Mask and the Redhead
April had just started to drift off to sleep when a loud banging on her door sent her rocketing out of bed. Pulling on her robe as she ran, April forgot all about prudent caution as she yanked the door open.
What she found there was an extremely agitated Raphael and a dog on a leash.
Shoving the leash into a surprised April's hand, Raph said, "Watch the dog for me will ya'? Mikey started a fight and I gotta go back him up."
As Raph started to leave, April spluttered, "Mikey s . . . started a fight? You have a dog? Wait . . . what . . . ?"
"Her name's Mask. She's a good girl. Be back soon," Raph yelled in her direction just before he vanished.
A moment of silence followed, and then April looked down. She eyed Mask and Mask in turn eyed April.
Mask was wearing as amused an expression as a dog could possibly have, her tail wagging from side to side expectantly.
"I suppose you'd better come inside," April finally managed to say, stepping back to allow the dog to enter.
Closing her door, April took a deep breath. Mask sat down.
"Look dog . . . uh, Mask," April said, feeling unutterably silly for talking to the animal, "I've never had a dog before, so you'll have to bear with me. Do you want to take a nap while you wait for Raph?"
Mask bounced once and barked happily. April really doubted it was in answer to her question; more likely the mention of the red banded turtles name was what had evoked that reaction.
The animal's rear quarters were moving along with her tail and she was practically quivering with pent up energy. As Mask met April's eyes, she whined and licked her lips.
"Okay, too wound up to sleep I think," April said out loud. "Let's go in the kitchen and see if we can't find something for you to eat."
Mask got to her feet immediately and followed alongside April, completely docile and willing to appease the new human in her life. April's thoughts raced along, and although never one to talk to herself, everything that entered her brain came out of her mouth.
"It figures one of the turtles would show up at my door in the dead of night to present me with a new challenge," April said in a slightly grumpy tone. "Why do they do that? And a dog of all things; no one said anything to me about them getting a dog."
Mask eructed in response, and licked noisily at her own lips once more. April absentmindedly filled a bowl with water and set it down, staring as the dog lapped up the offering.
"So. Dog. What do dogs eat anyway?" April mused aloud. "Probably anything. Hell, probably everything, and if I'm not careful it'll all come back up too."
Stooping to snap the leash off of Mask's collar, April draped it over a chair and proceeded to investigate her cupboards. She rejected items one at a time as visions of Mask soiling her floor danced before her eyes.
"Phooey." April closed the last cabinet and leaned against it, her eyes returning to Mask, who had stretched out belly down on the kitchen tiles.
April's eyes drifted up again and they landed on the refrigerator. Pushing herself upright, she pulled the door open and inspected the contents.
"Hey, you know what girl?" April asked, peeking around the door to look at Mask. "I used to work with a woman who swore that fried eggs were the best thing to give a dog. Actually, I think she said something about the grease you fry them in being good for a dog's fur, but the eggs will be filling too. What do you say we try that?"
Mask barked and wagged her tail, her ears swiveling around as she watched April pull the egg carton from the refrigerator.
"You know, maybe you shouldn't have just dropped Mask off like that," Mikey said as he and Raph approached April's apartment.
"If ya' hadn't gotten into it with those street punks, I wouldn't have had ta dump my dog on April," Raph grumbled, rubbing a sore knuckle.
Mikey chuckled. "You're just jealous I took out four and only left you two of them."
"Yeah? Well if I hadn't come along ta tackle those two, ya' would have been face down in a dirty puddle right now," Raph slung back, grinning at his younger brother.
The grin disappeared at the sound of screams coming from inside April's apartment.
"Shit!" Raph yelled, breaking into a run with Mikey on his heels. "We're coming April!"
Raph grabbed the doorknob and jiggled it, but it was locked. Stepping back, he lifted his foot and kicked the door open.
Inside, he spotted April standing on the couch with Mask locked onto her calf.
Horrified, Raph shouted, "NO! Mask, down!"
He heard Mikey's muttered, "Oh Shell," as he leaped across the room.
Just before Raph reached them, April said, "Ouch!"
Mask promptly released her leg and plopped onto the cushions, turning her head to bark joyously at her master's return.
Then Raphael realized that April was laughing.
"Are you okay April?" Mikey asked, reaching for April's hand to help her down.
"W . . . what was that?" Raph stuttered, his heart still racing.
"I'm fine guys," April said as she hopped off of the couch.
Dropping down next to Mask, April twisted her fingers around the dog's ears and leaned over to hug her. "I taught Mask that 'ouch' means she has to let go," April explained, "and then we made up a new game called 'Mask tag'. She wins if she can grab you."
"You were playing?" Mikey asked, sinking onto the couch next to April and clutching at his heart. "You almost killed us."
Raph ran a hand over the dog's back. "Damn April, when I rushed through that door I thought Mask was attacking ya'."
"She would never do that; she's a good doggie," April crooned to Mask, rubbing her nose against the dogs. Looking back at Raph, she said, "Serves you right for bursting in on me in the middle of the night."
In a huff, Raph growled, "Fine. I'll just take my dog and leave."
As he reached for Mask's collar, April's hand came down and slapped Raph's away.
"Uh, uh," she said.
"What do ya' mean, 'uh, uh'?" Raph demanded. "I'll leave with Mask when I damn well please."
"You'll leave when you fix my door," April said in a voice brooking no nonsense. Pointing towards the kitchen, she added, "You know where the tools are."
Grumbling under his breath, Raph reached over and grabbed Mikey's shoulder, yanking him off the couch. As they headed for the kitchen, Mask turned her head to watch them and then barked twice, quite loudly.
April giggled and scratched Mask beneath her chin.
"That's right Mask, you tell them. We girls have to stick together," April said in a conspiratorial tone.
Mask licked April's nose.