Regrets

Funeral Reunions

"Ya always told me yer real Mom meant nothin' ta ya." Raph said as Leo got dressed. It was her biological mother's funeral today and saw was going with Yukiko.

"She didn't." Leo replied. "Not in the same way Alopex does."

"Then why ya goin' ta tha funeral?"

"I sounds ta me that ya thought more about her than yer lettin' on."

"Well I didn't, I didn't even really like her."

"Then why ya goin' and takin' Yuki with ya? Don't think a little kid should go ta a funeral, it's morbid and she'll be frightened."

"No she won't, she's too young to understand about death and all that."

"Right, so what ya takin' her fer?!"

"I thought you understand." She sighed. "The truth is I've always wanted to confront my mother and sort things but I'm never going to get to meet her now, I just want to go to the funeral to say goodbye."

Raph just sighed...

******

When Leo arrived at the cemetery she saw more than a dozen people and a priest gathered around an open grave and a coffin. Leo took a deep breath, pulled Yuki close and walked over to the crowd.

"Thank you very much for coming today." An old turtle woman sniffed to the guests as she walked away from the coffin with a human friend.

The turtle had olive green skin, blue eyes full of tears and looked to be in her early fifties.

"That wasn't bad, was it?" She smiled weakly to the human on her arm.

"No, it went very well." The human soothed as they walked. The turtle looked up and suddenly stopped in her tracks.

"Oh." She said when she saw Leona and Yuki further up the path, after a few moments she walked over to them. "It's Leona, isn't it?" She asked with a smile.

"Yeah." Leo replied.

"I knew the minuet I saw you." She smiled and turned to her friend. "Norma, this is Leona Saiyo, Eroina's daughter; it's so good of you to come." She said to the teen and looked at the toddler in her arms. "And who's this?"

"This is my daughter, Yukiko." She smiled and moved a bit so they could she the child. The old turtle smiled as more tears built up in her eyes.

"Forgive me." She sniffed as she wiped the tears away. "It's just so much to bear, losing Eroina; but I'm so glad you came dear, you will come and have something eat with us won't you, you and Yuki?"

"I don't know if I should." Leo admitted nervously.

"Oh please do." She pleaded. "At least give me the chance to say thank you for coming, I've so much to say to you Leona."

"Um, I'm sorry but who are you?"

"Oh dear where are my manners? My name is Catherine Aiuto, Eroina was my daughter; I'm your grandmother."...

******

"So Leona's gone to the funeral?" Alopex asked Raphael. She had just bumped into Raph at the mall and started to interrogate him.

"Yeah, she took Yuki with her." He replied.

"Stupid girl." She muttered under her breath, but Raph heard it.

"Hey! She ain't stupid, tha only stupid one here is ya because let's face it, ya thought is ya caused a huge fuss she and Yuki would come runnin' back ta ya!" He growled.