The Magic Of Mateo

Rescued

***Hey guys, I'm a bit blocked on the Honeymoon one-shot but this was in my head so I thought I'd write it.  Enjoy!

I've been living with Papi Nixon for almost a year and at first it was amazing. His house is a huge step up from my apartment with Mario, although we have moved three times now. He lives in them while they are being fixed and then sells them for amounts of money that I will never see in my entire lifetime, much less one day. Moving so much is hard. I do not drive so I have to learn all new bus routes and what is walkable, plus I have many fragile babies that have not enjoyed being moved so much.

Plants, of course. Can you imagine me with real babies? No one wants to see that.

They are not only my babies, they are my friends and family. My heritage. My treasures. My peace. I have herbs to make teas and compresses and also plants that are bound to those I love. My mother and sister, my father wherever he may be, my friends. I pour good energy and love into them and believe that care is transferred to the people they connect to. Energy never leaves us, it is permanent, so the love I give the plants must continue.

Plant lore and knowledge has been passed down through my family for centuries. My grandmother was a powerful medicine woman and knew the power of each and every plant. Her pot sits empty now, barren except for a few cups of soil that remain. Bits of her now live with each of my friends and in each of the herbs and plants I grow. There is no greater honor and I know she smiles down on me.

When Nixon, drunk again, knocks one off the windowsill on purpose, I lose it. "!Ten cuidado!" and immediately realize my mistake. "Be careful, please." Nixon does not like when I speak Spanish or when I mess up my English, so there's really no way for me to win. I have said please, and pretended it was an accident, but we both know it wasn't. They're important to me and he doesn't like me caring about anything other than him. What a mess this all is.

When he ignored me for months after our first meeting, I was pissed. Now I wish he had never contacted me. Yes, being off the streets (mostly) for a year has been a welcome break but at what cost? I would rather fear for my safety twice a week than every moment.

It wasn't so bad in the beginning, really. He is strict and has stupid rules and hates that I'm Latino but as long as he was getting what he wanted and I was available to him, he was pleasant enough. Then the drinking started and he has steadily been getting worse. I went to Dare and Alex's place two weeks ago to get away from him, hoping he'd realize that I will not stay for much more, but he didn't get the point, obviously. He reeks of beer and is yelling. I would go there again but they have filled my room with Alex's brother. That is okay, I can take care of myself. Always have.

I do not know what he is raving about. Something to do with selling one of his homes, I think. I only heard his side of the phone call but I know it wasn't good news. That was two hours ago and he's been drinking since then. I made dinner but he'd rather come into my room and yell. It's dark out, only a bit of light still lingers in the sky. This will be a long night. I can only hope he'll pass out asleep before wanting to fuck.

A knock sounds against the door before the melodic doorbell chimes. I do not know who it is but I learned the hard way that I am not to answer the door when he is drunk. Nixon thinks it is a secret, that he is so magnificent and intelligent that his friends and colleagues haven't figured it out yet. He's a moron.

I am distracted and that's how I fail to notice him holding my abuela's pot. "No, no please! I will put it away."

"It's dirt, Mat! Fucking dirt! Why the hell do you think I'd want a bunch of dirt in my house??!?!!"

"Please, that's why I keep it in my room, Mr. Nixon."

"My room, Mat! My house, my room." He drops it, as if it and its contents aren't precious. The ceramic pot shatters against the hard floor and her soil flies everywhere. "Clean it the fuck up!" He turns and runs straight into Harris, his friend. "What the fuck are you doing here, Monk?"