Chapter 32 - For This, We Give Thanks…
"Ba! Ba ba ba ba ba BOOM!"
Leo watched with an amused grin as Lindy got up again, preparing to re-do the cycle all over again.
She stood, the ran a few feet, and fell into her latest favorite toy: a pile of cushions on the floor. Simple, yet effective. Leo thought, watching her. For some reason, this was her favorite thing in the world for her at the moment. And it was pretty amusing for Leo, too.
Leo looked up and Lindy jumped as the door swung open, and a hurricane swept through. Technically, two hurricanes; code names Casey and Raphael.
"Only an hour 'til kickoff time!" Casey said, setting a few bags on the table in front of the TV.
"Gotta get ready then." Raph said, grabbing a couple more bags, and disappearing into the kitchen.
Leo looked at Casey wide-eyed for a moment. "How much did you guys…"
"Buy?" Raph finished for his brother, coming back into the living room, tossing a few bags of chips onto the couch. He flopped down next to Leo and opened a bag of chips. He looked over to Leo. "We only bought the essentials. Football food! Chips, beer… um, those cheese-crisp thingies that Mikey likes…"
Leo shook his head. "And we have to spread it all over the room, why?" He asked.
Raph looked around, and opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by a hoot from Casey.
"Football!" Casey jumped over the back of the couch, landing next to Raph and half-crushing a bag of the chips.
Leo looked at the clock. "I thought the game didn't start until after one…"
"Pre-game, dude." Casey said, taking a handful of pretzels and shoving them in his mouth.
"You gonna be in here the whole time?" Raph turned to Leo.
"Apparently not." Leo muttered, then stood, and picked up Lindy. "Though, I hope no one minds if I sneak in a bit later to check the scores?" He said sarcastically, but his words fell on ears deaf to anything but football stats at the moment. He sighed, walking out of the room.
"Wanna see what everyone else is up to?" He asked, and Lindy nodded furiously. They went into the kitchen. Mike and April were in there, cooking the food. Don sat at the table, watching them, and amused look on his face.
Leo sat down next to Don, and set Lindy down on the floor. "What's going on?"
Don waved his hand lightly. "Shh… just watch. Right now, April is trying to teach Mikey how to make that topping for the lemon meringue. This is his second try. They just got the first one cleaned up…"
Leo lifted his foot slowly. "I think I found a spot they missed…" He grimaced as his foot stuck to the floor.
"I could give you two something to do, you know."
Both jumped, and looked over to see that April was now staring at them, wield a stirring spoon covered with sticky meringue menacingly.
"Hey." Don held his hands up. "I was sitting here, being good, for a long time…"
April turned to Leo, still brandishing the spoon like a weapon. He simply pointed behind her and said, "Your pies."
She turned slowly, catching Mikey taking his finger out of the apple one that had been cooling on the counter.
"Mikey!" She shrieked.
"What?!" He said, knowing he was caught.
"You know full well what you did, Michaelangelo." She said lowly.
"Ooohh. Full name." Don said, smirking. "Mikey's in trouble…"
"I was just giving Lindy a taste." Mike explained half-heartedly, and April advanced on him. "She wanted one, didn't you, Linds?" Mike turned pleading eyes on the child. April turned and looked at her also. Lindy smiled.
April was silent for a moment, and then looked back to Mike. "Touch another pie, and you're eating the whole thing yourself."
Mike's face brightened at this remark, and it was all Don could do to hold in a laugh. Leo was having trouble controlling the smile threatening to overtake his face. April had meant that as a punishment, but trying to pull that on Mikey was kind of missing the point.
"If I touch the turkey," Mike began. "Can I have that all to myself, too?"
Don and Leo wisely chose that moment of distraction to sneak out of the kitchen. Once out in the hallway, their faces lit up with smiles.
"Remind me that April gets stressed around Thanksgiving." Leo said to Don as they began walking down the hallway.
"Thanksgiving?!" Don smiled. "Wait until Christmas!"
They both laughed as they walked. Leo paused by the living room door, but from the sounds of it the game had started, and Casey was already losing… Leo looked at Don, then shook his head slowly. Don nodded, and they continued walking.
*************
Raph growled softly as the team he'd been rooting for lost another down.
"What's the matter, Raphy-boy?" Casey jeered, leaning back into the couch. "Team having a bit of trouble?" He snickered.
"I'll tell ya what's gonna have some…" He began, then stopped as a great crash came from the kitchen. He jumped up, followed quickly by Casey, and ran into the kitchen.
When he got there, a white haze filled a corner of the room. Smoke. He thought immediately, and ran over to the corner. Then he stopped, wrinkling his nose. That didn't smell like smoke. As the haze cleared, he could see April leaning down over the counter. He immediately went to her side.
"April?" He asked, concerned. She looked up at him, and tears filled her eyes. She was laughing.
"I'm… ok…" She gasped out, then pointed over at the other corner of the room. Raph looked where she pointed and stopped.
Mikey stood, half of him covered in… flour, Raph figured out. He was muttering and trying to wipe it off.
Raph looked down then. Lindy looked up at him, her blue eyes a stark contrast to the white that covered her head and face.
He let out a chuckle. He tried to contain the smile that was creeping onto his face, but he couldn't. They both looked too funny…
A second later, Don and Leo appeared at the doorway. They pushed past Casey, who'd stopped in the middle of the room after seeing the scene, and ran up to them.
Don took one look at the mess and groaned, rolling his eyes. "Jeez…" He muttered under his breath.
Leo smiled and crossed his arms. "So, what happened here?"
April had finally caught her breath, and turned to the rest of them. "Mikey caught Lindy trying to pull the bag of flour off of the table, and tried to stop her…" She took a deep breath, trying not to laugh. "But he tripped over the pans she was playing with and dumped the whole thing all over themselves." She dissolved into giggles again.
Don shook his head, grinning. "Looks like bath time for you, baby…" He reached down to pick up Lindy, effectively covering himself in flour, also. "Though," He continued, grinning grimly and looking down at his now flour-colored plastron. "I should make your uncle Mikey do the honors…"
"Baff!" Lindy clapped her hands together, throwing flour everywhere. Mikey laughed, and Don threw him a look.
Leo sighed. "Mikey, go get cleaned up. I'll help April with the food while you do…"
"And if you don't hurry," Don began, looking over at Mikey. "I will…"
That was enough for Mikey to go flying from the room.
The others laughed, and Don left to go get both himself and Lindy cleaned up.
April looked around the room, then groaned. "Ooh, this place needs cleaned up badly. And those guys just escaped…"
*************
A few hours later, they all congregated in the dining room around the table, flour free and ready to eat.
They finally sat as Don and Raph finished setting the table with all the food they had prepared.
"Whoa." Michaelangelo's eyes widened at the array of food in front of them.
April looked around the table. All their eyes were fastened on the food on the table. She could practically see them salivating…
Raph licked his lips, and reached for a roll.
"Wait!" April exclaimed suddenly. "We can't eat yet."
"Why not?" Mike asked despairingly.
"We have to say what we're thankful for." April said. "That is what you're supposed to do on Thanksgiving…"
Mike looked longingly at the food.
"Oh, Mikey you can wait a few more minutes. You practically ate your whole meal while you cooked!"
Mike ducked his head sheepishly.
"I'll start." April said, and held out her hands, gesturing for the rest of them to join hands. She took Don and Raph's hands in her own and looked around at them, smiling.
"I'm thankful," She began. "For friends…" She stopped. "For family, being here all together this holiday… and for many more to come."
"Hear, hear." Raph added, and April laughed and continued.
"For the addition of this beautiful little girl with us." She squeezed Don's hand then. "And for the friends and family who couldn't be with us this day."
It was silent for a moment, until Mikey piped in with, "And that the food was done in time."
They all chuckled at that, and unclasped their hands.
"Couldn't have said it better myself." Leo grinned.
April grinned at that, then looked around the table.
"OK, guys…Dig in!"
*************
"Oh, I am so full…" Mikey groaned, sitting back on the couch.
"Me, too." Don agreed, and Leo nodded.
"It was worth the pain." Leo said, sitting back, grinning.
"It was?" Mikey asked, looking over at him. Just then they could hear April calling from the kitchen.
"Desserts ready!"
Don and Leo both groaned. Mike's eyes lit up. He stood, and began walking towards the kitchen.
"I thought you were full." Don said, watching him walk by.
"And in pain." Leo continued.
"I've suddenly found my second wind, as it were." Mikey smiled, and went into the other room.
"That guy's insane." Don said. Leo nodded his agreement.
There was silence for a moment, and Leo looked back over at Don. "Wanna join him?"
Don sat up. "Well, can't let Mikey have all the fun… or pie."
They both laughed, and walked into the kitchen.
To Be Continued…
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Author's Note - Hehe, here we have it, Thanksgiving in the Turtle household. Heh, I rather enjoyed writing this chapter… ;)
Thanks -
Reinbeauchaser - Thanks! Alright, I won't give anything away… ;) And, I thank you again for what you sent me. You know I love it! It's awesome. Thanks again!
Mickis - Thanks. Yeah, April's feeling have been a bit neglected so far. But I feel it's an important part to the story that will be realized soon.
LenniluvsBrian - Thanks!
neosun7 - Thanks so much! :D
Lexy8 - Hehe, thank you. ;)
o-so-impatient-one - Hehe, I don't think you're missing anything, really… the situation as a whole is confusing… but feel free to read it again. ;) Oh, and this one was a little bit faster for ya! ;)
Goddess Child - Thanks!
Next chapter coming soon!