Chapter 31

The next day at school Randy and his pals were picking on Makayla in the hallway. Everyone in the hallway stopped walking and watched what was happening.

Randy laughed, " You're so dorky I'd shove your head in a toilet!" His friends laughed too.

Makayla screamed, " Leave me alone Randy!"

Randy laughed, " No!" and pushed her. Jerry walked up and angrily said, "Leave her alone Randy!" Everyone gasped.

Randy laughed, " What?!"

Jerry angrily said, " You heard me! Back off!"

Randy laughed, " No!" and pushed Makayla again.

Jerry shouted, " Hey! I said leave her alone!"

Randy laughed, " Shut up Jerry!"

Jerry angrily says, " No! You need to stop bullying people! It's not nice!"

Randy laughed, " You're the one to talk since you were a bully too!"

Jerry angrily says, " I was a bully but not anymore!"

Randy laughed, " That's ridiculous! Once a bully always a bully!"

Jerry angrily says, " That's not true and you know it!"

Randy laughed, " Shut up!"

Jerry angrily says, " No!" Randy punched Makayla in the face. Jerry clenched his hand into a tight fist. It started to shake and tremble with anger and rage.

Jerry angrily says, " You should not have done that Randy!"

Randy laughed, " What are you going to do about it, former bully?!"

Jerry angrily shouted, " I'm going to report you to the principal's office!" Jerry ran down the hall to the principal's office and Randy ran after him. Jerry told the principal what happened and Randy was suspended for a week. Makayla walked in and said, "What happened?"

Jerry says, " Randy got suspended for a week!" Makayla and Jerry high fived each other.

Makayla says, " Thanks for sticking up for me buddy!"

Jerry says, " No problem! We're friends now! It's what friends do!"

Makayla says, " You're right! Come on let's get to class!" As they walked down the hallway to their next class Jerry says, " Hey did you see what Mr. Spencer did in class today?"

Makayla says, " Yeah he was trying to show us an experiment and milk started coming out of his nose!"

Jerry says, " I know, that was so funny! I couldn't stop laughing!"

Makayla says, " Me either! Heck the whole class couldn't stop laughing!"

Jerry says, " I know, right?!"

Makayla says, " Hey I got a pom practice after school today, you want to come watch?"

Jerry says, " Sure! I got nothing else to do today so what the heck!" They walked into class together. After school Makayla walked into the gym with her boyfriend Austin and she saw the rest of the team sitting on the floor and Jerry sitting in the bleachers. Jerry waved and said, " Hi Makayla!"

Makayla says, " Hi Jerry!"

Austin shockingly says, " What's Jerry doing here?!"

Makayla says, " Austin calm down! Jerry and I are friends now!"

Austin says, " When did this happen?"

Makayla says, " Yesterday! We talked out our problems with each other and became friends!"

Austin says, " Really?"

Makayla says, " Yep! I invited him to watch our practice!"

Austin says, " Oh ok." Austin walked over to the bleachers while Makayla walked over to the rest of the team. Austin sat down next to Jerry and said, " Hi Jerry."

Jerry says, " Hi Austin."

Austin says, " So you and my girlfriend are friends now?"

Jerry says, " Yeah. We talked about our problems yesterday and came to an understanding with each other. That reminds me, I'm really sorry for calling you names and being so mean to you."

Austin says, " That's ok."

Jerry says, " No it's really not. I've been such a dickhead lately that I didn't really know what I was thinking."

Austin says, " Well it's great you finally came to your senses."

Jerry says, " Thanks." After practice Makayla and Jerry decided to hang out at the lair. They went up to Makayla's room and turned on some music. The song that was playing on Makayla's ipod was Wretches and Kings by Linkin Park.

Makayla says, " Watch this Jerry!" Makayla runs toward her bed, pushes one foot against the side of the bed and does a backflip landing on her feet in the middle of the room.

Jerry exclaimed, " Woah! How did you do that?!"

Makayla says, " Duh I'm a ninja!"

Jerry says, " That's so cool! How long have you been training?"

Makayla says, " Since I was 3!"

Jerry says, " Wow! That's amazing! You're really cool you know that Hamato!"

Makayla says, " Thanks Adams! You're pretty cool too!"

Jerry says, " Thanks."

Makayla says, " You want to play hide and seek?"

Jerry says, " Sure."

Makayla says, " Ok you go hide first, I'll count."

Jerry says, " Ok." Makayla closed her eyes and started counting. Jerry ran out of the room and hid in the bathtub in the bathroom.

Makayla says, " 9, 10! Ready or not here I come!" She walked out of the bedroom to go find Jerry.

Makayla says, " Jerry, where are you?" She looked everywhere before she found him in the bathtub.

Jerry says, " You found me! Now you go hide, I'll count!"

Makayla says, " Ok!" Jerry closed his eyes and started to count. Makayla ran upstairs to hide in her brother Donatello's room. She was trying to be quiet because Donatello was sleeping at his desk with his head on the keyboard of his laptop. Jerry came looking for her and found her.

Makayla quietly says, " Shh, my brother is sleeping at his desk."

Jerry quietly says, " Oh ok. Let's get out of here so we don't wake him up."

Makayla quietly says, " Ok." They silently slipped out of the room and closed the door. Just as Makayla and Jerry were walking back to Makayla's room Klunk the cat came walking up the stairs toward them with his tail straight up meowing at them.

Makayla says, " Aww hi Klunk! What's up?!" Klunk meowed again and rubbed his fur against Makayla's legs.

Jerry says, " You guys have a cat named Klunk?"

Makayla says, " Yeah my brother Mikey found him wandering the streets, decided to take him home and name him Klunk."

Jerry says, " Really?"

Makayla says, " Yep! Klunk's been with us ever since then! But at first Master Splinter objected the idea of having a cat running around the lair but then he warmed up to the idea!"

Jerry says, " Why did he object to it at first?"

Makayla says, " Because he originally thought that the cat was just going to be a bunch of trouble and get into everything but me and my brothers convinced him to let us keep the cat. So that is how we got a cat."

Jerry says, " Pretty cool."

Makayla says, " You want to go watch tv?"

Jerry says, " Sure." They walked downstairs to the living room and turned the tv on. Donatello woke up, came downstairs and noticed Makayla and Jerry sitting on the floor watching tv and talking with each other.

Donatello says, " What's going on here?"

Makayla says, " Oh hi Donny. Jerry and I are watching tv."

Donatello says, " What happened between you two?"

Makayla says, " We talked out our problems with each other and became friends yesterday."

Donatello says, " Really?" Makayla and Jerry nodded their heads.

Donatello says, " What happened yesterday that made you two make amends with each other?"

Makayla says, " Well we were walking from school because we had a project to do together, Jerry broke a window, we got arrested, so when we were sitting in jail together we talked out our problems and became friends."

Donatello says, " Really?"

Makayla says, " Yeah. I also discovered why Jerry's been so mean to me in the first place and everyone else around him."

Donatello says, " Which is what?"

Makayla says, " He was angry that his dad left him and his mom."

Donatello says, " His dad left him?"

Makayla says, " Yeah. Left him when he was 4 years old. Didn't want anything to do with him, left without saying goodbye, nothing. Left without a reason as to why."

Donatello says, " That's the saddest story I've ever heard. What kind of father would just leave their wife and kid like that?"

Makayla says, " I don't know. It's just horrible." Leonardo walked in and said, "What's going on?"

Donatello says, " Jerry and Makayla made amends yesterday."

Leonardo says, " How did that happen?"

Donatello says, " They talked out their problems and decided to be friends."

Leonardo says, " Yeah but what's the story behind it? Isn't there a reason why Jerry was so mean to our sister?"

Donatello says, " Actually there was Leo. He was angry that his dad left him and his mom."

Leonardo says, " Really?"

Donatello says, " Yeah. Left him when he was 4 years old."

Leonardo says, " His dad left him?"

Makayla says, " Yeah."

Leonardo says, " No goodbye?"

Donatello says, " No, nothing."

Leonardo says, " So this guy just left his wife and kid without saying a word?"

Donatello says, " Yes."

Leonardo says, " That is just about the meanest and cruelest thing that you could ever do."

Donatello says, " I know."

Leonardo says, " If he was going to do that all along then he should not have gotten married and had a kid in the first place."

Makayla says, " I agree, that's just horrible." Jerry started crying again and Makayla hugged him.

Makayla says, " It's ok buddy, let it all out."

Jerry cried, " I just don't understand why my dad would just leave me like that! What did I ever do to him to make him do that?!" Leonardo kneeled down next to Jerry and said, " Jerry it's not your fault. You didn't do anything. It was your father's decision to do that. It was nothing you did."

Jerry cried, " Why do I feel like it's my fault?!"

Leonardo says, " Well a lot of kids feel like that whenever one of their parents leaves them. It's not a good feeling but eventually it will go away."

Jerry cried, " I feel like I've been slapped in the face!"

Leonardo says, " And you probably will for a long time but eventually it will pass. Trust me on that."

Jerry sadly says, " Ok. Thanks Leo." Leonardo placed his hand on the back of Jerry's shoulder, rubbed his hand up and down, smiled and said, " Glad to help. And if there's anything else you want to talk about, just come find me and you can tell me anything you want. Ok?"

Jerry says, " Ok. Thanks."

Leonardo says, " No problem."

Jerry says, " Leo?"

Leonardo says, " Yes Jerry?"

Jerry says, " Do you think my dad will ever come back?"

Leonardo says, " I can't say for sure but I'm sure someday when he realizes what a big mistake he made, he'll be back."

Jerry says, " Ok. Cause I got a few words to say to him." 4 weeks later Leonardo was standing in the doorway of Jerry's house. Jerry's mom had asked him if he could watch their house while they went out to run some errands. The reason being was because they have had several break-ins over the past couple of years when they weren't home and they didn't want another one to happen again. Leonardo was watching the streets from the doorway when all of a sudden he saw a white Ford pick up truck pull up in the driveway. Out stepped a man who looked about 34 years old. At first Leonardo couldn't figure out who it was but then he realized it was Mr. Adams! Mr. Adams walked up to the door and said, " What the heck?!" Leonardo crossed his arms in front of him and said, " Well, look who finally decided to come back into the picture! Mr. Adams!"

Mr. Adams says, " Who are you?!"

Leonardo says, " Leonardo Hamato!"

Mr. Adams says, " What are you doing at my house?!"

Leonardo says, " Oh please! This hasn't been your house for 11 years! Not since you left your wife and your son Jerry!"

Mr. Adams says, " How do you know my son?!"

Leonardo says, " Because he used to bully my sister!"

Mr. Adams says, " What?!"

Leonardo says, " A lot has happened over the past 11 years! Your son was so angry that you left him that he started going around bullying people!"

Mr. Adams says, " What did my son exactly tell you?!"

Leonardo says, " He told me you left him when he was 4 without saying a word to him!"

Mr. Adams says, " I really need to talk to my family! I realized I made a huge mistake!"

Leonardo says, " Well they're out running errands right now!"

Mr. Adams says, " So why are you here?!"

Leonardo says, " Your wife asked me to watch the house because apparently you guys have had some break-ins!"

Mr. Adams says, " Shit! I gotta tell ya these gang members mess with the wrong houses man!"

Leonardo says, " Some things never change!" Jerry and his mom came back from the store and Mrs. Adams says, "Ray?"

Jerry says, " Dad?"

Mr. Adams says, " Hi."

Mrs. Adams says, " What are you doing here?"

Mr. Adams says, " Audrey, I came back because I realized that I made a huge mistake. I shouldn't have left like that and I'm sorry."

Mrs. Adams says, " Damn right you shouldn't have Ray. You have left me and Jerry for 11 years. I don't know if I can ever forgive you for that."

Mr. Adams says, " I know I rightfully deserve this because I've been such a terrible husband and father, but I'm here now and I'm here to make things right. I love you Audrey."

Mrs. Adams says, " I don't know if I love you anymore Ray. You left me for 11 years. I don't think I know what to feel anymore. Just give me some time to process this." Mr. Adams walks up to his son and says, " Jerry, my boy, I'm so sorry for leaving you."

Jerry says, " I got one thing to say to you dad." Leonardo squinted his eyes shut as Jerry kicks his father in the nuts and angrily shouts, " How could you do this to me and mom?! You think you can just walk back into our lives after you left us for 11 years?! What the shell is your problem?!"

Mr. Adams says, " Ow! I deserve that!"

Jerry angrily says, " You really hurt me dad! For my whole life I grew up wondering where the hell you were! I've been so angry all the time that I've had nothing better to do than to pick on people, call them names and do god knows what! Heck I even got myself arrested for god sake!"

Mr. Adams says, " What?!"

Jerry angrily says, " I threw a rock at a window when I was walking home with Makayla from school!"

Mr. Adams said to Leonardo, " Is that your sister?"

Leonardo says, " Yes!"

Jerry angrily says, " So because of you leaving mom and I, I got myself into a whole bunch of trouble all because I couldn't control my anger!"

Mr. Adams says, " You want to know the true reason of why I left?"

Jerry angrily says, " Yes!"

Mr. Adams sighed and said, " The reason why I left is because I felt like a failure. I felt like I wasn't good enough for you and that you would be better off without me in your life."

Jerry says, " Really? How could you even think that dad?"

Mr. Adams says, " I don't know but I realized that I made a huge mistake and that I missed my family. I don't expect you and your mom to forgive me for what I've done but all I'm asking for is a second chance to show you how truly sorry I am for everything. You're my son Jerry and I love you." Jerry was silent for a moment. Then he sighed and said, " If you're really sincere about this, then I guess I can give you another chance dad. I love you." Father and son hugged each other and then they looked at Mrs. Adams who had tears rolling down her face.

Mrs. Adams cried, " I've been thinking Ray and the truth is I still love you! Even in the years you have left me, I've never stopped loving you!"

Mr. Adams says with a smile, " Oh Audrey, I've missed you!" and kissed her. It was an emotional reunion for the Adams family.