"Sorry," Mei said, as April cried out in pain. "Your hair is so matted and snarled. This is the first time I've really been able to comb it out."
"Just let me do it, will you?" April protested. She squirmed as Mei pulled the comb through her tangles.
It reminded Mei forcibly of brushing Shen's hair. Shen was never concerned with things like hair-brushing when they were younger, and it was often so bad that she couldn't de-tangle it without assistance. Shen practically lived outside; sticks and leaves—sometimes bugs, even—were a perennial part of her coiffure. Not surprisingly, it often fell to Mei to help prepare her little sister for social events. Shen would wiggle and squirm and put up a fuss every single time.
"Hold still, you're going to pull out your I.V.," Mei said.
"Really, I can do it myself." April reached up to grab the comb and squeaked in pain at the motion.
"No, you can't." Mei carefully picked away at a section of especially matted hair. "And once we're done with this, I'm going to help you with your shower, too."
April groaned. "Great."
Mei didn't bother responding. She knew that much of April's anger was self-directed. Instead, she just focused on turning April's snarls into shiny red silk.
As it turned out, April did indeed need quite a bit of assistance with bathing. Her muscles were weak with disuse, and her balance was still off. It hurt her whenever she moved her arms. Silent and sullen, she resigned herself to accepting Mei's aid.
Once April was clean and fresh, Mei helped her dress in soft, comfortable clothing. "They're so baggy," April said as she pulled on a pair of sweat pants. "These were always loose, but…"
"Today was the first time you've eaten solid food in over two weeks," Mei said, as she helped April into a soft cotton T-shirt.
April started to cry. "I'm so, so sorry, Mei…"
"None of that," Mei said. "You can't change what happened, I understand why it did."
With a sniff, April shook her head. "Donnie won't. He'll never forgive me."
"Donatello loves you," Mei said firmly. She did not use the word love lightly. Though it was shrouded in and amongst the raging hormones of young love and infatuation, Donatello displayed a kind of mature love that many adults didn't even possess. "Love always forgives."
April smiled weakly.
Mei gave her a gentle hug. "Now, let's get your hair dried and put up so that it'll look great when he gets here. He's going to be so happy to see you awake." They slowly walked back to the lab, where Mei gave April a fresh I.V. bag of fluids. Once that was done, April sat up an allowed Mei to fix her hair.
As Mei styled April's hair for her, she found herself drifting back in memory to another time she had been beautifully preparing a young woman's hair.
Shen's hair had always been like shining, blue-black silk. As an adult, the only pieces of plants that worked their way into her tresses were the brilliant cherry blossoms that she stuck in it. That day, her head would be crowned with more cherry blossoms than it ever had before—pale pink cherry blossoms that matched the embroidery stitches on her silk wedding garment. Mei had spent hours carefully putting each silky black strand into its place.
"It looks beautiful, Nechan," Shen had squealed, as she looked at her reflection.
"Because you are beautiful," Mei replied with a laugh. "I know Yoshi thinks so. He hasn't seen you for a couple of days. His head will probably explode when he sees you all dressed up."
Shen laughed loud and long; her musical laughter filled the room like wedding bells.
Hamato Yoshi had indeed been impressed with Shen's appearance, but as Mei watched the newly wedded couple perform a ceremonial dance, she could tell from the expression on his face that his love was devoted and utterly blind.
Mei remembered being concerned at one point that Yoshi's affections for Shen were because he had been unable to secure Mei's attention. As she watched them dance, she knew that all of those fears had been completely and totally pointless. His face was nothing like the soppy expression he'd had as a hot-headed teenager. It was clear that Shen really was the only woman he'd ever loved.
As she smiled at the memory, Mei felt a pang of guilt for the years of hatred she had harbored against her brother-in-law—how had she been so quick to hate him for what Shredder had done? She had fantasized for years about killing the man who had brought her sister so much joy, because her suffering at Shredder's hands had skewed her whole perception of the world—even her own past.
April would have to deal with guilt too—the guilt of having tried to take her own life.
We all make mistakes, April, Mei thought. Some worse than others.
"You're humming that song Master Splinter sang to me," April said quietly.
Mei didn't even realize she'd been humming. "Oh," she said. "That was my family's lullaby, passed down from generation to generation. Shen taught it to him."
"He said he sang it to Miwa."
"We all did," Mei said, suppressing a pang of regret for Miwa's fate. "We sang it to Kenji and Suki, too." It might have been kinder for her sons to die rather than to be raised by Oroku Saki. She cleared her throat of the grief that collected there. "There. Now your hair is lovely. Donnie will be so happy to see awake and looking beautiful that his head will probably explode."
April's short and bitter laugh cut through the room like the knife that had scored her arms.
Don't worry, my child, Mei thought, bending down to give April a reassuring embrace. Someday you'll be healed and these scars will only make you stronger. When she stood up, she noticed that Splinter was standing in the doorway staring at them with a peculiar expression on his face.
Staring at Mei.
The minute their eyes met, Splinter hastily looked away. "How do you feel, April?" he asked.
April managed to find a smile for her sensei. "Better, Master Splinter. Are the guys back yet?"
Splinter smiled. "If they were back, they would all rush in to see you awake after your long recovery. But do not fear. I will make sure they come see you the minute they arrive."
"Thanks, Sensei."
Without another glance at Mei, Splinter left the room, leaving Mei alone with April and her own rapidly beating heart. She had seen the expression on Splinter's face before, years and years ago.
It was an expression reserved only for the beautiful cherry-blossom-crowned woman he'd danced with so long ago.