Tears of the elate
Chapter 3
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK – Monday 30th July, 2:15pm
A figure stalks the subway platform, their stride soundless and predatory, stopping; they kneel down to an object lying on the ground. Reaching out slowly they pick it up gingerly, shaking off the loose rubber flakes. Observing all its angels carefully, they turn it around to view the front; raising their eyebrows at what is written. Footsteps and voices distracts him, he stands tucking the object inside his coat. Relaxing, he continues waiting for the next train, standing toward the back of the platform with his hands in his pockets.
Down the tunnel a set of lights appears, brightening with each passing second. The D train arrives, screeching to a stop the doors fling open. He boards at the back carriage; it's deserted with all but one other person, reading the New York Post. They sit, hands still in pockets they sink into the coats collar. The doors close quickly with a thud and the train departs the platform.
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK – Monday 30th July, 2:18pm
The shiny new set of keys enters the lock on the outside of the door. With her free hand, April turns the key, effortlessly unlocking the newly replaced locks.
"Casey?" she calls, entering and pushing the door closed with the toe of her sneakers.
"Hello, anyone home?" She calls again, briefly looking in the rooms she passes on her way to the kitchen. The sun decided to show itself, shining through the slightly parted kitchen curtains. Dropping her two brown paper bags on the table, she slips her bag off her shoulder, hanging it on the back of one of the wooden chairs.
Untying her hair, she ruffles it out gently with her fingers, letting the natural waves fall down past her neck and shoulders. Looking over at the fridge, her breath catches in her throat, a yellow posted note with a roughly written message sits on the freezer door. She storms over, snatching it off.
"Babe, gone to the game, love Casey" she reads aloud. Pursing her lips she scrunches the note in her hand, tossing it into the sink.
"Well, im not waiting." She opens one of the brown paper bags, taking out her chicken avocado toasted sandwich and bottle of Minute Maid juice. It's still warm, so she doesn't bother turning on the grill; breaking the seal and removing the cap, she takes a quick sip of the juice.
Placing the sandwich on a flat plate, she decides to eat in the lounge where she can put her feet up and catch some TV. Entering, she places the plate and juice down on the wooden coffee table. Her eye catches the flashing light of the answering machine on top of the TV. Walking over, she presses down on the flashing button and waits beside it.
"You have... 3 new messages, message received today at 10:15am" a computerized woman's voice announces.
"This call is for Mrs. April Jones, please call me back on 718 653 099 to discuss your Sony payments. Thank you" April Rolls her eyes, she is going to get rid of that service.
"Message received today at 11:27am"
"Oh, im sorry I must have the wrong number…" A woman's voice says.
"You sure do" April replies, returning to her plate she start on her sandwich, waiting carelessly for the last message.
"Message received today at 12:05 pm..."
"…Hey April, I guess your not home, could you please call me when you get there, I really need to talk to you about the Professor. Uh see you then, bye" April's eyes widen, freezing her chewing and drops sandwich onto her plate.
A voice she hasn't heard in months, in fact she hasn't heard from any of the brothers in months. Only a quick mention from Casey that he saw Raphael weeks ago, but no details. Any phone calls she made went unanswered. She jumps from the couch, quickly chewing and swallowing her mouth full she grasps her address book from beside the TV. Listed under D was the number, her finger runs down the page until she comes to it, 'Donny'
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK – Monday 30th July, 2:24pm
Silence ensues, the block clad residence brightly lit, only a faint sound echoes against the glass ceiling. Flanking the wall on the far side of their home of two years, a hammer is banging nails into new planks of pinewood; the ground below littered with tiny wood-chips, sawdust and bowed nails.
"Ouch! Not again!" Leonardo snaps, hammering his finger instead of the nail head. He looks up at his incomplete development; it's been a hard 3 months of work, but it has to be perfect. No cutting corners and no rushing, this will be the place he dreamed of having, not only for himself, his brothers and master would be welcome there also.
Hammering another nail in, an unfamiliar but recognized sound interrupts the silence of the den. He stops and waits, in case he is hearing things, then he hears it again.
"The phone?" he questions in shock. Looking down he ponders the best way to descend, he is close to 3 stories from the ground. Carefully placing the nails back into a container strapped to the support beam, he places the hammer between his teeth. Gently standing, he leaps from the beam, somersaulting through the air with his arms and legs tucked in, flinging his hands out when close to the ground. Pushing off from it with his fingertips, he takes a forward summersault, landing on his feet.
Jogging to the other end of the tram to the phone box. It really is the phone ringing. Removing the hammer from his mouth, he hesitates for a moment before picking it up.
"Hello?" he asks, suspiciously.
"Hello? Leo? Is that you?" a familiar woman's voice calls into his ear.
"April?" He asks after a pause. "oh my gosh, how are you?" He asks in excitement.
"I'm great! How are you, how are the guys and how's splinter?" She calls. Leonardo leans back against the tram, dropping the hammer on the ground beside him.
"Everything ok here April, gees I haven't spoken to you for so long. How is everything going, we noticed your on channel 9 not 3 anymore, what happened there? He asks.
"The job just wasn't paying the bills and I got a better offer. Also the station is closer to home now" She replies.
"Yeah I can understand that, makes it much easier. Hey wait, you and Casey got married didn't you? Way to go April, please accept my sincerest congratulations!" Leonardo offers, genuinely happy for her.
"Thanks Leo, you know you guys were invited to the civil ceremony, im still wondering why none of you showed up." She questions, Leonardo blinks in surprise.
"You did? I'm afraid we never received any invitations, im very sorry April. We actually thought you didn't want us there, we understood though" Leonardo explains, apologetically.
"What? That is not true Leo, you guys are important to me and to Casey, it was important that you guys be there, I am sorry they never arrived…wait, then how did you know we got married?" She asks, confused and curious.
"Well, actually Raphael was the first to say something; he saw Casey about a year ago or something and said he was wearing a wedding ring. Then the news said their star reporter at channel 9 tied the knot." He advises with a chuckle. April laughs but in her mind wondered, a year ago? Casey mentioned seeing Raphael a few weeks ago.
To be continued…