Growing Up Fast

Part 10

The few days until Christmas Eve turned Donatello's belly into hard knots. It was almost like when he had the accursed morning sickness. April had come down early and after talking with Splinter and assuring him that Jane and Tanya were trustworthy, she gave each of the turtles a list of things she wanted done.

Mikey was on the cooking duty as usual, Leonardo was employed to use his katanas to trim the tree that Raphael and Michelangelo had drug down into the sewers while Raphael did some light cleaning.

"Why do I have to be the one to clean?" He grumbled as he attacked a corner that held some cobwebs.

"Because we are having some surprise guests and spring cleaning doesn't always have to happen in the spring." April said as she made sure she had the list.

"Maybe so, but still... does it look like I'm Martha Stewart?"

"Alright wise guy, just finish that corner and then throw all the pizza boxes away, or I'll have you wear the apron." She threatened. "You ready, Donatello?"

"Yeah." Donatello finished pulling on the purple wool cap that he wore often. He followed April out. She had it all worked out so that she could get him alone to talk as they did the shopping.

Xx

"So, Donatello," April began as she looked through some turkeys, "have any idea how you are going to tell your brothers? Splinter handled it rather well."

"No idea. Though I don't know which is worse, Splinter calmly saying he's disappointed in me for not telling him sooner and trusting him, or if he had yelled. I guess after all the years of all the strange things in our life and him turning from human to rat he's well used to the impossible, so me being... pregnant isn't too much of a shock."

"Yeah, I see what you mean. After I met you four and Splinter, I felt the same way about some things. I don't look at the simple things anymore. What do you think of this one?" She held up a rather large turkey.

Donatello nodded. "Looks good."

"I'll take your word for it. I was never one for cooking, much less telling what was good or not. Ever since Irma moved I've been relying on take-out." She nodded her head and Donatello pushed the cart forward.

The all night mart was empty even on the early Christmas Eve day. "Anyway, speaking of your pregnancy, how are you doing?"

"I'll be better once I get this all out in the open with my bros."

"That's not what I meant. How are you feeling?" April said as she looked at two different cans of cranberry sauce. She shrugged and dumped both in the cart.

"The morning sickness is over and the babies are growing fast. I'm already two months along and I'm showing. It's not uncomfortable yet, but as to feeling. No offence, April, but I don't know how you women do it. I get periods when I don't feel... if you will... male." Donatello's cheeks turned darker.

April stopped walking and raised an eyebrow at Donatello. "You have any idea why you would feel this way?"

He nodded, "It must be the high dosages that Sir gave he. For me to possibly carry the babies, he would have to had me on female hormones." Donatello paused by the aisle that held frozen fish. He stared into the freezer. "You know, I think that is why he waited the first week of my capture. He had begun a hormonal treatment."

April didn't say anything but stared into the freezer with Donatello. They stood there, lost in their own little world. Finally, April cleared her throat. "I think we got everything. You ready to head back?"

XXX

By Christmas Eve night, the promised snow was falling gently all over New York City, and everyone was helping decorate the lair to the nicest. Christmas classics boomed over the radio.