Darkness

Chapter 21

I DON'T OWN THE ARTWORK!

Thousands of stars hung in the night sky. The warm summer air blew Bonnies skirt a little. Early summer in the South was beautiful. Where could she be? She wondered. A light bulb came on in her mind. When Judy was little, she loved to go swimming in the pond on the outskirts of their property.

Bonnie ran to the pond, straining to see in the dark. Illuminated by the moonlight, Nick's orange fur caught her attention. They were cuddled up under a nearby tree. It gave Bonnie flashbacks to when she and Stu dated. They loved watching the night sky. He would bring her fresh picked wildflowers from his family's farm. Originally, her father didn't like Stu that much, he thought the bunny wasn't good enough for his daughter. But eventually, he realized that he made his daughter happy and that was good enough.

As Bonnie observed the couple, she noticed Nick's tail was wrapped protectively around Judy. She was smiling. If looked at it with an open mind, they were just two beings in love with each other. Which in the end, is what love truly is, unbiased and blind. He protected her, and kept her safe. His primitive nature was gone, and Bonnie knew he'd never hurt her. A fox and a bunny, once enemies by nature, but now lovers by an unexplainable force. Gosh, I've been so stupid, she thought to herself.

Holding her head high, she walked over to them. Naturally, Judy wasn't happy to see her mother.

"What do you want, mother?" She asked bitingly.

Bonnie's heart constricted. Her daughter never called her mother, always mom. Mother was the coldest, unaffectionate term for one's mom.

"I just talked to Susan, and she made me realize what a fool I've been." Bonnie's eyes began to water. "You've always been different, Judy, and that's always been hard for me to accept. But, I realize now, that I've swindled myself out of so much with you. I realize, you'll probably never forgive me, and that's ok. I deserve to be hated after all I've done, but I just wanted you to know, I love you Bun Bun." She sniffed.

Judy found herself getting emotional. "Mom, I don't hate you." She left Nick's side and embraced her mother. "I love you."

"Oh Judy, I've missed so much. I should've supported your dream to be a cop. I should've supported you when you fell in love with Nick. I'm sorry." She cried.

"It's ok, mom. I forgive you." She tightened their embrace.

Bonnie pulled away and went over to Nick. She took his paw in hers. "And Nick, I'm sorry for how I treated you. I only have my Judy because of you, you've put your life on the line twice for her."

He smiled gently. "It's ok, Bonnie. I forgive you."

Bonnie took Judy's paw and placed it inside Nick's. "You two have my blessing."

Nick and Judy looked at each other and smiled.

The next night is was time for the annual Carrot Day Festival barn dance. Judy slipped on a new dress that Fru Fru had gotten her. It was a soft lilac purple, with a sweet heart neckline, and poofy skirt.

Knock! Knock! Nick knocked on her door. "Hey, Carrots, you ready?"

"Yes." She said, opening the door.

This time, Nick had his own clothes, specially made for foxes. A black Stetson rested on his head, a black and white southern style shirt covered his torso. Blue jeans decorated his lower half. He was handsome.

He looked at her, and his heart threatened to explode. She was gorgeous. He dipped his head down and stole a quick kiss. He took her paw and they made their way to the barn.

Pendant lights dangled from the barn's ceiling. Mammals danced as the band pumped out a chorus. It was lovely.

Nick bowed to Judy, "Miss Hopps, may I have this dance?"

"I don't know, may you?" She said playfully. "Yes, you may."

They started dancing, and not a mammal in that barn gave a darn that they were interspecies. They had saved Zootopia twice, been through hell and high-water, they deserved to be happy.

"Excuse me ladies and fellas. We have a special guest singer tonight." A weasel announced. "I present to you, Nick Wilde."

He left Judy's side and took the stage. Taking the microphone off its stand. "I want to dedicate this song to the love of my life, Judy Hopps. I love ya, Carrots." He winked at her.

The band started playing, and Nick started singing the song Marry Me by Jason Deerulo, Judy's second favorite singer.

She was in awe, he had a beautiful singing voice. He descended from the stage, slowly walking towards her. "♪I'll say will you marry me. I swear that I'll mean it. I'll say will you marry me♪"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a carrot shaped box. "♪Ooh whoa ooh oh. Ooh whoa ooh oh. Ooh whoa ooh oh♪" He continued as he dropped to one knee and opened the box. "♪Would you marry me Carrots?♪"

Mammals held up there phones, recording everything. Bonnie had started recording the moment Nick started singing. This was her way of making amends with him. She helped him orchestrate the whole proposal.

Judy's jaw fell open as she stared at the ring. It was heart shaped. Each half of the heart had a different stone in it. A sapphire, her birthstone, and a ruby, his birthstone. It was beautiful. Her eyes started watering when she looked into his loving green eyes.

"Yes!" She cried, feeling like she could faint from excitement.

Nick finished the song. "♪A hundred and five is the number that comes to my head. When I think of all the years I want to spend with you. Wake up every morning with you in my bed. That's precisely what I plan to do♪"

Taking the ring out of the box, he slipped it onto her left paw. His heart threatened to burst, he was so happy, excited, and nervous all at once. He had never sang in front of a crowd before.

The crowd burst into applause, while Stu burst into tears. His little girl no longer belonged solely to him, she was someone else's girl now. Susan and Bonnie gently wiped the tears from their own eyes.

Taking Judy into his arms, Nick kissed her passionately. Enjoying the taste of his fiancée's lips.