Thankful
Chapter XII: So Far Away
By: Michelle
July 22, 2001
Venus and Raphael sat quietly on the couch watching some TV.
"Raph." Venus nudged him. "I'm hungry. Can you make me a sandwich."
Raphael lightly sighed. "Sure." Then, he got up.
"Put ham and cheese and pickles and peanut butter and jelly." Venus hollered from her seat.
Venus placed a hand on her belly as she watched a commercial with a baby in it. "Hmm." She smiled.
She felt a small movement inside of her that caused her to jump. "Oooo" She giggled. The babies were kicking.
"Raphael, come quickly."
"What?" Raphael dashed in like a bat out of hell. "What's wrong?"
Venus smiled. "The babies are kicking. Come feel."
Raphael placed his hand on her belly. He sat there amazed as he felt the babies moving inside of Venus.
Venus began giggling.
"That's my ninjas in there." Raphael said excitedly.
"Yeah." Venus smiled and kissed him.
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Raphael held Venus' hand. It was hard to believe nine months had past so quickly.
Splinter wiped sweat from Venus' face. "How are you two holding up?"
"How can something so wonderful cause me so much pain?" Venus replied.
"I know." Raphael wined. "I think she broke my hand."
"What do you know about pain?" Venus snapped. "I'm doing all the work here."
"Hey." Raphael backed off. "I already did my job. It's your turn."
Venus squeezed his hand hard on purpose.
"Oww." Raphael examined his hand. Maybe it was best not to piss a pregnant woman off. He should have learned that by now though.
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August 1, 2001
Venus lay in her bed. "Are you alright Raphael?"
"I'm fine." Raphael made himself comfortable on his side of the bed.
"Are you sure?" Venus worried. "You have been acting quite unusual lately."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, for starters, we have spent a month here at the farmhouse. We have only returned home for my appointments."
Raphael sighed. "I thought you liked it here."
"I do." Venus started. "But I know you. You don't like to be stuck in the same place all the time. Let alone, be away from the streets of New York."
"So, maybe…maybe I grew up…and…and…decided to change."
Venus noticed the aggravated tone in Raphael's voice. He was hiding something, but she didn't know what it was.
August 3, 2001
Venus joined Raphael on the swing on the porch. "Raphael, I want to go home. I miss everyone."
Raphael made an excuse. "Well, I'll call them and they can visit."
"No, I want to be home." Venus watched Raphael turn away from her.
"We are home."
"No, we are not." Venus placed her hands on her active belly. "Don't you miss Splinter, and your brothers, and friends."
Raphael shook his head. "This is our home."
"I don't understand." Tears began to form in Venus' eyes. "Don't you want everyone to see our children grow up."
Raphael got up and leaned on a post. "Not in a sewer."
"What?" Venus wiped a tear away. "Is that what this is about?"
"Yes." Raphael turned to face her. "I don't want me children to grow up in a sewer."
"I don't want them to grow up without a family."
"They won't." Raphael said. "Everybody can visit."
"No, I don't want that."
"Look Venus. You don't know what it is like to grow up in a sewer. Living in filth. Barely surviving. Hiding from the outside world." Raphael's voice raised. "I DO. And, I'm not goin' to let my children to grow up the same way."
"Do you know what it is like to grow up without a family, Raph." Venus began crying. "All I had was Chung I. You don't know how lucky you were to have brothers and friends. I don't want my children to grow up away from that."
"Look, this conversation has ended." Raphael said sternly. "We are going to live her."
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Later that night…..
"Venus open the door." Raphael demanded
"No." Venus folded her arms.
"Come on Vee." Raphael was getting quite ticked by now and began trying to break the door down.
Venus walked over and opened the door.
"It's about time." Raphael snapped.
Venus threw his pillow and a bed sheet at him. "Good night." Then, she slammed the door in his face.