Hello everyone. I'm back. And it didn't take me six months- or longer, this time. You can mostly thank A5TRON4UTA for that. The guy read my stuff and wrote some nice- and long- reviews. Which inspired me to get right to the next chapter.
Honestly. That really says something. Doesn't it. If readers want their favorite author to keep go'n. Just give'm fan mail- yeah. I know what that sounds like.
Anyway, onto chapter 3. And yes. I know that 'housecall' is supposed to be spelled house call' but this is an adapted work. The original author- Siroc- had it spelled the former. Sooo, if you got a problem talk to him.
To be clear, as I just said- this is an adapted work of Siroc's 'can't say no'- WITH PERMISSION.
Really, its more inspired by it. The only real similarity is that its taking place at the park. There isn't even a lemon in this one- the chapter was stretching on. If I tried putting one in it would've doubled the length. That would be bad- for me and for you. The lemon will be the next chapter. Don't worry.
Operation Housecall
Chapter 3: The Watering Hole
Synopsis- because I need one, apparently.
This is taking place some time after chapter 2. Emily delivered her babies. Her and Nick have dropped them off at a local daycare and about to spend the day together.
Spoiler alert- this is very backstory heavy. Enjoy.
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"Watering hole park." Emily Otterton read aloud, her eyes on the bronze arch above the walkway in front of her. The otter woman read the park motto below it from the park bench she was sitting on. "All are welcome. All are seen. All be safe."
"Ah, the watering hole. The one place in the animal kingdom nobody messed with." Nick added, leaning back into the park bench. The Otter woman next to him. "Even back in the day when folks fed off the land- and each other. Everyone gets thirsty."
Nick nudged Emily. The Otter girl tilted her head at her man as he pulled out his phone. He nodded to the phone, then her- pointing at himself. Getting the idea, Emily happily nodded. The two scooted together on the bench. Nick holding the phone in front of them on camera mode. The both of them smiling happily, at the phone- and each other. Their matching bright green eyes shinned like emeralds in the fun summer sun as Nick took the picture.
Pulling the phone down, the two smiled more genuinely as they viewed the memory they just made. Their happy smile together, sure. But also the giant park behind them. In three words: Green. Wide. Long. The city park behind them was a giant circle of immaculate cut grass, trimmed trees, and sturdy bridges. Even a thick, if limited, forest- Stretching on for what appeared to be miles. The park itself, in a perfect circle shape, like a green and blue disk. Crisscrossed with blue rivers and gray stone sidewalk for veins. At its very outline was endless towers and squat square buildings that made up the rest of zootopia.
At its very heart was a lake. A circle, like the rest of the park. Rich, blue, and deep.
A shining sapphire.
Not bad for the very heart of a city that harbored every walk of life around the entire world.
At an entrance in its southeast was a young couple and new parents- Nick Wilde and Emily Otterton.
"I remember when my parents took me here when I was a kid." Emily sighed, leaning back into the bench. Happily enjoying the view of the park. "I was always so amazed something this, that size, could even exist in a city like Zootopia."
"1.3 miles of NOT- artificial nature in the center of a concrete jungle." Nick said, the last bit in quotations.
"Really?" Emily asked. "The only one?"
"Not really. No way a metropolis like this town would just build around a big dot of mother nature like that. The city just thought a huge park would up the tourism. So around 150-ish years ago, the city council decided to rip out a chunk of down town and put in a big lawn. Including 'transferring' a big native bear reserve that was an original part of the city- no compensation. No heads up. Just 'get out'."
Nick gave Emily a dull look. She winced.
"All and All, took about 30 years to even sorta look like a park. It really did just look like a big lawn from the burbs for most of the early years- lots'a water damage in the middle. Course, something this size is hard to take care of. Most of the time the city doesn't bother till it gets so full of trash and homeless that the tourists won't touch it. Then all hands on deck. About once a decade or so. Shut down for a week for clean up- 'Muck whole' week.
"W-Wow." Emily stammered, honestly surprised. "How do you know all of that?"
"Meh, I was homeless a good chunk of my life." Nick shrugged, pointing at the thick forest in front of them. "Plenty of places to hide here. Even when I was a kid. Plenty of statues with tons of engravings that tell you everything about the park's history. Had to do something to pass the time when I wasn't scamming people."
"You went from tent living scam artist to police officer and sideki- partner, to the city's hero?" Emily nodded, caching herself at the last moment. "That's pretty impressive. Think they'll make a movie about you? I do believe I recall a certain Fox telling me about Rags-to-riches stories being gold mines for Movie awards."
"Law abiding folks, sure. But actual crooks? I doubt it." Nick shook his head. "But, I admit. I'm surprised myself at how far I got. How about yourself? Tell me about ya. We, We haven't actually gone on that many dates."
"Hmmm, guess we haven't." Emily nodded reluctantly, agreeing with his point. "Starting with family- A Mr. Oscar Vydra, my Dad, was from 'the old country'- Don't ask. He was a landscaper for the city for decades. Worked his ass off. Every. Day. Came to this very park once a week to clean it up. At least a part of it. Brought me a long when I was young and couldn't afford daycare."
"Not too different with me and my mom when she drove a city bus." Nick replied, remembering his earliest days. His young mind in awe at the topless towers and block castles as his mother drove by on her route. Picking up people and characters that jumped right out of his picture books. How they laughed and humored the fox pup when he told them so. Only to become shocked and give his mother dirty looks when he told them she was driving with him there. Nick noticed the look on Emily's face as she stared at him. He winced. "You probably had more fun."
"So, we both came here as pups." Emily stated, gently. Grabbing Nick's hand. He saw this. Felt it. She was so warm. Soft. Loving. He gripped her hand. "Do think we ever could've met as kids at the park?"
"No." Nick answered simply. "My mom told me to avoid other kids when we squatted here in our homeless days. Afraid I'd get hauled off by some cops. Lost in the system by some concerned parents of whatever friends I tried to make."
"Dark, but I think I can top it." Emily huffed a laugh. "While my dad was a landscaper, my mom- a one Esperanza Lontra, was a cleaning lady that eventually got 'promoted' to double duty. Nanny for her clients ignored, spoiled children. Think Emmett, but even more whiny- and in diapers."
"That sounds, horrifying." Nick grimaced. Doing his best not think of the image of toddler Emmett. It was hard. Just had take away the suit and phone.
"Unpaid too! Taking care of rich people's homes- and their kids." Emily mumbled, grinding her teeth. "A lot of my mom's rich clients threatened to have her deported. Not just Esperanza Lontra herself. Whole family. Me and my dad included. My cousins. The kids that were born here. The worse it sounded, the funnier it was."
Emily smiled at Nick. It was so sweet, it was acidic. Nick bit his lip. Doing everything he could not to pull his hand out from hers and scoot away.
"That... sucks."
"You might've guessed it. My mom's family came up from below the border." Emily sighed. She sounded like she was trying to outright exhale the hate she'd been bottling up over the years. "Eventually, my parents became naturalized citizens, but only after the fact- and my birth. It took them years, and... my mom doing 'favors' for some of her rich clients."
"I- I can guess." Nick hummed, sympathetic. "The 'favors' thing. Seen plenty of those on these streets."
"My dad too." Emily said, turning away. Looking at nothing. "Lots of loveless people out there with more money than they know what to do with. In closets or not."
"Its a power thing. Crooks are no stranger to that kinda... ugly." Nick closed his eyes, rubbing his temple.
The ex-con doing his best not to think about the thing's he'd seen in the badder parts of town. Seen and done. A chipped fang in his mouth. Scarred knuckles on his hands. Not his proudest moments. Nick must've stayed like that more than he'd thought. After a moment, he felt a tiny paw rub his shoulder. Opening his eyes, Nick saw Emily giving him a concerned look. Nick kissed her forehead.
"I-I'm not gonna ask."
"Me?" Emily asked, shocked. Then laughed, relieved. "N-No. Thank god. One of the few perks of a gal married to a rich gay guy." Emily pointed to her finger. The gold band. "This ring meant I was off limits. The smallest rumor of anything, the family with the best connections in town would be on them like bee's on badger."
"Ba-Badgers and honey. That's an image your cousins will never shake." Nick stammered, visibly relieved that his Emily didn't have to live through her parent's hardship. That... cruelty. "Kinda like wolves and howling at the moon." Emily snorted, agreeing with him. Nick chuckled with her, enjoying the easing tension- then a lightbulb shined over his head. "Wait, I thought you were a north lake river otter. From across the Atlantic."
"I'm half." Emily shrugged, like she was talking about the weather. "The rest is south river otter. Lontra longicaudis. Its why I'm so tall- and my husband is a head shorter than me. My mother's family came from São Piranha. Its one of the largest cities in the world."
"The place with the giant Sheepus Christ statue?" Nick asked. Emily nodded. "Cool. Extra cool is the whole Lantra thing. Heard of those guys. Pre-ColumLion, they had one of the most advanced civilizations out there. Big. Smart. Organized. Never came up with the wheel, but did invent the number zero."
"You saw that movie in high school too, huh?" Emily asked, giving her man a lopsided smile. "Edward James Ottermos."
"Yeah, but most of it was from 'Empires of old'." Nick admitted, returning the look to his woman. "I like the history channel."
"Text me which streaming service has it. I'll make sure we can watch it at my place whenever you're over."
Emily said, texting her request to the fox. Nick nodded back, doing just that with his phone. The otter woman sighed. The moment of peace and warmth had passed. Time to return to our regularly scheduled programming.
"Back to it, some Capybara that made it big in Zootopia thought it was funny to exclusively hire south river otters as 'the help'." Emily said, her tone bland. "For a bunch of famously gentle fur-balls, those big rats sure can hold a grudge- from the Stone Age."
"Yeah, that's generally how it goes between predators and prey." Nick sighed, none too happy himself to return to the grim ghosts of the past. Nick took in a deep breath. "Though, I didn't get a personal grudge til later in life- recently even."
"A certain Mayor's former PA?" Emily asked, a smug- angry smile on her face. Like she herself had been personally wronged by that personas actions... which, she was. Probably more than anyone else in the city. "Normally, I don't think anyone deserves life in prison- but that sheep earned it."
"Hard to disagree- but." Nick leaned down, kissed Emily on the cheek. She blushed. Even after all the time, and actions, they spent together- such a simple thing brought her such joy. Though, given the poor woman's life before she met Nick, it wasn't hard to see why. "She was the reason we met- in a roundabout way."
"True. I guess even the worst out there can do some good." Emily admitted- returning the gesture. Leaning up to kiss Nick on the cheek. Even through his red fur, Nick blushed. "Your turn. How'd your story end? You and your mom?"
"It didn't." Nick exhaled, ready to give bad news- but he never lost his smile. "Me and my mom squatted from place to place. Apartments occasionally- always cheap. But never for long. Eventually, a one Ms. Faith Wilde left for work one day... just, never came back. And I've been selling slushy pawpsicles ever since- or, did."
"Di-Did you ever..." Emily stopped mid-sentence, but closed her mouth. Deciding not to push. "That's a lifetime movie. Just sad."
"It's pretty good for these streets." Nick shrugged, complete confidence in his words. "You should see what they do under the evergreen overpass to pay the bills. Ugly."
"I-I know your dad was never in the picture, but what about the rest of your family?"
"Never had any." Nick replied, like he was talking about the weather. "Family wasn't really something I tried out. Kinda like cows with three-meat, five-cheese pizza." Nick looked at Emily. His green eyes met her matching set. "Til now."
"Y-You've been... alone, all this time?" Emily asked, utterly baffled- and heartbroken.
"I had friends." Nick admitted, reassuringly. "What about you? Any family outside your parents?"
"Plenty." Emily answered, happily. "No brother's or sisters- but cousins, aunts, uncles. Extended nieces and nephews. Lontra and Vydra are large clans. They live in the west lake town district."
"Panda town in lake town." Nick nodded. He knew the neighborhood. He wasn't the least bit surprised that's where Emily was raised, or her family living there.
It was the residential area for the working class folks in the riverfront part of the city. The very place where most of Emmett's higher class types would call the wrong side of the tracks. The flavor of folks that wiped their floors and delivered their pizzas. Not the type to 'mingle' with. For the rest of the city, Lake-town was pretty famous for their food. Mostly shell-fish. Hard-nosed. Scrappy. Terrifying in numbers. But otherwise good people. For Nick's former kind of people, the underworld there got along famously with Mr. Big. It was one of the best neighborhoods for sniffing out cheap scams. Nick learned that out the hard way when he was just starting out.
"Wait, is lake town like panda town?" Nick asked, honestly curious. "Granted, not just otter's live there- but it is mostly Otters."
"God..." Emily snorted. A thoughtful, amused, look on her face. "Its been so long since I've even thought about that."
"Can you speak Spanish?"
"No." Emily answered simply, ready for the question. "But I can speak Yiddish and Portuguese- mostly Portuguese." Nick gave Emily an eager, pleading look. Emily playfully rolled her eyes. A huge, teasing, smile on her face. "Certo, tudo bem. É isto o que você queria? Se for, vou garantir que isso seja tudo o que você ouvirá quando eu estiver pulando em cima de você esta noite."
(Okay, fine. Is this what you wanted? If it is, I'll make sure this is all you hear when I'm bouncing on top of you tonight.)
"I didn't get one word of that- but..." Nick recognized the look on Emily's face. The fox returned it, scanning his woman up and down on the park bench. Nick bit his lip to hold in the chirping, shrieking mating call of his people. Emily recognized it. Slapping a hand over her mouth to do the same. Straightening up in her seat. Happy- and proud- to elicit such a thing from her man. Nick coughed. "B-But, try to remember- we're in public."
"Vou tentar lembrar disso, amor." Emily teased, fluttering her eyes at Nick.
(I'll try to remember that, love.)
"Al-Alright, now you're just showing off." Nick stammered, straightening his tie. The fox was literally hot under the collar. "Je peux aussi faire ce tour, mon amour. Je veillerai à ce que tu en écoutes attentivement lorsque tu écouteras à quatre pattes ce soir."
(French: I can pull that trick too, love. I'll make sure you get an earful when you're listening on all fours tonight.)
"Ohhhh, that's sexy." Emily swooned, laying it on thick. "German was always my favorite."
"Of course it is." Nick laughed, looking down, shaking his head. He never lost his smile. "Sooo, your turn. How'd your story go? You told me you met Emmett as a pizza delivery girl, but her mom was nanny to rich kids? You'd think there'd be some overlap."
"All true." Emily sighed, shaking her head. She did lose her smile. "My parents did everything they could to keep me from falling into their lives- away from rich kids. Their parents- anyone with a suit that cost more than the neighbor's car back in west lake-town."
"Interesting family policy." Nick nodded, fallowing along. "Just you and your parents, or the whole clan?"
"Rotten people, Nick. All of them- or at least any rich folks my family's met." Emily explained, a simmering glare on her face. Nick gave her a worried look. Putting a hand on her shoulder. Emily put hers over his, lovingly. She took a deep breath. Pulling in the... everything. "Ohhh, some had 'ideas' on 'sucking up' to the boss- the second those toddlers in tuxedos started tossing out Deportation threats like candy- stopped that thinking cold."
"Ohhh, yeah. That'd do it." Nick grumbled, uncomfortable.
The fox remembered harsh times in his life. Not just during his homeless days. While he was independent most of his life, he had boss's now and then. Bad outnumbered the good. The kind of employers that were no-body's first choice. The jobs, even worse. The people that worked for them. The desperate and the choice-less. But even they had their limits. Nick had personally seen a man who's only job was getting punched by the boss for a few bucks and food- but even they balked at the threat of actual prison time. Nick had seen similar when it came to bad immigrant tales. The ones with no happy ending.
"Instead of my first job cleaning up vomit in some high-rise pent house in some 'sexy' outfit," Emily said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "It was cleaning up vomit in some rundown West Lake McDingo bathroom. The uniform, some ugly sweat drenched polyester thing that could and was used as toilet paper."
"...My first 'job' was stealing tires. Leaving their cars on cinder blocks." Nick replied, not looking at her. "Think I got you beat."
The young Otter woman stared at the Fox man. Her face a blank mask- she burst out laughing. It was a deep, hearty, belly laugh. Genuine, surprised joy. Nick laughed along with her. He didn't know what else to do. But it felt right.
"Y-Yeah! You beat me." Emily stammered, giggling. "How mu-much did that even pay?"
"About as much as you'd think." Nick shook his head. "A kid, try'n to sell obvious stolen goods. Still better than you, though, Ms. Minimum wage."
"Hey, It wasn't minimum wage for long." Emily announced, wagging her finger at Nick. "I didn't just sit there. I worked hard. Came in early. On my off days. Got promotions. Bonuses. If I didn't, my parents went all 'we're not mad, just disappointed'. Gah."
Emily grimaced.
"Yeah, heard about that." Nick said, happy for his woman. The obvious pride he could hear in her voice. It made him feel something. In his chest. "Apparently it's worse than make'n mom and dad angry... don't know how that works."
"You will." Emily said, reaching and holding his hand. Nick looked down, then at her. Her face hopeful. Happy. Nick smiled. "You'll learn plenty of things. I'll be right there with you. Every step of the way."
"Thanks..." Nick didn't know what else to say. There was a knot in his throat now. He wanted to move on. "Sooo, fast food after fast food. Was that your only job or..."
"I was saving up for college." Emily explained. "Waitress. Security guard. Grocery bagger. Any part-time job you can think of. I did. Not a lot of options for a recent high school graduate. Hey, I was even a pet Duck walker for a while... more pooping and bagging than you'd think."
"Better duck than Ostrich, or swan. Those things can actually kill you. Exotic types." Nick grimaced. Emily gave him a look. "I did some... 'Odd' jobs too."
"Okayyy, gonna talk about that later- but," Emily declared, looking around them. A Hog police officer walked by them on the sidewalk. He nodded at Nick. "Probably not in an open area."
Nick snorted, waving back. "Hey porky!"
"Getting back to it." Emily sighed. "Needing a more stable-ish job. My mom saw the large tips her clients gave the food delivery kids. When she was working, my parents let me use the family car for the Turtle titan pizza joint in South lake-town. And yes. It was the kind of jalopy that even you wouldn't touch back in the 'old days'."
"Th-That's bad." Nick barked a laugh.
"The boss was nice. Co-workers were cool. Tips were great. The customers..." Emily stuck her tongue out. "Every bit how my mom said they were."
That didn't surprise Nick. The south side was the financial and local government District of Lake town. The movers and shakers. Wheelers and dealers. The 'job creators'. The misery makers. The kind of folks that stepped on people just getting out of bed in the morning. The types that thought lifting more than their wallets was too much manual labor- for them.
Or at least, that was their reputation. The financial district was WAY beyond Nick's pay grade- literally. Only the big players in the underworld got involved in that part of the city. Oh, they did plenty of 'business' with the flavor of folks that worked there, sure, but Nick wasn't inside enough to see that- in person. As for Nick's own type of dishonest living, South Lake-town had too much security. If the fox tried anything, he'd be tagged and bagged in no time. Even if he did slip away, his face and name would be plastered on every cop's desk in town.
Simply not worth it.
"Sooo, you can imagine how my parents felt when their only daughter married some blue blood accountant." Emily grumbled, rubbing her temple. "A gay, one no less."
"Knew it from the start, huh?" Nick asked.
"Emmett only hid it around his parents." Emily rolled her eyes. "Barely, at that."
"Sooo, don't feel like tell'n the Emily-Emmett meet cute story?" Nick asked, intrigued. He truly was. "Lotta people would love to know that lifetime movie."
"That story..." Emily leaned back on her seat. No, more like melting into it. Her body contorting to the shape of the bench. Utterly exhausted by the mere mention of that day in her life. "Will have to wait. Today's a happy day. I don't wanna ruin it."
"That bad, huh?" Nick asked, even more intrigued. But, he knew not to push. He could feel the waves coming off her. Nick scooted closer. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Emily leaned her head back. Using his forearm as a pillow. She smiled at him.
"To hear that story, you gotta give me one just as good." Emily declared, tapping the fox's nose. Then she pointed all around them. The people nearby. Another cop making his rounds- on a bike this time. "But I don't think you wanna ruin today, either."
"Challenge accepted." Nick agreed, offering Emily his hand. The otter woman stared at him for a moment, stunned, then shook it happily- eagerly. "Don't worry, it won't be the 'save the city' story- I was mostly play'n sidekick on that one. You're bring'n the beer."
"You sure you want beer?" Emily asked, eyeing him. "Any son-of-a-CEO pent house isn't complete without a wall sized shelf of expensive booze."
"Ohhhh, we'll be drinking that-eventually." Nick eyed her right back. Emily narrowed her eyes at him. Clearly surprised, and disappointed. She was trying to show off to him. Nick smiled at her. "I want to remember our second date."
"Fair enough." Emily smiled back.
"Circling back, hopefully for the final time. Why'd you agree to be Emmett's beard?" Nick asked, honestly curious. "Sure, poverty sucks, but still."
"My parents broke themselves." Emily stated without heat or hurt. Something practiced. Accepted- but NOT happy about. "Their health. Turns out, running yourself ragged everyday- all day, dipped in chemicals is bad for your health. Emmett quote, 'needed an otter girl with a pulse' to wear a ring til he shoots his parent's ashes out of a golden cannon- yes. He actually wants to do that."
"I can see him doing it too." Nick meant it. "Just rent out even a single room in that pent house of his- oh boy. Buy. Make. He'd get that gold cannon."
Emily snorted.
"I needed a way to pay my parent's hospital bills- and regular bills. Endless part-time jobs barely paid for one life. Couldn't pay for three." Emily sighed. "I know being a beard and a 'house-wife' aren't jobs, exactly but- there was cash in it. The kind I couldn't say no to."
"How much are we talking here?" Nick asked, intrigued. "I'm guessing Emmett does more than just toss you a handful of singles he didn't blow off at the 'gentleman's club' on Friday's."
"Saturday's, actually." Emily teased, her smile smug. Nick folded his arms at her, letting his woman have her moment. She tapped his nose again. "Parent's bills paid. A whole generation of kids hopped off to college that wouldn't have before. The whole family was happy about that- And... A few first attempt business loans at decent banks. Just had to flash around the Otterton name."
"Not something you hear a lot of in West Lake-town, I'm guessing." Nick said, comprehending. "You weren't paid in cash, you were paid in opportunity."
"And so, Emily Vydra-Lontra played the blushing bride and loving daughter-in-law to people that hate her." Emily huffed. Annoyed. Angry. And Frustrated. "I brought a future to everyone I knew- but me. Until you."
"There's a whole part-2 to that story, isn't there?" Nick asked. Emily nodded. He decided not to push. He whistled, impressed. "Damn, that's good. Forget lifetime, that's a whole AMC Mini-series. Mine was just sad, yours is downright heroic. Ya got me beat with you on round five of the victory lap."
Emily laughed again, her cheeks blushing.
"I-I HAD you beat." Emily stammered, hugging him. Nick hugged back. She was so warm. "It's better than heroic. It's real."
"That's totally not a jinx." Nick joked. "One of us isn't going to wake up when I do..."
Nick snapped his fingers. Emily laughed, pinching him. Nick winced in mock pain.
"I took steps."
Emily pointed across the street from their bench. It was a daycare of all things. It was the first two stories of the building. Its levels were long. Exposed bright, red brick. Dotted with painted on pictures of kids, toys- even some superheroes. A window stretched the entire length of the first level. Showing more than a few young children inside playing around. The moved so much it was impossible to count them. Just when you marked one, the little sweetie would sprint over to the other side. A few care takers doing their best to keep order and hug away boo-boos. Two things were certain, though: First-All the children were happy. Second, they were otters. All of them, even the care takers.
In the back of the room was an Otter woman hitting her senior years, sitting in a rocking chair. Her fur was darker than most others, but not all. She was the tallest in there. In her hands were a pair of newborn 'otter' twins. Reddish-brown fur. One of the babies yawned. It had fangs. Longer and sharper than any of the other Otter kids.
Nick nodded at this. His chest building up. It was getting harder to see- for some reason. Nick rubbed his eyes as he looked up. The motto of the place was painted over the door.
"Cuidado infantil Emmitt Otterton. Futuro para a família." Nick turned to Emily. She smiled at him, smug. "You put your husband's name in the title?"
(Emmett Otterton Child care. Future for the family.)
"Watering hole park IS the center of the city." Emily pointed out. "Every metro line comes through here at least twice. Lots of my extended family take their kids here. As the 'silent partner' to its owner- and founder- the place was happy to give me a discount." Emily's smile grew. Nick had no idea Otter's could smirk so much. "Guess who's paying triple? It's not my money."
It was Nick's turn to laugh- then he had a thought.
"Hey, I know Emmett doesn't care, but what about his parents? Those folks are all about appearances." Nick pointed out. "Won't they lose their minds about their 'grand babies' in some..." Nick coughed. "Middle class daycare?"
"I'd be surprised if they even know about it." Emily shrugged. "Mr. and Mrs. Blue-blood are out of town for months. Didn't ask. Didn't care. The 'Otterton' way of parenting is taking money away if the kids don't smile enough in front of a camera. Pretend they don't exist otherwise."
"Children should be seen and not heard, huh?" Nick grumbled. "Ran into a few of those types."
"As crianças devem ser vistas e não ouvidas!" Emily hollered, her tone faintly aristocratic. "Their words exactly, but in English. Dooo you, oh boy. Do you have a problem with our kids going here? Good chance the twins will be saying 'da-da' in Portuguese, not English."
"Are you kidding?" Nick laughed, pointing at the daycare. "My mom would've killed to stick me in a place like this. First glance- Good food. Safety. Caretakers that won't steal from'em. Hell, even family- or is that not your mom over there singing our twins rock-a-by-baby?" Emily nodded, relieved. "It's perfect."
"Sheepus, that's good to hear."
Emily rubbed her face, relieved. Nick raised an eyebrow at that, but decided not to push.
He was doing a lot of that.
"Now, I probably know the answer to this but... What about Emmett?"
"Ha!" Emily snorted again, there was more spite in it this time. "My 'husband' won't be in the same room as his 'children'. Calls'em poo factories."
"Well, he's not wrong." Nick quipped, they both laughed.
"Alright, the hardest question of the night." Emily took in a breath, preparing herself. "What about Judy? I know you said she's cool with it, but, we're actually moving forward here."
"Rabbits. Explosive breeder types." Nick explained, padding her hand reassuringly. "They believe in clan parenting. Judy herself is actually excited. Thinks it's good practice for when she eventually has kids- her words." Emily gave him a look. "Everything is weird for Judy right now. Everything. Taking care of kids- that she knows. Considers it a patch of normal in her life. Judy is happy to be 'second mom' to our kids."
"And you're... okay with that?" Emily asked, tilting her head away in thought. "I get it. Suppose Emmett's parents haven't already figured it out, they suddenly do and decide to... be them. Judy, the hero, who has the actual key to the city, as back up- yes. I'm on board."
"Of course, if Judy is dragged into it- the sheer amount of attention that would attract..." Nick winced, laying it on thick. "For folks that only care about looks- pretty good deterrent."
"You've thought about this." Emily nodded.
"Since day one." Nick nodded back. "There's a... conversation, all three of us are gonna have to have- but not today. Now," Nick coughed. "How do you feel about Judy play'n mom sidekick? You know the practical reason, but- if you're not comfortable with it..."
"No." Emily answered quickly, shaking her head. "No- Yes. I mean." She sighed, catching her breath. "Otters aren't that different from Rabbits. We aren't explosive breeders or anything. But- yeah. My family's not too far off from Judy's. Just one step behind. Its actually the least complicated part of all this."
The two young parents smiled at each other. Relieved. They leaned back on the bench- into each other. Emily's head on Nick's shoulder. Nick's head on hers. The two nuzzled lovingly together- into each other, as they looked on across the street. At the daycare. Their twin newborns in the arms of grandma.
"Abbiejean and Albert Otterton have nothing to worry about."
"About that..." Nick winced. Genuine this time. "Are we married to those names? I know plenty of guys who can change birth certificates- legal or no."
"They're Emmett's parents names." Emily grumbled, beyond annoyed. "They insisted. I'm calling them 'AJ' and 'AL'."
"Are their middle spots your parents names?" Nick asked, curious. Emily cocked an eyebrow at him. He laughed. "I can live with that- But, as fun as this is- I can't stay long."
"Right." Emily sighed. "Me, seen in public. A very red fox next to my very red haired, long eared 'otter' pups... No."
"Which." Nick smiled at her as he hopped off the bench. "Is why we're going to my place- The kids are set up for the day, right?"
Emily nodded affirmative to him.
"Yeah, with his parents out of town- Emmett's gone full teenager and throwing a party in the pent house." Emily grumbled annoyed. She padded her duffel bag. "Thanks again for letting me stay over. I didn't feel like bunking at my parent's place for the weekend." Nick smiled at her, kissing her hand. Emily bit her lip, her cheeks blushing. "Too bad. It wouldn't take much to prop up the bed next to a glass wall. Get a bird's eye view of the city... together."
Emily said that last bit giving Nick a look that made his pants feel three sizes too small. The fox had to clamp his mouth shut to hold in a mating call. The otter girl noticed this- perked up. Smiled to herself. Still proud she could cause such a thing to her mate.
"As tempting as that is- and it is," Nick gulped, fighting the urge to just get started right there in the park. "It'll have to wait."
"Not too long." Emily said, flirtatiously, as she hopped off the bench. The otter woman strutted past the fox. Putting extra hip action in her step. "Remember, Officer Wilde. Not too close."
A mating call squeaked out. From both of them. They couldn't help it. They didn't want to.
Unbeknownst to these two, just around the corner was an old red and black van. An angry fennec fox and a dirty weasel were looking at the happy couple.
"Th-Tha-That's Nick, right?" Duke asked, dropping his binoculars away. Wiping his grubby hands over his stained tank top. "You're old partner, right? With the Otterton bitch? I heard he hooked up with the bunny cop."
"Yeah, that's him." Fennec said, his voice deep and hard. The tiny predator was staring hard through his own binoculars. His gaze focused on Emily's chest. "That is one fine bitch. Still a playa. Eh, Wilde?"
"I got the camera. I-I got it." Duke stammered, juttering up the recorder. "L-Lets do this. Get paid."
"Hold up man." Fennec ordered, forcing Duke to lower the camera. "We gotta catch'em in the act. Sit'n on the bench in the park- not it. We gotta fallow. We wait."
"H-How long?" Duke stuttered, impatient. "A day. Week. Month. I need money now."
"Chill. Its Nick Wild." Fennec rolled his eyes. "Bro can't last long without some strange. Judg'n by how those two were eye bang'n each other- one guess to where they're going."
"M-McDingo for a burger?" Duke suggested uselessly. Fennec gave him a bland look.
"Remind me why I keep you around."
"IIIIII do the shit you won't do." Duke nodded, jerkily. "That's what you said."
"Right..." Fennec sighed- then he eyed his targets dive off in two separate cars. Both going the same way. "Time to move. Easy pay-day, here we come."