Love and Hate

Chapter 13

Surprise Meetings

Victoria drove her rent a car through Manhattan, New York. She was going there again to see Butterscotch Ruler and to see if he was fit to travel. She missed Raphael already. He was still at her house and she would talk to him on the phone.

Finally, she saw the clinic near Saratoga Springs. She pulled up and got out of the car and made her way to the office. Walking through halls, she came upon the horse stalls and went to greet her loving horse. Cam and Mike stood to greet her.

" Vic, are you ok?"

" Ya I'm fine. I just had to get some free time from everything after what happened."

" Well, thank God you're ok."

" Ya . . . and what about him?" She said gesturing to the butterscotch colored colt.

" He is doing much better. The vet said that he will be fit to travel in a few days."

" That's good. Hello Mike. I wasn't expecting to see you here."

" I know. I came down when I heard about what happened and saw it on TV."

" How are you doing, Cam?" Vic asked.

" Much better. I wish that he was still racing, but as long as he's alive, I can deal with it."

" That's good. Well I'm going. I'll talk to you guys later."

" Ok." Vicky left the clinic and Mike leaned over to kiss Cam's cheek.

" Maybe we should let the horse rest a while. I have to get back to the hotel."

" Do you have to go?"

" I'm not leaving without you." He said with a grin.

" Oh, I see how it is." She smiled and kissed him back.

" Donatello, are you going to come down here?" Leo asked on the phone.

" I can't. Something came up and Mike is leaving soon. I can't get a hold of him." He lied.

" I have to go home though. I will call sometime and maybe we can meet another time. I'm sorry Leo." Before his brother could say anything more, he hung up the phone. Don packed his things and dialed in Mike's number.

" Hello?" Don noticed that he was breathing kind of fast and he wondered if he was all right.

" Um . . . Mike this is Don. What are you doing?"

" Nothing. Cam is over and we are talking."

" Oh." Don could tell that is not at all what they were doing.

" Listen Mike, I am going to go back to California. If the invitation stills stands, I'll come by your place for a vacation."

" Ya sure, you can come over. But why are you leaving so soon?"

" I talked to Leo. He wants to see me and you again. I told him I couldn't get a hold of you and that I had to go back to work. I just ain't ready to see him again. I want to go home."

" All right well, then I guess I will see you later. Call when you want to stop by. Although you might want to call the cabin in a few days. I am going there for a while."

" Ok then bye."

" Bye." Don hung up the phone and grabbed his things before heading out the door. He quickly set them in the car he had rented out and drove to the airport.

"So how is everything down there?"

" Fine I guess. I wish you were here though." Raph said to Vicky on the phone.

" I know. I want to be there with you so bad, but I had to come down here. I'll be back soon though. Cam and Mike are going to bring Ruler down in a few days and I am coming back tomorrow."

" Mike?"

" Ya. I guess he is Cam's new boyfriend. They looked kinda close when I saw them at the clinic."

" What does he look like?"

" Um . . . I don't know. He is always covered in a whole bunch of clothes." Raph felt his heart jump, but he wasn't sure if it was him or not.

" Is Mike his first name or is it Michael or something?"

" It's Michealangelo. He's a poet, author and an artist." Suddenly there was silence.

" Raphael? Babe are you ok?"

" Ya I'm fine. I just thought it was someone I knew."

" Oh."

" Well anyway, you better get your butt back here soon. I'm getting lonely."

" Oh really? You haven't talked or lived with anyone for more than 15 years and all of a sudden I am gone one day and you are lonely?"

" Hey what can I say? Once you're alone for a long time and all of a sudden this sexy person comes and gives you a life, you get used to it even if it's a few minutes. I can't help it." Vicky laughed lightly and thought about him.

" I'll be home tomorrow as soon as I can. I love you Raphael."

" I love you too."

" I'll talk to ya later."

" All right bye."

" Bye." Vic set down the phone and sat there thinking of Raphael. She missed him too and she wished he was there with her.

Casey kissed April lightly on the mouth and then became more passionate. She laughed and let him lay her down on the bed. He kissed her mouth and started to tug at the blouse she was wearing.

Leonardo turned away from the window he was looking in so that he could give them some privacy. He turned and headed into the kitchen for a drink. He knew that Don was lying to him about having to go home for something. He knew that Don was having a hard time dealing with everything that had happened and that he didn't want to see him or April and Casey. What he didn't know was if his brothers would have that feeling forever.

" Oh Don, Mike, please brothers come home. I'm losing my mind." He whispered. He had been able to stay in control for a while, but not anymore. He came closer and closer to losing it. Maybe even the way Raph had. He hoped he could stay in control longer. It was so hard being what he was in a human world. It was hard before, but he had his brothers to cope with it with him. Now he didn't have his own kind by his side. He had April and Casey, but he needed his family to feel complete.

" Boy I wish I was fighting with Raph right now." He mumbled as he drank some coffee.