Regrets

Advice

Leo sighed as she stared at the table. Yuki was happily eating some toast as Catherine played with her. After she and Yuki left she stayed that night at the older turtle's house in the suburbs of Queens.

"...and we'll call it Yuki's strawberry jam, would you like that?" She smiled at her lovely great-granddaughter. "Now, what do you want on your toast Leona?"

"I'm alright thanks." She replied in a raspy voice.

"But you've not eaten anything since you got here, you'll fade away." She said with concern.

"I'm OK."

"Honey you don't have to pretend you're OK here." Catherine said before picking up Yuki with a smile. "How about Nana takes you to daycare, then me and Mommy can have a chat? Because I don't think she's told me everything."...

Leo just smiled at her...

******

When Tigerclaw went to open the front door to see who was knocking he was surprised to see Raphael on his doorstep. The muscular turtle looked like he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep that night.

"Have ya seen Leo?" He asked quickly.

"No, why?"

"I just need ta know she's OK."

"Why what's happened?"

"It doesn't matter, I'll fix it." He growled before walking away...

******

Later that day Catherine was cleaning the kitchen while Leo sat at the table. The poor teen's eyes were red from crying so much.

"So, how long has this affair been going on then?" She asked her granddaughter.

"It's not really an affair." Leo admitted.

"Is that what he said?" She glared. "Not an affair, just sex?"

"They didn't have sex."

"Then what was is?"

"A kiss."

"A kiss?"

"Does it matter how many?" Leo snapped.

"Well, no honey, not if it makes you feel like this."

"All the times he said to me that he wanted to be with me and Yuki, be a family; how can he say those things and then sneak off with someone else?!" She sobbed.

Catherine quickly sat down and pulled her into a hug.

"Shhh, this other girl... I can't imagine she's any prettier than you are." She smiled. "It'll be the commitment he's running shy of because of our Yuki."

"He loves Yuki and she loves him."

"Maybe, but there aren't many young boys who would take on a girl and her child, if I had another chance I would of worked a lot harder to get our Eroina to do the right thing, God bless her soul, especially now that I've met my beautiful granddaughter and great-granddaughter."

"Do you think I'm over reacting?"

"No honey." She reassured. "Oh dear you're exhausted, I bet you haven't slept a wink, so how about you go and get a nice lie down and I'll cook us a bit of lunch for later?"

"I don't know."

"I promise you that decisions are a lot harder when you haven't had any sleep or food inside you, please, let me take care of you."

"OK." She sighed and went back upstairs...

******

After an hour of sleep Leona came back downstairs to see Catherine setting a plate of sandwiches on the table and pouring a bit of tea for them.

"I could pick Yuki up later if you want to speak to Raphael." The older turtle smiled.

"I don't." She replied coldly.

"Well that up to you honey, especially if you feel like the one who's been betrayed."

"Who else has he betrayed?!"

"Himself." She replied calmly. "Has he said he wants this other girl?"

"Well... no... it's complicated."

"Life is when you're young, mind you, it's not only the young who get betrayed." She frowned.

"You mean with my grandfather?"

"Nothing left you could teach him about betrayal after what he did." She snarled.

"Running off with another woman?"

"A woman? Oh no, a floozy;  but it was more than a kiss what they had." She sighed.

"Do you think you would of forgiven him a kiss?"

"Sometimes when things come to try us forgiveness and compassion can be hard to find, but we can only strive to do better and pray that we will."

"But I don't think I can forgive Raph." She sniffed.

"Maybe he doesn't deserve it." Catherine offered a soft smile. "Maybe now you can get to know the real him and if you don't like what you see then maybe it's just not meant to be."...

******

Raphael Hamato sighed sadly as he sat on the couch in his and Leo's small apartment. It was almost sunset now. He spent all day looking for Leo and Yuki but he didn't know where they were.

He sat up when he heard footsteps coming up to the door.

"Leo? Is that you?" He called hopefully as the front door slowly opened. He heart jumped for joy when he saw Leo step inside. "I've been looking everywhere fer ya, where's Yuki?"

"She's safe."

"Ya OK?"

"No." She glared. "And don't start saying sorry again, it's not what I've come to hear."

"What can I say? How can I make it OK?" He begged.

"I don't know if you can, that's what I've come to find out."

"I don't know why I kissed April."

"That's not good enough."

"Yer tha only girl I've ever wanted, I'm committed to you and us." He promised. "Even if I did like another girl I'd never put us at risk for it."

"But you did and with my best friend!"

"I was drunk! If I was sober this would never had happened, please forgive me Leo!"

"I can't."

"Leona Saiyo, I love ya now and I did then."

"How can you love me and then do what you did or even want to?!" She glared. "Even when I'm drunk I don't suddenly kiss Casey!"

"I know." He sighed. "But I love ya and I will never do anythin' like that again! Please Leo, give me another chance."

Leo looked into his eyes as tears flowed out of hers.

"If I did, IF, how would I know that you won't do this to me again?"

"'Cause I deserve ta lose ya and I never ever what that ta happen! Please don't let me throw everything away on one stupid mistake."

Leo just stared at him...