The Green Guardian

Chapter 2: Unbalanced Dimension

Mateo managed to free himself. "I can't," he replied. He made his choice carefully. Mateo picked out a short pink jacket and pants, a white shirt, and leather shoes. He held the Mexican-like attire up to his body so he could get an idea of what he would look like. "Excuse me," he repeated. Mateo slipped into the closet. He closed the door behind him.

Maria tried to open it, but it was locked. By then, she knew there was no way she could get her fiancé to change his mind. Why were men so stubborn?

She ended up burning the pancakes that morning, but Maria couldn't care less.

Mateo's kitchen was small. The cupboards and counters needed a nice rub down, but Maria was not in the mood to clean.

She set a plate of burnt pancakes down in front of Mateo, who read the morning newspaper.

He took a sip from his coffee, but his eyes widened at the sight of the food. "Maria, what happened to the pancakes?"

"Oh, who cares?" Maria sat down at the wooden table with him, which was across from the refrigerator.

"Okay." Mateo was hungry, so he went ahead and ate the pancakes. He cringed because they tasted like soot. However, he gave Maria a fake smile. "Mmm, delicious."

His suitcase was under the table and next to his foot. Mateo soon heard a beeping sound from it. He had an incoming voice message from the Union. He released his device from its bag and stood up. Once again, he flipped up the top. In a serious voice, he said, "Mateo here."

Maria tried hard not to cry. She fiddled with the diamond on her engagement ring. Mateo went through so much to get it for her, all because he loved her so much.

He paced back and forth in the kitchen. "Yes, Professor, I'm leaving today. We need to get ready for the campers."

The professor on the screen was Eryx, the top professor at the Union. He was an old man, but he still had quite a bit of spunk in him. His flowing, white hair was a little scraggly, but he looked wise with it like that. "How's Maria doing?" he wanted to know.

"Not good, but Mother is going to look after her," Mateo stated.

Slam! The front door of Mateo's house flew open. A middle-aged woman appeared in the doorway. She had medium-length, chocolate-colored hair, but it was beginning to gray in a few places. Like Mateo, her eyes were deep brown and mesmerizing. She sported a pink top with an abnormally large bra, flats, and a denim skirt.

The woman's eyes landed on Mateo, and she yelled, "Mateo Waeo!"

"Oh no," Mateo whispered under his breath. He never liked it when his mother yelled. She was about to give him a Howler. He just knew it. He glanced at Professor Eryx on his device's screen and said, "Gotta go," ending the call.

To get a good look at the woman, Maria leaned back in her seat and peered down the hallway. There were numerous paintings of nature in it. "Ms. Brook, you're here... three hours early."

She stomped down the hallway and ducked into the kitchen. "Of course, I am! I need to give my baby boy a proper earful!"

Mateo's face reddened to the point it looked like a tomato. He hated the fact that his mom still did not accept him as a real man. Then again, ever since a fight she had with her sister years ago, she had not been in a good place. Mateo never met her because they vowed to never see each other again. He did miss his grandma, though.

Ms. Brook came within reach of her son. She smacked her hand across the back of his head.

"Ow!" Mateo complained. He rubbed the sore area.