Growing Up Fast

Part 16

Donatello held the ultrasound pictures up to the light again. It had already been a week since Tanya had given him the pictures and he never got tired of looking at the them.

When he had gotten back to the lair, he had pulled them out of the large envelope. For hours, he and Master Splinter had looked at the pictures. Even his brothers had rejoined to look at the pictures.

Everything was much better. His bros didn't walk on eggshells anymore or ignore him. There was still the teasing, but it had lightened to the point that even Donatello would laugh every now and then. Donatello smiled to himself as he traced the outline of one of the twins. He slid the pictures back into the envelope just as he heard the footsteps of the others.

Leonardo walked into view and looked at the envelope in Donatello's hand to Donatello.

"You still looking at the pictures?" He asked.

Donatello looked up and nodded. "Yeah, I just can't help it."

Leonardo shook his head but didn't say a word about it. "Alright. Come on. Everyone is just about ready."

Donatello nodded and stood up slowly. He was already bundled and ready to go. Tanya had called the day before and reminded them to meet up at her and Jane's apartment. He grimaced as he did so. It was indeed getting worse. After cracking his back, he followed his bro out to the Turtle Van. Everyone was already in the van. Michelangelo and Raphael had given up their seat in the front so that Master Splinter and Donatello could sit in the more comfortable seats.

Donatello slid into the seat and looked longingly over at the driver's seat. He had loved to drive, but now his belly got in the way and the wheel din's adjusted and he knew it would be pointless to adjust it since he was so close to the end of the pregnancy.

"So, Leonardo. You sure you got the right directions?" Raphael asked from the back as Leonardo pulled out of the sewer tunnel and onto the roads.

"Yeah bro, 1984 West Street. It's just as we enter Queens. Tanya said she'll be waiting out in front." Leonardo said as he turn onto the highway that would take them to northern Queens.

Pointless chatter dominated the rest of the ride. The whole trip took a total of half an hour. When they pulled up to Tanya's, they stared up at the rusty, red brick building. It was nestled in one of the nicer and quieter parts of Queens. True to her word, Tanya was leaning by the door, the outside light on and was reading in the dim light. She was wearing a cream colored sweater and a pair of black jeans. The old ratty fedora was sitting on her head as she scanned the thick book she was reading.

She looked up when she heard the van pull up. Her round face lit up with a smile and waited until the turtles and Splinter were standing in front of her. "Hey, guys. Master Splinter." She greeted them.

"Hey, Tanya," was the greeting from three of the turtles. Michelangelo's greeting was more along the lines of, "Good to see you Tanya, babe."

"Pleased to see you again, Miss Goodfellow." Master Splinter said with a formal bow.

"Oh, just call me Tanya. I'd prefer that." She said as she waved them on inside. "You all can hang your coats up here." She pointed to the hooks that were in the foyer.

The turtles hung up the coats as Donatello began to struggle out of his. Tanya shooed the other turtles in to the main part of the house. "You go on. There is a small buffet loaded up with all kinds of food, so go help yourselves."

That was all it took for three turtles to hurry into the house with Splinter following behind them. Excited mutterings and greetings to the two other human adults in the room, it was quiet for a few seconds, then a loud shout from Michelangelo. "PIZZA, dudes! I love you, Tanya!"