The girls were sitting around Roxxie's kitchen table, Kristy had been telling her best friend and daughter of what the doctor told her. Sam and Kno meanwhile cooked some pancakes, something Roxxie had been craving and the moment Kristy heard the idea she had to have some, and Roxxie wasn't going to complain.
Neither would Orchid, especially after her little pancakes were slathered in apple butter. Syrup was tasty but just too sticky for her. Possibly even dangerous.
"So what do you think?" Kristy asked with a smile.
Orchid looked up, her whiskers bouncing as she chewed before swallowing. "About what?" She asked, stuffing another sloppy bite in her mouth.
Giggling, Kristy offered a napkin to her daughter. "About your little brothers and sister?"
The chinchilla wiped her mouth, then hopped over to the edge of the table. She leaned over tilting her head as she chewed. Her whiskers bouncing more than her tail twitched. "I don't know, I can't see them." She then hopped back to her food while the expecting mothers laughed.
Roxxie rubbed her belly. "She says the same thing about you little one." Her smile fell some as she asked. "All three are healthy, right?" She looked up as Kno set her stack of pancakes that was nearly as tall as Orchid infront of her. The coyote watched the bobcat with his ears up and forward, Roxxie almost copying him.
"Yeah, no defects that they can see." Kristy replied as Sam brought over her stack of pancakes, which was even bigger than she had wanted. "The biggest boy shows signs of being a bobcat." She pumped her fist and smiled as she poured syrup on her stack. "The second boy is a little smaller but still at a good size. Aaaaannnd it looks like he's got a long tail." She took a big bite before looking a little somber. Sam looked up from the last sets of pancakes he was cooking for him and Kno. "The little girl is a bit small though, but she's got an adorable long tail."
Roxxie saw the change in Kristy but with a mouth full of food she couldn't say anything. Thankfully for her Kno said. "Don't worry about it, kit-kat. Roxxie's doctor said hybrids being small is normal."
"Yeah, your body knows what it's doing." Roxxie added. "It's trying not to overload you."
While Orchid looked back and forth not sure what the adults were talking about Kristy explained. "Mine said it's just the greedy boys, but she's not in the danger zone." She smiled and cut herself another bite of pancakes.
Sam remained quiet throughout the exchange. Instead preferring to stand behind Kristy, placing a supportive paw on her shoulder. While the bobcat chewed she grabbed hold of Sam's paw. With him and the assurance of her friends Kristy's worry faded.
Or perhaps she just started to go into denial
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Three days later just as the sun started to peek through the trees on the horizon the phone started to ring. Sam yawned quietly as he shook awake, an awkward paw slapped his alarm clock but the sound didn't stop further pulling the fox from half remembered dreams. Beside him Kristy stirred, meowing and pawing the air as the damnedable ringing dragged her from her own dreams.
Sam sat up and grabbed the house phone, answering with a voice like sharpened gravel. The dial tone beeps sarcastically in one ear as the ringing hits the other. The bobcat behind him in just her panties and a band shirt almost too small for her with how it had slipped up off her bloated belly rolled over. On all fours like her ancestors she watched her husband drop the house phone and pick up his work phone. He answered somehow even more gravely than before. asking questions in short terms. His groggy mind slowly waking up. After a few minutes he gave a defeated sigh.
"Alright, I'll be there soon as I can." With that he hung up and stood up pulling off his claw tattered night shirt.
Stretching her back and yawning wide. "What's going on, baby?" her half closed eyes glowed in the dark of the morning.
"One of our customers in Zootopia is experiencing a large outage. And we're short staffed." He sighed.
"Oh." She cooed. "So they called you to deal with it?" A yawn distorted the last part of her question.
"That, and the company owner requested me personally." He said, stretching before buttoning his shirt.
Moving slowly and deliberately Kristy headed to the closet. "So, how many days should I pack for?"
The fox's ears shot up as he looked back, confused by her question. "Wait, what?"
"Well, if we're heading to Zootopia we should be prepared to stay a while." She yawned looking up at the suitcases tucked away on the top shelf of the closet. "So we'll need some changes of clothes, if they just want you it's probably not the biggest job." She clicked her tongue thinking. "I guess I can just pack Orchid's clothes in our bags." Still having made no attempt to grab the bags she looked at Sam. "You don't think it will be more than a week right?"
"I think it would be better if you and Orchid stay here." Sam suggested.
"Why?" Kristy mewed, turning to look at Sam with an ear and eyebrow up.
"Well, I don't know where I'll be, how long I'll be there. And someone still needs to be at the office here."
"I can handle the city, baby, and you'll need a paw or at least someone to watch your tail." She giggled, "and Firn can watch the office."
"I mean, Orchid still needs to do her school work. I'm sure you don't want to sit in some hotel room for the day just to come back tomorrow."
"Well I wouldn't be sitting in the hotel, I would be right by your side." Kristy smiled, turning back to the suitcase on the top shelf and half heartedly reaching for it. "And as long as Orchid's got the internet for part of the day she can do her work."
"Well still. There wouldn't be anything for you to do other than maybe hand me a tool. Why don't you just stay here and rest." He suggested, standing next to her now with a grin.
Lifting an eyebrow, the cat looks up at the fox. "And if I don't want to stay home and rest?"
"...Aaaahhhh, well I mean, there's the office?" He asks more than states.
"Which Firn can handle." She mewed, crossing her arms. "Baby, do you not want me to go for some reason?"
"Well… wouldn't it be better for you and the kits?" He reasoned.
"It's not like I'm going to run a marathon or somethin, the most I'll have to do is walk out to the van to get something." She smiled as she took Sam's paws, seemingly ignoring that she still hadn't tried to get the suitcases down. "Plus how bad would you feel if I'm not there to rub your back after a long day hunched over a server?"
"I'd feel pretty good knowing that you were home where it's safe." He shrugged, the shine in his blue eyes fading ever so slightly.
"Are you that worried about me and our kit-kups?" She giggled putting a paw on her belly.
"Kinda, I guess." He looked away sheepishly. "I… I know you're going to be fine. And I know I'm overreacting. But I can't help it. It's a small miracle we were even able to get pregnant in the first place. You heard the doctors. Hybrids like ours only have a one in a billion chance of happening. The possibility of us getting pregnant again doesn't even exist. This is our one chance of having kits that are a part of us. That we made with each other from the beginning. And it scares me, more than anything." He shook his head, feeling somewhat relieved but also a little embarrassed for going on a small rant.
The bobcat purred as she pulled Sam's paw up to her muzzle to kiss it. "I know." her purred voice tickled his claws. "I know how lucky we are, trust me." she smiled as she stepped closer pressing her warm form into his. "But like I say, bobcats are very solitary. We are built to be working moms. My grandmother was wrangling birds on their ranch with every litter." she giggled as a thump was felt by both of them in her belly. "But if you put your paw down here. I'll stay home…but don't you go complaining about your back killing ya."
He sighed, still slightly exasperated. But what could he do? She had a way of convincing him that what she wanted was what he wanted as well without even trying. "Okay, we should only need an overnight bag. Unless you want to spend a day or two in Zootopia."
Purring loudly, Kristy gave Sam a kiss on the cheek. Snuggling close she mewed. "I'll pack for a few days just in case there is something we want to do." She hummed. "Roxxie would be so jealous if we could catch a show or something." She giggled her ears and tail wiggling cutely.
Releases a sigh as he almost immediately starts to regret his decision. Staying quiet, he helps her get the suitcase before continuing to get ready.
Thinking to herself, "thank you, Sam… for letting me pretend everything is okay."
"So a couple polos, one work and one nice." Kristy commented as she plucked said shirts from the hangers. "Oh and a casual shirt." She giggled, pulling one down with the polos over her left arm. "How bout this one?" She held the caution tape yellow shirt in both paws. Across the front in black letters was, "Caution lady's my wife is crazy."
Looking at the shirt for a moment, Sam has to struggle holding back his amusement. "Oh yeah, definitely."
Pretending to pout the bobcat says. "You wouldn't have it any other way." She giggled as she turned to Sam's pants grabbing another pair of rugged dressy work pants and a pair of jeans. After neatly folding those into the suitcase with some rolled up undergarments for both of them, she grabbed a pair of her own work slacks and a blouse to match, a casual green maternity dress and a dress Sam was sure she wouldn't fit any more.
With a kiss on Sam's cheek the bobcat asked him to get the suitcase off the bed while she put on some pajama pants. Then Sam went to get a quick breakfast ready while Kristy pulled the suitcase along to Orchid's room. Yawning as she slipped in without making a sound till she pulled the drawer open. She gathered a couple simple dresses and a few stuffed toys to help Orchid cope with the trip. Then looking at her daughter snuggled between many plushies all tucked in with the blanket pulled up to her cheek. Gently rubbing her fingers along Orchid's back Kristy whispered. "Morning, My Sweet little flower."
It took some coaxing but eventually Orchid squeaked something resembling "no." Before curling up under the blanket.
"I didn't even ask ya anything." Kristy giggled. "Sorry, baby girl, Daddy's work calls." She quickly scooped her daughter from the sheets.
The chinchilla squeaked "noooo." And even kicked in protest as she was cradled to the bobcat's shoulder but her mother's purrs were enough to lull Orchid back to sleep. Even when Kristy grunted as she stood straight, the extra weight in her belly ever an encumbrance.
With Orchid and the suitcase Kristy joined Sam in the kitchen. He had packed their little lunch box with breakfast. Some wildberry toaster pastries and mini milk cartons for Orchid, a breakfast fish pastry for Kristy and some fruit and lizard jerky for himself. Most importantly was the two thermuses of coffee each to the liking of the couple. He took the suitcase and cooler and guided their little family out the door and to the car.
Orchid barely reacted when she was strapped into her car seat, cutely snoring as Kristy slipped a small plushie into her arms for the chinchilla to use as a pillow. With a wide yawn the pregnant bobcat slipped into the passenger seat of the truck. She smiled as Sam gave her a kiss and her thermos. The truck rumbled to life and pulled out onto the street.
"Do you want to look for a hotel for tonight?" He asked. When the bobcat did not respond Sam looked over to see that Kristy was fast asleep with her coffee between her thighs. Rolling his eyes Sam reached over and plucked the thermos from her grip and slipped it into the cup holder. Drinking his coffee to stay awake Sam listened to news radio, despite how annoying it truly was. That helped him stay awake as the sun slowly rose and the miles rolled by.
Suddenly Kristy jumped in her seat, slapping her paws on the arm rest exclaiming. "We didn't tell Stepheno!"
Back home Stephano looked around the empty house. "Anyone home?"