Regrets

Unbalanced Part 1

The next morning Yukiko's daycare was open again so Leona was getting the tot ready while Raphael got dressed for work.

"Right babe, I'm off, yer sure ya don't want a lift ta daycare?" He called into the bathroom as his girlfriend stepped out.

"We should of asked for more towels at Christmas, I'm practically bathing Yukiko with dish cloths." She growled.

"Ya OK?"

"Yeah, why?" She frowned.

"I don't know, ya just seemed ta have a bad night." He replied and she looked away. "Was it Catherine? She got ta ya didn't she?"

"Of course she got to me, she'd get to anyone." She sighed. "Let's not talk about her; we can manage without her help."

"Well, we could do with a babysitter sometimes."

"Like who?"

"Well... ya've got other family, ya know."

"Raph, we'll make do." She quickly said. "We've done it before, we'll do it again."

"Alright." He sighed before giving her a kiss and leaving for work...

******

About an hour later, Leona and Yukiko were giggling as they walked onto the streets, ready for work and daycare. The little girl was excited to go back to daycare and leo could only laugh, hoping she'd feel that way when she had to go to school.

"Hello Leona." A gentle voice spoke. Leo froze in fear and anger and looked up to see Catherine smiling at them.

"Hello Yukiko." She smiled at the child before turning to Leo. "Do you think she'll be warm enough?"

"What are doing here?" She growled.

"I thought I could take Yukiko to daycare for you?" She kept smiling.

"Did you not hear a word I said yesterday?!" She shouted. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Tang Shen standing across the street watching them, but the teen ignored her.

"Well... you were upset." Catherine stuttered, her smile cracking.

"I was upset?! And what about you? You were ranting and raving!!"

"I admit that I said too much, far too much, but that's what happens when you care about someone." She said in that sickly sweet voice. "We just have to forgive and forget for the sake of family, there's no harm done; come on Yukiko, give Nana a kiss." She smiled and bent down to the child, only to have Leona pick her daughter up.

"Don't you touch her every again!!" She shouted. "Do you understand me?! Never!! Not in a million years!!!" She exclaimed before walking away.

Once she was gone, Shen quickly walked over to the old turtle as Catherine brought her hand to her crying eyes.

"Hello Miss, I don't mean to pry but I know you don't I? Weren't you with the mall with the St. Saviour's Cathedral group for the Christmas charity?" She asked and Catherine nodded. "I'm Tang Shen, Yukiko's grandmother, how do you know Leona?"

"I-I'm Leona's gran." She sniffed.

"Leona's gran?" Shen frowned.

"Yes, my daughter was her biological mother; she died a few months ago." She sobbed.

"Look, let's not stand in cold and let's get something to drink." Shen smiled and led the turtle away...

******

"Have you ever spoken to your bishop?" Shen asked as she and Catherine sat in the cafe where Leona worked. They had both ordered a coffee, but Catherine was just staring at hers as if something was growing on it.

"He's too busy to bother with the likes  of me." She mumbled.

"I'm sure he'd do everything he can to help."

"Will he get Yukiko back for me?" She asked, finally looking up.

"I-I meant to help with the grieving."

"I'm not grieving, I'm trying to save the soul of a little child, that's what I'm trying to do." She frowned as Leo stepped inside.

When the teen saw Catherine she sent her a death glare before heading into the back room to get changed. When the blue eyed turtle came back out, Tang Shen immediately walked over to her.

"Leona, can I talk to you?" She asked softly.

"I have nothing to say about her." She glared at Catherine.

"Listen, I don't know what she's done but-"

"Who's side are you on?!" She growled.

"I'm not taking sides." She frowned.

"Mrs Hamato, she's mad." Leo stated. "All she does is take Yuki to cry over her daughter's grave."

"Really?" She asked in shock.

"All the time." She nodded. "She freaking me out, and Raph, and most of, Yuki; and when you stand up to her she turns horrible."

"Surely not."

"Oh you'd think butter wouldn't melt, forget it." She sighed before walking away to serves some waiting tables. Tang Shen stood there for a moment before going back to her table.

"She's only young." Shen smiled at the old turtle. "Just give her some time."

Catherine just stared at her for a few moments before quickly walking out the cafe...

******

Later that afternoon, Raphael dropped by the cafe to drive Leona to pick up Yukiko from the daycare. They smiled as they stepped inside and saw dozens of little children laughing and running around.

The lady in charge noticed them and walked over to them.

"I'm sorry, she beat you too it." She smiled and they frowned in confusion.

"Excuse me?" Leo asked.

"Well she'll be at the dentist by now." She smiled.

"Dentist?" She frowned.

"Her great-grandmother came to pick her up, Mrs Aiuto."

"She what?!" Raph exclaimed.

"She came for her about half an hour ago; is there something wrong here? It's just that she's the other person on your list, she often comes to see her." The lady explained.

"Take her name off the list! Never let her near Yuki!" Leo cried.

"Yes, of course, but what's going on?" The lady asked.

"What did she say?" Raph asked.

"Just that Yukiko had a dentist appointment; I said that you hadn't mentioned it but she thought you just forgot, had you?"

"There's no dentist." Leo muttered as dread filled her. "What is she thinking?" She hissed to Raph.

"I-I don't know." He replied.

"Then where is she?!" Leo cried. "Where's my little girl?!?!"...

******

Catherine smiled as she and Yukiko walked hand in hand through the cemetery. In one had she was holding a fresh bouquet of yellow roses.

"You know where we're going don't you?" She smiled as little Yuki pulled her to Eroina's headstone. "Do you want to put them down?" She asked and Yuki nodded.

The toddler took the roses and gently placed them in front of the granite headstone.

"Eroina would love to meet you and Mommy, would you like to meet your Granny?" She asked the child, who quickly nodded. "Then I'll take you there, you'll love her, I promise you." She smiled as she seemed to drift off.

"Cross my heart... and hope to die."...