Chapter 3: Run away From Home Together
Nick lay on the floor of an empty cave, waiting for someone to return. Judy arrived with her mother – and an ambulance.
"Nick, you're going to the hospital," Bonnie said.
"My family can't afford that."
"Don't worry about it. It won't cost your parents a dime."
"Oh, okay then." Nick sounded uncertain. "Will my mother approve?"
"She arranged it even."
Two paramedics guided him into the ambulance. They had him lay on the stretcher. Bonnie and Judy were by his side as the vehicle whisked him to the hospital.
"Does it hurt?" a paramedic asked.
"A little," Nick said.
"What happened?"
"Raymond was exercising and he crushed my arm. It was an accident."
"How long ago?"
"Several hours."
They led him directly into a hospital room – he didn't even have to wait. It was far different compared to the times he visited a hospital in Zootopia even with an appointment.
"Doctor Maple, we brought him here."
"A fox, this is surprising," Doctor Maple said. "Please take a seat here if it's not too much trouble."
The paramedics helped Nick into the examination chair.
"You'll take it from here," a paramedic said.
They left after delivering him safely to the doctor.
"Caring for a fox?" Maple said. "I didn't expect this."
Bonnie said, "A kit shouldn't have to suffer for the sins of their parents."
"You're right, of course." He addressed Nick, "What is your relationship with her?"
"We don't have one," Nick said.
"Strange."
"We're neighbors," Bonnie said. "And can we talk in private?"
"It's not like I can refuse. Let me call for a nurse."
It was only when the nurse arrived that the doctor left to talk with Bonnie.
"Don't touch anything," the nurse said.
Judy sighed. "Adults. You don't trust us."
"Have you forgotten your recent encounter with Gideon? And, he is a fox."
"He's an injured fox. And there's no way that he would do the same. Gideon is a jerk."
"Do what?" Nick said although the others ignored him.
"But could he?"
"No, not in his present condition. I don't need you protecting me."
Nick couldn't put his finger on it, but he felt insulted somehow. He wasn't going to get a word in between the two arguing bunnies. It didn't feel like it was his place to talk.
"You are a Hopps. Do you even know what comes with that?"
"I'm sure you're about to tell me. Just like everyone else."
Bonnie and the doctor returned after their chat. Whatever they talked about, it sure took them a good while.
Doctor Maple moved a machine to the side of the hospital bed. "Sorry for the hold-up, we can begin now." He touched Nick's arm. "Please let me know if it hurts too much."
"Too much? Too much? I don't want to."
"I mean if moving your arm hurts too much. I need it on here. The machine won't hurt you."
"It's cold," Nick said as his arm touched the metal.
"Don't worry," Maple said.
With great care, he placed Nick's arm on the machine. And as the doctor lowered the machine down, Nick withdrew his arm in fear.
"Oww!" Nick said.
"It's okay, it's not going to hurt you."
"I don't want to lose my arm. Take me home."
"It's okay," Bonnie said. "Everything's fine."
And he took two x-rays of the arm.
"I will be back in a few minutes." Doctor Maple left the room once more.
"Tell me about yourself," Bonnie said.
"What's there to talk about?" Nick said.
"What do you do during the day?"
"I try to find treasure to get my family out of debt."
"Any friends?"
"Not anymore."
"What about school?"
"It's been three years since I was there."
Doctor Maple returned with the images. "We'll wrap it up in cast, and it'll be better in a few weeks."
Nick kept his arm in place as the doctor wrapped it up. He could still move it but it was heavy.
"Thank you," Bonnie said.
"Always a pleasure," Maple said.
She led them out of the hospital. They had to wait for Stu to pick them up.
Judy decided to stay far – far away from Nick once they were outside.
"Why are you so far away," Bonnie said.
"He stinks. I just tolerated it."
"Don't worry about that for much longer."
Well-worn clothes that had last been washed forever ago didn't give off an appealing scent. Judy did go in the truck when Stu arrived. Their first stop wasn't home, however, but rather the mall nearby.
"Keep them in the truck," Bonnie said as she went into the mall for reasons unknown.
"Why can't we go with her?" Judy said. "He needs new clothes."
"Ask your mother," Stu said. "She makes the rules."
"And since when did you defer to her without a fight?"
"Starting – now. I've seen the light."
"I'll be outside, is that okay?"
"No, you might follow her."
"We've been here before, dad. There's nothing special about the Carrotwood Mall."
"She won't be long."
Long was, of course, relative. Judy was bored and Nick remained silent.
"Don't you want to go out too?" Judy asked.
"I'm fine," Nick said. "It's a change of scenery at least."
That kept Judy silent for a few minutes.
"Did she get lost or something?" Judy said.
Despite how bored Judy was, she obeyed her parents like a good kit should. Bonnie at long last walked out of the mall with Vivian beside her. As Vivian entered the car, Nick could smell the heavy scent of soap on her fur.
"How is your arm?" Vivian asked as she took a seat beside Nick.
"It's fine, Bonnie took me to the hospital," Nick said.
"I know. Let's go home."
They brought Nick and Vivian to the cave they lived in. Raymond was there inside with John. John had a black eye.
"You're back!" John said.
"I am," Vivian said. "Our naughty kit left home. And we'll make sure it doesn't happen again."
Nick didn't understand the drastic shift. Vivian hadn't given any inkling that she disapproved of him leaving. And he couldn't understand their disappointment. Either way, he was stuck writing lines with his left paw. Any arguments would prove futile so Nick got to work.
His left paw proved to be far more difficult to write with. It was – a huge waste of paper with what he was able to write.
Food was once again back to the usual affair – sifting insects from piles of dirt. Not that there were many insects within the dirt that Raymond brought inside. Everyone else got to eat real food – and that was because they earned money.
Raymond did what he had never done before – he shoved a paw of dirt into Nick's mouth, to teach him not to waste food. There was an insect that he missed – not that he could taste it. And Nick was ever-so-careful to not repeat the same mistake.
Not that his extra diligence helped, the bear shoved another paw of dirt into his mouth.
He barely had a few bugs but he said he was full – it was too terrifying to eat another mouthful of dirt. All this happened in full view of his parents.
Nick went back to writing lines on the pieces of paper he did have with his left paw. His parents closely observed his efforts. This continued until he could barely keep his eyes open.
In the middle of the night, Vivian ushered him awake. She placed a paw around his mouth. "Wake up and don't say a word."
His father was already up.
"This way."
The three foxes went down the tunnel that Nick dug before. His mother had expanded it quite a bit compared to his original efforts. They were on all fours as if racing toward the finish line. Not that Nick could move on all fours that well with a cast at all.
As they were hurrying along, Nick stepped on his father's tail. It came clean off.
"Your tail, Dad," Nick said. He couldn't believe his eyes. "I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it, just go," John said in a whisper still. "Be quiet."
He took his father's tail with his teeth and kept on moving.
They entered the Hopps Burrow that way. Bonnie was waiting on the other side. As soon as they left the tunnels, his mother collapsed them so no one could come through them.
Nick spat out his father's tail. He was finally able to walk on two legs once more.
"I accept your terms," Vivian said.
"Splendid," Bonnie said. "We'll talk more in the morning."
Nick held his father's tail in his paw. "This is all my fault."
John said, "No, it isn't."
"Shush," Bonnie said. "You will go to sleep, and talk in the morning." The bunny took the tail from him.
"Of course, I didn't mean you offend you."
The Hopps Matriarch led them to a room they could sleep in. They made themselves comfortable on the bed and swiftly fell asleep aside from Nick.
How was Nick supposed to sleep with the thought that he was the reason his father lost his tail? Not well at all.