Book One In The Ahh-Ness Of Things Series: April & Donnie were once inseparable, but now almost six years have passed since she left NYC. What if April O'Neil could set the record straight, once & for all! The only girl down enough to chill with the...
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"April?"
The friendliest voice I'd ever heard rang through the air. Donatello stood straight & faced the figure in the door way with stride. He was never ashamed to show his strength, that he could be overly confident, but he also knew when to bow. He wanted to express his discontent but only stood aside so the intruder could address me.
"Leonardo!" I ran into his arms, the comforting warmth of his old blue silk robe enclosed around me as I locked my face into his shoulder & he hugged me deeply.
"April, you're home! I thought of you today nee-san, I thought I was dreaming when I heard you!"
Donatello stepped back to put distance between us; Leonardo's face followed him. I held onto him at arms length to get a better look at him & that's when I noticed the cane in his hand. He was not so much looking at Donatello as he was looking towards him & I was alarmed. His beautiful blue eyes seemed clouded; "Leo, your eyes!"
He turned his face back towards me & pulled me close again, another warm hug. Looking more so at Donnie than me he remarked as cool as ever; "Life gives us challenges, a means to help us appreciate what we hold dear, but you know my hearing has gotten a lot better as I've lost my sight". Now he was looking directly at Donnie. "I might not be your elder, but I am the master of this house." His smile was like spun gold, he put his hands in mine; "April this will always be your home."
"I'm going to sleep." Donatello snapped, I reached out to him as he moved past us through the door. The weight of him leaving the room was enough to sweep me away like a wave. He couldn't hide his spitefulness. I felt Leo's hands clasp mine gently.
"April, could you use something to drink?" The kindness & his knowing gaze was almost too much to bare & I collapsed into my words.
"I really could, I'm so thirsty."
"April? How long has it been since you've had some water?" Leonardo was turning his attention back to Donnie now who paused for a moment just outside of the doors. He was listening, waiting to be reprimanded. He was considering that he hadn't thought once of my ordeal, being hot & thirsty for so long, riddled with anxiety. When Leo didn't take it any further, he lumbered away towards the bedrooms. Someone else would worry over me.
Leo didn't seem really all too worried, though. He placed my hand in the bend of his arm & we walked out across the great room to the kitchen as we had a million times so long ago. He spoke as we moved together arm in arm as if I'd only been gone for a day. It was painfully clear he was nearly blind. I cautiously looked at him as we stopped at the entrance to the kitchen, catching the streaks of scars down the ridge of his cheek bone from his brow to just above his upper jaw. They looked like burns.
"Leo, can you see? Who did this to you?"
"I'm ok April." He extended his hand, cane outwards, to part the noren curtains giving way to the instantly familiar, dark & cozy kitchen. I laughed quietly to myself; Leo had become Master Splinter. Even in our first embrace & how he had entered Donnie's workshop, interrupting unapologetically & with absolute authority over his domain; I had felt the presence of our father. For the first time, I really felt that I was home. The smell as we stepped into the little room was the same as I remembered; old wood & spices, dried reeds. The stumpy staircase made of re-inforced wood crates that led up to a partial loft overhead where dried food was stored, the simple flower in an cheap but lovely saki tokkuri, the cans of beef-a-roni & bags of chips on the open shelf against the wall. I pulled out a stool & sat at the dinning island. It was always so uncomfortable, the edges of the counter top cut into your arms as you leaned against it & there never seemed to be a right place to put your legs, but I felt like I could lay my head down & sleep against it. Leo placed a cold glass of water between my hands, the cup made a refreshing sound as it tapped against the wood of the table, bring me to. I'd been zoning out, completely exhausted.
"I'm going to make some tea, do you want ochazuke." Leo looked over his shoulder at me from the water stand, he was filling an old black iron kettle; the same one I'd filled so many times. I wanted everything to be waiting for me, unchanged. I was almost searching out the little things. It wasn't to be. I nodded to him & then realized he couldn't see me.
"Oh Leonardo, your beautiful blue eyes."
"Ha, well thanks! He smiled lovingly, "I don't think anyone has ever said that."
"Yes please, I'd love something to eat." I made an ugly frown at my water before downing it, I could barely hold back my tears. He stepped over to the stove & in a lovely way all his own, leaned down to light the burner with a long match. He was putting his face as close as he could to catch the gas afire because he couldn't see it. We both heard the soft woosh of the flames ignite. He placed the jar of matches back on the shelf & grabbed the paddle for rice from another. His eyes had once been exquisitely blue. I'd always thought he had a chiseled, serpent-like face & his almond shaped eyes had given him a truly beautiful look. Now they were dead & almost white. My princely brother. He clearly didn't want to talk about it. He pulled a ceramic pot from the fridge & scooped cooked rice from it, to heat in the microwave. The chime of glass bowls & the rustle of dried tea being spooned out to steep, the low whistle of the kettle & the beeping of the microwave; it was like the melody of childhood. The comforts of home & my brother was the prince here.
