Five weeks earlier
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Maria had never done a pregnancy test before, so she had no idea what she was doing. She and Mateo were always careful, but he did get a little too excited on his twenty-first birthday. Oh gosh, she had butterflies in her tummy. They fluttered like a million bees in a hive. Maria shakily opened up the test kit and pulled out what she needed most... the instructions. “Okay, okay,” she said.
Maria looked them over. She tucked a strand of her black hair behind her ear. “So pee in a cup and dip the testing stick into it. Seems simple enough.” She shrugged. Maria, though, was already starting to get emotional. She had no idea why. She begged that the test result would be negative, but at the same time, she wanted it to be positive. If she was positive, how would Mateo react? He was pretty clear about them having kids when they were older. There was so much at stake right now.
Maria opened the cupboard under the bathroom sink. She pulled out an old, clear cup and held it to her face. “This should work.” She got the tissues ready, just in case. She pushed them to the counter’s corner beside the toilet. Maria unbuckled her jeans and sat down on the seat. Her whole body shook. She felt like her breasts were going to fall right off her chest; they were so sore. Nevertheless, she did what the instructions told her to do. She peed in that cup. She assumed her nervousness was why she sat there for a whole minute.
Maria wiped, and then she pulled her jeans up. She struggled to her feet. This was so gross. She set the full cup down on the counter. Maria swore that her heart was about to come flying out of her mouth. She rechecked the test instructions. “Wait for three minutes after putting the stick in.” She heard that three minutes was the average wait time. Maria steadied her hand before she dipped the stick into her urine. Pulling it out, she stuck the test cap over it. Okay, now all she had to do was wait.
It was the longest three minutes of her life. Maria was so scared that she put the box of tissues over the stick. After washing her hands, she paced back and forth in the bathroom. She rubbed them together. Was she overreacting? Some women had their periods later than usual. She and Mateo just got their house.
Finally, the timer on Maria’s phone went off. This was it. Were hers and Mateo’s lives about to change forever? Honestly, she was too scared to take the tissues off the pregnancy test, but she inhaled deeply to calm herself. A few tears ran down her cheeks. Eventually building up her confidence, she removed the tissues. Her heart almost stopped. “Oh my God,” she whimpered.
“Pregnant” was on the stick's screen. Not “Not Pregnant” but “Pregnant”.
“No.” The tears fell like a fountain. “Please, no. This has to be a joke.” However, Maria knew it wasn't. She rechecked the test result. Surely, her eyes were playing tricks, right? Of course not. “No,” Maria repeated.
Nevertheless, she started to feel a little less scared. There was a pinch of excitement in her gut. “I’m going to have a baby,” Maria said. “I’m going to have a baby.” She pressed the pregnancy test against her belly. How on Earth was she going to tell Mateo? Maria took the rest of the day to prepare.
After she calmed down a little, she went to the supermarket. She walked up and down the Baby aisle, checking everything out. She stopped at a table of black caps with “Mom” and “Dad” stitched on them. Another young woman soon joined her. She was a few years older than Maria. Her hair was medium-length and brown, and she wore a cute sundress. She also seemed intrigued by the hats.
“Are you expecting, too?” she asked.
Maria nodded. “Yes. I found out today.”
“It was yesterday for me,” the woman said. She picked up one of each cap. “This is our second. What about you?”
“It’s our first,” Maria answered. She tossed two of the caps into her buggy. “My fiancé does not know yet. I won’t be able to tell him until he comes home tonight.”
“Hm.” The woman nodded. She leaned against her buggy. “What does he do?”
“He's a Pinta Park Ranger,” Maria said.
“Oh wow! Really?” The woman's eyes sparkled like flickering headlights. “Can he use magic? I hear most Pinta Rangers can.”
From out of nowhere, Maria could feel herself growing emotional again. “He-He can,” she said in a choked voice. She rubbed her eyes.
“Why are you sad?” asked her new friend. She pushed off her buggy.
“He-He’s just been working so hard lately,” Maria explained. “We also weren't supposed to have kids until we were older.”
To comfort her, the woman took her shoulder. “Hey, hey, it’s okay. We’re unplanned, too. It happens all the time, so you're not alone. Yes, it’s scary at first, but when you hold that cute little bundle for the first time, all that fear washes away. You’ll feel so blessed. Trust me.”
“Thank you.” Maria took a deep breath. “I'm Maria. What’s your name?”
“Annie,” the woman replied.
***
Mateo got home that evening around 5:30. Maria jumped when she saw his Convertible pulling into the driveway. Instantly, she prepared herself, both physically and mentally. Mateo usually took a few minutes to get his stuff together before he came into the house. He would likely head straight for the kitchen, so Maria would surprise him there. She leaned a small whiteboard against a few vases of kitchen utensils. “We're Pregnant!” was written on it. She set the dad cap and positive pregnancy test before it. She had to be strong. Inhaling deeply, she patted down her hair and came within reach of the front door. Just like the test result, all she had to do now was wait.
Before long, the front door opened, and her weary but handsome fiancé walked in. He hid a yawn behind his hand. Dressed nicely in his orange and black uniform, he took his magic rope off his belt. At the sight of Maria, he said, “Oh, Maria. This is unexpected.” It was uncommon for Maria to wait by the door for him when he came home from work. He wondered what was up.
She rocked back and forth on her heels. “Hi, Mateo. Did you have a good day?” She took his ranger cap off his head and ruffled his short black hair. She and he shared a quick kiss.
Mateo massaged Maria’s shoulders and said, “It was fine, except Professor Eryx went ahead and gave me my next mission. There’s a village of sickly elves who need help.”
Maria gulped. “Sickly elves? And you said ‘yes’?” She and Mateo never spent time together anymore. She understood that he loved his job, but still.
Mateo hung his rope up on the coat rack beside the door. He kicked off his boots. “I can't just let them die. That’s not the ranger way. I leave Monday.”
“But, baby...” Maria’s voice trailed. Just saying “baby” caused a massive shudder down her spine.
Mateo retrieved his cap from her. “All right. What’s wrong?”
Maria hesitated. She inhaled deeply. “So-Something’s happened.”
Mateo chuckled. “What? Did the refrigerator stop working again? Do I need to take another trip to Home Repair?” He pecked Maria's cheek and then moved down the length of her neck. He pulled away. “Let me get something to eat, and then we can talk about it. I promise that with my next paycheck, I’ll get us that new fridge.”
“No, it’s not the refrigerator,” Maria stammered. “It’s something more—something wonderful.”
Mateo gave her a funny look. He started toward the kitchen, but Maria cut in front of him. She dove into it and leaped before the whiteboard, cap, and pregnancy test. She hooked her fingers behind her. Maria smiled feebly. She was both excited and nervous about Mateo’s reaction.
He yawned again, and then he gestured at her. “What’s all this?”
Even though she screamed on the inside, Maria still smiled. “Anthony Mateo Brook...” She stepped off to the side. “You’re going to be a daddy!”
“What?” Mateo's cap dropped from his hand. He tripped over his foot but caught himself in the kitchen doorway. “Wait, you’re serious?” He stumbled over to the marble counter and slapped his palms on it. His deep brown eyes examined the whiteboard and cap.
Sniffing, Maria said, “Yes. I found out this morning. Look at the thingy.”
Mateo scooped up the pregnancy test. He stared at it for a good minute, speechless, and then asked, “How many did you take?”
“Three. Just to be sure. All were positive,” Maria answered. She pointed at the test’s screen. “It says I’m four weeks.” She returned her hands to her back.
Mateo’s face grayed. He felt nauseous. What had he done? He tried his best to shake off the overwhelming anxiety he felt. “You’re kidding,” he said to his fiancée.
Maria brushed a few more tears away from her eye sockets. “No, I’m not.”
Still trying to take it in, Mateo asked, “You missed your period?”
She nodded. “Si. Not only that, but my breasts have been sore all week. They’re bloated, babe.”
Mateo quickly glanced at her chest. “They do look a little bigger than normal.” He tightened his grip on the pregnancy test and turned to face the other direction.
Maria swallowed the massive lump in her throat. She crossed her arms. “Are you excited?”
Mateo turned to face her again. “I am. I just didn’t think it would happen this fast. Congratulations, Maria.” Still holding back his anxiety, he kissed her again. He then hugged her tight, but he quickly let her go. His eyes rolled down to her belly. “Oh, sorry, I don’t want to hurt it.” He kneeled and gave it a gentle pat. “Hola, little guy. How are you doing in there?”
“This is a wonderful time for us, Mateo,” Maria sweetly said.
He stood up. “I know it is, but I need time to let it sink in. Excuse me. I'm going to visit Mamá for a little bit. Besides, she has some brownies for us.” Mateo set the pregnancy test back down on the counter. He turned on his heel and left the kitchen. He disappeared out the front door.
Behind, Maria uncrossed her arms. She put her hands before her instead. Frankly, she needed some time to herself, too.
***
Ms. Brook’s house, Mateo’s mom’s, was only a few blocks down from Maria and Mateo’s. She did not want to be too far from her son, no matter how hard he begged. It was just who she was.
Her house was a white two-story with black window frames and flower boxes. It was on the corner of the block. Inside it, she was busy at work in the kitchen. Ms. Brook pulled a tray of brownies out of the oven. “Oh, they turned out beautifully!” She fanned the desserts with her glove and then set them off to the side. She opened one of the kitchen's drawers and pulled out some tin foil. “Maria and Mateo are going to love them!”
Right when she said that, her doorbell rang. The woman perked up even more. “That must be Mateo.” She let the brownies be so they could cool. Ms. Brook adjusted her apron and bun and headed to the door. Turning the knob, she opened it. “Hello, Mateo Waeo.” Except, her smile vanished when she saw him crying hysterically. His face was blood-red, and his eyes bloodshot. His nose dripped. “Baby, what’s wrong?” Ms. Brook wanted to know.
“Mamá? It wasn’t supposed to happen, but it did!” said Mateo’s choked voice. He threw himself into his mother’s arms. “If you want to get rid of me and tell me that I'm no longer your son, then go ahead!”
Ms. Brook hastily took him to her living room. She and he sat on the large, leather couch. Mateo kicked the coffee table over, and broken glass scattered across the carpet.
Ms. Brook tried her best to calm him. She rocked him in her arms. “What happened?” She grabbed a few tissues from the table beside the couch and rubbed Mateo’s nose with them.
“Please, Mamá, I’m not ready!” he sobbed.
“What is going on?” Ms. Brook asked.
Mateo buried his face in her chest. “Maria’s pregnant!”
Ms. Brook’s first reaction was identical to Mateo’s. “What?” She lifted Mateo’s head off her chest.
“Maria’s pregnant!” he said again. He coughed through all the crying.
“How did this happen?” Ms. Brook inquired.
“That stupid banquet. That stupid banquet!” Mateo slammed the heel of his boot into the couch’s leg. “I’m never having another drink. Never!”
“Did you get drunk during it?” Ms. Brook said.
Mateo was so overdramatic, but it made total sense. “I don’t even remember doing anything to her! She’s four weeks, Mom, so I know it was the banquet! I’m such a horrible son! Just get rid of me and find another kid!”
“Oh, baby, I would never get rid of you.” Ms. Brook returned Mateo’s head to her chest. “You’re my son. I love you. It was an accident. Unplanned pregnancies happen all the time.”
“But I’m not ready.” Mateo tugged on Ms. Brook’s arm as if he were a kid all over again.
She patted the back of his head. “Nobody is. Don’t worry. I’ll get y’all through this. I promise. You’re not a horrible son, Mateo. You’re the best son I could ask for. You’re special.”
“I hate being an adult,” he mumbled.
“It gets easier as you get older. Trust me,” Ms. Brook promised. She let him have his cry. She sat him up again once he was calmer and not shaking as much and took his hand. “Do you want to stay here tonight? It may help. Also, the brownies are done. I’m sure you’re hungry.”
“Please?” Mateo asked.
Ms. Brook chuckled. She kissed his forehead. “I’ll call Maria. I’m sure she’ll understand.”
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