Tears of the elate
Chapter 4
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK – Monday 30th July, 2:28pm
Out of the corner of his eye, Leonardo sees a figure approaching, he turns toward them with the phone still to his ear. Donatello stops beside him mouthing 'is that April?' Leonardo nods, Donatello asks for the phone, twiddling his fingers. Around his neck is a 2 gigabyte memory stick and set of keys with several colorful key rings.
"Hey April, Donny's here and he wants to speak to you, it looks urgent" Leonardo states, watching Donatello beg for the phone is a sight.
"That's why I called, im returning his message. Leo, it's so wonderful to talk to you, I hope I see you really soon" Her eyes beginning to water; she wants desperately to hear from Donatello, but doesn't want to let Leonardo off the phone.
"Me too, I promise you we will meet up again soon, seeya April." He ends the conversation, passing the phone to Donatello who plants it to his ear.
"April? Hey it's Donny!" He announces.
"Awe Don, when I heard the message I almost didn't believe it, how are you?"
"I'm good, just in shock at what you said on the news this morning. Please, I need to know everything, tell me what you know about the professor." He demands as he starts to pace back and forth along the tram, as far as the phones stretched cord allows. From the sidelines Leonardo watches, his younger brother has become somewhat of a hermit, his skin lightened from lack of sunlight and not leaving the den.
"Well I know as much as you, as much as what I said on the report this morning. I'm having a hard time believing what's happened too but..." she didn't finish her sentence as Donatello interrupts.
"That's because it's not true, he wouldn't have done that because he had too much he wanted to accomplish. I need to know more April, please, it's very important." He begs.
"Donny I want to know more as well, how about I come down and we can see what else we can work out, I don't have to go back to work until tomorrow." she suggests, there is a pause.
"… sure, it would be nice to see you. I know Mike would be thrilled if you suddenly show up. Ill let Splinter know and one of us will come and get you." Donatello replies. Switching the phone to his other ear he looks into the tram where Splinter is meditating.
Leonardo could hear the manhole cover being lifted, the chafing of the lid against the ground. From around the corner and staircase, a fedora and trench coat clothed figure enters, removing the coat they look to Donatello, letting out an ecstatic chuckle.
"Dude, it's a miracle you walked away from that desk, who's on the phone?" Michelangelo asks, tossing the waistcoat onto a couch.
"Yuck, you need to wash that things, look at it, how can you wear it?" Leonardo's nose wrinkles as he points to the handed down waistcoat, Michelangelo smiles.
"Because I always wanted it, no one here is missing it and it fits me now." He replies, leaving the Fedora on his head, he walks up beside Donatello.
"Who is it bro?" he asks.
Donatello pulls the phone away from his mouth.
"April" he whispers while covering the receiver, Michelangelo does a double take, his mouth hanging open.
"Give me the phone, gimme!" he shouts, reaching for the phone. Donatello pulls it out of his reach, elbowing him away with his muscular arm while trying to get a last word in.
"Ok, ill talk to Splinter and maybe Leo can come and get you" he says, still fighting off Michelangelo
"Can't you just come and get me yourself, I can be there in 30 minutes?" she asks, confused by his reasoning and all the shuffling coming from the other end.
"What, not a possibility; just talking on this phone now is wasting precious turtle hour. April, look, im about to get bathed in Mike's slobber if I don't pass the phone to him, ill be back in a sec" Donatello passes the phone and steps into the tram to interrupt his masters meditation.
"BABE! I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Michelangelo shouts down the phone, adding kisses. April giggles.
"Mikey, oh Mike is it really you? I miss you so much!" She says, his voice has deepened but the warmth will never change. It's always sweet Michelangelo.
"Me too, so how's it hanging Mrs. Casey Jones? Man, I can't believe you guys tied the knot and where was my invitation? I have to know if I lost you to a better man!" he folds his arms, cradling the phone on his shoulder.
"Ah doesn't matter, I understand perfectly but when are we gonna meet up? I need to see you guys again!" He asks eagerly, taking the phone back in his hand.
"Well im actually hoping to drop by today, Don wants to talk about my news report this morning." She replies, Michelangelo sucks in a breath of shock.
"Today? Awesome! Ill come and get you!" He offers
"That would be great, should I just go to the entrance I always used? The one on 23rd street? " She asks.
"Actually, that doors been blocked off, too many delivery guys knew about it so we don't use it anymore. There's another one on 26th street, ill come there and pick you up?" He offers, spotting Donatello through the tram window, giving him the OK to do so.
"Great, ill be there in about 40 minutes. Hey Mike I talked to Leo and Donny but I dint get a chance to speak to Raph, is he around?" April asks. She couldn't believe she was going to see her friends again. She waits for the 'sure ill get him for you' from Mike, but all she receives is silence, only his breath brushing the receiver.
"Uh, well he's kinda not home right now sis, but hey ill be there before you are, ill keep a lookout for you at 26th street" He confirms.
April felt a lump of concern in her gut, Raphael would take off constantly but the way Michelangelo responded just didn't feel right, but she ignores her worry momentarily.
"No problems Mike, ill be there, see you!" She calls and the phone goes dead.
Michelangelo hangs up, excited he reaches for his trench coat and starts running for the manhole.
"Awesome dudes! I'm going to pick up April." he calls over his shoulder.
"Mike, wait!" Leonardo calls after him, Michelangelo slows down.
"Did she say anything about Raph?" He asks, Michelangelo shakes his head.
"No, she just asked if she could talk to him, told her he wasn't home" he answers, running up the stairs.
Leonardo nods, slowly turning he starts back for his development, stopping when Donatello exits the tram. Leonardo's eyebrows turning serious.
"You know Don, you didn't have to be so rude to April on the phone" Donatello stops and looks at him blankly for a moment, then looks down, frowning.
"I didn't realize at the time, guess I need to brush up on my social skills huh? I didn't mean it Leo, it's just that well, what's happened is not a good thing" he explains.
Leonardo nods sympathetically, patting Donatello on the shoulder and entering the tram.
He stops; dropping to his knees, placing his palms together he gently bows his head. The warm glow of candles creating a familiar, safe sensation in his heart.
"Something troubles you my son, your mind has been preoccupied for many days." Splinters aging voice states, his hands in his lap he relaxes from his meditation. Leonardo raises his head and nods.
"Yes Master, I have been thinking about many things, mainly …" Leonardo trails off.
"Your brother will return my son; he is not lost to us entirely." Splinter comforts, taking a ceramic teacup with Japanese symbols printed along the rim in his hand, holding it out.
Leonardo accepts it, gently sipping the green tea. He stops, lost in thought for a moment.
"When master, can you tell me?" he asks, looking into his masters eyes, the fur of his eyebrows have turned white over the past year.
"No, I cannot as I myself have no means of knowing. And there is no way for us to help him, only he may find his path to peace, I may only be here as a guide as are your and your other brothers." Splinter explains, knowing well the pain the three are feeling from their brothers absents. Privately concerned, as divide has also developed between the remaining three.
To be continued…