9. Mama knows best.

"Mama!" Mateo yelled out as he walked into his mother's house. "In the kitchen!" She yelled back as he made his way towards her. The smell of food engulfed his nostrils as his mouth watered at the thought of her cooking.

He walked in seeing some empanadas being made. "Hey mama," he smiled as he kissed her cheek. She turned returning a kiss to his. "Hi hijo. How are you?"

"Good," he responded as he took a seat. He was here to get his mother's advice and inform her of the news. "How's everything been with you?"

She nodded as she continued her cooking. "Good, good. Always happy to see you." He could hear the smile in her voice. He was her only child. She always wanted a lot of kids but she experienced many miscarriages and even a stillbirth, Mateo was her blessing and she loved him dearly. She always hoped he'd give her a lot of grandbabies. "How's everything with you?" She questioned back.

He sighed, "well mom. You'll be happy and disappointed all in one." She stopped what she was doing to turn and look at him, she picked up a fresh dish towel, wiping her hands on it. "I'm listening."

He let out a deep breathe as he looked at her. "So Sofia and I had broken up for a few days and I ended up sleeping with someone else," he was an open book with his mother. She was one the least judgmental people he knew, yet she would still get in his ass at the same time. "And the girl is now pregnant."

His mother widened her eyes, very surprised by his confession. "Mateo."

"I know mama, and I know it's mine for sure because we took an early test. And I don't know how I'm going to tell Sofia."

His mother crossed her arms, "well all babies are blessings and have a special purpose. So what was meant to happen, happened. Even if it was a stupid decision you made."

Mateo chuckled lightly as he shook his head and looked down for a moment, "how do I tell Sofia?" She shrugged her shoulders, "you just tell her, it happened when the two of you were broken up, it wasn't a smart decision, you don't want to lose her. But these are the consequences of your action."

His mother made it sound much easier than it actually was, he knew it wouldn't go that easy. His mother didn't understand how crazy his girlfriend could be. However, he knew he just had to come out with it and keep it real just like that, in due time though.

He nodded in response to her. "Yeah, I'll tell her sooner than later." He ran a hand down his face. "Whose the girl you got pregnant? What's she like? I hope she isn't one of those groupie girls Mateo." She said with slight disappointment. He shook his head no. "No, I honestly believe she didn't know anything about me being a baseball player."

She nodded her head as she went back to cooking, "that's good. How does she seem as a person?" He sighed, he really didn't know. He really couldn't say. She definitely didn't seem like a bad person and she was indeed a beautiful girl. But when it came to it, they knew nothing about each other. He didn't even know how old she was.

"I guess she seems okay," she has an attitude problem he thought. "Really can't say much, I don't know her."

"Well I think you should get to know her, especially since you two will have ties for years to come. And I want to meet her, of course. But I'll leave the timing up to you." She finished.

He nodded, she was right he needed to find out more about Jessica and who she was, especially since they were about to be raising a child together. He wasn't one of those people who were just going to throw money out at her to where it wouldn't matter, his mother wouldn't even let that go down.

They changed the subject as they talked about everything under the sun and ate. Once he headed out he decided to give Jessica a call. Last conversation they had was when he called her back a couple of days ago after having to hang up abruptly. She still had some attitude in her voice but he could tell she was getting over their last conversation that spiked the attitude.

She answered on the second ring, "Hey, what's up?" He responded as she moved around her apartment. "Nothing, about to head to work, what's up with you?"

He looked at the time seeing it was 6:15pm. "Where do you work going in this late?" She grabbed up the last of her stuff before responding. "I'm a surgical technician. I work at the hospital." He nodded in understanding, that was cool to him. "You like it?"

"Yeah, it's cool." She paused for a second. "I know you didn't just call to talk about what I do though. What's up?" He chuckled lightly as he played with his keys in his hand as he sat in his car, "yeah, actually I did. We don't know shit about each other and we have a child on the way. I think it's important we learn more about one another, your background and mine. Your parenting styles and mine, I think they're things to talk about."

She paused for a second, intrigued that he would want to learn more. "Okay, we can talk about that, I'm working a twelve hour shift tonight. But I'm off tomorrow."

He thought for a second, he had a shoot to do tomorrow and Sofia was going out of town with her friends for one of their birthdays. He could easily fly out there. "What's your schedule like for the next few days?"

"Off for the next three days," she had picked up a shift on her usual fourth day off. He nodded. "I'm going to fly out there so we can talk, and I know you have an appointment Friday right?"

She nodded as if he could see her, "yeah." He brought his lower lip into his mouth. He could find a quick flight for tomorrow, Thursday night, and stay until Saturday.  "Alright, well I'll hit you up once I'm headed to your city. Have a good shift."

"Alright, thanks!" They hung up the phone as she headed to work and he headed home.

—

"Man, I don't know what's up with Alexis." Xavier let out as he poured himself some liquor. Sofia was upstairs finishing up her packing since she was leaving that night and Xavier took it upon himself to stop by.

"What happen?" He asked as he crossed his arms. He shrugged his shoulders, "that's the thing. I don't know. Shit was good with us and then boom she not responding to my text, ignoring my calls."

"You ain't do nothing?" Xavier shook his head no as he took a sip of the straight liquor, "I mean me and Mahogany went to Jamaica. My service wasn't always the greatest but I texted back when I could."

Mateo laughed, "maybe she found out about Mahogany. You know girls." Xavier paused for a second. "But how? Ain't like I posted her or nothing. Ain't no way she could have went through my phone."

Mateo shrugged as Sofia walked down the stairs. "Oh hey X." He gave her a head nod as she grabbed a water from the refrigerator. "Aye let me get your opinion," X started as he focused on her. She told him to go ahead with her eyes as she drank her water. "If a girl I'm talking to gets ghost, like not texting back or answering calls what's up? And I know her phone working cause she posting pictures and liking shit."

She put the top on her water as she thought. "Did you do something?" He shook his head. "She came and stayed with me and everything was good. It didn't start until after I came back from this trip to Jamaica."

"Oh, Mahogany?" He shook his head no. "Another girl," he snapped his finger "who I brought to the birthday dinner."

"Ohhh, and you just went to Jamaica with Mahogany? Maybe she found out." He shook his head confusion on his face. "But I don't understand how. It's not like we on each other pages and we haven't even talked about being exclusive."

"Then maybe she became exclusive with someone else." Xavier gave her a stale look as Mateo laughed. "It's not funny," he stated as he looked over at Mateo. "You know I was feeling her."

Sofia rolled her eyes, "couldn't have been feeling her that much to be taking a trip out the country with Mahogany."

"It was planned in advance."  He smacked his teeth. "But fuck it yo, it's plenty of fish in the sea." Sofia shook her head as she made her way back upstairs.

Xavier downed the rest of the liquor, "you been talking to your baby mama?" He questioned lowly. Mateo looked at him and then the stairs as he nodded. "Going that way tomorrow actually."

X looked at him confused. "For what?"

"Because man, I'm about to have a baby with this girl. I feel like we need to get to know each other better."

He smacked his teeth, "man send that bitch some money and keep it moving." Mateo looked at him like he was crazy. "X I'm going to be there for my child, I'm not doing that shit."

Xavier shook his head. It couldn't be him, that much he knew. "You not even in the same city as her, San Francisco isn't just an hour away. I don't get why you doing all that. Shit, you could keep this a secret from Sofia forever if you wanted. Money keeps mouths shut."

Mateo shook his head at Xavier's stupidity, "I'm not doing that. Act like you know my mother and how bad she wants grands."

Xavier nodded his head, "she know?" Mateo nodded, "told her earlier today." Xavier shook his head, this shit was crazy to him. He couldn't believe Mateo was about to be a father, to a child by a random ass chick. He was the last one out of all his boys that he thought would get a girl pregnant on a one night stand or by a groupie.

Sofia called Mateo's name asking him to bring her suitcase downstairs. "Alright man, I know you have to take her to the airport, I'll get at you." Xavier stood up dapping him up.

"Alright man." He headed upstairs as Xavier left out. He looked at Sofia taking her in. He could stare at her all day. He licked his lips smiling, causing her to blush.

"Mateo! What? Get my stuff so we can go." She laughed. He went in kissing her cheek before grabbing her stuff and heading back downstairs as she followed.