CHAPTER NINE-Raphael's & Mona's Spring wedding
5 months later...
Mona and Raphael decided to have their wedding date on the May 19th, 2004. Neesa accepted to be the made of Honour and paired with Leonardo as he was requested by Raphael to be his best man. Masuki the co-flower girl with Arliana and poor little Yoshiro, the bear boy since he is the only boy in the clan. Professor Honeycutt was requested to be the wedding celebrant. Neesa secretly whispery requested a small group of turtle doves to make the day special for the lovers. Leatherhead, Angel, April and Casey also drove up for the wedding.
"Congratulations Raphael and Mona-Lisa." Neesa congratulated, happily and proudly
Mona happily smiled and thanked Neesa with gratitude, replying happily. "Thankyou for the doves around the altar...It's beautiful."
Neesa pretended to have nothing to do with it and replied. "It's ok but it weren't all me y'know." She assured Mona it was not all her doing and claimed the birds naturally came to bliss the wedding.
Mona giggled and smiled as she cooed like a school girl. "Stop trying to be so modest...If it weren't for you all those years ago...we won't be where we are now...thankyou." Mona replied
Neesa smiled and hugged her. "You're welcome Mona...you and Raphael deserve the best that life can give. I wish you all the happiness sweetie." She happily said
Gazing Neesa with a happy gleeful smile as a single tear fell from her eye. "C'mon, let's get you over that wedding broom." Neesa suggested softly
Mona smiled and nodded as she waited to walk down the wedding aisle. Neesa wore a light pink shoulderless dress with a red rose in her braided hair. Tealana sat and witness the ceremony while April and Elissia were the bridesmaids for the ceremony.
Arliana and Masuki walked down the aisle, throwing flower petals to the floor. April and Elissia walked down the aisle following behind them was Neesa. Raph smiled proudly as he watched his daughter and niece walked down the aisle, throwing petals than sat down with Mikey and Tealana.
As neesa walked down the aisle and took her place to stand when the bride finally walked to the altar. Leo was amazed by how Neesa looked as they all were used to seeing her dressed in t-shirt and jeans or sometimes training gear but never in a dress.
Leo and Neesa gazed eachother separately stood on either side. The blue clad terrapin couldn't take his awing glance. Neesa smiled and lightly blushed as she was also amazed how good he looked in a tux.
Mona stood in the doorway of the barn as the wedding music played. Raph stood astounded and nervous as he waited to pledge his vows and begin the rest of their lives as husband and wife.
Finally arrived to the altar, the bride handed the bouquet to Neesa and faced the red clad terrapin that he unmasked himself for one day and tearfully smiled as he held Mona's hands. The fugitoid stepped forward and begun the ceremony.
"We are gathered here on this very special day to bare witness this couple, Mona-Lisa Smyth and Raphael Hamato to be joined in holy matrimony. Raphael would you begin with your vow?" professor Honeycutt recited softly
"Oh yeah...sure." He answered, patting himself while searching for his written vows when Leo passed his brothers vows.
Turning back and smiled with relief. "Thanks bro." Raph whispered
Leo returned the smile and winked. Facing his bride as he started to read the first line without nervously stammer.
"Mona-Lisa...the love of my life and mother of my child...I promise to be your rock and...Love you forever and ever more, til death do us part. Well I guess that's it." Raph said, reading his vows.
Mona smiled happily and turned to Neesa, taking the written vows as it was handed to her. "Thanks Neesa." Mona whispered
Neesa smiled and happily nodded.
"Raphael...You are my rock...the father of my child and I promise to love you always and forever more, listen to all of your jokes even though you sometimes suck at them but the thought of trying counts. I will also honour you in sickness and in health til death do us part." Mona replied, reading her vows.
"The rings please." professor Honeycutt requested
Little Yoshiro tried to hold up the ring pillow as he stumblingly walked towards the bride and groom. Both Leo and Neesa stooped down, picking up Yoshiro and held his tiny hand while Leo took the ring pillow. Neesa and Leo smiled as they gazed eachother and re-position themselves in their places beside the bride and groom.
Placing the wedding bands upon eachother's fingers. "I pronounce you turtle and wife...you may kiss the bride." Professor Honeycutt announced
Raph smirked cheekily as he reached for Mona's waist and pulled her towards him then romantically held her mid-air as he leaning hovered over her and deeply, passionately kissed her; sealing the ceremony.
Sounds of gleeful and happy cheers filled the room as the newlyweds stood before their friends and family witnessing them pledge their union. Facing eachother with happy smiles as they led everyone out to the reception waiting.
Neesa and Leo voiced their written proposals to the newlywed for all to hear and know what the great friends and family they are also wished the best in marriage they deserve. The newlyweds led the dance as they were followed by tealana and mikey, April and Casey while Don and Elissia sat at separate tables and watched over the children with Leatherhead and Angel as they waited to perform the tradition of dancing with the bride after the groom.
Tealana was first to dance with Mona then Mikey followed by April, Casey, Leatherhead, Donatello, Angel, Leonardo then lastly Neesa, doing their part in welcoming the newly salamander into the family. Elissia felt it was not her place to dance with the bride as she believes only to be the family friend not sister. Raph noticed Elissia sitting all alone and thought to ask the ebony haired terrapin to dance.
"Elissia." Raph called softly
"Yes raph." Elissia replied, softly gazing the unmasked terrapin
"May I ask for this dance?" He asked
Elissia smiled and respectfully declined. "Thankyou Raphael but I don't feel like dancing...nice thought though." Elissia softly said, grabbing his hand and softly patted then walked away, taking the children inside the house as it was beginning to get late.
Raph watched Elissia walked inside as she tried to carry the tired twins while the girls followed also tired. Running after them and scooped up both Arliana and Masuki, walking inside giving elissia a quick helping hand with the children.
"Thanks Raph." Elissia said, gratefully
"We're family remember. And thankyou for taking the kids inside." raph replied, correcting her and gratefully thanked the ebony haired terrapin.
Elissia smiled and replied. "Welcome raph, anytime."
Raph returned to his reception with Mona before retiring for the night. Neesa had a surprised honey moon gift waiting for them at the docks down in New Bedford. Neesa sat down after she danced with Mona and kindly stepped aside, allowing the groom to dance with his bride.
Leonardo walked towards Neesa sitting beside her. "Hey Neesa." He greeted
Neesa gazed the blue clad terrapin gleefully and enticingly. "Hey." She replied
Leo sat down and continued to gaze her with a huge smile. "You are so...beautiful, Neesa." He commented
Neesa smiled and lightly blushed as she replied. "You don't look too bad yourself, Leonardo and thankyou."
Leaning on his hand and continue to admire the beauty sitting across from him. Neesa blushed and picked up her glass, sipping the water then discovered it was actually champagne. Folding her fingers and covered her mouth. "I thought this water." She stated
Leo smiled and giggled then handed a glass with proper water. Neesa smiled and pointed the glass and asked. "Water?"
Leo nodded and replied softly. "Yes it is."
"Thankyou...this champagne is not my taste." She stated while drinking the water down like no tomorrow to wash the champagne taste from her mouth.
Leo watched Neesa drink the water with admiring drooping glance and leaned on his hand.
"Ah that's better...what?" she cooed, glaring the blue clad terrapin wondering why he was glaring so hard as if he was burning holes into her head.
He stood up, offered his hand. "May I have this dance?"
Neesa gazed Leo with an 'I thought you'd never ask' glance. "Yes, you may Leonardo have the honour to dance with me." She replied, smiling.
Surprised and accepted his offered to dance, standing and allowing him to lead her to the grassy dance floor. Neesa leaned into Leo's chest and enjoyed listening to the sound of his calmed heartbeat as they danced together. Leo held Neesa in his arms calmly and closed until tealana interrupted and kindly requested to speak with her sister about something important.
Gently tapping on Leo's shoulder. "Um...uh...excuse me Leonardo. May I steal my sister for a minute or two please?" tealana requested softly as she stood patiently waited for her sister and watched how much both Leo and Neesa were beginning to come together.
Leo gazed tealana, giving her a warm smile and replied. "Sure Tea, can't see why not. I'll be over with Mikey, ok." Leo told Neesa as he kissed her forehead.
"Ok...I'll be waiting right here when you are finished." Neesa answered as she closed her eyes and received the forehead kiss and returned the warm smile as he walked away and joined with his orange clad terrapin brother that was discussing and requesting an important favour.
"Ok tea'a...what's up? Everything ok?" Neesa worriedly asked
"Everything is fine...I need to ask you a huge favour, sis." Tealana answered
"Anything." Neesa calmly replied
Softly sighed. "My turn to walk down the aisle is coming soon and I would like if you...you be my made of Honour please." tealana requested
Neesa smiled and happily replied. "Of course...I would be honoured to be your made of honour, whether if you asked or not...regardless."
Tealana smiled and threw her arms around her sister without hesitation to show her appreciation and how happy she was to hear that Neesa would participate the role, made of honour once more. The orange clad terrapin was ecstatic when professor Honeycutt agreed to be the wedding celebrant when his summer wedding arrived.
"Thankyou professor Honeycutt." Mikey happily exclaimed
Leo was happy for his baby brother to take the next step and marrying his beautiful lover. Gazing over to Neesa and watched her, enjoy the girlie time together with the other females in the clan. "Hey Mikey...let's the girls and ask them to dance..hmm?" Leo suggested
Mikey nodded and quickly handshake professor honeycutt's cyborgnetic hand as he ran to tealana's fast as he could when Leo thanked the fugitoid once more then followed after Mikey. "Thankyou professor, this means alot to him." Leo said, thanking the Cyborg.
"It is an honour, Leonardo." he proudly replied
April walked over to find out about the excitement. "Wow...tealana I think you may had too much champagne for one day." April teasingly assured
"Nah ah...I'm very very happy that Neesa has agreed to be my made of honour in the summer." Tealana replied, happily
"That's wonderful wow...so how does it feel to be a made of honour for the second time but for your sister?" April replied curiously
"Terrific...thanks April." Neesa answered with pride
Both Leo and Mikey returned the sister's sides and requested for one last dance before retiring for the night. "Tea...hmm...wanna dance?" he asked, nuzzling his beak into her neck and draped his terrapin muscular arms around her waist.
"Yes please..Mikey." tealana whispery replied
Leo grasped Neesa's hand gently as they both watched their sibling returned to their dance then gazed into each others eyes, smiling. "Would you like to continue our dance, Neesa?" Leo asked
"I would love to, Leo." neesa answered, smiling and begun their concluded dance.
Neesa draped her arms around Leo's neck and leaned her head against Leo's collarbone and neck as she closed her eyes, happily enjoyed the dance with the man...well terrapin she has fallen head over heels for. The newlyweds, the soon-to-be married couple and the Jones happily watched Leo and Neesa dance together as they must wait for the star crossed lovers to admit their feelings.
Casey walked to April with a huge grin, silently offering his hand as April immediately accepted also danced while Leather and Angel were last to dance. Watching from the living room window, Elissia. Don was feeling left out of the coupling dance, he went inside and took no noticed that elissia was standing by the window watching everyone dancing and embracing eachother. Wanting to comfort her but he felt embarrassed, leaving the ebony haired beauty. Disappearing and buried in his work, mellowing in his shame.
...
To be continued in chapter ten...
The star crossed lovers finally come together but not completely yet...the question is when? Will they admit their feelings for one and another?
When they do...what will happen after they do?
Will neesa open her heart to Leonardo and let him in?
Will Leonardo let happiness finally come into his life or keep blaming himself for something he never had no control? Especially it was never his fault to begin with when he was betrayed by his younger brother and the one he loved which he believed he lost.
What and how will he feel or think if he knew the truth from the past that has been buried.
Read and review until next time...tootles happy reading