The Farm House
Two Months Later
Michelangelo
"April please, get more Oreo's. Please." Zoe is standing by the front door begging April. She keeps trying to play it off, like the cookies are for the kids, but I know, that's been her craving. The only problem is, Don rations her and Raph enforces it. It sucks because when she doesn't get them she looks even sadder than she does now. "Get like three or four bags of them, please."
April raises her red eyebrows, "And you expect me to believe your feeding your children three or four packages of Oreos? You're usually the healthiest eater out of all of us. I don't think so Zoe."
Zoe frowns, "Please, April. Please. They taste so good and with the snow coming, if you don't get three or four we could run out." She looks absolutely distraught at the idea of being without her treats, I just can't help it. I probably shouldn't but I'm gonna…
"I want some too. I could go for some chocolate and cream deliciousness." I try to help Zoe out. She's been sucking it up like a champ. Exodus and Karai have complained about everything from nausea and headaches, all the way to leg cramps. They've been moody and sometimes downright nasty. Having three pregnant women in the house at the same time is not as much fun as I thought it would be. One thing they have done though is stick together. April on the other hand is getting frustrated with her best friends and their whining. Only Zoe hasn't been, she's taking it on the chin and I think she deserves her cookies. She's not said anything about any of the stuff that Karai and Exodus are complaining about and as big as she is already, I'm sure she's going through it and probably more.
I think maybe she doesn't complain because she doesn't want Don jumping her case anymore than he already does. Raph has kind of gone silent about it all. He's present, but to me, it looks like Zoe's going through this alone. He spends all of his time with Anton and Andrea, or training. That is unless… it's actually Zoe that's putting the distance between them. Hmm.
"Grab some for me too April." I grin at Zoe and she gives me a pathetic attempt at a smile, her eyes on the other hand are screaming 'thank you' for her.
"Fine Mike, whatever, but you're going to hear it from Raph and Donnie." April rolls her eyes and opens the front door to leave. She looks back at me, "If they get on my case, I'm sending them your way."
"That's fine Babe, no worries." I wave at her and she shakes her head as she closes the door. Exodus is napping upstairs and Karai and Leo have gone for a walk. Karai's not into yoga the way Zoe is, so when Don said no high impact workouts and no lifting, Karai took to walking. It's cold out so I don't think they'll be gone long.
I look at my favorite sister, beyond the ever growing belly and her still slight frame, to settle on her very tired face. Her eyes are underlined with dark circles and her skin is even paler than usual. "Hey Z, feel like watching a flick?"
Her eyes light up and she smiles at me. Finally. There's a flicker of my sister in there. She looks so sad these days. I think she misses Raph. Well the Raph she's used to. The Raph she has right now seems like he's just going through the motions. But if she is shutting him out, that's all she's going to get from him. My heart aches for her, and I wonder why she's steadily building walls around herself.
"Yeah, Mikey, I'd like that." She pulls her long red hair up into a loose knot and comes over to sit next to me on the couch. "What are we going to watch? You pick."
I try not to laugh, because she's totally going to crash before the opening credits are over. Hell, she probably won't make it through the previews. "How about Serenity?" It's her favorite Sci-Fi flick. She loves anything where a girl is kicking ass, and who can blame her? It's hot.
"That sounds perfect Mikey." She stands up, while I'm looking for the movie and asks me, "You want some popcorn?"
Karai and Leo walk in the front door. Exodus appears at the top of the stairs. Andrea, Anton and Raph are right behind Leo and Karai.
"Really? What, everyone wants popcorn?" I quip at their impeccable timing. I pop the movie in and glance at Zoe, "I'll get it you go ahead and take a seat."
"POPCORN!" Andrea and Anton start jumping up and down and flock to their mothers ankles.
"Guys don't hang on your Mom." Raph reaches down and tucks a kid under each arm, depositing them in the play area that lies between the kitchen and living room. "I'll bring you each a bowl when it's ready."
"I can do it Mike." Zoe says, turning and making her way to the pantry to retrieve the kernels. I follow her and get the popcorn maker down for her.
"Oh, popcorn sounds good. I'll get the butter." Karai reaches in the fridge and retrieves the salty, creamy goodness.
"What movie are we watching Mike?" Leo asks as he steps around Karai into the refrigerator and starts pulling out cans of Sprite for the girls and Cokes for us guys.
"Serenity," Zoe answers him.
Exodus bounds over to me, blonde hair swaying with her movements, and I pull her to me, kissing her cheek. "What's up Babe?"
"Do you know what sounds amazing?" Her face is lit up, blue eyes bright and shining, as she bounces on her toes, "Chocolate. We need chocolate with our popcorn." She pushes me to the side and invades the pantry in search of her fix. She's so cute, cravings and all, I just want to squeeze her!
Donatello opens the backdoor in stealth mode and we all freeze, noticing he's carrying a sleeping Rachel. He creeps through the kitchen, making eye contact with everyone to let us know that if we wake her, we will be on baby duty.
Exodus is still rooting through the pantry in front of me and doesn't notice him. I'm watching Donnie and I don't see her trying to hand me something. She releases whatever it is near my hand. I sense the shift of the air, but I'm not looking and neither is she.
"Mikey!" Leo calls in a loud whisper.
I look to see what it is and at the same time X turns around.
"What?" She bumps into me and I hear glass breaking.
Everyone seems to stop breathing, looking at Donatello who is seething. Rachel's arms bolt straight up in the air and she starts screaming.
I take a step back and my shell is pressing against the pantry door, as I hold up my hands in surrender, "Sorry Dude, my bad."
Don walks around the glass and places Rachel in my arms, "Good luck." He puts a palm over his face and storms out the back door.
I look down at the shrieking baby, "Awww you're so cute. Why are you so mad? Don't cry Rach. Don't cry." I tickle her and make faces, and finally she starts cooing. "That's better. Here go to X while I clean up this glass."
I look at Exodus to hand the baby to her, but she's crying.
My heart sinks, is she okay? "Babe, what's wrong?" I reach out to her but she smacks my hand.
"You dropped the chocolate chips! That's all the chocolate we had Michelangelo!" She shakes her head and steps over the glass, storming out of the kitchen.
I look around the room and Leo is laughing. Karai is glaring at him. Raph is shaking his head. Zoe is pouring popcorn kernels into the popcorn maker and doesn't even look up.
"Can somebody hold the baby while I clean this up?" I plead, looking at them.
"I'll take her." Leo offers and Karai's death stare dissolves. He takes the baby and I clean up the mess as Zoe portions out three large bowls of popcorn and two small ones for her kids. Raph takes the Littles their bowls and turns on a kid movie for them in the play area. We all settle in on the couch.
Right as I'm about to press play, Exodus creeps back down the stairs. I wait, wondering if her mood swing has passed. She looks at me with her adorable pouty lips and big doe like blue eyes. My gaze falls over her long fair blond hair, which rests at her waist right where her baby bump is. My heart swells, she's so beautiful. "Come on Babe, I saved you a spot next to me."
She smiles and curls up to my side. As the opening credits roll I look around the room at my brothers and their girls and I see them looking around too.
"Didn't even make it through the opening credits," Leo smiles and scoops up a sleeping Karai.
"Mine didn't even make it through the previews," Raph picks up Zoe.
I sit the popcorn bowl on the floor and gather Exodus up. "I think that was like the shortest movie date ever."
Leonardo
Two Weeks Later
Two of my brothers are in an infinitely foul mood. It's pretty typical for Raph but not so much Donatello. He's under a lot of stress trying to be a doctor to three pregnant women, one of which is carrying a set of triplets that threaten to be the end of her. And I'm not going to lie. The three of them are wearing us all out. Between them, the baby, and the toddlers, I think war might be easier. No wonder Master Splinter meditates more now than ever.
Right now I'm observing a potential disaster unfold before me. Raph, Mike, Don and I are standing in the middle of the living room watching April, Exodus, Karai and Zoe head straight for an out and out showdown and I think we see it coming but I don't think they do.
"Get out of the bathroom Exodus! I've got to pee!" Karai pounds on the downstairs bathroom door.
"Go upstairs Karai, you're not the only one who has to pee every fifteen minutes!" Exodus yells back.
"How long does it take to pee?" Karai bounces up and down with one hand under her growing belly. "Jesus, baby move off Mommy's bladder. Shit. Zoe why didn't you ever tell us how bad being pregnant can suck? You always just floated around, glowing." Karai looks over her shoulder at Zoe, who's trying to remain unnoticed as she makes her way through the living room with her Oreo's and milk.
"Suck it up Karai," Zoe snaps. I think she had more to say but she's been unusually quiet for a couple months now.
"I hate you all for being pregnant at the same time. I'm sick of fighting over the damn bathroom. I'm tired of your whining. I'm fed up with having to go to the damn store every other day. I'm trying to take care of a baby who cries less than you do!" April stops outside the bathroom and just lets loose. Rachel's been cutting a tooth and April hasn't been getting much sleep, that paired up with her best friends discomforts has proven a bit much for her.
Exodus throws open the bathroom door and jabs Karai in the chest, which is totally out of character for her, "And you ate my ice cream. I just know it!"
Karai jabs her back, "Move! I have to pee and yeah I ate your ice cream. Get over it!"
I look over at my brothers who are all shaking their heads.
"I can't take much more of this." Donatello palms his face.
Karai slams the bathroom door on X, who is still grilling her about ice cream.
Zoe walks right by us, munching on an Oreo, with a glass of milk balancing on the bag. Raph reaches out, takes them both and hands her the milk back. She spins around to face him.
"Give me the damn cookies." She hisses at him and reaches out for them.
"No."
"Now, Raphael."
"No."
Andrea abandons her toys and runs over to her parents. "I want cookies!"
"Me too!" Antonello joins his sister.
Here we go. I'm so sick of the infinite battle over Zoe and her Oreo cookies.
"Raphael, why do you even bother? It's not like you care. It's just one more thing to take away from me!" She jabs her finger into his plastron.
Great, this isn't going to end well.
Now Karai and Exodus are face to face yelling at each other over ice cream, April is screaming at them to shut up, Anton and Andrea are begging for cookies, and Raph and Zoe are fighting over them.
Great. Just great. I liked it better when I was leading them on missions. This is ridiculous.
"What the hell does that mean?" Raph yells at her.
And now Rachel is crying.
"It means you're doing exactly what you said you wouldn't and I'm sick of it. So if you're not going to treat me like someone you care about, then don't half ass it and take away what comfort I have. Now give me the fucking cookies."
The room fell silent except for Rachel's crying.
With a snarl that sent a tremor through everyone surrounding him, Raph launches the bag and they explode against the wall sending chocolate cookie bits flying. Without looking back he whirls around, storming out the front door, slamming it behind him with such force the windows rattle.
Zoe took a deep resigning breath. "I'll get a dustpan," She says in a defeated voice, shuffling off toward the kitchen.
I feel bad for her.
"Guys, let's help Zoe clean this up." I pick up the split bag and the larger chunks of cookies.
One of the things I love most about my sister is that she doesn't feed into Raph's bull, especially when he throws a fit. If he's wrong, she'll step up to him, and he loves her for it. If any of the rest of us stepped up to him we'd be risking our shells.
But ever since they'd learned Zoe is carrying triplets, they've both been acting like strangers. I think Raph's just guarded, and Zoe, well Zoe's gone into a metaphorical shell of her own.
She reappears with the dustpan, "Thanks Leo, but I can get it."
"You shouldn't be bending over and straining yourself." Donatello takes the pan from her and Mike takes it from Don.
"I got this. You guys take care of whatever you need to." He says, sweeping up crumbs.
"I've got three ultrasounds to do today. Anybody want to find out what their having?" Don looks at Zoe, "anybody who doesn't already know. You're getting one just to see how things are coming along."
"Me!" Karai and Exodus appear, arm in arm, standing right next to Donatello.
"Oh, I want to come with!" April links her arm around the two women.
I press my fingers in between my eyes.
Mood swings are insane. Women are confusing creatures anyway, but pregnant and post-partum women… my head hurts.
Donatello
1 Hour Later
"Okay Karai I'm ready in here. You and Leo are up first." I stick my head out of the dining room that I've converted into a medical lab.
Karai slips in and sits down on my medical table. Leo sits down in one of my rolling chairs next to her.
I squirt some gel over her abdomen and rest the wand against her ivory colored skin. I press a couple of keys on the keyboard, turn the volume dial and a swooshing sound fills the room then I press a few more buttons and we pick up a visual of a human baby.
"You guys are having a girl." I tell them while I check the baby's heart and see four chambers. I check on a few other vitals and snap some pictures of the baby.
Leo's eyes never leave the screen. The pressure of caring for my family is wearing me thin, especially Zoe. At the same time, moments like this are pretty awesome and I get to be the one to share in it with them. I get to see the look in their eyes.
I hand him the printouts and he finally tares his eyes off the screen. He looks over at Karai, who despite her usually cool demeanor has a rare softness to her brown eyes. I try to appear busy but I see her mouth the words 'I love you' to Leo and I can't help smiling.
"Okay, you guys are good for now. Everything looks great." I turn around as Karai sits up and slides off my table, "Send in Exodus for me?"
"Sure Don, thanks." Leo nods and put his arm around Karai's back as they leave.
As Exodus bounds in with my energetic little brother, I suddenly feel like I need a cup of coffee.
"Okay, you two settle down. Exodus lay right there." I point to the table.
Mike sets her on the table and holds her hand.
I apply the gel to her abdomen and she squeals, "It's so cold!"
"Sorry." I tell her and repeat the same process I did with Karai. A nice strong swishing sound fills the room and I look at the screen. "Well what do you know… you two are having a boy."
I check out the vitals and everything looks good. "Everything's fine," I tell them, as I hand them a picture of the shelled baby.
Exodus has the most expressive blue eyes and long dark lashes. She sits up holding the picture so she and Mike can look at it, "This is so amazing!"
"I'll say, I can't wait till he gets here!" He lifts Exodus from the table and grins at me.
"Has Raph come back yet? It's Zoe's turn." I watch the two of them frown and shake their heads.
"I think Zoe is upstairs sleeping. Master Splinter is reading stories to Anton and Drea'." Mike looks like he has more to say.
"What is Mike?" I ask him.
"You and Raph are being hard on Zoe. She needs to know you guys love her. Right now I think she feels like you two hate her for going through with this." He looks at me and then at Exodus and he pulls her closer to him.
"I'm worried for her Mike. We could lose her. You realize that I may have to take out her uterus and move aside her bladder and intestines when I do a c-section right? Its major surgery and I've never even done a surgery before, and this isn't a sterile and controlled hospital environment."
Mike's eyes widen and his mouth falls open, "You're going to take out Zoe's organs?!"
I put a palm to my face for the tenth time today, "I will put them back Mike. Never mind, just somebody get Zoe."