"The purest meaning of the word unconditional can be found in a mother's love." - Anonymous
*BONUS QUOTE*
"Guidance requires action, but does not guarantee safety." - Caroline Myss
1:00 P.M
Stepping through the lobby entrance of the old apartment complex that was once his first and only home, Nick Wilde couldn't quite describe how he felt in that moment.
He wasn't very prone to much emotion, as he always knew. To him, there was never much to get emotional about in the first place. But as he set foot in his former home, he simply couldn't shake the feeling of regret. He had ran away from this place at a young age, forever scarring his relationship with his mother, Olivia, whom he had betrayed and left hurting while he took to the streets. Nick didn't like the feeling of regret, as he didn't like making mistakes; Both of which often came hand-in-hand. Alas, there was nothing that he could do about it save for bucking up and taking responsibility for his actions, and the feelings that ultimately came with them. This was no time for moping.
Rather, it was time for retribution, just as Chief Latran had told him. But instead of giving it to that condescending coyote, he planned on giving it to his very own mother.
He owed her that, at the very least. He hadn't seen her in years on end, despite living just a few miles away, in the very same district as her, albeit different neighborhoods, but still very close and understandably unworthy of excuses. Nick, who had all the time in the world to spare and all the regret in the world to flee, had left his own mother hanging for far too long. He owed her retribution, and had every intention on giving it to her. Today, he would visit her in their old apartment, and atone for his personal sins.
It may not have been that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things, but to Nick, it was of the utmost importance. He felt as though he owed a debt to pay to his mother, and longed for nothing more than to pay it. Perhaps it was a residual inkling of guilt from abandoning her all of those years ago that drove him and his current actions, but whatever the case, he knew that this meeting would end as good as he could make it. This wasn't just about retribution, but also about consideration. To her, it was his duty.
Nick didn't even need to ask the receptionist where her room was. He had lived there for most of his childhood, after all. With Judy following shortly behind, the fox led his partner up a set of stairs to the second floor of the building complex, where the room was located. Eyeing around the hallway that spread out before them on the second floor, Nick felt a big pang of nostalgia surge through his body, causing his russet fur to stand on end. He was home. Now, it was time to talk to the mammal that made it one.
As they paced forward, the bunny officer took note of the peeling floral wallpaper, and made comparisons between it and Nick's favored type of shirt. It all made sense now.
"I still find it hard to believe that your mom has lived here for nearly her entire adult life." Judy found herself stating aloud.
"Sure, it can be a little bit surprising, I guess, but she's always been fond of the place." Nick replied easily. "It works for her, and that's as good enough as anything."
Continuing down the dilapidated hallway, the pair eventually reached a room titled as the number 213. The door was made from dark wood, and had a small golden peephole implanted at about Nick's eye level. Exhaling a single time, the male fox steeled himself and his resolve as he lifted his paw and rapped a slew of knocks upon the small door.
"Just a moment!" A female-sounding voice called out from behind the wooden barricade.
Nick swallowed. He recognized the voice: It was definitely his mom. No doubt about it, whatsoever. Clearing his throat, he straightened himself out a little bit in preparation.
Soon enough, the door opened, and both Nick and Judy locked their twin gazes upon the sight of an old female fox, likely in her early or mid sixties, staring out at them from across the space where the door had once stood firm, separating that little room behind it from the great big outside world. The old fox was adorned in a simple, dark green dress and stringy wool coat. Her long, foxy tail was a bit scruffy from age, but still held the visual appeal of those that looked at it. Her russet fur had strands of gray within it here and there, and her curious, peering eyes were as green as Nick's very own. She held the gaze of the male fox that stood right across from her for a few tense moments.
Olivia slowly blinked a single time, stepping forward slightly as she eyed over the two mammals standing at her doorstep.
"N-Nicholas?" The old fox stammered. "Is that really you?"
Smiling wide, Nick simply spread his arms in a gesture of greeting. "Surprise!" He then exclaimed out loud jovially.
"Oh, it really is you!" Olivia cried out before lunging forward and capturing her son in a tight hug. Nick was surprised, at first, but soon found himself embracing her back.
"Yeah, it is." He muttered quietly with a slight chuckle to himself. "Nice to see you too, mom."
Standing quietly beside them both, Judy began to feel herself smiling warmly. To her, it was nice to see Nick make a connection with his mother. He didn't talk about her very much, but whenever he did, he always spoke nothing but praise. He clearly held her in rather high regard, and the way that they acted around one another definitely showed for it. The rabbit was happy the her foxy husband was finally able to see her again after so long. Judy had always held family values with great cherish, and as annoying as dealing with 274 siblings could get sometimes, she still loved them, and the parents that sired them all, including her. Nick never had much in his life, but this made him full.
If anything, that was what made this whole adventure of theirs worthwhile.
Eventually, the two vulpines separated from their embrace, though the female still held her offspring's shoulders as she inquired him of his sudden appearance;
"What are you doing here?"
Nick shrugged nonchalantly. "It's been a while, so, we just thought that we'd stop by." He replied with ease.
"Oh yes, of course!" Olivia exclaimed as she waved her arms toward the entrance of her apartment. "Come in, come in! I have some tea brewing, too. Come in!"
"With pleasure."
Grabbing hold of Judy's right paw, Nick pulled her along into his old family home as Olivia shut the door behind them carefully.
Staring around the interior of his mother's flat, Nick felt even more nostalgia than he had in the hallway just outside. Here, it was a bit small and cozy, with a creaky wooden staircase leading up to a tiny second floor where Nick's old room used to be. All around, the wallpaper still had that green floral pattern to it, though was starting to peel and flake with age. A small living room with dusty furniture and a scratched up wooden floor occupied the center space of the apartment, and an even smaller kitchen was tucked away in the back, nearly out of sight. Right at the base of the staircase hung an ovular mirror with a dirty surface, as though it hadn't been wiped clean in a very long time.
It was the same mirror that Nick had once looked into with pride, all the while sporting his newly purchased Junior Ranger Scout uniform. He smiled to himself, recalling how his mom had tied the red handkerchief around his neck just before tickling him. The incident with the muzzle had happened just hours later, as he remembered. Nick sighed.
"This place hasn't changed one bit." He muttered aloud, almost longingly.
"I've never had the heart to change it, since you left." Olivia replied. "Besides, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
"See! Told ya!" Nick stated proudly to his wife.
"Words worth living by." The rabbit admitted with a casual shrug. "My dad always used to say that a whole lot, back when I lived with him and my family in Bunny-Burrow."
"Yes, I do recall meeting him at my Nick's graduation ceremony. Nice mammal." The female fox claimed.
Judy silently swallowed. She reminisced to the moment of her partner's graduation from the Zootopia police academy; Colorful confetti, blaring trumpets, and flying caps amongst the cheering crowd. Pinning that shining badge on his chest was one of her proudest moments, not just for herself, but for Nick as well. Her own family may have attended, but it was actually the very first time that she had met Nick's mother. Introducing her father to Olivia had been stressful, as Judy believed that his disdain of foxes might have impeded his social etiquette, but in the end, he showed his softer side: Befriending the female fox and congratulating her on her son's success at the academy.
Overall, it had been an unforgettable experience, but back to the present, the bunny officer took note of the older fox before her; Watching as she poured three cups of tea.
"I can't believe you two came all this way just to see me... I'm very grateful." She stated aloud.
"Least we could do. Like I said, it's been a while, so we thought we'd take a moment to stop by."
"Well, your consideration for me is most appreciated, my dear." Olivia claimed. "Here, have some tea!"
Smiling warmly as she handed a small cup of steaming brown liquid to Nick, the female fox then turned to Judy and gave her her own sample of the stuff. Bringing the cup to her lips, the rabbit took a quick sip, savoring the heat and taste of the substance a little bit at a time. Upon relishing all of the flavor that she could, she promptly swallowed.
Meanwhile, Nick himself decided to try taking a much larger quaff of tea, only to scald his tongue and lips due to the heat that it gave off. Nearly spewing out a mouthful of hot liquid, the fox painfully gulped down his share before panting wearily and clearing his throat with an audible slew of grunts. As he did, he pat the center of his sternum.
"Shouldn't have done that." He managed to spit through his coughs, causing his pair of female associates to snicker amongst themselves.
"You never were a very patient mammal, were you, Nicholas?" Olivia mused.
"Tell me about it." Judy added.
"Yes, I remember when he was just a kit, how he'd always pester me about when dinner was supposed to be ready."
"He did that back then, too?"
Judy and Olivia shared a slew of laughter, much to the male's personal dismay.
"If you two are done humiliating me, I think it's safe to ask for a change in conversation." Nick grumbled.
"Oh, we're just teasing, and you know it." His mother claimed as she took a sip from her teacup. "No reason to be ashamed of memories."
"Alright, alright; Whatever you say, ma."
"So, Miss Wilde-" Judy then started, but was rather politely cut off when the old fox interjected with her own comment;
"Please, call me Olivia."
"Okay then! So, Olivia, I just have to ask: Why stay here in Happy-Town? We all know that this place is a total dump, and I'm sure you have the means to relocate, right?"
Sighing, Nick's mother lowered her gaze a little bit in thought.
"It's easier said than done. It may be low in quality, but the rent is affordable, and I've made myself a home here. I don't think I could leave it even if I had to." She said.
"Yeah, plus the housing market in the neighborhoods around Happy-Town aren't exactly top tier, either, if I do say so myself." Nick added on top of Olivia's statement.
"But you like it here, at least?" Judy asked.
"Oh yes, very much so!" Olivia exclaimed cheerily. "As I said, I've made myself a home here, and if anything the nostalgia keeps me from leaving. I'm perfectly content."
"That's good to hear, mom." Nick muttered. "Last thing I'd want is for you to have been stuck here for all these years without a reason to stay."
"Heavens, no! If that were the case, I would have packed up and abandoned this rotting old ghetto decades ago!"
The two foxes shared a laugh with one another, though Judy didn't join in. To her, there was little humorous about the prospect of living in a place like this. Still, she didn't allow her personal thoughts to ruin her mood, nor affect those around her, and chose to don a facade of a smile, if only to seem as though she were in on the previous joke.
"This place may suck, but it's home, I guess." Nick finalized, all the while staring around at the walls of the old apartment.
"Indeed it is." Olivia said.
What followed was a brief moment of silence as the three mammals took a second to drink their tea and think about their current lifestyles. It was clear to both Nick and Judy that the former's mother was well enough on her own, and that was good enough for them. Soon, the silenced was broken when Olivia set down her teacup and stated aloud;
"Enough about me, though; Tell me about what you two have been up to! Surely, the work of a pair of prestigious police officers has some good stories to tell."
"You have no idea." Nick muttered, thinking back to all that he and Judy had accomplished together over the years.
"Where do we even start?" Judy asked nervously, scratching at the back of her neck. "Nick and I have been through a lot."
"That's putting it lightly." The fox added.
"How about you start with what happened in the Nocturnal-District." Olivia suggested.
"Yeah, that's a good-" Nick began, only to falter over his own words. "Wait, how did you hear about that?"
"It was in the news, at the time. You two are practically celebrities, so it's no surprise that your biggest case since the Night-Howler incident was picked apart by the media."
"Oh, right..." The male fox muttered. "All this traveling and chumming around, these past few months made me forget just how nosy the press is with Carrots and I."
After Nick had trailed off, Judy then promptly took it upon herself to fill Olivia in on their underground adventures;
"What happened down in the Nocturnal-District was far from fun, least to say. We can't tell you everything, since it's against ZPD protocol to share classified information, but what we can tell you is that one of the city's most notorious criminals decided to target Nick, and it resulted in a whole lot of chaos. In the end, most of the bad guys were captured, and we all turned out okay, thankfully. I wouldn't exactly say that the Nocturnal-District is a very nice place to visit, but it was definitely a memorable experience."
"That's putting it lightly." Nick purposefully repeated.
"I recall all of those protests that followed... Nasty business. At least you two made it out of that mess safely, though." Olivia said softly. "What happened after that?"
"Just some more police work, for a while, until we went undercover in a big banking company Downtown. That was pretty fun..."
Nick hesitated, sneaking a glance at Judy. Her long ears were dropped down, and she had a look of disappointment on her face. The fox finalized;
"For the most part."
Although his mother didn't seem to notice the previous inkling of tension in the air, both Nick and Judy quickly recomposed themselves as they turned their attention back towards, and listened in on the former's mother as she huffed aloud in amusement before taking a long and drawn out sip of tea from her cup. Afterwords, she stated proudly;
"Those big corporations can't be trusted! I'm not surprised that the ZPD's finest two officers were sent to set things right!"
The male fox barked a laugh. "Well said." He muttered out loud.
"All of that in the span of three short months... Truly impressive work, I must say." Olivia continued.
"Thanks, ma." Nick said.
"But what happened after that? Surely, that isn't where your adventure ended, no?"
"Not by a long shot." The younger fox confirmed. "Once we settled back in after finishing our undercover work, we went on a little private vacation; Just the two of us."
"A paid vacation, to be exact." Judy added with a grin.
"Ooo, sounds exciting!" Olivia exclaimed. "Where did you two go?"
"We got a lot of different suggestions from a friend in Tundra-Town, but eventually settled on stopping by Outback-Island before heading to the Pawaiian islands."
"Exotic!"
Nick found himself smiling. "Very! We went sailing, hiking, exploring, sightseeing; All kinds of fun stuff." He explained to his mother.
"Must have been fun! Did you see the volcanoes there?"
"Indeed we did. Pretty awesome stuff, even with all the deadly smoke and all that. After we got back home from Pawaii, we worked on a blackmailing case, got sent to the Deciduous-District for, uh, some extended training, and finally wound up here, looking for you. Judy and I have been all over the place, these past few years, that's for sure."
Upon concluding the conversation, Nick sat back in his chair before finishing off the last pool of tea from his cup. As he did, he listened in on his mother's rambling.
"Wow... All these adventures, and I've been sitting on my own tail here in Happy-Town for the past decade..." Olivia stated before following her statement with a slight sigh.
There was a very brief moment of silence, that was, until the old fox recomposed herself and concluded her previous statement;
"But if my boy is out there living his life, then that's the only achievement I need."
Judy nearly let out an unscripted 'Aww!', fawning over Olivia's sheer compassion for her son, but held it back at the last second.
"That's very considerate of you." She eventually settled on.
"Hence why we came here to pay you a visit." Nick added. "Least we could do."
"And that, in turn, is considerate of you, my dear." Olivia retorted appreciatively. "All these world-trekking adventures and you still spared the time to stop by and chat."
"Like I said: Least we could do."
Nick's mother smiled, her expression radiating great gratitude and appreciation. Noticing this, Judy found herself getting giddy inside; Seeing the connection between her husband and his mother, whom the former spoke about with such reverence and passion. Having always held family values to heart, Judy saw this as a true social wonder.
The trio of mammals continued to chat for some time about all manner of topics, ranging from more recent happenings, to the current state of the city economy. For a full hour and a half, sweet and simple conversation ensued, with each party getting their fair share of convergence, that was, until a very particular conversational topic arose.
"You two seem to have experienced everything out there except parenthood." Olivia exclaimed.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Nick asked.
"Well, you and Judy here have seen everything! Been everywhere! You have eachother, but..." The old fox hesitated. "Have you ever considered having children?"
Judy's eyes sank low in thought, and she felt her heart race in anticipation: It was a topic that she had had a feeling would be brought up sooner or later. It was inevitable.
The last time that her and Nick had openly spoken about the idea of having children of their own was on their way to Outback-Island, riding with that cantankerous narwhal, John Haddock, in his dingy old ferry. Judy snickered to herself. Ironic: John Haddock was perhaps the last mammal on the entire planet that she'd ever associate with youth.
"We've thought about it..." The rabbit finally admitted. "Though it isn't even possible for us to have any kids of our own, adoption has crossed our minds before, right Nick?"
The fox nodded in agreement. "Right on. As much as the idea terrifies me, it also excites me at the same time, admittedly." He claimed.
"How precious!" Olivia swooned, clasping her paws together.
Nick felt his face heat up a little bit in embarrassment. He quickly found himself stifling;
"But that still isn't set in stone, as of yet. Just an idea. Nothing too serious."
"Well, I don't think I'd call the idea of raising kits a simple one!" Olivia retorted.
"You raised me, didn't you?" Nick quipped, earning a roll of the eyes from his mother.
"Maybe adoption is something we can consider, Nick." Judy interjected, causing the two vulpines to stare her down.
"You really think so?" The male questioned.
"Yeah, if you want, we can look into it."
Nick chuckled nervously a single time. "Clawhauser would be squealing so hard if he heard us talking about this kind of stuff." He joked.
"I can see that." Judy claimed with a coyish grin.
"But wow, yeah, that's definitely something we'd have to think about, if we got around to it."
"Who is this Clawhauser mammal?" Olivia asked aloud, breaking the moment of sympathy between husband and wife.
"A friend from work." The bunny answered cheerily. "He's a big ol' cheetah, and works the receptions desk at Precinct One, the ZPD head-quarters."
"You two would probably get along quite well together." Nick added.
"Perhaps, but oh, I can imagine the headlines: Hero cops adopt orphaned kit! It's adorable! I've been expecting grandkits for a while now, but that's on a whole new level."
While Olivia continued her exposition, Nick and Judy both locked eyes with one another. They smiled, knowing that it was a topic for another day. As the conversations continued and the clock kept ticking, the bunny and fox soon found their energy dwindling, and found it upon themselves to be excused for the night, as they had a big day tomorrow, preparing for the city council meeting the following day. After one final, heartfelt discussion with Olivia, she gave one last piece of advice for her beloved offspring;
"Just remember, Nicholas..." She began calmly. "No matter what happens out there in the big wide world, you'll always be my son."
Nick felt a small smile grow on his face. "Right back at you, mom." He replied with ease and appreciation.
With their final goodbyes bid at last, the old fox closed the door to her apartment shut. From there, Nick sighed longingly before turning to his wife and simply stating aloud;
"Well, let's head back home, shall we?"
Judy blinked a single time in apprehensive curiosity before sporting a coyish grin of her very own. She then replied;
"Indeed we shall."