Boilerplate Disclaimer: The various characters from the movie Zootopia are all owned by Disney the great and powerful. Any and all registered trade names property of their respective owners. Cheap shots at celebrities constitute fair usage.

A 1980 song by Dire Straits provides the title for the chapter.

Espresso Love

Nick's muzzle, rubbing against her cheek, awakened Judy. "C'mon sleepy-head. You have work to do, remember?"

"Only too well," she groaned. "You're taking a week of family leave and I'm working on massive report all day and then working with the football team in the afternoon. I've just been doing weekend football, and two days of trying to keep up with high school players makes me feel old, I hope a third doesn't kill me."

"You could always just stand on the sideline with a whistle and curse at them."

"I'm not ready for a cane yet, Mr. Wilde. But I'm suggesting you might take your wife out for... There's really no place to eat in Fox Ridge is there."

"Every home in town has a kitchen or dining room. But if you're talking fine dining the greasy lunch counter at the drug store doesn't count."

"Was there anything in Oak Grove?"

"I think they have an old diner maybe a step up from our lunch counter. It's filled with old squirrels drinking coffee and talking crop prices."

"And Plainview would be too much of a drive after football practice. Oh, speaking of coffee, any chance you'll get the old espresso machine fixed?"

"Don't know. I've got a chemical that loosens lime deposits in the water reservoir. I'll see what it did. The frothing wand's okay, maybe they didn't make cappuccinos, or maybe the steam didn't leave crud. I doubt the hardware store had any pipe that... That place was really amazing! They had everything, it was like–"

"I'll bet it was just like the one in Bunnyburrow!"

"Oh, yeah. You probably had one like that too."

"Just let me know if you get the espresso machine working."

"Judy, wherever you are in Fox Ridge, you will hear my shout of joy after I pull my first shot... If I'm able to pull a first shot. Oh, and this morning another topic on the 'marry in haste repent at leisure' topic reared its ugly head."

"If you don't mind my asking, what are you talking about? I just woke up and you're making no sense."

"Something we didn't discuss before getting married. Cigars. Poker nights at my place I let Eric hand out cigars. And, if you were attempting to hide the fact you find them disgusting, you failed miserably. Now that we're married and living in your place I–"

"We're living in our place. We now have our place. I... I don't know what to say. I knew you like the occasional poker game. We need to figure out a compromise of some kind on the cigars. Any chance you can hold the games in your old apartment, ask Ernie to play? Except he doesn't seem like a gambling animal.

"I think the shy young weasel we knew is fast disappearing if not already gone. He is no longer the low male in the pecking order at a rural high school. He's dating two females, three if he called that skunk, and–"

"I'm sure he didn't call her."

"He's already discovered he's considered an attractive male, and he's being called a hero. Who knows how he'll react. And it isn't certain he'll go for the sublet."

"I thought that was a done deal."

"Not quite. I got it set up but he hasn't officially said yes. But I'll bring up the poker if he takes the sublet."

Judy took a mid-morning break to call Coach Redpaw to discuss team starters. The vixen said she hadn't watched the drills and felt certain Judy had done a fine job. Judy also called the high school and left a message for Coach Prowler.

Coach Prowler called her on his lunch break. Judy wasn't happy with the way the coach of the male team had ignored the female team when Brooke fell ill, but she also realized she didn't know what other responsibilities he had, and the female team had been able to take care of itself. The rabbit had been prepared to dislike Prowler, but found him more agreeable to her ideas than she had expected. "Nice to have something go right," she thought as she returned to updating the report. Some of the material from the scene of the raid was now being analyzed, and it appeared that a couple cold cases would be solved from evidence examined the day before.

Nick had hoped to find the mineral deposits entirely dissolved. He had expected to notice a significant difference. He found no visible difference. But the deposit did crumble slightly as he made an experimental scrape with a screwdriver, and he decided to take the part to uncle Charlie's shop and see if any tools there might help clean it out. "Distilled water, if I get this working I'll use distilled water. Way too many minerals in the city's well."

Fox Ridge High's AV room was off the school's small library. Most of the team had crowded in to watch the Beaverton DVDs.

"Who's starting on Friday?" an armadillo demanded.

"That'll will be in the announcements before practice," replied Judy. "Right now, I want everyone to focus on the game tapes... Oh, and one thing I want you to remember, you better believe Beaverton has been looking at your game tapes. There haven't been any changes to the Fox Ridge game since Coach Redpaw got sick. One of the reasons Brooke wanted changes is to give them a surprise."

The Beaverton team was mostly otters. Three beavers were on the defensive end, including the goalie, who made some incredible saves with her tail. "She's gonna be tough," muttered Streak.

There was a rabbit playing midfield. Judy pointed to the bunny on the screen, "Coach Redpaw says she calls a lot of Beaverton's action, but has a history of losing her temper. She was taken out of a couple games this year, and had yellow cards in three others. I'm not asking our midfielders to antagonize her. I'm warning you she may get in your face. Stay calm. Punching her may be tempting, but you're better off letting the referee handle things. Clear?"

Players nodded in agreement.

At four-thirty Judy addressed the team. "An explanation and an announcement before I tell you about changes. Your coach worries that your game has fallen into a predicable pattern and Beaverton will be ready for it. I agree with her. The danger is this is too near your final game for you to become comfortable with the changes. There is a real risk here that changing the lineup may hurt you more than it helps you. But Coach Redpaw thinks you can handle it, and thinks it's your best shot at the title."

"What do you think?" someone called.

"I agree with Brooke. But I think it's important for you to play a game in your new positions before Friday."

"Play a game? How are we going to do that?"

"You're playing tomorrow at three, this field. You'll be taking on the male team. They'll be like Beaverton. They know what you've been doing, they won't be prepared for the new line-up. Oh, Coach Prowler and I have a little bet going - and four of you are in it... I don't know what four." Judy could see puzzled looks. "I've bet Coach Prowler you can beat his team. It won't be easy. They really want a win. They won't want a female team to beat them. You can beat them. If the male team wins, I'm paying for root beer floats at the drug store for everyone on the male team. And they'll pick four members of your team to serve them, wearing–" Judy reached into a bag at her feet and pulled out an apron she'd borrowed from the Home Ec. classroom, "–these. But if you win? Coach Prowler pays for root beer floats for all of you. And you get to pick four males from the team to serve you."

"Do they have to wear the aprons?"

"Yes they do. Oh, and that's going to make them play even harder tomorrow."

"What's a root beer float?" an armadillo asked.

"It's... You'll find out tomorrow," a vixen called.

Most of the changes to the lineup were minor. Judy transposed the sweeper and stopper positions, feeling that the two would play their new positions slightly better than their old spots. She was less certain about some juggling of midfielders, but one of the substitutes was being raised to left mid-fielder, with the current left being moved to defensive mid-fielder. Judy could tweak it if there appeared a problem during the game. Cinnamon had potential as a starter, but Judy planned to keep her as a substitute on Friday. The biggest change was in in the front.

"Forward? I'm playing forward?" Streak yelled in disbelief.

"That will be your position on Friday," Judy told her calmly. "And you will play it. I'm hoping it really gives us two strikers. I've got Ginger and Taylore switching off as striker. You will be coaching them in practice today. And I don't want to see you attempt a goal this afternoon. Your passing game needs as much work as they do trying to make goals."

The practice as ragged, as was to be expected. Judy hoped the Wednesday game would bring things together.

Nick neatly laid out the parts for the espresso machine. He would re-assemble it and... "Why didn't I buy new electrical cord at the hardware store?" he wondered. "I knew this one was in bad shape." He checked the internal wiring for the machine and found a couple other suspicious looking characters. "Better replace them too, as long as the thing is apart. Pretty sure uncle Charlie would be pissed if I burned down the drug store."

"You're not putting it back together?" the fox on duty asked.

"Heading for hardware store. Forgot a couple things."

"Really think you'll get it fixed?"

"Ask tomorrow when I get it back together. This is way different from my little home machine, pipes instead of plastic tubes, a bigger... It's different."

After dinner Nick and his mother sat on chairs on the front porch of the big house. Judy found a more comfortable place to sit, her husband's lap. The grocery store, scheduled to open the next day, was a major topic of conversation. Charles Meadows came out, saw the bunny and his nephew together, and edged back toward the door. Nick called a question about the desk in the workshop and got a short answer before his uncle returned to the house.

"Well, it's slow, but he's moving in the right direction," Eleanor commented after her brother left.

"I assume you mean in terms of accepting armadillos are good for the town and not the fact he headed inside instead of staying to talk with Judy sitting on my lap."

"Of course that's what she means," Judy told him. "Will you both come out tomorrow for the game? The teams are asking parents and friends to come out and cheer."

"Really think the females can win?" asked Nick.

Judy raised an eyebrow, "You really want to go there?"

"You know what I mean. Some of them in new positions? Some new starters?"

"I think we can beat them. I don't know that we will beat them," she confessed. "The purpose of the game is to give them practice with the new starting positions. But a win would feel good."

Judy yawned and snuggled closer to Nick. The two foxes chatted a little longer about the grocery store, and the bakery, until Nick noticed, "Looks like my favorite bunny has fallen asleep."

"She's working very hard. This isn't much of a honeymoon for her."

"Judy thrives on hard work. She comes from hardy stock."

"I don't care what stock she's from. The poor thing is exhausted. Take her up to bed."

Thoughts of the afternoon's game made it hard for Judy to concentrate on analyzing the reports from animals looking at evidence gathered in the raid, and gave her periodic mental blocks as she tried to update her report. A longer than expected email from Detective Carson gave her a couple tips on organizing data she was happy to read.

"You need to open an account?" the old squirrel asked when Nick entered the hardware store in the morning, after having visited it just the afternoon before.

"No, this is my last trip... I'm pretty sure." He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket with some very small bulbs inside. "The lights for 'on' and 'heating' were pre-LED, but somehow I feel sure you're going to have them in stock here."

The squirrel put on his glasses to look closer, "Yep. Could probably even replace them with LED the same size, if you want."

Nick began reassembling the old, new, and repaired parts of the ancient espresso machine. He felt cautiously optimistic it would work, but decided not to tempt the evil eye by buying jugs of distilled water just yet. It had probably taken years to build up the mineral deposits and rust which had clogged the machine. Running it a few times on well water wouldn't ruin it. Once back together he decided to test the grinder first. He'd been told it worked fine, but thought the claim needed examination. Something was definitely wrong. The grinder worked, but... There was no aroma of coffee in the grounds. Nick turned to the fox working the lunch counter. "Do you have any idea how old these coffee beans are?"

The old fox shrugged. "Store was closed more than ten years."

Judy answered the phone, "Yes, Darling?"

"You'd better hope I never loan my phone to a friend."

"You don't want a friend to know your wife loves you passionately?"

"Good point. I'm making a run to Plainview for coffee beans and distilled water. Is–"

"The espresso machine is working?"

"I'm pretty sure, but suspect it'll taste better if I get some coffee beans that aren't older than you."

"Ick."

"That was my opinion. Is there anything I get get for my beautiful wife while I'm there?"

Judy glanced at the clock, "Just picking those up and coming right back?"

"That's the plan."

"See if you can find raccoon take-out. We'll eat lunch together before you test the machine."

When Nick stopped at the house after his trip to Plainview he told Judy, "Saw something in town I don't think I've ever seen before."

"A banjo player with a brand new car?"

"Porcupine take out!"

"Seriously?"

"Would I make something like that up?"

They ate at the table in the kitchen. Judy ate at the table in the kitchen, "This is wonderful! We need to find a porcupine place in Zootopia!"

"I'll be sure to eat before we go," muttered Nick and shoved most of his meal over to Judy. "You can put this in the fridge and snack on leftovers later. Bakery was open this morning and think I'll buy something to go with the espresso."

The fox made his purchases at the panadería before returning to the drug store next door. He bought a coyota and two orejas. "Would these go well with coffee?" he asked the armadillo behind the counter.

"It would be perfect. I've got a pot in the back if you would like a cup."

"No, I'm trying to get the espresso machine next door working and–"

"That thing will never work."

Nick held up the shopping bag. "I have so much faith I bought the coffee beans. Come next door in an hour. I'm hoping you'll be surprised."

Thirty minutes later Nick tried the first cup of espresso. He was unfamiliar with working the machine, and there may have been a few old beans still left in the grinder, but he didn't ever remember an espresso so delicious. He had waited to eat the orejas, and was glad he had waited they went perfectly with the espresso.

And this, of course, meant he'd take the broken trim on the espresso machine to the forge for new pieces. It was purely decorative and didn't effect the machine's performance, but Nick's pride demanded it look as good on the outside as the work he'd done on the inside. But first a couple more cups – for the fox behind the lunch counter, and the baker next door as well as a second for himself before he dropped the broken trim off at the blacksmiths and headed for the high school to watch the game.

The bleachers on both sides of the high school field were crowded with family and friends before the players even took the field.

Coach Prowler was happy to have a minute with Judy before the teams came out of their locker rooms. "Coach Hopps–"

"Call me Judy."

"Okay, Judy, but only if you call me Marq. It's short for Marquis, my dad... Doesn't matter. Wanted to talk about the bet, I've told the team they can't ask you to be one of the four who does waitress duty."

"The bet was the teams chose who would do the serving."

"I've told them you or I would be paying, so the coaches were off-limits as far as waiting."

"I would be willing to–"

"I, uh, am really asking in hopes you'll have my back if you win. Would you tell your team I'm off limits? I really don't want a picture going around of me in an apron."

Judy chuckled. "I'll tell them that it's not fair to make you both pay and wear an apron if we win."

"Thanks. Uh, look. I told the team to play clean, but I know they don't want to lose to females. I'm worried some of them may be too rough."

"Good. Beaverton isn't going to play nice on Friday, they're playing to win and they'll play rough. As long as we have good officials on the field today and Friday this team isn't afraid."

Prowler grinned, "Hope you win Friday. Don't take it personally if I can't hope you win today."

The female team won the coin toss, and elected to attack the north goal. The male team took the kickoff. The sweeper stopped the male forward and kicked the ball back to the midfielders. Midfielders connected with Streak. The male defenders moved between Streak and the goal, and a short fast pass to Ginger let the squirrel score the first goal. No one on the male team had considered anyone other than Streak would make the first attempt to score. Judy crossed her claws and hoped the Beaverton team would be equally unprepared. The first score came in within the first three minutes. It would be longer before the second goal. The female team, still adjusting to new positions, struggled in the first half, with the males controlling the ball more often, but it was twenty-five minutes into the game before the males were able to put a ball into the goal. Taylore replaced Ginger at the fifteen minute mark. Judy thought she had noticed something about the squirrels, and put Cinnamon in at midfield to examine it closer.

The squirrels were the smallest members of the team. Being shorter, their bushy tails acted even more effectively to obscure the ball from players behind them than the tails of the vixens. That might be especially valuable for a mid-fielder and Judy weighed whether she should assign Cinnamon a starting role at midfield. Judy planned to put Ginger back in as striker slightly before the half. She believed the squirrel's goal represented the males being unprepared more than extraordinary talent. And the fact Taylore had been unable to score represented the fact the males were not making the mistake with her. But, just before Judy sent Ginger back in, Taylore drilled a solid goal into the top left of the net.

Judy's team took a two to one lead into the half and were feeling confident they could win. The rabbit reminded them there was another half to play, but complimented how well they were doing. She also warned them Coach Prowler could not be named a server if they did win the game. Judy decided not to tell the coach he had not even been considered. The 'honor' would go to the male team's leading scorer, its goalie, a brother of a popular member of the female team, and an armadillo who had dumped his female friend, the female sweeper, the week before.

"Cinnamon. I'm going to give you more playing time second half – you may be starting against Beaverton. Ginger, Taylore, I haven't decided which of you will be starting Friday. Streak, Connie, you're both going great."

Violet giggled, "It just hit me, Fox Ridge gets a win today even if they win."

Two armadillo's rolled their eyes at the observation. A vixen muttered, "Well, duh."

Streak's comment was more direct, "Yeah, but we're gonna be the winners."

Coach Prowler did his best to pump up his team for the second half. In the male locker room was a sign, 'We expect every player to give 110%'. The reality is that no one can give more than one hundred percent, and the males were already playing as hard as they could. In their minds the first goal had been a trick. There was no denying Taylore's goal was solid, but they told each other the real score was just one to one, and they were going to take the second half. A couple of the more thoughtful players didn't join in the general self-congratulations and predictions for a clear win in the second half. They had respect for the ability of Connie, the goalie, and suspected that Streak was lulling them to false security by how few attempts she had made on goal.

"Watch Pride," A midfielder warned the sweeper and stopper, "she's still their biggest threat."

The male team scored again ten minutes into the second half, and felt like they might have momentum on their side. But another twenty minutes of playing as hard as they were physically able didn't bring them another score. The males were sweating and visibly slower from exhaustion when Taylore made a short pass to Streak, who booted it hard. The male goalie caught a piece of it, but not enough, it bounced from his paw into the back of the net.

There were about ten minutes left, but the males realized they were too tired to have more than a vain hope of winning. They pressed as hard as they could, but Cinnamon managed to steal the ball and the females controlled the pace until the end.

There weren't enough chairs and spaces at the lunch counter for all the members of the team to sit, but they didn't mind standing or sitting on the floor as the four servers came around with root beer floats. Coach Prowler told the animals preparing the floats to make them for the servers as well. The two coaches had snagged stools by the lunch counter.

Armadillos held a spot for Connie at one of the small tables, and the goalie took out a deck of cards and began telling fortunes for the team members.

There were cheers when she announced the team would win on Friday.

Judy smiled when she heard the prediction. She hoped the team didn't take fortune telling seriously. If they won it would be through their teamwork. But if it boosted morale she wouldn't say a word against it.

Streak had not had a chance to talk with Judy after the game and came over to ask, "How was my passing?"

"Very good."

"Caught us flat-footed when you passed to that squirrel at the start of the game," Prowler admitted. "Hope it works against Beaverton too." He turned to Judy and grinned, "And I believe in complimenting a coach for a good game."

"I asked you to call me Judy. The real coach is Brooke. She got them to the point where they made me look better than I am."

A fox Coach Prowler had never seen was behind the lunch counter, polishing the espresso machine. "Did you say your name was Judy?" he asked the bunny. "What a lovely name, to go with your radiant beauty."

Judy giggled, "My mother told me not to accept compliments from strange foxes."

"I could introduce myself, or would your husband object?"

"Oh, this isn't my husband. This is Coach Prowler. He's in charge of the male football team, that's four of them handing out the root beer floats."

"Well, if he's not your husband, how about you and me get to know each other a little better tonight?"

"Shut your mouth," Prowler warned. "She's not my wife, but she doesn't need some jerk treating her like that." He wondered why Streak was snickering. The vixen had a habit of talking too much, but this seemed unusually rude.

The stranger defended himself, "Hey, if she's not your wife let her speak for herself."

"It happens I am married," Judy told the fox behind the lunch counter.

"I don't mind you being married. And he's probably an idiot."

"Most wives have thought that of their spouses."

"So, if he's an idiot, any chance of you and me, later tonight?"

Marq stood to face the stranger, "I told you to shut up," he growled. "Judy–"

The rabbit put a restraining paw on the coach's arm, "I don't believe I've introduced you to my husband, Nick Wilde."

The coach looked confused and glanced around the drug store, "Where?"

Streak laughed out loud, to Prowler's annoyance.

"That would be me," the stranger behind the counter said.

The coach looked more confused as he glanced back and forth between the two. "But... You're a fox and she's a rabbit... You..."

Judy spoke to give Prowler a chance to fit his brain around the revelation. "You really got the espresso machine working?"

"Yep. Want a cup? I'm still getting the hang of this. For you the charge is one kiss."

Streak spoke up, "Can I have a cup too? I'll give you a kiss."

Nick looked at Judy, "Why don't you remind her that she's a teenager, and I have a terribly jealous wife with whom I am passionately in love."

"Hey, I already know I'm a teenager," Streak pointed out.

Judy told Nick, "And it is far more effective if you tell the flirt that you have–"

"I'm not a flirt!"

"Yes you are," Nick agreed. "And, while you do it very well, I would appreciate if you practiced on someone your own age."

"It's more fun with you," giggled the teen.

"And that is the point where I tell you the story that my jealous wife, who I happen to love passionately, once took out a rhino in a fight."

"No way," Coach Prowler protested.

Streak's jaw dropped, "Seriously?"

"Why don't you tell them the story," suggested Nick. "I'll make you an espresso. Oh, and I'm slow. Tell them the long version."

"Can I pay for one with a kiss?" asked Streak.

"You weren't paying attention. I once knocked out a rhino, remember?"

"I want to hear that," the coach of the male team told her.

As Judy finished the tale of the police academy, and Nick contemplated whether or not to make another espresso, one of the male players who had been drafted as a server came over to watch. He was the same teen who had been behind the lunch counter on the day Nick's uncle had shown him store. "Can you show me how to do that, Mister Wilde?"

"Call me Nick."

"Are you sure, Sir?"

"Don't go weasel on me. Call me Nick?"

"Go weasel?" the bewildered teen asked.

"I know this very polite weasel."

"A polite weasel? Really?"

"Why does no one ever believe me?"

"Force of habit," suggested Judy. "I'm afraid, Dear, that we are now older and thoroughly respectable. Callow youths see–"

"I'm not callow," protested the teen, "I'm... What does callow mean?"

Judy flushed, "I'm, ah, really not sure. But my mother always used it on us when we were little... And she never would have said–"

"It's kinda saying the same thing as young," Streak told them, consulting her cell phone. "There's a word for that, isn't there? Saying the same thing twice."

"Redundancy, and you are ruining my wife trashing my reputation."

"I'm not trashing your reputation! I'm saying that you're a detective on the police force and a happily married male. You are older and respectable."

Nick drew himself up to his full height and proudly proclaimed, "The calendar may force me to grow older, but I refuse to be respectable."

"So, if you're not respectable, you want the kiss for a cup of coffee?" repeated Streak.

"Espresso, not coffee," Nick told her firmly. "Yes, payment is a kiss." And before Judy had time to give him more than a dirty look he pointed at the teen male. "And he's making it."

"Wait!" protested Streak.

"I heard you make the offer three times," Judy pointed out. She looked to Nick and coach Prowler, "You heard her too, right?" The two adult males nodded agreement.

"Get back here and let me show you how to do this," Nick told the male.

Judy was happy to notice that Streak didn't protest as she waited for the male to learn how to pull a shot of espresso. Streak paid for her drink and the two teens went back to join the rest of their classmates.

That night, Judy snuggled up by Nick, who put an arm around her. "Nick... I..."

"Yes?"

"Just wondering... Have you heard of chimeras?"

"What brought that question on?"

"Sitting on the porch. Talking with family. Seeing the teens, working with them. I... You didn't ask what chimera means."

"One of Truckie's relatives married a raccoon. They have a child... They probably have a child. It was months ago when Truckie told us she was pregnant."

"The doctors won't even consider a couple unless they've been married four years... I'm not like Layla, I don't want to start–"

"What about Nyte?"

"I think she feels her biological clock ticking. I'm just asking if you've ever thought about us... you know."

"I think you would make a wonderful mother. Not sure what kind of Dad I'd be. But it's years before the doctors will even talk with us. I think we need to spend time, just the two of us, and know that we make a stable couple."

"The doctors really want a stable relationship?"

"Absolutely. Before the doctors will even consider the process they have to feel the child will have stable parents..."

"We're in trouble, aren't we?"

"Well, the fact a fox married a rabbit screams something's weird. Wonder which of us looks the most peculiar to an outsider. Probably you."

"Why me?"

"A rabbit married to a fox? That's odd. A fox with a beautiful, sexy bunny in his bed? Other animals figure I'm the luckiest fox on the planet. Fortunately we don't have to decide anything tonight. All we do tonight is hold each other and tell each other how in love we are. Think you can manage that?"

"I'm positive. Although I wish you'd stop your flirting."

"My flirting? Sure, blame the victim. It's not my fault vixens find me charming. I'll have you know that even a rabbit fell in love with me."

"I find that very hard to believe."

He kissed the top of her head, "And yet, here you are in bed with me. Your head resting on my chest. My paw playing with your–"

Judy kissed him. "Fine. You are too charming for your own good. Satisfied?"

"With you beside me? How could I be anything but happy."

"Oh, you are good, Mister Wilde," Judy purred. "I'm keeping you all to myself."