Stan was lying on a bed. He was in a hospital, having been treated for blunt trauma for a few days, and the doctors had informed him that he could be fully discharged after one or two more days now that his injuries had almost fully healed.
Stan whisked back to the day he was sent to hospital. He had just bought a few sewing and fashion books and was on the way to the studio when he heard a bang on a fence surrounding the construction site he was walking past. He happened to catch glimpse on a moose walking from an opposite direction, but what really caught his attention was a part of the steel fence about to fall on the unknowing moose. Perhaps it was reflex, but the next thing he knew, he had shoved the moose out of the falling fence, only to have it crash on him. He counted his blessing when a small police officer called the ambulance and even lifted off whatever things befalling him; That was remarkable.
Stan was a bit annoyed about being in the hospital for so long. H was sure he could have gotten out the day after, but he was insistently told to wait a few more days to confirm there's no further danger, no internal bleeding, no nothing. He was worried about his friends, and especially his senorita; Will they be okay without him?
There was a knock on the door. Stan tried to sit and found he was still sore around his lower back. That was annoying.
"Come in."
Upon his permission, the visiting mammal entered the room. Despite dressing in modest t-shirt and jeans, she still looked as beautiful as he had always known her, truly an angel with horns.
Stan smiled. It was Gazelle, his senorita.
"Hola, Senorita," Stan smiled at Gazelle.
"Hi, Stan," Gazelle replied as she pulled a chair and sat nearby, "How are you feeling?"
"Really good." Well, except for the fact that I'm annoyed at being in hospital for so long and that my lower back hurts.
"I heard from the doctor. A few more checks and you'll be discharged."
If they will it, that is. Sure, the doctors just wanted to make sure Stan was fully healed prior to discharge, but he never liked excessive periods of inactivity.
"I certainly hope so."
"Aw, don't be so down, Tigre," Gazelle chuckled as she petted Stan on the shoulder, "We all miss you, you know."
Stan smiled. He missed his senorita and tiger friends too, which was why staying at hospital wore down on him. They were the reason why he had a positive outlook in life; Who would have thought that a tiger could be an entourage member of a gazelle celebrity? When he first became Gazelle's partner, such a thing was practically unheard of. In fact, he rarely heard of his other predator friends working in fields other than factory work, security jobs or anything related to automobiles, much less working as an entertainer.
"Did Deputy Mayor Lionheart visit you yesterday?"
"Oh, yeah, he did."
That was something Stan still found unbelievable. The one thing that the Deputy Mayor told him about his reason of visit was to apologize on behalf of ZPD because one officer inadvertedly caused the accident. Based on what he heard in social media, everyone was pointing finger at the small officer, a fox cop. That apology alone was already odd, but from what he had heard from Gazelle, Deputy Mayor would be covering his hospital bill. That was shockingly generous.
"Oh, right," Stan suddenly thought of something, "Do you think I can thank that fox cop? I keep forgetting about that."
"That Officer Wilde? Well, maybe if I can ask him to see you personally then yes, but we all have posted online that we thanked him for getting the ambulance for you."
"And did he reply?"
"His friend said he was busy when we sent thanks, but told us he sent his regards."
Stan exhaled a satisfaction. But his slight frown soon after prompted Gazelle to prod.
"Sad about something?"
"Well," Stan wasn't sure if he should say it, "I'm just... I mean, I'm not like that fox cop. A little pred, but with such dedication to his cause that he did feats unthinkable for mammals his size. And here I am, sewing clothes- Er, I mean, what was I saying?"
Gazelle knew what Stan meant. The tiger had always had interest in fashion, but no tailory had ever wanted to employ him, probably because he was a tiger; A tiger doing fashionwork was all but unthinkable. She sometimes wondered if she hired him out of pity, but having worked with Stan for a while now, she could feel how genuinely interested and talented he was, and thus he was now an important part of the costume design team in addition to being her backup dancer.
As for what he just said, she understood that he loved working with her and the other tigers so much. Being confined in a hospital bed for days doing practically nothing like this must be stressful.
"Hush, hush, Stan," Gazelle petted Stan again, "I can't wait to see you back at the studio again either. I guess we'll just have to be patient."
Her giggle was the golden glow of sunrise for Stan.
"Anyway, I'll be off soon. Got something to do."
Gazelle then kissed Stan on the nose.
"Adios, Tigre."
Stan sat there, still and smiling. Was it any wonder that she's called angel with horns?
"Hey, you guys are here," Gazelle could be heard after leaving the room.
"Uh, yeah, just visiting, eh heh," that loud voice must be Roland.
"Ayup. I mean, we ain't got things to do right now. We just thought we should do something, and that something is visiting him. Right?" that chatty one must be Fabrizio.
"You got nothing to do, Fab, I do," then that must be Clive.
"Then hurry and get in. You don't want the doctors to shoo you out for running out of time right?" Gazelle left one last tease, "Ciao, mis Tigres."
Sure enough, Stan's three tiger friends, Roland, Fabrizio and Clive entered the room soon after.
"Hey, buddy!" Stan greeted first as always. It was perhaps due to his penchant for short but loud talks that he always tried to get the first word on anything.
"Hey! How've you been?" Clive practically ran to Stan before wrapping himself over Stan. He's always the cuddlebug.
"Getting better, for sure," Stan replied. His pain had subsided after seeing Gazelle. Or maybe he should lie down less.
"Gotta say we miss you already, buddy," and Fabrizio was about to yap for a minute straight, "Practising was more fun when we four do it all together, and besides, aren't we always a team? Kinda weird with just three of us in the studio. Can't get used to dancing without you, so get well soon, ok?"
The other three paying a visit like this already made Stan felt like home in the studio already.
"I mean, you know Gazelle's fashion better than the three of us. The other day she had to buy some Preyda accessories, and Clive's choices were quickly vetoed by the costume team," Fabrizio looked at Clive, who then playfully jabbed the former, "He's never lucky when it comes to choosing."
"Like earlier," Roland chimed.
"Oh, shut up, Mr. Hey-I-guessed-right," Clive gave a mild elbow to Roland.
Stan furrowed in confusion.
"Did you guys race from the hospital entrance to here?"
"Er, no, actually," Fabrizio drew a deep breath, "So Gazelle told us she'd be visiting you tonight, and we told her we might join later."
Stan could see Roland snicker.
"Actually we arrived not long after her, and we waited outside when she was talking with you. So I got bored, and I made a bet with these two: Whether Senorita Gazelle will kiss his fabulous prince Stan."
What?
"Stop the melodrama, Fab," Clive urged.
"Oh, right. So I guessed she'd kiss you on the lips-"
Whaaaat? Guys, seriously?
"French-style-"
"No, you didn't say French-style," Clive cut off Fabrizio again.
"Oh shut up. Anyway, Clive guessed forehead, and Roland guessed nose."
Stan couldn't hide his snicker as he put a paw over his face. This is the first time he heard his three friends making such a silly bet.
"So Roland is now 20 bucks richer."
"Come on guys," Stan wasn't sure what to say, "That's ridiculous."
"Hey, we just wanna pass the time, right, guys?"
The four tigers laughed it out. Stan felt so happy he had friends like these. He really couldn't wait to get out and mingle back with them and his senorita.
