33 An Unexpected Reunion
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AN: For all of my faithful readers, I've FINALLY got another chapter ready. I'm deeply sorry for taking so long with this, but so much life has happened what with my medical issues and then COVID and then me finally getting back at work, I've managed to put this together for you. I hope you enjoy it.
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Heading back into the shop area, Midnight renews old acquaintances with Sabine.
"So, you're tired of the city? Really?" he asks.
"Yeah, tired of the hustle and bustle, the noise, the pollution, all of that." comes the partially honest answer.
"That doesn't sound like the Growler I came to know and love in Iraqistan!"
"Midnight?"
"Ummm …. Errr, love in a-a brother/sister sort of way of course!" sputters the now thoroughly embarrassed panther.
"Of-of course …" answers a slightly disappointed Sabine, her ears turning away from her tour guide to hide her disappointment, and her tail hanging a bit limply.
Not catching the subtle change in her voice or demeanor, Midnight stumbles on.
"…. ummm, here we have the-" was all Sabine hears as she tries to process how quickly and negatively Midnight had answered her hopeful query.
…
After the roughly forty-five-minute tour of the shop, the pair returns to the front office where Midnight bids his old friend a quick good-bye and heads home to leave a quick note for his kits before heading to Zootopia with Nick and Sally.
With disappointment on her face, a slightly dejected snow leopard heads back to her room at the Shady Rest motel.
After tossing her keys on the nightstand, Sabine lays on the large double bed and stares at the ceiling.
"Maybe I got the wrong impression from talking to Justine (Midnight's sister). I'm sure I remember her telling me that Jerry was being divorced by Nadine." She thinks out loud. "There's something here that I'm missing…"
Picking up the phone, Sabine calls Justine to confirm that Jerry was truly being divorced and if so, why he acted so cool towards her advances, slight as they might be.
Picking up on the third ring, Justine recognizes the number:
"Hey Sabine, how goes it with my big brother?"
"That's … kinda why I'm calling." Sabine trying and failing to keep the disappointment out of her voice.
"What happened?"
"Basically? Nothing!"
"Nothing? Really? That doesn't sound like Jerry at all. I know that you two were fairly tight when you were overseas attached to his unit."
"He wasn't cold or distant or anything, just … I don't know … distracted maybe?"
"Maybe the divorce was hitting him harder than I thought. I umm … hold on a second. Let me put you on hold for a minute, mom's calling."
"Ok…."
After a couple of minutes, Justine picks back up:
"Ok, I'm back. I think I may know the deal … according to mom, Jerry was going to go to Zootopia with his boss later today to plan out stuff for reopening part of his old shop there, so he might have been distracted with that. Then mom told me that Nadine had told her that she, meaning Nadine, had packed up all of her stuff and left before the cubs got home from school."
"Jerry didn't get a call while I was there and he didn't seem to distressed at the time, so the first part, about going to Zootopia, is probably why he seemed a bit … distant."
"I agree, because if Jerry knew that Nadine had just bailed on the cubs, he'd be a lot more than a little distant…"
"Maybe a call from an old friend …"
"Could be what he might need. Yeah, I think that that might do the trick."
"I don't want to impose or have it seem like I'm meddling in something that's really none of my business."
"Then just start off by being an old friend who wants to talk."
With a wistful smile, Sabine can only give a very truthful answer "That I can do. After the shit I saw while I was embedded with his unit in Iraqistan, I think I can find a topic or two that we can relate to."
"Alright, go with that then. I really hope that you two can hook up Sabine. I think that you two really need each other after, well everything."
"Yeah, me too. Well, let me go, I'll – I'll give him a call and hope for the best."
"Laterzz."
After terminating the call to Midnight's sister, Sabine takes a deep breath and – has her phone ring, with Justine calling her back!
"I almost forgot; Jerry's number is 931-555-4231."
"Thanks, I was just going to call him when you called back. I managed to wrangle his number from one of the guys from his old unit that he contacts every so often. I appreciate you letting me know though."
"Ok then, good luck." adds Justine who then hangs up.
Sighing, Sabine again looks at her phone, punches in Jerry's number and hits SEND.
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As Midnight returns home after showing his old friend around the shop, his thoughts turn to the unexpected reunion.
'I wonder why Sabine's come all this way from the city. I know that she's talented enough to get a job with any company in the city so that can't be the reason. Running from her sister's spotlight has never been an issue for her either, as talented as she is with changing her appearance. Maybe she actually is just tired of the hustle and bustle of the city after all, I know it was actually wearing thin with me. At any rate, it seems like I've got other things to worry about at the present moment…'
Pulling into the driveway of his recently new Bunnyburrow home, Midnight is greeted by the sorrowful faces of his twin 10-year-old cubs Kitara and Kimba.
"Ok you two, first of all why are you home early from school, and second what's up with the long faces?" he asks.
"School let out early today, one of the skunk kits had an 'accident'. When we got home from school, mom and all of mom's stuff was … gone!" volunteered a tearful Kitara "It's all gone dad…"
"Why did mom leave?" asks Kimba.
"I'm sorry cubs, but mom decided that she didn't love me anymore and wanted to be with someone else." admits Midnight.
"But dad, what about us? Doesn't she love us?" asks a devastated Kitara.
"I'm afraid you'll have to ask her. I'm not going to bad mouth her just because she left without talking to you and explaining her side of things first, I'm sorry."
Taking his cubs into a hug and leading them into the house, Midnight notices that at least Nadine was good as her word not to take any of the household stuff (tables, chairs, appliances, etc.) since she received the completely furnished house back in Zootopia as part of the divorce.
"At least that and letting me keep the cubs got me off the hook for cub support." he muses to himself. "Having the cubs mean more to me than the money anyway!"
"So now what dad?" asks Kimba.
"What do you mean son?"
"Well … are we gonna have to cook for ourselves and do our own clothes and stuff?"
Giving his cubs a rueful smile, Midnight answers the only way he can "I can cook Kimba … or don't you like your dad's cooking?"
"It's ok, but it's not moms."
"And what about our clothes and stuff?" asks Kitara.
"I can teach you how to do laundry, it isn't that tough. That way if I have to work over a lot, you can at least know what to do so you don't mess up anything."
"Like what?" queries Kimba.
Well for one thing, if you wash something like a red shirt with a white shirt or pants, the white stuff will be a pretty shade of pink." states Midnight.
"That'd be ok" laughs Kitara "then I'd have more stuff since we're the same size." much to Kimba's disdain.
"But if you" Midnight then indicating Kitara "were to wash some of your white shorts with a brown sweater for instance …" what do you think would happen?"
Taking only a moment to think about the question, a suddenly shocked Kitara answers "Oh no …!"
"Yeah" laughs Kimba "Brown shorts!" as he rolls around on the floor laughing.
"NOT FUNNY! Kitara yells at her brother, paws in fists at her side.
"Is too…"
"Is not!"
"Is too…"
"Is not!"
"Okay cubs, that's enough for now. Go on and get ready for supper, I'll try and fix some fried chicken and mashed potatoes while you clean up." interrupts a highly amused Midnight.
Suddenly remembering that he's supposed to go to Zootopia with Nick and Sally, Midnight makes a call to his boss:
NICK: "Hey Midnight, what's up, you're late!"
Midnight: "Yeah, about that … the cubs are home early from school and Nadine's managed to pack up all of her stuff and is long gone. I'm gonna need to stay home and cubsit. Sorry."
"That's ok, I understand, family is always first. No problem, I'll find someone else to ride along, don't worry about it. If you're going to need a cubsitter, you might want to get ahold of Bonnie, I'm sure she's got kits old enough to do sitting if you don't mind."
"I'm glad you brought that up, 'cause I'll need someone to watch the twins on Saturdays when we work."
"No problem. Say hey to the cubs for me, I've gotta get moving if I'm gonna make it to Zootopia and back before dark or Judy 'll have my tail." and terminates the call.
As the cubs go to clean up and Midnight prepares a light supper, he takes the chicken out of the fridge and sets it on the counter. Then putting a pot of water on the stove to boil he thinks "Maybe it won't be so bad after all. The cubs are usually well behaved and are quick learners. Assigning daily household chores shouldn't be a problem. I'm sure that I can always ask someone to help me figure out any issues that might pop up in the meantime."
After managing to not boil the potatoes dry and completely burn the chicken, Midnight manages to get his cubs and himself fed without a major disaster.
Showing the cubs how to properly load and turn on the dishwasher, Midnight has them bring any homework that they may have out to the kitchen and do it at the kitchen table.
With only a light homework load, the cubs are finished with that in record time.
"Now what dad? Can we watch some tv?" asks Kimba.
"I'd really prefer if you went and played outside instead." comes the answer.
"Can we go over to Charolette's and play then?" asks Kitara.
"I guess it's ok, but knock and ask her mom if it's okay. We wouldn't want you to frighten anyone if you get to roughhousing with a bunch of bunny kits would we?"
"Ok dad!" comes the answer in stereo.
"All right, off with you then. You can stay out until dark since you don't have school tomorrow. And have Charolette's mom give me a call please."
"YAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!" as two very excited kits storm out of the back door to the Hopps home next door.
"It's a good thing that Judy has such a large and accepting family!" thinks Midnight e as he takes a beer and some tomato juice out of the fridge.
Just as he gets his drink poured, Annabelle Hopps, Charolette Hopps mother and Midnight's next-door neighbor calls.
"Hello, Annabelle?"
"Yes Midnight, what can I do for you? Kitara said you wanted me to call."
"Yeah, umm, if it's not too much of a bother, I was wondering if you'd mind watching the cubs afternoons after school and on weekends when I have to work."
"No problem, we'd love to watch the cubs for you. Is there some sort of a problem with Nadine?"
"Ummm, yeah, kinda. She-she divorced me and when I got home today, she had packed up all of her stuff and left without even saying anything too the cubs…"
"That's terrible, I'm so sorry to hear it."
"Thanks. It-it wasn't totally unexpected, she filed the papers while we were gone to the reservation with Nick and Judy. I just never expected her to bail like on us like she did is all."
"Well, if there's anything you need you just ask ok?"
"I certainly will, and thanks again for watching the cubs. If there's anything I can do to make it up to you … pay you or-"
"Just never you mind about that. We're all so grateful for the assistance that you all gave to Bonnie and Stu those times-"
"We didn't do that to look for repayment or anything…"
"We know that Midnight, that's why we don't mind watching the cubs."
"Well anyhow, thanks again for watching them and send them home by dark please."
"I'll be sure to do that. You try to have a good rest of the night."
"I'll do that, bye." And terminates the call.
Halfway through the drink, his phone rings:
Not recognizing the number, Midnight takes a chance and answers the call, something he normally doesn't do.
"Hello?"
"Jerry?" comes a hopeful voice he had heard just hours earlier.
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"Growler?" comes the surprised answer.
"H-hey. I-I was wondering if we could talk for a bit?"
"Sure. Umm, do you wanna meet somewhere or just talk over the phone or what?"
"I-I'd prefer face to face. It's … not the kind of stuff I want to talk about over the phone…"
"I think I understand. It's about overseas, right?"
Even though it wasn't exactly what Sabine had in mind at the time, the fact that she was still bothered by what she had seen and been forced to do while embedded with Midnight's combat unit in Iraqistan seemed as good a way to get a conversation going with Jerry as any.
"Yeah," she answers truthfully "that among other things."
"Umm, I'm at home and the kits are next door playing so I can't really leave. Would you mind terribly coming by the house?"
"I don't see why not. It … it won't create problems at home if I come by will it?"
"… No, not really. I'm … recently divorced, so it's just me and the cubs."
"I'm sorry the hear that …"
"Yeah, me too, but it's been coming for a while so it wasn't totally unexpected. Except for the cubs. Nadine never told them anything, she just … ghosted (disappeared) on them."
"Jerry-"
"It's ok Sabine, they're tough, they'll get through it."
"If they're anything like their dad I have no doubts."
Letting a soft smile cross his face, Midnight tells her "Thanks for that, it means a lot."
"It's only the truth, at least as far as I'm concerned."
"I know you're probably not familiar with the town, but my address is 1245 Hopps Lane here in the burrow."
"I've got a GPS, so I'm sure I can find it without too much trouble."
"Great, I'll see you in a few then?"
"Count on it … and Jerry, it's been really great to see you again after all this time."
"It's been great to see you again too Sabine…"
…
After disconnecting, Sabine draws a deep breath, snags her keys and heads out to her car.
Starting her new Artic White Challenger, she inputs the address into her Charmin GPS and sets out for a heart to heart with the male that she sincerely hopes to connect with in more ways than one.
Arriving at 1245 Hopps Lane, Sabine takes in the mostly peaceful scene. Midnight's home is a large two-story wood frame house with light tan paint and reddish shingles and shutters. The lawn has been recently mowed and seems to be quite large for a place in such a prey heavy community. A beautiful older model fire engine red Chevelle is parked in front of a double garage.
Noting that two feline cubs that seem to be of mixed species ('figures' she thinks 'since Nadine is a lioness') were playing with several bunny kits a skunk kit in the next yard over, Sabine smiles to herself and exits the vehicle.
As she prepares to knock on the front door, a smiling black panther opens the door.
"Hey there stranger." he begins.
"Hey…"
"Come on in. I … took the liberty of getting you a beer if you'd like one."
"That's very thoughtful of you, thanks."
Leading his guest to the kitchen he pulls out a chair for her, grabs a couple of Younglin' beers and what appears to be tomato juice from the fridge.
"Tomato juice Jerry?" asks an inquisitive Sabine.
"Well yeah, kinda. Bloody Mary mix actually. Wanna try some?"
"I-I guess…"
"Look, the worst you can do is not like it and I can dump it out, no big deal."
"Then sure, why not."
After pouring two glasses nearly full of beer than adding the mixer, Midnight sets the glass in front of his old friend.
Taking a tentative sip, Sabine is pleasantly surprised at the taste.
"Wow, that's … really quite good. Where did you ever come up with that?"
"Blame that on your new boss. He got the whole shop to try it when we were in Zootopia and almost everyone who drinks beer likes it."
"Huh!"
"But a word of warning though." adds a grinning Midnight "don't ever get between Judy and the stuff. She's one dangerous bunny when she needs to be."
"Really? I mean no disrespect, but a bunny? Dangerous? Just how dangerous can a bunny be, especially to someone our size?"
Deciding that Sabine would find out sooner than later, Midnight shares the recent happenings on the Pines Ridge reservation.
"Not that long ago, when the shop was in Zootopia, Nick managed to hook up with Judy, first as an employee, then as a couple. One thing led to another and mammals being mammals Judy ended up pregnant-"
"Wait, you're telling me that a fox actually got a bunny pregnant? For real?"
"Yup, sure am. It surprised all of us too. Anyway, Judy ended up having a miscarriage and it really messed up her mind, or so Skye told me. From what the rest of us heard, Nick managed to bring her out of her funk and they hooked up with this couple that her doctor knew. Nick, Judy and two of her brothers and their foxes-"
"Wait, wait, wait… two more bunnies have foxes as mates?"
"Skye and Tiffany are both mated to two of Judy's brothers, Josh and Duane. They all work at the shop. Anyhow, the six of them went to this indigenous reservation in the Badlands region to do a sweat lodge, and-"
"What's a sweat lodge?"
Rolling his eyes at the continued interruptions, Midnight give a very condensed answer.
"It's like going to church in a sauna in a small tent, ok?"
"Sorry …"
"It's ok. Let me finish then you can ask some questions ok?"
"Ok, continue."
"Ummm, where was I? Oh, yeah, sweat lodge. Anyway, while they were there, Judy was helping one of the villagers watch some young pups when the group was attacked by several juveniles from another tribe. In the ensuing fight, Judy managed to kill one of the young coyotes with her knives."
Seeing the unasked question in Sabine's eyes, Midnight decided to clarify that statement:
"Yes, Judy carries knives. I guess she's carried a karambit for a long time and she was evidentially gifted another while she was on the reservation. I heard that she was nearly comatose after that happened so the leader of the tribe called an emergency sweat lodge and had Nick invite anyone to join that might have had a near death experience or someone like Lefty of myself who were combat vets to join the ceremony.
"Lefty, Bolo and I caught a chopper ride from Snark, you remember Snark from the Checkpoint One incident, right?"
"Kinda hard to forget that…" comes the soft, sad reply.
"Anyways, at the sweat, a warrior sweat if I recall correctly, a lot of stuff came out from virtually all of us. Lefty's stint in the 'Nam, mine from that time in Moogadishu, and Judy's fight. That's when the really weird shit happened…"
"Umm…"
Letting a sort of smirk cross his features, Midnight continues "Nick and Judy started talking in tongues…"
"Say what?" comes from a disbelieving and shocked Sabine.
"Yeah, they started talking in old tongue Lakota from what Bolo told me. It seems like the spirits of a mixed species couple several generations ago that tried and failed to have kits of their own connected with Nick and Judy and spoke through their bodies. I would never have believed myself it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears.
"Regardless, I'm gettin' off track here. Long story short, sort of, it helped get Judy's mind right about killing that young coyote pup, plus it helped get mine and Lefty's minds in a better place in the process."
After trying to digest the story that Midnight had just told, Sabine asks "Do … do you think that something like that umm, lodge thing would help me?"
"Been having trouble sleeping lately?" asks Midnight.
"Ever since that day. I don't think I've had a good night's rest in years."
"Ghosts living in your head?" asks a concerned Midnight.
"I-I figured you could relate if anyone could." she confesses.
"Is that why you came looking for me?"
"Truth be told, yes, but not entirely." she admits.
Seeing her friend cock an eyebrow, Sabine continues "I actually came here to try to hook up with you. We were so close when I was embedded with your unit that I thought I might have a chance. When Justine called and told me that you were getting a divorce it thought that … maybe … but, I guess I kinda jumped the gun a bit huh? What with your cubs just having their mom go ghost on them and all-"
Reaching across the table and taking Sabine's paws in his own, Midnight confesses "I-I've actually though about you a lot as well. Ever since Nadine filed for divorce, I thought "Gee, I wonder if Sabine would be interested in a broken-down old warhorse like me."
Blinking in sudden realization, golden-yellow eyes meet forest green.
"For real? You-you wouldn't mess with me would you?"
"No Growler, I wouldn't."
"But this afternoon … at the shop…"
"I apologize for that. For one thing, I wanted to be completely professional around Nick and the gang, plus I wasn't sure how you felt about me. Better safe than sorry and all that."
"Jerry … if I kiss you right now-"
"I'd probably have to kiss you back." comes the answer, accompanied by the biggest smile that Midnight can recall having in a long time.
Both standing and moving to the same side of the table, a very intimate hug and kiss that have been a long time coming begins, and then…
"Dad?"
It's interrupted by a pair of very curious kits.
"Aargh!" comes from a suddenly embarrassed snow leopard.
"Dad, what's going on?" asks Kitara.
"And is that Fabine Growley that you were kissing?" asks a wide-eyed Kimba.
"If you'll give me a minute or two to get my heartrate down, I'll tell you!" says a flustered Midnight.
With Sabine trying to disappear into the floor and Midnight trying to figure out some way to explain the situation, Midnight decided that the truth is the best option.
*SIGH* "Ok, introductions … Sabine, meet my twin cubs, Kitara and Kimba. Kits, this is NOT Fabine Growley, she happens to be Fabine's twin sister Sabine."
"Wow. Another twin!" says a totally enamored Kimba, while Kitara eyes the new female with a touch of suspicion.
"And she's here … why?" asks Kitara.
"Kitara, Sabine is my, our guest mind you tone!" comes the stern voice of her father.
"I-I'm sorry miss Growley, I apologize." Comes from a properly chastised kit.
"It's ok Kitara, I think I understand."
Seeing the doubtful expression on the kit's face, Sabine continues: "When my sister and I and our parents were still living in the old country, Fabine and I were very young, younger than you two, our father was killed by members of another tribe. When my mother took another mate, Fabine and I were very upset with her. We didn't want another father, we wanted our dad back. We weren't old enough to understand why that couldn't happen at that time.
"Yes, you saw your father and I kissing. We were close when he was fighting overseas and I was a part of his unit at the time. We shared many things together … some good, some very bad. When I heard that he had moved to Bunnyburrow, I thought that maybe he and I could help each other chase some of the ghosts out of our heads."
"Ghosts?" asks Kitara.
"When you have to take another mammal's life, it tends to haunt you like a ghost. I have them, your father has them, all warriors have them."
"Even miss Judy?" asks Kimba "I heard she has ghosts in her head too. At least that what one of the Hopps kits told us."
"You … you actually had to kill a mammal?" asks a suddenly serious Kitara.
"I'm afraid so little one, and with my bare claws as well. It … leaves a mark on your soul."
"Do-do you and dad have the same ghosts?" asks Kimba.
Looking at Midnight, Sabine answers grimly "Yes, some are the same."
"What were you doing over there?" asks Kitara "Were you a soldier too?"
Showing a rueful smile Sabine can only answer "No, I was a photojournalist. I just took pictures and wrote stories for newspapers and such."
"But how…?" asks a slightly confused Kimba.
"A couple of times, like the Checkpoint One incident, we were on a very boring patrol when the convoy was ambushed by insurgents."
Suddenly realizing what she was saying, Sabine's eyes flicked to Midnight who only nodded his head and gave her a small smile.
Somehow finding the courage, she carried on with her story: "After fierce fighting, the bad mammals were close enough that it came down to fighting with teeth and claws."
Beginning to tear up, Sabine forces herself to continue:
"I-I still don't remember a lot of the paw to paw fighting, I just remember the blood…my face and paws and arms were covered in it … it-it took weeks before I was able to get the stains out of my fur…"
Finally breaking down, the snow leopard would have collapsed had Midnight not caught her.
Holding the quaking feline in his arms, Midnight gently strokes her ears softly telling her "There, there Growler, everything 'll be alright…"
"Dad?" asks Kitara.
"Go turn down my bed please, Sabine's going to spend the night. I don't think it'd be a good idea for her to be alone right now."
Seeing the questioning looks that both kits were giving him, Midnight quickly tells them "I'll be sleeping on the pull out. 'C'mon cubs, really?"
After the cubs return from turning down his bed for his guest, Midnight helps Sabine to her feet and guides her into his bedroom, where he gently tucks her in.
"Jerry…?"
"It'll be ok Sabine I promise. You're going to stay here tonight, I'm not gonna let you leave in this condition. There's a bottle of water on the nightstand and there's a night light in the bathroom if you need to go in the middle of the night."
"I … thank you. You don't have to do this you know…"
"Sure I do. this is what we do, especially for our friends."
Seeing a bit of hurt in Sabine's eyes at the remark, Midnight reaches over and touching her cheek to reassure her "But you're so much more than a friend, just so you know."
"I've … I've wanted to be in your bed for a long time Jerry, just … just not quite like this."
Leaning over and giving Sabine a light peck on the cheek, Midnight has to admit: "Same here. Who knows, maybe … maybe fate has brought us together for a reason. We'll have to see what the future brings. In the meantime, this 'll have to do. Get some rest, breakfast will be at around six, we need to be at the shop by seven."
"G'night Jerry."
"G'night Sabine…"
As Midnight exits the room and turns out the light, a small smile crosses his lips….
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