CHAPTER ONE
TWO DAYS LATER…
Megan Rainer got off her bike and chained it up at the post before heading for the sliding doors of Splintronics.
She showed the security man her identification but he waved her on without even looking at it-because he knew her by name.
Megan walked down the hall towards Uncle Donatello's office.
She came here everyday after school to help her Uncle-she was her unofficial assistant, even though he already had one. Megan loved science and took a particular liking to marine biology. She knew if did some work experience, it would help her get into university.
Her father did not understand her interest in science because he had no interest in it whatsoever-never did when he was younger either. He always got frustrated when she started to talk like her Uncle too.
" Hi Uncle Don," Megan greeted the brainy turtle who was hard at work on his computer. He was staring so intently at the screen, he did not even notice her at first, until she tapped him on the shoulder.
Don jumped, " Oh, hi Megan. You're right on time," he waved a hand at the seat next to him, " Sit down."
" Don't I even get a 'how are you'?" she asked him.
" I was going to get to that…how are you?"
" I'm fine but things at home have been…weird." She told him.
" Weird? In what way?" he replied. That was another thing why she and Uncle Donatello was so close, he was sensitive and a great listener. When he wasn't working, he was always eager to listen and give advice. Something her father almost never seems to do. Raph does not have the patience to sit still for long.
" It's like Mom and Dad have this secret they don't want to share. They are whispering about something, but clam up when I walk into the room. I'm starting to think it's about me."
" Well, why don't you confront them about it? If it's about you, then you have every right to know." Don pointed out.
" That's true," Megan agreed, tugging at a golden curl, " I might just do that. Thanks."
" No problem. I'm always here if you want to talk." Donatello smiled at his favourite niece. She looked so much like her mother with the short, curly gold hair and big blue eyes.
" But you really should find some work experience in a science lab that deals with Marine Science, that's your keen interest isn't it?" Don asked her, " My firm only deals with electronics-at the moment anyway."
" I know that," Megan smiled at him, " I like the time we spend together. I rarely see Uncle Mike because he lives out of the city, Uncle Leo is a workaholic these days and Dad…doesn't really understand me." Megan paused, " I feel as though you are the only one in the family who understands me."
" Raphael never has been interested in science," Don mused, " although that's no excuse…he should try and find the time to get to know you, after all, you are his only child."
Megan sighed; " Sometimes I wish…" she trailed off.
" You wish what?" Don asked, his attention now back to his computer.
" Nothing, it doesn't matter." Megan said, so instead she finished her sentence silently:
Sometimes I wish I was your daughter…
" We really should tell her," Raphael argued with Renee. It was later that afternoon, he, and Renee were both home from work. Megan wasn't home yet; Raph knew she would be at Don's lab.
" Not yet, not until I do the cat scan and biopsy," Renee objected.
Raph nodded and left the kitchen. Renee sighed, she and Raph were not that different from each other, both had bad tempers, were stubborn and yet after eighteen years they were still very much in love. They had a child and raised her together, they made the marriage work, but it had not been easy.
" If was meant to be, it was meant to be." Renee thought. She remembered when her family first met Raphael at a dinner party. Her mother had been mortified to learn her daughter wanted to marry a mutant, a 'freak of nature' (as she called him). It took awhile, but she eventually gave them her blessing and they wed.
Her father was a different story. He never accepted Raphael as a son-in-law and was anti-mutant. He was often found in rallies protesting about letting mutants live among human society. The protestors thought it should have been made illegal and all mutants to be banished.
He still rallied occasionally and because of his prejudices, he and Renee were estranged. He wasn't around to see his only granddaughter arrive into the world.
A heartless bastard, that's what he is. Renee thought.
One Week Later…
Renee rubbed her forehead, she felt another headache coming on.
She had gone to the hospital for her cat scan and two days later her Biopsy. She had not told Megan about it, why worry the child? Especially if the brain tumour turns out to be something minor.
A few minutes later the phone rang and she answered it.
" Renee? It's Dr. Richardson,"
" Hello doctor, how are you?"
" Just fine thanks. I have the results of the cat scan and Biopsy with me."
Renee slumped down at the kitchen table, " Just give to me straight doctor."
" I'm afraid its not good news. You have an advanced brain tumour."
Renee let out the breath she had been holding. Her worst fears had been confirmed. The room spun dizzily around her but she took a deep breath.
" How advanced is it? I thought you said we might have caught it early."
" I'm afraid that's not the case. It's too advanced to be operated on."
Renee gripped the edge of the table, feeling faint, " You mean to say…"
" It's incurable. There is nothing that can be done. I am truly sorry."
The phone slipped out of her hands and the room suddenly went dark.
TWO DAYS LATER…
Megan Rainer got off her bike and chained it up at the post before heading for the sliding doors of Splintronics.
She showed the security man her identification but he waved her on without even looking at it-because he knew her by name.
Megan walked down the hall towards Uncle Donatello's office.
She came here everyday after school to help her Uncle-she was her unofficial assistant, even though he already had one. Megan loved science and took a particular liking to marine biology. She knew if did some work experience, it would help her get into university.
Her father did not understand her interest in science because he had no interest in it whatsoever-never did when he was younger either. He always got frustrated when she started to talk like her Uncle too.
" Hi Uncle Don," Megan greeted the brainy turtle who was hard at work on his computer. He was staring so intently at the screen, he did not even notice her at first, until she tapped him on the shoulder.
Don jumped, " Oh, hi Megan. You're right on time," he waved a hand at the seat next to him, " Sit down."
" Don't I even get a 'how are you'?" she asked him.
" I was going to get to that…how are you?"
" I'm fine but things at home have been…weird." She told him.
" Weird? In what way?" he replied. That was another thing why she and Uncle Donatello was so close, he was sensitive and a great listener. When he wasn't working, he was always eager to listen and give advice. Something her father almost never seems to do. Raph does not have the patience to sit still for long.
" It's like Mom and Dad have this secret they don't want to share. They are whispering about something, but clam up when I walk into the room. I'm starting to think it's about me."
" Well, why don't you confront them about it? If it's about you, then you have every right to know." Don pointed out.
" That's true," Megan agreed, tugging at a golden curl, " I might just do that. Thanks."
" No problem. I'm always here if you want to talk." Donatello smiled at his favourite niece. She looked so much like her mother with the short, curly gold hair and big blue eyes.
" But you really should find some work experience in a science lab that deals with Marine Science, that's your keen interest isn't it?" Don asked her, " My firm only deals with electronics-at the moment anyway."
" I know that," Megan smiled at him, " I like the time we spend together. I rarely see Uncle Mike because he lives out of the city, Uncle Leo is a workaholic these days and Dad…doesn't really understand me." Megan paused, " I feel as though you are the only one in the family who understands me."
" Raphael never has been interested in science," Don mused, " although that's no excuse…he should try and find the time to get to know you, after all, you are his only child."
Megan sighed; " Sometimes I wish…" she trailed off.
" You wish what?" Don asked, his attention now back to his computer.
" Nothing, it doesn't matter." Megan said, so instead she finished her sentence silently:
Sometimes I wish I was your daughter…
" We really should tell her," Raphael argued with Renee. It was later that afternoon, he, and Renee were both home from work. Megan wasn't home yet; Raph knew she would be at Don's lab.
" Not yet, not until I do the cat scan and biopsy," Renee objected.
Raph nodded and left the kitchen. Renee sighed, she and Raph were not that different from each other, both had bad tempers, were stubborn and yet after eighteen years they were still very much in love. They had a child and raised her together, they made the marriage work, but it had not been easy.
" If was meant to be, it was meant to be." Renee thought. She remembered when her family first met Raphael at a dinner party. Her mother had been mortified to learn her daughter wanted to marry a mutant, a 'freak of nature' (as she called him). It took awhile, but she eventually gave them her blessing and they wed.
Her father was a different story. He never accepted Raphael as a son-in-law and was anti-mutant. He was often found in rallies protesting about letting mutants live among human society. The protestors thought it should have been made illegal and all mutants to be banished.
He still rallied occasionally and because of his prejudices, he and Renee were estranged. He wasn't around to see his only granddaughter arrive into the world.
A heartless bastard, that's what he is. Renee thought.
One Week Later…
Renee rubbed her forehead, she felt another headache coming on.
She had gone to the hospital for her cat scan and two days later her Biopsy. She had not told Megan about it, why worry the child? Especially if the brain tumour turns out to be something minor.
A few minutes later the phone rang and she answered it.
" Renee? It's Dr. Richardson,"
" Hello doctor, how are you?"
" Just fine thanks. I have the results of the cat scan and Biopsy with me."
Renee slumped down at the kitchen table, " Just give to me straight doctor."
" I'm afraid its not good news. You have an advanced brain tumour."
Renee let out the breath she had been holding. Her worst fears had been confirmed. The room spun dizzily around her but she took a deep breath.
" How advanced is it? I thought you said we might have caught it early."
" I'm afraid that's not the case. It's too advanced to be operated on."
Renee gripped the edge of the table, feeling faint, " You mean to say…"
" It's incurable. There is nothing that can be done. I am truly sorry."
The phone slipped out of her hands and the room suddenly went dark.