CHAPTER ONE
Upper West Side
Manhattan
Zachary took in the day's mail into the kitchen. He sorted them out in piles: bills for his parents, personal letters for himself and a couple for Tim.
He sat down at the table and began opening his mail. He heard someone enter the kitchen, but he was to engrossed in the letter to even look up.
" Hi there son," it was his father. Zach glanced up briefly to smile hello. Leonardo looked hot and sweaty, probably just finished exercising at the gym. Even at 41, Leo was extremely fit, was able to keep most of his bulging muscles from his teen years. He still wore the blue bandanna and used his ancient katanas while practising. The only differences was now, he was getting crows feet at the corner of his dark eyes and his forehead creased with worry lines.
" Only bills," Leo said with a sigh as he rifled through his own mail.
" Even Tim got mail." Zach pointed out with a smile.
" Hmmm…its from the school." Leo picked up one envelope, " I hope its not bad news."
" It might be about the upcoming graduation," Zachary suggested lamely.
Leo made a face, " Whenever we get something from the school, its always bad news." He pulled a bottle of water from the fridge, " I'll be in the bedroom if you want me for anything."
" What time is Mom coming home?" Zach wanted to know.
" She has another late shift at the hospital, so I suspect around eleven or midnight. She told me to order takeaway for you boys."
" Takeaway is not healthy." Zach reminded his dad. Like his dad, Zach was a fitness and health food 'freak' (as Tim called them).
" I know. I'll knock up some good old stir fry later." Leo ruffled his son's jet-black hair-the same colour as Leah's.
Leo went upstairs to his bedroom. He took his time going up the stairs so he could look around. He, Leah and his two sons lived in a modest, two-storey home filled with antique furniture (Leah loved that kind of stuff) and state of the art electronics-thanks to Leo's millionaire brother Donatello. Donny has his own brand of electronic products-mini disc players, hi-fi systems, and the works. Don owned his own company called Splintronics, named after their father Splinter, who died when they were in their thirties. Don had shared his millions with his family so that they could live without having to worry about money.
Despite Don's generosity, Leo still preferred to work for his money. He was a gym instructor at their local gym and strived to be owner one day. Leah was a nurse at New York General Hospital and often did late shifts. She never worked in the weekends; she preferred to spend them with her family.
Leo went into the bedroom and picked up the framed photo of his family. There was Leah, looking gorgeous as always with her long black hair and sparkling green eyes. Standing beside her was Leo. Sitting in front of them was twenty-year-old Zach, looking the very image of his mother. Sitting beside him was sixteen year old Tim-who had also inherited their mother's looks.
Looking at their smiling faces, you would think they were the perfect family. However, they were not. Tim was forever getting into trouble and Leo was almost at his wit's end. Thank goodness, for exercising-it set his mind straight.
Leo went into the on-suite bathroom to have a shower. He let the hot water flow over his aching body as he closed his eyes…
Leo sat at the kitchen table, holding a sheet of paper in his hand. His other hand was clenched in a tight fist and it was lucky he alone now. He was angry-so angry he could have hit someone.
He took several deep breaths and it calmed him somewhat. He stood up and went to make himself some green tea. It always relaxed him.
As he filled the teapot with water, he smiled grimly to himself. Splinter had loved green tea-and sushi. It had been years since Splinter died, but Leo still missed him. He poured himself a mug of tea and sat down at the table again. His anger was melting, he felt calmer.
The door opened and in walked Timothy, looking as angry as Leo had felt. He slammed the door shut and threw his backpack down on the floor.
" Pick that up!" Leo commanded him. Tim ignored his father and rummaged through the refrigerator.
" Nothing but health shit. Don't we ever have any good stuff around here?" Tim complained but pulled out a can of Diet Coke.
" I don't like the language you are using," Leo told his son, " Pick your bag up. We have something to discuss."
Tim sighed loudly and snatched his bag and placed it on the chair next to Leo,
" Whatever it is, can't it wait?"
" No it can't. What did you do to get yourself suspended?"
Tim glanced his father; " it wasn't fair," he said, " Kicking me out of school."
" What did you do?" Leo asked again.
Tim kicked at the table, " They caught me smoking in the boy's bathroom." He mumbled his eyes downcast.
" Smoking!" Leo bellowed, making Tim jump, " Since when did you smoke?" Don't you know that smoking is bad for you?"
" Its done nothing to me so far," Tim pointed out.
" That is not the point." Leo sighed heavily, " Your mother will be devastated. I have to think about what kind of punishment you will have. O to your room and stay there til I come get you."
Tim glanced at his father. His father was angry-real angry. He knew it had been risky, but his friends pressured him to do it. He grabbed his backpack and trudged out of the kitchen and upstairs.
Leo sighed again. Suspended! Caught while smoking! Where did he get the smokes anyway? Moreover, how did he get them? He was only sixteen.
And I thought I was a good father. Leo thought closing his eyes. Somewhere along the line, I lost Tim. How do I get him back?
The water had gotten cold. Leo climbed out of the shower and wrapped a fluffy red towel around his ample waist. He shuffled back into the bedroom and sat down on the bed.
Tim was suspended a year ago for three weeks. The school had not liked it when Tim returned but they had no choice.
Let's hope Tim can through the last two months trouble-free. Leo hoped.
Upper West Side
Manhattan
Zachary took in the day's mail into the kitchen. He sorted them out in piles: bills for his parents, personal letters for himself and a couple for Tim.
He sat down at the table and began opening his mail. He heard someone enter the kitchen, but he was to engrossed in the letter to even look up.
" Hi there son," it was his father. Zach glanced up briefly to smile hello. Leonardo looked hot and sweaty, probably just finished exercising at the gym. Even at 41, Leo was extremely fit, was able to keep most of his bulging muscles from his teen years. He still wore the blue bandanna and used his ancient katanas while practising. The only differences was now, he was getting crows feet at the corner of his dark eyes and his forehead creased with worry lines.
" Only bills," Leo said with a sigh as he rifled through his own mail.
" Even Tim got mail." Zach pointed out with a smile.
" Hmmm…its from the school." Leo picked up one envelope, " I hope its not bad news."
" It might be about the upcoming graduation," Zachary suggested lamely.
Leo made a face, " Whenever we get something from the school, its always bad news." He pulled a bottle of water from the fridge, " I'll be in the bedroom if you want me for anything."
" What time is Mom coming home?" Zach wanted to know.
" She has another late shift at the hospital, so I suspect around eleven or midnight. She told me to order takeaway for you boys."
" Takeaway is not healthy." Zach reminded his dad. Like his dad, Zach was a fitness and health food 'freak' (as Tim called them).
" I know. I'll knock up some good old stir fry later." Leo ruffled his son's jet-black hair-the same colour as Leah's.
Leo went upstairs to his bedroom. He took his time going up the stairs so he could look around. He, Leah and his two sons lived in a modest, two-storey home filled with antique furniture (Leah loved that kind of stuff) and state of the art electronics-thanks to Leo's millionaire brother Donatello. Donny has his own brand of electronic products-mini disc players, hi-fi systems, and the works. Don owned his own company called Splintronics, named after their father Splinter, who died when they were in their thirties. Don had shared his millions with his family so that they could live without having to worry about money.
Despite Don's generosity, Leo still preferred to work for his money. He was a gym instructor at their local gym and strived to be owner one day. Leah was a nurse at New York General Hospital and often did late shifts. She never worked in the weekends; she preferred to spend them with her family.
Leo went into the bedroom and picked up the framed photo of his family. There was Leah, looking gorgeous as always with her long black hair and sparkling green eyes. Standing beside her was Leo. Sitting in front of them was twenty-year-old Zach, looking the very image of his mother. Sitting beside him was sixteen year old Tim-who had also inherited their mother's looks.
Looking at their smiling faces, you would think they were the perfect family. However, they were not. Tim was forever getting into trouble and Leo was almost at his wit's end. Thank goodness, for exercising-it set his mind straight.
Leo went into the on-suite bathroom to have a shower. He let the hot water flow over his aching body as he closed his eyes…
Leo sat at the kitchen table, holding a sheet of paper in his hand. His other hand was clenched in a tight fist and it was lucky he alone now. He was angry-so angry he could have hit someone.
He took several deep breaths and it calmed him somewhat. He stood up and went to make himself some green tea. It always relaxed him.
As he filled the teapot with water, he smiled grimly to himself. Splinter had loved green tea-and sushi. It had been years since Splinter died, but Leo still missed him. He poured himself a mug of tea and sat down at the table again. His anger was melting, he felt calmer.
The door opened and in walked Timothy, looking as angry as Leo had felt. He slammed the door shut and threw his backpack down on the floor.
" Pick that up!" Leo commanded him. Tim ignored his father and rummaged through the refrigerator.
" Nothing but health shit. Don't we ever have any good stuff around here?" Tim complained but pulled out a can of Diet Coke.
" I don't like the language you are using," Leo told his son, " Pick your bag up. We have something to discuss."
Tim sighed loudly and snatched his bag and placed it on the chair next to Leo,
" Whatever it is, can't it wait?"
" No it can't. What did you do to get yourself suspended?"
Tim glanced his father; " it wasn't fair," he said, " Kicking me out of school."
" What did you do?" Leo asked again.
Tim kicked at the table, " They caught me smoking in the boy's bathroom." He mumbled his eyes downcast.
" Smoking!" Leo bellowed, making Tim jump, " Since when did you smoke?" Don't you know that smoking is bad for you?"
" Its done nothing to me so far," Tim pointed out.
" That is not the point." Leo sighed heavily, " Your mother will be devastated. I have to think about what kind of punishment you will have. O to your room and stay there til I come get you."
Tim glanced at his father. His father was angry-real angry. He knew it had been risky, but his friends pressured him to do it. He grabbed his backpack and trudged out of the kitchen and upstairs.
Leo sighed again. Suspended! Caught while smoking! Where did he get the smokes anyway? Moreover, how did he get them? He was only sixteen.
And I thought I was a good father. Leo thought closing his eyes. Somewhere along the line, I lost Tim. How do I get him back?
The water had gotten cold. Leo climbed out of the shower and wrapped a fluffy red towel around his ample waist. He shuffled back into the bedroom and sat down on the bed.
Tim was suspended a year ago for three weeks. The school had not liked it when Tim returned but they had no choice.
Let's hope Tim can through the last two months trouble-free. Leo hoped.