Nothing to fear

Chapter 6

The clerk at the license counter looked up sleepily, the sugar glider acting as if she'd had a late night of it and yawned as Nick and Judy approached. The doors had just been unlocked and the fox and bunny were not only the first applicants of the day, but the only ones at the moment. Judy pointed at the ticket dispenser. "Do we really need to take a number?" she asked as she looked around the empty waiting area.

"Depends on what kind of license are you applying for today," the clerk asked in a bored tone as she picked up a disposable paper cup of coffee. "Business licenses are two doors down, restaurant licenses and permits are next door. Vendors licenses are on the other side of the hallway."

"We're here for a marriage license," the bunny said with a smile as she took Nick's paw.

The sugar glider choked on the sip of coffee and almost dropped her cup as she looked at the bunny and fox then lifted her red plastic framed glasses. "Marriage license? Are...are you sure? I mean...you're...and he's..."

"Bunny and fox," Nick said as he put an elbow on the counter top. "Oddly enough we're well aware of this. Now about that license."

The clerk sputtered and shuffled papers behind the counter without really looking for anything as she tried to get over her shock. "I...I don't know...I mean prey and pred! That's just not..."

Nick leaned closer to the counter and looked at the clerk before glancing at the name plate that sat in an aluminum holder. "Clarice Samson, huh. Can I call you Clarice?" the fox asked, the sugar glider nodding mutely with her mouth hanging open. "Okay, Clarice. Now, we know that this is rather unorthodox, but we've researched the matter and believe it or not, there are absolutely no laws against this. To deny any mammals the choice to get married so long as the partnership is a mutual agreement, is a violation of mammal rights. And as the lady here and I are very much in mutual agreement, we would like to be issued a wedding license and then shown forthwith to the Justice of the Peace.

"Close your mouth, Clarice, it's not very becoming," Nick said as he was in full street con mode and Judy held her paws to her muzzle to keep from laughing. "As I was saying, we're both gainfully employed, we love each other, no, we aren't drunk or on drugs, and would really like that license. That's it, reaching for the forms now, Clarice," the fox continued. "Clarice? Clarice. Focus," the fox directed as he snapped his fingers. "Forms Clarice."

The sugar glider simply stared before turning a completely scandalized face towards Judy. "You're going to marry a...a predator?" she inquired, the word spat out as if it were a particularly strong swear word.

Judy fished in her back pocket for the thin wallet that held a duplicate of her badge for when she was off duty but still might need to identify herself as a police officer. Nick pulled his out as well. "Ma'am, I don't think that your tone is in accordance with legislature passed this year regarding slanderous and bigoted behavior from individuals holding positions of public trust in regards to mammals regardless of their being prey or predator, gender, marital preferences or personal spiritual beliefs. Now, are we going to get those forms or are we going to have to place you under arrest for discrimination."

When the sugar glider looked at Nick and the badge that he presented he simply shrugged and smiled. "I'd do as she says. This is a touchy subject with her," he offered with his smarmiest grin.

The forms appeared so quickly that it was like they materialized out of thin air. Without saying a word Nick and Judy retreated to a set of chairs with pens and clipboards to fill them out while Clarice the clerk continued to stare in shock. As for Nick and Judy, they ignored the clerk once they got the paperwork to fill out.

"So," Nick said as he neared the end of the form after just a few minutes of filling out spaces, "what do we do about last names? I can take yours if you want me­"