14. WOW

The ride back to Jessica's was a quiet one. She sat in the back trying to keep her emotions together. The comment he made hurt, though he might have felt like that she wished he would have kept the comment to himself.

She got it, she completely understood it. If she had it her way he wouldn't have been the father. It was clear that him and Sofia had to be on the rocks after he told her. But was that a reason to throw blows at her? She thought they had got past this point. She shook the thoughts out of her head. Ready to just go home and crawl in bed at this point. What started off as a joyous day was no longer one for her.

He pulled up to her house, parking the car as she quickly spoke up. "Can I just get some time alone for a little bit?" His mother looked back at her, "of course? Are you okay?"

Jessica nodded her head. Why did she have to ask that? It automatically made tears well in her eyes. "Are you sure?" She asked as tears started to fall, the same tears Jessica was trying to save until she got in the privacy of her home. "Yes," she let out quickly, her voice cracking as she quickly grabbed the ultrasound pictures, got out the car and made her way inside.

Mateo closed his eyes running a hand down his face mentally cursing himself. He knew he was the cause of the tears and he realized how selfish the comment was once he made it. They both had already made it clear from the beginning that if they could have had it their way it would be different. This was a bridge they had crossed already.

He unbuckled his seatbelt, "give me a second ma." He quickly got out the car making his way to her apartment seeing her as she entered. "Jessica."

She shook her head, "Mateo, just give me some time by myself, please."

"I'm sorry," he let out as he neared her. "I'm sorry, that was rude and inconsiderate -" She stopped him before he could even finish as she wiped tears from her eyes. "Mateo stop, it's all that and it's how you feel. It's cool. Fuck you, I'm over this shit. I'll tell you when the baby is coming, well that's if you want to know because I know I'm not Sofia and all." She stated sarcastically. "I can't take a lot of shit, but I'm not going to continue to deal with this bullshit. The stabs at my character, the comments as if I don't have feelings. I'm over it."

She turned to enter her house as he followed her. He closed her door and grabbed her arm causing her to turn around and face him. Her tears were a clear indication of the dig his words made into her. Her speaking her peace on it was a clear indication of her strength. Both of which he noticed in that moment.

"It's wasn't cool Jessica. It was weak as fuck of me to even let it come out my mouth. And you know damn well I'm not about to have you go through all of this alone. I was wrong as hell. I took a moment that should have been nothing but celebration and happiness and made it negative because of shit that's going on with me. You were happy in that moment and I took that away from you." His phone went off as Jessica looked down at the pocket that housed it in that moment.

Mateo debated on ignoring it or now. He pulled it out silencing it as he bit his lip seeing Sofia calling. "Answer it," Jessica let out, she could see the internal struggle he was having with answering his ex or comforting the mother of his child. "Just go, just give me some time." He looked at her as the call turned into a missed call.

"Mateo, please." She let out as she broke eye contact with him. He didn't want to leave her like this, but he didn't really know what else to do. "I'll call you later."

"Okay," she let out lowly without looking at him as she walked deeper into her apartment. He watched her walk towards her room before punching his fist into his hand and turning around to leave. He felt like the ultimate asshole.

—

Jessica laid on her couch borderline in tears once again, she was blaming the influx of emotion on being pregnant. She never cried this much before and to be honest she was over it. She was far from the overly sensitive type. She called Alexis asking if she could just come over for a bit, she needed to vent. She needed to cry, and she needed to be consoled.

"I just don't get it," Jessica let out. "What have I done for the universe to treat me like this?" She laughed lightly even though it really wasn't funny. "Like Dwayne is really back with his ex like it's nothing, Mateo further reminding me that he wishes it wasn't me that was pregnant. Being a further disappointment to my mother by not only getting pregnant out of wedlock but also by not being with the man. Oh I told her by the way."

Alexis felt for her friend, "first off Dwayne is trash as fuck, period. Mateo is clearly stupid as fuck, because you clearly would be a better mother and your mom, she needs to grow up." This caused Jessica to laugh which is what Alexis wanted. "Lex, I'm serious."

"Me too! Fuck all of them. You didn't do shit wrong to any of them. Dwayne broke up with you! It's technically his fault that the situation even came about. Mateo decided to sleep with you knowing what he had going on at home and your mom is just unrealistic. And you're the only one of her children who feeds into her bullshit! Why do you think Jazmin and Jackie got away and ignore her bullshit? I need you to have their same energy."

Jessica shook her head, nothing was that easy. She still loved Dwayne, so it still hurt. Regardless of the situation, she wanted to be at peace with the father of her child and it was her mother, one always wants to try to make their parents happy.

"Damn, I wish you could drink." Alexis let out. "I would get you lit as hell right now!"

Jessica shook her head as she pointed to her stomach. "That's what got little man in here to start with."

"Little man?" Alexis asked wide eyed. "You found out what you were having." Jessica got wide eyed realizing she hadn't told Alexis. "Yes! We found out today, that's when Mateo told me, you know."

"He said that after finding out what the two of you were having? He's a fucking dickhead. Man, big fuck him." Jessica laughed as she shook her head. "But a boy," Alexis cooed as she got closer to Jessica placing her hands on her belly. "Hey auntie's baby. Hey little man."

Her text tone went off as Alexis continued rubbing on her stomach and talking to it. She reached over grabbing her phone as Mateo's name appeared on the screen. She rolled her eyes before unlocking it to read the message. First, I just want to apologize again. So I'm truly sorry Jessica. But I know you planned to cook tonight and I'm sure you're probably not up to it anymore. But I still did want to take you and my mom to eat, if that's fine with you..

"Who is it?" Alexis asked as she sat up. "Mateo."

"Mmph." Alexis let out, "what does he want now?"

"To take me and his mother out to eat, oh yeah I met her today too. She's really sweet and super excited to have a grandbaby."

"Aw, that's cute. Are you going to go? Wait weren't you going to cook?"

Jessica nodded, "he figured I probably wasn't up to anymore. Which I'm not and just asked if we could all still go out to eat. But I probably will, simply because of his mother. If it was just him I would definitely pass it up."

Alexis nodded in understanding. "Well don't let that nigga get you down. He's an idiot to even have said that. He need to go get that bitch pregnant if he want it so bad."

Jessica sighed, "he did apologize about it, but still."

"Shit, he better have."

Jessica chuckled as her phone went off again, reminding her she didn't respond to him. She sent a quick text back. Yeah that's fine. What time?

He quickly texted back. What time works best for you?

She thought about it as she check the time. 4:34pm. Six?

Okay, I'll be by to get you by then.

—

Mateo decided he was going to wait until he made it to the hotel to call Sofia back. As he got back in the car his mother was curious as to what made the waterworks flow in Jessica.

"I said something I shouldn't have," he stated honestly.

"Did you apologize?" That's all his mother ever cared about, him righting his wrongs when he could.

He nodded. "Yes ma'am."

"Good, think before you speak hijo. Been telling you that since you were little."

"I know," he let out before turning up the radio. Letting the music play the rest of the ride.

Once they made it to the hotel he told his mother he would be in shortly, he just needed to make a call. Once she was out of earshot he picked up his phone calling Sofia back.

She answered on the second ring. She'd been lounging around on her cousin's couch and it was hitting her how much she missed him just as much as it was hitting her how much he hurt her. But her cousin was also in her ear encouraging her to stick it out with him.

"Hey, what's up?" He asked as he looked around the parking lot.

"Can we meet up to talk?"

"When?"

Sofia played with the hem of her shorts. "Tonight?"

He cleared his throat, "I'm actually out of town. I'll be back tomorrow night if you want to get up then."

The worst came to her mind. "Are you with her?" She asked with anger and hurt in her voice.

"Actually with my mom right now," and he wasn't lying. "But even if I was Sofia it's nothing like that. It was literally a one night stand. Nothing extra. I don't want her, she doesn't want me. Everything is strictly about the child we're bringing into this world."

"She doesn't want you but she's having your baby? Yeah okay Mateo." She felt like he was stupid to even believe that.

He sighed not in the mood to go back and forth with her about this right now. "Sofia, please stop."

"That shit doesn't even sound right and you know it Mateo! Or if she doesn't want you she surely wants the money I can't believe you even slipped up like this. Like what the fuck."

She was still angry that was clear. But he deserved all of this and he knew he did. "I know Sofia, I'm sorry." He remained calm on the phone.

She sat quiet for a second as her thoughts went crazy. "What time are you getting back tomorrow?"

He rubbed his temples as he closed his eyes. "Uhh, not sure. Hold on I can check." He opened his eyes as he pulled the phone away from his ear checking the flight. "I land at 8:32pm" he stated as he brought the phone back up to his ear.

"Okay, I'll come by the house around 10pm. Is that fine?"

Of course it was fine to him. "Yeah, that works."

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Alright Sofia, I love you."

She bit her lip at the response as she responded lowly. "I love you too Mateo." And with that she hung up.

Their relationship wasn't over and Mateo truly believed that.