightened his grip on Maria. "No, Mamá. I'm not going to leave Isabella. Come on, Maria." Standing up, he took her hands and escorted her out of the building.