Chapter 11: Good Morning?
I heard an alarm go off at the crack of dawn. 5am. It wasn't the alarm in
here. It came from Michael's room. It stopped beeping after about 10 seconds.
I tried to go back to sleep but once waken from
deep sleep, I can only close my eyes and lie there. I sat up to watch the cool
morning hit against the window. Looks like it's going to rain from the heavy clouds.
I stepped out into the cold hallway without even the comforts of a warm robe.
Brrrrr! They should crank up the heater in this house. I could almost
see my breath. I wrapped my arms around my chest
as I descended the dark staircase. The room had a purplish tinge from the morning
light. I heard loud snoring coming from the living room. I crept around the
wall to find Don and Mike on their stomachs
in the warm blankets, their bodies rising and falling in a somewhat rhythmic tune.
The coffee machine bubbled quietly in the kitchen. Hannah must have came home
and turned it on before going to bed.
I walked into the kitchen area, pulling out a chair at the dining room table. I took
a coffee cup from the cupboard and filled it with the hot, brewing coffee. Jeez, I
was able to go fishing at this hour! I
hate waking up and can't get back to sleep. I sat at the chair I pulled out; my face
zoning into another dimension. Breakfast? Too early; I'll throw up. I
lifted one leg onto the chair, my foot felt like ice.
I place a hand on the cup then wrapped it around my toes. Should have asked Hannah
for some socks before she took Leo and Raph home.
Someone came down the stairs rather quickly. It was Michael. He wore a dark business suit and carried a briefcase. He came toward the kitchen and saw me sitting alone at the dining table.
"Good Morning, Michael."
"Mm. What's so good about it?"
I shrugged. "I don't know."
"I have to be to work in about 2 hours. And on a Saturday, too. Don't
ever get an office job if you can avoid it." Michael took out a cup and poured
some coffee. I looked at the design on the cup.
It had a row of birds in line to make copies at a copy machine and the caption read: I'm
doing the best I can so don't give me any shit!
I nodded my head, amused by the little cartoon.
"Cute cup."
Michael looked at the design and smiled a little. "Oh, yeah. Hannah got it for me. She says it's a line I use often."
"And of course you deny that."
"Hell, no!"
"Oh, right. Sorry!"
Michael started packing a Nutragrain bar, can of soda, and a Tupperware of celery and carrot sticks with a packet of Ranch dressing into a lunch sack.
"Don't be sorry. It's normal to deny such things. Of course, it's a line I can't use on my boss but would one day love to say with Mr. Digit Puppet Finger."
"With what?"
Michael held up his hand, pulling down all his fingers except for the middle one.
"Ohhhh!"
Michael nodded. "Mm, hmm. Then in the next week or so, I'd be reading the want ads, lookin' for a new job!" He placed the sack into his briefcase.
"Oh, that reminds me. I need to go to the bank today and reopen a new account. Start my life over, I guess."
"Yeah, hun. That really sucks that such a thing happened to you."
I glanced at the living room. "That's why those guys are here. They saved me from being killed."
Michael sat down, now with full attention. "Hannah was telling me a little about them and you. Is that all true?"
"Cross my heart." I didn't finish the rest. I didn't hope to die!
"Well, I'm sure they can understand my reaction to their appearance. But since they are responsible for protecting one of the members of my family, I will personally give them full gratitude."
"Thanks, Michael. They will really appreciate it."
"But for now, I must go to work, put in a full day, shoot my boss-"
I gasped and started to say something.
He continued in his macabre tone. "-I'm only kidding of course, then I'll come home and talk to your friends. They will still be here tonight, won't they?"
"I, I think so. Their other brothers might stop by as well. We're playing it by ear today. These two are only here for my safety. And everyone else's."
"I should have been more reasonable with them. It's just.....they're......nothing like I've ever imagined before. And with those weapons, I thought they were ready for a war."
"With the way they look, they always have to be prepared for a war. I truly pity them." I looked again. "I know they'd be rolling their eyes right now if they heard me talk that way."
"Yes, I could sense they ask for no sympathy. Just honesty."
"Honesty is the best policy."
"Tell that to my co-workers." Michael stood up, taking his briefcase and putting his cup near the sink. "I'll see you later."
I got up and walked with him to the front door. "Wait, before you go, can I have your permission to run your computer while you're gone? Don would really like to use it sometime today."
"Okay, just make sure you leave my personal files alone. I don't mind if he surfs the Net while I'm gone."
"Great. I'll tell him when he wakes up."
Michael looked over. "Which one is Don anyway?"
I looked too. "Um, the one with the staff next to him. He's Donatello but we call him Don for short."
Michael checked his watch. "Well, have to beat traffic."
I gave him a quick hug. "Have a good day."
"That's Hannah's line, Jewel!"
"Yeah, and yours is 'I'm doing the best I can so don't give me any shit!' "
"Bingo. Later." He walked out and I stood watching with the morning air chilling my face. He got into his '99 silver Saturn and pulled out of the driveway.
I closed the door quietly and turned to stare at Mike's unmasked face.
"Do you truly pity us, Jewel?"
I lightly smacked his arm. "Ohhhh, you heard me say that? Now, you'll never let me forget it, right?"
"Wrong. I'll never forget it." He quickly kissed my cheek and left toward the downstairs bathroom.
I walked over to the couch. Don was now breathing lightly in his sleep. Him
not snoring indicated that he did wake up a little bit and must have heard us talking in
the kitchen. I sat cross-legged on the
end of the bed, hearing the bathroom shower start to run. I was still tired and
amazed that I was awake this long. Seeing Don turned way over to his side of the
bed, I slowly crawled over to where
Mike had slept and laid on my stomach, closing my eyes and grasping underneath the pillow.
Don was stripped of all his gear; his bo lying under the mattress and purple mask
resting on the arm of the
couch next to him. I kicked my legs up and under the covers, careful not to touch
him and curled into a ball, sleeping for a few extra minutes.
About 20 minutes later, the shower stopped and Mike came out from a steamy bathroom.
He had a towel wrapped around his waist and was using another to dry himself.
He stopped at the bed and
looked down.
"Uh, did I miss something?"
I looked up and Don shifted, turning over in his sleep to slowly open his eyes and see my back.
"Mmm, Jewel? What.... mmm, what are you doing down here?"
I turned over, meeting his squinting eyes. "I got a rude awakening at 5am."
Don sat up, still half asleep and propped one arm on his pillow. "Is it morning already?"
"Yes, I just said I woke up at 5. Now it's going on 6:30."
Don glanced at the VCR clock. "Is that what time it is?"
Mike laughed a little bit. "If you must know Jewel, he's the slowest one in the morning. Could be from staying up long hours on his computer."
Don looked over at him with tired eyes. "Go away. You snored all night long. That's why I'm tired. Couldn't sleep next to this chainsaw."
"Your snoring woke me up on and off. Sounded like a 20ft drill pounding into solid concrete."
I laughed at that when I thought of how that must have looked.
"And how did you sleep, Jewel?" Don started to blink to get the sleep out of his eyes.
"Just fine. It's a little chilly upstairs, and-" I accidentally moved my foot toward his warm leg.
"Heeeeeeeey!" Don shifted back, throwing the covers off half of the bed. Mike looked at us wide-eyed.
"I should have asked Hannah for some socks. My feet are cold." I smiled at him.
Don rubbed his leg. "Cold? They're like ice!"
Mike looked away, snickering.
Don sat up the rest of the way. "Are you done in the bathroom?"
"Yeah, sure. Go ahead. That'll wake you up."
"Okay. Good. And as for you." Don stood up and covered my feet with the warm blanket. "Get some socks on those things."
Don moved groggily past Mike; his bones cracking as he walked.
I fell flat on the bed again, moaning that is was the dreaded fact of being the next day. Mike placed one leg on the edge of the bed.
"Are you going to get up? I want to put the bed away. Then you can sleep on the couch."
"Mm, nokay." I rolled off to the other side, landing on Don's bo. "Ow. That'll leave a mark."
Mike removed the blankets and flung them on the floor, over my body that laid there.
I was so sluggish, it didn't seem to bother me. He then threw the pillows.
One hit my head, the other landed on my
butt. I groaned through the pile of bedding. Mike came around, nudging my side
with his foot. I groaned again.
"Whoa! Do I hear life under there?! It lives, Igor! It's alive!"
I pulled myself out from under the blankets, taking them with me to the small three steps.
"Mike, you are so cruel."
"And you're so lazy. Can't even help me put the bed away."
"I helped you take it out."
Silence. He continued pushing the bed back in. "Well, I guess that counts. I'll let it go this one time."
"How thoughtful. Oh, that reminds me. Thanks for taking out extra blankets and pillows for me upstairs."
"No problem."
"Don't worry, I'll put the bed away upstairs. Once I get off this floor."
"I can fix that." Mike jumped over and started tickling me. My body went like jello as I shook around the floor, laughing hysterically.
"No, no! Nooooo! Stop! Stop it! Please! I'm going to wet my pants! Stopppppp!"
"What do you mean wet your pants?"
"I haven't gone to the bathroom this morning. With you tickling me, I'll pee my pants no thanks to you."
Mike gestured to the bathroom door. "Oh, Jeez! Then go already!"
"Don's in there."
"Well, go anyway. He's in the shower. I bet he won't even know you're in there."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure! I've done it before many times!"
"I know I won't make it up to Hannah's bathroom."
"So, you have my permission. If it means not wetting yourself, go right ahead."
I got up and walked over to the bathroom door, finding it unlocked. I turned to Mike whom gestured again for me to go in.
"Better hurry!"
I went in and closed the door carefully. The hot water made the room all steamy.
The tub curtain was drawn shut. I put the seat up, never taking my eyes off
the curtain. I quickly pulled my sweat pants
and underwear around my ankles, watching the curtain. Oh, God. Please hurry.
Stay in there a little longer. Please, oh please. I grabbed some tissue
paper, still praying to do this routine in the fastest
time I could possibly go. I stood up; the porcelain seat slamming down by itself.
Shuffling was heard in the tub. "Who's there? Is that you Mike?"
Don peeked his head out, seeing me scramble to pull my pants back on. I just know he got a glimpse of my bare back side. We both gasped at one another.
"GAH! I thought you were Mike!"
I pulled my pants past my waist and shook my head, my voice barely audible. "Nooooo, it's me!" I reached over, flushed the toilet, and ran out.
Mike watched me fly by as he folded the blankets. "So, how'd it go?"
"Um, okay, I guess."
I went to the kitchen sink to wash my hands, my body shaking all over.
Mike came over. "Why are you washing your hands in here? You didn't get caught did you?"
"Ummm, maybe. Sorta. Yes, I got caught in the act."
Mike started to laugh. "Oh, really? Well, I wouldn't worry about it too much."
"Too much? What do you mean by that? Promise me you won't tell a soul. Not even Lizzy."
"Hey, sure. I promise. Jeez, it's no big deal anyway."
"Thank you." I turned to walk out.
"Since it's Don, he's the least of your worries. It's not like you came in on Raph."
"Do you think I'll have time to get dress and take a very long walk?"
"What happened in there, Jewel? You're shaking all over."
"I told you I'm very shy about my body. I'm pretty sure he saw me. And I mean the other cheek."
Mike laughed again. "You know, you really need to relax and not let it get
to you. I've been caught by Raph or Leo at least twice and let me tell you, it isn't
pleasant. Sometimes they do it to me, well,
Raph more than Leo. Leo's never done it before. It's more like I walked in on
him. It's because we have one bathroom and four guys want to use it. Either to
shower or whatever."
"So what's my excuse? Hannah's got two bathrooms. If I couldn't hold it till I got back upstairs, then I must have a very poor bladder."
"I don't know. Your body was telling you that you had to go and it was aware
that there is an available bathroom downstairs. Instead of wasting time, treading up
the stairs, you had easy access down
here already. Plus my silly playfulness speeded up the process too."
I heard the shower head switch off. I moaned and looked at Mike.
"He's coming out!"
"Well, it's about time! Thought he'd use all the hot water left in the house!"
"What am I going to do?"
"About what?"
"About...... you know!"
Mike rolled his eyes. "You are going to sit on the couch and forget about it. I'm sure Don already has." He pushed me down on the sofa. "Come on, let's watch some 'toons."
That'll take my mind off it. Mike plopped into the La-Z-Boy, finding the remote control in the Scooby-Doo pouch. He took a few seconds to observe the pouch.
"Hey, lookit this! We should get one of these! How cool."
We heard little feet scamper down the stairs. Lizzy came into the living room and jumped into Mike's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight squeeze.
"Morning, Mike! Miss me?"
Mike scooted over, replacing her on the chair near his side. "Hey, Liz! Did ya sleep well!"
"Uh, huh!" Liz waved over to me. "Hi, Jewel!"
I waved slowly. "Morning, Liz. I see you're up bright and early."
"Yeah, I wanna watch cartoons!"
Mike grinned at me. "Ain't she great?"
"Yeah, great." I didn't smile.
Mike continued to stare, mouthing the words: "Smile!" Then smiled a goofy smile to get my face cracking.
I looked away, trying not to laugh.
The bathroom door opened and Don walked out like Mike did with towel around his waist and drying his body with another. He saw me sitting on the couch then saw Lizzy and Mike.
"Hey, morning, Lizzy! Up watching cartoons?"
"Hi, Don! Yeah, Saturday's the one morning I like getting up for a reason." She looked at him harder. "I've never seen you without your stuff on before. You look....ah-"
"Different?"
"Normal."
"Oh, well I don't usually shower with my gear on. That'd be like showering with clothes on. It's a little pointless if you ask me. Jewel, can you hand me my mask? It's right by your arm."
I looked down at the end table. His mask laid stretched across it. I picked it up and without looking at him, reached and handed it to him. His hand lightly brushed against mine.
"Thanks." He then placed it over his eyes. I was able to watch
him do it without him noticing. He reached over to pick up his belt, pads, and bo
and stepped a ways back to apply them on.
He left for a minute to hang up the damp towels than sat down on the couch on the center
cushion, inches from me, and watched the screen. God, please don't say anything.
Not with Lizzy here.
Hannah came down the stairs next; her face in need of a cup of coffee. We all looked over as she came over to the steps, waving to us.
"Hi, Mommy!" "Hey, Hannah!" "Morning Hannah!" "Good morning, Hannah!"
"Hello, everyone. Did my husband already leave?"
I stood up. "Yes, he did. He left around 6."
Hannah walked toward the kitchen. "Okay. Do you want some coffee, Jewel?"
I followed her. Perfect opportunity to get away from Don. "I already had a cup this morning. But I'll take another." I sat down at the dining table, feeling a sort of déjà vu hitting me.
Hannah brought me a cup of hot, black, coffee then sat down at the next chair.
"Did you sleep well?"
I took a sip. "Mm, hmm."
"I know that couch bed in the computer room is a little uncomfortable. But it's good enough for one person. And the guys fit more on the downstairs couch bed."
"It was fine. I slept just fine. But is it always cold in the morning? I woke up freezing."
"Oh, I must have forgot to turn up the heater. I'm sorry! I should have given you an extra robe to use."
"And a pair of socks."
"Huh?"
I felt my toes. "My feet are cold. I've been walking around the house barefoot."
Hannah laughed. "Oh, goodness! Some hostess I turned out to be.
Hang on, let me go get you a pair." Hannah got up and ran up the stairs.
She was gone less than 5 minutes, returning with a pair of
black slouch socks.
"Here you go, sweetie."
"Thanks." I placed a leg up onto the chair, slipping on one sock.
I stopped and looked at what I was doing. Yup. Déjà vu. I put
the other sock on, rolling the top down just above the ankles. My feet
started to tingle as the warm fabric touched my cold skin.
"So what's on the agenda today?"
"Well, I wanted to go to the bank and reopen my account, see how much money I have left in there. I wanted to go shopping and buy some new clothes, and just basically get my life back together."
"Have you talked to the police about anything that was saved at your apartment that might be in their custody?"
"No, I haven't talked to anyone like that. The Turtles found me at some
encampment upstate near Yellowstone and brought me back to the city. I vaguely
remember what happened out there because
I was drugged when rescued. I guess I was rescued out there. I remember a lot
of guns firing, sulfur in the air, and men shouting."
"Wow, they traveled quite a distance to find you, didn't they?"
"They told me they've been on my trail since they heard about the bomb at my apartment. It's in connections with my father somehow."
"Your father? But he's not even in the country anymore. What does your father have to do with all this?"
"It's because of what he was before. Who he was before. He worked at
that industrial plant in Bayonne, New Jersey where he was involved with the major chemical
spill. Although he discovered it years
later, he got down a lot of information on the toxins that made the ooze what it is today.
As far as I know, the final chemicals have already been disposed of properly.
But with his knowledge,
he could probably stir up another batch if he wanted to. With the proper ingredients
of course. I don't think it's him, though. Someone else is on the trail for
such a concoction. Someone who wants to
experiment with it. And you can guess who the test subject is."
"Yes, I know. You told me a little about that the other night. God, that's so horrible."
I nodded. "What's even more horrible is when I lost my necklace out there, possibly the last memory I'll ever have of Edward." Oh, his very name puts a lump in my throat.
Hannah patted my back and stood up to get more coffee.
"More coffee, hun?"
I stood up. "Actually, I want some toast." I took the bread,
jelly and margarine out of the refrigerator. I pulled a paper plate out of the
cupboard and popped two slices of bread into the toaster.
Lizzy came over to where we worked around the kitchen. Hannah gave her a small hug.
"Morning, sweetie. Is it commercial time?" Lizzy slowly nodded her head. "Want some cereal or toast?"
"Cereal."
"You got it." Hannah started to pull out a plastic bowl and silver spoon.
"Make it two. Mike wants some."
"Well, yes your Majesty. You can help too, you know."
"K." I watched Lizzy go to the pantry and pull out a box of Lucky Charms. Gross. To think I use to eat that brand was nauseating.
Hannah poured both bowls with cereal. "Here, go sit down with these and I'll bring you the milk, okay?"
"K."
I watched the whole scene at the table in silence, buttering up my toast and scooping on some jelly.
Don came into the kitchen, checking out the coffee machine.
"Any coffee left?"
"Should be. Help yourself."
Don poured himself a cup and sat down at the table next to me. Ohhh, goodness.
I looked over at Mike and Lizzy. "You're not going to go watch TV with them?"
"Nah. I'm really not into cartoons that much."
"Would you like something to eat like toast or something?"
Don gave me a look. "Are you trying to get rid of me?"
"Whatever gave you that idea?"
"I don't know. You seem so edgy this morning. Hope I haven't done anything to offend you."
"Noooo, it's me. That's all." I just realized I said the same line that I said in the bathroom and again put a leg up onto the chair, feeling a bit uncomfortable.
Don was oblivious but at least observed my feet. "Hey, you got some socks on."
"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Hannah brought me down a pair. She forgot to crank up the heater before going to bed."
Hannah came back in, lightly tapping Don's shoulder as she walked by.
"Hey, Donatello. Did you sleep good last night?"
"Sure did. Slept great."
"Good. Do you want some toast or anything?"
Sounded like my same offer. Don looked over at me again with an unforgettable grin. I shrugged at his expression.
"We're women. We always think alike."
He laughed as he stood up. "Sure, I'll have some toast. But I can get it myself."
Hannah walked out with a laugh. "Ah, now I can sit down peacefully." She went to go sit on the couch. No, please don't leave me. I turned to watch Don prepare his toast, the same way I did.
Lizzy came running in with two empty bowls, fighting her way around Don to get to the kitchen sink.
"S'cuse me! Gotta hurry before the commercials end!"
Don backed into the corner of the counter, allowing her wash out the bowls and spoons and pop them in the dishwasher.
"Thanks! Now go back to whatever you were doing!" She ran out again to the living room. Don pulled back and reached for his toast.
"Jeez, if there were no such thing as commercial breaks, they'd never leave the TV for anything."
"I know. Lizzy is a devoted admirer of idiots, explosives, and falling anvils."
"Please. I live with one who's 19 and acts like a child."
"Really? You guys are only 19?"
"Yup. Well, Mike is 19."
"I'll be 20 in December."
"Oh. Then you've got a ways to go. And so does Mike. My birthday is January 27, then Leo's is August 8, Raph's is November 6, and finally Mike is on December 10.
Don sat down and started to butter his toast and taking small bites.
"So you and Leo are already 20."
"Right. Mike's the youngest of the group. Raph will be 20 in November."
"I know Splinter told me how you were all intoxicated at the same time. Here I thought you all were the same age."
"Well, we were all born that same year but in different months."
"No, I thought you were all born at the same time. The same day."
"As in unhatched together? No, nothing's that coincidental."
"It's funny your birthday lands on an odd number and your brothers are all even numbers."
"Yep, I'm the oddball of the family."
"Well, don't feel so bad. I'm an oddball too. Mine is December 27 so we're 12 months apart exactly."
"Imagine that."
I stood up. "I'm going to go get dressed. I've got a busy day today."
"What are you going to do?"
"Start over again."
"Oh."
The very words upset me. Start over again. It made me want to cry.
But I'm not about to lose it over coffee and toast. I left Don at the table to go
get dressed in Hannah's room.
Hannah came in to help pick out something to wear that might fit me.
"You can wear this and I might have some jeans that may fit you. They may be
a bit long because I'm a few inches taller but I think you can manage with your
high-heeled boots. Your
clothes are still in the wash so let me give you an extra pair of underwear and bra.
Don't worry. They're clean."
"Thanks, Hannah. I'd like to wash up first and then get dressed."
"Okay. Bathroom's right there. If you need anything else, let me know. I'll be downstairs." She walked out, closing the door behind her.
A Kleenx would come in handy. I held the clothes tight, feeling the tears start
to pour. I will get though this. I must. I went into the bathroom,
removing my shirt, pants, and socks and cranked up
the shower. I will survive through this. With a little guidance, a little
help, and a lot of love. I will survive.