smiled.

"Sure, pops," she said. "Go ahead, Nick."

"Tell me how it went, okay?" said Nick as he walked away with Stu.

"Sure thing," said Judy and she walked into Madame Mystique's tent.

The air was heavy with the scent of incense and herbs inside, there was a platform that served as a stage and some wooden seats for the audience. There were some fairgoers sitting and waiting for the show to start. Judy sat next to one of her neighbours, Old Nana Bernardine, who was a nanny and had been a nanny ever since Judy had memory. She was taking care of a lamb, who was sitting beside her eagerly waiting for the show.

"And now, my dears, we shall start with wonderful acts of mystery!" said Madame Mystique as she walked on stage. "The world of reality and the world of wonders are divided by a thin veil. And some of us have the ability to…push it aside!"

She made a gesture with her paw and was suddenly holding a bouquet of flowers. The audience clapped.

"Mystical forces control this world, and if we learn to shape them…"

She waved her paw around the bouquet.

"…we can make of the world whatever we wish!"

With a flick of her paw, the bouquet vanished. And suddenly, everyone exclaimed in awe. To Judy's right, a young sheep girl was holding the bouquet. She didn't know how it got there.

"Neat-o!" said the sheep girl.

"And now, for my next act I shall need a volunteer from the audience. And I see one very eager one right there! Come along, my darling."

Nana Bernardine stood up and walked eagerly to the front. Judy happily applauded with the crowd as the old St. Bernard lady walked up on stage.

"Sit on this stool, my dear, and tell me your name."

"Everyone calls me Nana Bernardine, dear."

"How charming, my sweet. Now, look closely at this watch," she took a golden watch out of her pocket and dangled it in front of Nana Bernardine "and concentrate…concentrate very carefully…hear the sound of my voice…and only the sound of my voice…"

The audience watched as Madame Mystique waved her paw and Nana Bernardine suddenly closed her eyes and seemed to fall asleep.

"Now, my dear, remember when you were a young pup skipping about. The fun and games and dances you enjoyed!" said Madame Mystique. "Share with us, my dear."

Suddenly, Nana Bernardine, without opening her eyes, stood up and danced an old-fashioned dance perfectly and without missing a step, all while singing merrily. The audience cheered and laughed as the old St. Bernard moved as spryly as a young pup in spring. It was an incredible sight.

Madame Mystique looked at her watch and pocketed it, then she told Bernardine to sit down again.

"Now, you will wake up when I count to three, my dear, and you will hear applause. One…two…three…"

Nana Bernardine opened her eyes and looked rather dazed. Everybody cheered and applauded and the sheep girl even tossed her bouquet of flowers on stage. Judy applauded happily, wondering only for a fleeting moment when Nana Bernardine had agreed to be part of the show.

Judy took a deep breath of fresh, bracing air as she and Nick sat down on the porch to watch the sunset. They sipped cool lemonade and admired the carrot fields in the light of the setting sun.

"It's like stepping back into my childhood," said Judy. "All those quiet evenings with my parents after a long day helping with the farm work."

Suddenly, she felt a warm paw envelop her paw and hold it snugly. She turned her head to meet Nick's gaze, shining in the sunset, with an aura of peace and serenity that made her smile happily.

"So, how was the mysteeerious jouuurney into the wooonders of maaaagic?" said Nick, waving his paw and making Judy giggle.

"It was fun. She's quite the actress. Even Old Nana Bernardine made a really good act of being hypnotised by her and danced like a March hare, which was pretty mind-blowing for her age."

"Hypnotising is not that hard, really."

"Is that right, mister?" asked Judy with a sideways grin.

"It's pretty simple. All it takes is some…skill."

Nick looked deeply into her eyes, charming her completely with his big green gaze.

"Some proper timing," said Nick softly.

Judy felt Nick's paw gently rubbing behind her ear. It felt very good and gave her a relaxing, lazy sensation.

"Mmmm…so nice," she said.

"And you can make anyone do anything you tell them to," said Nick, holding her paw warmly. "You just have to make it happen."

Judy closed her eyes and felt the lovely sensations of Nick's paws caressing her sweetly. She was overpowered by the pleasant feeling of serenity and togetherness.

"Mmm….Nick…"

She felt his face close to hers. Closer, and closer. Her lips parted…she knew she would not resist, and she would not have resisted for anything in the world.

Their noses touched. She giggled. They felt their lips move as if on their own volition, closer…an inch away…a hair's breadth…so close…

"Judy! Nick!" came the loud and jolly voice of Bonnie Hopps. "Dinner's ready!"

Nick and Judy snapped out of it and sat up suddenly, their eyes wide open, startled by the sudden interruption.

"Um..uh…okay, Mom! We'll be right there!"

"Right away, Mrs Hopps!"

They looked at each other and suddenly saw the funny side of it. The burst into laughter, a very welcome laughter, and then got up and walked together to the dining room to join the family for dinner.

It was close to midnight when Stu Hopps finally stood up from the table after a lively game of cards with Nick.

"Well, Nick, if we'd been playing for cash, I'd be one broke bunny by now," laughed Stu.

"I promise I'll teach you everything next vacation," said Nick.

"You must come over for the holidays," said Stu. "The fields are covered in snow, we go out and sing carols with the neighbours, it's an old-fashioned fun family occasion."

"That's a D and an E and an 'efinitely," said Nick, getting up and stretching his arms.

"Dad," said Judy, walking in with her pyjamas, light pink ones with cartoon carrots on the sleeves. "Do we still own the house or is Nick the new landlord?"

"Har har," laughed Stu. "I might learn a thing or two from Nick during the holidays, Jude. Then we'll see if anyone beats me at a poker game ever again."

"Stu, honey bun," said Bonnie Hopps, walking into the room in her nightgown and two mugs of warm tea. "Bedtime. Judy and Nick have to be at the train station tomorrow for the noon train."

"It's been a great vacation, Mrs Hopps," said Nick. "I really enjoyed staying with you and meeting the family."

"As a matter of fact, we were just making plans to have Nick over for the holidays," said Stu, patting Nick on the back.

"So I heard," said Bonnie, looking slyly at her husband. "Well, cup of tea and off to bed. Here you go, Nick, it's my special blend."

"Thank you, Mrs Hopps," said Nick, accepting the mug of tea.

"Good night and sweet dreams. Come along, carrot cake, let's get some shut-eye," said Bonnie, taking Stu's paw.

"Good night, everyone," said Stu. "See you in the morning."

Stu and Bonnie exited the room, leaving Judy and Nick alone. The two looked at each other and smiled. They had enjoyed their time together with the family and were looking forward to returning to Zootopia the following day and getting ready to resume their lives as police officers at Precinct 1.

"My parents love you, Nick," said Judy, taking his paw and leading him to the sofa nearby. "Dad would never invite someone to spend the holidays with the family unless he really took a liking to them."

"So glad to hear that, Carrots," said Nick.

"And mother's special blend of tea is her most carefully-guarded asset," said Judy. "She would only brew it for someone she really likes."

Judy leaned closer to him on the sofa, feeling his fuzzy warmth close to her.

"I see you becoming a favourite relative here, Mr Wilde," said Judy softly.

"Nothing would please me more, Miss Hopps, than to be that favourite relative," said Nick, setting his chin on top of her head and rubbing her fur softly.

They sat in silence for a while, enjoying each other's warmth.

"Well, time to go to dreamland," said Judy. "Tomorrow is another day."

"How I hope you'll always stay," said Nick, rhyming with her sentence.

"How poetic, Mr Smooth Talker. Does it run in the family?"

"I don't know, we'll have to find out, won't we?" said Nick, giving her a wink.

Judy blushed and giggled.

"Oh, Nick, you are trouble, and you know it."

"Mm….I know. And you know too."

"I do know."

"And you know something else."

"And what would that be?" asked Judy.

"You know you love me," said Nick, his eyes narrowed with mischief.

"Do I know that?" asked Judy playfully. "Hmmm…"

Then suddenly, she landed a sweet kiss on his lips, leaving him with a surprised expression on his face.

"Yes. Yes, I do," said Judy giggling.

Nick sat there stunned for a moment in the afterglow of her

Previous Page

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Next page