Mateo

3

"And. . . that's it." Rainy taped the last sign of Mateo being "missing" onto a pole.

I honestly didn't think Mateo had parents who actually cared enough about him to come back for him. Not to be mean, but if they left him there behind those bushes and in a horrible state, they didn't love him.

They couldn't have.

Unless I'm just an idiot.

"C'mon, Mateo."

He eagerly clung to my outstretched hand with both of his small warm ivory ones. "Where to next, Mommy?"

I looked down at him as we walked, "Call me Cleo, little one."

Rainy advised me to not get too attached to Mateo because there was a chance that his real parents would claim custody of him. She figured that it would hurt me less if I didn't get attached, but what she's telling me was much easier said than done.

I strapped Mateo in his black and blue car seat that he's grown to love, then got into the passenger side of the car.

"You feeling okay?" Rainy tightened her grip on the steering wheel of her black Mercedes-Benz.

"Yeah; why wouldn't I be?" I pulled out my phone to check for notifications from any of my social media apps about Mateo.

Rainy sighed. "If you expect disappointment, you won't be disappointed."

Mateo clapped from where he sat in the back. I turned around to see him kicking his legs, beaming. "Road twip!"

Rainy laughed, but I stayed silent, letting Rainy's words marinate.

•

"Well, we haven't gotten any missing persons reports yet, but that doesn't mean that one won't be coming in soon," The lady who worked the front desk at the police station informed us. "If a report comes up, and it matches your kid, then I'll contact you all. For the time being, you may want to check in with an orphanage to make sure that he wasn't put on file there."

"Okay, thank you for your help." Rainy looked at me before turning to leave.

What's with all these looks?

"Want to go to TBCY, Mayo?" I opened the door for him.

"Ice cweam!"

"Yes, ice cream." I chuckled and set him into his car seat.

I always wondered why some people had like six or seven children. If kids were this adorable, I would have six or seven myself.

Oh, who am I kidding?

I would've probably ended up with two kids at most. And that's coming from someone who didn't want to have kids, to begin with.

•

I tucked Mateo in on the far side of my bed. I had to fight the strong urge to kiss his smooth, little forehead as I gently moved some of his dark brown curls out of his face.

"You know, he kinda looks like you." I jumped at the sound of Rainy's voice.

"Why? 'Cause, we're both light-skinned?" I laughed quietly as we exited my room.

"No." Rainy put her hair into a messy bun. She then shrugged, a playful smile dancing on her lips. "Maybe."

"I'm offended." I put my hand on my heart, faking being hurt.

"You'll get over it." Rainy stretched her legs out on my thighs on the couch.

Rainy and I were best friends if you haven't figured that out yet. We met on the job years ago and we immediately clicked. We've been close ever since then; she's the only friend I need.

"Why are you looking at me like that," I questioned Rainy who was staring at me when her eyes should've been on the movie that was currently playing.

"No reason." She sighed. "Have you wondered why someone would leave their four-year-old son abandoned behind a fucking bush for who knows how long?"

"Watch your language, miss ma'am." I shook my index finger at her disapprovingly.

"Oh, hush." Rainy threw her head back as she laughed. "You're acting as if you've never cussed a day in your life; you're no goody-too-shoes yourself."

I smacked my lips. "Shut the hell up."

Her eyes widened in shock; I haven't cussed in years. "See!"

"I did that one on purpose." I glanced at the TV screen and quickly looked away from the make-out sesh.

"Mhm, sure." Rainy repositioned herself on the couch. "But seriously, how would you feel if your parents left you to fend on your own at such a young age?"

"Ummm, I dunno." I shrugged. "I probably wouldn't think anything of it at that time, since, I would be too young to understand, but as I got older, I would be pissed."

Rainy bobbed her head up and down in understanding. "He must be pretty mature."

"Mateo?" I laughed so hard that tears formed in my eyes. "Our Mateo?"

"Yeah." Rainy cracked a small smile. "Having to live on his own for so long, I'm sure he's strong somewhere."

I grinned to myself, acknowledging the fact that she didn't deny him being our Mateo.

That's a small victory in my book.

Would it be wiser if I thought of it as a loss?

—