Growing Up Fast

Part 14

The next day had Donatello feeling miserable. He was still hurting from the dismal that his brothers did last night. After Splinter had sent him to bed, he had tossed and turned for a while, but finally fell asleep. He woke up to find that he had only slept for a few hours.

Sighing, he made his way to the kitchen and sat down. As he ate plain cereal, he watched his brothers eat leftover pizza with their favorite cereal toppings. His brothers dominated the conversation as they all talked at once, ignoring him. Donatello finished his cereal and stood, feeling his back starting to ache again.

He headed back to his lab and stared at the turtle com in is hands. He needed someone to talk to. Just as he picked the com up, it began to beep. He opened it to see Tanya's face.

"Tanya. Hey. I was getting ready to call you."

"Really? How sweet. There is only one problem with that." She said solemnly.

"What's that?"

Tanya's face broke out into a smile, "Because, silly turtle, I'm over at April's." She began to giggle, "How else you think I'm going to see you while we talk?"

"Oh yeah," Donatello said sheepishly.

Tanya picked up on his mood. She stopped giggling and looked at him in sympathy. "Baby blues getting you down?"

"Not the twins... my brothers." Donatello sighed heavily.

"Sounds like you need someone to talk to. Why don't you meet me at the corner of Fifth and Main? We'll walk around a bit and talk." She suggested. "The air will do you some good anyway."

Donatello thought about it. Fresh air would be great and plus, he did need someone to talk to. Tanya was around his own age. Her only being two or three years older than him.

"Yeah, I'll meet you there in ten minutes."

"Great. See you in a few." She winked at him and closed April's borrowed com.

Donatello closed his own and walked over to get one of the many disguises that they had. Since it was still cold topside, he pulled on a pair of oversized slacks, though they just barely covered his large belly. He looked down and sighed, then found he also had to pull a sweater on over his head as well. Finally, to top it off, he donned one of the larger trench coats. When he was fully dressed as far as a turtle could be, he picked up his favored fedora. Shutting the lights off, he walked out into the main room of the lair. He saw only Leonardo in the room.

Leonardo looked up when Donatello entered. "Where are you going?" He asked as he glanced at Donatello, then his rounded belly. He then looked away.

Donatello sighed and shifted slightly in the bulky coat he wore. "I'm meeting up with Tanya. We are just going to hang out and talk, since nobody else will." Donatello said rather accusingly.

Leonardo looked a little shocked at the bitterness in Donatello's sweet natured voice. "Oh... oh ok. Just be careful." He said.

Donatello just nodded and shoved the fedora down on his head. He hurried out the lair's main door and to the manhole cover that would lead him directly to the corner of Fifth and Main. Donatello barely pushed up on the manhole cover, letting the smallest sliver of light through. He peered out through the small crack and held his breath as he listened for any noise in the empty alley.

After several minutes of silence, he let out a gusty sigh and pushed the cover back so he could climb out of the sewers. He quietly put the cover back and headed towards the entrance of the alley, adjusting the collar on his trench coat as he went.

He dipped his head down so that the brim of his hat hid his features in shadows. His hands remained tucked into the coat's deep pockets as he walked down the street. As he headed down the street, he hurried along, making it look like he had a place to be several minutes ago. The few people walking down the street didn't even give him a second look. He stopped and leaned against the wall of a building. His eyes idly went to the short girl walking down the street.