Mateo

13

"I was in the living room with my son when it happened," I informed the detective.

"Hm. . ." He tapped the black pen on his cheek repeatedly. "Know any one who wants to get back at you?"

"No." Then two names popped into my head. "Wait, yes, I do. Alexander and Joy Hawthorne."

"Tell me more about them." He clicked his pen, full of ambition.

I told the detective everything about the situation with Joy and Alexander, leaving out no details. I also hesitantly included Mateo, but stopped myself from telling him that whoever broke into my house also stole my adoption papers.

"Alright, me and my men will get on the case." He put his pen into his shirt pocket.

"Thank you so much. . ." I looked at his name tag. "Officer Looney."

"It's my job." He tipped his hat towards me and walked into my bedroom (where the rest of the men were).

"Hello?" I answered the phone without looking at the contact.

"You straight?" Booker's worried tone asked. "I heard on the news about a break-in at yo crib."

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine." I sat on my couch.

"What 'bout Teo?"

"He's good too, I guess. I had him hide in the kitchen, so he was away from everything." I extended the arm I wasn't using onto the couch. "Now, he's taking a nap."

"Word."

"Mhm." I nodded my head.

"Listen. . . I-I'm sorry for exposin' you to Rainy. I know it was none of my business, but—"

"Don't worry, it's fine. I made a fucked up decision; you, being the amazing friend that you are, just did what was needed to be done."

"So. . . we good?"

"We we're never bad." I chuckled. My phone beeped with another incoming call. "I'll talk to you later, Dre's calling me."

"Aight."

"He—"

"Are you alright?! How about Mateo? Please tell me my poor baby's okay," Adriana shrieked. She's always been the dramatic one.

"Everything's fine."

"Fine?! How can you say that?! I bet it was those goddamn Hawthornes."

"It probably was." I shrugged and lowered my voice. "Whoever broke-in stole the adoption papers."

"Oh my God. Cleo, this is bad, reeallll bad."

"I know, but you can't tell anyone."

"My lips are sealed."

"Thanks."

"No proble— hey! Don't touch that, you idiot!"

I laughed. "Got company?"

"Yeah, Austin's annoying ass." I could picture her rolling her eyes.

I twisted my hand around my braids. "Good luck."

"He'll be gone in a little bit; he only came so we could work on lines."

"Lines? I thought the movie was post-poned." I sat up.

"It is. What was that, Austin?! You need me? Okay, cominggggg! Cleo, I gotta go. See ya!" Adriana ended the call.

I guess the movie wasn't post-poned, I was just kicked out of it. How come Booker didn't tell me? Or Austin? It was kinda fun being in the spotlight.

I got up off the couch and walked into Mateo's room. He was silently sleeping under his Thomas the Train covers.

"Hey, Bud." I rubbed his forehead. Mateo stirred, but didn't get up completely.

I began picking up the mess that he left all over the floor. As I was going through his many drawings, I found a note. I picked it up, and it read:

Hello, Mateo. We hope that you're doing well with your temporary guardian. You're real parents will be getting you realll soonnn. Make sure you get lots of sleep. Can't wait to see ya tonight.

I know those fuckers did not threaten to kidnap my son and then leave the letter in his room. I needed to get this letter to the police somehow. I rushed out of Mateo's room and slipped on my Crocs. The detectives just left a minute ago, so they should still be outside. I grabbed an umbrella and ran to their cars, flailing my arms like a maniac.

Officer Looney got out of the police car. "You need us?"

"Yes." I huffed, trying to catch my breath. "Look. At. This." I extended the letter so he could see it.

Officer Looney's black, bushy eyebrows scrunched together and he stroked his small goatee as he read over it. "You think these were the people who broke-in?"

"Mhm." I still wasn't able to catch my breath.

"Y'know, I saw on the record that you adopted Mateo some months ago. Do you have the papers?"

Dang it.

"No, sir. Y'see, it was stolen when the mysterious person broke-in today."

"So, in other words, ya don't have them." He stopped stroking his goatee.

"Well. . ." I gulped, trying to come up with a good response that wasn't a lie—or at least just a white lie. On the days I ask my brain to work, it doesn't. "Yes," I admitted.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but if you don't have the papers to prove that he's yours, we're going to have to take him away from you."

Looney started walking forward, and I extended my arms to stop him. "Please, don't do this to me." I could already feel the tears pooling into my eyes.

Officer Looney gently hit my hands off of his shirt, and took long, slow strides back into my house. I ran after him as fast as I could in Crocs.

"Looney! Looney, please," I sobbed.

He busted into Mateo's room. "You're coming with me, Little Man."

"Do detectives even have power to take children from households? I thought it was social workers or some shit."

"Stop using potty words, Mommy." Mateo wagged his index finger at me.

"For all I know, you could've kidnapped him. You already know the Hawthornes have been accusing you of it." He lightly pushed Mateo forward.

"Well then lock me up, goddammit! Just please don't take my baby." The tears were full out falling down my cheeks now.

"Potty words, Momma."

"I'm sorry, Mayo." I sniffled and ran over to him to give him one last squeeze. "Whatever happens, just know I love you and I'm never gonna to stop fighting for you."

"Love you too, Momma." Mateo's eyes stayed dry.