Family Day Part 3.
"Hello Billy." Judy smiled politely while she removed his paw from her waist. She calmly passed her baby sister into her mother's arms and immediately went to Nick. Billy Stride was one of the many sons of another carrot farmer who was a neighbor of her family. Judy could still remember the times she and Billy used to work together while toiling in the fields. The laughs they shared, the time they spent together: she thought it would last forever until she realized her mistake. She noticed that Nick was glaring at him, annoyed that he actually had the nerve to grab her. She glanced back at Billy, giving him a warm smile.
"I'm so happy you're here actually, this is my mate, Nick Wilde." She made sure to grab Nick's tie, wrapping it around her fingers in an almost flirtatious manner. Nick smirked, knowing exactly what she was trying to do.
Billy's brow rose slightly, as he eyed Nick carefully.
"Really?" he said, tight-lipped. "He doesn't look like much." Billy snorted haughtily. Nick, with his fist up to his lips replied in a fake cough.
"Your mom."
Billy immediately stopped laughing. "What was that?"
Judy covered her mouth, trying to hide her smirk when Nick let out a series of coughs, clearing his throat. "Hmm? Oh nothing, I think I heard your daddy calling; you better hop on over there before he takes your allowance."
"Excuse me? But I own my own carrot buisness, and I am very successful." He replied, nose in the air and paws on his suit. Nick looked at his claws, completely unimpressed.
"In a town full of bunnies? I would be too if I was selling popsicles to animals in Sahara Square."
Billy scoffed. "A fox being successful in life? That's hard to believe." Nick's eyes narrowed. He was starting to get annoyed with him. Was he really the guy Judy had dated? Nick thought.
She stepped up, coming to Nick's defense.
"You know, I hate it when animals judge other species without even knowing them." She said, arms crossed. "And I see you haven't changed at all." She muttered before turning back to Nick. A sudden clap made the trio turn to see her mother and father, who were standing by the sidelines. Judy mentally hit herself for forgetting they were there.
Her mother spoke with a tight smile. "Judy, honey, I'm going to take the babies inside now but please feel free to eat and join in some games with Nick. We're going to start the race; won't that be fun?"
Judy nodded. "That does sound like fun, mom." She grabbed Nick's paw, walking away from the scene. "Let's go."
She said nothing during their walk towards the open field. In the distance Nick could see a large banner set up and colorful flags in a row, indicating where the race would start and end; it stretched for half a mile. He could already see Judy's relatives from all age groups at the start line, their excitement obvious. Her paw was wrapped tight around his fingers, like she was almost afraid to let him go as she dragged him behind her. He dug in his heels, making her jerk forward. Her shoulders and ears slumped while she released her death grip on his hand. He rubbed his fingers slightly when he spoke.
"Do you want to talk?" he asked. A soft breeze blew by, making her dress flutter. He was tempted to take a picture to document how beautiful she looked in the grassy field, standing in the multitude of dandelions. He brushed a finger against her ear. She crossed her arms.
"I don't know what happened to him." She quietly replied. "He just turned out different."
She sat down on the ground, prompting Nick to join her. He made sure to sit behind her with his legs outstretched. He rested his chin on her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Come on, that pile of fluff? I thought he was born with a golden carrot in his mouth."
She laughed at that before shaking her head. "He was my best friend when I was a kitten." Nick felt her place her paws over his own. "We did everything together. I'll admit that I had a crush on him, and when we were finally a couple?" A sad smile formed on her face. "I thought we were perfect." A distant memory played in her mind. It was from a time when she was just a kid, playing in the mud of the recently tilled fields after a rainy day, jumping into mud puddles with Billy, throwing mud balls and getting their clothes completely soaked with dirt. She still remembered the scolding she got from her mom when she returned home.
Nick swallowed. He was a bit jealous of the time they had spent with each other. He had only known Judy for a year, but he hardly knew her, probably because he had never shown enough interest in her as an individual. He hadn't asked personal questions like what she dreamed about or what her childhood had been like. Judy was always interested in his life, despite how much he didn't want to tell her everything. She managed to get the most information that she could out of him, thanks to her interrogation skills. Now he just felt guilty for not making an effort to know her better.
"So what happened?" he pressed.
She shrugged. "I wanted to be a police officer. My family thought I was crazy because every bunny here thinks that The Burrows is perfect, and that every bunny could have a stable job here. Working on the farm did earn me some money, but I always knew there was something more out there for me."
"Like me, right?" he said, with his tongue out while he gave her a grin. She chuckled at his expression and patted his cheek.
"Sure. If it will make you feel better." She stared into the distance, a frown forming. "When I was getting ready to leave for the academy, I decided to tell Billy about my dream. I thought he might be happy for me and push me to do my best, but he surprised me by being completely unreasonable."
"Why would you leave?" Billy demanded. Judy was surprised by how quickly he got angry about her decision. Based on their history together, she thought he would have been more than supportive.
"I-I thought you would be happy for me, this is my dream Billy." She said, her grip tightening around the handle of her suitcase when he began laughing at the sheer impossibility. His paws hit his forehead.
"Come on, Judy, you do know they won't accept you in the police academy; I bet you won't even pass!"
Her eyes widened at his hurtful words. "How can you say that? You think I can't do it?"
"Judy…" His eyes softened when he placed his paws on her shoulders. This was something that he had done many times before, just moments before giving her a kiss. She wanted nothing more than escape at that moment. He opened his mouth, replying in a slow and gentle tone. "Of course you can't."
She felt her heart break. She stared at him like he was some sort of stranger. She had spent years beside him, and in an instant the laughter they shared, the talks they had, and the intimate moments they shared flashed before her eyes. Now, she felt her stomach hurt with regret. She wrenched herself away from him in sheer fury, slapping his paws aside as if he had burned her. He stared at her in surprise, wondering what had gotten into her. Her eyes were fiery when she looked at him one last time before turning her head away in disgust.
"I can't believe you…" She whispered lowly before responding in a defiant voice. "Billy. We're through."
Her head leaned back against his shoulder. "Being in the academy made me believe that I had a shot at accomplishing my dream, and now here I am." She gave him a smile. "I am now a successful detective with a partner, who helps me...sometimes."
He gave her a coy glance, and before she knew it his lips were on her cheek for a moment before pulling away with a wet smack.
"Ew! Nick!" He covered his head, laughing loudly when she slapped at his arms. She rubbed her cheek, laughing slightly. "That's not funny!"
He lowered his arms slowly, just in case she tried to hit him again. "It was a little funny but…Do you miss him?"
"Of course not." she responded quickly. "I'm glad he showed me who he really was, or else I would still be with him, none the wise. I would have probably had a few litters with him." She mused. Nick shivered.
"60 bunnies that look and act exactly like him, ugh, gross!" He shivered again and let out a gag for good measure.
She giggled and hit his chest playfully. "It wouldn't be sixty!"
He covered his mouth. "I'm going to be sick!" He pretended to hurl, making her turn her body around and facing him completely.
"Stop that! That's completely rude!" She said with false anger. A soft laugh escaped his mouth as he lifted a paw up to her cheek. A faint blush formed when he stroked it, tickling her in the process. Everything he did was ticklish, from the way his paw brushed her ears to the way he held her. Even his kisses were all ticklish. It was something she loved about him. It reflected who was was: a trickster, prankster, and even a con-fox. He was always light in his touch. "But I would love to have children one day…" She said, leaning into his paw.
She saw his eyelids snap open, losing their sleepy look. She immediately regretted saying that out loud to him. It was almost an unspoken rule to not mention marriage or children to one's mate. At least, not until they were both ready for the responsibility.
She pulled away, putting her paws over her lips.
"Oh my gosh! I-I did not mean that we-! No! I mean that I just said that because-" she was trying to pull the right words out of the air. She almost didn't hear his response.
"Me too." She blinked, wondering if she had heard him correctly. He scratched the back of his neck nervously. "B-but not now, I mean…" He coughed, clearing his throat. "I still act like a pup sometimes." He noted. "What do I know about kids?"
She immediately relaxed. "No. I'm sure some kids might like you." She teased, lightly flicking his nose.
She gasped when he wrapped his arms around her waist tightly, trapping her. She felt her cheeks heat up again. She always forgot how "pawsy" he could be. Being pawsy always leads to cuddling, which is accompanied with flirting. Nick was a big flirt, and he must have been buttering her up before he...She blushed at the thought. He's always affectionate. Judy told herself.
"We should take a zelfie." Nick said, distracting her from her thoughts. She blushed, not from how close they were to each other but from convincing herself that he was going to try and kiss her.
"That's a great idea, Nick."
"Great." His paw went into his pocket, bringing out his smartphone and positioning it over their heads. He grinned at the camera. Judy let out a large smile, making sure she pressed her own cheek against his. "I could use a new screen saver." And Nick snapped the photo.