Hanami – Chapter 26
Master Splinter had gathered three of his sons to him. "While Michelangelo and Cabbage prepare our evening meal, I feel that I should discuss some things with you." He paused, making sure he had their entire attention. "I already know Michelangelo's opinion in this matter; he gave it before I even asked."
"Dr. Perry sent these girls to us with the intention that I should adopt them. Turtles though they may be, you are my pupils and my sons. My home is also your own, and I am reluctant to open it to them without first knowing how you feel."
He held a restraining hand in the air. "Wait before you speak, Cabbage shared more of her story with Michelangelo and myself, but we still do not know how her sister came to be pregnant or why they were sent to us as they were."
Raphael caught his sensei's gaze. "I think I can explain that one."
Pipes and Sterling watched Shima's sleeping form. "She's really lost weight."
Pipes nodded.
+"I don't think I've ever seen her sleep for so long."+
"Cabbage would have told us if anything was really wrong with her." Pipes could read the question in her sister's statement.
+"I don't think Cabbage knows—"+
"I don't know what?" Cabbage brought over some glasses of water. Her apron was gone. "Mike's a one-turtle-show in there." She grinned, "After the salad was done, I was just in the way." She took a long pull from her glass, "So what don't I know?"
+"Well, earlier today I saw Leonardo digging under a tree in the front yard…"+
Mikey bustled around the kitchen. 'She wasn't just cute; she was absolutely incredible!' Check on the roasting garlic. Stir the sauce. Turn the meatballs. 'She knew the words to 'Punk Rock Girl' by the Dead Milkmen.' Slice the baguettes long ways. Mix a salad dressing. 'She could dance.' Pull out plates. Pull out silverware. Put the pasta on to boil. Mikey sang quietly to himself, "…Just you an' me/ Eating fudge banana swirl/ Just you an' me/ We'll travel 'round the worl'/ Just you an' me Punk Rock Girl…"
Leonardo, Donatello, and Splinter had said nothing throughout Raphael's recital. Leonardo surprised everyone when he was the first to break the silence. "Raphael, you were right. Perry is a dead man."
"Leo, he did get them out of there." Raph felt the words slide out of his mouth before he could stop himself. He'd spent so many years arguing with his brother that it was reflex now. "He kept 'em safe for years -- until he disappeared for two weeks."
Donatello spoke their thought aloud. "The two weeks when he met us, and went into hiding from the foot clan."
"Nothing is ever simple, my sons. Though regardless of his motives, I would like to believe that Prof. Perry acted as best he could."
"But sensei—" Leonardo was arguing with Splinter. Donatello held his breath and waited for the world to end. Raphael just sat back and stared. "Why didn't he just TELL us about them. We'd broken into to the TGRI building once already. We could have easily freed them."
"Leo, he didn't know we'd ever breached TGRI security. Not unless you bothered to tell him." Don knew he shouldn't jump into this conversation, but he needed to speak up for the Professor. Dr. Perry had treated him as an intellectual equal, and while it did not give the human carte blanche to force abortions, it did entitle him to some token amount of friendship at least.
"I do not know his motives, Leonardo." The aged rat offered no other explanations or excuses for the human's behavior. With his sons' silence, he approached a new question. "Once more I ask you, would you have them in our home?"
When the brothers descended from Splinter's upstairs room, they found the kitchen empty and Pipes sitting on a cushion in the living room, cradling Shima's head on her lap. +"The others are outside at the grave."+ Splinter nodded as he followed Donatello and Leonardo out the door.
Raphael hesitated in the doorway, "You comin', Pipes?"
+"No, I'll stay with her. I've paid my respects already."+
A very subdued group of turtles filed into the house from the cold February dark. "I'll start up another fire." Leonardo was already laying a good base in the fireplace. It was only then that he heard a croaking, coughing noise behind him.
+"Sisters! Shhh! Hush, now! Cabbage! Sterling! Come quick!"+
Shima's eyes had opened.