A Christmas To Remember
Chapter 12: Letters and . . . Tears?
Tailor and April entered the apartment and dumped down their shopping. They quickly freshened themselves up and got ready to go and see the guys.
"Oh, I forgot Tailor", April said when they were about to leave, "a letter came from your father, here", she handed her niece the brown envelope.
"Thanks April, I'll read it later", Tailor put the letter in her pocket and zipped her jacket up tighter, "let's go".
//
When they arrived at the turtle's lair their faces were still red with anger at what Chief Sternum had said, Donnie and Mikey noticed this and they all asked them what was wrong.
"Chief Sternum", April mumbled.
"Scott", Tailor said, hands in her jacket pocket, so the guys couldn't see her clench her fist. She was mad at herself for getting so angry with him so she put her head down.
"Hey, don't worry", Donnie got up and put a hand around Tailor's shoulder, he saw the hurt in her face and gave her a smile, "they're all a bunch of jerks".
Tailor looked across at April. She was being entertained by Mikey and it seemed to cheer her up. She turned her gaze back to Donnie and gave him a small, but noticeable, smile.
"Where's Raph and Leo . . .", Tailor glanced around the room, ". . . And Splinter?"
Donnie led her over to the sofa and sat down next to her. "Well, Leo and Splinter are meditating - they said they'd be out in half an hour - and I think Raph's in the kitchen".
"Can I go say 'hi' to him?"
Donnie shrugged and smiled. "Wouldn't hurt him".
Tailor smiled and got up and patted his knee. "Ok, thanks, be right back".
"I'm timing you!" Donnie called after her.
//
"Hey Raph!" Tailor smiled at him. Raph was sitting at the table, lost in thought she guessed, because he jumped when she greeted him.
"You made me jump!"
Tailor shrugged. "Sorry, I'll know better next time. I would have thought you'd be in bed!"
"I wasn't tired", Raph said, staring at the table.
"Me either", Tailor grabbed a chair and sat opposite him, "So, what's up? Oh, and, thanks for listening to me this morning, I appreciated it".
"No problem. What's that?" He nodded to the brown piece of paper sticking out of her pocket.
"Hmm?" Tailor glanced at her pocket and took out the brown envelope. "Oh, it's a letter from my dad".
"What about?"
"Dunno, haven't read it", Tailor ripped open the top of the envelope and instantly pulled something out; she smiled at the item in her hand and held it up to Raph.
Raph took the piece of paper off her. A handsome man stood smiling back at him. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a white, sleeveless t-shirt. He was leaning on, what looked like, a dresser. He had brown - gold hair and nice, tanned skin. He brown eyes showed happiness. His dimples showed and Raph guessed that's where Tailor inherited hers. He handed the picture back to her and nodded. "You look like him".
Tailor put the picture on the table and sighed. "Yeah, everyone says that, but not his eyes. My eyes I got from my mum".
"And your blonde hair?" Raph asked.
Tailor smiled. "Only the best"
Raph gave a small smile and watched her pull out another piece of folded up paper. She opened it and Raph was surprised she read it out loud.
"Dear Tailor,
How are you? I'm thinking of you and I hope you're having a great Christmas, Tai. It's great here and don't worry! . . . The adoptive elephant is fine. I know you're thinking about stopping at April's for a while longer and it's totally up to you . . .
Raph rested his cheek in his hand and she carried on.
. . . But remember I still miss you. Tell that boy Elliot to take good care of you and that he's welcome to India at anytime . . .
Raph watched a smile play across Tailor's lips. Guess her dad likes that Elliot, he thought.
. . . You know that if you ever want to contact me you can ring me. I just thought a letter would be more appropriate. I'm very proud of you Tailor. You've grown up into a beautiful and responsible girl. Your mother would be proud. Merry Christmas.
All my love,
Papa xxx"
Raph looked up at Tailor and was surprised that her eyes were watery and her face looked red.
"You ok?" He asked.
Tailor put the picture in front of her and rested her cheeks in her hands. "Fine", she said, but her voice came out in a whisper. She gazed at the picture of her dad and smiled. It was a small, but emotional, smile.
"Sure?"
She nodded at Raph. "My mum was beautiful", she said, wanting to talk to someone, "she had long, blonde hair, not as long as mine, but she was still beautiful, she was like a queen, my dad treated her with so much love".
Raph nodded. "So what's wrong?"
Tailor sighed. "He misses her. He won't show it but he misses her. He hasn't got anyone else to love him, except April and me. I just hope it doesn't end like that".
"So what do you want?"
Tailor looked at him and beyond. It seemed to Raph that she looked right through him. Knew what he was thinking and what he felt.
"I want my dad to find happiness. I want to be happy. I am happy, but not enough. The only people that made me feel happy are my Dad. Elliot. You. Your brothers. Splinter. April . . . And my friends".
"Sorry".
"For what?" Tailor asked.
Raph noticed that her eyes didn't seem to go through him anymore. They seem to look at him instead of his mind.
"That you're not 100% happy", he answered.
Tailor smiled. "I'm 99% happy" she joked.
"But it's not enough, is it?" Raph surprised himself for saying that.
Tailor looked at him and thoughts went through her head. What was that supposed to mean? Did he see through her? Did he prefer to see her 100% happy? She shook her head and gave him a smile.
"It's enough", she grabbed the picture and letter off the table and put it back in her pocket. She got up and chucked the envelope in the bin. "Shall we go back in there?" She made a gesture with her hand, pointing to the main area.
Raph nodded. "Sure". He followed her into the living room and got an echo of 'hi's' from April and his brothers. But also loads of questions from Mikey.
"Where have you been?"
"Did he hurt you, Tailor?"
"Shall I hit him for you?"
"Want me to call the police?"
"The pizza police?"
"Did he torture you?"
"He's annoying, don't you think?"
Raph had to wind him to shut him up. But he only punched his brother lightly in the stomach.
Donnie was trying not to laugh and kept his mind shut. Mikey sat next to him, clutching his stomach, making it impossible not to laugh.
Tailor smiled and sat down on the other side of Donnie. April was sitting in Splinter's chair and Raph sat on the arm of it.
April smiled and leaned over to Raph. "She was slightly upset wasn't she? After she read that letter?"
"Yeah", Raph answered, confused, "how did you know that?"
"I know my niece, she always turns to trust worthy people when she's upset, and she has your trust by now", April stopped whispering to them and turn to Tailor, Donnie and Mikey, who were taking it in turns with thumb-war.
"One, two, three, four,
I declare a thumb-war".
Donnie and Tailor linked hands and Donnie pinned her thumb down.
He gave her a successful, but cute smile.
"One, two, three, four,
I won the thumb-war".
"Cheat", Tailor mumbled and sat back.
Raph looked at her and sighed. He watched Mikey and Donnie have a thumb-war but kept a few glances on Tailor. Why did he say she wasn't happy enough? It wasn't anything to do with him. Raph knew that April saw how much he and Tailor had in common and he also knew that Splinter saw it as well. Maybe Leo did. But he wasn't so sure about Donnie and Mikey.
//
(Ok, finished. Thanks again for ALL the reviews! Sorry if there's any mistakes! Love ya all! xXx! Next chapter is the party . . . some action gonna happen . . . * innocent face * . . . did I say that out loud? Oh well, enjoy, more to come! Personal thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed my story! - Thanks Daydream - merry Christmas to you too! And everyone else - have a great one!)
Chapter 12: Letters and . . . Tears?
Tailor and April entered the apartment and dumped down their shopping. They quickly freshened themselves up and got ready to go and see the guys.
"Oh, I forgot Tailor", April said when they were about to leave, "a letter came from your father, here", she handed her niece the brown envelope.
"Thanks April, I'll read it later", Tailor put the letter in her pocket and zipped her jacket up tighter, "let's go".
//
When they arrived at the turtle's lair their faces were still red with anger at what Chief Sternum had said, Donnie and Mikey noticed this and they all asked them what was wrong.
"Chief Sternum", April mumbled.
"Scott", Tailor said, hands in her jacket pocket, so the guys couldn't see her clench her fist. She was mad at herself for getting so angry with him so she put her head down.
"Hey, don't worry", Donnie got up and put a hand around Tailor's shoulder, he saw the hurt in her face and gave her a smile, "they're all a bunch of jerks".
Tailor looked across at April. She was being entertained by Mikey and it seemed to cheer her up. She turned her gaze back to Donnie and gave him a small, but noticeable, smile.
"Where's Raph and Leo . . .", Tailor glanced around the room, ". . . And Splinter?"
Donnie led her over to the sofa and sat down next to her. "Well, Leo and Splinter are meditating - they said they'd be out in half an hour - and I think Raph's in the kitchen".
"Can I go say 'hi' to him?"
Donnie shrugged and smiled. "Wouldn't hurt him".
Tailor smiled and got up and patted his knee. "Ok, thanks, be right back".
"I'm timing you!" Donnie called after her.
//
"Hey Raph!" Tailor smiled at him. Raph was sitting at the table, lost in thought she guessed, because he jumped when she greeted him.
"You made me jump!"
Tailor shrugged. "Sorry, I'll know better next time. I would have thought you'd be in bed!"
"I wasn't tired", Raph said, staring at the table.
"Me either", Tailor grabbed a chair and sat opposite him, "So, what's up? Oh, and, thanks for listening to me this morning, I appreciated it".
"No problem. What's that?" He nodded to the brown piece of paper sticking out of her pocket.
"Hmm?" Tailor glanced at her pocket and took out the brown envelope. "Oh, it's a letter from my dad".
"What about?"
"Dunno, haven't read it", Tailor ripped open the top of the envelope and instantly pulled something out; she smiled at the item in her hand and held it up to Raph.
Raph took the piece of paper off her. A handsome man stood smiling back at him. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a white, sleeveless t-shirt. He was leaning on, what looked like, a dresser. He had brown - gold hair and nice, tanned skin. He brown eyes showed happiness. His dimples showed and Raph guessed that's where Tailor inherited hers. He handed the picture back to her and nodded. "You look like him".
Tailor put the picture on the table and sighed. "Yeah, everyone says that, but not his eyes. My eyes I got from my mum".
"And your blonde hair?" Raph asked.
Tailor smiled. "Only the best"
Raph gave a small smile and watched her pull out another piece of folded up paper. She opened it and Raph was surprised she read it out loud.
"Dear Tailor,
How are you? I'm thinking of you and I hope you're having a great Christmas, Tai. It's great here and don't worry! . . . The adoptive elephant is fine. I know you're thinking about stopping at April's for a while longer and it's totally up to you . . .
Raph rested his cheek in his hand and she carried on.
. . . But remember I still miss you. Tell that boy Elliot to take good care of you and that he's welcome to India at anytime . . .
Raph watched a smile play across Tailor's lips. Guess her dad likes that Elliot, he thought.
. . . You know that if you ever want to contact me you can ring me. I just thought a letter would be more appropriate. I'm very proud of you Tailor. You've grown up into a beautiful and responsible girl. Your mother would be proud. Merry Christmas.
All my love,
Papa xxx"
Raph looked up at Tailor and was surprised that her eyes were watery and her face looked red.
"You ok?" He asked.
Tailor put the picture in front of her and rested her cheeks in her hands. "Fine", she said, but her voice came out in a whisper. She gazed at the picture of her dad and smiled. It was a small, but emotional, smile.
"Sure?"
She nodded at Raph. "My mum was beautiful", she said, wanting to talk to someone, "she had long, blonde hair, not as long as mine, but she was still beautiful, she was like a queen, my dad treated her with so much love".
Raph nodded. "So what's wrong?"
Tailor sighed. "He misses her. He won't show it but he misses her. He hasn't got anyone else to love him, except April and me. I just hope it doesn't end like that".
"So what do you want?"
Tailor looked at him and beyond. It seemed to Raph that she looked right through him. Knew what he was thinking and what he felt.
"I want my dad to find happiness. I want to be happy. I am happy, but not enough. The only people that made me feel happy are my Dad. Elliot. You. Your brothers. Splinter. April . . . And my friends".
"Sorry".
"For what?" Tailor asked.
Raph noticed that her eyes didn't seem to go through him anymore. They seem to look at him instead of his mind.
"That you're not 100% happy", he answered.
Tailor smiled. "I'm 99% happy" she joked.
"But it's not enough, is it?" Raph surprised himself for saying that.
Tailor looked at him and thoughts went through her head. What was that supposed to mean? Did he see through her? Did he prefer to see her 100% happy? She shook her head and gave him a smile.
"It's enough", she grabbed the picture and letter off the table and put it back in her pocket. She got up and chucked the envelope in the bin. "Shall we go back in there?" She made a gesture with her hand, pointing to the main area.
Raph nodded. "Sure". He followed her into the living room and got an echo of 'hi's' from April and his brothers. But also loads of questions from Mikey.
"Where have you been?"
"Did he hurt you, Tailor?"
"Shall I hit him for you?"
"Want me to call the police?"
"The pizza police?"
"Did he torture you?"
"He's annoying, don't you think?"
Raph had to wind him to shut him up. But he only punched his brother lightly in the stomach.
Donnie was trying not to laugh and kept his mind shut. Mikey sat next to him, clutching his stomach, making it impossible not to laugh.
Tailor smiled and sat down on the other side of Donnie. April was sitting in Splinter's chair and Raph sat on the arm of it.
April smiled and leaned over to Raph. "She was slightly upset wasn't she? After she read that letter?"
"Yeah", Raph answered, confused, "how did you know that?"
"I know my niece, she always turns to trust worthy people when she's upset, and she has your trust by now", April stopped whispering to them and turn to Tailor, Donnie and Mikey, who were taking it in turns with thumb-war.
"One, two, three, four,
I declare a thumb-war".
Donnie and Tailor linked hands and Donnie pinned her thumb down.
He gave her a successful, but cute smile.
"One, two, three, four,
I won the thumb-war".
"Cheat", Tailor mumbled and sat back.
Raph looked at her and sighed. He watched Mikey and Donnie have a thumb-war but kept a few glances on Tailor. Why did he say she wasn't happy enough? It wasn't anything to do with him. Raph knew that April saw how much he and Tailor had in common and he also knew that Splinter saw it as well. Maybe Leo did. But he wasn't so sure about Donnie and Mikey.
//
(Ok, finished. Thanks again for ALL the reviews! Sorry if there's any mistakes! Love ya all! xXx! Next chapter is the party . . . some action gonna happen . . . * innocent face * . . . did I say that out loud? Oh well, enjoy, more to come! Personal thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed my story! - Thanks Daydream - merry Christmas to you too! And everyone else - have a great one!)