Chapter 6 – Judy's First Date (in a long while anyway)
Judy couldn't wait for Saturday night. She quickly arranged to meet up with Fru-Fru ("I'm so excited Judy!") for some shopping on Saturday afternoon. Heck, she might even get a make-over, she knew that she would end up deferring to Fru-Fru in all of these girly matters. Fru-Fru was the fashionista with great taste ("Thank you").
Despite all of Judy's anticipation for her upcoming date, she kept forgetting to tell Nick about it. She surprised herself. She usually tells Nick everything, they see each other every day on and off work, and they even spent the week on very very boring stake out duty. They were staking out an obnoxious night club, a prostitute's body had been found in the alley behind the club earlier that week. Judy was all business on the stake-out, but with the exception of a few drunks getting into fights ("Do NOT engage unless it looks serious," Chief Bogo had told the pair. "Do you understand me, Judy?" singling out the bunny known for occasionally getting carried away. "Yes, Chief! I understand," Judy had replied sullenly.) nothing important happened all week.
Nick was also surprised that Judy hadn't told him her plans. He had not asked her what Dr. Fleet meant by seeing Judy on Saturday Nick assumed that Judy would blurt it out sooner or later.
On Saturday morning, he and Judy were punching off duty at 6 in the morning. Nick waited for her at the main circulation desk while Judy checked in her tranquilizer gun. Nick was chatting with the newly arrived Clawhauser when Judy came over to them.
"Hi Judy," smiled the big cat. "What do you two have planned for this weekend?"
"I don't know," replied Nick with his sly smile firmly affixed to his lips. "What do you say, Carrots? How about that new art exhibit at the ZICA (Zootopia Institute of Contemporary Art) by Sheepherd Fairey?" Nick turns to Clawhauser, "I tell you Benny, she wouldn't shut-up about his "Andre the Giant Rabbit Has a Posse" stuff all week!"
Clawhauser chuckles as Nick turns back to Judy.
"Awesome! Let's go tomorrow! I really like Sheepherd's crazy portraits of all of Zootopia's mayors!"
"Yeah, yeah, you told me, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand told me." Nick responded rolling his eyes at Clawhuaser, earning another giggle from the cheetah. "We should go tonight, I read that the ZICA is free after 7 on Saturdays." (Let it never be said that Nicholas Wilde isn't thorough in his research for his cons.)
"Oh, well…. Um, I already have plans for today. I'm going out with Fru-Fru at 2," came Judy's hesitant response.
"Well, you can't be shopping all day?" replied Nick. Clawhauser interjecting, "Yeah, you should still be able to go to the ZICA by 7!"
"Well, if you must know," retorted Judy, annoyed at their badgering. Judy gathered herself to her greatest height and braced for the two males' ridicule, "I happen to have a date this evening."
"That's so great, Judy! Who is the lucky rabbit?" Clawhuser exclaimed.
"Yeah, Carrots. That's great," added Nick in a low voice. "Why didn't you say something?"
Judy blurted out the first thing that came into her head, "I didn't want you to tease me all week."
"Me? Tease you? Never!" Nick exclaimed, feigning hurt at the accusation, but his grin didn't quite reach his eyes.
Judy ignored Nick and turned back to Clawhauser, "He's a doctor over at ZGH that I met last week."
The cat nearly squealed in delight, "Oooh, a doctor, good for you, Judy! I expect a full briefing afterwards!"
"Yeah, yeah, no promises!" Judy waived at the cat. "See you later guys! Gotta run," Judy said as she literally ran out of the precinct.
Nick remained slouched against the desk for a moment watching Judy scamper off. He was annoyed in about five different ways, least of all that he had waited to walk home with Judy and she just took off without him. His seething was interrupted by a spotted paw sticking a donut in his face.
"Come on, it's blueberry!" Benny continued to waive the donut in front of Nick's face until the fox sighed and snatched it from his paw. "Want to talk about it, buddy?" purred the large cat.
"I got nothing to say, Benny," Nick said taking a bite out of the donut. "See you next week." Nick heaved himself off the desk and started walking away.
"Hey, Nick!" Benny called. Nick sighed and looked at the chubby cheetah. "You know, if there is ever anything you can't talk to Judy about… I'm here for you," Benny said seriously, no hint of teasing at all.
Nick couldn't help but smile, "Thanks Benny, it's nice to remember I've got more than one friend."
"Anytime, pal," Clawhauser waived as Nick walked out the front door.
As Nick strolled home, hands in his pockets, he brooded about the handsome Dr. Fleet. The good doctor obviously didn't like him. Nick guessed the rabbit probably wouldn't like that his new fluffy girlfriend was partners with such a good looking male. Nick smirked at the thought, but the smirk didn't last. The doctor probably wouldn't like that Nick was a predator, especially a fox.
No. Nick wasn't going to assume anything. It was none of his business who Judy dated. He would wait and see. Hopefully any future mate of Judy's would grow to accept him, as Judy's parents had. Nick decided he wouldn't think about Judy or her date anymore. Benny was right, Judy wasn't Nick's only friend. Nick grabbed his phone and texted:
Hey Lola, you working tonight?
Hey Nicky, just got off an hour ago but I'm off tonight. Want to come over for dinner?
I'd love too, what can I bring?
Nothing, just your sweet self :-)
Haha, no way that's enough. How about I bring over some tuna steak and you cook it up!
If you insist, see you around 6?
Sounds good, I'll see you then!
Nick went back to his place to crash for a few hours. He was grateful he was so exhausted; he was asleep once his head hit the pillow.
Later that same Saturday…
Nick knocked on a door in a rundown building in one of the shadier parts of town. A tall slender coyote opened the door wearing jeans and a baggy shirt. She had a beautiful coat, tan and red. She smiled at the sight of Nick, in his favorite Hawaiian shirt and tie, holding a large brown package in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other.
"Oh, Nick. You silly thing. You didn't have to get me flowers!" said the coyote. She had a warm voice, like honey.
"Well, I can't show up on a beautiful mammal's doorstep without flowers!" Nick replied suavely.
"You're so silly, dear. Come in, I'll get that fish started. You brought too much! But it does smell delicious!" the lady coyote said.
The coyote took the flowers and the fish from Nick as he stepped into the shabby but clean apartment. As soon as Nick closed the door, a small furry body hurtled into him. "Oooof," Nick temporary had the wind knocked out of him as small arms crushed his rib cage.
"Uncle Nicky!" a small voice exclaimed. Nick disentangled the little creature, revealing a small, smiling coyote pup. "Hey, champ! How are you doing?"
"Did you bring me something?" the pup answered looking at Nick expectantly.
"Remmy Juan Montano, is that anyway to great your Uncle Nicky?!" the pups mother's voice drifted over from the small kitchen.
"Sorry Moma! Hi Uncle Nicky, it's so nice of you to come visit," Remmy said to Nick politely.
Nick grabbed the pup into his arms and ruffled the fur on the top of the pup's head. "Glad to see you, too!" Nick released Remmy and then whispered to the pup, "I did bring you something." Nick pulled out a toy cop car, complete with flashing lights.
"Cool! Thank you, Uncle Nicky!" the little pup scampered off to show his mom.
After dinner and a few rounds of wrestling between Nick an Remmy, the pup was soon passed out. After Nick carried him to the small bedroom the pup shared with his mother, Nick collapsed down on a chair across from the pretty coyote.
"So Lola, how are things?" Nick asked as Lola passed him a glass of red wine.
"Things are good," Lola replied, taking a sip of her wine. "Charley gave me a promotion, I'm the shift manager at the club now. It's a good pay bump so we are not as dependent on tips anymore."
"I'm glad to hear that, I told you Charley was a good guy. I think his is the only joint in this neighborhood that has any decency left in it," Nick replied with a relieved look.
"I have to thank you again for getting me the job, Nick," Lola said quietly. "I don't like to think where we would be if you hadn't."
"Aww, you would've been fine. I'm glad I could help." Nick replied looking away.
"Yes, well. Thanks to this job, I've been able to save some of the $200 that shows up mysteriously in our mailbox each week. I've been putting it all in a college fund for Remy." She looked at Nick with a gleam in her eye, "I'll have to find out who keeps sending the money and thank them someday."
"Well, if I were you, I would let my anonymous patron remain so. They might be shy you know," Nick replied slyly.
"Well, enough about me. How are you doing, Nicky? We miss seeing you around the neighborhood."
Nick felt a small pang of guilt, he used to see Lola and Remmy about once a week when he lived in this part of town. Now, he was lucky if he made it out once a month. "I'm sorry about that, I promise I'll try to be better about visiting in the future."
"Oh don't feel bad Nick, we know you're busy keeping us and Zootopia safe. We're so proud of you. You are such a great role-model for my Remmy. He looks up to you something fierce!" Lola told him with a smile.
"I'm glad I'm a better role model for him now than I was," Nick replied a little sadly.
"Well, I will say I'm happy Remmy wants to be a cop now, I don't think he would have been a good con-artist. But other than that, you have always been a great role-model. Helping people out in need, never letting people get you down, I think you're a great example for my son."
"Stop, your making me blush!" Nick replied fanning his cheeks dramatically.
"Haha, alright Nick. I'll leave you alone!" Lola laughed throatily at Nicks antics. "But seriously Nick, how are you?"
"I'm good, Lola," Nick replied seriously. "I love my job. I'm in a better place than I've been since I was a kit."
"Hmmm, yet this is the saddest I've seen you since you took up blue. Are you sure nothing is bothering you?" Nick shook his head.
"Is everything ok with that partner of yours? This is the first time you didn't bring her up fifty times during your visit," the coyote said looking at him behind veiled lashes.
Nick looked slightly mortified, "I don't talk about her that much!"
"Sure you don't," Lola said patting his paw. "When are you going to bring her by to meet us?"
"Well, I don't know. One of these days," Nick said, not meeting Lola's eyes.
Lola looked sternly at the fox, "Nick, I told you before. I'm not… I'm not doing that anymore. I haven't since you got me this job."
Nick quickly took her paw and reassured her, "I know, Lola. It has nothing to do with that, I'm not ashamed of you and Remmy. You're an important part of my life, you know that!"
Lola let Nick hold her paw but wasn't completely mollified, "Then why won't you introduce us to this partner of yours. She's important to you and we are important to you, so we should be friends."
"I… I just haven't told her too much about my past. She's helped me move forward and I guess I don't want her to think less of me because of how I used to live."
Lola looked sternly at Nick again, "She already knows you were a con-fox. If she really cares for you, she won't look down on you for doing what you had to in order to survive. Plus, I can always set her straight if she gets the wrong idea about you." Lola winked at Nick.
"Your right, I'll try to bring her with me next time I visit." Nick shook his head in defeat adding, "If she's not too busy with her new boyfriend that is."
"Oh, is that what's bothering you?" Lola looked at him surprised. "You're worried about losing your partner!"
"I'm not worried about losing her! We'll be partners no matter what happens, I just… I guess I just don't like the guy she's dating."
"And why is that?" Lola said skeptically.
"Well, I don't think he likes me for one!"
"Aww, honey. No new man is going to like the handsome male partner of the female his interested in!" Lola laughed. "Plus, I don't think you have anything to worry about. If you and that little bunny are the two peas in a pod that I think you are, you'll make it through the trials of a new boyfriend in your lives."
"Yeah, well. It's getting late, I should head out," Nick said standing up and brushing his fur back.
"Okay sweetie, be safe now and bring that Judy with you next time," Lola said with a wink.
Lola gave him a hug at the door. Nick pulled back and said, "Lola, there's been some trouble at some of the clubs lately. A few females have gone missing and we found one of their bodys the other day. We're on top of it, but I guess… I'm just saying be careful and take care of yourself."
"I will, Nick. I promise."
"Give me a call if you or Remmy need anything. Just say the word and I'll come a running."
"I know, thank you," Lola gave Nick a kiss on the cheek. He smiled as he left the building.
Nick thought about the day he met Lola and Remmy. It was a few years back, gosh, Remmy was only 4 at the time. It must have been over 4 years ago. Nick was on his way to meet Finnek when he saw the little pup crying on the porch of one of the many dilapidated buildings in that neighborhood. The little coyote was sitting on a pile of bags and boxes that seemed to be haphazardly thrown on the curb. Disturbed by the crying pup, Nick approached him and asked him what was wrong. The little pup just kept crying and pointed to the building. Nick could hear a woman shouting, then suddenly the door to the building was flung open and a big hippopotamus threw a coyote out of the building. The hippo shouted something about not being a charity or taking in deadbeats who can't pay the rent before slamming the door in their faces.
Lola was a good 20 pounds skinnier back then, she had that unhealthy emaciated look to her. She stood facing the door with tears of frustration running down her cheeks. She was still in a state of shock when Nick put a paw on her arm. It took a little coaxing, but Nick got her to trust him soon enough. He grabbed a few boxes and took them back to his place telling them they could stay as long as they wanted.
It didn't take Nick long to figure out how Lola was making ends meet. Nick never said anything to her about it, but he called in a favor from his friend Charley. Charley ran one of the many strip joints in that part of town. It wasn't ideal, but it would keep Lola from having to turn tricks on the dangerous streets. Lola resisted, finally breaking down and admitting that she was scared of her pimp. The gorilla was known for breaking bones of anyone who interfered with his "girls." Nick found this pimp-gorilla and was able to sweet talk him into believing that his enterprise would be better off without Lola, or at least better off with the money that Nick offered him to leave Lola alone. Not that Nick ever told Lola about the money.
Once Lola got back on her feet, she and Remmy were able to move into a new place. Nick remained friends with Lola ever since, becoming "Uncle Nicky" to Remmy.
When Nick went to bed that night, he thought about what Lola said. Yes, he and Judy would always be friends and partners. But that didn't change the bad feeling Nick had about Dr. Fleet, but he knew there wasn't much he could do about it. Well, maybe he could do a little investigating…
Judy collapsed onto her bed, it was past midnight but she was still wide awake. She had such a magical night. Harrison picked her up at her building, appropriately dropping his jaw upon seeing Judy in her brand-new purple cocktail dress (thanks to Fru-Fru's excellent fashion advice, "It'll bring out your eyes, Judy!"). They spent the whole night dancing and talking with the other bunnies at the Bunny Society cocktail party. It was way more fun than the Bunny of the Year dinner. Most of the rabbits at the party were her age, mid-twenties to thirties. She had a great time making new rabbit acquaintances. She learned from the female bunnies that Harrison was considered the most eligible rabbit bachelor in Zootopia. Harrison had looked embarrassed when one the party-goers let it slip that Harrison was the Bunny of the Year the previous year. His work having earned him the title as the foremost expert in rabbit pediatric ailments.
When the party was over, Harrison walked her to her door. When she hugged him goodnight, he pulled away to look at her. He held her in his arms and told her that he thought they made a great pair, two Bunnies of the Year! He told her that he wanted to see her again and asked her to dinner. Judy agreed, looking forward to having a chance to get to know him better. They had been so busy dancing and talking to other bunnies that she really didn't get to talk to him that much. They made plans for dinner on her next day off.
Before Harrison released her, he went in for a kiss. Judy sighed thinking about the kiss as she laid in her bed. It wasn't like it was her first kiss ever, she had played around with dating in high-school and college. But, it was the first kiss she received as an adult bunny. That made it special. And Harrison was so… charming! Yes, charming was the right word. Judy fell asleep to the thought.