It was a good thing that the old Jones family farm was in an isolated area, surrounded by trees. The Turtles had come to rely on it. It was a place that they could go to unwind, where they could experience a greater freedom while still remaining hidden.
They knew that they couldn’t completely let their guard down. There will always be an occasional wonderer who passes through the grove, not fully aware that it was private property or believing that the area had been abandoned.
As a sign of respect, the Turtles tended to leave the farm in better condition than when they had arrived. Because of this, Mrs. Jones was always willing to allow them to stay there whenever needed. Thanks to them, the farm was now in better condition than the day it had been built.
Even so, it still felt like they were imposing. There was a twinge of guilt that made them believe that they were taking advantage of Mrs. Jones’ hospitality.
It was also something they needed and they weren’t going to let pride or guilt get in the way of their wellbeing. The clean air and sunshine would be good for all of them, both physically and mentally.
The girls had admitted that they had never been out of the city before, aside from their trip to the Battle Nexus. Michelle insists that it doesn’t count. They had no idea what it was like to experience nature. They were all eager to go.
After a few days of packing and preparation, and after making sure they were all well enough to leave their doctors’ care, they loaded into a large van and started the four hour, as long as traffic permitted, trip upstate.
The van was large enough to seat everyone comfortably, including Leatherhead. Most of the windows were tented so no one could see inside. The front windshield and driver side window were a high-tech glass that could be seen through from the inside but, on the outside, they showed a human man driving the van. Donatello was impressed with the ingenuity of it.
They had left before dawn in hopes of avoiding the heavy rush hour traffic. It was impossible to avoid all traffic. In the twenty-four-hour life of New York, someone was always going somewhere. It was hard to find a time when there was no traffic on the major roads out of the city.
Raphael was the one who was elected to drive. He was the only one who knew how to drive and was well enough to operate the large vehicle. Donatello sat behind him, next to Galileo. It was the first time he had been in a car seat and it wasn’t happy about it. Even going so far as to bite on the straps.
Fortunately, despite his initial protest, Galli fell asleep once they hit the open road. Donatello spent the majority of the drive watching him sleep. It was still hard to believe that his existence was even possible.
When they reached the farm, it was about an hour past dawn. Donny exited the van to see that a vast part of the field was covered in wild flowers and the air was filled with their pleasant aroma.
Donny took in a deep breath then let it out slowly. Just being there helped to relieve some of his tension. He couldn’t wait until the sun was up high enough for a good bask.
“Oh, wow!” Michelle said as she stepped out of the van. “I just want to run through that field of flowers and roll around in it.”
“I wouldn’t recommend it,” Donny warned her with a soft smile. “Who knows what’s hiding in them. Nature is beautiful but it can also be dangerous.”
“Darn,” Michelle playfully pouted but didn’t argue.
“Don’t worry,” Mikey assured her. “You will get your fill of all the beauty nature has to offer before we leave. You’ll be sick of it before you know it and begging to go back to the city.”
Taking a deep breath, Michelle shook her head. “I don’t think I could ever get sick of this.”
“You think that,” Mikey teased as they walk away. “But, trust me. This gets boring fast.”
The rest of the morning was spent cleaning the house and stocking the pantries. Donny, Donna, Tello, and Leatherhead made sure all things electrical and plumbing were in working order. Leo found and took care of a nest of raccoons in the attic. Sliver was startled by a snake in one of the bathrooms. Overall it wasn’t in bad shape.
Sleeping arrangements were made. Splinter and Sliver were given the master bedroom. The rest of them had to share the remaining three rooms. Donny and Leatherhead got one of the rooms since they also had their two children. Leonardo and Rachael shared with Mikey and Michelle while Raphael and Donna shared a room with Tello and Leah.
If any of the couples desired some alone time, there were plenty of other places on the farm that they could go.
By the time they were done setting everything up, it was almost noon. Michelangelo had made everyone a simple lunch of egg salad sandwiches. Galli was down for his nap and Snow was off with Raph. The sun was out, so Donny grabbed his sandwich and his favorite book then headed outside.
With all of his projects left miles away, back at Foot headquarters, Donny was able to relax.
…..
Tello stood in the open field and basked in the warmth of the sun. The cool breeze twisted and tugged at the ends of his bandanna. It had been a while since he had been able to breath fresh air. It was almost sweet.
The grove of apple trees was in bloom, their white petals covered the ground. It was enchanting and peaceful.
“This place is lovely,” Leah said as she approached him. “I’m glad Leo suggested we come out here.”
“Me too,” Tello agreed.
“Mikey said there’s a river,” Leah said in a way that suggested she wanted to go.
Tello nodded. “I believe Raph and Donna headed out that way with Snow to see how well she can swim.”
Leah smiled and started walking. “I want to see how well I can swim.”
Tello followed after her as she led the way towards the river. “You’ve never went swimming before?”
“Not really,” Leah replied. “The water in the sewers is not all that deep and can be a little gross so it’s not like we were eager to get in it. On top of that, we very rarely ventured outside of the lair.”
The scents and sounds of the river filled the air before it came into view, along with Snow’s squeals of joy. As they broke through the foliage along the river’s edge, they saw Snow swimming up stream against the river’s current.
She swam much like a crocodile, streamlining her body by pressing her arms against herself and using her tail and feet to propel herself forward. She stayed submerged as she swam, proving she had the lung capacity of most amphibians.
Raphael was standing, naked, downstream in the water while Donna stood, also naked, on the river’s edge. She waved to them as Tello and Leah approached. “Watch what she does.”
It was impressive how far Snow could swim under water and against the current. Granted the river was calm but it was still flowing and to swim against the flow took strength. When she did surface, she turned and allowed the current to carry her back to Raph, giggling the whole time.
“She seems to be swimming quite well,” Leah said with a smile.
“She a natural,” Donna replied. “She had no hesitation or fear. She just pulled herself out of Raph’s arms and went for it.”
“Have you gone in yet,” Leah asked Donna as Snow shot off once again up stream.
She nodded. “I did. But I decided to get out just in case Snow drifted too far for Raph to catch her. She could probably swim back to him if she did but you can never be too careful. She’s been doing this for a while. She’s bound to get tired.”
Leah began unburdening herself of her gear. “I’m eager for a swim.”
“It’s a little cold,” Donna warned her. “But it’s so refreshing.”
While Tello removed his gear, he watched Leah wade into the river. There was a wide smile on her face that took years off her appearance. The circumstances and responsibilities of her life had forced her to set aside her childhood. In the city, she had behaved in a way that made her seem much older than she really was. But, here, she was able to let go and act her age.
Stripped of his gear, Tello entered the water. Once he was knee deep, he turned his back to the river and fell back into the clear water. The rush of cold nearly took his breath away. Water washed over him and he let his sorrows do with it.
When he emerged, he felt refreshed. There was something about nature and being away from it all that helped ease tensions.
He waded over to where Leah was standing and placed his and on her abdomen. Then he leaned in and gave her a kiss. “I love you.”
“I love you,” she sighed contently, placing her hand over his. “Swim with me.”
Tello nodded and together they dove underwater. As they swam, exploring the river, the rest of the family soon joined them. Even little Galli was allowed to play in the shallows under the watchful eyes of Splinter and Sliver. The rest of the afternoon was full of laughter as the family played in the river.
