Mateo

12

"Mommy, I need helpppppp," Mateo screamed from the living room.

"Coming, Sweetheart." I set down my metal spoon that was covered in mint ice cream as I headed to the living room.

Mateo was staying with me for some time because the Hawthorne's haven't done shit yet, and I was missing my poor little baby.

Mateo sat on the fluffy, white rug, his eyes glued to the TV.

"Whatchu need help with, Baby?"

"This." Mateo got up hastily, almost busting his butt in the navy blue socks he wore. He pointed to a coloring book that was surrounded by crayons. "I don't know what color to use."

"What's your favorite color," I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Blue." Mateo twiddled his fingers.

"Then, blue it is." I smiled, joining him on the floor. "Can I color too?"

"Yeah!" Mateo pushed the coloring book towards me. "Where's Auntie Rainy?"

I shrugged. "I don't know."

Ever since Rainy walked out of the door that night, we haven't spoken. I tried calling, texting, and even emailing and got no response. She kept leaving me on delivered and sometimes read, but never says anything back. I felt like I fucked things up, and I at least wanted to apologize for my idiotic and selfish decisions.

"But you should know, 'cause she's your girlfriend." Mateo grabbed a brown crayon.

My breath caught in my throat. "W-What? How'd you know that?"

Mateo looked at me like I was a dummy. "'Cause, she's a girl, and she's your friend. That means she's your girlfriend, Mommy." Mateo moved some of his curls out of his eyes.

"Ah, right." I nodded my head.

"I've got plenty of girlfriends at school." Mateo grinned.

I chuckled while lightly coloring the background baby blue. I'll tell him the real meaning of girlfriend later; no need to crush the innocent child's mind just yet.

"Mommy, look!" Mateo pointed towards the TV. "You're on TV!" He bounced up and down excitedly. "When will I be on TV?"

"Pretty soon," I muttered, turning up the volume with the remote.

"Joy and Alexander Hawthorne make one final plea to help them arrest actress Cleo Brown for kidnapping their child, Mateo Brown. To you, George."

The screen switched to Joy's face. "I need that *bleep* arrested for taking what's mine!" She sobbed dramatically. "I've been so lost without my Mateo! We are going to bring this up with the court."

"What the fuck?"

"Mommy, you said 'fuck' was a potty word."

I turned my attention to him. "If it was a potty word, then why'd you say it?"

Mateo covered his mouth with both of his small hands, a gasp escaping his lips.

"Mhm, that's what I thought." I narrowed my eyes at him jokingly.

The sound of glass breaking came from my bedroom.

"Go hide quietly in the kitchen," I whispered to Mateo as I slowly stood up.

I watched him slide quickly into the kitchen and hiding behind the counter. I looked around for some type of weapon for me to use. I heard another loud noise, and then I remembered that I had pepper spray on my car keys. I grabbed them, and slowly walked into my room, still in a crouching position.

Once I got to the door, I barged in, pepper spray ready. I scanned the room and spotted a broken window—probably from where the person broke in—and, one of my dressers opened. I rushed over to it, knowing exactly what I held in that dresser. I cursed as I patted my hands in the empty thing. The one thing I had in there was missing.

Mateo's adoption papers.