For two days following that talk, Don waited for April's call.
At her place, April straightened up that room and she would lay down some ground rules for Randall to follow. She would give him a chance. He needed to learn to trust humans more anyway, at least her.
She didn't mind if he shared food with her and helped her in the shop, as long as he knew not to scare customers away or be seen. And also not to disturb her when Casey would come over for romantic evenings and meals.
Those were her basic rules.
On the evening of the second day, as promised, Don got the call.
"Alright, Don. He can move in, but there will be rules I'll have to go over with him when he's here. How much stuff does he have?"
"Aside from the tools he came with in a backpack, not much really." Don said.
That was good. The room already had it's own bed and sink and bathroom. It even had a dresser. Everything that was left over from when Kirby had been there. All the files that had been under the bed and around the room had been taken out and disposed of or given to a charity. A comic type charity.
"I'll be happy to tell him. So when is it best for you?"
"Let it be Friday before you bring him over." She said.
"Thanks, April." Don said.
"No problem."
After hanging up, Don went to go tell Randall the good news.
He was with Mikey playing video games again.
"Randall."
The surprise visit surprised Randall and his game character was shot down. "Hey! I worked hard for that high score!"
"Sorry, but I got the good news from April. She says you can move in this Friday." Don said.
"Really? That soon?" Randall asked.
"Does he have to go, Don?" Mikey asked.
"It would do you both good to be separate sometimes, Mikey." Don said.
Mikey didn't want Randall to go. But in Randall's mind, he did want to go. He wanted his space some more too. This lair was nice, but too many family members lived here. It was overwhelming when you felt you couldn't breathe to get away from company.
"And here, Randall. I made this for you." Don handed Randall a shell cell.
"My own phone. Thanks, Don."
"You're welcome." Don said.
Randall left to go pack up his stuff, not that he had much. He just wanted the stuff he came with to go with him. He later went to Don to have him show him how to work the phone.
Mikey was mad that Randall wanted to go.
Randall came to his room at bedtime that night to talk to him.
"Listen, Mike, I know you were mad that I'm choosing to go live at April's house, but I really need more space than this place can offer me. I just need something different and I want to give it a try. If it doesn't work out, I'll come back, I promise. But I'll still come by to hang out." Randall said. "Or you can come by to hang out with me."
"It still wouldn't be the same though." Mikey said.
"No, not exactly the same. But sometimes living apart can make us even better friends. I just don't feel comfortable around some members of your family all the time. I feel like they don't trust me either." Randall said.
Mikey knew his two oldest brothers and father were still having problems trusting him after he told of what he nearly did two years ago. Maybe it was for the best.
"Alright. I'll help you move or whatever you need me to do." Mikey said.
"Thanks."
A few days later, Randall was moving to April's basement apartment. It was just a one room to live in, but he had the whole basement too. At least it didn't smell like a sewer.
Don was installing a TV and VCR for Randall too, when he had his own down time alone. April had bought them for him. And even when Mikey would visit. He was sure to visit more. Don also installed a microwave and a little fridge that Casey had bought.
April had talked to Casey that Randall was moving in to her basement. Casey hadn't been happy about it, but he went along with it.
Randall tried out the bed. It was comfortable. This space would do fine.
Once he was settled and the turtles had left him to settle in for real, April went over the ground rules with him.
Randall was welcome in her apartment when he wanted to be or when customers were there. He was welcome to help out in the store. He could share her food or just use what was his in his own room.
He also had to respect that Casey was her boyfriend and when he was over, Randall had to give them their privacy. And Randall was free to come and go as he pleased, as long as he was careful. April didn't need her home destroyed a second time.
"I can respect all those rules, April. What about money?" Randall asked.
"I can give you some for working for me. If you call it a fair deal." She said.
"Thanks. I know I can't shop for the things I need myself, but I've seen how the turtles get food out there sometimes when they are on patrols and get hungry and buy hot dogs for example. They still give money for it." He said.
"Yes. They do. They try to be fair. I also give them money too so they can get some things they need or want. Casey does too from his mechanic job."
Randall knew the turtles needed human allies to just be able to survive in this world. After what Don had told him. Their lives were better now than when they were kids.
His life had been better at least when he got out on his own, when he had his own money to spend on his apartment and on his food.
"How much would you pay me?"
"Let's see how you do the job first." April said. "But I promise I'll give you something next week. Until then, you're welcome to share what I've got and I'll get you some food tomorrow. Just give me a list of what you want."
"Sure."
April left him to get settled in. She left the door open. It didn't have to be closed.
After she was gone, Randall looked around the room that was now supposed to be his. This room was nearly comparable to what he lived in back in the monster world. He couldn't afford a luxury place. Waternoose had been rich, but he had not been.
His home in the monster world had been a one bedroom with the living room being the bedroom, one closet, one small bathroom, and a small kitchen. There had been barely any room for anything in it. Even for a table. He had a small chair and couch in there as well, but it made for such crowded space.
When Randall had agreed to make that machine for Waternoose, and his boss had promised him all the fame and money he could want. But that had never happened.
Randall knew April had promised him money next week. He just hoped he got better than what he made as a scarer. But would April make him pay rent? He couldn't afford to get kicked out. But then, he would go live with the turtles again, but he really needed his space.
The next day, Randall got up at seven and showered. Then he went upstairs with his list of things he wanted. He had breakfast with April. She was a good cook herself.
April had found herself living with another houseguest, but at least it was just one this time and this one didn't act like a spoiled child.
Randall only had a desire to live in the place assigned to him and just have a working relationship with April. But plus a friend too.
After breakfast, she went down to show him what he could do to help her in the shop. He would need to mostly stay out of sight, as there were humans passing by. "I do have my invisibility to stock in here." Randall said.
"I check all the customers out. But what you can do is put things on shelves, organize things, clean things, and restock when needed. And garbage too. I know it's not the best job, but it's something. But if you want to go hang with the guys, just let me know."
"Alright."
April did like to keep her shop looking nice. She showed Randall where all the cleaning supplies were. Garbage would only be done at night if he would do it every day or every few days.
April was pretty lenient on him. She wanted to give him freedom to be himself and not in a job that was so stressful. She knew he wanted to make something of himself.
She saw that he seemed bored with the job.
"Okay. Randall, how about this?" She began.
Randall looked at her while he had been stocking some shelves.
"You help me out in the early hours of the day, from nine to three, then you can have the rest of the day to yourself. How's that?" She asked.
"It would be nice, but then I wouldn't make enough money."
"I see you understand the concept of money, but it's not like I'm asking you to pay the bills, Randall. I know that aside from the guys, you don't have any other place to go."
"So, you're not asking me to pay you rent?"
She laughed. "No. Whatever I give you is what you keep for yourself. You are staying here for free because you are a friend to the turtles. And becoming mine."
Randall smiled. This was awfully generous of her. No one had ever been that generous to him about where he lived, as an adult that is.
"I've always paid rent before I was banished."
"For right now, let's not worry about it. If you want that arrangement later on, then you can give me rent, but let's wait until you have money first, okay?"
"I do want that arrangement. I just feel like I have to pay my way somehow when I live in someone else's house."
"I won't make it a big deal. Because you're not human and can't get a job out there in the real world here, it would only be a small fee. But let's wait and see next month. We'll see what you make in one week, and see what the total is in one month." April advised.
"I can agree with that." Randall said. He knew he would be determined to do a good job.
….
Back in the lair, Mikey sure did miss Randall. But he did notice that his father, Leo, and Raph all seemed more relaxed without him there.
Mikey hoped that Randall called and wanted to hang out later.
….
The day was particularly slow in the shop for customers. April did step into a back room with Randall and did practice some ninja training with him. He saw that she too, did some training.
April definitely wasn't a helpless woman. She was one strong woman. She was so supportive of the guys and him. She hadn't known if she could have prevented Splinter from sending him away that time, but she still was his friend.
He did kid around with her and showed her what he could really do that would make him even a good adversary. He wasn't a big giant monster like Sullivan, but he had his own talents that enabled him to fight in special ways. His invisibility being the top way to fight. And climbing the walls.
April saw that potential in him, but there were some humans out there that might even learn to bypass his talents and still catch him anyway. Like if they would wear body heat goggles. Then his invisibility wouldn't help him at all. But climbing walls could. But hopefully, he would be able to stay safe most of the time.
Randall did a good job stocking and cleaning that day. Then he called Mike up and asked if he wanted to come over.
Mike was up for it. He told Leo where he was going and left. He just wanted to spend time with his friend.
When Mikey had left, the others noticed that maybe this was a good thing. It would be good to have Mikey off their shells for awhile. He could get out of the lair more often instead of annoying them when he was bored.
When he got to April's, Mikey hit a button on his phone and it alerted Randall. This was a way that wouldn't have to make April do anything. Randall let him inside and they went down to the room to talk and play some games.
April went shopping for food items that Randall wanted, along with her own. And when she got back, she, Mikey, and Randall had dinner together. It was a nice way to celebrate the first day.