Finally I pulled what appeared to be a "shell-phone" from his pocket, I snorted at my poorly timed pun, turned it on and pressed "Donnie".
"Mikey?! Where have you been? Why was your phone turned off?" The voice yelled, obviously agitated with poor unconscious Mikey. "I couldn't track you." They said more timidly, like they hated being helpless and finally finished their tirade with a sighed, "Are you ok?"
"Is this Donnie?" I asked trying to sound professional.
"Yes." The voice was different now, less worried and more defensive. "Who is this, How did you get Mikey's phone?" He asked, anger seeping into his tone.
"My name is Kay, Mikey is fine, I found him." I could sense the tension through the phone and knew they needed a better story than that but before I could explain another voice started speaking.
"I don't care what your name is, or who you are, but if you hurt my brother, be warned that I will kill you." The new voice threatened.
"Look, I'm a nurse ok? I found Mikey on the roof of a building, he had been stabbed and was losing blood, I patched him up as well as I could. But he needs a medical facility." I said as quickly and as clearly as I could knowing the angry one might cut me off at any time.
"Do not take him to a hospital!" Was roared through the phone, causing my to rub my ear and roll my eyes.
"Despite your suspicions I'm not an idiot." I huffed at the angry one. "I can't exactly sneak a huge turtle into the ER."
The reply came in the form of a new voice snorting and the angry one huffing.
"He needs to be watched, 24/7, he's unconscious and will probably stay that way until his body is darn good and ready. And if you guys look the way I'm guessing you look then you probably can't come out of where ever it is you're hiding to do that. So is there someone who can?" I finished, hoping they did have some human friend who could get here, at least so I could get a few hours of sleep.
There was a pause followed by a resigned sigh, "We have a friend who could help."
April O'Neil was just as nice in person as she had always seemed on TV. We hit it off almost immediately once she realized I wasn't a threat and we exchanged numbers. I got a five minute rundown and Mikey's backstory while she walked me out of the building and was once again warned, much more gently this time, to keep the guys a secret. I gave her my word along with the promise to return that evening to check on Mikey and change his bandages.
I yawned as I finally walked through my door, my keys jangling as I hooked them by the door. My bed was sweetly beckoning to me but there was someone I absolutely needed to see first.
Rumbling footsteps on the hardwood floor alerted me to the incoming missile of energy.
"Mama!" She squealed as she dove straight into my arms. Her large baby blue eyes took me in as I finally got to hold my little girl. It didn't matter how wrong everything went, how much I was hurting, or how drained the world left me, one hug from her could make everything right again. it was like the best piece of myself could lock back into place and I could finally breath.
"Hi, JoJo." I happily sighed as a took a deep breath of her baby shampoo.
"Mama." she squirmed in my arms to be put down. "Mama, eat." she said as she ran towards the kitchen. I laughed as I followed her light brown bouncing curls around the corner.
"Hey, Chrys." I greeted as I snapped the buckle on Jade's highchair.
"Hey, yourself." She answered, barely looking up from the eggs, sausage, and waffles she was finishing.
"CC!" Jade shouted at her.
"I'm comin', I'm comin'." She replied as she plated the delicious smelling breakfast. "It's hot." She told Jade as she set her plate down.
"Hot, hot." Jade said in an adorably serious tone. She picked at her fruit bowl as she waited for the rest to cool off.
"She's so stinkin' smart." I crooned, as if Chrystal hadn't heard this before. "And she'd not even 2 yet."
"I'm aware , Sis." Was her reply as she set two identical plates down along with two steaming mugs of coffee, before she kissed my cheek and took her own seat.
"God bless you." I breathed as I cradled my mug and took a deep sip from the creamy goodness within.
Chrys laughed as she dug into her own food, Jade laughing with her even though she wasn't sure why they were laughing.
The day passed as usual, Chrys headed to work at the coffee house while I barricaded myself and Jade into her baby proofed room with cartoons on while I rested on her bed. I was woken up for tea parties and the excited babble when a doggy or cat-cat was on tv, but broken sleep with my little girl was better than a full eight hours.
After lunch, and my four hour nap, I filled my bag with medical supplies, all the while wandering if I hadn't dreamed or hallucinated the entire experience. The mind could be a funny thing, especially when you were working long hours on very little sleep. But a giant turtle? I wasn't that creative. At least I didn't think I was.