ANOTHER STEP ON THE PATH Chapter 1: Truth

"Eat your sundae, Judy. Just remember that you'll have to jog another ten or fifteen miles to make up for the caloric intake," Nick said.

Judy glared at the fox. "You lost the bet, you pay for my dessert. And I chose the strawberry sundae. Grin and bear it, foxie boy."

"If I'd known a bit more about you before I made that bet…"

The rabbit grinned and struck a pose. "It's called a hustle, sweetheart," she said, then giggled. "Besides, it's not as though I won't share. You can always get a second spoon and join me."

"No thanks, I'll just stick with my catnip tea, thank you."

"Now the other half of your debt…"

"Four. And the last one was nine years ago."

"Nine years ago? You'd have been…"

"As old as you were when we met."

"Ok, name them."

"Must I?"

"You bet a sundae and full disclosure. Unless you'd like to go back on the 'honesty' deal we made."

"There are some matters that should remain … 'classified', Carrots."

"This could be covered under 'for official use only', don't you think?"

"You never give up, do you, Carrots?"

"When I'm hot on a case, no."

"Even when the 'case' is me?"

"Especially when the 'case' is you, Nick. Right now, after my Dad's 'little' stunt and our subsequent argument, I haven't got much else to focus my 'off duty' time on."

"I didn't mean for you to break with your family, Judy. I know how much they mean … err … meant … to you," Nick said, his ears flattening slightly.

"Telling you that mom and I died during the outbreak? I'd think you'd be the last person willing to forgive him for that."

"It's not how I feel about the matter – it's how much he, and your mother, mean to you that's important…"

"Stop. You are more important to me right now than my parents. And if Dad can't handle the idea of me getting 'involved' with a member of a different species, well…he can take a flying leap at a rolling donut."

"As I understand it, you're the only one to do that. For which I am most grateful," Nick said, his ears moving to a more relaxed position.

"That reminds me – I have to call Fru-Fru and find out how her daughter is doing."

"Helps to have friends in high – and low – places."

"Amen to that, Nick. And you can thank your lucky stars that I had that connection."

"Or we would both have been iced – I haven't forgotten."

"Have you forgotten the second half of our bet?"

"That's not fair, Carrots. You knew you didn't so much as date a single buck rabbit in high school or college."

"And you thought I was much more popular than I was."

"The way you look? There must have been a large number of dumb bunnies – all male – out there if they ignored you. You showed me photos of you in High School – and when you were at that Ag College. You were one hot bunny doe."

"You aren't that bad yourself, now."

Nick sighed. "A bet's a bet. Number one was in High School. I had a crush on her, she was … well … she was a cheerleader and bright as a whip, not to mention being a … very hot … looking vixen. She liked me, but she liked money a bit more."

"It did not end well?"

"No, it did not. At least, not for me. There was an older tod that Karen Winters met when she went to college. He managed a hedge fund at BlackFox International."

"And you were just at the chicken stealing level."

"Whereas any chickens he stole, he stole the whole farm to get. His name was James Wilber Foxworth."

"And you learned this, how?"

"She invited me to dinner at their home after she married him. She didn't bother to tell me that she was married – I was caught rather flat footed. She was showing off her success, and rubbing my nose in it."

"Still a bit angry about it?"

"Only a little. The best revenge is living well and I am a firm believer in the river theory of revenge."

"Oh, what is that?"

"If you sit by the river long enough, you will live to watch your enemies float by … face down." Nick grinned a feral grin. "I'll forgive anyone, once I've seen them twisting, slowly twisting in the wind."

"Have you kept in touch?"

"No. I haven't seen or spoken to her in … at least ten years. She sent me a note when she went off to get her nursing degree – I didn't keep the note, and I never replied. Number two was someone I met when I was at Junior College."

"I didn't know you got a degree…"

"I didn't. There were some cute vixens at J.C. Think of it as high school with ash trays. I went there to go fox hunting – every day. Female foxes. One of whom was Harriet Richardson. And … well … she kept her tail up and to one side. That was rather important to me at the time but the side effects of that attitude … well."

Judy grinned past another mouthful of ice cream and syrup. "Meaning? I could baffle you with bunny burrow country slang – so …"

"Think about it, bunbun. 'Up and to one side'. What does that expose?"

"Euphemisms, Nick? I thought you were going to be completely honest."

"Honest doesn't mean diving into the gutter."

"As in, 'get out of the gutter, you're blocking my snorkel'. Ok, I'll let it pass. Did you keep in touch with her?"

"No. We broke things off by mutual consent. I believed – and still do – in monogamy. She didn't. Flirting is one thing, but …"

"Number three?"

"Number three was Janet Louise Stewart. That lasted all of six months, eleven years ago. She was a stripper, and, well, I couldn't really handle her ideas on relationships either. Number four was Katrina Ivanov – she was the cutest arctic fox I ever saw. Blue eyes, a snow white coat, and a scent with range and striking power – drove right into the pleasure centers in the midbrain – and, sadly, she had a heart as cold as a Tundratown ice cube. I was a good enough lover, until someone better – and richer – came along." Nick sighed and shook his head from side to side. "We parted ways and that was the last vixen I was involved with."

"Darn. If it weren't for bad luck, you'd have had no luck at all in your love life."

"Actually, Carrots, I think I've had pretty good luck. You've heard the Ratful Flatts song, Bless the Broken Road?"

"Is that the one that ends 'That God blessed the broken road, That led me straight to you.'?"

"Yes."

"Oh, Nick. That's incredibly sweet!"

"Sweets for the sweet, Fluffy. Sweets for the sweet."